Times wires
Sunday, February 12, 2012

ATLANTA — LeBron James had 23 points, Dwyane Wade added 21 and the Heat blew out the Hawks 107-87 Sunday night after racing to a 22-point lead at halftime.

Miami made a big statement in the Southeast Division against second-place Atlanta, leading by as many as 32 in what turned into nothing more than a showcase for its Big Three.

By halftime, Wade already had 21 points, James was rolling along with 14 points and nine rebounds and Chris Bosh had 10 points and 10 rebounds. The Heat went to the locker room with a 63-41 advantage, the Hawks having surrendered their most points in a half this season.

Miami won for the 10th time in its past 12 games.

Bosh finished with 14 points and a season-high 16 rebounds. James had 13 rebounds and six assists. Wade had two steals and a blocked shot.

The Hawks starters — four of whom were averaging in double figures — combined for 40 points, led by Joe Johnson with 12. Willie Green actually led with 17 points, the reserves getting plenty of playing time as coach Larry Drew emptied his bench in the fourth quarter.

Atlanta lost for the fourth time in its past five home games, the average margin in those defeats nearly 15 points. Even more troubling, the Hawks have fallen behind by at least 20 points in all four losses.

The first two meetings between the division rivals were much more competitive. Atlanta pulled off a 100-92 win in Miami on Jan. 2, but the Heat bounced back three days later on the Hawks' homecourt for a 116-109 triple overtime victory. James and Wade missed that meeting, but Bosh carried the load with 33 points and 14 rebounds.

This time, Miami was at full strength. The result was a laugher. Atlanta actually led 13-8 in the early going, but Miami ripped off nine straight points to take control.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS: Rajon Rondo recorded a triple double with 32 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds to lead the host Celtics to a 95-91 win over the Bulls. … Kobe Bryant hit a baseline jumper with 4.2 seconds left, and the Lakers wrapped up a six-game road trip by holding on to beat the Raptors 94-92, their eighth victory in nine meetings with Toronto. … JaVale McGee had 22 points and eight rebounds and John Wall 14 assists as the visiting Wizards routed the Pistons 98-77 and ended Detroit's season-best four-game winning streak.

AROUND THE LEAGUE: Bulls guard Derrick Rose was out again with what coach Tom Thibodeau called back stiffness and will see a specialist when the team gets back to Chicago.

Heat 107, Hawks 87

MIAMI (107): James 6-15 10-12 23, Bosh 4-14 6-9 14, Anthony 2-2 0-0 4, Chalmers 6-7 1-1 15, Wade 7-14 7-7 21, Battier 3-4 0-0 7, Haslem 2-5 0-0 4, Pittman 1-4 0-0 2, Cole 4-11 2-2 10, Miller 1-3 0-0 3, Jones 0-1 0-0 0, Howard 2-2 0-0 4, Curry 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 38-83 26-31 107.

ATLANTA (87): Williams 2-9 0-0 6, Smith 4-12 0-0 8, Pachulia 4-4 0-0 8, Teague 2-7 0-0 6, J.Johnson 5-13 2-2 12, McGrady 1-4 0-0 2, Hinrich 2-7 2-3 6, I.Johnson 2-6 2-2 6, Green 7-12 0-0 17, Radmanovic 2-3 0-0 6, Pargo 1-4 0-0 3, Stackhouse 3-8 0-0 7, Dampier 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 35-90 6-7 87.

Miami 30 33 25 19— 107

Atlanta 18 23 20 26— 87

3-Point Goals—Miami 5-12 (Chalmers 2-2, Miller 1-2, Battier 1-2, James 1-3, Cole 0-1, Jones 0-1, Bosh 0-1), Atlanta 11-27 (Green 3-3, Radmanovic 2-3, Teague 2-4, Williams 2-5, Stackhouse 1-1, Pargo 1-2, Smith 0-1, J.Johnson 0-4, Hinrich 0-4). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Miami 58 (Bosh 16), Atlanta 48 (Pachulia 9). Assists—Miami 18 (James 6), Atlanta 26 (Smith 7). Total Fouls—Miami 14, Atlanta 19. Technicals—Miami defensive three second. A—18,371 (18,729).

Celtics 95, Bulls 91

CHICAGO (91): Deng 3-12 4-6 10, Boozer 9-16 4-4 22, Noah 6-10 4-4 16, Watson 8-23 3-6 22, Brewer 2-4 1-2 5, Gibson 1-6 1-2 3, Korver 1-5 0-0 3, Asik 1-3 0-0 2, Lucas 3-9 0-0 8. Totals 34-88 17-24 91.

BOSTON (95): Pierce 4-10 0-0 9, Wilcox 5-6 1-3 11, Garnett 5-8 3-4 13, Rondo 11-22 10-13 32, Allen 3-9 4-4 11, Johnson 6-13 0-0 12, Stiemsma 0-0 0-0 0, Pietrus 1-1 0-2 3, Dooling 0-2 0-0 0, Bradley 2-4 0-0 4. Totals 37-75 18-26 95.

Chicago 23 20 23 25— 91

Boston 28 20 24 23— 95

3-Point Goals—Chicago 6-20 (Watson 3-7, Lucas 2-4, Korver 1-5, Brewer 0-2, Deng 0-2), Boston 3-13 (Pietrus 1-1, Pierce 1-3, Allen 1-5, Rondo 0-2, Dooling 0-2). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Chicago 54 (Noah 9), Boston 53 (Garnett 12). Assists—Chicago 20 (Brewer, Watson 6), Boston 24 (Rondo 15). Total Fouls—Chicago 18, Boston 23. A—18,624 (18,624).

Lakers 94, Raptors 92

L.A. LAKERS (94): World Peace 3-4 1-2 9, Gasol 6-15 4-4 16, Bynum 7-13 0-2 14, Fisher 2-4 0-0 4, Bryant 9-23 6-8 27, Barnes 1-5 1-2 4, Murphy 2-4 0-0 6, Blake 2-6 2-2 7, Goudelock 3-7 0-0 7, Kapono 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 35-81 14-20 94.

TORONTO (92): J.Johnson 3-8 1-2 7, A.Johnson 0-0 0-0 0, Gray 2-5 0-0 4, Calderon 13-18 0-0 30, DeRozan 2-13 4-5 8, Davis 4-6 1-2 9, Barbosa 4-11 4-4 12, Kleiza 6-11 2-2 15, Carter 1-2 0-0 3, Magloire 2-4 0-2 4, Butler 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 37-78 12-17 92.

L.A. Lakers 34 20 19 21— 94

Toronto 19 27 21 25— 92

3-Point Goals—L.A. Lakers 10-23 (Bryant 3-7, Murphy 2-3, World Peace 2-3, Barnes 1-2, Goudelock 1-3, Blake 1-4, Fisher 0-1), Toronto 6-11 (Calderon 4-4, Carter 1-1, Kleiza 1-5, DeRozan 0-1). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—L.A. Lakers 53 (Gasol 17), Toronto 45 (Davis 8). Assists—L.A. Lakers 19 (Gasol 6), Toronto 20 (DeRozan 7). Total Fouls—L.A. Lakers 14, Toronto 19. Technicals—DeRozan. A—19,311 (19,800).

