By Gary Shelton, Times Sports Columnist
Tuesday, May 17, 2011

BOSTON — By now, you find them annoying. By now, they have gotten on your nerves. By now, you cannot look at their colors without curling a lip.

But do you hate the Boston Bruins yet?

And if not, why not?

They are the sucker-punching Bruins, after all. They represent the last team standing between your team and the Stanley Cup final.

They are the players who want to steal your dream, invade your lands and rustle your cattle.

And so, when you look at the Boston Bruins, do you feel that lovable surge of hatred yet?

For years, it has been the byword to the NHL playoffs. In a seven-game series played for the survival of a season, the old players will tell you, the ill will would fester each game until it grew into a white-hot abhorrence for the opposing team. After all, the other team has the gall to want what you want. And don't you hate that?

By now, it is understandable if you are annoyed every time you see that spoked B on the front of the Bruins' jersey. After all, it kind of looks like Bruno Kirby's wagon-wheel coffee table from When Harry Met Sally, doesn't it? It is okay if you detest Milan Lucic's left fist, or Nathan Horton's right one, or Brad Marchand's mouth, or Tyler Seguin's legs. It is fine if you decide you have lost your taste for baked beans, cream pie and clam chowder.

After all, this is hockey. This isn't bordering nations. A little bit of hatred — the sports kind — is allowed.

Isn't it?

"As you go through a series, you start hating them more, you know," Marty St. Louis said Tuesday morning. "You get challenged mentally and physically, and because of what the other team is doing, you hate them a little more as you go along.

"I don't know if it's really hatred. But you have to mentally want it more than them. If it means hating them, you hate them."

After Tuesday night, that should be easier to muster, don't you think?

The Bruins rebounded for a 6-5 win in Game 2 to even the series at a game apiece, and along the way, they made the Lightning look ordinary for the first time in weeks. All in all, it was a rather detestable night for a Lightning follower.

The truth is, you don't hear the word "hatred" in regard to playoffs nearly as often as you once did. Who knows? Maybe it's because there is so much hatred — the real kind — in the world. Maybe it's because we've seen too much to apply it to a game, even one as physical as hockey.

"Hatred is too strong a word," Lightning defenseman Mattias Ohlund said. "I don't hate anyone."

"It's not the right word," forward Ryan Malone said. "But you have to have that extra drive. You have to realize what you're playing for. It doesn't matter who you're playing; you grow to not like the opposition because they're standing in the way of what you want."

Even a few years ago, the rhetoric was different. The Lightning, a more emotional team in those days, talked openly of hating the Flames in the Stanley Cup final. Andre Roy, a defenseman on that team, put it the best.

"I hate olives, and bad traffic and soft music," he said. "And I hate the Flames." Also, Roy suggested that if he walked past the Flames pregame buffet, he might do something to the food.

Mostly, of course, we are talking about semantics. Even in the old days, when players talked about their opponents the way Hatfields talked about McCoys, it wasn't really hatred. No one wished harm on anyone else, at least not lasting harm. But when other teams get chippy, when other teams turn thuggish, yeah, teams find that stuff annoying.

As for these Lightning players, however, not so much.

Over the course of a season, coach Guy Boucher has noticed that emotions don't seem to do his team a lot of good. On those times the Lightning has gotten emotional, it has lost its focus. So Boucher has taught his team to compartmentalize its feelings until — voila — he is suddenly leading the Skating Vulcans.

"I don't think hating your opponent is passe, but every series is different," Boucher said. "We didn't hate Pittsburgh; we had extreme respect for them. There is a fear factor, a respect factor and a hate factor, and they all come into play at some point. We don't hate that team (the Bruins). If we hate that team, we're focusing on the things they're doing well against us, not on the things we do well against them.

"To me, it's not about hate. It's about battle level. It's about urgency. You're fighting Lucic on the boards or Marchand on the boards. It's not about hate; it's about getting the puck. If it helps some guys to hate to battle that hard, okay. But I think we have cerebral guys. When we get too emotional, we get into trouble."

And so they skate on in this, well, respectathon. This guy likes that one, and that one likes this one, and no one gets their dander up over a punch in the face.

Maybe it's me, but wouldn't it be a little more fun if someone were at least annoyed? You know, just for old times' sake.

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, May 17, 2011

BOSTON — The Lightning on Thursday night became the first NHL team to score in the first and last 15 seconds of a playoff period, the Elias Sports Bureau reported.

And Tampa Bay players, after a 6-5 loss to the Bruins in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference final at TD Garden, couldn't have been less interested.

"We didn't win the game," center Steven Stamkos said. "That's all that matters."

What matters is the way Tampa Bay lost.

Usually so consistent in its structure and system, the Lightning, as Stamkos said, "veered off the map," especially in the second period, when the Bruins scored five goals to overcome a 2-1 deficit and take a 6-3 lead on its way to evening the best-of-seven series at one game apiece.

It was the most goals Tampa Bay has allowed in a playoff period. And the five goals on nine shots chased goalie Dwayne Roloson, who allowed six goals on 27 shots overall as the team and the goalie lost their eight-game winning streaks.

"It's been eight games," coach Guy Boucher said. "If that's not consistency, I don't know what is. If we have another eight games with our structure and consistency like that, I don't think we'd be crying."

Still, captain Vinny Lecavalier said, "it's disappointing. Our pride since the beginning of the year is our system and structure. It wasn't the way it's supposed to be, and that's what we're disappointed in.

"I don't want to take anything away from the Bruins. They really came out hard."

