Times wires
Monday, November 14, 2011

TALLAHASSEE — Florida State's Bernard James has been known mostly for defense and shot-blocking skills. That might be changing.

The 6-foot-10 James had 18 points and 11 rebounds — career highs in both — on Monday while notching his fifth career double double to lead the No. 25 Seminoles to a 73-50 victory over Central Florida.

"His length bothered us on the defensive end as well as his ability now to score," UCF coach Donnie Jones said. "It makes him a two-headed monster."

James had 14 points and eight rebounds in the second half. The former Air Force sergeant had three blocks and could have scored more had he not shot 2-of-8 on free throws.

"It's horrible," James said. "I'll be putting up free throws all week long."

Michael Snaer added 15 points for the Seminoles (2-0), who held their largest lead at 71-47 with 1:32 left.

Two other members of Florida State's big front line, 6-11 Xavier Gibson, and 6-8 Terrance Shannon, added 12 and 10 points. Gibson led the Seminoles in the first half with nine points and six rebounds.

Tristan Spurlock led UCF (1-1) with 12 points, and Marcus Jordan and Keith Clanton both had 11. The Knights shot 30.5 percent from the field and 8-of-20 at the line.

Shannon, who had a double double in Florida State's opener against Jacksonville with 15 points and 12 rebounds, scored in double figures again in scoring while playing 20 minutes.

"We executed a lot better in the second half and moved the ball," Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton said.

By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Monday, November 14, 2011

TAMPA — Years from now not many people will be able to say they were there for it, but USF got a breakout game Monday from sophomore transfer Victor Rudd, who scored 30 to help the Bulls pull away from Marist for an 81-67 win at the St. Pete Times Forum.

"I've been bragging on him for a while, and I didn't want to eat crow, but I think you saw a glimpse of how talented this young man is," Bulls coach Stan Heath said of Rudd, who had nine points in a 15-0 run that turned a 46-42 deficit with 14 minutes remaining into a 67-56 lead.

Rudd scored on high-flying dunks and open 3-pointers, shooting 11-for-21. USF (2-0) had one 30-point game all of last season, when Augustus Gilchrist had 32 against DePaul.

"I'm trying to win," said Rudd, a 6-foot-8 forward who sat out last season after arriving from Arizona State. "I had an opportunity to score a lot of points, but that would be the same for anybody. If they were scoring, they would get the ball just like I was."

Marist (0-2) hung around longer than expected considering it lost by 50 Friday at Kentucky. But USF pulled away, getting 11 points and 12 rebounds from Gilchrist. "Gilchrist, for about 23 minutes, was nonexistent," Heath said. "In the last 17 minutes, he was a totally different guy with a double double."

Tampa Prep's Jay Bowie had 11 points as one of five players scoring in double figures for Marist. USF got five assists and only one turnover from point guard Lavonte Dority. After shooting 54 percent on free throws in the opener, USF went 15-for-18 from the line.

With the Sun Dome under renovation all season, USF (2-0) played at its second venue in three days, and a third home, the Lakeland Center, comes Wednesday. The actual crowd was roughly 500, though the announced attendance was 2,465.

"Our goal is to build up some excitement for our fans to come down and see us, get the folks from the downtown area, from the businesses, from south Tampa, from St. Pete and Clearwater, as well as our USF people, to come down and see some fun, exciting basketball," Heath said. "Tonight was just the start, and we're hoping to build bigger crowds."

Times wires
Monday, November 14, 2011

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Scoop Jardine sat on his stool in the Syracuse locker room and assessed what had just happened on Jim Boeheim Court.

Jardine, the starting point guard for the fifth-ranked Orange, did not score and his team still beat Manhattan 92-56 Monday night in the NIT Season Tip-Off.

"That's the thing. We're really dangerous. I didn't score and we still won by 36 points," said Jardine, who had one assist, one steal, two turnovers and two rebounds in 15 minutes. "I'm happy to be a part of something like this where it's not really all on my shoulders. When I contribute, it's going to be big and it's going to make us even more dangerous."

Dion Waiters had 17 points and Kris Joseph and James Southerland each had 15 as the Syracuse (2-0) bench nearly outscored Manhattan, contributing 50 points.

No. 4 UConn 78, Wagner 66: Shabazz Napier scored 21 and the host Huskies (2-0) extended Division I's longest winning streak to 13. UConn outrebounded Wagner 42-24.

No. 16 Alabama 74, Oakland 57: JaMychal Green scored 18 and the Crimson Tide (2-0) won its 22nd straight game at Coleman Coliseum.

No. 17 Michigan 64, Towson 47: Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 15, and the host Wolverines (2-0) started the game on a 21-0 run. Freshman Trey Burke scored 13 in his first career start.

No. 21 Marquette 99, Norfolk St. 68: Jae Crowder had 25 points and 10 rebounds and Darius Johnson-Odom added 24 points and the host Golden Eagles (2-0) had little trouble beating the Spartans.

No. 24 Missouri 81, Mercer 63: Phil Pressey had a career-best 22 points with four assists and five steals for the host Tigers (2-0).

Women

UF 71, Stetson 57: The Gators (1-1) held the Hatters to 17-of-60 shooting from the field and forced 17 turnovers. Florida was led by junior Jennifer George, who tied a career high with 21 points and added nine rebounds.

No. 21 LSU 64, Wichita State 56: Jeanne Kenney scored 16 on 6-of-7 shooting to lead the visiting Tigers in Nikki Caldwell's coaching debut with LSU.

Times wires
Monday, November 14, 2011

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Another night, another four-touchdown performance for Aaron Rodgers — just about what the Packers expect from their quarterback.

The real surprise came on the other side: Green Bay's defense finally showed it can take charge of a game Monday night.

Rodgers threw for four scores against a fierce Vikings pass rush, Randall Cobb returned a punt 80 yards for a touchdown and the Packers defense contained Adrian Peterson and the Vikings in a 45-7 victory.

Green Bay (9-0) came in giving up nearly 300 yards passing per game, second-most in the NFL.

But the Packers finally played to their potential against the division rival Vikings, holding rookie and former FSU star Christian Ponder to 190 yards passing with an interception. Peterson had 51 yards and a touchdown.