Wizards 98, Pistons 77

WASHINGTON (98): Singleton 1-6 4-4 6, Booker 4-9 1-2 9, McGee 10-13 2-3 22, Wall 3-10 3-3 9, Young 8-13 3-3 22, Vesely 4-5 2-2 10, Crawford 2-12 0-0 4, Mack 2-4 1-2 6, Evans 0-1 0-0 0, Lewis 3-5 2-2 10, Seraphin 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 37-79 18-21 98.

DETROIT (77): Prince 5-10 0-0 10, Maxiell 3-5 0-0 6, Monroe 9-19 9-9 27, Knight 1-9 0-0 2, Stuckey 2-9 7-8 11, Jerebko 3-8 0-0 6, Gordon 2-9 2-2 7, Russell Jr. 1-7 0-0 2, Wallace 0-1 0-0 0, Daye 2-9 0-0 4, Bynum 0-2 0-0 0, Macklin 0-0 0-0 0, Wilkins 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 29-89 18-19 77.

Washington 26 19 29 24— 98

Detroit 18 27 18 14— 77

3-Point Goals—Washington 6-15 (Young 3-6, Lewis 2-4, Mack 1-1, Wall 0-1, Crawford 0-3), Detroit 1-11 (Gordon 1-4, Prince 0-1, Daye 0-1, Jerebko 0-2, Knight 0-3). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Washington 56 (McGee 11), Detroit 50 (Wallace 7). Assists—Washington 23 (Wall 15), Detroit 17 (Russell Jr. 4). Total Fouls—Washington 18, Detroit 18. A—12,654 (22,076).

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, February 12, 2012

PITTSBURGH — Lightning D Victor Hedman seemed to be walking perfectly fine. His voice had not gone up an octave.

In fact, Hedman on Sunday said he was "fine" after being speared Saturday in his groin area by Sabres RW Zack Kassian.

"It was obviously painful," Hedman said. "You just try to get up as soon as you can.

"It's one of those spots where it is sensitive."

The incident occurred with 7:55 left in the game after Kassian got tied up with Hedman and had his stick between Hedman's legs. After Kassian extricated the stick, he gave Hedman the jab and got two minutes for slashing.

"It's something you don't want to see happen on the ice," Hedman said. "I don't know if it was intentional or not. It was just one of those things."

One of those things that coach Guy Boucher said "you think you're dying, plain and simple."

Even so, Boucher didn't sound ready to condemn Kassian.

"There are a lot of lines players shouldn't cross, but here's what happens in a game," he said. "It can be so emotional that you don't even think. To tell players they should be able to control themselves, yes. But I've played and I've done all kinds of things, too, and after you do them you're just, 'Why did I do that?' "

Whatever Saturday's circumstances, Hedman before Sunday's game with the Penguins, seemed willing to move on.

"I feel fine," he said. "Nothing to worry about now; a new game, a new day."

BAD VIBE: With Matt Gilroy out with an upper-body injury sustained Saturday, and Marc-Andre Bergeron out with a back injury he aggravated Tuesday against the Kings, Tampa Bay was down to six healthy defensemen.

That was an omen for Boucher, who prefers dressing seven blueliners and worried about having enough fresh legs to cover Penguins star Evgeni Malkin.

Turns out he was right. Malkin, with a league-best 69 points, scored twice and took 13 shots, six on goal.

"He's a monster out there," Boucher said of the Russian who has 17 goals, 26 points in his past 17 games. "He can skate, sees everything, can put the puck inside your pants and out, and he can shoot. He has it all. You can't handle him one-on-one."

MALONE SITS: LW Ryan Malone missed his seventh game with an upper-body injury, though Boucher said he was available to play against his former team in his hometown. "He's begging to play," Boucher said. "We have to manage it for him. He's ready, but I'm tentative because we want to make sure he doesn't miss any more. We don't want to take a chance."

MORE MEDICAL MATTERS: Boucher gave no details about Gilroy's injury except it likely will not require an MRI exam. … Bergeron missed his third game after playing Tuesday, his first game after missing nine. "It won't go away," he said of his back injury. "It felt better for a while and then one game, the next day I was like, 'whoa.' "

ODDS AND ENDS: The Penguins have outshot the Lightning 119-61 in three games this season. … Pittsburgh has sold out 236 consecutive games.

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, February 12, 2012

PITTSBURGH — Lightning coach Guy Boucher didn't spare his players' feelings Sunday night.

So, instead of spinning an embarrassing 4-2 loss to the Penguins at the Consol Energy Center, Boucher was harsh.

"We weren't playing well right from the start and that was everybody," he said. "Our whole game, our defensive game, our offensive game, there was nothing there.

"We had nobody, really, who played a good game."

Tampa Bay was playing the second of back-to-back games and its third game in four nights, "But I don't want to make excuses," Boucher said. "We have to be better."

Especially with a chance to make a move in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

A victory would have put the Lightning (24-25-6) 11th, six points from the eighth and final playoff spot. Instead it is 12th, eight points out, and 11 points behind the first-place Panthers in the Southeast Division.

Pittsburgh's four unanswered goals, including two from league points leader Evgeni Malkin and a 41-23 shot advantage — 19-9 in the second period with three Penguins goals — buried Tampa Bay.

Steve Downie's franchise record two goals in 11 seconds for a 2-0 lead with 9:51 left in the first period became an afterthought.

The Lightning still is on a 7-2-2 run, but the magnitude of how it was outplayed was distressing.

"It didn't help we played three in four nights, but it's not an excuse," said goaltender Mathieu Garon, whose 37 saves kept the score respectable. "It's part of the schedule."

"They came out strong, and we weren't ready for it," defenseman Victor Hedman said. "We got out-battled, out-chanced and didn't work enough. We can't do the same mistakes again."

Steven Stamkos, Marty St. Louis and Vinny Lecavalier played one of their worst games of the season.

Teddy Purcell's bad defensive read and slow reactions from Hedman and fellow defenseman Brett Clark allowed Chris Kunitz to make it 2-2 56 seconds into the second.

Garon should have stopped Kris Letang's shot that made it 3-2 but, wow, was he wide open. And Malkin's second goal, his 32nd, made it 4-2 with 9:06 left in the second after a turnover by Pavel Kubina.

So, after a 1-1-1 road trip, the Lightning still is closer to the bottom of the East than the playoffs.

"I'm not talking about the standings," Boucher said. "The other teams we don't control. As much as I'd like to call the coaches and ask them to lose for us, it isn't going to work."

On Sunday, neither did his team.

First Period—1, Tampa Bay, Downie 10 (Purcell, Hedman), 9:58. 2, Tampa Bay, Downie 11 (Purcell, Clark), 10:09. 3, Pittsburgh, Malkin 31 (Letang, Neal), 16:15 (pp). Penalties—Staal, Pit (high-sticking), :28; Stamkos, TB (holding), 15:25.

Second Period—4, Pittsburgh, Kunitz 16 (Letang, B.Johnson), :56. 5, Pittsburgh, Letang 8 (Kunitz, Neal), 4:28. 6, Pittsburgh, Malkin 32 (Kunitz, Neal), 10:54. Penalties—Kubina, TB (tripping), 10:58.

