By Gary Shelton, Times Sports Columnist
Wednesday, January 25, 2012

What do you do if it turns out to be Mike Sherman?

After you yawn, of course.

After all the names, after all the interviews, after all the days of wandering around the country looking for a new coach, what if the Bucs end up hiring the rather uninspiring Sherman? Do you pump your fist into the air? Do you race to the ticket window to see if any are left? Or do you bring in Warren Sapp to yell a little more?

Let's agree on this: There are worse choices than Sherman, not that that's anything a coach wants to put on his answering machine.

"Hi, you've reached Mike Sherman. I'm not in right now, but there were worse choices than me.''

To be fair, Sherman had success at Green Bay before being fired back in 2005. His teams reached four straight playoffs, and onlookers liked his organization and his work ethic. Looking back, his failures as a general manager did him in as much as his coaching.

That said, there is also a bit of "bleh,'' to the notion of the Bucs hiring Sherman. Hire Sherman, and not a lot of people think "Okay, the Bucs are on their way now.''

Perhaps you heard the mostly entertaining rant by former Bucs' quarterback Shaun King on his radio show. To sum it up, King said that anyone who argued with Warren Sapp shouldn't be considered to be the Bucs' coach. But, heck, who hasn't argued with Warren? If you could put everyone who ever argued with Warren inside RayJay, there wouldn't be a blackout problem.

I still think Sherman was wrong to try to dress down another team's player, but that wouldn't make me not hire Sherman. This would: Sherman was 25-25 at Texas A&M, which doesn't exactly excite you. Of those 25 losses, A&M gave up 30 points or more in 16 of them. In 2011, the Aggies went into the season ranked eighth in the country and finished 6-6.

Even worse, they led in every game. Against Texas, they were ahead by nine at the half. Against Missouri, they were ahead by 11. Against Oklahoma State, they were ahead by 17. Against Arkansas, they were ahead by 18. And they lost all four games.

Hire Sherman, and yeah, it might work out. But know this: It won't just be Sapp shouting.

What would you do if it is Marty Schottenheimer?

Besides make a joke about how old he is?

Do you cheer? Do you high-five your office co-worker? Do you exchange memories about how good Schottenheimer was back when he coached the Frankfort Yellow Jackets?

Maybe, you smile.

I know, I know. Schottenheimer will turn 69 in September, which is roughly the age of most of the grandfathers of Bucs' players. No NFL head coach has ever lasted past the age of 72.

As far as criticism, what else do you have?

Yeah, yeah, Marty has some age on him. A lot of age. On the other hand, he won in Cleveland, and he won in Kansas City, and he won in San Diego. Yes, he could have done better in the playoffs, but the Bucs are a long way from that being an issue.

Hey, Ronald Reagan was 69 when he was sworn in as president of the United States. Noah Webster published his first dictionary when he was 69. For crying out loud, Paul McCartney is 69.

In other words, if I ran the Bucs, I wouldn't eliminate Schottenheimer simply because of his age. The guy has won 200 games. The Bucs, in their history, have won 222.

Yeah, Marty makes some sense. He could even have Monte Kiffin's old office, Betty Grable poster and all. Besides, think of how good a story it would be if Schottenheimer got his first Super Bowl ring here.

What do you do if it is Mike Zimmer? Or Rod Chudzinski? Or Tom Clement? Or Jerry Gray?

After you wonder why these guys who have never been head coaches may be better than the last guy who had never been a head coach.

Personally, I love what I hear about Zimmer. According to Pro Football Talk, there are some in the league who think that Zimmer is too blunt. Too blunt? Now, that's something you put on a business card. Right next to "too loud'' and "too disciplined.''

Hey, this is a job that demands blunt. How else are you going to get the attention of a locker room such as the Bucs?

The other guys are tomorrow's coaches. A franchise would have to be knocked over to hire either. Which, I suppose, is possible. Someone around here needs to get knocked over, preferably the opposing quarterback.

What do you do if it is a mystery candidate? Someone else like Chip Kelly?

First, you make sure the contract is signed.

Let's be honest. Kelly wasn't a guaranteed success. College coaches never are. He would have to have cut back on his offense, and he would have had to hire the right staff, to make his transition to the NFL more like Jim Harbaugh and less like Steve Spurrier.

But there were some good things, too, to the wooing of Kelly. For one, it showed the Bucs' search is deeper than the headlines, which is good. It showed the Bucs were thinking outside the box. It showed they were willing to spend.

Now, about that job offer to Nick Saban ...

Kidding, kidding. But if I owned an NFL team, I wouldn't shut the door on the college coach. Some have been good, some have been bad. You can say the same thing about retreads or coordinators.

In the meantime, we wait. Let's face it: The Raiders may get around to hiring another head coach before the Bucs decide on theirs.

Someday, they will hire someone. Someday, we will see white smoke from the chimney. Eventually, the Bucs will find a guy who will earn their trust.

Yours?

We'll see.

By Gary Shelton, Times Sports Columnist
Wednesday, January 25, 2012

What do you do if it turns out to be Mike Sherman?

After you yawn, of course.

After all the names, after all the interviews, after all the days of wandering around the country looking for a new coach, what if the Bucs end up hiring the rather uninspiring Sherman? Do you pump your fist into the air? Do you race to the ticket window to see if any are left? Or do you bring in Warren Sapp to yell a little more?

Let's agree on this: There are worse choices than Sherman; not that that's anything a coach wants to put on his answering machine.

"Hi, you've reached Mike Sherman. I'm not in right now, but there were worse choices than me.''

To be fair, Sherman had success at Green Bay before being fired in 2005. His teams reached four straight playoffs, and onlookers liked his organization and his work ethic. Looking back, his failures as a general manager did him in as much as his coaching.

That said, there is also a bit of "bleh'' to the notion of the Bucs hiring Sherman. Hire Sherman, and not a lot of people think "Okay, the Bucs are on their way now.''

Perhaps you heard the mostly entertaining rant by former Bucs quarterback Shaun King on his radio show. To sum it up, King said anyone who argued with Warren Sapp shouldn't be considered to be the Bucs coach. But, heck, who hasn't argued with Warren? If you could put everyone who ever argued with Warren inside RayJay, there wouldn't be a blackout problem.

I still think Sherman was wrong to try to dress down another team's player, but that wouldn't make me not hire Sherman. This would: Sherman was 25-25 in four seasons at Texas A&M, which doesn't exactly excite you. Of those 25 losses, A&M gave up 30 points or more in 16 of them. In 2011, the Aggies went into the season ranked eighth in the country and finished 7-6.

Even worse, they led in every game. Against Texas, they were ahead by nine at the half. Against Missouri, they were ahead by 11. Against Oklahoma State, they were ahead by 17. Against Arkansas, they were ahead by 18. And they lost all four games.

Hire Sherman, and yeah, it might work out. But know this: It won't just be Sapp shouting.

What would you do if it is Marty Schottenheimer?

Besides make a joke about how old he is?

Do you cheer? Do you high-five your office co-worker? Do you exchange memories about how good Schottenheimer was back when he coached the Frankford Yellow Jackets?

Maybe you smile.

I know, I know. Schottenheimer will turn 69 in September, which is roughly the age of most of the grandfathers of Bucs players. No NFL head coach has ever lasted past the age of 72.

As far as criticism, what else do you have?

Yeah, yeah, Marty has some age on him. A lot of age. On the other hand, he won in Cleveland, and he won in Kansas City, and he won in San Diego. Yes, he could have done better in the playoffs, but the Bucs are a long way from that being an issue.

Hey, Ronald Reagan was 69 when he was sworn in as president of the United States. Noah Webster published his first dictionary when he was 69. For crying out loud, Paul McCartney is 69.

In other words, if I ran the Bucs, I wouldn't eliminate Schottenheimer simply because of his age. The guy has won 200 games. The Bucs, in their history, have won 222.

Yeah, Marty makes some sense. He could even have Monte Kiffin's old office, Betty Grable poster and all. Besides, think of how good a story it would be if Schottenheimer got his first Super Bowl ring here.

