Times staff, wires
Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Nevin Shapiro, a former Miami booster, told Yahoo Sports he provided impermissible benefits to 72 Hurricanes football players and other athletes from 2002 to 2010, starting with former Hillsborough High player Andrew Williams and including former Plant High quarterback Robert Marve, now at Purdue.

Shapiro said he offered bounties for hard hits on former Florida quarterback Tim Tebow and former FSU quarterback Chris Rix, booked hotel rooms for player parties under the alias "Teddy Dupay" (a former UF basketball player Shapiro thought resembled him) and that Bucs tight end Kellen Winslow Jr., who played at UM from 2001 to 2003, was among numerous players in his social circle.

Winslow, who is not accused of wrongdoing, could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Shapiro, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for masterminding a $930 million Ponzi scheme, said he gave money, cars, yacht trips, jewelry, televisions and other gifts to players. He said he paid for nightclub outings, sex parties, restaurant meals and an abortion for a woman impregnated by a player not named by Yahoo.

In a story on its website, Yahoo Sports says it spent 100 hours interviewing Shapiro over the past 11 months, and audited thousands of pages of financial and business records and interviewed almost 100 people to examine his claims.

Shapiro said at least six coaches and as many as 10 athletic department employees were aware of the illicit activity, including then-basketball coach Frank Haith, now at Missouri. The coaches Shapiro named have since left UM.

Haith said Tuesday, "The reports questioning my personal interactions with Mr. Shapiro are not an accurate portrayal of my character." He said he is cooperating with the NCAA.

Shapiro said Aubrey Hill, UM's receivers coach and recruiting coordinator from 2008 to 2010 who now holds the same position at Florida, knew of or had direct participation in NCAA rule violations.

UF athletics spokesman Steve McClain told the St. Petersburg Times on Tuesday, "Coach Hill indicated he was very comfortable with and very confident in how he conducted himself while at the University of Miami."

Former UM running back Tyrone Moss told Yahoo Sports he accepted $1,000 from Shapiro around the time he was entering college. "It was me and a few more of the guys in my incoming class that he kind of showed some love to," Moss said. "I'm not going to say the names, but you can probably figure them out yourself."

Said Shapiro, "Hell yeah, I recruited a lot of kids for Miami. With access to the clubs, access to the strip joints. My house. My boat. We're talking about high school football players. Not anybody can just get into the clubs or strip joints. Who is going to pay for it and make it happen? That was me."

Shapiro said his motivation for speaking out is that he is angry with several players he says he helped. He said he feels they abandoned him because of his legal problems.

UM officials are cooperating with NCAA investigators as they look into Shapiro's allegations.

"Everything started when I gave some Miami Heat basketball tickets to Andrew Williams," Shapiro told Yahoo Sports. "I had given some guys my business card at the (2001 team) awards banquet, including Andrew. We kept in touch after the season ended, and I ended up giving him the tickets. It was like nothing. I didn't even think about it."

Williams, a defensive end, denied getting gifts from Shapiro. "Who, me?" Williams said. "Man, naw."

Shapiro recounted what he said was his inroad to the players: Before the 2002 season, he said, he bought a television for Williams' apartment. More gifts followed, and Shapiro was introduced to Williams' roommates, Cornelius Green and Jerome McDougle. That led to more introductions.

Among the benefits Shapiro said he gave Marve were drinks and VIP access to strip clubs and nightclubs and at least one cash gift. A Purdue spokesman refused to comment about Marve, who transferred there in 2009.

Twelve current players were named by Shapiro as receiving benefits, Yahoo Sports reported, including quarterback Jacory Harris, Ray Ray Armstrong, Travis Benjamin, Sean Spence, Marcus Forston, Vaughn Telemaque, Dyron Dye, Aldarius Johnson and Olivier Vernon. The story cited specifics involving only Armstrong, Dye and Vernon, alleging they received extra benefits as recruits.

Coach Al Golden, hired in December, acknowledged Tuesday that some of his players may have made mistakes. "We'll stay focused," he said. "We're disappointed, but we're not discouraged. We're talking about allegations from a man that's behind bars now. If these do hold some truth, then we'll deal with them."

Current players were not made available to comment.

Shapiro's relationship with the program dates back about a decade. Some of the alleged incidents occurred in the past four years, which would be within the NCAA's statute of limitations regarding violations. But if the NCAA confirms allegations from further back, it could enact its "willful violations" exception to the four-year statute.

Paul Dee, athletic director from 1993 to 2008, told the Palm Beach Post neither he nor anyone else connected to the athletic department had any knowledge of what Shapiro has alleged. Dee is a former chairman of the NCAA infractions committee who lectured USC in its case regarding Reggie Bush and O.J. Mayo that led to severe penalties by saying, "High-profile players demand high-profile compliance."

Golden said he e-mailed his team "every day this summer" about avoiding problems that recently hit other schools and his players have a "Cane Code" reminding them about such issues..

Times staff writer Antonya English contributed to this report.

Times wires
Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Yankees 9, Royals 7

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Robinson Cano hit a three-run homer into the Kauffman Stadium fountains, Russell Martin and Derek Jeter drove in two each and New York bailed out starter Ivan Nova, who got his eighth straight victory anyway. It's the longest winning streak by a Yankees rookie since 1980.

Times wires
Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Marlins 6, Rockies 5

DENVER — Anibal Sanchez pitched eight strong innings for his first win in more than two months, and Florida survived a ninth-inning rally. A night after he hit a walkoff three-run homer, Jason Giambi hit a pinch-hit two-run shot off Leo Nunez with two outs. Ty Wigginton singled before Dexter Fowler popped out.

Times wires
Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Padres 6, Mets 1

SAN DIEGO — Rookie Cory Luebke pitched six strong innings for the Padres. Luebke allowed one run and three hits, struck out five and walked three. Chad Qualls, Luke Gregerson and Erik Hamren each got three outs to complete the four-hitter, and Nick Hundley had three hits, including two triples. The Mets have dropped 12 of 16.

Times wires
Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Athletics 8, Orioles 4

OAKLAND, Calif. — Josh Willingham homered and had two hits and Coco Crisp drove in two for the Athletics. Cliff Pennington had three hits, Jemile Weeks had two and both drove in runs for the A's, who snapped a four-game skid. Scott Sizemore, Kurt Suzuki and Hideki Matsui also had RBIs. Josh Bell drove in two runs for the Orioles, who have lost 15 of their past 19 road games.

Times wires
Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Rangers 7, Angels 3

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Michael Young had three of the Rangers' 17 hits and drove in three runs, and Texas opened its biggest AL West lead of the season. Derek Holland yielded nine hits and fell one out shy of his fifth complete game for the Rangers, who have moved six games ahead of the struggling Angels with wins in the first two games of this four-game series. Josh Hamilton homered in a three-hit performance before leaving with back spasms.

