Times wires
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Brewers 8, Astros 2
HOUSTON — George Kottaras became the first player to hit for the cycle this season, leading Milwaukee. The catcher homered in the fourth inning off Bud Norris and tripled in the sixth. He added an RBI single in the seventh and doubled to deep center off David Carpenter in the ninth.
Times wires
Saturday, September 3, 2011
PITTSBURGH — Junior Ray Graham ran for 201 yards and three touchdowns Saturday as Pittsburgh kicked off new coach Todd Graham's tenure with a 35-16 victory over Buffalo.
Tino Sunseri threw for 179 yards and a score for the Panthers, who needed a full half to find their legs while playing in their coach's uptempo system.
Pitt broke it open in the third quarter behind Ray Graham, who scored on runs of 3 and 5 yards to help Pitt get breathing room. He later added a 1-yard plunge to complete the second 200-yard game of his career.
Cincinnati transfer Chazz Anderson threw for 276 yards and ran for a touchdown for Buffalo, but also threw a costly interception in the third quarter that allowed Pittsburgh to finally break loose. Branden Oliver ran for a career-high 114 yards and a score for the Bulls.
The Panthers only needed 66 snaps to produce five scores against the Bulls, but its promised high-octane performance will have to wait as Pitt operated in fits and starts against a MAC team coming off of a 2-10 season.
CINCINNATI 72, AUSTIN PEAY 10: Isaiah Pead ran for the first two touchdowns and Zach Collaros threw for the next four — all in the first half — as the host Bearcats dominated their Division I-AA foe. Cincinnati scored the third-most points in the program's 126-year history and the most since the Bearcats pounded Kentucky Wesleyan 115-0 in 1921.
CONNECTICUT 35, FORDHAM 3: Tailback Lyle McCombs rushed for 141 yards and four touchdowns for the host Huskies. McCombs was subbing for senior D.J. Shoemate (sprained ankle) in a game delayed from Thursday because the stadium was being used as a staging area for Tropical Storm Irene relief efforts. Fordham, of I-AA, was held to 169 yards in its first game against a major-college opponent since it faced Syracuse in 1954.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Sept. 17
vs.
Florida A&M
7 p.m., BHSN
Sept. 10
vs.
Ball State
7 p.m., BHSN
Saturday
USF 23, Notre Dame 20
(1-0, 0-0)
Oct. 15
at
UConn
TBA
Sept. 29
at
Pittsburgh
8 p.m., ESPN
Sept. 24
vs.
UTEP
TBA
Nov. 11
at
Syracuse
8 p.m., ESPN2
Nov. 5
at
Rutgers
TBA
oct. 22
vs.
Cincinnati
TBA
Dec. 1
vs.
West Virginia
8 p.m., ESPN
Nov. 25
vs.
Louisville
TBA
Nov. 19
vs.
Miami
TBA
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Sept. 17
vs.
Tennessee
3:30 p.m., CBS
Sept. 10
vs.
UAB
7 p.m., FSN
Saturday
UF 41, Florida Atlantic 3
(1-0, 0-0)
Oct. 8
Saturday at
LSU
TBA
Oct. 1
vs.
Alabama
TBA
Sept. 24
at
Kentucky
TBA
Nov. 5
vs.
Vanderbilt
TBA
OCt. 29
at
Georgia
3:30 p.m., CBS
oct. 15
at
Auburn
TBA
Nov. 26
vs.
Florida State
TBA
Nov. 19
vs.
Furman
TBA
Nov. 12
at
South Carolina
TBA
By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, September 3, 2011
ST. PETERSBURG — As much as B.J. Upton has struggled at times this season, manager Joe Maddon knows he's capable of taking over a game like he did in Saturday night's 6-3 win over the Orioles.
Upton racked up five RBIs for the second time in his career thanks to two doubles, equaling his RBI total from the past 26 home games combined. In doing so, he helped the Rays (75-63) remain nine behind the Red Sox in the AL wild-card race in front of 14,223 at Tropicana Field.
"He's done it for us in the past and came through" Saturday, Maddon said. "It's in his future. You're going to see it. Don't forget, he's totally young. He's got a lot to learn and he's going to learn it. And as he does, he's going to eventually put up some really sick numbers."
