By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, December 4, 2011

DALLAS — Manny Ramirez's career appeared to end in disgrace in April when he retired from the Rays in the face of a 100-game suspension for a second failed drug test.

But as baseball's winter meetings get under way today, Ramirez is making a bid to get back in the game, filing for reinstatement under a negotiated deal that would reduce his ban to 50 games.

The Rays are not expected to be interested this time around.

Ramirez, 39, hit just .059 (1-for-17) in five games for the Rays before the news broke, and his departure caused what appeared to be a major void in their lineup, coming a few days after 3B Evan Longoria was injured.

The Rays recovered and made the playoffs, with Johnny Damon taking over the DH role that had been pegged for Ramirez, who signed a bargain-priced $2 million deal and had impressed the Rays during the spring. Ramirez went home to South Florida and eventually got into legal trouble, arrested in September on a domestic battery charge.

He floated the idea of playing in the Dominican Republic, but after changing agents from Scott Boras to Scott Shapiro and Barry Praver, he decided to try to get back to the big leagues and has reportedly been working out.

MLB said in a Sunday night release that Ramirez had applied to be reinstated from the voluntary retired list and will have to serve the 50-game suspension after signing with a team.

New Orioles GM Dan Duquette, who signed Ramirez in Boston, laughed when the question was posed Sunday but didn't rule it out.

"Manny's always interesting, and he's never predictable," Duquette told Baltimore reporters. "But I don't know too much about the mechanics of what we would have to do or if we could do it. But Manny's always a lot of fun to be around, and he's very entertaining."

ANOTHER TO SOUTH BEACH: Free agent SS Jose Reyes appeared set leave the Mets and join the Marlins, with reports Sunday night that he had agreed to a six-year offer worth in excess of $100 million. ESPN reported the deal was for $106 million, with a seventh-year option for $22 million or a $5 million buyout. Reyes would be the second high-profile free agent to join the Marlins, who are moving into a new stadium. They reportedly agreed to terms last week on a three-year, $27 million deal with closer Heath Bell. With Reyes aboard, they are expected to move Hanley Ramirez to third base.

HALL CALL: The Veterans Committee will announce its voting today on Golden Era candidates for the Hall of Fame. Former Cubs star Ron Santo and Dodgers 1B/Mets manager Gil Hodges are among the candidates. Also on the ballot are Ken Boyer, Minnie Minoso, Tony Oliva, Jim Kaat, Allie Reynolds and Luis Tiant, plus executives Charlie Finley and Buzzie Bavasi.

RAYS RUMBLINGS: The Rays are among a half-dozen teams reported to be interested in RH reliever Luis Ayala, a 33-year-old who was 2-2 with a 2.09 ERA in 52 games for the Yankees last season. … Damon, a free agent, told the Boston Globe the Rays were "perfect for me."

Times wires
Sunday, December 4, 2011

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The score was tied with less than a minute to play and the Packers were 80 yards from the end zone.

But Aaron Rodgers wasn't going to wait until overtime.

It was the perfect choice for a team pushing perfection.

Rodgers hit passes of 24, 27 and 18 yards in a lightning-quick five-play drive to set up a 31-yard field goal by Mason Crosby on the final play Sunday, and the Packers remained undefeated and clinched a playoff berth with a 38-35 victory over the Giants.

Defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay won its 18th straight dating to last season.

"We've had a number of games we won by a couple scores," Rodgers said. "You get the ball on the 20, under a minute, and we get it down there for a chip-shot field goal, it's very rewarding. It probably (ranks) right at the top."

Rodgers hit all four of his passes in the 58-second drive that sent the Giants to their fourth straight loss, starting with a 24-yard laser to tight end Jermichael Finley just over the hands of rookie linebacker Jacquian Williams.

"I thought it was mine. I thought it was mine," said Williams, a former standout at USF. "…He made some good throws."

The second one covered 24 yards to Jordy Nelson down the left sideline to the New York 29. An 18-yard pass to Greg Jennings moved the ball to the 12. The third toss was a 1-yard loss.

Green Bay called time out with 3 seconds left, then Crosby delivered his winning kick.

"It was a huge drive," said Jennings, who also caught a 20-yard touchdown. "We haven't had one like that at the end in a while. … It's great to see what we could do at the end like that."

Rodgers was sacked three times but finished 28-of-46 for 369 yards and four TDs.

The Giants tied it on a 2-yard touchdown from Eli Manning to Hakeem Nicks, and a 2-point conversion run by D.J. Ware on a Manning audible, with just less than a minute to play.

Then came Rodgers and Co.

"He's a great quarterback, but I expect more out of us on defense," Giants defensive end Dave Tollefson said. "You know, it's not like Jesus in cleats. He's Aaron Rodgers. He's a great quarterback, but we have to do a better job of finishing on defense."

Times wires
Sunday, December 4, 2011

Play it again, LSU and Alabama.

The Crimson Tide edged out Oklahoma State in the final round of voting Sunday and will play the top-ranked Tigers in the BCS national championship game on Jan. 9 in New Orleans.

Undefeated LSU is the only team to beat Alabama, and the top BCS official sees a do-over as a perfectly good title game.

"Absolutely, if they're 1 and 2, and they are in all the polls released today," executive director Bill Hancock said.

Still, it's not exactly a game the public was clamoring for — at least outside of SEC territory. And it will do nothing to quiet the critics or the calls for a college football playoff.

The SEC will run its streak of national titles to six in a row. The last time a national title was decided by a rematch of a regular-season game was 1996, when host FSU beat Florida in its final regular-season game then drew the Gators in the Sugar Bowl. Steve Spurrier's Gators beat Bobby Bowden's Seminoles 52-20 to win UF's first national championship.

The Cowboys made a late surge by beating Oklahoma 44-10 on Saturday night, and closed the gap with Alabama in the polls. But it was not enough to avoid the first title game rematch in the 14-year history of the BCS.

The Tigers (13-0) beat the Tide 9-6 in OT on Nov. 5 in Tuscaloosa.

"This team loves the big stage," LSU coach Les Miles said.

"This could be a totally different type of game," Alabama coach Nick Saban said. "There's so many good players on both sides of the ball for both teams.

"There's so much opportunity for this game to play out completely different and have a completely different flavor."

