 |
 |
SPRING TRAINING PREVIEW
The McRays
[Times photo: Toni L. Sandys]
After an offseason filled with news of contraction, labor negotiations and curious franchise transactions, baseball returns to the field in earnest this weekend with the start of the exhibition season. Stories |
Bucs
Dunn's the priority as Bucs go to market
Gruden is focused on him and other offensive players as free agency begins.
Devil Rays/Spring Training
3 Rays join aging trend
Tighter entry procedures after Sept. 11 have revealed more than 30 age discrepancies. Esteban Yan gets younger.
Stable job brings smile to Sturtze
ST. PETERSBURG -- He left spring training last season content with a spot on the roster but less than thrilled about being miscast as a relief pitcher.
Around area camps
Wendell's bad elbow flares up again
Lightning
Injuries provide rookie chance for regular shifts
Nikita Alexeev, the No. 8 pick in 2000, knows he has a lot to learn as he acclimates himself to the NHL.
Tortorella blasts Ciger for missing game, practice
"I don't buy it. He's healthy to play," the Lightning coach says.
NFL
ABC adds Madden to Mondays
Even through his 21-year partnership with Pat Summerall, in the back of his mind, NFL analyst John Madden always hoped he would get a chance to join Monday Night Football. Wednesday, while he was making the two-hour drive from Carmel, Calif., to his home in Pleasanton, the chance suddenly presented itself.
Favorites to replace Madden-Summerall have drawbacks
Rampant speculation has Joe Buck and Cris Collinsworth replacing the venerable Pat Summerall and John Madden as Fox's No. 1 NFL broadcasting team this fall. But while both are well-known, the move might not be as easy as it looks.
With comedian leaving, translations not needed
Dennis Miller's two-year experiment with Monday Night Football ended Thursday, and more quietly, so did Locke Peterseim's role as Miller's translator.
Golf
Top stars avoid talk of victory
Vijay Singh and Ernie Els haven't won in a while and are trying not to pressure themselves.
Tour idea gets mixed reaction
MIAMI -- A proposed new tour for major championship winners is raising more than a few eyebrows.
College basketball
Tampa men favored to win conference
TAMPA -- If Tampa coach Richard Schmidt had any lingering questions about his program peaking after its Division II Elite Eight appearance last season, they have been answered.
Womens basketball roundup
Spartan shorts
TAMPA -- The Tampa men's basketball team wrapped up its regular season last week with wins against Eckerd and Rollins, earning the Spartans their first Sunshine State Conference regular-season championship in four years.
Colleges
Bulls bits
TAMPA -- The South Florida softball team continues to struggle.
Pitchers search for more consistency
TAMPA -- The South Florida baseball team has won just four of its first 10 games. Depending on the day, the pitching staff could be an easy target for criticism or lauded as the strength of the team. The staff coach Eddie Cardieri has put together has talent. His pitchers possess a wide range of pitches and have solid defense and hitting backing them up.
Preps
Bears defeat 'Canes, continue to improve
Central wins its third in a row behind a solid pitching performance from Jen Clark.
Attention scalpers: Beware of angry mob
Tickets to Saturday's Lakewood-Kathleen game are long gone, a disappointment to many fans in the community.
Tornadoes plan to attack
Unlike two years ago, this Clearwater team has the offensive weapons to face South Broward's 2-3 matchup zone defense.
Close games don't bother Bogie
GULFPORT -- Boca Ciega coach Randy Shuman has preached all season about the importance of getting a lead and holding it, of finishing teams off, of delivering that killing blow. And yet, his team won't listen.
