By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, January 3, 2012

GAINESVILLE — When some baseline and upper level lights in the Stephen C. O'Connell Center went dead with about 10 minutes remaining in Tuesday night's game, UAB coach Mike Davis jokingly told Florida coach Billy Donovan that he could call it if he so desired.

"Mike said to me, 'I'm okay if you want to end the game right now, we'll just go home and get home a little bit earlier than expected,' " Donovan said.

Donovan didn't take him up on the offer, but Davis may have wished he had.

Florida guards Erving Walker and Kenny Boynton scored 23 and 20, respectively, and the No. 13 Gators (12-3) hit a season-high 15 3-pointers in a 79-61 win over the Blazers (5-8) Tuesday night. Florida extended its home winning streak to 14 games.

"I think we can be even better, honestly," said Walker, who took over sole possession of fourth place on UF's all-time 3-pointers made list with 250. "I think we can get up around 100 points, but I think we did a good job (Tuesday) and we're doing pretty good going into conference play."

The Gators took a 37-26 lead into halftime and opened the second half on an 18-8 run. Trailing 60-41, UAB outscored Florida 9-2 and pulled within eight with 6:59 remaining, but that was as close as the Blazers would get. Florida shot 55.6 percent from 3-point range.

"Besides the rebounding, I thought we were picture perfect on everything we needed to do," said UF center Patric Young, who added 15 points and seven rebounds. "It gives us a lot of confidence going into SEC play. We were being really unselfish with the ball, taking really good shots, playing good defense. We just weren't rebounding, and I think that's the only thing that kept them into the game."

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

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — San Francisco coach Jim Harbaugh made one thing clear Monday: A playoff bye week is nothing like the break teams get at midseason.

Still, the NFC West champion 49ers are relishing some extra prep time considering all the players trying to get healthy ahead of their first playoff game in nine years.

"It feels like an advantage. How big, we'll see," Harbaugh said of the extra week. "I know this: We're not going to treat it like a vacation. It's not a midseason bye, in my view, where you can afford to come back in midseason form. We'll treat it as such."

Harbaugh said he spoke about the schedule with big brother John, the Ravens coach whose team also gets the opening week off as the AFC's second seed.

"Compared notes," Jim Harbaugh said. "Some things are the same, some are different."

Also, WR Kyle Williams, who missed Sunday's finale with a concussion after taking a helmet-first hit Dec. 24 against Seattle, said he is on schedule to be cleared for practice by the time the team starts preparing for its Jan. 14 division game.

FALCONS: Mike Smith wants his first two playoff losses with Atlanta to be "growing experiences" that will help his team prepare for Sunday's first-round game at the Giants.

With Smith in his first season as coach and QB Matt Ryan starting as a rookie quarterback, the Falcons lost to Arizona in the first round of the playoffs after the 2008 season. The Falcons had a first-round bye last year before losing 48-21 to Green Bay.

Smith said it's important the Falcons learn from the losses. He said based on those lessons he is planning tweaks to practice this week.

"We haven't gotten the outcome we've wanted," he said. "We are learning from those experiences. We're going to use those as growing experiences and we're looking forward to competing this week, and that's not just Matt Ryan.

"That's Mike Smith and every member of our team."

SAINTS: Rookie RB Mark Ingram and LB Will Herring were placed on injured reserve, ending their seasons. Ingram, the 2009 Heisman Trophy winner at Alabama, missed the past four games with a sprained toe on his left foot. Herring has a sprained MCL in his right knee, coach Sean Payton said.

Times wires
Tuesday, January 3, 2012

PITTSBURGH — Steelers coach Mike Tomlin knows S Ryan Clark wants to play Sunday in Denver when the Steelers take on the Broncos in the wild card round.

It's why Tomlin didn't give Clark the option.

The Steelers will begin their quest for a second straight AFC title without Clark, who will be held out as a precaution due to a sickle-cell trait that becomes aggravated when playing at higher elevations.

Tomlin told the team's leading tackler he can travel but not suit up.

"Looking at data and all the variables he is at more risk, so we're not going to play him," Tomlin said. "It's just that simple."

Clark nearly died in 2007 when the condition popped up; he lost his spleen and gall bladder in addition to losing 30 pounds. He was cleared by team doctors to play in Denver in 2009 before Tomlin intervened.

Clark didn't speak to reporters but a post on his Twitter account said: "I will not be playing. Glad that it's out now. So no more questions to ask."

LB LaMarr Woodley (strained left hamstring) and LG Doug Legursky (left shoulder) are both expected back for Sunday.

BENGALS: The last time Cincinnati won a playoff game, it was against Houston.

The Oilers, not the Texans. Yes, it has been that long — since 1990.

The Bengals have been to the playoffs only twice since, losing in the first round in 2005 and '09.

Saturday they have a chance to end that 21-year string of futility at Houston in a first-round game against the Texans, who make their first playoff appearance.

"It would be a tremendous feeling for us to get rid of that stigma of not being able to get to the playoffs and win it," OT Andre Smith said.

"I don't know for everybody, but I wasn't aware until I saw it on Twitter," CB Adam "Pacman" Jones said. "The guys in here, we can't worry about the past."

PATRIOTS: The routine should stay the same despite a first-round bye and a week off, G Brian Waters says. "The routine is what saves you. It's what lets you know that you're prepared," the 12-year veteran said.

RAVENS: Shayne Graham, a former Florida kicker, was released. He became expendable once regular K Billy Cundiff returned from a left calf injury. Rookie OL Justin Boren was promoted from the practice squad.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Oklahoma State has its chance to be in the national championship conversation.

All the Cowboys need now is a little help from Alabama.

Surviving a missed field goal at the end of regulation and getting a big kick of its own in overtime, No. 3 Oklahoma State opened the door for the chance at a split national title with a 41-38 win over No. 4 Stanford on Monday night.

"There is nothing we can do from here," said Oklahoma State receiver Justin Blackmon, who tied the Fiesta Bowl record with three touchdown catches. "I do think we do have the best team in the nation."

Oklahoma State kept pace with Andrew Luck and the high-scoring Cardinal, getting huge performances from stars Brandon Weeden and Blackmon in their final college game. Weeden threw for 399 yards and the three touchdowns to Blackmon, who is leaving for the NFL after catching eight passes for 186 yards.