Alabama (11-1) finished second in both the Harris and coaches' polls by a wide enough margin to make up for the fact that Oklahoma State was ahead in the computer ratings.

The Cowboys (11-1), champions of the Big 12, will play in the Fiesta Bowl against Stanford.

No BCS busters made it into the big games, teams such as Boise State, TCU or Houston, which had a chance but lost in the C-USA championship on Saturday to Southern Mississippi.

As the power-brokers begin to plot how top-tier bowls will be set up in the future, the 2011 season is exposing flaws.

Oklahoma State and Alabama, two teams with good arguments to play for a national championship, wound up fighting over one spot, with subjective voters and computer ratings — the formulas of which are not even publicly known — doing the choosing.

Alabama, with the nation's No. 1 defense, won out and will play for its second BCS crown in three years.

Oklahoma State, with one of the most potent offenses in the country, gets its first BCS appearance as a consolation prize.

"We wanted the opportunity to settle the debate that has gone all year about the offense in the Big 12 and the defense in the SEC," Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said. "It didn't work out that way."

penn state falls to lower bowl: Penn State discovered what it had feared since former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky was indicted last month on child sexual-abuse charges — that bowl committees would be reluctant to invite the Nittany Lions because of the controversy.

Though they finished tied for the fourth-best record in the Big Ten at 9-3, the Nittany Lions had to wait until the TicketCity Bowl, seventh on the list of games affiliated with the conference to select, chose them for its Jan. 2 game, against Houston in Dallas.

In a normal year, the Lions probably would have gone to the Insight Bowl, fourth in line on the list, in Tempe, Ariz. But there was no way to predict what the bowls were going to do following the Nov. 5 indictment against Sandusky.

The Lions were bypassed by three bowls that selected teams they defeated during the regular season — Iowa (Insight), Ohio State (Gator), and Northwestern (Meineke).

In a statement, Lions interim head coach Tom Bradley called the invitation "a fitting acknowledgment of the hard work, dedication, and perseverance our student-athletes have exhibited this especially challenging season."

Times wires
Sunday, December 4, 2011

Around the league

REPORT: PAIR OF REDSKINS FACE SUBSTANCE BAN

LANDOVER, Md. — A difficult season for the Redskins is getting worse: LT Trent Williams and TE Fred Davis are expected to be suspended for the last four games for violating the league's substance abuse policy, Associated Press reported.

Williams, above left, the No. 4 overall draft pick in 2010, and Davis, above right, a second-rounder in 2008, start for the 4-8 Redskins. Davis had six catches for 99 yards, both game highs, in Sunday's loss to the Jets.

Washington coach Mike Shanahan said: "Well, No. 1, I've received no information about it, so I can't comment on that at this time. But I will comment in the next day or two, depending on exactly what has happened."

Neither player was in the locker room when reporters entered. Their lockers were cleaned out by team employees.

BILLS: The team honored Allen Wilson, a longtime beat writer for the Buffalo News who died Saturday of leukemia. Team captain and S George Wilson spoke for the players in issuing condolences, calling the writer a "good man" and "genuine guy."

DOLPHINS: The late Jim Mandich, a longtime tight end and broadcaster, joined the team's honor roll.

FALCONS: TE Tony Gonzalez reached 60 receptions for the 13th consecutive season, a league record.

49ERS: Frank Gore broke the franchise rushing record. The former University of Miami star passed Hall of Famer Joe Perry (7,344) and has 7,396 yards. The team has No. 34 helmet decals this season to honor Perry, who died in April at 84.

GIANTS: Backup T Stacy Andrews was hospitalized with embolisms in both lungs. He was admitted to a hospital late Saturday. Trainer Ronnie Barnes said Andrews was resting and most likely will be released today. … Starting C David Baas was a late scratch because of headaches. … Carl Banks, Mark Bavaro, Alex Webster, Dave Jennings and the late Brad Van Pelt were inducted into the team's Ring of Honor.

PACKERS: CB Charles Woodson suffered a concussion in the fourth. He is scheduled to be examined this week.

RAIDERS: DT Richard Seymour was ejected for throwing a punch in the third quarter against the Dolphins.

STEELERS: Ben Roethlisberger set the team record for completions, passing Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw. Roethlisberger, in his eighth season, has 2,026 completions, one more than Bradshaw had in 14 seasons. … WR Hines Ward became the 19th player with 12,000 career receiving yards.

TITANS: CB Jason McCourty was concussed while making a tackle.

Times wires

Times wires
Sunday, December 4, 2011

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Nick Johnson scored the go-ahead goal with 5:31 left in the third period, Casey Wellman and Pierre-Marc Bouchard scored 32 seconds apart in the second, and the Wild kept the Ducks winless in the Bruce Boudreau era, winning 4-3 Sunday night.

Matt Cullen had three assists for Minnesota against his former club, and Josh Harding, starting for injured Niklas Backstrom, made 24 saves as Minnesota opened a five-game trip.

Anaheim is 0-2 since recently deposed Washington coach Boudreau replaced Randy Carlyle behind the bench Wednesday.

The Ducks, who have won just three of their past 21 games, squandered a 2-0 lead two nights after blowing a 3-0 advantage in Boudreau's debut, a 4-3 overtime loss to Philadelphia. It was also the third time in five games Anaheim blew a two-goal lead.

The victory put the Wild atop the overall league standings with 37 points under rookie coach Mike Yeo. It is off to its best start in the franchise's 11 years, 17-7-3, and has won four straight and nine of 11

game highlights: The host Avalanche ended the Red Wings' winning streak at seven games, 4-2. … Canucks wing Mason Raymond played his first game since breaking his back in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup final against the Bruins last season and had an assist in a 5-1 win over the visiting Flames.

realignment: Because of playoff ramifications, the players association is against a plan that would change the league format from two conferences of three divisions each to two conferences of two each, the New York Post reported. The union, which doesn't have a vote in the issue being discussed at this week's Board of Governors meeting, believes it would be unfair that two of the four divisions would have seven teams each and two would have eight. The meetings begin today in Pebble Beach, Calif.

