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UConn's woes continue

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Times wires
Wednesday, March 2, 2011

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Kevin Jones scored 13 of his 15 in the second half and West Virginia used a late run to beat No. 16 Connecticut 65-56 Wednesday.

Connecticut (19-10, 10-7 Big East) has lost three of four to drop into a three-way tie for ninth in the conference and faces No. 8 Notre Dame on Saturday. West Virginia (19-10, 10-7) moved into a three-way tie for sixth entering the final weekend. It can clinch a first-round bye for the conference tournament by beating Louisville on Saturday.

Shabazz Napier's jumper with 2:49 left ended the Huskies' five-minute scoring drought and got them within 56-53. But West Virginia scored the next nine, Truck Bryant making seven free throws over the final 1:19.

No. 11 Louisville 87, Prov. 60: Preston Knowles had 20 points and 10 rebounds for the host Cardinals (23-7, 12-5 Big East), who clinched a double-bye into the quarterfinals of the Big East tournament. Marshon Brooks, the conference's leading scorer (25 per game) who scored 27 in Providence's upset of Louisville on Jan. 22, scored 12.

No. 23 Xavier 68, Charlotte 48: Dante Jackson scored 18 to help the host Musketeers clinch a share of their fifth straight Atlantic 10 regular-season title. Xavier (23-6, 14-1) exacted revenge for its only conference loss, 66-62 at Charlotte on Feb. 2.

State: Rion Brown scored 19 to lead host Miami past Maryland 80-66. Brown and Malcolm Grant hit consecutive 3s late to help Miami (18-12, 6-9 ACC). … Isaac Sosa scored 12 of his 17 in the second half as host UCF (19-9, 6-9 C-USA) rallied from a 10-point second-half deficit to beat SMU 51-48.

Sunshine State tourney: Host Tampa made 15 of 20 3s in beating Florida Tech 91-73 in the quarters. The No. 4 seed Spartans face No. 1 Rollins, an 83-62 winner over Barry, at 7:30 Saturday at Florida Tech. … Lance Kearse scored five of his 22 in overtime to lead host Eckerd past Lynn 79-73. The No. 3 seed Tritons face No. 2 Florida Southern, a 79-69 winner over Nova, at 5 Saturday at Florida Tech.

No. 3 BYU: The school said forward Brandon Davies, who Tuesday was suspended for the rest of the season for violating its honor code, wasn't involved in a criminal act. But it declined to specify what Davis, its second-leading scorer and top rebounder, did. BYU's honor code requires students live a chaste and virtuous life, be honest, attend church and abstain from alcohol, drugs, tobacco, tea and coffee.

Women

No. 3 Baylor 84, Missouri 52: Brittney Griner had 22 points and five blocks for the host Bears (27-2, 14-1 Big 12), who led 12-0 four minutes in.

Kan. St. 71, No. 5 Texas A&M 67: Brittany Chambers scored 35, including seven 3s, for the host Wildcats. Texas A&M (24-4, 12-3 Big 12) had previously lost only to top 10 teams (No. 3 Baylor twice and No. 8 Duke).

No. 18 Okla. 81, Okla. St. 66: The host Sooners (20-9, 10-5 Big 12) used a 13-0 run early in the second half to beat their instate rival for the eighth straight time.

Sunshine State tourney: Taja Green scored 16 of her 23 during the first half as host Tampa beat Lynn 75-65 in the quarters. The No. 2 seed Spartans play No. 3 Florida Tech, a 64-52 winner over Nova, at noon Saturday at Florida Tech. … Kati Rausberg scored 23, including six 3-pointers, as host Eckerd beat Rollins 70-62. The No. 4 seed Tritons face No. 1 Florida Southern, a 66-52 winner over Barry, at 2:30 Saturday at Florida Tech.

Seminoles honored: Florida State guard Christian Hunnicutt was named the ACC's defensive player of the year. It's the first time the award, voted on by league coaches, was won by a Seminole. And teammate Natasha Howard was named to the all-freshman team. The forward's 11.1 points per game were third among freshmen and 6.4 rebounds second.


Report: Tampa Bay Rays minority investor part of group seeking New York Mets

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By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, March 3, 2011

Randy Frankel, a member of the Tampa Bay Rays ownership group, is part of a group that has formally expressed interest in buying a minority share of the Mets , the New York Times reported today.

Frankel is part of a group that has taken the first step toward a bid, paying a nonrefundable $25,000 application fee to MLB.

According to the NY Times report:

Steven Starker, the co-founder of BTIG, a global trading company, is the main investor in the group, which has had a preliminary meeting with Allen & Company, the advisers hired by the Mets to help sell 25 percent or more of the team, according to two people familiar with the investment group.

Starker's consortium includes Kenny Dichter, a co-founder of Marquis Jet, a company that pioneered the fractional private jet card concept; and Doug Ellin, the creator of "Entourage," the HBO series; and Randy Frankel, a minority owner of the Rays.

Frankel lives in the New York area and was part of Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg's original invesment group. He presumably would have to sell his stake in the Rays if the Mets bid was succesful.

According to the Times, Starker was partners with Frankel and Sternberg while a senior executive at the New York brokerage firm Spear, Leeds & Kellogg. Spear was acquired Goldman Sachs and after three years there Staker went out and strted BTIG.

Sternberg has denied any interest in the Mets, though there have been reports in New York media saying he would have interest if the Wilpons were willing to sell a majority share.

Barring mediation miracle, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, NFL will enter dark days

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By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, March 3, 2011

Hope for a Hail Mary.

Barring a mediation miracle this morning, the collective bargaining agreement between NFL owners and the player's union will expire at midnight.

What happens next is every fan's nightmare. There will be no on-field action or communication between players currently in the NFL and employees of the teams. Team doctors will be allowed to monitor the progress of injured players, but not at the club's facility. There will be no free agency, no trades. The NFL will hold its annual draft, but once those players are selected and have their introductory news conferences, they can have no negotiations or communication with the team that selected them.

Players will not be paid any bonus money due at the start of the new league year March 4. They also will lose all insurance benefits.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers plan to strictly enforce a league-imposed gag order on labor matters.

