Times wires
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Padres 7, Dodgers 2
LOS ANGELES — Chase Headley homered for the second straight game, and the Padres scored six unearned runs. Cameron Maybin and Everth Cabrera scored the tying and go-ahead runs on third baseman Jerry Hairston's second throwing error of the seventh inning. His first error came on Maybin's grounder.
Times wires
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Giants 3, Astros 2
SAN FRANCISCO — Former Seminole Buster Posey had three hits and two RBIs to back Matt Cain, and the Giants finished off a three-game sweep. Cain wasn't as dominant as he was in his perfect game against the Astros on June 13. He pitched with runners in scoring position most of the game, but he struck out six and ended his three-game winless streak.
By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, July 15, 2012
. UP NEXT
vs. Indians
Tonight-Thursday
What's new: The Indians, despite losing two of three to the Blue Jays, have been unexpected contenders in the American League Central. They have a tidy defense (third-best in the AL), a patient offense (first in walks, third in on-base percentage) and a lockdown combo at the back end of the bullpen (Vinnie Pestano and All-Star Chris Perez). Plus, they've started hitting more homers. Playing seven straight games on turf after coming from Toronto is an issue; the Indians are juggling their lineup a bit, resting DH Travis Hafner and others. All-Star Asdrubal Cabrera is one of the game's most exciting players.
Key stat: The Indians are 17-0 when leading after six innings on the road.
Connections: Indians 1B Casey Kotchman (a Seminole High product) and OF Johnny Damon were Rays in 2011; Perez is from Bradenton. Rays coaches Derek Shelton and George Hendrick are former Indians.
Series history: 2-2 this season; Indians lead 71-44 overall, 29-26 at Tropicana Field.
Marc Topkin, Times staff writer
Times wires
Sunday, July 15, 2012
NFL
Broncos star faces aggravated assault charge
MIAMI BEACH — Broncos DE Elvis Dumervil was charged with aggravated assault with a firearm, a third-degree felony.
Dumervil, 28, and an unidentified man were arrested Saturday in Miami Beach, Detective Vivian Hernandez said. No details were available. The Broncos said they were aware of the arrest and were gathering information.
Dumervil, who has 52½ sacks over his five seasons, is a Miami native. His lawyer, Harvey Steinberg, said he expects Dumervil to be cleared. "No assault or aggravated assault took place," he said.
Brees deal official: Two days after agreeing to it, Saints QB Drew Brees signed a five-year, $100 million contract.
Soccer
Down one man, Rowdies still win
Luke Mulholland's goal in the 89th minute gave the visiting Rowdies, playing a man short most of the game, a 1-0 win over Edmonton. Tampa Bay (8-6-3) has won five of six. And its 27 points are third in the NASL, one fewer than Puerto Rico and two fewer than San Antonio. (It hosts Puerto Rico on Saturday.) Rowdies F Tsuyoshi Yoshitake received a red card for a foul in the 33rd minute, but last-place Edmonton (3-9-4) couldn't take advantage. Mulholland converted a cross from Mike Ambersley for his third goal of the season.
College football
Western Kentucky hires ex-USF QB
Former USF QB Marquel Blackwell joined the staff at Western Kentucky as a graduate assistant. He will work with the running backs for the Hilltoppers, who moved up to I-A in 2009. Blackwell, whose 9,108 passing yards are the most in Bulls history, coached Tampa's Freedom High from 2007-08 and spent the past three seasons as a USF offensive assistant.
Tennis
Serena racks up yet another title
Wimbledon champion Serena Williams beat Coco Vandeweghe 7-5, 6-3 to win the Bank of the West Classic in Stanford, Calif. Vandeweghe, 20, No. 120 in the world, got into the main draw when a player got hurt. She reached her first semifinal, then became the first "lucky loser" to get to a final since 2005. Up 5-3, she had a set point in the first. But Williams, ranked No. 4, rallied for her 43rd title, tying sister Venus for most among active players.
Hall of Fame: John Isner beat Lleyton Hewitt 7-6 (7-1), 6-4 in the final in Newport, R.I. The Tampa resident was broken once in 58 tournament games.
Et cetera
Olympics: Brandon's Chris Colwill was named a captain of the U.S. diving team with Cassidy Krug. Colwill said on Twitter he was honored.
Horses: Kentucky Derby and Preakness runnerup Bodemeister will miss the $1 million Haskell Invitational because of a fever.
Greg Auman, Times staff writer; Times wires
By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Rays vs. Indians
When/where: 7:10 tonight; Tropicana Field
TV/radio: Sun Sports; 620-AM, 680-AM (Spanish)
Tickets: $9-$210, available at Tropicana Field box office, Ticketmaster, raysbaseball.com, team Tampa store; $3 surcharge within 5 hours of game time.
Probable pitchers
Rays: RH Alex Cobb (4-5, 4.89)
Indians: RH Zach McAllister (3-1, 3.40)
On Cobb: He beat the Indians on July 6 in his last start, overcoming a shaky first inning. Of concern: He has allowed a .327 average with runners in scoring position and has given up 27 hits in his last 19⅓ innings.
On McAllister: In his last game before the break, he retired 13 of the first 14 Rays but ended up with a no-decision. He has averaged nearly a strikeout an inning and one or no walks in five of seven starts.
Key matchups
Rays vs. McAllister
Desmond Jennings 1-for-3
Carlos Peña 1-for-3
Indians vs. Cobb
Asdrubal Cabrera 2-for-3
Shin-Soo Choo 2-for-3
On deck
Tuesday: vs. Indians, 7:10, Sun Sports. Rays — Matt Moore (5-6, 4.42); Indians — Josh Tomlin (5-5, 5.45)
Comparison shopping
In a bid to upgrade their offense, the Rays signed 1B Carlos Peña and DH Luke Scott to replace 1B Casey Kotchman and DH/OF Johnny Damon, who both went to Cleveland. How it has worked out so far:
Player Avg., HR RBI OPS Sal.
Peña .199 13 37 .697 $7.25M
Kotchman .238 9 36 .672 $3M
Player Avg. HR RBI OPS Sal.
Scott .200 11 42 .657 $5M
Damon .219 4 17 .629 $1.5M
Neon legacy
Johnny Damon is no longer a Ray, but he is not forgotten, as the neon Captain Morgan/Rays bar sign that hung next to his locker is still a key part of their postgame celebration. "The guys who were here last year all kind of agreed on it," said CF B.J. Upton, who took Damon's locker. "It's something that we did all last year and had fun with it, so why stop?"
Times wires
Sunday, July 15, 2012
LOUDON, N.H. — The best car was rolling toward victory — until its driver and crew chief couldn't agree on how many tires to change.
Kasey Kahne capitalized on that confusion between Denny Hamlin and Darian Grubb to take Sunday's Lenox Industrial Tools 301 for his second Sprint Cup victory of the year.
Kahne also made a leap toward one of the 12 spots in NASCAR's Chase for the Championship.
"For those guys to miscommunicate, that helped us a ton," Kahne said. "I'll take 'em any way we can."
Hamlin's Toyota led 150 of 301 laps at the 1-mile New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
But Kahne, who was second to Brad Keselowski on June 30 at Kentucky, went ahead to stay during a restart on Lap 240 when Hamlin spent extra time in the pits as his crew changed all four tires.