Bruins rookie Tyler Seguin, 19, in his second playoff game, had two goals and four points. Michael Ryder had Boston's fifth and sixth goals, the last and the winner, coming with 18.9 seconds left in the second period when he was left alone in front of the net.

Even Boston's power play, which entered 2-for-41 in the playoffs, chipped in with two goals.

"Definitely a big win for us," Ryder said. "We didn't want to be down 2-0. But they're probably going to say they came into our building and stole one, so they're probably happy with 1-1.

"We've just got to make sure next game we come out hard like we did and set the tone."

Tampa Bay, to its credit, kept working.

It outshot Boston 41-35. Lecavalier had a goal and four points. Stamkos had a goal and three points, and seven shots on goal.

And when Dominic Moore scored with 6:45 left in the third period off a scramble in front of goalie Tim Thomas — following Stamkos' goal earlier in the period — it was 6-5.

"We didn't quit," Stamkos said. "We have a lot of character on this team, and we believe in ourselves. We had some chances to tie it. If there is a positive, I guess that's it.

"You can't afford to give up six goals and expect to win a game."

That the Lightning led 2-1 in the first period was a miracle. Boston had an 18-11 shot advantage as Tampa Bay tied a team playoff mark for most shots allowed in a period.

Still, the Lightning scored 13 seconds into the game on Adam Hall's backhander — the fastest first goal in Lightning playoff history — and Marty St. Louis scored with 6.5 seconds left to make it 2-1.

But Tampa Bay could not gain any momentum from the late goal. And what should have been a buzzkill for the Bruins seemed to inspire them.

"They came out even stronger," Stamkos said of the second period. "It made them more hungry to score goals."

The Bruins swarmed. They made it difficult for the Lighting to get through the neutral zone and clear the defensive zone.

They scored five goals and tied the series.

That's much better, as it turned out, than making NHL history.

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, May 17, 2011

BOSTON — The Lightning on Tuesday night became the first NHL team to score in the first and last 15 seconds of a playoff period, the Elias Sports Bureau said.

But that was the high point for Tampa Bay in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference final, won by the Bruins 6-5 at TD Garden to even the best-of-seven series at one game each.

The Bruins, stung by a 5-2 Game 1 loss, was the better team except for those 15-second spurts by Tampa Bay at the start and end of the first period that gave it a 2-1 lead.

But five Boston goals in the second period — the most Tampa Bay has allowed in a playoff period — on nine shots put the Bruins ahead 6-3 and chased goalie Dwayne Roloson, who allowed six goals on 27 shots in the game.

Rookie Tyler Seguin, 19, in his second career playoff game, led the way for Boston with two goals and two assists.

It wasn't as if the Lightning quit as it saw its eight-game winning streak and team playoff-record six-game road winning streak come to an end.

It ended up outshooting Boston 41-35, a testament to its play-to-the-end mentality. Vinny Lecavalier had a goal and four points. Steven Stamkos had a goal and three points.

And when Dominic Moore scored with 6:45 left in the third period, following Stamkos' goal earlier in the period, it was 6-5.

But the Bruins had just a little bit more than Tampa Bay and too much to prove after two days of withering media criticism. Even their power play, which was 2-for-41 coming in, scored twice.

That the Lightning led 2-1 in the first period was a miracle. Boston dominated. It had an 18-11 shot advantage as Tampa Bay tied a team playoff mark for most shots allowed in a period.

That said, Tampa Bay scored 13 seconds into the game on Hall's backhander after Lecavalier's shot from the right wing went wide and ricocheted off the back boards to Hall off the left post. Marty St. Louis scored with 6.5 seconds left to make it 2-1.

In between, it was all Boston, which for at least a two-minute stretch that ended 5:52 into the period, kept Tampa Bay pinned in its zone with the same five players — Hall, Nate Thompson, Marc-Andre Bergeron, Eric Brewer and Victor Hedman — stuck on the ice.

The Lightning did not crack and blocked three shots as Boston got only two on net.

The next challenge came with 8:01 left as Hall was called for roughing and joined Ryan Malone in the penalty box, setting up a 1:22 five-on-three. Tampa Bay killed that off, with Roloson stopping Milan Lucic twice from point-blank range, and had one second left on the remaining 38 seconds of Hall's penalty when Nathan Horton tipped in a Dennis Seidenberg point shot with 6:02 left to make it 1-1.

Then came the buzzkill for Boston: Marty St. Louis' tip of a Stamkos backhand shot deflected past goalie Tim Thomas.

The Bruins shrugged it off, though, and scored five goals in the second period for a 6-3 lead. Tampa Bay's only goal was from Lecavalier, whose power-play goal made it 4-3 with 7:48 left.

Seguin scored on a breakaway 48 seconds in as he skated past flat-footed Lightning defensemen Randy Jones and Hedman. David Krejci scored at 1:24, and Seguin scored again at 6:30 at the end of a two-on-one to make it 4-2.

Michael Ryder scored Boston's final two goals, the first on a power play with 3:44 left. The second made it 6-3 with 18.9 seconds left as he converted a rebound of a Seguin shot.

Times wires
Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Indians 7, Royals 3

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Carlos Santana and Asdrubal Cabrera homered and Travis Hafner hit a bases-loaded double, powering the Indians to a two-game sweep. One night after Cleveland romped 19-1 to tie the record for the Royals' biggest losing margin, Hafner unloaded his three-run double in the first inning off Sean O'Sullivan.