Unable to agree on how to split a $9-billion pie, a labor dispute will continue most likely into September. The next thing that will happen sometime before midnight is that the NFL Player's Association will file papers to decertify. They must do so before the current agreement expires or wait six months.

Players on all 32 teams have already voted to do just that. It means the union will no longer be negotiating on behalf of the players. Owners are expected to follow by locking players out of their facilities.

The reason for decertifying is so individual players can file an antitrust lawsuit against the NFL. Since the league operates as a monopoly, it would be violating federal labor laws by restricting trade. Players can also file for an injunction to asking a judge to rescind the lockout.

Once the situation gets into the hands of the lawyers, the dispute is bound to linger well into the summer.

Owners essentially wanted another $1-billion from players not included in the current agreement to help finance the construction of stadiums and to retire debt. There also were proposals for an 18-game season, rookie wage scale, retirement benefits and other issues that remain unresolved.

When will all this get settled?

Most likely, not until September. Players are paid their salaries during the regular season. Owners recognize that many players live beyond their means, and once they miss a few game checks, it will be hard to keep more than 1,900 players from splintering.

What NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith has to decide is whether players will get their best deal now or after games have been cancelled.

It's been 24 years since the last real work stoppage in the NFL. But unlike in 1987, when players voted to strike two games into the regular season, there can be no games held with replacement players.

It's possible NFL owners and players could extend the agreement by another week to continue federal mediation, but both sides feel like they're out of timeouts.

If you're keeping score, the biggest losers may be the fans.

Tampa Bay Lightning's Vinny Lecavalier out with mid-body injury

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By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, March 3, 2011

BOSTON — Lightning C Vinny Lecavalier said he knew something was wrong when, during Wednesday's game with the Devils, he threw a check into David Steckel.

After the game, when his body cooled and the injury stiffened, it was confirmed.

The mid-body injury, which the team declined to specify, kept the captain out of Thursday's game with the Bruins. How many more games he misses is anyone's guess.

"He might be okay (today)," coach Guy Boucher said, "or he might be okay in a week."

"It's day-to-day," Lecavalier said. "We're going to have to keep an eye on it. I can't say if (today) I'm going to be good or the next day. Hopefully I can play (Saturday) against Montreal."

The injury, with 3:16 left in the third period on a check thrown into corner boards, comes at an inconvenient time.

Tampa Bay's injuries are piling up. W Ryan Malone (stomach muscle), and defensemen Mike Lundin (abdomen) and Marc-Andre Bergeron (back spasms) are on the shelf. RW Steve Downie left Thursday's game in the second period with what seemed a recurrence of a high ankle sprain.

Lecavalier, who did not leave Wednesday's game and played the final 1:34, has been one of the Lightning's best players lately, with seven goals and 15 points in his past 14 games.

"Very disappointing," he said of the timing. "I'm starting to feel really good, not just scoring but skating-wise. I feel like a spring in my step,"

There is no thought of surgery, said Lecavalier, who missed the preseason after right knee surgery and 15 games in October and November after surgery on his right hand.

"It's just something you have to treat, manipulation treatment, to make sure it loosens up," he said of his current injury. "It's a little tight right now. If I don't move it for 10 minutes or so, it's pretty painful. It's something we're going to work on."

CALLUPS: C Blair Jones and F Mattias Ritola were recalled from AHL Norfolk.

Jones has 20 goals and 44 points in 47 games for the Admirals. Ritola, sent down in February, has two goals and 11 points in nine games.

DOWNIE AND OUT: Could Downie be in Boucher's dog house? The right wing not only poked with his stick in the second period at Boston C Gregory Campbell, who slid into G Mike Smith and into the Tampa Bay net, he also skated from near the Tampa Bay bench to confront LW Shawn Thornton, who had challenged D Pavel Kubina to fight.

Downie and Thornton got 10-minute misconducts. But whereas the Bruins were trying to intimidate, Tampa Bay's strategy is this:

"To win hockey games," LW Sean Bergenheim said, "not doing the fights or anything."

Downie said he wasn't trying to fight Thornton. "I was just going to make sure he didn't do anything with Kuby."

As for Campbell, Downie said, "I was trying to move the net. I didn't hit anyone."

SEEING STAMKOS: Boucher and GM Steve Yzerman gave pep talks to C Steven Stamkos, who leads the league with 41 goals but has one in 10 games and one shot in his past three.

"It's important he can't lose confidence because he's having a few games where it's not working out," Boucher said. "But he's got to figure out a way to get out of these little moments."

Boucher said Stamkos is going to the right areas on the ice but not shooting. He said he counted eight chances Wednesday in which Stamkos passed up shots: "Out of eight opportunities that he shoots, there's going to be at least one goal or something happening from his shot."

ODDS AND ENDS: Yzerman said Norfolk G Cedrick Desjardins (shoulder) will practice another week before a decision on his status is made. … Saturday's game with the Canadiens and Monday's with the Capitals at the St. Pete Times Forum are at 7 p.m. to accommodate TV. … D Matt Smaby was scratched.

Outdoors Trail mix

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By Terry Tomalin, Times Outdoors Editor
Thursday, March 3, 2011

Local sailor wins NOOD Regatta

Nearly 1,000 sailors from the United States and Canada hit the waters of Tampa Bay for the season opener of the 2011 National Offshore One-Design Regatta series Feb. 18-20. After clawing his way to victory in the J/24 boat class, the largest fleet with 20 boats, the St. Petersburg Yacht Club's youth sailing coach, Todd Fedyszyn, was named the overall winner. Fedyszyn, who has had great success building a team of nationally ranked youth sailors, finished the weekend regatta with 18 points, nudging out former North American champion Mike Ingham, who finished with 20 points (the lower number of points, the better the actual score). As the overall winner, Fedyszyn is invited to participate in the NOOD Regatta Championships in November in the British Virgin Islands, where he will compete aboard Sunsail 39s against the overall winners from each of the other seven stops in the series.

