By Gary Shelton, Times Sports Columnist
Monday, April 25, 2011

TAMPA — It looks like Nate Thompson, sliding across the ice to put his ribcage in the path of a whistling puck before it could cause any damage.

It looks like Dwayne Roloson, surviving another onslaught, stopping three straight shots as quick as a popcorn popper.

It looks like Eric Brewer, digging a puck out of the corner as the Lightning's deadly penalty kill smothered yet another Penguins threat.

It looks a little like desperation. It looks a lot like heart. More and more, it looks like the team picture of the Tampa Bay Lightning, the team that refuses to stop skating.

These are the snapshots of a team as it fights back from the brink. They are a stubborn bunch, these Bolts, feisty and resilient. Say what you will about speed or skill, this is this team's finest quality, that ability to keep its own pulse beating in spite of the hands that have been around its throat for two games.

The Lightning did it again Monday night. It scraped and scratched and scuffled, and somehow, it found a way to keep a season alive.

All in all, it was the finest victory the Lightning has had since Game 7 of the 2004 Stanley Cup — although another one on Wednesday would be bigger than this.

"When we were down 3-1, our goal was to get even and give ourselves a chance," said forward Marty St. Louis. "We've done that, but our job isn't over."

It is down to one of those final, breathless, loser-leaves-the-postseason sort of showdowns.

For the second straight game, the Lightning staved off elimination, coming from behind (naturally) to win 4-2. This was survival hockey, a game that might as well have been played on the edge of the cliff. In the end, the Lightning won because it would not allow any other option.

It looks like Teddy Purcell, slamming home a rebound to tie the score at 1. It looks like Dominic Moore, making a no-look pass that would have made Magic Johnson proud, finding Sean Bergenheim in front of the goal for the Lightning's second goal. It looks like Steve Downie, taking his anger out on the net this time, jamming home the team's third goal 67 seconds after the Penguins had tied the score.

This is why this team has won this town back. Because it has enough gristle to keep skating no matter what the odds have looked like. Because it keeps skating further and further away from the memories of bad owners and bad players and bad memories. Because it has come back from being down 3-1, because it came back from the odds, because it has come back from being an afterthought of a franchise.

"That's been our motto since the get-go," forward Steven Stamkos said. "It's been preached and harped upon by our coaches. Hard work beats skill. If you have both, you're a hard team to play."

In sports, there are few qualities as admirable as resiliency. Because of that, it would have been downright rude for the Lightning's season to conclude Monday night. Admit it, you really didn't care when the last three seasons ended. Those seasons were like a bad tooth; the sooner the pain ended, the better. And in 2006 and 2007, a first-round defeat seemed inevitable after underachieving seasons.

Somehow during this series, the Lightning seems to have grown up. In the two middle games at the St. Pete Times Forum, the players looked like the freshman pledge class. They couldn't quite figure how to approach these games against a veteran Penguins group.

The last two games, they have looked hardened, as if they have figured it out. They were at their best Monday, calm and in control.

Funny thing, desperation. The more a team handles, the more it starts to resemble domination.

It looks like Ryan Malone, who grew up as a rink-rat in Pittsburgh, slamming home the clinching goal.

It looks like Simon Gagne, diving headlong with his stick extended to knock away a late threat in the third quarter.

It looks like a penalty kill that will not allow the Penguins to breath. Pittsburgh has had 30 power plays, and the Lightning has turned away 29. In some ways, the Lightning has been on a penalty kill for two straight games now, and is still standing.

Who else knew that Purcell, Bergenheim, Downie and Malone were going to be the Four Horsemen? That shows how the Lightning is getting goals from every corner of its roster.

"That was the trademark of our team," coach Guy Boucher said. "The fourth liners, the third liners, the grinders, the defensemen, we always had new heroes every game. These guys, these no-names as somebody called them, certainly have a name to us."

So what happens in Game 7? The Lightning has momentum, and the Penguins have experience. The Lightning has explosiveness, and the Penguins have home ice. The Lightning has the hotter goalie, and the better special teams. The Penguins? For the first time, they're facing elimination, too. We'll see how comfortable they are on the cliff.

Home ice? You could play this one anywhere. Richmond. Marietta. Elbow Bend.

"Our job isn't done yet," Stamkos said.

Just as well. After clawing back from the brink, twice, the Lightning might as well win it.

After all, what better does it have to do?

Times wires
Monday, April 25, 2011

MEMPHIS — Whatever Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins said to his team at halftime worked very, very well.

