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5A-12 district basketball: Northeast upsets Bogie's postseason plans, moves on to face Gibbs

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Chris Girandola, Times Correspondent
Thursday, February 10, 2011

LARGO — Northeast pulled off a stunning 65-59 victory Wednesday over Boca Ciega in the Class 5A-12 district semifinals that abruptly ended the season for the Pirates (22-3), a team many had predicted would make a run at a state title.

Northeast coach Dave Redding, who is in his 31st year as head coach, called it the biggest upset in Pinellas County history as the Vikings (12-15) held Pirates guard Dallas Moore, who had scored 30 in each of his past three games, to just three points.

"I don't know if I should jump in excitement or cry in joy," said Northeast forward Andres Sanchez, who scored a game-high 27 and grabbed 12 rebounds. "No one gave us a chance, but we knew we could play with them."

The Vikings (12-15), who had lost by double digits in three regular-season losses to the Pirates, built an early seven-point lead, but then fell victim to a 25-3 run by the Pirates. The Pirates were poised to run away with things when Kenny Smith (20 points) hit a jumper to make the score 46-30.

Patrick Mitchell then made a layup and Sanchez scored the Vikings' next 14 points during a 16-2 run. The Vikings broke through on a layup by Harris for a 57-56 lead with a little less than two minutes to play. The Pirates turned the ball over on their next two possessions.

Smith hit a 3-pointer with a minute left to bring the Pirates within two, but the Vikings sealed the game on two free throws and a layup off a missed jumper by the Pirates.

Kyonn Smith scored 21 and had 17 rebounds to lead the Pirates.

Northeast will face Gibbs on Friday after the Gladiators earned a 65-60 comeback victory over Largo. Quincy Ford scored 25 and Gary Simon 18 as Gibbs recovered from a 16-point deficit in the second quarter.


Sports on TV/Radio

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Times staff
Thursday, February 10, 2011

TODAY

College basketball

Florida State at Georgia Tech, 7 p.m., ESPN2; 1040-AM

Penn State at Michigan State, 7 p.m., Big Ten

Connecticut at St. John's, 7 p.m., ESPN

Wright State at Butler, 7 p.m., ESPNU

Illinois at Minnesota, 9 p.m., ESPN

Alabama at Vanderbilt, 9 p.m., ESPN2

Gonzaga at Loyola Marymount, 11 p.m., ESPN2

Oregon State at Southern Cal, 11 p.m., FSN

Saint Mary's at Santa Clara, 11 p.m., ESPNU

College basketball, women

Florida at Tennessee, 7 p.m., Sun Sports

Tulsa at Alabama-Birmingham, 9 p.m., CBSCS

Vanderbilt at Georgia (taped), 11:30 p.m., BHSN

Golf

European: Dubai Desert Classic, 9:30 a.m., Golf

PGA: Pebble Beach Pro-Am, 3 p.m., Golf

High school soccer, girls

Class 2A final: Delray Beach American Heritage vs. Winter Park Trinity Prep, 7:30 p.m., BHSN

Horses

Trackside Live: Tampa Bay Downs, 3 p.m., Sun Sports

NBA

Lakers at Celtics, 8 p.m., TNT

Mavericks at Nuggets, 10:30 p.m., TNT

NHL

Kings at Penguins, 7 p.m., NHL

TV: BHSN: Bright House Sports Network; CBSCS: CBS College Sports Network; ESPND: FSN: Fox Sports Net

USF Bulls to open new softball stadium on Feb. 24

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By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, February 10, 2011

Turns out, USF Bulls fans will have to wait a little bit longer to check out the new softball complex.

The Bulls women's softball team's game with N.C. State scheduled for Thursday has been cancelled, with their season opener now this weekend's USF Wilson-DeMarini Tournament Friday through Sunday at the Eddie C. Moore Complex in Clearwater. USF will also host the USF Tournament (Feb 18-20) at Eddie C. Moore before opening their new stadium Feb. 24 against Central Connecticut.

Admission for the tournaments at Eddie C. Moore is free.

As many as four Tampa Bay Lightning players could be out for Saturday's game

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By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, February 10, 2011

The Tampa Bay Lightning is going to be severely shorthanded when it faces the Carolina Hurricanes Saturday at the St. Pete Times Forum.

Coach Guy Boucher all but confirmed center Nate Thompson has at least a mild concussion from a hit during Sunday's win over the Blues. Defenseman Mike Lundin is out "indefinitely" because of what sounds as if it is a severe abdominal strain, and wing Ryan Malone, hurt during Tuesday's loss to the Sabres, might be out until the playoffs with a stomach muscle injury, the severity of which and whether he might need surgery still is being evaluated.

Defenseman Matt Smaby's situation is a bit unsettled. He took an inadvertent knee in the private parts from Buffalo's Tyler Ennis in the first period Tuesday. He practice Thursday, but Boucher said he is not sure Smaby will play.

"Lots of (frozen) peas," Smaby said of his treatment. "It's coming along."

Regardless of the specifics, that's a lot of manpower on the sidelines.

"We're hurting," Boucher said.

Expect at least one call-up from AHL Norfolk, most likely Johan Harju.

"It's tough to replace guys like that," center Vinny Lecavalier said. "Everybody is going to have to step out of the box and do these things to help the missing parts. The team's done it so well all year, from when I was hurt and when (Simon Gagne) was hurt. Guys really stepped up, especially this time of year, everybody has to do more than they usually do, especially with the injuries that we have."

NFL players, owners disagree on 18-game season; Will it happen? Should it?

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By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, February 10, 2011

After a regular season featuring 17 weeks of thrills and a postseason capped by an entertaining Super Bowl with a record-breaking TV audience, it might seem a no-brainer to give America what it can't get enough of:

More NFL.

