Times wires
Monday, March 19, 2012

The father of North Carolina PG Kendall Marshall said Monday his son is recovering from surgery on his broken right wrist and it's unclear if he'll return for the NCAA region games in St. Louis.

Dennis Marshall said the procedure done in Chapel Hill, N.C., to insert a screw into his son's wrist lasted about 35 minutes. He said that when Kendall plays would be based on "what would be best for Kendall in the long term" and that he didn't know whether the sophomore would be ready for the Sweet 16 game against Ohio on Friday.

"I don't know because Kendall's just coming out of his anesthesia, we haven't talked and I don't know how he'll feel four days from now," Dennis Marshall said. "We just don't know.

"Is it impossible he plays this weekend? No, it's not. Is it likely he plays next weekend? It definitely is. It's something we just don't know."

The school also said Marshall's status was unclear. The Tar Heels (31-5) are the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region.

The left-handed Marshall fractured the scaphoid bone — located near the thumb — when he was fouled driving to the basket during the second half of Sunday's win against Creighton.

BENCH THE KEY: Even without starting C Fab Melo, who won't play because of an eligibility issue, and the struggles of sophomore F C.J. Fair, Syracuse is in the round of 16 for the third time in four years. And much of the credit goes to its reserves.

The Orange has six players averaging at least 22.5 minutes and 10 averaging at least 10.3. In its two tournament games, the Syracuse bench, led by 6-foot-4 sophomore G Dion Waiters and 6-8 junior F James Southerland, has outscored opposing reserves 61-16.

"It's key," coach Jim Boeheim said. "For a long time, it was Dion and C.J. Now James is coming in there and doing that."

AN ABERRATION?: Never had a Bill Self-coached Kansas team shot as poorly as Sunday's 21-of-62 (33.9 percent) and won. The Jayhawks led for a total of 45 seconds in a 63-60 victory over Purdue, and Thomas Robinson and Tyshawn Taylor combined to shoot 6-of-23.

Was this a narrow escape in otherwise clear sailing to the Final Four? Or did the Boilermakers expose flaws that could bring down KU in any round?

Self suggested the former.

"Hopefully this was that game," he said. "We shot 34 percent. That's unheard of."

Times wires
Monday, March 19, 2012

CORAL GABLES — Rodney Williams scored 21 to lead Minnesota to a 78-60 victory over Miami in the second round of the NIT on Monday night.

The Gophers (21-14) never trailed after starting the game on a 12-0 run. Williams scored 16 in the first half. Rion Brown scored 16 for the Hurricanes (20-13).

Minnesota will face Middle Tennessee (27-6), a 71-64 winner over host and top-seeded Tennessee (19-15).

Cremins retires after 31 seasons

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Nearly two months after taking a medical leave of absence from College of Charleston, an emotional Bobby Cremins announced he was retiring. Cremins, 64, went 579-375 in 31 seasons of coaching and led Georgia Tech to nine NCAA Tournament appearances.

HAITH HONORED: Three days after Missouri flopped in the NCAA Tournament, Frank Haith was chosen national coach of the year by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association. The Tigers won 30 games, won the Big 12 tournament and were a No. 2 seed before losing to Norfolk State.

VETERAN WOMEN'S COACH RESIGNS: Texas women's coach Gail Goestenkors resigned, saying she is "tired" and needs to step away from basketball. Goestenkors, 49, was 102-64 at Texas and 498-163 overall in 20 seasons as a head coach.

Times wires
Monday, March 19, 2012

soccer

midfielder breathing on his own

LONDON — Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba began breathing independently and responding to family members Monday, showing significant signs of recovery in intensive care two days after suffering a cardiac arrest during a match Saturday. Muamba, 23, made progress throughout Monday, with medics no longer describing his condition as "critical" by the evening.

"He is continuing to show signs of improvement this evening," Bolton and the London Chest Hospital said in a joint statement. "He is now able to breathe independently without the aid of a ventilator. He has also been able to recognize family members and respond to questions appropriately. …

"However, his condition remains serious and the medical staff in intensive care will continue to monitor and treat him."

golf

Special membership for Ishikawa this year

Japanese star Ryo Ishikawa will take special temporary membership on the PGA Tour, which allows him to accept as many sponsor exemptions as he wants for the rest of the season.

In six events this year, he has earned $582,471, more than enough to be a special temporary member. The next goal for Ishikawa, 20, is to make as much as the player who ends the year at No. 125 on the money list. That would allow him to become a full member next year.

et cetera

Colleges: UF outfielder Preston Tucker, a former Plant standout, was named SEC player of the week for the first time. He batted .400, including three homers and two triples, in four wins last week. … Missouri quarterback James Franklin will have right (throwing) shoulder surgery Friday and miss spring practice, but is expected to be ready for the start of next season. The junior was injured last Tuesday during practice when a defender landed on his outstretched arm.

Horses: The Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert's Secret Circle earned its fifth win in six starts and moves up to No. 4 on the latest AP Run to the Roses Top 10 list of Kentucky Derby contenders. The colt won the $500,000 Rebel Stakes by three-quarters of a length Saturday in Hot Springs, Ark. Union Rags, Hansen and El Padrino remain 1-2-3 as they get ready for their final preps before the Derby on May 5.

Times wires

By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Monday, March 19, 2012

TAMPA — One day after USF's memorable NCAA Tournament run ended, sophomore forward Victor Rudd announced he was submitting his name for consideration for early entry to the NBA draft, to "test the waters." He will not immediately hire an agent, leaving open the possibility of returning.

"After meeting with my family, I have decided to forgo what would be my junior year at South Florida University and enter my name into the 2012 NBA Draft," Rudd was quoted as saying in an e-mail sent to the Tampa Bay Times just after 8 p.m. Monday.

Rudd, a 6-foot-7 wing who can hit 3-pointers and highlight-reel dunks, was USF's second-leading scorer at 9.2 points per game. He was their most consistent scorer in the postseason, scoring at least 13 in his final five games.

USF confirmed late Monday that Rudd was considering the NBA. Coach Stan Heath said in the school's release that USF will support and assist Rudd.

Rudd, who has played one season for the Bulls after transferring from Arizona State, thanked each of his coaches by name in the email, as well as his teammates.

"I had a blast and I am sorry we came up short," Rudd said in the email.

Then 90 minutes later, he addressed the matter in USF's release: "I want to test the waters and see how I might do in the draft, without hiring an agent," he said. "The USF staff has been very supportive in this process."

It's the third year in a row a Bull has considered leaving early. In 2010, guard Dominique Jones was a first-round pick; last year Augustus Gilchrist ended up returning for his senior year.

Times wires
Monday, March 19, 2012

SPOKANE, Wash. — Gonzaga is headed back to the Sweet 16 in the women's NCAA Tournament thanks to Kayla Standish and Katelan Redmon.

Standish scored 19 as 11th-seeded Gonzaga upset No. 3 Miami 65-54 on Monday to advance to the Sweet 16 for the second straight season.