Eighth-seeded Memphis outscored the Spurs 30-15 in the third quarter, turning a two-point halftime deficit into a 104-86 rout Monday night for a 3-1 lead in their first-round Western Conference series.

"It was an incredible performance in the third and fourth quarter," Hollins said. "… From the second quarter on, our defense just kept getting better and better."

San Antonio led 50-48 at halftime, and Grizzlies guard O.J. Mayo said Hollins lit such a fire in his team that it couldn't wait to get onto the court.

"We're not playing too well in so many words," Mayo said. "That's the clean version. And we need to get it together, and play with a lot of energy and play like we're a desperate team. All year he's been preaching that the desperate team usually wins, and we didn't look very desperate that first half."

The Grizzlies are a game away from becoming the second eighth seed to knock off a No. 1 since the NBA expanded to a best-of-seven series, joining the 2007 Warriors, who beat the Mavericks.

"I know a lot of people didn't expect us to be here," guard Mike Conley said. "It's not like we were expected to be up 3-1 at this point. In our locker room, we're just playing it game by game. We want to come into San Antonio looking to end it there. We're focused and want to be able to move onto the next round."

Grizzlies 104, Spurs 86

SAN ANTONIO (86): Jefferson 0-4 0-0 0, Duncan 3-7 0-0 6, McDyess 2-5 0-1 4, Parker 9-12 4-4 23, Ginobili 5-13 2-2 14, Hill 4-7 1-2 10, Bonner 2-4 0-0 4, Splitter 5-9 0-1 10, Neal 3-6 4-4 11, Green 1-4 0-0 2, Blair 1-4 0-0 2, Novak 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 35-75 11-14 86.

MEMPHIS (104): Young 3-7 2-4 8, Randolph 3-7 5-5 11, Gasol 3-5 3-4 9, Conley 6-15 2-2 15, Allen 5-10 2-2 12, Battier 3-5 2-2 9, Mayo 4-10 1-2 11, Arthur 7-10 0-0 14, Haddadi 0-1 0-0 0, Vasquez 4-4 0-0 9, Smith 2-2 0-0 4, Powe 1-5 0-0 2. Totals 41-81 17-21 104.

San Antonio 26 24 15 21— 86

Memphis 21 27 30 26— 104

3-Point Goals—San Antonio 5-18 (Ginobili 2-6, Parker 1-2, Neal 1-2, Hill 1-3, Jefferson 0-1, Green 0-2, Bonner 0-2), Memphis 5-12 (Mayo 2-3, Vasquez 1-1, Conley 1-2, Battier 1-3, Allen 0-1, Randolph 0-1, Young 0-1). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—San Antonio 41 (Splitter 9), Memphis 46 (Randolph, Gasol 9). Assists—San Antonio 16 (Ginobili 4), Memphis 22 (Conley 7). Total Fouls—San Antonio 16, Memphis 19. Technicals—McDyess. A—18,119 (18,119).

Mavs bounce back

DALLAS — Holding another double-digit lead going into the fourth quarter, the Mavericks found a great way to protect it. They stood and watched the Trail Blazers miss 10 straight shots.

Dirk Nowitzki scored 11 of his 25 in the third quarter and Dallas avoided another late collapse to beat Portland 93-82 and take a 3-2 series lead.

Tyson Chandler had 14 points and 20 rebounds, his most ever in a playoff game, and Jason Kidd had 14 assists to make sure Dallas bounced back strong from blowing a 23-point lead over the final 14 minutes of Game 4.

Mavericks 93, Blazers 82

PORTLAND (82): Wallace 5-11 6-6 16, Aldridge 6-15 0-0 12, Camby 2-4 0-0 4, Miller 8-14 1-2 18, Matthews 3-7 2-4 8, Batum 5-12 0-0 12, Roy 2-7 1-2 5, Fernandez 1-4 2-3 5, C.Johnson 0-0 2-2 2, Mills 0-0 0-0 0, A.Johnson 0-0 0-0 0, Barron 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 32-74 14-19 82.

DALLAS (93): Marion 6-14 2-2 14, Nowitzki 8-18 9-11 25, Chandler 3-4 8-12 14, Kidd 1-7 2-2 4, Stevenson 0-3 0-0 0, Terry 8-18 3-3 20, Stojakovic 3-7 1-2 9, Barea 2-6 0-0 4, Haywood 1-1 1-3 3, Cardinal 0-0 0-0 0, Brewer 0-0 0-0 0, Mahinmi 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 32-78 26-35 93.

