Stadium Naming Deal Close to Complete: The Post reported on Saturday that a deal to sell the naming rights to RFK for the next three years may be completed before the Nats home-opener this Thursday. The possible winner? Not the dedicated democracy activists looking to tag RFK the “Taxation Without Representation Field at RFK Stadium,” who to date have raised $36,549 in pledges, but rather the National Guard. The Guard, with over 300,000 members nationwide, is planning on paying $6 million for the naming rights until 2008, when a new stadium in Southeast is slated to open.

School Advocates to Protest Nats Home Opener: Teachers, students, and concerned parents are set to protest the state of D.C. schools outside the Nats home opener this Thursday. The education activists are upset over the mayor’s recent $779 million school budget, which they say does not factor in pay raises to make teacher salaries competitive with suburban schools and cuts funds for capital improvements in the crumbling schools by 15 percent. The protest will start at 6pm on East Capitol Street and 19th, SE.

D.C. United Not Too Fond of Sharing Stadium: D.C. United has had RFK all to itself for its 10-year career, but it now has to get used to sharing the field with the Nationals. Switching between a baseball diamond and a functional soccer pitch takes an average of 72 hours and costs $40,000 a pop — and 19 of these conversions are slated for the summer alone. The coolest part of these back-and-forths? The pitchers mound, which is lowered and raised by way of a hydraulic lift.

Update: And so it continues … another potential suitor for RFK may no longer be in the running. WTOP reported at 3:24pm today that a spokesperson for the National Guard claimed that the $6 million will not be spent to name RFK, rather, it will be used for much-needed supplies and training. No word yet on who may have next shot at the naming rights, though DCist will keep on the story.