The buzz
By TIMES WIRES
Published August 6, 2006
THE BUZZ
LEADING OFF
In the old days, baseball coaches looked for kids who could hit, run and throw. These days, coaches such as Mel Stancil and Joe McLain look for additional skills.
In their public notice for the Gulf Coast Tarpons, an AAU team for players 12 and younger, that ran in the Times' Pasco County edition July 28, they said they seek "disciplined, respectful players with well-mannered parents."
"There are so many parents who think their kid is such a super athlete," said Stancil, who shares managerial duties with McLain.
"But at the high school level, only the best play. Parents have to realize it. The parents have to step back and let the coaches (decide)."
And, Stancil added, the kids shouldn't get too worked up either: "We want to teach these kids that (like) in the pros, as long as you're playing, that's all that matters."
FIVE THINGS WE CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF
1. B.J. Upton, left, finally getting a chance.
2. Delusional Yankee fans believing Bobby Abreu and Cory Lidle guarantee them a World Series title.
3. UCF football calling out USF.
4. Auto races won by Danica Patrick equaling the WTA Tour singles titles won by Anna Kournikova.
5. All 32 NFL training camps opening with no team eliminated from Super Bowl contention solely because it refuses to spend money.
FIVE THINGS WE NEED A BREAK FROM
1. Scott Kazmir's arm problems.
2. Declaration of trade deadline winners and losers with as much foresight as national signing day winners and losers.
3. USF football believing it's above playing UCF.
4. Insolent auto racers whining like 7-year-old brats after crashes.
5. Daily updates of Dallas WR Terrell Owens' relationship with QB Drew Bledsoe.
HOW OTHERS SEE US
"Granted, some of the comments made to USA Today suggest that their emotional IQ isn't quite up there with Oprah's - phenoms B.J. Upton (the DUI guy), Delmon Young (the bat-chucker) and Elijah Dukes (who's never met an umpire he hasn't showered with post-ejection spittle) mouthed off to the paper about the (Devil Rays') failure to call them up. Well, Upton and single-happy shortstop Ben Zobrist have arrived, with the others to follow soon. Add these guys to the current core of Carl Crawford, Rocco Baldelli and Jorge Cantu, and you've got a nifty mix of speed and pop. Come September, playing the Rays is going to be like babysitting for octuplets."