The Vikings sacked Rodgers three times and hit him hard virtually every time he ran. But Rodgers was 23 of 30 for 250 yards without an interception. He threw two touchdowns to Jordy Nelson, and found Greg Jennings and John Kuhn for scores.

"All I know is he crushed us tonight,'' Vikings defense end Jared Allen said.

Backup Matt Flynn, who entered with 10:30 left , scrambled 3 yards for a TD with 4:27 left.

"It's (our) best game, because of the margin of victory," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "And at the end of the day, it's about points."

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Monday, November 14, 2011

WINNIPEG — The Lightning hit a bit of critical mass Monday, and it turned into a 30-minute players-only meeting after a 5-2 loss to the Jets at the MTS Centre.

Players declined to go into specifics about what was discussed but mentioned how frustrating it was that another slow start on the road pushed Tampa Bay (8-7-2) to its second straight loss.

"At certain moments of the year you've got to get together as a team and talk it out," left wing Marty St. Louis said. "I don't think we need to say what was talked about, but we're all in this together. We're the ones who go on the ice and play. At certain times of the season you got to talk it out."

"We've just got to find a way to play better on the road," center Steven Stamkos said, "and play better to start the game."

With Winnipeg's 2-0 first-period lead, the Lightning, 3-6-2 on the road, has been outscored 19-8 in first periods on the road and outshot 150-102.

The team did show up to play, something it did not do in Saturday's dismal 3-0 loss to the Blues. But it again sabotaged itself.

Goaltender Dwayne Roloson, while victimized by two goals that deflected in off his teammates, was not sharp and was pulled in favor of Matheiu Garon with 7:46 left in the second period after allowing four goals on 22 shots.

It didn't help Tampa Bay could not cash in on its prime chances.

Steve Downie missed at least two open nets. St. Louis has to be kicking himself, too, after he could not lift the puck with his backhand over the glove of sprawled goalie Ondrej Pavelec with 3:02 left in the first period and Winnipeg up 2-0.

Tampa Bay also failed early in the second, with only two shots, on a four-minute power play that maintained Winnipeg's 2-0 lead, though Pavelec made a stunning left-leg save on Vinny Lecavalier's snap shot from the slot.

A 2-minute, 43-second power play, with 1:17 of five-on-three, also failed in the second period.

Still, Boucher said he saw "building blocks."

"We showed up," he said. "The last game was shameful. We didn't show up. Tonight we competed."

And got goals by St. Louis and Stamkos.

It also got some locker room leadership as the team talked out their difficulties.

"Everyone was involved," defenseman Eric Brewer said.

"It's a good sign," Boucher said. "The players now, they're fed up with their mental mistakes and they want things to change. And that's good."

Even if the game wasn't.

First Period—1, Winnipeg, Kane 6 (Byfuglien, Burmistrov), 4:51. 2, Winnipeg, Byfuglien 3 (Kane), 13:02. Penalties—Kane, Wpg (high-sticking), 9:22; Stuart, Wpg (slashing), 17:21.

Second Period—3, Winnipeg, Flood 3 (Stapleton, Little), 7:49 (pp). 4, Tampa Bay, St. Louis 4 (Stamkos, Lecavalier), 10:47. 5, Winnipeg, Ladd 5 (Oduya, Wellwood), 12:14. Penalties—Bogosian, Wpg (holding, unsportsmanlike conduct), 1:51; Downie, TB (hooking), 6:40; Oduya, Wpg (hooking), 16:48; Burmistrov, Wpg (high-sticking), 17:31.

Third Period—6, Winnipeg, Stapleton 2 (Glass), 10:04. 7, Tampa Bay, Stamkos 11 (Gilroy), 10:26. Penalties—Stamkos, TB (interference, slashing), 19:15; Slater, Wpg (slashing), 19:15. Shots on Goal—Tampa Bay 11-16-5—32. Winnipeg 16-9-14—39. Power-play opportunities—Tampa Bay 0 of 6; Winnipeg 1 of 2. Goalies—Tampa Bay, Roloson 5-4-1 (22 shots-18 saves), Garon (12:14 second, 17-16). Winnipeg, Pavelec 5-7-3 (32-30). A—15,004 (15,015). T—2:29. Referees—Brad Meier, Ian Walsh. Linesmen—Thor Nelson, Mark Wheler.

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Tampa Bay Rays righthander James Shields finished third in the American League Cy Young Award voting, announced Tuesday afternoon by the Baseball Writers Association of America.

Tigers righthander Justin Verlander was the unanimous choice by all 28 voters, with Angels righthander Jered Weaver taking second.

"I was excited," Shields said. "Just to be a part of that kind of talented group of guys that were up there with me, just to be named in the same (class) as those guys. It's definitely an honor. Obviously every pitcher wants to win the Cy Young. BUt with the kind of year Verlander had, it was a no-doubter obviously. I think it was unanimous throughout the whole world he'd win."

Shields had a remarkable bounce back season in which he racked up a career-high 16 wins and threw a major-league most 11 complete games. He had five second place votes and nine third place votes for 66 points, narrowly edging out Yankees ace CC Sabathia (63), who finished fourth. Tigers closer Jose Valverde took fifth.

With the top-five finish, Shields' 2012 option increased $500,000 to $8 million.

Shields gave a lot of credit to pitching coach Jim Hickey for helping him refine his mechanics and stay consistent in his delivery, and was appreciative of his teammates and fans.

"The season that I had is a season that I'm capable of having in the future, and hopefully I can just try to build on it," Shields said. "I don't think I'm going to predict 11 complete games next year, but hopefully I can get a couple. I'm definitely a realist, I think the year I had was definitely a phenomenal year when I look back on it. The sky is the limit. You always want to try to beat the season before next year, I'm going to try my best to repeat what I did."

Shields' third-place finish comes one year after lefthander David Price took second in the 2010 Cy Young. Righthander Jeremy Hellickson won the AL Rookie of the Year Award Monday.

"It shows what kind of staff we have on the Rays," Shields said. "To have guys like that on our stuff, not one guy but five guys that could potentially have those kind of awards and those kind of years.

Even Verlander was impressed with what Shields was able to do this season.

"I thought it was incredible - 11 complete games? That's just amazing," Verlander said. "Me and some of the other starting pitchers on our team, we'd comment every time, 'Oh my gosh, he threw another one.'