Upton's season, in which he once again found himself in the middle of trade-deadline rumors, has included his usual dynamic speed (team-leading 27 steals) and dazzling defensive play in center. But he entered Saturday with a .220 batting average that was fifth lowest in the American League, was 1 for his last 23 with the bases loaded dating to last season and was a different hitter at home (six HRs, 16 RBIs) compared to the road (12 HRs, 45 RBIs).
Upton said he's focused on finishing the season strong, and Saturday was a good start. "I just want to be productive, period, whether it's at home or on the road," he said.
Upton's production was enough for right-hander Wade Davis, who snapped a five-start winless streak with a solid outing, allowing three runs over 6⅔ innings.
His night couldn't have started worse, giving up a double and two-run homer to his first two hitters. But Davis settled in, pitching four scoreless innings until the sixth, when he walked three and allowed a run before getting out of a bases-loaded jam by getting Robert Andino to ground into a pitcher-to-catcher-to-first inning-ending double play.
"It was a huge play for me," Davis said.
Maddon said Davis, who walked four, had good stuff, but his command remains an issue.
"He gets rid of those walks, he can be dominant, he really can," Maddon said.
Two-out walks also sparked the Rays' rallies, with Matt Joyce walking twice in front of Upton. One time, Upton smacked a two-run double off the wall, and the other, he just missed a grand slam, with the ball hitting off the top of the leftfield fence.
"Nobody likes the guy in front of them walked pretty much, to get to yourself," Upton said. "I think if you're a competitor, you want to rise to the occasion. It just happened to work out for me in that instance."
The Rays did have an uncharacteristically sloppy night defensively, tying a season high with three errors. That included two throwing errors by Gold Glove third baseman Evan Longoria, who picked up three in a series for the first time in his career. Catcher John Jaso's errant throw to second soared into centerfield in the eighth, putting a runner at third.
"That's just not something we normally do," Maddon said. "The first ball, (Longoria) didn't get a good grip on it, and second one he did not, either. … We can't do those things."
But the Rays relievers stepped up, with J.P. Howell, Joel Peralta and Kyle Farnsworth getting the final seven outs.
"The bullpen," Maddon said, "was outstanding."
As was Upton.
Joe Smith can be reached at joesmith@sptimes.com.
Times wires
Saturday, September 3, 2011
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Stephen Garcia came off the bench to run for two touchdowns and throw for one Saturday as he led No. 12 South Carolina past East Carolina 56-37.
The Jefferson High graduate sat in the first quarter. But the Gamecocks fumbled three times, including quarterback Connor Shaw once, and trailed 17-0 before Garcia entered.
He capped his first series with a 32-yard touchdown run. Marcus Lattimore, who ran for 112 yards, capped the next one with one of his three touchdowns.
Garcia opened the second half with a 3-yard touchdown pass to Ace Sanders, then put the Gamecocks ahead for good, 28-24, with a 1-yard touchdown run.
"I don't know if this was my best game as a Gamecock, but we needed this win, for sure," the fifth-year senior said, "especially for us to come back and win after that first quarter."
But coach Steve Spurrier said Garcia can and should play better than he did. Spurrier quashed the notion that the often-suspended Garcia deserved a game ball.
"I said, 'Wait a minute. When he throws for about 300 yards and brings us down the field scoring at the end of the game,' " Spurrier said.
Auburn survives scare
AUBURN, Ala. — This resembled last season's Auburn team for about three blurry minutes. Before that, the defending national champ could barely keep up with a supposedly overmatched Utah State team.
Mike Dyer bulled through the line for a game-saving touchdown with 30 seconds left and the No. 23 Tigers scored twice in the final 2:07 to escape with an opening 42-38 win.
Coach Gene Chizik's blunt assessment: "Offensively and defensively we're a long way off of being able to win very many games right now."
The Tigers pulled off their fourth comeback from a double-digit deficit in the past 13 games.
"As they've done so many times since I've been here, they found a way to come back and win," said Chizik, who played at Clearwater High and once was an assistant at Seminole.
No. 2 Alabama 48, Kent St. 7: AJ McCarron fared better in host Alabama's quarterback race, throwing for a touchdown and 226 yards. Vying with Phillip Sims, McCarron threw a 24-yard touchdown to Marquis Maze and finished 14-of-23, though with two interceptions. Sims went 7-of-14 for 73 yards and had two interceptions. Coach Nick Saban didn't name either his permanent starter: "AJ … probably played with a little more poise. But we have a lot of confidence in Phillip, and in most cases, he played extremely well."
