By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Former Tampa Bay Devil Rays OF Danny Clyburn was shot and killed after an argument early Tuesday, police in South Carolina said.

According to the Lancaster Herald newspaper, Clyburn, 37, was shot at about 2 a.m. in front at a home in Lancaster, S.C.

The Herald said a 36-year-old man, Derrick Lamont Mcilwain, was arrested and charged with murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime after turning himself in.

Clyburn played for the Rays during the 1999 season, acquired from Baltimore in a trade for pitcher Jason Johnson.

By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, February 7, 2012

It wasn't the greatest season for the Florida football team, but some former Gators have still managed to earn an invitation to the NFL Combine.

DT Jaye Howard, RB Chris Rainey and RB Jeff Demps all received invites to the Combine, which will be held Feb. 22-28 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Howard and Rainey recently participated in the Senior Bowl last month.

It is interesting that Demps received an invite because last month Florida officials announced that he had decided to end his football career to focus on a potential career in track and field - with plans to try and make it to the 2012 Olympics.

This past weekend, Demps competed in his first indoor meet of the season and the two-time defending NCAA Champion finished first in the men's 60 meters with an NCAA automatic qualifying time of 6.59.

"We're obviously very pleased with Jeff," Florida head coach Mike Holloway said at the time. "He'll be the first to tell you that he didn't execute the race well in the final, but he's been working a lot in practice and he'll only continue to improve as we get deeper into the season."

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Steve Spurrier is in a familiar place, with another top-10 finish in his rearview mirror and a touted recruiting class headed for South Carolina this fall.

Seven seasons into his third stint as a college head coach, Spurrier is cruising, the Ol' Ball Coach feeling a lot younger than 66. Sporting his trademark visor on autumn Saturdays, he beams over every "first" the Gamecocks program experiences. It's almost like he never left the campus life.

But, unfortunately for Spurrier, he can't completely erase the two seasons he spent coaching the Redskins (2002-03) after leaving behind the powerhouse he built at Florida. He went 12-20 in Washington before getting shown the door, joining a number of other college coaches over the years who failed to make the jump to the biggest stage.

Spurrier picked up the phone in his Columbia, S.C., office last week, and made one thing clear about the challenge facing former Rutgers, and new Bucs, coach Greg Schiano: At the next level, it's not always as simple as X's and O's.

"The Jimmys and Joes," Spurrier said, referring to players, "are the most important."

History is not on Schiano's side. Since 2000, eight college coaches have gone to the NFL: Spurrier, Nick Saban, Pete Carroll, Jim Harbaugh, Bobby Petrino, Dennis Erickson, Butch Davis and Lane Kiffin. Taking out Harbaugh, who recently won AP Coach of the Year for a 13-3 season in San Francisco and an NFC title game berth, the rest have combined for two playoff appearances and a .374 winning percentage (not including previous stints for Carroll and Erickson).

Schiano has said "football is football," but those college coaches who have tried the feat say there are some obstacles and pitfalls to avoid. There are adjustments in handling player discipline and game management.

"You just need a good playmaker at quarterback, and if you have that, you have a real chance," said Rich Brooks, a former Oregon and Kentucky coach who was fired after two seasons with the Rams (1995-96). "It's not rocket science. Football is football, but the pressures and the organization have a lot to do with your success or lack of success."

'Be yourself'

Dennis Erickson said there's not a big change between college and the NFL in fundamental techniques and scheme.

But Erickson said a key is to not to re-invent yourself.

Erickson was an innovator of the spread offense in his early college jobs and led Miami to two national titles (1989, 1991).

But when Erickson took over the Seahawks in 1995, the first of two NFL stints, he was convinced to skip the spread in favor of a more traditional pro offense. And after four seasons (31-33), and one ownership change, the two-time Sporting News College Coach of the Year was fired. He returned to the college game.

"You've just got to be yourself, but be flexible," Erickson said. "Do what you believe in, and I know (Schiano) will do that."

There will be game and practice management adjustments, Erickson said — from having fewer possessions in the NFL because the clock doesn't stop on first downs, to having fewer padded practices.

But it appears Schiano, known for his blitzing defense and a power running game with deep passes, will stick with his familiar script, and Erickson thinks his offense will "fit into the NFL pretty darn well."

QB is key

Brooks, who led Oregon to the Rose Bowl in 1994, didn't exactly inherit the "Greatest Show on Turf" in St. Louis the following season. Marshall Faulk was still a Colt. Kurt Warner was still bagging groceries. But Brooks jumped to a 5-1 start, before quarterback Chris Miller sustained another concussion, effectively ending his career. In 1996, Brooks had quarterback Tony Banks, one of five rookie starters.

"I went 7-9 and 6-10 without (Miller)," Brooks said. "And I was gone."

Carroll, on the other hand, had veteran Matt Hasselbeck help take the Seahawks to an AFC West title (at 7-9 in 2010) and the Pro Bowl-type season of quarterback Alex Smith was a catalyst in Harbaugh's successful first year.

"At any level you need a quarterback, but in the NFL it's just paramount," Brooks said.

The Bucs feel they have a franchise quarterback in Josh Freeman, but Erickson and Brooks also believe that it matters how much say Schiano has in personnel. In college, coaches handpick their roster in recruiting, but in the NFL, Brooks said "some of your assistants are hired for you, you have varied input into the draft," and can be limited in free agency.