Redmon scored 16 for Gonzaga (28-5), which was playing on its home floor in front of an overwhelmingly supportive sold-out crowd.

Shenise Johnson had 20 points and 13 rebounds for Miami (26-6), which was undone by poor shooting in the second half.

The game between two of the nation's best offenses was expected to be high-scoring but turned into a defensive battle. Miami pressed most of the game.

Miami played without All-ACC guard Riquna Williams, who did not make the trip because of unspecified conduct detrimental to the team. She averaged 16 points during the season.

In a game that featured 11 lead changes, Gonzaga took the lead for good at 48-46 on Kelly Bowen's 3-pointer with 5:55 left.

Haiden Palmer added 15 points for Gonzaga, which shot 43 percent. Miami shot 32 percent (22-of-67) and made 1 of 12 3-pointers.

UCONN 72, KANSAS ST. 26: Bria Hartley scored 13 of her 16 in the first half and the top-seeded Huskies set a women's NCAA Tournament record for fewest points allowed, romping in Bridgeport, Conn.

"I think it was definitely close to a perfect game; you can always do better," Hartley said. "We came out with a lot more intensity than we did last game. We used that game as motivation to play better this game."

The Huskies (31-4) held the Wildcats (20-14) to 18 percent shooting and 10 field goals, contesting virtually every shot in their second-round matchup.

KENTUCKY 65, GREEN BAY 62: Keyla Snowden hit a jumper and two free throws in the final 18 seconds, and the second-seeded Wildcats (27-6) held off the seventh-seeded Phoenix (31-2) in Ames, Iowa. Kentucky opened the game with a 21-6 run then rallied after Green Bay erased a 17-point deficit and took a 62-61 lead with 1:57 left.

Des Moines Region

TENN. 63, DEPAUL 48: Shekinna Stricklen scored 17 and Glory Johnson grabbed a season-high 21 rebounds to lead Pat Summitt and the Volunteers (26-8) past the Blue Devils (23-11) in Rosemont, Ill. Second-seeded Tennessee grabbed a double-digit lead early in the second half and hung on in a physical game in which players seemed to hit the floor about as often as they hit shots.

Raleigh Region

MARYLAND 72, LOUISVILLE 68: Laurin Mincy scored 24, Tianna Hawkins had 15 points and 14 rebounds, and the host Terrapins (30-4) advanced to the Sweet 16. The second-seeded Terrapins charge into the region semifinal riding a nine-game winning streak. The seventh-seeded Cardinals (23-10) made one field goal in the final six minutes.

TEXAS A&M 61, ARKANSAS 59: Sydney Carter hit the go-ahead free throws with 23 seconds left, Adaora Elonu tied a career high with 23 points and the third-seeded Aggies (24-10) fought off the sixth-seeded Razorbacks (24-9) on their home court.

Fresno Region

S.C. 72, PURDUE 61: Markeshia Grant scored 21 and the fifth-seeded Gamecocks (25-9) forced 20 turnovers on the Boilermakers' home court to reach their first region semifinal in a decade. South Carolina coach Dawn Staley returns to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1992, her senior season at Virginia. KK Houser scored 15 for fourth-seeded Purdue (25-9), which shot 39.3 percent from the floor and made four 3-pointers.

STANFORD 72, W. VA. 55: Freshman Amber Orrange scored a career-high 18 for the top-seeded Cardinal (33-1) in Norfolk, Va. Nnemkadi Ogwumike added 16 points and Chiney Ogwumike 13 for Stanford, which easily stretched its school-record winning streak to 30 games. Ayana Dunning had 14 points for the eighth-seeded Mountaineers (24-10), who shot 31 percent.

Monday, March 19, 2012

Peyton Manning is headed to the Broncos, so now Denver must decide what to do with its polarizing and, suddenly, unnecessary quarterback, Tim Tebow.

The Broncos almost surely will trade the former Heisman Trophy winner at Florida.

Just not to Tampa Bay.

The Bucs insist they have faith in Josh Freeman's ability to be an elite franchise quarterback, and acquiring Tebow would fly in the face of that argument – even if it was made clear Tebow would be a backup.

And the Bucs just committed to receiver Vincent Jackson with a five-year, $55 million contract. New coach Greg Schiano emphasizes the intent to throw the ball "over the top" to one of the best deep threats in the NFL.

That's not Tebow's strength.

So, what to make of Tebow's future now?

Well, his popularity in Florida seems untouchable. So the Jaguars and Dolphins are thought to be major players.

Jaguars owner Shad Khan has heaped praise on Tebow and his team needs fans, fast. Tebow grew up outside Jacksonville and starred at Nease High.

As for Miami, Dolphins owner Stephen Ross is infatuated with stars, and his team has attendance woes, too. Last season, when Denver played at Miami, it seemed more than half the fans were cheering for Tebow.

New England could be an intriguing option as well — not to replace Tom Brady. But coach Bill Belichick is a master of finding ways to get good football players on the field, even if it's not at their primary position.

Times wires
Monday, March 19, 2012

ORLANDO — Carlos Boozer scored 24 and had 13 rebounds, John Lucas scored 20 off the bench and the Bulls beat the Magic 85-59 Monday night.

Chicago coach Tom Thibodeau became the fastest coach in NBA history to earn 100 career victories. The Bulls improved to 3-1 over the past four games playing without guard Derrick Rose, who continued to nurse a sore groin.

The Magic has gone six straight quarters without scoring at least 20.

Game highlights: Jrue Holiday had 20 points and six assists as the 76ers defeated the host Bobcats 105-80. Bobcats forward Corey Maggette sat out with a back injury. … Ray Allen hit two 3-pointers in Boston's 13-0 run in the fourth quarter as the Celtics beat the host Hawks 79-76. … Tristan Thompson gave Cleveland the lead with a tip-in with 1:11 to play, leading the Cavaliers to a 105-100 victory over the host Nets.

Around the league: Celtics forward-center Jermaine O'Neal, 33, will have surgery on his left wrist and miss the remainder of the season, adding more urgency to the team's search for inside help. … The Rockets waived point guard Derek Fisher less than a week after acquiring him in a trade with the Lakers.

Bulls 85, Magic 59

CHICAGO (85): Deng 5-13 3-4 14, Boozer 12-18 0-0 24, Noah 4-12 1-1 9, Watson 0-8 1-1 1, Brewer 1-4 1-2 3, Asik 1-2 1-2 3, Gibson 2-5 0-0 4, Lucas 8-13 0-0 20, Korver 2-4 1-1 7, Butler 0-0 0-0 0, Scalabrine 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 35-79 8-11 85.

ORLANDO (59): Turkoglu 3-6 0-2 7, Anderson 4-13 0-0 10, Howard 8-12 2-7 18, Nelson 4-11 0-0 9, J.Richardson 1-7 0-0 2, Davis 1-5 3-6 5, Duhon 0-3 1-1 1, Q.Richardson 2-2 0-0 4, Redick 1-7 1-2 3, Smith 0-0 0-0 0, Liggins 0-0 0-0 0, Clark 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 24-68 7-18 59.