All that and the Cowboys' fortunes came down to the legs of Stanford kicker Jordan Williamson and their own Quinn Sharp.

Williamson, a redshirt freshman, missed a 35-yard field goal wide left as time expired in regulation and another from 43 yards to open overtime.

Given a chip shot after Weeden hit Colton Chelf on a 24-yard pass,Sharp sent a 22-yard field goal through the uprights.

Should Alabama knock off top-ranked LSU in the BCS championship game, Oklahoma State will be ready to stake its claim at No. 1 in the Associated Press poll.

"We feel like we could beat anyone in the country," Chelf said.

Stanford had 590 yards of offense, nearly 200 more than Oklahoma State; got a stellar game from Luck before he heads to the NFL; and ran over Oklahoma Statee behind Stepfan Taylor.

It just couldn't finish it off.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

NEW ORLEANS — Brendan Gibbons drilled a 37-yard field goal down the middle in overtime to lift Michigan to a 23-20 victory over Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl on Tuesday night.

The victory capped an impressive debut season for coach Brady Hoke, who has led the Wolverines (11-2) back to prominence with a BCS bowl victory. Denard Robinson highlighted an otherwise unspectacular night with touchdown passes of 45 and 18 yards to Junior Hemingway.

"We talked about the trust, commitment and accountabilty that we're gonna have for each other," Hoke told ESPN in an onfield interview after the game. "Our senior those guys have been through some struggles. … So you always want to be there for those kids."

Virginia Tech (11-3) had more than double Michigan's total yards, 377-184, and had 22 first downs to Michigan's 12 but settled for four field goals in regulation by third-string kicker Justin Myer.

However, Myer was unable to connect on his fifth try from 37 yards away in the opening possession of overtime.

Late Monday

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Oklahoma State has its chance to be in the national championship conversation.

All the Cowboys need now is a little help from Alabama.

Surviving a missed field goal at the end of regulation and getting a big kick of its own in overtime, No. 3 Oklahoma State opened the door for the chance at a split national title with a 41-38 win over No. 4 Stanford.

"There is nothing we can do from here," said Oklahoma State receiver Justin Blackmon, who tied the Fiesta Bowl record with three touchdown catches. "I do think we do have the best team in the nation."

Times wires
Tuesday, January 3, 2012

tennis

nadal tested, federer cruises in opener

DOHA, Qatar — Rafael Nadal struggled past Philipp Kohlschreiber while defending Qatar Open champion Roger Federer routed Nikolay Davydenko in their season openers Tuesday.

The second-ranked Nadal overcame Kohlschreiber 6-3, 6-7 (7-2), 6-3 in a match that lasted 2½ hours. Federer, who lost badly to Nadal and No. 1-ranked Novak Djokovic over the weekend at an exhibition in Abu Dhabi, showed he had shaken off the rust by overwhelming the injury-plagued Davydenko 6-2, 6-2 in 54 minutes.

Also, No. 6 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beat wild card Malek Jaziri 7-6 (7-5), 6-7 (7-5), 6-1 and fourth-ranked Gael Monfils defeated Rui Machado 7-5, 6-3.

Brisbane International: Tampa resident Sam Stosur's first tournament on home soil since winning the U.S. Open ended in an upset second-round loss to Iveta Benesova today. The top-seeded Stosur was broken in the crucial seventh game in Australia and dropped serve twice in the second set of a 6-4, 6-2 defeat. Tuesday, Andy Murray overcame big returns from Mikhail Kukushkin for a 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 win in his first singles match since late November. The top-seeded Scot lost the first four games. Australian Open champion Kim Clijsters rallied from 3-0 down in the third set to beat Ana Ivanovic 6-1, 1-6, 6-3.

soccer

Beckham staying put with Galaxy

David Beckham's days in Major League Soccer are apparently not over after all.

The president of the French club Paris-St. Germain, which had been trying to add Beckham as the first prize signing for new coach Carlo Ancelotti, said Beckham would not be joining the club.

"David Beckham is not coming," the president, Nasser al-Khelaifi, said at the Qatar Open tennis tournament. "We feel a little disappointed. But both sides agreed it would be better that we not do the deal."

Al-Khelaifi said Beckham would return to the Galaxy, which won the MLS title last season in the final year of his five-year contract.

No appeal: Liverpool will not appeal Luis Suarez's eight-match suspension, assessed by a Football Association panel that concluded the forward repeatedly racially abused an opponent during a match.

et cetera

IndyCar: The IndyCar Series has selected Beaux Barfield as its new director for racing, the Associated Press reported. He replaces Brian Barnhart, who lost race control responsibilities last month.

Dakar Rally: A French motorcyclist was in critical condition after being found unconscious in remote sand dunes during rally. Sebastien Coue apparently crashed during the second stage in San Juan, Argentina, and was exposed to temperatures above 104 degrees, Teodoro J. Schestakow Hospital said.

baseball: Free-agent centerfielder Coco Crisp agreed to a two-year deal to return to the Athletics. … Infielder Greg Dobbs agreed to a two-year deal to remain with the Marlins.

Winter sports: Marlies Schild stretched her World Cup slalom winning streak to five, cruising in Zagreb, Croatia, while overall leader Lindsey Vonn finished ninth despite a stomach illness. Vonn leads the overall standings.

Swimming: Michigan and FIU won top honors in men and women's divisions respectively at the Orange Bowl Classic in Key Largo. In securing their fourth consecutive Orange Bowl title, the Wolverines swept all 12 events. George Mason was second and Saint Leo third in the men's division.

Times wires

Times wires
Tuesday, January 3, 2012

CHICAGO — Luol Deng's layup with 3.7 seconds to play lifted the Bulls to a 76-74 victory over the Hawks on Tuesday night.

Derrick Rose scored 17 of his 30 in the fourth quarter to rally Chicago from a 19-point deficit. Coming out of a timeout with the score tied in the final seconds, Deng cut along the baseline and took a feed from former Gator Joakim Noah to put the Bulls ahead.

Atlanta's Joe Johnson shot an airball at the buzzer.

"We ran a good play," Deng said on the court after the game. "We always play hard."

Rose missed a runner with 21 seconds left, but Atlanta's Jeff Teague missed two free throws. Rose then drove past Teague and scored over the Hawks' Josh Smith with 9.9 seconds left to put the Bulls up 74-73.

