By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 27, 2011

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced that 2,000 tickets remain available for their Monday Night Football game against the Indianapolis Colts.

If the game is sold out by 8:30 p.m. Friday, it would end a streak of 14 straight games that have been subject to a local television blackout, including the preseason.

It's only the second time the Colts have played in Tampa. The last time, the Colts rallied from a 21-point deficit to beat the Bucs 38-35 in Tony Dungy's return to RJS, a game that also was televised on Monday Night Football. This time, the Colts will be without quarterback Peyton Manning, who is recovering from a neck surgery.

The Bucs will be making their first primetime nationally televised appearance in nearly three years. The Bucs played on Monday Night Football Dec. 8, 2008 at Carolina when they lost 38-23 to the Panthers.

Monday night's game won't be the only national exposure for the Bucs, who are coming off a 10-6 record in 2010. Tampa Bay will host the Dallas Cowboys on NFL Network on Saturday, Dec. 17 at 8:20 p.m. The game against the Cowboys may be the only other contest at RJS this season that won't be subject to a blackout.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 27, 2011

RHP James Shields was named winner today of the Tampa Bay Rays' MVP award in voting by members of the Tampa Bay chapter of the BBWAA.

RHP Jeremy Hellickson was voted the Outstanding Rookie. Johnny Damon was named winner of the Paul C. Smith Champion Award, given to the player who best exemplifies the spirit of true professionalism on and off the field.

Here's how the voting stacked up. Voting was done on a 5-3-1 points basis.

Paul C. Smith Champion Award

Johnny Damon 41

James Shields 27

Ben Zobrist 9

Outstanding Rookie

Jeremy Hellickson 50 (unanimous)

Desmond Jennings 30

Alex Cobb 7

Most Valuable Player

James Shields 48 (9-first place votes)

Evan Longoria 26 (1-first place vote)

Jeremy Hellickson 7

By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 27, 2011

GAINESVILLE — When preseason practice began in August, Florida coach Will Muschamp said a primary defensive objective was to be aggressive and have a solid ability to defend against the run.

So far, the Gators have been highly successful in that endeavor. Florida is tied for fifth in the nation in run defense, allowing 56.6 yards per game, and is the only team that has yet to allow a rushing touchdown this season. Florida opponents have rushed for 226 yards on 110 attempts, a 2.1 average.

But in five of its next six games, Florida will face seven of the SEC's top 10 running backs — from Alabama, LSU, Auburn, Georgia and South Carolina. To not only survive, but be successful, the Gators must be even more diligent in their efforts to stop the run.

On Saturday, that means finding a way to contain the Alabama duo of Trent Richardson and Eddie Lacy.

"He's very talented," Florida linebacker Jelani Jenkins said of Richardson. "He can beat you with speed, he can beat you with power. And he has a really good field of vision. So we're going to have to really game-plan against him."

Richardson and Lacy are ranked No. 2 and No. 7 in the league in rushing. Lacy's practice is limited while he recovers from a partially torn pectoral muscle, but Alabama coach Nick Saban said he is expected to play.

Richardson, the junior who spent his first two years in the shadow of former Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram, is leading the Tide with 110.2 yards per game. Lacy backs him up with 91.2 per game.

Richardson and other Tide players believe they could have a slight advantage in that they've seen a Muschamp-led defense before. Muschamp was the Texas defensive coordinator when Alabama defeated Texas in the 2010 BCS national championship game.

"Oh yeah, their defense is always going to be like Coach Saban's," Richardson said. "It's very difficult. They come with a lot of blitzes. They come with a lot of different stuff we haven't seen. Well, stuff we do see in practice. We know Coach Saban is going to prepare us for that. We'll have to go against our defense the whole week. I know Dont'a (Hightower) is going to be coming at me, and (Courtney) Upshaw is going to be coming at me. We're going to be going at each other just trying to be prepared for this game."

The Gators expect a strong challenge from Alabama's offensive line, which defensive tackle Omar Hunter said was one of the most formidable he faced last season.

Florida tackled poorly in last season's 31-6 loss at Alabama. Muschamp believes that will be a critical part of taking away the running game.

"More than anything, playing blocks well up front, disengaging and then tackling," Muschamp said. "It's going to come down to tackling. Trent Richardson is a really good player and Eddie Lacy is a really good player. They have really good running backs that are hard-nosed tough players and we just need to tackle them. It's going to come down to some one-on-ones where we've got to tackle well in the open field. This is certainly the best running team we're going to face, there's no question about that."

Antonya English can be reached at english@sptimes.com.

By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 27, 2011

TAMPA — USF President Judy Genshaft, asked directly by a State Senator on Tuesday about media reports that she is blocking Central Florida's bid to join the Big East, said that such reports are "really, really wrong" and that she hasn't "done anything to hurt anybody."

Genshaft, speaking to the Hillsborough County legislative delegation's annual meeting on USF's campus Tuesday, was asked by State Sen. Jack Latvala (R-St. Petersburg) about a column in the Orlando Sentinel last week claiming that Genshaft was actively blocking UCF from the Big East, with the writer seeking help from Gov. Rick Scott and the state legislature to help stop it.

"Those statements that are out in the press are not true. That is not the case," Genshaft said. "I am not stopping any university from coming in. What is happening is the league, or the conference, now is looking at schools and they have looked very much at schools that are not in any of the states that are represented by the Big East schools right now. The ones that they're looking at right now, they do not sit in any state that the Big East schools currently are in."

Pressed by Latvala as to whether the media reports are true — the Newark Star-Ledger and Boston Globe also reported of USF's blocking UCF, citing unnamed sources — Genshaft replied by saying "I have not done anything to hurt anybody."

Genshaft said when a prospective school from the same state as a current conference member is being considered, schools are generally silent, and that the reports from the Sentinel have generated "nasty" responses to her office.

"When they come from our own state, we usually are silent," she said. "I have to tell you that there has been terrible misinformation out and I have written memos and comments and letters to different people about these. The press releases that have come out from a different paper have been so nasty that some of the letters have had to go directly to our police department."