Chicago 22 26 12 25— 85

Orlando 14 19 15 11— 59

3-Point Goals—Chicago 7-18 (Lucas 4-7, Korver 2-3, Deng 1-4, Brewer 0-1, Watson 0-3), Orlando 4-20 (Anderson 2-8, Turkoglu 1-2, Nelson 1-4, Duhon 0-2, Redick 0-2, J.Richardson 0-2). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Chicago 55 (Boozer 13), Orlando 47 (Howard 12). Assists—Chicago 19 (Noah 5), Orlando 9 (Howard, Redick, J.Richardson 2). Total Fouls—Chicago 17, Orlando 12. Technicals—Chicago defensive three second, Howard, Orlando defensive three second. A—18,998 (18,500).

Sixers 105, Bobcats 80

PHILADELPHIA (105): Iguodala 1-4 1-2 3, Brand 8-13 0-0 16, Hawes 6-11 1-1 13, Holiday 8-13 4-4 20, Turner 3-11 0-0 6, Vucevic 0-3 0-0 0, T.Young 10-12 0-0 20, S.Young 0-1 0-0 0, L.Williams 8-12 0-0 19, Meeks 2-5 2-2 8, Allen 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 46-86 8-9 105.

CHARLOTTE (80): R.Williams 4-7 4-5 13, Thomas 3-10 0-0 6, Biyombo 0-3 2-4 2, Augustin 2-8 3-3 7, Henderson 5-10 4-4 14, Brown 2-5 1-3 5, Mullens 2-8 0-0 4, White 5-10 2-2 12, Walker 5-11 2-2 13, Najera 0-2 0-0 0, Carroll 0-0 0-0 0, Higgins 1-1 2-5 4. Totals 29-75 20-28 80.

Philadelphia 25 21 30 29— 105

Charlotte 19 25 19 17— 80

3-Point Goals—Philadelphia 5-11 (L.Williams 3-3, Meeks 2-5, Holiday 0-1, Turner 0-1, Iguodala 0-1), Charlotte 2-8 (Walker 1-1, R.Williams 1-2, Brown 0-1, Augustin 0-2, Najera 0-2). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Philadelphia 58 (Hawes 11), Charlotte 37 (Biyombo 9). Assists—Philadelphia 26 (Holiday 6), Charlotte 23 (Augustin, Walker 5). Total Fouls—Philadelphia 21, Charlotte 10. A—12,792 (19,077).

Cavaliers 105, Nets 100

CLEVELAND (105): Gee 3-6 2-4 8, Jamison 5-20 2-2 13, Thompson 12-16 3-4 27, Irving 8-20 7-8 26, Parker 2-6 0-2 4, Sloan 4-6 2-2 11, Samuels 5-5 0-3 10, Gibson 1-5 2-2 4, Casspi 1-5 0-0 2. Totals 41-89 18-27 105.

NEW JERSEY (100): Wallace 8-14 10-11 27, Humphries 5-10 3-3 13, S.Williams 4-5 1-2 9, D.Williams 8-23 8-9 28, Brooks 3-10 4-6 10, Smith 0-1 0-0 0, Green 2-6 0-0 5, Morrow 3-10 0-0 6, Petro 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 34-81 26-31 100.

Cleveland 30 23 23 29— 105

New Jersey 17 33 24 26— 100

3-Point Goals—Cleveland 5-15 (Irving 3-6, Sloan 1-1, Jamison 1-3, Gibson 0-1, Casspi 0-2, Parker 0-2), New Jersey 6-23 (D.Williams 4-10, Green 1-2, Wallace 1-4, Smith 0-1, Brooks 0-2, Morrow 0-4). Fouled Out—Gee. Rebounds—Cleveland 62 (Jamison 13), New Jersey 47 (Wallace 12). Assists—Cleveland 21 (Irving 7), New Jersey 15 (D.Williams 8). Total Fouls—Cleveland 25, New Jersey 24. Technicals—D.Williams. A—11,254 (18,711).

Celtics 79, Hawks 76

BOSTON (79): Pierce 4-14 5-6 13, Bass 4-7 0-0 8, Garnett 7-17 2-2 16, Rondo 4-14 2-2 10, Allen 5-9 5-5 19, Stiemsma 2-3 0-0 4, Pietrus 3-8 1-2 9, Bradley 0-1 0-0 0, Dooling 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 29-74 15-17 79.

ATLANTA (76): Jo.Johnson 9-17 3-4 25, Smith 5-20 0-0 10, Pachulia 4-7 8-9 16, Teague 4-13 0-0 8, Hinrich 3-7 2-2 9, McGrady 2-4 0-0 4, I.Johnson 0-2 0-0 0, Collins 0-1 0-4 0, Stackhouse 2-4 0-0 4. Totals 29-75 13-19 76.

Boston 12 19 19 29— 79

Atlanta 15 18 18 25— 76

3-Point Goals—Boston 6-16 (Allen 4-6, Pietrus 2-5, Garnett 0-1, Dooling 0-1, Pierce 0-3), Atlanta 5-15 (Jo.Johnson 4-5, Hinrich 1-3, Teague 0-2, Stackhouse 0-2, Smith 0-3). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Boston 46 (Bass 10), Atlanta 53 (Pachulia 13). Assists—Boston 21 (Rondo 13), Atlanta 15 (Smith 8). Total Fouls—Boston 23, Atlanta 19. Technicals—Teague. Flagrant Fouls—Bass. A—16,412 (18,729).

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Monday, March 19, 2012

TAMPA — It should not have been a surprise the Lightning was smoked 7-3 by the Sabres Monday night at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.

Tampa Bay was without eight regulars because of injuries, its lineup included seven who played in the minors this season and the Sabres are a motivated bunch that smells the playoffs.

What was a surprise was the seeming lack of fight from a team that has a deserved reputation as one that doesn't quit.

"We didn't show up. We didn't battle," defenseman Bruno Gervais said. "We need to get better. We need to take some pride and bounce back for the next game."

"You've got to respect the game," wing Marty St. Louis said. "When it's game time, you come to play."

The Sabres did and the win added to their 15-5-5 streak that has them two points from the final playoff spot in the East.

The Lightning (32-33-7), losers of six of seven games, solidified its position at the bottom of the Southeast Division and remained two points from the bottom of the conference.

That can't be easy for players to wrap their heads around, especially after being a game from last season's Stanley Cup final.

Gervais, though, called that and talk of injuries "easy excuses."

The Lightning got contributions from Gervais and Ryan Malone, who had a goal and assist each; and Trevor Smith, who scored his first goal of the season.

But Tampa Bay, outshot 38-27, allowed the Sabres way too much time to make plays, and defensive breakdowns led to numerous goals.

Goaltender Dustin Tokarski was pulled from his second straight start 8:16 into the second period after allowing four goals on 15 shots but was hung out to dry by his teammates.

Particularly consequential were defensive zone turnovers by Brendan Mikkelson and Gervais which led to first-period goals by Drew Stafford and Jason Pominville for a 2-0 Buffalo lead.