Hamlin wanted just two.
"Darian asked me how much of the tires I felt I'd used up. I felt like I had used up a substantial amount," he said. "(I said) give me tires and no adjustments. He thought I meant four tires. Nothing's a given. Even though it looked like we had one in the bag if we took two tires, you never know."
Kahne, who took two tires on his final stop, doesn't feel he stole a victory.
"I wouldn't say 'stolen.' We ran in the top four the whole race," he said. "We were in pretty good shape, (but) if he was to keep the track position, I never would have passed him."
Hamlin's longer pit stop left him in 13th place, but he kept passing cars until only Kahne remained. Then he simply ran out of miles, and Kahne won by 2.738 seconds.
Clint Bowyer, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Keselowski rounded out the top five.
The victory enhanced Kahne's chances of making the season-ending 10-race Chase, involving the top 10 drivers in points through 26 races plus two wild cards earned by drivers from spots 11-20 with the most victories.
Kahne, in his first season with powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports, went from 16th to 12th in the standings, and his two wins are more than anyone in the second group of 10.
"We've been pretty tough all year, but we just haven't finished 'em off a lot of the times," Kahne said. "From here on out, we need some more top 10s and top fives the rest of the way."
The turning point came when a caution came out on Lap 234 for oil dropped on the track by David Reutimann. Hamlin told Grubb he wanted tires, and Grubb, who planned to change just two, interpreted that to mean four.
After the stop Grubb told him, "My bad, bud."
"You try to be optimistic, but you pretty much know your chance of winning has been pretty much taken away if there are no cautions," Hamlin said. "Darian has won me a couple of races this year, more than he's taken away from me."
Reutimann of Zephyrhills wound up 33rd after his engine issue. Tampa's Aric Almirola finished 28th, three laps down.
Penske backs Allmendinger
Team owner Roger Penske says AJ Allmendinger will drive in the next Sprint Cup race if NASCAR reinstates him.
Allmendinger was suspended just before the race July 7 at Daytona; a urine test (his "A" sample) taken the previous weekend at Kentucky came back positive for what his team identified only as a stimulant. Allmendinger will have a "B" sample tested with his toxicologist present.
"We're standing behind AJ," Penske said. "Hopefully, we'll know something in the next week to 10 days."
Sam Hornish finished 22nd at Loudon in the No. 22 Dodge in Allmendinger's place.
Times wires
Sunday, July 15, 2012
LAKE ORION, Mich. — Roger Chapman earned the right to be mentioned in the same sentence with Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Hale Irwin.
Not bad for a self-described former European Tour journeyman.
The Englishman shot 4-under 66 Sunday to win the U.S. Senior Open by two strokes at 10 under at Indianwood. He won the Senior PGA Championship by the same margin two months ago on the other side of Michigan.
Chapman joins Nicklaus, Player and Irwin as the only players to win both events in the same year.
"It's a true honor," Chapman said.
Before this year, his career highlight was a European Tour win in Brazil in 2000.
Bernhard Langer (72), Fred Funk (67), Tom Lehman (68) and Corey Pavin (68) tied for second at 8-under 272 at the Champions Tour's fourth of five majors. Pavin's two-stroke penalty after his first round for hitting a ball that moved a fraction of an inch proved to be costly.
Langer took a four-shot lead into the final round but closed with a shaky performance. He gave up two shots at No. 2.
"I knew there was a lot of golf left and I was still in the lead," he said. "If I shoot under par from that point on, I'll still be in good shape, but I couldn't make a putt."
The wind picked up considerably — with gusts up to 20 mph — and made it tougher to keep tee shots on the unforgiving and tight fairways and to approach hard, undulating greens.
Chapman, 53, answered the challenge for much of the day with two birdies on the front nine and four through 14 holes.
He bogeyed 16 but got that stroke back on the pivotal 195-yard, par-3 17th when he hit a 5-iron that was close enough for a tap-in birdie.
PGA: Zach Johnson won the John Deere Classic on the second playoff hole, hitting a 6-iron approach out of a bunker from 193 yards to within a foot for a birdie to beat Troy Matteson in Silvis, Ill.
After both double-bogeyed the 18th on the first playoff hole, Matteson's 43-footer to match Johnson was short.
Johnson's shot gave the crowd a chance to roar louder than it had all day. The native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, about an hour from the Quad Cities, always has been a fan favorite at the tournament.
"I liked that crescendo from the crowd," Johnson said. "I saw it bounce on the green and hoped it would kick left. I couldn't see the golf ball."
Johnson birdied three of the last six holes in regulation, taking the lead until Matteson's 60-foot eagle on No. 17. Johnson shot bogey-free 65 to match third-round leader Matteson (69) at 20-under 264.
EUROPEAN: Jeev Milkha Singh beat Francesco Molinari in a playoff to win the Scottish Open in Inverness, securing a berth in this week's British Open. After shooting 67 to tie Molinari (72) at 17-under 271, Singh won with a 15-foot birdie on No. 18. Top-ranked Luke Donald (73) and Phil Mickelson (74) were among those who tied for 16th at 12-under 276.
By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, July 15, 2012
ST. PETERSBURG — As impotent as the Rays offense has been, the opportunity to have a hitter in the lineup with stellar career numbers against Boston ace Josh Beckett certainly looked appealing.
But manager Joe Maddon kept DH Luke Scott, and that .417 average, on the bench and instead started Hideki Matsui, who struck out twice and walked in three appearances against Beckett in Sunday's 7-3 loss.
Maddon cited Matsui's success against Beckett — 5 for his past 15 with three homers, though 9-for-40 (.225) overall — and the need to give the 38-year-old an opportunity. Matsui hadn't started since July 2, when he left with hamstring tightness. "If we're going to ask him to pinch-hit, he's got to play," Maddon said. "Also, watching him recently in batting practice, I've liked it."
Scott, hitting .200, said his "health is fine," so that wasn't an issue. Maddon said he considered using both, with Scott at first in place of Carlos Peña, but he wanted better defense with RHP James Shields starting.
Matsui ended up 0-for-4, flying out to right with the bases loaded to end the game; that dropped his average to .167. With OF Matt Joyce potentially coming off the DL on Wednesday, Matsui's time could be running short. Or thy could keep him and send infielders Brooks Conrad or Will Rhymes to the minors.
AT THE TOP: Rhymes made the most of his first postbreak start, going 2-for-5 from the leadoff spot and starting a double play with a diving stop and a flip of the ball from his glove to SS Elliot Johnson. "You try to do the best you can when you're in there," Rhymes said. "It's a hard job to not hit for a few days and come back."
SEEKING COMFORT: After seven days between June starts, RHP Alex Cobb didn't feel comfortable when he took the mound in Kansas City on June 25, and it showed. He allowed eight runs and 13 hits.
With nine days since his last outing, due to the All-Star break and how the rotation was set, Cobb took action to avoid a repeat today against the Indians, throwing the equivalent of three innings while facing hitters at Thursday's workout.
"I just didn't want to feel uncomfortable again," he said. "The first few innings … it was just, like, foreign to me. … Things were going fast. So hopefully that won't happen this time."
