By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, April 12, 2011

If and when the NFL resolves its ongoing labor crisis, the Bucs will have an interesting slate of preseason games this fall.

The full NFL preseason schedule was released this afternoon, and the Bucs open with a nationally televised game at Kansas City, followed by home games against the Patriots and Dolphins and concluding with a road finale at the Redskins.

For the first time since 2001, the Bucs will not have a preseason game against either the Texans or Jaguars, giving fans a bit of variety for a change.

The opener, at Kansas City, on August 12, will be carried to a national audience on FOX. The Bucs are playing the Chiefs for the second straight preseason.

Exact dates for the remaining exhibition games will be released when the full NFL schedule is released later, but date ranges are already specified.

Week 1 (Aug. 12): At Kansas City

Week 2 (Aug. 18-22) New England

Week 3 (Aug. 25-28): Miami

Week 4 (Sept. 1-2): At Washington

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, April 12, 2011

When then-Lightning coach Terry Crisp, at the start of the 1996-97 season, asked Nigel Kirwan, then head of the team's community hockey program, to work for him as video coach, Kirwan had a quick answer. "I told him to go fly a kite, though I used different words," Kirwan recalled recently. "I thought he was playing a joke on me, because he was a prankster." Fifteen years later, Kirwan still has the job, outlasting seven coaches, five general managers and four owners. He is a survivor, a Winnipeg native who began working for the club selling tickets during its first season and who got to know Crisp while running the community programs. He has seen the best and worst of the franchise, and has his name on the Stanley Cup.

Coming to this as you did, kind of through the back door, do you marvel you are a 2004 Stanley Cup champion?

That, to me, is a little surreal. I still tell people I get embarrassed a little when I see my name on the Stanley Cup. You see Steve Yzerman's name on there and Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky, and it's very logical. I see my name and almost cringe. What am I doing on there?

How did you get this job?

I started out in sales, and then on the side, I got involved with USA Hockey, developing hockey in-state. I started coaching kids, and through that the Lightning created a position, director of amateur hockey, that by default fell to me. Doing coaching clinics, I integrated the coaching staff into them. That turned into lunches and drawing on napkins with the head coach and picking his brain for ideas. Crispy and I hit it off and became friends.

Are you amazed you're still here?

I don't look at my own story and think it's amazing to be a survivor. It is a privilege and an honor to be here. I'm a little surprised at how quickly the time has gone by, and when I think about the number of years, that is a little bit astonishing to me.

Do you feel a bit proprietary about the franchise?

Not really. I think that would be a little arrogant of me to think that way. I'm part of a much bigger group and a broader team. I'm just fortunate to be part of it.

Who is the most unique personality you've seen?

(Coach) Guy Boucher is pretty unique for his approach and methodology. Player-wise? Who's the biggest goofball to come through here? Andre Roy (2002-04, 2006-08) was a pretty unique character. Just … the way he loosened up the locker room.

An underrated player?

Cory Sarich (1999-2007, now with the Flames) comes to mind. He didn't get the props I think he deserved just because of the compete level and the way he battled. He wasn't a fighter, but when he dropped the gloves, he held his own and defended his teammates.

What do you do during games?

I say I play the piano during a game. I log everything that goes on into a computer so we can instantaneously access any information we need either to make course corrections in between periods or postgame. The information goes to every coach on their own computer. Think of it as a big network. What happens on my computer goes out to all the computers, and those guys can open it up and see anything they want.

What about practice days?

I spend the bulk of my time prescouting opponents.

You are still good friends with former Lightning coach John Tortorella. Was he misunderstood?

I think so. The media portrays him as an angry little madman, and that's so not the case. Part of it is his own fault. He doesn't like talking about himself. He doesn't let the public see the side of him that those who worked for him really know, a kind-hearted, gentle, very generous man, very funny.

How gratifying is seeing the team again on an upswing?

It trickles down from the top, and unfortunately you saw it go the other way the past two seasons. Now you see (owner) Jeff Vinik come in with a vision and a sense of direction. It's the trickle-down effect. We saw it in 1999 (when Bill Davidson bought the team) and then in 2001 (when Tortorella took over as coach), and you see the similarity now.