Deng, who had 21 points, got called for an inexplicable foul on the Hawks' ensuing inbounds play, tripping over former Gator Al Horford. But Horford sank only 1 of 2 free throws with 7.7 seconds left.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS: LaMarcus Aldridge had 30 points and eight rebounds to help the visiting Trail Blazers beat the Thunder 103-93. Portland held Oklahoma City to 34 percent shooting in the second half to push ahead on an off night for All-Stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

AROUND THE LEAGUE: Knicks forward Amare Stoudemire (sprained left ankle) and guard Iman Shumpert (sprained right knee ligament) could return tonight. … Center Andrew Bogut left the Bucks for undisclosed personal reasons and missed the game against the Jazz. … Guard Richard Hamilton was held out of the Bulls' starting lineup because of a sore left groin. … Starting guard Thabo Sefolosha missed the Thunder's game because of flulike symptoms. … Nets power forward Kris Humphries is day to day with a sprained left shoulder. … The Warriors are close to signing guard Nate Robinson, released by the Thunder last month.

Bulls 76, Hawks 74

ATLANTA (74): Williams 5-10 4-7 14, Smith 6-13 3-6 15, Horford 7-14 2-4 16, Teague 2-8 3-6 7, J.Johnson 3-17 2-2 10, McGrady 1-4 0-0 2, Radmanovic 1-4 0-0 3, Pachulia 0-3 0-0 0, Pargo 1-3 0-0 3, Green 2-4 0-0 4. Totals 28-80 14-25 74.

CHICAGO (76): Deng 7-15 6-8 21, Boozer 5-13 1-2 11, Noah 0-4 2-2 2, Rose 8-22 11-13 30, Brewer 2-8 0-0 4, Gibson 2-7 0-0 4, Korver 1-4 0-1 2, Asik 1-3 0-0 2, Lucas 0-1 0-0 0, Butler 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-77 20-26 76.

Atlanta 23 15 18 18— 74

Chicago 15 11 16 34— 76

3-Point Goals—Atlanta 4-15 (J.Johnson 2-9, Pargo 1-1, Radmanovic 1-2, Teague 0-1, Smith 0-1, Horford 0-1), Chicago 4-17 (Rose 3-8, Deng 1-4, Brewer 0-1, Lucas 0-1, Korver 0-3). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Atlanta 62 (Smith 14), Chicago 58 (Boozer, Asik 9). Assists—Atlanta 19 (J.Johnson, Teague 4), Chicago 16 (Rose 7). Total Fouls—Atlanta 17, Chicago 21. Technicals—Atlanta defensive three second, Deng, Chicago defensive three second 2. A—22,166 (20,917).

Blazers 103, Thunder 93

PORTLAND (103): Wallace 4-14 4-4 13, Aldridge 10-19 10-12 30, Camby 2-3 3-4 7, Felton 4-11 3-4 12, Matthews 7-12 2-3 16, Crawford 2-6 3-3 8, Thomas 1-3 1-2 3, Batum 4-8 1-2 12, C.Smith 0-0 2-2 2. Totals 34-76 29-36 103.

OKLAHOMA CITY (93): Durant 8-26 2-4 19, Ibaka 4-4 0-0 8, Perkins 3-5 1-2 7, Westbrook 8-18 5-7 22, Harden 7-13 6-6 23, Collison 3-5 0-0 6, Mohammed 1-4 0-0 2, Cook 1-5 0-0 2, Maynor 1-3 2-2 4, Hayward 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 36-83 16-21 93.

Portland 21 30 27 25— 103

Oklahoma City 26 27 21 19— 93

3-Point Goals—Portland 6-15 (Batum 3-4, Crawford 1-1, Felton 1-3, Wallace 1-5, Matthews 0-2), Oklahoma City 5-20 (Harden 3-7, Westbrook 1-3, Durant 1-7, Cook 0-3). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Portland 54 (Wallace 10), Oklahoma City 47 (Collison 9). Assists—Portland 20 (Felton 7), Oklahoma City 22 (Westbrook 8). Total Fouls—Portland 16, Oklahoma City 22. Technicals—Aldridge, Portland defensive three second, Oklahoma City Coach Brooks, Perkins. A—18,203 (18,203).

Grizzlies 113, Kings 96

SACRAMENTO (96): Salmons 1-4 0-0 2, Hickson 3-9 6-6 12, Hayes 3-4 2-2 8, Evans 4-11 1-2 9, Thornton 2-7 0-0 5, Thompson 4-7 0-0 8, Fredette 6-12 1-2 17, Cousins 1-5 2-2 4, Outlaw 4-7 1-3 11, Thomas 4-10 5-5 15, Greene 1-3 0-0 2, Garcia 1-4 1-1 3. Totals 34-83 19-23 96.

MEMPHIS (113): Gay 10-16 3-5 23, Cunningham 3-9 1-2 7, Gasol 7-10 0-1 14, Pargo 2-5 0-0 5, Allen 5-12 0-1 10, Conley 5-8 3-3 14, Young 8-13 4-4 20, Mayo 8-11 0-0 16, Pondexter 2-5 0-0 4, Davis 0-1 0-0 0, Selby 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 50-91 11-16 113.

Sacramento 17 33 18 28— 96

Memphis 31 21 35 26— 113

3-Point Goals—Sacramento 9-24 (Fredette 4-6, Outlaw 2-4, Thomas 2-5, Thornton 1-2, Hayes 0-1, Evans 0-1, Greene 0-2, Garcia 0-3), Memphis 2-8 (Pargo 1-1, Conley 1-2, Mayo 0-1, Pondexter 0-1, Gay 0-1, Davis 0-1, Young 0-1). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Sacramento 45 (Hickson 10), Memphis 54 (Gasol 15). Assists—Sacramento 13 (Evans 4), Memphis 20 (Conley 7). Total Fouls—Sacramento 18, Memphis 17. Technicals—Mayo. A—12,391 (18,119).

Jazz 85, Bucks 73

MILWAUKEE (73): Jackson 5-17 5-6 16, Ilyasova 1-8 2-2 5, Gooden 12-20 0-0 24, Jennings 4-19 0-1 8, Delfino 1-8 2-2 4, Leuer 0-4 0-0 0, Livingston 3-7 3-3 9, Sanders 2-5 1-2 5, Mbah a Moute 1-5 0-0 2, Brockman 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 29-95 13-16 73.