USF could not effectively block UCF from joining the league without a bloc of schools to vote against such a move. As far as not supporting UCF joining the league, it's hard to imagine Florida's Jeremy Foley endorsing FSU to join the SEC, or any FSU official to embrace USF joining the ACC. And given UCF's loss to Florida International last week, the Knights likely wouldn't want to see FIU joining the Conference USA ranks for the same reasons.

ALREADY HELPING: It's no coincidence that in the 24 hours before and after the ribbon-cutting for USF's new Muma Center basketball practice facility, Stan Heath picked up key commitments for 2012 from junior college shooting guard Musa Abdul-Aleem and 6-foot-11 C Waverly Austin, considered one of the top juco recruits in the nation.

For Heath to land a 6-11 center is one thing, but USF women's coach Jose Fernandez? The Bulls are in the mix for Marvadene "Bubbles" Anderson, a 6-11 center from Somerset, N.J., who will take her first official visit to USF this weekend. "They've done a wonderful job recruiting her," said Mary Klinger, her coach at Rutgers Prep, who said Anderson hadn't played basketball until two years ago when she came to New Jersey from her native Jamaica.

THIS AND THAT: USF men's soccer continues to pile up significant wins, including one at West Virginia on Sunday that ended the nation's longest home winning streak, which stood at 13 games. ... USF women's soccer coach Denise Schilte-Brown saw her team play a rain-delayed game against DePaul at 11 a.m. Monday, with players literally sprinting from the 1-0 overtime win to the classroom. "I had two girls come up to me right at the end of the game: "I can't cold-tub. I have a test," Schilte-Brown said. "An awesome situation. The girls got up in the morning on a Monday, played 100 (minutes) then sprint off the field and go take a test."

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 27, 2011

MONT-TREMBLANT, Quebec — Look at a three-dimensional drawing and re-create the shape using blocks.

Fold sweaters in a specific way.

Not exactly the tasks you would expect a hockey team during training camp. But those were just two of the challenges Lightning players faced Tuesday at this stunning resort area 70 miles north of Montreal.

"Thinking stuff," captain Vinny Lecavalier said.

Coaches preferred to call it "team building" as players, they hoped, worked together, learned about each other and began creating the chemistry between them some teams find so elusive.

"If you're hoping for chemistry and you wait for it to happen, you've got one chance out of I don't know how much that it will happen," coach Guy Boucher said. "I've been on so many teams, 'Hey, this team has great chemistry.' It's not something that happens. You work at it."

With Tampa Bay here and in Quebec City for a seven-day trip that includes its final two preseason games, there seemed no better time for bonding to begin.

Coaches generally work together on such projects, but assistant Dan Lacroix, who said he has organized such adventures since he was an assistant for Moncton of the junior Quebec league, is the mastermind.

Players still talk about last season's paintball outing. And Lacroix after each victory takes pictures of the team's DNA and Warrior award winners (given to the game's top players), and displays them in the locker room.

"So for every win in our season there's a picture of our success and who paid the price that night," Lacroix said. "Those are the little things that create the team environment, that sense of togetherness and belonging."

And players say last season's locker room was one of the tightest they ever experienced.

Tuesday, Lacroix got help from a local company that sets up corporate events. It even created an award for the winning team: syrup in a small glass container shaped like a maple leaf.

Players were split into five five-man teams to tackle eight challenges that began two hours after a tough 90-minute practice in front of about 500 at the Mont-Tremblant Arena.

Frisbee golf and shooting a slingshot were just for fun.

Win a challenge and a team earned a piece of hockey equipment it carried around in a bag as it jogged around town from station to station. The team with the most equipment — Lecavalier, Pavel Kubina, Adam Hall, Blair Jones and Brett Connolly — won the syrup.

The equipment was donated to the Quebec Minor Hockey Association.

"It's spending time together. It's laughs," wing Marty St. Louis said. "You can't duplicate that."

And if you don't believe players could possibly take all this seriously, consider Lecavalier broke away from a television interview to run, arms raised, into the room where the winning team was announced.

"It's different from just going playing golf," Lecavalier said. "It's about working together, talking, communicating. I love it."

"That's what it's about," Lacroix said. "Get a few smiles and a few good conversations going. All in all it was a good day."

MOVES: Forwards Mike Angelidis, Michel Ouellet, Alex Picard, Trevor Smith and J.T. Wyman, and defensemen Richard Petiot and Mike Vernace cleared waivers and were assigned to camp with AHL Norfolk.

Damian Cristodero can be reached at cristodero@sptimes.com.

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 27, 2011

MONT-TREMBLANT, Quebec — Look at a three-dimensional drawing and recreate the shape using blocks.

Fold sweaters in a specific way.

Not exactly the tasks you would expect a hockey team to perform during training camp. But those were two of the challenges Lightning players faced Tuesday at this stunning resort area 70 miles north of Montreal.

"Thinking stuff," captain Vinny Lecavalier said.

Coaches preferred to call it "team building" as players, they hoped, worked together, learned about each other and began creating the chemistry among them some teams find so elusive.

"If you're hoping for chemistry and you wait for it to happen, you've got one chance out of I don't know how much that it will happen," coach Guy Boucher said. "I've been on so many teams, 'Hey, this team has great chemistry.' It's not something that happens. You work at it."

With Tampa Bay in Mont-Tremblant and Quebec City for a seven-day trip that includes its final two preseason games, there seemed no better time for bonding to begin.

Coaches generally work together on such projects, but the mastermind is assistant Dan Lacroix, who said he has organized such adventures since he was an assistant for Moncton of the junior Quebec league.

Players still talk about last season's paintball outing. And Lacroix after each victory during the season takes pictures of the team's DNA and Warrior award winners (given to the game's top players), and displays them in the locker room.

"So for every win in our season, there's a picture of our success and who paid the price that night," Lacroix said. "Those are the little things that create the team environment, that sense of togetherness and belonging."

And players say last season's locker room was one of the tightest they have experienced.