What do you do if it is Mike Zimmer? Or Rob Chudzinski? Or Tom Clements? Or Jerry Gray?

After you wonder why these guys who have never been head coaches may be better than the last guy who had never been a head coach.

Personally, I love what I hear about Zimmer. According to ProFootballTalk.com, there are some in the league who think that Zimmer is too blunt. Too blunt? Now that's something you put on a business card. Right next to "too loud'' and "too disciplined.''

Hey, this is a job that demands blunt. How else are you going to get the attention of a locker room such as the Bucs?

The other guys are tomorrow's coaches. A franchise would have to be knocked over to hire either. Which, I suppose, is possible. Someone around here needs to get knocked over, preferably the opposing quarterback.

What do you do if it is a mystery candidate? Someone else like Chip Kelly?

First, you make sure the contract is signed.

Let's be honest.

Kelly wasn't a guaranteed success. College coaches never are. He would have had to cut back on his offense, and he would have had to hire the right staff to make his transition to the NFL more like Jim Harbaugh and less like Steve Spurrier.

But there were some good things, too, to the wooing of Kelly. For one, it showed the Bucs' search is deeper than the headlines. It showed the Bucs were thinking outside the box. It showed they were willing to spend.

Now, about that job offer to Nick Saban …

Kidding, kidding. But if I owned an NFL team, I wouldn't shut the door on the college coach. Some have been good, some have been bad. You can say the same thing about retreads or coordinators.

In the meantime, we wait. Let's face it: The Raiders may get around to hiring another head coach before the Bucs decide on theirs.

Someday, they will hire someone. Someday, we will see white smoke from the chimney. Eventually, the Bucs will find a guy who will earn their trust.

Yours?

We'll see.

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 25, 2012

TAMPA — The thought of Pierre-Cedric Labrie sniffing the NHL seemed like a pipe dream eight years ago.

Labrie was then a 17-year-old undrafted wing cut by the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Labrie toiled in the midnight shift at a convenience store five nights a week while trying to catch on with another junior team. Sometimes, he'd nod off on boxes in the back trying to catch up on sleep between his games at night and morning practices.

After a couple months, Labrie returned home to Baie-Comeau, Quebec, eight hours from Montreal, but light years from the NHL. He planned on being a fireman. His hockey career?

"Was going nowhere," he said.

That's what made these past three weeks with the Lightning so special for Labrie, 25, a bruising forward who isn't afraid to drop his gloves — and opponents. But it was Labrie's fight to revive a career he thought was going nowhere that made him the most jovial player, and inspirational story, in the Tampa Bay locker room the past seven games, with teammates affectionately calling the long-haired, long shot "Nacho Libre."

Whether Labrie, one of four reassigned to Norfolk of the American Hockey League Wednesday for the NHL All-Star break, returns for Tuesday's game against the Capitals depends on the health of some regulars. But his dream has already become reality.

"He is Rudy," Norfolk coach Jon Cooper said. "It's the story that doesn't happen very often. And that's why they make movies about stories like that. But with him, it's coming true."

Labrie admitted it took a bit of luck to get here, and is forever grateful for the help he got. The only son of an airplane engineer and hairdresser, Labrie — without a hockey job in 2005 — thought it was over. But for fun, he tried out for a senior league team, which played only on weekends. Labrie said, through that team, he got hooked up with the owner of the major juniors Restigouche Tigers, for whom he joined that year and scored 43 goals in 54 games. The next season, 2006, he racked up 35 more for his hometown major junior team in Baie-Comeau, rediscovering his passion for the game.

"I was playing way better when I was having fun than when I was putting pressure on myself," Labrie said. "I said, 'This is my sport. I want to do this for the rest of my life.' "

Labrie got signed by the Canucks, playing three seasons for AHL Manitoba, but found himself without a job one year later, in 2010. Agent Paul Corbeil called AHL Norfolk, which was looking for muscle after losing enforcer Mitch Fritz to injury, selling Labrie as a tough player with great hockey sense.

"When I first met him, I said a couple things — 'I need A, a barber; B, an interpreter; and C, a bodyguard in case he gets pissed off at me," Cooper said, joking.

Labrie got in seven fights in his first 13 games, but showed his all-around skill in working his way from the fourth line to first line.

In late December, the Lightning signed Labrie to a two-year deal. Just over a week later, he got his first call-up to play against his childhood Canadiens in Montreal. So nervous and excited, Labrie's body shook for 5-10 minutes.

After finally getting his shot, Labrie — who has one assist and two fights in seven games — he's proved he belongs.

"What sets him apart from some of the other big, physical guys that you might think are fighters, is he plays very smart — very, very smart," coach Guy Boucher said. "He's never caught out of position, he's very safe, very reliable. He's just not a guy you have at the end of the bench that you put him out there when you need a hit or a fight or whatever. He can play the game."

Labrie may not have played a ton, just 5:01 Tuesday, but savored every second.

"The guys are like, 'You have a permanent smile on your face,' " Labrie said. "I'm like, 'Why would I not smile right now? I still can't believe it.' "

MINOR MATTERS: The Lightning also reassigned D Evan Oberg and forwards Mike Angelidis and Trevor Smith to Norfolk.

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

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 25, 2012

TAMPA — The thought of Pierre-Cedric Labrie sniffing the NHL seemed like a pipe dream eight years ago.

Labrie was a 17-year-old undrafted wing cut by the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. He toiled on the midnight shift at a convenience store five nights a week while trying to catch on with another junior team. Sometimes he'd nod off on boxes in the back trying to catch up on sleep between his games at night and morning practices.

After a couple of months, Labrie returned home to Baie-Comeau, Quebec, eight hours from Montreal and light-years from the NHL. He planned on being a fireman. His hockey career?

"Was going nowhere," he said.

That's what has made these past three weeks with the Lightning so special for Labrie, 25, a bruising forward who isn't afraid to drop his gloves — and opponents. But it was Labrie's fight to revive a career he thought was going nowhere that made him the most jovial player, and inspirational story, in the Tampa Bay locker room the past seven games, with teammates affectionately calling the long-haired long shot "Nacho Libre."

Whether Labrie, one of four Lightning players reassigned to AHL Norfolk on Wednesday for the All-Star break, returns for Tuesday's game against the Capitals depends on the health of some regulars. But his dream has already become reality.

"He is Rudy," Norfolk coach Jon Cooper said, referencing the movie about a Notre Dame football long shot. "It's the story that doesn't happen very often. And that's why they make movies about stories like that. But with him, it's coming true."

Labrie said it took a bit of luck for him to get to the NHL, and he will be forever grateful for the help he got.

The only son of an airplane engineer and a hairdresser, Labrie, without a hockey job in 2005, thought his career was over. But for fun he tried out for a senior league team that played only on weekends. Through that team, Labrie said, he got hooked up with the owner of the junior A league Restigouche (now Campbellton) Tigers, whom he joined that year. He scored 43 goals in 54 games.

The next season, 2006, he racked up 35 goals for his hometown Quebec league major junior team, rediscovering his passion for the game.

"I was playing way better when I was having fun than when I was putting pressure on myself," Labrie said. "I said, 'This is my sport. I want to do this for the rest of my life.' "

Labrie got signed by the Canucks and played three seasons for AHL Manitoba, but he found himself without a job in 2010. Agent Paul Corbeil called Norfolk, which was looking for muscle after losing enforcer Mitch Fritz to injury, selling the 6-foot-2, 218-pound Labrie as a tough player with great hockey sense.

"When I first met him, I said a couple things — 'I need, A, a barber; B, an interpreter; and C, a bodyguard in case he gets (mad) at me," Cooper said, joking.

Labrie got in seven fights in his first 13 games but showed all-around skill in working his way from the fourth line to the first.

In late December, the Lightning signed Labrie to a two-year deal. Just over a week later, he got his first NHL callup, to play against the Canadiens in Montreal. So nervous and excited, Labrie said his body shook for five to 10 minutes after hearing the news.

After finally getting his shot, Labrie — who has one assist and two fights in seven games — has proven he belongs.

