Times wires
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Cardinals 7, Astros 4
HOUSTON — Jake Westbrook shook off early trouble and hit a three-run tiebreaking double for the Cardinals, who won their fourth straight game. Westbrook gave up a two-run homer to Carlos Lee in the first but didn't allow another earned run.
Times wires
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Tigers 8, Rangers 1
ARLINGTON, Texas — Austin Jackson had three of the Tigers' season-high 20 hits, and Rick Porcello won for the sixth time in his past seven outings. Porcello allowed fewer than two runs for the fifth time in his past nine starts, helping Detroit win for the eighth time in its past nine games. Every Tiger in the lineup had at least one hit, and Casper Wells, Alex Avila and Victor Martinez had three apiece.
Times wires
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Padres 2, Rockies 0
SAN DIEGO — Alberto Gonzalez and Tim Stauffer had consecutive RBI singles with two outs in the fifth against Ubaldo Jimenez to lift the Padres. San Diego has won four of six to start an 11-game homestand, its longest of the season. The Padres won for the third time in their past 11 home games against the Rockies. Stauffer and Heath Bell combined on a five-hitter, giving San Diego its third shutout after it tied the franchise record with 20 last year. Colorado was shut out for the third time.
By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Tonight is another homecoming for Rays right-hander James Shields, who grew up not too far from Angel Stadium. He likes pitching there despite mixed results in his three previous starts. He'll have enough family and friends on hand for his fourth tonight that he rented a suite so they'd be more comfortable.
But the most important thing on his mind is the bottom line, bouncing back from the worst start in his otherwise splendid season last week in Seattle.
"Obviously after my last game I need to get back in gear here," he said. "I had a really good bullpen session with (pitching coach Jim Hickey) working on some things in there to get my (delivery) line back in order, and I'm feeling good, ready to go."
Shields didn't think his last outing was really that bad, that the difference of making one better pitch, and getting a double-play grounder, could have kept Seattle to one run in the second instead of five and changed the entire outcome.
"I was one pitch away," he said. "Sometimes that happens."
He ended up working only four innings, allowing eight runs (seven earned) including four home runs, as his ERA rose from 2.15 to 2.77.
Shields (5-4 ) had been remarkably consistent in an impressive bounceback season, running off a string of nine quality starts (six or more innings, three or fewer runs) before Thursday's game .
"I definitely want to be back out there, that's for sure," he said. "Anytime you have a rough outing you have five days to thinking about, and this time I had six to think about it."
Shields said he didn't need any major adjustments, he just needed to fine-tune his delivery, which he compacted in spring training and is considered a big reason for his success.
"A better line to home, that's about it," Shields said. "Just staying in my delivery. It's worked out pretty well. I'm just trying to stay consistent."
Manager Joe Maddon said he feels Shields is worthy of a place on the AL All-Star team if he can maintain what he's doing. Shields would very much like the honor for the first time in his career but said he isn't concerning himself with it.
"We've got a little ways to go to the All-Star Game," he said. "I'm not thinking about that, I'm thinking about pitching my next game. … Obviously it's every ballplayer's dream to go play in an All-Star Game. But I'm focused on winning games for my team. That's all I care about."
Marc Topkin can be reached at topkin@sptimes.com.
By Brandon Wright, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
SEFFNER
Recently graduated Josh Grady, widely considered the finest quarterback in Armwood's illustrious history, will be taking snaps in the fall for Vanderbilt University. After taking the Hawks to the state semis in 2009 and the finals last year, Grady leaves some big shoes to fill.
Fortunately for Armwood, Darryl Richardson has size 13s for the job.
Richardson, a rising junior, transferred to Armwood this spring and has been given the job of taking the Hawks one step farther in the fall.
"This kid likes the challenge of it all," coach Sean Callahan said. "Nothing has been given to him, and that's the way he wants it. He wants to earn everything."
Richardson has done nothing but impress coaches since leaving Tampa Bay Tech in January. But it's hard for a 6-foot-5, 229-pound 16-year-old not to leave an impression.
"I've had a lot of great quarterbacks here, but none with more physical tools than (Richardson)," Callahan said. "He's got the size and the tools to be playing on Sundays down the road."
That's certainly high praise for a kid who hasn't even thrown a regular-season pass for the Hawks. Callahan isn't the only one to notice. University of Tennessee quarterback coach Darin Hinshaw was at Armwood last week, took one look at Richardson firing some balls down field and immediately forwarded camera phone video to Vols offensive coordinator Jim Chaney.
And just like that, Richardson had his first college offer.
"I was in my car on the way home, and coach (Callahan) called me," Richardson said. "When that happens, it usually means something is wrong and you're in trouble."
But the voice on the other end had nothing but good news.
"It was very exciting," Richardson said. "I couldn't really believe it."
Richardson's path to Armwood has been somewhat nontraditional. He didn't play quarterback until eighth grade, was a backup with the Titans his first two years in a run-oriented offense and barely kept his grades above water at Tampa Bay Tech.
"My grades weren't where I wanted them to be," Richardson said. "I was spending too much time hanging around with my homies and getting distracted too easily."
But all that changed when Richardson hit Armwood's campus.
"When he came here, it was with a clean slate," offensive coordinator Evan Davis said. "But you have to give him a lot of credit because he's put in the work in the classroom. He's realizing what it takes now."
And while Richardson's transformation from a C student at Tampa Bay Tech to almost all A's at Armwood has been impressive, it's his potential on the football field that soon will have college coaches drooling.
"He has the strongest arm of anyone I've ever seen at any level, and I've been out to Bucs practices and all that," Davis said. "The kid has an absolute cannon."
Richardson went 3 of 9 for 77 yards in Armwood's 21-0 win against Plant City in the spring game and was impressive at the University of Central Florida 7-on-7 tournament last weekend.