Has your skin color ever been an issue?

Never. At absolutely no point in my career have I ever sensed any minute amount of racism. It's a nonissue in this game.

By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Gruden QB Camp: 7 p.m. on ESPNU. The former Bucs coach works with Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallet.

Sports Show With Norm MacDonald: 8 p.m. on Comedy Central. The former Saturday Night Live star offers up his wacky look at sports.

Inside NASCAR: 9 p.m. on Showtime. Looking back at Saturday's race in Texas and ahead to this week's race at Talladega.

By Jim Huddleston, Times Correspondent
Tuesday, April 12, 2011

What's hot: As the warmer waters of April approach, many snook have moved onto the flats, taking advantage of the increased amounts of bait covering the flats. Most of these fish are going to be found back in a transition mode, staging up along shorelines leading out of bayous and the backsides of the barrier islands. Work any mangrove shoreline that has good depth and moving water. These elements are key to finding snook around mid April. Spreading a few chummers along a stretch of trees will help to locate fish that are tucked up and ambushing any free meal that swims along into cover. Once a bait is popped by a snook, note where the fish is and how it is holding to the related cover. It may be under an old branch or in a depression that is deeper in the shoreline. Use this to set up a pattern along that stretch of the flat. When fishing with trees and docks as obstacles, 30-pound leader is a must to help prevent breakoffs. If fishing on a clear flat with potholes, 20-pound fluorocarbon will get the bites in the clear waters off St. Joseph Sound.

Offshore kingfish: The kingfish have moved in and are ripping through the huge bait schools in 20-foot depths off Clearwater. The water is exceptionally clear, and lighter leader, such as 30-pound, is getting the most hookups. Most are schoolies, but at least a couple of bites a day have been smoking reels.

Jim Huddleston charters out of Tampa, Palm Harbor and Clearwater and can be reached at jim@captainhud.com or (727) 439-9017.

By Derek J. LaRiviere, Times Correspondent
Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Citrus County Speedway's racing season is in full swing, and on Saturday night there was a surprise winner in the Sheldon Palmes Insurance-sponsored mini-stocks race.

Jeff Eberly of Spring Hill, competing in his first race of the season in Week 6, started seventh in the feature. After winning his heat earlier in the evening, he knew his car was fast. But by lap five of the feature race, Eberly was in position to take the lead, passing current points leader Sonya Heater for the victory.

Other notable Hernando County finishers included Chris Ickes of Brooksville in the pro stocks event. He finished 10th out of 20 cars. T.J. Chambers of Brooksville also had a top 10 finish in the sportsmen event.

HERNANDO WRESTLING: The USA Wrestling Club is offered from 6 to 6:45 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays in the Hernando High School wrestling room.

The class is open to elementary and middle school students. The cost is $35 for an annual USA Wrestling membership card.

For information, call coach Mark Beach at (352) 797-7015, ext. 257.

KIWANIS SUPERKIDS TRIATHLON: The third annual Kiwanis SuperKids Triathlon will take place May 21 at Weeki Wachee State Park.

Limited to the first 200 participants, the event has three age groups: 5 to 8, 9 to 12 and 13 to 18. All who participate will receive an award. There will be swimming, biking and running. Helmets are required for the biking portion.

Sign-in will be from 5 to 7 p.m. May 20. Bring bikes for inspection and overnight securing. The triathlon will begin at 7:15 the next morning. For information, visit kidssupertriathlon.com.

HYL FOOTBALL: Hernando Youth League is beginning registration for the 2011 football season.

Teams are available for kids ages 5 to 15. Registrations will be the following Saturdays at Ernie Wever Park in Brooksville from 9 a.m. to noon: April 16, May 7, May 21 and June 11.

Registration forms are available at leaguelineup.com/hylfootball. Forms must be presented at time of sign-up. Cost is $125 and space is limited.

For information, call Rick Hankins at (352) 346-0000 or send e-mail to popwarnerhernando@gmail.com.