That's what the league says is behind its push to expand the regular season from 16 to 18 games. Though there are other issues, that one has become a major sticking point in the ongoing labor fight between owners and players and threatens to bring the world's most lucrative sports enterprise to a standstill.

Commissioner Roger Goodell seems intent on making the change. Players continue to band together in staunch opposition.

Will it happen? Should it happen?

There are few absolutes. In fact, the only thing that is clear is the sides' disparate points of view.

The league's owners have approached the issue by appealing to fans' disdain for meaningless preseason games. The current proposal would reduce the four-game preseason to two, replacing the final two preseason games with two additional regular-season contests.

"Repeatedly, the fans have said the quality of the preseason doesn't meet NFL standards," Goodell said during his Super Bowl address last week. "That is one of the basis on which we started to look at the 18-and-two concept, by taking two of those low-quality, noncompetitive (preseason) games and turn those into quality, competitive (regular season) games that the fans want to see.

"I feel an obligation to make sure we are doing the best we can to present the best football."

Goodell has targeted season-ticket holders in particular, because they are charged full price for preseason games.

The NFL Players Association, whose members are preparing to be locked out by owners when the collective bargaining agreement expires in three weeks on March 3, is steadfastly against the proposal. It contends more regular-season games will result in an increase in injuries and shortened careers.

They cite rising injury numbers. Union data said 352 players ended this season on injured reserve, including 13 Buccaneers (up from 250 overall in 2009). Among those players, a total of 3,278 games were missed, each player averaging 9.5 games on IR.

"You can't paint the picture any clearer than that," said George Atallah, NFLPA assistant executive director of external affairs.

While the total number of games (preseason and regular season) would remain at 20, the cumulative effect of playing more regular-season games will be absorbed mostly by prominent players. They play sparingly in the preseason when rosters can have as many as 80 players, spreading out the wear and tear. When the regular season begins, rosters are capped at 53 as starters play their requisite 40 or 50 snaps.

Over the years, the toll of two additional games could add up.

"We had 352 active players finish on injured reserve," said Browns linebacker Scott Fujita, a member of the union's influential executive committee. "That's a really, really high number. And the way 18 games so far has been proposed, with no consideration for players and post-career benefits, making sure players are taken care of over the long haul … it's disappointing.

"It feels like a slap in the face."

Fujita added that players currently receive five years of health coverage after their careers end, but, "When I talk to players who retired, eight, nine, 10 years ago, a lot of those guys didn't really have any issues in their first five years post-career. A lot of issues started … eight, nine, 10 years post-career when you've got to get another knee operation, or you've got to get a knee replacement or hip replacement. Those are the things that cost a whole lot of money."

Fewer preseason games also means marginal players trying to make the roster will have less of an opportunity to prove themselves to coaches.

But to a great extent, this fight hinges on the same issue holding up the labor negotiations: money.

For all the talk of giving fans what they want, owners openly acknowledge they want to expand the season because they think it will result in additional revenue. And players seem willing to discuss the expansion if they believe they are being adequately compensated — despite their health and safety concerns.

It's difficult to say how much an expanded regular season would impact revenues, but one expert says it might not create an automatic windfall.

"I don't think that's the case at all," said Scott Rosner, academic director of the Wharton Sports Business Academy at the University of Pennsylvania.

"You're not expanding your gate receipts (because the number of total games doesn't change). You can argue that, locally, you could see a marginal increase in concessions and in stadium sponsorships being worth more because the preseason games aren't well attended. But the real increases would come from national media. We're talking about television revenues seeing a proportional increase."

Rosner agreed that, in the short term, 18 regular-season games could make financial sense. But he urged caution in the long term: "One of the reasons the NFL is so successful is because they have the perfect formula — 16 games in 17 weeks. You're certainly concerned about diluting the product. You have to wonder whether there's going to be the same demand.

"It's certainly not a risk-free endeavor."

Given the sizable gulf between the sides, this also is an endeavor that's a long way from becoming reality.

Tampa Bay Lightning learning to manage emotional, in-game situations

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By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, February 10, 2011

TAMPA — Lightning players were supposed to have Wednesday off, but coach Guy Boucher had other ideas.

After Tuesday's implosion, in which Tampa Bay allowed six consecutive goals, including five in the third period and three in 102 seconds in a 7-4 loss to the Sabres, it was time to talk. But instead of coming down hard, Boucher used a video session to turn it into a teachable moment.

"If you look at it with a calm mind and approach, yes, things didn't go our way," Boucher said after Thursday's practice at the St. Pete Times Forum. "What you have to control is how you react to that. We didn't react well."

"He brought us in," captain Vinny Lecavalier said, "to make us understand that we got away from our game by being emotional, by losing our focus."

Things went haywire Tuesday after Jordan Leopold scored 4:26 into the third period to tie the score 3-3.

Lightning goaltender Dwayne Roloson was knocked down on the play by Buffalo's Drew Stafford. But the referees let the goal stand because Stafford hit Roloson after he was tripped by Tampa Bay defenseman Marc-Andre Bergeron.

It was the correct call, but Lightning players admitted they lost their composure.

They pushed so hard to get goals back, they lost the structure of their game plan, took chances and turned over the puck, which resulted in more Sabres goals.

"With all the emotions we went through, we weren't focused on the task," Lecavalier said.

Given that games will be even more intense as teams jockey for playoff spots and positions, and that the playoffs themselves are a roller coaster of emotional ups and downs, Tampa Bay must learn how to consistently manage those situations.

Especially with a team that, really, isn't deep enough to compensate when any part of the whole — in Tuesday's case structured team defense — is not working properly.