Also of concern: He faces the same team in back-to-back starts for the first time in the majors.
Bad play: Maddon said he knew what Ben Zobrist was trying to do in taking a wide turn toward second after a seventh-inning single but getting thrown out was too costly: "That should not happen.''
MEDICAL MATTERS: Joyce had an RBI double, going 1-for-3 in the first of three scheduled rehab games for Class A Charlotte. He has been out since mid June with oblique and back strains. … OF Sam Fuld (right wrist surgery) moves up to Triple-A Durham tonight.
MISCELLANY: Sunday was the 14th time in 17 games the Rays scored four or fewer runs. … Maddon said he expects former Rays Johnny Damon and Casey Kotchman to receive ovations tonight.
Times wires
Sunday, July 15, 2012
MIAMI — Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen had words, some of them naturally expletives, with Nationals OF Bryce Harper in the fourth inning Sunday because Harper pointed a bat in his direction.
After Harper's first at-bat, Guillen said something to either Nationals third-base coach Bo Porter or plate umpire Marty Foster about the bat having pine tar too high on the handle.
Guillen was not happy with Harper's gesture in his next at-bat. "I've been praising this kid the last three times they've asked me about him; he's a great player," Guillen said. "What he did (Sunday) was unprofessional."
"I don't know if that's an ejection or not but (Ozzie) did it in a way that wouldn't show him up, so I guess Harper showing him up is kind of a slap in the face," Marlins OF Logan Morrison told the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Guillen responded by pointing his own bat at Harper. "I was just telling (Harper) how cute he was," Guillen joked.
Nationals manager Davey Johnson said he told the rookie to change bats but that didn't appease Guillen. "(Guillen) was still chirping about it," Johnson told the Washington Post. "It got on the umpire's nerves. It got on my nerves. He was trying to intimidate my player."
As for Harper, he had nothing negative to say, even after he went 0-for-4 in the Nationals' 4-0 win. "He battles for his team, and that's the type of manager Ozzie is," Harper told the Post. "That's a manager you want to play for."
Earlier this season, a Johnson complaint led to the ejection of Rays reliever Joel Peralta after umpires found pine tar on the pitcher's glove, sparking a spat with manager Joe Maddon.
Valentine-Youkilis rift: White Sox 3B Kevin Youkilis refused to comment on the latest criticism from Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine that the former Boston infielder was responsible for the rift between them.
"I got nothing about any of that stuff," Youkilis said before the game against the Royals. "I'm over all the Boston thing of this year. There is a lot of great past history, but the focus is on the White Sox."
The Red Sox traded Youkilis on June 24 to the White Sox, who open a three-game set today in Boston.
"I think the comment I made early, he made a big issue out of, and I don't think he ever wanted to get over it," Valentine said Sunday. On April 15, the manager had said, "I don't think he's as physically or emotionally into the game as he has been in the past for some reason."
In other Red Sox news, Valentine couldn't confirm that LF Carl Crawford (left wrist) will rejoin the team today.
Halladay goes Tuesday: Phillies RHP Roy Halladay is scheduled to be activated from the disabled list on Tuesday and start that night against the Dodgers. The ace, out with a strained right back muscle since May 28, passed the final test in his six-week rehab when he threw a bullpen session Saturday.
Blue Jays: RHP Sergio Santos will be shut down for the season and have shoulder surgery.
Giants: OF Melky Cabrera, the majors' hits leader, left the team for Florida and the birth of his child. He's expected to rejoin the club Tuesday.
Orioles: RHP Jason Hammel will have arthroscopic surgery on his bothersome right knee today and is expected to be out for at least a month.
Reds: The team is not sure whether RHP Johnny Cueto will start as planned Tuesday because of a blister on the index finger of his pitching hand that developed in a bullpen session.
Yankees: GM Brian Cashman said the market asking prices are too high so the team likely will be a minor player before the July 31 nonwaiver trade deadline.
By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, July 15, 2012
tom jones' two cents
A look back at the best and worst from a weekend of televised sports.
Favorite line
Eric LeGrand, the paralyzed former Rutgers football player recently signed by the Bucs, was the star of last week's ESPY Awards on ESPN. He gave an inspired speech upon receiving the Jimmy V Award. He certainly made an impact on ESPN's John Saunders, who closed Sunday's Sports Reporters by saying: "LeGrand told me that one day he'd like to join us here at ESPN to talk about the game he still loves. Now I hope to work with him when he's hired. And, yes, I did say 'when' because I believe this young man can still do whatever he sets his mind to.''
tom jones' two cents
Something to consider
In the wake of the horrible things that happened — and apparently were allowed to happen — at Penn State, there's a growing sentiment that the football program should come under the so-called "death penalty." Some believe the NCAA should shut it down and, if it doesn't, the school itself should close the doors on football.
Any time one writes or talks about former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky sexually abusing boys and the school's cover-up, you feel it necessary to acknowledge that, truly, we hope the victims can live as normally and peacefully as possible. Nothing is more important than that. And suggesting Penn State not come under the death penalty does not mean one does not care about the victims.
However, here's one fact that, perhaps, some who want the death penalty have not considered. Football at Penn State, like most Division I-A schools, provides the bulk of the revenue for the entire athletic department. To shut down the football program might cripple all sports at Penn State.
Athletes in every sport — baseball, track, wrestling, women's softball, volleyball and so forth — could be forced to transfer from a school where they are established, especially in their degree path.
Those who work in the athletic department, including secretaries, administrators and other support staff, might lose their jobs, in some cases, only years or months away from retirement and pensions. These are good, hard-working people no different than you and me, people just trying to make a living.
Think about Beaver Stadium, where the football team plays. Think of all the office staff, maintenance workers and groundskeepers who would no longer be needed. Think of those whose supplement their meager incomes by working as ushers, concession workers, ticket takers, security or parking lot attendants on game day.
Let's go further. Think of all the businesses — from mom-and-pop motels to locally owned diners to office and equipment suppliers to even churches and such that rent out parking lots on game day — that rely on Penn State football for a major chunk of their annual income.
None of these people or businesses had anything to do with what happened at Penn State. Yet they would be punished. Maybe you're okay with that. Maybe you don't care. And if that's how you feel, that's certainly your right.
But it is something to think about before we just demand the football program be given the death penalty.
Three things that popped into my head
1. If baseball fences were moved to where the warning track begins, the Rays' Hideki Matsui might have 10 more home runs right now. That's not a compliment.
2. Hard to believe that we are less than a week away from the opening of an NFL camp.
3. Uh-oh. After reading about the NHL's opening offer to the players for a new labor deal, I got a sick feeling in my stomach.
He wrote it
New York Daily News media critic Bob Raissman, top, is a fan of former Bucs quarterback Shaun King, last heard in these parts as the co-host of his show on 1010-AM. Check out what he wrote: "There's a good reason to watch NBC Sports Talk, and it ain't the annoying Erik Kuselias. It's Shaun King, the former NFL QB. He brings fresh insight and plenty of fun. King's got major TV upside despite having put on a few pounds since his playing days.''
Best event
Whenever I watch NBC's taped coverage of the Ironman World Championships from Hawaii, I think two things:
1. I need to get in waaaay better shape.
2. This is among the most enjoyable broadcasts in sports.
Sunday, NBC re-aired last year's race, for which it won a Sports Emmy for outstanding camera work.
