Times wires
Saturday, July 14, 2012

The league has made its first offer in negotiations with the players union for a new collective bargaining agreement, and it wants major concessions in revenue sharing and contract structures, media outlets reported Saturday.

The league wants to reduce the players' share of hockey-related revenue from 57 percent to 46 percent and recalculate the definition of hockey-related revenue so the pot from which the owners and players share would be drastically reduced, the reports said.

That issue has been expected to be significant since revenue sharing became a focal point in last year's labor squabbles in the NFL and NBA.

The NHL's offer also proposes the elimination of signing bonuses and putting a five-year limit on contract lengths, with the salary being the same each year, the reports said.

The current agreement, which expires Sept. 15, does not have a restriction on contract lengths. It has a few restrictions on signing bonuses and on front-loading deals to reduce salary cap hits on long-term deals.

Also under the league's proposal, players must have 10 years in the league before they can become unrestricted free agents, regardless of their age. Players currently are eligible to become unrestricted free agents either at the age of 27 or after seven accrued seasons in the league.

The proposal would eliminate salary arbitration and extend entry-level contracts from three years to five.

Neither the league nor the players association publicly acknowledged the proposal. The sides are scheduled to resume negotiations Wednesday in New York.

The sides have met several times since the season ended in June, and union executive director Donald Fehr told the Toronto Star on Tuesday that they have exchanged positions on major issues such as revenue sharing, team salary floors, free agency and conference alignment.

The last time the sides had to craft a new deal, owners locked out the players in 2004, and it cost the league the 2004-05 season. The agreement that came out of that deal put in place a salary cap for the first time, and the players agreed to a 24 percent rollback in salaries.

Fehr said after Friday's bargaining sessions that salary rollbacks won't happen on his watch.

The league announced it had record revenue of $3.3 billion this year.

Training camps open in September. The regular season is scheduled to begin Oct. 11. Fehr said last month that the players would be willing to start the season without a deal if negotiations were ongoing.

blue jackets: The team is still trying to trade captain Rick Nash — general manager Scott Howson said last week he wants NHL-ready forwards in exchange — but it also has talked to the Kings about backup goalie Jonathan Bernier, the Columbus Dispatch reported. Bernier has asked to be traded in the wake of No. 1 Jonathan Quick, this year's playoff MVP, signing a 10-year deal.

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, July 14, 2012

When Lightning right wing Teddy Purcell, through mutual friends, ran into Predators defenseman Shea Weber at a Blue Jays game in Toronto, he immediately asked about Anders Lindback.

Acquired from Nashville, Lindback, Pekka Rinne's backup the past two seasons, is expected to be Tampa Bay's solution to its long-time problem in goal.

"Obviously, it was one of the first things I asked him," Purcell said. "He was saying how Lindback is not a backup goalie, he's a No. 1 goalie, so that's very encouraging for all of us."

Several Lightning players are just as encouraged about the job done over the summer by general manager Steve Yzerman, who with five transactions aggressively addressed his team's biggest needs and maintained roster flexibility by staying $7 million under the $70.2 million salary cap.

"I'm very happy, and that's a bit of an understatement," defenseman Eric Brewer said. "They clearly identified some areas they wanted to get better, and it seems they really went after it."

"With the moves they made, I think we can get something done," wing Marty St. Louis said, "and that's exciting."

The inventory:

• Acquired Ben Pouliot from the Bruins for a 2012 fifth-round draft pick and minor-leaguer Michel Ouellet. The left wing, with 16 goals last season, will get a chance to earn a top-six spot.

• Acquired Lindback for two 2012 second-round picks and a 2013 third-round pick, a steep price but worth it if the 6-foot-6 Swede becomes a bona fide No. 1, as many predict.

• Signed free agent defensemen Matt Carle and Sami Salo. They give the blue line a much-needed upgrade, and their puck-moving abilities will help the transition game. Salo's big right-handed shot should boost the power play.

• Acquired tough guy B.J. Crombeen and a 2014 fifth-round pick from the Blues for fourth-round picks in 2013 and '14. Yzerman said the team needed to get bigger and tougher, especially after last season's trade of Steve Downie. Crombeen gives Tampa Bay a heavyweight fighter who also can contribute on the penalty kill and chip in a goal.

"I think it's great," captain Vinny Lecavalier said of the moves. "You look at what we have this year with the guys we had and the guys we added, they're all guys who can move the puck. That's going to be a great help."

For now, it seems Yzerman is done tinkering. He has interest in free agent Shane Doan but said he has not gotten a response from Doan's agent, so he assumes there is little return interest.

Besides, Yzerman said, he wants to give opportunities to players within the organization to earn spots with the big club: "So unless it's a player I know is going to be better than one of those guys, we're not going to fill a spot."

We'll see how it all works out. Remember, goalie Mike Smith was supposed to be the next big thing when he came over from the Stars in the Brad Richards deal in 2008.

For now, though, as Yzerman said, "I think we've addressed a lot of needs."

"Obviously, during (last) season it was hard to see some of your best friends go," Purcell said of the trades of Downie, Pavel Kubina and Dominic Moore. "At the same time, we all knew Steve was going to build back up in the summer, and he's done that."

Times wires
Saturday, July 14, 2012

LONDON — The wettest summer in Britain since modern records began being kept is threatening to cast a pall over the Olympics. Today could be a key indicator of the weather ahead — if you put stock in folklore.

Today is St. Swithin's Day in England, and the story goes that the weather on St. Swithin's Day is a predictor for the next month.

