Times wires
Sunday, June 17, 2012

WASHINGTON — The Yankees are used to big crowds and so-called "playoff atmospheres" in the regular season. The clubhouse is stocked with players who know what it's like to be in first place.

Those are relatively new sensations for the Nationals, who received a lesson or two in the Yankees' first trip to the nation's capital in six years. New York swept the series between division leaders, capping the three-game set Sunday with a 4-1 win.

"When you're playing as well as we are, no matter what the situation is, you feel like you're going to get it done," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said.

Both teams entered the series riding six-game winning streaks. The Yankees are up to nine, their longest since May 2009. The series drew the eighth, ninth and 10th largest crowds in Nationals Park's 4½-year history.

"I think that's the one good thing that came this weekend," first baseman Adam LaRoche said. "That's about as close to a playoff atmosphere as you're going to get."

Times wires
Sunday, June 17, 2012

Rangers 9, Astros 3

ARLINGTON, Texas — Ian Kinsler had a three-run triple and Adrian Beltre hit a two-run homer in a seven-run sixth inning, lifting t he Rangers. Colby Lewis won his second straight decision for Texas, which won for the fifth time in six games after losing six of 10 on a road trip. Kinsler had two hits and went 4-for-9 the past two games after an 0-for-14 stretch.

Times wires
Sunday, June 17, 2012

Tigers 5, Rockies 0

DETROIT — Max Scherzer struck out 12 in eight dominant innings, rookie Quintin Berry had a career-high five hits and the Tigers won their third straight series, all against NL teams. Prince Fielder and Miguel Cabrera had RBI doubles for Detroit. Jeremy Guthrie lasted only three innings for Colorado, which has lost 10 of 11. The game was delayed by rain for 53 minutes in the top of the fourth.

Times wires
Sunday, June 17, 2012

Twins 5, Brewers 4

15 innings

MINNEAPOLIS — Denard Span had an RBI single with two outs in the 15th as the Twins rallied from a three-run deficit in the longest game played at 2½-year-old Target Field. The Minnesota bullpen pitched nine shutout innings.

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, June 17, 2012

Web gem

2B Will Rhymes, left, said it was just a reaction play when he decided to use his glove to flip a fifth-inning grounder by Donovan Solano about 35 feet to 1B Carlos Peña. RHP Alex Cobb had deflected the ball in a diving attempt, and Rhymes didn't know how fast Solano was. But manager Joe Maddon thought Rhymes earned some style points with the scoop. "I thought he had time to take it out of his glove, but with the advent of SportsCenter, it's almost cooler to flip it with the glove," Maddon said. "Who would blame him?"

Guests of the day

Pitching coach Jim Hickey spent a good amount of time before Sunday's game throwing batting practice to members of the Wounded Warriors, severely injured military service members. Several pitchers, including LHP David Price, watched and cheered them on, with Price shagging their hits. Tweeted Price: "They are dropping bombs!!"

Number of the day

1

Earned run allowed by the Rays in 33 innings pitched over the three-game series with the Marlins.

Partying with the president

The Rays have a habit of bringing in guests for their music-filled clubhouse celebrations after wins, and on Sunday, it was team president Matt Silverman, who managed to escape unscathed and smiling. "I'm like, 'Hey, this is the guy that signs our checks, yeah!' " 1B Carlos Peña said, laughing. "We always try to keep it loose, and for him to come in here means a lot to us. He works really hard, and it's tough to be behind the scenes in the office. But he was just a kid with us, and that was awesome."

Giveaway of the day

LHP David Price was excited to get one of the Velcro "David Price" jersey wallets the Rays gave to fans for the game, saying he planned on "making it my wallet." Price got a few extra and started a Twitter contest, asking fans to guess the final score of Sunday's game before the first pitch, and they'd get a wallet.

Number of the day 2

14-3 Rays record on getaway days, the last game of a homestand or any road series.

On deck

Monday: off

Tuesday: at Nationals, 7:05, Sun Sports. Rays — David Price (8-4, 3.01); Nationals — Chien-Ming Wang (2-2, 4.67)

Wednesday: at Nationals, 7:05, Sun Sports. Rays — Jeremy Hellickson (4-3, 3.45); Nationals — Stephen Strasburg (8-1, 2.45)

Thursday: at Nationals, 7:05, Sun Sports. Rays — Matt Moore (4-5, 4.16); Nationals — Gio Gonzalez (8-3, 2.52)

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, June 17, 2012

ST. PETERSBURG — Manager Joe Maddon loves the way RHP Brandon Gomes has been throwing, saying "he's a major-league relief pitcher right now."

But with the Rays needing another hitter heading into interleague series in Washington and Philadelphia, Gomes was the odd man out, optioned to Triple-A Durham after Sunday's 3-0 win over the Marlins.

Maddon said a position player will be called up by Tuesday's game against the Nationals but doubts it will be injured 3B Evan Longoria (partially torn left hamstring) or INF Jeff Keppinger (broken right toe), both of whom are with Durham on rehab assignments.

Gomes understood the decision — a "numbers crunch" — and was encouraged by how he has been feeling and pitching. He said he has improved "leaps and bounds" since his April-May stint in the majors, when he was still working his way back from offseason back surgery. Gomes was called up Friday and struck out the side in the ninth, but on Saturday he took the loss, allowing one run over two innings in a 4-3 15-inning defeat.

"I'm back to where I was last year," Gomes said. "I'm just going to keep progressing and stay sharp while I'm down there, and hopefully I'll be back up here sometime soon."

Maddon saw better deception in Gomes' delivery, the ball coming out of his hand quicker, and believes Gomes will return.

"By the end of this season, he's going to be rolling," Maddon said. "He's going to help us a lot."

MEDICAL MATTERS: Longoria had a scheduled day off in his rehab assignment. He went 1-for-4 as DH Saturday and could play the field today for the Bulls. Keppinger went 0-for-1 as DH for Durham, including three walks. That led a surprised Maddon to smile and say, "You need to look up the last time that's happened — it might have been Little League."

DH Luke Scott (back spasms) took 30 swings Saturday and said "everything went well." He hit off a tee Sunday.

BOUNCE BACK: DH/OF Hideki Matsui had a rough series against the Marlins, going 0-for-15 overall and on Sunday hitting into two double plays.

