Cuts clear up roster picture
ST. PETERSBURG -- After reassigning six players to the minor leagues Wednesday, the Rays moved into the final stages of setting their roster.

Bucs
Gruden shuffles defense
Shelton Quarles, Al Singleton will anchor the Bucs linebacker corps.

Dilfer wins over Seattle as he matures as a QB
LAKE BUENA VISTA -- Quarterback Trent Dilfer is the toast of Seattle.

Lightning

[Times photo: Dirk Shadd] Ben Clymer tries to get around Atlanta's Dany Heatley during the first period. The Lightning won 4-2 and is 3-0-3 in its past six games.

Lightning rallies again
LIGHTNING 4, THRASHERS 2: Big second extends unbeaten streak to six.

The pucks fly in Tampa, with few major injuries
TAMPA -- On opening day last year, hockey fan Tricia Hirsch was sitting in section 104 of the Ice Palace with her two daughters.

Modin sore after first practice
TAMPA -- Fredrik Modin practiced Wednesday morning for the first time since surgery Feb.26 to repair torn cartilage in his right wrist.

Golf
Rabbit ears don't help Monty in the States
The Scottish golfer is in a better mood at the Players Championship.

Sawgrass has aged well in past 20 years
PONTE VEDRA BEACH -- They used to hate this place, at least in the early days. When the Players Championship first moved to the TPC at Sawgrass Stadium Course, the moaning was nearly deafening.

College basketball
Golden Flashes still proving they belong
Kent State has dealt with expectations, disruptions on the way to the Sweet 16.

South Florida's Greenberg denies speaking to Fresno St.
Amid reports he is a candidate to replace Jerry Tarkanian at Fresno State, South Florida coach Seth Greenberg said he has not been contacted by the school.

College football
Bulls await next step for facility
An okay at today's meeting would allow USF to obtain a loan for construction.

Baseball
Area notebook
Injury may settle battle

Motorsports
Wallace makes his return to friendly track in Bristol
Rusty Wallace was born in Missouri, but Bristol Motor Speedway feels like home.

Bowling
Revival is a hit, mostly
The "new" PBA ended its season Sunday at Virginia Beach, Va., but its guru, Mike Miller, was not inclined to sit back and smoke a victory cigar.

Preps
Lofty to say the least
Tampa Baptist's Garrett Johnson not only plans to throw the discus more than 200 feet this season but shatter the state record in the process.

Dunedin throttles Clearwater 11-1
CLEARWATER -- With the way Dunedin has hammered the ball this season, it's easy to forget the Falcons are more than just bashers.

Outdoors
Daily fishing report
Water clarity offshore in the gulf will be at its best the next two weeks unless we have high winds.