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Florida Gators rally for 64-60 basketball win at Mississippi Rebels

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Times wires
Thursday, January 26, 2012

OXFORD, Miss. — Florida's Kenny Boynton had read his scouting report on Mississippi. The synopsis: The Rebels play defense but can't shoot.

That proved true — eventually.

The 14th-ranked Gators clawed back from a double-digit first-half deficit to beat Mississippi 64-60 on Thursday night. Patric Young scored 15 and Boynton added 12 as Florida won for the sixth time in seven games.

"The best thing for us was we never panicked," Boynton said. "We were playing defense, but they hit tough shots and were just killing it. In the second half we guarded the 3-point line a little better, but really, it was just kind of the law of averages."

The Gators (16-4, 4-1) remain third in the SEC, a half-game behind Vanderbilt and 11/2 games behind Kentucky.

Florida has one of the quick scheduling turnarounds that coach Billy Donovan recently complained about, playing host to Mississippi State (17-4, 4-2) at 1:30 Saturday (Ch. 38, 620-AM).

Boynton said keeping cool was tough when Ole Miss was hitting 6 of 6 3-pointers in the first half. Florida trailed 20-4 in the opening minutes and 38-28 at halftime. The Gators worked their way back with lockdown defense and clutch 3-pointers from Boynton and Mike Rosario.

Ole Miss went in as the worst 3-point-shooting SEC team, at 27.2 percent.

"We knew they had to miss at some point," Boynton said.

Young shot 7-of-10, continuing to come off the bench because of tendinitis in his right ankle.

"I thought that our guys stayed the course," Donovan said. "I never thought they got rattled or overwhelmed."

Terrance Henry had 21 points and 10 rebounds for Mississippi (13-7, 3-3), which shot 60.9 percent in the first half and 27.6 percent in the second. The physical Rebels outrebounded UF 41-23.

Ole Miss got the pace it wanted from the beginning, forcing a half-court, physical game that negated the Gators' superior guard play.

Florida slowly climbed back into the game in the second half behind Young and well-timed 3-pointers, including Scottie Wilbekin's with 10:11 remaining that tied it at 46. Young's dunk gave the Gators a 48-46 lead, their first since the opening minutes.

Rosario put the Gators ahead for good with 5:29 remaining, hitting a 3-pointer for a 53-52 lead. Boynton gave Florida some separation minutes later, hitting consecutive 3-pointers to push the lead to 59-54.

Ole Miss pulled within 63-60 with 18 seconds remaining and forced a jump to take possession. But Marcus Aniefiok had the ball slapped away, and Bradley Beal hit a free throw to clinch it.


UNC routs N.C. State

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Times wires
Thursday, January 26, 2012

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Tyler Zeller had 21 points and a career-best 17 rebounds as No. 7 North Carolina beat N.C. State 74-55 Thursday night

Reggie Bullock added 11 points in his first career start for the Tar Heels (17-3, 4-1 ACC), who have beaten their longtime rival 11 straight times.

While N.C. State (15-6, 4-2) was off to its best start in the conference in six years under new coach Mark Gottfried, the Tar Heels made this game look like almost every other in the five years since the Wolfpack last beat them.

North Carolina shot 48 percent and led by 31 in the second half.

Scott Wood scored 11 to lead the Wolfpack, which had its worst scoring total of the season and shot 37 percent.

Asked about being winless against UNC, Wood paused four seconds and responded curtly: "I don't know. Has your wife ever cheated on you? That's probably about how frustrating it is."

It was North Carolina's first game since losing starting guard Dexter Strickland, its best perimeter defender, to a season-ending knee injury last week. Bullock started for him and hit 4 of 9 shots, including 3-of-5 from 3-point range, and finished with five rebounds and three assists.

"I had to pick up my intensity of play, defend, rebound," Bullock said. "It's just basically how I play coming off the bench. I just had to start off like that for 40 minutes of the game."

Harrison Barnes added 15 points for the Tar Heels, and Zeller and former Sickles High standout John Henson played strong inside defense.

No. 25 Wis. 57, No. 16 IU 50: Ben Brust scored 13 and Jared Berggren had a career-high five blocks for the Badgers (17-5, 6-3 Big Ten), who defeated the Hoosiers (16-5, 4-5) for the ninth straight time. Indiana has lost four of five.

No. 19 Virginia 66, BC 49: Mike Scott scored 18 and the host Cavaliers (16-3, 3-2 ACC) went on a 22-3 run in the second half.

Women

No. 1 Baylor 89, Okla. 58: Brittney Griner had 18 points and seven blocks and the visiting Bears (20-0, 7-0 Big 12) ran away in the second half. Leading by 32, Griner asked coach Kim Mulkey to let her shoot a 3. Mulkey called timeout with 3:14 left and put her front-liners in, and Griner hit her first 3 of the season.

No. 6 Kentucky 66, Auburn 48: A'dia Mathies scored 20 and the visiting Wildcats (19-2, 8-0 SEC) forced 30 turnovers to move within two wins of matching the school's best start, in 1982-83.

No. 7 Tennessee 86, 'bama 56: Shekinna Stricklen scored 14 for the visiting Vols (15-5, 6-1 SEC).

Va. Tech 75, no. 8 Md. 69: Monet Tellier tied a career high with 31 points and led a late charge for the visiting Hokies (7-14, 3-5 ACC). The Terrapins (18-3, 5-3) were without leading scorer Alyssa Thomas (sprained left thumb suffered in practice).

No. 9 Ohio St. 73, Indiana 55: Tayler Hill, the Big Ten's leading scorer, hit all 18 of her points in the second half for the visiting Buckeyes (20-1, 7-1 Big Ten).

No. 10 Miami 64, Wake 39: Stefanie Yderstrom and Riquna Williams scored 14 each as the Hurricanes (18-3, 7-1 ACC) cruised to a 36th consecutive home win.

No. 12 Wis.-Green Bay 60, Butler 36: Julie Wojta scored 13 of her 15 in the first half for the visiting Phoenix (18-0, 7-0 Horizon).

No. 13 Purdue 80, N'western 70: Courtney Moses scored a career-high 29 and KK Houser added 21 for the visiting Boilermakers (18-3, 8-0 Big Ten).

No. 15 del. 84, hofstra 66: Elena Delle Donne had 41 points and 15 rebounds as the host Blue Hens (17-1, 8-0 Colonial) won a matchup of the top two teams in the conference.

Vandy 68, No. 17 Georgia 48: Christina Foggie scored a career-high 34, hitting seven 3-pointers, as the host Commodores beat the foul-plagued Bulldogs (16-5, 5-3 SEC).

No. 18 Penn St. 77, Mich. 56: Maggie Lucas had 23 points and eight rebounds as the visiting Lions (16-4, 6-2 Big Ten) won their fifth straight.

No. 19 Nebraska 60, Iowa 53: Jordan Hooper recorded her Big Ten-leading ninth double double with 22 points and 15 rebounds, and the host Cornhuskers (17-3, 6-2) held off a late rally.

No. 22 Gonzaga 79, Loyola Marymount 61: Reserve Stephanie Golden scored a career high 15 for the Bulldogs (18-3, 7-1 West Coast Conference).