First Period—1, Anaheim, Getzlaf 6 (Perry, Selanne), 5:57 (pp). 2, Anaheim, S.Koivu 5 (Selanne, Beleskey), 9:25. 3, Minnesota, Heatley 8 (Cullen, M.Koivu), 19:56 (pp). Penalties—Schultz, Min (high-sticking), 5:42; Staubitz, Min, major (fighting), 10:28; Jacques, Ana, major (fighting), 10:28; Ryan, Ana (interference), 18:30; Lydman, Ana (high-sticking), 19:03.

Second Period—4, Minnesota, Wellman 2 (Cullen, Bouchard), 15:18. 5, Minnesota, Bouchard 4 (Cullen, Wellman), 15:50. Penalties—Stoner, Min (hooking), 8:05; Sbisa, Ana (interference), 11:10.

Third Period—6, Anaheim, Fowler 3, 10:45. 7, Minnesota, Johnson 4 (Clutterbuck, Brodziak), 14:29. 8, Minnesota, Clutterbuck 8, 19:49 (en-sh). Penalties—M.Koivu, Min (cross-checking), 18:02. Shots on Goal—Minnesota 17-13-6—36. Anaheim 9-4-14—27. Power-play opportunities—Minnesota 1 of 3; Anaheim 1 of 3. Goalies—Minnesota, Harding 7-2-1 (27 shots-24 saves). Anaheim, Hiller 6-11-5 (35-31).

First Period—1, Detroit, Franzen 12 (Datsyuk, Lidstrom), 15:08 (pp). Penalties—V.Filppula, Det (hooking), 5:34; Quincey, Col (cross-checking), 13:29.

Second Period—2, Colorado, O'Reilly 5 (Landeskog), :26. 3, Colorado, Stastny 8 (Duchene), 2:11 (pp). Penalties—Ericsson, Det (cross-checking), :43; E.Johnson, Col (tripping), 5:26; Landeskog, Col (high-sticking), 10:33; Kronwall, Det (interference), 15:51.

Third Period—4, Detroit, Cleary 5 (Zetterberg, Bertuzzi), 5:08. 5, Colorado, Galiardi 3 (Landeskog), 9:22 (sh). 6, Colorado, O'Reilly 6 (McClement, Winnik), 19:26 (en). Penalties—O'Byrne, Col (high-sticking), 1:16; Wilson, Col (cross-checking), 7:24. Shots on Goal—Detroit 11-4-14—29. Colorado 7-19-9—35. Power-play opportunities—Detroit 1 of 5; Colorado 1 of 3. Goalies—Detroit, Conklin 1-3-0 (34 shots-31 saves). Colorado, Varlamov 9-10-1 (29-27).

First Period—1, Calgary, Tanguay 5 (Horak, Bourque), 18:34. Penalties—Glencross, Cal (delay of game), 9:20; Comeau, Cal (roughing), 10:03.

Second Period—2, Vancouver, Bieksa 2 (Higgins, Booth), 5:13 (pp). 3, Vancouver, Higgins 8 (Booth, Hamhuis), 19:01. Penalties—H.Sedin, Van (hooking), 1:01; Iginla, Cal (goaltender interference), 3:29; Smith, Cal (holding), 10:33; Higgins, Van (interference), 15:35.

Third Period—4, Vancouver, Booth 5 (Kesler, Higgins), :40. 5, Vancouver, Hansen 7 (Raymond, Ballard), 1:54. 6, Vancouver, D.Sedin 9 (Kesler, H.Sedin), 5:42 (pp). Penalties—Bourque, Cal (cross-checking), 5:14; Booth, Van (goaltender interference), 7:57; Kostopoulos, Cal (roughing), 11:00; Stajan, Cal, major-misconduct (fighting), 11:00; Rome, Van (cross-checking, roughing), 11:00; Lapierre, Van, major-misconduct (fighting), 11:00; Backlund, Cal (hooking), 17:31. Shots on Goal—Calgary 13-4-5—22. Vancouver 10-15-11—36. Power-play opportunities—Calgary 0 of 3; Vancouver 2 of 6. Goalies—Calgary, Karlsson 0-4-1 (32 shots-27 saves), Kiprusoff (6:39 third, 4-4). Vancouver, Luongo 8-6-1 (22-21).

Times wires
Sunday, December 4, 2011

NEW ORLEANS — Drew Brees made a little more history for the Saints and kept the mistake-prone Lions struggling.

Brees passed for 342 yards and three touchdowns Sunday night as New Orleans won its fourth straight, 31-17.

The performance gave Brees 4,031 yards this season, making him the first quarterback to eclipse 4,000 yards in the first 12 games of a season.

"We were able to spread the ball around and come up with some big plays," Brees said. "I hope our hopes and aspirations are bigger than setting records."

His scores went for 67 yards to Robert Meachem, 20 to Lance Moore and 6 to Darren Sproles. He also hit tight end Jimmy Graham eight times for 89 yards.

"He's a stud, a young raw talent but a guy who's figuring it out quickly," Brees said of Graham, who became the first Saints tight end with a 1,000-yard receiving season.

Detroit's loss clinched the NFC North title for Green Bay.

Matthew Stafford passed for 408 yards and one touchdown for the Lions, who have lost five of seven since a 5-0 start.

The Lions hurt themselves with 11 penalties for 107 yards, including three offensive pass interference penalties and a personal foul on tight end Brandon Pettigrew for shoving an official who was trying to get between him and Saints safety Roman Harper after the whistle.

The mistakes made it hard for the Lions to keep pace with the league's No. 1 offense, and they missed a chance to take a one-game lead over Chicago and Atlanta in the NFC wild-card race.

Rookie Mark Ingram scored New Orleans' first touchdown on a 14-yard run. The Saints built a 24-7 halftime lead on the touchdowns to Meachem and Moore before Detroit showed signs of a comeback in the third quarter.

Jason Hanson's 31-yard field goal made it 24-10. The Lions pulled within one score on Maurice Morris' 9-yard touchdown reception from Stafford, capping a nine-play, 88-yard drive.

The Saints pulled away again in the fourth on Sproles' TD.

Detroit missed defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, who was serving the first of a two-game suspension.

Most of the game was played with only six officials instead of the usual seven after umpire Garth DeFelice went out with a left leg injury in the first quarter. Back judge Terrence Miles slid into his spot.