NBC's production team spent nearly 24 hours on the course, and that was followed by weeks of extreme editing to whittle a long day of swimming, biking and running into a tight hour-and-a-half. Aside from airing the dramatic details of the race itself, NBC also took the time to tell interesting stories about the competitors such as a woman undergoing chemotherapy for colon cancer and a man who works in a home for troubled children.
Don't miss these broadcasts.
Best shot
The Sun Sports production team had an outstanding day Sunday on the Rays-Red Sox game. The entire broadcast was full of sharp replays, informative graphics and excellent camera work.
It's hard to pick just one thing, but the highlight was a replay of Carlos Peña, left, smacking himself in the helmet with both hands when he saw Ben Zobrist had rounded a little too far past first base and was thrown out in the seventh inning with the Rays trailing 7-3. What a great shot.
Speaking of which, Rays Live analyst Orestes Destrade was a little too apologetic in the postgame for Zobrist pulling a rock. Zobrist plays hard and is a great guy, so it's never easy to criticize him. But that was, flat-out, a bad play.
On the flip side, Destrade made a strong point when asked if the Rays should concentrate on winning the division or going after a wild card. Instead, Destrade said, the Rays should concentrate on winning every series, then see where that takes them.
Best broadcaster
Know who performed the best of anyone I saw on television over the weekend? Sun Sports' Todd Kalas of the Rays broadcasts.
Let's start with Friday night, when he informed viewers the replay system inside Tropicana Field was unavailable and the rules that applied without replay. Good information.
Then let's move to Sunday, when Kalas, left, had an interesting breakdown on the differences between Rays pitcher James Shields in 2012 and 2011. The piece included a smart graphic by the production team, an interview with Shields and solid analysis by Kalas. That was followed by more excellent perspective by Rays broadcasters Dewayne Staats and Brian Anderson.
Later, Kalas added an interesting tidbit about Red Sox starting pitcher Josh Beckett. Beckett, according to a statistic told by Kalas, was among the majors' slowest-working over the past five years, taking an average of 25.5 seconds between pitches. No wonder Sunday's game took more than four hours to play.
There are times when Kalas has to chop wood, so to speak. That is he does what needs to be done: talk about charity events, hold up bobbleheads, wear goofy hats, interview fans and so on. In those moments, you can't help but feel a little sorry for him because you know he's being wasted. When you see him handing out real information, you see how good he is and how much he adds to the broadcast.
Best event
Whenever I watch NBC's taped coverage of the Ironman World Championships from Hawaii, I think two things:
1. I need to get in waaaay better shape.
2. This is among the most enjoyable broadcasts in sports.
Sunday, NBC re-aired last year's race, for which it won a Sports Emmy for outstanding camera work.
NBC's production team spent nearly 24 hours on the course, and that was followed by weeks of extreme editing to whittle a long day of swimming, biking and running into a tight hour-and-a-half. Aside from airing the dramatic details of the race itself, NBC also took the time to tell interesting stories about the competitors such as a woman undergoing chemotherapy for colon cancer and a man who works in a home for troubled children.
Don't miss these broadcasts.
Times wires
Sunday, July 15, 2012
The reign of Linsanity looks to be a short one in New York.
In a tumultuous weekend for the Knicks, the team won't match the Rockets' offer to point guard Jeremy Lin, ESPN reported.
That came on the heels of:
• All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony calling Lin's three-year, $25 million offer sheet a "ridiculous contract."
• Newly signed point guard Jason Kidd getting arrested on a drunken-driving charge in the Hamptons.
• A deal for another point guard, Raymond Felton, who would join the club after a sign-and-trade deal with the Blazers for forward Jared Jeffries.
The key to the offer sheet for Lin is the third-year balloon payment of $14.98 million. Under the new luxury-tax system, which punishes teams that wildly exceed a determined salary threshold, matching the sheet could cost the Knicks an additional $35 million to $45 million in tax payments.
Lin's salary in the third year would be the club's third largest that season, behind only Anthony and Amare Stoudemire. Even for high-priced NBA players, the offer appeared staggering. "It's up to the organization to say they want to match that ridiculous contract," Anthony said. But he added, "I would love to see (Lin) back, but I think he has to do what's best for him right now."
New York has until 11:59 p.m. Tuesday to match the offer for Lin.
Kidd was arrested after crashing his SUV into a telephone pole in Watermill, N.Y., on Long Island early Sunday. Treated at a hospital for minor injuries, Kidd, 39, was arraigned on misdemeanor DWI and released without bail, Southampton Town police said.
Magic coaching job: Pacers associate head coach Brian Shaw and Warriors assistant Michael Malone are no longer candidates for the job, the Orlando Sentinel reported.
Cavs: Guard Kyrie Irving, who broke his right hand Saturday during a practice, will have it examined by doctors today. He's expected to miss 6-8 weeks.
Grizzlies: St. Petersburg native and former Gator Marreese Speights re-signed for two years and $9 million, the Commercial Appeal reported.
Suns: The team won the bidding for forward Luis Scola and used the amnesty clause to cut Josh Childress.
T'WOLVES: Restricted free agent forward Nicolas Batum signed a four-year, $46 million offer sheet. The Blazers have three days to match.
Times wires
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Reds 4, Cardinals 2
CINCINNATI — Scott Rolen hit a tiebreaking two-run single with two outs in the eighth as the Reds finished off a three-game sweep and moved ahead of Pittsburgh for the NL Central lead. The Reds' sixth straight win put them 12 games over .500 and also knocked the Cardinals 4½ games back. Rolen's single to rightfield off Mitchell Boggs lifted Homer Bailey to the victory after scheduled starter Johnny Cueto was bumped by a blister.
By Gary Shelton, Times Sports Columnist
Saturday, July 21, 2012
You do not know her yet. Soon, you will love her.
Right now, he is just another athlete in just another sport, a stranger who competes in familiar colors.
Soon, you will cheer his name.
The Olympics are like that. For three years, athletes you don't know compete in sports you don't care about somewhere on fields you never notice. Then the Olympics roll around, and the flags wave and the anthems sound and the lights turn on, and for 17 delicious days of discovery, you learn everything about them.
No, we are not talking about the celebrity Olympians. By now you are fully aware of Michael Phelps, who wants to win more gold medals and sell you more sandwiches. You know how you feel about LeBron James and Serena Williams and Roger Federer and Usain Bolt and Hope Solo and Kobe Bryant and the rest. Anymore, much of the Olympics is like an episode of The Love Boat: a lot of people come on board with their fame established.
Ah, but then there are the rest, the athletes who have been sweating for four years to try to make a lasting memory, the athletes who view the Olympics as the ultimate stage for their sport.
Even with the faceless ones, some athletes are more likely than others to wind up with their face on a Wheaties box. A shooter isn't likely to become the face of the Games. Nor is an archer or a judoka or an equestrian. Usually the breakout stars are runners, gymnasts or swimmers.
So who are you going to love? Let us fix you up.
