Times wires
Monday, October 10, 2011

DETROIT — Matthew Stafford's second touchdown pass put Detroit ahead in the third and Jahvid Best's 88-yard run later in the quarter gave the Lions a double-digit lead in Monday night's 24-13 win over the Bears.

The Lions (5-0) are undefeated through five games for the first time since 1956 — the year before their last NFL title.

The defending NFC North champion Bears (2-3) are off to their worst start since 2007. They are three games behind Detroit and defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay in the division.

Detroit and its fans were clearly fired up for the franchise's first Monday Night Football game in a decade.

The Lions had their largest crowd at Ford Field, and the 67,861 fans created enough noise to rattle the Bears into nine false starts.

Chicago quieted the fans briefly by taking a 10-7 lead just before halftime and seemed to make them a little nervous by pulling within eight points with 4:07 left to play.

Best, though, made them roar again with a 43-yard run that was capped by a horse-collar penalty that gave Detroit the ball at the Chicago 22. He ran for another first down and set up Jason Hanson's 31-yard kick with 1:56 to go to seal the victory.

Detroit made big plays on offense and a lot of solid and subtle ones on defense, holding Chicago to three points in the second half.

Stafford lofted a pass to Calvin Johnson for a 73-yard score — extending his NFL-record start with nine TD catches in five games — early in the second quarter.

AMERICAN CONFERENCE

East W L T Pct PF PA

Buffalo 4 1 0 .800 164 120

New England 4 1 0 .800 165 119

N.Y. Jets 2 3 0 .400 121 125

Miami 0 4 0 .000 69 104

South W L T Pct PF PA

Houston 3 2 0 .600 127 95

Tennessee 3 2 0 .600 105 94

Jacksonville 1 4 0 .200 59 115

Indianapolis 0 5 0 .000 87 136

North W L T Pct PF PA

Baltimore 3 1 0 .750 119 57

Cincinnati 3 2 0 .600 110 94

Pittsburgh 3 2 0 .600 102 89

Cleveland 2 2 0 .500 74 93

West W L T Pct PF PA

San Diego 4 1 0 .800 120 109

Oakland 3 2 0 .600 136 133

Kansas City 2 3 0 .400 77 150

Denver 1 4 0 .200 105 140

NATIONAL CONFERENCE

East W L T Pct PF PA

Washington 3 1 0 .750 83 63

N.Y. Giants 3 2 0 .600 127 123

Dallas 2 2 0 .500 99 101

Philadelphia 1 4 0 .200 125 132

South W L T Pct PF PA

New Orleans 4 1 0 .800 157 125

Tampa Bay 3 2 0 .600 87 125

Atlanta 2 3 0 .400 104 130

Carolina 1 4 0 .200 116 132

North W L T Pct PF PA

Green Bay 5 0 0 1.000 173 111

Detroit 5 0 0 1.000 159 89

Chicago 2 3 0 .400 107 122

Minnesota 1 4 0 .200 111 106

West W L T Pct PF PA

San Francisco 4 1 0 .800 142 78

Seattle 2 3 0 .400 94 122

Arizona 1 4 0 .200 96 121

St. Louis 0 4 0 .000 46 113

Late Sunday

Green Bay 25, Atlanta 14

Monday

Detroit 24, Chicago 13

Sunday, Oct. 16

St. Louis at Green Bay, 1

Jacksonville at Pittsburgh, 1

Philadelphia at Washington, 1

San Francisco at Detroit, 1

Carolina at Atlanta, 1

Indianapolis at Cincinnati, 1

Buffalo at N.Y. Giants, 1

Cleveland at Oakland, 4:05

Houston at Baltimore, 4:05

Dallas at New England, 4:15

New Orleans at Tampa Bay, 4:15

Minnesota at Chicago, 8:20

Open: Arizona, Denver, Kansas City, San Diego, Seattle, Tennessee

Monday, Oct. 17

Miami at N.Y. Jets, 8:30

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Monday, October 10, 2011

WASHINGTON — With all the weird goals, back-and-forth sloppy play and momentum swings, Lightning goalie Dwayne Roloson said Monday's 6-5 shootout loss to the Capitals was "probably the craziest" he's ever experienced in 14 NHL seasons.

"It was," coach Guy Boucher said, "a weird game."

But despite as many mistakes as Tampa Bay made — and there were a lot in getting outshot 43-28 — it left the Verizon Center lamenting what could have been, having given away four one-goal leads, including the Capitals' tying tally with less than three minutes left. Washington then scored twice in the shootout, while Tampa Bay was shut out, falling to 1-1-1 on the season.

"We're one of those teams that we thrive when we do get the lead — we shut the other team down," center Nate Thompson said. "For us to turn the puck over in key moments of the game, to let them back in it, it's a little disappointing."

Considering how thoroughly the Lightning was outplayed and out-poised in Saturday's loss to the Bruins — "awful" as Thompson put it — it showed much better compete level against the Capitals.

"We worked hard," Thompson said. "We just didn't work smart."

Boucher said the Lightning, up a goal late in the game, was a little overzealous in going for another one, leading to a Capitals odd-man rush. And Dominic Moore's failed clearing attempt went right onto the stick of Jason Chimera, who sent the game into overtime with a wrist shot from the right circle with 2 minutes, 44 seconds to go.

"Hockey is a game of mistakes, especially their team that dwells on them," said Roloson, who made 38 saves, 18 in the third. "At the same time, I've got to do my job and give our guys a chance to win."

Tampa Bay was given its share of breaks, considering three of the goals it scored on Tomas Vokoun came on bad angles. The first, a Teddy Purcell tally, bounced off defenseman Mike Green. The most improbable was Brett Clark's go-ahead goal in the third, considering he flung it from the back boards, banking it off Vokoun's skates.

Said Vokoun: "They literally won (Monday) without goaltending."

But Vokoun had the last laugh, stopping all five of the Lightning's overtime shots, including a shorthanded chance by Thompson and a point-blank opportunity by Vinny Lecavalier. Tampa Bay, which held the Capitals' high-powered offense to 0-for-7 on the power play, squandered a four-on-three opportunity in overtime.

