Times staff, wires
Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Local program gets big boost

The $1 million purse of last week's inaugural RR Donnelly LPGA Founder's Cup was donated to charity. Half went to the LPGA/USGA Girls Golf Program. The other half was split among the top 10 finishers and given to charities of their choice. Seminole's Brittany Lincicome tied for second, which meant the First Tee of St. Petersburg got $85,110. "It takes the help and support of great people like Brittany Lincicome to allow us to do what we do best," said Thomas Charlton, program director of the First Tee of St. Petersburg, "which is provide quality golf instruction and valuable life skills to all of the youth in our community who would like the opportunity.''

Tiger to teach via technology

Tiger Woods is now giving lessons on mobile phones. Woods launched a mobile application called "Tiger Woods: My Swing" for the iPhone and iPod that aims to help golfers of all skill levels. The $9.99 fee goes to the Tiger Woods Foundation. The application allows golfers to capture video of their swings to analyze and compare with Woods'. Woods is going through his fourth swing change since turning pro in 1996, so it's not clear which swing will be on display. The app also includes personalized videos in which Woods answers questions.

Between golf and school

U.S. Amateur champion Peter Uihlein played the Transitions Championship last week and easily made the cut. He's back at Oklahoma State this week even though he has an exemption to Bay Hill and doesn't need to worry about burning them because he won't be turning pro any time soon. It's all a matter of scheduling, and Uihlein has one busy schedule. "I'm going to be missing a lot of school because of the Masters," he said. Uihlein makes his way to Georgia next week for the 14th annual Georgia Cup match, which features the U.S. and British amateur champions. He plays Jin Jeong on Tuesday at The Golf Club of Georgia. Then it's back to school before a weekend at Augusta National to get ready for his first Masters. The rest of his summer should be easier to juggle. The U.S. Open and British Open come while school is out.

Local tournament

The second annual Forever Friends tournament is April 9 at Seminole Lake Country Club. The tournament is held in remembrance of Keith MacCollom, Joey Ruzecki, Nate Richardson and LeShawn Smith, friends who were killed in a car crash in 2009. The tournament is a four-player scramble with shotgun starts at 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Entry fee is $160 per person. For details, call John Ruzecki at (727) 647-4169.

This week on tour

PGA: Arnold Palmer Invitational, Bay Hill Club and Lodge, Orlando. TV: Today-Friday, 3 p.m. on Golf Channel; Saturday-Sunday, 12:30-2:30 p.m. on Golf Channel, and 2:30 p.m. on Ch. 8

LPGA: Kia Classic, Industry Hills Golf Club, Industry, Calif. TV: Today-Friday-Saturday, 6:30 p.m., and Sunday, 7 p.m., all on Golf Channel

PGA Europe: Andalucia Open, Parador de Malaga, Malaga, Spain. TV: Today-Friday, 10:30 a.m., and Saturday-Sunday, 9 a.m., all on Golf Channel

Times staff, wires

By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Dr. Remote | Check it out today

30 Clubs in 30 Days: 6 p.m. on MLB Network. The Rays are featured in this daily program previewing the 2011 season.

Good Morning America: 7 a.m. on Ch. 28. The ABC morning show welcomes race car driver Helio Castroneves into the New York studio as the 2011 IndyCar Series kicks off this week with the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

Baseball Tonight: 8 p.m. on ESPN2. A draft special for all those who play fantasy baseball.

Times staff
Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Tampa Bay Golf Tour

Tampabay.com/golf is a guide to public courses in the bay area. More than 70 regulation and executive courses are listed, broken down by county and price. The site also has video reviews. This week's featured courses: Brooker Creek Golf Course, Heritage Harbor Golf and Country Club, The Links Golf Club, Sherman Hills Golf Club, Cove Cay Country Club and Meadow Oaks Golf and Country Club.

Number of the day

58 Age of Andy Bean, right, who is playing in this week's Arnold Palmer Invitational. Bean won the tournament in 1981 — before some players in this year's event were born.

Player of the day

Gary Woodland won the Transitions Championship on Sunday. Today, he will be teeing it up with Tiger Woods at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Woodland, a PGA Tour rookie, also will be paired with Dustin Johnson for the first two rounds.

By Doug Hemmer, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Past trips: During the low tides, we target trout in 3-4 feet. When the tide is high enough to move on to the flats, we cast jigs into the schools of mullet in search of large trout. The larger trout like to hang in the mullet schools for protection because trout know it's safer among 3,000 mullet than be alone on the flats. Most trout are in the 20- to 26-inch range. That makes it worth casting a couple hundred times to catch four or five gator trout.

When the tide gets higher, we start looking for signs of redfish. The schools have been small and hard to see. It takes a slow approach with your trolling motor on low until you see the flash of redfish. When the reds are located, it's best to cast cut threadfins or ladyfish on the edge of the school and wait for the reds to find the bait. It's still early for the reds to be in large schools. If you can find them close to the mangroves, a free-lined shrimp is best.

Caution: Now that the water temperature is in the high 60s, you will see more manatees on the flats. The signs to look for are a pattern of boils in a straight line or a long mud slick. When you see these, slow down and try to avoid driving over that area. In the past few trips, we have seen manatees on the flats of lower Tampa Bay, in water 4-6 feet deep. They will hang out in these areas throughout the summer.

Doug Hemmer charters out of St. Petersburg and can be reached at (727) 347-1389.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 23, 2011

PORT CHARLOTTE — Manager Joe Maddon said the battle for the three open bullpen spots is relatively settled, though he isn't ready to name names. Plus, there could be some new names as the Rays explore trade and waiver-wire acquisitions as other teams make their final decisions over the next few days.

"We have a good idea what we like, but they're definitely still in play," Maddon said. "There's always a chance for a deal to be made, too. You've always got that. Based on what we have here right now, if that remains static, we'll know before (Wednesday's final exhibition). If something were to happen acquisition-wise, then of course that would change."

The three relievers who appear to have won the jobs — as of now — are veteran RHP Juan Cruz and LHPs Jake McGee and Cesar Ramos.