"It comes down to doing those little things all the time," defenseman Randy Jones said. "When you don't, it's going to cost you games and cost you points and possible playoff position. We have to fix up all those little loose ends now before it's too late."

Thus, the teachable moment.

"We need these games," Boucher said. "If you're always winning and things are going great, that's not when you're learning. You're just riding a wave, and when the wave falls down, you don't know how to swim back and get another."

"So the basic message (Wednesday) was that we sabotaged ourselves," he added. "We like to think nobody is going to beat us if we don't sabotage ourselves because it makes us think we have control over things, and we do."

Like Boucher controls when players get and don't get days off.

Not that players minded losing Wednesday's to deconstruct a bad loss.

"Not at all," Lecavalier said.

"You want to get it out of the way. We went through it. We talked about it. It's over. I thought it was a good thing to do."

Damian Cristodero can be reached at cristodero@sptimes.com. Check out his blog at tampabay.com/blogs/lightning.

Pay attention to marine weather advisories

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By Terry Tomalin, Times Outdoors Editor
Thursday, February 10, 2011

Some people say that predicting the weather is voodoo science at best.

I disagree.

There is one surefire way to guarantee wind, rain and unseasonably cold temperatures: Ask me to go fishing.

I'm not saying I'm jinxed, cursed or simply unlucky, but when it comes to bad weather, lately I've been batting 1.000.

Twenty years ago, when I first started on the outdoors beat, rainouts drove me crazy. It seemed like every time I planned an adventure, be it a long-distance grouper trip or a simple paddle down a local river, things got ugly.

Once, heading offshore to dive a blue-water spring, my companions and I found ourselves in the path of a slow-moving waterspout.

For 20 minutes we did our best to avoid the swirling cone of destruction. Then, when we finally appeared to be clear, the waterspout split in two.

Fearing the end was near, I revealed my status as a Jonah, a person whose presence onboard is thought to bring bad luck. My "friends" (and I use that term loosely) talked about tossing me overboard to lighten the load and, hopefully, appease Poseidon.

Then, as quickly as they had appeared, the twin tornadoes joined again and then vanished into the gray winter sky.

The incident, though it happened more than a decade ago, still lives fresh in my mind, for it taught me two lessons.

First, choose your friends wisely. And second, when it comes to winter weather, hedge your bets. I've learned that it is better to be safe than sorry.

If I hear the phrase "small craft advisory," I leave boating for another day and instead put on my wetsuit, grab my surfboard and head to the beach to catch some waves.

It is definitely frustrating trying to plan anything outdoors during these winter months.

Few people are affected more by weather than boaters and fishermen. An unexpected change in winds, seas or visibility can threaten the safety of a vessel and its crew.

The National Weather Service, an arm of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, does a great job of providing marine weather warnings and forecasts to mariners.

In general, local weather patterns are fairly predictable. In the fall, winter and spring, cold fronts roll in from the north anywhere from several days to more than a week apart. The problem is these forecasts can be off by hours, sometimes even days, which can wreak havoc on even the most experienced boaters and anglers.

So I've learned that you have to be flexible. To steal a line from Elvis Costello, when it comes to winter weather … I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused.

So here are a few weather-related tools to use and tips to keep in mind:

Check the advisories

A couple of familiar advisories we get here in Florida:

Small craft advisory: Forecast of sustained winds 20 to 33 knots and/or seas over 7 feet.

Gale warning: Forecast of sustained winds of 34 to 47 knots.

Storm warning: Forecast of sustained winds of 48 to 63 knots, not associated with a tropical cyclone.

Buy a weather radio

Tap into the nationwide network of radio stations broadcasting continuous weather information direct from the National Weather Service to keep yourself informed. You can get warnings, watches, forecasts and other hazard information 24 hours a day. National Weather Radio is an "all hazards" radio network, making it a single source for comprehensive weather and emergency information. Weather radios come in various forms (powered by the sun, batteries or by winding them up). Many people have more than one — one for the house or tackle box, another for the boat. The cost can be as low as $10. Whenever you're out on the water, check it periodically.

Check the buoys

Buoys and land sites provide measurements of wind temperature, pressure and, at some locations, wave height. This information gives you a good idea about what the conditions are offshore and how they might change. A buoy a 100 miles out can let you know what's on the way. The National Data Buoy Center information is at ndbc.noaa.gov/rmd.shtml.

Eye out for lightning

Peak season in Florida runs May through September, but it's not uncommon for lighting to be associated with winter cold fronts. According to the National Weather Service, we average about 50 lightning strikes per square mile, making the Tampa Bay area the lightning capital of the United States.

More than 60 people are killed each year by lightning in the United States (roughly eight to 10 of those are in Florida), according weather service data. That's more than are killed by tornadoes or hurricanes.

Most lightning occurs in the afternoon, so the best advice for boaters is to get off the water when those large, anvil-shaped cumulus clouds form on the horizon.

If you hear thunder, you are probably too close for comfort so head in. If you are caught in a storm, stay low in the boat. Stop fishing, and keep your hands and legs out of the water. Disconnect electronics if possible and lower your antenna until the storm passes.

Captains corner: Monitor structure for congregating sheepshead

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By Doug Hemmer, Times Correspondent
Thursday, February 10, 2011

What's hot: Now is a good time to scout different areas for large numbers of sheepshead. They are moving into the gulf to spawn. Check the docks and rock piles that line a pass. And check the markers, rocky bottom and artificial reefs closest to shore. Look for areas where the water is clear. Idle the boat close enough to see if there are fish hanging near the pilings or swimming around the rocks.

Locations: Some of the best areas for sheepshead have been inside John's Pass, the docks and rocky shore of Blinds Pass, Demens Landing, artificial reefs at the mouth of Tampa Bay and the rock piles at Egmont Key.