WaterTribe expects record fleet

Head out to Fort De Soto's East Beach on Saturday morning to cheer on more than 100 extreme paddlers and sailors as they set off on a 300-mile adventure to the Florida Keys. The WaterTribe Challenge, now in its 11th year, is considered the ultimate test in paddling skills. The competitors, who will be racing in everything from sea kayaks to ocean-going canoes, must be completely self-supported. Most will take a week to reach the finish line in Key Largo, but if the wind blows hard out of the north, some of the more determined souls will make it in a matter of days. Race organizers put a high emphasis on safety and require entrants to carry some sort of an emergency signaling device such as the SPOT GPS Satellite Messenger (at left), which allows friends and family to follow the participants' progress online (www.findmespot.com). To learn more, go to WaterTribe.com.

Sound off on snapper

Do you want to catch more red snapper? The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is seeking public comment on red snapper quotas in the Gulf of Mexico. Snapper seem to be doing better, and federal officials are considering letting recreational anglers catch more fish, which will mean a longer season. To comment electronically, go to www.regulations.gov. Enter the following docket number into the "Search" box: NOAA-NMFS-2011-0018.

Mel would have been proud

Last month's first CapMel Trout & Redfish Classic drew more than 150 anglers to honor the late local radio show host Mel Berman. St. Petersburg's Marty Meakin won the kayak division with 24½-inch trout. Other winning paddling anglers included Seminole's Ricky Turner for the longest redfish (30 inches) and Clearwater's Craig Beach with the longest combined total for a trout and a red (44½ inches).

Vote for the best fishing town

Florida may be the No. 1 fishing state in the country, but what is the No. 1 fishing town in Florida? If you think you have the answer, the World Fishing Network wants to know. The wining community will receive $25,000 that can be used toward some fishing-related effort, such as buying rods and reels for future anglers. Florida has about a dozen great candidates: Key West, Islamorada, Miami, Palm Beach, Jupiter, Naples, Boca Grande, Sarasota, Destin, Pensacola, St. Petersburg? Cast your vote at WFNfishingtown.com.

What's new

Vibram's Five Fingers water shoes are the favorite footwear of paddlers, boaters and anglers, but the new "super-soled" Bikila LS ($100 at Bill Jackson Shop for Adventure) will be a hit with runners as well.

Ask the experts

Question: I'm planning a trip to north Florida for vacation with my wife, and 11- and 12-year-old daughters this summer. We would like to do a couple of overnight kayaking or canoeing excursions. Are there outfitters who will rent the boats, gear and offer a pick-up service at the end?

Kevin Gallagher, New Port Richey

Answer, from Outdoors Editor Terry Tomalin: The Suwannee River Wilderness Trail, with its river camps spaced a day's paddle apart, is ideal for families with small children. Go to www.floridastateparks.org/wilderness. A list of paddling trails and some camping information can be found on the Florida Designated Paddling Trails page from the state's Department of Environmental Protection at dep.state.fl.us/gwt/guide/paddle.htm.

Got a question pertaining to one of Florida's outdoors pursuits? E-mail it to rkenda@sptimes.com and put Q&A in the subject field. We'll try to find an expert to provide an answer.

Johnny Damon excited about being on other side of Tampa Bay Rays-New York Yankees rivalry

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By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, March 3, 2011

PORT CHARLOTTE — Johnny Damon was in pinstripes when the Rays got good in 2008 and turned what had been a one-sided comedy show against the Yankees into an intense rivalry, one Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon suggested is now on par with the classic competitiveness between the Yankees and Red Sox.

And now Damon can't wait to be part of it from the Rays' side of the field.

"It's going to be fun," Damon said. "My time in New York was nothing but great. I loved every minute of it. I love going back there. I love a bunch of the players over there, the coaching staff, the way the organization is. It's going to be four years I'm always going to remember.

"But now it's time for me to help my home team win a championship. It's been a long time coming for me to have this opportunity to come play for Tampa, so I'm excited about it."

Damon, 37, considered a return to the Yankees after spending last season in Detroit, but he wouldn't have had the opportunity he wanted to keep playing every day. That would have not only endangered his streak of 15 consecutive seasons of playing 140-plus games (only four others have as many), but his pursuit of 3,000 hits (he needs 429) as well as finishing with more than old-and-now-again teammate Manny Ramirez (who is two up at 2,573).

The Rays are giving Damon that chance as their everyday leftfielder, and Maddon said he expects him to relish the opportunity to face the Yankees 18 times a year.

"I think he kind of likes those kind of moments," Maddon said. "I think he's going to have no problem going back to the new Yankee Stadium and playing there. I think he's going to kind of enjoy it. I think it's going to bring out the best in him. I do."

Yankees manager Joe Girardi, after a quick pregame visit, said Damon appears to be in a good place.

"It was good to see him," Girardi said. "He seems happy. Johnny is a good player, and we know that. Johnny can hit, he can do a lot of different things for a lineup."

The Rays expect that, along with good-enough defense, but also for Damon to provide leadership in a clubhouse that saw veterans Carlos Peña, Carl Crawford and Jason Bartlett leave.

Maddon has already been impressed by the subtleness and widespread effectiveness he has seen.

"He leads by communication," Maddon said. "He talks to people. He interacts. He gives up his time. He's encouraging. He does all those little things, and furthermore he does it in a real happy way. He's just a good guy to be around. He attracts people because of his disposition.

" … I've been watching it from a distance, and I know what he's doing and I can see it. You read about him every place he's been, he's done it in those clubhouses, so I'm just watching it because I know he's going to have a great impact."

Damon said he welcomes the responsibility, joking he also would serve as occasional spokesman for the less gregarious Ramirez.

"I know I've got to be more of a leader at this point in my career, and I have no problem doing that," said Damon, the team's highest-paid player at $5.25 million. "I feel like my reputation around the league has been pretty solid (with), I would say, all my former teammates. And hopefully when this year is over, these guys will feel the same way."

Even the guys still in pinstripes can see that.

"He's great in the clubhouse," Girardi said. "He keeps it fun, he keeps it alive, he keeps it energetic."

And in the case of the burgeoning Rays-Yankees rivalry, he'll keep it going.

Times staff writer Joe Smith contributed to this report. Marc Topkin can be reached at topkin@sptimes.com.

Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon encouraged by pitcher Juan Cruz's spring debut

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By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, March 3, 2011

PORT CHARLOTTE — Manager Joe Maddon had looked forward to RHP Juan Cruz's spring debut Thursday, pointing out that of all the candidates vying for the final bullpen spots, he's one of the few with a lot of experience.

The question with Cruz, 32, was how he would look, and feel, coming off season-ending shoulder surgery in May.

And after Cruz threw a clean inning against the Yankees, both he and Maddon were encouraged. He retired Nick Swisher and Curtis Granderson, and DH Russell Martin in order.

"I haven't faced hitters in about 10 months, so it felt really good," Cruz said. "I feel almost there, 100 percent."

Cruz, who has spent parts of 10 seasons in the majors, was released by the Royals in April before the surgery. He pitched in the Dominican winter league and signed a minor-league deal with the Rays last month.

Maddon liked his ability to throw a changeup to both right- and left-handed hitters. " … You could see the veteran kind of presence out there," he said. "He was very calm about things. I thought he looked really good."

STRONG SHIELDS: RHP James Shields felt good in his second spring start, albeit not having to face Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, Derek Jeter or Jorge Posada, who didn't make the trop.

He threw three scoreless innings (40 pitches), giving up one hit. He said he threw mostly fastballs and was working on his direction to the plate in his delivery. "Shields threw the ball well, really liked the command overall, good velocity," Maddon said.

Shields picked off a runner at second: "(It was) the first pickoff to second I've had since the minor leagues."

MEDICAL MATTERS: Maddon said C John Jaso is out with soreness in his right hip but should be back in the next day or two. … Maddon said it'll be 2-3 days before OF Sam Fuld (elbow) returns to game action, with INF Elliot Johnson (left quad) returning by mid next week at the earliest. … RHP Jeremy Hellickson (hamstring) threw a 44-pitch bullpen session and looked good.

N.Y. STATE OF MIND: Randy Frankel, a limited partner in Stuart Sternberg's Rays ownership group, is part of a group that has formally expressed interest in buying a minority share of the Mets, the New York Times reported. The group is headed by Steven Starker, co-founder of the global trading company BTIG and a former partner with Frankel and Sternberg when all worked at the New York brokerage firm Spear, Leeds & Kellogg. Also reportedly involved are Kenny Dichter, co-founder of Marquis Jet, and Doug Ellin, creator of the HBO series Entourage. Frankel, who lives in the New York area, would have to sell his share of the Rays if the Mets deal goes through.

GAME DETAILS: The Rays tied the Yankees 1-1 after 10 innings, and are 1-4-1 in the spring. SS Tim Beckham had a busy day, hitting a double and getting thrown out at the plate trying to score from second on a single. He also knocked in the Rays' only run with a bases-loaded walk. LHP R.J. Swindle and RHP Cory Wade each threw two scoreless innings, with LHP Jake McGee giving up a run and two hits. The attendance (6,303) wasn't a sellout but was the Rays' largest this spring.

LEANING LEFT: LHP prospect Alex Torres is scheduled to start today against the Twins, with Maddon eager to see how he does against big-league hitters. "I think he's got a great look," Maddon said. "I think he's got major-league stuff, it's just a matter of trusting that stuff." RHP Jeff Niemann is scheduled to start a "B" game at 10 a.m. in Fort Myers.

Times staff writer Marc Topkin contributed to this report.

NFL, players union agree to extend labor talks by 24 hours

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By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, March 3, 2011

The league that discourages its games from ending in stalemates has agreed to take labor talks into overtime.

After meeting for more than eight hours Thursday with federal mediator George Cohen in Washington, D.C., owners and the players association decided to extend the midnight expiration for the collective bargaining agreement by 24 hours.

By keeping the clock running during their 10th negotiating session with Cohen, the league avoided, at least temporarily, its first work stoppage in 24 years.

The players association had planned to file papers to decertify the union by 4 p.m. Thursday unless significant progress was made on a new collective bargaining agreement.

The owners would have responded by locking out players by 12:01 a.m. today.

"To all the fans who dig our game, we appreciate your patience as we work through this," union executive director DeMaurice Smith said as he left the negotiation session. "We're going to keep working. We want to play football."

Said commissioner Roger Goodell as he left: "We are working as hard as we can."

The Bucs plan to strictly enforce a league-imposed gag order on labor matters.

The purpose for decertifying the union is to permit players who are locked out to sue the league under antitrust laws, claiming restraint of trade.

Without decertification, the union would have to wait six months to file a suit after the collective bargaining agreement expired.

According to multiple reports, quarterbacks Peyton Manning of the Colts, Tom Brady of the Patriots and Drew Brees of the Saints said they would be part of any such suit.

Talks were scheduled to continue this morning.

The Associated Press reported the sides weren't expected to resume face-to-face bargaining today. Instead they were to meet separately with Cohen to hash out whether to prolong the extension, and if so, for how many days.

By 11:59 tonight, either an accord must be reached on a new collective bargaining agreement or the sides must agree to extension of the current agreement. The union still will have the option of decertifying if an impasse can't be broken.

Owners could also still vote to lock players out.

Extending the deadline might be the most significant agreement the two sides have reached.

Redskins player representative Vonnie Holliday said the two sides were "still apart."

"I don't see how we can be that close right now unless somebody is going to pull a rabbit out of the hat," he said. "I just don't see it."

The league and its players are thought to be far apart on how to divide $9 billion in annual revenue. Proposals for an 18-game season, a rookie wage scale, retirement benefits and other issues remain unresolved.

Owners apparently made enough concessions Thursday to convince the union to continue their dialogue for at least one more day.

Joining Smith at the mediation session Thursday were Brees, union president Kevin Mawae, Colts center Jeff Saturday, Steelers backup quarterback Charlie Batch and several others, including current and former players.

Also on hand for the NFL were Giants owner John Mara and Packers president Mark Murphy, who are members of the league's labor committee, which has the authority to call for a lockout.

Information from Times wires was used in this report.