Bucs GM Mark Dominik will retain authority over personnel moves, but said Schiano will be significantly involved and both will work to hire a staff.

"Usually, the organization doesn't give the head coach that much autonomy or authority," Brooks said. "It becomes very difficult and you have to get a great working relationship with all the working parts. There's a lot more working parts at the pro level than in college."

One voice

One of Schiano's strengths at Rutgers was instilling discipline, but he said that, in the NFL, enforcing it is not just on him, it has to be a "unified message."

And, "It doesn't work unless you have consequences."

That philosophy is much-needed for the Bucs, who had discipline issues on and off the field. But Brooks suggests there are times when management can limit the control coaches have over their enforcement.

"It definitely changes because in college, usually the coach is the least expendable person, and in the NFL, he's one of the more expendable persons," Brooks said. "You have 10-15 guys who are making more money than the coach is. … You have to be a little more diplomatic, learn how to get along with the players' idiosyncrasies.

"You really need to adjust to the players at that level, need to be firm but need to be fair and understand you're not talking to 17, 18 year olds, you're talking to grown men that, in a lot of cases, are going to be around a lot longer than you are."

Erickson said each coach has his own style, but it's important to lean on the leaders in the locker room to spread the message.

"I'm not sure you can rule with as much of an iron fist in the NFL," said former NFL offensive lineman Ross Tucker, who played for Spurrier in Washington. "Because in college, you can cut a kid basically. In the NFL, you're much more limited."

Whether Schiano bucks the trend of college coaches headed to the NFL remains to be seen. But Spurrier, an ex-Buc quarterback, is a big believer, as are Erickson and Brooks, all of whom are rooting for him.

"To me, the key is if you have good players, good coaching staff and a good quarterback — if you have all that in place, and good management, you can win," Spurrier said. "It doesn't matter if you came out of high school, college or the NFL."

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

By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, February 7, 2012

TAMPA — Can a college basketball team open conference play with seven straight losses and still make the NCAA Tournament? Surging Pittsburgh, in town to play USF tonight at the Tampa Bay Times Forum, hopes to do just that in the next month.

Two weeks ago, the Panthers were 0-7 in Big East play, a team that was No. 10 in the preseason Associated Press poll somehow a month removed from its last win. But with the healthy return of point guard Tray Woodall, the Panthers have won four in a row.

"We're fighters. We have a winning program. Our coach is a winning coach, and he tells us to keep fighting," Woodall said Tuesday by phone, happy to be back in the lineup after missing six weeks with an abdominal injury. "We're just worrying about one team at a time, not looking ahead. You start looking ahead, you start thinking about who a team just lost to, you start downplaying teams and not playing to your full potential."

Pitt (15-9, 4-7) has shown itself a much different team with Woodall, who picked up national player of the week honors after averaging 26.5 points in wins against West Virginia and Villanova. Before that, he had 10 assists in an upset of No. 10 Georgetown.

USF coach Stan Heath, whose team faces the Panthers twice in the next 12 days, said he never let himself think he might have the benefit of facing a weakened Panthers lineup.

"When (Woodall) went out, I immediately looked at the timeframe for when he was going to come back, that he was going to be back for our games," Heath said. "So I was prepared, knowing we were going to face the Pittsburgh team that was picked in the top three of our league, not the Pittsburgh team that got off to an 0-7 start."

Woodall, a 5-foot-11 junior from Brooklyn, said his time on the bench was difficult as his teammates struggled without their floor leader. He earned a medical redshirt as a freshman after suffering a knee injury 10 games into the season, but the second absence was harder for him to endure.

"It was one of the worst experiences of my life, watching those guys fighting and fighting and not coming up with the result we wanted," he said.

Perhaps the midseason adversity can help the Panthers in March, should they make the NCAA field. Last year, Pitt started 7-0 in Big East play, finishing 15-3 for the regular-season crown only to be upset by eighth seed Connecticut (the eventual national champion) in the Panthers' first game in the Big East tournament. Then in the NCAAs, Pittsburgh was again a No. 1 seed and fell in the second round to Butler, which wound up the national runner-up.

This season, the Panthers could find themselves in the role of low-seeded spoiler, a team far better than its record would indicate. Pitt was 6-1 before Woodall's injury, and he hopes to finish the season at the same high level the Panthers opened it, with a greater sense of urgency to his play.

"I try to leave it all on the court," Woodall said. "Anything can happen. If there's one thing I took from me being hurt, it's that it can snap right before your eyes. One slide can set off a season-ending injury. My mantra now is to be aggressive, knowing every possession we have the ball, every chance I have, I have to give it all I've got."

By Dave Walker, Times Correspondent
Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Unusual weather: Warm weather lately is perplexing, with fishing situations changing rapidly and things seeming a bit out of whack. We may have an extended period of the annual spring fishing blitz.

What's hot: Redfish are moving back onto the flats as near or record high air temperatures seem to be the status quo. Reds will gobble live bait if possible, and can be captured on artificial baits as well. Look for them around large schools of mullet, preferably in the afternoon when it is the warmest.

Tips: Gray and rainy days are a great opportunity to service and repair fishing and outdoor gear. Service shops are slow now and from the looks of things, spring will be here rapidly if not already. ... It is easy to use boats for storage. Avoid this. Streamlining the preparedness factor will mean more time on the water.