"He just has so much raw ability," Davis said. "It's exciting to be able to work with him for the next two years and mold him into the great quarterback I think he can be."
Besides his uptick in grades, Richardson has spent the spring trying to digest Armwood's complex offense. Compared to Tampa Bay Tech's vanilla Wing T offense, the Hawks' spread playbook must have looked like War and Peace to a kid just getting a handle on the position.
"They handed me the playbook and I was like 'What?' " Richardson said. "I couldn't seem to get any of it down, but we put in the reps and now it comes easy."
Davis said the correlation between Richardson's improved study habits and his ability to digest the playbook is no coincidence.
"They work off each other," he said. "And it's just making Darryl more confident in everything else that goes along with being the leader of a team, especially when it's a new team. Now when we're looking at defenses, he's starting to see things that I don't even see."
With Division I talent up and down a stacked roster, there's a good chance Richardson will have a shot to be in Grady's shoes come this December.
"I am a more focused person now, and I want to get the job done for my team," he said. "I'm ready to rock and roll."
Brandon Wright can be reached at hillsnews@sptimes.com.
By Derek J. LaRiviere, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Hernando County motor sports drivers — led by Jeff Eberly of Spring Hill — had success Saturday night at the Citrus County Speedway in Inverness.
Eberly won the mini stocks feature race at the track. The feature win was his fourth of the season after joining the schedule midway through the campaign. No other driver has more than one. After Week 11, Eberly sits 11th in the points race with 430. Sonya Heater leads with 996.
Other local participants who did well at the track were Kenny May of Spring Hill and James Ellis and Daniel Webster of Brooksville. May took fourth in the street stocks feature, while Webster placed third in the super late models race. Ellis, who has been a perennial top contender in his division, came in 10th in the modified mini stocks feature.
Among Hernando drivers, May ranks highest in the season standings. He is in fourth place in his division, with 891 points, although he has yet to win a feature race. Curtis Flanagan leads with 1,048 points. Ellis sits in seventh with 395 points in the modified mini stocks standings, fewer than 150 points behind leader Chris Allen.
COPELAND FOOTBALL CAMP: The Hernando County Recreation Department will host the Horace Copeland Football Camp on July 22-23 at Springstead High School in Spring Hill.
Copeland is a former University of Miami and Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver. The clinic curriculum will be aimed at developing fundamental football skills to enhance individual and team skills at all positions.
The cost is $110 per person, with youths ages 7 to 14 welcome. The times for the camp will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. both days. All campers will be provided an official Horace "Hi-C" Copeland camp shirt, a personalized participation certification, lunch daily, and a special autograph session with Copeland and other former pro players at the conclusion of camp.
Register online by visiting horacecopeland.com or hernandocounty.us/parks_rec, where registration and waiver forms may be printed.
Call Harry Johnson or Christie Williams at (352) 754-4031 or send e-mail to recreation@hernandocounty.us.
PHCC BASKETBALL CAMP: Pasco-Hernando Community College is offering a youth basketball camp at the West Campus in New Port Richey next week.
Sessions include emphasis on fundamental skills, individual player development and team competitions. Fees include registration, camp T-shirts and instruction.
The camp will be from 8 a.m. to noon Monday through June 16 and is open to ages 7 to 16. It will be run by PHCC coach James Johnson and assistant coach Michael Jones. The fee is $75.
All camps are open to the public. For registration forms and information, visit phcc.edu/athletics/camps.
WEST HERNANDO COUGARS: The West Hernando Cougars youth football and cheerleading program will have registration for the coming season over the next several weeks.
Officials will be at Delta Woods Park on Deltona Boulevard in Spring Hill for signups from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the following dates: Saturday, June 18 and June 25.
The Cougars' season starts July 11, with a 10-game football schedule. The cheerleaders participate in competitions around the Tampa Bay area.
The football registration fee is $195 per child, with flag football $125. The fee includes rental of pads and a personalized jersey to keep. The cheerleading fee is $225 with a full uniform to keep. There is a $10 discount for every sibling also registered.
Call Bobby McFarland at (352) 585-6524 or visit West Hernando Cougars Football and Cheerleading on Facebook.
HYL FOOTBALL: The Hernando Youth League is beginning registration for the 2011 season.
Teams are available for kids ages 5 to 15. Registration will be Saturday at Ernie Wever Park in Brooksville.
Registration forms are available at leaguelineup.com/hylfootball. Forms must be presented at time of sign-up. The cost is $125, and space is limited.
For information, call Rick Hankins at (352) 346-0000 or send e-mail to popwarnerhernando@gmail.com.
FAST-PITCH SOFTBALL CLINICS: The Hernando County Recreation Department is offering fast-pitch softball clinics at Anderson Snow Park in Spring Hill.
The private lessons are for players ages 7 to 16. The clinics will be led by April Pelham, a certified Florida fast-pitch instructor with more than 20 years of experience.
The cost is $20 for a 30-minute hitting or catching lesson. It is $15 for a 30-minute fielding or throwing lesson. Pitching lessons are also available at rates of $20 for 30 minutes, $25 for 45 minutes or $40 for one hour.
Call Penny Oliver at (352) 754-4031 or send e-mail to pennyo@hernandocounty.us.
TAE KWON DO LESSONS: The Hernando County Recreation Department is offering tae kwon do lessons at two locations this summer.
On Mondays at Delta Woods Park in Spring Hill, the class will be from 6:30 to 8 p.m. On Fridays, the course will be at Kennedy Park in Brooksville from 6 to 8 p.m.
Both classes will be taught by master Sam Kinard; no preregistration is necessary. The curriculum focuses on learning the fundamentals of the sport, along with discipline, respect and self-control.
The class is open to ages 6 and up. The first lesson is free, with the first month costing $30. Additional months are $45.