"We've got to win the game there," the Lightning's Marty St. Louis said. "We had some looks."

Boucher said the sloppiness by both teams is similar to what he sees around the league this time of year, from the fumbling pucks and turnovers to weird goals. He knows his team has a lot to improve on, especially the turnovers, but liked the battle level.

"Basically, it was a dogfight," he said. "We know they got an incredible team, they've got no weaknesses. They're the No. 1 team, ranked in our conference. We battled hard to the end."

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

First Period—1, Tampa Bay, Purcell 1 (Gervais), 2:22. 2, Washington, Johansson 1 (Alzner), 4:49. 3, Tampa Bay, Gervais 1 (Bergeron, Downie), 8:35. 4, Washington, Wideman 1 (Halpern, Perreault), 16:50. Penalties—Moore, TB (interference), 13:22.

Second Period—5, Tampa Bay, Moore 1 (Shannon, Connolly), :56. 6, Washington, Brouwer 1 (Schultz, Johansson), 3:42. Penalties—Kubina, TB (holding), 4:57; Thompson, TB (throwing stick), 5:43; Backstrom, Was (slashing), 7:09; Moore, TB (tripping), 9:52; Backstrom, Was (high-sticking), 10:57; Purcell, TB (hooking), 11:17; Malone, TB (high-sticking), 18:53.

Third Period—7, Washington, Chimera 2 (Laich, Ward), 4:00. 8, Tampa Bay, Thompson 1 (Clark, Moore), 7:42. 9, Tampa Bay, Clark 1 (Malone, Purcell), 12:56. 10, Washington, Chimera 3, 17:16. Penalties—Washington bench, served by Ovechkin (too many men), 4:55.

Overtime—None. Penalties—Bergeron, TB (tripping), 1:02; Semin, Was (hooking), 2:04; Washington bench, served by Knuble (too many men), 4:08.

Shootout—Tampa Bay 0 (Thompson NG, Moore NG), Washington 2 (Hendricks G, Ovechkin NG, Semin G). Shots on Goal—Tampa Bay 4-10-9-5—28. Washington 9-13-20-1—43. Power-play opportunities—Tampa Bay 0 of 4; Washington 0 of 7. Goalies—Tampa Bay, Roloson 1-0-1 (43 shots-38 saves). Washington, Vokoun 1-0-0 (28-23). A—18,506 (18,398). T—2:51.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

PALM HARBOR — When facing Lakewood's Berkley Whaley, opposing players experience a moment of trepidation against the powerful University of Florida commit.

When Whaley unloads on a good set, the resulting smack reverberates through the gym. Most players try to get out of the way of Whaley's fastball.

Not Palm Harbor University.

The Hurricanes take pride in being able to dig any ball, and coach Tara Kuk has established a tradition of great defense among her Palm Harbor teams.

On Monday, the Hurricanes were able to dig Whaley where other players had failed before. And after neutralizing Lakewood's greatest threat, the Hurricanes rolled to a relatively easy 25-17, 25-16, 25-9 victory.

"When you dig a good hitter, it's such an energy boost, a momentum boost," PHU libero Caitlyn Kovach said. "Once we saw we could dig Berkley, we were like, 'Oh, it's no big deal. We can dig any hitter over there.' "

Conversely, once Lakewood saw the Hurricanes could dig Whaley, the Spartans went into a downward spiral.

With the score tied at 15 in the opening game, the Hurricanes (10-4) reeled off four of the next five points. Ahead 19-17, PHU recorded back-to-back kills from Lauren Watson and Lee Nielsen, and Kovach served three straight aces.

PHU opened a 9-2 lead in Game 2 and never led by less than four points the rest of the game.

Game 3 was more of the same. The Hurricanes won eight of the first 10 points. Ahead 20-9, the Hurricanes took the next five points, paced by two kills from Watson (game-high 12), a kill from Mackenzie Shively and an ace from Jamie Appelt.

Whaley led Lakewood (12-6) with nine kills and three blocks but was never able to take over like previous matches.

"Berkley had a couple of her 'oh wow' hits," Kuk said. "But if you can keep her to a couple 'oh wow' hits, you're doing well as far as defense goes."

Lakewood also got offense from Leigh Buttner (six kills) and Samantha Roberts (four), but not enough of it. PHU had four players — Watson, Nielsen (10), Logan Miller (seven) and Shively (six) — with at least six kills, and the Hurricanes served nine aces.

"Tonight we had multiple girls putting the ball away," Kuk said. "If you look at us tonight, we look like we have pretty good distribution with our offense."

By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Friday, October 14, 2011

Larry Scott has been in many living rooms for home visits with recruits, and he often finds more than just a player's parents and siblings taking part. Sometimes a grandparent or an aunt or uncle cares enough to want to meet with a young man's potential college coach.

When he and two fellow USF assistants drove to inner-city Miami last winter to see coveted defensive tackle Elkino Watson, they weren't sure what to expect. He had talent on the football field, to be sure, but what kind of family support did he have?

What they found was as impressive as Watson was at Booker T. Washington High: About 45 relatives filled his house, leaving no doubt how much his future meant to his family.

"There were people in the living room, in the kitchen, outside the house, standing in the road, standing across the street. It was quite an experience," Scott said. "And they're here every Saturday now in the stands, in droves. Having the support of his family really helped him be who he is."

LaTarsha Watson said that in all that family, her son is the first to go to college, so a slew of younger relatives is looking up to him, seeing an opportunity it can go after.

"He has a lot of cousins that look up to him," said his mother, noting that Watson will even have family members in Connecticut for Saturday's game against the Huskies (2-4, 0-1 Big East) in Hartford.

Watson, 6 feet 2 and 288 pounds, has made a huge impact at USF (4-1, 0-1) in his first five games, leading the Bulls with 6 1/2 tackles for loss despite not starting a game. He has the most tackles for loss of any true freshman in Division I-A, and coach Skip Holtz said Watson is just beginning to benefit from a college strength room and learning proper technique.

