By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, December 17, 2011

The market for the Rays to trade one of their starters was reshaped and potentially redefined Saturday when the Reds paid a hefty price — four players, including promising first baseman Yonder Alonso — to acquire right-hander Mat Latos from San Diego.

The deal, which also includes catcher Yasmani Grandal, starter Edinson Volquez and relief prospect Brad Boxberger, takes the Reds off the Rays' list of potential trade partners.

But it could put the Padres in play. They now have two young, powerful first basemen in Alonso and Anthony Rizzo, and are likely to trade one.

Because it's likely the Rays already discussed Alonso, a right-hander who is better with his bat than glove, in talks with the Reds, Rizzo, a 22-year-old lefty slugger, could emerge as an interesting possibility. The Rays need a first baseman and prefer a left-hander with a smooth glove. The Padres' top prospect, per Baseball America, Rizzo hit .331 with 26 homers and 101 RBIs in 93 games at Triple-A Tucson in 2011, though he hit .141 with one homer and nine RBIs in 29 big-league games.

The Rays have a surplus of starting pitchers and could offer Wade Davis or Jeff Niemann to the Padres for a package headlined by Rizzo. The hefty amount the Reds paid for Latos could also increase the price the Rays could seek for top starters James Shields or David Price.

LOBATON OUT: Rays catcher Jose Lobaton, the leading candidate to share time with Jose Molina, likely won't return to winter ball in Venezuela, having been sidelined since late November due to a sore right arm. The Rays had Lobaton — who told Venezuelan media he had "weakness" in his shoulder — checked and are confident he'll be okay with rest. Lobaton hit .187 in 18 games. Robinson Chirinos, the other catching candidate, has been sidelined since October with a fractured wrist.

Phils' Rollins stays put

PHILADELPHIA — Jimmy Rollins is bringing his swagger back to the Phillies.

The shortstop agreed to a three-year, $33 million contract with Philadelphia that includes a vesting option for a fourth year, the Associated Press reported. The agreement is pending a physical.

"Gotta deal with me for 3 (4) more years!" Rollins wrote on Twitter.

Rollins is a three-time All-Star and the 2007 National League MVP. He has spent his career with the Phillies after being selected in the second round of the 1996 amateur draft and was a free agent for the first time.

Rollins, 33, sought at least a five-year deal. The Phillies didn't want to go that long and were able to reach an agreement after the market for Rollins lessened.

DARVISH BIDDING: The winning bid for the right to negotiate with Japanese right-hander Yu Darvish came in around $48 million, MLB.com reported. The Blue Jays were the high bidder, the New York Post reported; MLB hasn't announced the team. Darvish's team, the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters, has until Tuesday to accept the bid. The Rays were not among the teams that bid on Darvish, considered the best pitcher in the Japanese pro leagues.

BREWERS: The club had the winning $2.5 million bid on Japanese outfielder Norichika Aoki, 29, a three-time Central League batting champion, and have 30 days to work out a contract.

MARINERS: The team is near a one-year agreement with left-handed reliever George Sherrill, 34, that would be worth $1.1 million plus incentives.

Information from Times wires was used in this report.

Times wires
Saturday, December 17, 2011

Kaneisha Saunders had 20 points and Jasmine Wynne scored 19 as USF rolled past Maryland Eastern Shore 71-50 Saturday at the USF Recreation Center.

The Bulls (7-5) forced 28 turnovers as the Hawks (2-7) shot just 37 percent (17-of-46).

Wynne scored seven straight in a 9-0 stretch of the first half as USF took a 22-11 lead.

"She's been great on and off the floor," Bulls coach Jose Fernandez told gousfbulls.com. "She's been that coach in that locker room that you need."

USF improved to 4-0 this season at the Rec Center, its temporary home while the Sun Dome is refurbished.

Top two meet today

Brittney Griner has been looking forward to another shot against Connecticut. She'll get her chance today when top-ranked Baylor faces the No. 2 Huskies.

The teams met early last season with the rankings reversed and UConn won by one in Hartford, rallying from a late eight-point deficit.

"That last game with UConn has been on my mind for a long time," said Griner, a 6-foot-8 junior. "The one thing I think about the most is my free throws. It was just horrible. After that … I hit almost every free throw I attempted."

Griner missed 8 of 13 free throws as UConn won 65-64.

This season Griner is averaging 22.8 points, 10.7 rebounds and 4.9 blocks in just 30 minutes a game for the Bears (10-0). She's also shooting 73 percent on free throws.

"There's nobody else in the world like her," UConn coach Auriemma said. "I don't care who Australia has. I don't care who Russia has or anybody else has. Nobody has anybody like Brittney Griner."

Connecticut (9-0) has run through its opposition, winning by 41 points a game,

NO. 4 STANFORD 85, PRINCETON 66: Nnemkadi Ogwumike had 22 points and 12 rebounds and her younger sister Chiney scored 21 on 10-of-11 shooting for the host Cardinal (7-1).

NO. 6 TENN. 85, UCLA 64: Meighan Simmons had 18 points to lead the visiting Vols (7-2), who made 18 of their first 20 shots.

NO. 12 OHIO ST. 77, CAL 75: Samantha Prahalis had 18 points and six assists for the visiting Buckeyes (10-0), who gave coach Jim Foster his 750th career victory.

NO. 15 TEXAS TECH 70, ILL. 64: Christine Hyde scored 18 to lead the Red Raiders (9-0) in Chicago.

NO. 14 L'VILLE 71, PORTLAND 42: Becky Burke had 17 points for the visiting Cardinals (10-2), who held the Pilots to 28 percent shooting (14-of-50).

NO. 24 TEXAS 71, N. TEXAS 62: Chassidy Fussell scored 20 for the host Longhorns (7-3), who trailed 34-25 at halftime.