Tradition: Typically, king mackerel are in our area around Easter and Thanksgiving. But some are being caught now. As spring approaches, kings will move far inside the Sunshine Skyway.

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

By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, February 7, 2012

TAMPA — If the last wave of expansion — Boise State, Houston and friends — was a Big East move to survive in football, the latest news is a nod to preserving the league's basketball reputation, with national outlets reporting that Memphis will be announced today as an all-sports member of the conference starting in fall 2013.

Memphis is just 16-7 this season in men's basketball, with four losses coming to future Big East rivals. Josh Pastner is still looking for his first NCAA Tournament win in Year 3 of the post-John Calipari era, but the Tigers have the basketball tradition and recruiting base to challenge for the top half of the Big East, something none of the league's other recent all-sport additions can reasonably boast.

The move won't help the Big East in football, other than to insulate the league from the next round of expansion. Memphis is 5-31 in the past three years, 2-22 in Conference USA. Its last win against a BCS-league opponent was in 2004, when RB DeAngelo Williams led the Tigers past Mississippi on the way to an 8-4 mark. By the time Memphis arrives, the league may have lost another round of teams, with the Big 12 still eyeing Louisville or the ACC eyeing teams if the Big 12 tries to loot it in the Southeast.

New Tigers football coach Justin Fuente, 35, was at one point heading to the Big East this fall as co-offensive coordinator at TCU, but the Horned Frogs opted for the Big 12, and he'll have a transition year in C-USA before he has the challenge of not being the worst team in the new Big East. But this is basketball season, and adding Memphis is a move that Louisville's Rick Pitino will heartily endorse, as should the conference's basketball half, which takes a big hit with the upcoming departure of Pittsburgh, Syracuse and West Virginia.

FREE RIDE, FOOD: Hoping to boost its student presence at the Tampa Bay Times Forum, USF has chartered three buses to bring students downtown for tonight's men's basketball game against Pittsburgh, with the first 50 promised a basket of wings at the Channelside Hooters. The transition year downtown while the Sun Dome is under renovation has seen a drop in announced attendance, down 29 percent from last year to an average of 2,994. Rutgers, averaging 4,926, is the only other Big East school averaging less than 7,000.

THIS AND THAT: USF softball opens its season with a doubleheader Friday on campus, and the first 36 games are either in Tampa or at the Eddie Moore Complex in Clearwater. The first actual road game is March 28 at Florida. … Skip Holtz's work on recruiting the Class of 2013 has a big weekend with the Bulls' Junior Day. With normal attrition in the next year, USF should get its first full class of 25 scholarship recruits since 2009. That class had two players who won Super Bowl rings Sunday in Giants DE Jason Pierre-Paul and LB Jacquian Williams. Five of the six former Bulls players who have won Super Bowl rings have done so with the Giants or Patriots, counting Giants LB Kawika Mitchell in 2008 and Patriots reserves Kenyatta Jones and Scott McCready in 2002.

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

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, February 7, 2012

TAMPA — Lightning GM Steve Yzerman said Tuesday he is no closer to determining whether he will be a buyer or seller at the Feb. 27 deadline.

Yzerman had said he believed clarity would come after the homestand that ended against the Kings. But with the team still on the edge of the playoff conversation, there is no longer a clear timetable, though the upcoming three-game road trip that starts Thursday against the Rangers likely will be key.

"The team is playing well," Yzerman said before Tampa Bay's 3-1 loss stopped its 6-0-1 points streak. "We're winning games. There's still lots of time left. … Let this play itself out."

There was a minor stir when for the eighth time D Evan Oberg was called up from AHL Norfolk. With Marc-Andre Bergeron in the lineup after missing nine games with a back injury, Tampa Bay has nine healthy blue-liners. That sparked thoughts of a pending trade.

But Yzerman said Oberg was insurance for a team that wants to dress seven defensemen and see how Bergeron's back reacts.

"No trades or things that you would love to hear; nothing to speculate on," coach Guy Boucher said. "It's just a precaution thing. If something happens, it will be something that comes out of the blue."

If you listen to Yzerman, that does not seem likely.

"The trade market dictates what, if anything, we're going to do," he said. "At this point there's nothing that makes any sense that is the right thing to do whether it's short or long term."

hall BACK: Expected to be out two months, RW Adam Hall cut that in half when he returned Tuesday after missing 12 games with a left biceps injury. Hall, Tampa Bay's most-used penalty killer among forwards, played 5:30 in the game with two hits.

MORE MEDICAL MATTERS: LW Ryan Malone (upper body) skated with the team and said he is shooting for a Saturday return at Pittsburgh. … C Nate Thompson played after having an MRI exam on an undisclosed injury that forced him to leave Monday's practice early.

LINEUP: While getting two assists in Saturday's 6-3 win over the Panthers, W Ryan Shannon got time on a line with C Vinny Lecavalier and Marty St. Louis. That continued against the Kings.

"As a player, if you live and die based on reward and being in the doghouse it becomes a roller coaster and I don't think that's good for your psyche," Shannon said. "Regardless of who I'm playing with, I just want to build the foundation of my game."

For Shannon, with a disappointing two goals, nine points in 28 games, that is speed.

"If I simplify my game and think about my speed and covering the ice and being responsible with the puck, plays build off that foundation," he said.

