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Rock takes advantage as Woods falters late

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Times wires
Sunday, January 29, 2012

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Tiger Woods talked all week about his improved ball control. Then it let him down when he needed it most.

After posting three straight rounds below par at the Abu Dhabi Championship, Woods shot par 72 in Sunday's finale to finish in a tie for third behind winner Robert Rock and U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy.

The 117th-ranked Rock shot 70 for an overall 13-under 275 to beat McIlroy (69) by a shot. Woods was another shot back with Thomas Bjorn (68) and Graeme McDowell (68).

"I just didn't give myself enough looks at it" Sunday, Woods said. "Most of my putts were lag putts. I didn't drive the ball in as many fairways as I should have. … It was a day I was just a touch off the tee, and consequently, I couldn't get the ball close enough."

It marked the second straight time Woods hasn't won with at least a share of the lead after 54 holes. He faltered in the Chevron World Challenge in 2010 after going into the final round with a four-shot lead over McDowell.

Going into Sunday, Woods was tied for the lead with Rock, who had one victory to 83 for Woods. But it was Rock — battling nerves over playing alongside one of his idols — who held it together down the stretch.

"It's pretty hard to believe that I managed to win. Very surprised," the Englishman said. "I played good. So I guess I had a chance from early on, a couple of birdies made the day feel a little bit easier.

"But it's difficult playing with Tiger. You expect almost every shot to threaten to go in. I felt a lot of pressure and couldn't afford any lapses in concentration at all."

Collapse at Farmers

SAN DIEGO — Brandt Snedeker won the Farmers Insurance Open in a playoff not even he thought was possible.

Kyle Stanley led by seven early in the final round and by four as he stood on the 18th tee at Torrey Pines. Just like that, he went from being a rising star on the PGA Tour to a meltdown that ranks among golf's most shocking.

Snedeker, in the group ahead of him, hit wedge to a foot for birdie and 67 and a 16-under 272 total, then drove to the media tent for an interview as the runnerup. He arrived to watch Stanley spin a wedge into the water, then three-putt from 45 feet for triple-bogey 8 and 2-over 74.

Two playoff holes later, both were in shock.

Snedeker's tee shot hopped over the green and would have gone into a canyon except that it bounced off a TV tower. He chipped to about 5 feet and made par. Stanley three-putted from just outside 45 feet, his 5-foot par putt catching the right lip.

"It's just crazy," Snedeker said. "To get my mind around what happened the last 30 minutes is pretty hard to do right now. My heart is out to Kyle. I feel bad for him to have to go through this."

RECORD WIN: New Zealand amateur Lydia Ko, 14, became the youngest winner of a professional golf tour event, taking the women's New South Wales Open in Sydney by four strokes.


Super Bowl rematch between New England Patriots and New York Giants is not about revenge

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By Gary Shelton, Times Sports Columnist
Sunday, January 29, 2012

By now, their faces would have been on money.

By now, middle schools would have been named after them, and inside, children would spend mornings writing sonnets about their legacy. By now, they would be aging legends, gathering on the sideline of other very good teams that did not measure up to them.

By now, the 2007 New England Patriots were supposed to have been immortal.

By now, they were supposed to have been perfect.

As it is, they were just another team in a nation that doesn't bother to remember runnersup. If the conversation is about the best team that didn't win a Super Bowl, well, the Patriots are the trivia for you. Otherwise, the legacy that could have been has faded away with their imperfection.

More than anything, that is what the Giants stripped away from the supposedly unbeatable Patriots four years ago. There have been a lot of Super Bowl champions, and time has swallowed most of them. But this was a chance at perfection. This was a chance at forever.

Instead, the Giants left them looking ordinary, like the '68 Colts or the '90 Bills or the '01 Rams. They made perhaps the finest regular season of all time a footnote. They made one of the finest-played games in Super Bowl history unwatchable to Tom Brady and the rest of the Patriots' fans.

Just that.

Understand, then, despite all the chatter, Sunday's Super Bowl game isn't really about revenge. If the Patriots win by 30, they don't get to erase the loss four years ago. If they win by 40, they don't regain perfection. If they win by 100, they don't get to take that season's Lombardi Trophy away from the Giants. This Super Bowl isn't double or nothing.

Nor is this a sequel. For crying out loud, the Patriots have only eight players left who played in that Feb. 3, 2008 game. The Giants have only 16. Randy Moss is gone, and Michael Strahan. Tedy Bruschi is gone, and Antonio Pierce. Richard Seymour is gone, and Plaxico Burress.

Nope, it isn't exactly Godfather II. What this is is a championship. And while that would feel good enough to win all on its own, it won't change a thing that happened back then.

There are those who suggest that the Patriots want this Super Bowl even more than their previous Super Bowls because, grr, they get another shot at the Giants. There are those who act as if Tom Brady is Wyatt Earp, waiting for another shot at the Clantons.

That's silly. I am certain that Brady, fierce competitor that he is, wants to win this game with a burning passion. And if he were playing the 49ers or the Packers, he would still want to win with a burning passion. It's odd. We talk all the time about payback and revenge, but that's not really accurate. It's the Super Bowl, silly. It's not a Rocky sequel.

It is, however, the Patriots and the Giants. Again. If they can play the way they did last time, that ought to be enough.

Remember how cool it was last time? It was one of the most entertaining games, with one of the most memorable outcomes, with one of the most outstanding plays. It was the 18-0 Patriots, who everyone thought was going to be in the title game, against the 13-6 wild-card Giants, who no one thought would be.

It is "spooky'' how much this season parallels that one, says former Giants receiver David Tyree. If anyone should know, it is him.

After all, it was Tyree who made that incredible fourth-quarter reception that sparked the Giants on their winning drive. You remember. Quarterback Eli Manning pulled out of heavy pressure, rolled to his right and heaved a long, high lob downfield, and Tyree leaped and cradled it with one hand against his helmet while New England safety Rodney Harrison was draped all over him. That play, often referred to as the greatest in Super Bowl history, defined a game and a player.

These days, football is just a memory for Tyree, who never caught another pass. He was injured the next season, and he wound up on the Ravens squad the next year. Now, he is out of football.

"Knowing as great as that catch was, as great as that moment was in my career,'' Tyree said on a conference call last week, "the truth of the matter was I was never going to have another moment in my career that was going to eclipse that.

"I look at that catch as a memorial, a treasure, and I'm grateful for the experience. But you have to move on.''

True, but wouldn't you have thought there would be more moments for Tyree ahead?

And maybe that's the underlying point to the Super Bowl. No one knows what lies ahead. Not for those who make the big play, and not for those who fail to do so.

There are some similarities, of course. Once again, the Giants are a team that spent much of the season looking as if they were going nowhere. Once again, the Patriots are a potent offensive team preparing for a fierce pass rush. Once again, players are playing for their legacies.

"You got the building of something epic, almost like an Ali-Frazier type of thing,'' Tyree said. "It should be good.''

Ali, too, was undefeated going into the first Frazier fight and lost.

He won the next two. It didn't restore perfection to him. It just made him a champion.

Most of the time, that's enough.