Tuesday, Lacroix got help from a local company that sets up corporate events. It even created an award for the winning team: syrup in a small glass container shaped like a maple leaf.

Players were split into five five-man teams to tackle eight challenges that began two hours after a tough 90-minute practice in front of about 500 at the Mont-Tremblant Arena.

Frisbee golf and shooting a slingshot were just for fun.

Win a challenge and a team earned a piece of hockey equipment it carried around in a bag as it jogged around town from station to station. The team with the most equipment — Lecavalier, Pavel Kubina, Adam Hall, Blair Jones and Brett Connolly — won the syrup.

The equipment was donated to the Tremblant Minor Hockey Association.

"It's spending time together. It's laughs," wing Marty St. Louis said. "You can't duplicate that."

And if you don't believe players could possibly take all this seriously, consider Lecavalier broke away from a television interview to run, arms raised, into the room where the winning team was announced.

"It's different from just going playing golf," Lecavalier said. "It's about working together, talking, communicating. I love it."

"That's what it's about," Lacroix said. "Get a few smiles and a few good conversations going. All in all, it was a good day."

MOVES: Forwards Mike Angelidis, Michel Ouellet, Alex Picard, Trevor Smith and J.T. Wyman, and defensemen Richard Petiot and Mike Vernace cleared waivers and were assigned to camp with AHL Norfolk.

By Pat Damico, Times Correspondent
Tuesday, September 27, 2011

What's hot: Shallow water fishing for trout, reds and snook continues to accelerate as our area waters cool. Daily late afternoon thunderstorms are diminishing, and evening fishing opportunities will become more attractive. The last couple hours before sundown have been productive recently and present great opportunities for weekday fishing after work. As long as the water is moving, fish will be active.

Techniques: To become one of the 10 percent who catch 90 percent of the fish, use a fishing log, where information for each trip is cataloged. I use a composition book. Water temperature and clarity, tide information, wind direction and speed, location of feeding birds (either diving or wading) and successful baits or flies used will give you a good start on choosing your fishing location as well as tactics. Constantly fishing in the same spot where you once had a great day is a prescription for failure. Information collected from previous years for today's conditions will eliminate a lot of guesswork and save time.

Mullet schools have been a good location where redfish as well as large trout have been hanging out. As weeds and grass diminish, topwater lures and poppers for your fly rod have provided exciting and explosive strikes. Reds, because of their low-slung mouths, have difficulty eating surface presentations, so delay setting the hook until you actually feel the fish. This means eliminating slack and having a straight line or flyline between you and the fish will increase hookups.

Fly fisherman Pat Damico charters lower Tampa Bay and can be reached at captpat.com or (727) 504-8649.

Times wires
Tuesday, September 27, 2011

MIAMI — Ozzie Guillen's website apparently leaked the news he has agreed to become manager of the Marlins.

A post Monday night quoted Guillen announcing that he was Florida bound. The blog was taken down a short time later and replaced by a post that discussed Guillen's departure from the White Sox while making no mention of the Marlins.

Tuesday afternoon Guillen tweeted: "Weird to be in miami in this time but very happy ready to go".

Pitching coach Don Cooper will manage Chicago's last two games. Bench coach Joey Cora, who was expected to take over, will not report to the team.

In other Marlins news, INF Omar Infante agreed to a two-year contract extension worth $8 million.

BEATEN FAN SEES SUN: Relatives of the Giants fan nearly beaten to death outside Dodger Stadium says he went outside for the first time in nearly six months. The family of Bryan Stow, 42, wrote on its website that he looked at the sun Friday and said, "It's magical."

METS SUIT: U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff will allow a lawsuit to proceed in limited form against the owners of the Mets by Trustee Irving Picard, who is recovering money for investors who lost money to jailed financier Bernard Madoff.

DODGERS SAGA: The Dodgers are asking a Delaware bankruptcy judge to postpone a hearing on Major League Baseball's effort to force owner Frank McCourt to sell the team.

BRAVES: 3B Chipper Jones was diagnosed with a bone bruise in his right knee but plans to play through it.

BREWERS: RHP Yovani Gallardo will start Game 1 of the NL division series.

CARDINALS: SS Rafael Furcal will miss the final two regular-season games with a tight left hamstring.

INDIANS: CF Grady Sizemore is expected to travel to Colorado for a Monday consultation on his injured right knee with the doctor who operated on his left knee.

TWINS: John Gordon, 70, the team's radio voice since 1987, will retire.

YANKEES: C Francisco Cervelli had a setback in his recovery from a concussion and may be out for the postseason.

Times staff, wires
Tuesday, September 27, 2011

GAINESVILLE — For the past few weeks, many have wondered whether offensive coordinator Charlie Weis had fully opened his playbook in Florida's new offense.

On Monday, coach Will Muschamp acknowledged that because the Gators have outscored their first four opponents 161-36, there hasn't been a need to throw it all out there.

Apparently facing Alabama will change that. The Tide leads the league in scoring defense (8.0) and total defense (184.0), and Weis said Tuesday that UF will bring out whatever it takes to win.

"I think you have to play sound, fundamental football, and you have to go ahead and throw the kitchen sink at them now," Weis said. "And they're going to get the kitchen sink. You guys have been writing about holding things back; well, you won't have to worry about that this week. They're going to get plenty."

FSU: No arrest talk yet

TALLAHASSEE — Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher refrained from offering a statement on the arrest of CB Greg Reid, who was charged with two misdemeanors Monday.

"When everything resolves, I'll make a statement," Fisher said Tuesday. "I'm not going to make a statement until the facts sort themselves out."

About 3 a.m. Monday, Tallahassee police arrested Reid on charges of perjury not in an official proceeding and resisting an officer without violence. He posted $500 bond on the two misdemeanor charges Monday and was at practice Tuesday.

Reid's attorney, Tim Jansen, said Monday that he was "puzzled" by the charges and believed they would soon be dropped, but that had not happened as of Tuesday.