Third Period—None. Penalties—Tampa Bay bench, served by Downie (too many men), 5:37; Gervais, TB (tripping), 8:44; Kunitz, Pit (slashing), 9:51. Shots on Goal—Tampa Bay 5-9-9—23. Pittsburgh 8-19-14—41. Power-play opportunities—Tampa Bay 0 of 2; Pittsburgh 1 of 4. Goalies—Tampa Bay, Garon 17-14-4 (41 shots-37 saves). Pittsburgh, B.Johnson 3-6-2 (23-21). A—18,506 (18,387). T—2:28.

Times staff
Monday, February 13, 2012

Tickets to the 2012 Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg are on sale. The event returns to the streets of downtown St. Petersburg March 23-25 and will mark the start of the 2012 IndyCar Series season for the second year in a row, ushering the global debut of the new IndyCar chassis and the return of competition among engine manufacturers.

The marquee race will continue to be the IndyCar Series and will mark the eighth year of racing on the streets of St. Petersburg. The event will serve as home race to a number of Florida residents including Ryan Hunter-Reay, Tony Kanaan and Helio Castroneves, who is the only two time winner in St. Petersburg. Other drivers to compete include former winners Dario Franchitti, Will Power, Ryan Briscoe and Graham Rahal, along with Marco Andretti and Scott Dixon, among others. Support series races rounding out the schedule will be announced at a later date.

The Grand Prix will also hold a special tribute for the late Dan Wheldon, who was a local resident and won the event's inaugural race in 2005. Organizers have established a committee consisting of city, IndyCar, race officials and other stakeholders to determine memorial plans and will announce details in the new year.

The new IndyCar chassis, designed by Dallara Automobili, will make its first appearance of the season during Grand Prix. In honor of Wheldon and his efforts in testing the car during the 2011 season, the new chassis will be labeled 'DW12'. The 2012 season will also showcase three engine manufacturers, creating room for more competition than ever before. Honda, the sole engine supplier of the series since 2006, will be joined by Chevrolet and Lotus to provide turbocharged V-6 engines to competing teams, a move from last year's V-8 engine.

The Grand Prix also will keep race fans entertained with interactive activities in the Bright House Speed Zone, live music, exhibits, great food concessions and beer gardens, and much more.

Tickets range in price from $20 to $125. Paddock passes are also available starting at $40 for an adult single day pass. Reduced rate tickets are offered to juniors, ages 12 and under, in certain ticket categories.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.gpstpete.com or by phone at 877-283-5385.

By Matt Baker, Times Staff Writer
Monday, February 13, 2012

A season that began with a career-best performance in St. Petersburg fizzled into dizziness, third-degree burns and frustration for IndyCar driver Simona de Silvestro.

"I think last year was the most difficult year I've ever been through in anything," de Silvestro said.

And it started as one of the best.

The 23-year-old Switzerland native started 17th at the season-opening Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg but battled to finish a career-best fourth. She followed that with a ninth-place finish in Alabama to complete the first back-to-back top-10 finishes of her IndyCar career.

"I started off well ..." de Silvestro said in a recent phone interview.

But her season began to unravel in Indianapolis when a mechanical issue made her lose control of her No. 78 Honda during practice a week before the Indy 500. Her car left the ground, hit the outside wall and flipped before catching fire and sliding down the track upside down.

De Silvestro was trapped.

"It's the first time I had a crash where I really thought that I couldn't get out of it," de Silvestro said. "When you kind of have that feeling, it takes a lot out of you. All the confidence is gone. Getting back in the car is a little bit scary."

De Silvestro suffered third-degree burns on her hands but returned, two days later, with heavily bandaged hands to qualify for the race. She finished 31st. Her confidence took longer to return.

"I think after the Indy crash, it really took a while for me to get back into it," de Silvestro said. "I think it was really tough mentally to get back to where I was."

She said she recovered mentally in about a month — just in time to suffer another setback.

De Silvestro spun out during practice at Milwaukee in June, the day before the race. Her HVM Racing car slammed into the outside wall, rolled down the track and hit the inside wall. The impact knocked her out, and she needed six stitches on her knee before being released from the hospital that night.

De Silvestro lined up the next day and raced 11 laps before dizziness and fading vision from her concussion began to creep in. She left the race and sat out the next week at Iowa, too.

"I needed time to build on myself to get back strong," de Silvestro said.

She finished 10th in Toronto in her next race, but it was her only other run in the top 10 during the season's final four months. De Silvestro averaged a 17th-place finish in the last seven races and placed 20th in points.

De Silvestro said her struggles taught her how to handle failure, enjoy the small victories and count on the support of family, friends and teammates when disappointing runs add up.

"I think in any athlete's career, there's always that one year where nothing seems to work out — just really painful," de Silvestro said. "I think that was the year I had that. I just had to go through it. I look at it now, I'm lucky this happened pretty early in my career because I learned a lot about myself."

De Silvestro crammed more on-track learning into this offseason than ever before. She's tested the series' new chassis in Sebring and will hop in her team's machines this month to prepare for her third season in IndyCar.

De Silvestro said the new car — dubbed the DW12 in memory of the late St. Petersburg resident Dan Wheldon — brakes well and breezes through corners well. Both are good signs for street courses, like the season-opening event in St. Petersburg on March 25.

"I'm really looking forward to go back and get back into the racing groove," de Silvestro said. "Testing is fun, but racing is way better."

Times staff writer Matt Baker can be reached at mbaker@tampabay.com.

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Monday, February 13, 2012

Say this for Lightning defenseman Brendan Mikkelson, he doesn't hide from his mistakes.

After a 3-1 loss to the Kings on Feb. 7, he volunteered his blown assignment led to Los Angeles' last goal.

After a 4-3 overtime loss to the Rangers on Thursday, he bemoaned not handling a bouncing puck during the sequence that led to the winning goal.

"Always," he said, "there is work to be done."

Big picture, Mikkelson's work has been more positive than negative since he was acquired last month from the Flames.

He has zero points but still is plus-1 in 15 games while averaging 13:49 of ice time, and his big shot and puck smarts earned him a spot on the power play.

It is the kind of opportunity Mikkelson wasn't getting while buried in Calgary's minor-league system. And if he carves out a niche, he will be a valuable addition for an organization desperate to add blue-line depth.

"It's good that at least you get a chance," Mikkelson said. "That's all you want. Now, it boils down to producing."

Mikkelson, 24, traded for underachieving center Blair Jones, has deep hockey roots.

His father, Bill, played 147 games in the '70s with the Kings, Islanders and Capitals. And sister Meaghan, also a defenseman, won gold with Canada at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

Still, Mikkelson, 6 feet 3, 205 pounds, from Regina, Saskatchewan, has bounced between the minors and the NHL since he was drafted 31st overall in 2005 by the Ducks.

When the Lightning faces the Senators Tuesday at the Tampa Bay Times Forum, it will be just his 102nd NHL game.

"I know he was a seventh D in Calgary and he was in the minors, but for us he's brought size, he's brought mobility and he's smart with the puck," coach Guy Boucher said. "We needed all of that."

"He's got that size and long reach," defensive partner Bruno Gervais said. "He's strong on the puck and can make some plays, and he can really skate."