Up next auto races on major circuits

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Times wires
Thursday, March 3, 2011

Sprint Cup

What: Kobalt Tools 400

When/where: Today, practice (Speed, 3 p.m.), qualifying (Speed, 6:30 p.m.; Saturday, practice (Speed, 6 p.m.); Sunday, race (Ch. 13, 3 p.m.); Las Vegas

Fast facts: Jeff Gordon hopes his good fortune continues after he ended a 66-race winless streak last week, bumping Kyle Busch out of the way at Phoenix. … Jimmie Johnson has a record four victories in Las Vegas. … Denny Hamlin expects his left knee to be "aching for a while" since he never wants to slow down. "It still hasn't quit (aching)," Hamlin said Wednesday. "My problem is I never let myself heal all the way and, of course, I continue to push the limits as far as I can." Hamlin had surgery 11 months ago to repair the torn ACL in his knee, which he injured playing basketball before the 2010 season. Yet, it's still bothering him. That was evident during Wednesday's media day at Texas Motor Speedway, where he won both NASCAR Sprint Cup races last year.

Standings: 1. Kyle Busch, 80; 2. Kurt Busch, 77; 3. Tony Stewart, and AJ Allmendinger, 69; 5. Gordon and Mark Martin, 65; 7. Bobby Labonte, Ryan Newman and Juan Montoya, 64; 10. David Gilliland and Paul Menard, 63; 12. Carl Edwards and Johnson, 59

Nationwide

What: Sam's Town 300

When/where: Today, practice (Speed, noon); Saturday, qualifying, race (Ch. 28, 3 p.m.); Las Vegas

Fast facts: Kyle Busch won at Phoenix last week, the first in a national NASCAR race to win wire-to-wire in nearly eight years. He has 44 victories in 204 career Nationwide starts. … Mark Martin, the winner of a record 48 Nationwide races, is racing for Turner Motorsports. His last two series victories came in Las Vegas in 2005 and 2008.

Standings: 1. Reed Sorenson, 78; 2. Ricky Stenhouse, 73; 3. Jason Leffler, 71; 4. Danica Patrick and Joe Nemechek, 58

Trucks

Next: Too Tough to Tame 200, March 12, Darlington (S.C.) Raceway

Standings: 1. Matt Crafton, 71; 2. Clay Rogers, 70; 3. Cole Whitt, 68; 4. Johnny Sauter, 67; 5. Timothy Peters, 66

NHRA

Next: Gatornationals, March 10-13, Gainesville Raceway

Standings: Top Fuel — 1. Morgan Lucas, 114; 2. Shawn Langdon, 94. Funny Car — 1. Robert Hight, 118; 2. Matt Hagan, 93. Pro Stock — 1. Jason Line, 112; 2. Greg Stanfield, 95

Outdoors news and notes

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By Rodney Page, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, March 3, 2011

SAILING

Hands-on class steers new Sailors right

Boca Ciega Yacht Club will offer a five-week Adult Basic Sailing class beginning March 16. The course includes five Wednesday evening classes as well as four weekend waterfront sessions. Students will put classroom theories into practice sailing the club's Catalina 16.5 fleet. Cost is $225 per person including all classroom materials and an U.S. Sailing Association Basic Keelboat manual. Participants will receive a complementary three-month membership. For registration information, visit www.sailbcyc.org or call Jennifer Rogers at (727) 345-7544.

Fishing

Learn the basics

Starting March 23, guide Rick Frazier will take newbies through an introduction to saltwater fishing during his eight-week course in St. Petersburg. Cost is $75. Call (727) 510-4376.

Hunting

State may extend alligator hours

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission gave preliminary approval for an additional four hours of daylight hunting to the state's recreational alligator season, which runs Aug. 15 to Nov. 1. Currently, the rule primarily allows for nighttime hunting, between one hour before sunset and one hour after sunrise. The change would extend the hours to 5 p.m. to 10 a.m. Commissioners will vote at their June meeting.

Rodney Page, Times staff writer

Captains corner: Transition time heading toward mackerel season

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By Dave Mistretta, Times Correspondent
Thursday, March 3, 2011

What's hot: This will be the transition month for many migratory fish in the gulf. Water temperatures are rising. Large concentrations of small minnows have been moving toward shore and into the mouth of Tampa Bay. Behind them is small Spanish mackerel. If the weather keeps warming, we'll see the Spanish mackerel will get bigger every week.

What's next: Bigger schools of baitfish are the next thing to arrive. Blue runners, cigar minnows and sardines will be located a good distance offshore, moving to the east. King mackerel should start to arrive within the next two weeks. Locating them with regularity is difficult as they move in March. A giant school will settle for a day or two then keep migrating. Troll at a variety of depths to find where they settle; try 30 feet of water, then 50 or 60.

Dave Mistretta captains the Jaws Too out of Indian Rocks Beach. Call (727) 439-2628 or see www.jawstoo.com.

Bad news of the day

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Times staff
Thursday, March 3, 2011

Bad news of the day

Quebec City is building an arena to attract an NHL team, but commissioner Gary Bettman said the league is not even considering putting a team there. Bettman told CBC Radio, "We were very candid and told everybody in Quebec City, 'Listen, obviously we couldn't consider ever coming back without a new building. But don't build a new building on our account.' … I get concerned about expectations being raised."

Rock fan of the day

Who said Patriots coach Bill Belichick is a boring, stick in the mud? According to the Boston Herald, Belichick was seen hanging out backstage with Jon Bon Jovi after a concert at Boston's TD Garden earlier this week. No word on if Belichick was singing along to Livin' on a Prayer.

Dr. Remote

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Times staff
Thursday, March 3, 2011

The Day: 5 p.m. on Speed. A look at the day Dale Earnhardt was killed at the Daytona 500.

Friday Night Fights: 9 p.m. on ESPN2. Coming live from the Wide World of Sports complex near Orlando. Besides the fights, Brian Kenny interviews Shane Mosley about his May 7 fight against Manny Pacquiao.

Sports Connection: 11 p.m. on BHSN (Ch. 47). The network hangs out with former USF football player Terrell McClain as he prepares for the draft.

Shaking off struggles

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Derek J. LaRiviere, Times Correspondent
Thursday, March 3, 2011

BROOKSVILLE — During an interview as a freshman, Brett Maggard hadn't faced much hardship in his sporting life.

