Times wires
Thursday, July 14, 2011

LUZ-ARDIDEN, France — Score one for the Schleck brothers — Andy and Frank — against defending champion Alberto Contador.

The Tour de France entered the Pyrenees on Thursday, and the Schlecks delivered a 1-2 punch with attacks at the end of the 131-mile Stage 12 from Cugnaux to the Luz-Ardiden ski station. By the finish, Contador was gritting his teeth.

Spanish climbing specialist Samuel Sanchez, whose team is based in nearby Basque country, gave the home crowd reason to celebrate. He won the stage after riding inspired through a sea of red, green and white Basque flags.

And the current darling of French cycling — Thomas Voeckler — surprised himself by keeping the yellow jersey on Bastille Day after scaling three punishing peaks.

Sanchez and Voeckler, however, aren't expected to be among the contenders for the title when the race ends July 24 on Paris' Champs-Elysees.

Contador and Andy Schleck — and maybe his brother — are. That will be after the race runs through more punishment in the Alps in Week Three and a pivotal individual time trial in Grenoble on the next-to-last race day.

Thursday's leg showed that the once indomitable Contador, who had a dismal Tour start because of crashes and stumbles at his Saxo Bank team, can be vulnerable in the mountains.

"I was a bit careful," the three-time Tour champion said. "I saw the Schlecks were discussing together and that they were going to play their cards. Frank was the stronger — and both of them attacked.

"But I'm nevertheless happy with this first mountain stage. Each day, I feel better. … I still don't have my best legs. I'm not riding with the same rhythm, but it's encouraging."

Voeckler had predicted — feared — that he'd lose the yellow shirt Thursday.

"I'm glad I was wrong," he said with a smile. "Keeping the jersey was far from expected as the stage started today. … You have to believe that the yellow jersey gives you a bit of added inspiration on the Bastille Day.

"I surprised myself. I'm not stronger, but the jersey gave me an extra motivation to reach a new level in suffering and go beyond suffering."

Times wires
Thursday, July 14, 2011

FRANKFURT, Germany — Lauren Cheney was just 11 during the 1999 World Cup, watching from the stands and imagining what it would be like to be on that field with Mia Hamm and Michelle Akers and Julie Foudy and Brandi Chastain.

Fast-forward a dozen years, and it's Cheney's turn in the spotlight.

And somewhere, there's another young girl watching.

"She's inspiring some 12- or 13-year-old girl just like she was inspired," Chastain said Thursday. "That's what I love about this team. They're continuing the legacy."

That 1999 World Cup was a watershed moment for the U.S. team. All of women's sports, really. The players were part of the first generation to reap the full benefits of Title IX, and they took it one step further by making it cool for girls to play sports. They were adored by little girls and boys alike, so famous the players could go by just one name. Mia. Brandi. Foudy.

They packed stadiums from coast to coast. They won, too, beating China in a penalty kick shootout to give the United States a second World Cup trophy.

As magnificent as the team's success was, though, it has cast a long shadow on everyone who has come after. Every U.S. team is compared with the '99 squad, and nobody has come close to measuring up. Sure, the Americans have won the past two Olympic gold medals. But the World Cup is soccer's biggest prize, and the United States hasn't even made the final in the 21st century.

Until now, that is.

The United States plays Japan on Sunday with a chance to become the first country to win three World Cup titles.

"I'd be tired of (the comparisons), too, if I was them. That's all they've heard for 12 years," said Foudy, ESPN's lead analyst for the tournament. "What you hear from all of them is, 'We just want to forge our own identity,' which you can understand. Here's a moment that the country can embrace this team and wrap their arms around this team, and they have defined it."

This U.S. team grabbed its country's attention with one thunderous header by former Gator Abby Wambach in the 122nd minute of the quarterfinal against Brazil and has continued to charm the folks back home.

All these Americans are missing is the World Cup title.

"It's cool we've completely written our own story," Cheney said. "Maybe we're not the favorites. Maybe people doubted us. But we have pure hearts and determination, and we believe in each other so much."

And no one is prouder than the members of that '99 team.

"How could you not be proud of way they fought and found a way against Brazil?" said Tony DiCicco, coach of the '99 team. "We have a chance here to be the first country to win three World Cups. We think the team is in good hands."

Times wires
Thursday, July 14, 2011

Indians 8, Orioles 4

BALTIMORE — Asdrubal Cabrera and Carlos Santana homered, Justin Masterson struck out eight in six innings, and the Indians extended the Orioles' skid to eight games. Cabrera and Santana connected in a three-run first inning against Jeremy Guthrie. The Orioles' losing streak matches a season high, and they are 1-13 since June 26.

Times wires
Thursday, July 14, 2011

ATLANTA — The NCAA put Georgia Tech football on four years probation, fined the school $100,000 and stripped it of its 2009 ACC title Thursday for violations that included problems with men's basketball.

Tech did not lose scholarships and can play postseason games in both sports. But the NCAA reduced the basketball program's recruiting days and official visits for the next two seasons.

The NCAA said Tech should have declared an unidentified football player ineligible for the final three games of 2009, including the ACC title game win over Clemson in Tampa. He allegedly accepted $312 worth of clothing from a friend of a sports agency employee. The NCAA also said the school didn't cooperate with its investigation.