Times staff
Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Two Tampa youth teams lost their bids to become World Series champions last week while one remained in the running this week.

• The New Tampa All-Stars, a team of 11-and 12-year-old boys, lost 4-2 in a Southeast Regional tournament game on Aug. 12 that would have advanced them to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.

• The South Tampa Junior League All-Stars, 13- and 14-year-old girls from Palma Ceia and West Tampa, lost 9-3 Sunday in their first game of the Junior Softball World Series.

• The Palma Ceia-Bayshore Junior Baseball All-Star Team, 13- and 14-year-old boys, advanced deep into the Junior Baseball World Series after winning two games in the tournament. Games continued this week and results were not available by press time.

Already this summer, the North Tampa Pony Broncos, an 11-year-old all-star team, won the World Series in Chesterfield, Va., on July 30. The Wellswood All-Star Team of 11-year-old boys finished ninth among 27 teams in the Dizzy Dean World Series.

Times staff writer

By Krystel Knowles, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, August 17, 2011

They rise before dawn and load cars with protective gear, replacement parts and their favorite means of transportation. They worry about what will happen. Will they get seriously injured? Will they get arrested?

The small group takes a short road trip from Valrico to Brooksville, where they commence racing downhill through residential neighborhoods.

Sometimes reaching speeds of more than 50 mph, the veterans in the group weave in between traffic and make sharp turns while hoping not to lose their balance and scrape themselves on the pavement.

Cycling? Skateboarding? Street luge?

No, this is longboarding, a sport where the participants share a passion for speed and adrenaline.

Longboarding — athletes literally skate on a board that is longer than the traditional skateboard and comes equipped with wider wheels — still hasn't gained enough popularity and recognition to have many competitions that are considered legal. Outlaw competitions are held without permits, but on some occasions can attract sponsors.

The races are separated in different groups of six to eight people at a time. The top athletes in each heat move to the next round until a winner emerges. Riders contend for a chance to win cash prizes, gear, boards, clothing and for the love of the sport.

Cody Lenz, 27, founded the Tampa Longboard Society or TLS in 2009, a few months after he bought his first longboard from the Brandon mall. Once he started boarding, Lenz, who works for Zephyrhills, instantly became addicted to the sport. He started skating in garages, parking lots and on neighborhood streets.

TLS began with only a few members. Now, there are more than 172 members throughout the state.

"We needed a forum to get people to skate together and learn from each other," Lenz said. "In such a short time, the TLS group grew through word of mouth."

Longboarders are speed seekers who focus on drafting and drifting, while skateboarders spend their time on tricks and grinds, said Lenz.

"We want people to know these two sports are very different, from the boards we use to the type of skating we do," Lenz said.

His younger brother, 25-year-old Kyle Lenz, said since TLS launched, longboarders in the Tampa area have a support group that connects them. Kyle, who works at the King Corona cigar bar in Ybor City, said he enjoys skating in Brandon's Lakemont Hills because the residents are very welcoming and enjoy having the TLS group practice.

He says the residents find the sport fascinating and enjoy watching them.

"We are welcome in the neighborhood because we are polite and respectful of others," Kyle said.

Bobby Joe, 24, started longboarding his freshman year of college as a method of transportation but soon started practicing drifts. About two years ago, Joe joined TLS and started going on road trips to skate and scout for skateable hills and garages.

Joe, a performance engineer at a power plant, said longboarding is an intense sport because of the risk of injuries due to the high-speed downhill skating. He said the group is a great forum for longboarders because they are welcoming and willing to teach newcomers about the sport.

"It's exciting to test your limits and push yourself to go even faster," Joe said. "I skate as often as possible."

For the members of TLS, longboarding is a lifestyle. Longboarders acknowledge the possibility of injury and the risks of skating in prohibited areas. Many passionate skaters spend most of their free time skating, repairing their boards and recovering from injuries.

Cody says they could use more support.

"We need designated places to skate, like a race trail and to have more sanctioned competitions," Cody Lenz said. "Just like with any other sport, we need a place to practice."

Times correspondent Krystel Knowles can be reached at hillsnews@sptimes.com.

Associated Press
Wednesday, August 17, 2011

David Price pitched eight crisp innings, B.J. Upton and Evan Longoria homered and the Tampa Bay Rays held the Boston Red Sox to three hits for the third straight game in a 4-0 win on Wednesday.

Price (11-10) struck out six and walked three before Kyle Farnsworth worked a perfect ninth.

The combined shutout followed a day-night doubleheader in which James Shields and Jeff Niemann each pitched a complete game. Boston beat Shields in the opener 3-1 but Niemann struck out 10 in a 6-2 win in the nightcap.

Boston lost for the fifth time in seven games and dropped one game behind the New York Yankees for the AL East lead before New York's night game at Kansas City. Tampa Bay is 7-2 in its last nine.

By Derek J. LaRiviere, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Brandon Benlien, 16, of Spring Hill is rapidly making a name for himself on his four-wheeler in the sport of motocross.

This was Benlien's first season running in the American Motorcyclist Association ATV National Motocross Championship Series. In his first race at Aonia Pass, Ga., he finished second in the Production B Class race and third in the 450B Class race.

After those successful runs, Benlien found himself in a tough spot at his next event in Pell City, Ala. In a collision with another quad, Benlien was seriously injured and was out of action for several months.

The decision to return before the end of the season was a big one. The biggest event of the year was Loretta Lynn's National Motocross Championships in Hurricane Mills, Tenn., on Saturday. But Benlien's comeback races were more successful than he expected. He took fourth in the 450B Class and the first-place title in the Production B Class.

With health and momentum now on his side, Benlien is excited about the prospects of running a full schedule in 2012.

KIWANIS GOLF: Southern Hills Plantation Club in Brooksville will play host to the sixth-annual Kiwanis of Spring Hill Children's Charity Golf Invitational on Sept. 28.

Kiwanis has chosen the First Tee of Brooksville as this year's charity for the tournament. The First Tee organization strives to have a positive impact on the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values and promote healthy choices through the game of golf.

Registration is scheduled for 11 a.m., when refreshments will be served. The shotgun start is set for 1 p.m., with a buffet dinner, awards ceremony and silent auction at the conclusion of play.

The registration fee is $110 per player or $400 per foursome. The deadline is Sept. 16.

Call Dennis McKenna at (352) 584-7023, ext. 25, or visit springhillkiwanis.org.

DISC GOLF CLUB LUAU: The Nature Coast Disc Golf Club will have a Labor Day Luau at Floral Park in Floral City, Sept. 2-4.

