Darrell Fry
Passing a drug test isn’t rocket science
TAMPA -- This is where they come. Men in suits. Women in dresses. Guys in sweat pants. Girls in jeans.
Lightning/NHL
It’s that darn 3rd period
ST. LOUIS -- The Lightning had a plan for the third period of Thursday night's game against the Blues.
Follow the bouncing pick
ST. LOUIS -- The Lightning was the first NHL team to trade the No. 1 pick in the draft. Now, the centerpiece of the 1999 deal, goaltender Dan Cloutier, has been traded to the Canucks for defenseman Adrian Aucoin and a second-round pick in this year's draft.
Slumping McCarty powers hot Red Wings
DETROIT -- Darren McCarty had a goal and an assist, leading the Red Wings to a 2-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night.
Devil Rays
Rays sign Ken Hill
ST. PETERSBURG -- The Rays signed veteran right-hander Ken Hill in hopes he can lend an experienced hand to their bullpen.
College basketball
USF’s Asbury out for up to 2 weeks
South Florida senior forward Chonsey Asbury will miss up to two weeks after having arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Thursday afternoon.
USF Women vs. Tulane
WHEN/WHERE: 7 tonight; USF Sun Dome, Tampa.
Men’s college basketball around the state
TROY ST. 74, UCF 69: The visiting Trojans shot 59.1 percent in the second half.
FSU edges No. 4 Duke
DURHAM, N.C. -- Brooke Wyckoff scored 20 points as Florida State upset No. 4 Duke 71-69 on Thursday night, ending the Blue Devils' 12-game winning streak.
NBA
Sleepy All-Star earning respect
Tracy McGrady has taken over the Magic with low-key attitude.
Stern supports giving college players loans
WASHINGTON -- Commissioner David Stern said Thursday that the NBA is willing to subsidize a program by the NCAA that would loan college athletes with professional potential up to $20,000 a year to stay in school.
Motorsports
Return to No. 1
Jeff Gordon and his Rainbow Warriors are ready to pass last year's troubles.
NASCAR ban surprises RPM 2Night
ESPN2's auto racing show RPM 2Night no longer is welcome inside the Daytona 500 -- or any other NASCAR race.
Colleges
FSU coach averts bus tragedy
Assistant coach Chip Baker rescued the Florida State baseball team from a potential tragedy Thursday by taking the wheel of a speeding bus and steering it safely off a San Francisco highway after the driver collapsed from an apparent heart attack.
Golf
With an eye on PGA Tour, Kite seeks senior success
Tom Kite won twice last year as a rookie on the Senior PGA Tour and made the cut in all six PGA Tour events he played.
XFL
XFL popularity reaches the Internet
How quickly will the XFL be accepted into the family of sports leagues? Faster than you'd think, if the Internet is any indication.
Soccer
Exhibition stretch for Mutiny
The Mutiny has three exhibitions in the next five days, including one against the under-18 national team at 11 this morning at the Soccer Academy in Bradenton.
College football
FSU adds top DB to class
Dominic Robinson, one of the nation's top-rated cornerbacks, signed with Florida State on Thursday as expected, continuing the Garnet and Gold rush of highly touted prospects heading to Tallahassee.
NFL
NFL briefs
Police: Bengals QB Smith driving under influence
Et cetera
Sports briefs
No world golds for the "Herminator'
Preps
Mosby dominates; Hernando advances
BROOKSVILLE -- It wasn't exactly Hernando's Bernice Mosby against Lecanto on Thursday night.
Another record falls, but Rams don't
PALM HARBOR -- Ridgewood kept its unbeaten record against district teams intact and Alayna Sherwood became the Rams' all-time rebounding leader in Thursday night's 63-25 win over Gulf.
Gryphons, Bulls in title tilt
TAMPA -- So much for a shot at revenge. Having buzzed through all but one opponent, Sickles wanted another chance to face the only team it lost to: Gaither. Instead, the Gryphons will face Bloomingdale, which defeated Gaither 56-51 for the Class 6A, District 7 title. Sickles dumped Durant (10-14) for the third time.
East Lake starts fast, holds off Hurricanes
PALM HARBOR -- It could have gone either way, really, for two teams that split the season series and literally matched basket for basket.
Patriots win title after pep talk
ST. PETERSBURG -- With all 13 of its wrestlers still alive and the Class 2A, District 10 tournament title all but wrapped up, the only goal Pinellas Park had left was to guard against complacency.
District boys basketball
Class 5A, district 9 -- at Gulf
Crystal River rips Bears to end playoff hex
The Pirates move on to the regional semifinal by beating Central 5-1 for their first-ever playoff win.
Hudson shuts out Citrus for record win
The Cobras set a school mark with their 21st victory and will host a regional semifinal game on Tuesday.
Wharton speeds into semis
CLEARWATER -- Size didn't matter much to Wharton in their regional quarterfinal matchup with Countryside. And in only the school's fourth year, experience didn't seem to matter either.
Crusaders advance by dumping Barons
TAMPA -- Admittedly, Tampa Catholic didn't play its best game during its Class A regional quarterfinal game against St. Petersburg Catholic.
Penalty kicks spare Gators from defeat
Land O'Lakes keeper Greg Kline shuts down Plant to help the Gators advance.
CCC advances on Miller’s blitz
Dave Miller believes in finishing what he starts. The Clearwater Central Catholic senior jump-started a sluggish Marauder offense in the first half by ripping a free kick into the net for the game's first score. He then broke open a tie game with two goals in the second half to lead the Marauders to a 4-2 victory over Berkeley Prep in the Class 2A, Region 2 quarterfinals.
Crusaders advance by dumping Barons
TAMPA -- Admittedly, Tampa Catholic didn't play its best game during its Class A regional quarterfinal game against St. Petersburg Catholic.