Bowling green: Coach Curt Miller will miss at least Saturday's game at Central Michigan after doctors determined he suffered a mild stroke late in a game Sunday. Associate head coach Jennifer Roos will fill in.

Magic coughs up 27-point cushion

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Times wires
Thursday, January 26, 2012

ORLANDO — The Magic didn't set any embarrassing franchise lows against the Celtics on Thursday night, but what occurred inside Amway Center arguably was worse than what transpired in New England three days earlier.

The Magic led by as many as 27 points late in the second quarter but allowed the undermanned Celtics to rally to a 91-83 victory. Paul Pierce scored a game-high 24, and E'Twaun Moore's 3-pointer with 7:40 left gave Boston a lead, at 79-76, it never relinquished.

Monday, the Magic lost 87-56 to the Celtics. In that defeat, the Magic set game franchise lows for points and field-goal percentage. Thursday, the Magic had an 11-point lead entering the fourth but shot 2-for-17 and scored just eight points. It was Orlando's worst fourth-quarter point total in the past 15 seasons.

Dwight Howard led Orlando with 16 points and 16 rebounds.

Meanwhile, Howard, who has asked to be traded but can opt out of his contract to become a free agent this summer, said he would consider hearing an offer from the Celtics. Howard's list of desirable trade destinations remains the Mavericks, Lakers and Nets. But Boston will have money to spend this summer if Howard is available.

"I'd always listen to a team like that," Howard told the Boston Herald. "I want to win a championship, and it takes a certain type of team to win a championship."

Motivated Rose: Bulls guard and reigning NBA MVP Derrick Rose didn't like how the Pacers celebrated Wednesday after their 95-90 victory ended Chicago's eight-game winning streak at home. "I'll never forget how they celebrated just from winning this game," Rose was quoted as saying by ESPNChicago.com. "I can't wait to play them again."

Around the league: In another setback for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 draft, Bucks center Andrew Bogut is out indefinitely after breaking his left ankle Wednesday when he came down on a Houston player's foot. … Mavs forward Dirk Nowitzki, who has missed three games in order to strengthen his sore right knee, could return Sunday against the Spurs. … Guard Eric Gordon turned down a four-year contract extension offer from the Hornets, the Associated Press reported, meaning he will become a restricted free agent after the season.

Celtics 91, Magic 83

BOSTON (91): Pierce 7-18 8-11 24, Bass 4-12 2-4 10, Garnett 6-14 0-0 12, Bradley 3-7 0-0 6, Pietrus 4-9 1-2 12, Stiemsma 0-0 0-0 0, Daniels 2-2 0-0 4, Dooling 1-2 0-0 3, Wilcox 2-2 0-0 4, Pavlovic 0-1 0-0 0, Moore 5-6 2-2 16. Totals 34-73 13-19 91.

ORLANDO (83): Turkoglu 3-10 2-4 10, Anderson 5-12 1-1 12, Howard 6-12 4-8 16, Nelson 3-8 4-6 11, J.Richardson 5-12 2-4 13, Davis 3-11 1-3 7, Q.Richardson 0-3 0-0 0, Duhon 1-2 0-0 2, Clark 2-3 1-2 5, Redick 2-6 3-3 7. Totals 30-79 18-31 83.

Boston 16 21 27 27— 91

Orlando 32 26 17 8— 83

3-Point GoalsBoston 10-21 (Moore 4-4, Pietrus 3-8, Pierce 2-6, Dooling 1-2, Bradley 0-1), Orlando 5-17 (Turkoglu 2-5, Anderson 1-2, J.Richardson 1-4, Nelson 1-4, Q.Richardson 0-2). Fouled OutNone. ReboundsBoston 47 (Garnett 10), Orlando 60 (Howard 16). AssistsBoston 23 (Pierce 10), Orlando 16 (Turkoglu 7). Total FoulsBoston 27, Orlando 23. TechnicalsBoston Coach Rivers, Anderson, Howard, Redick. A18,952.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

Tampa's Freedom High cheerleaders eye state championship

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By Courtney Cairns Pastor, Times Correspondent
Friday, January 27, 2012

TAMPA PALMS

Freedom High School's cheerleaders work to continue their streak at the top at the Florida High School Athletic Association's state championships this week.

Since the fall, the squad has placed first in four competitions within Hillsborough County and won the county's Western Conference Championship, beating the district's 26 other high schools. The girls also came in first out of 20 schools earlier this month at the FHSAA regional competition in St. Petersburg.

A first-place win in the state championship, which runs Thursday through Saturday at the Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee, would cement the season as the school's best ever.

"It gives you a lot of confidence, and it places a lot of pressure on you," said coach Linda Martinez.

The school's success comes at a time when competitive cheerleading is booming.

Jamie Rohrer, an FHSAA athletic director said cheerleading's competitive arm is the fastest-growing sport in Florida high school history.

The organization distinguishes between spirit teams, what most people associate with football games, and competitive squads. Spirit squads are considered an activity. Competitive cheer is a sport, Rohrer said.

Schools where spirit teams dabbled in competition are beefing up the competitive side now that the FHSAA hosts a state championship. When it started the state contest in 2008, about 160 schools participated.

This year, FHSAA expects 270.

To encourage more schools to get involved, the championships are open to any school that has participated at the regional level, regardless of where they ranked. Schools are split by size and whether their routines feature tumbling. The nontumbling division — where jumps and pyramids are okay but rolls are not — attracts the largest numbers.

That's good, Rohrer said, because it gives schools a change to get comfortable with competition and scoring before they move to a division that requires more difficult moves.

Freedom competes in the large-tumbling division. Its 2 1/2-minute routine is packed with jumps, stunts and pyramids. The first minute is cheering only with no music and the second portion is a routine set to music. Martinez said technique, precision, coordination are important, as is the overall "cleanliness of the routine."

So is difficulty. Senior cheerleader Shelby Carr said the team has tweaked the routine slightly to make it more challenging for the state competition, which could help them score higher. Judges at the state contest score routines with a more critical eye, Carr said.

The girls start the season in August at football games and concentrate more on the spirit side before getting serious about competition in October and November. Conditioning and endurance are important so the competitors can sustain their energy and technical skills throughout the routine, Martinez said.

Many of the athletes come from gymnastics backgrounds or, like Carr, have competed on all-star cheerleading teams. Martinez, in her fourth season at Freedom, said the biggest factor in Freedom's success is how the team works together.

Eight of the 20 girls have performed on her squad since they were freshmen. The consistency allowed Martinez to look for students during tryouts who could fill the team's gaps, bringing in strengths or special skills in areas that were weaker. She accepts 25 at the beginning of the season and carries 20 over to the competitions, with the others as alternates.

All have a common goal: finishing in the top three at the state championships. They have ranked in fourth and fifth place in previous years but not higher. Bloomingdale High has won the state championship in the large-school division three times: 2008, 2009 and 2011.

The championships are nerve-racking, said Carr, 17. Freedom's winning record doesn't guarantee a first-place finish, but the girls think they have a better shot this year than any previous team.