"It felt like we gave it to them," Gervais said. "We didn't make them earn it."

It was just as bad during Buffalo's four-goal second period for a 6-2 lead as turnovers and defensive breakdowns were the fuel the Sabres needed.

"That's what you get," Lightning coach Guy Boucher said. "Guys are trying hard and the American League guys are doing everything they can and our top guys have been pushing for so long, it's tough to ask for a perfect game when guys are put in slots they've never been in."

But it's not too much to ask for a competitive effort.

"It's about respecting the people who pay for a ticket," Boucher said.

"We owe it to one another," St. Louis said, "to not give in and play hard."

First—1, Buffalo, Stafford 15 (Ehrhoff), 11:31. 2, Buffalo, Pominville 26 (Hodgson, Vanek), 15:50 (pp). Penalties—Hedman, TB (holding), 15:10.

Second—3, Buffalo, Foligno 4 (Ennis, Stafford), 1:09. 4, Tampa Bay, Gervais 5 (Purcell), 7:12. 5, Buffalo, Tropp 3 (Vanek, Hodgson), 8:16. 6, Tampa Bay, Smith 1 (Malone, Gervais), 14:14. 7, Buffalo, Foligno 5 (Stafford, Ennis), 16:22 (pp). 8, Buffalo, Boyes 6 (McCormick, Sulzer), 17:00. Penalties—Stamkos, TB (high-sticking), 10:12; Connolly, TB (tripping), 15:49; Regehr, Buf (hooking), 17:11.

Third—9, Buffalo, Pominville 27, :17. 10, Tampa Bay, Malone 14 (Brewer), 14:57. Penalties—Segal, TB (high-sticking), 4:22; Sekera, Buf (interference), 6:10. Shots on Goal—Buffalo 9-18-11—38. Tampa Bay 6-9-12—27. Power-play opportunities—Buffalo 2 of 4; Tampa Bay 0 of 2. Goalies—Buffalo, Miller 26-18-7 (27 shots-24 saves). Tampa Bay, Tokarski 1-3-1 (15-11), Roloson (8:16 second, 23-20). A—17,212 (19,204). T—2:28.

Times wires
Monday, March 19, 2012

BOSTON — About the only bad news for the Bruins in their 8-0 rout Monday is that they don't play the Maple Leafs again.

Boston completed a six-game sweep of the season series behind two goals from Benoit Pouliot and a shutout by Tim Thomas. After two periods the Bruins had as many goals — seven — as Toronto had shots. Boston outscored Toronto 36-10 this season.

"Sometimes you have a bit of luck on your side and you match up well against a team," Bruins forward Chris Kelly said. "By no means was the score indicative of the kind of games they were."

It was on Monday.

Boston led 4-0 just 13 minutes in and Thomas had to make only 13 saves, the fewest shots allowed by the Bruins since they gave up 13 to Pittsburgh on April 13, 2002. He also was in net for a 7-0 rout Nov. 5 at Toronto.

"I have never really seen anything like that (domination)," Maple Leafs goalie James Reimer said. "I'm not sure why one team has an advantage."

GAME HIGHLIGHTS: Alexander Ovechkin scored twice as the host Capitals beat the Red Wings 5-3 to maintain a two-point edge for the East's eighth and final playoff spot.

AROUND THE LEAGUE: Forward Shawn Thornton agreed to a two-year contract extension through 2013-14 with the Bruins. Terms were not disclosed.

First Period—1, Boston, Kelly 18 (Pouliot), 2:25. 2, Boston, Campbell 8 (Ference, Paille), 5:40. 3, Boston, Pouliot 11 (Boychuk, Rolston), 10:58. 4, Boston, Marchand 24 (Seguin, Seidenberg), 12:42 (pp). Penalties—Rosehill, Tor (roughing), 12:19; Schenn, Tor, major (fighting), 12:19; Campbell, Bos, major (fighting), 12:19; Komisarek, Tor, major (fighting), 13:10; Lucic, Bos, served by Seguin, minor-major (roughing, fighting), 13:10.

Second Period—5, Boston, Pouliot 12 (Rolston, Kelly), 2:31. 6, Boston, Chara 10 (Rolston), 5:45 (pp). 7, Boston, Rolston 6 (Krejci, McQuaid), 19:25. Penalties—MacArthur, Tor (holding), 5:01.

Third Period—8, Boston, Seguin 26 (Krejci, Lucic), 18:29. Penalties—Caron, Bos (holding), :41. Shots on Goal—Toronto 2-5-6—13. Boston 9-8-7—24. Power-play opportunities—Toronto 0 of 2; Boston 2 of 2. Goalies—Toronto, Reimer 13-13-4 (9 shots-5 saves), Gustavsson (12:42 first, 15-11). Boston, Thomas 31-18-0 (13-13). A—17,565 (17,565). T—2:16.

First Period—1, N.Y. Rangers, Dubinsky 8 (Stepan, Callahan), 1:11. Penalties—Salvador, NJ, misconduct, :03; Boulton, NJ, major (fighting), :03; Janssen, NJ, major (fighting), :03; Carter, NJ, major (fighting), :03; Rupp, NYR, major (fighting), :03; Prust, NYR, major (fighting), :03; Bickel, NYR, major (fighting), :03; Prust, NYR (high-sticking), 9:01; Salvador, NJ (roughing), 12:45; Rupp, NYR (roughing), 12:45; Boulton, NJ (tripping), 18:00.

Second Period—2, N.Y. Rangers, Girardi 5 (Hagelin), :33. 3, New Jersey, Elias 25 (Sykora), 5:03. 4, N.Y. Rangers, Zuccarello 2 (Callahan, Richards), 7:33 (pp). 5, New Jersey, Sykora 17 (Zidlicky, Kovalchuk), 11:08. Penalties—Boulton, NJ (boarding), 7:09; Dubinsky, NYR (boarding), 17:27.

Third Period—6, N.Y. Rangers, Stepan 16 (Dubinsky, Hagelin), 18:50. Penalties—McDonagh, NYR (tripping), 9:38; Josefson, NJ (high-sticking), 16:47. Shots on Goal—New Jersey 6-10-6—22. N.Y. Rangers 13-7-7—27. Power-play opportunities—New Jersey 0 of 3; N.Y. Rangers 1 of 3. Goalies—New Jersey, Brodeur 26-20-3 (27 shots-23 saves). N.Y. Rangers, Lundqvist 33-15-5 (22-20). A—18,200 (18,200). T—2:30.

First—1, Washington, Ovechkin 31 (Johansson, Wideman), 7:48 (pp). 2, Washington, Knuble 6 (Chimera, Perreault), 11:25. 3, Washington, Ovechkin 32 (Laich, Semin), 14:51 (pp). Penalties—Kronwall, Det (high-sticking), 7:03; Holmstrom, Det (interference), 13:04; Halpern, Was (hooking), 17:57.

Second—4, Detroit, Quincey 7 (Smith, Hudler), 5:15 (pp). 5, Washington, Aucoin 3 (Semin, Johansson), 17:24. Penalties—Hendricks, Was (holding), 3:20; Bertuzzi, Det (hooking), 11:29.