Charlie Powell, a forecaster for Britain's national weather service, told the Telegraph newspaper that Britain would have its best weather in more than a month today and "less intense" rainfall over the coming week.

Britain hasn't had a fully dry day since May, and parts have already seen three times more rain than usual for July.

British weather records over the past 160 years show no evidence of St. Swithin's Day weather holding over the following 40 days, Reuters says.

flame name throwing: Speculation in Britain over who will get the prime spot of lighting the Olympic flame at the opening ceremony focuses on two-time decathlon gold medalist Daley Thompson and five-time gold-medal-winning rower Steve Redgrave, considered two of Britain's greatest Olympians.

Redgrave is the choice of the British Olympic Association, one of the bodies that determines who gets the honor, the Daily Mail newspaper said. The Games' organizing committee prefers Thompson because its chairman, two-time gold-medal-winning runner Sebastian Coe, has a thorny relationship with Redgrave, the paper said.

Coe doesn't have a role in the selection, but his second in command, Paul Deighton, is one of the two people who do. The other is the Olympic Association's chief executive, Andy Hunt.

Thompson, 53, won the decathlon in 1980 and '84. Redgrave, 50, won his first gold in 1980 and is the country's most decorated Olympian.

By Eric Deggans, Times TV/Media Critic
Saturday, July 14, 2012

Even now, if you ask average folks about talk radio stars, they are likely to mention big-name political pundits such as Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck.

But as CBS Radio prepares for the August debut of the bay area's first FM sports talk station — the latest in a string of sports-oriented FMs created by the company while building a national network — the question arises: Has the future of commercial talk radio shifted to sports and away from politics?

"I think people are burned out on the strident tone we've taken in political talk," said Ben Hill, senior vice president and Tampa market manager for CBS Radio. "Sports is a huge growth area on TV and online, so there's a huge opportunity there."

Hill plans to debut Sportsradio 98.7 The Fan on Aug. 2, unveiling its lineup in a news conference broadcast on the same day.

The format replaces the Adele and Maroon 5 songs now featured on WSJT-FM (Play 98.7). The debut will cap months of speculation about which local media guys (and they're mostly guys) will land jobs in the largest expansion of local sports talk the bay area has seen in a long while.

Establishing The Fan is just part of the changes in store for local sports talk radio.

CBS Radio's AM station, WQYK 1010, will simulcast the new FM programming until the year's end. Then on Jan. 2, WQYK begins broadcasting the new nationally syndicated 24/7 CBS Sports Radio Network.

The new network will feature the same shows across eight CBS Radio stations and 26 stations owned by partner Cumulus Media nationwide, creating a challenge to ESPN Radio's national footprint.

"In a market like Tampa, we'll have a sports radio duopoly — locally centric on FM and national on AM," said Chris Oliviero, a former intern for Howard Stern now the senior vice president of programming for CBS Radio who has led its efforts to establish FM sports talk stations in Boston, Washington, Detroit, Dallas, Baltimore, Pittsburgh and now Tampa.

"Years ago, people said there's only enough room for one sports talk station or, at the most, two. But when people realized the format was so popular it could support multiple stations, everything changed."

Other local changes will include those at Genesis Communications. The smaller, family owned company based in Pinellas County announced plans to end its syndicated ESPN shows in October for stations in the bay area (WHBO-AM 1040) and Orlando, which means they need new sports talk programming.

And Clear Channel-owned WDAE-AM 620 revamped its morning show in May, bringing in Tampa Bay Times sports writers Tom Jones and Rick Stroud.

All of these moves occur outside the political area that has dominated AM and talk radio since Limbaugh's rise in the late 1980s. Steve Versnick, program director at WFLA-AM 970, which airs Limbaugh, Beck and Hannity, declined to comment.

"Sports radio is mass appeal," said Oliviero, who was careful not to disparage the political talkers CBS features on some stations. "It's great to be in a genre which doesn't really exclude people."

Sports: The format of the future

Longtime area radio fans might remember how Beck and Lionel grew from local shows on WFLA-AM to national prominence.

Some analysts say sports, which appeals to younger listeners, attracts big advertisers and can be less divisive than politics, might be the format of the future for an industry that has cut itself to bits in recent years.

"Advertisers don't care much about people over (age) 55," said Charlie Sislen, an industry analyst and partner at Maryland-based Research Director. "Sports radio delivers men aged 25 to 54; an upscale audience with an emotional connection to the subject."

Nearly 80 percent of radio listeners in the Tampa Bay market never access the AM dial, according to ratings service Arbitron. (This explains why Clear Channel recently began simulcasting WFLA on a special "translator" 105.9 FM frequency limited to Hillsborough County.)

In total listeners (6 a.m. to midnight, Monday through Sunday), WFLA is the highest-ranked AM station in the market, placing 12th. The next AM is WDAE, ranked 16th, according to Arbitron. WDUV-FM (105.5) is the top-ranked station in the market, according to Arbitron.

So FM sports talk seems a logical way to reach a mainstream talk audience mostly missed by Limbaugh and Beck.

"Sports talk is the new news talk," said Gabe Hobbs, a St. Petersburg-based radio consultant who once supervised talk programming for radio giant Clear Channel until he was laid off in 2009. "It's a lot like what we did 20 years ago on news talk stations … talking about the male lifestyle the way guys talk in a sports bar after a softball game."

Hobbs was let go as the radio industry struggled with the recession, among a wave of downsizing that saw thousands of jobs cut across the country.

CBS Radio's moves, along with rumors NBC is developing a national sports radio network, provide hope that big radio companies finally are spending money hiring people and trying new ideas.