Maddon acknowledged that Rule 5 LHP Cesar Cabral has impressed enough to be "a wrench-thrower," but it still appears more likely the Rays will trade him than keep him. He wasn't as sharp Wednesday as he had been, allowing two hits and two walks in the ninth. Other candidates are RHPs Rob Delaney and Cory Wade.

The other four spots are expected to be filled by RHPs Kyle Farnsworth, Joel Peralta, Adam Russell and Andy Sonnanstine.

SHIELDS UP: RHP James Shields, the No. 2 starter, had an impressive outing in a 4-1 win, throwing seven shutout innings at a Phillies lineup that included Jimmy Rollins, Raul Ibanez and Ryan Howard and needing only 87 pitches to do so. "Eighty-seven and seven — I'll take that all day, every day," Shields said.

Maddon noted how well Shields used his curveball and his command of his fastball. "That is some really good Shieldsy right there," Maddon said.

CATCHING ON: C John Jaso remains "uncomfortable" as a result of being hit in the groin by a foul ball Saturday, and with no set return date, there is a possibility the Rays might have to start looking at alternatives (probably Jose Lobaton?) for the opening day roster. "If he's not responding well, if the pain threshold is not going down enough, we may have to," Maddon said. "But as of right now we're not there yet."

Jaso said he was "still feeling it" and was told it could take up to six weeks to feel normal.

TRAVELIN' MAN: OF/DH Manny Ramirez offered to make the long road trip to Kissimmee today, but Maddon, after initially agreeing, decided after the game to keep him home. Ramirez, who has been playing almost every day, is hitting .350 with a 1.029 OPS through 47 spring plate appearances. He doubled (sliding in headfirst), singled and walked Wednesday.

The Rays have been pleased with how hard Ramirez has been working and with the adjustment he made early in camp to his swing, making his bat quicker. "He'd gotten in some bad habits," Maddon said.

OF Johnny Damon and Farnsworth, who both live in the Orlando area, will make the trip.

PITCHING IN: RHP Wade Davis is set to go 90-plus pitches today, coming off a rough outing in Fort Myers against the Twins (8 R, 9 H, 2 BB, 31/3 IP) that followed a bout with the flu. "I'm feeling a lot better now," he said. "This is one where you want to have success." … Russell, who has allowed 24 baserunners in eight innings, made some adjustments during a Tuesday bullpen session with pitching coach Jim Hickey, assistant Stan Boroski and special adviser Dave Eiland and will work today in a minor-league game.

GAME DETAILS: The Rays won for the 11th time in their past 16 games to improve to 12-12-1. … Evan Longoria hit his third homer of the spring. … C Kelly Shoppach had the first complete game of the spring, playing all nine innings. … 1B candidate Casey Kotchman had another hit to hike his average to .386.

Times wires
Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Tonight: Southeast region semifinal

No. 2 Florida vs. No. 3 BYU

When/Where: 7:27 tonight; New Orleans Arena

TV/radio: TBS; 620-AM, 1010-AM

Enrollments: UF 52,112; BYU 32,995

Records: UF 28-7, BYU 32-4

How they got here: UF d. No. 15 UC Santa Barbara 79-51, d. No. 7 UCLA 73-65; BYU d. No. 14 Wofford 74-66, d. No. 11 Gonzaga 89-67

Key Stat: BYU shoots 76.3 percent from the line (10th nationally); UF 67.1 percent (237th)

The Buzz: BYU beat Florida 99-92 in double overtime in last season's first round, and Jimmer Fredette scored 37 for the Cougars. This Florida team is much improved. The Gators enjoy a big advantage in the frontcourt, and coach Billy Donovan certainly will be happy if C Vernon Macklin, F Alex Tyus and F/C Patric Young get a lot of touches in the low post. When they are scoring down low, the perimeter opens for Gs Kenny Boynton and Erving Walker and F Chandler Parsons. Parsons, in particular, bears watching in this one. Parsons, who is 6-10, can hit from the outside and finish at the rim; he could do some damage, considering the Cougars' lack of size and their sometimes shaky defense. BYU is all about Fredette, the nation's leading scorer. He has phenomenal range and a quick trigger, and is strong and a great finisher. He's going to get his points, and a key for Florida is to make sure no other Cougar scores 15 or so. G Jackson Emery, left, is a solid backcourt mate for Fredette; Emery is a good defender (2.8 steals per game) and distributor who can hit the 3. Swingman Charles Abouo, left, might be the best athlete on the floor, and his rebounding and defensive toughness will be key for BYU. The Cougars have lost just four times this season, and BYU shot 26.4 percent from 3-point range combined in the losses. That's 10.1 percent worse than its season average.

Rivals.com

Tale of the tape

UF BYU

71.8 Points 81.6

62.7 Opp. points 67.4

.465 FG pct. .452

.423 Opp. FG pct. .413

.357 3-point pct. .364

.315 Opp. 3-point pct. .327

.671 FT pct. .766

+5.9 Reb. margin +3.0

6.3 3-pointers 8.4

5.6 Opp. 3-pointers 5.8

3.5 Blocks 4.1

5.9 Steals 7.9

13.9 Assists 14.6

12.3 Turnovers 10.9

12.5 Turnovers forced 14.4

Source: UF

Times wires
Wednesday, March 23, 2011

KISSIMMEE — Braves minor-league manager Luis Salazar returned to camp Wednesday, two weeks after being struck in the face by a foul ball and losing his left eye.

"I'm very fortunate to be alive," Salazar said. "God gave me a second chance in this life, and I'm going to take advantage of it."

He hopes to join his Class A Lynchburg team in April near the start of the Carolina League season.

Salazar was standing on the top step of the dugout when he was struck by Brian McCann's line drive during the first inning against the Cardinals on March 9. He was knocked unconscious and airlifted to the hospital.

Doctors could not save Salazar's eye and removed it March 15. After a week in an Orlando hospital, he spent a week at his home in Boca Raton.