Times wires
Monday, December 5, 2011

For the second time in his Sprint Cup career, an off-track issue has cost Kurt Busch his job.

Busch will not return next season to drive Penske Racing's No. 22 Dodge, the Charlotte Observer reported Sunday night.

An official announcement of from the Penske organization is expected today.

Just more than a week ago NASCAR fined Busch $50,000 for the use of an obscene gesture and a profanity-laced tirade directed toward a media member during the Cup series finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

The incident with ESPN reporter Dr. Jerry Punch, which took place in the garage after Busch's car broke its transmission, was caught on video and posted on the YouTube website.

At the time, Penske officials issued a statement saying they were reviewing the matter.

Asked if he could confirm Busch as the driver of the No. 22 team in 2012, Penske spokesman Jonathan Gibson referred to its previous statement and said the organization would have no further comment at that time.

In November 2005, less than a year after winning his lone Cup series championship, Busch was fired by Roush Fenway Racing after he was cited for criminal recklessness in Avondale, Ariz., in what police called an alcohol-related incident.

Busch sat out the remaining two races of the 2005 season. He began driving for team owner Roger Penske in the 2006 season.

Since joining Penske, Busch has won 10 races. His highest finish in the series was fourth in 2009.

Busch said last week that he was seeing a sports psychologist for his temper and anger issues, which have been on display during multiple radio tirades aimed at his crew chief and crew. The man on the receiving end of those rants the past two years, crew chief Steve Addington, parted ways with Penske at the end of the year and will be the crew chief for Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart in 2012.

There are no quality rides currently available for next season for Busch, 33, to pursue, and no drivers with a resume on the track similar to Busch's is available for Penske to hire. Several drivers who competed in the series this season remain without rides, including David Ragan, Brian Vickers and Zephyrhills' David Reutimann.

By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Monday, December 5, 2011

The Harris Poll panelist who voted Houston No. 5 and Oklahoma State No. 6 this weekend said he believes the system that selects the teams for a national championship through polling and computer rankings needs to go, in favor of a method decided on the field.

"I think the BCS is just a mess," said George Wine, 80, who retired as sports information director at Iowa in 1996 and still writes stories for the Hawkeyes' official site. "I think college football is crying for a playoff system. This voting is highly subjective. I realize that voting is subjective and often arbitrary. I probably don't do as much research … but who the hell knows whether Oregon is better than Wisconsin?"

Wine, reached by phone at his home in Coralville, Iowa, said he has served as a Harris panelist for five years ("It's a well-paying job," he said) and said he feels his decision to vote Houston ahead of Oklahoma State is justified, because he believes Oklahoma State's lone loss (in double overtime at Iowa State) is a worse loss than that of Houston, which lost by 28 at home to Southern Miss this weekend in the Conference USA championship game.

"Oklahoma State lost to Iowa State, which I think is a very bad loss," said Wine, who said he attends every Iowa game he can. "I think Southern Miss is a very good football team."

Oklahoma State finished third in the Harris and BCS standings, just missing a chance to play LSU for the national title. Houston finished 17th in the overall Harris voting, having not beaten any teams that were in the top 25 all season. Houston was not ranked higher than eighth on any other Harris ballot, while Oklahoma State showed up sixth on two other ballots.

Times staff
Monday, December 5, 2011

The schedule has been announced for the second International Spring Baseball Training series at Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg.

The 10-game series, which runs from March 6-18, features the 2011 World Cup Championship team from the Netherlands, Team Canada and St. Petersburg College playing major-league squads from the Rays, Tigers, Phillies, Pirates, Blue Jays and Braves.

Reservations for season box tickets will be taken beginning Friday.

Season tickets will be offered for a limited time for $80, a 36 percent discount off the single-game price of $12.50. For group discounts for 10 or more tickets, call (727) 827-2078.

St. Petersburg International Baseball was created by Mayor Bill Foster to bring spring baseball back to Al Lang Stadium.

For more information, call (727) 551-3000 or visit stpete internationalbaseball.com.

By Stephen F. Holder and Joe Smith, Times Staff Writers
Monday, December 5, 2011

TAMPA — Bucs QB Josh Freeman, who missed his first game in two years Sunday because of a right shoulder injury, is on track to return to practice Wednesday and is optimistic he'll play against the Jaguars next Sunday.

Freeman said the plan is to rehab for a couple days with hopes of resuming throwing in Wednesday's practice. He was limited last week to some soft throws after injuring the shoulder on the final play of a loss to the Titans on Nov. 27. Coach Raheem Morris remained hopeful Freeman would return Wednesday, but acknowledged the team will be cautious with its franchise quarterback.

"You don't want to hurt your quarterback any further," Morris said. "You want to be smart with him and figure out what he can do and how fast you can let him do it."

Also on the injury front, CB Aqib Talib is unsure if he'll play this week after aggravating a hamstring injury on the first series Sunday. Talib, who was forced to leave the game, has coped with the injury for weeks and played through a great deal of discomfort.

"It's still in there," Talib said of the injury. "You can play with it until you make a certain move."

Morris said Talib will have an MRI exam, but pointed out the corner has a lot of pain tolerance.

"His toughness is off the charts when it comes to dealing with certain injuries," Morris said. "He's kind of Ronde (Barber)-like in that sense. … We'll have to see where he is, go through the MRI process, see when you can run, see if you can run."

PRICE CHECK: Morris apologized for using a four-letter expletive during Sunday's postgame news conference, calling it "frustration on my part." He used the term in responding to a question about why he told DT Brian Price to leave the field after Price committed a costly personal foul in the third quarter.

Morris said Price's standing in the lockerroom played a role in why he made the move, pointing out he has a "low tolerance" for players he depends on for leadership.

"We cannot make those types of mistakes, and he's got to be an example-setter," Morris said. Morris said he spoke with Price on Monday and will talk to him again about the incident.

"He knows he can't hurt his football team that way," Morris said.

NOWHERE TO RUN: Wondering why RB LeGarrette Blount seemed to have nowhere to run on his 11 mostly fruitless carries?

The Panthers, knowing Freeman was out, made certain of it.

"With Josh Freeman out and (Josh Johnson) stepping in, a lot of teams would be looking to stack the box," Blount said. "(They think) we don't have Freeman so they don't have nothing to worry about.

