Times wires
Tuesday, May 22, 2012

ATHENS, Ga. — Unlike last year, Lauren Embree didn't need too long to secure Florida's national championship.

"I'm glad it wasn't as dramatic as last year," she said. "I just happened to be the last one that had a chance at clinching."

Embree and Seminole native Alex Cercone had little trouble winning their singles matches on Tuesday, helping Florida earn its second straight national title with a 4-0 victory over UCLA.

The Gators (27-1) were up 3-0 when Embree sealed the championship with a backhand that McCall Jones had no chance to reach. Embree, selected the tournament's most outstanding player, beat Jones 6-4, 6-0.

In last year's final at Stanford, Embree beat the Cardinal's Mallory Burdette 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (8-6) after trailing 4-0 in the third set.

That was hardly the case this time. In front of several hundred cheering Florida fans, Embree had no trouble dominating the second set.

"In this tournament, it's hard not to play your best tennis here," said Embree, the SEC player of the year. "The atmosphere is great. The fans we have are amazing."

UCLA (26-3) set a program high for victories but was shut out by Florida in the NCAAs for a second straight year. The Gators beat UCLA 4-0 in last year's semifinals.

Gators coach Ronald Thornqvist said he was proud of the way his players met expectations.

"We had to go through some growing pains as defending national champions," he said. "They were willing to work through and start over, sort of, to build the team over from scratch."

The individual tournament starts today, with USF junior Ecaterina Vasenina facing UF's Sofie Oyen at 5 p.m. in the first round. UF's Embree, Allie Will and Joanna Mather are also entered as are Miami's Gabriela Mejia and Anna Bartenstien.

UF's Tripper Carleton, Nassim Slilam and Bob van Oiverbeek are in the men's singles bracket.

BASEBALL: Justin Shafer had three RBIs and Jonathon Crawford struck out nine as Florida defeated Auburn 6-1 in the first round of the SEC tournament in Hoover, Ala. Crawford (5-2) and three relievers combined to pitch a three-hitter. After a leadoff single in the third by Bobby Andrews, the Tigers did not manage another hit until the ninth. Shafer drove in two runs with a second-inning single off Jon Luke Jacobs. A two-run double in the sixth by former Dunedin High star Casey Turgeon gave Florida (41-16) a 4-1 lead. Shafer made it 5-1 with a single to score Turgeon.

GOLF: Florida was tied for 18th after shooting 14-over 302 in the first round of the NCAA Division I women's championship in Franklin, Tenn. Alabama shot 2-under 286 to lead by two strokes over Virginia. Belleair native Evan Jensen led the Gators, shooting 74.

FOOTBALL: Joe Paterno earned a state pension of $13.4 million for his 61-year coaching career at Penn State. Paterno's family said through a spokesman that his widow, Sue, would receive an initial payment of $10.1 million by the end of May, with the rest to be paid out over the next two years.

Times wires
Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Twins 9, White Sox 2

CHICAGO — P.J. Walters pitched his first career complete game and Justin Morneau hit a three-run homer for Minnesota. Walters, who gave up a solo homer to Gordon Beckham with one out in the first, pitched a five-hitter in his third start of the season. The Twins battered Gavin Floyd for four runs in the second and five in the fourth. The right-hander is 0-8 against Minnesota in his past eight starts.

Times wires
Tuesday, May 22, 2012

soccer

rowdies move on to third round of u.s. open cup

JACKSONVILLE — The Tampa Bay Rowdies advanced to the third round of the 2012 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup with a 3-0 victory over Jacksonville United on Tuesday night at Patton Park.

After a one-hour lightning delay, the Rowdies jumped on top early when forward Mike Ambersley connected in the second minute off a pass from forward Daniel Antoniuk.

Tampa Bay's hard work paid off again in the 19th minute. Ambersley fired a shot that was saved by goalkeeper Stuart McCrory, but the rebound landed to Antoniuk, who deposited it into the back of the net for a 2-0 advantage.

The Rowdies will host the MLS's Colorado Rapids in the third round of the U.S. Open Cup on May 29 at 7:30 p.m. at Al Lang Field in St. Petersburg.

tennis

Former French Open champ Schiavone dominates

Second-seeded Francesca Schiavone eased into the second round of the Strasbourg (France) International after beating Alexandra Cadantu 6-1, 6-2.

The former French Open champion broke Cadantu's serve six times and will play qualifier Mirjana Lucic, who rallied to beat Anne Keothavong 2-6, 7-5, 6-4.

Third-seeded Maria Kirilenko, No. 5 Mona Barthel and No. 6 Marina Erakovic were eliminated.

Clijsters to end career at u.s. open: Kim Clijsters says this year's U.S. Open will be her last tournament before retiring. The former No. 1 had already announced this would be her final season and said she expects to quit after Flushing Meadows, where she is a three-time champion. Clijsters initially retired in 2007 because of injuries but returned in 2009, winning her second U.S. Open that year.

et cetera

WNBA: Seimone Augustus scored 22 and defending champion Minnesota cruised to a 80-62 victory over host New York. Maya Moore had 15 points for the Lynx. … Candice Dupree scored 31 and had a key offensive rebound that led to Samantha Prahalis' winning free throws with 22.2 seconds left and visiting Phoenix held off Tulsa 89-87. Diana Taurasi started for the Mercury, but played only 10 minutes and scored three points in her first playing time of the season while recovering from a strained left hip flexor.