But Matsui, who is hitting .160 in 14 games with the Rays, isn't deterred, believing he has had many good at-bats.

"It's just going to happen over the course of a season," Matsui said through interpreter Roger Kahlon said. "The important thing is to not beat yourself down in any way, just stay positive and grind it out."

Maddon says Matsui has been hitting the ball hard but has been "very unlucky."

"Which means he's going to be very lucky very soon," Maddon said. "It corrects itself."

PEñA POP: 1B Carlos Peña's bat came to life in the final two games of the series. He picked up four hits, with his double in the fifth inning Sunday his first extra-base hit since June 1.

Peña had totaled four hits in 38 previous at-bats in June. Maddon has said that when Peña walks, he hits, and his four-walk game Friday appears to have sparked him, reorganizing his strike zone.

"A walk gets you on base; it's common sense, but it's so easy to let your desire to swing the bat and hit get in the way of accepting a walk if they're being too careful with you," Peña said. "And maybe a pitcher will start being more aggressive and pitch in the strike zone and then maybe you can put a hurt on the ball."

CLOSE CALL: RHP James Shields got himself out of some tough spots in a solid performance Saturday. But Shields' best maneuver might have been somehow avoiding LF Logan Morrison's hot-shot liner up the middle in the fifth, which just missed the veteran starter.

"That was about an inch away from hitting my jaw," Shields said. "Then I thought I almost caught it. I was glad to get out of the way. That would not have been good. It definitely was not in slow motion."

Times wires
Sunday, June 17, 2012

PITTSBURGH — Myron Rolle and Troy Polamalu walked off the Steelers practice field recently, sweat dripping down their faces, jerseys drenched, arms moving animatedly as they talked.

Was Rolle, a free agent trying to resurrect his career, picking the All-Pro safety's brain about the finer points of Dick LeBeau's defense?

Not exactly.

"We were talking about the expansion of the middle class and how resources are running out," Rolle said. "How everyone wants to have two cars and three TVs in their house. But how are we going to sustain that with 6.4 billion people on the earth and growing?"

Rolle wasn't kidding. He rarely does. His concerns are legitimate, his passion for the topic obvious, his curiosity palpable.

That thirst for knowledge is also one of the reasons why the 25-year-old finds himself in Pittsburgh trying to revive his flagging career instead of enjoying life as an NFL starter.

The athletic 6-2, 215-pound Rolle appeared well on his way to the pros after being named a third-team All-American following his junior year at FSU in 2008. His playmaking ability and impeccable instincts shot Rolle up NFL draft boards.

Rolle, however, had other plans. Rather than enter the draft he opted to spend a year at Oxford University after being named a Rhodes Scholar. While former college teammates — including Pittsburgh linebacker Lawrence Timmons— lived it up in the NFL in 2009, Rolle worked on his thesis and earned a master's degree in medical anthropology.

He planned all along to return to football, working out in a tiny 10-by-10 weight room and running on a grass-barren rugby field while his classmates went to the pub.

Rolle returned to America with his degree and a fair amount of football rust. Shaking it off proved more problematic than he imagined.

The Titans chose him in the sixth round of the 2010 draft. He made the team but never saw the field during the regular season and was released prior to the 2011 season. For the first time in his life, success hadn't come easily or immediately.

His frustration grew to a point where he wondered if choosing Oxford over the NFL was the right idea.

"Once I thought about being a Rhodes Scholar and how that could behoove my future interests, and how it's placed me in a social station of life of being a role model for other young people to pursue academics and athletics at the highest level, I think it was a great choice," he said.

Unlike most players his age trying to grab a roster spot, Rolle has seemingly limitless options outside the game.

He could go on to medical school to become a neurosurgeon. He could pour all of his energy into his eponymous foundation, which focuses on "health, wellness, educational and other charitable initiatives throughout the world." Or he could continue his campaign against obesity and diabetes, particularly in Native American culture.

Rolle will get to those things eventually. Just not now. If anything, he believes his decision to pursue an NFL career proves how badly he wants to succeed.

"Despite having the option to do B, C and D, I still want A," he said. "I still want to be here even though I'm on the bottom."

Rolle believes the rust he struggled with after returning from England is finally gone. He leans heavily on Polamalu and veteran Ryan Clark for advice and despite his academic pedigree, he doesn't feel like an outcast.

He worried about not being on the same "wavelength" with teammates in Tennessee. It never happened. In a way, they took ownership of his success.

"They respected me and the journey that I've taken," Rolle said. "They feel like they've gone on the journey themselves being young African-American athletes. I feel proud to carry the mantle, so to speak, and serve as a representation for what a true student-athlete should be."

By Laura Keeley, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, June 17, 2012

TAMPA — Former Jesuit High RHP Lance McCullers is on the verge of signing with the Astros and receiving a $2.5 million bonus.

The 41st overall pick was flying to Houston on Sunday to take a physical this morning. After passing that, he will officially forgo his college scholarship to Florida and sign with the Astros.

The slotted bonus for the 41st pick is $1,258,700, but the Astros have the flexibility to offer McCullers more. Carlos Correa, a shortstop from the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy whom the Astros took as the No. 1 overall pick, signed for $4.8 million, a full $2.4 million less than the recommended slot ($7.4 million). Houston's total bonus pool for its 11 picks from the first 10 rounds is $11.2 million.

According to Baseball America, the Astros have spent $5.9 million of their pool so far and currently are $2,537,700 under their projected budget.

McCullers, son of former big-league pitcher Lance McCullers Sr., was considered to have one of the most electric arms in the draft coming out of Jesuit this year, with a fastball sitting in the mid 90s and a plus slider in the mid 80s.

In other Astros news, RHP Bud Norris went on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained knee, and LHP Dallas Keuchel was called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City. Also, LF Carlos Lee returned to the lineup after a DL stint because of a strained hamstring. 3B Brett Wallace was optioned to Oklahoma City.

BRAVES ACE TO DL: The Braves placed major-league ERA leader Brandon Beachy on the 15-day DL with a sore right elbow, creating an opening in the rotation that will be filled by RHP Jair Jurrjens. Beachy, who has a 2.00 ERA, is scheduled to have an MRI exam today.

Jurrjens will be recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett to make Beachy's next scheduled start on Friday at Boston. A 2011 All-Star, Jurrjens was 0-2 with a 9.37 ERA when he was optioned to Gwinnett on April 24. He is 3-4 with a 5.27 ERA in nine starts with Gwinnett.