ODDS AND ENDS: The Lightning and representatives for C Dominic Moore have had at least preliminary discussions about a new contract. … C Steven Stamkos turned 22 and got a shaving cream pie in the face from teammate Steve Downie. … Oberg, RW Brett Connolly and D Matt Gilroy were scratched. … Watch parties for the next three road games are at Champions restaurant at the Marriott Waterside Hotel, 700 S Florida Ave., Tampa.

By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, February 7, 2012

USF vs. Pittsburgh

When/where: 7 p.m.; Tampa Bay Times Forum, Tampa

TV/radio: BHSN; 620-AM

Records: Pittsburgh 15-9, 4-7 Big East; USF 13-10, 6-4

Notable: Here are two teams coming from decidedly different directions. USF is coming off a 30-point loss at Georgetown, its most lopsided conference loss since joining the Big East in 2005, while Pittsburgh has surged to four wins in a row with the healthy return of PG Tray Woodall. … The Bulls are struggling to score; Augustus Gilchrist, averaging 11 points, is the only USF player averaging double-digits. … USF needs PG Anthony Collins to hit enough shots that defenses don't ignore him, as Georgetown did; Collins is averaging 6.4 points, mostly on drives and free throws.

Greg Auman, Times staff writer

By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, February 7, 2012

USF women at St. John's

When/where: 11:30 a.m.; Carnesecca Arena, Queens, N.Y.

Radio: 1010-AM

Records: USF 12-12, 4-6 Big East; St. John's 15-8, 7-3

Notable: It's Field Trip Day at St. John's, so the Bulls get the rare weekday morning tipoff, hoping to break out of a 1-4 slump. … The Bulls have struggled of late, trailing by 31 in the second half of a Saturday loss at Syracuse. Top scorer Jasmine Wynne didn't travel after suffering a concussion, and starting guard Shalethia Stringfield stayed home due to a death in the family. Senior Andrell Smith will likely start at 2-guard, with Kaneisha Saunders or Sasha Bernard stepping in at the point. … St. John's is led by guard Eugeneia McPherson, who averages 13.3 points.

Greg Auman, Times staff writer

Times staff
Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Times wires
Tuesday, February 7, 2012

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Florida kept sticking to its strength by shooting from behind the arc. It turned out to be the eighth-ranked Gators' biggest problem.

Kenny Boynton led Florida with 18 points, but the team with the most 3-pointers in the nation this season made 6 of 27 3's in a 78-58 loss to No. 1 Kentucky on Tuesday night.

"I don't know if we necessarily attacked their defense great in terms of with a high level of intelligence," Florida coach Billy Donovan said. "But, I did think that we had some decent looks."

Not enough to contend with the overwhelming Wildcats, who got 13 points and 13 rebounds from freshman Michael Kidd-Gilchrist to easily pass their toughest conference test to date.

"They are very, very good. There is not one thing you do necessarily against them that is a formula to win," Donovan said. "Certainly shooting the ball well on the road helps; we didn't shoot it well."

The Gators (19-5, 7-2 SEC) shot 34.9 percent from the field overall as the Wildcats (24-1, 10-0) won their 49th straight at home.

Doron Lamb scored 18 and freshman Anthony Davis added 16 for Kentucky, which won its 16th straight overall and ended Florida's seven-game winning streak.

"Our biggest strength is making 3s and we weren't making them," Florida freshman Bradley Beal said. "Our defense was terrible so, really, it was an overall totally bad game."

Florida hit the first two baskets of the second half to cut it to 38-30, but Kentucky answered with an 11-0 run sparked when freshman Marquis Teague and Darius Miller hit consecutive 3-pointers.

Beal then drove to the basket and Davis rejected his shot. Davis swatted another from Patric Young on the possession.

Miller added a jumper and Kidd-Gilchrist spun, hit a basket and was fouled. He completed the three-point play that made it 49-30 as Florida missed eight straight shots.

"They know that we are a 3-point shooting team and they took our best strength away from us," said Beal, who finished with a team-high 14 points. "We have to find other ways to be able to put the ball in the basket, and we didn't do that."

Florida insisted before the game that all the pressure was on the Wildcats, but this group that starts three freshmen and two sophomores doesn't appear to get rattled easily. Their only blemish is a one-point loss in December at Indiana.

One of the last remaining questions for Kentucky had been the quality of opponents the Wildcats had faced after not meeting a ranked team in more than a month.

Kentucky answered it emphatically, leading by as many as 21 points late.

"It's fun winning by 20," Teague said.

Davis added: "We have this little swagger, We're very capable of winning a national championship if we keep playing how we're playing."

FLORIDA (19-5): Young 5-10 2-2 12, Murphy 3-11 0-0 7, Boynton 6-12 2-2 18, Walker 0-7 0-0 0, Beal 5-15 3-4 14, Rosario 1-4 1-2 3, Wilbekin 0-1 0-0 0, Yeguete 2-3 0-2 4. Totals 22-63 8-12 58.

KENTUCKY (24-1): Jones 2-7 0-0 4, Kidd-Gilchrist 4-8 5-5 13, Davis 8-13 0-0 16, Lamb 6-8 2-2 18, Teague 4-6 2-2 12, Miller 3-7 2-2 9, Vargas 0-1 0-0 0, Wiltjer 2-5 0-0 6. Totals 29-55 11-11 78.