Third—6, Detroit, Bertuzzi 13 (Nyquist, Stuart), :36. 7, Detroit, Cleary 12 (Abdelkader, Smith), 12:52. 8, Washington, Chimera 17 (Knuble, Green), 19:39 (en-pp). Penalties—Knuble, Was (tripping), 16:45; Zetterberg, Det (holding), 17:45. Shots—Washington 10-9-3—22. Detroit 12-10-11—33. Power plays—Washington 3 of 4; Detroit 1 of 3. Goalies—Washington, Holtby 1-1-0 (33 shots-30 saves). Detroit, Howard 33-15-3 (21-17). A—20,066 (20,066). T—2:22.

First—1, Minnesota, Christensen 5 (Brodziak, Clutterbuck), 19:36 (pp). Penalties—Burrows, Van (roughing), 18:04; Bieksa, Van, major (fighting), 18:04; Johnson, Min, major (fighting), 18:04.

Second—None. Penalties—Stoner, Min (high-sticking), 4:34; Kesler, Van (clipping), 18:52.

Third—2, Minnesota, Brodziak 19, 19:57 (en). Penalties—Gragnani, Van (roughing), 2:13; Stoner, Min (roughing), 2:13; Hansen, Van (goaltender interference), 14:00. Shots—Vancouver 11-12-10—33. Minnesota 12-17-5—34. Power plays—Vancouver 0 of 1; Minnesota 1 of 3. Goalies—Vancouver, C.Schneider 16-7-1 (33 shots-32 saves). Minnesota, Harding 10-10-4 (33-33). A—17,188 (18,064). T—2:31.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon said Tuesday's 3-2 win over the Miami Marlins was guaranteed by his special guest, Joe Namath.

"Joe guaranteed before the game began that we would win today,'' Maddon said. "So he's now 2-0. This one maybe not as significant as the first one, but we'll take it.''

Maddon said he rarely gets excited about meeting someone, but he was Tuesday with the chance to talk with his childhood idol, Namath.

"'For me, personally, it's quite a moment. I'm not usually starstruck, but I have been today,'' Maddon said.

Namath, who lives in Tequesta, near Jupiter, said he was impressed with what he knew and heard of Maddon, a fellow Pennsylvanian.

"I just like Joe's style and what I've read about him, and was flattered that he invited me to practice,'' Namath said.

The Rays got a solid five-inning outing performance from Wade Davis, who was hit on the right foot in the second inning and dominated from there, retiring nine of the next 10 (the other reaching on an error) and increasing his velocity noticeably.

Non-roster INF Will Rhymes knocked in all three Rays runs, and just missed a second extra-base hit when Austin Kearns robbed him with a running catch.

Maddon was pleased with at-bats by Desmond Jennings and Matt Joyce.

By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, March 20, 2012

PHOENIX, Ariz. — Marquette basketball coach Buzz Williams is a guy who loves hanging around football coaches and studying the dynamics of the physical nature of the game. So it should come as no surprise that his Golden Eagles basketball team has earned a reputation as one of the most physically aggressive in the nation, even prompting Murray State coach Steve Prohm to compare them to playing a football team.

Williams isn't sure if that's a compliment or not, but he prides himself on having one of the toughest teams in the nation. He talks often with former Tampa Bay Bucs coach Jon Gruden and former NFL coach Herm Edwards.

"My best friends in the world are football coaches," Williams said. "I spent a lot of time on the football field at spring football, go to several training camps in the summers."

The result is a mindset that begins in offseason workouts and is playing a critical role in their NCAA Tournament run, players said.

"In the summertime, he (Todd Smith, strength coach) just kills you," said senior forward Jae Crowder, who over the past 10 games is averaging 21.4 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.1 steals and 5.2 assists per game. "We do a little bit of everything, whether it be playing football, playing anything really other than basketball, we do it. I think it prepares us well for this time, and it shows."

When No. 7 seed Florida (25-10) and No. 3 seed Marquette (27-7) meet Thursday night in the West Region semifinals, the Gators will face a team similar to itself in many ways. Both are making their second consecutive NCAA Sweet 16 appearance. Marquette likes to run and keep the tempo fast, it is a good shooting team — but with the added benefit of quick big men.

"The one thing, at least watching them some, they've got great speed and quickness," Florida coach Billy Donovan said. "People may look at their size and say they're undersized. I disagree. I think they're a great offensive rebounding team, they're an attack team, they push the ball very hard. I think part of the reason why they are so effective offensively is not only can they shoot they've got a great player in Crowder. But what they do is they get a lot of balls back, they create a lot of steals and get out in transition so I think the game will certainly be played at a very fast pace."

Marquette averages 75.9 points per game, the Gators 76.3. The Golden Eagles average 45.7 percent from the field, but it has been defense that has stood out in NCAA Tournament play. Its first two opponents — BYU and Murray State — combined to shoot just 34.4 percent (43-of-125) from the floor overall and 27.5 percent (11-of-40) from behind the 3-point line. Marquette has also forced 16.5 turnovers per game in the two outings. Marquette is 14-2 this season when holding opponents under 40.0 percent shooting from the field.

"They're a very, very hard working team, especially on the defensive end," said Florida guard Mike Rosario who faced Marquette as a standout at Rutgers before transferring. "And they're a physical team. They play extremely hard."

Asked to describe his team, Williams said "relentless" or "resilient" — depending on the day.

The Gators say right now they are playing like a team that can match that kind of defensive intensity. The Gators had their highest rebounding effort of the season against Norfolk State in their last game — against a team whose starting lineup was 6 feet 5 or taller.

"I believe we can," freshman guard Bradley Beal said. "I believe we play with a tremendous amount of confidence and we don't back down from anybody. Just because they're tough, we're going to come out and play and compete hard and play the way coach wants us to play."

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

By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, March 20, 2012

PHOENIX, Ariz. — Marquette coach Buzz Williams loves hanging around football coaches and studying the dynamics of the physical nature of the game. So it should come as no surprise that his basketball team has a reputation as one of the most physically aggressive in the nation, prompting Murray State coach Steve Prohm to compare the Golden Eagles to playing a football team.

Williams isn't sure if that's a compliment, but he prides himself on having one of the toughest teams in the nation. He talks often with former Tampa Bay Bucs coach Jon Gruden and former NFL coach Herm Edwards.

"My best friends in the world are football coaches," Williams said. "I spent a lot of time on the football field at spring football, go to several training camps in the summers."

The result is a mind-set that begins in offseason workouts and is playing a critical role in their NCAA Tournament run, players said.

"In the summertime, he (Todd Smith, strength coach) just kills you," said senior forward Jae Crowder, who over the past 10 games is averaging 21.4 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.1 steals and 5.2 assists. "We do a little bit of everything, whether it be playing football, playing anything really other than basketball, we do it. I think it prepares us well for this time, and it shows."

