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By TIMES WIRES
Published November 8, 2006

Hurricanes Pata shot, killed after practice 

University of Miami defensive lineman Bryan Pata was shot and killed Tuesday night, shortly after leaving the practice field, school officials said. The circumstances around Pata's death were not immediately clear, and Miami-Dade police did not say who made the 911 call after the shooting. Pata, 22, lived about 4 miles southwest of campus, and the shooting occurred at his apartment complex. Miami-Dade police spokesman Roy Rutland said police were called at 7:30 p.m. to the scene and found Pata's body in the parking lot. Pata was pronounced dead at the scene. The death was ruled a homicide, Rutland said. Pata, a 6-foot-4, 280-pound graduate of Miami Central, was expected to be selected in next spring's NFL draft.

Back on 'MNF' after absence

The Bucs are 9-7 all-time on Monday Night Football, including 3-3 under Jon Gruden. This is the team's first appearance on MNF since a 28-21 loss at St. Louis on Oct. 28, 2004.

Drugs nearly drove him to murder

In an article in Columbia, S.C.'s The State newspaper, former major-league baseball player Lonnie Smith said his one-time cocaine addiction nearly led him in 1988 to killing then-Royals GM John Schuerholz, who Smith believed had sabotaged his career when both were in the Royals organization. Smith, who played 17 seasons in the majors, believed Schuerholz spread the word around baseball that Smith was bad news because of drug use. "If I couldn't get back to baseball," Smith says, "I was going to take him with me." Smith eventually kicked his drug habit and, in a twist, ended up playing for the Braves when Schuerholz was the GM in Atlanta.

"My comment is that we might as well play PlayStation if we are going to take the emotion out of it."

Pistons coach Flip Saunders, talking about the rash of technical fouls being called this season.

[Last modified November 8, 2006, 02:13:02]