Baseball Bonds does it [AP photo] Giants slugger blows past McGwire's record with homers No. 71 and 72. Bonds is warming to the task In pursuit of the single-season home run record, the Giants slugger has seen his image polished a bit. Baseball news Perez going back to the front office

Gary Shelton

Bucs
Bucs: Better tackling is only change needed
Defense vows that short passes won't become big gains.

Dunn injury means Cook gets chance
TAMPA -- There was a point in the first week of training camp when playing fullback was a kiss of death. Pro Bowl player Mike Alstott went down with a hamstring injury and backup Charles Kirby ripped his Achilles' tendon, ending his season.

Kickin' back with Aaron Stecker
Bucs second-year running back Aaron Stecker grew up in a town called Ashwaubenon, near Green Bay. Here are a few Stecker takes on being black in Wisconsin, the bi-racial world he lives in, music videos, psychics, favorite people and the Bee Gees.

College football
Gators try to maintain a level head against LSU
The Tigers have beaten a highly ranked Florida before.

USF goes to great lengths to play Utah
It's about 1,887 miles by air from Tampa to Salt Lake City.

Small colleges football notebook
ALABAMA-BIRMINGHAM at CENTRAL FLORIDA

'Canes have little to gain, much to lose
CORAL GABLES -- Intimidation won't win this afternoon at the Orange Bowl -- talent will.

Wyatt takes full control of B-CC defense
This season, Alvin Wyatt is all over his Bethune-Cookman defense like, well, any of the numerous receivers he smothered during a three-year career as a Wildcat defensive back.

Simms is heart of Texas
With a win today, the QB can help Longhorns forget last season's bitter loss to Oklahoma.

Fast start has UCLA on track for title
The Rose Bowl will be the venue for the Jan. 3 national championship, and UCLA has a shot at playing that game on its home field.

Lightning
Lightning lurches to 3-2 loss
Goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin is sharp in opener, but the Islanders score twice in the third period to rally.

Lecavalier's deal is done
"I'm feeling unbelievable," Lightning captain says of agreeing to four-year contract.

Ownership thinking long-term
TAMPA -- Turning around the Lightning has turned into a bigger project than expected, but Tampa Bay's ownership group remains committed to a long-term plan for success.

Khabibulin is pleased, sees positives in loss
TAMPA -- That reputed savior Nikolai Khabibulin allowed three goals in the Lightning's season-opening loss to the Islanders on Friday might suggest he did not live up to his billing.

Devil Rays
Rays get more to build on
Rally produces another win against Yankees 8-4 and keeps a 100-loss season at bay.

Kennedy closes out solid rookie season
ST. PETERSBURG -- When compared to where Joe Kennedy started this season, it's all the more impressive to see where he finished Friday.

Rays vs. Yankees
The game

Outdoors
Accident doesn't hinder boat racer
Doug Sutherland, paralyzed since July 2000, leads Outlaw A powerboaters.

Late-night run awaits Ironman competitors
The Ironman Triathlon World Championship is scheduled for today in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Each October, Ironman organizers pick the race date closest to the full moon, which safely lights the lava-blackened highways for the late marathon run.

Daily fishing report
With the days getting shorter and the nights cooler, water temperatures are beginning to drop. The bass respond by moving to shallow weeds and feeding. A variety of artificial baits will work, including topwaters, crankbaits and worms.

Colleges
Big match goes sour for USF in 3-0 loss
UAB outplayed the Bulls in a meeting of ranked C-USA teams.

Preps
Melnik breaks loose for Eagles
SPRING HILL -- For one half, Justin Melnik and the rest of the Springstead offense had barely a cameo on the field, so it's hard to blame them for not sharing the ball with Citrus when the game was on the line.

Hillsborough football notebook
Hillsborough 67, Alonso 0

Pasco suffers 63-13 defeat to South Sumter
The short-handed Pirates give up seven TDs in the first half.

Pinellas football notebook
Admiral Farragut 39, Sonrise Chr. 0

Cowboys ride special teams play to win
TAMPA -- Gaither's special teams were extra special.

Wesley Chapel, up by 30 early, handles Mitchell 58-0
TRINITY -- The word is out on Wesley Chapel and Mitchell coach Scott Schmitz is the latest believer.

Gators ride turnovers to victory
LAND O'LAKES -- The Land O'Lakes defense forced three Hudson turnovers and Gators quarterback Drew Weatherford made the Cobras pay by turning those miscues into 17 points.

Pirates sail past Central, 28-0
Two plays in Crystal River book do damage.

Bucs' defensive stand halts Knights, 15-12
River Ridge comes up short on a crucial fourth-down play and has its seven-year dominance of west side teams come to an end.

Decimated Bulldogs overcome suspensions
Zephyrhills loses all three quarterbacks, but still handles Ridgewood.

This time, Vikes' streak unbroken
Northeast's regular-season unbeaten run is 7-0 with a win over 2000 spoilers Countryside.

Lecanto earns its biggest win 65-28
The Panthers run for 413 yards for their first victory over Hernando.

East Bay defense contains Plant
With running back Devin Kennedy injured, the Panthers take to the air -- unsuccessfully.

King of the comebacks
King trailed 13-7 in the fourth quarter. Then Michael Brewster entered and before Wharton knew it, the Lions had a 32-12 win.

Tarpon stops Seminole
SEMINOLE -- There is a flip side to playing so well for so long.

Gibbs makes Dunedin target for redemption
After being blown out by Seminole last week, the Gladiators' passing game scores four touchdowns in a lopsided 36-16 win.

Grieving Dragons battle on
TAMPA -- If Jefferson started the game listlessly, few in its extended family could blame the Dragons.