The basketball violations involved a youth tournament held on campus in 2009 and 2010 that a graduate assistant helped administer.

LSU: The NCAA was sent copies of material the school received from recruiting service owner Willie Lyles. The school said it paid Lyles $6,000 for printed information and DVDs of games. The NCAA is looking into Oregon's $25,000 payment to Lyles and his involvement in the recruitment of running back Lache Seastrunk. In March, Texas A&M assistant Van Malone said Lyles told him A&M would have to "beat" an $80,000 offer of other schools to get cornerback Patrick Peterson. Peterson said Lyles had nothing to do with his choice to play for LSU.

FSU: Marvin Bracy, a receiver from Orlando's Boone High who won state track titles in the 100 and 200 meters in May, orally committed. He also considered Florida, LSU and Texas A&M. He cannot sign until Feb. 1.

WAC: Texas-Arlington accepted an invitation to join the league. It leaves the Southland to become the WAC's 10th school but third that doesn't play football.

Times wires
Thursday, July 14, 2011

TORONTO — Edwin Encarnacion and Eric Thames had three hits and three RBIs each and the Blue Jays used an eight-run first inning to beat the Yankees 16-7 on Thursday.

The Blue Jays set season highs in runs and hits (20) to win their fourth straight game.

Toronto lost slugger Jose Bautista, who leads the majors with 31 homers, to a twisted right ankle in the fourth inning after an awkward slide into third. He is day-to-day.

Andruw Jones hit two homers for the Yankees, the 42nd multihomer game of his career, but New York couldn't extend a nine-year streak of winning its first game after the All-Star break.

The Jays knocked Yankees right-hander Bartolo Colon out before the first inning was over, doing all their damage with two outs. Thames eventually chased Colon with a two-run double to center.

The eight first-inning runs matched a franchise high for the Blue Jays, who also scored eight in the first Sept. 26, 2007, at Baltimore.

Times wires
Thursday, July 14, 2011

BALTIMORE — The Orioles were already a little angry about the way they were treated in Boston, and that fire was flamed by MLB's ruling Thursday to suspend two Orioles players and manager Buck Showalter and only one Red Sox player, slugger David Ortiz, after last weekend's bean-brawl series at Boston.

"I definitely think they need to go back and do their homework," said LHP Michael Gonzalez, who was suspended for three games and fined $1,500 for throwing behind Ortiz on Sunday. "We're already appealing it. I think (MLB needs) to go back and go through the whole series, as opposed to just going through one game and seeing how everything fell into place."

The Orioles had four disciplined in all: Gonzalez, closer Kevin Gregg (four-game suspension, $2,500 fine), Showalter (one game, undisclosed fine) and reliever Jim Johnson ($500 fine). The Red Sox had three (all received an undisclosed fine): Ortiz (four-game suspension), C Jarrod Saltalamacchia and RHP John Lackey.

Showalter sat out Thursday's game against the Indians. He was replaced by bench coach John Russell. Gregg said he was protecting himself and questioned the decision to suspend him for the same number of games as Ortiz.

A's: LHP Brett Anderson, 23, will miss the rest of the season after having reconstructive elbow surgery.

Blue Jays: 3B Jose Bautista, who leads the majors with 31 homers, is day-to-day after twisting his right ankle during an awkward slide in the fourth inning vs. New York. X-rays were negative. Bautista could have an MRI exam today.

Cardinals: LHP Jaime Garcia, 25, is guaranteed $27 million over the next four years under the contract he agreed to Wednesday.

Giants: The team met with former Nationals manager Jim Riggleman about a scouting job.

Mets: Manager Terry Collins said he will use a closer by committee to finish games now that Francisco Rodriguez has been traded to the Brewers. Veteran Jason Isringhausen and youngsters Bobby Parnell and Pedro Beato will be given the chance to close. LHP Tim Byrdak could get the call if three lefty batters are due up in the ninth.

Tigers: 1B Miguel Cabrera is expected to play tonight, three days after leaving the All-Star Game with a strained oblique muscle sustained while swinging.

Yankees: Refuting reports that he was too tired, SS Derek Jeter said he did not go to the All-Star Game because he wanted to rest his previously injured calf for the second half. "It wasn't an exhaustion thing. It was an injury thing is why I didn't go," Jeter said. … MLB officials have received medical records on Bartolo Colon's stem cell treatment, but it will take time before a review is completed. He had the treatment in the Dominican Republic in April 2010. Stem cells were injected into his shoulder and elbow in an attempt to regenerate tissue. The doctors involved said human growth hormone, which is banned by MLB, was not involved.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

Times wires
Thursday, July 14, 2011

Twins 8, Royals 4

MINNEAPOLIS — Trevor Plouffe hit a two-run homer and Delmon Young had three hits in his return to the Twins lineup. Francisco Liriano gave up three runs on seven hits with four strikeouts in seven innings, and Joe Mauer had two hits and two RBIs. Melky Cabrera had two hits, an RBI and threw a runner out at home from centerfield for the Royals.

Times wires


Friday, July 15, 2011

Blue Jays 16, Yankees 7

TORONTO — Edwin Encarnacion and Eric Thames had three hits and three RBIs each as the Blue Jays rode an eight-run first inning to season highs in runs and hits (20). The Jays, who lost slugger Jose Bautista to an ankle injury (see notebook), knocked Bartolo Colon out before the first inning was over, doing all the damage with two outs.