When No.  7 seed Florida (25-10) and No. 3 seed Marquette (27-7) meet Thursday night in the West Region semifinals, the Gators will face a team similar to themselves in many ways. Both are making their second straight Sweet 16 appearance. Marquette likes to run and keep the tempo fast, and it shoots well — but with the added benefit of quick big men.

"They've got great speed and quickness," Florida coach Billy Donovan said. "I think they're a great offensive rebounding team, they're an attack team, they push the ball very hard.

"I think part of the reason why they are so effective offensively is not only can they shoot, they've got a great player in Crowder. But what they do is they get a lot of balls back, they create a lot of steals and get out in transition, so I think the game will certainly be played at a very fast pace."

Marquette averages 75.9 points, the Gators 76.3. The Golden Eagles shoot 45.7 percent from the field, but it has been defense that has stood out in NCAA Tournament play. Their first two opponents, BYU and Murray State, combined to shoot just 34.4 percent (43-of-125) from the floor overall and 27.5 percent (11-of-40) on 3-pointers. Marquette has forced 16.5 turnovers per game. It is 14-2 this season when holding opponents under 40 percent shooting from the field.

"They're a very, very hard-working team, especially on the defensive end," said Florida guard Mike Rosario, who faced Marquette as a standout at Rutgers before transferring. "And they're a physical team. They play extremely hard."

Asked to describe his team, Williams said "relentless" or "resilient" — depending on the day.

The Gators say they are playing like a team that can match that defensive intensity. They had their best rebounding effort of the season against Norfolk State in their last game — against a team with every starter at least 6 feet 5.

"I believe we can," freshman guard Bradley Beal said. "I believe we play with a tremendous amount of confidence and we don't back down from anybody. Just because they're tough, we're going to come out and play and compete hard and play the way coach wants us to play."

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

By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, March 20, 2012

TAMPA — After USF's first football offseason without a bowl game in eight years, a month of spring practice starts today, and the lingering theme is the motivation to work now and avoid the close losses that typified a disappointing 2011 season.

"There's no doubt that being as close as we were definitely I think is a motivating factor for our team," coach Skip Holtz said. "To know you're that close, maybe it was that one extra rep, one extra step. It's just how close it is, and it's been a motivating factor for them to realize how close we are to being able to accomplish the goals we want to."

After opening 4-0 last season, the Bulls lost seven of their last eight, going a worst-ever 1-6 in the Big East and consistently losing leads late in close games. With West Virginia gone, the Big East is that much more up for grabs, and this spring is a chance for Holtz to set a new team's identity, helped by the largest senior class in his three seasons. With that, five goals for this spring:

1. Adjust to new defense

Mark Snyder's defenses were statistically solid, but couldn't protect leads late in close games. New coordinator Chris Cosh has a strong linebacker unit, led by DeDe Lattimore and Sam Barrington, but USF needs to establish depth in the secondary and on the defensive line. There are holes in the starting defensive lineup to address: Can Boca Ciega's Julius Forte step in opposite Ryne Giddins at defensive end? Can true sophomore Elkino Watson emerge as a starter at defensive tackle? Who will the third starting linebacker be? And can Holtz identify a cornerback who can start opposite Kayvon Webster?

2. Improve on special teams

Last year's unit was a consistent problem — in the season-ending loss to West Virginia, the Bulls gave up a blocked punt inside their 5 and had a kickoff returned 90 yards for a touchdown, leading to 10 points in a three-point loss. Justin Brockhaus-Kann will be challenged by backup Chris Veron, who didn't attempt a punt last year, and walk-on Mattias Ciabatti, who redshirted in the fall. Maikon Bonani's kicking job is solid, but the Bulls need a long-snapper after losing three-year starter Mike Walsh, and will work to improve the coverage units on punts and kickoffs.

3. Embrace revamped offensive staff

Holtz has four of his five offensive assistants in new positions, with coordinator Todd Fitch moving from RBs to QBs, Larry Scott moving from TEs to RBs and Peter Vaas from QBs to TEs. Holtz believes the new assignments can help the Bulls continue the offensive improvements made last year — improvements in yards, but not as much in touchdowns. Holtz also has a new WRs coach in former NFL receiver Jerome Pathon, so even with senior leaders in QB B.J. Daniels and RB Demetris Murray, there will be a get-acquainted feel to spring drills on offense.

4. Restock the lineup

USF needs to find new starting offensive linemen to replace departing center Chaz Hine and guard Jeremiah Warren; sophomore Austin Reiter will get the first crack at center, with redshirt freshman Brynjar Gudmundsson and January junior college transfer Lawrence Martin among the options at guard. Holtz needs a corner with Quenton Washington graduated, and two more January additions from junior college, Josh Brown and Fidel Montgomery, will get a long look this spring, as will redshirt freshman Kenneth Durden.

5. Find a backup QB

In one of the better battles in camp, junior Bobby Eveld, the backup for the past two seasons, will be challenged by redshirt freshman Matt Floyd. With Daniels a senior, it's the first competition toward the 2013 starting job, though the Bulls will add contenders in the next recruiting cycle. With three solid scholarship quarterbacks, USF shifted junior walk-on Ryan Eppes (Largo) to linebacker, where he'll be in better position to contribute on special teams.

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, March 20, 2012

It's been a brutal season in terms of injuries for the Tampa Bay Lightning, and it got a little worse Tuesday as wing Ryan Shannon was sidelined for the last 10 games after surgery to repair his right shoulder.

No other information was immediately available.

Shannon left Saturday's loss to the Blues in the second period, though it is believed he aggravated a injury with which he already was dealing when he missed three games in February. He missed 15 games in December and January with a knee injury.

Shannon had four goals, 12 points and was minus-11 in 45 games this season.

In other news, goaltender Sebastien Caron, who on Monday signed a prorated one-year deal, cleared waivers. He will be Dwayne Roloson's backup Thursday against the Oilers.

As expected, Dustin Tokarski was reassigned to AHL Norfolk. He was 1-3-1 in five games with a 3.44 goals-against average and .879 save percentage.

By Jackie Otto, Times Correspondent
Tuesday, March 20, 2012

What's hot: Just about any sport fish you want to catch is in the Tampa Bay area. Kingfish are thick just off the beaches. Tarpon are showing around bridges and passes. Redfish are so bunched up it is hard not to catch one. A good rebound of snook are being caught and released. Trout are always here.To change things up, largemouth bass are hungry coming off the beds. Lake Tarpon is on fire with bass in the submerged hydrilla and shellcrackers are on the beds ready to take a worm.

Techniques: Troll king spoons on a No. 1 or 2 planer or slow drift live baits just offshore for kingfish and mackerel action. Tarpon will take a live threadfin herring or pinfish around larger bridges, especially at night. Catch redfish, snook and trout on artificial or live baits near mangrove shorelines with good water movement.

Tips: Bass in Lake Tarpon will take a weighted worm fished near hydrilla beds outside the cattails. Smaller crank baits will catch the schooling bass out in the middle of the lake. Shellcrackers are making the headlines with thousands of beds. Use a small No. 10 hook, live wigglers, split shot and bobber. Find the beds by smell or sight — the smell is a musky odor, sight is a circular white area.