One problem, Gervais deadpanned, "He's got an average personality."

Actually, Mikkelson is unflinchingly analytical.

Asked if he believed he got a fair shake in Calgary, he said "arguing the point would be wasting my time" because general manager Jay Feaster and coach Brent Sutter "know the game awfully well. ... As long as you handle it personally that you've done everything you can."

Asked how he's fitting in with the Lightning, he said, "It's still a work in progress. I think I still have to earn their trust to be a reliable player. It's been good to get a chance to get some minutes in different scenarios, but you never want to say mission accomplished."

In that sense, he and the team are on the same page.

"Nothing is long term," Boucher said of the plans for Mikkelson. "Everything is short term to win games. There's no experiments. We give him a chance and because he responds well, I keep giving him a chance.

"He's really seized the day," Boucher added. "He's got to keep seizing it."

Damian Cristodero can be reached at cristodero@tampabay.com.

By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Monday, February 13, 2012

Veteran offensive line coach Tim Davis has been hired as the Florida Gators' new offensive line coach.

Davis was the offensive line coach at Utah this past season and was Minnesota's offensive line/running game coordinator the previous two seasons where he worked with Gators tight ends coach Derek Lewis. Davis also has ties to Gators defensive coordinator Dan Quinn from their two seasons together in Miami, and he worked alongside Gators running backs coach Brian White at Wisconsin.

Davis has spent nine of his 25 seasons as a coach working with current members of Florida's staff.

"He was a guy that brought energy and passion to the job every day,'' Florida coach Will Muschamp said. "He is going to bring toughness. I thought he did a great job with our offensive line [with the Dolphins]. Everywhere he has been and he's coached they have been able to run the football and create the play-actions of it, be able to spread the field, understand the protections and do what you've got to do to be able to keep the quarterback upright. You look at some of the guys he has worked for and you talk about Barry Alvarez, you talk about Nick Saban, you talk about Pete Carroll. You talk about those guys and what they have accomplished. He knows what it takes to be successful."

By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
Monday, February 13, 2012

Butch Davis is officially aboard as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' special assistant to the head coach, the team announced today.

"Butch has been a close friend and mentor of mine going back to our time together at Miami. I am excited to have his extensive football background and knowledge on board," Bucs head coach Greg Schiano said in a statement. "He has had success on every level, and I know he will be a huge asset, not only to me, but to the entire Buccaneers organization."

Because of his $2.7-million settlement with the University of North Carolina, Davis cannot be a coach. In his new role, the Bucs say he will assist and advise Schiano in a wide range of football aspects.

"This as a terrific opportunity to be a part of what Coach Schiano is building in Tampa Bay," Davis said in a statement. "It is an honor to be here to help Greg and the Buccaneers in any way I can."

By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
Monday, February 13, 2012

Because the NFL collective bargaining agreement allows teams to roll over remaining salary cap room into the next season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have the second-most cap room space in the league with $60.496-million.

The 2011 salary cap was $120.375-million and the 2012 ceiling is expected to be roughly the same. The precise figure, based on league revenues, should be released in a week or two.

The Bucs have the second-most cap space in large part because they had $23.519 million of carryover cap money from 2011.

Pro Football Talk notes that under Article 13, Section 6(b)(v) of the CBA, 'each team may carry over any remaining cap room from one year to the next by submitting written notice, signed by the owner of the team, to the league office no later than 14 days before the start of the next league year. The written notice must indicate the maximum amount of cap room that the team wishes to shift from one cap year to the next.'

The new league year begins on March 13, which means notices must be submitted by Feb. 28. Currently, the Kansas City Chiefs have $62.995 million after budgeting $24.014 million from the 2011 season.

Bucs general manager Mark Dominik said recently, "We're going to do it in free agency. I don't want people to be worried we're not going to spend in free agency. We'll be involved.''

Given the amount of salary cap money the Bucs rolled over from 2011, there certainly is not excuse for Tampa Bay not to be active in free agency. Then again, they may opt to move a significant amount of salary cap money to 2013. But as it stands, only the Chiefs have more room under the salary cap.

By Andrew Meacham and Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writers
Monday, February 13, 2012

TAMPA — Freddie Solomon, the dazzling University of Tampa quarterback and Super Bowl champion receiver with the San Francisco 49ers, died Monday after a nine-month battle with colon and liver cancer. Mr. Solomon was 59.

"I am deeply saddened by the passing of my dear friend Freddie Solomon today,'' said former 49ers owner Edward DeBartolo, Jr. "My heart goes out to Dee, his family, the 49ers football family, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's office and football fans everywhere. Freddie and I have been friends for 35 years, and he was one of the most gentle and best men I have ever met in my life. Scores of generations will remember Freddie through their children and the youth he's helped over all these decades. I have never met a man who cared so much about the human race, and there will never be another Freddie.''

Known locally as "Fabulous Freddie," (Read Gary Shelton's column here) the University of Tampa quarterback was in the running for a Heisman Trophy despite the school's low national profile. Mr. Solomon who went on to play wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers, becoming one of the NFL's most potent offensive threats over an 11-year career.

Blessed with blazing speed, he dazzled in college with a versatility some have compared to Michael Vick. One measure of his talent is the fact that despite his success, many fans and former coaches wonder what he might have accomplished had a few circumstances been reversed.

Mr. Solomon was academically ineligible to play at the University of South Carolina, his first choice. Although recruited by other top schools, including Alabama and Ohio State, he elected to go to the University of Tampa. It was out of the national spotlight, but he could play quarterback there.

He entered the NFL with college experience as an option quarterback at a time when drop-back passers predominated. He threw on only a handful of plays over 11 years, a disappointment he accepted.

"Freddie Solomon has been one of the mainstay performers for he 49ers for the last eight years," then-49ers coach Bill Walsh said in 1985 before Mr. Solomon's retirement. "He has made great plays under the most difficult circumstances."

After his retirement in 1985, Mr. Solomon worked in community relations and crime prevention for the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

A cobbler's son, he grew up in Sumter, S.C., where he played baseball and football and idolized Jets quarterback Joe Namath. He practiced throwing the football in the backyard of the Jehovah Baptist Church.

When the coach at Lincoln High in Sumter asked for quarterbacks, Mr. Solomon stepped up and won the spot. The high-school standout morphed into a 6-foot, 170-pound freshman at the University of Tampa, where he was reported to have run the 40-yard dash in an electrifying 4.25 seconds.

Despite his imminent stardom, Mr. Solomon struck some as socially hesitant and reserved. He wore a scraggly goatee and stuttered badly upon entering college, a habit he later cured and replaced with slow, deliberate speech. He remained confident in his abilities, a trait some confused with cockiness.

"I've always been very shy of people," he said in a college interview. "Especially with writers, because they don't understand what I'm saying."

After splitting time with another quarterback, Mr. Solomon took over starting duties in 1973, a move that spurred jeering and racial epithets from some in the crowds.

But by the end of his senior year in 1974, he had shredded records. He had accounted for 5,803 total yards over his college career, then 16th all-time in the NCAA. The figure includes 3,299 rushing yards, then first all-time among college quarterbacks.