Irish continue charge by nipping fading Huskies

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Times wires
Sunday, January 29, 2012

HARTFORD, Conn. — Notre Dame continued its impressive run through the Big East, beating another ranked opponent and sending No. 24 Connecticut to its third straight loss.

Eric Atkins scored 13 and Jerian Grant hit three key free throws late as the Irish held on for their third straight win, 50-48 over the Huskies.

"We really controlled the tempo," Notre Dame coach Mike Brey said. "And that takes its toll on a team over 40 minutes when the offensive rhythm isn't quite there."

The loss spoiled the return of freshman guard Ryan Boatright to UConn (14-6, 4-4 Big East). He had missed three games amid an investigation into his eligibility.

"It's been mentally draining," said Boatright, who scored six. "But I can finally say that it is put behind me and we can move on."

The NCAA said it would take no further action despite finding that Boatright and his mother had accepted more than $8,000 in impermissible benefits from at least two people. Scott Tompsett, an attorney representing Boatright's mother issued a statement calling the findings false and misleading. Tompsett said the family is considering legal action against the NCAA for revealing information it said would be kept confidential.

Jeremy Lamb had 16 points for the Huskies and had a chance to tie it after missing his second free throw on purpose with 2.3 seconds left. He got the rebound, but his off-balance follow bounced off the rim at the buzzer.

"If Jeremy's shot had gone in, I wasn't going to be jumping," Huskies coach Jim Calhoun said. "The game was lost over the 40 minutes. It particularly was lost as we began the second half."

Grant had 11 points for Notre Dame (14-8, 6-3), which outrebounded UConn 33-29, including 11-7 on the offensive end.

The win caps a good week for the Irish. They beat then-No. 1 Syracuse on Jan. 21 before winning at Seton Hall.

"To be 6-3 halfway through this league; if you would have told me that after the Indiana game (69-58 loss on Dec. 17) or after Missouri beat us by 29 … I don't know," Brey said. "I'm really proud of this group, and it's a lot of fun working with them."

NO. 4 OHIO ST. 64, NO. 20 MICHIGAN 49: Lenzelle Smith had 17 points and a career-high 12 rebounds for the host Buckeyes (19-3, 7-2 Big Ten), who beat the Wolverines (16-6, 6-3) for the sixth straight time.

NO. 7 UNC 93, GA. TECH 81: Harrison Barnes had 23 points and the host Tar Heels (18-3, 5-1 ACC) hit 10 3s to end a four-game losing streak against the Yellow Jackets.

NO. 16 INDIANA 103, IOWA 89: Freshman Cody Zeller scored a season-high 26 for the host Hoosiers (17-5, 5-5 Big Ten), who topped 100 in a conference game for the first time since 1995.

MIAMI 76, BC 54: Malcolm Grant scored seven of his 16 during a game-breaking 14-0 run that lifted the visiting Hurricanes (12-7, 3-3 ACC).

Women

NO. 10 MIAMI 88, BC 57: Shenise Johnson scored 16 of her 22 in the first half for the visiting Hurricanes (19-3, 8-1 ACC), who won their eighth straight.

ARKANSAS 73, UF 72, 2OT: Ashley Daniels hit the winning layup with seven seconds left for the host Razorbacks, who erased a 14-point second-half lead by the Gators (13-8, 3-5 SEC).

Virginia 62, FSU 52: Ariana Moorer had 15 points for the host Cavaliers, who capitalized on 23 turnovers by the Seminoles (12-11, 4-4 ACC).

NO. 6 KENTUCKY 82, 'BAMA 68: The host Wildcats (20-2, 9-0 SEC) used a 32-4 first-half run to move within a win of matching the best start in school history.

NO. 7 TENN. 67, NO. 17 UGA 50: Shekinna Stricklen had 24 points, including six in an 11-0 run to open the second half that carried the visiting Vols (16-5, 7-1 SEC) to their second win over the Bulldogs (16-6, 5-4) this month.

MINN. 76, NO. 9 OHIO ST. 68: Rachel Banham scored 20 for the host Golden Gophers, who outscored the Buckeyes (20-2, 7-2 Big Ten) 36-20 in the paint and beat a ranked team for the first time in nearly three years.

NO. 20 G'TOWN 54, NO. 11 RUTGERS 36: Tia Magee scored 21 for the host Hoyas (17-5, 6-3 Big East), who held the Scarlet Knights (17-4, 6-2) to their fewest points this season.

NO. 14 TEXAS A&M 66, IOWA ST. 64: Sydney Carter made two free throws with 2.4 seconds for the host Aggies (14-5, 5-3 Big 12).

NO. 15 DEL. 72, James Madison 65: Elena Delle Donne scored 23, and the visiting Blue Hens (18-1, 9-0 Colonial) rallied from a seven-point deficit.

MICH. ST. 83, NO. 18 PENN ST. 77: Porsche Poole scored a career-high 32 for the host Spartans, who completed a season sweep of the Nittany Lions (16-5, 6-3 Big Ten).

NO. 19 NEBRASKA 67, ILL. 47: Lindsey Moore scored 20 for the visiting Huskers (18-3, 7-2 Big Ten), who took a 6-0 lead and never trailed.

NO. 25 UNC 75, WAKE 71: Tierra Ruffin-Pratt scored 19 of her 21 in the second half, and the visiting Tar Heels (16-5, 6-2 ACC) rallied in the final four minutes.

Captain's Corner: Redfish red alert

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By Matt Santiago, Times Correspondent
Sunday, January 29, 2012

What to find: The fishing all over is really good now. Finding warm water is a great way to find concentrations of redfish and trout. Your bottom machine can be a real asset for identifying water temps. Redfish and trout fishing have been really strong around this week's low tides. Fishing a live shrimp or whitebait under a weighted cork on deep grass flats is producing great trout.

Hot places: Last week we saw several gator trout of more than 25 inches. Drift a flat and stop when you get a bite or two to locate big schools of trout. The redfish have been schooled up really shallow. We have been having a lot of success wading broken bottom flats in 1-2 feet of water. Focus on making long casts. Find big mullet schools and you will find the redfish. With no real strong cold fronts on the horizon, gamefish are moving to their spring homes.

Tip: When you are searching around, look at pictures from years past. Look where you have caught fish this time of year and use those spots as starting points. Shrimp is still the hot bait inshore, but if you are set on whitebait then head to the Skyway. The bridge is loaded with whitebait and threadfins. Get upcurrent of the bridge and look for the bait to be holding close to the pilings and shadow lines.

Matt Santiago can be reached at (813) 205-2327 or CaptainMattSantiago@gmail.com or online at FishingGuideTampa.com.

Sports in brief

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Times wires
Sunday, January 29, 2012

Figure skating

Wesley chapel's denney shares pairs title

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Caydee Denney and John Coughlin kept their winning "streak" intact.

After winning the previous two years with other partners, Denney of Wesley Chapel and Coughlin won their first pairs title together Sunday at the U.S. Championships. They totaled 189.70 points, beating short program winners Mary Beth Marley and Rockne Brubaker by almost four points.

Amanda Evora and Mark Ladwig, runnersup the past two years and who train at the Ellenton Ice and Sports Complex in Manatee County, dropped to third with a flawed free skate. They were second after the short program.