"I feel really good and this is a big day for me," Salazar said after meeting with players and staff. "I shook hands with all my friends."

McCann visited Salazar several times after the injury.

"Brian McCann is a very sensitive kid and he was worried about my health," Salazar said. "We talked for about three hours. I told him what happened could happen to anybody. I told him move on and forget the incident."

Salazar, 54, said he's probably two to three weeks away from resume his minor-league duties.

Friend implicates Bonds

SAN FRANCISCO — A childhood friend and former business partner of Barry Bonds told a jury that he saw baseball's biggest star walk into the master bedroom at his spring training home with trainer Greg Anderson, who had a syringe with a needle.

Steve Hoskins testified in federal court that he never saw Anderson inject Bonds. The question for the jury will be whether Hoskins' description, which the defense began to challenge later in the day, is a path toward convicting Bonds of lying when he told a grand jury seven years ago he never knowingly took steroids.

The home-run king faces four counts of making false statements and one count of obstruction.

Hoskins said he witnessed scenes of Bonds and a needle-bearing Anderson entering a bedroom once or twice each spring for three straight years starting in 2000.

A partner with Bonds in a memorabilia business, Hoskins said the seven-time MVP asked him to inquire about the effects of the steroid Winstrol in 1999, around the time Bonds was having left elbow surgery April 20. Hoskins said he went to Dr. Arthur Ting, who is expected to testify later, and brought a sheet of information to Bonds.

Defense lawyer Allen Ruby went after Hoskins' credibility, suggesting he was trying to extort money from Bonds and noting inconsistencies in the timeline.

SHOWALTER ON FIRE: Orioles manager Buck Showalter took some shots at the Red Sox while praising the Rays, kind of, in the April issue of Men's Journal magazine. Talking about Boston, Showalter said, "I'd like to see how smart Theo Epstein is with the Tampa Bay payroll. You got Carl Crawford 'cause you paid more than anyone else, and that's what makes you smarter? That's why I like whipping their butt. It's great, knowing those guys with the $205 million payroll are saying, 'How the hell are they beating us?' "

GIANTS: Closer Brian Wilson, out since straining his left oblique a week ago, had his throwing session cut short, putting his availability for opening day in doubt.

METS: Brad Emaus, a Rule 5 pick from the Blue Jays, appears to be the frontrunner at second base after Justin Turner was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo. … Former Rays right-hander Jason Isringhausen threw a bullpen session after being sidelined with inflammation in his right elbow.

NATIONALS: Top outfield prospect Bryce Harper said his left ankle is improving and he hopes to get back on the field by Friday. … Left-hander Oliver Perez agreed to a minor-league deal two days after being released by the Mets.

RANGERS: Right-hander Brandon Webb was scratched from a scheduled bullpen session because he was unable to get loosened up to pitch.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer; Times wires
Wednesday, March 23, 2011

PORT CHARLOTTE — The Phillies survived a major scare Wednesday as RHP Roy Oswalt was apparently okay after being hit just below the right ear by a line drive from the Rays' Manny Ramirez.

Oswalt went down quickly when Ramirez's fourth-inning drive struck him, but he walked off the field on his own and rode, in his own truck, to an area hospital, where X-rays and a CT scan were negative.

"When he got up, he was okay," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "He just kind of grinned. He got up and said he was all right."

A Phillies spokesman said Oswalt — a key member of the team's vaunted rotation — never lost consciousness and didn't experience any dizziness but did say he had a contusion (bruise).

Charlotte Sports Park went silent after the incident, with Phillies personnel rushing to the mound and Rays players watching intently from the dugout.

"Oh my gosh, I was tripping. Anytime a pitcher is hit, especially close to the head … " Rays starter James Shields said. "I'll tell you right now, he's one of the toughest guys I know getting up and walking off. … It was scary — my neck was hurting after that."

Jays: Starter to DL

TAMPA — Blue Jays RHP Brandon Morrow will start the season on the disabled list with right forearm inflammation.

Morrow felt discomfort during a bullpen session, and an MRI exam revealed the injury. He's expected to miss only one start.

Morrow, 26, was 10-7 with a 4.49 ERA and 178 strikeouts in 1461/3 innings in last year. He got within an out of no-hitting the Rays on Aug. 8.

TOP PROSPECT TO WAIT: INF Brett Lawrie was reassigned to minor-league camp and will likely head to Triple-A Las Vegas.

Yanks: Good news

TAMPA — The Yankees are hopeful that CF Curtis Granderson will be ready to go when the season begins.

Granderson "felt pretty good" a day after straining his right oblique, manager Joe Girardi told ESPN.com. Granderson sat out Wednesday night's game against the Blue Jays.

"I believe that there's a chance that he's going to play opening day,'' Girardi told the website.

VEEP VISITS: Vice President Joe Biden visited the Yankees' spring camp, spending about 30 minutes on the third-base side while players took defensive drills.

Information from Times wires was used in this report.

By Bryan Burns, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 23, 2011

TAMPA — Kyle Clinton can still recall the goal he scored against Winter Park in the 2006 Class 6A state semifinals.

Clinton, then an 18-year-old senior midfielder at Clearwater's Countryside High, was left unmarked on a two-on-one. Griffin Gilstrap slipped him a pass into the box, and Clinton slotted a shot into the net. The ninth-minute goal helped the Cougars win 1-0 and reach the final, which they won two days later.

"It wasn't that great of a goal," Clinton said. "But for the meaning of it, it was definitely a big-time goal in my career."

Jeff Attinella was Countryside's goalkeeper that day. But his favorite memory of that season was beating Gaither, ranked No. 1 nationally by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, in the district final and region final. Attinella, then a 17-year-old junior, grew up with a lot of Gaither's starters.

Five years later, Clinton and Attinella have been reunited on the practice field for FC Tampa Bay.

Attinella signed a one-year deal with the second-division North American Soccer League club in February after a stellar career at USF.