Times wires
Saturday, December 17, 2011

SATURDAY'S RESULTS

New Mexico Bowl: Temple 37, Wyoming 15

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Ohio 24, Utah State 23

New Orleans Bowl: La.-Lafayette (8-4) vs. San Diego State (8-4), late

Tuesday

Beef 'O'Brady's Bowl: Marshall (6-6) vs. FIU (8-4), 8, ESPN

Wednesday

Poinsettia Bowl: TCU (10-2) vs. Louisiana Tech (8-4), 8, ESPN

Thursday

MAACO Bowl: Boise State (11-1) vs. Arizona State (6-6), 8, ESPN

DEC. 24

Hawaii Bowl: Nevada (7-5) vs. Southern Mississippi (11-2), 8, ESPN

Dec. 26

Independence Bowl: North Carolina (7-5) vs. Missouri (7-5), 5, ESPN2

Dec. 27

Little Caesars Pizza Bowl: Western Michigan (7-5) vs. Purdue (6-6), 4:30, ESPN2

Belk Bowl: North Carolina State (7-5) vs. Louisville (7-5), 8, ESPN

Dec. 28

Military Bowl: Air Force (7-5) vs. Toledo (8-4), 4:30, ESPN

Holiday Bowl: Texas (7-5) vs. California (7-5), 8, ESPN

Dec. 29

Champs Sports Bowl: Florida State (8-4) vs. Notre Dame (8-4), 5:30, ESPN

Alamo Bowl: Baylor (9-3) vs. Washington (7-5), 9, ESPN

Dec. 30

Armed Forces Bowl: Tulsa (8-4) vs. BYU (9-3), Noon, ESPN

Pinstripe Bowl: Rutgers (8-4) vs. Iowa State (6-6), 3:30, ESPN

Music City Bowl: Miss. St. (6-6) vs. Wake Forest (6-6), 6:40, ESPN

Insight Bowl: Oklahoma (9-3) vs. Iowa (7-5), 10, ESPN

Dec. 31

Meineke Car Care Bowl: Texas A&M (6-6) vs. Northwestern (6-6), Noon, ESPN

Sun Bowl: Georgia Tech (8-4) vs. Utah (7-5), 2, Ch. 10

Liberty Bowl: Vanderbilt (6-6) vs. Cincinnati (9-3), 3:30, ESPN

Fight Hunger Bowl: UCLA (6-7) vs. Illinois (6-6), 3:30, ESPN

Chick-fil-A Bowl: Virginia (8-4) vs. Auburn (7-5), 7:30, ESPN

Jan. 2

TicketCity Bowl: Penn State (9-3) vs. Houston (12-1), Noon, ESPNU

Capital One Bowl: Nebraska (9-3) vs. South Carolina (10-2), 1, ESPN

Outback Bowl: Georgia (10-3) vs. Michigan State (10-3), 1, Ch. 28

Gator Bowl: Florida (6-6) vs. Ohio State (6-6), 1, ESPN2

Rose Bowl: Oregon (11-2) vs. Wisconsin (11-2), 5, ESPN

Fiesta Bowl: Stanford (11-1) vs. Oklahoma State (11-1), 8:30, ESPN

Jan. 3

Sugar Bowl: Michigan (10-2) vs. Virginia Tech (11-2), 8, ESPN

Jan. 4

Orange Bowl: West Virginia (9-3) vs. Clemson (10-3), 8, ESPN

Jan. 6

Cotton Bowl: Kansas State (10-2) vs. Arkansas (10-2), 8, Ch. 13

Jan. 7

BBVA Compass Bowl: Pittsburgh (6-6) vs. SMU (7-5), Noon, ESPN

Jan. 8

GoDaddy.com Bowl: Arkansas St. (10-2) vs. N. Illinois (10-3), 9, ESPN

Jan. 9

BCS national championship: LSU (13-0) vs. Alabama (11-1), 8:30, ESPN

Times wires
Saturday, December 17, 2011

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Russ Smith can always provide an offensive boost for Louisville. His defensive contributions will keep him on the court longer.

Smith set personal bests with 24 points and seven steals as the No. 4 Cardinals survived a rough-and-tumble matchup with former conference foe Memphis 95-87 Saturday for their 18th straight home victory.

"Seven steals is just a great accomplishment," said Smith, who made the most of a rare start. "Anybody can get 24 points, but seven steals is really special."

Coach Rick Pitino almost passed on Smith, though he shined as a youngster at their basketball camps. But Smith grew from 5 feet 9 to 6 feet and kept impressing Ralph Willard, who stepped down as the school's director of basketball operations this year.

"Ralph just kept saying, 'Russ is the guy we need,' " Pitino said. "Russ was terrific. He's got great hands. He has no fear. … I'm real proud of him."

Gorgui Dieng added 14 points and 14 rebounds in the schools' first meeting since the Cardinals (10-0) beat the Tigers by a point to win the Conference USA tournament in 2005 before departing for the Big East.

Will Barton set career highs with 28 points and 16 rebounds for Memphis, which rallied from a 13-point second-half deficit to take the lead before the Cardinals overwhelmed the Tigers down the stretch in a game that featured 54 fouls.

"It was like a war we ended up winning," Dieng said. "It was physical."

NO. 1 SYRACUSE 88, N.C. ST. 72: Dion Waiters had a career-high 22 points and Scoop Jardine added 16 for the visiting Orange (11-0), including two 3-pointers during an 11-2 spurt that gave it some cushion after the Wolfpack rallied from a 17-point deficit late in the first half.

NO. 2 OHIO STate 74, S.C. 66: Deshaun Thomas had a career-high 30 points for the visiting Buckeyes (10-1), who overcame the loss of star Jared Sullinger to give Thad Matta his 200th win as Ohio State's coach. Sullinger left in the first half against South Carolina after getting kicked in the left foot. X-rays showed no fracture, although it wasn't known if he would play against Lamar on Tuesday.

NO. 3 KENTUCKY 87, UT-CHATT. 62: Doron Lamb scored 24 and the host Wildcats (9-1) bounced back from their first loss despite an injury to forward Terrence Jones, who hurt a left finger early in the game.

NO. 5 UNC 97, APP. STate 82: Tyler Zeller had 31 points and 10 rebounds and former Sickles High standout John Henson added 17 points for the Tar Heels (9-2), who won their third straight game and 22nd in a row at the Dean Smith Center.

NO. 6 BAYLOR 86, BYU 83: Perry Jones III had 28 points and Brady Heslip hit six 3-pointers for the visiting Bears, 9-0 for the third time in school history and first under coach Scott Drew.

NO. 11 MARQUETTE 93, N. COLORADO 72: Freshman Todd Mayo, starting for suspended star Darius Johnson-Odom, scored 22 for the host Tigers, who are 10-0 for the first time in a decade and seventh time in school history. Johnson-Odom was suspended for an unspecified violation of team rules.

NO. 15 PITT 69, S.C. STATE 55: Lamar Patterson tied a career high with 16 points as the host Panthers (10-1) pulled away late to win their eighth straight.

NO. 16 G'TOWN 81, AMERICAN 55: Center Henry Sims took over early in the second half and finished with 17 points and six assists, and Markel Starks scored 18 to help the host Hoyas (9-1) to their seventh straight win.

NO. 17 MISS. ST. 80, DETROIT 75: Rodney Hood's jump shot with 17.7 seconds left lifted the visiting Bulldogs (11-1) to their 10th straight victory.

NO. 18 INDIANA 69, NOTRE DAME 58: Cody Zeller had 21 points and eight rebounds as the Hoosiers improved to 10-0 for the first time since 1989-90 in the inaugural Crossroads Classic at Conseco Fieldhouse. "This was a grinder," Indiana coach Tom Crean said. "The pace was not exactly where we would have liked it."

UNLV 64, NO. 19 ILLINOIS 48: Mike Moser had 17 points and 11 rebounds, and the Runnin' Rebels went on a 14-2 run to close the first half en route to a convincing victory over the Illini (10-1) in Chicago.

NO. 20 MICH. 87, ALA. A&M 57: Evan Smotrycz had 17 points and 11 rebounds for the host Wolverines (9-2), who shot 55 percent from the field and 63 percent in the second half.

NO. 21 MICH. ST. 74, BOWLING GREEN 60: Brandon Wood had 16 points and the host Spartans (9-2) won their ninth straight.

NO. 24 MURRAY ST. 66, ARK. ST. 53: Isaiah Canaan hit six 3-pointers and scored 21 for the host Racers (12-0), off to their best start since 1950-51.

NO. 25 CREIGHTON 97, HOUSTON BAPTIST 62: Doug McDermott scored 25, his eighth straight 20-point game for the host Bluejays (8-1).