JEROME BROWN GOLF: World Woods Golf Club, north of Brooksville, will play host to the Jerome Brown Golf Classic on June 4, sponsored by Bright House Networks.

Proceeds benefit the Jerome Brown Youth Foundation. For an entry fee of $65, each golfer gets 18 holes of golf, a cart, lunch and a cap. The format is a four-person scramble.

Registration is at 11:30 a.m., with lunch at noon. The shotgun start is at 1 p.m.

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

BRITISH SOCCER CAMP: The First Hernando Youth Soccer Club has teamed up with the Challenger Sports soccer club to host a weeklong British soccer camp July 18 to 22 at Anderson Snow Park in Spring Hill.

Each child will work with a member of a team of more than 1,000 British coaches flown to the United States this summer. Challenger Sports will hold more than 3,000 camps during the summer and coach more than 120,000 children between the ages of 3 and 19.

Space is limited, and parents are encouraged to register their kids as soon as possible. To attend for a half day from 9 a.m. to noon, the cost is $117 for the week for ages 5 to 18. For a full day, the fee is $165 for ages 10 to 18. Goalkeepers ages 10 to 18 can attend from 5 to 8 p.m. for a cost of $117.

Each camper will receive a T-shirt, soccer ball, poster and personalized skills evaluation.

For information, call Robert Andreu at (813) 283-4523 or send e-mail to robertandreu@bellsouth.net. To register, visit challengersports.com.

FLAG FOOTBALL: The Hernando County Parks and Recreation Department is hosting a men's four-on-four flag football league at Delta Woods Park in Spring Hill starting April 29.

The league is open to men ages 18 and older. Rosters need a minimum of six players; the cost is $275 per team. Games will be played on Friday nights at the park on Deltona Boulevard. Players need to bring their own flag belts.

For information, call Harry Johnson at (352) 540-6356 or (352) 754-4031.

KIWANIS GOLF: The Brooksville Country Club at Majestic Oaks is hosting the 41st annual Brooksville Kiwanis Golf Invitational on June 1.

The cost is $75 per golfer, which includes golf, cart, dinner and prizes. The shotgun start is set for 1 p.m. The format of the tournament is a four-man scramble. First come, first served. The registration deadline is May 20.

Cash prizes, door prizes and prizes for closest to the pin and longest drive will be awarded. Sponsorship opportunities are available.

For information, call Barbara Hitzemann at (352) 442-3412 or visit kiwanisclubofbrooksville.org.

FASTPITCH SOFTBALL LESSONS: The Hernando County Department of Recreation is offering private fastpitch softball lessons at Anderson Snow Park in Spring Hill.

The lessons are for players ages 7 to 16. April Pelham, a certified Florida fastpitch instructor, will lead all instruction.

Private lessons for hitting or catching are $20 for 30 minutes, and private lessons for fielding or throwing are $15 for 30 minutes. Pitching lessons are available at a fee of $20 for 30 minutes, $25 for 45 minutes or $40 for one hour.

For information, contact Penny Oliver at (352) 754-4031 or pennyo@hernandocounty.us.

TENNIS LESSONS: The Hernando County Department of Recreation is offering tennis lessons at Delta Woods Park in Spring Hill.

The clinics are open to all ages and skill levels: beginner, intermediate and advanced. Private and group lessons are available. Every lesson will be led by a certified instructor.

The cost is $10 for one hour of group lessons and $30 for one hour of private lessons.

For information, contact Penny Oliver at (352) 754-4031 or pennyo@hernandocounty.us.

To notify us of community sports achievements or coming events, contact Derek J. LaRiviere at derekjlariviere@gmail.com or (352) 584-6337.

By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, April 12, 2011

St. Petersburg Times staff writer Tom Jones breaks down the first-round NHL playoff series that begin tonight.