Times wires
Friday, July 15, 2011

CHICAGO — Pinch-hitter Greg Dobbs delivered a two-run double against closer Carlos Marmol, and the Marlins scored six times in the ninth to rally for a 6-3 victory over the Cubs on Thursday that extended their season-high winning streak to six games.

The Marlins trailed 2-0 before sending 11 batters to the plate in their final at-bat.

Former Ray Matt Garza threw seven scoreless innings for Chicago, and Sean Marshall worked the eighth. But Marmol unraveled while picking up his seventh blown save in 26 chances.

He walked Mike Stanton, Mike Cameron and John Buck, throwing one strike in the process, and Dobbs, batting in the pitcher's spot, hit a double into the rightfield corner.

Dewayne Wise, running for Buck, slipped between home and third but scored when second baseman Darwin Barney's relay bounced past catcher Geovany Soto for a throwing error that gave Florida a 3-2 lead.

Times wires
Friday, July 15, 2011

Rockies 12, Brewers 3

DENVER — Ryan Spilborghs' had a homer and four of the Rockies' season-high 20 hits. Ubaldo Jimenez has won four of his past six starts after starting the season 1-7. Ryan Braun returned for Milwaukee after missing eight games with a strained left calf and extended his hitting streak to 23 games.

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Friday, July 15, 2011

TAMPA — Goalie Mathieu Garon said the Lightning was the first team to contact him once the free agency period started July 1. And once it did, Garon had a one-track mind, knowing it was exactly where he wanted to be, and feeling it'd give him a shot at hoisting another Stanley Cup

He signed that day for a two-year, $2.6 million deal to back up veteran goalie Dwayne Roloson, a former teammate with the Oilers.

"The reason why I'm here is to win," Garon said, who won his first Stanley Cup with the Penguins in 2009.

Garon, 33, got his first look at his new home Friday, touring the St. Pete Times Forum. Sitting in front of his new locker, and jersey (No. 32), Garon met with the local media, taking a break from a whirlwind weekend looking for a new place and schools with his wife, Marie.

While it will take Garon (MA-tyew Gah-ROHN), a Chandler, Quebec native, a while to get used to the area, he's comfortable in his role as backup, having played 35 and 36 games the last two seasons with the Blue Jackets. He said having worked with Roloson (Oilers, 2007-09), whom he calls a "true professional," also helps.

"I've done it before," Garon said. "I know how it's going to be. Like I said, it doesn't matter how many games I play, I just want to play good, and if I don't play much, it's probably because (Roloson) is playing great. So I just want to win and we'll see what happens."

Garon, who went 10-14-6 last season with a 2.72 goals against average, said he's recovered from April surgery to fix a torn tendon in his right elbow. He said he plans to start skating in the next week, and will be ready to go for training camp.

Said Garon: "I feel pretty perfect right now."

MINOR MOVE: The Lightning signed minor-league defenseman Scott Jackson to a one-year, two-way contract. Jackson had a goal and five points and was plus-13 in 68 games last season for AHL Norfolk.

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Friday, July 15, 2011

TAMPA — Goalie Mathieu Garon said the Lightning was the first team to contact him once free agency started July 1. And once it did, Garon had a one-track mind, knowing it was exactly where he wanted to be and believing it would give him a shot at hoisting another Stanley Cup

That day, he signed a two-year, $2.6 million deal to back up veteran Dwayne Roloson.

"The reason why I'm here is to win," Garon said, who won his only Stanley Cup with the Penguins in 2008-09.

Garon, 33, got his first look at his new home Friday, touring the St. Pete Times Forum. Sitting in front of his locker and jersey (No. 32), Garon met the media, taking a break from a whirlwind weekend looking for a new place and schools with his wife, Marie.

While it will take Garon (MA-tyew Gah-ROHN), a Chandler, Quebec, native, a while to get used to the area, he's comfortable in his role as a backup, having played 35 and 36 games the past two seasons with the Blue Jackets. He said having worked with Roloson, whom he calls a "true professional," in Edmonton from 2007-09 also helps.

"I know how it's going to be," Garon said. "It doesn't matter how many games I play. I just want to play good. And if I don't play much, it's probably because (Roloson) is playing great."

Garon, who last season went 10-14-6 with a 2.72 goals-against average, said he has recovered from April surgery for a torn tendon in his right elbow. He said he plans to start skating in the next week and will be ready to go for training camp in September.

Said Garon: "I feel pretty perfect right now."

Transaction: Defenseman Scott Jack­son signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Lightning. He had a goal and five points and was plus-13 in 68 games last season for AHL Norfolk.

Around the league

Kane hurt: Chicago wing Patrick Kane has a broken left wrist but is expected to be ready by training camp. The team did not say how the injury occurred.

Signings: Washington re-signed defenseman Karl Alzner for two years and $2.57 million. It leaves it $890,128 over the $64.3 million salary cap. But teams can be over by 10 percent during the offseason. … Chicago re-signed forward Michael Frolik for three years. Financial terms weren't disclosed. … Calgary re-signed center/wing Brendan Morrison for one year and $1.25 million.