AL Cy Young Voting:

Tigers RHP Justin Verlander (196 points)

Angels RHP Jered Weaver (97 points)

Rays RHP James Shields (66 points)

Yankees LHP CC Sabathia (63 points)

Tigers RHP Jose Valverde (28 points)

Times staff writer Joe Smith's Cy Young Ballot

1. Tigers RHP Justin Verlander

2. Rays RHP James Shields

3. Angels RHP Jered Weaver

4. Yankees LHP CC Sabathia

5. Rangers LF C.J. Wilson

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, November 15, 2011

WINNIPEG — The way Lightning coach Guy Boucher sees it, the 30-minute, players-only meeting after Monday's 5-2 loss to the Jets might be the moment his players took control of their season.

It is one thing for coaches to yell, change tactics, yell, change pregame routines, yell, alter practice schedules and, — oh, yeah — yell. It is another, Boucher said, for players to hold each other accountable.

"What we're offering as coaches is direction, direction in task," Boucher said down the hall from Tampa Bay's locker room at the TSM Centre while players met inside. "You can't create superficial urgency all the time. Players have to feel that urgency. They do now and that's what I like."

It is an urgency born of failure.

The Lightning is 8-7-2 overall but 3-6-2 on the road, where it has been outscored 19-8 and outshot 150-102 in first periods. In 11 road games, only twice has it held the initial lead.

Tampa Bay trailed the Jets 2-0 in the first period and, as usual, played better once it was down. But the loss had a harsher vibe.

Not only did it come after Saturday's brutal 3-0 defeat at St. Louis, Boucher had given the team Sunday off for "self assessment," and on Monday sent a message about intensity and focus with a tough morning skate that included offensive zone scrimmages and bad language when players messed up.

That's why after the final horn sounded, the door to the locker room closed.

"This happens two or three times a year on any team," goaltender Dwayne Roloson said. "There's times in a year the players need to take the bull by the horns and address some things that need to be addressed. Coach gives us a game plan, and Guy relies on us to do the stuff we need to be accountable."

"We realize we're in a game when we're down by a couple (goals)," center Steven Stamkos said. "We're a different team and that was the main message.

"At the end of the day we're still over .500, so it's not like we're sitting here thinking we have to make drastic changes or panic. We're fine. Obviously, something needed to be addressed and we took it upon ourselves. That's a good thing. It brings teams together. People step up, we say the right things and we follow."

For left wing Marty St. Louis that means "covering for one another" on the ice.

"We can't play a perfect game. Hockey is a game of mistakes," he said. "Everybody cares about everybody in here. A guy makes a mistake, we have to be there for him."

It will be a while before we know if the meeting has an effect. Tampa Bay plays its next three games at the St. Pete Times Forum, where it is 5-1-0 and has executed its defensive system with controlled precision backed by one of the best home power plays in the league, as opposed to one of the worst on the road.

Still, the meeting, as an exercise, goes beyond game sites.

"Over the course of the season you're always trying to address what's right and what's wrong," defenseman Eric Brewer said. "We've been up and down a bit. We're just trying to level out the line a little bit more. Sometimes you just need to get a few things out there."

"They want to have success," Boucher said. "They want to be accountable."

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

By Gary Shelton, Times Sports Columnist
Tuesday, November 15, 2011

And now, one more question for Jerry Sandusky.

When, exactly, did this become a good idea?

Oh, and take your time before you answer. We have 16.3 seconds to spare.

Of all of the numbskull ideas, of all of the lamebrain legal strategies, when did stammering in front of Bob Costas on national television sound like a reasonable plan to anyone? What? Did Joe Amendola (his attorney) really think the grand jury would watch and say, "Oh, Sandusky says it was just towel-snapping. Let's drop all the charges.''

How stupid was this? Put it this way: If 98 percent of people believed that Sandusky was guilty of these terrible charges before the interview, this seemed like an effort to remove all doubt.

Sandusky paused, he rambled and he made himself look worse than ever. If there was a question of whether the interview would help Sandusky, the answer was "not a bit.''

In particular, Sandusky's credibility will be questioned because of the amount of time it took when Costas asked him a straightforward, predictable question: "Are you sexually attracted to young boys?''

And Sandusky had the most difficult time answering you could imagine.

He paused. He repeated the question. He stammered. It took him 16.3 seconds before the word "no'' came out of his mouth. It may turn into the biggest gap since Nixon.

(I asked a half-dozen people I know that question Tuesday. It took roughly 0.8 seconds to get a no.)

You would assume Sandusky was aware the question would be asked. You would assume his attorney would prepare him for it. This was Sandusky's chance to be outraged, to shout, to get angry, to demand a polygraph, to scream to the mountaintops in protest that someone would even suggest such a terrible thing. And he did not.

I know, I know. This wasn't a trial, and I'm not a lawyer, and the law says that, at this point, Sandusky is presumed innocent. But I can't imagine what an attorney would think would be the advantage for a client accused of pedophilia to answer the charges on the air.

Yes, Sandusky got to say he was innocent. That wasn't much of a victory, however, after he admitted he showered with young boys and touched their legs, even though he said it was without sexual intent. He had no answer as to why two witnesses said they saw him having sex with young boys.

At one point, even Costas said, "It seems, that if all of these accusations are false, you are the unluckiest and most persecuted man that any of us ever heard about.''

Was it good for Sandusky to be on the air?

It depends: Are you more likely to believe him today? Or less?

As a spectator, as an onlooker who cannot turn his head from the horrific nature of these charges, I found it to be a captivating interview. It was lousy legal advice, but it was fascinating Court TV. And it did give us this.

According to Sandusky, Joe Paterno has never said a word about it to him.

This is amazing, isn't it? Paterno never suggested counseling, never suggested help, never expressed disapproval?

Which brings us to this:

Wouldn't you love for Costas to spend a little quality time with Paterno? Just two guys, a camera and a crew?

Until the trial, at least, most of us agree when it comes to Sandusky. But we can't stop talking about Paterno, about what he knew and when, about legal obligations and moral ones. No matter what you think of Paterno, shouldn't he answer some questions of his own?

For instance, if the Penn State campus police are investigating an assistant football coach in 1998, are we to believe that Paterno knew nothing about it?