"When safeties shoot through gaps, they're not respecting your pass at all."

Blount went on to say that Johnson acquitted himself well, saying, "We didn't miss a beat with Josh Johnson in there. I don't know what else we can ask for. He's a solid backup."

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Monday, December 5, 2011

The hits, and they're not good ones, just keep on coming for the Tampa Bay Lightning defense. Already with Mattias Ohlund, who last week had what coach Guy Boucher called a "big" setback in his recovery from surgeries to both knees, the Lightning lost Pavel Kubina for at least tonight's game with the Senators because of a lower-body injury.

Kubina would not be specific about the injury, which had not been previously revealed, except to say it occurred in the final minutes of Saturday's 4-2 loss to the Rangers. Kubina skated briefly Monday morning with his teammates but left the ice and decided he could not play. He said he is not ruling himself out for Tuesday's game with the Islanders but it is a wait-and-see thing.

"We'll see (Tuesday) and the next couple of days," Kubina said, adding that if the injury did not improve he might go for an MRI exam. But that has not been done yet.

"In his words, speed is not his thing, so if you've got a lower-body injury, it isn't going to help his game," Boucher said. "We want to be smart on this one, so instead of it being 10 days, maybe it will be five days, three days, four days."

Boucher agreed he feels a bit snake bit when it comes to his blue line. Already struggling with consistency, and now without two of his biggest bodies, there is a lot more pressure on the remaining defensemen to step up. Bruno Gervais comes in for Kubina against the Senators. He has played in just six games this season and been a healthy scratch in the past eight.

"Let's not kid ourselves," Boucher said. "We're not in a position as a team to lose defensemen and keep playing and look the same way. The reality is it's something we know we have to improve, so it's tough."

The bottom line, Boucher said, "Some guys want more ice time, now they've got it. It's time to shine for some guys."

Other stuff from the morning skate: Dwayne Roloson gets the start in net. That means unless he is lights-out tonight against the Senators, Mathieu Garon will face the Islanders Tuesday in New York. ... Right wing Adam Hall is scratched for the second straight game. ... Wing Ryan Shannon plays his first game in Ottawa since leaving the team to sign with the Lightning as a free agent. Shannon has one goal and five points in 18 games. He had 11 goals last season for Ottawa. "It's progressing, going forward," Shannon said of his transition to Tampa Bay. "I'm looking for that breakthrough game." Asked if he believes his transition is slower than expected, Shannon said, "I would have liked to come in and score a hat trick, but that hasn't happened yet." ... In hindsight, defenseman Marc-Andre Bergeron said he can see very clearly what he should have done during the third period of the 4-2 loss to the Rangers, simply chip the puck out of the defensive zone. But Bergeron tried to make a play, lost the puck when checked by Ryan Callahan and New York score to tie the score 2-2, the first of its three third-period goals. "Maybe I was a little overconfident, looking for too much," Bergeron said Monday. "I didn't read the situation right. I see the play in the back of my head, and it would have been easy just to tap it out. I obviously know what I did and that's a big part in solving the problem." The problem, Boucher said, is that with Ohlund out, Lightning defensemen have had to play in positions in which they are not comfortable. "I'm very honest with this," Boucher said. "If you put guys in slots that they are not used to managing, it asks to much of some players. Bergeron, since we've got injuries, he's playing against the second lines, against fast, smart, offensive players, second-liners. When have you seen Bergeron play against those guys before? We're asking too much of some guys and it hurts. It hurts him and it hurts the team and I feel feel for him. He had been playing terrific, but when you have to manage the power play and play against second lines against teams like the Rangers and Detroit, it's very difficult for anybody to manage that." With Ohlund and Kubina out, it's not going to get easier.

By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
Monday, December 5, 2011

TAMPA — Having watched his struggling defense surrender big play after big play during a six-game losing streak, Bucs coach Raheem Morris said Monday he will scale back the scheme to help young players react faster.

The less-is-more plan was announced one day after a 38-19 loss to Carolina in which Tampa Bay allowed a dozen plays of at least 19 yards.

"We'll cut back on some of our defensive calls," Morris said. "We'll cut back, we'll cut this thing down pretty good and go out there and execute and play consistent and smart.

"We had a pretty small menu (Sunday). But in order to get it better, you make it smaller and get these guys consistent in what they're doing and let them go out there and play. You've got to cut back, there's no doubt about it. Get these guys to play a little bit faster."

The Bucs are 30th in total defense (393.8 yards per game) and points allowed (27.4) and are on pace to have one of the worst units in franchise history. Three rookies started on defense against the Panthers — ends Adrian Clayborn and Da'Quan Bowers and middle linebacker Mason Foster.

Since taking over as defensive coordinator 10 games into the 2009 season, Morris has taken the Bucs further away from their Tampa 2 roots in favor of more exotic blitz, man-to-man concepts.

What made Morris believe the young Bucs could execute that scheme?

"The way we came out of the box," Morris said. "We came out of the box 3-1. We came out of the box playing really fast and we got better as we moved around. People are playing fast, Mason is looking like a stud and getting better and better every week. I think he still is. He had the setback with some injuries and we lost some people and right now we've got some people in position trying to play as hard as they can. Now we've got to give him a little bit of help."

The Bucs also have been one of the league's most penalized teams, committing nine Sunday for 73 yards.

Morris' frustration was evident when he ordered defensive tackle Brian Price to leave the field after Price's third-quarter unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

"Brian Price is somebody I expect so much from because he's probably one of our best D-linemen. … We cannot make those kind of mistakes and he's got to be an example-setter," Morris said. "Until you take playing time away from guys, they won't get it."

With only four games to play, Morris indicated the Bucs will evaluate young players such as running back Mossis Madu, cornerback Anthony Gaitor and safety Larry Asante.

"You'll get a chance to see a bunch of people," Morris said. "It's not different than we did even last year when guys got hurt. … These young guys are going to get their opportunities right now and it's time to check them out and evaluate them.

"Obviously, we're nowhere near where we wanted to be.… So we'll cut back, we'll get these guys better, we'll get their confidence higher, running around, speeding around, flying to the football."

Morris said he still has faith in the Bucs' plan to build with young players — even if that means continuing growing pains.