Call Penny Oliver at (352) 754-4031 or send e-mail to pennyo@hernandocounty.us.
BRITISH SOCCER CAMP: The First Hernando Youth Soccer Club has teamed up with Challenger Sports to host a weeklong British soccer camp July 18 to 22 at Anderson Snow Park in Spring Hill.
Each child will work with a member of the team of more than 1,000 British coaches being flown to the United States exclusively to work with summer programs. Challenger Sports will hold more than 3,000 camps this summer and coach more than 120,000 children between the ages of 3 and 19.
Space is limited, and parents are encouraged to register their children as soon as possible. To attend for a half day from 9 a.m. to noon, the cost is $117 for the week for ages 5 to 18. For a full day, the fee is $165 for ages 10 to 18. Goalkeepers ages 10 to 18 may attend from 5 to 8 p.m. for a cost of $117.
Each camper will receive a T-shirt, soccer ball, poster and a personalized skills evaluation.
For information, call Robert Andreu at (813) 283-4523 or send e-mail to robertandreu@bellsouth.net. To register, visit challengersports.com.
To notify us of community sports achievements or coming events, contact Derek J. LaRiviere at derekjlariviere@gmail.com or (352) 584-6337.
By Rodney Page, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
As each week passes and Tiger Woods remains on his couch in Isleworth instead of on a golf course, the rumblings get louder. Will Woods ever return to the form that earned him 14 major championships and 71 PGA Tour wins? Will he ever return to golf at all?
Woods announced on Tuesday that he would not play in next week's U.S. Open due to a "mild'' left knee sprain and a "mild'' sprain of his left Achilles tendon. The injuries occurred while playing out of pine straw at the Masters. Woods tried to play at The Players Championship on May 12, but withdrew after nine holes because of pain in the knee.
Woods, 35, has had four surgeries on his left knee alone. How much more can he take?
"This could be his kryptonite,'' said Dr. Ronald Grelsamer, associate professor of orthopedic surgery at New York's Mount Sinai Hospital.
Woods is saying very little about specifics of the knee injury. He said he hopes to be ready for the AT&T National on June 30 and the remaining major championships. Only Woods' doctors really know the severity, but it is clear that every new injury makes it harder and harder for him to return to form.
"The key for the athlete is not only the ligament and the cartilage (in the knee), it's the joint surface,'' said Dr. Michael J. Smith of Tampa Bay Orthopaedic Specialists in St. Petersburg. Smith has worked with the Tampa Bay Storm, the U.S. Women's basketball team and several Major League Baseball teams. "If he's had four surgeries that means there may be some articular cartilage surface lining issues as well. As we get older it takes a little bit more to recover. And when you add in multiple injuries and multiple surgeries it's going to take even longer.''
Like Smith, Dr. Koko Eaton has worked with hundreds of athletes. Eaton, who runs Eaton Orthopaedics in St. Petersburg and is the official orthopedic team physician for the Tampa Bay Rays, said multiple knee surgeries could lead to more serious problems in the future.
"We all have cartilage in our knee and it's like the gristle on a chicken bone,'' Eaton said. "We only have so much of it. When it's gone, it's gone. There's no technology yet to grow more back. Then it becomes arthritis. The problem with arthritis is that there is no cure. The only thing you can do is physical therapy, and that's what Tiger is doing. You can try to make the muscles surrounding the knee stronger.
"Tiger has the best orthopedic surgeons in the world, I'm sure, so they're doing all the right things.''
In Eaton's professional opinion, Woods will certainly compete again. But will he win again?
"He'll be able to play golf,'' Eaton said. "But the question is can he still be the best of the best? His swing is so powerful and he's been doing it for so long. What he's going to have to do is pick the tournaments he's going to play in. He can't play every week or whenever he wants anymore. He's going to have to cut back a little.
"It's going to be a nagging, everyday problem for him.''
There is no way to hide a knee injury on the golf course, as Woods found out at The Players Championship. The legs are used in every shot. Woods has such a powerful swing, and has had one since junior golf, that he tends to put a lot of pressure on the knees.
"There's a lot of snap and torque,'' said Lew Smither, director of golf and PGA teaching professional at Cypress Run Golf Club in Tarpon Springs. "His left knee goes to a point and then it braces. He works upward through impact. If (the knee) is not in the strongest shape, you can see some injury there.
"He puts a lot of torque on that left knee. The legs are supporting a platform. There's going to be some torque no matter what. With the pros who are trying to create swing speed, there's going to be more resistance in the lower leg so they can get the swing speed they want. It will be interesting to see in the future how many of these young players have knee problems that we don't even know about yet.''
Most physicians are in agreement that Woods will eventually return to competitive golf. And most haven't ruled out the possibility that he will return to top form. But it also appears likely the Woods who plays from now on will be a creakier version of the one golf fans are used to.
"With every new episode, every new procedure, the odds of his having a complete recovery diminish,'' Grelsamer said. "The only reason I thought he might come back, and I still wouldn't rule it out, is because he is not your average athlete. Even in a worst case scenario and he has a knee replacement, he could probably do everything he did before.
"I read that he had a Grade I sprain, but with somebody who has had this many problems with his knee, I'm thinking I'm not 100 percent sure I buy it. It could be true, but it's also possible that it's a smoke screen. We won't know for a long time.''
By Gary Shelton, Times Sports Columnist
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
To sum up, you hate them because they stacked the deck. You hate them because they started to swagger before they started to win. You hate them because of their sheer arrogance.
Ah, just admit it.
Most of all, you hate the Miami Heat because it's fun.
Especially now.
As Heat Hate goes, this is a good day, isn't it? Miami may lose these NBA Finals, and LeBron James has turned into the Incredible Shrinking Man, and your new favorite team — the Dallas ... um .... wait, you'll remember it ... Mavericks, that's right — has the momentum.