Injury updates: QB EJ Manuel continued to miss workouts with a left (nonthrowing) shoulder injury. Fisher is optimistic Manuel might return against Wake Forest on Oct. 8. … OT Andrew Datko sat out with a shoulder injury apparently suffered against Clemson on Saturday.

Coley Harvey, Orlando Sentinel

USF: Forgetting streaks

TAMPA — If USF is to start its Big East schedule on good footing, it must overcome two losing streaks.

The Bulls have lost six straight in prime-time meetings on Thursdays against conference opponents and three straight against Pittsburgh.

Despite these trends, USF remains optimistic.

"We don't acknowledge (the Thursday night losing streak) because each year each team has a different group of players, so what happened last year or the years previous doesn't affect this group at all," sixth-year senior WR A.J. Love said Monday.

But the Bulls have won five straight away from Raymond James Stadium.

"I don't think that's one thing guys harp on too much, 'Oh, we've always won away games.' We just go and play football, and that's the beautiful thing about this team … and great things happen," junior LB Sam Barrington said.

Ian Lanphier, Times correspondent

UM: Chickillo rising

CORAL GABLES — Miami freshman Anthony Chickillo, a former Alonso High standout, is listed as a starter at defensive end, beating out senior Adewale Ojomo.

Chickillo is "doing a lot of good things for us," coach Al Golden said.

South Florida Sun Sentinel

UCF: Return struggles

ORLANDO — Last season, versatile DE Bruce Miller helped UCF lead the nation in yards per kickoff return (27.78) and rank No. 12 in yards per punt return (13.13).

With Miller now gone, the situation has changed. The Knights have struggled fielding punts, and coach George O'Leary is concerned about what they do when they manage to hold onto the ball. UCF is No. 113 in yards per kickoff return (17.86) and No. 116 in yards per punt return (0.43).

The Knights will focus on the struggles during the bye week, O'Leary said.

Iliana Limon, Orlando Sentinel

Times wires
Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Phillies 7, Braves 1

ATLANTA — Atlanta is doing its best to give away what looked like a certain playoff berth. Derek Lowe allowed five runs in four-plus innings, and Philadelphia romped to a win that left the Braves on the brink going to the final day of the regular season. Atlanta lost its fourth in a row and eighth in 11 games. Phillies starter Roy Oswalt tuned up for the playoffs with a strong performance.

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 27, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG — Rays 1B Casey Kotchman was taken out of the clubhouse and to St. Anthony's Hospital before Tuesday's game for precautionary tests due to tightness in his chest. Tests were negative, and Kotchman was released.

Kotchman, replaced at first base by Sean Rodriguez, was rolled out of the clubhouse by medical personnel about an hour and a half before the Rays faced the Yankees.

Kotchman is hitting .305 with 10 homers and 48 RBIs and leads major-league first basemen with a .998 fielding percentage. DH Johnny Damon said Kotchman had been in the trainer's room for most of the afternoon for regular pregame preparation before getting taken away.

"It's definitely scary," Damon said. "We just hope he's okay. … We've been through a lot of adversity so far this season, and we're going to have to again."

WITH HONORS: RHP James Shields was named the Rays MVP in voting by members of the Tampa Bay chapter of the BBWAA.

Shields leads Tampa Bay with 16 victories and the majors with 11 complete games in a remarkable bounceback, All-Star season. He racked up career highs in innings (2491/3) and strikeouts (225) while cutting his ERA (2.82) nearly in half from last year (5.18).

"It's definitely an honor," Shields said. "From what happened last year, I definitely wanted to put a stamp on this organization for what I did last year as far as my numbers. I wanted to be more consistent this year, and that's what I did."

RHP Jeremy Hellickson was a unanimous selection for outstanding rookie, and Damon was named winner of the Paul C. Champion Award, given to the player who best exemplifies the spirit of true professionalism on and off the field. OF Desmond Jennings was second for the rookie award, with RHP Alex Cobb third. Shields was nearly a unanimous pick for MVP, with 3B Evan Longoria receiving the only other first-place vote. Hellickson was third.

"He's been one of the top pitchers in baseball this year, so you've got to tip your cap to what he's done," LHP David Price said. "It's impressive. You ask me, I say he's the ace."

SOX TALK: Rays bench coach Dave Martinez is being mentioned among the potential candidates for the White Sox managerial job, with the news that Ozzie Guillen has left to manage the Marlins.

Martinez, 47, who interviewed for the Blue Jays job last year, played for both the White Sox and Cubs. He said he'd love the opportunity to manage but also enjoys being with the Rays, who have "given me a lot," and that's where his focus is.

"In the future, would I love to interview for a managerial spot? Absolutely," Martinez said. "I played there, played on both sides, Chicago is a great city. But my heart right now is with the Rays and we're trying to get to the playoffs."

PRICE CHECK: Price was disappointed with his last start, when he allowed five runs (two earned) thanks to two throwing errors of his own, and is eager to make up for it tonight. "It stunk," he said. "I needed to be able to step up for us. Those were definitely plays that I make and I pride myself on being a good fielding pitcher."

MISCELLANY: Game 1 of the division series between the Rays/Red Sox and the Tigers/Rangers would be at 5:07 p.m. Friday. … Damon passed Yankees legend Lou Gehrig for 57th on the all-time hit list with No. 2,722. … Yankees manager Joe Girardi said his regular position players will be in the lineup tonight.

Times wires
Tuesday, September 27, 2011

golf

woods, haas picked for u.s. presidents cup

U.S. captain Fred Couples used his two Presidents Cup picks Tuesday on Tiger Woods and Bill Haas, who won the Tour Championship in a sudden-death playoff Sunday for his first win of the year.

Couples took Haas, the son of vice captain Jay Haas, over Keegan Bradley, whose two wins this year include the PGA Championship.

International captain Greg Norman took Robert Allenby and Aaron Baddeley, both of whom grew up in Melbourne, where the competition between the United States and non-European international players is Nov. 17-20.

"Bill Haas knew he had to win (Sunday), and he did it," Couples said. "I could not leave him off the team after that." If Haas had lost the playoff and Bradley had finished fourth or fifth — he was 11th — Bradley would have been the pick, Couples said.

