Times wires
Wednesday, June 1, 2011

BOSTON — He was a prolific producer of rebounds, record albums and nicknames, as if at 7 feet 1 and 350 pounds he was too big for the simple "Shaq" that made him an instantly recognizable, one-name star in all his endeavors.

Shaquille O'Neal had more than 28,000 points and has almost 4 million Twitter followers. He appeared in six NBA Finals — and three times was named the MVP — and seven feature films, twice in a starring role.

A 15-time All-Star, four-time league champion and the 2000 league MVP, O'Neal, 39, announced his retirement on Twitter on Wednesday after spending most of his 19th season on the Celtics' bench because of leg injuries.

Along with a mid-afternoon Twitter post saying, "im retiring," O'Neal included a link to a 16-second video in which he says, "We did it; 19 years, baby. Thank you very much. That's why I'm telling you first: I'm about to retire. Love you. Talk to you soon."

An inveterate prankster who gave himself a new nickname — or several — in each of his six NBA cities, the first of which was Orlando, O'Neal did not notify the Celtics, leaving them wondering about his plans. He played 37 games this season, the first of a two-year deal at the veteran's minimum salary. He made three brief appearances after Feb. 1.

"I'm a little bit sad," said Heat president Pat Riley, who coached O'Neal when he won a title in Miami. "He will go down as one of the greatest of all time."

O'Neal spent three years at LSU and was the big prize when the Magic won the 1992 draft lottery. It selected him first overall, and O'Neal had it in the playoffs in two years. He led the Magic to the NBA Finals in his third year; Orlando was swept by the Rockets.

O'Neal signed with the Lakers in 1996 and had his greatest success with them, winning three titles alongside Kobe Bryant and coach Phil Jackson. But amid tension between O'Neal and Bryant after a loss to the Pistons in the Finals, O'Neal was traded to the Heat in summer 2004.

Lakers owner Jerry Buss, who decided to break up the tandem and keep Bryant, thanked O'Neal for a "long and amazing career." The team will retire O'Neal's No. 34, spokesman John Black told ESPN in an e-mail.

After 31/2 years in Miami, a tenure that included his fourth championship, O'Neal moved to Phoenix and then Cleveland and finally Boston.

labor update: Commissioner David Stern and players union executive director Billy Hunter said there was a productive exchange of ideas during a four-hour meeting in Miami about a new collective bargaining agreement. The current one expires June 30.

Coaching-go-round: Jay Triano will not return to the Raptors bench next season. He will be a consultant and a special assistant to president- general manager Bryan Colangelo. … The Rockets hired Kevin McHale to replace Rick Adelman, who left after four seasons.

Times wires
Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Reds 4, Brewers 3

CINCINNATI — Jay Bruce and Joey Votto hit two-run homers in a late comeback, and Francisco Cordero got his 300th save as the Reds won for the fourth time in 15 games. Bruce homered in the seventh, ending Shaun Marcum's shutout bid. Votto hit a go-ahead two-run shot in the eighth off Kameron Loe, who hit Brandon Phillips with a pitch two outs. Cordero became the 22nd pitcher to reach 300 saves.

Times wires
Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Braves 4, Padres 3

ATLANTA — Tommy Hanson pitched six strong innings, Freddie Freeman drove in two runs and Martin Prado homered as the Braves avoided a three-game sweep. Atlanta snapped the Padres' season-high four-game winning streak, which included two one-runs victories to start the series.

Times wires
Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Pirates 9, Mets 3

NEW YORK — Kevin Correia became the majors' first eight-game winner, and the Pirates scratched out five infield hits in a five-run seventh. Andrew McCutchen made a dazzling catch in deep right-center to back Correia and help Pittsburgh improve to 17-14 on the road, a year after posting a majors-worst 17-64 road mark.

Times wires
Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Indians 13, Blue Jays 9

TORONTO — Matt LaPorta hit a three-run homer during an eight-run third as the Indians built a 12-0 lead then held off a furious Blue Jays rally. Josh Tomlin earned his seventh win, tying Boston's Jon Lester for the AL lead.

Times wires
Wednesday, June 1, 2011

PARIS — Everything came so quickly for Maria Sharapova at the start of her career. Wimbledon champion at age 17. Ranked No. 1 at 18. Second major title at 19, third at 20.