UTAH (85): Hayward 5-7 1-2 12, Millsap 6-7 1-2 13, Jefferson 10-17 6-9 26, D.Harris 0-2 0-0 0, Bell 1-4 0-0 3, Favors 3-5 0-1 6, Howard 0-2 0-0 0, Watson 0-0 0-0 0, Kanter 2-2 1-2 5, Miles 3-11 2-2 9, Burks 1-6 7-10 9, Tinsley 0-2 0-0 0, Evans 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 32-66 18-28 85.

Milwaukee 16 18 21 18— 73

Utah 22 21 19 23— 85

3-Point Goals—Milwaukee 2-21 (Ilyasova 1-1, Jackson 1-7, Gooden 0-1, Leuer 0-1, Delfino 0-4, Jennings 0-7), Utah 3-13 (Bell 1-3, Hayward 1-3, Miles 1-4, D.Harris 0-1, Burks 0-2). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Milwaukee 54 (Gooden 12), Utah 59 (Millsap 12). Assists—Milwaukee 16 (Jennings 6), Utah 24 (Watson 8). Total Fouls—Milwaukee 19, Utah 24. Technicals—Jackson, Milwaukee defensive three second. A—17,756 (19,911).

Cavaliers 115, Bobcats 101

CHARLOTTE (101): Maggette 4-12 13-14 21, White 5-6 0-0 10, Diaw 0-5 0-0 0, Augustin 10-18 2-2 26, Henderson 8-15 0-0 16, Mullens 7-13 0-0 14, Diop 0-1 0-0 0, Carroll 0-2 0-0 0, Biyombo 3-6 2-3 8, Brown 1-2 0-0 2, Walker 1-6 0-0 2, Higgins 1-4 0-0 2. Totals 40-90 17-19 101.

CLEVELAND (115): Casspi 2-3 0-2 5, Jamison 7-16 3-5 19, Varejao 4-6 1-2 9, Irving 8-10 2-2 20, Parker 4-8 0-0 11, Gee 4-8 0-0 8, Gibson 3-8 0-0 8, Sessions 3-8 5-7 11, T.Thompson 7-16 2-6 16, Samuels 1-3 2-2 4, Hollins 1-3 0-0 2, Harangody 1-1 0-0 2, Eyenga 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 45-90 15-26 115.

Charlotte 34 17 29 21— 101

Cleveland 27 30 30 28— 115

3-Point Goals—Charlotte 4-14 (Augustin 4-7, Walker 0-1, Higgins 0-1, Maggette 0-2, Diaw 0-3), Cleveland 10-21 (Parker 3-5, Irving 2-2, Jamison 2-5, Gibson 2-5, Casspi 1-2, Gee 0-1, Sessions 0-1). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Charlotte 57 (Maggette 8), Cleveland 51 (T.Thompson 9). Assists—Charlotte 20 (Augustin 9), Cleveland 25 (Sessions 9). Total Fouls—Charlotte 22, Cleveland 19. Technicals—Charlotte Coach Silas. A—14,173 (20,562).

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, January 3, 2012

ST. PETERSBURG — As the search for offense continues, the Rays are close to a deal to add another piece, veteran right-hander Fernando Rodney, to their bullpen.

Rodney, who turns 35 in March, told an Associated Press reporter in the Dominican Republic last week he has agreed to a one-year contract with the Rays for slightly more than $2 million.

The deal has not been finalized, though it could be today.

Rodney, 34, had 37 saves for the Tigers in 2009, but his performance the past two seasons with the Angels was not as impressive as he went 7-8 with 17 saves total and a 4.32 ERA.

Rodney spoke to the AP reporter as if the deal was complete. "It's confirmed, (it) will be published in January if God permits," he said, based on a Google translation of his quotes. "I signed for one year with Tampa Bay to keep working hard and see if God gives me something better."

The Rays did not confirm the deal, which is likely pending a physical, possibly after the Dominican League playoffs. But on Rodney's mlb.com Dominican League stat page, his "parent club" is listed as Tampa Bay.

Rodney has some history at Tropicana Field. While with Detroit in 2009, he was given a three-game suspension after throwing a ball from the field into the Trop press box after getting the final out of a game.

Rodney told the AP he will compete for the closer's job held last season by Kyle Farnsworth.

"I think there is a position, (Tampa Bay) told me that no closer (is defined)," Rodney said, via the Google translation. "We will fight the post to see who wins. I have faith in God that if you have to fight the post, I'm going to go."

Rodney is coming off a two-year, $11 million contract with the Angels. He lost his closer's job early last season, spent six weeks on the DL with a back strain and didn't pitch much upon his return, his 32 innings were his fewest since 2003. He told the AP that he was pleased to get the deal with the Rays because last season was not a good one.

However, he has been pitching well in the Dominican Winter League for Escogido, with a 1.13 ERA and three saves in his first eight games.

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

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, January 3, 2012

TORONTO — The Lightning knew it was in for a difficult task with defenseman Mattias Ohlund missing the first half of the season, and possibly all of it, with knee issues.

"Catastrophic," coach Guy Boucher says.

And when Victor Hedman suffered a concussion last week to put him out indefinitely, Tampa Bay is without two of its top defensemen, leaving it exposed, especially on the road.

That being said, there was little defense for how the Lightning played as a whole in Tuesday night's 7-3 loss to the Maple Leafs in front of 19,425 at the Air Canada Centre. For Tampa Bay (17-18-3), a three-game winning streak ended in ugly fashion.

"It's pretty bad," center Steven Stamkos said. "That's twice against this team we've got killed. It's not like they're playing unbelievable hockey, everything they got tonight was the result of our breakdown, our turnover, our penalty. That's how we found a way to lose a game tonight and lose it pretty good."

Goalie Mathieu Garon didn't play well, getting pulled 13:43 into the second after allowing four goals in 21 shots. But he didn't get much help.

"They were getting point-blank shots, back-door plays — we let him down," defenseman Brett Clark said. "We haven't had a game like that defensively in a long time."