There will be a disc golf tournament for amateurs and pros, sanctioned by the Professional Disc Golf Association (C-tier) — two rounds of 20 holes for all participants.

Limited to 100 players, there will be five divisions. The fees are $25 for juniors, $30 for recreational players, $35 for intermediate players, $40 for advanced and $45 for professionals. Online registration is available at iregisteredonline.com.

Pairings will be drawn Sept. 2 after sign-ins; tee-off will be at 4 p.m. On Sept. 3, check-in will be at 8 a.m. with tee-off at 9:30 a.m. The event wraps up Sept. 4 with special events and the PDGA Super Class at 9:30 a.m.

Call Duane Laudermilch at (352) 263-4475 or send e-mail to naturecoastdiscgolfclub@hotmail.com

SPRING HILL DIXIE SOFTBALL: Spring Hill Dixie Softball will have registration for the fall season at Anderson Snow Park in the coming weeks.

League officials will be at the park for sign-ups. Volunteers will be on hand from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 27 and Sept. 3 and from 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 31. Player evaluations will be Sept. 6; participants can also register at that time for an additional $10 late fee.

The fee is $75 per player from ages 9 to 18. The cost for ages 8 and under is $65 unless the player is moving up from the Darlings division this season.

Call Glenn Primavera at (352) 442-1957 or send e-mail to gaprimo22@hotmail.com.

SPRING HILL DIXIE BASEBALL: Spring Hill Dixie Baseball will have registration for the fall season at Anderson Snow Park during the coming days.

League officials will accept sign-ups in the office at the park. Volunteers will be present from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Monday.

All potential players must turn 5 years old by April 30, 2012. Participants cannot turn 15 years old before Nov. 23 of this year.

The cost is $65 per child. A copy of the child's birth certificate is necessary for registration. The fees cover all games, insurance and trophies.

Call Joe Abbadessa at (352) 263-4488.

MEN'S SOFTBALL: The Hernando County Parks and Recreation Department is starting its men's softball league the first week in September.

Registration is open to men age 18 and up. The fee is $569 per team ($335 sponsor's fee and $234 players' fee) for a 14-game schedule.

Games will be played at Anderson Snow Park and Veterans Memorial Park in Spring Hill. All games are played starting at 6:30 p.m. on Friday nights.

Call Harry Johnson at (352) 540-6356.

CATHOLIC CHARITIES GOLF: Brooksville Country Club at Majestic Oaks will play host to the seventh-annual Catholic Charities Golf Tournament on Oct. 28.

The event will benefit the building of the Arnold Andrews Northern Counties Service Center, which will serve residents of Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties.

Registration is scheduled for 7 a.m., when coffee and doughnuts will be served. The shotgun start is set for 8 a.m., with a buffet lunch at the conclusion of play.

There will be prizes awarded for holes-in-one, including a 2011 Buick-GMC courtesy of Rick Matthews, a Harley-Davidson motorcycle courtesy of Crystal River Harley-Davidson and a golf cart courtesy of Country Club Cars of Brooksville.

The registration fee is $60 per player. Sponsorship opportunities are available until Oct. 20.

Call Abby Evert at (352) 686-9897, ext. 25.

SENIOR SOFTBALL: The West Hernando Softball Club for Seniors League is looking for new members for the season that starts in September. The league is open to players 55 and older. Games are played on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings at Veterans Memorial Park in Spring Hill. Call Tony Passanesi at (352) 686-6812.

MORE SENIOR SOFTBALL: The Senior Softball Invitational League will start its season in September and is looking for new players. The league meets at 9:30 a.m. every Tuesday and Thursday at Veterans Memorial Park in Spring Hill. The fee is $60 for approximately 40 games, and a player must be 50 or older. Call Sal Ficarra at (352) 688-1605.

BROOKSVILLE BULLDOGS: The Brooksville Bulldogs are seeking players for the coming baseball season, which runs from September through February. The team plays doubleheaders in Brooksville and tournaments in the Central Florida area. The two age divisions are 13-and-under and 14-and-under. Call Bruce Price at (813) 714-1054 or send e-mail to bruce67price@hotmail.com.

UMPIRE CLINICS: The Hernando-Sumter Umpires Association has scheduled its annual baseball/softball umpires clinics.

The clinics are designed to train anyone who wants to become an umpire, and the sessions also can help seasoned umpires improve. Local clinics will take place at the Anderson Snow Sports Complex in Spring Hill on Sunday and Aug. 28.

The sessions are open to men and women age 16 and older. Registration will begin at 12:30 p.m. each day, with the clinics starting at 1 p.m. There is a $20 charge for each participant, and everyone will receive a Major League Baseball rule book, along with other handouts.

Visit hernandosumterumpire.com to register. Call (352) 593-6998 or send e-mail to clinics@hernandosumterumpire.com.

Contact Derek J. LaRiviere at derekjlariviere@gmail.com or (352) 584-6337.

By Gary Shelton, Times Sports Columnist
Wednesday, August 17, 2011

In the bottom of all the filth, somewhere between the sleazy booster and the sleazy program, beneath the outlandish comportment and the outrageous rule-breaking, there are a couple of simple, chilling questions.

Does the University of Miami football program deserve to be put to death?

Or, at the very least, does it deserve to be hurt very, very badly?

Oh. My. Goodness.

They don't make scandals like this anymore. Prostitution. Strip clubs. Illegal payments. Cars. Parties. Travel. Bounties. Televisions. Gambling. An abortion. Miami is in a mess once again, and this time, who is to say how big a hammer the NCAA brings to town?

Hint: It's going to be bigger than Thor's.

If the allegations made in a Yahoo Sports investigation are true, if even a tenth of them are true, then UM is up to its earholes in trouble, and it should have no sympathy coming. When you consider the depth of the cheating, and the length, the punishment involved ought to last for a very, very long time.

This has gone on for eight years. Six coaches have been implicated. Seventy-two players. And an administration building filled with the blind and the deaf.

Yeah, yeah. The finger-pointer in this situation, a little man named Nevin Shapiro, is a second-rate con artist who seemed to have been scraped up from a disco floor. Certainly, he deserves all the scorn that UM fans can muster.

That said, it doesn't mean that what he is saying isn't true. The testimony of bad guys sends other bad guys to jail every day. And Yahoo, well-respected for its investigative prowess, says it has corroborated the charges with documents and other sources. Several players, Yahoo reports, have admitted they broke the rules.

So, yeah, it reads like cheating, and it feels like cheating, and it smells like cheating.

There are still questions for the NCAA to ask, and there are still answers that must be discovered. For Miami fans, however, it may soon be brace-yourself time.