For instance, if a graduate assistant suggests that Paterno's right-hand man was involved in something going on in the showers, are we to believe that Paterno only heard the part about "horseplay'' and didn't ask any questions? After all, coaching is a profession about the details. Wouldn't he ask Mike McQueary, "Now tell me exactly what you saw"?

For instance, what were his final words to McQueary that day? Did he tell him not to tell anyone else? Did he tell him the Penn State administration would take care of it?

For instance, once Paterno told his superiors what McQueary had told him, why didn't he follow up? Did he ever ask what his superiors did? Did he ever see Sandusky on campus with kids? And what did he think then?

For instance, if Paterno really is a coach who went above and beyond when it came to integrity, why didn't he do more this time?

Answers. We all want answers, and we don't want to wait 16.3 seconds for them.

We want to know if McQueary really did stop Sandusky, as he has texted to his former teammates. We want to know about the victims that Amendola says will testify that the shower scene never happened. We want to know what the new victims have to say.

Also, we want to know the answer to this:

Doesn't Sandusky need a better lawyer?

By Gary Shelton, Times Sports Columnist
Tuesday, November 15, 2011

And now, one more question for Jerry Sandusky.

When, exactly, did this become a good idea?

Oh, and take your time before you answer. We have 16.3 seconds to spare.

Of all the numbskull ideas, of all the lamebrain legal strategies, when did stammering in front of Bob Costas on national television sound like a reasonable plan to anyone? What? Did Joe Amendola (his attorney) really think the grand jury would watch and say, "Oh, Sandusky says it was just towel-snapping. Let's drop all the charges.''

How stupid was this? How creepy? Put it this way: If 98 percent of people believed that Sandusky was guilty of these terrible charges before the interview, this seemed like an effort to remove all doubt.

Sandusky paused, he rambled and he made himself look worse than ever. If there was a question of whether the interview would help Sandusky, the answer was "not a bit.''

In particular, Sandusky's credibility will be questioned because of the amount of time it took when Costas asked him a straightforward, predictable question: "Are you sexually attracted to young boys?''

And Sandusky had the most difficult time answering you could imagine.

He paused. He repeated the question. He stammered. It took him 16.3 seconds before the word "no'' came out of his mouth. It may turn into the biggest gap since Nixon.

(I asked a half-dozen people I know that question Tuesday. It took roughly 0.8 seconds to get a no.)

You would assume Sandusky was aware the question would be asked. You would assume his attorney would prepare him for it. This was Sandusky's chance to be outraged, to shout, to get angry, to demand a polygraph, to scream to the mountaintops in protest that someone would even suggest such a terrible thing. And he did not.

I know, I know. This wasn't a trial, and I'm not a lawyer, and the law says, at this point, Sandusky is presumed innocent. But I can't imagine what an attorney would think would be the advantage for a client accused of pedophilia to answer the charges on the air.

Yes, Sandusky got to say he was innocent. That wasn't much of a victory, however, after he admitted he showered with young boys and touched their legs, even though he said it was without sexual intent. He had no answer as to why two witnesses said they saw him having sex with young boys.

At one point, even Costas said, "It seems, that if all of these accusations are false, you are the unluckiest and most persecuted man that any of us ever heard about.''

Was it good for Sandusky to be on the air?

It depends: Are you more likely to believe him today? Or less?

As a spectator, as an onlooker who cannot turn his head from these horrific charges, I found it to be a captivating interview. (Unlike the embarrassing CBS "interview'' with Mike McQueary on Tuesday night). It was lousy legal advice, but it was fascinating Court TV. And it did give us this.

According to Sandusky, Joe Paterno has never said a word about it to him.

This is amazing, isn't it? Paterno never suggested counseling, never suggested help, never expressed disapproval?

Which brings us to this:

Wouldn't you love for Costas to spend a little quality time with Paterno? Just two guys, a camera and a crew?

Until the trial, at least, most of us agree when it comes to Sandusky. But we can't stop talking about Paterno, about what he knew and when, about legal obligations and moral ones. No matter what you think of Paterno, shouldn't he answer some questions of his own?

For instance, if the Penn State campus police investigated an assistant football coach in 1998, are we to believe that Paterno knew nothing about it?

For instance, if a graduate assistant suggests that Paterno's right-hand man was involved in something going on in the showers, are we to believe that Paterno only heard the part about "horseplay'' and didn't ask any questions? After all, coaching is a profession about the details. Wouldn't he ask McQueary, "Now tell me exactly what you saw"?

For instance, what were his final words to McQueary that day? Did he tell him not to tell anyone else? Did he tell him the Penn State administration would take care of it?

For instance, once Paterno told his superiors what McQueary had told him, why didn't he follow up? Did he ever ask what his superiors did? Did he ever see Sandusky on campus with kids? And what did he think then?

For instance, if Paterno really is a coach who went above and beyond when it came to integrity, why didn't he do more this time?

Answers. We all want answers, and we don't want to wait 16.3 seconds for them.

We want to know if McQueary really did stop Sandusky, as he has texted to his former teammates. We want to know about the victims that Amendola says will testify that the shower scene never happened. We want to know what the new victims have to say.

Also, we want to know the answer to this:

Doesn't Sandusky need a better lawyer?

By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, November 15, 2011

TAMPA — Three months ago, offensive line was perhaps the biggest question mark on USF's football team. Three starters were gone, the depth was uncertain, the center had never snapped in a game and the right tackle had yet to play in college.

Now, as the Bulls look to close out their final three games with momentum, the line has been a consistent, reliable strength, one of the best in the Big East and arguably the best in USF's short history.

"The offensive line were warriors in this game," coach Skip Holtz said. "Those guys have been unbelievable so far this season. We've been able to stay healthy up front and those guys have really played well together as a group. I'm really proud of what they've done as a unit."

At halftime Friday in USF's win at Syracuse, as the Bulls worked to end a four-game losing streak, the offensive line went to Holtz and his staff with a confident, emphatic request: Put the game on our backs. Run the ball behind us to victory. The Bulls did just that in the second half.