He had tryouts with teams in Sweden and Portugal and was taken 14th overall by Real Salt Lake in January's Major League Soccer draft. But he never heard back from the European clubs, and in Salt Lake City, he was stuck behind three keepers.

"It's definitely been an interesting ride putting me back here in Tampa," Attinella said. "The frustrating thing for me was I got great feedback from all those places. But I guess the business side of it just didn't make sense for the teams. But I'm definitely happy to be back here. It's always nice to come home."

Attinella, 6 feet 2, 190 pounds, is very much in FC Tampa Bay's plans.

"We have two quality keepers," coach Ricky Hill said of Attinella and incumbent starter Daryl Sattler. "They're both No. 1s in my eyes. As it stands now, I'm just delighted to have a person of Jeff's ability joining Daryl."

Clinton was one of 13 players given a tryout during the preseason and is one of four still practicing, hoping to make it as a central defender.

"He's acquitted himself very, very well," Hill said. "We are looking to add personnel to the roster, and at the moment, Kyle is in one of the pole positions."

Clinton, whose father, Kevin, played goalie for the original Rowdies in the late 1970s and early '80s, went on to star at Francis Marion. A four-year starter from 2006-09, Clinton scored 29 goals and was a two-time All-Peach Belt Conference selection for the Division II school located in Florence, S.C.

In 2010, Clinton took a year off from playing to coach. He led the boys team at King's Academy High — also located in Florence — to its first undefeated regular season, conference and region titles and the state semifinals. Clinton also coached two youth club teams and will be an assistant for Francis Marion's women's team if he doesn't make FC Tampa Bay.

At 6 feet 4, 180 pounds, Clinton caught the eye of FC Tampa Bay executive vice president Perry Van Der Beck at a combine before the team's inaugural season last year.

"I just want to play and stay out of the real world and keep playing soccer as long as I can," Clinton said.

Attinella and Clinton will look to bolster a back line that at times let FC Tampa Bay down last season. The team gave up 46 goals in 30 games, including 28 over the final 12.

"I think it's a travesty that Jeff hasn't gotten as much recognition on the national level," said David Sica, who coached Attinella and Clinton at Countryside. "He has tremendous ability to make unbelievable saves, and he's a hard-working kid. Kyle is one of the most versatile players I've ever coached. He has a knack for putting himself in the right position to make the play that counts.

"I think it's a huge deal for (FC Tampa Bay) that they have talented players from the surrounding area on the team."

Derek J. LaRiviere, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, March 23, 2011

BROOKSVILLE — In a meeting between two of the area's top programs, Wiregrass Ranch emerged as the lone undefeated team still remaining after knocking off Nature Coast on its home courts Wednesday afternoon.

The Bulls took six of seven matches with Tyler Schwefringhaus snagging the lone win for the Sharks in the third seed singles slot.

"The outcome of who won and who lost isn't as important as getting some good competition," Wiregrass Ranch coach Dave Wilson said. "They were undefeated coming in, and anytime you play a team like that it's going to be a test."

Among the losses for Nature Coast (13-1) was a close one for fourth seed Zenon Kouts (12-1) at the hands of Wiregrass Ranch's Jaime Feliciano, 6-4, 7-5. The Sharks junior suffered the second defeat of his prep career after going 24-1 in his first two seasons.

Feliciano joined the rest of his teammates in the winners' column to up their mark to 10-0 in singles play. Courage Okunbowa, Spencer Ong and Dan Helfrich also dispatched opponents in straight sets.

Only Eric Busch (9-1), who was struggling with a bout of the flu, went down in defeat to Schwefringhaus (13-0). The three-set match (4-6, 6-2, 6-4) lasted for a while, but there were no excuses.

"Eric has to refocus before districts," Wilson said. "He was coughing between every point, but there are no excuses; he knows that there are things he needs to work on."

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Quote of the day

"We're talking about Pedro Rosa right now."

Manager Joe Maddon, after Manny Ramirez did his best Pete Rose imitation, sliding headfirst into second for a first-inning double.

Upset of the day

One of the more popular activities among the players is Words With Friends, a Scrabble-type game played on smart phones. And Justin Ruggiano, who attended Texas A&M, couldn't wait to share the news Wednesday that he beat Sam Fuld, graduate of Stanford University, and by more than 30 points. "Texas A&M beating Stanford, we need a word for that," Ruggiano said. "How about epic? Or monumental?"

Financial news of the day

The value of the Rays franchise increased 5 percent to $331 million, according to Forbes magazine's latest evaluation, but remains 28th of the 30 MLB teams, ahead of Oakland and Pittsburgh. Forbes estimates the Rays have revenues of $166 million (25th) and operating income of $6.8 million (also 25th). The Yankees are considered most valuable at $1.7 billion, the Padres most profitable with $37 million in operating income.

Movie critic note of the day

Manager Joe Maddon has his iPad loaded for today's nearly 3-hour bus ride to and from Kissimmee. Work on the way up, a movie for the trip home: the Will Ferrell/John C. Reilly comedy Step Brothers. "Probably," Maddon said, "the most underrated movie of the last five years."

Number of the day

20 Evan Longoria's rank among MLB players in terms of jerseys sold in 2010. Yankees SS Derek Jeter was No. 1 and Phillies Roy Halladay, Chase Utley and Cliff Lee were in the top 5.

TV programming note of the day

MLB Network's 30 Clubs in 30 Days tour stop at Rays camp airs at 6 tonight.

Rays at Astros

When/where: 1:05 today; Osceola County Stadium, 631 Heritage Park Way, Kissimmee

Tickets: $10-24, available by calling (407) 839-39009, via Astros.com and at the stadium.

Rays information: Toll-free 1-888-326-7297 (FAN-RAYS)

Pitchers: Rays — Wade Davis, Kyle Farnsworth, Cesar Ramos, Jake McGee; Astros — Bud Norris, Brandon Lyon, Mark Melancon, Fernando Abad, Ross Wolf

Heads-up

Farnsworth is back on the mound for the first time since hyperextending his left knee on Monday, making the first of scheduled back-to-back appearances.