"All of the girls who are seniors on the team are pushing everyone," she said. "We really want this."

A strong performance at the state level could also show that Freedom's squad should be taken seriously. Since her freshman year on the team, Carr has run into classmates who want to argue that cheerleading is not a sport. She used to argue back. Now she refuses to engage them. A win would change some minds, she said.

Martinez said the people who have seen the athletic skills required at competition don't question them. Basketball and football players have come out to cheer for the cheerleaders at their competitions, she said, because they understand how hard they work.

"I think people look at the girls differently when they see all that the girls can do," Martinez said.

Courtney Cairns Pastor can be reached at hillsnews@tampabay.com.

Despite losing players to injuries and transfers, Riverview's girls basketball poised for good season

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By Brandon Wright, Times Correspondent
Friday, January 27, 2012

RIVERVIEW — Riverview coach Lelani Gordon has seen the highest of the highs and lowest of the lows this season.

Before the season, Riverview lost low-post presences Justina James and Jessica Causey to transfer. But then Gordon got news that heralded guard Tesha Hanson, who led Seffner Christian to the final four, would be joining the Sharks as a transfer. But just as things were taking shape, the Sharks lost two key players — Monet Williams and Madison Greany — to season-ending injuries over a two-week stretch.

"It's been quite a ride," Gordon said.

Greany broke her left arm in three places after a nasty spill during a holiday tournament and Williams, whom Gordon called "the heart and soul of the team," tore her ACL.

"The team got the news about Monet right before we lost (61-56) to (Tampa Bay) Tech," Gordon said. "They were devastated."

What the Sharks do have is arguably the best one-two combination in the county with Hanson and Faith Woodard. Both average more than 18 points per game and the juniors have drawn the attention of national recruits.

"Tesha and Faith were good friends before she transferred, so that made it smoother for her," Gordon said. "It took some time for all of us to get to know her and her game, but I think she is playing her best basketball of the season right now."

Gordon said the pair have picked up their games in Williams and Greany's absence.

"The two of them have been averaging about 50 points combined over the last five or six games," Gordon said. "They have been huge when we needed them."

Gordon got some good news when Riverview recently welcomed back Kiera Haywood, who was out since the beginning of the season with a dislocated kneecap. And even though this isn't the roster she envisioned before the year began, Gordon thinks Riverview, a team that lost by two points in the 5A region finals last year, can make a deep playoff run.

"We're missing some players," she said. "But I think this team plays better with the underdog mentality. It works for us."

Brandon Wright can be reached at hillsnews@tampabay.com.

New Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Greg Schiano: Expect accountability, physical play

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Times staff
Friday, January 27, 2012

For most of a month, the letters TBA were a nagging reminder of the slow pace of the Tampa Bay Buccaners' head coaching search.

Friday at One Buc Place, Greg Schiano gave them new meaning.

Trust, belief and accountability form the crux of the message the Bucs' new staff will teach, Schiano said during his introductory news conference.

"Our team will be built around a humble, unselfish attitude of sacrifice,'' the former Rutgers coach said. "It's hard to find that in today's world, but that's how it will be.''

Schiano, 45, was chosen to replace Raheem Morris, who was fired after three seasons, including a 4-12 showing in 2011 that included losses in the team's final 10 games.

On the field, Schiano said he will emphasize great defense, winning the special teams battle and being a physical offensive football team that takes shots down the field.

"As long as you play great defense and win the kicking game,'' Schiano said, "that formula works.''

Schiano said he had previous opportunities "go to places that were 'bigger names' or 'bigger programs'' but had trouble picturing himself in those places. As he went through the interview process with the Bucs, Schiano said, a feeling of "tremendous excitement'' tempered only by the sadness of leaving his former players convinced him to leave Rutgers after 11 seasons.

"That's how I knew this was the one,'' Schiano said.

A "talented, young core of players,'' "great facility'' in Raymond James Stadium and "a team with a great Super Bowl tradition'' further cemented his decision, he said.

Schiano said he will work with general manager Mark Domink to hire a staff that will include an offensive and defensive coordinator. Schiano said he will look only for strong teachers and communicators, regardless of whether they coached at the pro or college level.

Bucs co-owner Joel Glazer pointed out several traits that made Schiano stand out from a large candidate field: work ethic, family, stability, community involvement, a belief in fundamentals and an ability to build a program from the ground up.

"It's a very exciting day for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers,'' Glazer said. "We're very much looking forward to the future, and the reason we're looking forward to the future is because of our new head coach.''

Dominik said the interview process revealed Schiano to be defensively fundamental, structured, organized, disciplined, smart and cerebral.

"The more time we had to spend with him, the more evident it became he is the man who is going to lead our football team forward,'' Dominik said.

Schiano, whose only previous NFL experience came as a defensive assistant with the Chicago Bears from 1996-98, was asked about the challenge of jumping from the college to the pro level.

"Everybody has trouble,'' Schiano said. "It's a competitive league. That's the fun part of it.''

Florida Gators look beyond state lines to snag football recruits

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By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Friday, January 27, 2012

GAINESVILLE — In a perfect world, Florida coach Will Muschamp and his staff would spend the majority of their time roaming the state in search of the top-level high school football players that have made Florida a recruiting hotbed for decades.

But when you're coming off a 7-6 season and your roster has around 60 players, you go wherever necessary. Follow the talent to fill the holes. Such is the case for the Gators this season.

While Muschamp has landed his share of instate recruits, half of Florida's 2012 class is from outside the state. And recruiting analysts say this year that's good news for the Gators.

"The two states that have been the most kind to the Gators are North Carolina and Georgia," said Chris Nee, Rivals.com's state of Florida analyst. "It shows that Florida, a perennial power, still is attractive enough to out-of-state prospects despite mediocre results last season. It is also a credit to the relationships that Will Muschamp and his staff have with many areas outside of the home state for the Gators. Florida has always been able to recruit on a national level, and that isn't likely to change under Muschamp and company."

With word from defensive end Alex McCalister on Monday, the Gators have nonbinding oral commitments from four of the top 13 high school prospects in North Carolina.

"You go where the recruits are, and many teams took advantage of players in North Carolina this season," said Jamie Newberg, southeast recruiting analyst for ESPN.com. "You have to have the ability to go to someone else's back yard and pull kids, and that's what UF did in North Carolina. There's no question that this staff can recruit. They proved it with this class, and that was coming off a poor season by Gator standards. But they have to close well at wide receiver, which is crucial. It's all about filling needs."

And Florida's needs were great. The Gators lacked depth on the offensive line, the defensive front seven, running back and receiver.

Florida has oral commitments from just two offensive linemen and six on the defensive line. Junior college signee Damien Jacobs, who is already enrolled, is expected to be able to help immediately at defensive tackle, and analysts say defensive ends Jonathan Bullard and Dante Phillips are both physically gifted enough to contribute from Day 1.

The Gators have landed just one solid running back recruit, which remains a concern.

"Running back, specifically one of the bigger variety, was a must with this class," Newberg said. "(Armwood's) Matt Jones is coming and will be something they don't have on campus. I would have liked to have seen UF land another at this position because the depth is just not there."