Times wires
Wednesday, May 18, 2011

D'backs 6, Padres 1

PHOENIX — Miguel Montero and Gerardo Parra had two hits and two RBIs each for the Diamondbacks. Only 16,365 fans were on hand for Arizona's third win in four games, the fourth-lowest mark in franchise history. Daniel Hudson pitched seven strong innings for the Diamondbacks, allowing a run two batters into the game before posting six scoreless innings.

Times wires
Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Twins 2, Mariners 1

SEATTLE — Francisco Liriano outdueled Felix Hernandez and the Twins ended a nine-game losing streak. Their victory came on the day that one of the club's legends, Harmon Killebrew, died at his home in Scottsdale, Ariz. Liriano, who threw a no-hitter May 3 at the White Sox, was stingy. He allowed three singles, walked one and had a season-high nine strikeouts. Matt Capps got the final three outs for his sixth save in eight opportunities. Hernandez allowed three hits and two runs in eight innings.

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, May 18, 2011

BY DAMIAN CRISTODERO

BOSTON — Lightning fans, according to The Bear, are geriatric front-runners who enjoy shuffleboard.

The sentiments — such as "Lightning fans, which Tampa player is your grandson?" — are displayed on signs outside TD Garden and in the arena restrooms.

And though Bruins spokesman Matt Chmura said it is all in fun and "nobody should take it personally," the campaign, developed by the Bruins marketing department and starring The Bear, a cantankerous pseudo voice of the fans, struck some Lightning fans as less than sportsmanlike.

"I don't know how you can't take it personally," said Chad Schnarr, co-founder of BoltProspects.com, a popular website dedicated to Tampa Bay's minor-league and junior players.

"When you take on the fans, you're going right to them. I don't think you can just laugh it off when it's directed at you. Some understand it's a joke, but ..."

But Chmura said you have to put the signs in the context of a hotly contested Eastern Conference final. He also said the Bruins have hung such signs during playoff series since 2009.

For this season's East semifinal with the Flyers, they came up with: "Black and Gold runs through Boston's veins. In Philly, it's just cholesterol."

For last season's matchup with the Flyers there was: "Never, ever date a Flyers fan, even if she shaves her mustache."

Perhaps it is all The Bear's fault.

"The bear is supposed to be a fun vision of how the Bruins fans think," Chmura said. "It's just a fun-loving character that tries to embody Bruins fans and their spirit."

But the slogans must be approved by the team's higher-ups.

"Certainly," Chmura said, "these things are vetted through our organization."

Things such as "The Loch Ness Monster, Big Foot, Lightning fans," which insinuates Tampa Bay fans are tough to spot.

"For the most part, everyone was kind of looking at the Bruins without any animosity toward them, but after that thing came out, it was definitely bulletin board material," Schnarr said. "If they wanted to draw some hatred from the Tampa Bay fan base they certainly succeeded. You expect it from a fan. You don't expect it from a team."

As for the Lightning, spokesman Bill Wickett said, "We have no comment."

Maybe we should ask ThunderBug.

By Rodney Page, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, May 18, 2011

CLEARWATER — It is 5:15 p.m. on Sunday and Larry Thomas interrupts a conversation to answer the phone in Airco Golf Course's near empty pro shop. Thomas is the head professional at Airco and the only full-time staffer left in the building. The caller wants to know if it's too late to get in a quick nine holes.

"We're closed,'' Thomas said. "We're closed forever.''

There are only two part-time employees on this Sunday. They are busier than ever, taking down tee markers and flag sticks for the last time. As the carts come in from the final rounds, they are cleaned out and taken to the cart barn. They will be gone 24 hours later.

Inside the clubhouse, the small counter is void of any golf accessories. Computers and chairs are stacked in the corners of the room. The sign on the front door says, "Sorry, We're Closed.''

Soon, a large fence will wall off the course. After 50 years, Airco is now just a memory.

"In my opinion there is a lack of affordable public golf in this county,'' said Thomas, 55, whose last official day is June 3. "Airco offered that. But it's not up to me.''

Airco Golf Course (1961-2011)

Airco Golf Course opened in 1961. It was basically a flat, treeless layout on 123 acres adjacent to the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Airport. Trees were added, but it kept its basic layout throughout. In fact, its Bermuda greens from 1961 were never changed.

The course was designed by Chick Adams, who also has local courses such as Seminole Lake Country Club, Diamond Hill in Dover and Top of the World Golf Course in Clearwater on his resume.

Airco was run by St. Petersburg/Clearwater Airport. By 2008, when the economy was at its lowest, golf courses such as Airco started losing money. Depending on whom you ask, Airco lost between $150,000-$217,000 last year. Rounds were down to 28,800 in 2010. By contrast, Mangrove Bay Golf Course in St. Petersburg, which is run by the city, had nearly 70,000 rounds played in 2010.

In March, the County Commission voted 6-1 to shut down Airco (Norm Roche was the dissenting vote). They did leave a three month window to find a private investor, but that window closed with no takers.

In the coming weeks, Airco will start to resemble a golf course less and less. General maintenance will continue on the land, but grass and weeds will overtake the greens, fairways and sand traps. The land will eventually be used for something else, but nobody knows when or for what.

When it was built, Airco was on the outskirts of Pinellas County. There was no Feather Sound, no restaurants, no hotels, no Carillon. About the only thing in that part of town was the old Showboat Dinner Theater.

The theater is long gone, and now so is Airco.

Paying their respects

Golfers came and went throughout the day on Sunday. The biggest group gathered for the Last (and first) Annual Airco Open. It was organized by County Commissioners Neil Brickfield and Roche on the fly. They came up with the idea nine days before the closure.

There were five groups and 19 golfers overall. Most of them have lived in the area for a long time and played Airco regularly.