"They've never lacked confidence this year, in standing up and wanting to take it on," line coach Steve Shankweiler said. "As a coach, that's what you hope they grow to. They have developed that confidence in themselves that they can stand up and say, 'It's showtime. Let me take over.' "

Entering the year, the line had anchors in seniors Chaz Hine and Jeremiah Warren, who had started two years each at guard, but Hine was moving to center, having never snapped in his life. Left tackle Mark Popek had started seven games in two years but had never had a full-time role; right guard Danous Estenor had even less experience, and right tackle Quinterrius Eatmon was just a redshirt freshman.

"They're all very coachable," said Shankweiler, who has been working with offensive lines in college since 1980. "They don't get stale. Each week's a new challenge to them. Each opponent presents a different problem, and they've been able to learn from that. These guys, knock on wood, have done a great job of understanding the gameplan and not making many mistakes."

In all the statistics that measure the effectiveness of an offensive line, the Bulls are leading the conference and on pace to set school records. USF is averaging 203.8 rushing yards per game, a yard better than the previous high, set in 2005. The team average of 4.9 yards per carry is the program's best since moving to Division I-A in 2001.

Protecting quarterback B.J. Daniels? The line has allowed a total of 12 sacks in nine games, way down from 26 last year and 38 in 2009. The Bulls' lowest total of sacks allowed since joining the Big East was 25, and the program's record low was 16 in 11 games back in 2002.

"We're still continuing to get better, but we're starting to become even more of a unit as the year goes on," said Warren, whose 35 career starts are a team high. "The young guys are playing great, filling in, because they had quite big shoes to fill, but I think they're doing a great job."

Warren said the line built its bond over the summer in voluntary workouts, but the chemistry has come away from football — this weekend, a group of linemen went and saw Immortals ("Pretty good movie," Warren said), other nights it might be playing Call of Duty or, of course, eating together.

Thanks to that chemistry, despite losing three senior starters from last season, Warren says the Bulls' line this year is "even better." Shankweiler likes the way a group of five distinct players can become one single, unified entity.

"They're all unique in their own way. So many different backgrounds and personalities, but when they come together, it's like they leave all that behind them," Shankweiler said. "It doesn't matter if you're an honor student like Chaz, or someone who's not quite as good a student; someone that's a young guy like Q, just getting to play for the first time, or a fifth-year senior like Jeremiah. Once they come into that meeting room, they all think alike and act alike. There's a glue there that's grown over the course of the year. That trust is huge."

By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, November 15, 2011

TAMPA — In his entire freshman year at Arizona State, Victor Rudd struggled to make it onto the court, scoring a total of 38 points in 15 games.

It's taken the 6-foot-8 forward just two games in his Bulls career to pass that, as he followed a 12-point debut with a promising 30-point game Monday in USF's 81-67 win against Marist at St. Pete Times Forum. Bulls coach Stan Heath was pleased by the variety of ways by which Rudd got his 30 points, with a mix of 3-pointers, dunks and pullup jumpers, leaving opponents to wonder how best to defend him.

"He did it the way I've been preaching to him. Sometimes he wants to rely on his long 3-point shot," Heath said. "When he starts attacking the rim, that's what makes him a tough player, because now he can hurt you in both directions. ... We just rode that wave."

Rudd could have scored more, but went out of his way to show unselfish play down the stretch. With the game in hand, Rudd passed up an open three in the closing minutes, then a moment later, had a path to the basket but instead passed to teammate Toarlyn Fitzpatrick for a dunk.

"That's what I like about him. He did a lot of different things," Heath said. "He rebounded the ball, pushed it in transition, made some passes to his teammates. He posted up, he hit a midrange shot, hit some threes. He's got a nice package there, and when he really wants to defend, he can do that as well."

Rudd got to a 30-point game far faster than you'd expect in just his seond game — former Bulls G Dominique Jones, for comparison, didn't get his first 30-point game until the eighth game of his career. It's not the fastest route to a 30-point game, however — John Kiser managed to score 30 in USF's first game, getting 30 in a win against Stetson in December 1971.

NEW CLASS HONORED: USF will induct a third class of former Bulls into its Athletic Hall of Fame on Friday, and while the most recognizable names are DB Anthony Henry — the first football inductee — and basketball's Radenko Dobras, USF has a current employee being honored in softball assistant coach Monica Triner, a two-time All-American as a Bulls pitcher in 1998-99.

Triner remembers when the late Lee Roy Selmon called her this spring to let her know she was being inducted, and the enshrinement will be special because of the teammates coming together to honor her. She was disappointed to see a low turnout for USF's alumni weekend this fall, only to learn that many were sacrificing that trip so they could come to Tampa for her Hall of Fame weekend.

"It means a lot to me," said Triner, an East Bay graduate and the first softball inductee. "It's an honor to know I am the first one, but there's going to be a lot more. (Teammates) are like, 'Oh, you were so good.' I wouldn't have been as good as I was if it weren't for the people I played with. One of the girls wrote something on Facebook, congratulating me. I was like, 'No, I need to thank you guys.' There were days I didn't pitch so well and they made me look good."

THIS AND THAT: Sophomore PG Lavonte Dority has just one turnover (and 11 assists) in his first two starts. The fewest turnovers committed in any two-game stretch last season by starting PG Anthony Crater was three. ... USF volleyball's loss Sunday at Pittsburgh cost the Bulls a spot in the Big East tournament, missing the cut for the first time since 2005, their first year in the league. ... USF men's soccer, a No. 7 seed in the NCAA Tournament, holds a 5-0-2 record against teams in the 48-team NCAA field. The Bulls have an opening-round bye, then host either Central Florida or Florida Gulf Coast at Corbett Stadium at 6 Sunday.

By Tyson Wallerstein, Times Correspondent
Tuesday, November 15, 2011

What's hot: Redfish remain consistent, despite the ever changing weather. Inshore, redfish are on the flats in good numbers in our northern region, small schools of fish ranging from 18 to 25 inches can be targeted on low tides out on the exposed edges of the flats with either soft plastic jigs or fresh cut-bait on the bottom. High tides will have these fish shadowing the mullet schools and/or staged up around oyster bars. When the fish are cruising the edges of the oyster bars, a live select shrimp suspended underneath a float will almost always draw a strike.

Time for shrimp: Cooler water temps as well as windy conditions can make it difficult to pattern baitfish, so live shrimp have come in handy recently. The best thing about live shrimp is that everything eats them and they provide the opportunity to hook into more crustacean-minded species such as pompano and sheepshead. Those fish would be off the table if you were relying solely on baitfish.

