Brooks takes over [Times photo: Toni L. Sandys] With Hardy Nickerson gone, Bucs' Derrick Brooks assumes the mantle of leadership.

Bucs/NFL
Odom's back discomfort not so serious
TAMPA -- Offensive tackle Jason Odom isn't ready to press the panic button. At least, not yet.

Emanuel takes snaps in Dolphins' practice
DAVIE -- The Miami Dolphins' new offense is expected to include plenty of wrinkles. But veteran wide receiver Bert Emanuel at quarterback?

Around the AFC

Around the NFC

Gary Shelton
What kind of aura do Bucs project?
TAMPA -- They stood around the football field in the morning heat, the Bucs and their expectations. Because of the latter, there barely seemed room for the former. Every now and then the water boys would rush onto the field to hose down the adjectives.

Devil Rays/baseball
Yan gets night to remember
Righty buzzes through Tigers lineup in series-clinching 6-2 victory.

Rothschild begins 2-game suspension
DETROIT -- Larry Rothschild came to the ballpark early Wednesday, as always. He made out the lineup, met with reporters, talked to the players, supervised batting practice.

LaMar manning the phone
Devil Rays GM still preaching patience as the July 31 trade deadline nears.

D-backs reel in Schilling
PHOENIX -- Curt Schilling is headed home after the Philadelphia Phillies traded their ace right-hander to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday.

Royals catcher Ortiz offers rare stability
The Royals haven't had a full-time catcher since manager Tony Muser took over the team midway through the 1997 season. He has had Mike Macfarlane, Sal Fasano, Tim Spehr, Mike Sweeney and Chad Kreuter, among others. This year Muser has called on Brian Johnson, Gregg Zaun, Jorge Fabregas and Hector Ortiz.

College football
Brown still has gift of gab
The Gators defensive end sounds off on Georgia, his talent and "gangster defense."

UF tackle Pearson has head injury
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Florida offensive tackle Mike Pearson suffered a fractured skull Tuesday afternoon when he was injured in a motor vehicle accident.

Outdoors
Captain's corner
With water temperatures rising into the mid-90s and good bait at a premium, it is important to monitor and maintain your bait.

Lightning
Cloutier, Hay re-sign with the Lightning
The Lightning re-signed goaltender Dan Cloutier and forward Dwayne Hay to one-year contracts Wednesday. Both were restricted free agents.

Soccer
South Africa wants Cup vote arbitration
South Africa is challenging the disputed vote in which Germany was awarded the 2006 World Cup, insisting it has a "moral and legal obligation" for such a step.

FSL
Jupiter tops St. Petersburg
Matt Watson went 3-for-4 and scored twice as visiting Jupiter beat St. Petersburg 7-1 Wednesday. Abenis Machado had two sacrifice flies for the Hammerheads, who converted four Devil Rays errors into four unearned runs.

Preps
Lions have coaching shake-up
TAMPA -- When you hear the adage about high school sports being a cyclical monster, it normally applies to athletes.

Land O'Lakes junior softball loses in final
Citrus Park takes the Section III championship with a 7-4 victory.

Psychologist teaches coaches new skills
LARGO -- For the past two weeks, 25 coaches gathered to discuss coaching theory, but the chalkboards remained conspicuously devoid of X's and O's.

Area tourney starts with rout
Clearwater Post 7 and St. Petersburg Post 14, the first-place finishers in the North and South divisions of the American Legion A Southwest Area standings, are among the favorites in the Area Tournament this week.

Tennis
Hingis pulls out of tennis in Sydney
ZURICH, Switzerland -- Martina Hingis will skip the Sydney Olympics because her schedule is loaded and she is wary of the demands of another hard-court tournament.

Motorsports
F1 driver Herbert moving to CART
FRANKFURT, Germany -- Veteran British driver Johnny Herbert said Wednesday he will leave Formula One at the end of the season and switch to CART.

Homogeneous cars hurts teams, crew chief says
As crew chief for a team 41st in the Winston Cup points standings, Barry Dodson is convinced his team could do better.

Horse racing
National association rewards fans with $1-million chance
Bryan Pettigrew doesn't actually want to pay the million dollars.

Golf
Fame and misfortune
Jean Van de Velde makes the most of a mulligan on life after his collapse at last year's British Open.