Portland 20 23 20 19— 82

Dallas 15 29 31 18— 93

3-Point Goals—Portland 4-16 (Batum 2-7, Miller 1-1, Fernandez 1-2, Matthews 0-2, Wallace 0-2, Roy 0-2), Dallas 3-17 (Stojakovic 2-4, Terry 1-5, Nowitzki 0-1, Stevenson 0-2, Kidd 0-5). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Portland 45 (Aldridge, Wallace 9), Dallas 57 (Chandler 20). Assists—Portland 13 (Miller 7), Dallas 22 (Kidd 14). Total Fouls—Portland 24, Dallas 19. Technicals—Portland Coach McMillan, Portland defensive three second, Dallas defensive three second. A—20,837 (19,200).

ROSE UPDATE: An MRI exam showed no major structural damage to Derrick Rose's sprained left ankle, and the Bulls guard said he plans to suit up for Game 5 tonight.

CUBAN UPSET: Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said officials missed two crucial calls during Dallas' 18-point meltdown during the fourth quarter of a Game 4 loss to Portland and added he's "absolutely" willing to be fined for voicing his complaints.

LAKER ARRESTED: Lakers forward Derrick Caracter was arrested in New Orleans early Sunday, accused of public drunkenness and shoving a cashier at a pancake restaurant.

Times wires
Monday, April 25, 2011

Blue Jays 6, Rangers 4

ARLINGTON, Texas — Corey Patterson and Jose Bautista homered on consecutive pitches and Kyle Drabek finally got a victory after three straight well-pitched no-decisions for the Blue Jays. Patterson's three-run shot off Colby Lewis with two outs in the fifth was followed by Bautista's 405-foot blast to left. Adam Lind drew a walk and Juan Rivera followed with his first homer.

Times wires
Monday, April 25, 2011

Rockies 5, Cubs 3

CHICAGO — Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro committed three errors in the second inning, and the Rockies capitalized. Former Ray Matt Garza made Chicago's fourth error of the game in the fifth inning, an errant throw that allowed another run to score. Garza was actually effective otherwise, allowing only one earned run, three hits and a walk in six innings.

Times wires
Monday, April 25, 2011

Reds 9, Brewers 5

MILWAUKEE — Jay Bruce hit a two-run homer, former Hernando High standout Bronson Arroyo pitched effectively into the seventh and the Reds scored six in the third. Cincinnati sent 11 batters to the plate in the inning, holding Chris Narveson to his shortest outing in 38 career starts.

Times wires
Tuesday, April 26, 2011

D'backs 4, Phillies 0

PHOENIX — Ian Kennedy pitched a three-hitter for his first career complete game, outpitching Cliff Lee as the Diamondbacks ended the Phillies' five-game winning streak. Arizona snapped a four-game skid as it opened a 10-game homestand after being swept in three games by the Mets. Kennedy had come home early from that trip for the delivery of his first child, Nora Rose, at 2:04 a.m. Sunday. Chris Young and Gerardo Parra homered off Lee, both on the first pitch of an at-bat.

Times wires
Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Angels 5, Athletics 0

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Jered Weaver struck out 10 and won his sixth straight start, pitching his second straight complete game and lowering his ERA to 0.99 as the Angels snapped a four-game losing streak. Weaver got his third shutout and fourth complete game in 150 career starts, reaching his 70th career win with the Angels with the best winning percentage in team history. The previous best was .588, by Nolan Ryan and Frank Tanana. The Athletics were shut out for the third time in five games.

By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Tampa Bay Buccaneers center Jeff Faine, the team's union representative, did not receive any calls from teammates asking whether they should return to work Tuesday after a federal judge Susan Nelson ordered an end to the NFL lockout.

Although the doors were open to players at One Buc Place, none had attempted to enter the facility Tuesday morning. It's unclear whether the Bucs would've permitted players access to the strength and conditioning room, locker room or practice fields.

Faine said his advice to Bucs players would've been to make their own individual decision about returning to work, but he did not believe the issue is resolved.

"To be honest, I'm a little surprised at that,'' Faine said. "No one reached out at all so we didn't really have to cross that road of telling somebody what they should do. But my message would've been do what you have to do.

"Everybody has their own personal situations, whether it's bonuses or what not and if they feel they need to show up, that's fine. My personal opinion is that it's not going to do a thing. This thing is going to be won in the courts. There's still a long road in front of us. I know the general perception is let's go sing Kumbaya. We won and all that. But at the end of the day, they're appealing it. They're appealing it right now. This this is a positive step, but nobody has won in this situation.''

While some players in other NFL cities attempted to return to work Tuesday, Faine said it's premature for anyone to declare victory in the labor situation.