Gabby Douglas, gymnastics
Let's face it. America loves gymnasts, whether they are Mary Lou Retton or Kerri Strug or Nadia Comaneci. This time everyone is going to love the beaming smile and oversized personality of the 4-foot-11 Douglas.
Have you seen her yet? It doesn't matter how you feel about gymnastics. Douglas will make you watch. She is all energy, twisting and bouncing like a sparkler stuck inside of a carbonated drink. The only thing between her and fame may be teammate Jordyn Wieber, who has some sparkle of her own.
Oscar Pistorius, track
Some athletes are so remarkable that their nationality no longer matters. Pistorius, the "Blade Runner," the Fastest Man on No Legs, is one of them.
Pistorius is the double-amputee runner from South Africa who runs on prosthetic blades. After years of fighting organizations that wanted to restrict Pistorius to the Paralympics, he has made it to the Olympics this time, in the 400 meters and 1,600 relay. It is an amazing sight to watch him run, and it figures to be as inspiring as any story in the Games.
Missy Franklin, swimming
Who doesn't like athletes who win a lot of medals? Who doesn't like athletes who have cool nicknames? From here, it seems like "Missy the Missile" is going to get to stardom before she gets to her senior year in high school.
She is 17, but already Franklin is poised out of the pool and explosive in it. Also, she is ambitious. She is down to swim seven events, the most any U.S. woman has attempted. In other words, those size 13 feet of hers — her flippers — are going to churn a lot of water.
Lolo Jones, track
Think of Tim Tebow in spikes. Jones is open enough to talk about faith and doubt and, yes, her much-advertised virginity. If the hurdler clears enough of the hurdles in front of her, she could become viewed as one of those throwback athletes from a purer time.
First, though, she has to win. And if she doesn't, the face of U.S. track might be taken over by Allyson Felix. After all, it's hard to beat a nickname like "Chicken Legs.''
Ashton Eaton, decathlon
When an athlete competes in 10 events, eventually you have to notice him. That's the case with decathletes, and that's the reason no one puts up much of an argument when the event's champion comes with the designation of World's Greatest Athlete.
After all, this was Dan O'Brien's event, and Daley Thompson's and Bruce Jenner's and Bob Mathias' and Jim Thorpe's. After Eaton set the event's world points record at the U.S. Olympic trials, it now seems to be Eaton's.
And here's a photo op: Can you imagine the image of Eaton in victory rushing to embrace his half-brother, Verice Bennett, a Marine who won a Silver Star in Afghanistan? Yeah, that would make the front page.
• There are others who will vie for your affection. Alex Morgan, the soccer player. Brittany Viola, the diver. Mary Killman, the synchronized swimmer. Because Americans love an upset, Tyson Gay could do himself a lot of good if he upset Usain Bolt in the 100.
Soon, it will be someone. Maybe a lot of someones. Odds are, you don't know them yet. Odds are, you will love them soon.
By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, July 21, 2012
For every action in the NFL, there is usually a corresponding reaction. • Coming off a disappointing season for a team that appeared to lack structure and accountability, the Bucs hired no-nonsense Rutgers coach Greg Schiano, an organized disciplinarian with a square jaw, buzz cut and barrel chest right out of central casting. • The little problems that metastasized into big ones last season have been addressed. • But the transformation is far from complete, and for a handful of players who will be asked to play huge roles again this season, big changes in a short period of time will be in order.
1. RB LeGARRETTE BLOUNT
THEN: His lack of commitment was startling to coaches from the day he was claimed off waivers from the Titans an undrafted rookie in 2010. For the first two weeks after being acquired by Tampa Bay, Blount, who was suspended at Oregon for punching a Boise State player, never made it to work on time and compiled fines of more than $15,000. Exasperated, then-coach Raheem Morris and general manager Mark Dominik ordered him to hire a car service with a driver to wake him up in the morning and transport him less than 3 miles from his apartment to One Buc Place. After a few weeks, they canceled the car service for one day. And Blount was late. He continued to need a driver to get to work in 2011. But his poor preparation habits also spread to the meeting room, where coaches said he would sometimes fall asleep. On the field, Blount struggled to hold onto the football. He has fumbled nine times in two years, losing six, and rarely played on passing downs. A knee injury at San Francisco prevented Blount from playing in two games last season, and he finished with 781 yards (4.2 per rush average) and five touchdowns.
NOW: Blount will have to compete to keep his starting job. The Bucs traded for an extra first-round pick in this year's draft to take Boise State running back Doug Martin, whom Schiano says reminds him of Ravens and former Rutgers running back Ray Rice. Martin is a more complete back who can play on all three downs as a good route runner and pass protector. Blount, 25, dropped some weight in the offseason and has worked hard to improve his blocking and route running. He also has learned to carry the football high and tight to his body. "It's become a habit," he said. "I don't even notice that I do it most of the time now. Holding the ball down (low) is kind of uncomfortable now. … If that's all you do every time you are at practice with a ball in your hand, you can't help but make it a habit."
WR MIKE WILLIAMS
THEN: Williams, left, led all rookies in receiving with 964 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2010. But he suffered through a sophomore slump and was among the league leaders in dropped passes last year.
The 6-foot-1, 212-pound receiver, who relies on his strength more than speed to get separation, packed on some weight during the NFL lockout last summer. There's some debate as to how much he gained, but coaches insist regardless of where he tipped the scales in August, he lost 15 pounds during the season, and his lack of production would indicate he wore down.
In the final month of the season, he had trouble getting off the line of scrimmage in bump-and-run coverage and averaged two catches for 26.25 yards per game. He finished the season with 65 catches for 771 yards and only three touchdowns.
"Nobody is making excuses for him," GM Mark Dominik said. "He's got to catch the ball more consistently. But I didn't feel a guy who was shutting it down and didn't want to play. He was still competitive, and I like that about Mike."
NOW: The Bucs were aggressive in landing arguably the top free agent wide receiver available, former Charger Vincent Jackson. The 6-5, 230-pound Jackson, above, signed a five-year, $55.55 million deal and gives quarterback Josh Freeman a proven No. 1 wideout.
That means Williams, 25, will be the second option, which could mean more single coverage and better production. Williams worked hard in the offseason and should begin training camp in much better shape. He is also learning more positions so he can be moved around and should be more difficult to bottle up.
LT DONALD PENN
THEN: In many ways, the most important job for the Bucs is protecting their franchise quarterback. And in that regard, Penn is imperative.
He was named to the Pro Bowl in 2010, the year he signed a six-year, $43 million contract. When he's in shape, he can be great. But he has struggled with his conditioning, which is why GM Mark Dominik tied $1 million over the length of the contract to a weight clause.
At least three times during the season and once in the offseason, Penn has to submit to weigh-ins tied to a $200,000 per year bonus. Once the games start, he has to be no more than 330 pounds to receive his money.
Coaches say he ballooned to 360 pounds at times last season, his sixth in the league. Mindful of an upcoming weigh-in, he would wear a rubber shirt under his jersey during practice. Some claimed the routine made him irritable and dehydrated and likely affected his performance on Sunday.
It's unclear if or how many times he failed to reach his weight limit. By agreement, he doesn't have to step on a scale the final month of the season. Not coincidentally, that's when he played his worst football in 2011.