INDIANA ST. 61, NO. 25 VANDY 55: Steve McWhorter hit two free throws with 3:32 left to put the Sycamores ahead for good against the host Commodores (6-4) for their first win over a ranked team since 2006.

State

UCF 61, ODU 53: Keith Clanton had 23 points and 16 rebounds and Marcus Jordan scored 17 for the host Knights (8-2).

MIAMI 93, FAU 90, 2OT: Center Reggie Johnson, making his season debut after knee surgery in June, came off the bench and had 15 points, nine rebounds, five blocks and five assists to lift the Hurricanes (6-4) at the Orange Bowl Classic in Sunrise.

MALONE 77, TAMPA 60: The Pioneers went on a 14-1 run midway through the second half to put away the Spartans (2-6) at Florida Southern's Jenkins Fieldhouse in Lakeland.

ECKERD 84, TUSKEGEE 70: Forward Lance Kearse scored 13 of his 18 in the second half for the host Tritons (5-2), who shot 58 percent from the field.

W. LIBERTY 81, SAINT LEO 67: The host Lions (5-3) shot only 37.3 percent (22-of-59) from the floor and lost their second straight game.

Times staff, wires
Saturday, December 17, 2011

GAINESVILLE — Florida coach Will Muschamp has interviewed Jacksonville University coach and former Gators quarterback Kerwin Bell for the team's offensive coordinator job.

Muschamp and Bell met Wednesday on Jacksonville's campus, the Associated Press reported.

Muschamp has sought an offensive coordinator since Charlie Weis left last week to take the head coaching job at Kansas.

Bell would seem to be a fit, having plenty of play-calling experience, strong ties to the program and a working knowledge of recruiting in the Sunshine State.

He has been Jacksonville's coach for five seasons, going 36-21 record with two Pioneer Football League titles. His 2010 offense led Division I-AA at 486.3 yards per game.

Bell, 46, played at UF from 1984-87, finishing with 7,585 yards passing and 56 touchdowns. Before taking over at Jacksonville, Bell started the football program at Ocala Trinity Catholic High, went 45-15 in five seasons and won a state title.

Muschamp passed him over last year to hire Weis. The Gators rank 102nd in the nation in total offense this season, struggling to move the ball consistently against the SEC's best teams.

It's unclear whether Muschamp has interviewed anyone else. He said last week that running backs coach Brian White, who will call plays for UF in the Jan. 2 Gator Bowl against Ohio State, will be considered.

PENN STATE FIGHT: Receiver Curtis Drake got in a fight with teammate Matt McGloin after practice that landed McGloin in the hospital. The quarterback was released from the hospital after university police said they called to the locker room about a report of a fight between the players. Drake, a receiver, knocked McGloin out, according to a CBSSports.com report. McGloin's father, Paul, said his son suffered a seizure and a possible concussion but was back at his campus apartment.

MIAMI: Senior defensive lineman Adewale Ojomo's request for a sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA was denied, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported.

BEEF 'O'BRADY'S BOWL: FIU and Marshall arrived in St. Petersburg to prepare for Tuesday's game at Tropicana Field.

DIVISION I-AA: Receiver Warren Holloway scored twice to help host North Dakota State defeat Georgia Southern 35-7 in the semifinals. The Bison (13-1) faces Sam Houston State (14-0) on Jan. 7 for the title.

DIVISION II: Zac Dickey's 53-yard pass to Andrew Castaneda set up the decisive touchdown as Pittsburg State beat Wayne State 35-21 in the national title game in Florence, Ala. Dickey passed for 190 yards and rushed for 68 for the Gorillas (13-1) as the Kansas school claimed its second title and first since 1991.

NAIA: Jimmy Coy accounted for 294 yards and two touchdowns and Mark Williams knocked down a fourth-down pass in the end zone with two minutes left as St. Xavier (Ill.) defeated Carroll (Mont.) 24-20 in Rome, Ga., for its first national title.

Saturday's bowls

NEW MEXICO: Bernard Pierce ran for two early touchdowns to help Temple defeat Wyoming 37-15 in Albuquerque to win its first bowl under former Florida offensive coordinator Steve Addazio. The Owls (9-4) had three interceptions in its second bowl victory and first since 1979. "Our starting point is playing great defense, Addazio said. "That's the starting point of our program." Freshman Brett Smith was held to 127 yards passing for the Cowboys (8-5).

IDAHO POTATO: Ohio quarterback Tyler Tettleton scored on a 1-yard run with 13 seconds left to give the Bobcats a 24-23 victory over Utah State in Boise, their first bowl victory in six tries. Ohio (10-4) earned its first 10-win season since 1968. Utah State (7-6) rushed for 345 yards.

Volleyball: UCLA title

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Outside hitter Rachael Kidder had 20 kills and UCLA beat Illinois for the Bruins' first NCAA women's volleyball championship in two decades. The Bruins won their fourth title, putting them third behind Stanford (six) and Penn State (five). Tabi Love had 14 kills for UCLA (30-6) in the 25-23, 23-25, 26-24, 25-16 win. The Illini (32-5) eliminated Florida in Gainesville in the region final. UCLA, which ended Penn State's run of four straight national titles in the Sweet 16 and ousted Florida State in Thursday's semifinals, hadn't won a championship since 1991.

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, December 17, 2011

COLUMBUS, Ohio — There is no question what was the highlight play in the Lightning's 3-2 victory over the Blue Jackets on Saturday night at Nationwide Arena:

Steven Stamkos' league-best 20th goal on a snap shot off a backhand pass from captain Vinny Lecavalier that was so good, coach Guy Boucher's first words about it were, "Oh, my God."

"Not many guys can do that," Boucher said. "That was outstanding."

The goal was the winner, as it gave Tampa Bay a 3-1 lead with 9:55 left in the second period.

But more important in the victory — the second straight for the Lightning, which had not won two in a row since a Nov. 25-26 sweep of the Panthers — and more crucial going forward was the way Tampa Bay (14-16-2) closed out the game.

Players did not panic, did not turn the puck over and killed a third-period penalty to hold a one-goal lead. It was the opposite of Thursday's overtime win against the Flames, in which the team lost a two-goal, third-period lead and allowed a power-play goal.

"We experienced a similar type of situation where we were familiar with it, possibly, and we learned from it," defenseman Eric Brewer said.

"Absolutely," Boucher said. "In the third period we pressed less. We created a few turnovers at the blue line. We wanted to manage the puck and not give it away at the blue line, and that's what we did."

Add solid goaltending from Mathieu Garon, who played the past two seasons for the Blue Jackets and made 26 saves, and you have a pretty good blueprint.

"When you're winning games, you're gaining confidence," Stamkos said. "You're not thinking about it. You're just doing it. When we were on our skid, we didn't want to make mistakes. We saw in the third (period), we didn't back up as much."

Blair Jones scored from in front of the net off Teddy Purcell's pass from behind the goal line for a 1-0 lead in the first. Brewer made it 2-0 with 1:48 left in the first with his first goal of the season on a slap shot from the blue line. Then there was Stamkos' goal after Lecavalier threaded the puck past three defenders.