"It's just irritating the situation,'' Faine said. "I'm not against the guys who are doing it, but nothing is figured out yet. It's got to go through due process and take their path and see what happens.

"I'm usually an optimist in most situations, with the exception of business. I'm always a pessimist until the deal is done and the money is in hand. It's not easy for me to be celebrating a win when we're not winning and things aren't as status quo as they should be.''

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, April 26, 2011

The Tampa Bay Lightning will face the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 7 of their East quarterfinals series at 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Consol Energy Center.

The game will be on Sun Sports and 970-AM in the Tampa Bay area.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Tonight's Tampa Bay Rays-Minnesota Twins game has already been canceled, which is the good news for the Rays given the bad weather and ominous forecast.

Not so good is the makeup schedule, which has them playing a day-night doubleheader on Thursday, with starts at 12:10 and 7:10 central time, meaning the Rays won't get home until around 4 or 5 a.m. on Friday and have to play the Angels that night.

No word yet on the pitching plans, but the guess would be that Wade Davis starts on Wednesday (assuming that game is played, as the forecast isn't much better then).

By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Florida Gators cornerback Janoris Jenkins has been dismissed from the team.

"After meeting with Janoris Jenkins today, we both felt it was in his best interest to move ahead to the next stage of his career,'' coach Will Muschamp said. "We appreciate Janoris' contributions to the University of Florida during his time here and wish him the best of luck.''

Jenkins is arguably the Gators' best returning player, a potential first-round NFL pick before he injured his shoulder and required surgery.

But his off-field troubles in the past few months led to his departure.

This past weekend, Jenkins, 22, was arrested after he was allegedly caught by GPD officers with less than 20 grams of marijuana. According to police, officers observed Jenkins smoking a cigar in a vehicle in a parking lot in downtown Gainesville about 12:35 a.m. Saturday. When he saw the police officers, Jenkins allegedly exited the vehicle and began to walk away. An investigation revealed a burnt cannabis cigar in the center console, according to police.

Jenkins was arrested in January on the same charge after police said he was caught with a small, clear bag of cannabis and trying to roll a cigarette at the Status Night Club in downtown Gainesville. At the time, Muschamp said the matter would be handled internally. Jenkins did not participate in spring drills because he was recovering from surgery.

Jenkins had three arrests in 23 months. In May 2009, he was arrested in connection with resisting arrest without violence when he was among many involved in a fight outside a Gainesville night club. His attorney at the time said Jenkins believed someone was trying to steal jewelry from him and he was defending himself. Jenkins received deferred prosecution and was required to pay court costs and/or complete community service. The senior from Pahokee has eight career interceptions, including three this past season, and was a 2010 first-team All-SEC selection by the Associated Press.

By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, April 26, 2011

GAINESVILLE — When he met with about 1,000 fans and boosters April 20 at his first Gator Gathering in Lakeland, Florida football coach Will Muschamp told the crowd that players had to do things the right way or they weren't going to be part of the program.

With the nation watching to see how he handled his first major test case, Muschamp said Tuesday that he dismissed senior cornerback Janoris Jenkins from the team after his third arrest in the past 23 months.

"After meeting with Janoris Jenkins (Tuesday), we both felt it was in his best interest to move ahead to the next stage of his career," Muschamp said. "We appreciate Janoris' contributions to the University of Florida during his time here and wish him the best of luck."

Jenkins was a potential first-round NFL pick before he injured his shoulder in December and had surgery in March. His off-field troubles included two arrests on charges of possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana in the past three months.

A Pahokee native, Jenkins had eight career interceptions and was a 2010 first-team All-SEC selection by the Associated Press.

The supplemental NFL draft would be a likely option for Jenkins when the league's labor situation is resolved.

East-West Shrine Game likely coming to Trop

Officials including St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster are expected to announce this morning that the East-West Shrine Game, a showcase for NFL draft hopefuls, will be played in January at Tropicana Field for the next two years.

The game, which dates to 1925, has been played the past two years at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando but has drawn fewer than 10,000 fans in both games.

Illinois: Senior running back Jason Ford was arrested on suspicion of driving on a suspended license Sunday morning and was free on $300 bond.

Men's basketball: Louisville coach Rick Pitino rehired son Richard Pitino, two years after he left to join Billy Donovan's staff at Florida. Richard Pitino will be joined on the staff by Wyking Jones, who spent two seasons at New Mexico. Both will sign two-year contracts. … Hofstra senior guard Charles Jenkins won the Haggerty Award, given to the outstanding player in the New York metropolitan area, for the third straight year. Jenkins joins Columbia's Jim McMillian (1968-70) and St. John's Chris Mullin (1983-85) as the only three-time winners.