With Wednesday's national signing day approaching, the Gators need to close strong; they still are in need of offensive linemen and receivers. They remain in the hunt for star receivers Nelson Agholor (Berkeley Prep) and Stefon Diggs (Good Counsel of Olney, Md.), but both are expected to be down-to-the-wire decisions.

And even though UF wasn't necessarily looking for another quarterback, St. Joseph's Prep's (Philadelphia) Skyler Mornhinweg, son of Eagles offensive coordinator and former Lions head coach Marty Mornhing­weg, switched his oral commitment from Penn State to Florida, ESPN.com reported.

When signing day is all over, Florida players won't dominate the roster, but talent will, analysts say.

"It is essential at times to address needs by heading out of state to land prospects to fill specific needs," Nee said. "Sometimes the home state may lack necessary targets at those particular positions."

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

New Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Greg Schiano, Josh Freeman have a history together

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By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Friday, January 27, 2012

TAMPA — New Bucs coach Greg Schiano and his quarterback have a history together, having met on the same field five years ago at perhaps Schiano's highest point at Rutgers — and a turning point for Josh Freeman in his development at Kansas State.

Schiano's No. 16 ranked Rutgers team faced Freeman in the 2006 Texas Bowl, dominating Kansas State 37-10 to finish with an 11-win season. The Wildcats (7-6) saw their only touchdown on special teams, and Freeman threw for only 129 yards, with one of his two interceptions returned for a touchdown on the first play of the second half.

"He was a freshman, and I can remember preparing for the bowl game, being scared to death: 'If this guy breaks out of the pocket, we are in trouble,' " Schiano said Friday as he was introduced as the Bucs' head coach. "I'm excited to have Josh here."

Schiano and Freeman weren't the only central Bucs figures in that bowl game. It also marked the final game for former Bucs head coach Raheem Morris as K-State's defensive coordinator. He would leave to become Tampa Bay's defensive backs coach, earning a promotion two years later.

And Rutgers star Ray Rice rushed for 170 yards behind an offensive line that included current Bucs lineman Jeremy Zuttah.

Freeman was in Kansas City on Thursday when he got word that Schiano had been hired, but he made a point to fly back to Tampa to be able to attend his first press conference. He met with Schiano on Friday morning and was excited by his first impression.

"I love his direction. He's a very passionate coach, and I'm really excited to have the opportunity to play for him," Freeman said. "Those (values) are things that are timeless. His coaching philosophy has had success at Rutgers and I'm looking forward to having the opportunity to play for a coach with such conviction."

GOOD TURNOUT: A number of current and former players attended Schiano's press conference Friday, including Freeman, LeGarrette Blount, Cody Grimm, Arrelious Benn and Mike Alstott.

"Just left from meeting with coach Schiano and meet his family," Benn late said via twitter. "Real positive, man! Very excited for what's coming."

COMING WITH: Schiano emphasized that he will consult with GM Mark Dominik before making decisions about his coaching staff, but conceded that he'll likely bring some of his Rutgers assistants along to be part of his Bucs staff.

"Certainly we have a lot of great coaches at Rutgers, really, really good coaches, NFL-level coaches," he said. "There could be some."

Rutgers offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti has NFL experience, as the 49ers' quarterbacks coach in 2007. And two other longtime Schiano assistants are potential hires from the NFL ranks. John McNulty, his offensive coordinator from 2004-08, is now the Cardinals' receivers coach, and Darren Rizzi, who was Schiano's special-teams coach at Rutgers from 2002-07, coached the Dolphins' special teams last season.


Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Greg Schiano, quarterback Josh Freeman have history together

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By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Friday, January 27, 2012

TAMPA — New Bucs coach Greg Schiano and his new quarterback have a history together. They met five years ago at, perhaps, Schiano's highest point at Rutgers — and a turning point for Josh Freeman in his development at Kansas State.

Schiano's No. 16-ranked Scarlet Knights dominated Freeman and the Wildcats 37-10 in the December 2006 Texas Bowl to cap an 11-win season. The Wildcats scored their only touchdown on special teams. And Freeman threw for only 129 yards with one of his two interceptions returned for a touchdown.

"He was a freshman, and I can remember preparing for the bowl game being scared to death: 'If this guy breaks out of the pocket, we are in trouble,' " Schiano said Friday as he was introduced as Bucs coach. "I'm excited to have Josh here."

The Texas Bowl also marked the final game as Kansas State defensive coordinator for Raheem Morris, the man Schiano replaces in Tampa Bay. And Rutgers' Ray Rice rushed for 170 yards behind an offensive line that included current Bucs G Jeremy Zuttah.

Freeman was in Kansas City on Thursday when he got word Schiano had been hired. But he flew back to Tampa to meet Schiano and attend the news conference.

"I love his direction. He's a very passionate coach," Freeman said. "Those (values) are things that are timeless. His coaching philosophy has had success at Rutgers."

More players: Also attending the news conference were RB LeGarrette Blount, S Cody Grimm, WR Arrelious Benn and former RB Mike Alstott.

"Just left from meeting with Coach Schiano and met his family," Benn tweeted. "Real positive, man! Very excited for what's coming."

The next step: Schiano said forming the coaching staff will be a collaborative effort with GM Mark Dominik. But Dominik emphasized final decisions will rest with Schiano."

"It's very important that people understand this is his football staff," Dominik said. "I'm just here to help him along … and really just for checks and balances; to say, 'Hey, Coach, here are some other guys. What do you think of these?'

"But I want Coach Schiano to hire his football staff. So do the owners. We will put together the best staff."

That's a departure from the last time a coach was hired. Dominik took a more active role in the hiring of Morris' initial staff in 2009, including offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski and defensive coordinator Jim Bates. Neither made it through the season before being fired.

Schiano said he likely will bring in some of his Rutgers assistants.

"Certainly we have a lot of great coaches at Rutgers; really, really good coaches, NFL-level coaches," he said.

Rutgers offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti was the 49ers' quarterbacks coach in 2007. John McNulty, his offensive coordinator from 2004-08, is the Cardinals' receivers coach. And Darren Rizzi, his special teams coach from 2002-07, held the position for the Dolphins last season.

Times staff writer Stephen F. Holder contributed to this report.

Winter Haven's Tiffany Hayes, Connecticut women's basketball team to host USF Bulls

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By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Friday, January 27, 2012

Even in the context of the ridiculous success of Connecticut women's basketball program, Tiffany Hayes has a high standard for what constitutes a memorable season.

Mind you, the former Winter Haven standout had collected two national championships and 90 victories with the Huskies before she endured her first loss, at Stanford last season. Now she is the lone senior on a UConn team that has, well, struggled to an 18-2 record and No. 3 national ranking, taking two losses at No. 1 Baylor and now-No. 2 Notre Dame, the latter in overtime.

If there were ever fears of a UConn dropoff, they were somewhat justified this offseason with the graduation of all-world Huskies star Maya Moore, who was the top pick in the WNBA Draft and led the Minnesota Lynx to a championship in October. Geno Auriemma's team remains loaded with elite-level talent, but with Moore gone, there was at least the perception of a rare vulnerability from his team.