Surgery on her right shoulder in October 2008 put a halt to all of that. Getting her game back in order required patience. And with a 6-0, 6-3 victory over 15th-seeded Andrea Petkovic on Wednesday, Sharapova reached the French Open semifinals, the first time she has made it that far at any Grand Slam tournament in more than three years.

"There's no doubt there's tough moments. I don't think without tough moments the good ones would feel so good," the seventh-seeded Sharapova said. "I have certainly put in a lot of work, and I was never hesitant. I always tried to push myself as much as I could."

A championship at Roland Garros would make Sharapova the 10th woman to complete a career Grand Slam.

Today she faces No. 6 Li Na, who advanced by beating No. 4 Victoria Azarenka 7-5, 6-2. Li was runnerup in January at the Australian Open.

Before now, Li's best performance in Paris was getting to the fourth round in 2009. She lost to Sharapova, who has won five of their seven career meetings.

But Li, who is from China, was steady against Azarenka, compiling nearly twice as many winners, 21-11.

Playing like he's still upset about his only loss at Roland Garros, Rafael Nadal defeated Robin Soderling 6-4, 6-1, 7-6 (7-3) to reach the semifinals for the sixth time.

The five-time champ, who lost to Soderling in the fourth round in 2009 but beat him in last year's final, is 43-1 at the claycourt Grand Slam and two wins away from equaling Bjorn Borg's record of six French Open titles.

"I am through. I'm in the semifinals, so that's the thing," Nadal said. "I have to be playing better and better every day if I want to have chances to win the final and that's what I'm going to try."

Nadal faces fourth-seeded Andy Murray, who reached the semis for the first time. He beat Juan Ignacio Chela 7-6 (7-2), 7-5, 6-2. Murray's win ensured that the top four seeded players made the semifinals at a Grand Slam tournament for only the 12th time in the Open era.

Wesley Chapel residents Bob and Mike Bryan finished off a 6-7 (7-2), 6-3, 7-6 (7-3) win over Rohan Bopanna and Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi to reach the doubles semifinals.

Times wires
Wednesday, June 1, 2011

DESTIN — With the debate over paying football players swirling, South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier proposed having coaches pay 70 of them a $300 stipend per game Wednesday.

The former Florida coach acknowledged the plan probably won't get far at the SEC's meetings this week or in the NCAA realm but hopes it opens the door for future dialogue.

Florida's Will Muschamp, Alabama's Nick Saban, LSU's Les Miles, Mississippi's Houston Nutt, Mississippi State's Dan Mullen and Tennessee's Derek Dooley also signed the proposal.

There weren't many details.

But Spurrier knows most coaches, especially those in BCS conferences, make enough to foot the bill. He said the players could use the cash to give to their parents for travel, lodging and meals or they could take their girlfriends out for dinner.

"A bunch of us coaches felt so strongly about it that we would be willing to pay it," Spurrier said. "As coaches in the SEC, we make all the money — as do universities, television — and we need to get more to our players. We would like to make that happen. Probably won't, but we'd love to do it."

Spurrier acknowledged not every coach would be able to pay and there would be Title IX implications and other hurdles.

"I just wish there was a way to give our players a piece of the pie," Spurrier said. "It's so huge right now."

Ohio State president says AD's job is safe

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State president Gordon Gee said he expects athletic director Gene Smith to stay on despite known NCAA violations and other allegations that prompted coach Jim Tressel to resign Monday.

The latest allegations center around 50 cars bought by players, family members and friends. Sports Illustrated reported that quarterback Terrelle Pryor might have had as many as eight, including a used Nissan 350Z valued between $16,000 and $27,000 he was seen driving this week, over three seasons.

That's despite Pryor currently not being allowed to drive in Ohio. It was reported Wednesday that his license was suspended for 90 days effective May 20 because he failed to produce proof of insurance after being pulled over for a stop-sign violation on Feb. 19.

Pryor and four teammates are suspended for the season's first five games for trading memorabilia for cash and tattoos. Tressel was forced to step down primarily because he knew about the violations and did not report them.

Florida: Cornerback Janoris Jenkins pleaded no contest to a marijuana possession charge in Gainesville. Jenkins, kicked off the team in April after his third arrest in 23 months, was ordered to pay court costs and fines totaling $421.