He was invited to play in four postseason games, and saw his No. 3 jersey retired by the university. He finished 12th in Heisman balloting won by Archie Griffin, handicapped by a perception that the University of Tampa had played a weaker schedule.

Even more daunting, some Heisman voters admitted that they had never heard of Freddie Solomon. Those who had called him one of the best in the country.

"If Freddie had played at Oklahoma or Nebraska or Notre Dame, he would have won the Heisman, no question," former UT receivers coach Gene King told a newspaper last year .

He was selected by the Miami Dolphins, where coach Don Shula converted him to a wide receiver and kick returner. He struggled with injury and illness early on, including surgery for kidney blockage. In three years with the Dolphins, he threw the ball just once.

"I used to think about that a lot," Mr. Solomon said after leaving the Dolphins. "But now I try not to. This is a business, and you do what you have to do to be successful."

A blockbuster package trade in 1978 moved Mr. Solomon to the 49ers. At the time, he said he was taken aback by the trade. Nonetheless, he consistently refused to badmouth Shula.

The 49ers struggled with 2-14 seasons in 1978 and 1979, but began a rebuilding under coach Bill Walsh. In January 1982, the 49ers defeated the Dallas Cowboys for the NFC championship. With the 49ers trailing, Mr. Solomon played a key role in the 49ers final drive, running a reverse for 14 yards and catching a 12-yard pass from Joe Montana with a minute and a half left in the game.

The tying touchdown was designed to go to Mr. Solomon in the end zone, but he was blanketed by defenders. Instead, Montana threw to receiver Dwight Clark, who leaped to snare "the catch," one of the most famous in football history. The 49ers won on the extra point, 28-27.

The 49ers went on to win Super Bowl XVI over the Cincinnati Bengals. The team returned to the grand stage in 1985 to in Super Bowl XIX — against the Dolphins.

Once again, Mr. Solomon was pressed by reporters to slam Shula for letting him go, and once again he declined.

"What are you searching for?" he asked at one point. "There are times in my life I had no control over. What has happened has happened in the past and it's gone. And there's nothing I can do to change, whatever good or bad or sad."

The 49ers won the game, 38-16. Though he enjoyed his team's success — and even appeared in a video song around the second Super Bowl called All Alone in the Zone, Mr. Solomon also nourished his private side. He liked to carve wood, and created a large wood sculpture of Moses and the 10 commandments in his free time from the 49ers.

He retired in 1985, finishing his career with 381 receptions, 48 touchdowns and two Super Bowl rings.

"I've fought many battles in the NFL for 11 years," he said, "and at this point in time, I feel a chapter of my active football career has come near an end."

Since the early 1990s, he worked in community relations for the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, interacting with young people who called him "Coach."

Though he never realized his dream of being a quarterback in the NFL, one memory brought a smile to his face.

In December 1978, the 49ers were losing to the Detroit Lions at the Silverdome. Both the team's quarterbacks, Steve DeBerg and Scott Bull, were out with injuries.

Interim head coach Fred O'Connor put in Mr. Solomon to play quarterback. He lived up to the challenge at his old position, completing five of 10 passes for 85 yards and running for an 11-yard touchdown.

Years later, he told the New York Times that the game had helped him put the past in its place.

"I won't get involved in it anymore," he said in 1982. "That won't happen again. I've lived my fantasy, and got it out of my system."

Times researcher Caryn Baird contributed to this story. Andrew Meacham can be reached at (727) 892-2248 or ameacham@tampabay.com.

By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
Monday, February 13, 2012

TAMPA — Freddie Solomon was called by many endearing names during his remarkable football career. As the lightning fast option quarterback at the University of Tampa, he was Fabulous Freddie. As a two-time Super Bowl champion receiver with the San Francisco 49ers, teammates referred to him as Casper the Friendly Ghost because of the way he seemed to disappear from the pile, leaving defenders tackling air.

To the young people he mentored for more than two decades, dispensing advice about life as part of the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office outreach program, he was Coach Solomon.

But to everyone he met, Mr. Solomon was simply a friend who put others first.

Mr. Solomon died Monday after a nine-month battle with colon and liver cancer. He was 59.

He had been undergoing chemotherapy until complications required him to be hospitalized Feb. 4 at South Florida Baptist Hospital in Plant City.

"It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of Freddie Solomon, a beloved family member, friend, community leader and coach," the family said in a statement released from Dee Solomon, his wife of 34 years. "We would like to thank those who have supported him throughout his life. We appreciate all the love and prayers during this difficult time."

Former 49ers owner Edward DeBartolo Jr., whose close friendship with Mr. Solomon spans more than three decades, said he never met a man who cared so much about others.

"I am deeply saddened by the passing of my dear friend Freddie Solomon today," DeBartolo said. "My heart goes out to Dee, his family, the 49ers football family, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office and football fans everywhere. Freddie and I have been friends for 35 years, and he was one of the most gentle and best men I have ever met in my life. Scores of generations will remember Freddie through their children and the youth he's helped over all these decades. I have never met a man who cared so much about the human race, and there will never be another Freddie."

Mr. Solomon, DeBartolo and the Sheriff's Office organized an annual Christmas party for foster children, who unwrapped presents while their grateful parents opened envelopes filled with hundreds of dollars in cash.

"Our Sheriff's Office family is saddened by the loss of Freddie, but we are so proud to have the privilege to call him a friend and a colleague," said Sheriff David Gee. "That will never change. He worked for us for 21 years teaching children about sports and about life. His legacy will live on in the hearts and minds of countless boys and girls, some of whom are now adults.

"Freddie never stopped fighting his illness despite debilitating pain and fatigue, and he kept his smile until the end. He leaves us all with lessons about humility, and caring and loving others. Those timeless traits are what defined Freddie Solomon."

Mr. Solomon was honored Nov. 30 at a fundraiser at UT's Vaughn Center called "Freddie and Friends," to endow a $200,000 scholarship there in his name.

"Love means doing everything for someone else's benefit," said Mr. Solomon's former Spartans teammate, Vin Hoover. "It means making every decision with the other person's well-being in mind. That was Freddie Solomon. I think I speak on behalf of our Spartan family that playing football with Freddie was an honor and privilege, but being Freddie's friend was more of an honor and privilege."

Drafted by the Dolphins, Mr. Solomon was traded to the 49ers in 1978, winning two Super Bowls while serving as one of the primary targets for Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana.

"Freddie Solomon was a dear friend and a great teammate," Montana said. "There was no one who gave more on and off the field than Freddie. The kindness he demonstrated was inspirational to all that knew him, and a joy to be around. The warmth of his smile will be forever imbedded in my mind and heart. Jennifer and I have been blessed to have him in our lives. We will miss you Freddie!"

In January 1982, the 49ers beat Dallas for the NFC championship. With the 49ers trailing, Mr. Solomon played a key role in their final drive, running a reverse for 14 yards and catching a 12-yard pass from Montana with a minute and a half left. Dwight Clark later caught the winning touchdown on one of the most famous plays in NFL history as the 49ers won 28-27.

The 49ers went on to win Super Bowl XVI over Cincinnati. San Francisco later beat the Dolphins 38-16 in Super Bowl XIX in January 1985.