The team recalled RHP Todd Redmond from Gwinnett to pitch out of the bullpen. Redmond, 27, is a St. Petersburg native who attended Northside Christian and St. Petersburg College. This is his first promotion to the majors.

HAMILTON RESTS: OF Josh Hamilton returned to the Rangers after an intestinal virus sent him to the hospital but wasn't in the lineup. The former Rays prospect was hospitalized Friday because of dehydration and was released Saturday morning.

A'S: RHP Bartolo Colon left his start in the third inning with a strained right oblique muscle. … RHP Tyson Ross was optioned back to Triple-A Sacramento one day after making a spot start to give RHP Brandon McCarthy an extra day of rest.

NATIONALS: RH reliever Brad Lidge, who had a 9.64 ERA in 11 appearances, was designated for assignment. RH reliever Ryan Mattheus, who had missed 24 games with a plantar fascia strain in his left foot, was activated.

RED SOX: OF Ryan Sweeney went on the 15-day DL with irritation in a bone in his left foot. OF Ryan Kalish was recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket.

ROCKIES: LF Carlos Gonzalez was a late scratch because of right hamstring soreness.

TWINS: C Joe Mauer left in the seventh with a bruised right quadriceps. … Closer Matt Capps was not available because of a sore right (pitching) shoulder.

YANKEES: RF Nick Swisher was held out a day after leaving a game with a bruised quad. Manager Joe Girardi said Swisher is day-to-day.

Information from Times wires was used in this report.

Times wires
Sunday, June 17, 2012

. fast facts

Gearhead stats

Winner's average speed: 139.144 mph

Time of race: 2 hours, 52 minutes, 29 seconds

Margin of victory: 5.393 seconds

Caution flags: 8 for 39 laps

Lead changes: 23 among 14 drivers

Lap leaders: Ambrose 1-5; Biffle 6-26; Ambrose 27-31; Kenseth 32-48; Ambrose 49-52; Yeley 53; Biffle 54-68; Ambrose 69; Earnhardt Jr. 70-82; Blaney 83; Gilliland 84; Earnhardt Jr. 85-86; Stewart 87-104; Earnhardt Jr. 105-117; J.Gordon 118; Montoya 119-122; J.Gordon 123-125; Earnhardt Jr. 126-162; Biffle 163-164; Bowyer 165; McMurray 166; Keselowski 167-169; Burton 170; Earnhardt Jr. 171-200

Sprint Cup points

Through 15 of 36 races. The top 10 drivers plus two wild cards (based on wins) through 26 races make the Chase for the Championship.

Driver Pts. Back

Matt Kenseth 565—

D. Earnhardt Jr. 561 4

Greg Biffle 548 17

Jimmie Johnson 532 33

Denny Hamlin 514 51

Kevin Harvick 504 61

Martin Truex 497 68

Tony Stewart 491 74

Clint Bowyer 481 84

Brad Keselowski 458 107

Note: Points unofficial; NASCAR posts official points today



BROOKLYN, Mich. — After four years and 143 races — the agonizing near-misses and all those questions about when he might finally win again — Dale Earnhardt Jr. was alone in his car, comfortably ahead and only a few minutes from victory.

"That was the worst feeling, riding around there with 15 laps to go, wondering what was going to happen — how you were going to lose," Earnhardt said. "Those laps couldn't go by fast enough."

There was no falling short this time, in the Quicken Loans 400.

Earnhardt held on Sunday at Michigan International Speedway for his first NASCAR Sprint Cup victory since 2008 and did it in convincing fashion, beating Tony Stewart by 5.393 seconds. When the black Chevrolet with the green No. 88 crossed the finish line, Earnhardt ended a streak of 143 Cup races without a win and gave his legions of fans a reward for all their support.

"They stayed loyal," said Earnhardt, winner of the series' most popular driver award the past nine years. "As soon as I got out of the car, that was my initial thought — was about how many people were in their living rooms screaming at the top of their lungs, or running out in the yard, or whatever they do. I just wish I could see it all at once."

The victory came four years and two days after his last trip to Victory Lane in a Cup race, also at Michigan. He led 36 laps last week at Pocono but made a late stop for gas instead of trying to stretch the fuel to the end.

On Sunday, it wasn't even close — but Earnhardt was still sweating out the finish to the 200-lap, 400-mile race.

Earnhardt already had 11 top-10 finishes this season and was second in points coming in.

"Dale had the fastest car all day," Stewart said. "It's not a national holiday, guys. This morning they were celebrating his fourth anniversary of his last win, so I guess we're all in a state of mourning now, because he's broke that string now, so I don't know what we're all supposed to think."

Earnhardt remains second to Matt Kenseth in the standings.

Like his last victory in Michigan, this one came on Father's Day — fitting for the driver whose father has been so revered around NASCAR. Dale Earnhardt Sr. died in a last-lap crash at the Daytona 500 in 2001.

Earnhardt Jr. had lost 76 races in a row when he won in Michigan four years ago — his only victory for Hendrick Motorsports until Sunday.

"That race four years ago was a fuel-mileage race," Earnhardt said. "Today we just whooped 'em really good."

Earnhardt passed pole-sitter Marcos Ambrose on Lap 70 to take the lead, and though Stewart led for a bit, Earnhardt was in front again not long after the halfway point.

With 25 laps remaining, he was ahead by 1.978 seconds. With 10 left, he was up by 5.468.

"It just proves to us that our strategy is correct," crew chief Steve Letarte said. "If you bring fast enough race cars, you don't have to get outside your comfort zone too far."

After winning, Earnhardt stopped in front of the grandstand and spun his wheels in front of thousands of fans who were on their feet screaming.

Kenseth kept the points lead by finishing third in a race that started two hours late because of rain. Earnhardt led for 95 laps. Nobody else led more than 38.

"This is incredible," Earnhardt said. "I just didn't know when it would happen. I knew it was going to happen, just didn't know when."

LOGANO STAYING: Joe Gibbs announced that he plans to re-sign driver Joey Logano, whose contract is up at the end of the season. Logano broke a 104-race winless skid last week at Pocono.

"I was in there just going crazy. I just knew I was going to come around the next corner and see a piece of metal laying in the racetrack. I just was waiting on something to happen. That was terrifying."