"Every once in awhile, you need a little bit of ball bounce, we didn't get that ball bounce this year," Morris said. "But I got a lot of confidence in this group, I've got a lot of confidence where this organization is going, I've got a lot of confidence what can happen and that's a part of looking at some of these other guys, too, and seeing where they fit in their pieces. We've always talked about not being a finished product. It's more clear now than ever."

Bottom five explains Tampa Bay's dive

The Bucs, losers of six straight, are among the worst five teams in the 32-team league in both yards and points allowed.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Monday, December 5, 2011

DALLAS — The Rays had a busy first day at the winter meetings, talking trade with several teams and negotiating with free agents including outfielder/DH Josh Willingham.

While no deals were considered imminent, it did appear by Monday night that their top two decision-makers would be sticking around.

Manager Joe Maddon said talks on an extension to his contract, which runs only through the 2012 season, have begun and he was "very confident" a new deal would be struck. "I'm sure it's going to be all worked out in due time," Maddon said.

And executive vice president Andrew Friedman eliminated any possibility — albeit extremely slim anyway — that he would leave for a job with his hometown Astros.

"Andrew chose not to be a part of the Astros' process," team president Matt Silverman said in a statement. "It is in no way a reflection on the Houston organization."

The Rays' top offseason goal is improving their offense, with Willingham, a free agent with a solid record of success, emerging Monday as a possibility.

Willingham, a right-handed hitter who turns 33 in February, hit a career-high 29 homers for Oakland last year, with a .246 average, .332 on-base percentage and .477 slugging percentage. He can play left and right, but the Rays likely would use him primarily as a DH, a significant power upgrade over free agent Johnny Damon, who hit 16 homers.

But the number of other teams interested — reportedly at least three others — and the amount they'd be willing to spend may dictate the direction of the talks. Willingham made $6 million last season, with his agent reportedly seeking a three-year deal.

Another option is trading with one of the numerous teams that have expressed interest in their stable of starting pitchers, primarily James Shields and Wade Davis. The Royals, Marlins and Reds — who all have young hitters — are among those in the conversations.

Overall, Friedman said of the first day: "It's been busy." As for the possibilities of a deal? "It's something that kind of vacillates by the minute. There were times (Monday) where I was pretty optimistic about certain things and then different times where I was a lot more pessimistic."

Maddon has been optimistic about staying with the Rays past the coming season, but Monday was the first indication there have been discussions.

Maddon, who just won his second AL manager of the year award, would seem to be in line to at least double his current salary of about $1.3 million, which is in the bottom third of current managers.

"We've been talking a little bit in general, it's just basic stuff," Maddon said. "I'm a Ray. I have a lot of faith in being a Ray as I continue along. I've talked about that this for me is the best place to work in major-league baseball. Of course, everybody is looking for security, we all want security.

"For me it's just about having an open conversation. We never would negotiate in public, anything like that. It's just about an ongoing conversation right now, and we'll see how it all or when it plays out. But I'm not worried about anything."

Friedman, per policy, wouldn't discuss the status of negotiations, but said, "My expectation is to work with Joe for a long time."

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

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Monday, December 5, 2011

DALLAS — With no plans for an upgrade from the outside, manager Joe Maddon plans to have Reid Brignac and Sean Rodriguez settle the Rays shortstop position this spring the old-fashioned way.

"It's an open competition is what it is," Maddon said.

Brignac was expected to take over last season for Jason Bartlett, but he struggled so much offensively (.193) he lost his job and was sent briefly to the minors. Rodriguez eventually took over and while he "probably exceeded" expectations defensively didn't hit much better (.223 overall). Brignac ended up starting 76 games, Rodriguez 49.

Maddon has called both this offseason to update them: "They're both aware that they'll be battling it out."

Among other topics, Maddon said he hoped with the benefit of the team's training staff that C Jose Molina, who turns 37 in June, could catch "80-plus, hopefully" games; relievers Jake McGee and Brandon Gomes are "in the mix" for opening-day roster spots; he would be "a little surprised" if the Rays didn't trade a starting pitcher; and free agent Hideki Matsui is "definitely a name that would come up" in their DH search.

Also, free-agent 1B Casey Kotchman may have another option besides returning to the Rays, as the Indians are reported to have interest. … Executive VP Andrew Friedman said the Rays "have cast a pretty wide net" in their search to add another one or two relievers.

"HEAD" COACH: Greg Riddoch has been hired as the Rays' mental skills coach. Riddoch, a former Padres manager and Devil Rays coach (1998-99), will work with players on different mental aspects of the game, much as sports psychologist Ken Ravizza did in 2009-10. Riddoch, 66, will join the Rays for spring training, then split time during the season between the major and minor leagues.

MIAMI WISHES: With his team on a spending spree with a new stadium set to open, Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria has these words for the Rays' efforts: "We're wishing them nothing but the best trying to get that done. It was a long road for us and we're now seeing the fruits of all the decade of work." … The Marlins formally introduced closer Heath Bell, who signed a three-year, $27 million deal. They have reached agreement with SS Jose Reyes and are still talking about 1B Albert Pujols.

HALL CALL: Former Cubs great Ron Santo was elected posthumously to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee through the Golden Era ballot. Santo, who died in December 2010, hit .277 with 342 homers and 1,331 RBIs in 15 seasons, 14 with the Cubs. He was not elected during 15 years on the BBWAA ballot nor three times by the previous incarnation of the veterans committee.

RUMOR MILL: Free-agent LHP C.J. Wilson reportedly has a six-year offer from the Nationals. … The Brewers are said to be resigned to losing 1B Prince Fielder. … RHP Matt Capps is close to re-signing with the Twins. … The Dodgers signed INF Jerry Hairston Jr. and are talking to RHP Aaron Harang.

ELSEWHERE: Charles Crawford said Red Sox clubhouse manager Donald Fitzpatrick sexually abused him and another teen working in Boston's clubhouse in the early '90s. Both men are seeking $5 million settlements from the team. Fitzpatrick died in 2005.

By Tyson Wallerstein, Times Correspondent
Monday, December 5, 2011

Cold front schedule: If the past two weeks are any indication, fishing might be a little tough for those heading out on the weekends. With cold fronts coming through late week, brisk north winds will prevail for a couple of days until high pressure settles in and we start to see east winds again.