Against Jacksonville Dec. 11, he allowed a first-half sack to Jaguars defensive end Jeremy Mincey that resulted in a Josh Freeman fumble, which was recovered for a touchdown in a 41-14 loss. Freeman was harassed all day, sacked three times, and threw two interceptions as the Bucs turned the ball over seven times.
NOW: Coach Greg Schiano has challenged Penn and other veterans on the offensive line to be better leaders. Penn, 29, will benefit from left guard Jeremy Zuttah moving to center, and should love playing alongside Saints free agent guard Carl Nicks.
The team also hired former Wisconsin offensive line coach Bob Bostad to direct the most veteran unit on the team.
"We've got to keep No. 5 (Freeman) upright," Schiano said. "He got hit way too many times last year."
CB AQIB TALIB
THEN: A year ago, he began the season in the office of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
Suspended for the first game in 2009 for punching a St. Petersburg cab driver, Talib was indicted on charges of assault with a deadly weapon stemming from a incident in Garland, Texas, on March 11, 2011. Goodell let him remain eligible for the season, saying he would monitor the case.
On the field Talib, right, struggled. He was flagged for a critical unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in a loss to the Bears. On his way to the locker room after the game, he berated the official who flagged him with a profanity-laced tirade.
It was not dissimilar from the time he exploded on NFL side judge Boris Cheek following a loss at Baltimore in 2010. The league became involved in the matter with Cheek. But officials decided not to report Talib's abuse of an official following the game in England.
A hamstring injury slowed him during the second half of the season, and he was placed on injured reserve with two games remaining. He finished his fourth NFL season with only two interceptions.
NOW: The Bucs were so uncertain of Talib's status heading into a trial scheduled for this offseason, they signed Lions free agent cornerback Eric Wright, left, to a five-year, $37 million contract. But last month, the case against Talib was dismissed. Coach Greg Schiano has said Talib, 26, has a clean slate. He was a fixture at One Buc Place in the offseason. The hamstring injury appears to be behind him. With Ronde Barber moving to safety, Talib will pair with Wright at cornerback and should help improve a secondary that allowed 30 touchdown passes last season.
"It got a little loose last year where people got a little too loose around the building," Talib said in a radio interview recently. "So Schiano definitely came in and brought that order back to the building."
QB JOSH FREEMAN
THEN: Freeman struggled last season, throwing 22 interceptions and only 16 touchdowns. The third-year quarterback missed one game with a sore throwing shoulder but played through several other injuries, at least one of which the team attempted to conceal.
He was injured on his final play in London, striking the thumb of his right (throwing) hand on the helmet of Bears defensive end Julius Peppers. Because the Bucs had a bye week, Freeman did not have to practice and the team wasn't required to file an injury report with the NFL.
A week later, still recovering from the sprained thumb, he spent part of a day off at a local gun range. But the weapon he was firing recoiled and gave him what shooters call a slide bite, a deep laceration on his right thumb.
There was debate about how many stitches he received, with reports ranging from a few to double digits. The day after the accident, GM Mark Dominik summoned Freeman to his office and told him the organization was not going to talk about the gunplay.
He was limited in practice when the team returned to work that week in preparation for a game at New Orleans, but the thumb issue did not appear on the injury report.
When Saints team officials saw Freeman being interviewed on NFL Network later that night with a heavy wrap on his right thumb, they asked the league to make sure the Bucs included him on the next injury report. The team complied, listing only a sprained thumb. Freeman followed Dominik's gag order. He played well against the Saints, going 27-of-37 passing for 281 yards and a touchdown and no interceptions. But the Bucs lost 27-16 and Freeman missed two wide open receivers for likely touchdowns.
In the four weeks after the thumb injuries, he passed for five touchdowns and six interceptions while losing four straight games. Three weeks after the gun range accident, word leaked out about the cut thumb. He apologized for his poor judgment.
NOW: Freeman, 24, dropped 20 pounds in the offseason, down to 235. Coaches talk about his rededication. He has spent a lot of time with new offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan and quarterbacks coach Ron Turner trying to improve his fundamentals and footwork.
In fact, most of the offseason was designed to get him back on track and surround him with more talent: the free agent signings of receiver Vincent Jackson and guard Carl Nicks, drafting running backs Doug Martin and Michael Smith.
Coach Greg Schiano believes Freeman put too much pressure on himself.
"I think (he's) a guy that's putting the brunt of the blame on his own shoulders," Schiano said. "There were a lot of breakdowns, things that he had no control over. At the end of the day, we're going to start from scratch.
"We have a new system, new coaches, new people, and we're just going to try to build from ground zero, build it up and see where we can go with it."
By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, July 21, 2012
The past several months have brought widespread change to the Buccaneers. The coaching staff is new. So, too, is roughly a third of the team's projected starters. • But not everything is settled, even after months of offseason preparation and practice. Here, then, are five questions to be answered after training camp begins this week.
Do players have command of the new schemes?
One of the things complicating this offseason is the need for players to learn new offensive and defensive schemes being installed by the coaching staff.
For players such as quarterback Josh Freeman and middle linebacker Mason Foster — responsible for corralling their respective units — there must be mastery of the schemes. Coach Greg Schiano and his staff began this effort in April, but it's an arduous process that will continue into training camp.
And remember, though the Bucs added a number of veterans in the offseason, they are, for the most part, still a young team. Young players might not learn at the same pace as savvy vets, another reason this issue bears watching.
How does tight end Dallas Clark hold up?
The Bucs believe trading tight end Kellen Winslow to Seattle was in the organization's best interest. Given Winslow's apparent unwillingness to adhere to Schiano's tight structure, it's hard to second-guess the move.
That is, unless Winslow's replacement doesn't live up to expectations.
Veteran Dallas Clark, on paper, is a capable successor. But he hasn't done anything to dismiss concerns about his health. Clark, 33 and entering his 10th season, has 46 career touchdown receptions but has been frequently sidelined during the past two seasons. He missed five of his final seven games in 2011 and his last 10 in 2010.
In that span, Clark was slowed by a variety of issues, including a broken leg, a neck injury and a wrist injury.
Does that make him injury-prone or simply unlucky? Training camp, which figures to be rather physical under the tough-nosed Schiano, could provide the answer.
Who will be the starting running back?
LeGarrette Blount, below, has rushed for nearly 1,800 yards in his first two seasons, a resume many backs would gladly take.
But the Bucs didn't draft Doug Martin in the first round to play on special teams, either.
Schiano's stated desire to use an "every-down" back suggests Martin has the inside track — there are serious questions about Blount's ability to play on passing downs — but the coach has also said training camp and the preseason will ultimately decide who gets the majority of the carries.
"We have to see who performs," Schiano said in May. "You earn your touches. So, depending on how you practice and how you play in the preseason, that will determine how many touches you get by percentage."
Which receivers will make the roster?
One thing is certain about the wide receivers: Newcomer Vincent Jackson, left — with his $13 million 2012 salary — will be the No. 1 target. But beyond that, things are unpredictable.
Look for Mike Williams to remain relevant, likely as the No. 2 receiver. But there still are a number of other young receivers looking to make their mark. They're going to have to distinguish themselves to pull away from the pack.