Halftime—Kentucky 38-26. 3-Point Goals—Florida 6-27 (Boynton 4-8, Murphy 1-5, Beal 1-7, Wilbekin 0-1, Rosario 0-2, Walker 0-4), Kentucky 9-15 (Lamb 4-5, Wiltjer 2-2, Teague 2-3, Miller 1-4, Jones 0-1). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Florida 31 (Yeguete 7), Kentucky 38 (Kidd-Gilchrist 13). Assists—Florida 9 (Beal 3), Kentucky 18 (Teague 10). Total Fouls—UF 12, Kentucky 13. A—24,389.

Times wires
Tuesday, February 7, 2012

cycling

contador won't quit, maintains innocence

MADRID — Alberto Contador vowed Tuesday to return to the pinnacle of cycling, maintaining his innocence in the face of a two-year doping ban that stripped the Spanish star of his 2010 Tour de France title.

He said his lawyers are considering whether to appeal the ban handed down by sport's highest court and insisted that even if the punishment stands he will return to challenge for more Tour titles.

The penalty is retroactive and will expire in August.

"I'm sure of one thing: I want to come back to ride the best races," Contador said at a news conference, making in his first comments since Monday's verdict ended an 18-month doping investigation that again highlighted cycling's long-standing problem with banned substances.

Contador had previously hinted that he might quit if banned for testing positive for clenbuterol on his way to winning a third Tour title in 2010.

The Spaniard had based his defense on a bad steak, saying he must have digested the clenbuterol — a banned anabolic agent — by eating contaminated meat that his team imported from Spain during the Tour.

Contador said his legal team is examining whether to appeal to Switzerland's supreme court, which is the only body he can still turn to in hopes of being exonerated. He said the ordeal has left him disillusioned with the sport and he would never recommend professional cycling to anyone.

"The only satisfaction I feel is that whatever decision was reached, the ruling never says I doped," Contador said. "There was never an intention on my part."

tennis

Li sidelined by back pain in Paris

French Open champion Li Na retired with a sore back against Tsvetana Pironkova in the second set of her opening match at the Open GDF Suez in Paris.

Third-seeded Li took a medical timeout while trailing 7-6 (7-5), 3-2 to have her lower back massaged and played a few more points before retiring.

"It was so painful," Li said. "That's why I called the physio to come to the court. I tried to tape and then tried to play the point, but it didn't work. I'll go to the hospital to take an MRI to see what happened."

Fourth-seeded Jelena Jankovic withdrew because of a left thigh strain sustained last week in Serbia's 3-2 win over Belgium in the Fed Cup.

obituary

Soccer 'pioneer' Keough, 84

Harry Keough, who played for the U.S. soccer team that famously upset England at the 1950 World Cup, died at his home in St. Louis. He was 84.

U.S. Soccer Federation spokesman Michael Kammarman said his death was confirmed by son Ty Keough, who also played for the American national team.

A defender who had one goal in 19 appearances for the U.S. from 1949-57, Mr. Keough coached Saint Louis University to five NCAA soccer titles. He was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1976.

"Harry was a true pioneer, representing the finest of a generation of men and women who built the foundations for soccer in the United States on which we stand today," U.S. Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati said. "While his participation on the U.S. team that beat England in the 1950 FIFA World Cup remains a memory that fans around the world treasure, it is his lasting contribution to soccer in St. Louis and around the country as a player and a coach that will be his true legacy."

golf

Inkster antsy after surgery

Even when she took time off the LPGA Tour to have two children, Juli Inkster never went more than a month without playing golf. Now comes her biggest challenge.

After trying to cope with pain in her right elbow, Inkster had surgery Jan. 27 to repair a torn tendon. The Hall of Famer will be in some form of a cast for the next month, and might not be able to return until the middle of summer at the earliest. That's okay with her.

"It's going to take a lot of work, but I want to go out on my terms," said Inkster, 51. "This is the first injury I've ever had. Before the surgery, I was kind of floundering. I wouldn't say I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but at least this is the start of the tunnel."

The tough part will be finding something to do, except for the physical therapy. Inkster is all about competing. It's been in her blood since she won the U.S. Women's Amateur three straight years, and then went on to the career Grand Slam.

"Me? How do you think Brian is feeling?" said Inkster, whose husband is the head pro at Los Altos Country Club. "I'm sure there's going to be some 'Sorry, I've got another meeting today, honey.' I think once I get started with physical therapy I'm going to be fine. But I've been watching a lot of NCIS. It got to the point where I was watching so much football I started calling the plays."

et cetera

College football: Missouri's Elvis Fisher, a three-year starter at left tackle before he sustained a season-ending knee injury in August, has been granted a sixth year of eligibility, the Kansas City Star reported. Fisher, a St. Petersburg Catholic graduate, was injured during preseason drills. … A misdemeanor drug charge against former Alabama cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick has been dropped, court records show. A court filing dated Feb. 2 said no criminal charges would be filed against Kirkpatrick, who skipped his senior season to enter the NFL draft and is projected as a first-round pick. Kirkpatrick announced the dropped charges in a Tweet: "For those who doubted: NO CHARGES FILED against me for marijuana bust in Florida."

Times wires

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, February 7, 2012

TAMPA — The Lightning power play is so inept, even fans have seen enough.