Yeah, this is worse than Ohio State and Terrelle Pryor's tattoos.

Yeah, this is worse than Southern Cal and Reggie Bush's house.

Yeah, this is worse than North Carolina and Butch Davis' baby-sitter.

As often as many of us have read allegations at one program or another, as hardened as most of us have become when it comes to cheating, these charges still sucked your breath away. How can a program go rogue for so long without anyone noticing?

You know the last football program this far out of control? It was SMU, back in 1987. That was before they strapped the SMU program in the electric chair and pulled the switch. Maybe you remember.

Does that mean that UM will be executed, too? Already, a lot of voices seem to be calling for it, and who can blame them. This may be the biggest argument for the death penalty since then.

Still, it's hard to see that happening, more so because of the devastating nature of the death penalty than for mercy. But if the charges are true, I think the NCAA will at least discuss it, which says volumes about how out of control this program was.

In many ways, it's as easy to blame the athletic department as it is the players. Yes, the players are aware of the boundaries. This isn't about ignorance of the rules. Nor is it about the old argument that players deserve a stipend. This was greed, not need.

Still, how do the administrators not suspect something over an eight-year period? How can so many players run wild without anyone noticing? How many times can a renegade booster turn into an ATM without someone wondering what was going on.

"If they had hired a private investigator for a day, it would have been the easiest job that guy ever had," Shapiro told Yahoo. "It would have been over in five minutes."

This is Miami. If a program ever should be suspicious of boosters, it is this one. Remember Luther Campbell back in the '80s? Didn't anyone hear an athlete talk about sex parties on a yacht or late nights in a strip club or collecting a bounty for a big hit on an opponent? Think of it like this: If Yahoo reporter Charles Robinson could receive a tip, are we to believe than no one in the UM administration did?

Then there is this: Robinson worked on his story for 11 months. Twelve months ago, UM heard that Shapiro was starting to make his allegations. Gee: Don't you wonder what UM's report looked like? Don't you wonder how many people the bosses interviewed?

So now the NCAA posse is headed to town. If the allegations stick, it's going to be interesting to see how bad this turns out for UM.

The NCAA is a funny entity. Even knowing Ohio State had violations, it allowed players to play in last year's Sugar Bowl. In other situations, it has tried to punish by stripping away victories.

With Miami, there is little to strip. What are you going to take away? The five-win season? The two seven-win seasons? The Sun Bowl runner-up trophy? Hey, UM would love for those years to be ripped out of the record book.

Just a guess, but if the NCAA decides punishment is in order, it will start with suspensions of the 12 players involved who are still on the roster. From there, it will proceed to bowl bans and the loss of scholarships. For instance, USC got two years of bowl bans and a loss of 30 scholarships for the Reggie Bush scandal. So what's fair for UM? Three years and 40 (spread out over the four years)? Four years and 50?

Bottom line, this is what the NCAA has to determine.

How close to death can you get without crossing over?

By Gary Shelton, Times Sports Columnist
Wednesday, August 17, 2011

I n the bottom of all the filth, somewhere between the sleazy booster and the sleazy program, beneath the outlandish comportment and the outrageous rule-breaking, there are a couple of simple, chilling questions.

Does the University of Miami football program deserve to be put to death? Or at the very least, does it deserve to be hurt very, very badly?

Oh. My. Goodness.

They don't make scandals like this anymore. Prostitution. Strip clubs. Illegal payments. Cars. Parties. Travel. Bounties. Televisions. Gambling. An abortion. Miami is in a mess once again. And this time, who is to say how big a hammer the NCAA brings to town?

Hint: It's going to be bigger than Thor's.

If the allegations made in a Yahoo Sports investigation are true — if even a tenth of them are true — then UM is up to its ear holes in trouble and it should have no sympathy coming. When you consider the depth of the cheating alleged, and the length, the punishment involved ought to last for a very, very long time.

This has gone on for eight years. Six coaches (three of them basketball) have been implicated. Seventy-two players. And an administration building filled with the blind and the deaf.

Yeah, yeah. The finger-pointer, a little man named Nevin Shapiro, is a second-rate con artist who seemed to have been scraped up from a disco floor. Certainly, he deserves all the scorn UM fans can muster.

That said, it doesn't mean what he is saying isn't true. The testimony of bad guys sends other bad guys to jail every day. And Yahoo, well-respected for its investigative prowess, says it has corroborated charges with documents and other sources. Several players, Yahoo reports, have admitted they broke the rules.

So, yeah, it reads like cheating, and it feels like cheating, and it smells like cheating.

There are still questions for the NCAA to ask, and there are still answers that must be discovered. For Miami fans, however, it may soon be brace-yourself time.

Yeah, this is worse than Ohio State and Terrelle Pryor's tattoos.

Yeah, this is worse than Southern Cal and Reggie Bush's house.

Yeah, this is worse than North Carolina and Butch Davis' babysitter.

As often as many of us have read allegations against one program or another, as hardened as most of us have become when it comes to cheating, these charges still suck your breath away. How could a program go rogue for so long without anyone noticing?

You know the last football program this far out of control? It was SMU in the mid 1980s. That was before the NCAA strapped the program in the electric chair and pulled the switch. Maybe you remember.

Does that mean that UM will be executed, too? Already a lot of voices seem to be calling for it. And who can blame them? This may be the biggest argument for the death penalty since then.

Still, it's hard to see that happening, more so because of the devastating nature of the death penalty than for mercy. But if the charges are true, I think the NCAA will at least discuss it, which says volumes about how out of control this program was.

In many ways, it's as easy to blame the athletic department as it is the players. Yes, the players are aware of the boundaries. This isn't about ignorance of the rules. Nor is it about the old argument that players deserve a stipend. This was greed, not need.

Still, how do the administrators not suspect something over eight years? How can so many players run wild without anyone noticing? How many times can a renegade booster turn into an ATM without someone wondering what was going on?

"If they had hired a private investigator for a day, it would have been the easiest job that guy ever had," Shapiro told Yahoo. "It would have been over in five minutes."

This is Miami. If a program ever should be suspicious of boosters, it is this one. Remember Luther Campbell back in the '80s? Didn't anyone hear an athlete talk about sex parties on a yacht or late nights in a strip club or collecting a bounty for a big hit on an opponent? Think of it like this: If Yahoo reporter Charles Robinson could receive a tip, are we to believe no one in the UM administration did?

Then there is this: Robinson worked on his story for 11 months. Twelve months ago, UM heard Shapiro was starting to make his allegations. Gee, don't you wonder what UM's report looked like? Don't you wonder how many people the bosses interviewed?