No. 15 Ark. 51, Missouri St. 7: Tyler Wilson threw two touchdowns to Jarius Wright and Joe Adams returned two punts for touchdowns for the host Razorbacks. Wilson, Ryan Mallett's backup the previous two seasons, led Arkansas to scores on his first four possessions (sophomore Brandon Mitchell played on two first-half possessions).
BYU 14, Miss. 13: Kyle Van Noy recovered a fumble in the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown with 5:09 left for the visiting Cougars. BYU trailed 13-0 in the fourth before Jake Heaps hit Ross Apo for a 19-yard touchdown with 9:52 left. On the ensuing series, BYU forced quarterback Zack Stoudt to fumble.
Tenn. 42, Montana 16: Tyler Bray threw for 293 yards and three touchdowns for the host Vols. He hit Da'Rick Rogers on a flea-flicker for a 47-yard touchdown 2:13 into the game.
VandY 45, Elon 14: Larry Smith threw for two touchdowns and ran for one for the host Commodores. The 45 points against the I-AA Phoenix, 21 in the fourth quarter, was more than in all but two games last season.
By Gary Shelton, Times Sports Columnist
Saturday, September 3, 2011
GAINESVILLE — The offense has some speed. The defense has some strength. Dare we say it, but the quarterback may finally have a clue.
Oh, the new head coach has a victory.
It wasn't exciting, and it wasn't definitive, and it won't matter much when it comes to the team's final grade. For Florida, fresh off a mess of a football season, however, it will have to do.
No, there weren't a lot of answers Saturday night. In these mild-sweat openers, there never are. There are hints and clues, maybe a promise or a suggestion. Even after a 41-3 victory, it is hard to determine just how good Florida is, because it is hard to determine just how awful Florida Atlantic is. My suspicions are that Florida has a chance and FAU has none, but that leaves a lot of room in the middle, doesn't it?
Say this for the Gators, though. They won comfortably. The head coach was enthusiastic. The players seemed to fit the plan.
And when is the last time Florida fans were able to say any of that about their team?
The real questions will wait, of course. The Gators will have to be better by the time Tennessee rolls into town in two weeks. With Alabama and LSU and Auburn and Georgia and South Carolina and FSU all on the schedule, we will soon learn the truth about this Florida team.
For now, the Gators needed a night like this. They needed a designated victim. They needed John Brantley to look like a passer again. Along the way, they needed to give Will Muschamp, Coach Boom, a victory. They needed to leave the impression this can happen a lot more times during the season.
The night's report card? Check, check, check, check and check back, won't you?
For Muschamp, it was the first victory of his career. But let's face it, there wasn't much doubt about that. Florida won the game on the day it was scheduled.
Gator coaches always win big in their opener, even Ron Zook, whose fine hello lasted all the way until the second week of his career. Urban Meyer won his first game in lopsided fashion, and Steve Spurrier won his, and so forth. You have to go back to Charley Pell to find a Florida coach who lost his first game, and heck, that year, Pell didn't win any.
That said, Muschamp didn't do anything to spoil the love affair he seems to inspire from Florida fans. It is unclear whether a new coach has ever replaced a two-time national champion and had so many fans regard it as an upgrade, but Meyer seemed to wear on his most loyal followers last year, when he seemed so unfocused on the sideline. Perhaps much of that had to do with his health, but by the end of the season, a lot of UF fans didn't feel so good themselves.
Muschamp's job is to restore the teeth of the Gators, and he will tell you that sooner sounds better than later. Certainly, with Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps, Florida has enough speed in the backfield. And the defensive front, which allowed less than 1 yard per rushing attempt, should be sturdy enough.
But what about the receivers? What about the secondary? What about the offensive line?
For crying out loud, what about the quarterback?
If there was a bright spot for the Gators on Saturday night, it was that Brantley seemed to know where he should go with the ball, and how quickly he should do it. That was rarely the case last season, when he seemed lost. Florida didn't help him with a plan that seemed to be trying to avoid him until it was third and 13, then bringing him in to throw into crowded secondaries.
Against FAU, Brantley hit 21 of 30 passes, and most of the time, he threw in rhythm. True, his numbers (229 yards) were fattened by an FAU defense that seemed completely unaware of the swing pass. And he did throw an ugly interception in the third quarter.