Among the remaining receivers are Preston Parker, Arrelious Benn, Dezmon Briscoe, Sammie Stroughter, Tiquan Underwood and Ed Gant. It's going to be one of the most intriguing position battles of the preseason because players are not merely fighting for positions on the depth chart but also to make the roster.
How does veteran Ronde Barber look?
Ronde Barber is arguably a Hall-of-Fame worthy cornerback. But the Bucs are asking him to do something he has never attempted: play free safety.
Barber, 37, has incredible instincts and is one of the team's surest tacklers, but he is a year older and will play a position that is, perhaps, more physical than cornerback.
Given his diminutive size (5 feet 10, 184 pounds), it's fair to wonder how Barber will hold up physically. He has managed to play smartly all these years, avoiding major injuries. But does that become more difficult playing in the middle of the field where there's a high potential for full-speed collisions?
Another question: Can Barber continue to strike a balance between making smart decisions and making calculated gambles when he's literally the last line of defense?
. FAST FACTS
Buccaneers training camp
When: Rookies reported; full squad reports Thursday
Where: One Buc Place, Tampa
Public workouts
For information on attending, see Buccaneers.com:
Friday: 8:45 to 11:30 a.m.
Saturday: 8:45 to 11:30 a.m.
July 29: 8:45 to 11:30 a.m.
Aug. 1: 8:45 to 11:30 a.m.
Aug. 3: 8:45 to 11:30 a.m.
Aug. 4: 6:30 to 9 p.m. *
Aug. 6: 8:45 to 11:30 a.m.
Aug. 7: 8:45 to 11:30 a.m.
Aug. 12: 8:45 to 11:30 a.m.
* Intrasquad scrimmage at Raymond James Stadium; free parking, autograph sessions, $1 hot dogs and soft drinks, and fireworks
Preseason schedule
Aug. 10: at Dolphins, 7:30, Ch. 10
Aug. 17: Titans, 7:30, Ch. 10 *
Aug. 24: Patriots, 7:30, Ch. 10 *
Aug. 29: at Redskins, 7:30, Ch. 10
* Subject to blackout
By Sharon Fink, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, July 21, 2012
best venue
It's the "one of these things is not like the other" coupling of the Games: beach volleyball and London. The organizers could have done what they did with the sailing competition and sent it to a seaside or ocean venue. But they kept one of the Games' most popular events in the city and gave it an ingenious setup: in sight of Buckingham Palace. Imagine Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip parking themselves in comfy chairs on a top-floor balcony with their binoculars trained on defending gold medalists Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings spiking it out with equally scantily clad Brazilians (though this year for the first time, women are allowed to wear shorts, shirts with sleeves, and cold-weather and rain gear). Beach volleyball is at a temporary 15,000-seat stadium at Horse Guards Parade, the site of the changing of the queen's guards every hour. About 5,000 tons of sand are being brought in from a quarry in Surrey, in southern England.
If you get bored with Michael phelps …
Swimming has other good stories. When London expectations for Phelps were low — few events, no Beijing-eight-gold-medals magic — former Gator Ryan Lochte — three gold medals, 12 world championships, media/advertising golden boy — was expected to be one of the stars of the Games. Then Lochte went 1-3 against Phelps in finals at the U.S. trials, and Phelps emerged with a schedule of seven Olympic events. Still, Lochte is in at least five events and could end up in seven, and he says his plan is to peak at the Games. American Missy Franklin, 17, also is competing in seven events and carries Phelpsian expectations. With a medal in the one relay for which she qualified, Natalie Coughlin can tie swimmers Jenny Thompson and Dara Torres as the most decorated U.S. female Olympian of all time with 12 medals. The always strong Australians have three-time 2008 gold medalist Stephanie Rice, who has been in the news recently as much for her Twittercapades (including posting photos of herself in — brace yourself — a swimsuit). And the host country hopes to get its supporters riled up by 2008 two-time freestyle gold medalist Rebecca Adlington.
The next curling
One of the great things about the Olympics is Americans becoming fascinated, at least for two weeks, by sports they otherwise don't care about or don't take seriously outside of family picnic games of badminton. At the 2010 Winter Olympics, that sport was curling, thanks to extensive coverage by NBC. This year NBC's offering of every second of competition in every sport between TV and the Internet makes the pool of candidates the biggest yet. It's still hard to see modern pentathlon becoming an obsession, but there is great potential in pingpong and, yes, badminton.
Best movie tie-ins
Archery spent a long time on the list of sports least likely to take the country by storm. Then The Hunger Games came out in March and archery people said they saw interest increase in the sport at the heart of the movie's (and book's) plot. Then Brave came out last month and aspiring archer hero Merida boosted interest to the level of, if not a storm, a light rain.
The U.S. archery team has an affection for The Hunger Games. Olympian Khatuna Lorig, going to her fifth Games, coached Jennifer Lawrence, the actor who plays the lead character, Katniss Everdeen. "Usually we laugh when we see archery in the movies," U.S. assistant coach Guy Krueger tells San Diego's U-T newspaper. "Did you see Kevin Costner in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves? … (Lawrence) was one of the better performances I've seen in a movie with archery. I wasn't laughing. Khatuna did a good job."
Opening ceremony
Ignore Paul McCartney performing, the Daniel Craig-as-James Bond participation rumors and the stories of daily rising tension between the official Olympic broadcast company and the man hired to direct the spectacle, Oscar-winner Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire). The most interesting thing about Friday's ceremony is Boyle saying one of his influences was a stage production of Frankenstein he did in London last year. "I mean, we don't reanimate dead creatures," he tells Vogue magazine, "but we did use Frankenstein as a dry run for a lot of ideas for this."
Hometown heroes
Six athletes from the Tampa Bay area are members of the U.S. team:
Diving
Chris Colwill, Brandon (3 meter, 2008 Olympian)
Sailing
Zach Railey, Clearwater (Finn, 2008 silver medalist)
Paige Railey, Clearwater (Laser Radial)
Mark Mendelblatt, St. Petersburg native living in Miami (Star)
Shooting
Emil Milev, Temple Terrace (25-meter rapid fire pistol, five-time Olympian, 1996 silver medalist)
Wrestling
Jared Frayer, Clearwater (66 kilograms/145.5 pounds)
By Brent Gaskill, Times Correspondent
Saturday, July 21, 2012
What's hot: Cobia have made appearances at many nearshore wrecks and artificial reefs recently. They respond well to chum and will come right to the boat out of curiosity. Having a rod rigged and ready is necessary, as they can leave as quickly as they show up. A frisky, live pinfish allowed to frantically dive for the bottom will rarely go unnoticed.
Technique: A popular method for hunting cobia is to go from buoy to buoy down the length of the shipping channel searching for fish circling the markers. This technique can be effective, but anglers run the risk of not catching any fish. I prefer to anchor up-tide of a submerged structure, such as wrecks or high-relief reefs, and set up a chum line. Begin with a frozen chum block and supplement the slick with chunks of cut bait and an occasional handful of live minnows. Set out hooked baits, allowing fish to find them naturally, but always have one rod ready to place a bait in front of a cobia when spotted.
Tips: Many other species also are attracted by the chum, providing excellent action while waiting for cobia to show. Spanish mackerel, kingfish, barracuda, bonito and sharks all will take baits presented on the surface. Dropping baits to the bottom will produce grouper, snapper, flounder, white grunts and more.
