Football
* Miles and LSU agree to raise, extension: Les Miles has a new seven-year contract at LSU that also will result in a pay raise for one of the most successful coaches in the history of the Tigers’ football program. “I’m a LSU head coach and will be a LSU head coach for as long as I can be," Miles said Wednesday. “Hopefully, we’ll look up seven years from now and I’ll be looking for another seven-year extension." The new contract runs through 2019, which amounts to a two-year extension. A person familiar with the contract said that Miles’ new annual pay would be in the range of $4.3 million. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because financial details of Miles’ deal were not released.
• More NFL players testing positive for amphetamines: More NFL players are testing positive for amphetamines, a class of substances that includes the ADHD drug Adderall. Since the start of last season, more than 10 players suspended for failing drug tests have publicly blamed it on taking the stimulant. And while the league doesn’t identify the substance when a player is penalized, senior vice president Adolpho Birch acknowledges that the number of positives for amphetamines has increased. Because the type of drug isn’t disclosed under the NFL’s agreement with the union, nothing prevents a player from claiming he took Adderall when, in fact, he tested positive for a steroid or another stimulant. The tests don’t differentiate between Adderall and other amphetamines, Birch said, but he does believe Adderall abuse is on the rise in the league.
• Denver Broncos pursuing Super Bowl bid, mayor says: Denver has submitted an application to bid for the Super Bowl. The Denver Post reports the Broncos and Visit Denver submitted an application in late August to the NFLs Super Bowl Advisory Committee to bid to host the Super Bowl in 2018, 2019 or 2020. Visit Denver CEO and President Richard Scharf calls it a very preliminary step. The NFL is expected to select next year which cities are eligible to submit an official bid. Mayor Michael Hancock spoke about Denver’s application Wednesday in a meeting with The Denver Post editorial board.
Hockey
* NHL, union get back to bargaining with mediators: Whether federal mediators will provide enough help to end the NHL lockout in time to save the hockey season is still unknown. At least they had a good first day. Negotiators from the NHL and the players’ association returned to the bargaining table Wednesday for the first time in a week and the first time with outside voices contributing to the talks. The location was secret, and so was what was discussed, but the talks went well enough that the sides will be back at the negotiating table today. “No comments," was all NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly would say Wednesday night in an email to The Associated Press.
Baseball
* MLB union head: Drug test announcements on deck: The head of the baseball players’ union says there have been talks with Major League Baseball about increasing the sport’s drug testing program. Michael Weiner spoke Wednesday after a meeting of the union’s executive board. He said he expected announcements about the drug program “before too long." Weiner says the union and MLB have spoken about adding in-season tests for human growth hormone next year. There also is discussion about making the tests more sophisticated for all performance-enhancing drugs. Earlier this week, Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz became the eighth player suspended this year under the big league drug program. The eight bans are the most since 2007 and Weiner said the increased number of positive tests has “caught the attention of both sides."
• LHP Andy Pettitte and Yankees reach 1-year deal: Andy Pettitte is staying with the New York Yankees next season. The left-hander signed a one-year deal with the Yankees worth $12 million on Wednesday, putting baseball’s biggest postseason winner back in pinstripes.
Motor sports
* Truck Series headed back to the dirt: NASCAR will go back to the dirt for the first time since 1970 when the Truck Series visits Eldora Speedway in Ohio. The July 24 event at the Tony Stewart-owned track in Rossburg will be a lead-in to the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series races later that weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Stewart, a three-time NASCAR champion, believed the Wednesday night race would attract drivers from all three NASCAR national levels and maybe even other series.
— From wire reports