The American players who qualified two weeks ago are Steve Stricker, Matt Kuchar, Dustin Johnson, Bubba Watson, Nick Watney, Hunter Mahan, Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk, Webb Simpson and David Toms.

The International team qualifiers are Adam Scott, Jason Day, Charl Schwartzel, Ernie Els, K.J. Choi, K.T. Kim, Ryo Ishikawa, Y.E. Yang, Geoff Ogilvy and Retief Goosen.

basketball

Brief NBA talks; more on tap today

Negotiators for the NBA and its players met for about two hours in New York and will talk again today in an effort to end the lockout that has lasted nearly three months.

Both sides said neither concern nor optimism should be read into the meeting's brevity. They simply needed time to think about what was discussed.

Union president Derek Fisher said the sides "talked extensively about ideas and concepts."

wnba: Atlanta beat host Indiana 83-67 to win the Eastern Conference final two games to one and advance to the title series against Minnesota.

Crittenton case: A judge in Atlanta took the rare step of allowing former NBA player Javaris Crittenton, charged with murder in a drive-by shooting, to go free on $230,000 bond after hearing friends and coaches testify he is too focused on making a comeback to squander his future on a revenge killing. Police said he was retaliating for being robbed of $55,000 worth of jewelry when Julian Jones, 22, was mistakenly hit while standing outside her house Aug. 19 with a man who wasn't injured. Crittenton was suspended from the NBA in December 2009 after a locker-room dispute over guns with then-Wizards teammate Gilbert Arenas. He hasn't played in the league since.

et cetera

rugby: The United States left the World Cup with a 27-10 loss to Italy in New Zealand. It finished 1-3.

soccer: Manchester United lost a 2-0 halftime lead to Basel before salvaging a 3-3 draw on an Ashley Young goal in the 89th minute in the European Champions League. Real Madrid shut out Ajax 3-0 on goals from Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and Karim Benzema.

tennis: Maria Kirilenko beat U.S. Open champ and Tampa resident Samantha Stosur 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo. Top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki beat Jarmila Gajdosova 6-1, 6-7 (4-7), 6-3 in the second round. … Nikolay Davydenko beat Ryan Harrison 6-3, 6-2 at the Malaysian Open in Kuala Lumpur.

Times wires

Times staff, wires
Tuesday, September 27, 2011

LOS ANGELES — The developer behind a $1.2 billion plan to build a football stadium in downtown Los Angeles got a key boost Tuesday with a law that will help it avoid lengthy court fights.

Billing the measure as a job creation push, Gov. Jerry Brown signed the bill (SB 292) at a Los Angeles Convention Center ceremony with executives from Anschutz Entertainment Group, which is proposing to build a 72,000-seat stadium next to the convention center.

With California's unemployment rate in double digits, Brown said the stadium, to be called Farmer's Field, would create 12,000 construction jobs and 11,000 permanent jobs.

"This is the way we get people working," he said.

The bill would expedite resolution of legal challenges to AEG's project, sending lawsuits over its environmental impact directly to the California Court of Appeal and bypassing the Superior Court. The stadium could break ground as early as June if it passes environmental muster and secures an NFL team.

Cowboys live on edge

ARLINGTON, Texas — Say this much about the Cowboys under Jason Garrett: They sure don't get blown out.

Over their past nine games, the Cowboys have won or lost by a field goal every time. It's the longest such streak in NFL history — by three, of course. Dallas is 5-4 in this stretch, including Monday night's 18-16 victory over the rival Redskins.

"When the whole season ends up getting written and the book's done on the year, they don't ask you what happened in Week 2 or 3 or 4 or 6, why you lost or won. It's a 'W' or an 'L,' " Romo said. "Some are ugly. Some you win going away. But at the end of the year, you need the wins."

GRIMM DONE, TICKETS SCARCE: As expected, the Bucs placed safety Cody Grimm on season-ending injured reserve with a right knee injury. He was injured Sunday trying to make a tackle on Atlanta's Michael Turner. Also, the team is close to a sellout for its game Monday against the Colts at Raymond James Stadium. The team said there were 2,000 tickets remaining for its first Monday Night Football appearance since 2008.

GOODELL ON STERN: Commissioner Roger Goodell said he has talked to NBA counterpart David Stern — who, as Goodell did over the summer, is dealing with a labor stoppage — but says he has no recommendations. "I don't give him any advice," Goodell said. "He's the dean. He gives us advice."

EAGLES: The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that quarterback Michael Vick is expected to start Sunday against the 49ers despite a deep bone bruise in his right hand. The swelling in Vick's right (non-throwing) hand still has to lessen enough for him to grip the football.

49ERS: The team doesn't know whether it will have the financing to build a new stadium near its practice facility in Santa Clara but was optimistic enough to unveil plans for one. In June 2010, Santa Clara voters passed the team's plan to build the 68,500-seat stadium.

JETS: Quarterback Mark Sanchez has no concerns about a "minor break" in his nose — even if it means fewer magazine covers for now. The recent GQ cover boy was cleared to practice this week. "It feels a lot better now, and we'll just worry about it after the season," Sanchez said on 1050 ESPN Radio. "It's no big deal." Also, offensive lineman Robert Turner (broken leg) and tight end Jeff Cumberland (torn right Achilles' tendon) went on injured reserve.

SAINTS: Former special teams player Steve Gleason, who revealed over the weekend that he has been diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease, was awarded a Super Bowl XLIV ring and a key to the city of New Orleans during a surprise party. … Garrett Hartley (hip) was placed on injured reserve, ending his season and leaving 41-year-old John Kasay as the kicker.

TEXANS: Running back Steve Slaton was released and Chris Ogbonnaya was signed from the practice squad.

Times staff writer Rick Stroud contributed to this report.

Times wires
Tuesday, September 27, 2011

NEW YORK — The league said Tuesday it could determine with certainty if the Flyers' Wayne Simmonds directed a homophobic slur at the Rangers' Sean Avery, so Simmonds won't be punished for now.