"Traditional talk radio is too obsessed with politics," said Hobbs, who gave Beck his first political talk show in Tampa when the then-Top 40 DJ wanted to try something new. "CBS figured out if you put this (material) on FM, young men live there and you're able to attract a different talk audience."

'You have to be … innovative'

Locally, few of WQYK-AM's current staffers are expected to make the transition to FM. That includes former WFLA-Ch. 8 sports anchor J.P. Peterson, who declined to comment.

Peterson's 1010 show is unique because he sells half the advertising, pocketing the profits. The FM station will feature only CBS Radio employees with no special advertising sales arrangements, according to Hill.

Official talent announcements have yet to be made. But that hasn't stopped speculation online and elsewhere about who might pop up on The Fan, including former Lightning player Chris Dingman, former Buccaneer Anthony "Booger" McFarland and Tampa Bay Times sports columnist Gary Shelton.

At Genesis Communications, owner Bruce Maduri said the company had tired of paying for nationally syndicated ESPN content that could be accessed on smart phones and other radio stations.

He declined to comment on rumors Peterson might move his show to Genesis' 1040-AM station, though Maduri noted more of his talent might wind up sharing sponsorship sales duties in the future.

"There needs to be a lot younger guys doing talk radio in a more entertaining way," he said. "These days, you have to be more innovative."

Eric Deggans can be reached at (727) 893-8521 or deggans@tampabay.com.

Times wires
Saturday, July 14, 2012

NEWPORT, R.I. — Jennifer Capriati's tennis career — and teenage life — took a number of twists and turns.

She started as a teenage prodigy, was sidetracked by off-court troubles and rebounded to become a three-time Grand Slam champion. Now her journey is complete with Saturday's induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

In a tear-filled acceptance speech, Capriati, 36, remembered her great moments in the game and touched on some of her troubles off the court.

"I still managed to overcome some adversity, win a gold medal, win some Grand Slams and stand at the podium at the Hall of Fame," said Capriati, who moved to Wesley Chapel at age 10 and trained at Saddlebrook Academy. "This is one milestone I thought I'd never achieve."

She finished her career in 2004 with a 430-176 record but lamented that injuries played a part in her retirement.

"It was tough having to leave the game," she said. "It's like mourning a loved one that's gone and a relationship that's gone, a part of yourself. It wasn't easy but something that's gone and what you loved to do.

"It took a while to accept that and let go. This is so great for me because it's putting a lot of closure to my career and I'm able to move forward, give thanks, take thanks, give the honor and take the honor, and just be acknowledged here. It means everything to me."

Others inducted were Gustavo Kuerten, Manuel Orantes, Mike Davies and Randy Snow, who was honored posthumously.

Kuerten, 35, was No. 1 in the world for 43 weeks and a clay specialist, winning the French Open in 1997, 2000 and 2001.

Orantes, 63, reached No. 2 in the world in 1973 and stayed in the top 10 for five years.

Davies was a driving force behind the game's move to network TV, instituting rules offering breaks for commercials to make the game more appealing to the networks.

Snow, who died in 2009, won 22 major wheelchair events.

Times wires
Saturday, July 14, 2012

WALTHAM, Mass. — The Celtics made it official: Kevin Garnett is coming back as part of the team's efforts to keep key pieces after losing Ray Allen to the Heat.

More than a week after Garnett reportedly agreed to a three-year contract, the team announced Saturday that he, forward Brandon Bass and center-forward Chris Wilcox re-signed.

Backup forward Jeff Green, who missed last season with an aortic aneurysm that required surgery, and free agent guard Jason Terry still haven't signed, but they were at a news conference with Bass, Wilcox and team president Danny Ainge.

Garnett, 36, the Celtics' emotional leader, is the most important player returning, especially after Allen's decision to leave as a free agent broke up the Big Three of him, Garnett and Paul Pierce that won one championship in five seasons together.

Last season, the Celtics reached the East final, losing to eventual champion Miami in seven games.

"I don't feel like we lost Ray," Ainge said. "I feel like Ray left us to go to Miami."

Ainge said his primary target, though, was Garnett, who was offered a three-year contract while Allen reportedly was given a two-year proposal.

"That was a priority for us this summer, to get KG back," Ainge said. "That was a great relief to get him back. He's such a big part of who we are and going forward we think he has a lot of basketball left in him."

Garnett is the most important part of the team's future after having an outstanding season, especially down the stretch and in the playoffs. He averaged 15.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists.

Terry figures to replace Allen as the primary 3-point shooter. "If they need me to wash the uniforms or sweep the floors, whatever role (coach) Doc (Rivers) wants me to play I'm here to do it at 100 percent and give my all," he said.

howard update: Rockets Hall of Fame center Hakeem Olajuwon told Fox Sports Florida that Houston asked him to talk to Dwight Howard about signing a long-term deal if the Rockets pull off a trade for the Magic center.

Olajuwon knows Howard and has worked out with him the past two summers.

Without a long-term deal, Howard could play one season in Houston, then leave as a free agent.

Irving breaks hand: Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving broke a bone in his right hand that will require surgery.

Last season's rookie of the year will be out 6-8 weeks but is expected back in time for training camp.

Irving, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 draft who dazzled during workouts and scrimmages against the U.S. Olympic team recently, injured the hand during a practice session in a summer league in Las Vegas after he slapped a padded wall.