And furthermore, whee.
When it comes to sports, man, do we love to hate. Give us a team to detest, give us a player to deride, and sports becomes more entertaining. Give us a blood-boiling, lip-curling, bunch such as the Heat, and we'll not only watch, we'll threaten to throw the remote control at them.
The truth of it is this: In drama, the villain is usually a lot more interesting than the good guy. The comic books figured that a long time ago. So did professional wrestling.
Give us a bad guy, and we turn a sporting event into a morality play. Give us a bad guy, and we have a reason to tune in. Give us the teams we love, or give us one we can hate.
I know, I know. It's an ugly word, hate. But not in a sports contest. This isn't real life, and it isn't real hate. Besides, people ought to save their hatred for the arena. And, of course, for traffic.
None of this is new, of course. As long as fans have loved one team, they have hated another. Every now and then, there is a team that seems to annoy every other set of fans but their own.
Let's see. Teams are hated because they are too successful, or too elitist, or too scandalous to embrace. They are hated because they are too arrogant, or because they are overhyped, or because they are overexposed. Blame scandal. Blame egos. If you're honest, you can also blame jealousy.
Here's the kicker, though. Most of the time, it turns out, sports are better for them.
Remember the old University of Miami football team? Those Hurricanes invented swagger and they perfected trash talk.
They played football like a trail herd riding into town. They were bullies as much as ballplayers, and in opposing stadiums, they were usually treated as huns who were there to pillage the local village. There was never a stronger taste in college football than the U.
And you know what? The players loved it. No one ever embraced being disliked the way Hurricanes did, managing to dislike their critics right back. UM didn't want to be admired. It didn't want to be beloved. Most of all, it didn't want to be ignored.
That's the way it is for some teams. Books have been written on the proper procedure with which to hate the New York Yankees, the rich kids on the block. Too much money. Too much success. Too much Alex Rodriguez.
Have you ever seen a crowd react to the Duke Blue Devils? Now, Duke has had terrific players and terrific kids over the years, and it has had remarkable results. Still, there is a blueblood atmosphere to the program, and it seems to drive fans nuts.
And on it goes, to the old Bad Boys of the Detroit Pistons to the Broad Street Bullies of the Philadelphia Flyers to Jimmy Johnson's Dallas Cowboys to Al Davis' old Oakland Raiders (back when they were hateable instead of horrible).
Then, of course, there was the Soviet Olympic team. The world may be better off, but the Olympics haven't quite been as much fun since the Iron Curtain fell.
And now there is the Heat, the self-assured, self-assembled gaggle of rock stars. Collectively, they seem to drive a lot of people crazy. There was LeBron's decision, the dumbest show on TV since the Kardasians. There was the premature celebration in the middle of a game won by Dallas. And so on.
Even with all of that, I'm not sure the Heat has done enough to deserve all of its scorn. James is hardly the first free agent to bolt. Where was all of this scorn when, say, Cliff Lee left Texas in the offseason?
Nevertheless, there is something about the Heat that makes you enjoy as they annoy. Right now, there seems to be a lot of five-day Dallas fans who cannot spell "Dirk'' let alone "Nowitzki.''
The result is the NBA Finals are immeasurably more interesting. People are tuned in. People are emotionally invested.
So keep a bad thought. Maybe LeBron will miss a few more jumpers. Maybe Chris Bosch will get pushed around.
As of tonight, you get to hate the Heat once more.
Don't you just love that?
NBA Finals
Heat 2, Mavericks 2
Game 1: Heat 92, Mavericks 84
Game 2: Mavericks 95, Heat 93
Game 3: Heat 88, Mavericks 86
Tuesday: Mavericks 86, Heat 83
Thursday: at Dallas, 9, Ch. 28
Sunday: at Miami, 8, Ch. 28
Tuesday: at Miami, 9, Ch. 28 *
* If necessary
Tease headline
Text goes here and here and here. Xxxxx, XX
By Gary Shelton, Times Sports Columnist
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
To sum up, you hate them because they stacked the deck. You hate them because they started to swagger before they started to win. You hate them because of their sheer arrogance.
Ah, just admit it.
Most of all, you hate the Miami Heat because it's fun.
Especially now.
As Heat Hate goes, this is a good day, isn't it? Miami may lose these NBA Finals, and LeBron James has turned into the Incredible Shrinking Man, and your new favorite team — the Dallas … um … wait, you'll remember it … Mavericks, that's right — have the momentum.
And furthermore, whee.
When it comes to sports, man, do we love to hate. Give us a team to detest, give us a player to deride, and sports becomes more entertaining. Give us a blood-boiling, lip-curling bunch such as the Heat and we'll not only watch, we'll threaten to throw the remote control at them.
The truth of it is this: In drama, the villain is usually a lot more interesting than the good guy. The comic books figured that a long time ago. So did professional wrestling.
Give us a bad guy, and we turn a sporting event into a morality play. Give us a bad guy, and we have a reason to tune in. Give us the teams we love, or give us one we can hate.
I know, I know. It's an ugly word, hate. But not in a sports contest. This isn't real life, and it isn't real hate. Besides, people ought to save their hatred for the arena. And, of course, for traffic.
None of this is new, of course. As long as fans have loved one team, they have hated another. Every now and then, there is a team that seems to annoy every other set of fans but its own.
Let's see. Teams are hated because they are too successful, or too elitist, or too scandalous to embrace. They are hated because they are too arrogant, or because they are overhyped, or because they are overexposed. Blame scandal. Blame egos. If you're honest, you can also blame jealousy.
Here's the kicker, though. Most of the time, it turns out, sports are better for them.
Remember the old University of Miami football team? Those Hurricanes invented swagger, and they perfected trash talk.
They played football like a trail herd riding into town. They were bullies as much as ballplayers, and in opposing stadiums, they were usually treated as Huns who were there to pillage the local village. There was never a stronger taste in college football than the U.