Olympics: The U.S. men's eight boat is among three crews from the United States that secured their places at the London Games by winning races at the last-chance qualification regatta in Lucerne, Switzerland. This marked the first time in modern Olympic history the Americans had failed to qualify this boat in the world championships.

Times wires

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Rays vs. Blue Jays

When/where: 1:10 today, Tropicana Field

TV/radio: Sun Sports; 620-AM, 680-AM (Spanish)

Tickets: Tickets: $9-210, available at Tropicana Field box office, Ticketmaster, raysbaseball.com, team Tampa store; $3 surcharge within 5 hours of game time.

Probable pitchers

Rays:

RH James Shields (6-2, 3.77)

Jays:

LH Ricky Romero (5-1, 3.64)

On Shields: Coming off a loss to Braves and has allowed 22 runs in past 311/3 innings. Is 3-0, 3.90 in four day starts, 5-1 in past seven starts vs. Jays (and Rays 6-1) and 9-5, 3.60 overall.

On Romero: Jays ace tends to do better vs. righties, so expect Rays to stack several lefties against him. Beat the Rays April 17 in Toronto, is 6-4, 3.28 in 11 starts vs. them.

Rays vs. Romero

S. Rodriguez 1-for-15 HR

B.J. Upton 5-for-25 HR

Ben Zobrist 8-for-28 2 HR

Jays vs. Shields

Jose Bautista 6-for-21 2 HR

E. Encarnacion 3-for-15

Yunel Escobar 5-for-20

On deck

Thursday: Off

Friday: at Red Sox, 7:10, Sun Sports. Rays — Alex Cobb (1-0, 2.57); Sox — Jon Lester (3-3, 3.95)

Saturday: at Red Sox, 7:15, Ch. 13. Rays — David Price (6-3, 2.88); Sox — Josh Beckett (4-4, 4.38)

Sunday: at Red Sox, 1:35, Sun Sports. Rays — Jeremy Hellickson (4-1, 2.73); Sox — Clay Buchholz (4-2, 7.84)

Marc Topkin, Times staff writer

Quote of the day

"We were just trying to protect ourselves from further injury. And if anybody invaded the dugout we were in very good shape, also."

Joe Maddon, on Ps Joel Peralta and Fernando Rodney wearing Gladiator-style masks Monday

Helping hand of the day

To prep for the weekend "Ken Rosenthal/Nerd" themed trip, LHP Cesar Ramos was to give a lesson on bow-tie tying, and a pro is being brought in to help before Thursday's flight.

Stats of the day

8

Strikeouts on foul bunts, most for an AL team since the 1979 Angels (8).

40

Errors in 44 games; Rays had MLB-low 73 total last season.

Times wires
Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Cardinals 4, Padres 0

ST. LOUIS — Adam Wainwright pitched a four-hitter for St. Louis, his first shutout victory since Aug. 6, 2010, and the third of his career. Wainwright, who missed the 2011 season after elbow ligament replacement surgery, retired the first eight batters and allowed one runner to reach third. Carlos Beltran had two hits and two RBIs for the Cardinals. Padres starter Edinson Volquez fell to 0-3 in four career starts at Busch Stadium with a 6.50 ERA.

Times wires
Tuesday, May 22, 2012

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Dustin Penner scored 17:42 into overtime and the Los Angeles Kings are headed to the Stanley Cup final for the second time as a franchise after beating the Phoenix Coyotes with a 4-3 win in Game 5 of the Western Conference final Tuesday night.

Penner gathered a bouncing puck and beat Mike Smith between the pads for the game-winner, extending the Kings' road winning streak to an NHL-record eight straight games. Anze Kopitar scored a shorthanded goal, Drew Doughty had a goal and an assist, and Mike Richards also scored for Los Angeles.

The Coyotes were angry in the immediate aftermath of the winning goal, arguing that it should have been disallowed.

The Kings set a league record with their eighth consecutive playoff victory on the road. It was also the second time in these playoffs that they ended a series with an overtime goal on the road. In the first round Los Angeles ousted Presidents Trophy winner Vancouver in OT.

First—1, Phoenix, Pyatt 4 (Hanzal, Vrbata), 4:20 (pp). 2, Los Angeles, Kopitar 6 (Doughty, Brown), 11:13 (sh). Penalties—Doughty, LA (delay of game), 2:47; Los Angeles bench, served by Richardson (too many men), 10:28; Voynov, LA (hooking), 15:32; Morris, Pho (holding), 19:56.

Second—3, Phoenix, Pouliot 1 (Klesla, Chipchura), 6:23. 4, Los Angeles, Doughty 2 (Fraser, Williams), 11:06. 5, Los Angeles, Richards 4 (Penner, Carter), 13:43. 6, Phoenix, Yandle 1 (Pyatt), 16:23. Penalties—None.

Third—None. Penalties—Korpikoski, Pho (holding), 1:38; Stoll, LA (high-sticking), 5:15; Greene, LA (delay of game), 5:34; Hanzal, Pho (interference), 6:34; Morris, Pho (delay of game), 19:33. Overtime—7, Los Angeles, Penner 3 (Carter, Voynov), 17:42. Penalties—Doughty, LA (interference), 10:54; Doan, Pho, game misconduct, 17:42; Smith, Pho, game misconduct, 17:42. Shots—Los Angeles 6-20-13-12—51. Phoenix 9-10-16-6—41. Power plays—Los Angeles 0 of 4; Phoenix 1 of 6. Goalies—Los Angeles, Quick 12-2-0 (41 shots-38 saves). Phoenix, Smith 9-7-0 (51-47). A—17,148 (17,135). T—3:28.