Eastern Conference

Washington Capitals (1) vs. New York Rangers (8)

The skinny: After years of breezing through the regular season only to get bounced early in the playoffs, the Capitals decided to abandon their high-flying ways and stick to a more defensive style that they hope will lead to postseason success. Even with Alex Ovechkin, the Caps were only 19th in the NHL in scoring, but they were fourth in goals allowed. The Caps seemed to have stumbled on the formula for playoff success — balanced and deep scoring, solid defense and playoff-tested veterans. They come in on a 16-3-1 streak. The big question is in goal. The Caps' choices are two unprovens: Michal Neuvirth and Semyon Varlamov. This could be the Caps' undoing. Meantime, the Rangers, who backed into the playoffs on Saturday, have a clear advantage in goal with Henrik Lundqvist. Scoring is an issue, especially because injury-prone Marian Gaborik, New York's most talented player, disappears for long stretches and Ryan Callahan, who was second on the team with 23 goals, is out with a stress fracture. The Rangers, however, did get captain Chris Drury back from injury.

What's notable: The Rangers took three of the four games in the season series, winning 6-0 in their most recent meeting on Feb. 25. Lundqvist was 2-1 against the Caps with two shutouts.

Prediction: The Rangers will put a serious scare into the Caps, but they won't have an offense to pull off the upset. Caps in seven.

Western Conference

Vancouver Canucks (1) vs. Chicago Blackhawks (8)

The skinny: The Canucks were, far and away, the NHL's best team. Their 117 points were 10 more than the next closest team. They led the NHL in goals for, goals against and power play and were third in penalty killing. They are led by the Sedin twins — Daniel, who led the league in scoring with 104 points, and Henrik, fourth with 94 points. They have, perhaps, the best defensive forward in the NHL in Ryan Kesler, who also had 41 goals. Their defense might be the best corps in the league and they have a steady goalie in Roberto Luongo. Quite simply, it's their Cup to lose. But they don't get a first-round cakewalk in the defending champion Blackhawks. Chicago had to break up part of its team after last season's Cup run and was inconsistent all season. The Blackhawks are still loaded with stars up front such as Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Patrick Sharp and Marian Hossa. And you can put their top two defensemen — Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith — up against any two defensemen in hockey. Corey Crawford has been sturdy in goal but he's essentially a rookie, with no postseason experience.

What's notable: The Blackhawks eliminated the Canucks from the second round of the playoffs in each of the past two seasons. Both series went six games.

Prediction: It's hard to pick against the defending champs, but even harder to pick against this season's Canucks.

Canucks in six.

Detroit Red Wings (3) vs. Phoenix Coyotes (6)

The skinny: The Red Wings just keep on ticking. They're in the playoffs for the 20th consecutive season and, again, they are legitimate Cup contenders. The bad news is leading scorer Henrik Zetterberg will not be ready to start the series because of an upper-body injury. The good news is Detroit still has plenty of playoff-proven stars, including Pavel Datsyuk, Nick Lidstrom, Johan Franzen, Brian Rafalski and Tomas Holmstrom. Even aging veterans Todd Bertuzzi and Mike Modano could be factors in April and May. The Coyotes are a blue-collar bunch. Shane Doan was the only player to score 20 goals — and he scored exactly 20. But, they also had 10 players with at least 11 goals. Phoenix's special teams are awful — 23rd in power play, 26th in the penalty kill. And special teams seem to have a major impact in the playoffs.

What's notable: Phoenix goalie Ilya Bryzgalov could be the wild card of the series. He was 2-0-2 against the Red Wings this season with a 2.63 goals-against average and .924 save percentage.

Prediction: The Coyotes have been a nice story over the past two seasons, but Detroit is just too much for them. Red Wings in five.

Anaheim Ducks (4) vs. Nashville Predators (5)

The skinny: The Ducks had a rough start to the season, but were one of the league's best teams in the second half. They went 34-17-2 since Dec. 5. Anaheim features the best line in the NHL with Corey Perry, the league's only 50-goal scorer this season, and linemates Ryan Getzlaf (76 points) and Bobby Ryan (71 points). That line accounted for 103 of Anaheim's 235 goals. Plus, Lubomir Visnovsky led NHL defensemen with 68 points. But after that top line and veteran Teemu Selanne (31 goals), there's a significant drop. The Predators don't rely on any one player. Their leading goal scorer, Sergei Kostitsyn, had only 23 goals, but they had nine players with at least 10 goals. Defense is their strength and the dynamic duo of Shea Weber and Ryan Suter will try to shut down Anaheim's top line.