So now the NCAA posse is in town. If the allegations stick, it's going to be interesting to see how bad this turns out for UM.

The NCAA is a funny entity. Even knowing Ohio State had violations, it allowed players to play in last season's Sugar Bowl. In other situations, it has tried to punish by stripping away victories.

With Miami, there is little to strip. What are you going to take away? The five-win season? The two seven-win seasons? The Sun Bowl runnerup trophy? Hey, UM would love for those years to be ripped out of the record book.

Just a guess, but if the NCAA decides punishment is in order, it will start with suspensions of the 12 players involved who are still on the roster. From there, it will proceed to bowl bans and the loss of scholarships. For instance, USC got two years of bowl bans and a loss of 30 scholarships for the Bush scandal. So what's fair for UM? Three years and 40 (spread out over four years)? Four years and 50?

Bottom line, this is what the NCAA has to determine.

How close to death can you get without crossing over?

By Rodney Page, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, August 17, 2011

According to various web sites, columnists and radio talk show hosts, Tiger Woods is finished. His missed cut at the PGA Championship proves it. He hasn't won a tournament in two years, and he didn't even qualify for the Fed Ex Cup playoffs. Nice knowing you, Tiger. So who is the next Tiger Woods? Who is the next young American to start tearing up the PGA Tour and collecting majors? Perhaps we got our answer last week, when 25-year-old Keegan Bradley erased a five shot lead and won the PGA Championship in a playoff over Jason Dufner. Or perhaps it could be a slew of other 25-years-and-younger Americans who grew up watching Woods dominate and then crash and burn. Here is a look at 10 Americans who could have us saying "Tiger who?'' by this time next year:

Most likely:

Rickie Fowler

Age: 22

Years on Tour: 2

Best professional finish: Three 2nds, including the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational two weeks ago.

Reasons he could be the next Tiger: He's from California. So is Tiger. He was the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year in 2010, the same honor Woods won in 1996. He won the Ben Hogan Award after his freshman year at OSU as the top collegiate golfer. He has that in common with Woods. Now if he can manage to get 14 majors in the next 13 years he would also have that in common with Woods.

Reasons he could be another grinder: He has not won a tournament as a professional, either on the Nationwide Tour or the PGA Tour. After two years on the PGA Tour, Woods had six wins. He wears blinding colors in competition and made a music video with two other Tour players. Tiger wouldn't be caught dead doing either.

Most likely:

Keegan Bradley

Age: 25

Years on Tour: Rookie

Best professional finish: Two firsts (Byron Nelson Championship, PGA Championship).

Reasons he could be the next Tiger: He's already got a major title under his belt, so he's off and running. Woods won two tournaments in his rookie year, and that's where Bradley is with more still to play. Woods grew up with a golf obsessed father. Bradley grew up with an Aunt, Pat Bradley, who is in the LPGA Hall of Fame.

Reason he could be another grinder: Well, there is the fact that Woods had six majors by the time he was 25. And the Tour is filled with players who won early and fizzled.

Most likely:

Cameron Tringale

Age: 23

Years on Tour: 2

Best professional finish: Tie for fourth at Greenbrier Classic.

Reason he could be the next Tiger: He was a three-time All America at Georgia Tech and played on the U.S. Walker Cup team in 2009. May take some time, but if his college success transfers to the pros, he could start winning lots of tournaments.

Reason he could be another grinder: Has already played in two PGA Tour Qualifying tournaments in order to earn his card. Q-school is just a rumor to Tiger.

Most likely:

Peter Uihlein

Age: 21

Years on Tour: Amateur.

Best Amateur finish: He is the 2010 U.S. Amateur champion.

Reason he could be the next Tiger: Not only did Uihlein win the U.S. Amateur, but he also made the cut at the Transitions Championship and at The Masters. Woods also made the cut at his first Masters as an amateur.

Reason he could be another grinder: Playing full time on the PGA Tour is much different than playing college golf. Uihlein has been around golf all his life, but he's yet to play the back nine of a major championship with the lead.

Sorta likely:

Kyle Stanley

Age: 23

Years on Tour: Rookie.

Best professional finish: Second at the John Deere Classic.

Reason he could be the next Tiger: His first and only major championship this season was the British Open, but he made the cut and finished tied for 44th. Woods also made the cut in his first major as a pro…

Reason he could another grinder: …which was the 1997 Masters that he won by 12 shots. Stanley has a lot of work to do.

Sorta likely:

Patrick Cantlay

Age: 19

Years on Tour: Amateur.

Best Tour finish: Tie for 9th at Canadian Open.

Reason he could be the next Tiger: Let's see, he's a teenager who has already gained some PGA tournament experience. He shot a course record 60 at the Traveler's Championship, for crying out loud. Cantlay is the top ranked amateur in the country and was the low amateur at the U.S. Open by shooting even par for four rounds. Sounds a lot like Tiger.

Reason he could be another grinder: Too much success too early will assuredly draw the Tiger comparisons. If he actually looks at Tiger's numbers and tries to keep up, it could prove too daunting.

Sorta likely:

Jamie Lovemark

Age: 23

Years on Tour: Rookie.

Best professional finish: Tie for second at 2009 Frys.com Open.

Reason he could be the next Tiger: He was the Nationwide Tour Player of the Year last year. At 22, he was the youngest to ever win the Nationwide Tour money title. Like Tiger, he knows how to win early.

Reason he could be another grinder: Had neck surgery earlier this month and is out for the year. Tough injury to come back from.

Unlikely:

Billy Horschel

Age: 24

Years on Tour: 2.

Best professional finish: Tie for 10th at Reno-Tahoe Open.

Reason he could be the next Tiger: Like Woods, Horschel has suffered through an injury. He injured his left wrist in February of 2010 and made only four starts. He plays this year under a major medical extension. If healthy, he could return to the form that made him a three time All-American at Florida.

Reason he could be another grinder: Woods won a U.S. Open on a broken leg. And if the wrist becomes a constant problem it will be hard to win bunches of tournaments.

Unlikely:

Ben Martin

Age: 23

Years on Tour: Rookie.

Best professional finish: Tie for 6th at Reno-Tahoe Open.

Reason he could be the next Tiger: He was a finalist at the 2009 U.S. Amateur, where he lost 7 and 5 to Byeon-Hun An of South Korea.

Reason he could be another grinder: Woods won three U.S. Amateur titles and holds the record with 18 straight match play wins.

Unlikely:

Kevin Chappell

Age: 25

Years on Tour: Rookie.

Best professional finish: Tie for second at the Valero Texas Open.

Reason he could be the next Tiger: He was a stud in college, winning player of the year honors in 2008. Expectations were high out of college, which sounds a lot like another former California collegiate.