Still, Brantley had a few moments that urge your reconsideration. He had a fine throw rolling left and throwing a dart to Jordan Reed for an 11-yard gain. He had another fine sideline throw to Reed for 13 yards on a third and 4. He didn't make those throws before Charlie Weis came to town.
No, the opponent couldn't match Florida's talent. As eager as the SEC seems to be to add teams, FAU isn't in the running. Things are going to get testier, and answers are going to come harder.
For Florida fans, however, it was a start.
After last season, perhaps it was time for a fresh one.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
F Sunday, September 4, 2011 , Section X |
TOP 25
By John Romano, Times Sports Columnist
Saturday, September 3, 2011
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — You stare at the final score, as unexpected as it was. You watch the head coach embrace his players and whisper thoughts in their ears. You soak in the emotion of it all, and you are tempted to say this one was for Lee Roy Selmon.
In a way, perhaps that is true. But inspiration can be fleeting, and passion can be hard to hold. So I can't say for sure if this momentous USF win was for one special man.
But I'm quite certain it was possible because of that man.
In the continuing saga of one of the most dramatic ascensions in major college football, the Bulls outlasted Notre Dame 23-20 Saturday in a game of historical opposites.
And though news of Selmon's grave condition in a Tampa hospital may or may not have played a part, it is beyond doubt that his work in the formative years of this program were instrumental in bringing the Bulls to the elevated place they reside today.
"Before chapel started (Saturday), I talked a little bit about Lee Roy," USF coach Skip Holtz said. "All of our players know him, and I just wanted to share with them what he's meant to this program and what was going on with him now."
USF would not have been on national television Saturday were it not for the work of former coach Jim Leavitt. No reasonable person can disagree with that. The same is true of former athletic director Paul Griffin and probably a handful of others.
Yet before the world knew anything else about USF football, they knew that Selmon was the program's face and its heartbeat.
He was there before there were players. Before there were helmets. Before there was anything but a vague idea that a university of this size should be able to support football.
Selmon shook hands. He made calls. He used his fame to get in the door, then let his sincerity and integrity do the rest of his work as a university fundraiser.
Just how do you thank a man for letting you borrow his good name?
On Saturday, the Bulls tried by wearing his Buccaneers uniform No. 63 on the backs of their helmets. Some players put the number on their shoes, their pads and everywhere else.
"He and I spent about an hour together Thursday in my office and talked about a variety of topics," athletic director Doug Woolard said. "He was really excited about coming here. He was planning on coming up (Saturday) to be a part of this.
"He was talking to me about how excited he was and (how he was) glad we had the opportunity … to schedule this game. I said, 'Lee Roy, I couldn't have scheduled this game without Lee Roy Selmon because we probably wouldn't have football at USF without what you did to bring football here.' "
So how big was this for USF?
Look at it this way:
The Fighting Irish have been playing football since 1887, and this was only the 10th time they lost a season opener at home. Toddler programs just don't show up in South Bend on the first weekend of a season and dance on Notre Dame's field.
Maybe a Georgia Tech (2007) can do it. Michigan (1986) and Texas (1934), too. But I'm guessing the last time Notre Dame lost its season opener to a relatively fledgling program was when Chicago Physicians and Surgeons pulled out a 4-0 win in 1896.
South Florida has enjoyed these moments before. More than most folks realize. The Bulls have beaten Clemson, Miami, Florida State and Auburn. And those are just the games outside the conference. When it comes to facing teams ranked in AP's Top 25, they are now 6-4 in the past five seasons.
Granted, this was not an overwhelming victory by any means. The Bulls gave up a ton of yards on defense and barely found the end zone on offense. They had trouble running, passing and converting on third down.
Yet, in the end, they were smarter than the Irish. They were more disciplined. And, yeah, maybe they were luckier, but they also deserved every gasp this victory produced.
Before the game, university president Judy Genshaft said USF fans were going to be so loud that Selmon would be able to hear them back in Tampa.
Yet, hours earlier, it was mostly quiet in separate chapel services attended by Holtz. In one, he talked about Selmon with the team. In another, he and his family prayed with the pastor from his church in Tampa.
"We all prayed for Lee Roy," Father David Toups of Christ the King Catholic Church said. "They definitely won this for him."