The Lightning tied it twice in a second-period flurry where the teams combined for four goals in 1:48. But after each Lightning score, Garon let one in less than a minute later. He was pulled in favor of veteran Dwayne Roloson, who also faced 21 shots.

The special teams were "awful," as Stamkos put it, including 0-for-5 on the power play, with a two-man advantage for 45 seconds. Tampa Bay, ranked fourth in power play at home (21.8 percent), is a league-worst 8.8 percent on the road.

"Sometimes, I feel we could have four orange cones against us on the road and still wouldn't manage to get a shot," Boucher said.

There were few silver linings for Boucher.

"We didn't put anything on the ice tonight," he said. "All our diseases came back at the same time."

First—1, Tampa Bay, Lecavalier 14 (Wyman, Moore), :58. 2, Toronto, Lupul 18 (T.Connolly, Gardiner), 3:25. 3, Toronto, Gunnarsson 2 (T.Connolly, Lupul), 8:46. Penalties—Bergeron, TB (holding), 1:15; Downie, TB, double minor (roughing), 11:58; Phaneuf, Tor (roughing), 11:58; Franson, Tor (boarding), 14:40; Schenn, Tor (roughing), 17:20; T.Connolly, Tor (elbowing), 18:35.

Second—4, Tampa Bay, Stamkos 27 (St. Louis), 11:55. 5, Toronto, Grabovski 11 (Lupul, Schenn), 12:28. 6, Tampa Bay, Kubina 3 (Brewer), 13:26. 7, Toronto, Boyce 1 (Frattin, Aulie), 13:43. 8, Toronto, Frattin 5 (Kadri, Lombardi), 19:22. Penalties—Toronto bench, served by Frattin (too many men), 6:34; Downie, TB, served by Purcell, double minor-misconduct (unsportsmanlike conduct, roughing), 13:59; Boyce, Tor, minor-misconduct (roughing), 13:59; Aulie, Tor (roughing), 13:59.

Third—9, Toronto, Phaneuf 6 (Grabovski, MacArthur), 1:23 (pp). 10, Toronto, Kessel 22 (Lupul, Phaneuf), 12:28 (pp). Penalties—Purcell, TB (interference), :56; Gustavsson, Tor, served by MacArthur (tripping), 6:35; Kubina, TB (holding), 11:32; Hall, TB (roughing), 12:04; Thompson, TB, major (fighting), 16:32; Schenn, Tor, major (fighting), 16:32. Shots—Tampa Bay 11-7-6—24. Toronto 13-16-13—42. Power plays—Tampa Bay 0 of 5; Toronto 2 of 6. Goalies—Tampa Bay, Garon 11-10-2 (21 shots-17 saves), Roloson (13:43 second, 21-18). Toronto, Gustavsson 10-7-0 (24-21). A—19,425 (18,819). T—2:35.

John C. Cotey, Times Sports Columnist
Wednesday, January 4, 2012

ORLANDO — Dante Fowler Jr. spins around an offensive lineman and in a blur puts on the brakes inches from the quarterback, who is grateful on this day to be wearing a red jersey.

Recruiting analysts lined up alongside the practice field at ESPN Wide World of Sports nod, then tweet.

Each day, there is more spinning and blur and braking, more nodding than the previous day, more tweeting.

Everyone seems to agree: Dante Fowler Jr. once again looks like, well, Dante Fowler Jr.

The best kid out here, says one analyst.

Unstoppable today, mutters another.

"It was a good day," says Fowler, typically affable.

He answers more questions, and smiles some more, then you notice the biggest difference in Fowler's game since a dreadful, embarrassing fall spoiled his senior season, the one thing that went missing when he was kicked off the Lakewood High School football team.

You see joy.

"I'm at Disney World," he says. "I gotta be happy!"

• • •

As he prepares for Thursday's Under Armour All-America Game at Tropicana Field, Fowler looks nothing like the kid who disappeared in the big games and last month was told he was no longer considered a five-star recruit.

The Florida State commit has been what he has always claimed to be — one of the country's best defensive end prospects.

"I'm coming with something to prove," said Fowler, a 6-foot-3, 235-pound pass rusher. "I have a chip on my shoulder. They took my star and I want it back."

Truth is, Fowler lost more than just one star.

He lost his standing as one.

He was suspended after the season opener in September for mouthing off to coaches, resulting in a disruptive entrenchment between coach and player that caused Fowler to miss three games.

He fretted as organizers of the Under Armour game considered taking back their invitation.

"It was tough on me and my wife. No parent wants to see their child go through what he went through,'' said Dante Sr., who roamed the sidelines at Disney watching his son wow other onlookers. "But he owned up to it, and next time he'll know how to conduct and carry himself in the right manner.''

Fowler returned and played well against Gibbs, but not as well against Jesuit in a crucial district game. Afterward, a few scathing online reports wrote him off as a disappointment.

Lakewood, once a state title contender, stumbled down the stretch and did not make the playoffs.

Last month, Rivals dropped Fowler 22 spots (from No. 13) in its rankings and took away his prized fifth star.

• • •

Fowler says he wasn't surprised to lose a star.

But knowing how important that was to him, it is surprising to hear him say it wasn't the biggest disappointment of 2011.

"What hurt me the most was getting kicked off the team," he said. "I wasn't with my team and I let my teammates down with my actions. I didn't meet a lot of people's expectations."

He blames himself for not showing up in big games.

"I didn't shine in the big game like big-time players are supposed to; I didn't step up."

Fowler may have lost a star, but he has clearly gained some perspective.

He has put 2011 behind him. He spent his down time working on his grades, and his dad says he has posted a qualifying ACT score.

Thursday in his hometown of St. Petersburg, he hopes to remind everyone of what made him great on the gridiron.

Fowler practically grew up in the shadows of Tropicana Field, in Pinellas Point, playing neighborhood football among a host of future high school stars.

He was always a defensive player. He always played with bigger kids. In his back yard, his father would coach him up. Fowler would play end. His mother, Lanora, would play quarterback.

Dante Sr. said he never feared for his wife's safety, just the safety of the boys trying to take her down.

"She roughed me up a little bit," Fowler said, laughing. "That's kind of embarrassing, but …"

Fowler will have more than 300 friends and family at the game, which he hopes to use as a personal showcase like Alonso's Anthony Chickillo did last year in earning MVP honors.