"What sets him apart from some of the other big, physical guys that you might think are fighters is he plays very smart — very, very smart," Lightning coach Guy Boucher said. "He's never caught out of position. He's very safe, very reliable. He's just not a guy you have at the end of the bench that you put him out there when you need a hit or a fight or whatever. He can play the game."

Labrie has not played a ton — 5:01 Tuesday against the Blue Jackets — but he has savored every second.

"The guys are like, 'You have a permanent smile on your face,' " Labrie said. "I'm like, 'Why would I not smile right now? I still can't believe it.' "

MINOR MATTERS: The Lightning also reassigned defenseman Evan Oberg and forwards Mike Angelidis and Trevor Smith to Norfolk.

By Derek J. LaRiviere, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Springstead High School junior Ryan Nicoll took first place in the Premier Junior Tour Winter Championship at the University of Florida in Gainesville last weekend.

Nicoll carded rounds of 73 and 77 for a 150 total, six over par. Lecanto High School's Drew Cooke of Homosassa posted an 80-72 152 (+8) to finish second.

Because of cold temperatures and high winds, the Mark Bostick Golf Course played more difficult than usual.

SOUTHERN BOWLING TOUR: The Southern Bowling Tour, headed up by former Professional Bowlers Association regional director Harry O'Neale, will be making a stop at Spring Hill Lanes the weekend of Feb. 4 and 5.

In its inaugural season, the tour has attracted some of the best bowlers in the region. Spring Hill's event will feature senior and regular divisions.

On Feb. 4, the tournament will start with a qualifying run of six games. The top 25 percent of finishers will advance to the next round. Bowling will begin at 1:30 p.m., with roll call at 1.

Bowling will continue at 9:30 a.m. Feb. 5. The remaining bowlers will roll four more games of qualifying before the field is cut to the top eight competitors. Those eight will compete in a bracket-style format of match play for the title.

The entry fee is $175 per bowler with a payout for one of every four that enter. The estimated first prize is $2,500.

For more information, contact O'Neale at (843) 889-0077, (843) 906-6005 or harry@harry onealesouthernbowlingtour.com.

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA CLASSIC YOUTH BOWLING: Mariner Lanes in Spring Hill will host the Southwest Florida Classic Youth Bowlers Eliminator Tournament on March 4.

With $1,500 in scholarships to be awarded, the field will be split into three divisions. Division 1 will be for averages of 139 and under. Division 2 will include averages from 140 to 184 and Division 3 will be for averages of 185 and higher. The first two divisions will compete with handicap based on 100 percent of 200, while Division 3 will be scratch.

One of every five entries is guaranteed a cash prize. First place from each division will win $250 and a trophy, based on 20 entries per division. A $100 scholarship will be awarded for any 300 game thrown.

The entry fee is $40 per bowler, and preregistered competitors will save $5. The tournament will begin at 11 a.m., with check-in at 10. All bowlers must be U.S. Bowling Congress certified and under 21 years old.

For information, call Mark Michel at (813) 486-2641 or email SWFCbowling @tampabay.rr.com.

Information is also available online at southwestflorida classic.com.

SPRING HILL VALENTINE'S BOWLING TOURNAMENT: Spring Hill Lanes is hosting its annual Valentine's Day Scotch Doubles Tournament at 1 p.m. Feb. 12.

The entry fee is $18 per team, with a format of each player rolling alternate shots. Based on 75 teams, the first-place prize would be $225.

For information, call the bowling center at (352) 683-7272.

WOMEN'S 500 CLUB BOWLING TOURNAMENT: The Hernando County Women's 500 Club will host a doubles handicap tournament Feb. 19 at Mariner Lanes in Spring Hill.

To compete, bowlers must be members of the Hernando County Women's 500 Club and the Hernando County U.S. Bowling Congress Women's Bowling Association. Entry forms are available at Mariner Lanes and Spring Hill Lanes.

The handicap at the event will be 100 percent of a 200 average. Check-in will be at 1 p.m.; bowling starts at 1:30 p.m. The entry fee is $17 per person, with a deadline of Feb. 13. Entries may be dropped off at either bowling center.

For information, call Sheila Wehrenberg at (352) 688-1575.

HIGH POINT MEN'S GOLF TOURNAMENT: The High Point community will host the High Point Men's 18-Hole Golf Invitational on Feb. 17.

The tournament format will be handicap three-best-ball net. The shotgun start will be at 8:30 a.m., with check-in at 7:30. A continental breakfast will be served.

Registration is $50 per golfer, which includes golf, cart, a roast beef dinner and cash prizes. Two 155-yard hole-in-one opportunities will be available.

Sponsored by Rick Matthews Buick-Pontiac-GMC, a new vehicle and three-year lease will be the prize on the first hole, and a $5,000 golf cart from Affordable Golf Carts will be the prize on the 12th hole.

The deadline for sign-ups is Feb. 1.

For information, call Dave Lund at (352) 293-4825 or Tom Lynch at (352) 596-8046.

TOFTEGAARD MEMORIAL TENNIS TOURNAMENT: The Nature Coast Tennis Foundation is hosting the sixth-annual Simon Toftegaard Memorial Junior Tennis Tournament on Saturday and Sunday at Delta Woods Park in Spring Hill.

The tournament is open to elementary, middle and high school students, with an entry fee of $30 per player.

For information, visit nctf.usta.com online or call Phil Zee at (352) 263-9546.

WEEKI WACHEE HIGH GOLF TOURNAMENT: The Weeki Wachee High School athletic department will have its second annual Hornet Golf Outing at Brooksville Country Club at Majestic Oaks on Feb. 25.

The shotgun start will be at 8:30 a.m. Food and prizes will be provided during and after play. Current and former professional athletes will be among the participants. There will be time for autographs and pictures.

The cost for the event is $100 per person or $300 per foursome. Businesses may sponsors holes or prizes.

For information, call Weeki Wachee athletic director Mark Lee at (352) 797-7029, ext. 230, or email lee_m2@hcsb.k12.fl.us.

UMPIRE CLINICS: The Hernando-Sumter Umpires Association will have its final baseball/softball umpiring clinic Sunday at Ridge Manor Park in Ridge Manor.

The clinic is designed to train anyone who wants to become an umpire, and the session also can help seasoned umpires improve.

The session is open to men and women age 16 and older. Registration will begin at 11:30 a.m., with the clinic starting at noon.

There is a $20 charge for each participant, and everyone will receive a Major League Baseball rule book, along with other handouts.

Visit hernandosumterumpire.com to register. For information, call (352) 593-6998 or email clinics@hernandosumter umpire.com.

Contact Derek J. LaRiviere at derekjlariviere@gmail.com or (352) 584-6337.

By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 25, 2012

TAMPA — It is an unconventional match for the final weekend of football recruiting: USF, which will likely not sign a quarterback next week, will play host to Jesuit senior Tommy Eveld, who is still hoping to see a football scholarship come his way.

Both are in an unlikely predicament — USF had a commitment back out and enroll at Wake Forest, and Eveld hasn't drawn the recruiting interest you'd expect for a 6-foot-5 passer who threw for 20 touchdowns and completed 65 percent of his passes last fall. USF has offered him a spot on its roster as a preferred walk-on, which might be the best solution for both sides.

"Right now, I'm pretty serious about being a walk-on at USF," Eveld said. "I'm trying to stay open. I'm going to wait until after signing day (Wednesday) to make a decision, just to see if anything opens up."

It's a path that both sides know well — two years ago, Tommy's brother Bobby joined the Bulls as a walk-on and showed enough to be B.J. Daniels' top backup as a true freshman, earning a scholarship from Skip Holtz at the end of his first semester on campus. Tommy has spent time around the team with his brother, so there's familiarity and the comfort of being close to home.

Western Kentucky has offered him a grayshirt, or deferred enrollment until January 2013, and he's being recruited by smaller schools such as Merrimack and John Carroll, but this weekend could solidify the Bulls as his option to beat.