Information from Times wires was used in this report.

By Gary Shelton, Times Sports Columnist
Friday, July 15, 2011

On the day the lockout finally ends, Bucs general manager Mark Dominik's day-planner:

3:17 a.m. — Wake up. Look at clock. Go back to sleep. After all, this isn't Jon Gruden's day-planner.

6 a.m. — Wake up. Check the newspaper. Yeah, the lockout really is over. Yippee.

6:19 a.m. — First thing, ponder this: Is it a year too early to offer Josh Freeman a long-term contract? Maybe. But how does five years and the mayorship of Tampa sound?

6:30 a.m. — Show up at office. Hide the Red Bull from Raheem. He's going to be fired up enough.

7:06 a.m. — Put on track shoes. It's going to be a busy day.

7:15 a.m. — Study scouting reports on former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor, just in case. Study scouting reports on local tattoo parlors, just in case.

7:25 a.m. — Let assistant coaches out of storage closet. Unleash the season.

8 a.m. — Call Davin Joseph's agent. Inform him the Bucs want Joseph back. With a young quarterback, a young running back and a group of young receivers, this team has to have a solid offensive line.

8:15 a.m. — Call Quincy Black's agent. Inform him the Bucs consider him the linebacker they want back the most.

8:20 a.m. — Review the free agent list. Double-check cornerbacks, linebackers and offensive tackles.

8:30 a.m. — Remind co-workers to open the season-ticket windows and brace for the stampede. Operators are standing by.

8:37 a.m. — Review the new labor agreement. How much money are the Bucs required to spend?

8:45 a.m. — If it's that much, call Freeman's agent back. Extend offer to seven years. He can be a state representative.

8:54 a.m. — Call information in Oakland, Calif. Ask for the number for Nnamdi Asomugha. Normal spelling, operator.

9 a.m. — Reach Asomugha. Ask about rumors he wants $19 million a year. Hang up. Laugh loudly for 45 minutes.

9:45 a.m. — Call back. Ask Asomugha if he will consider $19 a year for a million years.

9:55 a.m. — Phone commissioner's office. Congratulate Roger Goodell for getting a raise from that $1 a year he was making during the lockout. Ask if he has made a decision on Aqib Talib.

10 a.m. — Meet with Tiki Barber. Ask for his driver's license to be sure it isn't Ronde playing another trick on you. Tell Tiki you admire his DNA, but right now, the Bucs have no need for a 36-year-old running back unless someone is injured in training camp.

10:30 a.m. — Put on Kevlar vest. Call Plaxico Burress, tell him you have all the weapons you need. Shoot, with Plaxico, it is better to pass on him, not to him.

10:45 a.m. — Fax a contract offer to defensive end Adrian Clayborn, the team's No. 1 draft pick. Tell him the Bucs expect him to ruin the days of a lot of quarterbacks.

11 a.m. — Fax a contract offer to defensive end Da'Quan Bowers, the team's No. 2 draft pick. Tell him the Bucs expect him to ruin the days of a lot of quarterbacks.

11:15 a.m. — Ditto linebacker Mason Foster, the No. 3 draft pick. Foster remains the most likely player to start at middle linebacker.

11:30 a.m. — Call Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff. Ask if he has polished that NFL Executive of the Year award that you should have won instead of him.

11:31 a.m. — After all, Dimitroff's team went from nine wins to 13. Your team went from three wins to 10.

11:31 a.m. — Not that anyone is counting.

11:45 a.m. — If Asomugha is really that expensive, check out Johnathan Joseph of the Bengals. He'd look good in pewter, wouldn't he? Signing two-three second-tier free agents could help.

Noon — Lunch with Barrett Ruud. If the order is wrong, ask Ruud to stop the waiter. After he does, measure to see if the waiter got a first down.

12:50 p.m. — Tell Ruud the Bucs still appreciate him, and if the price is reasonable, they would like to have him back. For both parties, however, it is probably time for Ruud to let the market determine his value.

12:55 p.m. — Ditto Cadillac.

1 p.m. — Return to office, send out contract offers to the rest of your draft class.

1:15 — Check the Internet to see who Steelers linebacker James Harrison is ticked at now.

1:45 p.m. — Considering the chatter of Talib, remind everyone that releasing a player has nothing to do with the presumption of innocent until proven guilty. This isn't a courtroom. It's a decision of being tolerated until proven annoying.

2 p.m. — Very diplomatically, please ask Simeon Rice to stop calling. The charges from his home planet are very expensive.

2:45 — Fax the second page of the playbook to LeGarrette Blount, whether he needs it or not. (The first page, which said "break a lot of tackles,'' seemed to work just fine last year.)

3 p.m. — Talk to the trainer about Gerald McCoy's biceps, Brian Price's groin, Clayborn's arm and Bowers' knee. Can you market the Fractured Foursome?

3:15 p.m. — Tell assistant you will accept calls from Charlie Ward, Burt Ward and Ward Bond, but if Derrick calls, you aren't home.

4:05 p.m. — Check the playbook. Next to "third down," write "Kregg Lumpkin."

4:30 p.m. — Ponder wisdom of making Freeman's contract 10 years. Make him governor.