They won it here, on the tree-lined sidewalks of a famed campus, where USF fans took pictures of each other in front of Touchdown Jesus.
Here, on the turf of one of America's most historic stadiums, where USF cornerback Kayvon Webster ran 96 yards with a fumbled ball in his arms.
Here, in the shadow of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart a few hundred yards from the stadium, where Holtz came before the game to light a candle in the Grotto.
Here, on the first weekend of a college football season, where everything Selmon had once envisioned for a commuter school came to pass Saturday.
By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, September 3, 2011
GAINESVILLE — Former Florida State coach Bobby Bowden made a rare appearance in Gainesville Saturday afternoon to join with FAU coach Howard Schnellenberger to promote the inaugural Battle of Florida North vs. South Collegiate All-Star Football Game. The game will be held at 8 p.m. on Jan. 21 at Florida Atlantic University Stadium and will air live on Fox College Sports. Co-founder Brian McNeely said there is a five-year contract to host the game, which will include NFL draft-eligible players who were either born in or played high school football in Florida.
"I kind of got excited about that when they called me and asked if I'd be one of the coaches for this game," Bowden said as he joked about standing inside the O'Connell Center at a podium emblazoned with the UF logo. "When I came to Florida State 36 years ago, we only had three I-A schools here. Now we've got, what, seven? Seven I-A schools. So there's a lot of boys, there's plenty of boys that would like an opportunity to get into the NFL that are not going to get there, or not going to be invited early. So I think this game will give those boys a chance to play another game and I'm sure somebody will sparkle and do real well and get themselves a contract out of it."
Bowden said he's enjoying his time away from the game, saying he didn't realize how much stress he was under until he wasn't coaching anymore. But he sees the All-Star game as a win-win situation: He gets to coach once a year, with no stress.
"I'll do the best I can, but there's no pressure on me," he said.
Bowden said he stays away from Florida State games, for now, out of respect for coach Jimbo Fisher, and that the two have talked on several occasions. As for Florida State and talk of joining the SEC, Bowden said he hopes it never happens.
"I don't think so," Bowden said, when asked about chances of FSU joining the SEC. "I think Florida State, I always felt like, was maybe better suited for the ACC. I think it's best to stay there. They could do the opposite now tomorrow but in my opinion they should stay (in the ACC)."
Times wires
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Dodgers 2, Braves 1
10 innings
ATLANTA — Dee Gordon scored the go-ahead run on Juan Rivera's sacrifice fly in the 10th inning, and the Dodgers won their season-best sixth straight. Gordon doubled leading off the inning.
Times wires
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Marlins 8, Phillies 4
MIAMI — Mike Cameron homered twice and Gaby Sanchez belted a go-ahead three-run shot in the eighth inning for the Marlins. Mike Stanton also homered before leaving in the fifth with right hamstring tightness. Sanchez homered off reliever David Herndon, who came in after Antonio Bastardo walked the first two batters.
Times wires
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Diamondbacks 7, Giants 2
SAN FRANCISCO — Ian Kennedy outdueled Tim Lincecum for his National League-high 18th win, and Paul Goldschmidt homered and singled in a run for West-leading Arizona. Aaron Hill and Gerardo Parra hit RBI doubles as Arizona regained a six-game lead over the Giants after losing the series opener.
Times wires
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Rockies 5, Padres 4
SAN DIEGO — Dexter Fowler had three hits and scored twice to help hand the Padres their ninth consecutive loss. Fowler, who tripled in the series opener Friday night, hit two doubles and has six extra-base hits in his past four games.
By Tyler Jett, Times Correspondent
Sunday, September 4, 2011
GAINESVILLE — Dominique Easley made Ben Hill Griffin Stadium his own ballroom Saturday, one that relies heavily on hip-hop and welcomes 280-pound performers.
And Easley took it to another level against Florida Atlantic.
He danced on the sideline. He danced on the field. He danced before the game. He danced at every chance.
"Easley (stinks) at dancing; (stinks) at dancing," fellow defensive tackle Omar Hunter said. "But you know what? He keeps us going when he does that. He brings a lot of juice to this team, and I love that."
The Gators' front seven had more than enough juice in Saturday's 41-3 win. FAU squeaked out 30 yards rushing and didn't move the chains until 3:30 left in the first half.