And you know what? The players loved it. No one ever embraced being disliked the way the Hurricanes did, managing to dislike their critics right back. UM didn't want to be admired. It didn't want to be beloved. Most of all, it didn't want to be ignored.
That's the way it is for some teams. Books have been written on the proper procedure with which to hate the New York Yankees, the rich kids on the block. Too much money. Too much success. Too much Alex Rodriguez.
Have you ever seen a crowd react to the Duke Blue Devils? Now, Duke has had terrific players and terrific kids over the years, and it has had remarkable results. Still, there is a blue-blood atmosphere to the program, and it seems to drive fans nuts.
And on it goes, to the old Bad Boys of the Detroit Pistons to the Broad Street Bullies of the Philadelphia Flyers to Jimmy Johnson's Dallas Cowboys to Al Davis' old Oakland Raiders (back when they were hateable instead of horrible).
Then, of course, there was the Soviet Olympic team. The world may be better off, but the Olympics haven't quite been as much fun since the Iron Curtain fell.
And now there is the Heat, the self-assured, self-assembled gaggle of rock stars. Collectively, they seem to drive a lot of people crazy. There was LeBron's decision, the dumbest show on TV since Keeping Up With the Kardashians. There was the premature celebration in the middle of a game won by Dallas. And so on.
Even with all of that, I'm not sure the Heat has done enough to deserve all its scorn. James is hardly the first free agent to bolt. Where was all of this scorn when, say, Cliff Lee left Texas in the offseason?
Nevertheless, there is something about the Heat that makes you enjoy as it annoys. Right now, there seems to be a lot of five-day Dallas fans who cannot spell "Dirk'' let alone "Nowitzki.''
The result is the NBA Finals are immeasurably more interesting. People are tuned in. People are emotionally invested.
So keep a bad thought. Maybe LeBron will miss a few more jumpers. Maybe Chris Bosch will get pushed around.
As of tonight, you get to hate the Heat once more.
Don't you just love that?
NBA Finals
Mavericks 2, Heat 2
Game 1: Heat 92, Mavericks 84
Game 2: Mavericks 95, Heat 93
Game 3: Heat 88, Mavericks 86
Game 4: Mavericks 86, Heat 83
Tonight: at Dallas, 9, Ch. 28
Sunday: at Miami, 8, Ch. 28
Tuesday: at Miami, 9, Ch. 28 *
* If necessary
Needling LeBron
Mavs' DeShawn Stevenson says the Heat star "checked out." 3C
Times wires
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
NEW YORK — The 1-2 finishers in the Kentucky Derby are 1-2 on the morning line for the Belmont Stakes.
Derby winner Animal Kingdom was made the 2-1 favorite for Saturday's final leg of the Triple Crown, with Derby runnerup Nehro the second choice at 4-1.
Preakness winner Shackleford was next at 9-2 when a field of 12 was entered Wednesday for the first rubber match between a Derby winner and Preakness winner since 2005.
Animal Kingdom, with John Velazquez riding, leaves from the No. 9 post, which has produced only four Belmont winners since 1905. The colt trained by Graham Motion is attempting to become the 12th to complete a Derby-Belmont sweep. The last to succeed was Thunder Gulch in 1995.
"It doesn't change anything for us," Motion said of the post position. "I don't think it's going to take him out of his game."
Shackleford, with jockey Jesus Castanon aboard, will try to become the first Belmont winner out of the No. 12 post. The colt trained by Dale Romans also is attempting to become the 22nd Preakness-Belmont winner.
"In a mile-and-a-half race, the post position isn't that important," Romans said. "With No. 12, he'll be the last one in and the first one out."
Nehro, with Corey Nakatani riding, has finished second in his past three starts. The colt drew the No. 6 position.
Softies: The co-owner of Affirmed, the last Triple Crown winner, says horses used to be tougher. Patrice Wolfson co-owned the colt with her late husband, Lewis. Their 1978 Triple Crown was the third in six years, following Secretariat (1973) and Seattle Slew (1977). There hasn't been one since. "I believe horses were tougher years ago," said Wolfson, guest of honor for the Belmont post-position news conference. "Today you have people say, 'I need three or four weeks.' Back then that was considered a long time between races."
PP Horse Jockey Trainer Odds
1. Master of Hounds Garrett Gomez Aidan O'Brien 10-1
2. Stay Thirsty Javier Castellano Todd Pletcher 20-1
3. Ruler On Ice Jose Valdivia Kelly Breen 20-1
4. Santiva Shaun Bridgmohan Eddie Kenneally 15-1
5. Brilliant Speed Joel Rosario Tom Albertrani 15-1
6. Nehro Corey Nakatani Steven Asmussen 4-1
7. Monzon Jose Lezcano Ignacio Correas 30-1
8. Prime Cut Edgar Prado Neil Howard 15-1
9. Animal Kingdom John Velazquez Graham Motion 2-1
10. Mucho Macho Man Ramon Dominguez Kathy Ritvo 10-1
11. Isn't He Perfect Rajiv Maragh Doodnauth 30-1 Shivmangal
12. Shackleford Jesus CastanonDale Romans 9-2
By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Heat at Mavs: 9 p.m. on Ch. 28. Game 5 of the NBA Finals with the series 2-2. If the Mavs win, they have a chance to win the series. If the Heat wins, the Mavs are toast.
Sports Century: 10 p.m. on ESPN Classic. A look back at the great horse Secretariat.
Sports Connection: 11 p.m. on BHSN (Ch. 47). Drew Fellios interviews Lanny Poffo, brother of the late wrestler Randy "Macho Man'' Savage.''