Tennis: UF sophomore Allie Will was named SEC women's player of the year, and freshman Alex Cercone of Seminole was named to the All-SEC second team.

Women's basketball: Charlotte hired Marquette assistant and former Iowa standout Cara Consuegra, 32, as coach.

Times staff writer Greg Auman contributed to this report, which used information from Times wires.

By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, April 26, 2011

TAMPA — There was a time when a prospect like Dontay Moch wouldn't get the time of day from the Bucs. And not long ago, Akeem Ayers would have no business being on Tampa Bay's draft board.

But when Raheem Morris is calling the defensive plays, there are never any absolutes.

The Bucs coach and defensive coordinator continues to mold his unit, employing unconventional methods and using players in unpredictable fashions. The result is that some of the prospects who once were impulsively dismissed at draft time are now embraced.

Moch, a defensive end at Nevada who projects as a pro linebacker, and Ayers, a pass-rushing linebacker at UCLA, were among the 30 pre-draft visits allotted to the Bucs, and there's reason to believe the team is quite intrigued.

And there are a number of other hybrid pass rusher/linebackers the Bucs have taken a keen interest in, including Georgia's Justin Houston and Central Arkansas' Markell Carter.

It remains to be seen whether the team will draft any of them, but the mere fact they're giving these players long looks speaks to how the Bucs' defensive and draft philosophies have changed. Morris has reiterated during visits that he'll find ways to take advantage of these players' unique talents.

"Raheem's flexibility of what he wants to do has really helped our draft board be more fluid then most clubs, I think," general manager Mark Dominik said recently. "It helps us now really open up the board more, and we love it.

"We've always had a hard time figuring out these 'tweener' guys, and we just take them off our board and don't get them. So it's disappointing. This keeps those guys alive, and I feel like a lot more teams keep going back to the 3-4, which is great because it also opens up some of those (4-3) guys as well."

The way the Bucs see it, there isn't really a downside. In fact, they're emboldened by the fact that the team saw much of its limited pass-rush success in 2010 while using alternate defensive fronts. The Bucs have shown everything from the standard 4-3 with blitzing linebackers (another departure from the past) to 3-4 fronts to 3-3-5 fronts.

The change in philosophy is not a minute too soon, either.

In college, the proliferation of spread offenses has caused defenses to adapt, and that has changed the way pass rushers play. Then, when NFL scouts come along, it makes the projections tougher.

"For the most part, NFL offenses aren't spread-type offenses, but that's our problem to do those types of evaluations," Steelers director of football operations Kevin Colbert said at the NFL combine. "The colleges have to do what they feel they have to do for their teams to win."

Because the spread offenses often force defenders to take on atypical roles, Morris and the Bucs get to see those players in roles that might be useful to Tampa Bay. Consider the package of rushes Morris cooked up for rookie linebacker Dekoda Watson last season. Though he played sparingly, Morris knew from watching Watson at Florida State he was skilled at rushing the quarterback.

Another evolution: The move toward more 3-4 defensive fronts in the NFL. As a result, more prospects are casting themselves as 3-4 outside linebackers. The Bucs could no longer ignore a talented subset just because it doesn't fit a particular mold.

"I think you can really see the trend this year," said Mike Lombardi, a former Raiders executive and current NFL Network analyst. "It's completely changed because of that athleticism. There used to be a time when I would scout defensive linemen, I was always thinking, can we convert them to offensive linemen? But now they're so (much) smaller and so linear that they don't even look like they could have been offensive linemen in high school. The college game and pro games have changed."

There are drawbacks. It can be hard to justify early-round picks on players that aren't likely to play every down because of their very specific skill sets. And such players could be liabilities in particular areas. An undersized defensive end, for instance, might struggle to hold up against NFL running games.

But the Bucs hope this is a philosophy that, used judiciously, pays off. If nothing else, it has given them a much bigger pool of players from which to pick.

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, April 26, 2011

PITTSBURGH — For those who like redemption stories, Steve Downie's contributions Monday in Game 6 of the Lightning's Eastern Conference quarterfinal provided a perfect outline.

He scored the winning goal in a 4-2 victory over the Penguins that pushed the series to tonight's deciding Game 7. He had two assists and two shots, and got praise from coach Guy Boucher.