Bait: Sheepshead eat crabs, clams, bloodworms, tubeworms and shrimp. Shrimp are easy baits to obtain. Chop the head and tail into small pieces. Then use the center cuts for bait. The small pieces can be used for chum. Throw the small pieces up current of the fish. The scent will put them in a feeding mood. It will also get them to school closer to the boat. The center cuts should be free-lined and cast up current so they drift into the same area you just chummed. If the current is too strong, use a small split shot on the line to help the bait stay where the sheepshead are schooling.

When you see the line start moving or feel a small tug on the rod tip, set the hook. Sheepshead are well-known bait stealers, so pay close attention to your line and rod tip.

Doug Hemmer charters out of St. Petersburg and can be reached at (727) 347-1389.


Outdoors news and notes

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By Rodney Page, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, February 10, 2011

Making news

FWC on lookout for illegal sale of Game Online

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission issued a reminder that buying or selling wild game meat online is illegal. "We are running into this quite frequently in our Internet Crimes Unit," said Lt. George Wilson, head of that unit for the FWC. "People are posting ads, asking to buy meat, from deer and ducks, for example." A popular new pet diet may be escalating the problem. The diet, referred to as the "prey model," calls for hormone-free, natural meat for dogs. This leads pet owners to look for wild game meat, often on the Internet. "Not only is this a violation, it is also a safety concern for people who purchase wild game meat online for themselves or their pets," Wilson said. "People who purchase the meat don't know the sanitary conditions in which it was processed." To report wildlife law violations, visit www.myfwc.com/law/alert or call toll-free 1-888-404-3922.

Upcoming

Birding takes flight this time of year

The Clearwater Audubon Society is offering plenty of birdwatching opportunities next month, and it starts with a walk through Moccasin Lake Nature Park in Clearwater on March 5. This easy, ¾-mile trail is ideal for beginning and advanced birders alike. There are two large ponds, a stream, and a nature center that houses turtles and injured birds. The group is also offering a Shorebird Identification Class at Honeymoon Island State Park in Dunedin on March 5 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. There are other trips planned for throughout the month. For information, go to http://clearwateraudubon.org/index.php or contact Marianne Korosy at (727) 742-1683 or mkorosy@gmail.com.

Rodney Page, Times staff writer

Dr. Remote

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Times staff
Thursday, February 10, 2011

Studio 42 With Bob Costas: 8 p.m. on MLB Network. A conversation with legend Willie Mays.

Friday Night Fights: 9 p.m. on ESPN2. From Montreal, the main event is a 10-round welterweight bout between Shamone Alvarez (21-3, 12 KOs) and Antonin Decarie (24-1, 7 KOs).

Stan Heath Show: 11:30 p.m. on Sun Sports. Yikes, things are not going well over at USF.

City of the day

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Times staff
Thursday, February 10, 2011

City of the day

Quebec City on Thursday announced plans for a new arena in hopes of attracting a new NHL team. Government officials expect the arena to be completed in four years. The NHL has not committed to placing a team in Quebec City, which was home to the Nordiques from 1979-95 before moving to Denver and becoming the Colorado Avalanche.

Ain't that tweet

According to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Super Bowl XLV on Sunday was the most tweeted sporting event of all time. The tweet-per-second record was set at 10:07 and 16 seconds Eastern time when 4,064 went out about the game. The previous record had been last summer's World Cup group stage game between Japan and Denmark. It's believed that record was broken at least six times during the Super Bowl.

Shooting from the lip

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By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer

Shooting from the lip

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Coverage of the day

If you have watched Versus' NHL coverage this week, you've seen some new things that, actually, look familiar.

NBC, whose merger with Comcast last week means it now owns Versus, is bringing its hockey approach to Versus. Essentially, Versus' coverage now looks like NBC's critically acclaimed hockey coverage.

Besides having NBC announcers Mike Emrick, Ed Olczyk and Pierre McGuire calling games occasionally as well as having NBC studio analyst Mike Milbury in the studio, the most noticeable change is having an analyst located at ice level between the two benches. Brian Engblom, who had been a studio analyst for Versus, is moving to a new role between the benches and made his debut there Tuesday night for the Lightning-Sabres game in Tampa.

"I love the concept,'' Engblom said. "And it works perfectly for me because I've always been a 'feel' guy when it comes to calling a game, and there's no better place to get a feel of a game than at ice level.''

NBC introduced the ice-level analyst a few years ago, and the vantage point brings a whole new perspective, even for broadcasters who have been around the game a long time such as Engblom, who spent a dozen years playing and the past 18 as a broadcaster.

"It's great for all of us Monday morning quarterbacks,'' Engblom said. "The game looks so much slower and wide open when you're sitting up in the press box. But when you're down there, you're reminded of how quick everything is and how big the players are these days. We sit up top, and we rip a guy for making a bad pass. But when you're at ice level, you can sometimes understand why things like that happen.

"You say, 'How can a guy make that pass? Didn't he see that (opponent)?' At ice level, you realize, no, he couldn't see that (opponent). It really does give the analyst a great perspective, and he can pass that perspective along to the viewer.''

The NHL's cable contract with Versus and its network deal with NBC is up after the season, and it's believed other outlets are interested in the NHL. However, don't be surprised if the NHL extends its contracts with NBC and Versus, especially now that NBC has beefed up Versus' coverage while it negotiates with the NHL.

NBC and Versus are working on a deal that would allow them to keep the NHL for at least another four years. That looks to be a good thing for the NHL considering how much NBC seems dedicated to covering hockey.