"I had tennis elbow when I was, like, 12," the then-Springstead pitcher said. "But I went through rehab and it was fine after that."

Fast forward three years, and quite a bit has changed. Maggard was a southpaw with loads of potential and future ace of the Eagles' staff. When he won a district quarterfinal over Hernando on April 23, 2008, the future seemed to hold big things for the young flamethrower.

After going 3-3 with a 2.74 ERA and 50 strikeouts in 46 innings, an offseason injury brought horrific news. Maggard required ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, or Tommy John surgery, on his pitching elbow and a year of rehabilitation. He didn't pitch his sophomore season, and last season as a junior he was brought back slowly as Springstead's ace.

"Last year was my first one off of Tommy John surgery," Maggard said. "So it was a little more difficult to build up my arm strength at first."

Springstead coach Frank Vitale had to monitor Maggard's pitch count, but the gutsy efforts of the team leader landed him a 4-2 record with a 1.87 ERA. He also tossed 42 strikeouts in only 332/3 innings.

The Eagles had arguably the most talented team in program history, going 20-6, but many believed they fell short of expectations, losing the district final and region quarterfinal.

With an opportunity to broaden his horizons before college, Maggard moved into Hernando High's zone and found himself under the tutelage of Leopards coach Tim Sims. For the first time since his freshman year, Maggard is 100 percent healthy.

"Brett slid right into this team like he belonged here," Sims said. "These kids played together in youth ball years ago, and they welcomed each other into the dugout once the season began."

Maggard has signed a letter of intent with St. Johns River State College. The Vikings have local connections; former Hernando coach Donnie Whitehead is an assistant. Teammate Ian Townsend also will play there.

"I've known Coach Whitehead for years," Maggard said. "Even when I was at Springstead, he was the type of guy that I could call whenever I needed something."

For the first time in ages Maggard's focus is completely on the field. He has been clocked as high as 89 mph with his fastball, but there's no doubt he can break 90. Maggard, along with the rest of the Hernando pitching staff, provides Sims with his most talented roster in years.

"There are no issues with egos here," Maggard said. "Who plays is something that (Sims) is going to have deal with. We just want to go out there, have fun and win."

Shooting from the lip

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By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, March 3, 2011

St. Petersburg Times staff writer Tom Jones offers up his Two Cents on the world of sports.

Sports media controversy of the week

Sports Illustrated has dismissed motor sports freelance writer Tom Bowles for cheering Trevor Bayne's victory at the Daytona 500. On his blog, Bowles admitted to clapping for Bayne because he believed Bayne's victory was a much-needed breath of fresh air for NASCAR. Bowles wrote, "Before I could control it, my hands were coming together to join them, caught up with fans and media alike in a moment we could all appreciate.'' He went on to write that he understood the importance of impartiality but he should be judged on his stories. He also wrote: "Fact: I clapped and then shook Trevor Bayne's hand on the way out along with many assembled media in attendance. Analysis: I still wrote a well-reasoned, well-thought-out postrace column on a variety of topics that would have happened if Bayne or Kyle Busch had won. … If a supposed lapse of ethics proves to be my downfall despite an undying passion and thirst for knowledge regardless of the consequences, so be it. At least I can look in the mirror at the end of the night, smile and give a round of applause for staying true to myself." It's hard to say which is worse: that Bowles clapped for Bayne or that he defended his behavior. Bottom line: There is no cheering in the press box. Ever. End of story. It's not unusual for reporters to let out a "wow'' or "Holy mackerel, did you just see that?!'' in the press box after a remarkable catch or goal. But no professional journalist should ever let his hands come together to celebrate someone's victory. Reporters root for one thing: a good story. Who wins and loses never matters. It's a shame that anyone loses his job in this economy, but Bowles broke one of the most basic rules of sports reporting.

40-yard dash of the day

The best thing on all of television over the past week might have been NFL Network host Rich Eisen running a 40-yard dash at the NFL combine. Dressed in a full suit with jacket and tie and with very little warmup, the 41-year-old Eisen finished in 6.18 seconds.

That naturally, was slower than any player at the combine. But think about it. That's still less than two seconds from the top runners at the combine. Now, two seconds is an eternity in football. But it just amplifies how there is hardly any difference between a guy running a 4.5 and a 4.9.

The point of all this is to wonder how running 40 yards or jumping in the air without football pads really tells us how good of a football player someone is.

Best TV moment

Interesting moment during Thursday's Outside the Lines First Report show on ESPN on Thursday. NFL analyst Chris Mortensen was giving an update on the NFL labor situation when his cell phone rang. On camera, Mortensen stopped, looked at his phone and then said he had to take the call.

Announcer of the day

NBA analyst Reggie Miller, who has made a smooth transition from player to broadcaster on TNT, will try something new Sunday. He will call his first college game.

Miller has been assigned the Kentucky-Tennessee game on CBS as that network and Turner Sports get ready for the NCAA Tournament. Look for Miller to call tournament games as well.

It will be interesting to see how the NBA analysts, including Charles Barkley and Steve Kerr, adjust to their role as college analysts over the next month. Miller told Yahoo Sports the biggest adjustment will be learning the teams and players.

"You know all 30 teams in the NBA. And out of those 30 teams, you can probably name 10 guys on each roster,'' Miller said. "Obviously, that's a little different when you're dealing with so many college teams.''

Show of the day

We've had the Real Housewives of Orange County, New Jersey and so on. And we've had NBA players' wives. What's next? How about a show on what it's like to be the wife of a golf professional?

A group of PGA Tour wives has hired a marketing firm to help land a reality show based on their lives. According to golf.com, the wives of Bob Estes, Will MacKenzie and Matt Jones are trying to drum up interest for a show.

Amir Amiri, who is the CEO of the marketing firm hired by the wives, said he believes a show is perfect "given the swell of attention the Tiger Woods scandal brought to the personal lives of pro golfers.''

Jeepers, if the show is anything like Woods' personal life, count us in.