"Freddie was very influential to me and my career, and taught me about work ethic and professionalism," said Hall of Fame receiver Jerry Rice, a teammate of Solomon's with the 49ers. "He inspired me to go out there every day and emulate him."

In addition to his wife, Dee, Mr. Solomon is survived by his mother Bessie Ruth Solomon (Sumter, S.C.); brothers Richard, Oneal and Roger (Sumter, S.C.); mother-in-law Mae Jeffers; nephew Godfrey Robinson (wife, Christine, children Jasmyn and Trey of Tampa); and brother-in-law Lanness and Patricia Robinson (Austin, Texas).

A cobbler's son, he grew up in Sumter, S.C., where he played baseball and football and idolized Jets quarterback Joe Namath. He practiced throwing the football in the back yard of the Jehovah Baptist Church.

After academic ineligibility kept him from playing at South Carolina, Mr. Solomon chose UT, which offered the chance to play quarterback. Mr. Solomon dazzled at UT where as a 6-foot, 170-pound freshman he was reported to have run the 40-yard dash in an electrifying 4.25 seconds.

Dolphins coach Don Shula converted him to receiver and his pro career flourished two seasons later after he was traded to the 49ers. He finished his 11-year pro career with 381 receptions and 48 touchdowns.

"Freddie was a great player but he was a better human being," former 49ers and Raiders Hall of Fame safety Ronnie Lott said. "His stand for helping the less fortunate and the voice he shared for making people do what is right and good was truly remarkable. This will always inspire me and others to achieve greatness for others and to be humble in our journey."

So humble was Mr. Solomon about his football career that many whom he helped were unaware of it. He never sought attention and refused to let anyone help him walk or climb stairs even after surgery to reconstruct his colon and 12 rounds of chemotherapy weakened him.

By his side in the final months, taking him to chemo treatments and providing companionship in his final days at the hospital, were Dee and DeBartolo.

Two months ago, at the "Freddie and Friends" tribute, Mr. Solomon vowed to keep fighting and said he was not afraid. But his message that night was to encourage those in attendance to continue his work and help others.

"In closing I'd like to share a verse from one of my favorite song writers," Mr. Solomon said. "He would tell us, never forget the life we live is all so beautiful and you've shown your beauty and prayers and your faith and it means everything to me. And all of us got more work to do.

"What I would like to say is that not only pray for me, but pray for all the other cancer victims."

A memorial service is planned for St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Tampa. Details will be announced in the coming days.

Times researcher Caryn Baird and staff writers Andrew Meacham, Greg Auman and Jodie Tillman contributed to this story.

By Gary Shelton, Times Sports Columnist
Monday, February 13, 2012

Too many opponents to skate around. Too many bad contracts, too.

Too many physical shortcomings. Too many fiscal ones, too.

Too many nights when the team lacks balance. Too many days when the payroll does the same.

Pretty much, that's as good an explanation as any as to why the rest of the NHL has given the business to the Lightning this season.

As the slow skate of a disappointing season continues, so too does the search for the reason. A year after finding a new direction, the Lightning is lost again, and the thing that seems to outrage some of its fans the most is that, by and large, there isn't enough outrage.

What remains is a question. Is the Lightning paying for overpaying?

And until it gets its contracts to make sense, won't it always be a challenge to keep the standings from looking confusing?

Call it Lawton's Legacy, or Koules' Last Laugh, or Barrie's Revenge. The truth is, the Lightning is still trying to work around some of the ghastly contracts the previous regime left behind.

That isn't meant to excuse everything, because this year should have been better. But if the Lightning is to become a solid, contending team, the bad contracts are as big an obstacle as any.

The result is the team is skating uphill. Yes, it still has a chance. If nothing else, last year's run to the conference final proves that. The team still has a strong nucleus, and if things fall right, it can still succeed. But it won't be easy.

These days, the challenges are easier to see. A year ago, the Lightning led its division (and was third in the conference) with 73 points. This year, it is tied for 12th with only 54 points. Much of that is underachievement, and some of that is the Lightning wasn't flexible enough to pay for better.

It is easy to shout that the Lightning needs a better goaltender. It does. And it needs a stronger defense. And better depth. Remember, though, that in the offseason Steven Stamkos' contract doubled, and both goalie Dwayne Roloson and defenseman Eric Brewer got paid. Even if there had been a top-notch defenseman available, could the Lightning have paid him?

I know, I know. When it comes to sports, no one wants to talk about business. For crying out loud, we watch sports so we don't have to think about business. It's a lot more fun to applaud a game-winning goal than it is a new contract.

Besides, most of us are in favor of an owner spending, because we have endured too many owners who do not. The problem here isn't that owner Jeff Vinik hasn't spent (the payroll is a shade under $62 million); it's that the previous owner spent recklessly, like tossing a financial jigsaw puzzle into the air and thinking it would look right when it landed.

For instance, there is the contract of Mattias Ohlund, who hasn't played a second this year for his $5.5 million contract. Not only that, but after this season, the Lightning owes Ohlund another $11.75 million in the next four seasons. Face it: It never seemed reasonable to give a 33-year-old defenseman a seven-year contract.

For instance, there is the contract of Vinny Lecavalier. Good guy, Lecavalier. Nice player. But is he still worth $10 million a year, which he will get for the next four seasons (and $8.5 the year after)? That was just an owner looking for a splash.

For instance, there is the $6 million contract of Ryan Malone. To be fair, Malone's contract shrinks to the more-sensible $3 million next year, then to $2.5 the next two years. But, yes, the Lightning has overpaid.

Let's agree on this. You and I both make every dollar we can, too. And if someone wanted to overpay us, we'd cash the darned check. Getting paid too much isn't their fault; it's the previous administration.

But when a team overpays for one player, it has less money for the next one. And the one after that. In the case of the Lightning, which seems forever in search of its goaltender of the year, which is always shopping for depth in the discount bin, the contracts have gotten in the way of competition.

Now for the good news. Help might be on the way.

There are reports that in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, general managers may seek a form of contract amnesty in which they could select one contract that they could buy out without salary cap impact. After all, a lot of teams have a lousy contract or two.

That could help the Lighting which, otherwise, has little choice but to wait for the calendar.

So, too, could the new emphasis on building a better farm system. For the most part, young players are cheaper players, and as such, they are less impact on the budget.

The thing is, young players take time. And old contracts leave a team with little recourse. The result is a team out of balance.

In other words, on his way to building a contender, Yzerman has more work to do than a lot of us realized.

Part of it is that his team must learn to pay the price.

And the front office must remember how costly a wrong deal can be.

By Gary Shelton, Times Sports Columnist
Monday, February 13, 2012

Too many opponents to skate around. Too many bad contracts, too.

Too many physical shortcomings. Too many fiscal ones, too.

Too many nights when the team lacks balance. Too many days when the payroll does the same.

Pretty much, that's as good an explanation as any as to why the rest of the NHL has spent most of this season giving the business to the Lightning.

Is it possible the Lightning is paying now for overpaying in years past? Has the team's battle plan been swallowed by a wayward business plan? As the slow skate of a disappointing season continues, that seems as good a theory as any.