Plans of the day

Good news for fans of the NCAA men's basketball tournament. CBS and Turner Sports unveiled their plans Thursday for covering it this season and announced every single game can be seen from start to finish.

To make that happen, the games will be spread out over four channels: CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV. CBS will carry 26 games (including all three Final Four games) while TBS will show 16, truTV 13 and TNT 12.

Meanwhile, starting times will be staggered so fewer games overlap. There still could be several games being played at one time. But ideally, viewers will have a better opportunity to flip to the final few minutes of most games instead of choosing to watch just one.

In addition, look for later starting times on the weekends, especially the first Saturday and Sunday of the tournament.

Apology of the day

CBS NFL analyst Phil Simms, below, apologized for his dustup Saturday with ESPN college football analyst Desmond Howard.

Simms and Howard had words at the Super Bowl because Simms was upset Howard made disparaging on-air remarks about Simms' son Matt, a quarterback at Tennessee. The story gained traction after Howard talked about the incident via Twitter.

"I'm sorry it happened," Simms said. "I really am. Even if it remained private, there's still nothing to be gained."

Sport of the day

According to USA Today, TNT and ESPN are on track to make the 2010-11 NBA season cable's most-watched NBA season ever. TNT is averaging close to 2 million viewers a game while ESPN is averaging about 1.7 million viewers. Meantime, ABC is averaging 8.1 million viewers a game, a 33 percent increase over a year ago. Why are ratings up? The best guess is the Heat, with new addition LeBron James, has become a top draw for all of the networks. Love 'em or hate 'em, the Heat has become a team basketball fans want to see.

Comedian of the day

Stand-up comedian, actor and former Saturday Night Live cast member Norm MacDonald will host a new sports show on Comedy Central. The show, Sports Show With Norm MacDonald, will feature MacDonald cracking jokes and generally giving his opinion about sports in front of a live studio audience. Comedy Central has dialed up eight episodes for a show that is expected to debut in April.

Hall of Famer of the day

The World Golf Hall of Fame announced that former CBS Sports producer Frank Chirkinian will be inducted May 9 for lifetime achievement. Chirkinian was elected in an emergency vote when it was learned he is undergoing treatment for advanced lung cancer. Golf fans likely have never heard of Chirkinian, but they certainly know his work. A golf producer at CBS from 1969-96, Chirkinian is credited with placing microphones on the tee boxes and using blimp shots — two standard features of any televised PGA Tour event these days.

Three things that popped into my head

1. The Cavaliers have lost 26 games in a row to tie the 1976-77 Bucs for the longest losing streak in North American pro sports. Their next two games are at home: tonight against the Clippers (20-32 and 4-18 on the road) and Sunday against the Wizards (14-37 and 0-25 on the road). If they can't win one of those two, you start wondering if they'll win again this season.

2. Penguins star Sidney Crosby says he's not sure he will be back again this season because of concussion problems. That's bad for the NHL and awful for the Penguins but not so bad for the rest of the Eastern Conference, including the Lightning. Still, even if you're a Lightning fan, you should hope he returns soon because of what he means to hockey.

3. Jerry Sloan stepped down Thursday after 23 seasons as the Jazz's coach. Think about that. Shaquille O'Neal was 15 when Sloan took over the Jazz. LeBron James was 3, and Kevin Durant wasn't even born.

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

Overreaction of the day

Did you see Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez being hand-fed popcorn by his actor-girlfriend Cameron Diaz while sitting in a suite during Fox's coverage of the Super Bowl? Well, apparently, A-Rod is ticked off at Fox, believing it was waiting for such a moment to show him on camera. Fox Sports spokesman Dan Bell told New York's Newsday he wasn't aware Rodriguez was upset but added Fox did not intend to make him look bad. "These shots are purely random and were just used to show the audience all of the unique personalities who were in attendance," Bell said. "Alex has been nothing but tremendously gracious and cooperative to us throughout the years on our (baseball) coverage, and we would never do anything to jeopardize that relationship." For starters, how does having Cameron Diaz feed you popcorn make you look … bad? Second, you're Alex Rodriguez. You're dating Cameron Diaz. You go to the Super Bowl. You're sitting in a luxury box. There's a pretty decent chance you're going to be on television at some point. If you're worried about how you're going to look on TV, maybe it's best to stay home.

Drivers wonder how repaved track will affect Daytona 500

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By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, February 10, 2011

DAYTONA BEACH — One thing NASCAR drivers could agree upon during Thursday's annual media day is when it comes to this year's Daytona 500, expect the unexpected.

Last year's race was marred by delays when a small pothole developed between Turns 1 and 2 during NASCAR's marquee event. The race was eventually delayed for more than two hours.

The 2.5-mile high-banked trioval has been repaved for the first time in 32 years, leaving drivers unsure of what to expect. The race is Feb. 20.

"You know, it's going to be a lot different this year," said Jamie McMurray, the reigning Daytona 500 winner. "The Daytona 500 can be won in the last hundred yards. It's such a unique race. With the fact that the track has been repaved, there's going to be a little bit of a learning curve, I think, for all the drivers to figure out where they need to be — if you want to be in second on the last lap coming to the start/finish line, if you want to be in first. The Shootout is going to be really important. The 150(-mile qualifying race) is going to be important to set yourself up to be in the right position. As excited as I am to come back here winning the race last year, there's so many new things that go with this race, so many unknowns, you just don't know."

It is believed the new pavement could make Daytona less of a handling track than in the past, but 2006 Daytona 500 champion Jimmie Johnson has high hopes for the surface.

"From our standpoint," said Johnson, the five-time defending Sprint Cup champion, "we have less to separate ourselves with on the track during the race, but I think it will be in perspective, and for the Daytona 500, we're going to have the best circumstances and the best race we've seen."