There were conflicting accounts of what happened between the players in Monday's game, said Colin Campbell, the league's senior executive vice president of hockey operations. "To the extent we become aware of additional information conclusively establishing that an inappropriate slur was invoked, we are reserving the option to revisit the matter," he said in a statement.

Avery said Simmonds called him a homophobic slur during a first-period altercation. After the game, Simmonds said he couldn't remember what he said in "the heat of the battle of the game." But in a conference call with Campbell on Tuesday, Simmonds denied using the slur.

"I said a lot of other things, but that wasn't one of them," Simmonds said.

Police investigate banana-throwing: London, Ontario, police said they have the name of a person they think tossed a banana at Simmonds during a preseason game against the Red Wings in the city last week. Constable Dennis Rivest said people at the game contacted the police and more than one mentioned the same name. He wouldn't give specifics and said the investigation is ongoing.

More Flyers: Forward Scott Hartnell practiced after receiving clearance to resume skating and play in games by a cardiologist after having a stress test, Philadelphia media reported. Hartnell, 29, was examined after being diagnosed with an elevated heart rate during Friday's preseason game in Detroit.

suspension: Ducks forward Jean-Francois Jacques was suspended for the rest of the preseason and five regular-season games for leaving the bench on a line change to fight Canucks forward Mike Duco on Saturday. Jacques received a minor penalty for instigating, a major for fighting and a 10-minute misconduct, and an automatic one-game suspension for instigating a fight in the final five minutes of a game. That one-game suspension was served Sunday.

game highlights: Michael Ryder scored 1:11 into overtime to give the Stars a 4-3 victory over the host Panthers. Kari Lehtonen made 43 saves for Dallas. … Mikhail Grabovski had a goal and two assists in the Maple Leafs' 5-3 win over the host Senators.

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Rays vs. Yankees

When/where: 7:10 tonight; Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg

TV/radio: Sun Sports; 620-AM, 680-AM (Spanish)

Starting pitchers:

Rays:

LH David Price (12-13, 3.35)

Yankees:

TBA

Tickets: $17-$275 at box office, Ticketmaster, raysbaseball.com, team store in Tampa; $3 surcharge within five hours of game.

Watch for …

Price check: Price hasn't won since Aug. 28 but hasn't pitched particularly poorly, having allowed two earned runs or fewer his past four starts. He is 1-1 with a 4.26 in four starts this season against the Yankees.

Group effort: With just one day off before the ALDS, the Yankees are expected to use a parade of pitchers tonight, most likely none from their expected postseason roster. RHP Phil Hughes is a possibility.

Key matchups

Rays vs. Hughes

Matt Joyce 4-for-10, 2 HRs

B.J. Upton 0-for-10

Johnny Damon 1-for-8

Yankees vs. Price

Curtis Granderson 5-for-28, 2 HRs

Derek Jeter 11-for-36, 2 HRs

Nick Swisher 9-for-21, HR

On deck

End of regular season

Thursday (if necessary): vs. Red Sox, 4:07, TBS. Rays — TBA; Red Sox — TBA

Joe Smith, Times staff writer

Quote of the day

"I've had a lot of people from the start of the year hat were like, saying, 'Man, I wasn't sure how you guys were going to look this year, if it was going to be a long year.' And looked like it after the first six games. But here we are now. … It could be storybook in the end if we're able to pull it out." Ben Zobrist, on Rays potentially making the playoffs after an 0-6 start.

Fan of the day

Vice President Joe Biden is rooting, even praying for the Red Sox to beat out the Rays for the AL wild-card spot, and for an interesting reason. His lead Secret Service agent is from Boston, and Biden doesn't want him, um, distracted. Before Biden's plane landed Tuesday in Boston, "I said everyone bow their head. We're going to say a prayer that Boston wins the wild-card spot. … I'm worried if in fact they don't, he's going to be so d--- miserable he will not jump in front of a bullet."

Times wires
Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Commissioner Mike Slive tried to temporarily quell the "enormous speculation" about whether — or more likely when — the SEC will add a 14th member to join Texas A&M.

A day after festivities welcoming member No. 13, Slive said Tuesday that the SEC presidents and chancellors are not considering any other schools for admission and that Texas A&M was the only one to submit an application. He reiterated that he anticipates having 13 members in 2012-13.

"I really can't emphasize this enough. This has all been about Texas A&M," Slive said. "We have not initiated any conversations with any institution."

The SEC will begin negotiations this fall with ESPN and CBS to upgrade the 15-year contracts with both networks, Slive said, and league athletic directors will meet in the next few weeks to begin considering options such as scheduling. He said he wasn't sure if Texas A&M would land in the SEC West, but "obviously it makes sense to me that Texas A&M be in the West."

Big 12 talk: Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard, chairman of the Big 12 athletic directors, said the group is fully engaged and committed to putting together necessary agreements to provide stability for the conference. But formalizing such agreements among the nine schools is still a work in process.

Meanwhile, Oklahoma State billionaire booster T. Boone Pickens said the Big 12 is in trouble if Missouri leaves. Missouri has been rumored to possibly follow Texas A&M to the SEC.

Auburn: Redshirt freshman receiver Trovon Reed (shoulder) will not play against South Carolina on Saturday.

Connecticut: Junior quarterback Johnny McEntee will be the starter, overtaking freshman Michael Nebrich and redshirt freshman Scott McCummings.

Oklahoma: Gabe Ikard has taken over as starting center after Ben Habern broke his right forearm against Missouri.

Purdue: Quarterback Robert Marve, who missed a year after tearing the ACL in his left knee, could play a big role Saturday against Notre Dame, said coach Danny Hope, who likes the former Plant High standout's experience. Caleb TerBush is the starter.

South Carolina: Coach Steve Spurrier offered support for quarterback Stephen Garcia, who has seven interceptions, the most in the country. "I'm the best friend he's got at South Carolina," Spurrier said of the former Jefferson High star. "I don't know why people say I don't like him. If I didn't like him, he wouldn't be here."