Shannon to Swiss club

Ryan Shannon, whose disappointing season with the Lightning ended in March with rotator cuff surgery on his right shoulder, signed a three-year deal to play for ZSC Lions in Switzerland.

The contract was negotiated with Tampa Bay's permission as Shannon's one-year, $625,000 deal with the Lightning runs through June. General manager Steve Yzerman said he let Shannon search only in Europe.

"I loved playing in Tampa. It was a great place to play," Shannon, 29, said from his Connecticut home. "But the three-year deal in Zurich, obviously, gives my family some security. We're excited about the opportunity over there."

Shannon, touted before the season by coach Guy Boucher as a player who could play on the top two lines, played more on the third and fourth and had just four goals, 12 points and was minus-11 in 45 games. The right wing also battled injuries, missing 15 games with a knee injury and three in February with a shoulder problem.

"It was a great year. I enjoyed it," Shannon said. "With the statistics, people might not think that, but it was a great time."

ADMIRALS ADVANCE: The Lightning's AHL Norfolk affiliate finished a four-game sweep of the Eastern Conference final with a 4-0 victory at St. John's to reach the Calder Cup final. Dustin Tokarski had 29 saves and center Tyler Johnson had a goal and an assist for Norfolk.

Times staff writer Damian Cristodero contributed to this report.

Times wires
Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Marlins 7, Rockies 6

MIAMI — Ricky Nolasco gave up three runs in the first inning then settled down to set a franchise record for career victories as Miami rallied past Colorado for the second night in a row. Nolasco is 69-53.

Times wires
Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Astros 2, Cubs 1

HOUSTON — J.D. Martinez hit a go-ahead single in the sixth and Jose Altuve had a solo homer to lift Houston, which handed Chicago its season-worst eighth straight loss. Martinez's hit was the Astros' first since the first inning, but Justin Maxwell and Carlos Lee drew two-out walks before it to set up the score. Houston starter J.A. Happ pitched six strong innings.

Times wires
Tuesday, May 22, 2012

MIAMI — Miami took a big step forward. Indiana lost two forwards.

Suddenly, the road back to the Eastern Conference final no longer looks daunting for the Heat.

LeBron James scored 30, Dwyane Wade added 28, and the Heat moved a win away from the NBA's final four with a 115-83 victory over the hurting Pacers on Tuesday night.

The Heat leads the best-of-seven East semifinals 3-2, with Game 6 in Indiana on Thursday.

"This is our challenge right now, to leave it behind us," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "A lot of good things tonight, but we have to focus on the next one."

James added 10 rebounds and eight assists. Miami, which never trailed, held a 22-2 edge in fastbreak points and shot a franchise playoff-record 61 percent — best of any team in the playoffs this season.

Paul George scored 11 for Indiana, with starting forwards Danny Granger and David West adding 10 points apiece. Granger left with a sprained left ankle in the third quarter, and West left with what the Pacers called a left knee sprain at the end of that period. Granger is day-to-day.

It was an 11-point game when Granger departed, and the Heat outscored the Pacers by 21 the rest of the way.

"Game 6 is going to be physical," Wade said. "We've got to understand that this team has a lot of pride. Their crowd is going to be ready. They're going to come out with a lot of energy. We've got to withstand that first hit and still be standing. We're ready for it."

Warriors plan move to San Francisco

Sitting on the shore and staring at one of the world's most majestic metropolitan views, Joe Lacob leaned over to hear fellow Golden State Warriors co-owner Peter Guber whisper in his ear.

"Man," Guber said, "we've got to do this."

And with that, the vision started to come into focus.

The Warriors, NBA commissioner David Stern and San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee officially announced the Bay Area's only NBA team will try to move back to scenic San Francisco. The earliest the team could leave Oakland would be 2017.

The estimated $500 million, privately funded arena will be built on the waterfront site near the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.

Report: Knicks, Woodson deal nearly done: The Knicks and coach Mike Woodson are completing a multiyear deal that could be announced this week, the Associated Press reported. Woodson led the Knicks to an 18-6 record and a first-round playoff loss to Miami as interim coach after replacing Mike D'Antoni on March 14. The Knicks' victory in Game 4 of the series ended an NBA-record, 13-game postseason losing streak that dated to 2001.

Sloan interested in Bobcats job, report says: Hall of Fame coach Jerry Sloan will likely meet with Bobcats management about their job opening, the Charlotte Observer reported. Sloan, who turned 70 in March, has been out of coaching the past 1½ seasons after a 22-plus season tenure with the Jazz. He indicated he'd be interested in the opening in Orlando.

Heat 115, Pacers 83

INDIANA (83): Granger 3-6 1-2 10, West 5-13 0-0 10, Hibbert 3-10 1-2 8, Hill 3-9 0-0 6, George 3-9 4-5 11, Barbosa 3-10 0-0 6, Collison 2-6 4-4 8, Amundson 3-6 0-2 6, Hansbrough 2-6 4-4 8, D.Jones 1-8 2-2 5, Stephenson 0-4 1-2 1, Pendergraph 1-1 0-0 2, Price 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 30-89 17-23 83.