Denney's younger sister Haven of Wesley Chapel won the junior pairs title with Brandon Frazier earlier in the week.

Men: Jeremy Abbott won his third title, then found out his stepfather was taken to a hospital after collapsing during the free skate. Allen Scott, 64, was in stable condition, said Abbott, who had 273.58 points, the highest ever at the championships. Adam Rippon was second (240.87).

et cetera

alpine skiing: Lindsey Vonn was denied a three-win weekend sweep by 0.03 seconds as Maria Hoefl-Riesch won a World Cup super-combined at St. Moritz, Switzerland.

College football: Florida International coach Mario Cristobal interviewed for the Rutgers vacancy, the Newark Star-Ledger reported. Temple coach and ex-Florida assistant Steve Addazio is no longer a candidate, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

bowling: Mike Fagan won the USBC Masters for his first major title, beating Chris Barnes 246-213 in the final at Henderson, Nev.

Soccer: Ex-Gator Abby Wambach scored two goals, and the United States beat Canada 4-0 in the championship game of the CONCACAF Olympic qualifying tournament at Vancouver. Both teams qualified for this summer's Games earlier in the event. Wambach moved into second on the U.S. career scoring list with 131 goals. She trails Mia Hamm by 27.

X-Games: Shaun White earned his fifth straight superpipe gold medal, earning a perfect 100 on his third and final run at Aspen, Colo. … Heath Frisby landed the first front flip of a snowmobile during the best trick competition and won gold.

Times wires

Every last drop of energy for history

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Times wires
Sunday, January 29, 2012

MELBOURNE, Australia — Shirtless in Rod Laver Arena at 1:38 this morning Melbourne time, Novak Djokovic screamed with release and delight in the direction of his supporters. And who could begrudge him the celebration?

It had required five sets and the longest Grand Slam men's singles final in history, but Djokovic finally managed to win his third straight major singles title on a Sunday night local time that turned into a Monday morning. He did it by defeating an equally determined but ultimately frustrated opponent, Rafael Nadal, in an Australian Open final that will rank as one of the greatest matches in the long history of tennis.

Djokovic, the No. 1 seed, required a record 5 hours and 53 minutes to defeat the second-seeded Nadal 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (5-7), 7-5.

"It was obvious for everybody who watched the match that both of us, physically, we took the last drop of energy that we had from our bodies," Djokovic said. "It was maybe luck in some moments and a matter of wanting this more than maybe the other player in the certain point. It's just an incredible effort."

Numbers — and there were plenty of them — do not sum up the depth and emotional power of this marathon, the latest joint effort in a golden era in the men's game that has repeatedly matched strength against strength.

For now, there can be no doubt that Djokovic, a bristle-haired 24-year-old from Serbia, is the strongest. In the past seven months he and Nadal have played for the trophy at Wimbledon, the U.S. Open and now the Australian Open. Djokovic has won every final and has beaten Nadal, a 25-year-old Spaniard who is one of the supreme competitors in the sport's history, seven times in a row.

"I didn't have mental problems (Sunday) against him," said Nadal, winner of 10 majors. "I had in 2011 all these mental problems. (Sunday) I didn't have. I compete with normal conditions against him, no?

"I lost a match, but it was perhaps the final that I lost that hurts the least because I did all I could. I fought with everything I had."

It was the third Australian Open title and the fifth Grand Slam singles title for Djokovic, and he has won four of the past five major tournaments. In last year's French Open, he lost in the semifinals to Roger Federer.

But since taking the reins of the men's game last year, Djokovic has never been pushed quite like this. After an edgy first set, Djokovic gradually found his intimidating range. But the winner never seemed clear until his final shot, an inside-out forehand, bounced twice for a winner.

The turning point came when Nadal went for a bit too much on a backhand after more than five hours on the court.

At 30-15 in the seventh game of the fifth set, Djokovic was almost exhausted and didn't even try to continue the point when Nadal lined up a backhand with the court wide open. Nadal skewed it slightly wide down the line.

Nobody could quite believe it. Nadal challenged the out call but really only to regroup his thoughts. Instead of moving ahead 40-15, one point from a 5-2 lead in the fifth set, the score became 30-30. Djokovic won the next two points and regained the momentum.

"It's true I had big mistake with 30-15," Nadal said. "But it's not (a) moment to think about that. That's just another moment in an almost six-hours match. Forget about that knowing that I really had real, very real chances to have the title."

When asked whether it was the greatest win of his career, Djokovic said, "I think (it) comes out on the top because just the fact that we played almost six hours is incredible. I'm very proud just to be part of this history.

"The longest finals in the history of all Grand Slams … just to hear that fact is making me cry, really."

Novak Djokovic's Australian Open win over Rafael Nadal is as good as tennis gets

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Times wires
Sunday, January 29, 2012

MELBOURNE, Australia — Shirtless in Rod Laver Arena at 1:38 this morning Melbourne time, Novak Djokovic screamed with release and delight in the direction of his supporters. And who could begrudge him the celebration?

It had required five sets and the longest Grand Slam men's singles final in history, but Djokovic finally managed to win his third straight major singles title on a Sunday night local time that turned into a Monday morning. He did it by defeating an equally determined but ultimately frustrated opponent, Rafael Nadal, in an Australian Open final that will rank as one of the greatest matches in the long history of tennis.

Djokovic, the No. 1 seed, required a record 5 hours and 53 minutes to defeat the second-seeded Nadal 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (5-7), 7-5.

"It was obvious for everybody who watched the match that both of us, physically, we took the last drop of energy that we had from our bodies," Djokovic said. "It was maybe luck in some moments and a matter of wanting this more than maybe the other player in the certain point. It's just an incredible effort."

Numbers — and there were plenty of them — do not sum up the depth and emotional power of this marathon, the latest joint effort in a golden era in the men's game that has repeatedly matched strength against strength.

For now, there can be no doubt that Djokovic, a bristle-haired 24-year-old from Serbia, is the strongest. In the past seven months he and Nadal have played for the trophy at Wimbledon, the U.S. Open and now the Australian Open. Djokovic has won every final and has beaten Nadal, a 25-year-old Spaniard who is one of the supreme competitors in the sport's history, seven times in a row.

"I didn't have mental problems (Sunday) against him," said Nadal, winner of 10 majors. "I had in 2011 all these mental problems. (Sunday) I didn't have. I compete with normal conditions against him, no?

"I lost a match, but it was perhaps the final that I lost that hurts the least because I did all I could. I fought with everything I had."

It was the third Australian Open title and the fifth Grand Slam singles title for Djokovic, and he has won four of the past five major tournaments. In last year's French Open, he lost in the semifinals to Roger Federer.

But since taking the reins of the men's game last year, Djokovic has never been pushed quite like this. After an edgy first set, Djokovic gradually found his intimidating range. But the winner never seemed clear until his final shot, an inside-out forehand, bounced twice for a winner.

The turning point came when Nadal went for a bit too much on a backhand after more than five hours on the court.

At 30-15 in the seventh game of the fifth set, Djokovic was almost exhausted and didn't even try to continue the point when Nadal lined up a backhand with the court wide open. Nadal skewed it slightly wide down the line.