Times staff, wires
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Give us your best shot
Let's face it. There are good shots during a round. Then there are the unforgettable ones. It's the shot you were sure was destined for the lake before it skipped off the water and onto the green. Or maybe the hole-in-one that caromed off a sand trap rake. Send your most memorable shot to page@sptimes.com. And if it makes the cut, we'll run it in a future golf page.
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.
Number of the day
64 Consecutive major tournaments Vijay Singh has played in since 1994, the longest active streak. The streak, however, will end this year after Singh failed to show up for a U.S. Open qualifier on Monday.
By Jay Mastry, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
What's hot: There are days when sight-casting for tarpon along gulf beaches is textbook. Large schools can be seen slow-rolling on the surface. Workable schools will show every 60 seconds or so and track straight as they migrate down the beach. Then there are days when tarpon act like tarpon — unpredictable and, at times, downright moody. Some show once or twice and not again. Others zigzag as they cruise down the beach, making them nearly impossible to set upon. Still others travel fast, seemingly on a mission to get somewhere and in no mood to chew. It always has been my theory that if I can't get ahead of them at idle speed, then I won't bother with them.
Alternate approach: On days when the schools are sparse, I'll anchor and let them come to me rather than spend hours cruising the beach looking for the right bunch. On a given day, the majority of tarpon tend to travel at a certain depth. Observing and dialing in to that is key.
Payoff: Tuesday morning at first light, we saw rolling fish in 16 feet off Anna Maria. Shortly after anchoring, Tony Cellamare released what we estimated to be a 150-pound monster after an epic 45-minute battle. As the sun rose, the main flow of fish moved out a bit. Moving to 19 feet paid off with another 100-plus pounder we let go. Both fish inhaled small blue crabs suspended beneath corks.
Jay Mastry charters Jaybird out of St. Petersburg. Call (727) 321-2142.
Times wires
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Babe Zaharias turning 100
Tampa's Babe Zaharias Golf Course celebrates its 100th year on June 25 with a variety of events: four-person scrambles at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m; live entertainment; and a putting contest for kids. The tournaments require registration. Call (813) 631-4374 for details.
'Thanks, Tiger'
Michael Whitehead was still getting over the sting of failing to qualify for the U.S. Open (finishing third in a playoff in which the top two moved on) when his phone rang on Tuesday. The news took a little while to digest. Tiger Woods had withdrawn due to injury. Would he like to play? "It's kind of surreal," said Whitehead, 23, who just graduated from Rice. "I said, 'Um, yes.' So 'Thanks, Tiger.' I guess I'm glad he was listening to his doctors."
Looking south
The PGA Tour has been spending a lot of time in South America and not just because of golf's Olympic return in 2016 in Brazil. For the past 18 months, officials have been meeting with federations of several countries with hopes of starting a PGA Tour-branded circuit in South America, Latin America and the Caribbean. It would help develop talent and provide another avenue for a player to find his way to the big leagues. Think of it as a tour that would be one step below the Nationwide Tour. And while there remain significant details to work out — finding a sponsor, the number of tournaments, player eligibility — the plan is to begin as early as 2012. "If you look at the top 500 in the World Ranking, only 14 players are from South America, and eight of those come from Argentina," said Ty Votaw, executive vice president of international affairs who is spearheading the Olympic effort for the Tour. "It's a part of the world where the development of elite players is something that we see as being an opportunity."
This week on Tour
PGA: St. Jude Classic, TPC Southwind, Memphis. TV: Today-Friday: 3 p.m., Golf Channel; Saturday-Sunday: 3 p.m., Ch. 10
LPGA: State Farm Classic, Panther Creek Country Club, Springfield, Ill. TV: Today-Saturday: 6:30 p.m., Sunday: 7 p.m., Golf Channel
Champions: Greater Hickory Classic, Rock Barn Golf and Spa, Conover, N.C. TV: Friday: 12:30 p.m., Saturday-Sunday: 1 p.m., Golf Channel
PGA Europe: Italian Open, Royal Park, Turin, Italy. TV: Today-Friday: 9 a.m., Saturday-Sunday: 8:30 a.m., Golf Channel
Times wires
By Brandon Wright, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
TAMPA — The Tampa Bay Storm's roster could get a little more familiar for area fans.
QB Matt Grothe, who starred at USF, was brought in this week on a two-day tryout waiver. Grothe, who last played with the CFL's Toronto Argonauts, worked out Wednesday night and will again this evening. The Storm has three quarterbacks on the roster, including former USF backup Grant Gregory.
SITTING OUT: Former USF star Jarriett Buie was placed on league suspension after an altercation during the Georgia game. The Storm signed OL/DL Ronnie Wilson to fill Buie's spot on the active roster.
SAME ACT AS BEFORE: Tampa Bay had few stumbling blocks in 2011 on the way to an 11-5 regular season and an appearance in the ArenaBowl, but one came from an unlikely source: QB Bernard Morris.
Morris, then a backup for Jacksonville, relieved starter Aaron Garcia, one of the top quarterbacks in the league. Morris, who looked horrible his first few attempts, found his rhythm and led the Sharks to a 49-47 win, ending the Storm's eight-game winning streak and knocking Tampa Bay out of first place in the South Division. Morris, who finished 29-of-40 for 199 yards, 30 yards rushing and a touchdown, is now the starter for this week's opponent, the Pittsburgh Power.
Dukes record watch: LB Cliff Dukes inched his way toward the record books last week, collecting another sack to bring his total to 11½. Dukes is four behind single-season leader Gabe Nyenhuis (2010, with Tulsa) with seven games remaining.
Hank returns: WR Hank Edwards, who had been on injured reserve since Week 8 with a broken bone in his hand, returned against Georgia and paid immediate dividends. Edwards caught six passes for a game-high 142 yards and two scores.
Hawthorne's streaking: DB Michael Hawthorne continued his playmaking streak against the Force, picking off a pass in his fourth straight game. Hawthorne also returned his interception 21 yards for a touchdown against Georgia.