4:45 p.m. — Check draft reports again. Teams have less time to evaluate this year, so other teams' practice squads may be enticing.

5 p.m. — Call news conference. Announce that, to drive up attendance, the Bucs will have postgame concerts, too. Also, pro wrestling at halftime.

5:30 p.m. — Go over plans for rookie minicamp, for training camp, for regular season travel, for London game.

5:55 p.m. — Check late headlines to make sure Talib isn't in any of them.

6 p.m. — Go home. Leave track shoes at the office. For an NFL general manager, tomorrow is going to be busy again.

By Gary Shelton, Times Sports Columnist
Friday, July 15, 2011

On the day the NFL lockout finally ends, Bucs general manager Mark Dominik's day-planner:

3:17 a.m. — Wake up. Look at clock. Go back to sleep. After all, this isn't Jon Gruden's day-planner.

6 a.m. — Wake up. Check the newspaper. Yeah, the lockout really is over. Yippee.

6:19 a.m. — First thing, ponder this: Is it a year too early to offer Josh Freeman a long-term contract? Maybe. But how does five years and the mayorship of Tampa sound?

6:30 a.m. — Show up at office. Hide the Red Bull from Raheem. He's going to be fired up enough.

7:06 a.m. — Put on track shoes. It's going to be a busy day.

7:15 a.m. — Study scouting reports on former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor, just in case. Study scouting reports on local tattoo parlors, just in case.

7:25 a.m. — Let assistant coaches out of storage closet. Unleash the season.

8 a.m. — Call Davin Joseph's agent. Inform him the Bucs want him back. With a young quarterback, a young running back and a group of young receivers, this team has to have a solid offensive line.

8:15 a.m. — Call Quincy Black's agent. Inform him the Bucs consider him the linebacker they want back the most.

8:20 a.m. — Review the free agent list. Double-check cornerbacks, linebackers and offensive tackles.

8:30 a.m. — Remind co-workers to open the season-ticket windows and brace for the stampede. Operators are standing by.

8:37 a.m. — Review the new labor agreement. How much money are the Bucs required to spend?

8:45 a.m. — If it's that much, call Freeman's agent back. Extend offer to seven years. He can be a state representative.

8:54 a.m. — Call information in Oakland, Calif. Ask for the number for Nnamdi Asomugha. Normal spelling, operator.

9 a.m. — Reach Asomugha. Ask about rumors he wants $19 million a year. Hang up. Laugh loudly for 45 minutes.

9:45 a.m. — Call back. Ask Asomugha if he will consider $19 a year for a million years.

9:55 a.m. — Phone commissioner's office. Congratulate Roger Goodell for getting a raise from that $1 a year he was making during the lockout. Ask if he has made a decision on Aqib Talib.

10 a.m. — Meet with Tiki Barber. Ask for his driver's license to be sure it isn't Ronde playing another trick on you. Tell Tiki you admire his DNA, but right now, the Bucs have no need for a 36-year-old running back unless someone is injured in training camp.

10:30 a.m. — Put on Kevlar vest. Call Plaxico Burress, tell him you have all the weapons you need. Shoot, with Plaxico, it is better to pass on him, not to him.

10:45 a.m. — Fax a contract offer to defensive end Adrian Clayborn, the team's No. 1 draft pick. Tell him the Bucs expect him to ruin the days of a lot of quarterbacks.

11 a.m. — Fax a contract offer to defensive end Da'Quan Bowers, the team's No. 2 draft pick. Tell him the Bucs expect him to ruin the days of a lot of quarterbacks.

11:15 a.m. — Ditto linebacker Mason Foster, the No. 3 draft pick. Foster remains the most likely player to start at middle linebacker.

11:30 a.m. — Call Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff. Ask if he has polished that NFL executive of the year award that you should have won instead of him.

11:31 a.m. — After all, Dimitroff's team went from nine wins to 13. Your team went from three wins to 10.

11:31 a.m. — Not that anyone is counting.

11:45 a.m. — If Asomugha is really that expensive, check out Johnathan Joseph of the Bengals. He'd look good in pewter, wouldn't he? Signing two to three second-tier free agents could help.

Noon — Lunch with Barrett Ruud. If the order is wrong, ask Ruud to stop the waiter. After he does, measure to see if the waiter got a first down.

12:50 p.m. — Tell Ruud the Bucs still appreciate him, and if the price is reasonable, they would like to have him back. For both parties, however, it is probably time for Ruud to let the market determine his value.

12:55 p.m. — Ditto Cadillac.

1 p.m. — Return to office, send out contract offers to the rest of your draft class.

1:15 — Check the Internet to see who Steelers linebacker James Harrison is ticked at now.

1:45 p.m. — Considering the chatter of Talib, remind everyone that releasing a player has nothing to do with the presumption of innocent until proven guilty. This isn't a courtroom. It's a decision of being tolerated until proven annoying.

2 p.m. — Very diplomatically, please ask Simeon Rice to stop calling. The charges from his home planet are very expensive.

2:45 — Fax the second page of the playbook to LeGarrette Blount, whether he needs it or not. (The first page, which said "break a lot of tackles,'' seemed to work just fine last year.)

3 p.m. — Talk to the trainer about Gerald McCoy's biceps, Brian Price's groin, Clayborn's arm and Bowers' knee. Can you market the Fractured Foursome?