"It definitely got a little bit harder, just because everybody's looking at us as a target, because they think we're weak because we lost the best player in the country," Hayes said Thursday as UConn prepared for Saturday's home game against USF. "We had to work 10 times harder in the preseason, because in everybody's eyes, we were a target."

No one could replace Moore's production, but Hayes has continued a steady improvement since her freshman year, emerging as the Huskies' leading scorer at 15.7 points per game. She averaged 8.4 points as a freshman, then 10.2 on the second national championship team, then 13.7 last year; she just reset a career high with 35 points in a win at Syracuse.

"She is in a really good place right now," Auriemma told the Hartford Courant after the game. "Physically and mentally, she feels really good. And tonight was a perfect example of all the things that she can do on any night. ... This was a "here I am, this is what I do, I am a senior' night for her. I hope there are many more games like this before she graduates."

Hayes said her biggest responsibilities to this year's team aren't statistical, but in stepping up as a veteran leader on the court.

"I have to be more of a vocal leader, if I don't (also) lead by example," Hayes said. "It's one thing I have to be consistent with in order for this year to end well."

She has the team's best 3-point percentage at 41.9 percent, and she's within a single rebound of the team lead there as well, showing a little bit of everything on a lineup that has talented freshmen still getting their college bearings. It's a team that has the experience of winning championships and now the memory of falling short, which has proved a solid combination in Auriemma's past.

"I think this team is more well-rounded. It's not just one person doing everything," she said. "Different people can step up, and on any given night, anybody can go off and have that great game."

So while this Huskies team has taken as many losses as Hayes had in her first three seasons, that might make them better for the postseason. UConn led Baylor by 11 in the second half of that loss, and the Huskies were up eight on Notre Dame with nine minutes to play, so this should be a more battle-tested UConn team in March. Hayes says she's focused on helping her team finish her college career the way she started it.

"It's been everything and more. You never come to a school and expect to win, off the back, two national championships," she said. "It's definitely been a great ride. The past three and a half years have been some of the greatest times of my life. There's definitely more to come, and hopefully this season can end well."

Ex-Winter Haven standout Tiffany Hayes, UConn's lone senior, works to uphold Huskies' lofty status

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By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Friday, January 27, 2012

Even in the context of the ridiculous success of the Connecticut women's basketball program, Tiffany Hayes has a high standard for what constitutes a memorable season.

The former Winter Haven standout had collected two national championships and 90 victories with the Huskies before she endured her first loss, at Stanford last season.

Now she is the lone senior on a team that has, well, struggled to an 18-2 record and a No. 3 ranking, taking losses at No. 1 Baylor and now-No. 2 Notre Dame.

If there were ever fears of a UConn dropoff, they were somewhat justified last offseason after the graduation of star Maya Moore, a multiple-times player of the year winner who was the top pick in the WNBA draft and led the Minnesota Lynx to a championship in October.

Coach Geno Auriemma's team remains loaded with elite talent, but with Moore gone, there was at least the perception of vulnerability.

"It definitely got a little bit harder, just because everybody's looking at us as a target, because they think we're weak because we lost the best player in the country," Hayes said Thursday as UConn prepared for today's home game against USF.

"We had to work 10 times harder in the preseason because in everybody's eyes, we were a target."

No one could replace Moore's production, but Hayes, a guard, has continued a steady improvement since her freshman year, emerging as the Huskies' leading scorer, averaging 15.7 points per game. She averaged 8.4 points as a freshman, 10.2 on the second national championship team, 13.7 last year.

Hayes reset a career high with 35 points in a win at Syracuse on Wednesday.

"She is in a really good place right now," Auriemma told the Hartford Courant after the Syracuse game. "Physically and mentally, she feels really good. And (Wednesday) was a perfect example of all the things that she can do on any night.

"This was a 'Here I am, this is what I do, I am a senior' night for her. I hope there are many more games like this before she graduates."

Hayes said her biggest responsibilities to this year's team are as a veteran leader on the court.

"I have to be more of a vocal leader if I don't (also) lead by example," Hayes said. "It's one thing I have to be consistent with in order for this year to end well."

She has the team's best 3-point percentage, 41.9 percent, and she's within one rebound of the team lead in a lineup that has talented freshmen still getting their bearings.

"I think this team is more well-rounded. It's not just one person doing everything," Hayes said. "Different people can step up, and on any given night, anybody can go off and have that great game."

So though this Huskies team has as many losses as Hayes had in her first three seasons, those experiences might make UConn better for the postseason. UConn led Baylor by 11 in the second half of that loss, and the Huskies were up eight on Notre Dame with nine minutes to play.

Hayes said she is focused on helping her team finish her college career the way she started it.

"It's been everything and more. You never come to a school and expect to win, off the bat, two national championships," she said. "It's definitely been a great ride.

"The past 31/2 years have been some of the greatest times of my life. There's definitely more to come, and hopefully this season can end well."

Putting arrest behind him, Erik Murphy becomes key part of Florida Gators

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By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Friday, January 27, 2012

GAINESVILLE — Erik Murphy's life was rolling along rather nicely until one out-of-character "moment of stupidity" changed everything.

When Murphy and teammate Cody Larson were arrested in April for burglary stemming from charges they attempted to break into a car in a St. Augustine bar parking lot, Murphy was suspended from the team for five months, embroiled in legal issues and forced to face the hard truth that he just wasn't nearly appreciative enough of what he had.

"All that stuff made me grow up really quick and look at things from a different perspective," said Murphy, 21. "I've got a limited amount of time (at UF) and I've got to make the best of it. It made me realize that every day you've got to focus on that day. You can't really have any slip-ups."

His determination to mature and improve has been evident on the court. The junior forward is averaging 10.6 points and 4.2 rebounds in a starting role for the No. 14 Gators — playing 24 minutes per game, up from nine last season.

"If something like that was to happen to anybody, I think the only thing you can do is learn from it," teammate Scottie Wilbekin said. "And I think he did a great job of learning from it and using it to build on his experiences and play better this year."

Last season, Murphy averaged 4.3 points and 2.3 rebounds in his reserve role. Florida coach Billy Donovan always believed he could be the player he's becoming now, but is convinced it might not have come to fruition if not for the incident last spring, which he ultimately accepted deferred prosecution and avoided jail time.

"Believe it or not, I felt terrible about what happened in the spring, Erik does too," Donovan said. "But you know what? I do think there was a lot of good that came out of that, as painful as it was for everybody. Because I think it really forced him to look at the fact that at this point and time he's only got two years left in his career. … And I think it probably really forced him to do some soul-searching in terms of what was important to him and what he wanted to do. I think it's made him better as a person and made him better as a player. He's becoming more and more reliable for me than he had ever been his first two years. We would get some pretty good moments out of him, and then he would disappear. He still has some of those moments, but I think he's grown up and become a much, much more consistent player."

At 6 feet 10, Murphy, the son of former Boston College standout and NBA player Jay Murphy, not only has the ability to provide a strong inside presence for the Gators, but he also gives Florida another offensive threat with his ability to shoot the 3-pointer.