MIAMI (115): Battier 4-7 1-2 13, James 12-19 4-4 30, Turiaf 1-1 0-0 2, Chalmers 3-6 2-2 8, Wade 10-17 7-13 28, Anthony 3-4 1-2 7, Miller 0-1 0-0 0, Cole 1-4 4-4 6, J.Jones 2-3 0-0 6, Haslem 5-6 0-0 10, Howard 1-1 1-2 3, Harris 1-1 0-0 2, Pittman 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 43-70 20-29 115.

Indiana 20 20 17 26— 83

Miami 26 23 27 39— 115

3-Point Goals—Indiana 6-21 (Granger 3-4, Hibbert 1-1, D.Jones 1-4, George 1-4, Barbosa 0-3, Hill 0-5), Miami 9-16 (Battier 4-5, J.Jones 2-3, James 2-4, Wade 1-2, Chalmers 0-1, Miller 0-1). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Indiana 46 (Hibbert 12), Miami 55 (Chalmers 11). Assists—Indiana 15 (George 3), Miami 20 (James 8). Total Fouls—Indiana 21, Miami 20. Flagrant Fouls—Hansbrough, Haslem, Pittman. A—20,097 (19,600).

Times wires
Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Giants 6, Brewers 4

MILWAUKEE — Buster Posey homered off the Miller Park scoreboard and had three RBIs for San Francisco, which won for the eighth time in 11 games despite being outhit 11-5. Milwaukee went 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position off Matt Cain and lost for the sixth time in seven games. Brewers starter Shaun Marcum gave up six runs in six innings, allowing more than three earned runs for the first time this season.

Times staff
Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Sports on TV/radio

., TODAY

Baseball

Blue Jays at Rays, 1 p.m., Sun Sports; 620-AM

Nationals at Phillies, 7 p.m., ESPN2

Royals at Yankees, 7 p.m., 820-AM

Cubs at Astros, 8 p.m., WGN

College baseball tournaments

ACC: Florida State vs. Ga. Tech, 11 a.m., FSN

Big Ten: Nebraska vs. Michigan State, noon, Big Ten

SEC: LSU vs. Mississippi State, 2 p.m., FSN

Big Ten: Penn State vs. Ohio State, 3:30 p.m., Big Ten

ACC: Miami vs. N.C. St. (in progress), 4 p.m., Sun Sports

SEC: TBD, 5:30 p.m., BHSN

ACC: Wake Forest vs. North Carolina, 7 p.m., Sun Sports

SEC: South Carolina vs. TBD, 9 p.m., BHSN

NBA playoffs

East semifinal: Celtics at 76ers, 8 p.m., ESPN

NHL playoffs

East final: Devils at Rangers, 8 p.m., NBCSN

TV: BHSN: Bright House Sports Network; NBCSN: NBC Sports Network

Times wires
Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Rangers 3, Mariners 1

SEATTLE — Elvis Andrus lined a two-strike pitch into the left-center gap for a two-run triple and Josh Hamilton made two big catches in center and added an RBI double as the Rangers snapped Seattle's winning streak at four. Hamilton's biggest play came in the first inning when he chased down Casper Wells' two-out, bases-loaded drive to deep left-center and contorted to make the catch on the warning track. He then robbed Alex Liddi in the third with a leaping grab, crashing into the wall.

Times wires
Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Angels 4, Athletics 0

OAKLAND, Calif. — C.J. Wilson and Ernesto Frieri combined on a one-hitter and the Angels broke out of their offensive slump. Albert Pujols homered for the third time in seven days and Mark Trumbo and Howie Kendrick both had RBI singles for the Angels, who had five runs in their previous three games combined. Cliff Pennington had the only hit — a one-out single in the fifth — for Oakland, which had won five of the previous seven meetings this season.

Times wires
Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Dodgers 8, Diamondbacks 7

PHOENIX — Right-handed reliever Kenley Jansen got Jason Kubel to ground into a game-ending double play for the Dodgers, who took the lead in the top of the ninth on Ivan De Jesus' two-run double.

By Captain Matt Santiago, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Tarpon time. It's prime time for tarpon in Tampa Bay right now. Tarpon have invaded the bay and can be found from the beaches to the upper bay. The tarpon in our region have been averaging 100 to 200 pounds, and there have already been a few reports of tarpon over 200 pounds being caught. Mike and Bob Zichmiller of Tampa landed a 205 pound tarpon last week after a nearly two-hour fight between the two anglers.

Tides can guide. Both tides have been producing good results, but your tactics should vary depending on what the tide is and your location. Focus your incoming tide fishing on the beaches and bridges where drifting threadfins and scaled sardines will produce good results.

Fishing manners. When beach fishing, remember your tarpon etiquette and give other boats plenty of space while resisting the urge to run up on pods of tarpon as soon as they surface. Your best bet will be to locate a pod of tarpon cruising along the beach and idle a ways up from the school, shut off your motor and allow yourself to drift into them, letting your baits float naturally toward the tarpon. At the bridge, fish your baits around the shadow lines and pilings that the tarpon use to ambush their prey.