All that came two games after Downie was sidelined by a one-game league suspension for a Game 3 hit on defenseman Ben Lovejoy that rekindled memories of his reckless, volatile past, and after a season in which his production slipped, in part because of the lingering pain of a December high ankle sprain.

But Downie, though calling Monday's goal "the biggest of my career," was in no mood for making the game a referendum on his season.

"It was a great game, but we have to put it behind us," he said. "We still have to play Game 7."

Downie gave a similar response when asked if the game was vindication after his suspension.

"I put that behind me, too," he said.

That Downie can be a good player is too easily overlooked because of the baggage he carries and his 379 penalty minutes over the past two seasons.

He was drafted 29th overall in 2005 by the Flyers, had five goals and 12 points for Canada in 12 world junior championship games, and last season for Tampa Bay had career bests of 22 goals, 24 assists and 46 points.

Battling an injury that this season caused him to miss 22 games, Downie, 24, from Newmarket, Ontario, slipped to 10 goals and 32 points.

Even so, "everyone underestimates his talent," teammate Ryan Malone said. "He has that gritty game that we need, but he's strong on the puck. He makes the little plays out there that go unnoticed by the average fan, but as teammates we see what a big-game player he is."

Said Boucher, "He's really smart with the puck. I also like the way he's controlled his emotions. We all know it's something he's been really working hard to do. It's tough because he was always asked to be extremely emotional and physical, and I know they're trying to get to him on the other side."

Monday, Downie got to the opposition by getting to the net and converting Vinny Lecavalier's pass for the winning goal.

"But you can't think about the individual stuff," Downie said. "We had to win, and we did. We won, and that's all that matters."

By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Lightning at Penguins: 8 p.m. on Sun Sports. This is the third Game 7 in Lightning history. It won two Game 7s in 2004.

Gruden QB Camp: 11 p.m. on ESPN2. This episode features all the top quarterbacks in the draft, which begins Thursday, with the former Bucs coach.

By Steve Papen, Times Correspondent
Tuesday, April 26, 2011

What's hot: Red grouper have moved into the 120- to 140-foot depths. Most are 8 to 15 pounds and are feeding aggressively on live baits. We have been concentrating on the smaller rolls in the bottom with bait shows on them. I prefer to anchor right over the roll and drop baits to the fish. Anchoring ensures that bait gets to the fish on every drop.

Amberjack: Jacks are on just about every wreck and spring in depths of at least 90 feet. On most spots they are averaging 20 to 30 pounds, but some are larger. Target the larger fish by using the biggest baits you can find or sight cast baits or plugs to them. To do the latter, you need plenty of live chummers to get the fish to surface. When they do, get a heavy spinner with a free-lined live bait and try to pitch it to the largest one.

Steve Papen charters out of Indian Shores and can be reached at fintasticinc.com or (727) 642-3411.

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, April 26, 2011

PITTSBURGH — For now, Lightning star Steven Stamkos is willing to chalk up what happened in Monday's Game 6 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinal to the heat of the battle.

Asked Tuesday about coach Guy Boucher's statement after Tampa Bay's 4-2 victory that he saw Penguins defenseman Brooks Orpik try to poke or gouge Stamkos' eyes during a third-period scrum, Stamkos said, "I'm not going to comment on that stuff right now."

"I'm focused on Game 7," he said. "Whatever happens on the ice happens. You pay the price and take stuff in the playoffs. Right now we're just focused on the game."

Boucher says the eye-gouging occurred 5:26 into the third during a multiplayer confrontation in front of the Penguins net. No penalty was called in connection to his allegation.

Orpik was not available for comment Tuesday.

Stamkos acknowledged he was extremely "fired up" at the time. "I was able to compose myself afterwards. It's something I've learned, to control your emotions, especially in the playoffs. In the heat of the battle, you get (mad) sometimes on the ice. As long as you can regroup and focus."

General manager Steve Yzerman indicated he spoke to the league but also seemed ready to change the subject. "If the league thinks there is any wrongdoing or anyone crossed the line, they'll deal with it," he said. "I can just say there are a lot of things that cross the line both physically and verbally in the course of a preseason game, a regular-season game and a playoff game, so we move on."

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

TAMPA — After being featured prominently in a New York Times story on college athletic programs "relying on deception" to meet Title IX standards, USF officials said Tuesday that they have changed how they count female track athletes for gender-equity purposes. But they added that they remain among the most balanced schools in the state and Big East conference even after those changes.

"You can take all those (questionable) numbers away, and we're still in conformity (with Title IX)," executive athletic director Bill McGillis said. "If your premise is that we are including kids on the cross country roster who are not participating in cross country in order to comply with the proportionality piece of Title IX, that would be false."