"I know the coaches. I almost feel when I'm there I'm kind of at home," Tommy Eveld said. "Hopefully I can end up doing the same thing Bobby did. I know a few of the players on the team now from hanging out with Bobby on weekends."

Just as Bobby is an engineering major at USF, Tommy is interested in civil engineering or marine biology, two areas where USF would be an academic match. The Eveld family knows USF well — older sister Tiffany was honored last year by USF's College of Business in its "25 Under 25" program last year. The brothers, just two years apart in age, haven't played on the same team together since Tommy, now 18, was 5 or 6 in youth-league baseball; after a redshirt year, Tommy would be a freshman during Bobby's senior year, potentially as the Bulls' starter.

"I think it would be a great fit for him to go to USF and learn from his brother," Jesuit coach James Harrell said Wednesday. "(Recruiting) is a tough process for quarterbacks, but he has size, he can throw the ball, and he did everything we asked him to do running our offense."

Since landing Daniels out of Tallahassee in 2008, USF hasn't had much luck in recruiting quarterbacks. Jamius Gunsby, one of Holtz's first signings after taking the USF job, was gone after one season and is now out of college football; two others, Stevie Weatherford and Tyler Cameron, have backed out of oral commitments in the past two years, leaving only Eveld and redshirt freshman Matt Floyd as scholarship quarterbacks who will be back in 2013.

USF can only hope to have the same walk-on luck with the younger Eveld, remembering how Bobby came off the bench to help USF to a historic win at Miami in 2010. Tommy Eveld hasn't been brought in on an official visit before, so taking that step closer to playing college football is a something he's looking forward to this weekend.

"I'm definitely excited about it," he said.

Greg Auman can be reached at auman@tampabay.com and at (813) 226-3346. Check out his blog at tampabay.com/blogs/bulls and follow him at Twitter.com/gregauman.

By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 25, 2012

TAMPA — It is an unconventional match for the final weekend of football recruiting: USF, which likely will not sign a quarterback next week, will host Jesuit senior Tommy Eveld, who still hopes to see a Division I-A scholarship for 2012 come his way.

Both are in a predicament. USF saw a commitment back out and enroll at Wake Forest. And the 6-foot-5 Eveld, who threw 20 touchdowns and completed 65 percent of his passes in the fall, has drawn little interest from I-A schools. USF has offered him a spot as a preferred walk-on (a guaranteed roster spot without having to try out like other walk-ons), which might be the best solution for both.

"Right now, I'm pretty serious about being a walk-on at USF," Eveld said. "I'm trying to stay open. I'm going to wait until after signing day (Wednesday) to make a decision just to see if anything opens up."

USF coach Skip Holtz is not allowed to comment on recruits until they are signed.

It's a path both sides know well. Two years ago, Tommy's brother Bobby joined the Bulls as a walk-on and showed enough to be B.J. Daniels' backup as a freshman and helped lead a win over Miami.

He earned a scholarship at the end of his first semester on campus. Tommy has spent time around the team, so there's familiarity and the comfort of being close to home.

Western Kentucky has offered him a grayshirt (a scholarship but not until January 2013). And he's being recruited by smaller schools including Division II Merrimack (North Andover, Mass.) and Division III John Carroll (near Cleveland). But this weekend could solidify the Bulls as his option to beat.

"I know the coaches. I almost feel when I'm there I'm kind of at home," Eveld said of USF. "Hopefully, I can end up doing the same thing Bobby did. I know a few of the players on the team now from hanging out with Bobby on weekends."

Bobby is an engineering major, and Tommy is interested in civil engineering or marine biology, two areas where USF would be an academic match. The Eveld family knows USF well. Last year, older sister Tiffany was honored by USF's College of Business in its "25 Under 25" program.

The brothers, two years apart in age, haven't played on the same team since Tommy, now 18, was 5 or 6 in youth league baseball. After a redshirt year, Tommy would be a freshman during Bobby's senior year, potentially as the Bulls starter.

"I think it would be a great fit for him to go to USF and learn from his brother," Jesuit coach James Harrell said.

"(Recruiting) is a tough process for quarterbacks. But … he did everything we asked him to do running our offense."

Jesuit offensive coordinator Ty Alvarez said Eveld didn't have much visibility as a one-year starter but said he's "perplexed" at the lack of attention.

"You can't coach 6 feet 5 and the work ethic he has," Alvarez said. "He has all the intangibles you look for in a quarterback. He loves to watch film. He's very cerebral. His footwork is good. He can make all the throws. It's kind of an anomaly to me."

Since landing Daniels out of Tallahassee in 2008, USF hasn't had much luck in recruiting quarterbacks. Jamius Gunsby, one of Holtz's first signings, was gone after one season and is out of college football. Stevie Weatherford and Tyler Cameron backed out of oral commitments over the past two years, leaving only Eveld and redshirt freshman Matt Floyd as scholarship quarterbacks who will be back in 2013.

Tommy Eveld hasn't made an official visit, so taking that step closer to playing college football this weekend is something he's looking forward.

"I'm definitely excited about it," he said.

Weatherford moves: Weatherford, a former Land O'Lakes High star, enrolled at Lindenwood, a Division II school near St. Louis. This past season, he redshirted at Cincinnati. He will be eligible to play in the fall.

Greg Auman can be reached at auman@tampabay.com.

By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 25, 2012

By Robert McCue, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Keep looking: Professional fishermen are most often separated from the occasional ones not only by the amount of time they spend fishing but, more important, the time they spend "looking." I often tell young enthusiasts they cannot spend all of their time fishing their proven holes. They must spend time looking if they want to take their passion to the next level. Looking leads to learning. Today's modern technology of satellite imagery offers a jump-start to finding likely areas. Often, the images reveal holes and deep swashes. Sometimes, they provide a bird's-eye view of an edge, bar or cut that discloses the travel paths and preferred habitat of fish.

Pro logic: Once potential habitats are located, the next step is investigating them in person. There is no better time to do this than during winter months, when the tides fall below mean water. Extremely low tides reveal even the slightest changes of depths that fish will follow. The tides also will expose key pieces of structure such as oyster bars that guard a creek's mouth and might not be visible at any other time of year. Noting the location via GPS or triangulation, a savvy angler will be able to return to places virtually concealed at other times of the year.

Robert McCue can be reached toll-free at 1-800-833-0489 and GiantTarpon.com.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 25, 2012

ST. PETERSBURG — The Rays were looking for one more right-handed hitter to fill out their roster and have settled on veteran infielder Jeff Keppinger.

The Rays and Keppinger are finalizing a deal, the Tampa Bay Times learned Wednesday, and, pending a successful physical exam today, an announcement is expected by Friday.

Keppinger, 31, has played parts of seven seasons in the majors, splitting 2011 between the Astros, who traded him in July, and Giants, who let him go after the season.

Keppinger has a career .281 average, .332 on-base and .388 slugging percentages, but of more relevance are his numbers against left-handers: .324/.371/.481. Also, he is a high contact hitter, putting the ball in play in 84 percent of his plate appearances, according to baseball-reference.com. (The major-league average is 70 percent.)

Keppinger seems likely to compete for one of the two open reserve spots, battling with the loser of the shortstop competition between Sean Rodriguez and Reid Brignac, outfielder Brandon Guyer, and infielders Elliot Johnson, Russ Canzler and Will Rhymes. The other two spots are ticketed for outfielder Sam Fuld and the backup catcher.

Keppinger has played primarily second base and shortstop, with some experience at third and a few games at first and in the outfield.

He missed the first 50 games last season as he recovered from foot surgery, was traded to San Francisco in mid July (for minor-league pitchers Henry Sosa and Jason Stoffel), then missed three games, and dropped off offensively after injuring his right wrist in mid August. In 99 games, he hit .277 with six homers and 35 RBIs.

Keppinger made $2.3 million last season, and the Giants chose to nontender him and keep Mike Fontenot, with team vice president Bobby Evans saying the "tiebreaker" was their evaluation that Fontenot was better defensively at shortstop.