Owls quarterback Graham Wilbert was sacked only twice, but he felt plenty of pressure. Meanwhile, running back Alfred Morris gained 16 yards on 14 carries.
"Their kids were coming off the ball and exploding into our offensive line," FAU coach Howard Schnellenberger said.
Much has been made in the offseason about the fluid formations of coach Will Muschamp and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. UF's front would shift from 4-3 to 3-4 throughout games, Muschamp said in his introductory news conference in December.
So far, so good.
Last season, UF's play at the line of scrimmage was a weak link on a unit that performed well overall. The defense was ranked ninth nationally, but the group allowed 130.62 yards per game — 31st in the nation.
Muschamp thought the pass rush was subpar Saturday, though the Owls kept seven players in pass protection. But the energy of the defensive line was palpable.
Sophomore Ronald Powell, who had one sack, was jawing and even feigning punches with offensive linemen. After one incident, a referee warned him to stop. He did it again; the referee penalized him for unsportsmanlike conduct.
And Easley? He was perhaps the only player more hyped. At one point in the first half, he lifted a pass-blocking Morris above him like a pro wrestler.
"He's a monster," Hunter said.
And a good defensive tackle. And a dancer, though not a skilled one.
Times wires
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Angels 10, Twins 6
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Vernon Wells hit a tiebreaking homer, Mark Trumbo hit his first career grand slam and Peter Bourjos also went deep for Los Angeles. Jered Weaver tied a career high with his 16th win, though his AL-best 2.28 ERA ballooned to 2.49 after he surrendered six or more runs for the third time in five starts after allowing no more than four in any of his first 24.
Times wires
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Cubs 6, Pirates 3
CHICAGO — Randy Wells pitched six strong innings and Marlon Byrd drove in two runs as Chicago avoided a three-game sweep. Wells was impressive again after pitching his first career shutout Monday. He is 6-1 in his past eight outings after going 0-3 with a 7.38 ERA in his first nine coming off the disabled list.
Times wires
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Reds 3, Cardinals 2
10 innings
ST. LOUIS — Juan Francisco capped a career-best four-hit day with the go-ahead hit in the 10th inning, and Cincinnati took two of three from a team desperately trying to stay in contention. Jon Jay homered and Daniel Descalso had an RBI triple for St. Louis, which fell 9½ games behind NL Central-leading Milwaukee.
Times wires
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Brewers 4, Astros 0
HOUSTON — Shaun Marcum allowed his only hit with one out in the sixth, and Milwaukee completed a three-game sweep. Ryan Braun homered among his three hits and had two RBIs. In seven innings, Marcum allowed a single to centerfield to Jordan Schafer and two other baserunners. Marcum has not allowed an earned run in 14 innings.
By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, September 4, 2011
TAMPA
As stunned as his loved ones, friends and colleagues were about the suddenness of his death, it was the graceful, dignified and exemplary life of Lee Roy Selmon that they remembered most on Sunday.
The first player drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their only member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame died at St. Joseph's Hospital on Sunday afternoon (Sept. 4, 2011) surrounded by family and friends, only two days after suffering a stroke at his Tampa home. Mr. Selmon was 56.
"I called him Mr. Selmon," former Bucs tight end Jimmie Giles said. "It felt like you owed him respect when you talked to him. If you ever met Mr. Lee Roy Selmon, you knew him. You would never forget him. That first impression you got? That was the impression that was going to be with you forever."
Some remembered an unwavering teammate from the University of Oklahoma who transformed the expansion Bucs from a league's 0-26 laughingstock into the NFC championship game in three years. Others knew him as a tireless worker who spearheaded the effort to bring football to the University of South Florida.
Almost everyone in Tampa Bay considered him the area's greatest ambassador, as evidenced by the Tampa expressway that was named in his honor.
But all agreed Mr. Selmon's giant ability on the football field was only eclipsed by the life he led away from it.
"It is with very heavy hearts that the Selmon family announces the passing of our beloved husband, father and brother, Lee Roy Selmon," the Selmon family said in a statement. "Lee Roy passed away today surrounded by family and friends at St. Joseph's Hospital.
"For all his accomplishments on and off the field, to us Lee Roy was the rock of our family. This has been a sudden and shocking event and we are devastated by this unexpected loss. We deeply appreciate the prayers and support shown by family, friends, the football community and the public over the past two days."