"Sometimes he's unorthodox. His feet are crossed, his shoulders are turned, everything you teach against," Holtz said. "And then he squirms through and finds the ball and makes a play. … (I'm) really impressed with his nose for the ball and the way he plays the game. We knew when we signed him he had a chance to come in and make an impact. I didn't realize it would be as strong as it is. He's outperforming even our highest expectations."

Just as USF liked the family atmosphere surrounding Watson, the player saw the same thing with the Bulls on his campus visit, something that has been reinforced in his first few months on the team.

"To me, family is the most important thing," said Watson, who has 26 total tackles, a high number for a defensive tackle. "Family's like everything."

Scott's relationship with Watson, cultivated through weekly phone calls that often had nothing to do with football or recruiting, helped the Bulls beat Florida and Miami to get Watson, one of the gems of Holtz's second recruiting class. If the coaches are surprised by how well he has played, they're not surprised at how well he has handled himself.

"This kid is rock solid," Scott said. "To have the self-discipline to do the things now he has as a true freshman, he's always had that. The kid has always had the ability to overcome circumstances and adversity. The influence of a lot of uncles, cousins, aunts, just a big family that spends a lot of time together. That was the draw for us."

Watson's mother said "Elkino" means "African king" — he is the only Elkino listed in the state of Florida's registered voter database — though he is affectionately known as "Bubba" to his family, from when his older sister couldn't pronounce "brother" correctly when she was growing up.

He is already a recognizable name for fans after five games, and assistant Kevin Patrick said he is making a case to become a starter. Scott said it's not uncommon for a true freshman to make an impact at a skill position, but to do what Watson has done as a defensive tackle is remarkable.

"To compete to play in the interior line of scrimmage, it's tough," Scott said. "You've got to be made of a little something special to be able to withstand the grind."

By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer
Friday, October 14, 2011

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers surprised no one this afternoon when they elected to place safety Tanard Jackson on the team's active roster.

Jackson had been on the exempt list since being reinstated by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Tuesday following a yearlong substance-abuse suspension. Jackson practiced with the team this week and looked good enough to convince coaches he would help them against the Saints on Sunday.

"It's been a long time coming, " Jackson said. "I'm happy to be back, happy to be activated and with this team this week, giving us the best chance at winning, and being a part of that."

Asked how he managed to make his way back onto the field so quickly after being gone for so long, Jackson said, "Being on the practice field and in this environment and being away from it for that long, I guess I would credit it to just adrenaline. I'm just happy to be out there."

It's not clear whether Jackson will start, but look for him to play extensively at free safety.

By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Friday, October 14, 2011

AUBURN, Ala. — Florida coach Will Muschamp announced Friday afternoon that freshman Jacoby Brissett will be the starting quarterback when the Gators play Auburn tonight.

Brissett got his first start, and his first collegiate experience, last week against No. 1 LSU because of injuries to senior John Brantley and freshman backup Jeff Driskel. He went 8-of-14 for 94 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions.

Muschamp and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis had said Brissett and Driskel would practice this week and they would base their starting decision on which quarterback would give UF the best chance to win.

Weis said it was possible both could play tonight, regardless of who starts.

By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Friday, October 14, 2011

Florida coach Will Muschamp announced today that freshman Jacoby Brissett will be the starting QB when the Gators play at Auburn Saturday at 7 p.m.

Brissett got his first start - and his first collegiate experience - last week against No. 1 LSU after senior John Brantley and freshman backup Jeff Driskel were both injured. He went 8-of-14 for 94 yards, one TD and two interceptions.

Florida coach Will Muschamp and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis said both Brissett and Driskel would practice this week, and they would base their final decision based on which quarterback gave them the best chance to win - based on his performance in practice.

Weis said earlier this week it's possible both could see playing time.

The game will be televised live on ESPN.

By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Friday, October 14, 2011

WATCH OUT FOR …

The Huskies have a solid rushing game, and USF (4-1, 0-1) has the Big East's worst run defense after allowing 307 rushing yards against Pittsburgh.

USF at Connecticut, 3:30 p.m., BHSN, 970-AM

Much like Pittsburgh was 16 days ago, Connecticut (2-4, 0-1 Big East) is more dangerous than its record indicates, having led in the fourth quarter of three of its four losses. The Huskies' pass defense has struggled since CB Blidi Wreh-Wilson was sidelined with an injury two games ago, giving up 450-plus passing yards in the past two losses. USF QB B.J. Daniels, left, did not play in last season's game, with backup Bobby Eveld playing in his absence in his only career start. UConn has won the past two meetings on field goals by Dave Teggart, who is now a senior, in the final 20 seconds. The Huskies are 6-1 all time in Big East home openers.

Greg Auman, Times staff writer

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Friday, October 14, 2011

SUNRISE — Lightning coach Guy Boucher held a meeting Friday morning rather than a practice because he believes the issues facing his team have little to do with X's and O's and strategy.

Rather, Boucher believes those issues are the players' state of mind. He doesn't see the same relentlessness and desperation that drove the Lightning to the Eastern Conference final last season. It's what he calls "sophomore psychology": believing in last year's results instead of the process it took to achieve them.

As a result, Tampa Bay (1-2-1) is under .500 heading into tonight's game against the Panthers, which wraps up a seasonlong five-game road trip.

"Sophomore psychology is thinking you're good; that's why you don't perform," Boucher said. "The problem is, we think we are what we were last year at the end of the year. We're not. We're not at all; we're not the same team.

"It's a different year, different situation. And we've got to grind it out every game. And even if we play at our best and play desperate hockey and give everything we've got, we might lose. Why? Because the other team is desperate and wants to make the playoffs and needs to prove something."

Last year's Lightning had a lot to prove, with a new coaching staff, a new owner, a new general manager and an organization that hadn't been to the playoffs in years. They thrived in the underdog role. Now Tampa Bay is the target.

"We've accomplished something pretty good," Boucher said. "You don't have the same frame of mind, and that's the problem."