Jackie Otto can be reached at Betts Fishing Center at (727) 518-7637 and jackieotto@msn.com.

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, March 20, 2012

TAMPA — The Lightning's practice Tuesday at the Tampa Bay Times Forum was one of the sharpest of the season.

Sticks banged on the ice to acknowledge good plays, puck-carriers criss-crossed so closely during a drill they had to concentrate on not crashing, and a defensive zone drill was so satisfyingly competitive, coach Guy Boucher cut the workout short.

"Guys were working hard," Boucher said, "very focused on details and getting better."

Any other time of the year, that's an easy sell for a coach. But we're at a time when it would be easy for Tampa Bay — last in the Southeast Division, two points from the bottom of the Eastern Conference and 10 games left — to give up on the season.

That is where Monday's brutal 7-3 loss to the Sabres was key.

"We still have to take pride in our game," defenseman Victor Hedman said. "If we play loose like that these next 10 games we're going to be embarrassed."

This actually is an interesting time for the organization.

Some players, especially those who have been brought up from AHL Norfolk because of Tampa Bay's avalanche of injuries, are fighting for jobs. And Boucher said he will pick spots during games to sit some of his more established players to get a better look at the younger guys and start making assessments for next season.

"We still want to win games and we're not going to just throw guys out there," Boucher said, "but when it's something we feel the person can handle, we'll give them opportunities."

"So, you just can't give up," forward Tom Pyatt said. "It's a tough situation, but guys are playing for jobs and their careers. Guys are getting an opportunity. You're always working for something. Everything you do matters, practice matters."

Of course it does, defenseman Eric Brewer said, "It's our job."

Somehow on Tuesday there were no crashes when four players carrying pucks around cones converged at the center-ice dot (which was more like a four-way intersection), forcing the skaters to keep their heads up while moving the puck.

And when defenseman Keith Aulie battled along the boards for an exhausting 20 seconds with Marty St. Louis, players banged sticks on the ice to salute Aulie's effort to get the puck and St. Louis' to keep it.

"We've got to maintain a high standard of not just play but of character and work ethic and attitude," Boucher said. "It's tough to be tough mentally right now, but that's when we have to be the toughest."

Especially with two games left on a seven-game home stand that was supposed to define the Lightning's playoff push. Instead Tampa Bay is 1-4-0.

"That's why the next two games in front of our fans have to be full out, everything we've got so it's worth their money," Boucher said. "It's not about winning right now. It's about giving every single ounce of energy we've got to be the best we can."

"If we're going to go down," defenseman Bruno Gervais said, "we're going to go kicking and punching, that's for sure."

DONE DEAL: Goalie Sebastien Caron, who on Monday signed a prorated one-year contract, cleared waivers and will back up Dwayne Roloson Thursday against the Oilers. As expected, Dustin Tokarski was reassigned to Norfolk. He was 1-3-1 in five games with a 3.44 goals-against average and .879 save percentage.

OUT: Wing Ryan Shannon will miss the rest of the season after surgery Tuesday to repair his right shoulder. No other information was available. Shannon, with four goals, 12 points and minus-11 in 45 games, left Saturday's game with the Blues in the second period.

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

By Marc Topkin and Joe Smith, Times Staff Writers
Tuesday, March 20, 2012

JUPITER — Reid Brignac's chances to win the starting shortstop job may be derailed by a right foot condition related to plantar fasciitis that will keep him sidelined at least several more days.

"That's just a nasty little injury," manager Joe Maddon said. "I don't know exactly how long it's going to take."

Brignac had been having a good spring but has not played in a major-league game since Thursday. He said an MRI exam revealed a partial tear of the plantar fascia (underside of the foot, where the heel and arch meet). A Monday cortisone shot helped, and he hopes to resume baseball activities in three-four days.

"I want to get back on the field as soon as I can," Brignac said in Port Charlotte. "It's bad timing. It's just an unfortunate thing that happened. Nothing that I could have done differently. Now it's treat it, take care of it and get back as soon as I can."

The condition is painful and to properly heal requires the plantar fascia sheath to tear on its own, Maddon said, which makes it difficult to predict a timeline.

"Once it's tolerable, I can play," Brignac said. "Runners have this type of injuries, basketball players have this type of injury. They just play through it, and once it pops, treat it and then after that it's great from there on out."

If Brignac is sidelined, Sean Rodriguez is the likely starter with Elliot Johnson the backup.

DAVIS SHARP: All Wade Davis needed was to take a line drive off the right ankle in his second inning to turn up the heat and turn out his best outing of the spring, retiring nine of his final 10, with an uptick of several mph in velocity.

"The moral of the story is to hit him in the foot hard with a blunt object before he goes to pitch because he was entirely different after that ball hit him in the foot," Maddon said. "Velocity came up, breaking ball got better, he was throwing his split. Really, really a great performance post-line-drive-in-the-foot."

Davis, who claimed the line drive didn't change anything, said his ankle hurt and "was numb for a little bit" but not enough to leave the game. He allowed one run and three hits over five innings, striking out five while throwing 63 pitches, praising C Jose Lobaton for his work behind the plate. "It was a good day," Davis said.

UPTON UPDATE: CF B.J. Upton got back on the field for the first time since his March 14 outfield collision and was encouraged after taking batting practice and going 0-for-2 with a walk in parts of two minor-league games.

"I felt pretty good," Upton said. "I like the strides I made. The biggest thing is seeing pitches, and I saw enough pitches, had some good swings. It's a great day for me right now."

He hopes to play against the Yankees today.

Also playing in minor-league games were 1B Carlos Peña and 3B Evan Longoria, who both homered; Jeff Keppinger; Jose Molina; and Luke Scott. Fernando Rodney and Joel Peralta pitched.

GAME DETAILS: Non-roster INF Will Rhymes knocked in all three runs for the Rays (5-10-3) with a two-run double (that would have been a triple if he hadn't overslid the bag) and a single. … Maddon praised LF Desmond Jennings and DH Matt Joyce for their at-bats. … Minor-league RHP Ryan Reid gave up a run in the ninth but got the final out with two on.

By Jim Tomlin, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, March 20, 2012

The new IndyCar Dallara chassis, which makes its debut this weekend on the streets of St. Petersburg, is markedly different from the model that raced in the series since 2003. The car is named the DW12 chassis in honor of the late Dan Wheldon, the St. Petersburg resident who did the development and testing on the car last year. IndyCar decided in 2010 to do a revamp of the series' cars. A seven-person committee, including series CEO Randy Bernard and former Indianapolis 500 winner Gil de Ferran, looked at proposals from Lola, Delta Wing and Swift before settling on Dallara, the reigning manufacturer.

Smaller engines.

The 2.2-liter, six-cylinder, turbocharged power units are a change from the old 3.5-liter, normally aspirated engines. They are expected to produce between 550 and 700 horsepower.

The rear end.

Perhaps the most noticeable difference. Pieces of body work cover the back of the rear wheels, one of the most radical changes in open-wheel racing. It's for safety, designed to keep cars from launching over the rear wheels of the car in front.