If last season's success was about possibilities, perhaps this season is about obstacles. The truth of it is general manager Steve Yzerman still has a lot of work ahead of him before this team can be the consistent challenger he wishes it to be.

There is talent to upgrade. There are bad contracts to work around. There is a minor-league system — where most teams get their affordable players — to develop. Until then, a lot of questions asked of Stevie Y will start out as "Stevie … why?''

Start with the bad contracts that have stripped this franchise of any flexibility. Call it Lawton's Legacy, or Koules' Last Laugh, or Barrie's Revenge. However you put it, the Lightning is still trying to work around some of the ghastly contracts the previous regime left behind.

For instance, there is the contract of defenseman Mattias Ohlund, who hasn't played a second this year for his $5.5 million. Not only that, but after this season, the Lightning owes Ohlund another $11.75 million over the next four seasons … even if Ohlund never plays again.

It never seemed reasonable to give a 33-year-old defenseman a seven-year contract. These days, it seems tragic, and there is no recourse. The Lightning can't even buy out the contract of a player who is hurt.

For instance, there is the contract of center Vinny Lecavalier. Good guy, Lecavalier. Nice player. But is he still worth $10 million a year, which he gets for the next four seasons (and $8.5 million the year after)? That was just an owner looking for a splash.

For instance, there is the $5.5 million contract of left wing Ryan Malone. To be fair, Malone's contract shrinks to the more-sensible $3 million next year, then to $2.5 million the next two years.

That isn't meant to excuse everything because this year should have been better and because other teams have bad contracts, too. But if the Lightning is to become a solid, contending team, working around the bad deals is a big deal.

The result is the team is skating uphill. Buying depth out of the discount bin is a hard way to succeed. Last year's run to the conference final proves it is possible to win that way, especially if you have stars such as Steven Stamkos and Marty St. Louis, but that kind of winning is hard to maintain.

Sure, the Lightning needs a better goaltender and a better defense and better depth. Everyone can see that. Remember, though, that in the offseason, Steven Stamkos' contract doubled, and both goalie Dwayne Roloson and defenseman Eric Brewer got paid. Even if there had been a top-notch defenseman available, could the Lightning have paid him?

I know, I know. When it comes to sports, no one wants to talk about business. For crying out loud, we watch sports so we don't have to think about business. It's a lot more fun to applaud a winning goal than it is a new contract.

The problem here isn't that owner Jeff Vinik hasn't spent (the salary cap payroll is a shade under $62 million, about $3 million under the limit); it's that the previous owners spent recklessly, as if they thought they could toss a financial jigsaw puzzle into the air and have it look right when it landed.

It's simple math, really. If a team overpays for one player, it has less money available for the next one. And the one after that. It has left the Lightning scrambling for a new goaltender every year and for bargains to provide depth. You have to wonder how much that affected this season.

Now for the good news. Help might be on the way.

There are reports that in upcoming talks for a new collective bargaining agreement, owners might seek a form of contract amnesty, in which they could select one contract that they could buy out without salary cap impact. After all, a lot of teams have a lousy contract or two.

That could help the Lighting which, otherwise, has little choice but to wait for the calendar.

So, too, could the new emphasis on building a better farm system. For the most part, young players are cheaper players, and as such, they have less impact on the budget.

The thing is, young players take time. And old contracts leave a team with little recourse. The result is a team out of balance.

In other words, on his way to building a contender, Yzerman has more work to do than a lot of us realized.

Part of it is his team must learn to pay the price.

And the front office must remember how costly a wrong deal can be.

By Gary Shelton, Times Sports Columnist
Monday, February 13, 2012

Do not remember Freddie Solomon for the catches he made. Remember him for the lives he changed.

Day after day, child after child, lesson after lesson. For Solomon, that was the sum of a life well spent. He didn't care about the cameras, and he didn't seek out the headlines, and he didn't flaunt whatever celebrity he might have.

He just made his life count.

Every day.

Tampa Bay lost another legend Monday afternoon when Solomon, 59, lost his fight with cancer. As a community, we are poorer for it. Solomon was a good man, and there are not enough of them left. He cared, and not enough athletes do. He made a difference, and what better legacy can a man leave?

This was Freddie, a man who stood up in so many small moments to become a giant. Some athletes help by raising money from the rich, and some help by including the famous, and bless them for it. But Solomon's way was to spend the tiny moments with those who needed it the most. There was something simple about the way Solomon cared, something pure.

He was hands on, and he was behind the scenes, and no one will ever know how many people he affected. He pushed. He cared. He taught.

He mattered.

"He was the most human of beings I've ever met," Eddie DeBartolo, the former 49ers owner who was a close friend of Solomon, said Monday evening. "He was the most gentle soul. All he did was live to help people. He was a special, special person.

"Freddie was just one of the most unbelievable people. He didn't care about himself. He just lived to help children, to make sure they got what he didn't have, what he had to work hard to get. He wanted to train them and to teach them."

As Solomon once said: "We give what we can give from our hearts." Given the size of Solomon's heart, it is no wonder he gave so much.

Monday was an emotional day for DeBartolo, who was with Solomon in his final hours. The two had become close in the late 1970s, when DeBartolo's 49ers traded for Solomon. Solomon became close with DeBartolo's mother — "Mama D," he called her — and soon, the two became friends.

Over Super Bowl weekend, when DeBartolo was among those being discussed for the Hall of Fame, he stayed home to be with Solomon.

"I was so honored to be mentioned," DeBartolo said, "but I was with my friend."

In the end, that defines Solomon perfectly. He was everyone's friend, whether you were 8 or 80, whether you were famous or unknown.

In the end, it is of small consequence that Solomon played football, or that he was terrific at it. He was Tampa Bay's first football hero, back at the University of Tampa, but he never brought it up. He didn't brag about his early days with the Dolphins, or his Super Bowls with the 49ers.

Oh, if you prodded him, Solomon would talk about the old days, about Joe Montana and Ronnie Lott and Jerry Rice and Roger Craig and DeBartolo. He would grin widely, and he would tell a story, and he would cackle at the old memories. But the best part of Solomon is that he didn't let those days define him the way many former athletes do. Solomon was not a former player looking for something to do. He was a teacher who happened to play football beforehand.

Now that he is gone, DeBartolo said, it like there is a hole "from the middle of my stomach and into my heart."

That said, DeBartolo suggests there is one more lesson to be learned from Solomon's passing.

"If anyone can learn from this man's death, you must, must go to get a colonoscopy," DeBartolo said. "This all could be avoided. It's not his fault. It wasn't his way. He didn't want to take the time. But people need to go."

DeBartolo tells a story about the two riding through Montana together and passing a Little League game. Solomon had DeBartolo pull the car over, and the two of them watched the final 45 minutes or so of the game. Then Solomon went out and started instructing, telling kids how to run the bases, how to catch the ball.

"The kids were his friends," DeBartolo said. "He had an ability to make them march the chalk line. He wanted them to be better human beings and better friends. He didn't want foundations. He just wanted to be Freddie, a non-entity among entities. I know people have written about him and his camps and his Christmas Show. But he didn't want that. All he wanted was to be a good person."

For the record, DeBartolo promised Solomon that his camps, and his Christmas Show, will continue.