3:15 p.m. — Tell assistant you will accept calls from Charlie Ward, Burt Ward and Ward Bond, but if Derrick calls, you aren't home.

4:05 p.m. — Check the playbook. Next to "third down," write "Kregg Lumpkin."

4:30 p.m. — Ponder wisdom of making Freeman's contract 10 years. Make him governor.

4:45 p.m. — Check draft reports again. Teams have less time to evaluate this year, so other teams' practice squads may be enticing.

5 p.m. — Call news conference. Announce that, to drive up attendance, the Bucs will have postgame concerts, too. Also, pro wrestling at halftime.

5:30 p.m. — Go over plans for rookie minicamp, for training camp, for regular-season travel, for London game.

5:55 p.m. — Check late headlines to make sure Talib isn't in any of them.

6 p.m. — Go home. Leave track shoes at the office. For an NFL general manager, tomorrow is going to be busy again.

By Bill Hardman, Times Correspondent
Friday, July 15, 2011

What's hot: Red snapper fishing is hot in all depths of more than 100 feet. The season ends at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, the shortest season ever for these fish in the gulf. Even though the population of red snappers has been improving, the recreational fishing season has been getting shorter. This brief 48-day season has been marked by anglers and divers almost always getting their allotted daily limit (two per day). According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the average weight landed in the gulf has gone up from just more than 3 pounds to 5.34 pounds since 2007.

Bite is on: Red snapper are easy to find, and they're hungry. They have such ravenous appetites that on most of our spots, the fish leave the protection of the bottom to swim up under the boat, in the hope of a quick chance at a bait or two.

Next tournament: The next spearfishing tournament in Florida is the biggest of all. The St. Pete Open, hosted by the St. Pete Underwater Club, will be held Aug. 19-21 at Marina Cove (formerly Holiday Inn Sunspree) in south St. Petersburg. For more information, call SPUC president Scott Lucas at (727) 639-4375 or go to stpeteopen.com.

Bill Hardman teaches scuba, spearfishing and free diving through Aquatic Obsessions Scuba in St. Petersburg and can be reached at (727) 344-3483 or captainbillhardman@gmail.com.

Times wires
Friday, July 15, 2011

Cubs 2, Marlins 1

CHICAGO — Ryan Dempster matched his longest outing of the year to end the Marlins' six-game win streak. The Cubs' Carlos Marmol, who on Thursday walked the bases loaded in blowing a save, struggled again. He walked a batter on four pitches, got a popout and an out when Hanley Ramirez tried to stretch a single into a double and gave up a run-scoring single. Sean Marshall finished the game. Both Chicago runs scored when second baseman Omar Infante misplayed Alfonso Soriano's two-out pop fly to short right.

Times wires
Friday, July 15, 2011

Swimming

Phelps predicts records at Worlds

Michael Phelps, the 14-time Olympic gold medalist, is predicting the world record drought in swimming will end this month at the world championships in Shanghai. The 26-year-old is competing in up to seven events at the world championships, one of which could be against returning Australian star Ian Thorpe, 28.

Swimming's world record drought has reached 18 months in the Olympic-size 50-meter pool since the ban on rubberized suits at the beginning of 2010. Forty-three world records were set at the world championships in Rome two years ago.

"People just want it more now. We're going to see faster swimming than we've really ever seen," Phelps said. "There are going to be a lot faster swims than even in the Olympics or the world swimming championships in '09, even with the 'suits' we have now."

Phelps said it will be "super fun" to compete against Thorpe, who produced 13 world records before quitting in 2006. Thorpe, who beat an up-and-coming Phelps in the 200-meter freestyle at the 2004 Olympics, is planning a comeback for the London Games. "Having somebody like him back in the sport is going to be a lot more exciting," Phelps said.

Horses

Breeders' Cup to ban race-day medication

Race-day medication will be banned at the Breeders' Cup, starting with 2-year-olds in 2012 and covering all races beginning in 2013.

The Breeders' Cup board of directors adopted a measure directing that procedures be developed to implement the ban.

Breeders' Cup chairman Tom Ludt said in a statement that strong international participation in the event was a factor in the board's decision to bring policies in line with international practices.

The Breeders' Cup began out-of-competition testing for blood-doping agents in 2007 and banned the use of steroids from competition in 2008.

Tennis

Former top-20 player in cancer treatment

Russia's Alisa Kleybanova, who reached as high as No. 20 in the women's rankings this season, is receiving treatment for Hodgkin's lymphoma, a form of cancer.

In a posting on the Women's Tennis Association's website, Kleybanova, 22, said there's a chance she'll be able to play again. She is being treated at a hospital in Italy because she has a training base and close friends there, "so it's like home."

She has been off the tour since May and now is No. 28.

More tennis: Top-seeded Flavia Pennetta beat Tsvetana Pironkova 6-2, 6-2 to reach the semifinals of the Palermo Open in Italy. She plays Polona Hercog, while four-time champion Anabel Medina Garrigues plays Petra Cetkovska in the other semifinal. … Juan Carlos Ferrero beat Marcel Granollers 6-4, 6-3 to reach the semifinals of the claycourt Mercedes Cup in Stuttgart, Germany. Ferrero plays Federico del Bonis, who beat Pavol Cervenak 6-1, 6-2. Pablo Andujar faces Lukasz Kubot in the other semifinal.