Reason he could be another grinder: He spent two years on the Nationwide Tour before finishing ninth on the money list and qualifying for the 2011 PGA season. Tiger never had to set foot at a Nationwide Tour event.

By Rodney Page, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Most likely:

Rickie Fowler

Age: 22

Years on tour: 2

Best pro finish: Four seconds, including the Bridgestone Invitational two weeks ago

Reasons he could be the next Tiger: He was the PGA Tour rookie of the year in 2010, the same honor Woods won in 1996. Fowler won the Ben Hogan Award (top collegiate golfer) after his freshman year at Oklahoma State in 2008.

Reason he could be another grinder: Fowler has not won a tournament as a professional, either on the Nationwide or PGA tours. After two years on the PGA Tour, Woods had six wins.

Most likely:

Keegan Bradley

Age: 25

Years on tour: rookie

Best pro finish: Two firsts (Byron Nelson Championship, PGA Championship)

Reasons he could be the next Tiger: He has a major title under his belt as a rookie. Woods won two tournaments in his rookie year, and that's where Bradley is now with events left to play. Woods grew up with a golf-obsessed father. Bradley grew up with an aunt, Pat Bradley, who is in the LPGA Hall of Fame.

Reason he could be another grinder: The tour is filled with players who won early and fizzled.

Most likely:

Cameron Tringale

Age: Turns 24 on Aug. 24

Years on tour: 2

Best pro finish: Tie for fourth at Greenbrier Classic this season

Reasons he could be the next Tiger: He was a three-time All American at Georgia Tech and played on the U.S. Walker Cup team in 2009.

Reason he could be another grinder: He has already played in two PGA Tour qualifying tournaments to earn his card.

Most likely:

Peter Uihlein

Age: Turns 22 on Aug. 29

Years on tour: amateur

Best amateur finish: 2010 U.S. Amateur champion

Reasons he could be the next Tiger: Not only did Uihlein win the U.S. Amateur, but the Oklahoma State golfer also made the cut at the Transitions Championship at Innisbrook in Palm Harbor and at the Masters. Woods also made the cut at his first Masters as an amateur.

Reason he could be another grinder: Playing full time on the PGA Tour is much different from college golf.

Sort of likely:

Kyle Stanley

Age: 23

Years on tour: rookie

Best pro finish: Second at the John Deere Classic this season

Reason he could be the next Tiger: His first and only major appearance was this year's British Open. He made the cut and finished tied for 44th. Woods also made the cut in his first major as a pro …

Reason he could another grinder: … which was the 1997 Masters that he won by 12 shots.

Sort of likely:

Patrick Cantlay

Age: 19

Years on tour: amateur

Best tour finish: Tie for ninth at Canadian Open this season

Reasons he could be the next Tiger: He's a teenager who has PGA tournament experience. He shot a course-record 60 at the Travelers Championship. Cantlay is the top-ranked amateur in the country and was the low amateur at the U.S. Open (tying for 21st) by shooting par for four rounds.

Reason he could be another grinder: Too much success too early will assuredly draw the comparisons to Woods. If Cantlay tries to keep up with Woods, it could be his downfall.

Sort of likely:

Jamie Lovemark

Age: 23

Years on tour: rookie

Best pro finish: Tie for second at 2009 Frys.com Open

Reasons he could be the next Tiger: He was the Nationwide Tour player of the year last year. At 22, he was the youngest to win the Nationwide Tour money title. Like Woods, he knows how to win early.

Reason he could be another grinder: He had neck surgery this month and is out for the year. That's a tough injury to come back from.

Unlikely:

Billy Horschel

Age: 24

Years on tour: 2

Best pro finish: Tie for 10th at Reno-Tahoe Open this season

Reason he could be the next Tiger: He was a three-time first-team All-American at Florida.

Reason he could be another grinder: He injured his left wrist in February 2010 and made only four starts. He plays this year under a major medical extension. If the wrist becomes a constant problem for Horschel, it will be hard for him to win a lot of tournaments.

Unlikely:

Ben Martin

Age: Turns 24 on Aug. 26

Years on tour: rookie

Best pro finish: Tie for sixth at Reno-Tahoe Open this season

Reason he could be the next Tiger: He was a finalist at the 2009 U.S. Amateur, where he lost 7 and 5 to Byeong-Hun An of South Korea. Woods won three such titles.

Reason he could be another grinder: He has missed 14 of 23 cuts this year and has only one top-10 finish.

Unlikely:

Kevin Chappell

Age: 25

Years on tour: rookie

Best pro finish: Tie for second at the Texas Open this year

Reason he could be the next Tiger: He was a stud in college for UCLA, winning player of the year honors in 2008. Expectations were high for him out of college.

Reason he could be another grinder: Chappell spent two years on the Nationwide Tour before finishing ninth on the money list and qualifying for the 2011 PGA season.

According to various websites, columnists and radio talk-show hosts, Tiger Woods is finished. His missing the cut at the PGA Championship proves it. He hasn't won a tournament in two years, and he didn't qualify for the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup playoffs. Nice knowing you, Tiger. So who is the next Tiger Woods? Who is the next young American who will tear up the tour and collect majors? Perhaps we got our answer Sunday, when 25-year-old Keegan Bradley erased a five-stroke deficit and won the PGA Championship in a playoff over Jason Dufner. Or perhaps it could be a someone in the slew of other young Americans who grew up watching Woods dominate. A look at 10 25-and-under players who could supplant Woods as the top American by this time next year. Or not:

By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Nevin Shapiro, the Miami booster who told Yahoo Sports he provided Hurricanes players with sex parties, nightclub outings, cars and other gifts, spent four years as a USF student from 1986-90, the university confirmed Wednesday.

Shapiro, 42, was a student at USF from summer 1986 to the fall of 1990, before the Bulls football program began in 1997. The criminology major left school without earning a degree, USF spokeswoman Lara Wade said after checking with the university registrar.

The NCAA said it has been investigating Shapiro relationship with Miami for five months.

"If the assertions are true, the alleged conduct at the University of Miami is an illustration of the need for serious and fundamental change in many critical aspects of college sports," NCAA president Mark Emmert said in a statement.

The Hurricanes' entire football team took the practice field Wednesday, even though Shapiro's claims involve several current players. Coach Al Golden said it was too soon to take disciplinary action. Players weren't permitted to speak with the media.

Shapiro, currently serving a 20-year federal prison sentence for his involvement in a $930 million Ponzi scheme, detailed "thousands of impermissible benefits" to Miami football and basketball players in a Yahoo Sports story.

USF coach Skip Holtz said Wednesday he was not aware that Shapiro had attended USF, but said the story gives other schools a chance to remind athletes to be careful about the people they associate with during their college careers.