Who is this Ray?

He graduated from Somerset (Mass.) High and played three seasons at Eckerd College. In five minor-league seasons, he has thrown out nearly half of attempted base-stealers and hit only four home runs. He has also pitched twice.

On deck

Friday: Pirates, 1:05. Rays — Jeff Niemann; Pirates — Charlie Morton

Upcoming schedule

26: Orioles

27: at Pirates

28: at Yankees, 7:05

29: at Red Sox

30: vs. Blue Jays at Tropicana Field, 4:10

Who is this Ray answer: C Craig Albernaz

Marc Topkin, Times staff writer

Brandon Wright, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, March 23, 2011

TAMPA — The Tampa Bay Storm couldn't get out of Utah fast enough.

The Storm lost to the Blaze 73-36 last Thursday, the second-worst road loss and third-worst overall loss in team history.

"It wasn't pretty," first-year coach Dave Ewart said.

After winning its season opener 46-40 against New Orleans, the Storm trailed 31-23 at halftime and was routed in the second half.

Seven players experienced flu-like symptoms during the trip to Utah, and the Storm was operating on a short week with the odd Thursday game.

"We don't have regular 9-to-5 jobs where you can take a sick day," Ewart said. "But the bottom line is we're paid to do a job and didn't do it."

With the Thursday matchup — the Storm's only one of the season — Tampa Bay has a nine-day break until Sunday's home opener against Cleveland at the St. Pete Times Forum.

"We gave them a couple of days off (after returning from Utah) and everybody was moving around pretty well out at practice Tuesday," Ewart said. "Sometimes the best thing you can do is sweat it out."

QB remains question mark: Grant Gregory (16-of-29 for 186 yards, four touchdowns, two interceptions) started against the Blaze and struggled before being lifted for Mike Potts, who quarterbacked Tampa Bay to its win against the VooDoo. B.J. Hall, who signed March 14 but was inactive against the Blaze, took extra reps in practice this week; Ewart was noncommittal about naming a starter for Sunday.

Royal to Return? Terrence Royal, last year's starting fullback, was brought in on two one-day waivers and took a physical, potentially paving the way for his return this week.

Lindsey Shines: One of the biggest surprises for the Storm has been the play of wideout/kick returner Michael Lindsey. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound rookie from Northwest Mississippi Community College and Boca Ciega graduate didn't start against the VooDoo but came on to catch four passes, rush for a pair of scores and return a kickoff for a touchdown. Lindsey started against Utah and again caught four passes. He leads the AFL with 28.2 yards per kickoff return.

"Michael worked very hard and played his way onto this team," Ewart said. "He wants to be here, and being a part of the Storm means a lot to him."

Times wires
Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Football

OCHOCINCO reacClimates to soccer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Locked out of his NFL job, Chad Ochocinco opened a four-day tryout with Sporting Kansas City on Wednesday, and by the end of his first day with the Major League Soccer team the star Bengals receiver was panting for breath.

"Exactly what I expected," said the six-time Pro Bowl player, who gave up soccer after 10th grade. "I would be a little winded being that I haven't ran at this pace or this level since the end of our season of football. It was fun. I didn't expect to come in here and be Superman."

He moved fluidly and was taller than almost all the pro soccer players. Wearing No. 85, Ochocinco's athleticism was obvious, but so was his soccer rust.

"He was a little bit hesitant early on, a little bit tentative," coach Peter Vermes said. "But I think now he's got a good feel for what a day goes like for us. You can see he's very coachable."

Ochocinco knows he won't take anyone's job, but he hopes to be a squad man and practice with the team. "That would be fun," he said.

Tennis

Clijsters to skip events in Japan

Kim Clijsters, the second seed at the Sony Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne, plans to avoid Japan over radiation fears since an earthquake and tsunami crippled a nuclear plant there.

Clijsters said she wouldn't go to the WTA events in Tokyo in September nor Beijing in October.

"It's heart-wrenching to see what they're going through right now," she said in a statement released by the WTA. "Of course the health and safety of anyone traveling to a potentially impacted area is my top priority as well as the WTA's."

Radiation has seeped into vegetables and the water supply.

Ericsson Open: Juan Martin del Potro, who has jumped from 257th to 51st in the men's rankings in his return from a right wrist injury, advanced to the second round in Key Biscayne after beating Ricardo Mello 6-4, 6-4.

Davis Cup: The United States' quarterfinal vs. Spain will be played July 8-10 in Austin, Texas, where Andy Roddick lives and the U.S. team is 4-0.

more football

Ex-coach Buddy Ryan faces cancer again

Former NFL coach Buddy Ryan is battling cancer for a third time, his son, Rex, told the New York Daily News. The Jets coach did not say what type of cancer his father has, but he said it wasn't melanoma, which Buddy has beaten twice before.

Jets: Receiver Jerricho Cotchery said he played last season with a herniated disc and had back surgery Feb. 3, ESPNNewYork.com reported. Cotchery expects to be ready for camp if the labor dispute ends.

UFL: The fledgling Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League hired former NFL coach Marty Schottenheimer to replace Jay Gruden as coach. Gruden, the former Storm quarterback who was the Florida Tuskers coach before it ceased UFL operations, will be Bengals offensive coordinator.

ET CETERA

College football: USF sophomore Marcus Shaw suffered what's believed to be a broken thumb during practice, leaving three healthy scholarship running backs. Shaw is expected to meet today with a hand specialist to determine the severity of the injury. … A University of Iowa investigative committee said the team should scrap an intense workout that left 13 players hospitalized, conceding that whatever triggered their injuries remains a mystery. The report clears the players, trainers and coaches of wrongdoing, saying past workouts were without injuries. The January workout led to players being diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis, which breaks down muscle cells and discolors urine. Athletic director Gary Barta said he will move forward with the committee's 10 recommendations.

Greg Auman, Times staff writer; Times wires

Times staff
Wednesday, March 23, 2011

By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 23, 2011

NEW ORLEANS — Scottie Wilbekin won't turn 18 years old until April 5. Right about now, he should be getting fitted for his prom tuxedo.