What's notable: Dan Ellis — yeah, the former Lightning goalie — is expected to be Anaheim's starter because of a rash of injuries. He has had an amazing turnaround with the Ducks (2.39 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage) and was one of the NHL's three stars last week. But the Predators should have the edge in goal with Pekka Rinne, a likely Vezina Trophy finalist who finished second the NHL in save percentage and third in goals-against average.

Prediction: Perhaps the hardest series to call. We'll give Nashville the advantage in goal and in the series. Predators in seven.

Eastern Conference

(1) Capitals vs. (8) Rangers

Wednesday: at Washington, 7:30

Friday: at Washington, 7:30, Versus

Sunday: at New York, 3, Ch. 8

April 20: at New York, 7, Versus

April 23: at Washington, 3, Ch. 8*

April 25: at New York, TBD*

April 27: at Washington, TBD*

(2) Flyers vs. (7) Sabres

Thursday: at Philadelphia, 7:30

Saturday: at Philadelphia, 5

Monday: at Buffalo, 7, Versus

April 20: at Buffalo, 7:30, Versus

April 22: at Philadelphia, 7:30*

April 24: at Buffalo, 3, Ch. 8*

April 26: at Philadelphia, TBD*

(3) Bruins vs. (6) Canadiens

Thursday: at Boston, 7, Versus

Saturday: at Boston, 7, Versus

Monday: at Montreal, 7:30

April 21: at Montreal, 7, Versus

April 23: at Boston, 7, Versus*

April 26: at Montreal, TBD*

April 27: at Boston, TBD*

Western Conference

(1) Canucks vs. (8) Blackhawks

Tonight: at Vancouver, 10, Versus

Friday: at Vancouver, 10, Versus

Sunday: at Chicago, 8, Versus

Monday: at Chicago, 8, Versus

April 21: at Vancouver, 10, Versus*

April 24: at Chicago, 7:30*

April 26: at Vancouver, TBD*

(2) Sharks vs. (7) Kings

Thursday: at San Jose, 10, Versus

Saturday: at San Jose, 10, Versus

Monday: at Los Angeles, 10:30, Versus

April 21: at Los Angeles, 10:30

April 23: at San Jose, 10:30, Versus*

April 25: at Los Angeles, TBD*

April 27: at San Jose, TBD*

(3) Red Wings vs. (6) Coyotes

Tonight: at Detroit, 7, Versus

Saturday: at Detroit, 1, Ch. 8

Monday: at Phoenix, 10:30, Versus

April 20: at Phoenix, 10:30 Versus

April 22: at Detroit, 7, Versus*

April 24: at Phoenix, TBD*

April 27: at Detroit, TBD*

(4) Ducks vs. (5) Predators

Tonight: at Anaheim, 10:30

Friday: at Anaheim, 10:30

Sunday: at Nashville, TBD

April 20: at Nashville, TBD

April 22: at Anaheim, 10*

April 24: at Nashville, TBD*

April 26: at Anaheim, TBD*

* If necessary

Times wires
Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Tigers 5, Rangers 4

DETROIT — Miguel Cabrera's winning bases-loaded single in the ninth was a reminder of why he's so important to the Tigers. Less than two months after being arrested in Florida on suspicion of drunken driving, he's off to a fine start, hitting .385 with four home runs and 10 RBIs. "He does it every year. He comes to play," teammate Brad Penny said. "He's a professional."

By Rodney Page, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Top five celebrity moments

The Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am is part golf tournament, part show. Fans come to TPC Tampa Bay to see their favorite celebrities along with their favorite golfers. A look at some celebrity highlights:

1. Bill Murray hits a homeowner: In the first round of the 2009 tournament, Murray hooked a drive on the ninth hole. It hit homeowner Gayle DiMaggio, who was in her back yard watching, in the head. She was fine after a trip to the hospital. The next day, Murray signed a Caddyshack DVD as he played the ninth hole.