That's why the Lightning will likely roll out a different lineup tonight, with forwards Blair Jones and Tom Pyatt expected to be in. Teddy Purcell, who was benched in Thursday's third period of a 5-1 loss to the Islanders for not having the same battle level, could be out.

"You never like to sit on the bench in the third period," Purcell said. "But I have nobody else to blame but myself."

Tampa Bay also needs to stop hurting itself with turnovers, which has plagued it this season. Boucher said the Islanders had 17 scoring chances and nine came directly off Lightning giveaways, "trying to manufacture stuff when there's nothing."

"I know for a fact that the players don't realize how much work it took last year, how many games we won by a goal in overtime and shootout, and it took everything we had to win those games," Boucher said. "We never won because of our skill or overpowering the other team — ever. And every time we … just played the game, we lost."

To get his team to play with more desperation, Boucher tried to "make them realize the big picture" Friday.

"The big picture is we're not going to make the playoffs," Boucher said. "We're far away, but it's that desperation, that's the only reason why you make the playoffs."

Goalie Dwayne Roloson said early season adversity can bring the team together. Boucher calls it a building block of success.

"If you panic and can't see the sun behind the clouds, that's where you drift off and you become worse," Boucher said. "This is a great opportunity for us to live adversity and know why we're good, and that's what we need to do and do it consistently. We aren't doing anything different than last year. We're just starting with a different frame of mind, but it all starts with the frame of mind. That's everything."

By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer
Friday, October 14, 2011

TAMPA — The Bucs placed S Tanard Jackson on the active roster Friday, meaning he'll be available to play Sunday against the Saints.

Jackson had been on the exempt list since being reinstated by commissioner Roger Goodell on Tuesday after a 56-week suspension for at least a third violation of the league's substance-abuse policy.

He practiced this week and looked prepared enough to convince the coaches he could help against New Orleans.

"It's been a long time coming," Jackson said. "I'm happy to be back, happy to be activated and with this team this week, giving us the best chance at winning, and being a part of that."

Asked how he made his way back onto the field so quickly, Jackson said, "I guess I would credit it to just adrenaline. I'm just happy to be out there."

Coach Raheem Morris didn't specify whether Jackson would start. Look for him to play extensively, especially with Saints QB Drew Brees on tap.

"You can't stop him," Morris said of Brees. "This guy is a beast. He is awesome."

FOSTER IMPROVES: The status of rookie Mason Foster became a little clearer as the starting middle linebacker returned to practice for the first time this week.

Foster has been dealing with an ankle injury he sustained Sunday against the 49ers. He missed Wednesday's and Thursday's practices but wasn't limited Friday.

"I practiced (Friday) and got to run around a little bit," Foster said. "It felt good."

Asked how the injury occurred, Foster said, "I was avoiding a cut block and going to make a tackle at the same time. I kind of got rolled up on (from behind). I got up and thought I would be able to play. I guess I was limping too much, and I couldn't run, so they ended up pulling me out. … It's getting better every day. I feel like I'm good to go."

MORE INJURIES: The rest of the team's long injury report:

DT Gerald McCoy (ankle) is out, as expected. McCoy said he would travel with the team to London on Monday and would work toward playing against the Bears on Oct. 23 in England. On Friday, he wasn't wearing the walking boot he had been using.

Also out are TE Luke Stocker (knee) and WR Sammie Stroughter (foot).

RB LeGarrette Blount (knee) is listed as doubtful and not expected to play. His timetable isn't clear, but team officials don't expect the team's primary running back to be out for a long time.

LB Quincy Black, who missed two of the past three games with a recurring ankle injury, is probable after two straight days of full practice.

OT James Lee, who has missed the past four games with a knee injury, also is probable.

Seattle bound: Rookie RB Allen Bradford, released Thursday by the team to make room for Jackson, was claimed off waivers by the Seahawks and coach Pete Carroll, Bradford's college coach at USC. The Bucs had hoped to sign Bradford to their practice squad had he cleared waivers. Bradford was the Bucs' sixth-round pick.



Bucs vs. Saints

4:15 p.m. Sunday, Raymond James Stadium, Tampa. Radio: 620-AM, 103.5 FM Line/over-under: Saints by 4½; 49½

By Bill Hardman, Times Correspondent
Friday, October 14, 2011

Offshore conditions: The heavy rainfall last weekend carried a lot of sediment and particulate out of our coastal areas and into the offshore waters. Usually this means lower water visibility on the offshore reefs and wrecks. However, in a lot of the spots from just north of the Tampa Bay shipping channel to north Clearwater, the visibility has been good. Many divers have had top-to-bottom visibility in depths out to 40 feet, and the fish migration is in full swing.

Cobia, amberjack and more: Cobia are hovering around most of the wrecks and the bigger ledges in depths from 20 feet out to 100 feet. Most of the cobia that we've seen are in the midsize range of 20 to 35 pounds. As more bait moves through the area, the bigger cobia will follow. The water temperature was 77 degrees in 40 feet, and the pelagic fish are cutting up the bait in the water column. Amberjack have started moving in to shallower water, and some of these fish in the 35- to 45-pound class have made some of the wrecks in 50 to 80 feet their new stomping grounds. Hogfish are still darting around the ledges, and gag grouper season is still open. You should be able to find tasty grouper hanging out under the bait balls.

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

Times staff and wires
Friday, October 14, 2011

Other state schools

Miami at North Carolina, 12:30, Ch. 44

The Tar Heels (5-1, 1-1 ACC) can clinch bowl eligibility for the fourth straight season by beating Miami (2-3, 0-2) in a Coastal Division matchup. A win would give North Carolina its best start since the 1997 team also opened 6-1, and it would keep the Tar Heels in contention in the division. The Hurricanes' three losses have come by a combined 15 points.

UCF at SMU, 3:30, Sun Sports

This is a matchup of the defending Conference USA division champs. The Knights (3-2, 1-0) have not allowed a passing touchdown this season, and their defense has surrendered just three touchdowns in all. But UCF will be challenged by quarterback J.J. McDermott; Zach Line, the league's leading rusher, and Darius Johnson, the league's leading receiver for SMU (4-1, 2-0).