Shocking TV numbers of the day

This is incredible. The Florida Panthers are drawing a .19 local television rating for their games. That means less than 1 percent of the South Florida households with televisions — or about 3,000 people — are tuning into the games.

That's fewer people than watch informercials. Seriously.

On Sunday, infomercials for the Ninja Professional Blender/Chopper and Ice Crusher and one for the AbCoaster exercise machine had a higher television rating than the average Panthers game. A kid's show called Doodlebops, which is shown on Sundays at 7 a.m., had a better rating.

At the halfway point of the season, the Lightning had seen a 27 percent increase in TV ratings on Sun Sports, the fourth-highest jump in the league. That's good. What's not so good is the Lightning was averaging about 14,000 homes a game, which was the league's fifth-lowest. The Penguins have the biggest television audience with 105,000 viewers per game.

Getting back to the Panthers, it's no wonder there isn't an audience. The team is on its way to missing the postseason for the 10th consecutive season and 12th time in the past 13 seasons. Plus, it would appear South Florida fans are wrapped up in the Heat. The NBA team has an average local viewership of 82,191 homes.

Your Two Cents

I am an 83-year-old taxpayer. I like, read and watch sports on TV. I like the Rays but have only been to one spring training game and two at Tropicana Field. With the billions of dollars that the MLB moves and puts into its pocket along with the millions that many of the players make, there is no justifiable reason to a taxpayer that any tax money should go to support a stadium.

If you are a businessman making money from baseball, then donate to a special fund that MLB can use to build stadiums, support teams or whatever for baseball.

Edmund W. James, Sun City Center

Obnoxious tweet of the day

A Twitter post from LeBron James from late Wednesday night:

"20+ games left in phase 2. I'm ReFOCUSED! No prisoners, I have no friends when at WAR besides my Soldiers.''

Get over yourself, LeBron. And while you're doing that, why don't you head over to Iraq or Afghanistan on an off day and see how that compares to playing basketball a few hours a week.

Three things that popped into my head

1. If one player called Celtics big man Kevin Garnett dirty, you could dismiss it. But when several players from several different teams say it, don't you think there must be something to it?

2. The Devils are a long shot to make the postseason, which is a good thing if you're the Lightning. Would you want to play them in the playoffs?

3. If there was a 24-hour network that showed only the Cubs dugout, I'd watch it.


Phillies' Hamels sharp vs. Red Sox

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Times wires
Thursday, March 3, 2011

FORT MYERS — Come October, neither the Red Sox nor the Phillies would mind this matchup of teams.

LHP Cole Hamels pitched one-hit ball over four innings, and the Phillies beat the Red Sox 2-0 Thursday in a matchup of teams favored to reach the World Series.

Hamels struck out three and walked one, throwing 29 of 50 pitches for strikes. Relievers Scott Mathieson, Michael Stutes, and Juan Perez held the Red Sox hitless.

"My body felt really good. I'm pleased about that," Hamels said. " … I just need to fine-tune my mechanics. To go four innings on March 3, I should be locked in by game time."

Pitching coach Rich Dubee was pleased. "His delivery still needs some work, but his arm is working well," he said.

Yanks: Garcia strong

PORT CHARLOTTE — Freddy Garcia expects to win a job in the Yankees rotation.

The 34-year-old right-hander is so confident about his chances that he believes if he doesn't earn one of two openings behind CC Sabathia, Phil Hughes and A.J. Burnett that he will have no one to blame but himself.

"I lose the spot, that's my fault," the two-time AL All-Star said after working two scoreless innings during a 1-1, 10-inning tie with the Rays. "That's my responsibility, to do my job in spring training."

Garcia, signed to a minor-league deal after going 12-6 with a 4.64 ERA for the White Sox last season, allowed two hits and struck out one in his debut.

RHP Ivan Nova, also competing for a rotation spot, followed Garcia with a three-inning scoreless stint of his own. Bartolo Colon and Sergio Mitre are also in the running.

"We're going to evaluate. That's what we have to do," manager Joe Girardi said.

Jays: Cecil shines

DUNEDIN — Sixty pitches in three innings were just right for Blue Jays LHP Brett Cecil against Pittsburgh. Especially since he finished with six strikeouts.

Cecil struck out the first four batters he faced and gave up just one hit in three scoreless innings before leaving with a 1-0 lead. Three innings later, the Pirates tagged Scott Richmond for two runs and beat the Blue Jays 4-1.

"The way I see it, (60 pitches) is just a glimpse of the future of how (manager John Farrell) is going to let us pitchers go deeper into the game," Cecil said. " … I'd like to be a pitch-to-contact pitcher."

Short hops: Farrell said he plans to start Travis Snider, who hasn't played due to a ribcage injury, in leftfield Saturday. … 3B Jose Bautista, back in the lineup after sitting out a day with tightness in his left quadriceps muscle, had a hit and an RBI.

College baseball series: USF Bulls vs. FAMU Rattlers, Florida Gators vs. Miami Hurricanes

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Times staff
Thursday, March 3, 2011

Tampa Bay Rays news and notes

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By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, March 3, 2011

Numbers game

With Ben Zobrist wanting to hang on to No. 18, Johnny Damon went back in time picking No. 22, citing a couple of Hall of Famers, Clyde Drexler (basketball) and Emmitt Smith (football), and former pitcher Roger Clemens (with the Yankees). "A few guys I looked up to right there," he said.

Dollar daze

Damon said that DH Manny Ramirez is the "exact same" as when they played together in Boston, but, given his $2 million salary now, with one difference: "He's got to be a little cheaper this year; I think he's going to count on me to take him out to lunch and dinner a little more."

Quote of the day

"He's the only Carlos left right now. He is lost without 'Los."

Joe Maddon, Rays manager, joking about LHP Alex Torres, who looks like former Ray 1B Carlos Peña, now with the Cubs

Idea of the day

After the Rays' 1-1 tie with the Yankees in 10 innings Thursday, Maddon jokingly suggested baseball should have a home run derby to settle tie games in spring training.

"Take the hockey concept," Maddon said. "Have your two best power hitters, take one of the coaches, come out and throw some nice (batting practice pitches). I think the fans may enjoy something like that."