FOR THE LOVE OF RACING: It's not easy being Joe Nemechek these days. The Lakeland native owns a NASCAR racing operation, NEMCO Motorsports. With rising costs and the struggling economy, things aren't easy.

"Every week when I'm paying the bills, I ask myself why am I still doing this?" said Nemechek, the 1990 NASCAR Nationwide series rookie of the year. "But I love to race. I love to do what I do. I'm good at it. I've won races, I've won poles. I know what it takes to get the job done. So you're still out there looking for that second chance."

Nemechek said he'd like to see NASCAR do more for the smaller teams.

NOW, JUST NASCAR: Juan Pablo Montoya is in the final year of his contract with Earnhardt Ganassi Racing and hopes to settle things relatively soon.

"I hope so. I assume so," he said when asked if he'd like to remain with Chip Ganassi after this year. "I don't know. I haven't really talked too much about it, to be honest with you."

Montoya said he hopes to have his contract settled before the end of the year, but one thing he knows for sure: He's not leaving NASCAR.

"I'm really happy here and never will go back (to Formula One), to tell you the truth, said Montoya, the first Formula One driver to compete full time in NASCAR. "It's very different. Someday I'll go watch and take my kids to watch a Formula One race, but that's as far as it goes."

CHANGING TIMES: Veteran driver Mark Martin said it hasn't always been easy adjusting his skill set as drivers face massive changes due to the advancements in the cars. He said he's learning to adapt.

"It's coming back to me," said Martin, 52. "The multiple-caution, short-burst runs were not my strong suit. My strong suit was long runs, green-flag runs, managing the tires, and managing the equipment and making the stuff last.

"Well, the equipment got so good that you don't have to make it last anymore, although managing the tires can still be an asset to you if you manage them properly and if you can get everything out of them that you can get out of them — or getting too much and making them where they don't last, and also that you don't underuse them in the beginning.

"So that's a factor, but it's still coming back to my style right now. Green-flag racing … that's racing, to me."

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

NASCAR Speedweeks weekend schedule

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Times staff
Thursday, February 10, 2011

. fast facts

Daytona Speedweeks weekend schedule

Today

2 p.m.: ARCA qualifying (two laps)

5-5:45: Sprint Cup Bud Shootout practice

6:30-7:30: Sprint Cup Bud Shootout final practice

8: Sprint Cup drawing for Bud Shootout

Saturday

10-10:45 a.m.: ARCA final practice

11 a.m.-1 p.m.: Sprint Cup practice

2-3:45: Sprint Cup practice

4:30: ARCA Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 (80 laps )

8:10: Sprint Cup Bud Shootout (75 laps )

Sunday

1:05 p.m.: Sprint Cup Daytona 500 qualifying (two laps, top two positions only)

Labor talks fall apart; no more scheduled

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Times wires
Thursday, February 10, 2011

WASHINGTON — Negotiations to prevent a lockout took a grim turn Thursday with the cancellation of the second day of a bargaining session.

"We wish we were negotiating (Thursday)," players association spokesman George Atallah said. "That's all I can say."

The collective bargaining agreement expires March 3.

No more meetings are scheduled, and commissioner Roger Goodell canceled an owners meeting scheduled for Tuesday in Philadelphia, where labor was expected to be a topic.

League spokesman Greg Aiello said negotiations would continue in private: "We will work as hard as possible to reach a fair agreement by March 4."

Neither Atallah nor union executive director DeMaurice Smith would comment on why Thursday's session was called off.

Players oppose a league-backed 18-game regular season, and no headway appears to have been made over how to divide the league's $9 billion in revenue. Wednesday players rejected a proposal for an additional $1 billion in credits that would give owners $2 billion before revenues are split. Players proposed no spending credits and splitting all revenue down the middle. Owners also seek a rookie salary scale.

Morris likes tandem

TAMPA — Bucs coach Raheem Morris had no hesitation about hiring co-defensive line coaches. He has seen the tandem approach work well for the team before.

Morris was an assistant to then-defensive backs coach Mike Tomlin and later had Jimmy Lake help him with the secondary.

On Tuesday, Tampa Bay hired Keith Millard and Grady Stretz to coach the defensive line. Millard will focus on the pass rush, Stretz on run defense.

"If you walked into a defensive backs room when it was me and Tomlin, you wouldn't know who the assistant was based on who might be running the meeting," Morris said. "I did the same thing with Jimmy Lake. It's worked so well in the past, I thought I'd get two defensive line coaches and give them pet projects."

The Bucs have a heavy investment in their defensive line. In 2010, tackle Gerald McCoy was their third overall draft pick, and tackle Brian Price was a second-rounder. In 2009, tackle Roy Miller was a third-rounder, end/tackle Kyle Moore a fourth-rounder. "We needed to make that investment in coaches for those guys … young, energetic coaches to crank that room up," Morris said.

broncos: Last year's top draft pick, receiver Demaryius Thomas, reportedly tore an Achilles' tendon during a workout in Atlanta, a Denver TV statioin reported. A full tear could jeopardize his season.

vikings: The landlords of the Metrodome voted to replace the snow-damaged roof, hoping the job would be done by Aug. 1 (possibly disrupting preseason) for $18.3 million. Insurance would cover most of the cost.

Times staff writer Rick Stroud contributed to this report.


Tampa Bay wing Ryan Malone has severe stomach injury

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By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, February 10, 2011

TAMPA — Lightning wing Ryan Malone has a stomach injury severe enough (perhaps a tear, coach Guy Boucher said) that the team believes he might not be back before the playoffs.

Malone, hurt when he slid into a net during Tuesday's loss to the Sabres, is the latest in a string of injuries that will leave Tampa Bay severely shorthanded Saturday against the Hurricanes.