"A great pass," said Stamkos, who has four goals and seven points in his past three games. "I was just trying to set it up for him to tee it up in the slot. He kind of faked a guy out and gave it back."

Rick Nash made it 3-2 with a wraparound goal with 7:46 left in the second, and the continuously horrible Lightning power play — 0-for-3 with one shot — failed on two key chances to extend the third-period lead.

"There are things we can shore up," Brewer said.

But there also were plenty of highlights.

First Period—1, Tampa Bay, Jones 2 (Purcell), 7:27. 2, Tampa Bay, Brewer 1 (Stamkos, Malone), 18:12. Penalties—Wisniewski, Clm (tripping), 11:06; Kubina, TB (tripping), 12:03; Hedman, TB (holding), 15:46.

Second Period—3, Columbus, Umberger 6 (Prospal, Tyutin), 5:43 (pp). 4, Tampa Bay, Stamkos 20 (Lecavalier, Tyrell), 10:05. 5, Columbus, Nash 10 (Carter, Prospal), 12:14. Penalties—Jones, TB (cross-checking), 5:09; Downie, TB (slashing), 15:56.

Third Period—None. Penalties—Johansen, Clm (tripping), 5:41; Wisniewski, Clm (unsportsmanlike conduct), 15:57; Brewer, TB (hooking), 16:52. Shots on Goal—Tampa Bay 5-11-12—28. Columbus 11-9-8—28. Power-play opportunities—Tampa Bay 0 of 3; Columbus 1 of 5. Goalies—Tampa Bay, Garon 8-8-1 (28 shots-26 saves). Columbus, Mason 4-13-1 (28-25).

Times wires
Saturday, December 17, 2011

Golf

American now Youngest to win on 2 tours

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — American Lexi Thompson, 16, made history as the youngest winner on both the LPGA and Ladies European Tours.

Thompson shot 5-under 67 Saturday to win the Dubai Ladies Masters, becoming the youngest professional winner on that side of the Atlantic.

Thompson pulled away from Lee-Anne Pace to win by four strokes for her second professional victory. In September, Thompson became the youngest winner of an LPGA event at the Navistar LPGA Classic.

"I've been working on my game really hard, and it has paid off," said Thompson, who totaled 15-under 273.

Australian Masters: Geoff Ogilvy took a two-stroke lead after shooting 8-under 63 at Victoria Golf Club in Melbourne. Ogilvy was at 13-under 200 to overtake England's Ian Poulter (69), the leader after each of the first two rounds.

Swimming

Relay at Duel won't stand as record

ATLANTA — The United States won 22 of 30 events to dominate the Duel in the Pool meet over the European all-stars 181.5-80.5, though the European women did post the fastest short-course time ever in the 400-meter freestyle relay. Jeanette Ottesen of Denmark, Francesca Halsall of Britain, Aliaksandra Heresi­menia of Belarus and Ranomi Kromowidjojo of the Netherlands won in 3 minutes, 27.53 seconds, faster than the world record of 3:28.22, set by the Netherlands (2008). But Saturday's swim won't be an official mark because the swimmers are from different countries.

Soccer

FIFA warns Swiss of suspension

FIFA threatened to suspend Switzerland from world football if its national association does not discipline litigious club FC Sion within one month. Swiss leaders met to consider the FIFA ultimatum forcing them to forfeit most of Sion's results this season by a Jan. 13 deadline. Sion's determination to fight soccer and legal authorities led it to launch a series of civil court actions against UEFA, which expelled it from the Europa League in September for fielding players that were signed during an imposed transfer ban.

More soccer: Clint Dempsey, the most prolific American scorer in the history of England's top division, scored his 38th Premier League goal in Fulham's 2-0 win over Bolton.

Et Cetera

High school Football: Aledo (Texas) running back Johnathan Gray broke the national high school record for career touchdowns. He scored No. 205 in Saturday's 49-28 win over Manvel in the Class 4A Division II Texas state title game before 43,369 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington.

Boxing: Andre Ward (25-0, 13 KOs) scored a unanimous decision over Carl Froch at the Super Six super middleweight final in Atlantic City, N.J.

Diving: Brandon native Chris Colwill and Drew Livingston were second behind Troy Dumais and Kristin Ipsen in the synchronized 3-meter event at the USA Winter Nationals and World Cup Trials in Knoxville, Tenn.

Greyhounds: Flying Big Gun of Red Oak Racing nipped Kentucky Fire at the wire to win the $75,000 660-Yard Challenge at Derby Lane in St. Petersburg. Flying Big Gun won his first stakes in 37.44 seconds.

Sailing: St. Petersburg's Mark Mendelblatt and Miami's Brian Fatih won the bronze medal in the Star class at the world championships in Perth, Australia, and qualified for the 2012 U.S. Olympic team.

Times wires

Times wires
Saturday, December 17, 2011

ORLANDO — It's another week before the Magic opens regular-season play. But that doesn't mean fans are waiting to show star center Dwight Howard how much they want him to stay in town.

In his first on-court appearance in front of fans since making a trade request, Howard was greeted to an ovation from about 9,000 fans when he was introduced during a public scrimmage Saturday at Amway Center.

The All-Star has spent each of his seven seasons in Orlando, but he asked management to be traded shortly after training camp opened.

Many fans wore Howard's No. 12 jersey and held signs that read "Superman, This Is Your Metropolis."

The standing ovation was special for Howard, he said.

"It was emotional," he said. "It was great to see their reaction. And like I've told you guys from Day 1, I love this city. … When I came here, everybody called our team the Orlando Tragic. I wanted to change it. Nobody says Tragic anymore."

Howard's agent, Dan Fegan, has permission to discuss trades with the Mavericks, Nets and Lakers. Howard can opt out of his contract in July.

Orlando plays the first of its two preseason games today vs. the Heat at AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami (6 p.m., FSN).

Fortunate physical: Celtics forward Jeff Green will have surgery to repair an aortic aneurysm and will miss the season, the team said. Green, 25, is scheduled for an operation Monday. Doctors told him the operation "should completely repair Green's condition and that he can expect to resume his NBA career next season," the Celtics said in a statement. His camp physical revealed the aortic aneurysm, which is a ballooning of the wall of the aorta, the major artery that carries blood from the heart to the body. A person may show no symptoms of the aneurysm, but if it ruptures, it is likely to be fatal if not repaired immediately.

former Gator a Rocket: Second-round draft pick Chandler Parsons, last season's SEC player of the year at Florida, signed a four-year deal worth $3.7 million, his agent said.

Clippers: Recently acquired guard Chris Paul had his first full practice. Coach Vinny Del Negro said he plans to start a backcourt of Paul and Chauncey Billups, with Mo Williams coming off the bench.

Pistons: Restricted free agent Rodney Stuckey signed a contract worth $25 million over three years, the Associated Press reported.

Preseason Openers: Ricky Rubio's slick passing (seven assists) in his NBA debut impressed the home crowd as the Timberwolves beat the Bucks 117-96 victory. Rubio also had six points and six rebounds, eliciting chants of "Ole!" in homage to his Spanish roots. No. 2 overall pick Derrick Williams scored 14 for Minnesota in coach Rick Adelman's debut. … Carmelo Anthony scored 17 in three quarters and the Knicks beat the host Nets 92-83. … Luis Scola scored 20 and the host Rockets beat the Spurs 101-87.