Et cetera

NBA: Thunder forward Serge Ibaka, who was born in the Republic of Congo but played in Spain for three years before going to the NBA, has been granted Spanish nationality, clearing the way for him to help Spain defend its European title this summer. … Nets guard Sasha Vujacic, 27, signed with Anadolu Efes, a Turkish team, for next season. It was not clear if he had an out-clause to return to the NBA should the lockout end.

Weightlifting: Kulsoom Abdullah became the first woman to compete in the U.S. championships while wearing clothing that covers her legs, arms and head. Abdullah was cleared to compete in Council Bluffs, Iowa, in accordance with her Muslim faith after the international federation ruled two weeks ago that athletes could wear a full-body "unitard" under the uniform. Previously the rules required the knees and elbows to be visible so officials could determine if a lift was correctly executed.

WNBA: Tulsa signed former finals MVP Betty Lennox, hoping she can provide leadership to the 1-12 team.

Times wires

Times wires
Friday, July 15, 2011

Newman regains Loudon magic

LOUDON, N.H. — Ryan Newman won the pole for the Lenox Industrial Tools 301 and Tony Stewart was second to give Stewart-Haas Racing a front-row sweep for Sunday's Sprint Cup race. Newman, above, turned a track-record lap of 135.232 mph Friday. Stewart, his boss and teammate, was at 135.064. They were the only drivers to top 135 mph. Newman won his first pole of the season, a far cry from the 20 combined poles he earned in 2003-04. He's now 10th on the career poles list, including a record five at New Hampshire. "It works," he said. "It's like making good macaroni and cheese. Sometimes, it just tastes good. I don't know what the entire chemistry is, but I like it." Zephyr­hills' David Reutimann, Kurt Busch and Brad Keselow­ski rounded out the top five.

Track, NASCAR eye traffic woes

The owner of Kentucky Speedway and NASCAR officials want answers to why fans were stuck in traffic for hours as they tried to get to Saturday night's race in Sparta. Bruton Smith said he will meet next week with Gov. Steve Beshear to start finding solutions. Smith absorbed some of the blame but stopped well short of saying there was more the track could've done. He blamed everyone from the company running parking ("they did a lousy job"), to I-71 ("a lousy piece of interstate"), to the fans who were warned about the trouble ahead but still left late. "When I tell you we will fix it, I hope that you believe me," he said. NASCAR president Mike Helton called it a "very serious issue" that must be corrected, adding that NASCAR "won't rest" until it figures out what went wrong. As for compensating fans who missed the race? "We offered the exchange of tickets, yes," Smith said. "Are you talking about a cash refund? No, did not, and we will not." Asked why not, Smith tersely replied, "We don't want to."

Driver's grandson charged in theft

The grandson of former NASCAR driver Jack Ingram is accused of stealing his championship rings and other mementos in Candler, N.C., then asking Ingram to pay for their return. Buncombe County investigators charged Jackson Layne Ingram, 25, with breaking and entering and larceny, the Asheville Citizen-Times reported. Authorities say $5,000 worth of items were taken, including the diamond ring Jack Ingram won for his 1982 Busch series title. A few days later, a caller asked for $1,000 to return the items, but Ingram said no.

Times wires

Are drivers athletes? Fans rally behind Johnson in Twitter feud with NFL player

Jimmie Johnson is particularly proud of two of his titles: NASCAR champion and Associated Press male athlete of the year. But the five-time Cup champ was swept into a Twitter feud because of his inclusion as a nominee for male athlete of the year at the ESPY Awards. Seahawks receiver Golden Tate posted @ShowtimeTate, "Jimmy johnson up for best athlete???? Um nooo .. Driving a car does not show athleticism." He continued to tweak Johnson, angering NASCAR fans. Tate later posted, "12th man get these rednecks off me." Johnson laughed off the barbs and invited Tate to a track: "In a lot of situations, people haven't been to a race or been close enough to our sport to understand what takes place here." Tate caved: "Apologies for my offensive comment to NASCAR fans. I actually read up on it and NO I couldn't race a car 150 mph."

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Friday, July 15, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG — RHP James Shields will have a tough time topping his last start against the Red Sox, a complete-game shutout June 14, when he faces them today.

But as is the case with Shields' first half of the season, in which he threw seven complete games and made his first All-Star team, he doesn't believe he needs to change much.

"I'm going to try to build on what's going on," Shields said. "We're going to try to start this second off right, and there's no better way to start the second half than playing the guys you're trying to beat."

Though Shields didn't pitch in the All-Star Game, he said the experience was "everything I thought it was going to be," a fun time, even with two-time All-Star LHP David Price "showing me the ropes."

Shields said he joked with Tigers RHP Justin Verlander about how they kept up with each other when both threw complete games June 14 and June 19.

"It was kind of funny that every time I pitched, he'd be looking at what I did, and every time he pitched, I'd be looking at what he was doing," Shields said. "It was kind of a friendly competition away from each other."