Playoffs: The Storm is still alive in the race, but it needs to string together some wins. At 4-7, Tampa Bay trails 8-3 Orlando and 7-5 Georgia for the two wild-card slots in the American Conference.
Times wires
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
DALLAS — Owners and players remain "very far apart" on a new labor deal after completing two days of negotiations, commissioner David Stern said.
Stern used the term "far apart" five times in about 8½ minutes Wednesday to describe where owners and players stand with a June 30 deadline before the collective bargaining agreement expires.
The sides agreed to meet twice more next week, Tuesday in Miami if there is a Game 7 of the NBA Finals or in New York, then again Friday in New York.
"I think one of the owners indicated at the conclusion of today's meeting that he was very pessimistic as to whether or not they'd be able to reach an accord between now and the end of the month, and I'm forced to share that sentiment," union executive director Billy Hunter said. "I think maybe it's going to be a difficult struggle."
MAGIC'S ARENAS FINED: Magic guard Gilbert Arenas wrote on his Twitter page that he was fined for comments he made on the social media site. League spokesman Tim Frank confirmed the fine but declined to give the amount or the reason because it was not publicly announced.
HORNETS: Jac Sperling, the league's appointed governor of the team, said he hopes to host 100 gatherings within 100 days in an effort to push the season-ticket base from 8,000 to 10,000. Sperling said the club needs to increase its base to gain the confidence of potential local buyers.
PISTONS: Former Detroit stars Isiah Thomas and Bill Laimbeer are candidates to be the new coach as well as former college coach Kelvin Sampson and former Hawks coach Mike Woodson, ESPN.com reported. Thomas was the Knicks' team president in 2003-08 and now coaches Florida International University.
Times wires
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Autos
Busch says childress incident closed
ROSSBURG, Ohio — Kyle Busch said the $150,000 fine NASCAR levied against Richard Childress is the end of the matter for him.
Childress, 65, was fined Monday for assaulting Busch after Saturday's NASCAR trucks race at Kansas Speedway, the latest incident between the driver and Childress' teams. Busch was in Ohio on Wednesday for Tony Stewart's charity race.
"NASCAR decided to make the decisions that they felt were necessary," Busch, 26, said. "It's pretty much the end of it. It's not my fight."
Childress, who also was put on probation, was upset Busch bumped into RCR driver Joey Coulter on the cool-down lap after the race. Childress approached Busch, put him in a headlock and punched him several times. Childress said he accepted the penalty but didn't apologize for his actions.
F1: The running of the Bahrain Grand Prix is in doubt less than a week after it was reinstated. Antigovernment protests in Bahrain led to the event being scrapped as the season opener in March. F1 officials decided it could be staged on Oct. 30 after authorities lifted a state of emergency. But with unrest continuing, teams protested. F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone said there is no timetable for a final decision.
NFL
Sides meet again; more reportedly set
Owners and players met for a second straight day in New York with Judge Arthur Boylan joining commissioner Roger Goodell as well as union leader DeMaurice Smith. Also on hand were five owners and five players. The talks are supposed to be confidential, but the Associated Press reported an unidentified source saying the sides will meet again "soon and often." Both sides are awaiting a ruling about the legality of the lockout from the federal appeals court in St. Louis. Meanwhile, Judge Susan Nelson, whose decision to lift the lockout is being appealed, moved up a hearing to dismiss the players' antitrust suit from Sept. 12 to Aug. 29, nine days before the season is scheduled to begin.
Boxing
Mayweather eyeing Pacquiao, Roach says
Floyd Mayweather could be preparing for a long-awaited bout with Manny Pacquiao by facing Victor Ortiz on Sept. 17, said Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach. Roach said Ortiz and Pacquiao are both fast, high-volume punchers. They are also southpaws. Mayweather has rarely fought them in his undefeated career, and the few he has fought, including Zab Judah, have caused problems. "He'll give us a good blueprint to fight him," Roach said of Ortiz. "Judah gave him trouble but couldn't maintain the pace. Guys like Victor Ortiz, Manny Pacquiao, they can maintain that pace." Pacquiao is scheduled to face Juan Manuel Marquez in November. Mayweather was not available for comment.
Tennis
Li a big draw in China
Li Na's victory in Sunday's French Open final was watched by 116 million viewers in China, the WTA said. The victory represented the first Grand Slam singles title for a player from China. The WTA said the audience was the biggest for a tennis match in China. Citing figures from state broadcaster, it said the previous high was when 60 million viewers saw Li lose to Kim Clijsters in January's Australian Open final.
Queen's Club: Three days after winning the French, Rafael Nadal began preparations for Wimbledon with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Matthew Ebden in London. Nadal, who had a first-round bye, faces Radek Stepanek. Also, Andy Murray beat Xavier Malisse 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 and faces Janko Tipsarevic.
Et cetera
Soccer: MLS suspended Columbus defender Josh Williams for 10 games and fined him 10 percent of his salary for testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance. The league said he purchased an over-the-counter nutritional supplement containing the banned substance methandienone metabolite. Williams, 23, is in his second season but has not seen action.
Track: The Court of Arbitration for Sport said it will hear American LaShawn Merritt's appeal to compete in the 2012 Olympics on Aug. 17. The IOC bars athletes who receive doping bans of more than six months from competing at the next Olympics. Merritt, who won the 400 meters at the 2008 Olympics, was suspended for 21 months in October 2010.
Times wires
Times wires
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
DALLAS — On the eve of Game 5 in the NBA Finals, Mavericks guard DeShawn Stevenson directed sharp words toward LeBron James, saying Wednesday that the Heat star "checked out" in the final minutes of Game 4 the night before.
"That's good for us," Stevenson said after practice.