Nobody could quite believe it. Nadal challenged the out call but really only to regroup his thoughts. Instead of moving ahead 40-15, one point from a 5-2 lead in the fifth set, the score became 30-30. Djokovic won the next two points and regained the momentum.

"It's true I had big mistake with 30-15," Nadal said. "But it's not (a) moment to think about that. That's just another moment in an almost six-hours match. Forget about that knowing that I really had real, very real chances to have the title."

When asked whether it was the greatest win of his career, Djokovic said, "I think (it) comes out on the top because just the fact that we played almost six hours is incredible. I'm very proud just to be part of this history.

"The longest finals in the history of all Grand Slams … just to hear that fact is making me cry, really."

Tom Jones' shooting from the lip

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By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, January 29, 2012

Tampa Bay Times staff writer Tom Jones looks back at the best and worst from a weekend of televised sports.

Most enigmatic coverage

Fox had another UFC mixed-martial arts card in prime time on Saturday — the second ever and the first of four in 2012. So far, Fox has had some rotten luck. The first card back in November featured one fight that lasted less than one round. On Saturday, there were three fights and all went the distance, making for a boring night.

I still doubt that the UFC is going to make serious inroads on network television, simply because most casual viewers don't know the fighters and their backgrounds well enough to have a vested interest in the outcomes. It's the same problem boxing now has and, in some ways, it's the reason European soccer has never become hugely popular in this country. It's not that people don't like it. They just don't know enough about the people.

As far as the UFC, Fox needs to use these prime-time events to give us more of the up-close-and-personal stories that we used to see on old Olympic coverage. Back in the day, ABC was smart enough to realize that most viewers didn't know a thing about some skier from New Hampshire or gymnast from Arizona. So it taught us about them — not just their careers, but who they were as people — and made us care as we watched them compete.

Fox needs to do the same with these fighters that 99 percent of us don't know. Because if we don't know, we don't care.

Best announcer

ESPN's Chris Fowler, above, has to be included among the smoothest announcers in all of sports. His work on College GameDay is superb, especially when you consider he does it without the use of a Teleprompter or cue cards.

And Fowler was the shining star in ESPN's coverage of the Australian Open. The work of Fowler and analyst Patrick McEnroe during Sunday's instant classic men's final between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal was every bit as good as the match. In fact, the broadcast made Sunday's incredible final even more enjoyable.

The key wasn't what Fowler and McEnroe said, but what they didn't say. Their willingness to let the tennis do the talking made the broadcast so good. After all, no words could trump that action on the court between two remarkable players at the top of their games. Announcers in every sport could take a cue from how Fowler and McEnroe called Sunday's final.

Meantime, I wish Fowler and Chris Evert had talked more during the women's final between Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova, if only to drown out the maddening shrieks, squeals and screams from Azarenka and Sharapova.

I don't know how tennis can legislate this, but it needs to do something because, honestly, the screaming made that match unwatchable.

Best documentary

Namath, the 90-minute HBO documentary about legendary NFL quarterback Joe Namath, is well worth your time. There aren't any real surprises, but it's a comprehensive look at Namath's life, from growing up in Beaver Falls, Pa., to playing at Alabama to playing and living in New York to his recent years. The film doesn't skip anything, including the cringe-worthy moment on Monday Night Football in 2003 when a drunk Namath told ESPN reporter Suzy Kolber that he wanted to kiss her.

Namath talks about the incident, as does Kolber, publicly for the first time. That's just a small portion of the documentary, but it shows how no stone is left unturned.

Best next analyst

If you're Peyton Manning, why would even think about playing again? You've won a Super Bowl, you have been a league MVP, you're a first-ballot Hall of Famer, you have plenty of money. Why risk not being able to walk or stand up straight when you're 50?

There seems to be little doubt that within 10 minutes of Manning's retirement, he will get calls from every network about coming to work as an analyst. Actually, he likely already has had such conversations.

Where would he be the best fit? He seems like a better studio analyst than a game analyst. He likely would get lost in the shuffle among ESPN's cast of thousands. Fox, CBS and the NFL Network could use him, but each would have to dump someone to make room.

That leaves NBC. He could join analysts Tony Dungy and Rodney Harrison, or NBC could just swap Harrison out for Manning. Either way, NBC seems like the best fit.

But don't you get the impression Manning is going to play next season?

Best line

You gotta love Rangers coach John Tortorella. When interviewed during Sunday's NHL All-Star Game, Tortorella joked about fining a player $1,000. NBC analyst Pierre McGuire told Tortorella that the NHL Players Association might not like that.

Tortorella deadpanned, "They don't like anything.''

It was the best moment of, sadly, a boring game. That isn't mean to slam the NHL because there is no way, really, to spruce up the game's drama without risking injuries. All those zig-zag, no-look, dipsy-doodle moves that have become a staple of the All-Star Game are fun to watch until you realize that no one would even think about those moves in a real game for fear of getting pasted into the boards.

What makes the broadcast somewhat annoying is listening to the analysts rave about such moves as if this were a game with real checking and defense. Don't tell us about how "sick'' or "incredible'' a move was when the defensemen are putting up as much of a fight as an orange pylon.

Worst conflict

I'll keep banging this drum, apparently to no avail: It drives me crazy to watch ESPN personalities do commercials with the athletes they cover. On Sunday, I noticed an ad for ESPN's NBA coverage that featured announcer Mike Breen and analysts Jeff Van Gundy and Jon Barry alongside NBA stars Deron Williams of the Nets and Kyrie Irving of the Cavs. No one can convince me that it isn't a conflict of interest for ESPN personalties to do commercials, and presumably socialize, with the athletes they cover and critique.

Biggest switch

Golf fans likely were annoyed Sunday evening when CBS left its first tournament of the season, the Farmers Insurance Open, during a playoff at 7 p.m. to switch over to new episode of 60 Minutes. Viewers were directed to turn to the Golf Channel for the rest of the tournament.

As it turned out, the tournament lasted only another 10 minutes as Brandt Snedeker defeated Kyle Stanley on the second playoff hole, but there was no way CBS could know that the tournament would end there. It's hard to blame CBS because 60 Minutes is one of the network's staple shows and should get preference over what, ultimately, is not that significant of a tournament.

Three things that popped into my head

1. Three letters that came to mind while watching Sunday night's NFL Pro Bowl: zzz.

2. Did you see Novak Djokovic's speech after winning the Australian Open? Doesn't get much classier than that, folks.

3. In women's tennis, the last four majors have produced four first-time major winners. Some, such as ESPN's Chris Evert, say that's great. I disagree. Any sport is better when there is a dominant player or team or a great rivalry.

tom jones' two cents


Allmendinger lasts longest in 24-hour classic

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Times wires
Sunday, January 29, 2012

DAYTONA BEACH — The little team with no pedigree knocked off the big boys with all those championships in the Rolex 24.

NASCAR driver AJ Allmen­dinger closed out the race for Michael Shank Racing by driving the No. 60 Ford Riley for a nearly three-hour drive Sunday at Daytona International Speedway.