Crabby bait. The outgoing tide tarpon bite has been the best around the mouth of the bay and Egmont Key. On the strong outgoing tides, the small blue crabs and pass or calico crabs are definitely your bait of choice. Spending some time at the beginning of the outgoing tide dipping up crabs will definitely pay dividends when the tarpon bite goes off. Break off the claws and hook them between the point of the shell and their back legs. Using split shots and floats is a good way to ensure you are covering all levels of the water column.

Catch and release. Remember, once you have a tarpon boatside they have exerted over 90 percent of their energy, so take extra care when reviving them and make sure they swim away under their own power to be caught another day. Now is the time to get out there and enjoy one of Tampa Bay's greatest gamefish, just watch out for those afternoon thunderstorms.

By Brandon Wright, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, May 23, 2012

TAMPA

Tampa Prep senior Taylor Burdge skipped a training session Tuesday while studying for a final exam. And missing even one day of workout was enough to drive one of the nation's top youth rowers bonkers.

"My coach is always trying to get me to take a day off," Burdge said. "But I don't like skipping workouts."

Burdge was so wound up Tuesday night that she had to go on a walk with her father just to burn off some energy.

"When it comes to training," Tampa Prep coach Steve Maher said. "She is relentless."

Burdge will attempt to become the first back-to-back winner at the U.S. Rowing Youth National Championships June 8-10 in Oak Ridge, Tenn.

"There's a direct correlation between how well you do in rowing and how much hard work you put in," Burdge said. "If I'm not working out, I feel like I'm missing out on getting better."

After dabbling in swimming, volleyball and basketball, Burdge found a home inside the shell of a single scull. Burdge estimated she works out between four and five hours a day, training once in the morning and again in the afternoon. Those sessions are sandwiched around a full workload at Tampa Prep, where Burdge is on the dean's list.

"I drop her off at quarter to six in the morning and she just goes from there," Burdge's father, Bruce, said. "She has an unbelievable level of dedication."

Burdge's drive has helped her become one of the most decorated youth rowers around, despite taking up the sport just four years ago. She is a three-time state champion, three-time Southeast regional champion and the 2011 youth national champion, all in the single scull.

In addition, Burdge has also won states twice in the women's four, an event with four rowers in one boat. At the Scholastic Nationals in Camden, N.J., this weekend, Burdge will take the position of "stroke" for Tampa Prep, while Astrid Skjaerpe, Kelsi Richardson and Krissi Damm will be on the bow. Colleen Shells will serve as the coxswain.

For Burdge, the national events are the culmination of a lot of hard work.

"We talk about the '10,000 Hour Rule' in order to master something," Maher said. "She came in as a freshman and knew what she wanted to do and how to get there."

Burdge picked Stanford to continue her rowing career at over Dartmouth, Virginia, Duke and Princeton. The Cardinal won their first-ever women's team NCAA national championship in 2009.

"I love to be outdoors doing anything and the weather (in California) was just so inviting," Burdge said. "It's a big campus with beautiful trees and I just felt at home immediately."

After nationals Burdge will head out West — but not for classes just yet. She is part of a team of young people who are bicycling across the United States to raise awareness of the importance of affordable housing in this country. The trip is organized through a nonprofit called Bike and Build, which has raised more than $3 million during the past 10 years according to the company's website.

"It's an important cause to me," she said. "There are too many people who live on minimum wage and have to work crazy hours just to get by. And because of that, they're missing out on time with their kids and that creates a bad home environment."

Burdge will join 32 other 18- to 25-year-olds on a 75-day, nearly 4,000-mile journey from Portsmouth, N.H., to Santa Barbara, Calif. The team will ride approximately 70 miles per day and sleep "in church basements, campgrounds … whoever will take us in."

Every fourth day or so, Burdge's team will stop to trade their bikes for hammers. The group will spend the day assisting with construction of affordable housing units. Burdge has raised nearly $12,000 in donations, well exceeding the $4,500 minimum.

"I'd run my own handywoman business up in Connecticut during the past few summers, and I love the extreme nature of a bike ride this long," she said. "It was a perfect fit."

Burdge said she also was drawn to the plight of hard-working families who simply don't earn enough money for adequate housing.

"It's not like this is just a handout to people who aren't doing anything. It's to assist people who can't get by on the money they make," she said. "And I truly believe hard work pays off. That's pretty much my motto."

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

By Derek J. LaRiviere, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, May 23, 2012

The Couples of Hernando Golf League had its final event of the season at the Plantation Golf Resort in Crystal River on May 14.

Gary and Pat Smith took first place over Ron and Rosemary Wagner. The tandems of Ken and Rita Ames and Richard and Barbara Schulte tied for third with Paul and Earlene Jackson. Doug Cord and Rosemary Wagner took closest-to-the-pin honors.

The league plays at different courses in Citrus, Hernando and Pasco counties the second Monday of each month from October to May.

For information, send email to Jane Szeltner at szeltjane@bellsouth.net or Dorothy Cleary at golfergram220@tampabay.rr.com.

DRAGON'S DOJO MARTIAL ARTS: The Dragon's Dojo Martial Arts tae kwon do competition team, based in Spring Hill, earned 38 medals at the Amateur Athletic Union Florida tae kwon do qualifier in Orlando on April 28.

The event included more than 500 competitors from all over the state, with the goal of advancing to the AAU nationals later this summer. Every one of the 20 members of the Dragon's Dogo team, with the assistance of master Carlos Carasquillo, qualified for the national tournament, which will take place in Fort Lauderdale in July.