"He's a lot more aggressive (this season), center Patric Young said. "There have been questions about his toughness, but I think he's a really tough guy. People don't know how hard it is to have to guard me every day. I split his eye open, I've elbowed him, I've kneed him. The guy goes through a lot and he's been stepping up and taking on the challenge this year."

The challenges have included missing two weeks with a knee injury and receiving eight stitches for a gash over his eye compliments of a Young elbow in practice. Not a problem, Murphy said. As long as he's playing, he'll deal with whatever adversity is thrown his way — and be happy about it.

"I'm trying to come out and do everything the team needs, and the coach asks for," Murphy said. "I'm mentally preparing more for games and practices every day, than I have in the past. The offseason issue made me grow up. It definitely helped me, it was a blessing in disguise, I think."

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

Putting arrest behind him, forward Erik Murphy becomes key part of Florida Gators basketball team

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By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Friday, January 27, 2012

GAINESVILLE — Erik Murphy's life was rolling along rather nicely until one "moment of stupidity" changed everything.

Murphy and Florida teammate Cody Larson were arrested in April, accused of attempting to break into a car in a St. Augustine bar parking lot. Murphy was suspended from the team for five months, embroiled in legal issues and forced to face that he didn't appreciate enough what he had.

"All that stuff made me grow up really quick and look at things from a different perspective," said Murphy, 21. "I've got a limited amount of time (at UF), and I've got to make the best of it. It made me realize that every day you've got to focus on that day. You can't really have any slipups."

His determination to mature and improve has been evident on the court. The junior forward is averaging 10.6 points and 4.2 rebounds per game in a starting role for the No. 14 Gators, and he's playing 24 minutes per game, up from nine last season.

"I think he did a great job of learning from it and using it to build on his experiences and play better this year," teammate Scottie Wilbekin said.

Last season Murphy averaged 4.3 points and 2.3 rebounds in a reserve role. Billy Donovan always believed Murphy could be the player he is becoming, but the coach is convinced the evolution might not have begun if not for the arrest, for which Murphy accepted deferred prosecution and avoided jail time.

"Believe it or not, I felt terrible about what happened in the spring; Erik does too," Donovan said. "But you know what? I do think there was a lot of good that came out of that, as painful as it was for everybody. … And I think it probably really forced him to do some soul-searching in terms of what was important to him and what he wanted to do.

"I think it's made him better as a person and made him better as a player. He's becoming more and more reliable for me than he had ever been his first two years. We would get some pretty good moments out of him, and then he would disappear. He still has some of those moments, but I think he's grown up and become a much, much more consistent player."

At 6 feet 10, Murphy, the son of former Boston College standout and NBA player Jay Murphy, not only has the ability to provide a strong inside presence, he also gives Florida another offensive threat with his ability to shoot the 3-pointer.

"He's a lot more aggressive (this season)," center Patric Young said. "There have been questions about his toughness, but I think he's a really tough guy. People don't know how hard it is to have to guard me every day. I split his eye open, I've elbowed him, I've kneed him. The guy goes through a lot, and he's been stepping up and taking on the challenge this year."

The challenges have included missing two weeks with a knee injury and receiving eight stitches for an eye gash compliments of a Young elbow in practice. Not a problem, Murphy said. As long as he's playing, he will deal with whatever adversity is thrown his way and be happy about it.

"I'm trying to come out and do everything the team needs and the coach asks for," Murphy said. "I'm mentally preparing more for games and practices every day than I have in the past. The offseason issue made me grow up. It definitely helped me. It was a blessing in disguise, I think."

Tampa Bay Rays sign utilityman Jeff Keppinger

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By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Friday, January 27, 2012

ST. PETERSBURG — Jeff Keppinger not only knows what he's getting into with the Rays, he likes the sound of it.

Having spent most of his career in the middle infield, Keppinger signed Friday — getting a one-year deal for $1.525 million plus incentives — to be the next product of the Tampa Bay superutilityman factory. Russ Canzler was designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster.

"I'm up for anything," Keppinger said. "I like that prospect rather than a team just limited me to be a backup at one position, so that kind of attracted me the most."

Though he has made only eight appearances at first base and five in the outfield, and though the Giants let him go because they believed he wasn't good enough at shortstop, Keppinger, 31, said he can handle whatever the Rays have for him.

"I know there's a lot of talk that people tell me I'm limited at playing certain positions, but I don't feel that way. I just go out and do the best I can," he said.

"They can put me wherever they want, it doesn't matter. … I don't really have any specific position that I really would pick over the other."

The Rays like his versatility, executive vice president Andrew Friedman saying in a statement Keppinger will "make an impact in many different ways."

But even more so for his bat, specifically against left-handed pitchers, with a career .321 average and .850 on-base-plus-slugging percentage. Also, Keppinger is a high-contact hitter, striking out only 142 times in 2,287 career plate appearances. (By comparison, B.J. Upton last year struck out 161 times in 640 plate appearances.)

"He is a tough out, especially against left-handers, and his contact skills bring a useful dimension to our roster," Friedman said.

CAMP JOYCE: Outfielder Matt Joyce will host the Sweet Swing Baseball Camp 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday at the North Brandon Little League (2915 Kings Highway, Seffner). Ex-Ray Grant Balfour and other pros are expected. Cost is $100, with no preregistration required.

Report: Tiebreaker games to be added

NEW YORK — Players and owners reached an understanding that ties for division titles will be broken on the field under the new playoff format, the Associated Press reported.

Since 1995, head-to-head record has been used to determine first place if both teams are going to the postseason. But with the start of a one-game, winner-take-all wild-card round, both sides agreed the difference between first and a wild-card berth is too important to decide with a formula.

The sides still don't know whether the expanded playoffs will start this year.

Giants: Utility infielder Ryan Theriot, 32, agreed to a one-year, $1.25 million deal, pending a physical, that provides depth at shortstop and second base.

Mets: Infielder Matt Tuiasosopo, whose father, Manu, and brother, Marques, played in the NFL, agreed to a minor-league deal.

Phillies: Rightfielder Hunter Pence agreed to a one-year deal worth, $10.4 million, the midpoint between the $11.8 million he asked for in arbitration and the $9 million the team offered.

Twins: Former manager Tom Kelly's No. 10 will be retired in a pregame ceremony Sept. 8.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

Shooting from the lip

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By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Friday, January 27, 2012

Media tidbits

• A documentary on legendary Jets quarterback Joe Namath debuts at 9 tonight on HBO. The 90-minute film, titled Namath, was produced by HBO Sports and NFL Films and will be shown at various times throughout the next several weeks on HBO's family of stations.

• ESPN kicks off more than 110 live hours of Super Bowl television and radio coverage from Indianapolis starting Monday. More than 25 on-air personalties, including those who have combined for 19 Super Bowl rings, will be on location.

• Meantime, the NFL Network kicks off more than 100 hours of live coverage from Indianapolis starting Monday. The network will have more than 30 analysts, reporters and hosts on location who have combined for 18 Super Bowl rings.