Instead, when No. 2 seed Florida plays No. 3 BYU tonight in the NCAA Tournament region semifinals, Wilbekin and the other Florida reserves could be a key factor in the game's outcome.

Wilbekin, freshman center Patric Young, freshman forwards Casey Prather and Will Yeguete, and sophomore forward Erik Murphy have become an integral part of the Gators' team.

"I think we've made a pretty good contribution, coming in and providing sparks of defense and sometimes sparks of offense," Wilbekin said. "I think we just try to get in where we fit in and provide whatever help we can that they need."

And that has made Florida a much different team than the one that lost in double overtime to BYU in the first round of last season's NCAA Tournament.

"I think we are better as a team," Florida coach Billy Donovan said. "This year, with the addition of Scottie, Patric, with Erik Murphy being a year older, Will Yeguete, Prather off the bench, I think we're a little bit deeper of a team than maybe we were a year ago. But both teams are better. That's the challenge right now. Can we play better than we did against them the last time? We could play better and still not be good enough to beat them."

If the freshmen have their way, the answer is yes.

In last week's third-round NCAA Tournament game, Young battled UCLA's 300-pound plus center Josh Smith while starter Vernon Macklin was in foul trouble. Wilbekin, along with starting guard Erving Walker, tied up UCLA forward Tyler Honeycutt, causing a critical late turnover.

"It's been unbelievable," senior forward Chandler Parsons said. "Those guys understand their role perfectly. They come in and give us energy, and we don't miss a beat when those guys are in the game.

"I think the biggest thing with them is they understand their role. No one is going to come in here and take bad shots or expect to score 20 points. Everyone plays great and plays unselfish. Especially Scottie, he's supposed to be a senior in high school and he's playing outstanding for us right now. Our whole freshman class has been giving us a huge lift all year long."

In last year's first-round game, UF guard Kenny Boynton held BYU star guard Jimmer Fredette to 23 points in regulation. But Fredette finished with 37. Parsons played 46 minutes in that game, Walker 44 and Boynton 40. This year, there will be help.

"I think Scottie and Casey can come in for me, and they are definitely going to be a key in this game," Boynton said. "I think I probably will need a breather running around with Fredette on the outside, and I think when they come in, basically their focus level has to be on point, and they can help out a lot."

"Coach is not as afraid to use subs as maybe he was last year, so that gives us guys extra rest," Walker added. "And then when they come in, they contribute, they don't just give us a blow. And even in practice, they just push us and make us better."

And in the process, they've gotten better themselves. While coaches acknowledge there was no way to know how much of a contribution the young players would have, their contribution has been immeasurable.

"I think what's happened is as we've had success over the course of the year, it's been easier for the younger guys to accept their roles," Florida assistant coach Rob Lanier said. "Success justifies it. It justifies that role. It says you know what, if you let the seniors play this role, and the upperclassmen do this, this is what can happen for our team. And they've actually grown in the last three or four weeks because now they are saying this is what Coach was talking about. Things are starting to crystallize for them."

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

Times wires
Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Florida State heads to the Sweet 16 in San Antonio, Texas, and a date with Virginia Commonwealth hoping star F Chris Singleton is ready for more playing time.

The Seminoles' leading scorer and rebounder played a combined 26 minutes in wins last weekend over Texas A&M and Notre Dame. That came after missing five weeks with a broken right foot.

Coach Leonard Hamilton was reluctant to use Singleton, averaging 13.5 points and 6.9 rebounds, at all. But he had worked feverishly to rehab and been given medical clearance.

"I could not deny him," Hamilton said. "The hard work that he put in, he was so determined to be a part of the team in any way that he could possibly help."

Hamilton isn't sure how he'll use Singleton in Friday's Southwest Region semifinal, but he knows the junior is getting healthier by the day.

"You don't miss five weeks and come back and pick up where you left off," Hamilton said. "Hopefully before we finish the season, he'll be back to where he was."

Singleton, who had a combined five points and four rebounds, hopes to see an increased role.

"Just sitting on the bench, it's been tough," he said. "But if someone else is doing better than me, I can't tell (the coaches) to take them out of the game."

Duke's injured star: Duke PG Kyrie Irving, who returned at the start of the tournament after missing 26 games with an injured right toe, won't start tonight against Arizona but will play "significant minutes," coach Mike Krzyzewski said. The freshman averaged 12.5 points in the two tournament wins.

"He played significant minutes last week when I thought he was going to play limited minutes, so I mentioned that he will play significant minutes (tonight)," Krzyzewski said. "I don't know what the hell that means. It means he's going to play great minutes, hopefully."

Return trip: When Arizona F Derrick Williams played near his Los Angeles home in late February, things didn't go well. The Wildcats lost to USC and UCLA. The sophomore, averaging a team-high 19.1 points, had a season-low eight against the Trojans and 15 against the Bruins.

Now the Pac-10 of the year is back — in nearby Anaheim. Williams was besieged with ticket requests, although he could satisfy only his family. "Not that many people have that much money to spend on a 40-minute game," he said. "But a lot of people will be at a pizza place; someplace that has a lot of TVs."

Homecourt advantage? UConn G Kemba Walker isn't worried about playing San Diego State in Anaheim, a short drive on the interstate from its campus. "I'm pretty sure we'll have a nice little fan base because our fans travel very well," he said.

Quotable: "You see the rankings, and you see us up there. But people don't really know much about us. We're finally getting an opportunity to let people see what we're about. Our guys feed off that. We understand that we're seen as a mid major, so people feel like we don't deserve it because we don't consistently play the same type of competition. But we've won 34 games. That's a whole lot of wins." — San Diego State F Tim Shelton on facing UConn tonight

Hogs get Mizzou's coach: Mike Anderson is leaving Missouri to become coach at Arkansas, the school where he was an assistant to Nolan Richardson for 17 seasons. Anderson went 111-57 in five seasons at Missouri. He made the NCAA Tournament three times, reaching the Elite Eight in 2009. The Tigers lost to Cincinnati in their opening game this year. Anderson, who also coached UAB, replaces the fired John Pelphrey.