Dale Earnhardt Jr., on Sunday's final laps

Times wires
Sunday, June 17, 2012

FEDERAL WAY, Wash. — Abby Johnston and Kelci Bryant held a small lead over Kassidy Cook and Christina Loukas in 3-meter synchro at the U.S. Olympic diving trials Sunday night.

Johnston and Bryant totaled 637.80 points through the preliminaries and semifinals on opening night of the eight-day trials at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center, south of Seattle.

Cook and Loukas finished at 631.29 after Cook's slight bobble in the fourth round of the prelims dropped them out of the lead.

"Both of us definitely have the experience, and we definitely know how to handle the pressure," Loukas said.

The other six teams that advanced to Thursday's final were well behind. Deidre Freeman and Veronica Rydze were third at 531.90, followed by Carrie Dragland and Bianca Alvarez, Amanda Burke and Summer Allman, Gabriella Agostino and Logan Kline, Eszter Pryor and Rachel Rubadue, and Maren Taylor and Meghan Houston.

The top two teams are the most experienced in the women's event. Johnston, Bryant and Cook competed at last year's world championships in Shanghai, while Bryant and Loukas are seeking their second straight Olympic berths.

Johnston and Bryant held a slim 0.27 lead after the preliminaries over Cook and Loukas.

"We had to follow Kassidy and Christina," said Bryant, who doesn't sneak any peeks at her rivals' scores. "They are great divers and they were hitting their dives. As a younger diver, I used to be, 'Oh, look at all the people in the stands.' Now it's me and Abby and the diving board."

Cook and Loukas led through the first three rounds of prelims, but they were out of sync on a forward with 31/2 somersaults pike — their toughest dive of the five-round prelims. That gave Johnston and Bryant a slight opening to take over the top spot, although none of their dives had more than a 3.0 degree of difficulty in either round.

"I got a little stuck so I had to leave it a little bit short," Cook said. "I know in finals I won't be making the same mistake."

Johnston and Bryant led all five rounds of the semifinals, when scores carried over from prelims. The top eight teams advanced to the final.

Times wires
Sunday, June 17, 2012

Tennis

Wild Card Haas stuns Federer in grass Tuneup

HALLE, Germany — Wild card Tommy Haas defeated five-time champion Roger Federer 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 Sunday to win the grasscourt Gerry Weber Open for the second time.

"If someone had told me beforehand that I'd win the title here against probably the greatest player of all time, I would not have believed it," said Haas, who has been ranked as high as No. 2 in the world but has struggled with injuries.

Haas, ranked 87th and, at 34, the oldest player in the singles draw of the Wimbledon tuneup event, hadn't beaten the Swiss great in more than a decade, losing their previous nine matchups. "I'm very impressed with how he played," Federer said of his friend. "Tommy deserved to win."

Haas last won the event in 2009, when he beat Novak Djokovic, and Haas hadn't been in a final since.

More Tennis: American Melanie Oudin will play former top-ranked women's player Jelena Jankovic today in the rain-delayed Aegon Classic final after both players won quarterfinal and semifinal matches. Oudin found out she was among those who received a wild card into Wimbledon, which starts June 25.

Soccer

Portugal's Ronaldo awakens at Euro

Portugal and Germany advanced to the European Championship quarter­finals as the tournament's star attraction finally came alive in Poland.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Portugal came from behind to win 2-1 against the Netherlands.

The Real Madrid forward was scoreless in two matches but on Sunday his goal in the 28th minute was the equalizer, and he added the winner in the 74th.

"Ronaldo got so much criticism in the last game, and he is back now," Netherlands coach Bert Van Marwijk said. "That is how fast things can change."

Portugal plays the Czech Republic on Thursday. "Now, everything is possible," Ronaldo said.

Germany beat Denmark 2-1 and faces Greece on Friday.

Spain keeps coach: Spain coach Vicente del Bosque said he signed a two-year contract extension that will allow him to lead the world champions in their title defense in Brazil in 2014.

NFL

Agent criticizes bounty evidence

The agent for defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove, one of four players appealing their bounty case suspensions, says the NFL has used semantics, not hard evidence, as the basis for punishment.

Agent Phil Williams asked, among other things, why the league released evidence strategically rather than sharing as much information as possible.

"Do you actually have any concrete evidence that any player from another team was injured as a result of a 'bounty' and that a player from the Saints was therefore paid accordingly?" Williams' statement said.

Hargrove, linebacker Jonathan Vilma, defensive end Will Smith and linebacker Scott Fujita have hearings today.

Et cetera

Arena Football: The league and its players union reached agreement on a multiyear collective bargaining agreement, ending their labor dispute. Terms of the deal, which will be signed Wednesday, were not released.

Horses: Jockey John Velazquez, who rode Union Rags to victory in the Belmont, broke his collarbone and might have injured his kidney in a spill at Churchill Downs, said his agent, Angel Cordero Jr.

Times wires

Times wires
Sunday, June 17, 2012

OMAHA, Neb. — Florida State coach Mike Martin figured his team would have to put in a hard afternoon of work in the heat to beat Stony Brook and stay alive in the College World Series. It turned out to be no sweat at all.

Shortstop Cole Peragine's throwing error helped fuel FSU's six-run third inning and end Stony Brook's surprise appearance in the CWS with a 12-2 win Sunday in an elimination game.

"It was something that I wasn't expecting," Martin said. "It certainly was a great lift for our team. And if I'm not mistaken, we got them all with two outs. That's something that you just credit the young men for having great at-bats and getting it done."

Justin Gonzalez and Devon Travis homered as the Seminoles (49-16) built a 9-0 lead against the CWS first-timers from Long Island, N.Y.

FSU rebounded from a 4-3, 12-inning loss to Arizona on Friday and scored at least 12 runs for the third time in four games. The Seminoles wore their all-gold uniforms for the first time in Omaha since 1999. The uniforms are normally reserved for Sunday home games and have brought a little luck this year, as FSU improved to 12-0 in them after beating the Seawolves.

FSU has today off before its next elimination game, Tuesday against UCLA, which lost to Arizona 4-0 late Sunday.

Stony Brook (52-15) had upset six-time national champion LSU to reach the CWS, but the Seawolves lost to UCLA in the opener and were outscored 21-3 in Omaha.