2. Hey, Mark Wahlberg's in our back yard: During the 2006 tournament, the movie star sliced a drive into the back yard of a house off the ninth fairway. For the next 10 minutes, neighbors came outside to get pictures with Wahlberg, who gladly posed. When he was finally done, he hit a long iron to within 10 feet of the hole.

3. Vince Gill gives up his putter: In 2004, the first year of the event as a pro-am, Gill's playing partner, David Eger, made his birdie putt on the 18th hole during the opening round. Gill's 3-foot birdie putt was now irrelevant, so he grabbed fan Jack Kirby from the crowd to make the putt for him. Kirby did, and the crowd roared. "I wasn't going to miss it in front of all those people," Gill said.

4. Bill Murray gives to charity: In the final round of 2007, Murray got tired of signing autographs. After another fan shoved a Carl Spackler poster in his face at the second hole, Murray said he'd sign it for $50 and give the money to charity. The fan didn't hesitate, and throughout the day Murray raised $800 for a Clearwater charity, the Blooming Place for Kids. He handed the wad of cash to charity organizers during the award ceremony.

5. George Lopez gives away drivers: During the first round in 2008, Lopez was paired with fellow celebrity Craig T. Nelson. While yucking it up with the crowd, Lopez dug inside Nelson's bag and gave away three drivers. Let's see that happen at a regular Champions Tour event.

Rodney Page, Times staff writer

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, April 12, 2011

It's a Pittsburgh thing

Lightning wing Ryan Malone, a Pittsburgh native and a former Penguins player, always will have a little western Pennsylvania in him.

What's the best thing about Pittsburgh?

It's a great sports town, and Primanti Bros. sandwiches are really good.

Isn't Pittsburgh famous for pierogies?

Yeah, they're good, but I still think Primanti Bros. is still the sandwich you have to try, with a nice beer, probably.

What do you get on yours?

Just the regular sandwich. You can get whatever you want with it. It comes with coleslaw and French fries on the sandwich, so you don't need to put too much on the side.

Ever been to Mount Washington?

The appeal is the view, but there also is some kind of fish market on top overlooking everything. It's pretty cool.

How about antiquing in the Strip District?

No, but there's all kinds of stuff, restaurants, everything you need. It's a cool little hangout down there.

What are jimmies?

Sprinkles on your ice cream.

What is "yinz"?

"Yinz all" instead of "you guys." "Yinz all going to the South Side?" You really know people are from Pittsburgh when you're speaking "yinzer."

Logo lore

When the Lightning faced the Canadiens in the 2004 Eastern Conference semifinals, the joke among sports writers was that you could not step on the Lightning logo on the locker room carpet at the St. Pete Times Forum. "The Canadiens have 24 Stanley Cups and you can step on the logo," one Montreal writer said.

The tradition that began with former Lightning captains Dave Andreychuk and Tim Taylor is still enforced. It is the same in Pittsburgh, where the Penguins logo in their locker room at the Consol Energy Center is just as sacred.

Home sweet home

When Dana Heinze was the Lightning's assistant equipment manager, he would take on road trips homemade signs festooned with Tampa Bay's logo. He believed the signs gave the visiting locker rooms a homey feel. Heinze, who was with Tampa Bay for the 2004 Stanley Cup run, is now head equipment manager for the Penguins and has the same sign fetish.

Just rewards

After each win, the Lightning's most valuable players, as picked by the coaches, get either a cape with the letters DNA on the back (for best representation of the makeup of the team) or one of those Viking hats with horns on the sides. In Pittsburgh, the player of the game gets a shovel, which is handed off by the recipient after the next win.

Shirts on their backs

Lightning players are wearing blue T-shirts with "HUNT IT NOW" on the front over a picture of the Stanley Cup. But the real fun is on the sleeves.

On the left are the letters RFS, which stand for Relentless, Fight and Structure. On the right is what appears to be a silhouette of a John Travolta-like figure striking a disco-dancing pose. That plays off one of the Bee Gees' songs from the 1970s movie Saturday Night Fever, Stayin' Alive, which is what the team has to do in the playoffs.