Allmendinger's first win in a major series in almost six years came about a month after he landed the job of a lifetime with Roger Penske's NASCAR Sprint Cup team.

"I feel very fortunate," Allmendinger said. "This is one of the reasons why I love this race, because it really kicks off SpeedWeeks. … It's amazing. I'm going to cherish this."

He teamed with IndyCar driver Justin Wilson, who had a strong performance in his own three-hour drive in his return from a six-month layoff because of a broken bone in his back.

"Hopefully this is the start of a good season," said Wilson, who is rejoining IndyCar's Dale Coyne team for 2012. "We just have to work it out."

The two paired with Grand-Am regulars Ozz Negri Jr. and John Pew to give Shank's team its first win in nine tries at the twice-around-the-clock classic.

"I am just grateful," he said of taking the event's 50th running.

Ryan Dalziel spent the last hour trying to chase down Allmendinger in his Starworks Motorsports Ford but wound up second, 5.198 seconds back — a remarkably close finish for an endurance race.

The top three cars completed 761 laps, or 2,709 miles.

The two vaunted teams from Chip Ganassi Racing had mechanical issues. The team's "star car" — featuring IndyCar champions Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti and NASCAR's Juan Montoya and Jamie McMurray — was a lap down in fourth.

Andy Lally, the 2011 Sprint Cup rookie of the year, marked his return to sports cars by winning the Grand Touring class for Magnus Racing. He, John Potter, Richard Lietz and Rene Rast ran 727 laps in a Porsche GT3.

Charles Espenlaub of Lutz, on the same No. 40 Mazda team as actor Patrick Dempsey, finished 21st overall, 10th in the GT class. Patrick Long of Belleair was part of a Porsche GT team that finished 26th.

NOTABLE: IndyCar's Marco Andretti, driving a Ford/Riley DP, was treated for dehydration after his final stint. … Brian Johnson, the longtime lead singer for rock band AC/DC who now resides in Sarasota, made his race debut. His team's BMW/Riley DP completed 672 laps.

Some Giants fans still in New England

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Times wires
Sunday, January 29, 2012

John Farrell grew up in Bedford, Mass., and is a lifelong Giants fan. What else would he be?

"We were all Giants fans," he said.

Wait: All Giants fans, deep in the heart of New England?

It's a strange-but-true wrinkle in the history of the teams that will meet in Super Bowl XLVI, one that has left many Big Blue loyalists pinned deep behind enemy lines.

Take Matt Pictou, who grew up in Biddeford, Maine, and now lives in the Boston area. He is a Giants diehard, just like his father, and just as he is grooming his toddler son to be.

"My household was a Giants household, just bleeding Giants blue," he said.

This requires explaining. Unlike the Yankees, almost uniformly loathed north of New Haven, Conn., for close to a century, the Giants were New England's football team by default for many years. They even played their home games at New Haven's Yale Bowl in 1973-74 while waiting for Giants Stadium to be completed.

From the time the Boston Yanks left the NFL after 1948 until the Boston Patriots joined the new AFL in 1960, pro football fans in the extreme Northeast gravitated toward the glamorous Giants of that era.

"I grew up a Giants fan," Boston Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy told the Los Angeles Times. "Every Sunday it was Chris Schenkel calling the game on our televisions. People over 55 remember the Patriots had to fight the Giants for this market."

Even after the Patriots came along, for many they were an afterthought.

"No one took them seriously," said Farrell, who attended some of their games with friends for 50 cents. "We thought the whole thing was a joke."

Many children of those Giants fan in New England followed suit.

"I don't have recollections of people rooting for anybody but the Giants," said Farrell, who now lives in Denville, N.J. "The old-school guys thought the AFL was minor league."

PEP RALLY: Packed to capacity in the lower level on one side of Gillette Stadium on Sunday, Patriots fans watched replays from victory in the AFC title game over Baltimore that put New England in the Super Bowl.

A few minutes later, those roughly 25,000 fans sent the players off in style.

The Patriots officially began their short journey to Indianapolis by attending a free send-off rally, addressing the fans and returning the appreciation bestowed upon them.

"This never gets old, huh?" RB Kevin Faulk asked the raucous crowd. "The one question I was asked during the offseason was, 'Why are you coming back, Kevin?'

"This is it, right here."

After the 13-minute program, the Patriots began their trip. The team arrived in Indianapolis that afternoon. The Giants are scheduled to arrive today.

WIND RUSH: High winds reportedly topping 50 mph forced organizers to temporarily evacuate two tents at the NFL Experience interactive fan exhibit in downtown Indianapolis.

NFL Experience spokesman Noah Gold said visitors were led out of sponsor and memorabilia tents, which reopened about an hour later.

WTHR-TV reported that downtown wind gusts up to 51 mph were recorded in the afternoon.

Marshall sets Pro Bowl pace

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Times wires
Sunday, January 29, 2012

HONOLULU — While everyone was playing at half-speed and ready to extend their Hawaiian vacation, Brandon Marshall played as if it was his last game.

The Dolphins wide receiver and former UCF standout caught six passes for 176 yards and a Pro Bowl-record four touchdowns, and the AFC beat the NFC 59-41 Sunday.

"You never know when you're going to be back," Marshall said, "and I wanted to go all out because it could be my last Pro Bowl."

He had a touchdown catch in each quarter, including an early 74-yarder and a 3-yarder in the fourth, to earn game MVP honors. His name joins the likes of Walter Payton and Jerry Rice on the MVP banners at Aloha Stadium.

"You know what? I wanted it," he said. "It's a Pro Bowl. Some guys are playing 100 (percent), some guys are playing 90, some guys aren't playing at all, but it means a lot to be up in the rafters with some of these guys."

The 59 points by the AFC set a Pro Bowl mark, and the 100 points scored by the teams was the second highest, a touchdown shy of the 107 in 2004.

Marshall hauled in a deflected, go-ahead 47-yard TD pass from Andy Dalton, while on his back, to give the AFC a 38-35 lead late in the third quarter and tie Jimmy Smith's Pro Bowl record of three TD catches set in 2004. Marshall's 3-yard TD from Dalton gave the AFC a 52-35 lead with 8:25 left and put the game away.

The game featured 36 first-timers, including rookie quarterbacks Cam Newton of the Panthers and Dalton of the Bengals. Offensive lineman Davin Joseph was the lone Buc chosen.

Around the league

The Colts and Steelers are pursuing each other's present or former coaches.

ESPN reported that the Colts are going to name Steelers linebackers coach Keith Butler as defensive coordinator. That would give Indianapolis both coordinators off of Pittsburgh's 2011 staff; Bruce Arians, the Steelers' offensive coordinator until he and the team parted last week, is expected to take the same post with the Colts.

Meanwhile, NFL Network reported that Jim Caldwell, fired as Colts coach, is a candidate for Pittsburgh's offensive coordinator position.

Also, Colts owner Jim Irsay denied a report that he had already decided to let veteran quarterback Peyton Manning go. Manning is due a $28 million roster bonus by March 8.

FALCONS: Former Fresno State coach Pat Hill was named offensive line coach.