Fort Valley State at Bethune-Cookman, 4

The Wildcats (2-3) were held to 5 rushing yards last week, and the offense struggled in B-CU's second consecutive loss. Fort Valley State is 1-5.

W. Kentucky at FAU, 4

FAU (0-5, 0-2 Sun Belt) opens its long-awaited on-campus stadium, a $70 million, 30,000-seat, open-air venue that has chair backs for every seat; 6,000 premium seats, including 24 suites; 26 loge boxes; 1,000 premier club seats, and 4,000 priority club seats. Former Owls will return to see the stadium, including NFL players Rusty Smith and Rob Housler. Western Kentucky is 1-4 overall and 1-1 in the league.

Florida A&M at Savannah State, 7

The Rattlers (3-3, 1-2 MEAC) are led by linebacker Demarius Folsom, who has six sacks and 43 tackles. Savannah State (1-5, 1-2) has struggled under first-year coach Steve Davenport.

Times staff, wires

Times staff and wires
Friday, October 14, 2011

Florida State is No. 1 in Rivals.com's midseason report:

1. Florida State

This was supposed to be the season Florida State returned to national prominence. The Seminoles had 16 starters returning from last season's 10-win team. They were predicted to win the ACC and were ranked fifth in the coaches preseason poll. But after consecutive losses to Oklahoma, Clemson and Wake Forest, they have fallen out of the Top 25. The running game has been awful all season, and the secondary has been shredded in the past two games.

2. Ohio State

With QB Terrelle Pryor bolting town, four starters suspended for the first four games and Luke Fickell taking over as interim coach for ousted Jim Tressel, Ohio State was expected to struggle to some degree. But this is ridiculous. The Buckeyes are 3-3, with two wins over MAC teams, including a 27-22 squeaker over Toledo in which the Rockets had a chance to win in the final minute. The passing attack has been a disaster, and the Buckeyes have an alarming lack of offensive playmakers.

3. Texas A&M

The Aggies entered the season ranked in the top 10 of the media and coaches polls, and they had national championship aspirations. Now they're ranked 23rd in the coaches poll with a 3-2 record. But that's not even the disappointing part. What really hurts is how the Aggies lost their two games: They blew a 17-point halftime lead to Oklahoma State and an 18-point halftime lead to Arkansas. The pass defense has been a sieve, especially in the losses.

Trojans' Lane Kiffin certainly not lacking confidence

Lane Kiffin was 12-6 at Southern Cal before beating Cal 30-9 Thursday but quick to note, "Five games into his second year, Pete Carroll was 9-8."

Carroll was 10-8 after his first 18 and 78-7 the next 6 ½ dominating seasons, "arguably the greatest run in the history of college football," Kiffin, left, says. So how close can a team come to replicating that?

"We're going to do it again," Kiffin says without hesitation, "and it's going to be more special.

"It's going to be more special because we're going to go through all this probation and sanction stuff with everybody writing USC is over and almost getting the death penalty, and we're going to do it again."

Does he really think he can do something like win six of seven BCS bowl games and nearly three national titles in a row?

"Sure we can," he says. "We were here before. We saw exactly how it was done from A to Z.

"There is no doubt in my mind we can do this. The only thing that has changed is the day the NCAA delivered those papers, and now we've gotten through that."

So you're going to be just as successful as Carroll?

"Yes," he says.

Los Angeles Times

By the numbers Penalty edition

12 Penalties against Florida for 90 yards in a 41-11 loss to LSU last week

9.2 Average penalties per game by UF, second in Division I-A

9.4 Average penalties per game by Florida State, which leads Division I-A

8 Penalties on third or fourth down by FSU against Clemson and Wake Forest the past two weeks. FSU had 23 penalties total in those two losses.

81.2 Average yards the Seminoles have been penalized per game

Orlando Sentinel

Friday, October 14, 2011

tom jones' two cents

The latest from the world of sports

The four tops A quick look at four current sports media stars.

Terry Francona

The former Red Sox manager is probably going to end up managing next season, but his two-game stint filling in for Tim McCarver on Fox's American League Championship Series coverage was surprisingly good for someone with no experience.

Brent Musburger

Last week I watched an old NBA playoff game from 1979 and who was doing the play-by-play? Musburger. Now, 32 years later, he calls the best college football game of the week for ABC. And he calls it well.

Mike Emrick

Versus/NBC's lead hockey announcer is the best announcer in sports and great to hear now that the NHL is under way. For all the griping I've done about the NHL needing to return to ESPN, Versus' coverage (thanks to its partnership with NBC) is first-rate and more prominent than what ESPN could offer.

Brian Anderson

No, not the Brian Anderson of the Rays, but the Brian Anderson who is calling play-by-play for TBS's NLCS coverage. Anderson is the Brewers' TV announcer during the season, but he has shown no bias during his call of the Brewers-Cardinals series. His job has been top-notch.

Media tidbits

• ESPN's Pat Forde, who writes and reports on college football and basketball, is leaving ESPN for Yahoo Sports when his contract expires Nov. 1.

• Sports Illustrated's Richard Deitsch reports that truTV will air a documentary next March on Duke's back-to-back national title teams of 1991-92. Duke stars Grant Hill and Christian Laettner are the executive producers.

• Ken Hershman, formerly with Showtime sports, will take over as president of HBO Sports in January. He replaces Ross Greenburg, who is stepping down after 33 years with HBO.

• A new Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel debuts Tuesday on HBO at 10 p.m. Among the stories is a feature on NBA Hall of Famer Jerry West, who talks about his lifelong battle with depression.

• ESPN's E:60 returns next week with shows on Tuesday (7 p.m.) and Wednesday (8 p.m.). Next week's shows include features on Doc Gooden, Santonio Holmes and Patrick Willis.

• Sunday's Outside the Lines (10 a.m., ESPN2) will focus on how high school football has helped the healing and rebuilding of Joplin, Mo., which was struck by a devastating tornado in May.

• Only 1.6 million people watched the Irish play Air Force on NBC last week, the least-viewed Notre Dame game ever on NBC. The Irish won 59-33.