"I'm a little disappointed for a freak accident like that," Irving told the Akron Beacon-Journal. "That thing I did, hitting the padding on the wall, I've done it so many times. This time it was just a freak accident."

trade ends lin in N.Y.? The Knicks have agreed to a sign-and-trade deal with the Blazers that will bring point guard Raymond Felton and center Kurt Thomas to New York for center Dan Gadzuric and forward Jared Jeffries, ESPN reported. The deal raises the possibility the Knicks will not match the offer sheet restricted free agent point guard Jeremy Lin signed with the Rockets. Lin signed a three-year, $25 million offer sheet with Houston that New York previously had been expected to match.

Bobcats: The team was awarded center Brendan Haywood off waivers from Dallas.

hornets: The team matched the Suns' four-year, $58 million offer to Eric Gordon, 23, keeping the restricted free agent guard it hopes will be the centerpiece of a rebuilding effort that includes first-round picks Anthony Davis and Austin Rivers. Last week, before signing the Suns' offer sheet, Gordon said he hoped to play for Phoenix.

pistons: Vyacheslav Kravtsov, 24, a 6-11 center who has played on the Ukrainian national team since 2006, signed a multiyear contract.

Times wires
Saturday, July 14, 2012

Marlins 2, Nationals 1

MIAMI — Mark Buehrle won his fourth consecutive start and Carlos Lee and John Buck drove in runs as the Marlins snapped a three-game losing streak. Steve Cishek pitched the final 1 2/3 innings to earn his second save, and first since May 25 against the Giants. Cishek allowed a two-out single to Roger Bernadina in the ninth and Bernadina stole second, then Jesus Flores struck out.

Times wires
Saturday, July 14, 2012

Orioles 8, Tigers 6

13 INNINGS

BALTIMORE — Taylor Teagarden won it with a two-run homer in the 13th.

Times wires
Saturday, July 14, 2012

Royals 6, White Sox 3

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Alcides Escobar hit two homers off All-Star Jake Peavy, the second a go-ahead shot with two outs in the seventh. It was the first multihomer game for the Royals shortstop, who had just two homers all season and 11 in his career before his two-run shot in the third. Jeff Francoeur and Lorenzo Cain added RBIs in the eighth, and Greg Holland won in relief.

Times wires
Saturday, July 14, 2012

Athletics 9, Twins 3

MINNEAPOLIS — Chris Carter and Yoenis Cespedes each homered and drove in three runs for the Athletics, who have won eight of nine and are two games above .500 for the first time in two months. Seth Smith and Brandon Moss also homered, sending the Twins to a fourth straight loss. Oakland has homered in 19 of its past 20 games.

By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, July 14, 2012

TAMPA — In his first college game, Maikon Bonani was carried off the field by his teammates after he hit a winning field goal as time expired to beat Kansas in 2008. His last miss was the opposite finish, a 27-yard chip shot at the end of regulation that allowed Rutgers to win in overtime in a 2011 season that saw USF football miss bowl eligibility by a single victory.

And for all the highs and lows of his college career, three years ago this week Bonani wasn't sure if he'd ever play football again. He was hospitalized with a fractured vertebra after a 35-foot fall from a ride while he was working at Busch Gardens.

"Going back, you're like, 'I could have been paralyzed. I could have been dead.' It could have gone anywhere. I could have never played again, even after I got healthy," Bonani said this week, preparing for his fifth and final season. "So now, my hunger's greater than ever."

He missed the 2009 season recovering but has made it back in every sense, becoming USF's all-time leader in field goals and graduating this spring with a degree in exercise science. Knowing this is his last go-round, the most accurate kicker in Bulls history doesn't want to miss anything this fall.

"The whole process is bittersweet. One, I can't wait for the season to start, to perform and see what this team can do," he said. "Then again, you look back and say, 'Let's enjoy these next 40 days, take it in and embrace it.' "

This summer, that has meant leading the kicking specialists as they lifted weights and ran with the rest of the team in early morning workouts, striving to dispel the notion that kickers have it easy.

"I absolutely hate with a passion the stereotype," he said. "I really can't stand the (thought) that, 'They're just the kickers, they shouldn't be working out.' We're going to work, and we're going to work harder than some of the other players. We have something to prove. I've made an effort to change that."

USF coach Skip Holtz appreciates Bonani getting in the best shape possible, but he was frank that coaches — and fans — look for only one real attribute in kickers.

"He looks great, but as I told him, whether his body fat is 4 percent or 44 percent, I don't care as long as the field goal goes between the uprights," Holtz said. "The way he's taking care of his body speaks volumes for the way he's growing and maturing. He's a guy that everybody on this team respects."

The Rutgers loss still lingers with Bonani, who not only met with reporters after the game but took responsibility for the loss: "I had an opportunity to win the game and I didn't. That solely rests on my shoulders." USF's defense had blown a 14-point fourth-quarter lead and the offense turned the ball over in overtime, so there was blame to be shared, though Holtz said he learned something from Bonani's accountability.

"He jumped on the grenade, so to speak: 'It was all my fault,' " Holtz said. "That's one of the things that makes him great. I don't think he missed another field goal after that. That type of ownership is what makes him such a special kicker, so accepted by his teammates."

Bonani was 12-for-19 at that point but was 7-for-7 the rest of the season, building momentum he hopes will carry over to this season. He has three of the four most accurate seasons for field goals in USF history, including a record 80.9 percent (17-for-21) in 2010, his first year back from the injury. His career mark of 75 percent is also a school record, but he wants to improve, remembering the impact any miss can have on his team.

"What hurt me the most wasn't my personal feelings," he said. "But going into the locker room, seeing seniors at the time crying because it meant so much to them. I know how much it's going to mean to me this year."