Sight-fishing opportunities: Morning mid-level high tides this week will have redfish, gator trout and sheepshead cruising the flats searching for crustaceans and bait fish before this next front comes through.

Tactic: Drifting, poling or running the trolling motor on low will allow you to get close enough. A live select shrimp tail hooked is the bait of choice; however a weed-less rigged soft plastic jerk bait in watermelon/red flake works quite well.

Tip: Pay special attention to prop scars; these slightly deeper trenches often serve as ambush points for all three species.

What else: Light east winds have allowed for short offshore runs for white grunts, sea bass and porgies. Depths of 25 to 30 feet have been most productive for grunts and porgies; shallower ledges have been best for sea bass. Squid will work for all three, but sardine or small white bait works best for sea bass.

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

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Monday, December 5, 2011

By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Monday, December 5, 2011

GAINESVILLE — Junior F Erik Murphy, who missed the past three games with a knee injury, is expected to play when the Gators host Arizona on Wednesday night at the O'Connell Center.

Coach Billy Donovan said Murphy worked out on his own Sunday and ran and is expected to begin limited contact work.

"Provided the next two days go as planned with him physically, he should be able to play,'' Donovan said. "He feels good right now. I would anticipate right now, the expectation level is he's going to play in the game. But obviously if there's some kind of setback, then we won't play him."

Murphy was averaging 10 points before he bruised his knee and aggravated a slightly torn meniscus he already had from high school. Murphy's return adds size inside and another outside shooter.

Tipoff is 7 p.m. Wednesday (ESPN).

HONORS AND BOWLS: Junior K Caleb Sturgis was named to the AP All-SEC first team, the only Gator to receive AP postseason honors. DT Jaye Howard was an honorable mention selection. It is the first time since 1971 that no Gator was on the first team on offense or defense.

Meanwhile, the Gator Bowl took some shots over its decision to invite two 6-6 teams in Florida and Ohio State. The game was dubbed by some on Twitter as "the mediocre bowl," but bowl officials said it was their best option. Bowl chairman Greg Smith said the committee looked at three factors: how well teams would travel, ticket sales and television ratings.

"As we looked at the teams on the board, we really felt that the Ohio State-Florida gave us the best opportunity," Smith said. "The Ohio State fan base is still very engaged, they travel well and it's been 10 years since they've been in a bowl game in Florida. … We felt the fresh matchup between these two fine programs really was our best opportunity."

Smith said the idea of inviting Penn State didn't fare well because Florida and Penn State played in the Outback Bowl last year.

FRAZIER TO GATORS: Florida officially released its 2012 basketball signees, and among them is Montverde Academy guard Michael Frazier. The 6-foot-4, 180-pound Frazier averaged 29.7 points and 9.7 rebounds for Tampa Plant last season. He joins 6-foot-4 guard Dillon Graham (Orlando First Academy) and 6-foot-1 point guard Braxton Ogbueze (Charlotte, N.C. Faith Christian Academy) as part of the 2012 class.

"I'm excited about the guys that we've signed," Donovan said. "… Frazier is a phenomenal 3-point shooter and a guy that we've kept an eye on for a long, long time. Obviously there are a lot of kids that we're still recruiting that haven't signed yet that we're still involved with. But I'm happy with the guys that have signed and I feel like they are all going to be very, very good players for us."

Antonya English can be reached at aenglish@tampabay.com.

Latest line

NCAA Football

Saturday

Favorite Open Today O/U Underdog

Navy-x 7 7 Army

Rose Bowl

At Pasadena, Calif.

Oregon 4½ 6 Wisconsin

Fiesta Bowl

At Glendale, Ariz.

Oklahoma St. 3 3 Stanford

Jan. 3

Sugar Bowl

At New Orleans

Michigan 1 1½ Virginia Tech

Jan. 4

Orange Bowl

At Miami

Clemson Pk 3½ West Virginia

Jan. 9

BCS National Championship

At New Orleans

LSU 1 1 (40) Alabama

NFL

Thursday

Favorite Open Today O/U Underdog

at Pittsburgh 13½ 13½ (39) Cleveland

Sunday

at Baltimore 16 16 (41) Indianapolis

at Cincinnati 1 3 (37½) Houston

at Green Bay 12 11 (53½) Oakland

at N.Y. Jets 9½ 9 (36½) Kansas City

at Detroit Off Off (Off) Minnesota

New Orleans 4½ 3½ (48½) at Tennessee

at Miami Off Off (Off) Philadelphia

New England 8½ 7½ (48) at Washington

Atlanta 3 3 (48½) at Carolina

at Jacksonville Off Off (Off) Tampa Bay

San Fran 3½ 3½ (40) at Arizona

at Denver 4 3½ (36½) Chicago

at San Diego Off Off (Off) Buffalo

at Dallas 3½ 3½ (49) N.Y. Giants

Monday

at Seattle Off Off (Off) St. Louis

NCAA Basketball

Favorite Line Underdog

at East Carolina Pk UMass

at TCU 6½ Texas Tech

Missouri 5 Villanova

at Virginia 9½ George Mason

at Syracuse 15 Marshall

Kent St. 1 at James Madison

at North Carolina 27 Evansville

at N. Iowa 7 Iowa

at Bradley 2 Northeastern

at Kansas 12½ Long Beach St.

at Miami 3 Memphis

Marquette 5½ Washington

at Pacific Pk Hawaii

at Wofford 1 Tulane

at Minnesota 16½ Appalachian St.

Ball St. 15 at SIU-Edwardsville

NHL

Favorite Line Underdog Line

at N.Y. Islanders -125 Tampa Bay +105

at Toronto -135 New Jersey +115

at St. Louis -120 Detroit +100

at Montreal -170 Columbus +150

at Nashville -145 Phoenix +125

Boston -155 at Winnipeg +135

at Calgary -150 Carolina +130

at Vancouver -200 Colorado +170

L.A. -130 at Anaheim +110

at San Jose -180 Minnesota +160

Times wires
Monday, December 5, 2011

NEW YORK — Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, Trent Richardson, Tyrann Mathieu and Montee Ball are the Heisman Trophy finalists.

The group includes the preseason favorite — Stanford quarterback Luck — and at least one player, Mathieu, who was low profile when the season began.