LA. TECH: Coach Kerry Rupp was fired. In four seasons, he went 57-69 (20-42 in the WAC).

Northern Ill.: Mark Montgomery, a Michigan State assistant for the past 10 seasons, was named coach.

NIT: Host Wichita State used a 15-1 second-half run to pull away and beat College of Charleston 82-75 in a quarterfinal. It faces the winner of Wednesday's late game between Northwestern and Washington State.

Basil Spyridakos, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, March 23, 2011

SEMINOLE — East Lake coach Mike Estes doesn't look at the lofty rankings and doesn't think much of them either. The Eagles are the No. 3 team in ESPN's Fab 50, but he feels there's much more to carry out before his team can celebrate.

"There isn't much talk around practice about those rankings," Estes said. "Being ranked third in the nation is great, but it doesn't mean a whole lot and it doesn't mean anything if we don't accomplish everything we're trying to do."

Estes is doing an incredible job keeping his teamed focused. East Lake came out determined and defeated a tough Osceola (10-4) team 5-0 Wednesday.

The Eagles utilized their speed and ability to lay down bunts in the second inning. Erin Rawls hit a single, which was followed by a sacrifice bunt by Amanda Weaver.

Rawls reached third after a throwing error and Makayla Powers laid down a perfect bunt, allowing Rawls to sneak home while the play was being forced at first base.

"We were not picking our pitch to hit, so I told them we're going to put a couple of balls down and get some confidence," Estes said.

Coming off an illness, Alyssa Bache did what she always does — namely shut down the opposition.

Bache nearly had another perfect game, which would have been her fifth of the season. It was spoiled by Haley Brown, who drove a single off Bache's leg in the fourth inning.

"I use my curveball a lot but sometimes it goes over or up, which is an advantage," said Bache, who finished with 10 strikeouts and allowed only the one hit. "I felt good coming into this game."

East Lake (18-0) began the third inning with three consecutive singles, loading the bases for Emma Hvozdovich, who cracked a double to right-centerfield and allowed two more to cross the plate.

The Eagles finished with three runs in the fourth and one more in the sixth.

Bob Putnam, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 23, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG — Northside Christian and Shorecrest have been the fiercest of rivals for years in baseball with their games often determining the top seed in the district and which team advances deeper in the playoffs.

On Wednesday, the Chargers gained an edge in Class 2A, District 11 by getting 11 hits in a convincing 13-3 victory that was called after six innings because of the 10-run mercy rule.

But the win was not convincing enough for Shorecrest coach Don Reed, who preached to the team about the importance of putting everything together in the same game.

"We still haven't played a complete game," Reed said. "We left too many guys on base and had some breakdowns. We'll be in the Seminole tournament next week and we can't get away with some of those things against some public school teams."

The Chargers (10-5) built their lead slowly, scoring once in the first inning and adding two more in the second and four in the third.

It was more than enough for starter Brian Kinter, who was mowing down Mustangs batters with efficiency through the first four innings. He had a no-hitter going and struck out 10 to that point.

But he started to tire in the fifth inning, when the Mustangs rallied with three runs to make it 7-3.

No matter. Miles Bernstein hit a home run in the bottom of the fifth to put Shorecrest ahead 8-3. The Chargers ended the game by scoring five in the sixth.

Marc Brakeman and John Rothwell each went 2-for-3 to lead Shorecrest's hit parade.

"We came out a little flat," Rothwell said. "But we got our confidence back, turned it on and beat them with our bats. I feel like the offense and the team are starting to come together now."

By Jim Tomlin, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, March 24, 2011

Grand Prix of St. Petersburg

Sunday, 12:30 p.m., Ch. 28

Streets of St. Petersburg

1.8-mile street course

Comment: Last year featured 10 lead changes, the most in the event's six years (there were nine in the 2005 inaugural) and the most of any street or road course all season.

Grand Prix of Alabama

April 10, 3 p.m., Versus

Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham

2.38-mile road course

Comment: Helio Castroneves won the inaugural event last year and was quickest in this month's preseason testing at the track, edging Penske Racing teammate Will Power.

Long Beach Grand Prix

April 17, 3:30 p.m., Versus

Streets of Long Beach, Calif.

1.968-mile street course

Comment: Boca Raton native Ryan Hunter-Reay gave Andretti Autosport one of its two 2011 victories here; team owner Michael Andretti won twice at Long Beach as a driver.

Sao Paulo Indy 300

May 1, noon, Versus

Streets of Sao Paulo, Brazil

2.536-mile street course

Comment: Will Power won the inaugural event last year in IndyCar's first race in South America, spoiling the hopes of home fans who had seven Brazilian drivers to cheer for.

Indianapolis 500

May 29, noon, Ch. 28

Indianapolis Motor Speedway 2.5-mile oval

Comment: Dario Franchitti dominated last year, leading 155 of 200 laps for his second victory at the Brickyard to surpass his racing idol, Jim Clark, a fellow Scotsman who won Indy in 1965.

Firestone Twin 275s

June 11, 8 p.m., Versus

Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth

1.5-mile oval

Comment: It's a new format this year, with two 275-kilometer races replacing the traditional single 550k event. Both races will run on the same day and award half points.

Milwaukee 225

June 19, 3:30 p.m., Ch. 28

Milwaukee Mile, West Allis, Wis.

1-mile oval

Comment: The grand old circuit (the first auto race at the grounds was six years before the first one at Indy) returns after a one-year absence, but no longer directly follows the 500 as it did for years.

Iowa Corn Indy 250

June 25, 8 p.m., Versus

Iowa Speedway, Newton

0.875-mile oval

Comment: This race will run under the lights for the first time this year. Tony Kanaan gave Andretti Autosport its other 2011 win here — the only two events not won by Ganassi or Penske.