By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, December 17, 2011

TAMPA — The Bucs were encouraged when they learned CB Aqib Talib would return for Saturday's game against the Cowboys after missing Sunday's contest at Jacksonville with a hamstring injury.

With a potent passing game on tap, Talib's presence was necessary. But Talib didn't last long, exiting midway through the first quarter of the 31-15 loss and leaving the defense in a vulnerable position.

Talib's absence left the Bucs to face a quick-strike Dallas passing game, led by hot-handed QB Tony Romo, without its best defensive back.

And the lack of depth at cornerback immediately became an issue, with the Cowboys completing numerous passes against Elbert Mack and Anthony Gaitor. Last year's third-round draft pick, Myron Lewis, was inactive, a coach's decision.

"It makes you do different things," Bucs coach Raheem Morris said. "Aqib had a premier matchup vs. Dez (Bryant). That changed where (CB) Ronde (Barber) was going to be, and obviously that changed where everybody else was going to be. We wanted Ronde in there with (Dallas WR) Miles Austin on third down in the slot. You want Aqib outside dealing with Dez Bryant."

Placing Talib on injured reserve might become an option.

PROTECTION ISSUES: The Bucs' offensive line had a difficult night against the Cowboys' pass rush, with QB Josh Freeman sacked three times and consistently under pressure.

The Bucs, who faced a 3-4 front, missed several blocking assignments and were outplayed in other instances.

The problem manifested in ways other than sacks. In the fourth quarter, with the Bucs hoping to pull within a touchdown, Freeman was called for intentional grounding when he threw a ball out of bounds while under duress.

RT Jeremy Trueblood was beaten by star LB DeMarcus Ware for a sack in the second quarter, and LT Donald Penn struggled with DE Sean Lissemore in another instance, resulting in another sack.

"DeMarcus Ware is a stud, and you're playing a Rob Ryan (Dallas defensive co-ordinator) defense, and they really mix things up," Freeman said. "They use a lot of defensive stunts up front, and they move guys around to kind of distort (the look of the defense). That being said, when you're playing a team like that, early on I just have to get the ball out of my hands as quick as I can."

FRIENDLY CROWD: The crowd was unusually friendly for the visiting team, with legions of Cowboys fans dotting the sold-out stadium. The game was the second sellout this season, and it's clear the interest generated by the Cowboys was the reason. At one juncture, the crowd broke into a "Let's go Cowboys" chant, and it cheered wildly on each of the Cowboys' scoring plays.

FREEMAN'S FEET: Freeman's 25-yard run on the Bucs' first possession was his longest of the season. Freeman sidestepped a defender in the pocket, turned up the field and had nothing but open field ahead. He also refused to slide at the end, taking on CB Terence Newman head on.

But Freeman didn't have nearly as much success on his next rushing attempt, fumbling at the conclusion of a 7-yard run on the next play. The ball was stripped from behind by LB Anthony Spencer and recovered by LB Bradie James.

BENNETT BROTHERS: The game featured a matchup of brothers, pitting Bucs DE Michael Bennett against Cowboys TE Martellus Bennett.

The Texas natives were represented in the stands by a number of family members who wore customized jerseys — half Bucs, half Cowboys — with "Bennett Boys" embroidered on the nameplate.

Both players gave their kin something to be proud of. Michael registered a sack in the fourth quarter, ending a Dallas drive. Martellus caught three passes for 23 yards.

CLAYBORN, AGAIN: Rookie DE Adrian Clayborn, after a mostly quiet first half, awoke in the third quarter. With Dallas facing third and 19 from their 11-yard line, Clayborn teed off on Romo, hitting him from behind and jarring the ball loose.

LB Dekoda Watson scooped up the ball and returned it 7 yards for a touchdown, the Bucs' first score of the night. Watson was in the game as a third-down rusher, a role he has played several times during the game.

The touchdown made it 28-7 Cowboys with 13:39 left in the third.

By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, December 17, 2011

TAMPA — The Bucs had a chance to end a seven-game slide or at least show the nation — and America's Team — why coach Raheem Morris should return for another season.

But against the Cowboys on Saturday night, the Bucs offense kept going three-and-out.

Morris might be asked to do the same.

With only three games left to convince the Glazer family, which owns the Bucs, he's worth bringing back for a fourth season, Morris watched Tony Romo throw three touchdowns and run for one during the first half in a 31-15 loss.

The eighth straight defeat for the Bucs (4-10) matched their longest in-season losing streak in 24 years.

Meanwhile, Romo continued to pad his passing stats against a defense that was stranded on the field for nearly as long as the referees. His three scoring passes to as many different receivers increased his career numbers in three games against Tampa Bay to 11 touchdowns and no interceptions.

The Bucs offense managed one first down during the first half and went three-and-out on its four other possessions until a kneel-down to end it.

In fact, it was the Bucs defense that found the end zone first.

Trailing 28-0, defensive end Adrian Clayborn sacked Romo on third down and stripped him of the ball. Linebacker Dekoda Watson recovered and returned it 4 yards 1:21 into the third quarter. Clayborn, the first-round pick from Iowa, leads the Bucs in sacks with 7½.

By the time Dan Bailey padded the Cowboys' lead to 31-7 with his 30-yard field goal with 6:38 remaining in the third quarter, the Bucs defense had been on the field for 51 plays to 15 by its offense.

Clayborn's sack seemed to light a spark in the Bucs offense. Spreading the field with three and four receivers, Freeman drove the Bucs 75 yards for a touchdown, connecting with Dezmon Briscoe on a 13-yard score with 23 seconds left in the third quarter. Freeman then hit tight end Kellen Winslow in the back of the end zone for a two-point conversion.

Prior to the game, general manager Mark Dominik made it clear he expected more from the Bucs this season.

"It's not a moral victory we're after," he said, "but we need to become that kind of football team that can play any football team any week and win."

The Bucs entered tied with the Eagles for the most turnovers in the league at 31, and it did not take them long to add to it.

Freeman, who had only nine turnovers last season, ran 25 yards for a first down on the third play of the game. But when he escaped the pocket on the next play for a 7-yard run, he was stripped by linebacker Anthony Spencer. The fumble was recovered by linebacker Bradie James at the Dallas 44.

The Cowboys needed only seven plays to get into the end zone, Romo rolling right and zipping an 8-yard pass to Miles Austin on third and goal with safety Sean Jones draped over him.

Romo's second touchdown pass came without much sweat, an 8-yarder to Dez Bryant. He was so open in the back of the end zone, he had time to bobble the ball and catch it twice.

The play capped a 68-yard drive over 10 plays and gave the Cowboys a 14-0 lead just before the first quarter ended.

Romo found a third receiver for his third touchdown, a 9-yarder as he rolled right, directed traffic and found Laurent Robinson.

How wretched was the Bucs offense in the first half?

It went three-and-out four consecutive times after Freeman's fumble.

The Cowboys had a 19-1 advantage in first downs and 279-55 advantage in yards.

Freeman finished the first half 2-of-4 for 14 yards, and his 31 rushing yards led the team, about all of it coming on one play.