Tactics: Free-lining live shrimp with an up-current cast and letting it drift through the potential strike zone will fool even the wariest of predatory feeders. For a variety of fish, target deep grass beds in 3 to 6 feet of water. These deep flats are often found near the edge of the main channel as well as the many spoil islands throughout the I.C.W. Given the right water clarity and tidal movement one could expect to hook into such species as sea trout, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, ladyfish and pompano.

Tyson Wallerstein runs Inshore Fishing Charters in the Clearwater/St. Petersburg area and can be reached at (727) 692-5868 or via e-mail capt.tyson@hotmail.com.

Times wires
Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Major League Baseball is close to agreeing on a new labor contract that would expand the playoffs and pave the way for two 15-team leagues, ESPN.com reported on Tuesday.

Negotiations are on hold but should resume after the owners meetings end Thursday, with a quick resolution expected, according to the website.

Owners are expected to vote Thursday on the sale of the Astros from Drayton McLane to Jim Crane, a deal said to be contingent on Houston moving to the American League. The new labor deal would confirm that and would add a second wild-card team in each league, ESPN.com reported.

The deal also would include a cap on spending in the amateur draft and a revamped draft-pick compensation system for teams that lose top free agents.

RIPKEN TRIP: Cal Ripken took a message of hope and perseverance to Japanese children affected by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. The Hall of Fame infielder put on a baseball clinic in Ofunato, Japan, as part of nine-day mission as a sports diplomat on behalf of the U.S. State Department.

DODGERS: Free-agent second baseman Mark Ellis agreed to a two-year contract worth around $4.5 million per season. … Catcher Matt Treanor agreed to a one-year deal believed to be worth about $1 million.

ORIOLES: The team is going retro in 2012, bringing back the cartoon bird for its caps as part of a uniform change. The new cartoon bird head utilizes elements from the 1970 and 1983 versions.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

ORLANDO — UCF is expected to finally be formally introduced as a member of the Big East this week.

Independent BYU also will likely be among the schools joining the conference, possibly within the next day or two, the Salt Lake Tribune reported Tuesday.

Conference USA members UCF, SMU and Houston are expected to join in all sports, while Boise State, Air Force and Navy are football-only candidates. Air Force and Navy may not announce their move at the same time as the other schools, but the service academies still appear to be favoring eventually joining.

UF: Sticking with one

GAINESVILLE — Florida offensive coordinator Charlie Weis said RB/TE Trey Burton will likely focus on one position next season. Burton, a former QB, has played multiple positions on offense this season.

"We've used him at halfback. We've used him at fullback. We've used him at quarterback. We've used him at wide receiver," Weis said. "I think this offseason we're going to settle him in at one position and give him a chance to be. … We'll have to wait and see how that goes."

WITH HEALTH, SUCCESS: Junior S Josh Evans can't help but wonder what might have been had he been healthy all season. Evans said he has been playing with a hamstring injury he suffered in preseason and "kind of kept it quiet." He has only recently been able to play at full speed and had a career-high 11 tackles against South Carolina this past week.

"I kind of started off the season kind of slow," he said. "… It took me a minute to get back on pace. Now I'm trying to play the role that everybody wanted me to play."

Antonya English, Times staff writer

UM: Heat fells LB

CORAL GABLES — Miami LB Jordan Futch was recovering Tuesday from a suspected case of heat exhaustion, which necessitated him being taken from the practice field by paramedics and transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital.

Futch was conditioning around 8:30 a.m. when he felt faint and went to the ground. The temperature was 82 degrees on campus and felt like 88 with the humidity. Coach Al Golden said Futch would be fine.

Times wires

USF: Tailback a concern

TAMPA — Getting its first crack at gaining bowl eligibility for the seventh consecutive season, USF faces a challenge limiting Miami's talented offense Saturday, defensive coordinator Mark Snyder said.

Speedy RB Lamar Miller, who has 1,108 yards on 195 carries and eight TDs, is the strength of the unit, while senior QB Jacory Harris ranks ninth in the country with a 161.15 passing-efficiency rating.

"Nobody's talking about (Lamar Miller). I think this tailback is special," Snyder said. "He's as good as we've seen since (Cincinnati RB) Isaiah Pead. … He's electrifying."

Ian Lanphier, Times correspondent

FSU: A factor both ways

TALLAHASSEE — Florida State true freshman Karlos Williams may play defense, but there are reasons coach Jimbo Fisher has joked about moving him to offense.

In addition to blowing up opposing players on kick coverage packages, numerous times as a return man he has broken a kick for long gains.

"He plays fast, he processes things and he just goes out and plays football," senior WR Bert Reed said. "That's one thing about Karlos Williams; he can be 240 (pounds) back there playing safety, as long as he keeps playing fast."

Coley Harvey, Orlando Sentinel

Times wires
Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Urban Meyer met with Arizona athletic director Greg Byrne in Miami early last week to discuss the Wildcats job but decided he was not interested, the New York Times reported.

Meyer, who has expressed an interest in returning to coaching, informed Byrne in a phone call Monday night that he would not pursue the job, according to the Times.

Meyer, who left Florida last season after winning two national championships in six years, is considered the leading candidate for the coaching positions at Ohio State and Penn State, which are both expected to be open after this year.

ZOOK WALKS OFF: Ron Zook opened his weekly news conference by warning reporters he would walk out if they asked about his job security. The former Florida coach kept his word, walking out after he was asked if had talked to his players about handling questions about his future.

DIVERSITY REPORT: A record offseason of hires has put 28 minority coaches on the Division I sidelines this fall, the Black Coaches and Administrators reported in their latest annual hiring report card.

MISSISSIPPI: Coach Houston Nutt suspended starting quarterback Randall Mackey and leading rusher Jeff Scott for Saturday's game for violating unspecified team rules.

SOUTH CAROLINA: Running back Marcus Lattimore said he will have surgery this week to repair a torn ligament in his left knee.

WASHINGTON: An MRI exam revealed no structural damage in the left knee of quarterback Keith Price, who is questionable for Saturday.