"It's definitely a great teaching opportunity for us," Holtz said by phone as the team returned from 12 days of training camp in Vero Beach. "As coaches, we talk all the time about mistakes that maybe other college athletes have made at other schools and how we can learn from them. If we can eliminate some future issues because of mistakes people have already made, those are huge opportunities to learn from. That's something we're definitely talking about."

No current or former USF players or coaches have been implicated.

In the past 18 months, football teams at Southern California, Ohio State, Auburn, Oregon, Michigan, North Carolina, Georgia Tech and LSU all have been investigated or sanctioned by the NCAA.

NCAA investigators were on the Miami campus this week in the wake of the allegations by Shapiro, and have interviewed Miami president Donna Shalala and athletic director Shawn Eichorst, who was hired in April to replace Kirby Hocutt.

Shalala said she was "upset, disheartened, and saddened by the recent allegations."

Current Miami players named by Shapiro as receiving benefits included quarterback Jacory Harris, Ray Ray Armstrong, Travis Benjamin, Sean Spence, Marcus Forston, Vaughn Telemaque, Dyron Dye, Aldarius Johnson and Olivier Vernon.

Golden said he's eager to obtain answers quickly, in part so his players don't repeat past mistakes.

"If they were exposed to Mr. Shapiro, clearly we have to make sure we prevent that going forward," Golden said. "You do that by getting to the facts. How did this guy, if he did, get around our players like that? As a head coach, I want to know. I know our assistant coaches want to know. We want to make sure it never happens again. It shouldn't happen."

Golden, hired in December to replace Randy Shannon, said when he interviewed for the job, Miami officials did not tell him about Shapiro's allegations.

"If they knew this was percolating, I believe they did have a responsibility to tell me," Golden said. "I believe they have a responsibility to tell Shawn. But look, I'm happy here. My wife is happy here. We have great kids on this team."

Former Nebraska defensive end Benard Thomas told the AP he was on Shapiro's yacht with two former Hurricanes players, Kellen Winslow Jr., now with the Tampa Bay Bucs, and D.J. Williams, in 2005 when they had finished college.

"We all had money ourselves," Thomas said. "We didn't need anything from him."

Thomas described Shapiro as "cool."

"He was a nice guy," Thomas said. "I've got nothing bad to say about him."

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, August 17, 2011

TAMPA — Thursday, the Bucs turn their attention to their second preseason game, a matchup against the New England Patriots. In last week's preseason opener, we learned — among other things — that rookie DE Adrian Clayborn will be just fine and WR Dezmon Briscoe might be a big-time player.

So, what do the Bucs hope to see Thursday?

DT Gerald McCoy's first action

McCoy, the third overall pick in the draft last year, hasn't suited up for a game since December 12, when he tore a biceps and was placed on injured reserve. The rehab hampered his offseason work to an extent. Then, McCoy suffered a shoulder injury the first week of camp that sidelined him for the preseason opener.

So Thursday's debut by McCoy has been kind of a long time in the making. He's been solid during training camp, but coaches always prefer to see players in live action.

This also will be McCoy's first action with Clayborn riding shotgun at right end.

Will Freeman be sharper?

No one on the Bucs coaching staff is losing sleep worrying about how Josh Freeman will play this season. But that doesn't mean he can't improve.

Freeman was a bit erratic on some of his throws at Kansas City last week, saying, "a couple of those first throws were a little bit off." It wasn't anything to obsess over, but offensive coordinator Greg Olson has said he felt quarterbacks would be most affected by the layoff created by the lockout. Although Freeman threw often with teammates, he didn't do so in a full-squad setting.

He's also forced a few throws in camp, but Freeman has high personal expectations and demands a great deal from himself. With that, expect him to be sharper Thursday.

Can they keep up the strong pass rush?

The Bucs collected six sacks against Chiefs quarterbacks last week, but they'll likely get a better test Thursday. The Patriots have a more formidable offensive line and a guy named Tom Brady at quarterback (there's a chance he plays Thursday after sitting out last week).

The addition of McCoy can't hurt, as he joins a front seven that was relentless with its pressure in the preseason opener. The Bucs also have been showing an assortment of blitzes in practice, though coaches often don't like to show much in the way of specifics during the preseason.

The Bucs would be encouraged to see rookie end Da'Quan Bowers get in on some of the action. He played last week but didn't have a terribly significant impact. But the knee feels good, so it's a start.

Also look for 350-pound DT Frank Okam to get significant playing time, with Brian Price and Roy Miller both expected to sit out with injuries.

Mason Foster in the nickel

On Mason Foster's first defensive series as a pro, the rookie middle linebacker played first down then immediately left the game as the Bucs switched to a nickel package on second-and-long.

Coach Raheem Morris is leaving Foster out of the lineup in nickel packages (which replace a linebacker with an extra defensive back) to simplify things for him. But the coach said he plans to play Foster in some nickel situations Thursday for some on-the-job training.

If so, we should get a look at the rookie's pass coverage ability and decision making in more complex passing situations.

Erik Lorig fills in at fullback

It's not a position most people follow during a game, but if you get the chance, follow fullback Erik Lorig, who will get a great deal of the snaps at fullback Thursday.

The Bucs like what backup running back Kregg Lumpkin did last week, but they'd prefer to also involve veteran Earnest Graham at tailback. That, however, will require Lorig proving he's capable of taking on the majority of the fullback duties usually handled by Graham.

Lorig missed the preseason opener with an Achilles' injury but returns Thursday.

By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, August 17, 2011

TAMPA

Tonight, the Bucs turn their attention to their second preseason game, a matchup against the Patriots. In last week's 25-0 win over the Chiefs, we learned, among other things, that rookie DE Adrian Clayborn will be just fine and WR Dezmon Briscoe might be a big-time player. What do the Bucs hope to see tonight?

DT Gerald McCoy's first action

Gerald McCoy, the third overall pick in last year's draft, hasn't suited up for a game since Dec. 12, when he tore a biceps and was placed on injured reserve. The rehabilitation hampered his offseason work, to an extent. Then in the first week of camp, McCoy suffered a shoulder injury that sidelined him for the preseason opener.

So McCoy's debut tonight has been kind of a long time in the making. He has been solid during training camp, but coaches always prefer to see players in live action.

This also will be McCoy's first action with rookie Adrian Clayborn at right end.

Will Freeman be sharper?