As the players repeatedly tried and failed Tuesday night against the Kings to simply cross the blue line into the offensive zone, boos filled the arena.

"Just to set it up was hard," captain Vinny Lecavalier said.

The Lightning lost 3-1 at the Tampa Bay Times Forum, and there was plenty of blame to go around from defensive lapses to missed scoring chances. But nothing was as frustrating as the power play that generated just two shots while going 0-for-3 and is in a 6-for-63 slump that seems to defy solutions.

Converting any of its three power-play chances would have changed the game for the Lightning, maybe even won it.

Instead, Tampa Bay (23-24-5) lost its 6-0-1 points streak to the league's lowest-scoring team and fell nine points behind the first-place Capitals in the Southeast Division.

"It's been frustrating all year," center Steven Stamkos said. "We needed it to at least give us some momentum, but we didn't generate anything. It's on us. We haven't been good all year and it's cost us games. It certainly cost us a chance to get back in the game (against Los Angeles)."

Consider that 19 seconds after Stamkos scored his league-best 35th goal to tie the score 1-1 7:49 into the second period, Tampa Bay went on a power play when Kyle Clifford was called for roughing.

The Lightning did not even get a shot on goal. Worse, it lost track of Clifford, who took a pass out of the penalty box and beat goaltender Dwayne Roloson on a breakaway with a backhand for a 2-1 lead.

It was a strange play as the arena horn that signals a Lightning goal blew briefly when a shot from defenseman Victor Hedman hit the side of the net just as the power play expired.

"I guess everybody was focused on that and didn't pay attention to the guy coming out of the box," coach Guy Boucher said.

But Lecavalier said, "We knew (the shot) wasn't in so the horn didn't have any part in it."

"We've just got to be more aware," Stamkos said. "Even the guys on the bench, myself included, should have been screaming the guy was coming out of the box."

Trailing 3-1 entering the third period, the Lightning got two power plays in the first eight minutes, but two combined shots did nothing except confirm the power play's No. 26 league ranking.

"It's frustrating," Lecavalier said. "Just to get one power-play goal can make a difference in the game and a huge difference between winning and losing."

Tuesday night was a prime example.

First Period—1, Los Angeles, Kopitar 17 (Greene, Williams), 2:47. Penalties—Kubina, TB (interference), 18:05.

Second Period—2, Tampa Bay, Stamkos 35 (Purcell, Brewer), 7:49. 3, Los Angeles, Clifford 4 (Scuderi), 10:16. 4, Los Angeles, Penner 5 (Richards, Stoll), 17:46. Penalties—Downie, TB (tripping), 2:17; Clifford, LA (roughing), 8:08.

Third Period—None. Penalties—Penner, LA (holding), 3:50; Williams, LA (high-sticking), 7:03. Shots on Goal—Los Angeles 6-6-8—20. Tampa Bay 10-4-11—25. Power-play opportunities—Los Angeles 0 of 2; Tampa Bay 0 of 3. Goalies—Los Angeles, Quick 23-13-9 (25 shots-24 saves). Tampa Bay, Roloson 7-11-2 (20-17). A—16,489 (19,204). T—2:19.

Times wires
Tuesday, February 7, 2012

EVANSVILLE, Ind. — Evansville finally figured out how to close out a game Tuesday night: with timely shooting and near perfect defense.

The Purple Aces almost held No. 17 Creighton scoreless over the final five minutes and broke a tie at 56 on Colt Ryan's 17-foot jumper with 3:08 left, rallying from a seven-point deficit for a 65-57 upset of the Bluejays.

It was such a stunning turnaround for a team that had lost three of four that students rushed the court in celebration.

"We had lost so many games because we were not listening," said senior swingman Kenny Harris, who scored 15. "Tonight, we just came out and paid attention to the details."

Evansville (12-12, 7-7 MVC) had lost six times by three or fewer points. But it delivered one of its strongest defensive games against the nation's best shooting team.

Creighton (21-4, 11-3) entered with the nation's top field-goal percentage (51.2) and 3-point percentage (44.8) and was in the top 10 in scoring per game (81). It also had the nation's No. 3 scorer in Doug McDermott (23.4) and a six-game winning streak over the Purple Aces.

Tuesday, Evansville kept Creighton out of sync by forcing nearly half of its shots from 3-point range and holding the Bluejays' possessions to a season-worst 57.

"We just couldn't get that separation we needed," Creighton coach Greg McDermott said.

NO. 3 OHIO ST. 87, PURDUE 84: William Buford scored a career-high 29 and hit a pivotal dunk in the final minute as the Buckeyes (21-3, 9-2 Big Ten) won their 39th game in a row at home.

Women

NO. 2 NOTRE DAME 74, SYRACUSE 55: Devereaux Peters had a season-high 21 points, and the visiting Irish (24-1, 11-0 Big East) won their 21st straight.

NO. 3 UCONN 56, NO. 20 LOUISVILLE 46: The visiting Huskies (22-2, 10-1 Big East) held the Cardinals (17-7, 6-5) to 25 percent shooting (14-of-56).

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Sun Sports today announced a 150-game schedule of Tampa Bay Rays telecasts, along with the addition of a full 30-minute pregame show for all road games.

Play-by-play man Dewayne Staats, analyst Brian Anderson and pre-/in-/post-game host Todd Kalas are all returning as well.