"It's like seeing an old friend on his death bed,'' said John Marron of New Port Richey, who has played Airco since 1977. "You hate to see him go.''

Roche, 49, not only played Airco often, he also used to work there part-time.

"I used to work here 30 years ago for extra cash,'' Roche said. "I would rake bunkers on Saturdays and Sundays. I'd jump on the old Kubota tractor and go. This place is special to me.''

L.J. Govoni and Dane Schaffer of Clearwater have played Airco together just about every week since discovering it last May. Now they'll find a new place to play.

"I live in Feather Sound so I may look into joining there,'' Govoni said. "But I liked Airco because it was wide open. Feather Sound looks like it has a lot of water. I'm going to lose a lot of golf balls.''

Last group ever

No one is sure who was in the first group to ever play at Airco, but let the record show that Doug Bevis, Derek Burgess, E.S. Schroeder and Jay Galvin were the last foursome to play Airco. The group was part of the Airco Open. In fact, they won the tournament with a best ball score of 7-under.

The sun was almost gone when the group rolled into the cart barn. Their cart was crammed with memorabilia, including an Airco sign and a ball washer. The four other groups in the hastily organized tournament were long done.

"It took us so long to play because we were busy getting all this stuff,'' Galvin said.

How did they get the ball washer?

"No comment,'' Bevis said with a smile.

As winners of the tournament, the group received a trophy. It didn't have an inscription yet because Brickfield didn't have time to get one. They also won something else.

"You won the right to play Airco for life,'' Brickfield said.

The award ceremony in the restaurant included trophies for second and third place, as well as a raffle to give away the tee sign from the 15th hole. As the ceremony concluded, golfers mingled for a few seconds. Then the lights were turned off.

You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here.

Exorcising a demon

The first hole at Airco gave me the creeps. It was nothing but a straight ahead par 5 with a few trees down the left and right of the fairway. But there was also a chain link fence down the right side that separated the course from the road and hotels.

It didn't look like it was in play, but as a junior golfer with a terrible slice, it was always in play. When people brought up Airco, my first image was that hole, with the ball sailing over the fence, hitting the road, bouncing 40 feet in the air and landing in a retention ditch.

There were much better holes on that course, but I only remember the first hole. With the course less than an hour from closing forever, it was time to grab the sticks and play it one last time.

The fairway looked like one of the giant runways at neighboring St. Petersburg/Clearwater Airport. I told myself not to look right and swing away. The drive had a slight fade, but it landed right in the middle of the fairway. The next shot was a 3-iron that bounded under a tree about 20 yards from the hole on the left side. The left side! There was no way I was going over the fence this time.

As I grabbed my clubs to walk to the next shot, my inclination was to fix the fairway divot. What did that matter? Tomorrow, the course is just another plot of land in eastern Pinellas County. Divot, Schmivot.

After my third shot rolled to within 6 feet of the hole, I grabbed my putter and sat my clubs down on the green. That's another golfing no-no, but again, what did it matter?

The birdie putt lipped out (some things never change) and I tapped in for par. Now, if somebody mentions Airco I'll still think about that first hole. But it will be about making a par and walking back to the clubhouse as the sun sinks below an airplane hangar.

Times staff
Wednesday, May 18, 2011

With apologies to Bob Barker (or Drew Carey), tonight's prep football jamborees are really showcase showdowns.

The spring season concludes for the South Shore and Brandon area teams tonight with three jamborees in which teams face off against each other for two quarters. They're essentially glorified scrimmages.

But don't try telling that to the coaches and players.

In each jamboree, teams will display how much talent they possess for the fall and who has the potential to play on Florida's biggest stage, the state championships in December.

The biggest showcase showdown will be at Strawberry Crest, where the first-half scrimmage will match 2010 state runnerup Armwood against a talent-laden group from Plant City.

Highly touted quarterback Bennie Coney spins the wheel for the Raiders after having had his junior year cut short by suspension. Coney (6 feet 3, 210 pounds) already has offers from Cincinnati, FSU, LSU, Michigan and Notre Dame, and he's surrounded with other Division 1 prospects.

Armwood showcases a new quarterback in Darryl Richardson (6-5, 215) after the departure of graduating senior Josh Grady, who will play at Vanderbilt in the fall. Richardson, a transfer from Tampa Bay Tech, may be one of the few uncertainties for the Hawks, who have depth across the field and gifted Florida signee Matt Jones as running back.

In the other matchup at Strawberry Crest, the host Chargers hope to show more signs of improvement after a significant 2010 season. Durant also will bring a lot to the table after just missing the playoffs last year.

At Spoto, Lennard meets Riverview in the first half. Spoto takes on East Bay after intermission.

The Longhorns and Spartans look to be the two most promising teams in the South Shore area, and Spoto seems particularly strong after welcoming a number of out-of-state transfers, including Augusta, Ga., move-in Johnathan Dixon (6-4, 240 pounds), Oakland, Calif., transfer Isaiah Harrison (6-5, 285), former Belle Glade Glades Central letterman P.J. Coleman (6-1, 200) and Texas move-in Desmond Ford (6-2, 221).

Over at Bloomingdale, Newsome may be part of the night's most competitive matchup. The Wolves, who won their first playoff game in school history in 2010, face off against another 2010 playoff team in Jesuit.

Running back Conner Powers and three-year starting linebacker Joe Worth, two of Newsome's best players, are departing seniors, but Coach Kenneth Hiscock will bank on sibling synergy. Younger brother Keller Powers assumes a heavier load carrying the ball, while another younger brother, Will Worth, returns to play quarterback and possibly help on defense.