The offensive ineptitude came in every phase of the game. Facing third and 1 on their second possession, running back LeGarrette Blount was hit in the backfield by end Marcus Spears, who beat tackle Jeremy Trueblood.

On the next possession, facing third and 2, the Bucs receivers failed to get open, and Freeman was forced to throw the ball away. The next try ended when Freeman was sacked on consecutive plays, first by linebacker DeMarcus Ware then on a corner blitz by Orlando Scandrick. In each case, the pressure came from the right side, and Trueblood was unable to lay more than a hand on either.

When the Bucs went three-and-out on their final possession of the half, with Freeman's attempt to set up a screen pass, they left 2:52 on the clock, too much time.

Romo, who finished the half 18-of-22 for 189 yards, completed six passes on the drive. But his third-and-goal throw to Kevin Ogletree came up a yard short, so Romo simply hurried to the line of scrimmage and called his own number, sneaking across the goal line to make it 28-0.

By Gary Shelton, Times Sports Columnist
Saturday, December 17, 2011

TAMPA

They came to plead his case. They came to defend his name. They came to protect his back.

And, as is so often the case with the Tampa Bay Bucs, they failed at that, too.

Raheem, it appears you are on your own.

This was the plan, wasn't it? The Bucs were going to go onto the field Saturday night, fueled by prime time and bright lights, and they were going to bring evidence that Raheem Morris was the coach for them. On national television, they were going to fight for their coach, by golly. They were going to quiet the critics, stop the noise and end the debate.

Well, that settles that.

And your honor, the prosecution rests. Soon, it seems, the execution will, too.

As far as any lingering debate over Morris, this should just about do it. How can the Glazers not demand more than this?

Argue, if you will, that this team was just too young, or that the owners were just too cheap, or that the roster had more holes than spackle to patch them all. All that noted, there isn't enough improvement to this roster for Morris to keep his job. This team is lost. It does not have enough maturity, or enough resilience, or worst of all, enough effort to stay on this wayward course.

This was too ugly for human eyes, and where have you heard that before except every week for two months? The Bucs made it close with a couple of scores in the third quarter, but that doesn't change things. The players of the Bucs provided a rather weak argument that Morris should keep his job — or that they should keep theirs. They lost for the eighth straight time, a number that should climb to 10 over the next two weeks, at which time the unraveling should be complete.

This is how a team defends a beleaguered coach? This is how it demonstrates how important he is to them?

By fumbling on the fourth play of the game?

By giving up 28 points in the first half?

By making one first down on its first four possessions, while Dallas was piling up 19?

By surrendering more than 30 points for the fourth time in five games?

By playing with such little effort that Cowboys Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders accused the Bucs of quitting, the third time this year someone has done so?

By not picking up your second first down of the night until the 4:46 point of the third quarter?

Like that?

This isn't a great Dallas team, by the way. If the Bucs took the pressure off any coach, it was Jason Garrett. Along the way, Tampa Bay made Tony Romo look like Roger Staubach and Felix Jones look like Emmitt Smith. And so on. The Bucs made it sound closer with two touchdowns in the third, but to be honest, it never felt as if Dallas was threatened. The Cowboys only tried eight passes in the second half, which seemed very Christmassy of them.

Meanwhile, the Bucs looked like the Bucs. Lopsided defeats such as this one have become so routine, so ordinary, they no longer shock you. And that's the real shame around here. The expectations have been whittled down to zero. At this point, it is uncertain if the Bucs will ever win another game. Okay, that's an exaggeration. If things go well, there is a Sunday in early 2017 that looks doable.

Until then, chaos.

And blight.

Followed by pestilence. And a funny smell.

For crying out loud, around here, no one can even muster a good "wait until next year." Unless there are massive changes, next year doesn't look so good, either. The NFC East is up in the rotation, which means the schedule will be difficult again. Do you expect players who didn't improve this year to get it by next year? Do you expect playoffs by the end of another season?

While we are at it, do you expect Raheem?

Hey, I have nothing against loyalty. I think it's great the players support their head coach. Tight end Kellen Winslow suggested it would "ruin" the Bucs if Morris was replaced, though at this point it seems someone got there first. Ronde Barber, who has been around a few coaches, defends Raheem vociferously.

On the other hand, players often have loyalty for losing coaches. But when a team has gone oh-for-half-a-season, why should players get a vote? Besides, if the Bucs really wanted to affect Morris' job status, they should have played better, and harder, to avoid this eight-game streak of horrible.

This should be the closing argument. This should be the reason that Jeff Fisher spends the next week by his phone. Brian Billick, too.

At this point, it is no longer a question of why the Bucs would fire Morris. At this point, it is why they would not.

Times staff
Saturday, December 17, 2011

By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, December 18, 2011

TAMPA — On Dallas' first third down Saturday night, quarterback Tony Romo had so much time to throw that a full 7 seconds elapsed before he found receiver Miles Austin for an 8-yard touchdown pass.

It would be emblematic of a long night for the Bucs defense, which struggled to get off the field on third down.

"Third down killed us," strong safety Sean Jones said after the Bucs' 31-15 loss. "Romo scrambled around for a while and hit some guys who kind of (got) uncovered. We need to get more pressure on him so he can't do that, so those guys can't uncover and make plays. He did a good job of running around, buying himself time and finding open holes in the zone."

The Cowboys' first three touchdowns all came on third-down plays, and the fourth came immediately after Dallas converted on third and 2 from the Bucs 5-yard line. By halftime, Dallas was 6-for-7 on third downs, piling up more yards in those clutch situations (65) than the Bucs mustered in the entire half (55).

They weren't easy situations the Cowboys were converting, either. The first four third downs required at least 8 yards to move the chains, and Romo consistently found open targets in a secondary that lost cornerback Aqib Talib early to a left hamstring injury.

On Dallas' second touchdown, receiver Dez Bryant was so open in the back of the end zone that he bobbled the catch twice before pulling it in. All six of Dallas' third-down conversions in the first half came on Romo passes.

"Romo's a great improviser; he was out there improvising and making plays for this team," Bucs rookie linebacker Mason Foster said. "When he's moving around and making good passes, it's hard to stop. … You've got to make your plays, win your one-on-ones."

Entering the game, such a third-down situation would have seemed a fair battle between Dallas' offense, which was converting 39 percent of its third downs, and Tampa Bay's defense, which was holding opponents to 39 percent on third downs. Instead, Dallas' ability to sustain long drives was the difference, as the Cowboys' first five scoring drives were all at least seven plays and all at least 56 yards, tiring the Bucs defense.

Dallas' ability to move the ball on third down early was matched by the Bucs' comparable inability. Tampa Bay went 1-for-5 in the first half, missing on third-and-1 and third-and-2 opportunities.

Tampa Bay's offense started clicking in the third quarter, as the Bucs went 4-for-4 on third downs on the way to their first offensive touchdown; they missed on their remaining three opportunities to finish 5-for-12.

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Armwood and Plant have been the gold standard of bay area high school football programs in recent years. And gold is just what they're bringing home to Hillsborough County.

Both teams won state championships Saturday at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando and have combined for seven titles since 2003.

This is the first time Hillsborough has had two football state champs on the same day. Only once before has it had two in the same year — 1969, Blake and Pinecrest.