Baseball: USF received an oral commitment from Roderick Shoulders, a former Brandon High star who this season had 14 homers and 58 RBIs in 53 games at State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota. Whether the infielder/outfielder signs with the Bulls depends on where he's drafted next week. Boston took Shoulders in the 20th round last year, but he went to a junior college in order to be eligible this year. He said he doesn't know how high he must be drafted to go pro.

Men's basketball: Citing competitive imbalance (the East got all five NCAA bids last season) SEC coaches unanimously voted to scrap the two-division format starting this season. The top four would get byes for the tournament. A scheduling format has not been determined, and presidents are set to vote on Friday. … Doug Wallace, who led USF in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots as a senior in 1986-87, died May 21 in Miami of a heart attack. He was 45.

Men's golf: Florida shot 11-over 299 and was tied for 16th at the NCAA Championship in Stillwater, Okla. The top eight after today advance to match play. UF, at 23-over 599, was nine back of eighth.

Times staff writer Greg Auman contributed to this report.

Times wires
Wednesday, June 1, 2011

CYCLing

Lab Chief Gives Contradicting Account to Feds

LOS ANGELES — Martial Saugy, director of the Swiss antidoping laboratory that has become a focal point in Lance Armstrong doping allegations, informed federal authorities in September that Armstrong's test results from the 2001 Tour de Suisse were "suspicious" and "consistent with EPO use," the Associated Press reported.

Last week, Saugy told a Swiss newspaper that he didn't know for certain if any of the four results belonged to the seven-time Tour de France winner, contradicting what he told officials from the FBI, and antidoping authorities, according to the AP. Though Saugy was not under oath, there are potential legal ramifications for lying to authorities working on a federal probe.

On Wednesday, the AP reported that Saugy had confirmed to officials investigating doping in cycling that, after learning of the test results, he met with Armstrong and the manager of his U.S. Postal team, Johan Bruyneel, at the direction of the International Cycling Union. A "suspicious" result is not considered a positive.

Armstrong has denied doping, long invoking the fact that he has never tested positive. Armstrong attorney Mark Fabiani criticized the AP's reporting, saying the investigation was characterized by "unlawful leaks."

The AP said that on three occasions Saugy told authorities about the Armstrong tests and had agreed to turn over the results to antidoping officials, but he never produced them.

Saugy didn't reply to an e-mail seeking comment.

Soccer

FIFA makes Blatter return official

Stung by allegations of mismanagement and corruption, Sepp Blatter held onto his spot as the leader of world soccer, winning a one-man election.

"We have been hit, and I personally have been slapped," Blatter, 75, told delegates of FIFA's congress. "I don't want that ever again."

Blatter won a fourth four-year term, receiving 186 out of 203 votes, though his sole challenger, Qatari executive committee member Mohamed bin Hammam, withdrew last weekend amid bribery allegations and has been suspended along with vice president Jack Warner.

autos

Patrick sponsor speculates '12 plan

GoDaddy.com CEO Bob Parsons, a major sponsor behind IndyCar driver Danica Patrick, told USA Today he expects her to try to run next year's Indy 500 even if she goes to NASCAR on a full-time basis.

Told of Parson's comments, Patrick, who led 10 laps at the Indy 500, reiterated she is still considering her options. She will race Saturday in NASCAR's Nationwide series at Chicagoland Speedway.

Et cetera

NFL: Despite the uncertainty that there will even be a season, the NFL is ahead of the pace on season-ticket sales compared with this point last year, the Sports Business Journal reported. That may be, in part, because many teams started their sales earlier this year in anticipation of a potential lockout. Details on the sales numbers had not been determined.

Greyhounds: Kiowa Tori Tech and Storm Rush won to advance in the $8,000 T.L. Weaver Memorial Challenge at Derby Lane in St. Petersburg. Other qualifiers for Saturday night's finale: Backwood Cody, Cool Pinto Bay, Hi Noon Renegade, Kiowa Class King, M's Free Agent and Uss Gazillionair.

Don Jensen, Times correspondent; Times wires

By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Midway through the conference season, another trip to the Women's College World Series seemed to be slipping away from the Florida softball team.

On April 3, the Gators had lost six in a row — swept by Georgia and Kentucky — and struggled to find their identity.

But they persevered.