SPRING FLING: Tim Beckham and Hak-Ju Lee, the Rays' top shortstop prospects, are among the organizational nonroster invitees to major-league camp. Also invited are catchers Craig Albernaz and Nevin Ashley and pitchers Marquis Fleming, Ricky Orta and Ryan Reid. Also coming is pitcher Bryan Augenstein, signed to a minor-league deal from the Cardinals. … In other news, Rays left-handed pitcher Matt Moore was ranked the game's No. 1 prospect by mlb.com.

Around the majors

CUBAN STAR AVAILABLE: Slugging Cuban outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, 26, is eligible to negotiate with big-league clubs. The Marlins are one of at least six teams with serious interest.

BRAUN A NO-SHOW: The Brewers said NL MVP Ryan Braun will not attend the team's fan festival this weekend because it's too "sensitive" a period for the slugger, who awaits a decision of his appeal of a 50-game suspension under baseball's drug policy.

CARDINALS: Closer Jason Motte, 29, agreed to a $1.95 million, one-year contract.

D'BACKS: Right-handed reliever Brad Ziegler, 32, agreed to a one-year contract worth $1,795,000.

ORIOLES: Infielder Robert Andino, 27, who got the winning hit in the regular-season finale that capped the Red Sox's colossal September collapse, agreed to a $1.3 million, one-year deal.

REDS: Right-handed reliever Nick Masset, a former Pinellas Park standout, agreed on a two-year, $5.5 million deal.

ROCKIES: Right-handed reliever Rafael Betancourt, 36, agreed on a new contract that runs through 2013 with an option for 2014.

Information from Times wires was used in this report.

By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 25, 2012

MOBILE, Ala. — So much about the Bucs remains a mystery, even as draft preparations start to ramp up with this week's Senior Bowl.

The team has yet to hire a coach. Even when it does, it will remain unclear what type of defense it will employ until a staff is in place.

But this much is unequivocal: The Bucs' defensive performance in 2011 can't be repeated if a turnaround is in the team's future.

In their effort to improve their 30th-ranked defense, don't be surprised if Tampa Bay embarks on a search for more playmaking from its linebackers, a position that was under great scrutiny during the season.

One possible source: April's draft, where some candidates will be available, including some participating in this week's senior showcase.

The outside linebacker talent is likely to draw more attention from the Bucs. Mason Foster, though still raw, proved adequate at middle linebacker as a rookie this season. (It remains to be seen if a new staff keeps him there.) But weakside starter Geno Hayes struggled and could become an unrestricted free agent in March. Strongside starter Quincy Black is just one year into a five-year deal but also underperformed.

Outside linebacker options being evaluated here this week include Nebraska's Lavonte David, North Carolina's Zach Brown, Texas' Keenan Robinson and Miami's Sean Spence.

Brown has impressed onlookers, showcasing the speed he believes will set him apart from his peers.

"Brown can run like the wind," NFL Network analyst Charles Davis said after Tuesday's South team practice.

But the former Tar Heel runs with one purpose: take down ballcarriers. He describes himself as a sure tackler.

"As a tackler, I do whatever I have to do to get a guy on the ground," said Brown, 6 feet 1, 236 pounds. "I'm locked in when it comes to that. I had to remind myself out here (at practice). I had a chance to take out a running back, and I had to hold up a little.

"But I don't miss a lot of tackles because I take a lot of pride in my tackling. I try to make sure that if you come my way, you're going down."

Another projected 4-3 linebacker worth tracking is David. Considered undersized at 225 pounds while at Nebraska, he fits the mold of some Tampa Bay linebackers of the past.

If a team can live with his lack of bulk, it will acquire a player whose production can't be questioned. Playing at a school with a legacy of producing defensive talent, David ranks fifth in school history with 274 tackles. Like Brown, David's speed is hard to miss. He also showed a knack for playmaking.

For many years, that was a quality that characterized Bucs linebackers. But not last season.

Spence, a high school teammate of David in Miami, believes he possesses the ability to make game-changing plays NFL teams expect from their linebackers.

"I think (scouts) will see that I'm a playmaker," Spence said. "I think I'm very instinctive, and I'm a guy who is going to play hard and sell out for the guys who are around me. I'm also a three-down linebacker."

Spence played mostly on the weakside at Miami but has extensive experience in the middle and on the strongside. His size is an issue, too. The All-ACC pick measured just under 6 feet and 228 pounds but still managed to play physical football.

This linebacker class doesn't include a player who seems worthy of the Bucs' No. 5 overall pick. But with high second- and third-round picks, Tampa Bay will get a chance to address the need.

And given the results in 2011, there's little doubt the Bucs need the help.

Stephen F. Holder can be reached at sholder@tampabay.com. View his blog at tampabay.com/blogs/bucs and follow him on Twitter at @holderstephen.

Times staff, wires
Wednesday, January 25, 2012

GOLF

PGA Tour to consider Qualifying changes

SAN DIEGO — The PGA Tour is closer to eliminating qualifying school as a path to a tour card, a significant overhaul that would include starting the season in the fall instead of the calendar year.

Commissioner Tim Finchem presented the proposal at a players meeting ahead of this week's Farmers Insurance Open. It involves merging the top 75 players from the Nationwide Tour money list and the top 75 who failed to retain their PGA Tour cards. They would play a three-tournament series, with the top 50 advancing to the tour. The rest would have the option of qualifying school, where only Nationwide status would be available. It's part of a broader plan to start the season in late October.

The player advisory council meets in three weeks, and though the overhaul could be approved in March, later is more likely.

Player reaction is mixed. Dustin Johnson wrote on Twitter "I don't like any of the ideas about changing the tour!" Geoff Ogilvy likes the tour as is but said it "hasn't made that many missteps in the last 20 or 30 years. It's probably going to end up the right thing to do."

Et Cetera

Autos: NASCAR said it will stop issuing undisclosed fines. … Scott Pruett will try to tie Hurley Haywood's record five wins at Saturday's 50th anniversary of the Rolex 24 at Daytona. Qualifying starts today.

Greyhounds: Spry Kimbrel and Hwj Isabelle won Matinee Idol semifinals at Derby Lane in St. Petersburg. Others to advance to Saturday's finale: Ahk Remember Me, Meacham Field, Nefarious, Sing In The Rain, Tiger Boy and Tmc's Pistol.

Colleges

Longhorns want Brown to stay through 2020

Texas' Board of Regents was expected to meet today and approve a four-year contract extension offer to football coach Mack Brown that would keep him with the Longhorns through the 2020 season.

Many fans aren't sure if Brown, 60, would coach to the end of the deal, when his salary would be more than $6 million. Athletic director DeLoss Dodds told the Austin American-Statesman, "I just know we'd like to have him here nine years."

Fewer bowls? Sentiment is growing among conference commissioners, athletic directors and bowl officials that the number of wins to become bowl eligible should be raised from six to seven, or a winning record, when the new BCS cycle begins in 2014, CBSSports.com reported. After the 2011 season, there were 35 bowl games; of the 70 teams involved, 14 had six wins. Because not enough teams would qualify to fill the current number of berths with a seven-win minimum, five to 12 bowls could be eliminated, CBSSports.com reported.

Big 12 Expansion: The Big 12 expansion committee will meet soon to decide if the league should grow to 11 or 12 football teams, or remain at 10. If the number goes up, Louisville is a "slam dunk" for No. 11 and Brigham Young could enter the mix for No. 12, CBSSports.com reported.

Wisconsin resignation: Associate athletic director John Chadima resigned this month after an unidentified male student employee accused him of grabbing him inappropriately at a party before the Badgers played in the Rose Bowl, a school report said. Chadima threw a party in a hotel suite for 30 or more people, and after everyone had left, the student said, Chadima reached into his pants and grabbed his crotch, the report said. As the school began to investigate, Chadima was put on leave. He resigned and issued an apology without acknowledging the specific allegations.

Jurisprudence: New Mexico QB Ryan Trujillo was arrested last week and charged with battery on a household member after an Albuquerque police report said he pepper sprayed his girlfriend during a fight over car keys. … Former Kansas QB Brock Berglund had an assault charge dismissed in Castle Rock, Colo., after he completed community service, took a conflict management course and paid $2,935 in restitution to the alleged victim in an April party altercation.