Meanwhile, Brandon coach John Lima looks to build on the promise of the Eagles' first playoff appearance in years when his squad takes the field against Bloomingdale.

By the end of tonight, all 11 public school teams will be a step closer to knowing if the price will be right in 2011.

Finally, Seffner Christian plays a full-fledged game against Calvary Christian at Brandon High tonight.

Times staff writer Joey Knight contributed to this report.

Bryan Burns, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, May 18, 2011

TAMPA — Through six regular-season games, FC Tampa Bay has played well enough in spurts to suggest the team is capable of making a deep run in the NASL postseason.

What the team lacks, however, is consistency, a point coach Ricky Hill reiterated in practice this week. Tampa Bay has yet to put together a full 90-minute performance, coming closest on the road against Montreal when the team had "75, 80 minutes of quality play," according to Hill.

"We've looked okay to a certain degree without having that cutting edge that I would like us to somehow find and develop," Hill said. "And likewise, we've also looked a little bit fragile at times when teams have played directly against us and we have to just clear our lines and dig in and defend."

Case in point: Last week's 1-1 tie with Edmonton that could have been a victory and three needed points if not for a stoppage time equalizer.

"Teams have come and upset us a little bit and worried us into making a couple mistakes, elementary mistakes that we shouldn't have done," Hill said.

Arango reinjures ankle

Tampa Bay starting defender Andres Arango reinjured the right ankle that kept him out of the team's past two games, and his status is uncertain Saturday when Tampa Bay hosts Montreal for the second time this season.

Arango was participating in his first full training session Tuesday when he rolled the ankle that he first injured two weeks ago.

Arango has appeared in just two of Tampa Bay's six games, having been suspended for the first two contests because of a red card he obtained in last year's season finale while playing for Minnesota.

"He practiced well for the first 45 minutes," Hill said. "It was great to have him back in and looking okay. …We'll take it day by day."

Kickin' it with M Tony McManus

Do you still know a lot of people in Memphis? Is everyone doing okay? (McManus's hometown is Memphis, which has dealt with devastating flooding in recent weeks.)

My whole family lives there in Memphis; all my friends from high school still live there. Fortunately, they're in an area where they're really not being affected by it. It's a bit lucky. Happy for them, praying that everybody else can recover everything they've lost.

Are you a barbecue guy? Where's the best place in Memphis to get it?

People claim that Rendezvous or Corky's are the best, but if you're a true barbecue lover, you stay away from those places. It's the smaller places, the mom and pop kind of places. There's a place called Cozy Corner, it's right next to St. Jude's in downtown and it's some of the best barbecue you'll find in Memphis, easily.

What do you get when you go to Cozy Corner?

A half slab of ribs and some bread. It's money in the bank.

What's your favorite personal soccer moment?

I would say that I've had some pretty exciting times while I was playing in Portland. We played Manchester City last year in a small venue (at the University of Portland) …I think there was about 8,000 people there in a really close, compact space. And it was a great game playing against guys like Adebayor and Craig Bellamy and Stephen Ireland, just guys you've seen on TV and you've grown up watching, it was pretty incredible. …I was shocked at how well I did. Sometimes when you play against players of that caliber, sometimes you get yourself up for those. I think I was playing out of my mind for that one.

Out of the box

Hill made an interesting remark following Tuesday's practice, applauding the team's fans that traveled to Fort Lauderdale for Saturday's match that was eventually postponed by inclement weather and suggesting that his players would do well to show the same passion on the field.

"(The fans) were magnificent," Hill said. "They stayed out in the rain and lightning and thunder and were cheering and happy and looking forward to the game. They were a great example of how we should be in terms of our determination to succeed. …We'd like to reward them with some good victories."

By Bryan Burns, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, May 18, 2011

TAMPA

Through six regular-season games, FC Tampa Bay has played well enough in spurts to suggest the team is capable of making a deep run in the North American Soccer League postseason. What the team lacks, however, is consistency, a point coach Ricky Hill reiterated in practice this week. Tampa Bay has yet to put together a full 90-minute performance of late, coming closest on the road in a 0-0 game on April 23 against Montreal when the team had "75, 80 minutes of quality play," according to Hill.

"We've looked okay to a certain degree without having that cutting edge that I would like us to somehow find and develop," Hill said. "And likewise, we've also looked a little bit fragile at times when teams have played directly against us and we have to just clear our lines and dig in and defend."

Case in point: Last week's 1-1 tie with Edmonton that could have been a victory and three points if not for a stoppage-time equalizer.

"Teams have come and upset us a little bit and worried us into making a couple mistakes, elementary mistakes that we shouldn't have done," Hill said.

Arango's ankle

Starting D Andres Arango reinjured the right ankle that kept him out of the team's past two games, and his status is uncertain for Saturday, when Tampa Bay hosts Montreal for the second time this year.

Arango was participating in his first full training session Tuesday when he rolled the ankle that he first injured two weeks ago.

Arango has appeared in just two of six games, having been suspended for the first two contests because of a red card he obtained in last year's season finale while playing for Minnesota.

"He practiced well for the first 45 minutes," coach Ricky Hill said. "It was great to have him back in and looking okay. … We'll take it day by day."

Kickin' it with | M Tony McManus

Do you still know a lot of people in Memphis? Is everyone doing okay? (McManus' hometown is Memphis, which has dealt with devastating flooding in recent weeks.)

My whole family lives there in Memphis; all my friends from high school still live there. Fortunately, they're in an area where they're really not being affected by it. It's a bit lucky. Happy for them, praying that everybody else can recover everything they've lost.