Special teams coach Vernon Hargreaves said Bonani will be judged based on results on the field, but there's no question about his preparation.

"I think there's nobody more committed than he is, to the team and to getting better and trying to win," Hargreaves said. "He knows how important he is to this whole thing."

USF's schedule gives him an early shot at redemption, with the Bulls hosting Rutgers on Sept. 13 in a game that will set the tone for the Big East season, establishing one team as a top challenger to preseason favorite Louisville for the league title. Bonani, confident in his teammates, expects big things from USF, but he's fine if that starts with a close game against the Scarlet Knights.

"Trust me, I'd like it to come down to a kick," he said. "I would not mind it."

Times wires
Saturday, July 14, 2012

LAKE ORION, Mich. — Fred Couples joked that someone will have to close with 60 today to catch Bernhard Langer at the U.S. Senior Open.

That might not be low enough.

Langer shot 6-under 64 Saturday and was 10-under 200 for the tournament, four strokes ahead of a big-name field.

"That's not a huge lead," Langer insisted. "That can disappear in no time. I'm going to have to get out there and shoot under par. That's my goal.

"If I go 2 under or 3 under, it will be very difficult for anyone to catch me. And if they do, they deserve to win."

The two-time Masters champion opened with three straight birdies and eight in 12 holes at Indianwood, a course with tight and unforgiving fairways and undulating greens.

"He didn't win two Masters by luck," said Corey Pavin, in a five-way tie for second after shooting 68. "He's an exceptionally good player, very methodical."

Langer didn't miss a green in regulation in the third round until the par-3 13th, where double bogey cut his cushion to three shots. He bounced back with birdie at 15 before finishing with bogey at 18.

Pavin, Tom Lehman, Roger Chapman, John Huston and Tom Pernice were at 6-under 204.

And what did Couples, five back after shooting 65 at the Champions Tour's fourth of five majors, think it would take to contend today? "Sixty," he said. "How does that sound? Does that sound pretty good? Not really realistic."

First-round leader Tom Kite and second-round leader Lance Ten Broeck struggled in the final group. Kite (74) drop into a tie for 17th, nine back. Since opening with a U.S. Senior Open nine-hole record 28, Kite is 6 over. Ten Broeck, a full-time caddie for Tim Herron and an occasional player, shot 72 with three birdies and five bogeys. He was alone in 11th place, six shots back, after starting the round with a one-shot lead over Kite.

PGA: Troy Matteson enjoys having the lead going into the final round of a tournament. Steve Stricker doesn't mind having to come from behind.

Each has their chance in today's final round of the John Deere Classic in Silvis, Ill. Matteson has a three-stroke lead over Stricker going into the last 18 holes at TPC Deere Run.

Both Matteson, a two-time PGA Tour winner, and Stricker, chasing his fourth straight title at the Deere, shot 5-under 66. Matteson was at 18-under 195.

"I've been in the position Troy's in, and it's a difficult position because you have the expectation that you should go out and win," Stricker said.

Matteson doesn't mind.

"You always want to be ahead rather than behind," he said. "Every stroke you can gain is good. I think you still need to be aggressive."

GATOR WINS PUBLIC LINKS: T.J. Vogel, a senior at Florida, earned a spot in the 2013 Masters by winning the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship in Midway, Utah, routing Kevin Aylwin 12-and-10 in the 36-hole final. Vogel was 10 up after the morning session and cruised from there.

EUROPEAN: Francesco Molinari led by two at the Scottish Open after bogey-free 5-under 67 at Inverness. Phil Mickelson (65) joined three others trailing the leader by three shots.

Times staff, wires
Saturday, July 14, 2012

Tennis

Lucky loser gets to final of bank of the west

STANFORD, Calif. — Coco Vandeweghe reached her first WTA Tour final, beating Yanina Wickmayer 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 at the Bank of the West Classic on Saturday.

Vandeweghe, a 20-year-old ranked No. 120 in the world, wasn't supposed to be playing in the tournament. She failed to make it out of qualifying and got into the main draw only when Bojana Jovanovski withdrew with an injury.

Now she faces No. 4 Serena Williams, who defeated Sorana Cirstea 6-2, 3-6, 6-2.

The last lucky loser to advance to a WTA final was Melinda Czink, who lost in 2005 in Canberra, Australia.

When Wickmayer, ranked No. 37, double-faulted on match point, Vandeweghe dropped her racket, ran to the sideline and jumped into the arms of her mother, Tauna. She had never even made a WTA semifinal before this tournament.

"It's a dream come true for me being in the finals of a WTA event," Vandeweghe said. "Hopefully, this is a good omen for the rest of the summer for me."

Vandeweghe's grandfather, Ernie Vandeweghe, played for the Knicks during the 1950s. And her uncle, Kiki Vandeweghe, is a former NBA player, coach and general manager.

Italiacom Open: French Open runnerup Sara Errani beat Irina-Camelia Begu 6-4, 6-1 to reach the final in Palermo, Sicily.

Hall of Fame Championships: Top seed, defending champ and Tampa resident John Isner beat Ryan Harrison 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 to reach the final in Newport, R.I. Isner, ranked No. 11 in the world, faces Lleyton Hewitt, who beat Rajeev Ram 6-4, 5-7, 6-2.

Colleges

Calhoun says he'll be around for two years

Jim Calhoun said he plans to remain men's basketball coach at Connecticut for at least two more years. "My contract is for two more years," he said. "I feel good." Calhoun, 70, who had back surgery in February, won his third national title in 2011. The Huskies are not eligible for the NCAA Tournament next season because of poor academics. As a result, three top players have transferred and center Andre Drummond declared for the NBA draft after one season. "We'll have to play different," Calhoun said. "I still think we have chance to be pretty good this season."