"We've had a fun group this year," said assistant coach Dan Lacroix, who thought of using the dancing silhouette. "We want to keep the fun going."

Habits I

At the end of warmups, Marty St. Louis makes sure he taps the Tampa Bay goal post. The Lightning wing has done it for years. He declined to say why.

"I just do it," he said. "It's part of my routine. If I didn't do it, I wouldn't feel right."

Asked if he had other stuff like that, St. Louis smiled and said, "Oh, yeah, but let's not get into it."

Habits II

When the Lightning goes onto the ice for warmups, captain Vinny Lecavalier, as first in line, uses his stick to sweep the pucks piled pyramid-style on the top of the boards onto the ice. Lecavalier, in his 12th season, says he has done this since his second year.

He said if he didn't do it, he would be "weird," but added, "I don't get rattled about things. I used to. If something didn't happen, it would be, 'What do I do?' I don't really get rattled anymore."

Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer

Times wires
Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Mariners 8, Blue Jays 7

SEATTLE — Down 7-0 in front of a Safeco Field record-low 13,056, the Mariners staged an unlikely rally, scoring five in the eighth on three hits and four walks then winning it on Luis Rodriguez's two-out, two-run single in the ninth.

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, April 12, 2011

TAMPA — Wayne Fleming did not travel for Games 1 and 2 of the Lightning's first-round playoff series with the Penguins.

But the assistant coach, diagnosed last week with a malignant brain tumor, will be "a big inspiration," W Dana Tyrell said.

"He's been our coach all year," Tyrell said. "We're going to try to win it for him."

Fleming, 60, who had a biopsy Thursday, said Tuesday he feels "pretty good."

He watched practice from the St. Pete Times Forum stands, met with coaches and players, and had a bright smile as he spoke publicly for the first time about his condition.

"We're just waiting for the biopsy results to come back," Fleming said. "Once we identify what's going on, we'll have a plan of action to take it on. … You can't worry about it. The biggest thing is my family and the team. That's my focus."

"He's living something very difficult," coach Guy Boucher said. "The way he's living it is inspiring."

Two days after his biopsy, Fleming watched on television Saturday's season finale against the Hurricanes and sent by text message observations to Boucher between periods. Sunday and Monday, he spent several hours with Boucher at the Times Forum looking at video, and Monday he met with the players at a team lunch for the first time since the diagnosis.

"It was emotional," he said. "The response you got from the guys was a sincere approach, so it was good."

Fleming said it is "disappointing more than hard" to miss the games in Pittsburgh, and he couldn't say enough about "the quality of support" he has received from the organization.

"You still feel very involved and very much a part of it," Fleming said. "Hopefully I can make contributions as we move through this one."

"He'll be sitting at home and watching on TV," GM Steve Yzerman said. "You get a different viewpoint. He'll see a lot of different things. He's a valuable asset."

And an inspiration.

"What he's gone though the last couple of weeks is incredible," D Pavel Kubina said. "The guys care so much about him."

"He's part of the team," Tyrell said. "Every game is for him."

JONES A MAYBE: D Randy Jones, out 16 games with a high ankle sprain, is available for today's Game 1, but Boucher said Jones "more likely" is a scratch.

Jones seemed resigned to being out.

"It's 15 games I missed," he said. "To go right back into a game, and a playoff game at that, after one or two practices with the team, who knows? But I want to play. I want to get out there."

DECISIONS, DECISIONS: Even if Jones is scratched, Boucher, with eight other defensemen on the roster, will have decisions to make, especially if, as expected, he plays with 12 forwards and six defensemen.

"I hate that part," Boucher said. "Somebody works hard, deserves to be in the lineup, but somebody else deserves it a little more."

Most vulnerable seem to be Matt Smaby, who did not practice Tuesday because of a lower-body injury, and Marc-Andre Bergeron, a power-play specialist who has one point in his past 16 games and is minus-10.

NEW ADDITION: D Eric Brewer said he didn't get much power play time the past year and a half with the Blues, from whom he was acquired in February. So getting the chance with Tampa Bay is "great."

"Any time you're in that position to get some more time in the offensive zone, it's going to help your even-strength game as well," he said.