The new pregame show for road games will be staged in a new Fox Sports studio in Fort Lauderdale and hosted by Barry LeBrock. Kalas will continue to host the pregame show for home games from the Trop, and handle postgame duties. Former big-leaguer Orestes Destrade and Laura McKeeman will also be part of the coverage team. No longer included is Angela Jacobs.

Sun Sports will also produce nine episodes of Inside the Rays. A preseason special will air March 25.

Capt. Tim Whitfield
Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Fish: Spotted bottom equals freckled fish. The trout bite right now is pretty good. The fish are staged on grass flats with sandy potholes; the spotted bottom provides good ambush points for sea trout to gain the upper hand on unsuspecting bait. The more white spots on a grass flat equals more ambush points and that equals more fish.

Baits: The trout are feeding on just about any type of live or artificial offering. The top baits in the low-light conditions that occur early in the morning or late in the day are the top-water walk-the-dog style plugs. The ones with the deep pitch rattles work the best from recent experience. As the sun begins to rise, the soft plastic jigs bounce off the bottom of the sand hole and create a "puff." This is an attractant as well as the jig body. Jig bodies with a nice silver or gold flash will improve your odds when the sun is higher in the sky. Slow-sinking hard plastics that resemble a minnow or a sardine in bright colors work well during daylight hours as well.

Tactics: The best way to fish the potholes is to drift slowly across them working your bait of choice. Once fish are located, stake out the boat and work the area. If there are lots of small holes, work all of them to exhaustion. If there are edges and just one huge hole, work it well, then work it again. Then pull up the stake and begin again.

Capt. Tim Whitfield can be reached at (813) 714-0889 or tim@swiftfishcharters.com.

By Brandon Wright, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, February 8, 2012

TAMPA

Few, including longtime coach Bob Bauman, knew what to expect heading into this season.

Considering the wake left by the exodus of 15 seniors from the 2010-11 Tigers, the coach had more questions than answers.

"I was concerned about who would assume the leadership role because we lost a lot," Bauman said. "A lot of people thought this would be a rebuilding year."

Rebuild or reload?

Jesuit's players will attempt to reach the Class 3A state finals tonight when they host Plantation American Heritage in a state semifinal match. Considering the number of players lost from last year's squad, the Tigers' 20-3-1 season, including Tuesday's penalty-kick win over Immokalee, has already been a rousing success.

"I'd hoped they would play this well and jell this quickly, but I certainly didn't expect it," he said. "They've played well beyond expectations."

Bauman couldn't recall a season in his 25 years at Jesuit where there had been such turnover from one year to the next. The closest comparable squad was the 1998 team, which won state that season in the midst of Jesuit's three-year title run from 1997-1999, when the Tigers graduated 12.

"It was the unknown as to whether this group of 10 sophomores that I have this season would be able to mix in with the guys we already had," Bauman said. "And how they would handle the level of competition."

The Tigers defeated all local teams they played, losing only to Gulfport, Miss., and nationally ranked Montverde (No. 5 by ESPN) and Cape Coral Mariner (No. 50 by ESPN).

"I think we had to realize that it was going to be a grind," Brett Durrance said. "We had so much talent last year, but with who we've played (this season), we have to grind."

Another hallmark of this year's Tigers has been their remarkable scoring balance. Jesuit has eight players with five or more goals, led by senior striker Durrance's 20. He has scored in the Tigers' last two matches.

"And that's by design because it's much easier to shut a team down when they just have one player to worry about," Baumann said. "We give teams a lot to worry about, and it's a tribute to the good chemistry this team has."

Although Bauman had his doubts about this year's Tigers heading into the season, Durrance was far less pessimistic.

"I think we have enough talent to get to states," Durrance said.

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

By Jim Tomlin, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, February 8, 2012

TAMPA — Ricky Stenhouse knows the odds are stacked against him in the Daytona 500.

After all, he has just one Sprint Cup race under his belt, and only a one-race deal to drive the No. 6 Ford for Roush-Fenway Racing.

But the defending champion in the second-tier Nationwide series knows unlikelier things have happened, or at least as unlikely.

It happened last year to Stenhouse's good friend, Trevor Bayne.

Bayne, Stenhouse's Roush-Fenway teammate in Nationwide, parlayed a partial Sprint Cup deal with the Wood Brothers team into perhaps the biggest upset in Daytona history last year, becoming the youngest 500 winner in history just a day after his 20th birthday.

"That's the one that you want to run," Stenhouse said last week about Daytona. "That's the one that everybody would pick."

Stenhouse's lone Sprint Cup race was last year's Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte. The 24-year-old finished a solid 11th and on the lead lap for the same No. 21 team that Bayne drove for at Daytona.

Still, on Feb. 26, when Stenhouse lines up for this year's Daytona 500 (he's guaranteed a spot because of owner's points that carry over for the No. 6 car), he knows repeating Bayne's feat will not be easy.

"Early in the (600-mile) race I was racing just as hard for 28th as I did for fifth in the Nationwide race," Stenhouse said. "I don't expect it to be any different at Daytona. They got a lot of experience that I don't have."

The Mississippi native has picked up some laps at Daytona during testing, which has been a challenge as NASCAR continues to tinker with its rules.

"We had the test at Daytona with them changing rules," Stenhouse said. "With the drafting we did you could tell (drivers) were anxious to get back in it. It was exciting out there and it was just a test."