"It's a hard loss," third baseman William Carmona said, "but I look back … and I think we did what no one thought we could ever do, what everyone thought was basically impossible. We made it happen somehow, and I'll never forget that."

FSU led 2-0 in the third when Jayce Boyd's grounder to short should have been the third out, but Peragine was short with his throw to first, and the ball got away from Kevin Courtney.

That allowed two runs to score, and Gonzalez followed with a three-run homer that made it 7-0.

In the loss to Arizona, Gonzalez made two errors at short, got picked off first in the 11th and struck out twice.

"That Friday game was a test of my faith," he said. "To be able to come out and help my club the way I did just shows that I was blessed to be able to do that."

On brink, UF turns to experienced starter

Florida coach Kevin O'Sullivan knows he will get starter Hudson Randall's best effort every time he sends the right-hander to the mound.

"He's a gamer; simple as that," O'Sullivan said. "There's certain players that you coach that have the ability to rise to the occasion. You can't teach it. It is what it is, and he's had it since Day 1. He continues to have it."

Florida (47-19) faces Kent State (46-19) today in an elimination game after losing 7-3 to South Carolina late Saturday, and the No. 1 seed Gators need a strong start to stay alive.

"We've got Hudson, and we've got a lot of our pen left," O'Sullivan said. "We'll take it one game at a time. Once you're in the losers bracket, you can't look too far ahead."

Since the two double-elimination brackets were introduced in 1988, only six times has a team advanced to the finals from the losers bracket: South Carolina (2002, 2010), Southern Cal (1995, 1998), Oregon State (2006) and Texas (1988).

A junior, Randall is no stranger to postseason success. He has a 5-1 record in nine NCAA tournament starts.

"At this point in my career … getting up to 80 innings in a year isn't really bothering me as much," Randall said. "I'm starting to hit my stride. I'm a more veteran arm with the pitch count in the innings I've gotten up to already."

Coming off his most recent outing, a Super Region win against N.C. State, Randall said his fastball had more life and overall his pitches felt sharper. Despite giving up seven hits in his seven innings, N.C. State was unable to score against him.

"Playing in college with these metal bats, teams are going to get hits," he said. "They're going to get on base. But it takes another hit to score them, so I do everything I can to my ability to keep them from scoring, touching home and keep my team in the game."

Arizona 4, UCLA 0: Konner Wade pitched a five-hit shutout, Arizona did its scoring on five straight fourth-inning hits, and the Wildcats (45-17) beat the Pac-12 rival Bruins (48-15). Seth Mejias-Brean's bases-loaded single drove in the first two runs, and Bobby Brown followed with a two-run double.

Information from the Orlando Sentinel was used in this report.

Times wires
Sunday, June 17, 2012

SAN FRANCISCO — Tiger Woods birdied the eighth hole in the final round of the U.S. Open but motioned dismissively with his right hand, as if to say: You can keep it. Woods already had given up six shots to par Sunday.

It marked an incredible tumble for Woods, considering he was tied for the lead Saturday morning. His 75-73 finish extended his majors drought to four years. He finished 7-over 287.

"There's a lot of positives this week. Hit the ball really well," Woods said. "Unfortunately, I just didn't have the speed of the greens until today."

This week Woods will skip the Travelers Championship, which has a field featuring new Open champion Webb Simpson, Masters champ Bubba Watson, PGA champ Keegan Bradley, Padraig Harrington, Matt Kuchar and Ian Poulter.

Woods said his much-discussed swing changes worked well and that he was happy for the most part with how he hit it.

"I'm excited about the consistency of it," he said. "How well I hit the ball all week, really. I didn't really miss it that badly this week. The misses were just a fraction off, which is great."

SECOND AGAIN: Michael Thompson settled for second place five years ago at Olympic in the U.S. Amateur.

On Sunday, he tied for second with Graeme McDowell at the U.S. Open, but this time the consolation prize was worth $695,916.

"I knew from the beginning of the week, if I can just shoot right around 1 over every day, I would be happy," said Thompson, who held a three-stroke lead after the first round. "I didn't expect at all to shoot under par. Then go out and shoot way under par on a U.S. Open is kind of unbelievable."

Hossler HASSLE: Beau Hossler, the 17-year-old amateur who was contending entering the final round, saved par on No. 1 with a putt out of the fringe, giving a light fist pump and hearing roars that once belonged to Woods. Chants of "Let's go Hossler!" could be heard from the second green. But Hossler was 5 over on the day after 10 holes and shot 76; double bogey on the par-4 No. 18 cost him a piece of the low amateur honors. Jordan Spaeth, who shot 69-70 in the final two rounds, was low amateur at 7 over.

SCHWARTZEL TAKING BREAK: Charl Schwartzel is taking a month off because of a nagging rib injury. Schwartzel withdrew from the Travelers and does not plan to play again until the British Open at Royal Lytham & St. Annes. The 2011 Masters champion shot 3-over 73 Sunday and finished 10 over.

ODDS AND ENDS: Gulf High graduate Darron Stiles ended with 76 and was 15 over, tied for 60th. … Davis Love made the day's biggest upward move, shooting 69 to rise 27 spots. He tied for 29th.

Times wires
Sunday, June 17, 2012

MIAMI — Ten-year-old Zaire Wade had some surprising news for his dad as Sunday dawned and Game 3 loomed.

"He told me this wasn't Father's Day," Heat guard Dwyane Wade said before Game 3 of the NBA Finals tipped off. "He said this was 'Son's Day,' and for 'Son's Day' we had to win."

Wade smiled, then shrugged. "Like I wasn't already going to try to do that," the amused father of two boys said.

Wade overcame early struggles and LeBron James had 29 points and 14 rebounds as Miami took a 2-1 lead in the series with a 91-85 victory over the Thunder.

Wade had 25 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.

Miami trailed by 10 in the third, but James' 3-pointer sent the Heat to the fourth quarter with the lead.

Miami hit 31 of 35 free throws; the Thunder hit 15-of-24.

"Thirty-five free throws … a good number for us,'' James said.

"This is competition at its highest and we kept on mentioning that in the fourth quarter,'' Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "That's what this is about.''

Kevin Durant had 25 points for the Thunder but picked up his fourth foul in the third quarter and went to the bench when his team seemed to have control of the game. Russell Westbrook finished with 19 points.

"This is not over," Durant said. "It's not over."

James reached his 20 points for the 20th time this postseason, two shy of Wade's franchise record set in 2006.