Three things that popped into my head

1. Bruins goalie Tim Thomas, as an American, absolutely has every right to boycott going to the White House to show his displeasure with the U.S. government. But maybe that means he should not be considered to represent the United States in international competitions, including the Olympics.

2. Sure, you feel a bit bad for the Rutgers kids who signed up to play for Greg Schiano. But are those criticizing Schiano suggesting he could have never taken another job?

3. Speaking of Schiano, what would have happened if he turned down the Bucs' offer? Would the Bucs really have offered the job to Mike Sherman?

Worst events

The NFL's Pro Bowl and NHL's All-Star Game will be played Sunday, making Sunday among the most irrelevant days in sports. Sorry, but the Pro Bowl and NHL All-Star Game just don't float our boat. Here is one opinion on the five worst sporting events.

1. Pro Bowl. No blitzing, no blocking of punts, intentional grounding is legal. We get that no one wants to get hurt, but this is a glorified practice, not a football game.

2. NHL All-Star Game. We love hockey. And yes, this is more of a celebration of the sport than an actual game. But there have been way too many 12-11 type games to make this enjoyable anymore.

3. Home Run Derby. If we hear Chris Berman yelling, "back … back … back'' one more time, it's going to get ugly up in here. Where's the appeal in watching players taking batting practice?

4. Triple-A All-Star Game. We pick on this game because it's always played the day after the MLB All-Star Game, and it's the only thing on TV that night. It's fun to watch for about six pitches. Then you start looking for Law & Order reruns.

5. MLB draft. You haven't heard of 99 percent of the players. There are no trades, and only in the rarest of instances does a drafted player step immediately into the big leagues.

He said it

"I love basketball, but we've got some bad basketball teams in the NBA."

That's what TNT's Charles Barkley said during Thursday night's Inside the NBA. He's right. The Wizards, Bobcats and Hornets entered Friday night with only three victories. (One of the Wizards' wins came against the Bobcats.) Ten teams were playing below .400. On top of that, several teams considered championship contenders were floundering badly, including the Knicks (7-11) and Celtics (8-9). Even the defending champion Mavericks, playing often without star Dirk Nowitzki, were only 11-8.



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Captain's Corner: Trout, redfish can be found all over bay area

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By Neil Taylor, Times Correspondent
Friday, January 27, 2012

What's hot: Great concentrations of large trout and "middle slot" redfish are being caught in many locations around the bay area. On successive casts, both can be caught if anglers are in the right locations.

Tackle: The same outfits work for both with medium spinning outfits and a light fluorocarbon leader. Lures can vary with jigheads of one-eighth ounces and topwater lures. But also keep a weedless jighead available for thicker turtle grass in shallow locations. Smaller baits (3 inches) usually work best. But larger trout might want a 5-inch plastic tail. Color might matter. If your normal choices don't work, try darker ones such as root beer or motor oil that better resemble foods they consume during winter.

Techniques: Locate fish in areas far from human-related noises with water less than 2 feet deep and a mix of sand, grass and mud bottom. After quietly moving in on the fish, make long casts, then move the lures slowly so they cruise just above the bottom. With cooler water at this time of year, lures moved too fast will not be attacked. Unlike smaller trout found in deeper water, those bigger than 22 inches will fight with power. You might not know right away if you have hooked a trout or redfish.

Neil Taylor charters kayak fishing trips in the Tampa Bay area and can be reached at strikethreekayakfishing.com and (727) 692-6345.

Djokovic will rest— a lot

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Times wires
Friday, January 27, 2012

MELBOURNE, Australia — If anyone knows how Novak Djokovic feels after sweating and scrapping for almost five hours in an Australian Open semifinal, it's his next opponent, Rafael Nadal.

A day after Nadal beat Roger Federer in four sets in their semifinal, Djokovic overcame Andy Murray 6-3, 3-6, 6-7 (4-7), 6-1, 7-5 on Friday in 4 hours, 50 minutes.

Djokovic, the defending champion who is ranked No. 1 in the world, faces No. 2 Nadal for a third straight time in a Grand Slam final Sunday.

Three years ago, Nadal had to regroup after a lengthy semifinal. He needed 5 hours, 14 minutes to get past Fernando Verdasco in the longest men's singles match in tournament history. He was so exhausted, he didn't lift a racket the next day.

Yet in the final, he beat Federer, who had an extra day of rest, in five sets.

Djokovic has less than 48 hours to prepare to face Nadal, one of the most fit players in the game.

"I know that I, maybe, have a mental edge because I had lots of success against him … in 2011," Djokovic said of Nadal. Djokovic won 10 titles in 2011, six by beating Nadal in finals.

"That's going to be my main priority and concern the next day and a half, to physically be able to perform my best and be ready to play five sets," Djokovic said.

Djokovic has shown chinks in his armor in this tournament. Against David Ferrer in the quarterfinals, he struggled to breathe through most of a straight-sets win and at one point clutched his leg in agony. Against Murray he looked spent when he hobbled gingerly back to his chair after dropping serve to go down 2-1 in the third set.

Djokovic can win his fifth major title and become the fifth man in the Open era (since 1968) to win three consecutive Grand Slam titles. He also can make Nadal, a 10-time Grand Slam winner, the first man in the Open era to lose three consecutive major finals.

After losing the past two Australian Open finals, Murray , though he went out a round earlier, left more encouraged than ever that he can break through and become the first British man to win a Grand Slam singles title since 1936.

"(Friday's) match was important for many reasons," he said. "Obviously I wanted to win, first and foremost. But also sort of after last year, the year that Novak's had, I think there's a very fine line between being No. 1 in the world and being 3 or 4. I think that gap, I feel (Friday) I closed it."

Murray was annoyed after the match that drug testers wanted him to do urine and blood tests.

"I've just done … the urine test," he said. "They just told me I need to sit down for 30 minutes before I can give blood. I want to get out of here. … On top of losing a match like that, it's really a frustrating thing to have to go through at 1 in the morning."

At the 2009 U.S. Open, Murray complained when testers visited his hotel room at 7:15 a.m. on a day off to test him.

Live greyhound racing's future in jeopardy in Florida

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By Don Jensen, Times Correspondent
Friday, January 27, 2012

ST. PETERSBURG — Today's $10,000 Matinee Idol is Derby Lane's only afternoon stakes of the year. But how long will the iconic greyhound track have the only game in town?

The tussle in Tallahassee is on again, a turbulent time that threatens greyhound racing in Florida. Two bills written in the Florida Legislature, prohibiting a minimum requirement of live performances for greyhound permit holders, would give tracks control of racing dates.

If passed, dog racing in the state could end July 1. House Bill 641, authored by Rep. Dana Young, R-Tampa, and Senate Bill 382, introduced by Sen. Maria Sachs, D-Delray Beach, would allow tracks to offer poker and simulcast wagering without dog racing. Similar bills last year failed.

Derby Lane is one of 13 state tracks with live dog racing, teaming with Tampa Greyhound Track for eight weekly performances year-round.

"We need to run every day to make a living," Tampa Bay Greyhound Association president Cal Holland said. "If (Derby Lane) runs only two or three cards, that would put half of us or more out of business."

