Sideline

By TIMES WIRES
Published September 23, 2006

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Lightning looks at its defensemen

Dan Boyle, Nolan Pratt, Paul Ranger and Cory Sarich played for the Lightning last season. Andy Delmore, Filip Kuba, Doug Janik and Luke Richardson were acquired in the offseason. That's eight defensemen for seven spots.

BUCS BIT

The Bucs are 5-6 all-time against the Panthers, 1-5 in the past six meetings. Coach Jon Gruden is 4-5 against the Panthers, including 3-5 with the Bucs.

OUT OF BOUNDS

JAPAN'S TIN CUP: Don't count on Japan's Mitsuhiro Tateyama making the cut at this weekend's Acom International in Tokyo. Not after a 19 on a par-3. The 38-year-old hit the rough on his second shot then knocked it into the bushes. From there, he needed 14 shots to hack his way out. Then he two-putted. It was the worst in Japan since 1987, when Norio Suzuki incorrectly signed 42 on a hole instead of his nine-hole total. The previous worst was 15. "That must be a world record or something," said Tateyama, who shot 84. "My mind went blank. I lost count of the number of strokes I had. I couldn't even see the ball when it was in the bushes. I just wanted to get it out quick."

MEDIA CRUSH: For Monday's game, the first at the Super-dome since Hurricane Katrina, the Saints have issued 550 credentials to ESPN and some to CNN, The Weather Channel, Home Shopping Network, MTV and the Washington bureau of Arab-world network Al Jazeera.

QUOTABLE

Emmitt Smith, ex-NFL and Gators running back, to SI.com, on judging the Miss Universe Pageant:

"I'd rather be chased by pretty women than by ugly men."

COLLEGE FOOTBALL ON TV TODAY

Noon: Wisconsin at Michigan

ESPN Noon: Minnesota at Purdue

ESPN2 Noon: UNC at Clemson

Ch. 44 Noon: Louisville at Kansas St.

FSN 12:30: Colorado at Georgia

Ch. 38 3:30: Alabama at Ark.

Ch. 10 3:30: Penn St. at Ohio St.

Ch. 28 3:30: Arizona St. at Cal

FSN 4:30: West Virginia at East Carolina

ESPN2 7: UCLA at Washington

TBS 8: Notre Dame at Michigan St.

Ch. 28 8: BC at N.C. State, ESPN2