Other sports

SOCCER: The University of Tampa, Saint Leo and Eckerd had men's and women's players selected All-South Region. Spartans junior defender Brian Fekete made the first team and Ryan Griffin, a senior from Tampa Prep who led the team in scoring, made the second team. Eckerd defender Matt Duffy and Saint Leo midfielder Joel Purkiss made the first team, and Eckerd midfielder Anthony Arico made the second team. The women's selections: Tampa defender Shannon Walisch, a sophomore from Palm Harbor University, and midfielder Gabby Russo made the first team, and forward Brittan Spence made the second team. Saint Leo defender Aija Bent-Trinder and midfielder Cassie Barbaresi made the first team. On the second team: Saint Leo forward Dari Alcantara, a senior from Tampa Catholic, goalkeeper Laura Carstens and forward Pia Soesemann.

By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer; Times staff
Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Times wires
Tuesday, November 15, 2011

soccer

u.s. team finds offense in win over slovenia

In the fog at Stozice Stadium, the U.S. offense became visible for the first time since Jurgen Klinsmann became coach.

On a night when the Americans celebrated captain Carlos Bocanegra's 100th international appearance, Edson Buddle, Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore scored Tuesday in a 3-2 victory over Slovenia in Ljubljana.

"We have a three-month break until our next game, so to get the win tonight was the biggest thing for us," said Bocanegra, who became the 12th American to reach the century mark. "It wasn't the prettiest game we've played, but the result was what we were looking for."

The Americans had been outscored 5-2 in going 1-4-1 since Klinsmann replaced Bob Bradley in late July, and they had been 0-5 in Europe since a March 2008 victory at Poland.

autos

Patrick crew chief Eury fined $10,000

NASCAR has penalized Danica Patrick's crew chief for a rules violation last weekend at Phoenix. Tony Eury Jr. was fined $10,000 and placed on probation through March.

The penalty was for an improperly attached weight on Patrick's car in the Nationwide Series race Saturday. Patrick was involved in an early accident and finished 21st.

NHRA champ to retire: Six-time NHRA champion Kenny Bernstein, 67, is retiring after 30 years of racing. Bernstein was the first NHRA driver to eclipse 300 mph in Gainesville in 1992 and won four straight Funny Car titles from 1985-88. He followed with Top Fuel titles in 1996 and 2001.

Dispute stops work on F1 track: Construction of a racetrack in Austin, Texas, to host the U.S. Grand Prix starting next year has been halted in a contract dispute between Formula One, race promoters and developers, casting doubt about the future of the race.

et cetera

NBA: Locked-out players including Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant filed class-action antitrust lawsuits against the league in at least two states, moving pro basketball's labor dispute to federal court. Attorney David Boies, who represented the NFL during its work stoppage, said the lockout violates antitrust laws by refusing to allow players to work. Meanwhile, the league reportedly canceled games through Dec. 15.

Tennis: Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer will meet in the opening phase of the ATP World Tour Finals after both were drawn into Group B at the season-ending tournament. The round-robin tournament for the world's top eight starts Sunday in London.

Times wires

Times wires
Tuesday, November 15, 2011

AMERICAN CONFERENCE

East W L T Pct PF PA

New England 6 3 0 .667 259 200

N.Y. Jets 5 4 0 .556 215 200

Buffalo 5 4 0 .556 229 218

Miami 2 7 0 .222 158 178

South W L T Pct PF PA

Houston 7 3 0 .700 273 166

Tennessee 5 4 0 .556 186 172

Jacksonville 3 6 0 .333 115 166

Indianapolis 0 10 0 .000 131 300

North W L T Pct PF PA

Pittsburgh 7 3 0 .700 220 179

Baltimore 6 3 0 .667 225 152

Cincinnati 6 3 0 .667 212 164

Cleveland 3 6 0 .333 131 183

West W L T Pct PF PA

Oakland 5 4 0 .556 208 233

San Diego 4 5 0 .444 216 228

Denver 4 5 0 .444 188 234

Kansas City 4 5 0 .444 141 218

NATIONAL CONFERENCE

East W L T Pct PF PA

N.Y. Giants 6 3 0 .667 218 211

Dallas 5 4 0 .556 223 182

Philadelphia 3 6 0 .333 220 203

Washington 3 6 0 .333 136 178

South W L T Pct PF PA

New Orleans 7 3 0 .700 313 228

Atlanta 5 4 0 .556 212 196

Tampa Bay 4 5 0 .444 156 233

Carolina 2 7 0 .222 190 237

North W L T Pct PF PA

Green Bay 9 0 0 1.000 320 186

Detroit 6 3 0 .667 252 184

Chicago 6 3 0 .667 237 187

Minnesota 2 7 0 .222 179 244

West W L T Pct PF PA

San Francisco 8 1 0 .889 233 138

Seattle 3 6 0 .333 144 202

Arizona 3 6 0 .333 183 213

St. Louis 2 7 0 .222 113 223

Thursday

N.Y. Jets at Denver, 8:20

Sunday

Tampa Bay at Green Bay, 1

Oakland at Minnesota, 1

Carolina at Detroit, 1

Dallas at Washington, 1

Jacksonville at Cleveland, 1

Cincinnati at Baltimore, 1

Buffalo at Miami, 1

Arizona at San Francisco, 4:05

Seattle at St. Louis, 4:05

San Diego at Chicago, 4:15

Tennessee at Atlanta, 4:15

Philadelphia at N.Y. Giants, 8:20

Open: Houston, Indianapolis, New Orleans, Pittsburgh

Monday, Nov. 21

Kansas City at New England, 8:30

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield, who had just returned after missing a month, is out for the season after breaking his clavicle Monday night against the Packers.

Winfield will have surgery this week, further decimating an already shorthanded secondary. Cornerback Chris Cook is not with the team as he works through legal issues stemming from domestic battery charges. Safety Husain Abdullah's status for Sunday against Oakland is in doubt because of a concussion.

Winfield missed the four previous games with a neck injury. He returned Monday but was hurt again tackling Green Bay tight end Jermichael Finley.

Minnesota lost 45-7 at Lambeau Field to drop to 2-7, their ninth straight NFC North defeat.

Big Ben should play despite broken thumb

PITTSBURGH — Ben Roethlisberger has an unexpected homework assignment during the Steelers' bye week: protecting a fractured right thumb.