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Steven Stamkos helps bring Tampa Bay Lightning flair to All-Star Game

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Times wires
Sunday, January 29, 2012

OTTAWA — Marian Gaborik got the best of Rangers teammate Henrik Lundqvist and brought back a bad memory for Lightning fans, Tampa Bay's Steven Stamkos was awarded a penalty shot, and Zdeno Chara scored the winning goal for the All-Star team named after him.

Even in defeat, the Senators' Daniel Alfredsson rewarded the hometown fans with two goals and an assist for the team named after him.

For an All-Star Game that lacked the league's top-name talent in Sidney Crosby (concussion symptoms) and Alex Ovechkin (bruised ego over a league suspension), there was plenty to keep everyone buzzing Sunday.

Gaborik scored three times, added an assist and earned MVP honors, and Team Chara used a third-period offensive eruption in a 12-9 win over Team Alfredsson.

"We have a lot of fun out there," said Lundqvist, who allowed three goals on 12 shots in the first period. "A lot of times you might forget because it's a lot of pressure, and you put a lot of pressure on yourself, but this weekend is all about the game of hockey and having fun with it."

Fans were treated to a game that featured plenty of nifty passing plays, numerous odd-man breaks and the second penalty shot in All-Star history, to Stamkos for a first-period encounter with the Maple Leafs' Dion Phaneuf.

Stamkos was foiled when he attempted the same spin-o-rama move he used to beat Canadiens goalie Carey Price in the skills competition Saturday. The Red Wings' Jimmy Howard didn't bite, holding his ground and hugging the post to stop the shot.

"I think I ran out of moves," Stamkos said. "I tried something fancy and hoped it would work. It didn't. But I just tried to have fun with it."

Stamkos hinted he was influenced by Lightning teammate Marty St. Louis, who scored a shootout goal on a spin-o-rama move that gave Tampa Bay a win over the Blackhawks last season

"Hopefully Marty's watching and got a big smile on his face," said Stamkos, who had an assist in the game. "Too bad it didn't go in."

Gaborik earned bragging rights over Lundqvist after the two spent the previous few days playfully going back and forth on Twitter. The mock feud was over Lundqvist, Alfredsson's assistant captain, not selecting Gaborik in the player draft Thursday.

After opening the scoring 4:34 in on a give-and-go with the Red Wings' Pavel Datsyuk, Gaborik circled the net, dropped to one knee and pointed his stick machine-gun style at Lundqvist while pumping his fist.

The move was identical to one done by Rangers forward Artem Anisimov this season after he scored against the Lightning, a move that did not go over well with Tampa Bay.

This one was all in fun, said Gaborik, the 16th player to score at least three goals in the game. It was the first All-Star hat trick since the Blue Jackets' Rick Nash had three goals in 2008.

"It's always tough to score on him," Gaborik said of Lundqvist. "I was fortunate to be lucky against him."

The Bruins' Tim Thomas made 18 saves in the final period and extended his record by winning his fourth All-Star Game.

Datsyuk, the first overall pick in the player draft, had three assists, giving him four assists but no goals in three All-Star Games. "I've never scored in my career in an All-Star Game," he said. "But it's good news, the dream's still there."

The combined 21 goals tied for fourth most in game history. The record is 26, set in 2001 when a team of North American All-Stars beat the World All-Stars 14-12.

Chara33612
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First Period1, Team Chara, Gaborik 1 (Datsyuk), 4:34. 2, Team Chara, Malkin 1 (Iginla), 5:38. 3, Team Chara, Gaborik 2 (Hossa, Suter), 10:09. 4, Team Alfredsson, Spezza 1 (Girardi, Michalek), 10:36. 5, Team Alfredsson, Sedin 1 (Hartnell, Letang), 12:51. 6, Team Alfredsson, Tavares 1 (Pominville, Yandle), 13:49. PenaltiesNone.

Second Period7, Team Chara, Gaborik 3 (Hossa, Datsyuk), 1:23. 8, Team Chara, Lupul 1 (Kessel), 3:33. 9, Team Alfredsson, Pominville 1 (Neal, Stamkos), 7:17. 10, Team Alfredsson, Alfredsson 1, 14:33. 11, Team Alfredsson, Alfredsson 2 (Sedin, Sedin), 16:04. 12, Team Chara, Kane 1 (Eberle), 18:24. PenaltiesNone.

Third Period13, Team Chara, Kessel 1 (Campbell), 4:12. 14, Team Alfredsson, Michalek 1 (Tavares, Spezza), 5:21. 15, Team Chara, Iginla 1 (Malkin, Perry), 7:45. 16, Team Alfredsson, Giroux 1 (Hartnell, Couture), 9:40. 17, Team Chara, Hossa 1 (Datsyuk), 12:04. 18, Team Chara, Chara 1 (Gaborik), 12:20. 19, Team Chara, Perry 1 (Iginla, Wideman), 13:26. 20, Team Alfredsson, Sedin 1 (Sedin, Alfredsson), 14:20. 21, Team Chara, Lupul 2 (Seguin, Kessel), 15:33. PenaltiesNone. Missed Penalty ShotStamkos, TAS, 16:33 first. Shots on GoalTeam Chara 12-13-19—44. Team Alfredsson 14-15-21—50. Power-play opportunitiesTeam Chara 0 of 0; Team Alfredsson 0 of 0. GoaliesTeam Chara, Howard (14 shots-11 saves), Price (0:00 second, 15-12), Thomas 1-0-0 (0:00 third, 21-18). Team Alfredsson, Lundqvist (12-9), Quick (0:00 second, 13-10), Elliott 0-1-0 (0:00 third, 19-13). A20,510 (19,153). T0:23. Referees—Eric Furlatt, Tim Peel. LinesmenBrad Kovachik, Derek Amell.

Report: Tampa Bay Bucs coach Greg Schiano wants to hire Butch Davis

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By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
Monday, January 30, 2012

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Greg Schiano is going back to his roots to hire at least one assistant on his staff.

Schiano wants to hire Butch Davis, the former Tar Heels, Browns and Miami Hurricanes head coach, according to Sports Illustrated's Peter King.

It's not clear what role Davis would have on the Bucs' staff, but most likely he would be defensive coordinator. Schiano was Davis' defensive coordinator at Miami from 1999-2000.

Here's what King wrote:

Greg Schiano wants Butch Davis on his staff.

Not sure whether Davis would be defensive coordinator or an assistant head coach, but Schiano's interested in adding him to the staff at Tampa Bay. Schiano was Davis' defensive coordinator at the University of Miami in 1999 and 2000, and they have remained close. Davis hasn't coached in the NFL since he was dismissed by the Browns after the 2004 season. He'd be a good sounding board for Schiano.

I like the Schiano hire. Not to ignore the others, but having lived in New Jersey when Schiano took over one of the worst teams in any sport in the country (that's no exaggeration), I witnessed the job he did making Rutgers competitive nationally. In the last few days, I've heard people say, "Well, he never won the Big East at Rutgers. Dumb hire.'' Time will tell.