Are you a barbecue guy? Where's the best place in Memphis to get it?

People claim that Rendezvous or Corky's are the best, but if you're a true barbecue lover, you stay away from those places. It's the smaller places, the mom-and-pop kind of places. There's a place called Cozy Corner, it's right next to St. Jude's in downtown, and it's some of the best barbecue you'll find in Memphis, easily.

What do you get when you go to Cozy Corner?

A half slab of ribs and some bread. It's money in the bank.

What's your favorite personal soccer moment?

I would say that I've had some pretty exciting times while I was playing in Portland. We played Manchester City (of England's Premier League) last year in a small venue (at the University of Portland). … I think there was about 8,000 people there in a really close, compact space. And it was a great game playing against guys like (Emmanuel) Adebayor and Craig Bellamy and Stephen Ireland, just guys you've seen on TV and you've grown up watching, it was pretty incredible. … I was shocked at how well I did. Sometimes when you play against players of that caliber, sometimes you get yourself up for those. I think I was playing out of my mind for that one.

Out of the box

Coach Ricky Hill made an interesting remark after Tuesday's practice, applauding the fans that traveled to Fort Lauderdale for Saturday's match, which eventually was postponed by inclement weather, and Hill suggested that his players would do well to show the same passion on the field.

"(The fans) were magnificent," Hill said. "They stayed out in the rain and lightning and thunder and were cheering and happy and looking forward to the game. They were a great example of how we should be in terms of our determination to succeed. … We'd like to reward them with some good victories."

By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Bruins at Lightning: 8 p.m. on Versus. If Game 3 of the Eastern Conference final is half as exciting as Game 2, it will be worth your time.

Sports Connection: 11 p.m. on BHSN (Ch. 47). A live report and interviews from the St. Pete Times Forum, where the Lightning and Bruins play tonight.

Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel: Midnight on HBO. The episode includes a feature on Brewers broadcasting legend Bob Uecker.

Times wires
Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Tampa Bay Golf Tour

Looking for a place to find area public courses on one website? Tampabay.com/golf has you covered. The site has all public regulation and executive courses in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco and Hernando counties. Each course has a video review, breakdown of yardage, greens fees and contact information.

Stat of the week

When The Players Championship went to a playoff Sunday, it was the first time since the PGA Tour started keeping records in 1969 that tournaments were decided by a playoff in four consecutive weeks. In 2009, four events in a row had a playoff, but that was over six weeks.

Quote of the week

"My issues with putting really aren't the length of the putter. It's the length between my ears."

Paul Goydos, on why he doesn't use a long putter

Times staff, wires
Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Woods headed out of world's top 10

Tiger Woods is about to fall out of the top 10 in the world for the first time in 14 years. Woods, whose last win was 18 months ago at the Australian Masters, will drop to at least No. 11 in the next World Golf Ranking, published Monday. It will be the first time he is out of the top 10 since he was No. 13 on April 6, 1997, the week before he won the Masters for the first of his 14 majors. Woods started the year No. 2 and has been steadily dropping. He withdrew from The Players Championship last week because of injuries to his left knee and left Achilles'. He said Monday on his website that he'll try to return June 16-19 at the U.S. Open. Woods has been No. 1 in the world for 623 weeks in his career, by far the longest of any golfer since the ranking began in 1986. He was No. 1 from June 2005 until Lee Westwood supplanted him in November.

But the news isn't all bad for Woods

Forbes magazine says Tiger Woods is still the top celebrity in the sports world. Despite not winning a tournament in 18 months, Woods checks in at No. 6 on Forbes' annual "Celebrity 100" list of the most powerful people or groups in the entertainment business. Lady Gaga tops the overall rankings. In all, 19 athletes are on the list, including Heat star LeBron James at No. 10 and the Lakers' Kobe Bryant at No. 14. Forbes says Woods, with an estimated $75 million in total earnings over the past year, is also the highest-paid athlete.

Transitions gets new leaders

David Robbins has been named general chairman of the Copperheads, the group that organizes the PGA Tour's Transitions Champion­ship at Innisbrook in Palm Harbor. Robbins replaces Bob Banks, who finished a two-year term as general chairman. Kevin Krisle has been named tournament director. Krisle, 39, was co-tournament interim director this year, with Ron Campbell. He was previously executive director of the St. Jude Classic in Memphis. Campbell will return to the board of directors of the Copperheads.

LPGA Tour ready to expand events

LPGA commissioner Mike Whan is looking to expand the tour, meaning more tournaments in 2012, a greater commitment to sponsors and accepting what the LPGA is: a worldwide tour that isn't apologizing for having a lot of Asian players, playing events overseas and not having more Americans. "What we have is a global sport that is growing around the world, where young girls all over can have this dream," Whan said Wednesday on the eve of the Match Play Championship at Gladstone, N.J. "I am not going to do anything but embrace it." The tour has 24 official events this year.

This week on tour

PGA: Crowne Plaza Invitational, Colonial Country Club, Fort Worth, Texas. TV: Today-Friday, 3 p.m., Golf Channel; Saturday-Sunday, 3 p.m., Ch. 10

LPGA: Match Play Championship, Hamilton Farm Golf Club, Gladstone, N.J. TV: Today-Friday, 6:30 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 4:30 p.m., Golf Channel

PGA Europe: World Match Play, Finca Cortesin Golf Club, Casares, Spain. TV: Today-Friday, 9 a.m.; Saturday, 7 a.m.; Sunday 6 a.m. Golf Channel

Times staff, wires

By Jackie Otto, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, May 18, 2011

What's hot: Strong outgoing tides this week due to the full moon have turned on all types of fish in Tampa Bay. Cobia can easily be chummed to the boat and are hungry and eager to take any offering in front of them. Tarpon, mangrove snapper and grouper are along the Sunshine Skyway fishing piers on the north and south sides. Dip netting for shrimp, pass crabs and blue crabs during the evening hours is at its best during the full-moon outgoing tides.