Part of that excitement comes as NASCAR introduces steps to try to reduce the amount of two-car tandem racing at restrictor-plate tracks. That style has proven unpopular with fans, many of whom indicate they prefer the massive packs from the recent past.

"Hopefully the fans will be able to get both (packs and tandems)," Stenhouse said. "I think still the fastest way around is pushing each other but if your motor can't take the heat — they've regulated it where the temperatures run up a lot faster, they start blowing out water a lot faster. Toward the end of the race maybe the last couple of laps you might see some steam coming out of the hood.

"I think the fans are going to have back what they wanted as far as the pack drafting."

Stenhouse said he likes the racing at a resurfaced Daytona International Speedway either way but, with track president Joie Chitwood present, joked that, "I'm waiting on Joie to go out and dig some holes and make it rough again." Chitwood, who dealt with the pothole-delayed 2010 Daytona 500, responded: "My last act as president of Daytona: President loses mind, digs pothole."

Clearly that's not going to happen. But Stenhouse, whose friendly off-track competitions with Bayne are chronicled on a website called RickyvsTrevor.com, wants a shot at 500 glory even knowing how hard it will be in just his second Sprint Cup start.

After all, last year there was a driver in the race who made just his second start.

Guess which one.

By Brandon Wright, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, February 8, 2012

BRANDON — Marissa Kazbour, one of the most decorated girls soccer players in Hillsborough County history, makes her return to Tampa sidelines Saturday.

But this time, she'll be doing so with a whistle around her neck.

Kazbour leads George Jenkins against Cape Coral Ida S. Baker at the USF Soccer Stadium with the 4A state title on the line Saturday. A two-time Times Player of the Year at Bloomingdale, Kazbour took over the Eagles before the season after wrapping up her playing career at Florida State University.

Times correspondent Brandon Wright spoke with Kazbour about her days at Bloomingdale and making the transition from player to coach.

This is your first head coaching position, and at a national powerhouse, no less (George Jenkins is 26-0 and ranked No. 3 by ESPN). That's quite an undertaking for someone with no prior head coaching experience.

I helped out at Bloomingdale last year, so I knew what to expect. I was confident in my ability and have always been a student of the game. I just wanted to come in and show the girls how hard I was going to work, and I expected the same from them.

At 22, you're not much older than the girls you're coaching. How does that dynamic work?

Well, it was something that I was concerned about coming in. I knew I had to set a tone early on and let them know that I can joke around with them when we're away from the field, but when it's time to work, it's time to work.

Did you always envision yourself coaching one day?

Like I said, I was always a student of the game. I used to keep a notebook with me as a kid, and I would jot down training tips and drills that I liked. I was training kids on the side when I was 15 years old, so I always knew this was something I wanted to do someday.

You were a star at Bloomingdale but you almost didn't end up there. Talk about your time as a Bull.

My parents wanted me to continue to go to private school, and I begged them to let me go to Bloomingdale. They met Coach (Sue) Peet and knew I was in good hands. It speaks a lot about (Peet) as a person and coach.

Speaking of, Coach Peet said this season will be her last after 25 years and a pair of state titles at Bloomingdale and Coconut Creek. What are some of your memories of her?

She is a phenomenal coach and a great person. I learned so much from her, and I use a lot of those things with my team now. We still talk after games and stay in touch.

You were the standard for area players your junior and senior seasons. Talk about your playing days at Bloomingdale.

I loved my time there. … They used to call me and Kelsey Primiano the dynamic duo back then. It was great to see articles written about you, and I was pretty much allowed to get away with anything back then. I definitely miss those days.

Your parents own Kazbor's Grille in Riverview as well as a number of Hungry Howie's Pizza locations. Do you still have ties with the Tampa area?

I've always been a Bloomingdale kid and I always will be. I still live in Brandon. I haven't been to the new USF soccer field, but I'm looking forward to seeing it. I've heard it's a beautiful complex.

You were in these girls' shoes not too long ago when Bloomingdale lost in the 2006 state finals. How are you getting this team ready?

They are very driven and have had this goal in mind since the first day of practice. I do occasionally break out my scrapbook from (2006) and show them how close I came and use that as motivation for them. Hopefully this time around I can avenge that loss.

This report was edited for brevity and clarity.

By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, February 8, 2012

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers reportedly are interviewing University of North Carolina offensive coordinator John Shoop for the same position on their staff.

On Tuesday, news came that University of Virginia offensive coordinator Bill Lazor was being considered, but a report out of Virginia this morning indicated that Lazor will remain at UVA. It's unclear whether he interviewed or was offered the job.

Colts quarterbacks Ron Turner presumably is still in the mix.

Shoop is a one-time Bucs quarterbacks coach under Jon Gruden and has worked on other NFL staffs before his current five-year stint at UNC.

Shoop runs a pro-style offense with the Tar Heels and is an original member of Butch Davis' UNC staff. Davis, fired by the Tar Heels last year, was reportedly being considered for defensive coordinator. That job was offered to Florida's Dan Quinn earlier this week, but Quinn declined.

Shoop's NFL-level coordinator experience includes a stint with the Raiders in 2006 under Art Shell. Oakland finished 2-14 and Shell and his staff were fired after the season. He also was offensive coordinator for the Bears from 2001 to 2003.