Only two of the eight coaches hired in 2009 are still with their teams. You know there are no such things as long-term locks in the NFL, but I like this hire because the Bucs needed a coach to instill discipline. This is a team, and a defense in particular, that didn't respond to Raheem Morris anymore. It's shocking how quickly they tuned him out -- as if they lost interest in everything that came out of his mouth. They won't miss what Schiano says. He'll bench or cut guys if they're lazy or poor workers or unproductive.

"Whatever you decide to do, on any level of football, you have to have rules, and we'll have them,'' Schiano said over the phone from Tampa. "I'm not looking to reinvent the wheel. I'm just looking to coach the players we have the right way.''

He's not sure how he got so close to Bill Belichick, but Belichick helped him get this job. He called Tampa Bay GM Mark Dominik, who led the Bucs' long search, and told Dominik how NFL-ready he thought Schiano was. "We trust one another,'' said Schiano. "I think we see things the same way -- not schematically, necessarily, but principally.''

Tampa Bay Buccaneers GM Mark Dominik: 'We'll be involved (in free agency)'

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By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer
Monday, January 30, 2012

Lost amid all the news and fallout from Greg Schiano's hiring by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week was an interesting conversation we had with general manager Mark Dominik about the Bucs' approach to this offseason.

You heard co-chairman Joel Glazer's emphatic statements earlier this month on free-agent spending and his vow that the Bucs will do what it takes to again become competitive in the NFC South.

Now, Dominik offers similar sentiments when asked about areas of the roster that need to be improved and how the team will go about making that happen.

"We understand we're not a finished product," he said. "I know that there's things we need to address on this team and I know that we'll do it in all capacities. We're going to do it in free agency. I don't want people to be worried that we're not going to spend in free agency. We'll be involved."

The draft also will continue to be a central part of the process.

"We'll absolutely do it in the draft," he said. "We have the fifth pick in the draft. Whether we stay there or move around, it's a big selection for our football team. But there's still things that have to be addressed on this football team from a talent aspect, absolutely. And I look forward to Coach Schiano being a big piece of that in terms of making sure we bring the right men to this football program and it becomes successful the way he wants it to be."

We're sure fans have their free-agent wish lists, and those dreams may or may not come true. But given the investment in Schiano (who received a 5-year contract) and the tenor of the press conference (about this being a new beginning for the Buccaneers), you get the feeling there's going to be a change in approach from ownership.

Another key: Schiano didn't need this job. He had a good situation at Rutgers. You can assume he made his expectations and hopes clear before signing on.

"When we were interviewing him, I know that he was interviewing us, too," Dominik said. "You could tell by the questions that he would ask back that were very specific, intelligent questions. He doesn't just want to be in the NFL. He wants to find the right job. For him to choose Tampa speaks volumes for what he (sees) here and what we're trying to do here.

"All (candidates) had questions, but it's the depth of the questions that made me feel confident that if Schiano was offered the head-coaching job of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, I believe he wants to be the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers."

I would be stunned if at least some of those questions didn't deal with player acquisitions.

While no one expects the Bucs to go on a spending bonanza similar to that of the Eagles of 2011 – and that's not a prudent approach anyway – notice that you don't hear the same buzzwords you've heard in the past. They still believe in building through the draft, but no one seems to be talking about free agency as if it's a plague, either.

We'll know in another several weeks when the signing period begins what level of involvement the Bucs will have in free agency. But there is reason to think they will, in fact, be players in the market.

Florida Gators' Bradley Beal earns fourth SEC Freshman of the Week honor

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By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Monday, January 30, 2012

Florida Gators guard Bradley Beal has been named SEC Freshman of the Week - the fourth time this season he has received the weekly honor.

Beal averaged 14 points, three rebounds and 2.5 assits in this past week's victories over Mississippi and then-No. 18 Mississippi State.

Beal scored nine points, had three assists and two rebounds against Ole Miss, then had a game-high 19 points - including three-of-four from 3-point range - against Mississippi State. It was the sixth time this season Beal has led the Gators in scoring.


Captain's Corner: Nice weather means great fishing

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By Mike Gore, Times Correspondent
Monday, January 30, 2012

Nice weather, great fishing: Thanks to the mild winter, February fishing should improve. When you talk about January and February, we usually are talking about really cold weather and water. This year, the water temperature has never really dipped below 62 and now sits around 64. If this continues, expect phenomenal spring fishing.

Trout improves: The trout bite is hitting full stride again like it was in December. It slowed a bit throughout most of January but really turned back on last week. Deeper holes are holding the biggest numbers. They are schooled up and you can easily catch your limit with live shrimp. If hooking the shrimp in the head is not producing, tail hook them. In the super clear water have at least a 3-foot fluorocarbon liter on. Smaller redfish are all over most docks. Docks that have good tidal flow make good ambush points. Bigger ones are laid up in sand holes on shallow water flats.

New regulations: Don't forget about new regulations and closings going into effect Wednesday. Trout will now be open year round. Redfish bag limit increases to two fish north of Fred Howard Park. Anything south is still one. Grouper will close Wednesday to March 31 on all species in the gulf.

Mike Gore charters out of Tampa Bay. Call him at (813) 390-6600 or visit tampacharters.com.

Close SEC losses becoming frustrating to Florida Gators women's basketball team

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By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Monday, January 30, 2012

GAINESVILLE — Amanda Butler wasn't trying to hide it, and most likely the tone of her voice and her demeanor Monday morning would have given it away anyhow.

Things are tough right now for the women's basketball team.

The close losses that were once an irritating facet of the early conference season are becoming a heavy burden. Sunday's 73-72 double-overtime loss at Arkansas was the seventh of eight SEC games this season the Gators have lost by six or fewer points. Florida was 3-of-6 from the free-throw line in overtime after hitting just 5-of-13 in regulation. And as the Gators prepare to play at LSU on Thursday night, the biggest challenge for Butler is keeping her team from dragging the past into the present.

"It's terribly disappointing for them, but the only thing that matters is we've got LSU on Thursday," Butler said. "That's what we've got to get ready for. We've got to fix some things we didn't do well and turn it around. We don't have time to be feeling sorry for ourselves."

The Gators (13-8, 3-5) are mired in a pack of teams logjammed in the middle of the SEC. Florida defeated LSU (14-7, 4-4) earlier this season, and a second victory would give the Gators a boost in the league standings. Two-and-a-half games separate the league's No. 3 through 10 teams.

"We certainly try to figure out how to get out of the middle and how to get out of the clump," Butler said. "We lost our opportunity to beat Arkansas, they were in that clump as well. … But the only thing that we can do is attack the next one, and try to separate ourselves. I think it's a great opportunity that we're playing someone that we're close with in the standings."

BEAL HONORED AGAIN: G Bradley Beal was named SEC freshman of the week on Monday, the fourth time this season he has received the honor. Beal averaged 14 points, three rebounds and 2.5 assists in victories over Mississippi and then-No. 18 Mississippi State. On Monday, the Gators moved up two spots to No. 12 in the AP poll.

THE BENCH, FOR NOW: After being hampered with tendinitis in his ankle, sophomore C Patric Young has been out of the starting lineup the past four games. And for now, that's most likely how it will stay.

When coach Billy Donovan asked Young about his new role prior to Saturday afternoon's game against Mississippi State, "he said, 'Coach, keep it like it is. I'm fine,' " Donovan said.