And tonight, the Gators begin play in the Series by facing Missouri. And they have an appreciation for how far they have come and a better understanding of what it takes to succeed.

"A couple of us lost faith for a couple of weeks," senior outfielder Kelsey Bruder said. "We didn't know what was going on because for so many years. … My freshman year, we lost five games. My sophomore year, we lost five games. So it was a bit of a shock for us.

"But we had a team meeting as soon as we got back from Kentucky and just completely turned it around; played a new ball game, played with confidence, played for us."

Florida (52-10) won 17 of its final 18 to win the East division. It was upset by Auburn in its first SEC tournament game but went 5-1 in the NCAA tournament, including a two-game sweep of Oregon in the Super Regionals, to advance to Oklahoma City.

Florida is the first SEC team to make four consecutive Series appearances. And this is the second straight season the Gators and Tigers will meet. Florida won 5-0 last season but faces a much different team this season.

"Most of the kids that played in the World Series last year for us are returning," Missouri coach Ehren Earleywine said. "There is no better teacher than experience."

Florida coach Tim Walton said he hopes his team's early struggles made it stronger and more resilient.

"I think for every program, it's good to have some adversity," Walton said. "You hope it doesn't happen every year. But it's good to pay attention to the process in which you go about your business and see the end result.

"It helped us teach, learn and go about our business. There are a lot of things in life that aren't always going to go your way. The ball isn't always going to bounce your way. You really have to pay attention to how you're going about your business, and that really helped us learn who we are as opposed to just wins and losses."

Antonya English can be reached at english@sptimes.com.

Times wires
Wednesday, June 1, 2011

D'backs 6, Marlins 5

PHOENIX — Justin Upton's bloop single to rightfield with two outs in the ninth drove in the winner for the Diamondbacks. Upton's hit off Burke Badenhop scored Willie Bloomquist, who led off with an infield single off Clay Hensley. John Buck's homer in the top half tied it at 5.

Times wires
Wednesday, June 1, 2011

VANCOUVER — Commissioner Gary Bettman believes the league will adopt a more balanced schedule when the relocated Winnipeg franchise likely moves to the Western Conference in 2012.

In his annual state-of-the-league address Wednesday, Bettman confirmed the relocated Thrashers will play a final season in the Southeast Division with the Lightning in 2011-12 and likely move to the West after that. That shift will set off several dominoes of realignment. Columbus, Nashville and Detroit are among the candidates to move to the East.

The league will examine realignment concerns and possibilities in the first half of next season, Bettman said. The result will be a more balanced schedule, he said, perhaps closer to the NBA model, in which every team plays at least once in every arena almost every season. The NHL went to an unbalanced schedule several years ago in an attempt to bolster geographical rivalries, but Bettman has heard from teams eager to see all teams in their arenas.

New discipline chief: Colin Campbell is turning over that league job to former All-Star Brendan Shanahan as the NHL looks at additional ways to crack down on rough play and dangerous hits. Shanahan, who began working for the league in December 2009 shortly after retiring, will head a new department of player safety dedicated to creating new rules and disciplinary concepts. He will administer fines and suspensions.

"It's a job that needs fresh eyes, a fresh look," said Campbell, who did it for 13 years. He came under increased scrutiny this season for two main reasons: what many thought were inconsistent rulings in similar cases and leaked e-mails involving his son Gregory, a Bruins forward, that implied he was asking for favorable rulings from others in cases involving Gregory's teams (he spent the past six seasons with the Panthers). Campbell denied that and said he was just being a "hockey dad."

Campbell has always removed himself from rulings involving his son's teams. For the Stanley Cup final, vice president of hockey operations Mike Murphy is in charge of discipline. Campbell will remain with the hockey operations department.

"I thank (Campbell) for the chance to have a positive impact on … hockey," Shanahan said. Campbell cracked: "He won't be thanking me next year."

Panthers: Former player Kevin Dineen was named coach, replacing fired Pete DeBoer. This is Dineen's first NHL head coaching job. He spent the past six seasons as coach of AHL Portland.

Times wires
Wednesday, June 1, 2011

VANCOUVER — Commissioner Gary Bettman believes the league will adopt a more balanced schedule when the relocated Winnipeg franchise likely moves to the Western Conference in 2012.