Left wing Johan Harju was called up from AHL Norfolk on Thursday.

"We're not just short-staffed. We're quality short-staffed," Boucher said. "That hurts when you play teams that are fighting for their lives."

Defenseman Mike Lundin is out indefinitely with an abdominal injury, though his recovery likely will be weeks, not months.

Boucher all but admitted center Nate Thompson sustained at least a mild concussion from a hit during Sunday's victory over the Blues; "a spinning head," Boucher called it.

And defenseman Matt Smaby, though he might play, still is smarting from an inadvertent knee to his groin area from Buffalo's Tyler Ennis.

"It's tough to replace guys like that," center Vinny Lecavalier said. "Everybody is going to have to step out of the box and do things to help."

No. 7 leads Nos. 1, 2, 3 in Dubai tourney

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Times wires
Thursday, February 10, 2011

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Rory McIlroy, ranked No. 7 in the world, upstaged Nos. 1, 2 and 3 with a 7-under 65 Thursday that gave him the first-round lead at the Dubai Desert Classic.

Sergio Garcia and Thomas Aiken were second with 67s.

McIlroy had eight birdies and one bogey in windy conditions at the European PGA Tour event.

"I … got away with a couple of drives that I was quite fortunate to make birdies from," he said. "I had a putt for a 64 on the last hole that didn't quite go in. But I'll take 65 in these conditions any day."

No. 1 Lee Westwood, No. 2 Martin Kaymer and No. 3 Tiger Woods played together.

Westwood (69) had four birdies but three-putted No. 17 for par and bogeyed No. 18.

"I played solidly. I didn't make too many mistakes," Westwood said. "It was disappointing to shoot 1 over for the last two holes. One under would have been nice."

An approach shot on No. 9 by Kaymer (69) hit the grandstand and landed in the water, leading to double bogey. He finished with six birdies, including barely missing an eagle putt at No. 17.

"It was okay," Kaymer said. "I hit a lot of good shots and was a little bit unfortunate on the ninth."

Woods (71) double bogeyed No. 12 and twice was at 2 over. But he eagled No. 18 after hitting a 3-wood about 250 yards to the green.

"My trajectory wasn't what I wanted on a lot of shots," Woods said. "Consequently, I could never get a ball pin high, especially when the wind is blowing this hard."

Murray helps leader

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — D.A. Points said he shot 7-under 63, tied for the first-round lead at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, because of playing partner Bill Murray, not despite him.

Points had eight birdies on the Shore Course to share the lead with Steve Marino. (He and Murray also led the pro-am portion of the tournament at 59.)

"I know people talk about his antics or he's a showman while he's out there," Points said. "It really loosens me up and makes me, between shots, not be grinding so hard on what I'm doing. It helps me take a little bit of a breather between shots and joke around with him."

Marino shot 7-under 65 at Spyglass Hill. He had seven birdies but none on the par 5s.

The shot of the day came from Alex Cejka (64 on the Shore Course). On the second shot of his first hole, the par-5 No. 10, he holed out a 3-wood from the fairway for an albatross.

3A region basketball: Tampa Catholic 85, Avon Park 44

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Don Jensen, Times Correspondent
Thursday, February 10, 2011

TAMPA — On a scale of 10, Tampa Catholic coach Nancy Kroll was asked to grade the Crusaders' first-quarter performance Thursday night.

"Nine," she said, emphatically.

The rest of the game wasn't bad, either.

Tampa Catholic never gave Avon Park a chance, using a 28-2 first-quarter run to ignite an 85-44 victory in a Class 3A region quarterfinal. Had it not been for a running clock throughout the fourth quarter, the Crusaders might have reached triple digits. Tampa Catholic (24-4) finished with a season high in points with its 21st consecutive victory.

Micah Kroll (24 points), Meghan Keough (19) and Kai Jones (17) led the Crusaders. Jones had an ankle wrapped after the game with what Kroll described as a "mild ankle sprain." But she is expected to be ready for Tuesday's semifinal.

Tampa Catholic scored at will, putting up 31 points in the first quarter and 27 in the third. Of the Crusaders' 32 field goals, 10 came from behind the arc from four players.

"We got off to a really good start," Kroll said. "We mixed up the press, had some nice steals (and) scored in transition. We played our brand of basketball."

Jones and Kroll combined for 24 points in Tampa Catholic's first-quarter blitz. Avon Park (20-7) never got within 20 the rest of the way.

Sports in brief

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Times wires
Thursday, February 10, 2011

Baseball

MVP Hamilton and Rangers renew for two

ARLINGTON, Texas — American League MVP Josh Hamilton agreed to a two-year, $24 million contract with the Rangers on Thursday.

The deal, four days before a scheduled arbitration hearing in Phoenix, covers his last two arbitration-eligible seasons. Hamilton can become a free agent after the 2012 World Series.

"We want to be a part of this organization, not only for the next couple of years but for a long time to come," said Hamilton, 29, who gets a $3 million signing bonus.

The three-time All-Star and former top Rays prospect, who has battled drug and alcohol addictions, has a .311 career average, with 93 homers and 331 RBIs in 468 major-league games.

Bonds trial: Federal prosecutors reduced the number of charges against home run king Barry Bonds from 11 to five, cutting six counts of making false statements to a federal grand jury in December 2003, the San Jose (Calif.) Mercury News reported. The former Giants outfielder, who has pleaded not guilty and denied knowingly using performance-enhancing drugs, is scheduled for trial March 21.