Don Jensen, Times correspondent; Times wires

Times wires
Wednesday, January 25, 2012

It is no surprise the Giants have fans in New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Connecticut rooting against them. After all, the Patriots have a dedicated following.

But there also is a small group in Las Vegas pulling for the Patriots. The reason, of course, is money. Several sports books took significant bets on the Giants to win the Super Bowl at odds as high as 80-1 (a $1 bet wins $800).

"If the Giants win this game, it could do some damage out here," said Jimmy Vaccaro, head of Lucky's Race and Sports Book. "A lot of guys were rooting for San Francisco on Sunday."

Adding to the anxiety is what happened in October, when the Cardinals won the World Series. When they were 101/2 games out of the playoffs with 32 games left, their odds rose to as high as 250-1 to win the World Series.

Something similar happened when the Giants lost four in a row late in the regular season.

"They lost to Vince Young and the Eagles!" said Jay Kornegay, director of the Las Vegas Hilton's book. "We were lucky the bets didn't come our way, but there are some tickets out there."

It could have been worse. Denver was as high as 5,000-1 when it was 1-4 and before Tim Tebow became the starting quarterback.

"If the Broncos were in the Super Bowl, the lights would be dimmer around this place," Kornegay said. "I'm not even sure we'd be talking right now."

Injured Patriot: Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski was listed as unable to practice with the left ankle injury sustained in the AFC title game. Although New England didn't practice, it was required to file a report. Gronkowski missed about five minutes of the game. He wore a boot Monday.

Injured Giant: Ann Mara, 82, wife of late Giants owner Wellington Mara and mother of team president John Mara, became an Internet sensation Sunday after lecturing Fox analyst Terry Bradshaw for picking the 49ers in the NFC title game. But Monday she broke her shoulder in a fall at church. In an e-mail to ESPN.com, John Mara joked she is "probable" for the game.

No controversy: Ravens coach John Harbaugh said a scoreboard error during the AFC title game was not an attempt by the Patriots to cheat. Billy Cundiff said he rushed onto the field before attempting a tying field goal, which he missed, because the scoreboard at Gillette Field read third down when it was fourth. "Any suggestion the wrong down info was a deliberate effort to affect the outcome of the game is nonsense," Harbaugh said. "We knew what the down and distance were."

Times wires
Wednesday, January 25, 2012

MONTREAL — David Desharnais had two goals and an assist, and the Canadiens ended the Red Wings' seven-game winning streak with a 7-2 victory Wednesday in the NHL's final game before the All-Star break.

Montreal scored four times in the opening period against Jimmy Howard, who makes his first All-Star Game appearance Sunday in Ottawa. Howard was pulled after the period.

"I'm not going to look at the video of this at all," Detroit coach Mike Babcock said. "I'm going to go out and drink, actually.''

Detroit captain Nicklas Lidstrom sat out with the flu, ending his consecutive-games played streak at 213.

All-Star Game: Penguins forward James Neal replaces Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin, who backed out Tuesday after he was suspended for three games for a hit on Pittsburgh's Zbynek Michalek on Sunday.

Around the league: Sharks and former Lightning goalie Antero Niittymaki, at No. 3 on the depth chart in part because of injury, was waived. "I don't want to be in this organization at all anymore," Niittymaki told a Finnish TV network. He hasn't played since being activated Dec. 23 after hip surgery.

First Period—1, Montreal, Bourque 15 (Gomez, Diaz), 5:08. 2, Montreal, Emelin 1 (Kostitsyn), 10:56. 3, Montreal, Desharnais 8 (Cole), 17:58. 4, Montreal, Plekanec 10 (Bourque, Kaberle), 19:33. Penalties—Eller, Mon (tripping), 5:45; Gill, Mon (hooking), 14:04; Kindl, Det (hooking), 16:12; Subban, Mon (elbowing), 16:30.

Second Period—5, Montreal, Pacioretty 17 (Desharnais, Cole), 1:52. 6, Montreal, Desharnais 9 (Pacioretty, Kaberle), 4:18 (pp). Penalties—Ericsson, Det (tripping), 3:27; Emelin, Mon (cross-checking), 6:33.

Third Period—7, Detroit, Hudler 14 (Helm), :21. 8, Detroit, Hudler 15 (Commodore, Kronwall), 6:07. 9, Montreal, Cole 19 (Eller), 18:37. Penalties—Ericsson, Det (tripping), 8:11. Shots on Goal—Detroit 6-12-9—27. Montreal 12-5-8—25. Power-play opportunities—Detroit 0 of 4; Montreal 1 of 3. Goalies—Detroit, Howard 30-11-1 (12 shots-8 saves), Conklin (0:00 second, 13-10). Montreal, Price 17-17-8 (27-25).

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

INDIANAPOLIS — The Colts hired Ravens defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano as coach Wednesday. They announced the move on their website and said Pagano will be introduced at a news conference today.

It will be the first coaching job for Pagano, 51, who had been an assistant in Oakland and Cleveland in the NFL and the University of Miami and University of North Carolina.

"We are so happy for Chuck. We are proud of him," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said in a statement the team released. "Like me, Chuck grew up in the game and loves it. We will miss him and thank him for all he did for the Ravens."

Pagano replaces Jim Caldwell, who was fired after the Colts' 2-14 season in which quarterback Peyton Manning didn't play while recovering from neck surgery.

The Ravens ranked third in total defense and allowed the third-fewest points in the league. (The Colts allowed the fifth-most points and ranked 25th overall.)

Pagano is the fourth Baltimore defensive coordinator to get a coaching job in less than a decade, following Marvin Lewis (Bengals), Rex Ryan (Jets) and Mike Nolan (49ers).

"What makes him good? He relates to the players a whole lot," Ravens defensive end Cory Redding said. "He's almost like a player in a D-coordinator's position. The guy has so much fun with us. He treats you like more than a player. It's like we're his sons. He keeps it fresh. He knows everybody's strengths and puts them in position to make plays."

Taylor: I still struggle

Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor says he still makes a lot of bad decisions. In an interview with Showtime's Inside the NFL that aired Wednesday night, the former Giants linebacker says he has struggled with self-discipline.

"Nowadays, you guys are on 24 hours a day, so everything that happens is actually exploited a little bit more or is blown up a little bit more and more people know about it," Taylor said. "So now you have to really discipline yourself. For years, I had no discipline. I could do what I wanted to do as far as playing in New York."

In March, Taylor, who turns 53 on Feb. 3, was sentenced to six years' probation under a deal to plead guilty to sexual misconduct and patronizing an underage prostitute. He now faces a civil lawsuit from teenage girl. He also has struggled with drug addiction and had multiple legal run-ins since retiring in 1993.

"As easy as football is to me … is as hard as life is to me," he said. "I'm just hopeful that life will come easier."

Steelers: Nose tackle Chris Hoke, 35, retired. He spent 11 seasons with the team after signing as an undrafted rookie out of BYU in 2001. He sustained a season-ending neck injury against Jacksonville on Oct. 16.

Vikings: Owner Zygi Wilf said he is willing to build a new stadium on the current site of the Metrodome. He and team officials met with Gov. Mark Dayton, several state lawmakers, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and others to discuss tearing down the Metrodome and rebuilding there. It came after several days in which the team's bid for public funding appeared on the brink of falling apart (at least for this ongoing legislative session).

Pro Bowl: The league will allow players to tweet during Sunday's game. During the regular season, they cannot tweet 90 minutes before games until they fulfill postgame media obligations. Mobile devices will be allowed during halftime but not during the game. Instead, computers will be placed on each sideline. … Steelers safety Ryan Clark replaced injured Ravens safety Ed Reed (ankle).

By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 25, 2012

tom jones' two cents

Prince Fielder agreed to a $214 million contract with the Tigers, Albert Pujols a $254 million deal with the Angels and Matt Kemp a $160 million extension with the Dodgers. Shrewd or dumb? Here's a look at how some rich contracts have panned out.