In his annual state-of-the-league address Wednesday, Bettman confirmed the relocated Thrashers will play a final season in the Southeast Division with the Lightning in 2011-12 and likely move to the West after that. That shift will set off several dominoes of realignment. Columbus, Nashville and Detroit are among the candidates to move to the East.

The league will examine realignment concerns and possibilities in the first half of next season, Bettman said. The result will be a more balanced schedule, he said, perhaps closer to the NBA model, in which every team plays at least once in every arena almost every season. The NHL went to an unbalanced schedule several years ago in an attempt to bolster geographical rivalries, but Bettman has heard from teams eager to see all teams in their arenas.

New discipline chief: Colin Campbell is turning over that league job to former All-Star Brendan Shanahan as the NHL looks at additional ways to crack down on rough play and dangerous hits. Shanahan, who began working for the league in December 2009 shortly after retiring, will head a new department of player safety dedicated to creating new rules and disciplinary concepts. He will administer fines and suspensions.

"It's a job that needs fresh eyes, a fresh look," said Campbell, who did it for 13 years. He came under increased scrutiny this season for two main reasons: what many thought were inconsistent rulings in similar cases and leaked e-mails involving his son Gregory, a Bruins forward, that implied he was asking for favorable rulings from others in cases involving Gregory's teams (he spent the past six seasons with the Panthers). Campbell denied that and said he was just being a "hockey dad."

Campbell has always removed himself from rulings involving his son's teams. For the Stanley Cup final, vice president of hockey operations Mike Murphy is in charge of discipline. Campbell will remain with the hockey operations department.

"I thank (Campbell) for the chance to have a positive impact on … hockey," Shanahan said. Campbell cracked: "He won't be thanking me next year."

Panthers: Former player Kevin Dineen was named coach, replacing fired Pete DeBoer. This is Dineen's first NHL head coaching job. He spent the past six seasons as coach of AHL Portland.

Times wires
Wednesday, June 1, 2011

VANCOUVER — Raffi Torres scored on a pass from Jannik Hansen with 18.5 seconds to play, and the Canucks dramatically beat the Bruins 1-0 Wednesday night in the Stanley Cup final opener.

Roberto Luongo made 36 saves in his third shutout of the postseason for the Canucks, but Boston's Tim Thomas matched him until Torres, the only Vancouver player with previous Cup final experience, slipped through the defense for a beautiful goal that launched a wild celebration at Rogers Arena.

"I thought we were going to play all night the way it was going," Luongo said. "It was an exciting way to start the series. It was such a close game. It could've gone either way, a flip of the coin."

Thomas stopped 33 shots for the Bruins, who went scoreless on six power plays. Boston played impressive defense until the league's highest-scoring team connected in the final minute.

Through two scoreless periods, Luongo had 26 saves and the Bruins were 0-for-6 on the power play.

Thomas had stopped 20 shots while extending his shutout streak to more than 109 minutes, dating to the end of the Eastern Conference final against the Lightning, and Boston had killed six Vancouver power plays in a tense, tight-checking game featuring stellar defense and bad-tempered play by both clubs.

Canucks forward Alex Burrows appeared to bite the gloved finger of Boston's Patrice Bergeron after the first-period buzzer.

The officials kept both teams on a steady parade to the penalty box in the first two periods, yet neither team capitalized.

Boston failed to capitalize on every opportunity, even a two-man advantage for 1:32 early in the second period. The Bruins' power play was mostly hideous in the East playoffs, managing just five goals in 61 chances.

The Canucks' power play has been among the NHL's best all season, but high-scoring twins Daniel and Henrik Sedin also couldn't get the puck past the scrambling Thomas.

The Sedins' line generated three decent scoring chances on the opening shift, but Thomas showed off the scrambling effectiveness that allowed him to lead the Bruins out of the East.

The Bruins got a four-minute power play 4:03 into the first period when Daniel Sedin caught 6-foot-9 Bruins captain Zdeno Chara with a very high stick. Chara skated to the bench to wipe blood off his face and returned immediately to the ice, taking his spot in the slot to block Luongo's view. But Luongo turned away all nine shots, denying Vancouver native Milan Lucic twice in the waning seconds.