More baseball: The Angels defeated pitcher Jered Weaver, 28, in salary arbitration; the pitcher will get a raise from $4,265,000 to $7,365,000 instead of his request for $8.8 million. … Outfielder Luke Scott and the Orioles avoided salary arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $6.4 million deal. … Twins officials may be open to trading starting pitcher Francisco Liriano, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported.

Tennis

Qualifier stands in Clijsters' way

Qualifier Jelena Dokic upset fifth-seeded Nadia Petrova 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) in the second round of the Open Gaz de France in Paris, setting up a quarterfinal against Australian Open champion Kim Clijsters, with the No. 1 ranking on the line.

If Clijsters wins today, she will overtake Caroline Wozniacki in the women's rankings.

SAP Open: Milos Roanic ousted Tampa resident James Blake 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) late Wednesday in the second round in San Jose, Calif.

Et cetera

alpine Skiing: American Lindsey Vonn took a slow practice run but remained uncertain whether she would compete in today's super-combined at the world championships in Germany. She suffered a concussion Tuesday.

ARENA FOOTBALL: The Storm acquired quarterback Billy Ferris in a trade with Arizona for receiver Kerry Reed.

Horses: Reprized Halo drew the No. 1 post in a field of 10 3-year-olds for Saturday's Grade III $225,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs in Oldsmar. Also on the Festival Preview Day undercard, Denomination is on the rail among 10 older females in the Grade III $125,000 Endeavour, and Annabel Lee starts from the No. 1 stall in a field of 12 3-year-old fillies in the $125,000 Florida Oaks.

Don Jensen, Times correspondent; Times wires

David Reutimann enters Daytona 500 as a NASCAR Sprint Cup late bloomer

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By John Romano, Times Sports Columnist
Thursday, February 10, 2011

DAYTONA BEACH

For young NASCAR drivers, the future seems to go on forever. They have time, they have talent, and best of all, they have wealthy sponsors underwriting their dreams.

For the NASCAR legends, the past is never far away. They have memories, they have millions, and to top it off, they have their place in history secured.

And for David Reutimann, there is today. This moment, this race, this season.

You see, in some ways, Reutimann is without peer in the NASCAR garage. He is not one of the baby-faced wonders, and he is not one of the instantly identifiable faces. He is older than Tony Stewart, yet has fewer career Sprint Cup starts than David Ragan. He is a man caught between coming and going, and that seems to suit him just fine.

The native of Zephyrhills spent more than a decade banging around anonymous tracks in homemade cars, and he didn't get a full-time ride in NASCAR's Sprint Cup series until his late 30s. He is 40 now — only three drivers among the top 30 in the Cup standings were older last season — and yet his career is still in its infancy.

"In reality, nobody ever gave me a shot to make it this far, period," Reutimann said. "So I'm just going to go as hard as I can for as long as I can, and as long as I can do that, and as long we do all right, somebody will want me somewhere."

In an era of young stars and younger phenoms, Reutimann is a throwback, a guy having his greatest success at an unusual age.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is 36, but he is seven years removed from his best seasons. Reutimann, meanwhile, finished ahead of Earnhardt in the Cup standings in 2009 and '10. Jeff Gordon is 39, and his best seasons were more than a dozen years ago. Reutimann, meanwhile, has won more races than Gordon the past two years.

In other words, Reutimann's prime is coming at an age when others seem to be in decline. Granted, a dozen other factors could be at play. Maybe it has to do with cars and teams, even if Earnhardt and Gordon do not lack for anything at Hendrick Motorsports. Maybe it's just fortune and circumstance. Or maybe Reutimann is just too stubborn to know better.

"When you've been broke as long as I've been, and you (compare me) to a kid who's 18 years old? There's no way the kid who is 18 wants it more than I do. I've wanted this my entire life, and I've worked hard for it," Reutimann said. "The kid has probably worked hard, but he hasn't worked as hard for as long as I have.

"I don't want to go back to the other side of the fence. I want to stay here as long as I can, and I'm prepared to do whatever I can to keep doing that. In the end, when we're in the car, there's no age, and everybody is the same size. That's the equalizer."

For Reutimann, an equal playing field is all he has ever sought. This is a guy who used to write a check for his tires on Saturday and then hustle to the bank on Monday morning to deposit his weekend winnings before the check bounced.

He would go to tracks with an all-volunteer team, and they would sleep seven to a hotel room to save money. And when they didn't even have that much money, they would sleep at rest stops on the drive home.

Reutimann was 32 by the time Joe Nemechek gave him his first break in a Nationwide series car.

"At that time, we were on our game as far as having cars winning races," Nemechek said, "and so he jumped into some good cars and ran well, and it started his career. He was racing with nothing for a long time, and I have a lot of respect for that. You can tell, he's not out there tearing cars up for no reason and doing crazy stuff. The opportunity definitely means more to him."

Reutimann has now put in three full seasons as a driver for Michael Waltrip Racing, and he seems to be on the cusp of breaking through. He has finished 22, 16 and 18 in the Cup standings, and is one of seven drivers to have won races each of the past two seasons.

At this point, the only thing holding him back from greater fame is his failure to qualify for the Chase for the Championship. And the only thing keeping him out of the Chase is greater consistency. He had nine finishes in the top 10 last season, but he had 11 outside of the top 20.

Already he has come further than most would have imagined just a few years ago. He has raced alongside the sport's biggest names, and he has beaten them to the flag more than once. He has become a contemporary, even if his background lacks the same pedigree.

It was those years on dirt tracks that brought him to Daytona International Speedway today, and Reutimann seems happy with the journey.

"I used to go to races I really couldn't afford to go to. That was my life. I did it every weekend, and I didn't care because I was racing," Reutimann said. "If I hadn't gotten the opportunity I got, I'd still be operating that way today."

John Romano can be reached at romano@sptimes.com.

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