When comparing the percentage of female athletes to the general undergraduate student body, USF's athletes are within 1 percent of the general student body. The university is 56.69 percent female, USF said, while 55.91 percent of its athletes from 2009-10 are women. That differential of minus-0.78 percent is second best of the seven Division I-A football schools in Florida (Miami is higher) and ranks fourth among the eight Big East football schools and ahead of Notre Dame, Villanova and Georgetown, which participate in football as well.

The New York Times story questioned how USF had listed 71 athletes in women's cross country in 2009 when only 28 competed in at least one race, suggesting that the numbers were artificially high to help with Title IX compliance.

The NCAA has three separate track seasons — cross county, indoor and outdoor track — allowing schools to count a single athlete as three for gender-equity purposes. McGillis said Tuesday that USF had 22 athletes who were listed as part of the cross country team that shouldn't have been — all track athletes eligible for cross country were included as such, whether they had participated or not.

"I think there's a better way, and going forward, we're only going to include those who fully intend to participate in cross country," McGillis said. "There was no ill intent. …In hindsight, I'm not sure we should have included them."

The New York Times story identified a USF student who had left the program and was still listed on the roster a year later after being told by a former USF assistant coach that if she did so, she could receive "running shoes and priority class registration as a reward." McGillis said if that statement is correct, his reaction would be "disappointing."

USF declined to make track coach Warren Bye, who oversees all of the USF men's and women's track and cross country programs, available for questions.

Title IX was created in 1972 to ensure a level playing field for male and female athletes in any federally funded education program. Colleges across the country face challenges in complying with that when they field football teams, which add roughly 100 male athletes that must be offset by a comparable number of female athletes.

USF, like most schools, does so by limiting the roster size of its men's sports while encouraging higher levels of participation in women's sports. The practice of "roster management" is common at football schools. For example, West Virginia's gender-equity data for 2009 shows 74 athletes on its women's rowing team, though the roster on the school's official site lists only 26. Louisville reported 67 on its women's rowing team, with Connecticut at 61 and Rutgers at 51, all with fewer showing on their online rosters.

The women's track program is USF's primary means of offsetting the football participation for gender-equity purposes. The larger roster doesn't translate to any greater success in cross country, where only a team's fastest five runners count toward a team score in a meet.

The USF women's cross country team, with 57 runners listed on its 2009 roster, finished 12th in the Big East; the Bulls' men, with nine runners on the roster, finished 13th. McGillis stressed that athletes can benefit from the experience of being on a team even if they don't contribute directly to the team's success in competition.

"Not only are we in substantial conformity with … the letter of the legislation, we are committed to the spirit of it," McGillis said. "We're always examining our roster management numbers and the experiences of our student-athletes. Without question, we're going to closely monitor those numbers and our adherence to Title IX and gender equity. The student-athletes, female and male, the vast, vast majority are having a meaningful experience here."

By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, April 26, 2011

The situation

This is one of the most unstable positions for the Buccaneers. Two members of the 2010 starting trio are likely to become free agents once a new collective bargaining agreement is negotiated.

The contracts of starting MLB Barrett Ruud and starting strongside LB Quincy Black expired after last season, and it's not clear whether the Bucs intend or will be able to retain either.

Both hope to cash in on the open market and might field offers worth more than the Bucs are willing to pay.

General manager Mark Dominik has said he'll proceed in this draft as if his free agent players won't be back, because the fate of free agents won't be known for a while.

Though there is always much debate about Ruud and his value, coach Raheem Morris leans heavily on him to help the defense execute and adjust to offensive shifts and motion. It would be quite a responsibility for a rookie to assume if the Bucs draft a possible replacement. The Bucs last season acquired former South Florida star Tyrone McKenzie from the Patriots, but it's not clear whether he is a viable starter.

Weakside LB Geno Hayes, among the team's leading tackers, returns.

What they're looking for

The Bucs continue to want playmakers at linebacker. They're not necessarily looking for the undersized Derrick Brooks-type linebacker, but they want a game-changer.

In the Tampa 2 coverage scheme, the linebackers will still be required to run and cover. But Morris is also interested in using his linebackers in new ways, taking advantage of pass-rushing opportunities from his outside linebackers.

Fitting the bill

The Bucs have taken a close look at UCLA OLB Akeem Ayers, left, a player who is big, fast and versatile. In this way, he is somewhat like Black, but he has the potential to be much more. Ayers had a combined 24.5 tackles for losses and 10 sacks in his final two college seasons.