It's an issue Donovan will address as the season progresses, but for now Young seems to be a better fit coming off the bench.

"It's helped our team," Donovan said. "I think Patric comes off the bench and adds a different element and a different boost to our team. I think it takes a pretty humble kid, as good as he is as a player, to do that, but I also feel that it's my job and responsibility to make sure that whatever role that he's in, he's a vital and important piece to our team and that we figure out how to best put him in the position where he feels like he can play his best. I don't know if that's coming off the bench or not. I just know that he's been comfortable with it."

SOFTBALL PICKED TO WIN IT ALL: The softball team has been picked to win the SEC in the annual SEC coaches preseason poll released on Monday. The Gators finished 56-13 last season and the national runner-up. The No. 2 Gators have won four consecutive Eastern Division titles.

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

Close SEC losses frustrating to Florida Gators women's basketball team

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By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Monday, January 30, 2012

GAINESVILLE — Amanda Butler wasn't trying to hide it, and most likely the tone of her voice and her demeanor Monday morning would have given it away anyhow.

Things are tough for the UF women's basketball team.

The close losses that were irritating early in the conference season are becoming a heavy burden. Sunday's 73-72 double-overtime loss at Arkansas was the seventh of eight SEC games this season the Gators have lost by six or fewer points. Florida was 3-of-6 from the free-throw line in overtime after hitting just 5-of-13 in regulation. And as the Gators prepare to play at LSU on Thursday night, the biggest challenge for Butler is keeping her team from dragging the past into the present.

"It's terribly disappointing for them, but the only thing that matters is we've got LSU on Thursday," Butler said. "That's what we've got to get ready for. We've got to fix some things we didn't do well and turn it around. We don't have time to be feeling sorry for ourselves."

The Gators (13-8, 3-5) are mired in a logjam in the middle of the SEC. Florida defeated LSU (14-7, 4-4) this season, and a second victory would give the Gators a boost in the league standings. Two-and-a-half games separate the league's No. 3 through 10 teams.

"We certainly try to figure out how to get out of the middle and how to get out of the clump," Butler said. "We lost our opportunity to beat Arkansas, they were in that clump as well. … But the only thing that we can do is attack the next one, and try to separate ourselves. I think it's a great opportunity that we're playing someone that we're close with in the standings."

BEAL HONORED AGAIN: G Bradley Beal was named SEC freshman of the week on Monday for the fourth time this season. Beal averaged 14 points, three rebounds and 2.5 assists in victories over Mississippi and then-No. 18 Mississippi State. On Monday, the Gators moved up two spots to No. 12 in the AP poll.

THE BENCH, FOR NOW: After being hampered with tendinitis in his ankle, sophomore C Patric Young has been out of the starting lineup the past four games. And for now, that's most likely how it will stay.

When coach Billy Donovan asked Young about his new role prior to Saturday afternoon's game against Mississippi State, "he said, 'Coach, keep it like it is. I'm fine,' " Donovan said.

It's an issue Donovan will address as the season progresses, but for now Young seems to be a better fit coming off the bench.

"It's helped our team," Donovan said. "I think Patric comes off the bench and adds a different element and a different boost to our team. I think it takes a pretty humble kid, as good as he is as a player, to do that, but I also feel that it's my job and responsibility to make sure that whatever role that he's in, he's a vital and important piece to our team and that we figure out how to best put him in the position where he feels like he can play his best. I don't know if that's coming off the bench or not. I just know that he's been comfortable with it."

SOFTBALL PICKED TO WIN sec: The softball team has been picked to win the SEC in the annual SEC coaches preseason poll released on Monday. Last season the Gators (56-13) were the national runner-up. The No. 2 Gators have won four consecutive Eastern Division titles.

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

Indianapolis prepares for anything

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Times wires
Monday, January 30, 2012

INDIANAPOLIS — From pickpockets and prostitutes to dirty bombs and exploding manhole covers, authorities are bracing for whatever threat the first Super Bowl in downtown Indianapolis might bring.

Though Indianapolis has ample experience hosting large sporting events — the Indianapolis 500 attracts more than 200,000 fans each year, and the NCAA's men's Final Four basketball tournament has been held there six times since 1980— the city's first Super Bowl poses unique challenges.

Unlike the Final Four, which is one weekend, the Super Bowl offers logistical challenges over 10 days. And unlike the 500, where events are largely at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway — about 7 miles from Lucas Oil Stadium — the NFL's showcase event will consume 44 blocks in the heart of the city.

"This is clearly bigger in terms of the amount of people who will be downtown over an extended period of time," city Public Safety Director Frank Straub said.

Under a security risk rating system used by the federal government, the Super Bowl ranks just below national security events involving the president and the Secret Service, said Indianapolis Chief of Homeland Security Gary Coons.

COME AS YOU ARE: Unlike four years ago when they dressed in black suits as a symbol of unity before facing the undefeated Patriots, the Giants returned to the Super Bowl this time with no sartorial gimmicks.

Arriving in town a day after the Patriots, the Giants are confident. They believe in themselves as much as they did in 2008 when they ruined New England's perfect season with a stunning 17-14 win in Arizona.

"We had no doubt," G Chris Snee said Monday, referring to the Giants' feelings four years ago. "You have to be a confident team when you get on the plane. You reach this game for a reason. It's not by chance. You have to be confident coming out here."

The other reason for not doing the all-black getup again?

"(The season in) '07 and this year, it has its similarities, but what we did in '07 will not help us one iota come Sunday," Giants DE Justin Tuck said.

IN DAD'S FOOTSTEPS: Patriots WR Matt Slater knows better than to take a Super Bowl trip for granted.

His father, Jackie Slater, was an offensive lineman for the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl XIV in January 1980. The Rams lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Slater never went back to a Super Bowl in a Hall of Fame career that lasted until 1995.

"I think that was one of the biggest things that he kind of missed on his career is he never won a world championship," Matt Slater said. "I knew how much that meant to him because he was a huge team guy."

Dad has offered son some advice about handling the pressure leading up to the game.

"He told me just to do everything I can to prepare myself for the game on Sunday so that I can live with no regrets," the fourth-year player from UCLA said.

POPULAR: Giants coach Tom Coughlin said he "would think Indianapolis fans will become Giants fans" this week. That's partly because Colts fans are used to cheering for a quarterback named Manning, and Peyton's brother Eli has become a star for New York. Buy mostly it's because the Colts and Patriots have been fierce rivals, especially in the past decade.

Game preview: Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Washington Capitals

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By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Monday, January 30, 2012

Tonight

Lightning vs. Capitals

When/where: 7:30; Tampa Bay Times Forum, Tampa

TV/radio: NBC Sports Network (formerly Versus); 620-AM

Key stats: Lightning C Vinny Lecavalier and W Marty St. Louis are on six-game points streaks. Lecavalier has three goals, seven assists. St. Louis has two goals, eight assists. … In his past 12 starts, Capitals G Tomas Vokoun is 8-4-0 with a 2.23 goals-against average and .931 save percentage. … Washington's power play is 1-for-16 in its past six games.

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