Football: USF walk-on receiver Jordan Duval, 20, was arrested Friday on a felony charge of grand theft, accused by campus police of stealing an iPhone from the basketball courts at the Campus Recreation Center. The sophomore and graduate of Hillsborough High, who appeared in two games last season but did not catch a pass, was released on $2,000 bond. USF said it was aware of the arrest but did not comment further.

Et cetera

Boxing: David Haye knocked out fellow Brit Dereck Chisora in the fifth round of their nontitle heavyweight bout in London. The bout came five months after they brawled during a news conference in Munich, Germany.

Horses: Point of Entry won his third straight race, beating Center Divider by 3½ lengths at the $600,000 Man o' War Stakes at Belmont Park in New York. The 4-year-old, trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey and ridden by Jose Lezcano, ran 13/8 miles in 2:13.87.

Wakeboarding: Raphael Derome won the Big Air, Park and overall titles at the Red Bull Wake Open at the Tampa Convention Center.

Greg Auman, Times staff writer; Times wires

Times wires
Saturday, July 14, 2012

Pirates 6, Brewers 4

MILWAUKEE — Andrew McCutchen hit his fourth homer in the past three games for the Pirates, who remained tied with the Reds atop the NL Central. McCutchen also made a sliding catch in center on a sinking line drive by Martin Maldonaldo with two on to end the eighth.

Times wires
Saturday, July 14, 2012

LOUDON, N.H. — Brad Keselow­ski slipped in front when Kevin Harvick got into a traffic jam. Then Harvick got mad.

Keselowski took the checkered flag in Saturday's Nationwide series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and Harvick fumed about an inexperienced driver who got in his way even though she had been lapped.

"It's somebody who shouldn't be on the racetrack, who has no clue what they're doing in the race car," Harvick said, directing his anger at Amber Cope. "She wants to be Danica Patrick, but she can't hold her helmet."

Keselowski capitalized when Harvick slowed with 21 laps left.

"I caught a little bit of a break in traffic," Keselowski said, "but that's the way it goes."

The pole-sitter lost the lead of the F.W. Webb 200 to Harvick after a restart on Lap 154 on the mile track. The caution came out when Patrick's Chevrolet bumped Jason Bowles' Toyota.

Cope, 28, is one of the twin nieces of 1990 Daytona 500 winner Derrike Cope. Her only other Nationwide race was in May at Iowa where she was sent off the track for driving too slowly.

TRUCKS: Points leader Timothy Peters took the lead from Ron Hornaday on a restart with 10 laps left and won the American Ethanol 200 at Iowa Speedway in Newton. Hornaday was second.

Times wires
Saturday, July 14, 2012

LOUDON, N.H. — Ryan Truex remembers when the workers on his older brother's car would stuff him in a box used to hold dirty rags and tape up the hole on top.

It was terrifying stuff at the time but an amusing memory now that he's racing himself.

"I was little, but still, I was scared," Truex said Saturday. "I didn't like it."

At least his tormentors left holes in the box to help him breathe.

Truex, 20, ran in Saturday's Nationwide race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and finished 10th. Today, big brother Martin starts fourth in the Sprint Cup race.

The elder Truex, 32, is very proud of the sibling who suffered at his staff's hands.

"He's staying in my garage because he's broke, trying to make a living in racing. That's what you do. You put your life on hold and you go race cars," said Martin Truex, who is eighth in Sprint Cup points. "I admire his passion for the sport, his passion for what he's doing. He eats, breathes, sleeps racing."

The brothers, plus their father, are quite fond of the one-mile oval at New Hampshire. All three have won races on it.

Martin Truex Sr. won in the Pro Series East in 1994. Martin Jr. posted wins in that series in 2000 and 2003, then won the Nationwide event in 2005. Ryan won twice in the Pro Series East in 2010.

"It's always exciting for me to come up here," Martin Jr. said. "This is the only track that all three of us have won at, so it's a cool place to come. I've got a lot of great memories here."

One of the best involves a racing legend. Martin Jr. figures he was no more than 12 when he was in the garage helping work on his father's car. He looked up at the car next to it.

Dale Earnhardt's car.

"He was my favorite driver as a kid," Martin Jr. said. "I remember him being up in the fender well working on his carburetor and stuff like that. I just thought it was the coolest thing. That was probably one of my greatest memories and not only because I saw Dale, but I was sitting there thinking that my dad is going to race against Dale Earnhardt."

The Truex brothers didn't see a lot of each other after Martin Jr. began traveling to his races, but that's changing.

"It's been a lot of fun for me to be part of Ryan's career, to watch him come up," Martin Jr. said. "We're probably closer today than we've ever been, and that's because growing up, I moved away and I was racing to make a living."

Meanwhile, Ryan runs into strangers who claim to have seen him at the New Hampshire track back when he was a kid and his brother was competing.

"Pretty much every time I come up here, there's a new person that will come up and say that they remember when I was this big coming here," Ryan said, holding his hand about 3 feet above the floor. "I have no idea who they are."

The brothers were born in Mayetta, N.J., not far from Dover, Del., International Speedway. That's where Martin Jr. got his first Sprint Cup win in 2007. But New Hampshire is a place of memorable events for both.

"Every time I come here, I have fun," Ryan said.

Times wires
Saturday, July 14, 2012

CHICAGO — RHP Ryan Dempster tied the Cubs' record with a 33-inning scoreless streak, pitching six solid frames in a 4-1 victory over the Diamondbacks on Saturday. It's the longest streak in the major leagues this season.