"It's all about chemistry," James said. "We understand where we like to get the ball, what we like to do in close situations, and it's good to see us execute down the stretch. But more importantly it was great to see we were able to get stops. That's where the game is won and we did that."

Chris Bosh had 10 points and 11 rebounds for the Heat, which can win a second title by winning the next two at home. Since the NBA went to the 2-3-2 Finals format in 1985, the home team has won the middle three games only twice, the Pistons against the Lakers in 2004 and the Heat against the Mavericks in 2006.

The Thunder took its last lead at 77-76 on James Harden's basket with 7:32 left. James answered with two free throws about 20 seconds later, and the teams would trade turnovers and stops over the next couple of tense minutes.

Wade then converted a three-point play, and another minute went by before James powered to the basket, Durant trying to draw a charge but picking up his fifth foul. James made the free throw for an 84-77 advantage with 3:47 to play.

After another basket by James, the Thunder had one last burst, a 6-0 run. Bosh made a pair of free throws, Durant missed badly on a wild shot and the Thunder missed another chance when Westbrook was off on a 3-pointer.

James hit a free throw for a four-point lead with 16 seconds to go and Wade added two.

"It's very hard," James said. "Both teams are very active defensively and both teams make it hard on one another in the half court so when you get stops you try to get early offense, it always helps and we were able to do that a little bit."

The Heat led 26-20 after the first quarter, James, Wade and Bosh combining for Miami's first 18 points.

James and Wade had some dazzling drives in the second quarter and Shane Battier got free for a pair of 3-pointers.

Battier had made at least four 3-pointers in three straight games. The last player to make four in four consecutive postseason games was Orlando's Dennis Scott in 1995.

Oklahoma City stayed in it in the second quarter and went on a 14-2 run early in the third. Oklahoma City led 60-51 with 6:55 left in the quarter, but shortly after that Durant drew his fourth foul on Wade's baseline drive and had to go to the bench. The Thunder pushed the lead to 10, but the Heat got back in it when Battier and then James Jones made all six free throws after being fouled on 3-pointers.

The Thunder had been 7-0 in these playoffs when leading by double digits in the second half.

Westbrook went out with five minutes left and stayed out for the remainder of the quarter, leaving the Thunder without its two best players.

Westbrook, on why he was out: "Coach's decision. Got to live with it."

Durant, on why he was out: "That's coach's call. … Me going out of the game because of fouls is kind of tough."

So then the coach explained his thinking.

"You've got to rest the guys sooner or later," Scott Brooks said.

"We've just got to do a better job," Durant said. "I know I have to do a way better job. We've just got to own up to it and get better."

OKLAHOMA CITY (85): Durant 11-19 2-4 25, Ibaka 2-5 1-2 5, Perkins 3-5 4-6 10, Westbrook 8-18 2-2 19, Sefolosha 3-8 0-0 6, Harden 2-10 5-7 9, Fisher 3-8 1-1 9, Collison 1-3 0-2 2, Cook 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 33-77 15-24 85.

MIAMI (91): James 11-23 6-8 29, Battier 2-2 3-3 9, Bosh 3-12 4-4 10, Chalmers 1-8 0-0 2, Wade 8-22 9-11 25, Miller 1-2 2-2 4, Cole 0-2 0-0 0, Haslem 1-1 4-4 6, Jones 1-2 3-3 6. Totals 28-74 31-35 91.

Oklahoma City 20 26 21 18— 85

Miami 26 21 22 22— 91

3-Point Goals—Oklahoma City 4-18 (Fisher 2-3, Westbrook 1-4, Durant 1-4, Cook 0-1, Sefolosha 0-2, Harden 0-4), Miami 4-13 (Battier 2-2, Jones 1-2, James 1-4, Cole 0-1, Miller 0-1, Chalmers 0-3). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Oklahoma City 52 (Perkins 12), Miami 51 (James 14). Assists—Oklahoma City 11 (Harden 6), Miami 13 (Wade 7). Total Fouls—Oklahoma City 25, Miami 19. Technicals—Oklahoma City Coach Brooks. A—20,003 (19,600).

Times wires
Sunday, June 17, 2012

SAN FRANCISCO — Webb Simpson won the U.S. Open and put two more names into the graveyard of champions.

Overlooked for so much of the week, Simpson emerged on a fog-filled Sunday at the Olympic Club with four birdies around the turn and a tough chip out of a hole to the right of the 18th green that he converted into par for 2-under 68.

He finished 1-over 281, and it was enough to outlast former U.S. Open champions Jim Furyk and Graeme McDowell.

Furyk bogeyed two of his last three holes. McDowell had a 25-foot birdie on the 18th to force a playoff, but the putt never had a chance and slid well left.

"Oh, wow," Simpson said, watching from the locker room as he clinched his first major.

Olympic is the "graveyard of champions" because proven major winners keep losing U.S. Opens to underdogs. One of those losing favorites was Arnold Palmer, who squandered a seven-shot lead on the back nine in 1966 before losing a playoff to Billy Casper.

Perhaps it's fitting that Simpson, 25, went to Wake Forest on an Arnold Palmer scholarship.

"Arnold has been so good to me," Simpson said. "Just the other day, I read that story and thought about it. He's meant so much to me and Wake Forest. Hopefully, I can get a little back for him and make him smile."

Furyk was in control for much of the final round until he snap-hooked his tee shot on the par-5 16th hole to fall out of the lead for the first time all day.

Needing birdie on the final hole, he hit his approach into a greenside bunker. He crouched and clamped his teeth onto the shaft of his wedge. Furyk bogeyed and closed with 4-over 74, without a single birdie.

McDowell, who made four bogeys on the front nine, gave himself a chance with a 20-foot birdie on the 17th and a shot into the 18th that had him sprinting up the hill to see what kind of chance he had. When the putt missed, he settled for 73.

"I know what kind of players they are, both have won majors," Simpson told NBC during the trophy ceremony. "I thought even though Graeme had a 25-footer, he was probably going to hit the hole or have a good chance."

McDowell shared second with Michael Thompson, who closed with 67 and waited two hours to see if it would be good enough.

Tiger Woods, starting five shots behind, played the first six holes in 6-over par and was never a factor. He shot 73 and finished six strokes back.