Alex Rodriguez, Yankees

10 years, $275 million in 2008

In the four years of the deal so far, the Yankees did win a World Series, but A-Rod has hit below .290 and has averaged fewer than 30 homers and 100 RBIs. Last year, he played only 99 games because of a knee injury. You get the feeling Rodriguez, 36, will see his career continue to go a little further south with each passing year.

Alex Rodriguez, Rangers

10 years, $252 million in 2001

The results were complicated. A-Rod was a dominant player in three full seasons with the Rangers. He played all but one game and won an MVP award and two Gold Gloves at shortstop. His average season: .305, 52 homers and 132 RBIs. That's spectacular. But the Rangers finished last in the AL West in each of his three years before A-Rod was traded to the Yankees for Alfonso Soriano and a player to be named later (Joaquin Arias).

Derek Jeter, Yankees

10 years, $189 million in 2001

During the 10 years of the deal, the Yankees made the playoffs nine times and reached the World Series three times but won it all only once (2009). However, Jeter continued his legendary career in pinstripes. In the 10 seasons, he made eight All-Star teams, batted .310 and won five Gold Gloves.

Joe Mauer, Twins

Eight years, $184 million in 2011

When healthy, Mauer is the best catcher in baseball. But health has been an issue. He is only 28 and has seven years left on the deal, but the first year was ominous. Mauer hit .287 with only three homers and 30 RBIs in 82 games.

Mark Teixeira, Yankees

Eight years, $180 million in 2009 | The first year of the deal was a smashing success as Teixeira hit .292 and led the American League in homers (39) and RBIs (122) as the Yankees won the World Series. He continued to put up good numbers in 2010 and 2011, but it should be noted that he is a .207 career hitter in 121 postseason at-bats.

CC Sabathia, Yankees

Seven years, $161 million in 2009

Overall, this has been a great deal for the Yankees. In three years, Sabathia has won 19, 21 and 19 games and averaged 235 innings. He has gone 5-1 in the playoffs with the Yankees, including the 2009 World Series run when he went 3-1.

Manny Ramirez, Red Sox

Eight years, $160 million in 2001 | This was a sensational deal. Not only did Ramirez put up fabulous numbers (he averaged .313 with 36 homers and 114 RBIs), he led the Red Sox to their first world championship in 86 years in 2004. Then, it took Boston just three years to win its next title, again in large part thanks to Ramirez. Sure he flaked out at the end of his time in Boston, but he was an All-Star every season and had among the best seven-year stretches of anyone in history.

Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies

10 years, $157.75 million in 2011 | The Rockies are treating Tulowitzki as a franchise player, and he delivered like one in the first year of the deal in an All-Star 2011 season. He hit .302 with 30 homers and 105 RBIs while winning a Gold Glove at shortstop.

The rest of the story

In baseball history, there have been 31 contracts worth at least $100 million. That includes the Pujols, Fielder and Kemp deals, as well as Jose Reyes' new deal with the Marlins and Ryan Howard's extension with the Phillies, which kicks in this upcoming season. That leaves 26 contracts where the players have played at least one season. Of those, only seven have won a World Series and only one (Ramirez) has won two. Among the worst of the deals? The Rockies signed pitcher Mike Hampton to an eight-year, $121 million contract in December 2000, and he lasted only two seasons in Colorado, going 21-28 before being shipped to Atlanta, where he won 35 games over the next four seasons. Meantime, Red Sox fans are waiting to find out if Carl Crawford's $142 million deal was worth it. So far, so not good.

Times wires
Wednesday, January 25, 2012

MELBOURNE, Australia — Victoria Azarenka ousted defending champion Kim Clijsters 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 today to advance to the Australian Open women's final.

Azarenka will play in her first Grand Slam final Saturday in her 25th major. She will take on the winner of today's later semifinal between Maria Sharapova and Petra Kvitova.

Azarenka, Sharapova or Kvitova will take over the No. 1 ranking vacated by Caroline Wozniacki after Wozniacki's loss to 11th-seeded Clijsters in the quarterfinals at Melbourne Park.

Meanwhile, on the men's side, Novak Djokovic overcame leg and breathing struggles to secure a "Big 4" semifinal lineup.

The top-ranked player and defending champion held off No. 5 David Ferrer in a second-set tiebreaker Wednesday and raced through the third set for a 6-4, 7-6 (7-4), 6-1 quarterfinal win, setting up a semi with fourth-ranked Andy Murray, his opponent in last year's final.

Second-ranked Rafael Nadal and No. 3 Roger Federer have a semifinal showdown today, their 10th clash at a major. This is the 14th time since the Open era began in 1968 that the top four seeded players reached the semifinals in a major.

For 10 days nearly everyone at Melbourne Park had said the top four were playing on a higher level than the rest of the men. But then Djokovic looked to be in trouble.

"No, I don't have any physical issues," Djokovic said. "It's just I found it very difficult after a long time to breathe because I felt the whole day my nose was closed a little bit. I just wasn't able to get enough oxygen."

The win ensured that the top four men reached the semifinals for the third time in four Grand Slams. Murray beat Kei Nishikori 6-3, 6-3, 6-1.

At times, Djokovic, 24, looked exhausted. At times he looked sore. "At this stage of the tournament, when you're playing somebody like David, somebody that has great shots from both sides from the baseline, makes you always play over five to 10 shots in the rally, your physical strength and endurance comes into question," Djokovic said. "Actually, I'm not concerned about that at all. I'm really fit."

Times wires
Wednesday, January 25, 2012

STILLWATER, Okla. — Keiton Page tried to explain to his Oklahoma State teammates the sensation of fans rushing the Gallagher-Iba Arena court to celebrate an upset.

With freshman swingman Le'Bryan Nash flashing the brilliance that made him a McDonald's All-American, they got to experience it.

Nash scored a career-high 27, Brian Williams had a career-best 22 and Oklahoma State knocked off No. 2 Missouri 79-72 Wednesday.

"Le'Bryan played at a very high speed, a very high gear," Cowboys coach Travis Ford said. "All of his moves were a little bit more explosive."

Nash scored 13 in a 17-4 burst that put the Cowboys in the lead in the final four minutes.

He hit a jumper and a 3-pointer to get it going, then sank a 3 from the left side to give the Cowboys a 65-64 lead with 3:23 left. He made another 3 29 seconds later and ran to the opposite end of the court when Missouri (18-2, 5-2 Big 12) called timeout to encourage the student section to bring it on.

When the clock hit zero, the students rushed the court and huddled around Oklahoma State's players at midcourt.

The Cowboys shot a season-best 59 percent. They hadn't surpassed 49 percent against an NCAA opponent all season.

NO. 4 OHIO ST. 78, PENN ST. 54: Jared Sullinger had 20 points and 13 rebounds, and the host Buckeyes (18-3, 6-2 Big Ten) took advantage of the Nittany Lions' slow start to roll.

NO. 8 DUKE 74, MARYLAND 61: Mason Plumlee scored 23 for the visiting Blue Devils (17-3, 5-1 ACC), who averted their first losing streak of the season.

NO. 10 MICH. ST. 68, MINN. 52: Draymond Green had 22 points and 14 rebounds for the host Spartans (17-4, 6-2 Big Ten), who gave coach Tom Izzo his 400th career victory.

NO. 15 CREIGHTON 77, DRAKE 69: Doug McDermott had 30 points to help the Bluejays (19-2, 9-1 MVC) to their sixth straight road win.

NO. 18 MISS. ST. 76, LSU 71: Arnett Moultrie had 28 points and 12 rebounds, and the host Bulldogs (17-4, 4-2 SEC) held off a late charge.

NO. 22 KANSAS ST. 69, TEXAS TECH 47: The visiting Wildcats (15-4, 4-3 Big 12) outscored the Red Raiders 36-20 in the paint.

TULSA 66, UCF 61: The host Hurricane won its fifth in a row and tied the Knights (15-5, 5-2) atop C-USA.

FLA. TECH 59, TAMPA 52: The host Panthers used a late 7-0 run to deny the Spartans (4-14, 0-8) their first Sunshine State Conference victory.