Tennessee: Former assistant Willie Mack Garza paid for a top recruit and his mother to fly to Knoxville for an unofficial recruiting trip during Lane Kiffin's tenure, Yahoo Sports reported. Garza followed Kiffin to USC but resigned Sept. 1. Garza could not be reached by the Associated Press, and Kiffin said he had no knowledge of the incident.

USC: The Pac-12 reprimanded quarterback Matt Barkley for referring to Arizona State linebacker Vontaze Burfict as a dirty player.

Vanderbilt: Starting linebacker Tristan Strong (leg) will miss the rest of the season.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 27, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG

Matt Joyce was hurting Tuesday afternoon. His right foot was taped and wrapped, the result of painfully fouling a ball off his right foot the night before. After Tuesday's game, not so much.

All the Tampa native and Armwood High graduate did was hit a three-run homer that propelled his Rays to a 5-3 victory that pushed them to today's final game of the season tied for the AL wild card as the Red Sox also won, 8-7 at Baltimore.

With the win, the Rays retain control of their own destiny. Beat the Yankees again tonight, and at worst they'd host the Red Sox in a one-game playoff at 4:07 Thursday for the right to advance to the division series against Texas or Detroit.

If the Rays win and the Sox lose, the Rays will win the wild card outright and be popping champagne tonight.

Lose tonight and have the Sox win, and the Rays go home frustrated about falling short.

Joyce left Monday's game and got X-rays to make sure his foot wasn't fractured. Manager Joe Maddon had him in the cleanup spot Tuesday but admitted he might not be 100 percent.

"He might have a little bit of a soreness, but that's one of those things when you're playing, you just take enough aspirin or ibuprofen," Maddon said. "He should be fine."

Playing before 22,820 at the Trop, the Rays took a 2-0 lead on Ben Zobrist's second-inning homer, but rookie Jeremy Hellickson couldn't hold it as the Yankees eventually took a 3-2 lead in the sixth. And it took the Rays turning a triple play — their nightly dose of dazzling defense — to keep it from getting worse.

But they rallied in the seventh against their former closer Rafael Soriano. B.J. Upton, continuing his impressive month, drew a leadoff walk and Evan Longoria walked. Joyce then laced a pitch over the rightfield wall, his first homer since Sept. 4.

The Rays tonight will put the ball, as well as their hopes and dreams, in the left hand of David Price, the talented 26-year-old who could make amends for an otherwise inconsistent and somewhat disappointing 2011 season in which he is 12-13, 3.35, and hasn't won since Aug. 28.

"This is a chance," he said. "You win that game (tonight) and people are going to forget kinda what happened this year. And if you go into the postseason and throw well there, then it's definitely going to be forgotten."

Price, who has pitched in all three of the Rays' postseason elimination games (Game 7 of the ALCS and Game 5 of the World Series in 2008, Game 5 of the 2010 ALDS), said he welcomed the opportunity.

"Absolutely," he said. "Why wouldn't I? I've been fortunate to throw in some pretty big games for the Rays so far. I feel like I've handled myself all right, so (tonight) is not going to be any different.

"Obviously it's going to be the biggest game for the Rays in 2011, and one of the biggest games for the Rays in team history. Hopefully we can come in here and play some good baseball and get a win."

The Rays like their chances.

"I don't know that at this point there's anybody else we'd want on the mound," Zobrist said. "You know that that guy is more motivated than anybody."

The Rays turned their triple play — the third in franchise history — to escape a sixth-inning mess after the Yankees took a 3-2 lead. They started with a walk to Alex Rodriguez and a double by Mark Teixeira, then Rodriguez scored on a double by Nick Swisher. The Rays — seemingly oddly — walked Jorge Posada to load the bases and bring up Russell Martin, who had homered earlier.

But it couldn't have worked out better, as Martin swung at the first pitch and hit a grounder that took Longoria to the third base bag, from where he fired to second and Zobrist relayed to Sean Rodriguez just ahead of a diving Martin.

Marc Topkin can be reached at topkin@sptimes.com.

Times wires
Tuesday, September 27, 2011

BALTIMORE — The Red Sox maintained a share of the AL wild-card lead Tuesday night, using four home runs to beat the Orioles 8-7 and set up a dramatic conclusion to the regular season.

Boston was 6-19 in September before rebounding to edge last-place Baltimore. The win, combined with the Rays' 5-3 victory over the Yankees, kept the Red Sox tied with Tampa Bay with one game left.

After blowing a nine-game lead in the span of 23 days, the Red Sox will send Jon Lester to the mound against Baltimore tonight in an effort to get into the postseason for the fourth time in five years. Lester, who has struggled badly over his past three starts, will be throwing on three days' rest.

Boston will be looking to put together its first winning streak since sweeping a doubleheader from Oakland on Aug. 27. If the Rays and Red Sox remain tied after tonight, Tampa Bay will host a one-game playoff Thursday.

Rookie Ryan Lavarnway became an unlikely hero for Boston, hitting his first two major-league homers after being thrust into the lineup because of injuries to catchers Jarrod Saltalamacchia (sore collarbone) and Jason Varitek (knee).

Lavarnway, a Yale philosophy major who never played a big-league game before August, hit a three-run drive in the fourth inning and a solo shot for an 8-4 lead in the eighth.

Jacoby Ellsbury and Marco Scutaro also connected for Boston, which scored all its runs on home runs.

Alfredo Aceves pitched 32/3 innings of three-hit relief for the Red Sox, who survived homers from Baltimore's Matt Wieters and Adam Jones.

After the Orioles scored twice in the eighth off Daniel Bard to make it 8-6, Jonathan Papelbon survived a hectic ninth. Wieters drove in a run with a grounder and Baltimore had the potential tying run at second with two outs before Jones grounded out on a full count.

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 27, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG — Believe it or not, third baseman Evan Longoria called his shot before the Rays turned a momentum-swinging triple play in the sixth inning.