No one on the Bucs coaching staff is losing sleep worrying about how QB Josh Freeman will play this season. But that doesn't mean Freeman can't improve. Freeman was a bit erratic on some of his throws at Kansas City last week; "A couple of those first throws were a little bit off," he said. It wasn't anything to obsess over, but offensive coordinator Greg Olson has said he believed quarterbacks would be most affected by the layoff created by the lockout. Although Freeman threw often with teammates, he didn't do so in a full-squad setting. Freeman has forced a few throws in camp, but he has high personal expectations and demands a great deal from himself. With that, expect him to be sharper.

Can they keep up the strong pass rush?

The Bucs collected six sacks against Chiefs quarterbacks last week, but they'll likely get a better test tonight. The Patriots have a more formidable offensive line and a guy named Tom Brady at quarterback. (There's a chance Brady plays tonight after sitting out last week).

The return of Gerald McCoy from injury can't hurt. He joins a front seven that was relentless with its pressure in the preseason opener. The Bucs also have been showing an assortment of blitzes in practice, though coaches often don't like to show much in the way of specifics during the preseason.

The Bucs would be encouraged to see rookie end Da'Quan Bowers make more of an impact than he produced last week. But his surgically repaired right knee feels good, so it's a start.

Also look for 350-pound DT Frank Okam to get significant playing time, with Brian Price and Roy Miller expected to sit out with injuries.

Mason Foster in the nickel

On Mason Foster's first defensive series as a pro, the rookie middle linebacker played first down, then immediately left the game as the Bucs switched to a nickel package on second and long.

Coach Raheem Morris is leaving Foster out of the lineup in nickel packages (which replace a linebacker with an extra defensive back) to simplify things for him. But the coach said he plans to play Foster in some nickel situations tonight for some on-the-job training.

If so, we should get a look at the rookie's pass coverage ability and decision-making in more complex passing situations.

Erik Lorig enters at fullback

It's not a position most people follow during a game, but if you get the chance, watch Erik Lorig, who will get a great deal of the snaps at fullback tonight.

The Bucs like what backup RB Kregg Lumpkin did last week, but they'd prefer to also involve veteran Earnest Graham at tailback. That, however, will require Lorig to prove he's capable of taking on the majority of the fullback duties usually handled by Graham.

Lorig missed the preseason opener with an Achilles' tendon injury.

By Dave Mistretta, Special to the Times
Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Bottom fishing: Red grouper fishing remains steady in depths of 70 to 100 feet. Most days, limits of two per person can be met, especially if weather allows you to travel past the 80-foot mark. Grouper are eager to grab your baits as they descend, but most of the fish are undersized. Bring a lot of bait, because you'll have to catch at least 10 smaller grouper for every keeper. One thing's for sure: There's plenty of action for anglers at this time.

Great bait: All baits are productive at this time. My favorite is 4-inch-long fillets of bonito (little tunny). They have been available around many of the schools of baitfish we have been finding offshore. They're poor table fare for humans, but if you're a red grouper, they're at the top of the list. Fresh bonito fillets seem to work twice as well as frozen ones, so try to keep them iced, even if it's for a few days.

Nothing goes to waste: The head section of the bonito has not gone to waste this month, either. We have caught numerous goliath grouper with this portion of the bonito. The head's bloody scent seems to drive the goliaths into a feeding frenzy. A few bull sharks have also joined the bonito ambush.

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

Times staff, wires
Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Tampa Bay Golf Tour

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

Product of the day

The PGA Tour has banned the Ultimate Spray, a nutrient made from deer antler velvet that contains IGF-1, a growth hormone banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency. The spray's biggest spokesman, Mark Calcavecchia, has been told by the tour to stop using it. Champions Tour member Ken Green also endorsed the spray.

Quote of the day

"I don't see how you can see anything negative from losing in a playoff in a major, other than not winning."

Jason Dufner, who lost to Keegan Bradley in a playoff at the PGA Championship on Sunday after losing a four-shot lead with four holes to play

Times wires
Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Dufner gets a pick-me-up

Jason Dufner went from a tough playoff loss at the PGA Championship on Sunday to the next stop on the PGA Tour, but not before a detour for some group therapy. Dufner went to Auburn and has remained close with some of the football coaches, who asked him to stop by the complex. The Tigers had an off day Monday, but Dufner got a surprise when he walked into an auditorium. "The whole team was in there, and they gave me a standing ovation," Dufner said. "So that's pretty cool. … You wouldn't expect a 320-pound defensive lineman to be watching golf on Sunday, but they were. And for the coaches to take time out of their meetings and practice on Sunday saying, 'We were checking text messages, watching when we could,' that was a pretty neat experience for me."

Lure of Europe

Dustin Johnson is leaning toward joining the European Tour for the 2012 season. He has played three tour events this year, in South Korea, Germany and Sweden. Counting the four majors and World Golf Championship events, he needs only a couple more tournaments to be a full-time tour member. "I like traveling and seeing the world," Johnson said. He said he doesn't have to make a decision until December. He considers a chance to win a second money title an additional perk. "You get two shots to win a money title," Johnson said.

Spot for Tiger?

Despite missing the cut at the PGA Championship and playing only two tournaments since the Masters, Tigers Woods likely will get a spot on this year's U.S. Presidents Cup team. Captain Fred Couples has hinted that Woods could be one of the two captain's picks despite his lack of success. "As far as I'm concerned, if he is not in the top 10 (on the points list) … he will be on our team, no doubt," Couples told the Golf Channel. The Presidents Cup, a biennial event with an American team facing a team of non-European international players, is Nov. 17-20 at Melbourne, Australia.

Berths on the line

This week's Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, N.C., has attracted one of its best fields, partly out of desperation from some players. The final tournament before the start of the PGA Tour's playoffs offers a last chance to climb the FedEx Cup rankings. The top 125 make the playoffs. Ernie Els, who enters at No. 126, wrote on his website that this is "last-chance saloon." Padraig Harrington is No. 130, four points behind No. 125 Camillo Villegas.

This week on tour

PGA: Wyndham Championship, Today-Sunday, Sedgefield Country Club, Greensboro, N.C. TV: Today-Friday, 3 p.m., Golf Channel. Saturday- Sunday, 1 p.m., Golf Channel; 3 p.m., Ch. 10.

LPGA: Safeway Classic, Friday-Sunday, Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club, N. Plains, Ore. TV: Friday-Saturday, 6:30 p.m., Sunday, 7 p.m., Golf Channel.

Champions: Senior Players Championship, Westchester Country Club, Harrison, N.Y. TV: Today-Friday, 12:30 p.m., Saturday-Sunday, 3 p.m., Golf Channel.

PGA Europe: Czech Open, Today-Sunday, Prosper Golf Resort, Celadna, Czech Republic. TV: Today-Friday, 9 a.m., Saturday-Sunday, 8:30 a.m., Golf Channel.

Times staff, wires