Armwood, embattled since the end of the regular season thanks to a Florida High School Athletic Association investigation that could strip the program of all 15 wins and the state crown, beat Miami Central 40-31.

"As long as we get that ring, we'll be okay," running back Wade Edwards said. "They can say what they want to say, we beat everybody. We won."

Plant (14-1), meanwhile, beat nationally ranked Miramar 30-21 for its fourth title since 2006. The Panthers' only loss this season? 21-0 to Armwood on Oct. 28.

On Saturday, Plant rushed for 254 yards against a Miramar defense that allowed just 7.7 points a game and had never allowed more than 20 in one game.

Stories, 11C

Sunday, December 18, 2011

TAMPA

Fan voting for the 2012 Pro Bowl ends later tonight. For the life of me, I can't decide if that's useful information or just unnecessary taunting.

The Buccaneers employ 50-some football players that they have spent years acquiring and grooming, and are currently paying tens of millions of dollars to perform, and I'm not sure any of those players is worth the effort of a mouse click for an online vote.

And just to be clear, the Pro Bowl is not a big deal. It is, by and large, a joke.

But what does it say about a football franchise that your players will probably be snubbed in the one game that everyone else gets to turn their noses up at?

When the NFL released the Pro Bowl's top-five vote-getters at every position this month, there was not a Buc in sight. Not a cornerback. Not a lineman. Not a returner.

There were 95 players representing 14 of the 16 teams in the NFC, and Bucs players were about as relevant as Jon Huntsman's Iowa campaign.

Again, the Pro Bowl is a meaning­less affair. And the voting is largely a popularity contest. But Tampa Bay's utter absence does bring up an interesting point in what has turned into a forgettable season.

Just how talented is this team?

Is there a player anywhere on the field who could be considered the best in the NFL at his position? How about a top-five player? Top 10?

Those are legitimate questions on a team that has the longest losing streak in the NFL this morning. If Raheem Morris is to be held responsible for a record gone wrong, doesn't he deserve the benefit of an objective assessment of this team's ability?

"It's hard to make those excuses. I won't do that," Morris said Sunday when asked about his team's talent level "Anything you say about talent level makes an excuse for yourself. We have to go out and do a better job coaching, we have to do a better job of playing, we have to do a better job of getting 'er done."

There is no doubt that the coaching needs to be better. Too many turnovers, too many penalties, too many afternoons of impassive effort have made that clear.

But it would be wrong to blame this entire season on schemes and play calling and motivation. There is a lack of talent in Tampa Bay, and it's impossible to ignore.

How many of these players could be starters on playoff teams? How many could honestly argue they are in the top 10 in the NFL at their jobs?

Maybe Davin Joseph. Probably Connor Barth and Michael Koenen. After that, it's a stretch. Donald Penn could have made the argument last year, but his play has slipped. Kellen Winslow and Ronde Barber are not the players they were a few years ago.

Aqib Talib might have a place in the argument, but he has had trouble staying on the field the past two seasons. Adrian Clayborn has potential, and Josh Freeman is still a valuable commodity, but neither are top 10 at this point in their careers.

So how realistic is it to expect an elite team when there are few elite players?

"It doesn't matter where you think our talent level is, whether you think we're the most talented or the least talented team in the league," said center Jeff Faine. "The problem is we're not playing to our talent level. And that's the most frustrating part of the season."

When the Bucs were going 10-6 last season, the folks in the front office looked like wonder boys. They were grabbing guys off practice squads, off waivers and in the later rounds of the draft, and were challenging for the playoffs until season's end.

Now, you look at those same players and understand why they were available. You see receivers and running backs lacking speed. You see linemen lacking muscle. You see linebackers lacking whatever it is that makes a player special.

Tell me this:

What Tampa Bay players force an opposing coordinator to sweat?

The receivers don't. LeGarrette Blount's skills are limited to between-the-tackles running. Freeman doesn't have enough weapons around him to scare you. None of the pass rushers are capable of changing another team's game plan.

When you look at it that way, don't you have a little more sympathy for the coaching staff's challenges?

Nevertheless, it appears likely Morris will pay for this mess with his job. And I can't argue with that line of thinking.

But the general manager needs to be held responsible, too. It is Mark Dominik's job to fill the roster with talent, and there doesn't seem to be a logjam in that department.

The front office might appease some fans by firing the coach in the next few weeks, but that isn't going to change this basic problem:

The Bucs have a serious talent gap.

By Dave Walker, Times Correspondent
Sunday, December 18, 2011

What's hot: The past several days have had ideal weather for fishing, other than it being a bit breezy. Redfish are still on the prowl. In the early part of the day they seem to be biting best around residential docks. In the afternoon they can be found strolling on the flats in relatively warmer water.

Technique: Live shrimp fished under a small split shot is the typical rig for dock fishing. The cast should be as close to the structure as possible, or better, underneath it. A rowdy redfish fighting mad around barnacle- and oyster-encrusted pilings is a challenge. Drag settings should be a bit tighter than normal. When the fish are hooked, try to steer them from snags by changing the direction of the rod tip by pointing it away from the hazards.

Fun: Catch-and-release trout are giving anglers good action in the deeper holes by grass flats and canals. With kids being out of school soon, it is a great time to give them consistent action. Trout should be released and handled with extreme care. They are delicate and finally are becoming more prevalent in Tampa Bay again.

Dave Walker charters out of Tampa and can be reached at (813) 310-6531 or snookfish.com.

By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, December 18, 2011

USF vs. Cleveland State

When/where: 7; St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa

TV/radio: BHSN; 1250-AM

Records: USF 6-5, Cleveland State 10-1

Notable: Don't take the Vikings lightly — they beat the Bulls in Cleveland last year and won by 13 at Vanderbilt this season. The key is turnovers — last year CSU committed four while forcing 24 from USF in a 69-62 win. The Vikings are forcing an average of 19.7 this season, so Bulls freshman PG Anthony Collins has to take care of the ball. USF will see the season debut of junior G Jawanza Poland, who has missed the first 11 games with a back injury and a two-game suspension. Sophomore G Victor Rudd might not start after going scoreless with no rebounds or assists in 22 minutes Thursday in a loss at Auburn. He surrendered the team scoring lead to Augustus Gilchrist, who averages 11 points per game. After tonight, the Bulls have one more tuneup at Southern Miss, then open Big East play on Dec. 28 against defending national champion Connecticut.

Greg Auman, Times staff writer

Times wires
Sunday, December 18, 2011

TALLAHASSEE — Loyola Marymount coach Max Good thought he was watching the wrong sport Sunday.

"They play volleyball on the backboards," Good said after Florida State beat the smaller Lions 77-61. "They're so long and wide, they make you go east and west."

Unable to penetrate, Loyola Marymount (6-5) had little chance against the rangy Seminoles.

FSU (8-3) finished the first half on a 22-8 run to lead 38-23. The Seminoles are 7-0 at home.

Bernard James had 17 points and 12 rebounds for his fifth double double. The 6-foot-10 James would have had a bigger day if he shot better than 3-for-12 at the free-throw line. Sophomore Okaro White out of Clearwater High had a career-best 11 rebounds, and senior point guard Luke Loucks, also from Clearwater High, had a career-best eight rebounds.