The replacement games

The NBA lockout likely will knock out the first month of the season and now commissioner David Stern is saying Christmas games are in jeopardy if an agreement is not reached next week.

So what does that mean for ESPN/ABC and TNT, which televise NBA games? Well, it's good news for college basketball and football fans. ESPN plans to fill the NBA openings with additional college hoops and football games. Meantime, TNT likely will just continue with its normal nonsports programming.

Three things that popped into my head

1. It's only four games, but the Lighting's play during a 1-2-1 start falls somewhere between troubling and disturbing.

2. The Gators, Bulls, Seminoles, Bucs, Dolphins and Jags are a combined 14-16.

3. Don't you wish the Rays were playing today?

Times wires
Friday, October 14, 2011

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The Mountain West Conference and Conference USA are planning to join forces to secure their future in the rapidly changing football landscape.

The leagues expect to merge their football operations into one megaconference that will probably have between 20 and 24 teams when it gets going in 2013.

The name? They'll come up with one.

Will Boise State and Air Force, among others, stay? They hope.

"I'm just trying to create stability — greater stability — so we're not talking about membership issues," Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson said Friday on a conference call. Thompson and Conference USA commissioner Britton Banowsky said the arrangement will provide the security that top programs need to keep them from jumping ship.

That's clearly the reason for the merger, announced Friday shortly after it came out that Boise State and Air Force, key Mountain West programs, were being courted by the Big East.

"It's a viable option, and it creates stability, and that's what they're looking for," Thompson said. "I can't answer what Air Force will do or won't do, but we're going to put a very attractive opportunity on the table for the United States Air Force Academy."

Thompson and Banowsky said it was too soon to discuss how the sprawling league, which could stretch from West Virginia and Florida to Hawaii, would handle scheduling.

UNC hires AD: The Tar Heels hired Tulsa's Bubba Cunningham as athletic director. Cunningham, who replaces Dick Baddour, will begin Nov. 14 and has a contract through June 2017.

MTSU coordinator quits: Middle Tennessee offensive coordinator Willie Simmons resigned for what the school said was "personal issues" after the Daily News Journal of Murfreesboro reported that he was arrested for aggravated assault.

Idaho State: Running back and return specialist Tavoy Moore said he was dismissed from the team Thursday for complaining at practice that coach Mike Kramer publicly criticizes players. "The way he throws his players under the bus, you've seen it in the media," Moore said. After Saturday's 33-0 loss to Montana, Kramer criticized Moore saying, in part, "Our debonair tailback, who's supposed to be a really good player, frizzled and melted himself off the field."

Southern Cal 30, Cal 9: Matt Barkley threw two touchdown passes and the Trojans (5-1, 3-1 Pac-12) took advantage of five Cal (3-3, 0-3) turnovers in San Francisco to win their eighth straight in the series late Thursday. Southern Cal receiver Marqise Lee (right arm) and leading rusher Marc Tyler (shoulder) left the game with injuries.

UF softball: The NCAA reprimanded Florida coach Tim Walton and former player Kelsey Bruder for unprofessional and unsportsmanlike behavior, saying the pair made disparaging comments about the plate umpire after a loss to Arizona State in Game 1 of the Women's College World Series in June. Walton and Bruder accused Chris Drumm of inconsistent balls and strikes, and a blown call.

St. John's basketball: Coach Steve Lavin did not attend the team's tipoff event as he recovers from prostate cancer surgery.

By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer
Friday, October 14, 2011

I understand you were one of the best players in the nation when you were in high school near Atlanta. Tell us your greatest memory from those days?

I just remember going out and having so much fun. I remember hearing the band and there being certain songs that just got you really crunk.

What was the atmosphere like when you had a big rivalry game?

It's pretty big. You have almost everybody in the school come out to watch. It was definitely loud. It was really, really fun.

When you decided to go to the University of Georgia, was that a pretty big deal around there?

I was kind of considering family and being close to home, so I chose Georgia. And things worked out because I'm here.

There must have been a lot of pressure to go to Georgia, right?

Yeah. And they consider that Tailback U. When I first got there, Musa Smith was leaving, but we had Tony Milton, Michael Cooper, Tyson Browning, then I came in. We (later) got Danny Ware, Thomas Brown and Knowshon Moreno. It was kind of running back by committee. If you kept producing, you stayed on the field. If you weren't, then you didn't play.

I know a little about Georgia fans, so is there a more enthusiastic fan base out there? I wanted to say crazy, but I'm being nice.

They're not crazy. I think they're awesome. Every game, we did the Dawg Walk before the game, and that was unbelievable.

So here are our weekly questions. What's playing the most on your iPod right now?

Actually, it would be a lot of gospel music. I'm an old-school Baptist type, so I listen to LeShaun Pace, John P. Kee. That ol' Southern singing kind of gets me going and helps me stay motivated. I thank God for allowing me to be here in this situation right now.

Is that where you get inspiration from?

All the time. I just think about how many people would love to be in this situation where I'm at right now. I've had to come through a lot of things to get here.

You overcame a lot of injuries in college, right?

Oh, yes. I got labeled an injury guy. That really hurt me. I was out there in the battle fighting, and I got hurt. So that makes you injury-prone?

Okay, so what website do you visit most?

I'm on Yahoo Sports a lot. One of my buddies from high school has a website called exitsports.com. It's a site where you can get sports updates, scores and things like that.

I'm going to leave that alone, but there sounds like there's a story there.

Oh, there's definitely a story there.

Moving on, what reality show do you watch the most?

Basketball Wives, The T.O. Show, Real World: San Diego. Those are the main ones.

What do you do when you're not at One Buc Place?

My hobby is bowling. I love bowling.

You and Earnest Graham.

Yes. And last year when Cadillac (Williams) was here, he, me and Earnest would go all the time. When I was little, I started going with my dad and my brother. I was like 10. We were always competitive with each other. That's one thing I always do when I go back to Atlanta.

How serious of a bowler are you?