Techniques: Tarpon can be caught using live threadfins, scaled sardines or dead shad on the bottom. Mangrove snapper usually takes a small scaled sardine fished close to a piling on the bottom. Cobia will come drifting by looking for where the chum is coming from. Dip netting shrimp and crabs can be done from all of our bridges in the passes. Hang a lantern or use a spotlight and watch for the fishes' "lit-up" eyes floating through the pass in the weed line.

Tips: Most of this activity, especially dip netting the crabs and shrimp, should be done at night when the tide begins to go out. Incoming tides are not what you are looking for. When cast netting for bait, have a 5-gallon bucket close in which to put extra bait for chumming for cobia and tarpon. Cut the bait into small chunks and periodically toss it over. Don't feed the fish too much at a time; just keep a steady flow of chum.

Jackie Otto can be reached at Betts Fishing Center (727) 518-7637 or jackieotto@msn.com.

By Rodney Page, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, May 18, 2011

The first hole at Airco Golf Course gave me the creeps. It was a straight-ahead par 5 with a few trees down the left and right of the fairway. But a chain link fence down the right side separated the course from the road and hotels around the course adjacent to the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Airport.

The fence didn't look like it was in play, but as a junior golfer with a terrible slice, it was always in play for me. When people brought up Airco, my first image was that hole, with the ball sailing over the fence, hitting the road, bouncing 40 feet in the air and landing in a retention ditch.

The course had much better holes, but I remember only the first one. With the course less than an hour from closing forever Sunday, it was time to grab the sticks and play it one last time.

The fairway looked like one of the giant runways at the airport. I told myself not to look right and swing away. The drive had a slight fade, but it landed right in the middle of the fairway. The next shot was a 3-iron that bounded under a tree about 20 yards from the hole on the left side. The left side! There was no way I was going over the fence this time.

As I grabbed my clubs to walk to the next shot, my inclination was to fix the fairway divot. What did that matter? Tomorrow the course would be just another plot of land in eastern Pinellas County. Divot, schmivot.

After my third shot rolled to within 6 feet of the hole, I grabbed my putter and sat my clubs down on the green. That's another golfing no-no, but again, what did it matter?

The birdie putt lipped out (some things never change), and I tapped in for par. Now when somebody mentions Airco, I'll think about that first hole, making par and walking back to the clubhouse as the sun sank below an airplane hangar.

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, May 18, 2011

New sensation

Bruins rookie Tyler Seguin, 19, was the talk of the town after his Game 2, in which he became the first player with four points in a period since Trevor Linden in 1989. After being in headlines and on ESPN's SportsCenter, Seguin, far left vs. Dwayne Roloson, said he watched highlights of his two goal-two assist second in the Bruins' 6-5 win at home. "I had a friend in town, so we went back to my place, just caught a couple highlights. It was nice to see."

Surprise, surprise

Considering how strong Boston and Tampa Bay had been defensively in the playoffs, and that respective goaltenders Tim Thomas and Dwayne Roloson entered the Eastern Conference final ranked Nos. 1 and 2 in goals-against average and save percentage, Bruins D Dennis Seidenberg said neither team expected 18 combined goals to be scored in the first two games (including 11 in Game 2). Said Lightning C Steven Stamkos, "A lot of goals are being scored, but a lot of them are either coming off lucky bounces or breakdowns in the defensive end that are leading to pretty good chances, grade-A scoring chances, and the goalies aren't going to stop every single puck."

Diving platform

Bruins RW Nathan Horton, below, knows he has to make sure he doesn't go over the line in taking penalties, but he appeared to take a not-so-subtle shot at the Lightning on Wednesday. "You don't want to put yourself in a situation where they can take a dive and get a penalty (called against Boston), too," he said. "You've just got to be careful and pick your spots, and hopefully not everyone is diving." Did that happen Tuesday in Game 2? "A couple times," Horton said. "I deserved one of my penalties, but the other one, he hit me, and he fell, so that's just how it goes sometimes." Horton didn't mention any names, but he was called for interference on C Dominic Moore and elbowing D Mike Lundin.

Quote of the day

"You have to be a realist, and you're not going to go from the second round of the (playoffs) and win every single game. … We expected this to be a long series, and our expectations haven't changed now just because we lost one game."

Lightning C Steven Stamkos, reflecting after the Game 2 loss, which ended Tampa Bay's eight-game playoff winning streak

Tickets

Tonight's Games 3, Game 4 and a potential Game 6 at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa are sold out. Unused team tickets might be released on game days. Check with the box office at (813) 301-6600 and Ticketmaster (outlets, ticketmaster.com, toll-free 1-800-745-3000).

The series Tied 1-1

Game 1, Lightning 5, Bruins 2: Three goals in 1:25 of the first spark Lightning.

Game 2, Bruins 6, Lightning 5: Bruins score five in the second.

Tonight: at Tampa Bay, 8, Versus

Saturday: at Tampa Bay, 1:30, Ch. 8

Monday: at Boston, 8, Versus

Wednesday: at Tampa Bay, 8, Versus *

May 27: at Boston, 8, Versus *

Radio: 970-AM, except Wednesday, which is 620-AM

* If necessary

Times staff
Wednesday, May 18, 2011

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, May 18, 2011

TAMPA — Bruins star C Patrice Bergeron (concussion) is "inching closer" to a return and could play tonight in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference final against the Lightning, Boston coach Claude Julien said Wednesday.