The Florida Greyhound Association reports the state's dog-racing industry is responsible for more than 3,000 jobs and $5 million in state income with an economic impact of $50 million.

"(The end of racing) would be a disaster," said Maryann Tolliver, president of Greyhound Pets of America, Tampa Bay Chapter. "We adopt out 180 to 200 dogs per year. If all of a sudden we have 1,000 dogs (Derby Lane's kennel population), we wouldn't have any place to put them, and (you know) where the dogs would go."

Tolliver said each potential adoptee costs approximately $500. A nonprofit group, GPA relies on donations and fundraisers. A perfect storm means GPA would need $500,000 to handle Derby Lane's dogs. And with more than 13,000 dogs estimated in Florida, the overall expense in the state would be $6.5 million.

"If times are changing and greyhounds and horses are to become a sport of the past, the cost of this transition is way above $130 million," said kennel owner Malcolm McAllister, whose Tiger Boy is favored to win the Matinee Idol (Race 8, 2:30 p.m.). "Should then, the state of Florida pick up the tab?"

Kennel manager-trainer Catherine D'Arcy said dogs would be the real losers.

"I turn them out six times a day; exercise them on the sprint path; they swim and race," she said. "Pets in this country don't get walked six times a day."

Track spokeswoman Vera Rasnake said the facility expects to remain status quo.

"If they decouple (the dog racing requirement), Derby Lane plans on doing business as usual," she said. "We are a greyhound racing facility, first and foremost, since 1925. We do plan on continuing the greyhound racing schedule we have."

Connecticut town splits its loyalties

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Times wires
Friday, January 27, 2012

Vinny Smith knows all about divided loyalties. Smith is a Giants fan. Wife Maria roots for the Patriots.

The two spend a lot of time at Roma's Sports Bar in New Bri­tain, Conn., a town of about 70,000 two hours southwest of the Patriots' Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., and two hours northeast of the Giants' MetLife Stadium in East Ruther­ford, N.J.

On the wall, bar owner Khalid Tawfik hangs flags of both teams. And he plans to divide the place in half on Feb. 5.

"We will have a police officer here," he said, "in case somebody has a little too much to drink and gets out of hand."

But he expects only good-natured ribbing, like when the teams met in the Super Bowl four years ago.

The town of New Britain has links to both teams.

The Giants played one of their earliest games there in 1925, beating a local pro team 26-0. And they spent 1973 and 1974 at the Yale Bowl, about 30 minutes away, while Yankee Stadium was being renovated and Giants Stadium was being built.

Meanwhile, Tebucky Jones, a defensive back on the Patriots' first title team, coaches his alma mater, New Britain High.

"I don't understand people rooting for New York," he said. "We live in New England, right?"

One resident, Cedric Monroe, said he and other lifelong Giants fans considered rooting for the Patriots in 1998, when owner Bob Kraft agreed to move the team to Hartford. But Kraft backed out of the deal.

"I think there is still a lot of like for the Patriots as a team," Mayor Tim O'Brien, a Giants fan, said. "However, if the dear owner of the Patriots team showed up in New Britain, I wouldn't be surprised if he ended up with a few traffic violation tickets."

Gronkowski update: Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski was listed as questionable on Friday after missing practice for the second straight day because of an injured left ankle. Also for the second straight day, Gronkowski was not available for comment.

WIVB-TV in Buffalo reported his father, Gordy, said it is a high ankle sprain but his son expects to play.

The Patriots have not disclosed the extent of the injury, and coach Bill Belichick rarely provides details on injuries.

"He must not have read the sign on the door (near the locker room)," New England WR Matthew Slater said, joking, of Gordy Gronkowski.

"We're not supposed to disclose that kind of stuff."

And Belichick's reaction?

"Oh, I don't know," Slater said. "I would imagine he wouldn't be too excited about that."

Gronkowski was the only Patriot to miss practice.

Giants injuries: WR Hakeem Nicks and CB Corey Webster missed practice for the second straight day but expect to return next week. Nicks aggravated a shoulder injury Sunday against the 49ers by falling on it. Webster has dealt with a hamstring injury for several weeks but has not missed a game.

College buddies: Giants WR Victor Cruz had a breakout season, including setting a franchise record with 1,536 receiving yards. But waiting for him in the Super Bowl will be Pat­riots S James Ihedigbo.

Not only did both go to Division I-AA Massachusetts, Ihedigbo served as Cruz's recruiting host when he visited the campus 4½ years ago.

"It was a tremendous ride," Cruz said of their time with the Minutemen. "We understand how much of a small school it is and how little guys get an opportunity to come out of that school."

Ihedigbo appeared in every game this season and started 14, including both playoff games.

"I've seen (Cruz) do it before back in the old days in college," Ihedigbo. "He's really a terrific player."

Woods gets grasp on round

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Times wires
Friday, January 27, 2012

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Maybe those swing changes are paying off for Tiger Woods.

Woods moved into contention with 3-under 69 Friday after three birdies over five holes on the back nine in the second round of the Abu Dhabi Championship, finishing two shots behind leader Thorbjorn Olesen of Denmark (67).

"I've grown to understand what (coach) Sean (Foley) wants me to do and how my body is going to do those things and produce the numbers he wants me to produce," Woods said.

Olesen had seven birdies in his first 12 holes for a two-round total of 7-under 137 and a one-shot lead over Gareth Maybin of Northern Ireland (70) and 18-year-old Matteo Mannasero (65) of Italy.

"For me it's very special. It's not many years ago I was watching them on TV," Olesen said of the world's best. "I know it's tough, but I'm trying to keep playing my own game and do my best."

Rory McIlroy (72) took a two-stroke penalty for brushing away sand in front of his ball on the fringe at the ninth hole.

The 22-year-old U.S. Open champion, playing with Woods and top-ranked Luke Donald (72), opened with bogey and double bogey on the third.

He rallied with three birdies before a double bogey on the ninth. That was when Donald spotted the sand infraction and called him on it. Players are allowed to brush away sand on the green but not on the fringe.

"Wasn't thinking clearly and a penalty there," McIlroy said.

Woods was tied for fourth in a group of seven that included McIlroy and Robert Karlsson (72).

Sergio Garcia (69), Padraig Harrington (69) and Charl Schwartzel (70) are another shot back at 140. Fourth-ranked Martin Kaymer (73) missed the cut in an event he has won three times.

Woods said he's adapting to the new system under Foley.

"If you would have asked me (six to eight months ago) if I would understand the system as well as I do and the numbers I'm producing, I probably would have said no," he said. "Now I do and when we talk, it's very simple."

PGA: The tougher South Course at Torrey Pines suited Kyle Stanley just fine at the Farmers Insurance Open in San Diego.

Stanley overcame an early double bogey with four birdies on the front nine for 4-under 68, giving him 14-under 130 total and a one-shot lead over Brandt Snedeker after two rounds.

Snedeker, who as a rookie at Torrey Pines shot 61 on the North Course, had 64 there to make a swift climb up the leaderboard.

Hometown star Phil Mickelson missed the cut by three strokes after shooting 68 on the North course, not enough to make up for Thursday's 5-over 77.

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