MUM'S THE WORD: C John Jaso said the strained right oblique that landed him on the 15-day disabled list had bothered him since the Twins series July 4-6, but he didn't tell anybody until after the game July 9 in New York because he knew he'd face a couple of Yankees right-handers.

Jaso hoped if he played through the injury, he could use the All-Star break to heal. But after an exam revealed a mild strain, the Rays put him on the DL, retroactive to Sunday, expecting he can return after a minimum stint.

"I was kind of hoping it'd go away over the games I was playing," Jaso said. "But it didn't and progressively got worse."

Jaso doesn't regret not disclosing the injury sooner, believing it didn't extend the recovery time. But Rays manager Joe Maddon said he, "doesn't want anybody to play hurt."

"I think we caught it at the right time," Maddon said. "But with (Jaso) like that, I'd rather him just be up front and say, 'Listen, I can't really go, and we need to do something about it.' "

LEANING LEFT: LHP Jake McGee, called up Thursday partly to face lefties, said he tweaked some things, including increasing his velocity and improving his slider, during his two-plus months at Triple-A Durham.

McGee said a mechanical adjustment helped him maintain a consistent velocity (93-96 mph) and "got the breaking ball back to where I wanted it to be." He struggled after making his first opening-day roster (5.14 ERA in 11 games) but said he has learned from it and will be more relaxed.

"I was kind of almost putting too much pressure on myself starting the year up here instead of realizing what I have to go out and do," McGee said.

Friday, McGee struck out the only batter he faced, left-handed CF Jacoby Ellsbury.

PITCHING IN: LHP Alex Torres was pulled from his start at Durham after two innings Friday, indicating the Rays could be considering promoting him rather than RHP Alex Cobb to start Monday or Tuesday. Cobb was lifted after two innings Thursday.

In the CLEAR: Domestic violence charges against former Rays RHP Dewon Brazelton were dropped by the Hillsborough County State Attorney's Office. Brazelton, 31, was arrested June 3 on suspicion of hitting his fiancee, who declined to give a statement to prosecutors.

MISCELLANY: Bullpen coach Bobby Ramos has a throat infection that could sideline him for up to a week. Stan Boroski, assistant to the pitching coach, is filling in. … DH Johnny Damon and his wife, Michelle, are hosting "Uncork for a Cause," a charity wine tasting event, at 7 tonight at the Vinoy. Proceeds benefit the families of the three St. Petersburg police officers who recently died in the line of duty. For information, go to uncorkforacause.com.

Times staff writer Marc Topkin contributed to this report.

Times wires
Friday, July 15, 2011

Andy Lally wants a hamburger. Badly. The bloodier the better. Yet the former sports car champion turned NASCAR driver won't have one. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not ever.

He will deal with the craving and put it aside just like he has done every day for the past seven years, since he decided every living thing was entitled to the same rights he enjoys.

Two years ago Lally took it a step further, moving from vegetarian to vegan, which means he has cut out dairy products, too. Though the 36-year-old from New York's Long Island considers it an ethical choice, he understands it's not for everybody, particularly the largely meat-and-potatoes crowd that crams the grandstands every week at a Sprint Cup race.

That doesn't mean he's not open to educating whenever possible.

"If (people) were able to see the mistreatment and what goes on and see what shows up to them in a nice shiny package," Lally begins then cuts himself off, saying "I don't want to go there."

Then he laughs. Sorry, Lally can't help but go his own way. When you're a newcomer driving for an underdog team that has had a revolving door in the driver's seat for three years, you don't really have a choice.

Halfway through his first full-time Cup season driving the No. 71 TRG Motorsports Ford, Lally is trying to find pleasure in the grind. He heads to this week's race at New Hampshire 33rd in points but with something almost resembling momentum.

Lally qualified seventh at Daytona two weeks ago only to fade to 27th after having trouble finding a running partner in the later portion of the race. He finished 32nd at Kentucky last week, not bad considering he started 43rd (last) in the field.

Could the three-time winner of the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona still be winning Grand-Am races somewhere? Sure. Yet he'd rather be sweating it out every weekend in Cup, even if it means working from the back of the field.

"Every aspect of the Cup series is humbling, man," Lally said. "People will say, 'He's coming from something so different he's going to get his butt kicked all year and if he makes any strides, great.' But on my end, it's not acceptable unless we're going forward."

And he's encouraged by the progress his somewhat thrown-together team has made over the past five months. Though the 71 car has been around for three years, stability has been hard to come by. Lally is one of nine drivers to hop behind the wheel for owner Kevin Buckler since he founded the team in 2009.

The team switched from Chevrolet to Ford this spring and is already on its third crew chief of the year, with Doug Richert now calling the shots. That's a lot of moving pieces, but Lally is optimistic the program is heading in the right direction.

"Even in races where we don't finish well, we try to break it down and find some stints in the race, like 'we hit it, we hit it, we hit the setup right, I drove it right, we did it well,' " Lally said. "We try to take the good parts out of it and analyze it and try not to do the bad things again."

Still, it can be a nerve-wracking experience. He calls failing to qualify at Darlington and Charlotte "one of the toughest things I've ever gone through as a professional."

Yet there's no place he'd rather be.

"There's still a huge competitive drive in me to accomplish the goals I have set in this series," he said. "If there's a good team willing to have me on board, then I'm going to work my butt off to stay here."