The 13 gold medals earned by the team were won by William Schook, 15; Ronnie Howe, 11; Scottie Johnson, 10; Jacob Schaake, 9; Darby Dehn, 11; Taylor James, 8; Jon Rose, 16; Marissa Southard, 13, and Daniel Orange, 15.

These athletes along with the remainder of the team won 15 silver and 10 bronze medals.

The other squad members included Tyrese Brown, 9; Michael Douglas, 14; Melanie Shanks, 9; Katie Henery, 9; Collin Hawks, 13; Keian Buffardi, 15; Ethan Coker, 11; Isaiah Gallimore, 15; Curtis Cameron, 9; Jake Stanislawski, 13, and Austin Webster, 13.

YOUTH SOFTBALL CLINICS: The Spring Hill Sting travel softball team is hosting a series of softball clinics for youth this summer, with proceeds benefiting the club.

The clinics are being organized to teach and emphasize the basics of the game. The girls will be divided by Dixie Softball age divisions (Sweeties, Darlings, Angels and Ponytails).

Sting coach Dianne McClellan will lead the instruction, with assistance from members of the Sting. Three camp dates are June 13 to 15, July 11 to 13 and Aug. 1 to 3. The registration fee is $25 per player.

For information, contact McClellan at (352) 442-3047 or dmcclellan105@tampabay.rr.com.

ARC SPRING LAKE 5K: Arc Nature Coast will host its sixth annual Spring Lake 5K and Two-Mile Fun Run on Saturday.

Registration will begin at 7 a.m., with the run starting at 8 a.m. The run will begin at the Arc's facilities at 5283 Neff Lake Road, east of Brooksville, and follow a course through Spring Lake and an equestrian stable.

Proceeds will benefit the Arc, which serves intellectually and developmentally disabled residents of Hernando County.

Prizes will be awarded for first, second and third places in all age groups, which will be split by five-year increments. There is a $25 entry fee for the 5K and a $20 fee for the Fun Run. Entries will be accepted until race time; runners may preregister at active.com.

For information, call the Arc Nature Coast office at (352) 544-2322, ext. 105, or send email to info@thearc-naturecoast.org.

NATURE COAST BASKETBALL CAMP: Nature Coast Technical High School girls basketball coach Emily Gore will host the program's first summer youth basketball camp in the Nature Coast gymnasium from 2 to 5:30 p.m. June 12 to 14.

Registration will begin at 1:45 p.m. June 12. The fee is $50 per player, which includes a T-shirt. Early registration is preferred and guarantees the correct shirt size. The camp is open to children from age 6 to those entering seventh grade. Pizza and Powerade will be sold for $1 each night.

Several members of the Nature Coast basketball team and assistant Lori Cleary will help with the camp. The goal is to help each player have a fun experience while learning basketball skills, game situations and rules. Forms are available in the school's front office.

For information, contact Gore at (352) 535-5091; (352) 797-7088, ext. 228; emgore35@gmail.com, or gore_e@hcsb.k12.fl.us.

NATURE COAST VOLLEYBALL CAMP: Nature Coast Technical High School volleyball coach Emily Gore will host the program's second annual summer youth volleyball camp in the Nature Coast gymnasium from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 11 to 13.

Registration will begin at 8:45 a.m. June 11. The fee is $60 per player, which includes a T-shirt. Early registration is preferred and guarantees the correct shirt size. The camp is open to children from age 6 to those entering seventh grade. Pizza and Powerade will be sold for $1 each, or participants can bring their lunch.

Several members of the Nature Coast volleyball team will assist with the camp. The goal is to help each player have a fun experience while learning volleyball skills, game situations and rules. Forms are available in the school's front office.

For information, contact Gore at (352) 535-5091; (352) 797-7088, ext. 228; emgore35@gmail.com, or gore_e@hcsb.k12.fl.us.

JEROME BROWN GOLF CLASSIC: The Jerome Brown Golf Classic, sponsored by Bright House Networks, will take place June 2 at World Woods Golf Course, north of Brooksville.

The entry fee for the tournament is $70 per player or $280 per foursome, which includes golf, cart, lunch and a cap. Registration will be at 11:30 a.m., with lunch served at noon. The shotgun start will be at 1 p.m.

Proceeds go to the Jerome Brown Youth Foundation. Prizes will be awarded to the first-, second- and third-place teams.

For information, call Dianna Rusk Yoder at (352) 796-2526.

FIRST TEE SUMMER PROGRAM: The Brooksville Parks and Recreation Department will begin a First Tee golf program the week of June 11 at the Quarry Golf Course in Brooksville.

First Tee focuses on golf and life skills instruction. The juniors program strives to instill in participants the organization's nine core values: honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy and judgment.

The cost is $60 per child per week, with ages 9 to 17 eligible. Classes will run from 9 a.m. to noon each day, Monday through Friday. Students are encouraged to bring a bottle of water with them.

Donations are welcome, including youth golf clubs, bags and balls. For information, contact Miles Groff at (352) 540-3835 or mgroff@cityofbrooksville.us.

HYL FOOTBALL: Registration for the Hernando Youth League football season will be June 9 at Ernie Wever Youth Park in Brooksville.

Officials will be on hand from 9 a.m. to noon registering players. The cost is $128 per player, which includes a $3 county park usage fee. Payment may be made with cash, money order, debit card or credit card. All players must be present at registration so they can be fitted for equipment.