I have three bowling balls, a pair of shoes, my gloves, a bag. When I'm out there though, I'm so inconsistent. I might have a 220 (game) and then drop down to 140. Then I can never get back there in the (later) games.

What's with your game? Are you working on this?

I'm working on it. But I can never hit the same spot. I'll blame it on the ball, try to change my steps, and I just lose my mind.

How competitive does it get with you and your family?

Very. It's me, my dad and my brother. Then down here, it's me, Earnest Graham, Myron Lewis, Elbert Mack. Dekoda (Watson) says he can bowl. George Johnson says he can bowl. But I haven't seen them yet.

Who's the best bowler on the team? You?

I would love to say me, but I'm so inconsistent. I would say Myron Lewis.

What's your highest game ever?

I had a 256 when I was in Green Bay. I used to go with Greg Jennings, James Jones and Brett Swain. Greg Jennings and James Jones are really good. They can bowl like 280. I can't keep up.

By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer
Friday, October 14, 2011

TAMPA — Long before the carnage of the Bucs' 48-3 shellacking at San Francisco unfolded on Sunday, there came a moment that probably seemed insignificant, but was far from it.

The Bucs won the opening coin toss, received the ball and began their first possession. They faced third and 2 from their 28-yard line. Quarterback Josh Freeman hit receiver Preston Parker for a 6-yard gain, a first down. It seemed like a promising start given the many three-and-outs the Bucs have endured early in games.

In the end, though, it was nothing but a big letdown.

A flag was thrown just after the snap. Receiver Mike Williams was guilty of illegal motion, a 5-yard penalty. The Bucs failed to convert the resulting third-and-7 play and punted.

It's a scenario that keeps playing out with alarming frequency. The Bucs are the second-worst offenders in the NFL when it comes to penalties (44) and penalty yardage (360). The league average is 31 penalties for 261 yards.

And Tampa Bay's timing stinks. Too often, penalties have negated first downs, touchdowns or key defensive stops. In those scenarios, the Bucs are left wondering what might have been if they'd only been more disciplined.

"I hate to point back to any one instance, but the penalty at the start of the game last week, you never know if we had converted that first down, had we not jumped offside, what the situation would have been," offensive coordinator Greg Olson said. "(There's) momentum and all those things, having to not play from behind, all that. It just changes the game entirely."

Olson is not suggesting the lack of an early 5-yard penalty would have been the difference in a 45-point loss, but his comment reflects a frustration with the rate at which the Bucs have faced such situations.

There have been far too many avoidable penalties: false starts, illegal shifts and illegal motion and defensive offside.

Actually, they should rarely happen at all.

"If you're having mental penalties, you definitely need to focus more," left tackle Donald Penn said. "We all know that. With the mental stuff, there should be a minimum of mental penalties. It should just be physical stuff. But we've been just hurting ourselves. We understand that, and we're making it a priority to get better."

Getting to the heart of the issue isn't easy. Why is this happening? And what can be done?

Coach Raheem Morris has some thoughts. He points mostly to anxiety, with players such as Gerald McCoy and Brian Price — both coming off rookie-year injuries — among those who jumped offside. Other penalties might be the result of players pressing too much.

"On offense, (they're thinking) 'I have to make a big play. I have to get downfield," Morris said. "And then you leave early or line up wrong. The problem we're having as coaches is that it's happening early. And when it happens early, you really have no excuse. Those are the plays you talked about the night before that you knew you were going to run."

Veteran center Jeff Faine had a different theory.

"This could be about being a young team in the sense that maybe they think it's going to just come easy, like you can just coast through this," he said. "(They're thinking) 'I've done this before, blah, blah.' We're young, but there was more focus last year, with guys working hard to learn the plays and the offense and defense.

"Maybe they just relaxed a little bit and said, 'I got this.' Well, no, that's not the case. Things change. Defenses and offenses change. You have to adjust. I don't know if that's the case, but either way, it's a lack of focus."

The Bucs have had two touchdowns negated by penalties, both called against receiver Arrelious Benn. In other cases, opponents' scoring drives were kept alive by unnecessary infractions.

In a league where yardage is difficult to come by, it isn't exactly a recipe for success.

"It's definitely a problem," Faine said. "We've shot ourselves in the foot in games. We have to pay attention to details. And that was definitely harped upon this week."

Stephen F. Holder can be reached at sholder@sptimes.com.

Times wires
Friday, October 14, 2011

NEW YORK — The Big East plans to invite UCF as a member to compete in all sports, according to various reports.

UCF is a constant in invitation reports. It's the other Big East invitees that are up in the air.

Boise State, Air Force and Navy will be invited as football-only members, the Associated Press reported, after the Big East doubles the exit fee for current members to $10 million. Invitations could go out next week.

But ESPN reported late Friday that Houston and SMU — like UCF, members of Conference USA — will join the Knights in receiving Big East invites for all sports. Air Force and Boise State will be invited as football-only members, ESPN reported.

The Big East informed Houston, SMU, Air Force and Boise State that if all four agree to join, the remaining schools would agree to an increase in the exit fee from $5 million to the $10 million range to show a commitment to the incoming schools, ESPN said. However, the six remaining football-playing schools — USF, Louisville, Cincinnati, West Virginia, Rutgers and Connecticut — won't commit to raising the fee unless all four commit to joining.

The Big East also is working on a separate deal with Navy, ESPN reported, but the Midshipmen are skeptical of accepting. The Big East was considering adding MAC member Temple, but that is a backup plan now, ESPN said.

Big East commissioner John Marinatto was in Cincinnati on Friday meeting with UCF's president and athletic director. Conferences do not publicly invite new members unless they are confident those invitations will be accepted.

The Big East announced this week it wanted to expand to 12 football schools. Pittsburgh and Syracuse have announced they will leave for the ACC, though Big East rules require them to stay for the next two seasons, and Marinatto has said he will hold the Panthers and Orange to that.

However, that seems unlikely if the league can grow to 12 teams for next season without them.

Big East officials made protecting the league's automatic bid to the Bowl Championship Series their expansion priority. That pushed Boise State, in its first season in the Mountain West after a decade in the WAC, to the top of the Big East's most-wanted list, along with the service academies.