ECKERD 63, LYNN 43: Wayne Sears had 24 points for the visiting Tritons (11-3, 4-2 SSC), who scored 33 off 26 Fighting Knights turnovers.

SAINT LEO 63, BARRY 51: The host Lions (8-9, 2-5 SSC) erased an 11-point second-half deficit with a 17-0 run.

Women

USF 57, SETON HALL 45: Jasmine Wynne had 14 of her 19 points in the second half for the host Bulls (12-9, 4-3), who erased a 12-point deficit with a 22-3 second-half run. USF tied its win total from last season and surpassed its Big East total.

FLA. TECH 69, TAMPA 57: The visiting Spartans (8-10, 1-7 Sunshine State) committed 23 turnovers and blew a nine-point first-half lead.

LYNN 54, ECKERD 49, OT: The host Fighting Knights scored the final six of overtime to beat the Tritons (10-6, 4-4 SSC).

BARRY 59, SAINT LEO 49: Danielle DeBerry had 14 points for the visiting Buccaneers, who pulled away late from the Lions (6-12, 0-8 SSC).

NO. 3 UCONN 95, SYRACUSE 54: Tiffany Hayes scored a career-high 35, and the visiting Huskies (18-2, 7-1 Big East) pulled away in the second half.

KANSAS 62, NO. 21 TEXAS TECH 43: Carolyn Davis had 34 points as the host Jayhawks snapped a 12-game losing streak to the Raiders (14-5, 2-5 Big 12).

NO. 25 UNC 77, BC 46: Chay Shegog had 16 points for the host Tar Heels (15-5, 5-2 ACC), who went up 14-0 and never trailed.

By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, January 26, 2012

TAMPA — Although it might be hard for their faithful to admit, the Bucs are a team still under construction. So when they went in search of a new coach, they looked for someone who could build a lasting contender.

They are convinced Greg Schiano has the blueprint.

Schiano, 45, who took Rutgers from a laughingstock to perennial Big East contender, was hired Thursday.

The selection of Schiano (pronounced SHE-ah-no) after a 24-day search, which included 11 known candidates, might say as much about where the Bucs are as a franchise as the man they picked to lead it.

Coming off a 4-12 season, capped by 10 losses that led to the firing of Raheem Morris, the Glazer family, which owns the Bucs, and general manager Mark Dominik view Schiano as a serious, hands-on coach who knows how to make a few repairs.

"The reason we hired Schiano is because of what he is defensively; what he's done not only as a coordinator, but certainly as a head coach," Dominik said. "It's the way he took the Rutgers program and what he built it into. That certainly was part of the decisionmaking process.

"We liked his leadership, his structure, his organization, and he's a football guy through and through. He is a strong believer in fundamentals and tackling, which is a lost art in the NFL somewhat. He's got a strong demeanor and presence to him. I know his work ethic. When you talk around the league and do the research, there's a lot of respect for him as a football coach. And that's the big thing — to get our team at a consistent level and beyond."

Schiano's hiring came three days after University of Oregon coach Chip Kelly accepted the coaching job only to change his mind a few hours later. Schiano will be introduced at One Buc Place today during a 2 p.m. news conference, which will air on Bright House Sports Network.

Dominik said he will retain authority on personnel decisions, similar to the structure he had with Morris, who went 17-31 over three seasons.

"His involvement in personnel matters will be as strong as ever," Dominik said. "It will be the same kind of working relationship we've always had with the head coach. We'll all work together to get the right players.''

The first order of business, Dominik said, will be assisting Schiano in hiring a coaching staff.

On Thursday, Tampa Bay asked for permission to interview Cardinals receiver coach John McNulty, who was Schiano's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Rutgers from 2004-08. There's speculation that former Miami Hurricanes, Browns and North Carolina coach Butch Davis also could join the Bucs staff.

"I'll also be a resource and work with him on hiring a coaching staff and provide names and a sounding board," Dominik said. "We share a common interest in a few (candidates). We'll take our time. We're not in a rush to fill the staff."

Schiano was the biggest surprise among the three finalists for the coaching job, which included former Packers and Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman and Panthers offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski.

The Bucs reportedly did a lot of background research on Schiano, even calling Super Bowl-bound Patriots coach Bill Belichick, who gave his endorsement.

Even though Schiano remained under the media radar, Bucs scout Bill Rees remained in contact with him from the outset of the process. Schiano interviewed with the Glazers recently in Dallas and was invited to a second meeting Wednesday, Dominik said.

Terms of the contract were not announced. But at Rutgers, Schiano earned about $2.35 million per year on a contract that ran through 2016.

Players at Rutgers learned of Schiano's impending departure during morning workouts by watching television.

"I'm shocked," senior safety David Rowe told the Newark Star-Ledger. "All the players are shocked. I didn't find out until this morning when my girlfriend told me I needed to watch ESPN. That's how I heard."

Rutgers' assistants, including new interim coach Kyle Flood, said they knew something was up when Schiano did not show up for a planned recruiting visit at a high school.

Schiano had what was described as an emotional meeting with Rutgers players and assistants for about 25 minutes at 3 p.m. to inform them of his decision.

Like Morris, Schiano has a defensive background. But a priority for his coaching staff will be to get quarterback Josh Freeman on track after he threw 16 touchdowns and 22 interceptions last season.

"The plan for Freeman will be the same as it is with the rest of the team," Dominik said. "Get him back on track and ready to learn a new system and get him playing more consistently."

Freeman said Thursday that he was flying from Kansas City to Tampa to meet with Schiano. "I'm really excited," Freeman said.

It's not the first time Schiano has been considered for an NFL job this year. He was a finalist for the Rams job that went to Jeff Fisher.

Schiano took over at Rutgers on Dec. 1, 2000, and transformed it from a doormat to a Big East power. Since 2006, Schiano is 49-28, and he went 68-67 (28-48 in the Big East) in 11 seasons. Rutgers has appeared in six bowl games but never won the Big East title.

Before taking over at Rutgers, Schiano was the Miami Hurricanes' defensive coordinator for two seasons.

Schiano's only experience in the NFL came from 1996-98. He was a defensive assistant with the Bears for two seasons and coached defensive backs for one.

Bucs co-chairman Joel Glazer said Schiano made a great impression during interviews.

"During our thorough search, we met with numerous impressive candidates, but coach Schiano surely distinguished himself," Glazer said. "From his leadership skills to his impressive track record, he is, simply put, the right man for the job."

Schiano is a favorite of Belichick, who said he wasn't surprised of the news that he was headed to the NFL. The Patriots, who will play in the Super Bowl on Feb. 5, have three Rutgers players on their roster.

"Greg, obviously, has done a great job at Rutgers," Belichick said Thursday. "I think he is a tremendous coach that's done a great job with that program. And his players have been very NFL-ready. Guys that come out of that program, when they get to the NFL, most of them make it."

In addition to Sherman and Chudzinski, the Bucs met with such candidates as Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, former Vikings coach Brad Childress, Titans defensive coordinator Jerry Gray, former Browns, Chiefs, Redskins and Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer and Packers quarterbacks coach Tom Clements. The Bucs believe they have the foundation for a winning franchise. Now it's up to Schiano to build on that.

Times staff
Thursday, January 26, 2012

How coaches hired from college since 2000 have fared in the NFL

Pete Carroll, 2010, Seahawks: 14-18, one playoff berth in two seasons.

Butch Davis, 2001, Browns: 24-34, one playoff berth in four seasons.

Dennis Erickson, 2003, 49ers: 9-23, no playoff berths in two seasons.

Jim Harbaugh, 49ers, 2011: 13-3, playoff berth in only season.

Lane Kiffin (college assistant), 2007, Raiders: 5-15, no playoff berth in one-plus seasons.

Bobby Petrino, 2007, Falcons: 3-10, no playoff berth in less than one season.

Nick Saban, 2005, Dolphins: 15-17, no playoff berths in two seasons.

Steve Spurrier, 2002, Redskins: 12-20, no playoff berths in two seasons.