Ken Holtzman set the Cubs record in 1969.

"It's pretty crazy. I think as a reliever, when you do something like that, it seems a little more realistic because you go out there one inning at a time," Dempster said. "To go out there start after start and not give up any runs is pretty humbling. I'm just trying to get outs and not expecting that."

Dempster set a career best by winning his fifth straight start. He leads the majors with a 1.86 ERA.

Dempster was limited to 89 pitches in his second start since coming off the disabled list with tightness in his pitching shoulder.

With the Cubs far back in the playoff race and Dempster in the last season of a four-year contract, he is rumored to be a trade option for contenders, possibly the Yankees, Dodgers or Red Sox.

"I am well aware of things going on, rumors and things like that," he said. "But I'm a member of the Chicago Cubs, and I'm trying to do my best job for this team. I understand the business side of baseball, too. But I have not given it a whole lot of thought to be somewhere else now. I'm just enjoying playing here, winning today and being part of this run we are on."

Braves-reds trade: Thin at shortstop, Atlanta acquired Cincinnati minor-league SS Paul Janish for minor-league RHP Todd Redmond. Janish, 29, known for his defense, has a .221 batting average with seven homers and 70 RBIs in 324 big-league games. He is expected to start today. Atlanta recalled Tyler Pastornicky from Triple-A Gwinnett and sent C J.C. Boscan to the minors. Braves SS Andrelton Simmons will miss at least four weeks with a broken right little finger, and new starter Jack Wilson dislocated a joint in his right little finger Friday. Redmond, 27, is 69-56 with a 3.57 ERA in eight minor-league years.

Cardinals: 1B Lance Berkman was activated off the disabled list. Out since May 19 with torn right knee cartilage, Berkman will be eased back into a regular role.

diamondbacks: General manager Kevin Towers said he is keeping RF Justin Upton in the loop about trade rumors, promising not to surprise him with a deal. Towers wouldn't go into details about other players he might be considering trading but acknowledged he hopes to deal: "I think there's room for improvement there. I'd like to do something.''

Mets: Manager Terry Collins was ejected while disputing a call during the Braves' two-run fifth. Third base umpire Dale Scott, the crew chief, initially ruled LF Jordany Valdespin made a diving catch on Jason Heyward's liner, with Martin Prado trapped returning to first base for an apparent inning-ending double play. Umpires conferred, then ruled — correctly, as replays showed — that Heyward's ball bounced. Freddie Freeman's two-out, two-run double gave the Braves a 5-3 lead.

Orioles: A statue of Hall of Fame RHP Jim Palmer was unveiled in the picnic area beyond centerfield. He is depicted in mid motion, his left leg in the air and right arm poised to throw. … RHP Jason Hammel will miss his next start due to a right knee problem has bothered him since early May, and is considering surgery that could sideline him for six weeks.

Tigers: Rookie LHP Drew Smyly went on the 15-day disabled list with a strained muscle in his right side, retroactive to July 7. Rookie RHP Jacob Turner will be recalled Tuesday from Triple-A Toledo to start for Smyly against the Angels.

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, July 14, 2012

Rays vs. Red Sox

When/where: 1:40 today; Tropicana Field

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

Tickets: $19-$300, available at Tropicana Field box office, Ticketmaster, raysbaseball.com, team Tampa store; $3 surcharge within five hours of game time

Probable pitchers

RAYS: RH James Shields (8-5, 4.17)

RED SOX: RH Josh Beckett (4-7, 4.43)

On Shields: He has allowed double-digit hits in his past three starts, including giving up five runs on 10 hits last Sunday in Cleveland. He threw 81/3 shutout innings against the Red Sox on April 16 at Fenway Park.

On Beckett: He has been inconsistent this season, allowing two earned runs or fewer in five of his past 10 starts, and a combined 24 over the other five. He is 1-0 with a 1.80 ERA in two starts this season against the Rays (10-4 with a 2.82 ERA in 24 over his career).

Key matchups

Rays vs. Beckett

Carlos Peña 4-for-35, HR

Luke Scott 11-for-27, 3 HRs

Ben Zobrist 2-for-23

Red Sox vs. Shields

David Ortiz 15-for-49, 3 HRs

Jarrod Saltalamacchia 0-for-12

Ryan Sweeney 9-for-23, HR

On deck

Monday: vs. Indians, 7:10 p.m., Sun Sports. Rays — Alex Cobb (4-5, 4.89); Indians — Zach McAllister (3-1, 3.40).

Twitter account of the day

The latest Ray to join Twitter could be one of the most interesting, occasionally outspoken DH Luke Scott signing up at @LukeScottOP. Scott plans to proceed slowly, and with help from a friend. Worth a follow? "Absolutely," Rays manager Joe Madddon said. "How could you not?"

Giveaway of the day

The Rays will give away a Carlos Peña Ice Cream Bowl & Spoon set to the first 10,000 kids 14 and under today.

Number of the day

.353

Batting average for Ben Zobrist since June 7, entering Saturday's game, raising his average 54 points in that span.

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, July 14, 2012

ST. PETERSBURG — Manager Joe Maddon said part of the reason he recently dropped struggling OF Desmond Jennings from his usual leadoff spot to near the bottom of the batting order was to take some pressure off him.

"Hitting leadoff, you're trying to stir the drink," Maddon said.

And hitting seventh, Jennings set the table in Saturday's 5-3 victory over the Red Sox, playing a pivotal role by playing to his strengths.