Both teams engaged in a lengthy scrum after Thomas made a glove save to close the first period, shoving and exchanging shots. Bergeron complained to officials before skating off the ice, holding up his finger, and television replays appeared to show Burrows biting down on the finger, possibly putting the Canucks' rambunctious first-line wing in danger of a suspension.

Burrows got a double minor from the exchange, and he committed a tripping penalty eight seconds into what would have been a lengthy five-on-three advantage for the Canucks midway through the second period.

Vancouver defenseman Dan Hamhuis skated off in pain during the second period after delivering a hip check on Lucic, who fell head over skates to the ice. Hamhuis, a shutdown defenseman enjoying a strong playoff run, had to crawl over the Vancouver bench to get to the locker room.

First Period—None. Penalties—D.Sedin, Van, double minor (high-sticking), 4:03; Kelly, Bos (high-sticking), 8:47; Burrows, Van (holding), 10:18; Marchand, Bos (holding stick), 13:25; Bergeron, Bos (roughing), 20:00; Burrows, Van, double minor (roughing), 20:00.

Second Period—None. Penalties—Bieksa, Van (high-sticking), :28; Krejci, Bos (cross-checking), 4:00; Seidenberg, Bos (kneeing), 9:28; Peverley, Bos (hooking), 9:54; Burrows, Van (tripping), 10:02; Bergeron, Bos (tripping), 17:50.

Third Period—1, Vancouver, Torres 3 (Hansen, Kesler), 19:41. Penalties—None. Shots on Goal—Boston 17-9-10—36. Vancouver 12-8-14—34. Power-play opportunities—Boston 0 of 6; Vancouver 0 of 6. Goalies—Boston, Thomas 12-7-0 (34 shots-33 saves). Vancouver, Luongo 13-6-0 (36-36).

Times wires
Thursday, June 2, 2011

Giants 7, Cardinals 5

11 innings

ST. LOUIS — Nate Schierholtz singled in the tiebreaking run for the Giants, and Brian Wilson's save was interrupted when sections of two light standards at Busch Stadium failed with two outs in the bottom of the 11th.

Times wires
Thursday, June 2, 2011

Rockies 3, Dodgers 0

LOS ANGELES — Ubaldo Jimenez pitched a four-hitter to win for the first time this season and the Rockies snapped a three-game losing skid. Jimenez, who retired 14 in a row during one stretch, owns the lowest road ERA on the Rockies' staff, but it hadn't helped him much. He had received a total of five runs of support in 19 previous innings on the road. The Dodgers' hits were all singles. Sluggers Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp were a combined 1-for-8.

By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, June 2, 2011

TAMPA — With balloons and hugs from friends and family, Dan Wheldon was welcomed home at Tampa International Airport on Thursday, four days after he won his second Indianapolis 500.

"It's been a long month but a very rewarding month. It's fantastic to be back home," said the St. Petersburg resident, wearing a white T-shirt and jeans, at the airport terminal. "It's been emotional. I had told some people a week ago how great it would be to bring the baby Borg (Indy 500's Borg-Warner Trophy) back to St. Pete. I was quietly confident I could, but to win it, and it be the 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500, the history and the tradition of that race is very special to me."

It has been a busy few days of celebration. Wheldon, wife Susie, and their sons Sebastian, 2, and Oliver, 2 1/2 months, hadn't been home in three weeks.

Wheldon won Sunday when rookie J.R. Hildebrand lost control and put his car in the wall on the final turn of the final lap.

"We ran out front all day," Wheldon said. "I know it looked like we were potentially handed the victory, but certainly the facts of the matter were we definitely ran out front and had a strong car."

Wheldon doesn't have a full-time ride this season, and though he said he has gotten some offers recently, his plan is to stay with Bryan Herta Autosport, which gave him the Indy ride, and work on something for 2012 rather than run single races for other teams.

"To win my potentially one and only race of the season and have it be the Indianapolis 500 has certainly raised the bar," he said. "We need to focus and make sure when we come back to other races that we're just as strong. We could lose that momentum very quickly."

He has made appearances in Texas and New York, and will stay busy with the spoils of victory — a trip to Disney World this weekend, a late-night guest spot in New York with David Letterman on Monday and appearances with ESPN. St. Petersburg spokeswoman Beth Herendeen said the city is planning to honor him soon and is working on the details.

"I have a very busy schedule for a so-called unemployed guy," Wheldon said.