Wider sidepod.

The sidepod extends out at the bottom. The body extends slightly past the wheels on the sides to help prevent tires from touching.

Bodywork over the front of the rear wheels.

Another feature to help prevent wheels from interlocking.

The driver's compartment.

There are 3 inches of foam in the cockpit and an inch under the seat. A new right-side panel is designed to reduce the force when hitting outside walls.
Five hot topics

1. How much safer is it?

Driver Helio Castroneves: "I feel safe in this car. It's designed to be safer — safer in the cockpit, safer for racing, especially with the sidepod we have to prevent the scenario of the car flying and interlocking wheels and things like that."

Team owner Sarah Fisher: "I think a lot of the new features they brought into this new car are several steps ahead of the prior cars."

2. Anything else the series could have done in terms of safety?

Driver Will Power: "My suggestion would be to have kind of a higher nose and like what the NHRA has which is a completely enclosed head rest. I think that wouldn't have been that hard to do."

3. Do fans and/or sponsors care about there being a new car?

Fisher: "Some people who know about the sport are excited … and even folks that are unfamiliar with it. The new car is a great talking piece."

Team co-owner Jimmy Vasser: "It's more interest in the sport. There's a story there, so they do care."

Grand Prix of St. Petersburg general manager and vice president Tim Ramsberger: "Yeah, people are excited, they're asking a lot of questions about this car."

4. Do drivers like it so far?

Driver Tony Kanaan: "There were people complaining, but it's a new car and we've got to get used to it. I love it, I think it's a great car."

Driver Dario Franchitti: "For the road courses it's a great car. It definitely had some imbalances (initially) but we're getting closer to where we need to be."

5. Is it nice to look at?

Team owner Bryan Herta: "I think in general it's a pretty ugly race car. But they all look good in winner's circle. Some of it's really nice, the problem is it's hard to get past a couple of the big warts to see the nice parts."

Vasser: "A lot of it has to do with how you paint it. The car's starting to grow on us."

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Joe Namath quote of the day

"That's the way Joe Maddon rolls — he walks in with (Joe) Namath, I walk in with (bench coach) Joey Cora. … If we win this year, I'll walk in with Gloria Estefan."

Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen

Neighborhood stroll of the day

OF Sam Fuld plays like he's still a kid, and that was even more the case Tuesday when he walked to Roger Dean Stadium from his offseason home. Though his parents are in New Hampshire, Fuld's father-in-law was planning to pick him up after the game. "And he's bringing the orange slices," Fuld said.

Who is this Ray?

He was a three-sport star (baseball, basketball, football) in high school, then a junior college All-American receiver. He has a cousin in the NFL, Andre Smith. He likes to bowl.

The dish

Rays vs. Yankees

When/where: 1:05 today; Charlotte Sports Park, 2300 El Jobean Road, Port Charlotte

TV: ESPN

Tickets: Limited amount remaining. Reserved seats $19-27, berm/boardwalk $12. Available through raysbaseball.com and Ticketmaster, at Tropicana Field and Charlotte Sports Park box offices, Tampa team store.

Gates open: 10:30 a.m.

Directions: Driving time from the bay area is 1½-2 hours. Suggested route: I-75 south to Exit 179 (Toledo Blade Road), go west 6½ miles (crossing U.S. 41) to El Jobean Road (SR 776), go right 2 miles, complex is on the left.

Parking: $10, lots open at 10

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

Pitchers: Rays — Kyle Farnsworth, Burke Badenhop, Brandon Gomes, J.P. Howell, Jake McGee, Cesar Ramos; Yankees — Phil Hughes, relievers TBA

Heads-up

Farnsworth is starting so the Rays can avoid having Jeff Niemann face the AL East rival Yankees; he'll pitch in a minor-league game.

On deck

Thursday: at Pirates, 1:05 p.m. Rays — James Shields; Pirates — Jeff Karstens

Friday: vs. Jays, 7:05 p.m. Rays — David Price; Jays — Brett Cecil

Saturday: at Twins, 3:05 p.m. Rays — TBA; Twins — TBA

Upcoming schedule

All games 1:05 unless noted

March

25: Marlins

26: at Twins

27: at Red Sox (1:35 )

28: Pirates (7:05 )

29: at Phillies

30: at Pirates

31: Red Sox

April

1: at Orioles

2: Twins*

3: at Twins

4: vs. Future Rays, 1:40, at Trop.

* Value game, $2 off

Who is this answer: OF Desmond Jennings

Marc Topkin, Times staff writer

Times wires
Tuesday, March 20, 2012

LAKELAND — Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera has a broken bone below his right eye after being struck by a bad-hop grounder, sidelining the star slugger for at least a week with opening day on deck.

The AL Central champions start April 5 at home against the Red Sox, giving Cabrera less than 2½ weeks to recover.

"Hopefully, I'll be ready to open the season," Cabrera said Tuesday.

Cabrera had little chance Monday on a hard shot by Phillies rightfielder Hunter Pence that caused a bloody gash and required eight stitches. Detroit shifted its slugger across the diamond to make room for new first baseman Prince Fielder, acutely aware Cabrera earns his money with a bat, not a glove.

Tigers president Dave Dombrowski called Cabrera's vision "perfect."

"We'll know a lot more in a week," Dombrowski said. "If he wants to go relax he can go home, and he's always welcome here."

ASTROS-ROYALS TRADE: Houston traded catcher Humberto Quintero and centerfielder Jason Bourgeois to Kansas City for minor-league left-hander Kevin Chapman and a player to be named. The Royals needed a catcher after starter Salvador Perez was lost to a knee injury.

In other Royals news, right-hander Aaron Crow, who was being moved into the rotation after making the All-Star team as a reliever, will head back to the bullpen in the wake of closer Joakim Soria's elbow injury.

ANGELS: First baseman Kendrys Morales sat out with a sore shin after playing in three minor-league games in the previous four days. Morales is trying to come back from a fractured left ankle suffered in May 2010.

A'S: Manager Bob Melvin announced that right-hander Grant Balfour, a top Rays setup man from 2008-10, would be the team's closer, beating out left-hander Brian Fuentes.

BRAVES: Right-hander Arodys Vizcaino had Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery and is out for the season.

BREWERS: Leftfielder Ryan Braun was a late scratch with a strained groin that manager Ron Roenicke said he had been playing through for several weeks.

ORIOLES: Left-hander Zach Britton, who has been sidelined with inflammation of his pitching shoulder, will get a second opinion from noted orthopedic surgeon James Andrews. … Left-hander Dontrelle Willis, the former NL rookie of the year, agreed to a minor-league contract.

PADRES: Catcher Nick Hundley agreed to a multi-year contract through 2014 that includes a team option for 2015.

RANGERS: Left-hander Derek Holland, 25, agreed to a five-year contract through the 2016 season that will pay him a total of $28.5 million and includes club options for two more seasons. … Right-hander Neftali Feliz was pulled after three innings because of shoulder stiffness.