For forms and information, visit leaguelineup.com/hylfootball online. For other information, call (352) 346-0000.

Contact Derek J. LaRiviere at derekjlariviere@gmail.com or (352) 584-6337.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, May 23, 2012

ST. PETERSBURG — B.J. Upton had already done the hard part Wednesday afternoon, lacing a ball into the leftfield corner that scored Racin' Rich Thompson from first base to give the Rays a 5-4, 11-inning victory over the Blue Jays.

So he took a few steps off second base, flung his helmet aside and stood waiting — "He was like, 'Come on, bring it on,' " Carlos Peña said — for his teammates to mob him in celebration.

"I don't know what was going through my head," Upton said. "I just knew the game was over."

After nearly four hours and several wasted opportunities before a Trop matinee gathering of 11,471, the end to their fourth walkoff win was somewhat sudden.

Thompson had reached first after being hit by a Darren Oliver pitch — for the second time in his at-bat, the ump not agreeing on the first one. After Peña struck out, Upton jumped on a 2-and-2 cutter but didn't think it was enough to score Thompson, who raced across the plate without even a throw.

"I heard he could run, and obviously we haven't really got a chance to see it," Upton said. "I hit that ball and I thought it was going to be second and third with one out. And as I'm touching second base, he was already around third base.

"It kind of blew my mind there was not a play at the plate."

Thompson, one of four players in the lineup who wasn't with the Rays at the start of the season, and one of two who weren't with them a week ago, had a simple plan: "I was running until somebody stopped me."

And once again, despite all the Rays are missing, with 10 players on the disabled list, they continue to win, improving to 27-18 on the strength of an American League-best 17-7 home record and moving back within one game of first-place Baltimore.

From principal owner Stuart Sternberg on down, they talk about hanging on and hanging in — "We've held our own," Sternberg said — until they get their injured well.

"The phrase we've been using is 'tread water,' " Upton said. "You see a lot of other teams around the league that are healthy and we aren't, but at the same time we find a way to get it done. And that's what it's about."

Said manager Joe Maddon: "I believe we can hold serve through this whole thing. I truly believe that. Different guys have to step up and do something good, and there's been (that)."

Thompson, acquired May 16 from Philadelphia's Triple-A team, did, and Upton did, logging his fifth career walkoff hit, fourth against Toronto. Before that, Drew Sutton, acquired Monday from Pittsburgh's Triple-A team, did, making the best of his first time in the cleanup spot with a two-run double.

So did old standby James Shields, the veteran ace who worked impressively into the eighth, striking out 10. And relievers Fernando Rodney, who worked two scoreless innings (lowering his ERA to 0.40), and Jake McGee, who pitched the 11th for the win.

Maddon lifted Shields with one on in the eighth and a 4-2 lead, but Joel Peralta gave it up, allowing a two-run homer to Edwin Encarnacion. The Rays were aggressive with a chance in the ninth but came up short, Peña lying at the plate stunned he had been tagged out, trying to score from second on an infield single. They took a different approach after a leadoff walk in the 10th, Maddon declining to have Elliot Johnson bunt, and that didn't work out, either.

But they felt the battle of the bullpens was in their favor, and by the end of the long afternoon, they again were the ones celebrating.

"That's what we do," Upton said. "That's how this team has been."

Marc Topkin can be reached at topkin@tampabay.com.

By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, May 23, 2012

TAMPA — Suppose your boss made coming to work today optional and — technically — couldn't penalize you for not showing up. Would you?

Would it matter if staying home could allow co-workers to gain an upper hand on you?

This, in essence, is a decision NFL players face each offseason.

Outside of a three-day minicamp that is mandatory, there are 10 practices (technically known as offseason team activities or OTAs) that players don't need to attend as outlined in the collective bargaining agreement.

But don't tell that to the Bucs' Greg Schiano or any other NFL coach. They rely heavily on offseason work to prepare their teams for the upcoming season. Outside of the lack of full contact, there is little distinction between what's going on this week at One Buc Place and what you'll see during training camp.

"We look at the OTAs as an extended period of practice," Schiano said. "So we have 13 (practices, including minicamp) to install, teach and progress. After initially putting in all the plays — or most of the plays — now we will start talking about situational football. Each day we have a little bit different flavor to the situational football. (We're becoming) a smarter football team as we go."

Already, the Bucs have worked on specifics such as red zone offense and two-minute drills.

The OTAs, which are spread out during the offseason, are separate from conditioning drills, which begin in April and allow players to work out and meet with coaches.

Both are important for this young team.

With Schiano and his staff newly hired, the Bucs are undergoing many changes. The offense is completely different. So, too, is the defense. The process of teaching principles and implementing those schemes has been under way for several weeks, making attendance critical.

The overwhelming majority of players have attended regularly, but there have and will be absences. Tuesday, for instance, rookie safety Mark Barron, receiver Dez Briscoe and cornerback Eric Wright were among those presumed absent. (They weren't on the field.)

When that happens, coaches must walk a fine line.

"Certainly, coaches want (players) there," Schiano told ESPN this week. "But by the letter of the law, it's a voluntary program. I think when you look across the league, on most teams, most guys are there. They want to get better, and they know it's one of the opportunities to get better."