By Tyson Wallerstein, Times Correspondent
Thursday, June 2, 2011

What's hot: Beach tarpon numbers are increasing; pods of up to a 100 fish have been spotted. Now that the holiday weekend is over, anglers should be able to get shots at "happy" fish.

Tactics: Many of these pods are slow movers traveling south. These pods are virtually impossible to spot while running on plane or even idling. They more often will be near the bottom rather than rolling on the surface. Find an open stretch of beach just after safe light, get close to the swim buoys so that you can look to the west, drop a temporary anchor (I prefer the mushroom style so you can drag it with the trolling motor), and wait for the fish to show.

Tackle: Big spinning tackle spooled with 50-pound braided line is best. Because of the clean water we've had lately, a 60-pound leader has made a difference over 80. Typically, a 5/0 offset J-hook works well for most of the baits commonly used. However, if you prefer circle hooks, you may want to go up to a 6/0.

Tyson Wallerstein runs Inshore Fishing Charters in the Clearwater/St. Petersburg area and can be reached at (727) 692-5868 or via e-mail capt.tyson@hotmail.com.

By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, June 2, 2011

CBS has announced that it will telecast Florida Gators' games against Tennessee and Georgia again this season.

The Gators will host Tennessee on Sept. 17 and the game will be televised at 3:30 p.m.

Florida's annual rivalry with Georgia will be played at 3:30 p.m. on Oct. 29.

So far, those are the only two nationally televised games scheduled for the Gators at this point.

Times staff
Thursday, June 2, 2011

Willy Aybar, who spent the past three seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays, was arrested Sunday and accused of assaulting his wife at a hotel, KIRO-TV in Seattle reported.

The King County Sheriff's Office said detectives arrested Aybar at about 2 a.m. at the SeaTac Hilton. Aybar was found "extremely intoxicated" at the front entrance.

Police went to Aybar's room, where his wife was crying and holding a bloody towel to her face and had a cut lip and an abrasion on her forehead and cheek, police documents said.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, June 2, 2011

Tampa Bay Rays RHP Jeremy Hellickson was named the AL Pitcher and Rookie of the month for his outstanding May.

Here is the league release:

"Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Jeremy Hellickson has been voted the American League Pitcher of the Month for May.

Hellickson, who was also named the Gillette Presents American League Rookie of the Month for May, compiled a 4-1 record with a 1.36 ERA in five starts, leading all Major League rookies in wins for the month and finished tied for first among all A.L. pitchers.

His 1.36 ERA was third-best in the league and was the second-lowest May ERA in franchise history, trailing Scott Kazmir's 1.22 ERA in 2008. It is the third-lowest ERA of any month in club history, trailing only Kazmir and Matt Garza (1.27 in August 2010).

The 24-year-allowed six runs (five earned) on 19 hits with 23 strikeouts, 15 walks and a .168 opponent batting average in 33.0 innings. The right-hander allowed the fewest hits among all A.L. starting pitchers with at least 32.0 innings of work and was seventh-lowest among all A.L. hurlers.

The Des Moines, Iowa native held the opposition to five hits or less in all five of his May starts. In his first two starts of the month, both against the Orioles, Hellickson kept the Baltimore offense scoreless over 14.0 innings, allowing just seven hits total. On May 7 th , the Rays' fourth round pick in the 2005 First-Year Player Draft scattered three hits over 5.0 innings and struck out four to lead the Rays to an 8-2 win in Baltimore. In his next start against the O's on May 13 th , Hellickson allowed four hits, struck out three and walked one to blank Baltimore, 3-0, at Tropicana Field.

The 120-pitch outing was Hellickson's first complete game and first shutout of his career, and it was the first complete game hurled by an A.L. rookie this season. On May 18 th , Hellickson allowed three earned runs on five hits and struck out six in 5.2 innings to down the Blue Jays, 6- 5, at the Rogers Centre. It marked his fourth consecutive victory, tying a career-high. He previously accomplished the feat from August 2-September 22, 2010.

In his final start of the month on May 29 th ,

Hellickson held the A.L. Central Division-leading Cleveland Indians to just three hits over 7.0 shutout innings en route to a 6-3 win in St. Petersburg. He struck out six and walked two.

This is Jeremy's first career Pitcher of the Month Award.''