DERRICK BROOKS AND THE BUCS: Cooler heads prevailed, a standoff ended and a "distraction" was eliminated. No matter whether it was the linebacker, his representatives, or the team taking the first step, all appear to have acted in a professional manner, so to speak.

INDIANS: Thanks to a pathetic pitching staff, this team has underachieved. But their 12-run record-tying comeback against the Mariners, baseball's most dominant team, was stupendous and reminded us that the coaching cliche -- always play hard, no matter the score, because anything can happen -- has one thing going for it: It's true.

ROBBIE LOOMIS: In his second season as crew chief for Jeff Gordon, Loomis is emerging from the daunting shadow of Ray Evernham. Sunday, Loomis, his crew and driver turned what Gordon thought was "the slowest car out there" into a winner at the Brickyard 400. Gordon remains on track for his fourth Winston Cup title, the first with Loomis.

Lows

MILES BYRNE: Start with too many clubs in Ian Woosnam's bag at the British Open, then oversleep and miss the start of the Scandinavian Masters' final round. Who knows what's in his future. Maybe a starring role in the next Caddyshack.

LITTLE LEAGUE COACHES: At the Little League Southern Regionals in Gulfport, pitchers routinely threw well over 100 pitches in a game. For instance, Monday one threw 134, another 138 and a third a whopping 155. If major league pitchers don't throw this many pitches, why are 11- and 12-year-olds doing it?

ESTEBAN YAN: Any more blown saves and the Rays' closer will qualify as a tropical storm. (He's already a tropical depression.)

WOMEN'S TENNIS RANKINGS: Martina Hingis was ranked No. 1 for the 200th week. Only Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert have reached that milestone. So, who doesn't belong? Hingis hasn't won a major in more than two years (that's 0-for-10 in Grand Slams). That she remains the top-ranked player is a joke (Anna Kournikova dropped only seven spots from No. 8 despite not playing a match in five months). This makes the BCS rankings seem downright logical.

Back to Sports

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright

From the Times sports desk

College football
Thick skin required

So you want to play QB for the head ball coach?

Gators are lukewarm No. 1

College football briefs

Bucs
Pressure without tenure

Kick-return game still needs help

Bucs' Finger points out he is confident

Team is ready to 'compete'

Bucs training camp

Devil Rays
Frightening finish goes Rays' way

Rupe renewed by extra rest

'Unwritten rules' about respect

Unlikely mark gets the right challenger

Rays tales

Letters
Don't pull starter in command

Baseball
The name game

In the zone

Baseball this week on TV

WNBA
WNBA briefs

Golf
'You could make your career by beating Hagen'

Outdoors
Outdoors calendar

Daily fishing report

Sightfishing an ideal fly technique

Et cetera
Highs and lows

Week in sports

Preps
Coach's legacy goes beyond Tampa

Mustangs, Falcons face rough districts

Florida blasts its way to World Series berth

From the wire

From the state sports wire Jacksonville's Spicer placed on IR after leg surgery
FIU-Western Kentucky game postponed because of Jeanne
Brown anxious to face old team for first time
Dolphins' desperate defense readies for Roethlisberger
Former Sarasota lineman sheds tough-guy image with Michigan
Rothstein rejoins Heat as assistant
No. 16 Florida has history on its side against Kentucky
FSU and Clemson QBs both off to slow starts