He wants to be remembered for how he plays in his final high school game.

"I'm out here to prove to everyone that I am the person who they thought I was," he said. "I'm coming out to dominate anyone who gets in my way. I'm going to show everyone that I am one of the best defensive ends in the country."

John C. Cotey can be reached at cotey@tampabay.com.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 4, 2012

The Tampa Bay Rays are close to a one-year deal with RH reliever Fernando Rodney.

Though Rodney told the AP last week in the Dominican the deal, for just more than $2-million, was somewhat official, there is still further work to be done. It seems likely to be wrapped up in the next day or two.

Rodney, who turns 35 in March, would give the Rays another veteran option, and potentially an alternative to Kyle Farnsworth in the closer's role.

He had 37 saves (in 38 chances) for the Tigers in 2009 (despite a 4.40 ERA), but wasn't as effective at the end of games after signing a two-year, $11-million deal wih the Angels, logging 17 saves in 28 opportunities with a combined 4.32 ERA.

One difference was his control.

In 2009, when Rodney was 2-5 with the 37 saves and a 4.40 ERA, he averaged 7.3 strikeouts and 4.9 walks per nine innings, and by allowing 70 hits in 75 2/3 innings, posted a 1.467 WHIP (walks and hits per inning).

In 2010, he was 4-3 with 14 saves and a 4.34 ERA, but averaged 7.0 strikeouts and 4.6 walks, and with 70 hits allowed in 68 innings had a 1.544 WHIP. And last season - which included six weeks on the DL with a back strain and minimal late-season work - he was 3-5 with three saves and a 4.50 ERA, while averaging 7.3 strikeouts and 7.9 walks per nine innings, and allowed 26 hits in 32 innings for a 1.688 WHIP.

Rodney is the reliever who in 2009 while with Detroit earned a three-game suspension when he threw a ball from the Trop field into the press box after getting the final out.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 4, 2012

The Tampa Bay Rays still haven't confirmed anything, but their deal with veteran RH reliever Fernando Rodney appears to be in place.

An announcement seems likely for this afternoon.

The deal, based on details from ESPN's Enrique Rojas, fits in the Rays' framework: a $1.75-million salary in 2012, and either a $2.5-million option or a $250,000 buyout in 2013.

Rodney, who turns 35 in March, would give the Rays another veteran option, and potentially an alternative to Kyle Farnsworth in the closer's role.

He had 37 saves (in 38 chances) for the Tigers in 2009 (despite a 4.40 ERA), but wasn't as effective at the end of games after signing a two-year, $11-million deal wih the Angels, logging 17 saves in 28 opportunities with a combined 4.32 ERA.

One difference was his control.

In 2009, when Rodney was 2-5 with the 37 saves and a 4.40 ERA, he averaged 7.3 strikeouts and 4.9 walks per nine innings, and by allowing 70 hits in 75 2/3 innings, posted a 1.467 WHIP (walks and hits per inning).

In 2010, he was 4-3 with 14 saves and a 4.34 ERA, but averaged 7.0 strikeouts and 4.6 walks, and with 70 hits allowed in 68 innings had a 1.544 WHIP. And last season - which included six weeks on the DL with a back strain and minimal late-season work - he was 3-5 with three saves and a 4.50 ERA, while averaging 7.3 strikeouts and 7.9 walks per nine innings, and allowed 26 hits in 32 innings for a 1.688 WHIP.

Rodney is the reliever who in 2009 while with Detroit earned a three-game suspension when he threw a ball from the Trop field into the press box after getting the final out.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 4, 2012

The Tampa Bay Rays have reached a deal with veteran RH reliever Fernando Rodney.

"Fernando's pure stuff is top-notch and can beat hitters both in and out of the strike zone," Rays Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman said in a news release. "We feel he will be able to maximize his ability with us to further strengthen our bullpen."

The deal, based on details from ESPN's Enrique Rojas, fits in the Rays' framework: a $1.75-million salary in 2012, and either a $2.5-million option or a $250,000 buyout in 2013.

Rodney, who turns 35 in March, would give the Rays another veteran option, and potentially an alternative to Kyle Farnsworth in the closer's role.

He had 37 saves (in 38 chances) for the Tigers in 2009 (despite a 4.40 ERA), but wasn't as effective at the end of games after signing a two-year, $11-million deal wih the Angels, logging 17 saves in 28 opportunities with a combined 4.32 ERA.

One difference was his control.

In 2009, when Rodney was 2-5 with the 37 saves and a 4.40 ERA, he averaged 7.3 strikeouts and 4.9 walks per nine innings, and by allowing 70 hits in 75 2/3 innings, posted a 1.467 WHIP (walks and hits per inning).

In 2010, he was 4-3 with 14 saves and a 4.34 ERA, but averaged 7.0 strikeouts and 4.6 walks, and with 70 hits allowed in 68 innings had a 1.544 WHIP. And last season - which included six weeks on the DL with a back strain and minimal late-season work - he was 3-5 with three saves and a 4.50 ERA, while averaging 7.3 strikeouts and 7.9 walks per nine innings, and allowed 26 hits in 32 innings for a 1.688 WHIP.

Rodney is the reliever who in 2009 while with Detroit earned a three-game suspension when he threw a ball from the Trop field into the press box after getting the final out.

Around the majors

ZAMBRANO/MARLINS: ???

TORRE JOINS DODGERS BID: Joe Torre resigned as Major League Baseball's executive vice president for baseball operations to join a group trying to buy the Dodgers. Torre managed the Dodgers from 2008-10, then retired and joined MLB in February as a top aide to commissioner Bud Selig. He is part of a group headed by real estate developer Rick Caruso.

Information from Times wires was used in this report.

By Capt. Mike Gore, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Shout for trout. Trout will be the fish to target the most this month. They are plentiful this time of year and are great to eat. Trout are a fun fighting fish and are pretty easy to catch. Use either a live shrimp or artificial bait under a popping cork. If you are going to use artificial try using a 1/8 jig head with a plastic shad or shrimp. Purple and pink colors seem to work the best this time of year.

Hot spots. The best results for trout have been on an outgoing tide. If the water drops then look for the trout to move into the shallower water to keep warm. Target the sand holes since this will hold heat. But if you are having trouble finding a trout bite I would set up a drift over the grass flats until you can locate them and then anchor down.