The Yankees had taken the lead on rookie right-hander Jeremy Hellickson, with Nick Swisher knocking in a run to make it 3-2. Manager Joe Maddon decided to walk Jorge Posada to load the bases for catcher Russell Martin, thinking double play.

Not Longoria. He pointed out the possibility in a meeting on the mound with the rest of the Rays infield.

"I told (second baseman Ben Zobrist), 'If it's hit close to the base, I'm just going to step on it and let's try to turn a triple play.' "

Sure enough, Martin — who had homered earlier — hit a hard grounder to Longoria's right. He stepped on third and threw to Zobrist, who turned and got it to fill-in first baseman Sean Rodriguez to beat Martin's headfirst slide.

"It wasn't a bang-bang play," Rodriguez said. "He was out."

And Longoria called it.

"It was crazy," Zobrist said. "It was a great call."

It was the third triple play the Rays have turned and first since September 2006. And it was arguably the most important, with the Yankees threatening to mount a big rally in a must-win game for the Rays.

"It was huge momentum swing," shortstop Reid Brignac said.

Even always stoic Hellickson showed some emotion.

"I was real excited," he said. "It went from being a four- to five-run inning to one run."

Maddon could tell the energy filled the dugout. "It was animated," he said. One inning later, Matt Joyce hit a three-run homer to give the Rays the lead for good.

"It was pretty animated when everybody came inside," Maddon said. "Any possible handshake that they had, they took out of their back pocket and utilized it at that moment. It was very alive. Those are the kinds of things you look for regarding where you're going right now with this whole thing. So when you're able to pull off a triple play under those circumstances in that moment, it's kind of a good thing."

Joe Smith can be reached at joesmith@sptimes.com.

By Gary Shelton, Times columnist
Tuesday, September 27, 2011

And so it comes down to the final day. Of course it does. After all the surges, after all the slips, after a season that reads like pulp fiction, how else would you expect this Rays season to end? It will come down the final game for a playoff spot, and perhaps the final out, because anything else would not make sense. Not after the Rays' historic comeback. Not after the Red Sox's monumental collapse. Not after the Improbable Dream. This season has always been destined for the final heartbeat, the way the movies always come down to the final showdown in the street, or the final sword fight on the walls of the castle, or the final farewell at the airport. Seasons such as this one do not end in Game 144 or in Game 148. They go the full 162. Or in this case, maybe 163. "If you are scripting this one," said Rays owner Stu Sternberg, "you script it to the end."

Tuesday, the featured player was Matt Joyce, or as they may soon refer to him in Boston, Matty Bleeping Joyce. It was Joyce's three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning against the Yankees that allowed the Rays to avert disaster Monday night and win 5-3.

At the time, the Rays were staring at trouble. They had fallen behind the Yankees 3-2, and up in Baltimore, the Red Sox were having one of those rare recent September nights when they were winning instead of clawing at their necks to stop the choking.

If the Rays had let this game get away, no one was going to be talking about their nine-game comeback in the wild-card race; they were going to be talking about the need for another one. Even considering the way September has gone, a Rays win and a Red Sox loss would have been a lot to ask.

Then Joyce swung, and the ball sailed deep and crisp, and it had the same affect as putting cardiac paddles to a team's heart. This time Joyce not only won a game, he simplified a race.

Win today and the Rays are guaranteed a postseason. Win today, and even if the Red Sox win, the teams play a playoff game here Thursday. Win today and the Red Sox have to keep up or go home.

Lose today, and the Red Sox still have to win to eliminate the Rays.

Good news for the Rays?

Joyce gets to bat again today.

For Joyce, this was a greatest-hits moment. Even if he plays this game for 20 more seasons, even if he becomes a star, this is bound to be one of his top 10 moments.

For a team scrambling from behind, moving a boulder a half roll at the time, such memories are the important part. Every day, it has to be somebody. It has to be Desmond Jennings or Matt Moore or B.J. Upton. It has to be Evan Longoria or Johnny Damon or Ben Zobrist. Somebody. Anybody. It's like a game of Clue. This time it was Joyce in the seventh with a bat.

More than anything, this is the legacy of these Rays. Tampa Bay has had more dangerous offenses, and it has had better bullpens. On the other hand, these Rays don't want to go home. They keep scrapping no matter how the standings read, no matter what the scoreboard says, no matter what the columnists write. Remember when everyone wanted to bury them three weeks ago? Turns out, they were like Wesley in The Princess Bride. They were only "mostly dead."

Today the Rays have a chance to live all the way to the postseason.

For the Rays, there has never been a more dramatic week, or a more miraculous month, than this one. True, the Rays went to the World Series in 2008, a season manager Joe Maddon compares to a first child. They had the best record in the game in 2010.

Never, however, have they fought from behind like this. In a season of low expectations, in a year that was supposed to have been lost after the Rays let their top eight highest-paid players leave, they have made themselves a team to be admired. They have won 90 games, and who saw that coming? They are on the brink of the playoffs, and who called that? A win today would put them within six wins of last year's total, and considering the defections, how does that make sense?

This is the beauty of the wild card playoff spot, no matter what the purists say. For the eighth consecutive season, the playoffs are on the line for someone on the final day. Five times it has been a wild card race. What's wrong with that?

For crying out loud, isn't baseball supposed to be played to the final out, to the final heartbeat?

Before the game, Maddon was talking about being a 10-year-old boy in Pennsylvania and how the men who were replacing the roof of his family's home were Yankees fans. He talked about all the emotions he felt as his beloved Cardinals surged from behind to catch the Phillies. When he talks about it, his voice sounds as if he is describing a comeback that happened last year.

Who knows? Maybe somewhere in Tampa Bay, a 10-year-old boy is paying attention himself. Maybe he dreams of being Matt Joyce. Maybe he thinks about helping a team salvage a season such as this one.

This has been a mind-boggling run for the Rays and a mind-altering slide for the Red Sox. For the next 50 years, some manager whose team is behind 10 games in September will talk about the possibilities, and about this Rays team. These Rays have given hope to a lot of teams to come.

Today, all they need to do finish the job.

Win and leave Boston to the crabs.