"His legacy will not end," DeBartolo said.

A good man's legacy never does, after all. The kids who Solomon taught now have kids of their own. Solomon left his fingerprints, and his spirit, in his community. There were thousands of small moments, thousands of important messages.

Today, there should be thousands of voices saying thanks.

Tampa Bay is poorer that he has gone, but it is far better that he was here.

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Monday, February 13, 2012

By Dave Mistretta, Times Correspondent
Monday, February 13, 2012

Whales in the gulf: While anchored and amberjack fishing about 30 miles off Honeymoon Island last week, a humpback whale came racing toward the boat. It was about 30 feet long and amazingly fast. I noticed it almost frolicking about 100 yards away. After a few surface splashes, it revealed its giant rudderlike pectoral fin, then rolled to the surface and raced toward the boat. Huge boils in the water followed its tail. The water churned for 50 yards back and had a spread of more than 20 feet. The whale swam over the anchor line, then it sounded under the boat for about 20 seconds. It came up and showed its humplike back and low-profiled dorsal fin repeatedly.

Excitement for the entire crew: Everyone on the boat watched the whale swim away, wanting nothing more to do with us. It came to the surface four more times before disappearing into the deep water.

A rare treat: Whales are not common in our gulf waters, especially only 30 miles from shore. Four years ago we witnessed a similar encounter with a humpback whale. I stared into this whale's eye for 10 seconds, then it swam away from under the boat.

Dave Mistretta captains the Jaws Too out of Indian Rocks Beach. Call (727) 439-2628 or visit jawstoo.com.

Times wires
Monday, February 13, 2012

OAKLAND, Calif. — After a winter of rebuilding, the Athletics were the surprise winner for Cuban defector Yoenis Cespedes.

Cespedes and the A's agreed to a $36 million, four-year contract — quite a splash for the low-revenue franchise that traded away several key faces this offseason.

Agent Adam Katz confirmed Monday the slugging outfielder had reached agreement on a deal, with details still to be finalized. This is a significant move for Oakland, which wanted to add punch to a lineup that was 12th in the AL in runs last season.

Cespedes, 26, will earn $6.5 million this year, $8.5 million in 2013 and $10.5 million in each of the final two seasons. He can become a free agent at the end of the contract, the biggest for a Cuban defector. Cespedes' deal tops Jose Contreras' $32 million, four-year contract with the Yankees before the 2003 season.

The A's expect Cespedes to secure his P1 visa in the next couple of weeks, travel to the team's Arizona spring training site to take his physical and be ready to start training shortly thereafter.

The team also still has interest in formerly retired slugger Manny Ramirez. The A's, hoping to be given clearance from Major League Baseball to relocate to San Jose and construct a new ballpark, have been in rebuilding mode this offseason. Oakland traded starting pitchers Gio Gonzalez and Trevor Cahill and also All-Star closer Andrew Bailey.

Cespedes toured the Miami Marlins' new downtown ballpark Wednesday and appeared to have other suitors, as well. In a surprising move, it was the A's who made a splash and outbid some big-spending clubs.

CUBANS TO CUBS: The Cubs appear close to landing a second major Cuban free agent.

Outfielder Jorge Soler, 19, is close to signing with Chicago, according to multiple reports from the Dominican Republic, where Soler is staying.

Pitcher Gerardo Concepcion, also 19, was signed earlier, although the Cubs have not announced it. Soler is waiting for official clearance from MLB before being declared a free agent, although he can be signed.

BURNETT TALKS: The Yankees and Pirates have made progress toward a trade that would send much-maligned right-hander A.J. Burnett to Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh would pay at least $10 million of the $33 million Burnett is owed in the final two seasons of his $82.5 million, five-year contract. The exact amount of money involved in the trade depends on the quality of the prospects the Yankees would receive.

Burnett, 35, has struggled to a 34-35 record and 4.79 ERA during three seasons with New York.

In other Pirates news, first baseman/outfielder Dmitri Young worked out in his bid to return to baseball. Young, 38, hasn't played in the majors since 2008.

BLUE JAYS: Top right-handed setup man Casey Janssen, 30, avoided salary arbitration, agreeing on a $5.9 million, two-year contract.

INDIANS: Right-hander Jon Garland, 32, a 12-year veteran coming off July shoulder surgery, agreed to a minor-league contract.

METS: Left-hander Johan Santana, 32, who hasn't pitched in the majors since 2010, will throw off a mound Thursday or Friday in Port St. Lucie.

RED SOX: All-Star DH David Ortiz, 36, avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year contract worth $14,575,000.

By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Monday, February 13, 2012

By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Monday, February 13, 2012

GAINESVILLE — Think about where the Gators had some of their worst performances this past football season and the offensive line quickly comes to mind. Message boards and fan emails questioned all season whether changes were needed. Coach Will Muschamp apparently had similar thoughts.

On Monday, Muschamp hired veteran coach Tim Davis as offensive line coach. He replaces Frank Verducci, who was quietly dismissed this past weekend. Officially, Florida said Verducci, who has coached for three decades, left to "pursue other interests."

Davis, who has more than 25 years of coaching experience, nine with current members of the Gator coaching staff, joins the program after spending this past season as O-line coach at his alma mater Utah.

"Tim is a perfect fit for our program," Muschamp said. "He has a history of coaching in a pro-style offense and shares the same program philosophies. It will be a seamless transition for our players and staff."

Davis, 53, began his career in 1981 and has coached in the Big Ten, Pac-10 (and Pac-12), SEC, the NFL and 15 bowl games and been a part of two national championship teams.

INJURY PLAGUED: After going 0-2 last week, the men's basketball team dropped from No. 8 to 14th in the AP poll and will have serious depth problems for at least its next two games, both on the road. The Gators are without G Mike Rosario (hip pointer) and sophomore F Will Yeguete (concussion). Sophomore F Cody Larson will be limited, recovering from the flu. Yeguete suffered his second concussion of the season (the first at Ohio State) on Saturday and has passed just two of the required five tests to be medically cleared to return. Coach Billy Donovan said Yeguete was briefly unconscious on the court.

"I don't think he's having any symptoms where he's sick or he's just dizzy all the time," Donovan said. "I think he feels okay, but he's not passing these tests. And I think three of the tests, he's not really showing any signs that he's close to passing them. So this could be a couple of weeks, could be a week, could be three weeks. I would say right now where his symptoms are at, I feel pretty confident that he'll be out for this entire week."

The Gators will play at Alabama tonight hoping to make due with what they have.

"Dire is probably a pretty good word" to describe the frontcourt situation, Donovan said. "We're going to have to do some different things, both offensively and defensively. Certainly going into Alabama, there's a tremendous void there for us defensively at the basket."

Donovan said he may put rarely used F Casey Prather and guard Scottie Wilbekin at the power forward position at times.

"You can't really be too worried about it, we just have to make do with what we have right now," Wilbekin said. "It's tough going against guys that are that much bigger, stronger and taller than me, but I've just got to work that much harder."

CHAMPIONSHIP PREDICTION: SEC coaches picked the Gator baseball team to repeat as league champions in the preseason poll. Florida is No. 1 in the four major preseason polls.

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

By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Monday, February 13, 2012