For players who don't attend, the "opportunities" are afforded to their competition. Coaches begin forming opinions about the depth chart, meaning players who skip OTAs do so at their own peril.

To address absences while respecting the voluntary nature, Schiano asked players to comply with one requirement: Let him know if they're coming. Tight end Kellen Winslow said he and Schiano had a miscommunication about his attendance that contributed (but wasn't the only factor) to the team's decision to trade him to Seattle this week.

Mostly, it seems, players have kept the coach in the loop. And Schiano realizes some absences cannot be avoided.

"There's family. There's different things," Schiano said. "My whole thing is communication. As long as everybody just communicates, (it works out).

"I wish life were just clean, but it's not. Life is messy. We work together, and we work through situations. That's kind of how I approach our football team. I think that's just common decency. You communicate, and you let each other know what's going on. When you do that, there are usually not issues."

Stephen F. Holder can be reached at sholder@tampabay.com. Follow him on Twitter at @HolderStephen.

By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Some would call new Bucs coach Greg Schiano a control freak. Others would suggest that he's merely detail-oriented.

You might say he's a tyrant. He might say that he's just really focused.

Perhaps he could be called a puppet master. Or, perhaps, he's just a master leader.

At a recent offseason practice, Schiano scolded players for not sprinting fast enough to get water. That sounds intriguing.

Sports Illustrated's Peter King wrote that when Schiano was at Rutgers, team meetings had to be held in a room with an absolute specific temperature. That sounds weird.

You can't help but wonder if the trade of tight end Kellen Winslow was, in part, Schiano's desire to set a tone that demands hard work, dedication and participation in order to wear the pewter and red. If so, that's admirable.

But we don't know for sure because Schiano dodged questions about it. That seems neurotic.

So are Schiano's domineering ways a good thing or a bad thing? Let's consider:

A good thing: The Bucs need a change

The Bucs went 4-12 last season and they did it under nice-guy coach Raheem Morris. Think of it this way, Morris was like that hip, young substitute teacher you had in school. He was cool, he understood you, he was more like a friend than a teacher. Schiano is like that hard-nosed, no-nonsense principal who could scare the apple juice out of you with just a look. Schiano even has that principal haircut, doesn't he? The Bucs' 10-game losing streak that ended the season suggested that the pupils had taken over the classroom. Following the script so many teams follow by replacing a good cop with a bad cop and then with a good cop again, the Bucs traded in the laid-back Morris for the demanding Schiano. It doesn't seem fair to doubt Schiano's style already when he hasn't yet coached a game and the last style was no longer working.

A bad thing: He doesn't have the pedigree

Players might be willing to buy into just about anything if the coach has had success in the past. Patriots coach Bill Belichick can have the personality of an earth worm and players still listen because he has three Super Bowl rings. Former UCLA basketball coach John Wooden used to teach his players the proper way to put on their socks, for crying out loud, and he might be the greatest coach who ever lived. Vince Lombardi, Pat Summitt, Bill Parcells, Tony LaRussa and Scotty Bowman are all coaching legends and all famous for their my-way-or-the-highway styles. But Schiano's record in the NFL? Zero dash zero. Even his 68-67 college record isn't that impressive. How long before Schiano lights into a player and that players thinks, "What have you ever done?''

A good thing: Players want structure

Tom Coughlin's Giants, Sean Payton's Saints, Mike Tomlin's Steelers, Nick Saban's Alabama Crimson Tide, Coach K's Duke Blue Devils, the old Lightning and the new Rangers under John Tortorella. What do those teams have in common? All have rules. All have structure. All have coaches who believe that if you do the little things right, big things will happen. Maybe Schiano is right. If the players run hard to get water, they will run hard to get to a loose football.

A bad thing: This isn't college

You can't treat a 27-year-old man like an 18-year-old kid. You can't use the same tone with a 10-year veteran who is making $5-million as you can with a redshirt freshman who is just thankful to be on scholarship. In college, every player was personally recruited and approved by Schiano. He could weed out the undesirables and fill his roster with players who fit his mold. The pros are different. You can get rid of the Tanard Jacksons and Kellen Winslows, but eventually you're going to have to tolerate a few malcontents, head cases or lazy bones just because they can pancake linebackers, chase down running backs and make one-handed catches on Sunday afternoons. That's why this Winslow trade for nothing is so compelling. How will it play in the locker room, in the media and among the fans if Winslow, one of the Bucs most productive players over the past three seasons, has a solid year in Seattle and the Bucs stumble?

Bottom line

Will Schiano's dogmatic coaching style work? It depends on one thing: winning. When he was fired in Cleveland, Belichick was a insufferable dictator because he went 36-44. In New England, he's the same coach, but now he's a genius.

Think about the last three coaches in Tampa Bay. Morris went from being a breath of fresh air when he was 10-6 to a coach in over his head during last year's 4-12 downer.

Jon Gruden won a Super Bowl and was a mad genius. Then he lost a few too many games and became a paranoid egomaniac.

When he won, Tony Dungy was a calming influence. When he didn't win enough, he was considered too nice.

And, thus, that's how it will be with Schiano. If he wins, he will have a steady hand that might someday sport a Super Bowl ring. If he loses, that hand will be shaky one that ends up holding a pink slip.

Tom Jones can be reached at tjones@tampabay.com and can be heard from 6-9 a.m. weekdays on WDAE-AM 620.