Sports

Rays
Naimoli: Rays won't get axed
Angered by reports that team is a contraction target, owner says lease, revenues ensure it won't happen.

One hit redeems Vaughn
RAYS 4, A'S 3 (13): Slugger delivers winner after failing twice when challenged.

Bad judgment helps odd A's shift work
ST. PETERSBURG -- Athletics manager Art Howe couldn't have scripted it better.

Rays extra
TONIGHT: RAYS VS. ATHLETICS

World Cup soccer
The World Cup winner is ...

[AP photo]
All signs point to Italy but France and Argentina along with some usual suspects could continue the Italians' 20-year drought.

More than goals during World Cup
The global frenzy starts at 7:30 a.m. today when France and Senegal open the World Cup, allowing all those countdown clocks to stop ticking and all those goal counters to start slowly clicking away like tiny odometers of joy for soccer fans the world over.

John Romano
Title IX: evil or equalizer? Just ask your daughters
What is the proper gift for a well-intended act of legislation nearing its 30th anniversary? Derision? Scorn? How about taking it to court?

Colleges
UF's Sobieraj fills all kinds of gaps
Versatility and offensive punch have made the Dunedin graduate one of Florida's most dependable players.

Baseball regions
At Gainesville

TVSports
A lot of uh-ohs are ahead for networks
Taking a look at the three biggest sporting events in the next few weeks. Let's see what we have: the NBA and NBC might be looking at a Sacramento-New Jersey championship series, Carolina has advanced to the Stanley Cup and ABC and ESPN will televise World Cup games, already a tough sell with viewers because, well, it's soccer, but also trouble because games start at 2:30, 5 or 7:30 a.m. or on tape in the afternoon.

WNBA
Brown wins debut as Orlando coach
ORLANDO -- As far as coaching debuts go, Dee Brown had to be pleased Thursday night.

Storm
Chance to start comes for Storm's Milanovich
The ex-Bucs QB says he has adjusted his game and he is ready to play in the Arena League.

Et cetera
Sports in brief
Tampa cruiserweight to fight on TV tonight

Preps
Countryside tops national polls but loses coach
Three weeks after winning its first state title, honors are still rolling in for Countryside. Now, the Cougars can call themselves the best in the nation.

Steier, Johnson cap stellar careers
TAMPA -- They both know the feeling of competing in a track meet and wearing the jersey everybody in the field wants to beat.

Falcons find offense in rout of Hurricanes
DUNEDIN -- Few teams were as feeble on offense last season as Palm Harbor U. and Dunedin.

East Lake unveils rare aerial attack vs. Largo
LARGO -- East Lake's offense has been lopsided for so long it's second nature to call the Eagles one-dimensional. All they do is run.

On The Wire
Arizona Regains No. 1 Ranking in AP Poll
Garnett Eclipsed by Jordan Farewell
Report: Creditors O.K. Bid for Senators
Green Surprises Earnhardt at Daytona
UConn Remains Unanimous in Women's Poll

Americans Lose in 1st Round of Davis Cup

World Cup soccer

South Korea Thanks Soccer Teams

Brazil Celebration Turns Ugly

World's Worst Claims Soccer Honors