The hunt for redfish. With the low tides and clear water, you will want to sight cast tailing redfish. Redfish are very spooky this time of year so try and stay as far away as possible. If using shrimp then bite the tail off and it will put a nice scent in the water. If you can't seem to find the redfish on the flats I would move to the docks and deep mangrove lines. Toss a shrimp on a 1/0 hook and a small split shot up under the docks or mangrove line. Most of the reds are on the smaller size but every once in a while you will pull out a slot size fish.

Capt. Mike Gore can be reached at Mike Gore Charters, (813) 235-9579, or fishing@captainmikegore.com. His website is captainmikegore.com.

By Gary Shelton, Times Sports Columnist
Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Overnight, he has become the Fisher King.

The Dolphins brought him to their facility by helicopter. The Rams, you imagine, will send a carriage drawn by linebackers. By the time he gets to Tampa, Fisher may arrive on the back on Albert Haynesworth, who he will promptly say goodbye to once again.

Just like that, Fisher has become the Lombardi de jour, and his playbook has become the Golden Fleece. He is the coach in the latest NFL auction, and the froth by the pursuing teams is visible.

All of which brings up a question.

Where's the "wow"?

Don't get me wrong. Fisher is a nice coach, and he would look just fine in a Bucs colors. He has enough of a resume to get the attention of a young team. All in all, I'd give him a "hmm.''

But "wow"?

Not quite. On a scale of 100, I'd give him a wow factor of about, oh, 84.

Yes, Fisher reached a Super Bowl. But only one in 17 seasons of coaching. He reached the playoffs six times, roughly once every three years. In his first five seasons, he was 32-38. In his last two, he was 14-18. In one six-year stretch in between, he was 38-51.

Of course, it isn't Fisher's fault that teams want him so badly. He's just a guy looking for work. He didn't order the trumpets. Besides, doesn't the lack of wow factor reflect less on Fisher than on the rest of the field out there?

Is it just this season, or have coaches gotten smaller? Glance at the names being tossed about out there, and there aren't many that deserve a decent-sized headline.

Do you want to know the definition of wow? It was the morning you woke up and found out the Bucs had traded for the rights to Jon Gruden. Blammo. It was the lead story on every outlet that writes about sports. There could not have been a larger first-day impact.

Granted, wow factor doesn't always translate into trophies. Steve Spurrier had wow when he went to the Redskins, and that didn't work out. Joe Gibbs had Hall of Fame wow when he returned to Washington, and Mike Ditka had it when he went to the Saints, and Jimmy Johnson had it when he went to the Dolphins. And the fireworks never went off.

Conversely, Tony Dungy wasn't a wow hire. Neither was Green Bay's Mike McCarthy or New England's Bill Belichick or New Orleans' Sean Payton. With those guys, the big headlines came later.

Look around. Who out there takes your breath away? Who makes you pump your fist? More important, who makes you rush to the ticket office? Anyone?

The candidates other than Fisher:

Bill Cowher: Cowher is a fine coach, and he probably has the most wow of anyone who isn't coaching. For a long time, however, fans in Pittsburgh thought of Cowher as an underachiever, as a guy who lost three AFC title games at home. In his next-to-last year, Cowher did win a Super Bowl, and he's been gone long enough now that he looks like the wise man on the mountain.

Wow factor: 94.

Gruden: No, he isn't coming home. But Gruden would still be a wow for a franchise that has a strong personnel department and needs a push over the top.

Wow factor: 87.

Brian Billick: For whatever reason, Billick's Super Bowl victory doesn't seem to carry the same weight as Cowher's or Gruden's. Perhaps that's because he had a losing record in two of his last three seasons, or because he won only two division titles in nine years.

Wow factor: 73.

Mike Sherman: You look at Sherman's resume and you think, "Okay, what's the problem?'' At Green Bay, Sherman had winning seasons five times in six years, including three division titles. Overall, he was 57-39, which is good enough to make you forget he was just fired at Texas A&M.

Still, there is this. When the Packers fired Sherman, they were about to move from Brett Favre to a young Aaron Rodgers. They did not consider Sherman the man to lead the Packers into the future.

If the Packers didn't, why should the Bucs?

Wow factor: 71.

Mike Martz: Bucs fans know Martz well from all of those terrific battles between the great Bucs defenses and the great Rams offenses. Martz won three division titles with the Rams, but as a head coach, he never reached the Super Bowl.

Since then, Martz has lost luster. He had a losing record three of his last four years, and he hasn't been a head coach for six years. This week, Martz resigned as offensive coordinator of the Bears.

Wow factor: 40.

Herm Edwards: Edwards is a fine teacher and a good guy. Still, one division title and four losing seasons in eight years isn't good enough.

Wow factor. 38.

Mike Mularkey: The Bucs could do a lot worse. Mularkey has been a head coach and a hot coordinator. In Buffalo, Mularkey was 14-18 before resigning because of a lack of common direction in the team's front office. More recently, he's done a nice job with the Falcons.

Wow factor: 35, but it should be higher.

Jerry Gray: Start with this: Gray may be a terrific coach. But who can tell? In five years as a defensive coordinator in Buffao, the Bills were 31-49. This year, as defensive coordinator of the Titans, his defense was 18th.

Gray has a great reputation, but are those numbers good enough? Besides, coordinators rarely come with wow.

Wow factor: 14.

Again, the Bucs' hire shouldn't be about the wow. It should be about winning.

If that happens, you can always "wow" later.

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 4, 2012

OTTAWA — Veteran goalie Dwayne Roloson was very good in the second half of last season, when he helped carry the Lightning on its improbable run to the Eastern Conference final.

That may seem like a distant memory for Tampa Bay fans, who have watched Roloson, 42, struggle so far this year, allowing at least four goals in 11 of 19 appearances with an .882 save percentage and 3.80 goals against average. Roloson, signed to a one-year, $3 million deal to be the team's No. 1 goalie, has been on the bench for most of this past month, with backup Mathieu Garon playing better and earning the lion's share of starts.

But Roloson finally gets his shot, starting tonight in Ottawa for the first time since Dec. 12. And Tampa Bay is hoping it's the start of another special second half.