Furyk was fuming, mostly at himself, for blowing a chance at his second Open title. He also was surprised that the USGA moved the tee up 100 yards on No. 16 to play 569 yards. It was reachable in two shots for some players, though the shape of the hole featured a sharp turn to the left.

"There's no way when we play our practice rounds you're going to hit a shot from a tee 100 yards up unless someone tells you," Furyk said. "But the rest of the field had that same shot to hit today, and I'm pretty sure no one hit as (bad) a shot as I did. I have no one to blame but myself."

But he gave Simpson his due.

Of the last 18 players to tee off, Simpson was the only one to break par. That didn't seem likely when he was six shots behind as he headed to the sixth hole, the toughest at Olympic. That's where he started his big run.

His 7-iron landed in the rough and rolled 5 feet away for birdie. He birdied the next two holes, including a 15-footer on the par-3 No. 8. And his wedge into the 10th settled 3 feet away.

"It was a cool day," Simpson said. "I had a peace all day. I knew it was a tough golf course. I probably prayed more the last three holes than I ever did in my life."

Simpson's shot from the rough on the 18th went just right of the green and disappeared into a hole, a circle of dirt about the size of a sprinkler cap. With a clump of grass behind the ball, he had a bold stroke and it came out perfectly, rolling 3 feet by the hole for his much-needed par.

Then, it was time to wait.

His wife, Dowd, who is expecting the couple's second child, joined him afterward and they watched McDowell's final putt together, both looking stunned that Simpson had just won.

"I needed her here with me because I never felt nerves like I did today," said Simpson, who was composed throughout the trophy ceremony despite being interrupted by a man who ran into the TV camera shot and made a loud squawk before being led away. "A lot of times I kind of had to hit my legs because I couldn't really feel them."

Times wires
Monday, June 18, 2012

Red Sox 7, Cubs 4

CHICAGO — Spot starter Franklin Morales pitched five strong innings, and last-place Boston made fewer mistakes than the Cubs to get back to .500. The Red Sox have been above .500 for a total of eight games this season.

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Monday, June 18, 2012

Before new Lightning goalie Anders Lindback knew what Still's disease was — and how to treat it — it was an unsettling and sometimes scary thing.

The rare arthritic condition causes fevers, inflammation, muscle aches and joint pain, occurring in fewer than 1 in 100,000 adults a year. But while Lindback, 24, was diagnosed five years ago, daily medication has kept it under control, and it doesn't impact him on the ice.

"It took so long for them to figure it out since it's such a rare disease," Lindback said Saturday from Sweden. "But once we found the medication, it's been all good and I haven't been sick since. It's just part of me. Taking the meds is a daily part of my life, like brushing my teeth."

Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman did his research and said the disease was "not a concern," acquiring Lindback from the Predators Friday to compete to be the team's No. 1 goalie. Lindback, a 6-foot-6 Swede, has never backed down from a challenge, and is embracing the "dream" opportunity, having spent the past couple of seasons as a backup to Pekka Rinne, one of the league's best.

"I haven't been a starter in the NHL, so I can't just anticipate I'm just going to come in and play," said Lindback, acquired with center Kyle Wilson and a 2012 seventh-round pick for two '12 second-round picks, a '13 third-rounder and goalie Sebastien Caron. "I've got to work hard and prove myself. My goal is I want to win and play games and win the Cup. That's why I play."

Lindback played 38 games over two seasons in Nashville with a 2.53 goals against average and a 16-13-2 record. He'll battle with returning Tampa Bay goalie Mathieu Garon, who was one of the first to send Lindback a text welcoming him to the club.

Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman, Lindback's former teammate on Sweden's world junior team, believes his buddy has the talent and "killer instinct" to be a No. 1 goalie.

"He's a great goaltender," Hedman said. "He's a big guy with ability, he's a modern goalie. He's very fast, he's flexible, and his mobility is unbelievable. He's ready to come into Tampa, and get the opportunity. It's going to be a challenge for him, but he's ready for it."

• • •

Lindback was always a big kid, just ask the fellow players in the neighborhood games he'd compete in his small Swedish hometown of Gavle.

He wouldn't remain contained between the pipes, often branching out to be a defenseman or even a forward.

"It was good for developing my stick-handling and skating and everything," Lindback said. "But I spent a lot of time in the penalty box, too. I was a little taller so I thought it'd be fun to run around and hit people. So it was time to stay in the net."

Through his playing career on Swedish junior teams and the Predators, Lindback has worked with several different goalie coaches, which has helped him learn a variety of styles he has morphed together.

But one of Lindback's biggest teachers was Rinne, a two-time Vezina Trophy finalist who led the league in wins, saves and games played last season, the first of a seven-year, $49 million deal. Lindback said the fact Rinne, who is 6-5, plays so well at a similar size is "inspiring."

"Just from watching him in practice and playing everyday, it's been a huge impact on my game," Lindback said. "Though I haven't played that much (in the NHL), I feel I've developed my game a lot since I came over. I'm excited to take the next step."

The first step is for the Lightning to sign Lindback, who is a restricted free agent who made $875,000 last season. Lindback is optimistic they can reach a deal.

"Anders is obviously excited about the trade and the opportunity in Tampa Bay," agent Michael C. Deutsch said. "I'm sure that both sides will be working hard in the near future to get a contract completed."

Said Lindback: "I'm ready to go."

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

Joey Knight, Times Staff Writer
Monday, June 18, 2012

An apparent clerical error has delayed the Florida High School Athletic Association's final ruling on Armwood's football program.

FHSAA executive director Roger Dearing told the Tampa Bay Times on Monday that "an error on our part" in the governing body's 45-page report means the Hawks likely won't find out until later this week or early next week whether they'll be stripped of their 2011 state title.

"It's not new information; it's an error on our part," Dearing said. "It's a student we already knew about; we had the wrong year down."

A six-month investigation, outlined in the FHSAA report, found that the families of five Armwood players falsified residence information to enroll at the school. In his formal response this month, Armwood principal Michael Ippolito indicated he agreed with a majority of the findings.

But in going over its final sanction letter "student by student, situation by situation," Dearing said he and his staff discovered a discrepancy between the FHSAA investigator's report and the report sent to Ippolito.

The discrepancy involved the years in which one of the five student-athletes competed at Armwood. That player, previously reported by the Times as receiver Javonte Sneed, also competed for the Hawks in the 2010 season; the other four named in the report competed for the football team only in the 2011 season.