Mr. Selmon had been in Dallas earlier in the week visiting family, and was preparing to travel to South Bend, Ind., to watch USF play Notre Dame on Saturday morning. But he suffered an apparent stroke on Friday and was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital.
Mr. Selmon's older brother, Dewey, said Saturday that Lee Roy had been responsive to family members and showed some signs of improvement, but was in extremely critical condition and doctors were awaiting the results of tests taken that morning.
By Sunday afternoon, he was gone. He is survived by his wife, Claybra, and three children, Brandy, Lee Roy Jr. and Christopher.
"God's will be done and according to His will," said David Lewis, Mr. Selmon's former Bucs teammate. "When you have a brother go down — he wasn't a teammate, he was a brother to all of us — it hurts. Give God praise and thank Him for the time he was able to be on Earth and we were able to enjoy him."
"I feel the world would be a better place if there were more Lee Roy Selmons," said former Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio. "I was with him several times when he interacted with the young people. Young people paid attention to what he had to say, because he had this presence about him. He wanted them to do well."
Born on Oct. 20, 1954, in Eufaula, Okla., Mr. Selmon was the youngest of nine children. An All-America defensive lineman at Oklahoma, he was the first player taken overall in the 1976 NFL draft. The Bucs also drafted his brother, Dewey, in the second round. Mr. Selmon went to six Pro Bowls and was the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year in 1979.
Mr. Selmon played for nine seasons, retiring in 1986 after missing the previous season with a herniated disc. His jersey number, 63, was retired before the season opener that year. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1995 and became the first player inducted into the Bucs' Ring of Honor in 2009.
"He was such a great person and a great football player," said Rich McKay, the Atlanta Falcons president and CEO whose father, John, was the first coach of the Bucs. "I feel for his family and friends. At 56 years old, he had a lot of living to do and it's a shame he's not going to be with us.'
"What's so telling about Lee Roy is he played in the league about nine years. For an NFL career, that's somewhat long, but not that long. He wasn't from the area. He didn't play at Miami or Florida. He was from Oklahoma and he came to Tampa and played nine years and they named an expressway after him. That's all you need to know about Lee Roy Selmon."
"Tampa Bay has lost another giant," the Glazer family, which owns the Bucs, said in a statement. " ... We are so blessed to have known this fine man and to have called him one of our own, yet so sad to have lost him so soon."
Mr. Selmon was USF's athletic director from 2001 to 2004 but had worked for the Bulls since 1993. Paul Griffin, who proceeded him as A.D., said Mr. Selmon's sterling reputation picked up key supporters as the Bulls sought to add a football program.
"Now the program has coaches and players that become the face of the program," Griffin said. "Prior to having that, there couldn't have been a better person, a representative of all the good things about college football than Lee Roy. That's why we sought, recruited and were fortunate to get him to join the team, to be the face of the program before we had a ball or a helmet."
Jim Leavitt, the Bulls first coach, remembers long days working alongside Mr. Selmon and Griffin in a trailer that served as the USF football office.
"We found some old goal posts under a soccer stadium," Leavitt said. "They were regulation size. So we erected them one morning. The sun was rising and I called Lee Roy and said, "We have football.' He couldn't have been prouder."
In the 1990s, Mr. Selmon and brothers Dewey and Charles started their own barbecue sauce company. Mr. Selmon called Outback Steakhouse co-founder Chris Sullivan to see if Outback would be interested in using the sauce. Outback didn't use the sauce, but Mr. Selmon was invited to join Outback's board of directors. That ultimately led to Lee Roy Selmon's restaurant chain, which opened in 2000 and now has seven locations along Florida's west coast.
Former Bucs quarterback and Grambling State University football coach Doug Williams and Giles were fixtures at Mr. Selmon's original restaurant on Boy Scout Road in Tampa.
On Sunday, Giles was driving back from Louisiana where he had traveled to watch Williams' son, D.J., play his first game at quarterback for the Tigers. Williams was nearly speechless when Giles called to tell him their friend had died.
"I don't know, it's one of those things where you don't have a whole lot to say," Williams said. "Being around the same age, you got to look at yourself a little bit. But I think about his family and their loss, that's the biggest thing."
The Selmon family said funeral arrangements will be announced at a later time but they asked that donations be made to Abe Brown Ministries or the University of South Florida Foundation Partnership for Athletics.