Roethlisberger injured his throwing hand during Sunday's 24-17 win over Cincinnati. He's not sure when it happened, only that he noticed it while coming out for the second half.

Roethlisberger didn't miss a snap and is expected to play in Pittsburgh's next game, Nov. 27 at Kansas City.

"It hurt, but (head trainer) John Norwig did a great job taping it up, making a quick splint out of tape and going with it," Roethlisberger said.

BENGALS: Cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones won't face jail time in Nevada based on his conduct in a Cincinnati bar scuffle last summer, the district attorney in Las Vegas said. Jones must perform 75 additional hours of community service, Clark County DA David Roger said.

BILLS: Defensive end Kyle Moore, a Bucs fourth-round draft pick in 2009, was picked up off of the Lions' practice squad.

JAGUARS: The team signed defensive end George Selvie, a former USF star, and cornerback Ashton Youboty, who spent the preseason with the Bucs.

JETS: Running back LaDainian Tomlinson (sprained MCL, left knee) is questionable for Thursday's game at Denver.

TEXANS: Injured quarterback Matt Schaub said he hopes he can return this season but acknowledges "it doesn't look good." Schaub hurt the Lisfranc joint in his right foot in the second quarter of Sunday's 37-9 win over the Bucs at Raymond James Stadium. Schaub, who stayed in the game, said he was hurt when his foot got caught under Bucs defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth on a sneak near Houston's goal line. "I didn't really know how bad it was," Schaub said.

Times wires
Tuesday, November 15, 2011

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Kris Joseph and James Southerland had 19 points each, and No. 5 Syracuse beat Albany 98-74 in the NIT Season Tipoff on Tuesday night.

Syracuse (3-0) advances to the semifinals against Virginia Tech in New York.

On Monday, the Orange beat Manhattan 92-56 with a high-tempo attack that produced 42 points on the fast break, while the reserves scored 50. Tuesday it dominated the boards early.

Baye Keita had a career-high 14 points on 6-of-6 shooting and added five rebounds and two blocks. Fab Melo had eight points and seven rebounds.

NO. 10 MEMPHIS 97, BELMONT 81: Will Barton had 23 points for the host Tigers (1-0), who shot 59 percent, hitting 7-of-14 from 3-point range.

NO. 11 BAYLOR 77, SAN DIEGO ST. 67: Quincy Acy and Quincy Miller sparked a second-half run that finally put the host Bears (3-0) in control.

NO. 13 XAVIER 86, IPFW 63: Tu Holloway returned from a one-game suspension and scored 24 for the host Musketeers (2-0).

NO. 18 VANDY 80, BUCKNELL 68: Jeffery Taylor had 14 points, and the host Commodores (2-1) rebounded from a loss to Cleveland State.

NO. 20 UC 73, JACKSONVILLE ST. 59: Dion Dixon scored 16 of his 20 in the first half, and the host Bearcats (2-0) weathered a sluggish second.

MIAMI 72, RUTGERS 57: Durand Scott and Malcolm Grant scored 19 each to lead the host Hurricanes (2-0).

SAINT LEO 69, VALDOSTA ST. 51: Shaun Adams had 24 points on 11-of-13 shooting to lead the visiting Lions (2-1).

Women

USF 76, N. FLORIDA 41: Kaneisha Saunders led three players in double figures with 14 points for the Bulls (2-2) before a home opener crowd of 577 at the USF Recreation Center.

NO. 3 TENN. 92, NO. 7 MIAMI 76: The host Volunteers (2-0) opened the second half with an 18-4 run to bury the Hurricanes (1-1) in the State Farm Tip-Off Classic.

NO. 4 UCONN 112, PACIFIC 53: Freshman Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis had 25 points as the Huskies (2-0) won their 85th straight home game.

NO. 6 TEXAS A&M 76, NO. 9 LOUISVILLE 58: Kelsey Bone had 15 points for the host Aggies (2-0). The Cardinals (1-1) were without star guard Shoni Schimmel, serving the second of a two-game suspension.

NO. 12 GEORGIA 68, GA. SOUTHERN 49: Jasmine Hassell had 17 points and six rebounds for the visiting Bulldogs (2-0).

NO. 17 KENTUCKY 100, JACKSONVILLE ST. 25: The host Wildcats (2-0) used a full-court pressure defense to force a school-record 48 turnovers.

Times wires
Tuesday, November 15, 2011

COLUMBUS, Ohio — William Buford had 21 points and No. 3 Ohio State weathered Florida's fast start to beat the seventh-ranked Gators 81-74 on Tuesday night.

Jared Sullinger added 16 points, Deshaun Thomas 15 and Aaron Craft 13 points and seven assists for the Buckeyes (2-0), who forced 16 turnovers and hit 27 of 34 free throws to pull away in the second half.

Freshman Bradley Beal had 17 points, Kenny Boynton 15 and Patric Young and Erik Murphy 14 each for the Gators (1-1), who have never beaten a top-three team in a true road game. Down as much as 16 points, they got as close as five with less than a minute left before Buford sealed it with two free throws.

Both teams won their conferences a year ago but were trying to replace three starters.

The Buckeyes finished the first half with a 13-5 run to take a 35-32 lead.

With Sullinger controlling the lane, Buford scoring from outside and in and Craft getting a hand on several Florida passes and making numerous sharp ones himself, they pulled away, scoring the first five of the second half for an eight-point edge.

Still, Sullinger picked up his third foul with 13:58 left and soon after headed to the bench. With Evan Ravenel filling in and Buford and Craft setting the pace on offense, the Buckeyes didn't blink at the loss of their preseason All-American.

Ravenel had two baskets in a 6-1 run for a 50-38 lead. Buford scored six in a row for Ohio State to swell the lead to 59-44.

A rested Sullinger then returned.

The free-throw line helped the Buckeyes maintain their advantage the rest of the way. Florida was just 13-of-21.

The Gators set the tempo early on three 3's by Murphy, building a 14-6 lead.

Ohio State came within a shot of tying it on several occasions before finally catching Florida on Craft's steal on one end and a twisting, spinning layup through a crowd with 3:24 left in the first half.

That was part of the half-ending run, keyed by Sullinger's fadeaway 15-foot jumper with a second left on the shot clock that put the Buckeyes up 33-31. Ravenel hit a short jumper in the final minute.