Dontay Moch of Nevada is another OLB candidate, though he is something of a project as he was more of a defensive end in college. Like Ayers, he visited with the Bucs and is one of those players Morris could find special assignments for.

At middle linebacker, the Bucs hosted Clearwater's Colin McCarthy, top left, of Miami, considered a sure-handed tackler and solid athlete. MLB Quan Sturdivant of North Carolina has also drawn the Bucs' interest. He led the nation in solo tackles in 2008 before being limited by a nagging hamstring injury in 2010.

Top 10

Best guess

The Bucs have a strong need at linebacker. Look for a pick in the early to middle rounds, particularly at middle linebacker. That could signal the end of Ruud's tenure in Tampa Bay.

Regardless, the Bucs will look to stockpile linebacker talent after largely ignoring the position last year.

Stephen F. Holder, Times staff writer

By John Romano, Times Sports Columnist
Tuesday, April 26, 2011

PITTSBURGH — The song, as hideous as it is familiar, was turned up to a festive volume when the doors to the locker room flew open at the conclusion of Game 6 on Monday night.

Stayin' alive, stayin' alive, ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive, stayin' alive

Once, it was the epitome of a rather vacuous era in music and society. Later, it served as a sort of unofficial punch line of the disco style and sound.

Today, it is the soundtrack of a hockey season.

Stayin' alive, stayin' alive, ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive, stayin' alive

This is the anthem the Tampa Bay Lightning has chosen, and it fits like a fine pair of platform shoes. It's a little different, a bit goofy and completely relevant.

And not just because the Lightning survived two elimination games to force a Game 7 against the Penguins tonight, for this theme was adopted before the series began.

It is the motto of a franchise that no longer gives in or gives up. It is the battle cry of athletes who have spent a season learning what it means to be relentless.

"For me, it's not: 'We're going to a seventh game.' We just played what were two seventh games for us," said Lightning coach Guy Boucher. "I know (the Penguins) haven't, because their backs weren't against the wall. Ours have been against the wall for a little while now, I'll tell you that."

These players have survived cowboys in the owners' suite, red ink in the general ledger and a revolving door in their ranks. And still they live on.

They have survived a star's epic scoring slump, the demise of a pair of goaltenders, and damaged appendages, nerves and egos. And still they play on.

When the season was down to its potential final 60 minutes Saturday, and again Monday, it was revived by players with no postseason experiences to draw on.

Look at Steven Stamkos, Teddy Purcell and Steve Downie. Not a one has seen a birthday beyond 25, and none had scored in an NHL postseason before Saturday.

Yet, in the two games since, they have combined for four goals and seven assists, and the Lightning has climbed back into the series in an emphatic way.

"Sometimes you don't have a choice," said Marty St. Louis. "When you're down 3-1 in a series, you better grow up fast."

When the light at the end of the tunnel was near, the Lightning was rescued by a goaltender old enough to remember when the Bee Gees topped the charts.

Look at Dwayne Roloson. On New Year's Eve he was an unlikely savior, playing sporadically for a dreadful team in New York and wasting one of the remaining seasons of a fine career.

Now, four months later, the 41-year-old is one victory away from becoming the second-oldest goaltender to win a playoff series in NHL history.

This is what the Lightning has given you in 2010-11: A new owner, GM and coach. New players coming aboard monthly, and a new outlook on hockey. The unexpected high of a regular season giving way to the decreasing air of the postseason.

It has been seven years since the Lightning advanced in the playoffs, and the franchise has never won a series when it was not the higher seed.

Now, after 1,446 regular-season games, 57 playoff games and 18 seasons, the Lightning is in a Game 7 for just the third time.

"I'll be honest. I want to win this series," Boucher said. "But the bigger picture to me is how fast our boys are learning and how they're ready to fight every night with always a bit more … a bit more poise in this and a bit more poise in that.

"That's what's really been exciting to me. Watching them learn and watching them grow, and having some success along the way."

Stayin' Alive is no longer just a song, or a slogan. For the Lightning, it is an attitude. It is what comes from having another team push you around. It is what remains when the statistics and the glory are stripped away.

"You think you know what it means to play hard, and then you get in a series like this and you realize what hard really looks like," said Ryan Malone. "If you miss one assignment on a faceoff, it could be your guy who scores, and that could be the difference in the game and the series. Any little mistake is amplified."

By night's end, the Lightning will be moving on. Either to the next series or the next offseason. Someone will ride out a hero, or someone will walk off with regret.

By night's end, we'll know whether the song plays on.