Indy Toronto

July 10, 2 p.m., Versus

Streets of Toronto

1.721-mile street course

Comment: Will Power's win here last year made him 3-for-4 on IndyCar street courses and gave Roger Penske his first Toronto victory since Paul Tracy in the CART series in 1993.

Edmonton Indy

July 24, 2 p.m., Versus

Edmonton City Centre Airport

1.973-mile airport course

Comment: Scott Dixon won last year but the race is mostly remembered for Helio Castroneves' reaction to being penalized for blocking. He grabbed a series official but later apologized.

Indy 200

Aug. 7, 2 p.m., Versus

Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington

2.258-mile road course

Comment: Dario Franchitti outdueled Will Power to win last year, a crucial victory in the Ganassi driver's comeback which saw him overtake Power and win the championship.

New Hampshire race

Aug. 14, 3:30 p.m., Ch. 28

New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon

1.058-mile oval

Comment: IndyCar returns to New England for the first time since 1998. How long ago was that? The last running was won by Tony Stewart.

Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma

Aug. 28, 4 p.m., Versus

Infineon Raceway, Sonoma, Calif.

2.303-mile road course

Comment: Last year's event saw a season-low two lead changes, as Will Power led all but two laps on his way to clinching the inaugural Mario Andretti Road Championship trophy.

Baltimore Grand Prix

Sept. 4, 2 p.m., Versus

Streets of Baltimore

2.4-mile street course

Comment: The inaugural event brings the series to Maryland for the first time. According to IndyCar's website, the course incorporates the Inner Harbor and Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

Indy Japan 300

Sept. 17, 11 p.m., Versus

Twin Ring Motegi, Motegi, Japan

1.5-mile oval

Comment: At press time, the series planned to run this event in Japan, which has been devastated by a recent earthquake and tsunami. The series announced last month that this will be the final running of the Motegi race, site of Danica Patrick's lone series victory in 2008.

Kentucky Indy 300

Oct. 2, 2 p.m., Versus

Kentucky Speedway, Sparta

1.5-mile oval

Comment: This race is moving the opposite direction of Iowa; it's becoming a day race after years as a night event.

IndyCar World Championships

Oct. 16, 3:30 p.m., Ch. 28

Las Vegas Motor Speedway

1.5-mile oval

Comment: The inaugural IndyCar race at Las Vegas will also be the series finale. Previous finale sites in recent seasons (Homestead, Chicagoland) are off the schedule. This is also the site of the much-discussed $5 million bonus offer to any non-regular.

By Jim Tomlin, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, March 24, 2011

Rookies to watch

SEBASTIAN SAAVEDRA, CONQUEST RACING: The rookie, the youngest driver in this weekend's field at age 20, Saavedra last year became the first driver born in the 1990s to compete in the Indianapolis 500. He also won in Indy Lights at Iowa Speedway, driving for Bryan Herta's team. In his rookie year in Indy Lights, 2009, the Colombian won twice driving for Michael Andretti's team. He has been fast in qualifying, making the top four on the grid seven times in 11 Indy Lights starts last year.

JR Hildebrand, Panther Racing: The 2009 Indy Lights champion has some big shoes to fill at Panther, the team that once employed Sam Hornish and Dan Wheldon. Of Hildebrand's five Indy Lights victories, four came on road courses, but if Panther's history is anything to go by, the 23-year-old Californian might be a force on ovals. Wheldon was the Indianapolis 500 runnerup the past two years running for the team.

Charlie Kimball, Chip Ganassi Racing: The 26-year-old Californian landed a top ride after accumulating 10 top-10 finishes in two seasons in Indy Lights. He also landed sponsorship from Novo Nordisk, a healthcare company which, among other things, makes products to aid diabetics. Kimball was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 2007 and briefly halted his racing program, but got back behind the wheel in 2008.

Network news

Versus, the TV network that airs 12 of IndyCar's 17 races, is expanding its coverage this season.

The cable network said Monday that it will extend the live television window from three to five hours. Versus will also present a weekly one-hour studio show starting May 3.

Wally Dallenbach Jr., formerly a NASCAR analyst when NBC carried Sprint Cup, will join the Versus broadcast team. He'll be in the booth with Jon Beekhuis and play-by-play veteran Bob Jenkins. Longtime open-wheel reporter and Speed Channel regular Robin Miller also will join Versus' coverage for some races.

The other five races are on ABC including St. Petersburg and the Indianapolis 500.

Change is coming

Honda, the sole engine supplier to the IndyCar series since 2006, will enjoy one more year of solitude.

In 2012, the manufacturer will have company.

Chevrolet and Lotus have announced plans to join Honda in building engines for the series next year. The engines can be turbocharged, which also will be a switch from this year's formula.

Chevrolet last raced in the series in 2005 and won that year at Texas with Tomas Scheckter behind the wheel.

Dallara will remain the chassis manufacturer but is building a new model. Firestone, which initially announced that it would pull out of the series next season, will stick around for 2012 as well.

Two-wide life

IndyCar will have side-by-side restarts at all venues, the series announced this month.

Cars will restart side-by-side on street and road circuits for the first time, beginning Sunday in St. Petersburg.

The series made the rule change after consulting with drivers and teams, said series president of competition Brian Barnhart.

"Most of the ovals we run two- and three-wide anyway so what's the difference?" driver Graham Rahal told IndyCar.com. "It will make it more exciting for the fans, there will be more passes and there will be more crashes. It's a fact for those team owners."

By the numbers

2

Consecutive championships for Dario Franchitti, matching Sam Hornish as the only drivers with back-to-back titles.

3

Total titles for Franchitti, also tying Hornish for the series record.

10

Seasons with at least one IndyCar victory for Helio Castroneves; last year he broke a tie with Scott Sharp to set the record.

20

Years old, age of Sebastian Saavedra, the youngest driver in the series.

38

Years old, age of Alex Tagliani, the oldest driver in the series.

147

Series starts for Castroneves, again tying Sharp; the Brazilian will break the mark Sunday.