In his response letter, Ippolito pointed out he deemed the student-athlete (whose name was redacted) ineligible in August 2010 because he was discovered practicing with Armwood but was enrolled as a student at Durant.

He was later deemed eligible by an FHSAA appeals committee, Ippolito wrote, in part because his parents provided false information to the appeals committee.

Dearing said to give "fair due process," Ippolito has been given another 10 business days to acknowledge the error and formally respond to the corrected finding. If Ippolito responds affirmatively, Armwood also could be forced to forfeit all 14 games it won in 2010 as well.

Dearing said unless Ippolito provides information contrary to what FHSAA investigator Troy Pumphrey reported, he doesn't expect the process to "take anywhere near 10 days."

"Once he gets that back to us, we've got the letter written," Dearing said. "We're just waiting to hear from the principal."

Joey Knight can be reached at jknight@tampabay.com.

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Monday, June 18, 2012

Rays 3B Evan Longoria's minor-league rehab assignment was suspended indefinitely Monday night after he experienced discomfort in his partially torn left hamstring.

Longoria will join the Rays in Washington today and continue his rehab there, with no timetable for his return.

The Rays said Longoria, in the second game of his rehab with Triple-A Durham, didn't want to push it after feeling soreness as he ran to first base in Rochester, so he was lifted in the third inning for a pinch-hitter.

"Wasn't a reinjury, just felt some discomfort and didn't want to end up doing further harm," Longoria tweeted. "Thanks for the well wishes, I'm sad that I cant be back yet."

It's a setback for Longoria, a three-time All-Star who has been out since May 3 and had hoped to be back with the Rays this week. He felt good after Saturday's first rehab game with Durham, going 1-for-4 with a single as DH. He was off Sunday and was DH Monday before he was pulled.

PHEW: When LHP David Price thought last week he'd have to bat against Nationals RHP Stephen Strasburg, and his 100 mph fastball, in the upcoming interleague series, he joked, "give me the heater, please."

Price won't have to worry about that anticipated matchup — he'll face veteran RHP Chien-Ming Wang; Strasburg pitches Wednesday — and isn't so bummed about it.

"It was no letdown, that's for sure," Price said, smiling. "As much as I wanted to face (Strasburg), I didn't want to face him at all. I just wanted to face a righty, I didn't care who it was. … It's going to be tough."

MOVING UP: The Rays have selected OF Rich Thompson from Triple-A Durham, and he'll join the team today in Washington. Tampa Bay optioned RHP Brandon Gomes to Durham on Sunday, saying it wanted another position player for its interleague series against the Nationals and Phillies. Thompson, who was 1-for-16 in eight games for the Rays this season, can also serve as a pinch-runner.

REMEMBERING RIZZO: Nationals GM Mike Rizzo fondly remembers playing for Joe Maddon while the Rays manager was coaching in the Angels minor-league system. Rizzo, who was on Maddon's Class A Salem (Ore.) championship team in 1982, said he could tell then Maddon had a unique way of communicating with players and "knew he would do very, very well in his next life" in the majors. Maddon appreciated the former utility infielder, too: "If there was a brawl, you not only wanted him in the middle of it, he probably started it," he said, smiling.

MEDICAL MATTERS: RHP Kyle Farnsworth (right elbow strain) gave up a hit and a run in one inning in a rehab outing for Class A Charlotte.

STARRY NIGHT: Longoria is still in third place among American League third basemen in All-Star voting, and CF B.J. Upton moved up to 11th among outfielders according to Monday's latest update.

By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
Monday, June 18, 2012

The case against Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Aqib Talib has been dismissed, according to his attorney, Frank Perez.

Talib was scheduled to stand trial on charges of assault with a deadly weapon June 25 in Dallas County, Tex.

Police said that Talib pistol-whipped and fired shots at Shannon Billings, the live-in boyfriend of Talib's sister, who resides in Garland, Tex. However, Billings is currently jailed as a repeat sex offender.

Perez said that in reviewing the case, prosecutors did not believe their chief witness would be credible.

"I guess the district attorney, in preparing for trial, had a chance to evaluate the case,'' Talib's attorney told the Times Monday. "The bottom line is that the complainant is sitting in jail as a repeat child molester and has prior cases of the same nature.''

The dismissal of the second-degree felony, which could have carried a maximum sentence of 2-20 years, if convicted, means Talib's legal problems appear to be behind him for now. It also enables Talib to begin a 2012 NFL season under new coach Greg Schiano with a clean slate.

"We felt strongly the whole time that this would be resolved in Aqib's favor,'' Perez said. "He's very excited he can resume his career and have a fresh start with no problems.''

Talib's attorneys, Perez and Jay Reisinger, later released a statement on Talib's behalf:

"Today, the District Attorney for Dallas County, Texas dismissed all of the charges that were filed against Aqib Talib in March, 2011. We appreciate the District Attorney's thorough review of this case. Aqib is appreciative of the support that he received from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' organization, his teammates, Buccaneers' fans and his friends and family during this difficult period. With this matter now successfully behind him, Aqib's sole focus is on contributing to a successful 2012 season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.''

Billings, a registered sex offender with the state of Texas, is sitting in Dallas County jail on a bond of $265,000 after being arrested March 1, 2012 on charges of indecency with a child/sexual contact.

He also was arrested Dec. 10, 2011 on a charge of sexual assault and was jailed on $25,000 bond. However, the grand jury returned a 'no bill,' in the case, according to court records.

Through his attorney, Talib has maintained his innocence since his arrest for his role in the March 21, 2011 shooting.

At the time of his arrest, Garland police said Talib tried to pistol-whip Billings, with a Springfield 9mm. During a struggle, the gun jammed after it struck a fence and was retrieved by Billings. About that time, Talib's mother, Okolo, 58, arrived at the scene and fired several shots with a .38 Ruger. At some point, Aqib Talib gained possession of his mother's gun and fired two shots at Billings, according to arrest warrants.

The Bucs conferred with Talib once the NFL's labor lockout ended and allowed him to return to the team.

In August, Talib met with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell in New York and learned he would not be suspended by the NFL for the 2011 season. Instead, the Bucs and the league would monitor his case, general manager Mark Dominik said at the time.

Talib was suspended by the league for the first game of the 2010 season after assaulting a St. Petersburg cab driver in 2009.