Luck is a finalist for the second straight season, and the other QB, Griffin, is the first Baylor player to get an invitation to the Heisman dinner in New York. The school has never had a player finish better than fourth.

Richardson is the second Alabama running back to be a finalist in the past three years. Former teammate Mark Ingram won the Heisman in 2009.

Ball has scored 38 touchdowns for Wisconsin and needs one to match Barry Sanders' NCAA record. Mathieu, the LSU defensive back nicknamed "Honey Badger," has made numerous game-changing plays.

Notably missing were quarterbacks Kellen Moore of Boise State, Matt Barkley of USC and Case Keenum of Houston.

The Heisman Trophy will be presented Saturday night and broadcast on ESPN starting at 8.

Earlier Monday, Luck won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, presented to the nation's top quarterback who best exemplifies character and scholastic and athletic achievement.

NEW COACHES: FAU introduced former Nebraska defensive coordinator Carl Pelini, who will succeed the retired Howard Schnellenberger. Ole Miss hired former Arkansas State coach Hugh Freeze to replace the fired Houston Nutt. Also, Weber State hired former Louisville and Michigan State coach John L. Smith, and South Dakota picked former Wyoming coach Joe Glenn.

HAWAII: Coach Greg McMackin is retiring after missing the postseason for the second time in his four years.

MIAMI: Wide receiver Tommy Streeter and defensive lineman Marcus Forston will skip their senior seasons and declare for the NFL draft.

OREGON: All-American cornerback Cliff Harris was dismissed for violating team rules.

RICE: Defensive coordinator Chuck Driesbach and recruiting coordinator/running backs coach Rick LaFavers were fired.

Times wires
Monday, December 5, 2011

ALBANY, N.Y. — Court records unsealed Monday show federal investigators were looking for pornography that could be used "to sexually arouse or groom young males" for sex when they searched the home, office and locker of ex-Syracuse assistant coach Bernie Fine.

Fine was fired Nov. 27 after three men accused him of molesting them when they were boys.

Search warrants show investigators also were looking for documents, pictures, computer records and travel records that would detail Fine's contact with boys. The investigators took computers, cameras, compact discs, film and phones, among other things.

Fine, 65, has denied wrongdoing, calling the allegations "patently false." He has declined further comment.

Authorities are investigating whether Fine took minors across state lines for sex, which is a felony. He could be charged should investigators find child pornography in his possession.

One of Fine's accusers admitted Monday that he sexually abused a boy in Maine.

Zach Tomaselli, of Lewiston, told the Associated Press that he sexually abused the boy when the victim was 13 and 14. Tomaselli, 23, said he knew the boy and worked as a counselor at a camp the boy attended.

White lifts FSU

TALLAHASSEE — Former Clearwater standout Okaro White had a career-high 20 points and added seven rebounds as Florida State halted a three-game losing streak with a 76-51 win over Charleston Southern.

Michael Snaer had 13 points and Bernard James and Xavier Gibson 12 each for the Seminoles (6-3), who held the Buccaneers (5-3) to 29.8 percent shooting (17-of-57).

Women's games

NO. 9 MIAMI 92, NO. 11 RUTGERS 81, 2OT: Riquna Williams scored a career-high 36, including two 3-pointers to start the second overtime, and the host Hurricanes (7-1) rallied from a 16-point second-half deficit to beat the Scarlet Knights (8-1).

NO. 24 DELAWARE 77, YALE 45: Elena Delle Donne scored 21 of her 28 in the first half as the host Blue Hens (7-0) extended the program's best start.

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Monday, December 5, 2011

OTTAWA — The Lightning's already stressed blue-line situation got even worse Monday.

D Pavel Kubina did not play against the Senators because of a lower-body injury. And GM Steve Yzerman said D Mattias Ohlund, who last week had a significant setback in his recovery from arthroscopic surgeries on both knees and is no longer skating, is out indefinitely.

"I don't know when he will be back," Yzerman said of Ohlund, who had the double procedure Oct. 11. "He's just having a difficult time trying to get back to health."

Yzerman said new MRI exams might be done this week "just to see what's going on in there and if there were any changes."

Kubina, with a previously undisclosed injury sustained in the final minutes of Saturday's 4-2 loss to the Rangers, said he, too, could have an MRI if his injury does not improve, though he had not yet ruled out playing today against the Islanders.

Bruno Gervais took Kubina's spot against Ottawa, his seventh game of the season and first after eight straight as a scratch.

The loss of two of Tampa Bay's biggest bodies off what already is a struggling defensive corps — Ohlund is 6 feet 4, 229 pounds; Kubina is 6-4, 258 — was enough for coach Guy Boucher to say he feels snakebit and Yzerman to ponder whether to call up a player from AHL Norfolk.

The Lightning last week acquired defensemen Mike Kostka and Evan Oberg from the Panthers for D Mike Vernace and C James Wright, and Admirals defensemen Radko Gudas and Mark Barberio are playing well, though Yzerman would rather not take them out of a good developmental situation.

Besides, he said, "Kuby shouldn't be out very long … We'll re-evaluate after the game (with Ottawa). We could get someone from Norfolk to Long Island (today)."

"We've got the players we've got, and that's what we've got to work with," Boucher said.

"But let's not kid ourselves," he added. "We're not in a position as a team to lose defensemen and keep playing and look the same way. The reality is, it's something we have to improve. … Guys want more ice time. Now, they got it. It's time to shine for some guys."

FAMILIAR GROUND: RW Ryan Shannon played in Ottawa for the first time since leaving the team during the summer to sign with Tampa Bay as a free agent.

"It's exciting," Shannon said, "a little motivation."

Shannon has had an uneven transition. He has shown good speed and has worked hard to learn the system but has just one goal and five points in 19 games and is minus-7. He had 11 goals last season for the Senators.

"It's a normal process," Boucher said. "It's not something that happens overnight. Some days it's terrific. Some days he's the first one to say he wants to do better."

"It's progressing, going forward," Shannon said, "just looking for that breakthrough game."

ODDS AND ENDS: RW Adam Hall was scratched for the second straight game. … With Monday's loss, Tampa Bay dropped to 4-17-4 in Ottawa since 1998-99.