Rays at Twins

When/where: 1:05 today; Hammond Stadium, 14100 Six Mile Cypress Parkway, Fort Myers

Tickets: Reserved seats $23-$39, lawn seating $13-$16. Can be purchased via Twinsbaseball.com, by calling (toll-free 1-800-338-9467) or at the Hammond Stadium box office.

Rays information: Toll-free 1-888-326-7297 (FAN-RAYS)

Pitchers: Rays — Alex Torres, Mike Ekstrom, Dane De La Rosa, Rob Delaney; Twins — Kevin Slowey, Joe Nathan, Jose Mijares, Yorman Bazardo, Carlos Gutierrez, Kyle Gibson

Heads-up

3B Evan Longoria, SS Reid Brignac, Ben Zobrist and CF B.J. Upton will be in the lineup.

Who is this Ray?

He began his career as an infielder with the A's in 1997 but converted to a pitcher and was acquired by Tampa Bay as a free agent this offseason. He earned the nickname of El Campeon, Spanish for champion, by Maddon, who was with him in the Angels' organization.

On deck

Saturday: Twins, 1:05. Rays — Andy Sonnanstine; Twins — Nick Blackburn

Sunday: at Phillies (ss), 1:05. Rays — Wade Davis; Phillies — Cliff Lee

Upcoming schedule

March

7: at Pirates

8: Blue Jays

9: Blue Jays, and vs. Netherlands at St. Petersburg

10: Red Sox

11: Pirates

12: at Phillies (ss)

13: at Blue Jays

14: Off

15: Marlins

16: at Marlins

17: at Yankees, 7:05

18: Red Sox (ss), 7:05

19: at Twins

20: Orioles

21: Yankees, 7:05

22: at Red Sox, 7:05

23: Phillies

24: at Astros

25: Pirates

26: Orioles

27: at Pirates

28: at Yankees, 7:05

29: at Red Sox

30: Blue Jays at Tropicana Field, 4:10

Who is this Ray answer: RHP Joel Peralta

Joe Smith, Times staff writer

Big East women's basketball tournament

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By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, March 3, 2011

Big East women's tournament

When/where: Today-Tuesday; XL Center, Hartford, Conn.

Today: USF (13) vs. Pitt (12), noon; Syracuse (9) vs. Seton Hall (16), 2; West Virginia (10) vs. Cincinnati (15), 6; Providence (11) vs. Villanova (14), 8

Byes into Round 2: Marquette (5), Louisville (6), St. John's (7), Georgetown (8)

Byes into quarterfinals: Connecticut (1), De Paul (2), Notre Dame (3), Rutgers (4)

TV: Sunday's quarterfinals (noon, 2, 6, 8) and Monday's semifinals (6, 8) on ESPNU. Tuesday's final (7) on ESPN.

Favorite: UConn, the two-time defending national champ, went undefeated in league play with only two wins by fewer than 10 (three at Notre Dame, six at West Virginia). Add homecourt advantage.

Dark horse: Notre Dame is ranked No. 7, and all six of its losses were to ranked teams. It lost to UConn by three at home and by 21 on the road. So it has as good a chance as anyone to unseat UConn.

Looking at USF: The Bulls seek to build on their season-ending upset of No. 17 Georgetown. The draw lines up well for the Bulls, who lost to Pitt by four on the road. Win there, and they get No. 5 Marquette, which beat them by six in Tampa. Making it to Day 3 would provide momentum for next season, when all but two players are set to return.

Greg Auman, Times staff writer

Sports in brief

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Times wires
Thursday, March 3, 2011

Tennis

Roddick to open for U.S.

Andy Roddick, No. 8 in the world, was drawn to face No. 241 Nicolas Massu in the United States' first-round Davis Cup opener today in Santiago, Chile. No. 32 John Isner then faces No. 165 Paul Capdeville in the best-of-five to be played on clay. Bob and Mike Bryan face Massu and Jorge Aguilar on Saturday, and reverse singles is Sunday.

More Davis Cup: Rafael Nadal is set to represent Spain starting today in Belgium, playing for the first time since injuring his left thigh at the Australian Open.

Soccer

CONCACAF still at three

CONCACAF, the regional body for North and Central America and the Caribbean, was denied an extra berth for the 2014 World Cup. All six confederations will have the same number of guaranteed berths, including CONCACAF's three. But it could have an easier time earning a fourth. There will be a draw to determine playoff pairings instead of the prearranged matchups used for 2010. CONCACAF's fourth team could face South America's No. 5 team (like it did in 2010), Asia's No. 5 team or the Oceania champ.

Et cetera

Swimming: Michael Phelps posted the fastest times in the world in both of his events at the Indianapolis Grand Prix. The American won the 200-meter free in 1 minute, 46.27 seconds and 100 fly in 51.75 seconds.

Cycling: The sport's governing body said it won't rescind a ban on radio communications during races. Several teams protested last month, arguing ear pieces make races safer. But the governing body says radio communication distorts the nature of the sport.

Times wires

Horses

New York threatens to take license of Big Brown's trainer

NEW YORK — New York authorities deemed trainer Rick Dutrow, most noted for 2008 Kentucky Derby and Preakness wins by Big Brown, "obnoxious" and "unbecoming" and ordered him to show why he should not be suspended, lose his license and be kicked off state tracks.

Ed Martin, president of the Association of Racing Commissioners International, said since 1979, Dutrow has been sanctioned "at least 64 times … in nine different states at 15 racetracks." The two most recent suspensions, for a combined 90 days, came last month at New York's Aqueduct for hypodermic needles in his barn and a winning horse's positive test for a banned painkiller.

Dutrow's hearing before the state's Racing and Wagering Board is set for March 30-31.

The board's notice said Dutrow is a "person whose conduct at racetracks in New York and elsewhere has been improper, obnoxious, unbecoming and detrimental to the best interests of racing. (His) character and general fitness are such that your participation in parimutuel racing is inconsistent with the public interest."

In an e-mail to the Associated Press, Dutrow's lawyer, Gerard Romski, said there is no merit to the current allegations: "When all the facts are in and the witch hunt is over, we are confident that Mr. Dutrow will be totally vindicated."

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