Jennings singled and scored in the third and added two sacrifice bunts that led to two runs.

"All of that I thought was fabulous," Maddon said. "That's the kind of game he needs to play. He's got power; he's going to hit 15 home runs on an annual basis, maybe even more at some point. But this other component of the game is within his abilities, and he needs to play to take advantage of his speed."

Maddon had wanted Jennings, who was hitting .161 in his past 20 games at leadoff, to reorganize his strike zone and believed moving him down would help by giving him a different mind-set.

"I try to go out and play no matter where I'm at," Jennings said. "It's different. But it's still the same game, just a different spot."

Maddon said Jennings will eventually get back to leadoff. "I loved what he did (Saturday)," Maddon said.

getting closer: OF Matt Joyce will begin a rehabilitation assignment with Class A Charlotte today, and he could rejoin the Rays on Wednesday.

Joyce headed to Daytona Beach to join the Stone Crabs and was scheduled to play today, Monday and Tuesday before getting re-evaluated.

Joyce has been out since mid June, sidelined first with a mild oblique strain, then with a lower back strain sustained during a July 4 rehab appearance.

Meanwhile, OF Sam Fuld (right wrist surgery) has been moved up to Triple-A Durham after going 2-for-13 in five games with Charlotte and will play seven innings in the outfield Monday for the Bulls.

"The biggest thing for him is that he doesn't feel like his timing is very good at the plate right yet," Maddon said. "But he's feeling physically really good, so that's all going well."

DH/OF Hideki Matsui (left hamstring tightness) is also making progress. Maddon said he is running well enough that he could serve as a DH without the need for a pinch-runner.

close call: C Jose Lobaton helped thwart a potential Red Sox rally in the eighth when he juggled and then caught a popup bunt by 2B Pedro Ciriaco. With the Rays up one, CF Jacoby Ellsbury on second and no outs, Ciriaco's bunt went about 12 feet in the air. Lobaton said he "missed it" at first but grabbed the ball with his bare right hand and trapped it against his chest. "I was like, 'Oh, thank you God,' " he said.

tag team: 2B/RF Ben Zobrist and C Jose Molina teamed up for the defensive play of the day. With the bases loaded and one out in the fifth, Zobrist made a one-hop throw on a potential sacrifice fly, and Molina blocked the plate to get ex-Ray C Kelly Shoppach. "It couldn't have been any better," LHP David Price said.

MISCELLANY: 3B Evan Longoria (partially torn left hamstring) went through an extensive on-field workout before the game, including hitting, fielding and running. The Rays did infield practice pregame. … RHP Fernando Rodney and INF Brooks Conrad will sign autographs along the rightfield line from 12:15 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. today. … Zobrist was the team's winner of the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association's Heart and Hustle Award. … OF Josh Sale, the Rays' 2010 first-round draft pick who hasn't played for Class A Bowling Green since July 5 due to a left ankle sprain, was expected to return today.

By Brandon Wright, Times Correspondent
Saturday, July 14, 2012

TAMPA — With its season hanging in the balance, the Storm clawed, fought and scrapped to keep its playoff hopes afloat Saturday night.

And in the end, it succeeded, thanks to cashing in on a big gamble.

Tampa Bay erased a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit and beat New Orleans 78-77 in overtime, scoring the deciding points on a two-point conversion rather than kicking the extra point and extending the overtime.

"We just stayed positive in that fourth quarter and kept moving the ball," Storm quarterback Stephen Wasil said after the victory in front of an announced crowd of 10,201 at the Tampa Bay Times Forum. "We all believed."

At 8-9 entering the final week of the regular season, the Storm is one of three teams tied for the American Conference's two wild-card berths. The other two teams, Georgia and New Orleans, play each other on July 21, meaning if the Storm wins at Spokane that day, it makes the playoffs. If the Storms loses, it needs a lot of help to make it.

Spokane, 9-8 in the National Conference, will have nothing to play for because it can't make the playoffs.

"It's all-hands-on-deck time," Storm coach Dave Ewart said.

Josh Bush caught a 44-yard touchdown to open the extra period for the VooDoo. Michael Lindsey returned the ensuing kickoff 51 yards to the New Orleans 5-yard line. Terence Crosby ran it in on the next play, and the Storm decided to go for two.

Wasil took a quick drop and fired to Lindsey in the front right corner of the end zone. It was the second time this season the Storm won by scoring on the game's final play. On March 30, Wasil hit Prechae Rodriguez for a 1-yard touchdown to beat Jacksonville 71-69.

"It was the same play we used against Jacksonville," Wasil said. "(Receiver Joe Hills) got a great rub on the defender, and Michael got to the spot."

Tampa Bay trailed 63-46 3:38 into the fourth quarter but recovered consecutive onside kicks, the second coming with 3:55 to play and the Storm trailing by three.

Wasil hit Rodriguez on three of the next four passes, the last one taking Tampa Bay to the New Orleans 3 with a minute to play. Wasil sneaked it in from the 1 three plays later to give the Storm a 67-63 lead, its first since 1:20 into the second half.

New Orleans recovered the ensuing onside kick. And on fourth and goal, L.J. Castile caught Kurt Rocco's pass for an 8-yard touchdown and a 70-67 lead with 22 seconds to play.

Tampa Bay took over at its 10 with 17 seconds to play. It moved the ball to the VooDoo 23 with 1.6 seconds to play. Juan Bongarra, who missed two extra points during the first half, made a 38-yard field goal to send the game into overtime.

"I had 10,000 fans and my entire team who had my back," Bongarra said. "It felt good when it left my foot."