Big East officials believe putting Boise State's record (71-5 since 2006) on their ledger when the BCS reviews which leagues should have automatic bids beyond 2013 should allow the conference to make the cut.

The Mountain West does not have an automatic BCS bid. Nor does Conference USA. Those leagues announced Friday they would "consolidate" their football operations into one megaconference that would probably have 20-24 teams when it gets going in 2013.

C-USA commissioner Britton Banowsky said the president of UCF took part in his conference's vote and that he and Marinatto have been in contact about UCF.

"I hope UCF will stay," he said. "But if a school feels like it's in a better situation somewhere else, that's okay."

C-USA officials told the Orlando Sentinel the earliest the Knights could leave and begin play elsewhere would be 2013. UCF would have to pay about $7 million in exit fees.

Trying to recruit members has been tricky for the Big East because its remaining members might also be looking for new homes.

Louisville and West Virginia are possible targets for the Big 12 if it needs to replace Missouri, which is pondering a move to the SEC, or decides to expand back to 12 teams. UConn has interest in joining the ACC if it expands again.

Times wires
Friday, October 14, 2011

CONCORD, N.C. — Kurt Busch learned his crew chief was leaving right before NASCAR's title race began two years ago. The impending split never distracted him, and Busch won a race and finished fourth in the final 2009 standings.

He could be forced to do the same thing again this year.

Busch, sixth in the Sprint Cup standings, goes into tonight's race at Charlotte Motor Speedway surrounded by whispers that crew chief Steve Addington will bolt at the end of the season. The Charlotte Observer reported that Addington is not likely to return in 2012.

Addington, who replaced Pat Tryson at the end of the 2009 season, did not want to discuss his job status.

"I have no comment on the story that's written off pure rumors and speculation that has no leg to stand on," Addington said Friday.

Busch, 33, was even less talkative. He emerged from his hauler right before Friday's practice and headed directly to his car.

"I don't want to talk to you guys," he said.

Busch is only 16 points behind leader Carl Edwards, but there's no room for error now.

Edwards, Kevin Harvick and five-time defending series champion Jimmie Johnson have established themselves as the strongest in the field. The verdict is still out on Tony Stewart, who opened the Chase for the Championship with consecutive wins but is now seventh in points.

Brad Keselowski and Matt Kenseth, ranked fourth and fifth in points, keep hanging around, as does Busch, who beat rival Johnson at Dover this month.

But team owner Roger Penske worried Friday that Busch's effort could be harmed by the Addington rumors.

"I don't know how this stuff gets started," Penske told ESPN.com from Las Vegas, where his IndyCar team is preparing for Sunday's season finale. "But it's unfortunate because it's a big distraction to the team in the middle of the Chase."

As for Busch's younger brother Kyle, who opened the 10-race title hunt tied with Harvick atop the standings but has fallen to eighth after four straight finishes outside the top five, there is still confidence because he has gotten the worst of his tracks behind him.

"Charlotte is one of my favorite tracks, so we're always excited about being able to get back here," he said. "It's a good opportunity for us to have a good weekend."

By Don Jensen, Times Correspondent
Friday, October 14, 2011

OLDSMAR — The foundation has been poured. Forty-nine days from now, Tampa Bay Downs will begin to see how the construction of its 86th thoroughbred season holds up.

Opening day for the 2011-12 campaign is Dec. 3, one of the Downs' earliest in recent years. Several adjustments have been made to the stakes schedule, and money has been added to seven stakes, boosting the 25-race stakes program to $2,595,000. The 92-day meet concludes May 6.

The Downs' opener coincides with the debut of racing at Gulfstream Park. The Hallandale Beach track traditionally began its meet in January, but it reached a deal this year with Calder in Miami Gardens for the December dates. The Downs will not have live racing Monday and Tuesday.

Headed by the Grade II $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby, the Downs will have five graded stakes (the others are Grade III). Among those races, the $250,000 Sam F. Davis, $150,000 Endeavour and $150,000 Tampa Bay Stakes received $25,000 boosts. Nongraded events with similar purse upgrades are the $150,000 Florida Oaks, $100,000 Gasparilla, $100,000 Pasco and $100,000 Suncoast.

A key stakes date change involves Festival Preview Day, featuring the Sam F. Davis, Endeavour and Florida Oaks. Those races are now Feb. 4, creating a five-week break between the Sam F. Davis and the Tampa Bay Derby on March 10. In the past six years, the two Kentucky Derby preps were four weeks apart. The Tampa Bay Derby highlights Festival Day and will be joined by the Hillsborough and Suncoast. The Tampa Bay Stakes (Feb. 25) and $50,000 Wayward Lass (March 17) have swapped spots. Cotillion Festival Day, a card for 2-year-olds led by the $75,000 Inaugural and $75,000 Sandpiper, will be two weeks earlier, Dec. 10.

Stakes racing starts Dec. 3 with the $75,000 Lightning City and wraps up April 7 with Florida Cup Day and six $75,000 events: Sophomore, Sophomore Turf, Sophomore Fillies, Sprint, Turf Classic and Turf Distaff. Nine stakes are slated for the turf course. The Downs' barn area opens Nov. 3, with the first day of training Nov. 10.

More horses: The In Reality (Race 12, 5:34 p.m.) and My Dear Girl (Race 11, 5:07), both $300,000 finales in the Florida Stallion Stakes, top the Festival of the Sun program today at Calder in Miami Gardens. … In the nation's only Grade I race, Oldsmar trainer Tom Proctor saddles Marketing Mix in the $400,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (Race 9, 5:45, Ch. 8) at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky. … Black Belt, who has Oldsmar connections with trainer Gerald Bennett and jockey Ronnie Allen Jr., is entered in the $500,000 Classic (Race 8, 10:45), the main race on the West Virginia Breeders' Classics $1.3 million all-stakes card at Charles Town.

Dogs: Kennels are preparing pups for the $20,000 Fall Juvenile on Oct. 29-Nov. 12 at Derby Lane in St. Petersburg.