"You know, that's how it works," coach Guy Boucher said. "I've seen it in the past, you ride one goaltender and all of a sudden, whoops, it's the other goalie you're riding. Hopefully, that's what we're going to see. We're going to need it."

Boucher lauded Roloson's great attitude and work ethic in the long period he's not played. In the meantime, Roloson has worked with goaltenders coach Frantz Jean on some little technical things, with the break offering him a chance to rest mentally and physically. Jean saw a very assertive Roloson in his relief effort Tuesday, saving 18 of 21 shots in a loss to the Maple Leafs.

"You build off any time you get a chance to play," Roloson said. "You can do a lot in practice, but you're still not emulating a game, a game is totally different, you're making reads and all of that."

Goalies often receive the blame, fair or not. Roloson, like Garon, hasn't been helped by the team's play in front of him, and the defense has also been depleted due to injuries, missing Mattias Ohlund and now Victor Hedman.

But Roloson hasn't made the same amount of big-time saves at key times as he did last season, and hasn't been nearly as consistent.

"Everyone looks at the numbers, and you can read the numbers whatever way you want," Roloson said. "When I was in (Minnesota), I was below .500 but my goals against average were under 2.00 and save percentage was .930. So I've seen other guys who had numbers like mine and have 18 wins and 2 losses. Numbers are there obviously for a reason, but for me, personally, I don't put too much stock into them. You just focus on trying to help your team win, and that's the bottom line."

Roloson played in just 20 games for the Islanders last season before getting acquired by the Lightning New Year's Day. And he said "hopefully the rest is a good thing for going down the stretch."

"We've seen what he can do throughout his career in tough situations, playoff situations — this guy is highly competitive, he's tough mentally," Jean said. "You look at the greatest goalies in the history of the NHL, they all went through periods that are tougher. The key thing is to keep steering the ship straight and come to work every day. There's no magic solution. Just come to work and work on the little things and that's what he's been doing. He's put all the chances on his side to really have a good second half."

The Lightning is betting on it.

MISCELLANY: RW Ryan Malone (lower body) likely won't play tonight and is questionable for Saturday.

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

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 4, 2012

OTTAWA — Veteran goalie Dwayne Roloson was very good in the second half of last season, when he helped carry the Lightning to the Eastern Conference final.

That might seem like a distant memory for Tampa Bay fans, who have watched Roloson, 42, struggle this season. He has allowed at least four goals in 11 of 19 appearances and has an .882 save percentage and 3.80 goals-against average.

As a result, Roloson, who signed a one-year, $3 million deal to be the No. 1 goalie, has been on the bench while Mathieu Garon started eight in a row.

But Roloson gets his shot tonight at Ottawa, starting for the first time since Dec. 12. And Tampa Bay is hoping it's the start of another special second half.

"I've seen it in the past," Lightning coach Guy Boucher said. "You ride one goaltender, and all of a sudden, whoops, it's the other goalie you're riding. Hopefully, that's what we're going to see. We're going to need it."

Boucher lauded Roloson's attitude and work ethic during the long period he has not started. In the meantime, Roloson has worked with goaltenders coach Frantz Jean on technical matters, the break also offering him a chance to rest mentally and physically. Jean saw an assertive Roloson in his relief effort Tuesday, saving 18 of 21 shots in a 7-3 loss to the Maple Leafs.

"You build off any time you get a chance to play," Roloson said. "You can do a lot in practice, but you're still not emulating a game. A game is totally different. You're making reads and all of that."

Goalies often receive the blame, fair or not. Roloson, like Garon, hasn't been helped by the team's play in front of him, and the defense has been depleted due to injuries to Mattias Ohlund and Victor Hedman.

But Roloson hasn't made the same amount of big-time saves at key times as he did last season and hasn't been nearly as consistent.

"Everyone looks at the numbers, and you can read the numbers whatever way you want," Roloson said. "When I was in (Minnesota), I was below .500 but my goals-against average was under 2.00 and save percentage was .930.

"So I've seen other guys who had numbers like mine and have 18 wins and two losses. Numbers are there, obviously, for a reason, but … I don't put too much stock into them. You just focus on trying to help your team win, and that's the bottom line."

Roloson played just 20 games for the Islanders last season before being acquired on Jan. 1. And he said, "Hopefully, the rest is a good thing for going down the stretch."

"We've seen what he can do throughout his career in tough situations, playoff situations. This guy is highly competitive. He's tough mentally," Jean said. "You look at the greatest goalies in the history of the NHL. They all went through periods that are tougher.

"The key thing is to keep steering the ship straight and come to work every day. There's no magic solution. Just come to work and work on the little things, and that's what he's been doing. He's put all the chances on his side to really have a good second half."

The Lightning is betting on it.

Malone update: RW Ryan Malone (lower body), who sat out Tuesday, likely won't play tonight and is questionable for Saturday.

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

By Rick Frazier, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, January 4, 2012

What's hot: Shallow rock piles in 10-12 feet of water in the bay are yielding catches of sheepshead, black sea bass, flounder, snapper and catch-and-release gag grouper. Occasionally, these rocky mounds produce nice cobia.

Recent trip: John Anderson and his sons, Matt and Alan, went on a charter trip with their Iowan cousin, Nick Parish. All four tangled with hard-fighting cobia at a pile by the Sunshine Skyway bridge. Parish landed two of the five cobia that were caught, all on cut pieces of live shrimp. Because cobia must be at least 33 inches measured to the fork in the tail to keep, the foursome released all of their catches as they were in the 30-inch range.

Rick Frazier runs Lucky Dawg Charters out of St. Petersburg and can be reached at (727) 510-4376.

By Rodney Page, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 4, 2012

86th New Year's Invitational

When/where: Today-Sunday, St. Petersburg Country ClubAdmission: Free

Divisions: Championship, mid-amateur, seniorDefending champ: Brandon Hagy, U. of California

Notable: Hagy, mid-amateur champ Billy Williamson and senior champ Stuart Sierra all return. … The youngest player in the field is Kyle Shealy, a freshman at Canterbury and the St. Petersburg CC club champ. … 2010 USGA junior champion Jim Liu is in the field. … More than 20 colleges are represented, including Florida, Eckerd, North Florida, USF, UCF, FAU, Miami and State College of Florida.

More information: stpetecountryclub.com

Rodney Page, Times staff writer

By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 4, 2012