James had just eight points Tuesday — the first time in 90 career playoff games he was held to single digits in scoring — as Dallas won 86-83.
Stevenson isn't worried about the perception of his comments, either.
James was unbothered, at least outwardly, by his latest give-and-take with Stevenson with the series tied at 2.
"DeShawn, he's been talking for a long time, since our Washington-Cleveland days," James said. "I don't let that get to us. Those guys are playing well. We're playing well. It's a three-game series. Talk is cheap."
Stevenson said the Miami players are still getting to know each other, that James wasn't himself in Game 4 and that the two-time MVP is "talented enough that he can use anything in the paper to kind of boost his ego."
James teammate Dwyane Wade didn't sound worried. "Eventually," Wade said, "he's going to do something amazing, and it's going to put us over the top."
Tonight is James' next chance.
"I think it's that time," said James, who was more than 20 points below his career playoff average Tuesday. "I think it's that time that I try to get myself going individually."
In the Finals, James has nine points in the fourth quarter. To put that in perspective, Dallas star Dirk Nowitzki had 10 in the final quarter of Game 4 alone.
"I didn't play well, especially offensively. I know that," James said. "I've got to do a better job of helping this team win basketball games, especially late, no matter what it is."
BARKLEY BATTLE: TNT analyst Charles Barkley took more shots at the Heat and its fans on an ESPN radio show.
"Listen, if the Miami Heat were playing the Washington Generals, I would pick the Washington Generals," Barkley said with a chuckle. "It's something about that team that annoys me. They're just a whiny bunch, and I can't root for them."
The Hall of Famer, asked if Miami is the worst professional sports town, said: "Yeah, they have the worst fans. No question. It's not even loud in there."
Barkley again said he admired Heat stars Wade and James.
RATINGS GAME: The series is averaging 15,536,000 viewers through four games, the most-watched Finals in seven years, according to Nielsen. Game 4 drew a 9.6 overnight rating (percentage of all TVs) and 16,126,000 viewers.
By Eduardo A. Encina, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
TAMPA
Since the first few weeks of the regular season, FC Tampa Bay coach Ricky Hill hasn't been working with a healthy roster. On practice days, there aren't enough bodies to play 11 on 11. And every week the number of observers on the sideline begins to grow. When the club opened this week of practice Monday after a 2-1 loss to Carolina on Saturday, just 15 of the 23 players on the roster were healthy and practicing.
There were season-ending ACL injuries to defender Yendry Diaz and goalkeeper Daryl Sattler. Midfielder Jeremy Christie has yet to practice after recovering from hip surgery. Newcomer defenders Omar Jarun and Andres Arango have battled lesser injuries. And midfielder Chad Burt (right foot) and defender JP Rodrigues (right knee) went down May 31 at Edmonton.
"It's not ideal in terms of not knowing how many you're going to have from day to day, and it seems every time we have a game we lose one or two," Hill said.
As FC Tampa Bay (2-4-4, 10 points) faces struggling Atlanta (0-7-2, two points in its return to Division 2 after a two-year hiatus), the team did get some good news.
Burt, initially expected to miss three to six weeks, wore a bulky brace on his foot Monday but was reevaluated this week and is now listed as day to day. Arango, who has nursed ankle and quad injuries, returned to practice Monday. And Rodrigues had successful arthroscopic surgery on his knee and could return by the end of the month.
Long week for captain
While Tampa Bay was on its two-game road trip to Minnesota and Edmonton, captain Frankie Sanfilippo received word that his 90-year-old grandfather, also named Frankie, had died in his hometown of San Diego.
On June 1 Sanfilippo took a 6 a.m. flight from Edmonton to San Diego, attended his grandfather's funeral and flew back cross-country to arrive Friday afternoon in Tampa.
"It was a pretty hectic week, but it was good to see my family and everybody back in San Diego," Sanfilippo said. "We definitely put some miles on this last week. It was a tough week but we fought through it."
Sanfilippo is the only player on the roster to play every minute of every game (900 minutes).
One good thing: Family was introduced to Sanfilippo's young son, the fourth generation of Frankies in the family.
Keeper to get peek at life at the top
Rookie starting GK Jeff Attinella, a USF and Countryside alum, is scheduled to practice with the U.S. national team today at One Buc Place. The national team is in Tampa preparing for its CONCACAF Gold Cup match against Panama on Saturday at Raymond James Stadium.
Kickin' it with | Defender/assistant coach David Hayes
When you signed on to exclusively be an assistant coach here, would you have ever thought you would have played 720 minutes by the first week of June?
At this point (age 35), I've been in the game so long to realize that anything is possible. If you told me that then, I'd probably say you were crazy because of the guys we have here. But with all the injuries I've had to be prepared just like anyone.
What's the key to having a long, successful career in Division 2 soccer?
Basically it's taking it seriously. A lot of people look at it as a stepping stone to get to the higher level. For me, MLS is getting better but there's not a huge gap. So I'm happy here.
What's on your iPod right now?
Probably kids' music, probably Mickey Mouse or Tinga Tinga (Tales) or Dora the Explorer. My kids are always with me, so I'm always living the dream.
Some of your best years were playing in Atlanta. You play them this week. What's that going to be like?
Atlanta was great. That's where I met my wife. That's where I had my kids. All the guys I played with there are great guys. When we play them I don't like them. When we don't play them, I don't mind calling them and saying good luck.
So you might not talk to them this week?
I will not talk to them this week. In fact, I might send them some rotten emails.
Times wires
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Cubs 4, Reds 1
CINCINNATI — Former Ray Carlos Peña and Aramis Ramirez hit home runs on consecutive pitches in the fourth to back Ryan Dempster's pitching, and the Cubs snapped an eight-game losing streak. Dempster earned his fourth win in his past five decisions and his first win in five decisions as a visitor at the ballpark he called home in 2002 and 2003.