Julien said Bergeron, the team's top playoff scorer (12 points) and faceoff man (64 percent) entering this series, took contact in Tuesday's practice. Bergeron is scheduled to participate in today's morning skate, and depending how he feels, Boston might decide at that time whether he can play.

Bergeron hasn't played since sustaining the injury in Game 4 of the East semifinal against the Flyers. When Bergeron comes back, Julien said, he likely won't be limited in his role, which also includes key parts on both special-teams units.

"He feels his conditioning is right on," Julien said. "In skating practices, he doesn't feel winded or anything like that."

If Bergeron is back tonight, Julien made it clear rookie C Tyler Seguin, who had six points in Games 1 and 2 of this series in his first playoff games, will remain in the lineup. "He's earned it," Julien said of the second overall pick in last year's draft.

POWER UP: The Bruins' power play scored as many goals in Game 2 on Tuesday as it had in the entire postseason up to that point. Boston was 2-for-41 before going 2-for-6 in its 6-5 win. It was the first time Boston had scored multiple power-play goals since March 27. Lightning G Dwayne Roloson said Tampa Bay will have to make some tweaks.

"I think we were moving around a lot better," Bruins LW Milan Lucic said. "We were taking what they gave up. Before in the playoffs, we had the opportunities sometimes to make a play and we'd look for something else. We just wouldn't take that first (shot). I think we did that (Tuesday)."

IN THE CIRCLE: After winning 61 percent of the faceoffs in Game 1, the Lightning struggled in Game 2 (44 percent). "These games … come down to the smallest minute detail, and faceoffs are a part of that," coach Guy Boucher said. "When you start with the puck, obviously you're not chasing the puck. It's our job to be better on those faceoffs."

IN AND OUT: Roloson said he understood why he was pulled after giving up five goals in the second period of Game 2 after a discussion he had with Boucher and goalie coach Frantz Jean. "Obviously I didn't want to come out, but at the same time, if that's what (Boucher) thought was going to give us a little spark to be able to come back, then make the move," Roloson said. "Obviously it was the right decision when the guys came back and battled back."

MISCELLANY: Boucher said D Pavel Kubina (upper-body injury) might have been able to practice Wednesday but had to check with the team doctors. Kubina, out since April 29 when his head was hit against the glass by an elbow from Capitals LW Jason Chimera in Game 1 of the East semifinals, will not play tonight but "might have progressed," Boucher said. … Lightning C Vinny Lecavalier and RW Marty St. Louis were tied with Canucks C Ryan Kesler for the playoff lead with 16 points entering Wednesday.

Times wires
Wednesday, May 18, 2011

BALTIMORE — Things are falling nicely into place for Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom.

He's training in the Maryland countryside, he has been made the early 2-1 favorite for the Preakness Stakes and he drew a decent post for Saturday's race.

"It's great. I couldn't be happier," trainer Graham Motion said after his colt landed in the No. 11 post Wednesday.

A full field of 14 is set for the 13/16-mile Preakness at Pimlico, located about 60 miles from Fair Hill Training Center, where Animal Kingdom will be until the morning of the race.

It will be the first time since 2005 that 14 horses are set to run in the second leg of the Triple Crown series, five fewer horses than ran in the Derby.

"I would just rather be on the outside than stuck down on the inside. I was a little worried when 1 and 14 were still left," Motion said.

Two winners since 1926 have come out of the No. 11 post, the last being Point Given trained by Bob Baffert in 2001.

Seventy favorites have won in the previous 135 runnings, including 2009 champion Rachel Alexandra and Big Brown, the 1-5 favorite in '08.

"Now we're a pretty solid favorite. It feels great," said Barry Irwin, who represents the 20 people who own Animal Kingdom under the partnership of Team Valor International.

John Velazquez is keeping his mount on Animal Kingdom after replacing injured Robby Albarado the day before the Derby. Albarado picked up a Preakness mount with King Congie.

Dialed In, the beaten Derby favorite, is the 9-2 second choice of the oddsmakers. The colt drew the No. 10 post. Dialed In finished eighth in the Derby nearly two weeks ago. "I don't think it matters with him because of his style of running," trainer Nick Zito said about Dialed In's post.

In a jockey switch, Martin Garcia replaces Victor Espinoza on Santa Anita Derby winner Midnight Interlude. Espinoza will ride California invader Mr. Commons, who will break from the No. 14 post.

Native gets the call: Larry Collmus might be a little choked up Saturday when the band plays Maryland, My Maryland as the horses step out for the post parade.

The Maryland native will call the state's premier race for the first time. Collmus replaced Tom Durkin this year as the voice of the Triple Crown on NBC.

"It's sort of real and sort of surreal," he said. "I haven't called a race here in 25 years, and now I'm going to call the Preakness. That's pretty cool, as good as it gets. The great part is getting the Kentucky Derby out of the way. Now, it's like old home week."

He is currently the announcer for Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach in the winter while working summers at Monmouth Park in New Jersey.

FIRST IN: Mucho Macho Man was the first of the Preakness horses to arrive at Pimlico on Wednesday, checking in following a van ride from New York's Belmont Park. Several other runners trickled in throughout the day. Trainer Kathy Ritvo was pleased with accommodations for her colt. "The stalls are huge, and there is grass on the other side," she said.