James hit 6 of 9 field goals, his dunk on a putback giving FSU its first 20-point lead at 45-25.

FSU shot 48.1 percent at the free-throw line, but otherwise dominated, outscoring the Lions 38-12 in the paint and getting 21 offensive rebounds.

"We were much more aggressive (rebounding) than we have been," FSU coach Leonard Hamilton said. "We did some nice things, but we still have a ways to go."

The Seminoles have had excessive turnovers in recent games and had 16 Sunday.

"We're playing with a big lineup and sometimes don't have our best ball handlers," Hamilton said. "Regardless of what our shortcomings are, we have to find ways to overcome them."

FSU plays at UF on Thursday. "They represent a spot that we're trying to get to," Hamilton said. "They've won two national titles, back to back. Not many teams have done that. We still have to be the junkyard dogs on defense regardless of who we play."

Times wires
Sunday, December 18, 2011

Winter sports

Vonn: '18 games could mark end of skiing career

COURCHEVEL, France — Lindsey Vonn thinks she will end her stellar Alpine skiing career at the 2018 Winter Olympics before looking into ways of furthering an acting career.

The 27-year-old American — a three-time World Cup overall champion and an Olympic and world downhill champion — believes stopping at 33 years old, after a final Olympics, would be perfect before settling into a different life.

"My main goal is to ski at least until the 2015 world championships in Vail and then see physically how I'm doing, mentally if I'm still doing it," she said. "If I still feel great, I would love to keep going until the next Olympics (in 2018). That, in my mind, is the end point."

Vonn is in the midst of her best World Cup start and is well on the way to reclaiming the overall title she lost by three points to Maria Hoefl-Riesch last season. This success comes while Vonn is in the midst of divorcing her husband of four years, Thomas Vonn, who also served as her adviser and personal coach.

Vonn played a secretary in an episode of the TV series Law & Order last year and said she was thrilled to catch the acting bug.

Speed skating: Jilleanne Rookard and Jonathan Kuck won races Sunday to wrap up their first U.S. all-round long track championships in West Allis, Wis. Rookard, a 2010 Olympian, won the 5,000 meters; she won the 3,000 Tuesday. Kuck won the 10,000; he won the 5,000 Tuesday. The all-round titles were determined by the skaters' combined times in five races.

Soccer

French examining player's slur claim

The French league opened an inquiry after Moroccan midfielder Kamel Chafni said a linesman insulted him during Auxerre's 1-0 loss at Brest on Saturday.

Chafni, who plays for Auxerre, was sent off in the second half for protesting the remarks he said he heard. He told French newspaper L'Equipe that when he told linesman Johann Perruaux that Perruaux had failed to spot a foul involving two other players, Perruaux responded, "Get lost, Arab." Chafni said he protested to referee Tony Chapron and received a yellow card, followed by a red.

Chapron said he "categorically denies" Perruaux made insulting remarks.

Club World Cup: Lionel Messi scored twice and Barcelona beat Brazil's Santos 4-0 to win its second title in three years at Yokohama, Japan.

English premier league: Manchester City beat Arsenal 1-0 to stay on top. Manchester United's 2-0 win at Queens Park Rangers earlier meant City had to avoid defeat or lose the top spot it has held since October. United is owned by the Glazer family, which owns the Bucs.

Et cetera

AUTOS: Travis Varnadore won the Late Model main event, the Donnie Tanner Memorial, in Saturday's season finale at East Bay Raceway in Gibsonton. Next season at the dirt track begins Feb. 2-4.

diving: Olympian Haley Ishimatsu won the gold medal in the women's 10-meter platform at the Winter National Championships in Knoxville, Tenn. It was her fourth career individual national title,

Golf: Lee Westwood completed a wire-to-wire victory in the Thailand Golf Championship at Bangkok, shooting 3-under 69 to beat Masters champion Charl Schwartzel (72) by seven strokes. Westwood finished at 22-under 266. … Ian Poulter shot 4-under 67 to win the Australian Masters by three at 15-under 269 in Melbourne. Marcus Fraser (64) was second.

Times wires

By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, December 18, 2011

TAMPA — Bucs WR Mike Williams, for the first time in 30 games as a pro, was held without a catch in the Bucs' 31-15 loss Saturday night to the Cowboys.

He was targeted just once by QB Josh Freeman. Coach Raheem Morris said he still believes in Williams.

"I wouldn't say we've lost confidence in him," Morris said Sunday. "But (Saturday) was obviously a tough night for him."

So, what was behind this performance by the Bucs' leading receiver? The reasons are multiple.

Williams, the split end or "X" receiver, suffers when the Bucs have difficulty protecting Freeman, as they did Saturday night. That's because the pass routes designed for Williams are longer than other receivers and, thus, take more time to develop.

"Obviously, when you have protection breakdowns, the X is kind of out of the (picture)," Morris said. " … When that stuff happens, you lose your X.

"Your X routes are going to be deep digs, deep comebacks — the sorts of things Mike runs well. The routes that Mike catches are deeper routes, and (Saturday) night wasn't a good process for us."

In addition, Williams cited the extensive zone coverage the Bucs saw from the Cowboys — and Tampa Bay's inability to beat it — as a reason for his lack of production.

"We've seen a lot more zone than we've ever seen in our lives," Williams said of recent games. "(Defenses) know how to adjust. The first thing is reading the zone and knowing where to sit and being on the same page with the quarterback. That's the biggest challenge. … It can look like man (coverage) and if one person is off, thinking it's man (coverage) and it's not, it's a bad play."

For Williams, he said the lack of numbers doesn't bother him.

"It's never about catches and stats for me," he said. "I just want to get a win."

But his production is part of what will bring wins.

And Williams, who is on pace for more catches than his rookie season, has, to an extent, been less productive in his sophomore season.

He has dropped more than 3 yards in per-catch average, going from 14.8 per catch in 2010 to 11.7 this season. Williams had 11 touchdowns in 2010 and has just three this season.

But two games remain, and Williams' hope is that it can be the start of something.

"We have to use the last two weeks as the beginning of next year," he said. "We have to start a winning streak."

TALIB'S STATUS: CB Aqib Talib fell victim to his hamstring injury for the third straight game, and injured reserve is beginning to look like the most realistic option.

The team left Myron Lewis inactive against the deep Dallas receiving corps, and when Talib left the game after two series, Tampa Bay was forced to use seventh-round pick Anthony Gaitor as its fourth cornerback.

Still, even without Talib, the play in the secondary was disappointing.

"Early on, we went out there and played a little man coverage," Morris said. " … We lost some battles, and those things can happen. It's individual battles being lost. We have to win those battles."

Morris also attributed the struggles of the secondary to a lack of consistent pass rush. Dallas QB Tony Romo bought time in the pocket and managed to complete 23 of 30 passes.

BENN BACK: WR Arrelious Benn, who sat out after a concussion, said he will play on Christmas Eve at Carolina. Benn said he felt he was able to play, but the team ultimately decided to keep him sidelined Saturday.

Bucs at Panthers

1 p.m., Saturday, Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, N.C.

TV/Radio: Ch. 13, 620-AM, 103.5 FM