Brent Gaskill runs Summer Vacation Charters out of the St. Petersburg area and can be reached at captbrent@summervacationcharters.com and (727)510-1009.
New York Times
Saturday, July 21, 2012
CHARTRES, France — Bradley Wiggins did not need to wait until the conclusion of this time trial to celebrate victory. By the first time check, it was clear he would win the stage — and his first Tour de France title.
But Wiggins, the Team Sky captain, made sure he crossed the finish line in Chartres, with the iconic cathedral looming behind, before punching the air in celebration.
The Tour ends today in Paris, but Saturday's 33-mile individual race against the clock was effectively the last chance for rivals to recoup time on Wiggins, who almost certainly will become the first Briton to win this race.
Instead, riders such as Vincenzo Nibali, an Italian on Liquigas-Cannondale, were distanced further by a powerful ride that Wiggins, 32, had mentally mapped out months in advance.
"I rode this course after Paris-Nice in March and envisioned then that I would be riding for the yellow jersey," he said. "It couldn't have been more true than what I imagined back then; here we are in July, job almost done."
When the riders reach the cobbled Champs-Elysees, Wiggins' teammate Christopher Froome will be in second, 3 minutes, 21 seconds back; Nibali will be third, 6:19 off the pace.
Nibali need not watch his back, though. Fourth-place Jurgen Van Den Broeck, a Belgian on Lotto-Belisol, trails him by nearly four minutes.
In recent years, the Tour often has been decided by a tense final time trial. In 2010, Spain's Alberto Contador held off Andy Schleck of Luxembourg in an individual test that finished in Bordeaux, though he eventually yielded the title to Schleck after a positive doping test. Last year, Schleck lost the yellow jersey in Grenoble to Australian Cadel Evans.
Both were the only lengthy time trials of their Tours, however; those races were considered more of a climbers' test.
This year's course featured three time trials totaling more than 62 miles, which seemed tailor-made for Wiggins.
If Saturday's stage seemed devoid of suspense, it was due to Wiggins' performance in the first time trial of distance, a 25.8-mile test on July 9.
On a hilly course that finished in Besancon, near the Switzerland border, Wiggins opened up considerable time. His closest rival at the time, Evans of BMC Racing, lost nearly two minutes.
"I started as a kid in time trialing and racing at the track," Wiggins said. "So to win the Tour like this at a discipline that I'm so good at is beautiful."
By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, July 21, 2012
The Rays were only 3½ games back in the AL wild-card race on Aug. 28, 2009, when they unexpectedly traded away one of their top young pitchers, Scott Kazmir, in what seemed like a signal of surrender.
"It was hard to understand at the time," left-hander J.P. Howell said.
"Kinda weird," centerfielder B.J. Upton said.
The Rays faded fast, finishing 11 games out of the playoffs, and certainly lacked more than just Kazmir's contributions, though there was no way to measure psychological fallout from the trade.
The deal turned out to be a prime illustration of how the Rays have to do business, simultaneously addressing the present and the future.
In that case, the Rays felt the opportunity to save (then redirect) the nearly $24 million owed Kazmir was greater than his potential impact on their chances to win. Of lesser value were the prospects they got back: Infielder Sean Rodriguez might be the only keeper, as left-hander Alex Torres is still struggling and infielder Matt Sweeney long gone. (Kazmir's career blowup made it look better, too.)
Given how this season has gone, and how it looks now with third baseman Evan Longoria's status unclear, it's fair to wonder if the Rays would make a similar type of deal.
"When we did that, it was pretty obvious to us it was the right thing to do," manager Joe Maddon said. "Right now, there's not as many obvious things to do maybe as there were then."
The situation is different. But given their uncertain postseason prospects, and with a new format where a wild-card team is guaranteed only one game, and not even at home, you wonder.
If they could get a prime return, and eliminate some future financial obligations, in trading right-handers James Shields (options of $9 million in 2013, $12 million in 2014) or Jeremy Hellickson (arbitration eligible in 2014) or Wade Davis (guaranteed about $10 million after this season), they may decide they have enough depth to cover and it's a good move. (Or what if they were absolutely blown away in an offer for left-hander David Price?)
"That's the tough part," Howell said. "They have to balance the future and the now, and that's where it gets dicey."
By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Hours of coverage
All added up, 5,535 hours of the Games will be shown across several platforms, including NBC, NBC Sports Network, MSNBC, CNBC, Bravo, Telemundo, NBCOlympics.com, the specialty channels for soccer and basketball, and the first 3D platform.
Hours on NBC and NBC Sports Network?
Approximately 272 hours will be on NBC. NBC Sports Network will carry 293 hours. Both are records for network and cable television.
On the web
NBCOlympics.com will live stream every event for the first time. That means more than 3,500 hours, including all 302 medal ceremonies. To see the streams, you must register on the site by verifying your cable, satellite or telephone account. The process can be sticky, so don't wait until you're ready to see an event to do it.
The audience
It's tough to estimate, but 215 million watched at least a part of the 2008 Beijing Games. That's about twice as many people as watch the Super Bowl.
The rights fees
NBC paid a whopping $1.181 billion for the TV rights. The network admits it doubts it will turn a profit for the Summer Games, but it believes owning the rights for all Olympics through 2020 ultimately will be profitable.
The host
Depends on when and which network you watch. For the most part, the star of the coverage will be Bob Costas, who will host NBC's prime-time coverage. This is Costas' 10th Olympics with NBC and the ninth time he has served as prime-time host.
Other hosts
Al Michaels and Dan Patrick will handle the NBC daytime hosting duties, and Mary Carillo will take over NBC's late-night coverage.
The anchors
Coverage on the other networks will include Michele Beadle, who recently joined NBC from ESPN; Liam McHugh; Willie Geist; Kelly Tilghman; Rob Simmelkjaer; Fred Roggin; and Pat O'Brien.
Top event analysts
NBC will have more than 100 on-air personalties for the Games, but obviously, certain events are more watched than others. So who will see most often?
Let's start with gymnastics. Al Trautwig will handle the play-by-play, with former American gymnast Tim Daggett and former Canadian gymnast Elfi Schlegel on analysis.
Tom Hammond, Dwight Stones, Ato Bolden and Lewis Johnson will work track and field. Dan Hicks and Winter Haven native Rowdy Gaines will handle swimming.
Bob Fitzgerald, 76ers coach (and 1972 U.S. Olympian) Doug Collins and 1976 Olympian and Hall of Famer Ann Meyers will handle the basketball duties, with Celtics coach Doc Rivers serving as lead analyst for NBC's studio show.
Other notable analysts include Brandi Chastain on soccer, John McEnroe on tennis and Teddy Atlas on boxing.
Other analysts
NBC lined up a solid group of correspondents to tell various stories, including American Idol host Ryan Seacrest, gymnastics guru Bela Karolyi, late-night talk-show host Jimmy Fallon, Winter Olympic gold medalist and X-Games star Shaun White and reporter Jimmy Roberts.
Other NBC shows
NBC Nightly News and the Today show will be live from London. MSNBC also will have live programming from the Games.
Tom Jones, Times staff writer