"What I like about Brewer," Boucher said, "is if he's in trouble, he doesn't panic and he doesn't give it to the opponent."

But Boucher said adding a defenseman to the power play has nothing to do with the league-worst 16 shorthanded goals Tampa Bay has allowed.

"That's an awareness more than the type of person that's on the blue line," Boucher said. "It's just being too relaxed out there."

ODDS AND ENDS: Brick House Tavern, 1102 N Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa, is the Lightning's official watch party location. Check tampabay.com/blogs/lightning for other locations. ... Between 4,000 and 5,000 tickets remain for Games 3 and 4 at the Times Forum.

By Brandon Wright, Times Correspondent
Tuesday, April 12, 2011

TAMPA — Storm wide receiver Michael Lindsey grew up in St. Petersburg, so when the news came down that former Buccaneers Derrick Brooks and Jeff Gooch were joining the Arena Football League franchise's front office, he couldn't have been more excited.

"I've been a huge Bucs fan my whole life," Lindsey said. "I always loved watching those guys."

Brooks, who turns 38 Monday, and Gooch, 36, were formally introduced as president and vice president, respectively, during a news conference Tuesday at the St. Pete Times Forum.

For Lindsey, the Bucs' Super Bowl run in 2002 will always be fresh in his mind.

"When (Brooks) intercepted that ball in the Super Bowl and took it to the house, everyone in my neighborhood was running around yelling and screaming in the streets," he said. "I will never, ever forget that."

With the Storm off to a rocky 1-3 start, coach Dave Ewart joked that putting the pair into uniform crossed his mind.

"I've already run through that idea," he said. "That was actually my first thought."

Brooks, an 11-time Pro Bowl linebacker with the Bucs, brings instant name recognition to a franchise that has seen a major turnover in roster from the 2010 season in which the Storm reached the ArenaBowl.

"(Brooks) has done so much on and off the field in this community," said Lindsey, one of 12 new Storm players this season. "It's an honor to have him with us."

Brooks will direct all aspects of the business and football operations, hoping the experience will help his long-term goal of being involved in NFL ownership.

"It's a good day for this organization," Ewart said. "We just got a lot stronger. It also opens up a direct line of communication between us and (the owners)."

Brooks, who addressed the team before Tuesday night's practice, said with the Storm in the midst of its season, he will concentrate on building for the future.

"Right now, we're setting foundations," he said. "We're not into going in and blowing up a house. There's a season going on and we respect that."

Brooks noted the addition of the two front-office positions alleviate some of the Ewart's off-field responsibilities.

"Right now, what we can do for Coach Ewart is take some of the things off his plate that he had before," he said. "Now he can really just focus on the football team and getting these guys going again. And I think that's a support system that he didn't have, that he has now."

But Brooks also thinks he can contribute immediately as well.

"We've observed a lot of things as we worked to get this deal done," Brooks said. "We're going to salvage our season."

By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Here's how far the Bucs are willing to go to sell out a home game: more than 4,400 miles to London.

For the second time in three years, Tampa Bay is expected to move a regular-season game from Raymond James Stadium to Wembley Stadium.

While the league would only confirm Tuesday that the Bucs are among the teams being considered to play a regular-season game in London in 2011, they are expected to "host" the Bears when the league releases its regular-season schedule this month.

In 2009, the Bucs lost 35-7 to the Patriots in London during coach Raheem Morris' first season on their way to a 3-13 record.

Bucs spokesman Jonathan Grella referred questions about the possibility of the Bucs playing in London to the NFL office.

"There are many teams under consideration to play in London in 2011," said Mike Signora, NFL vice president of football operations. "We look forward to an announcement in the days ahead."

Meanwhile, the Chicago Tribune confirmed the Bucs will play the Bears in London.

It's not surprising that the Glazer family, which owns the Bucs, would be receptive to moving a regular-season game from Tampa to London. The Glazers own the Manchester United soccer club in England, and Tampa Bay was the only team to have all 10 home games blacked out last season.

While season-ticket sales were crisp in January and February, the NFL labor situation and the lackluster economy in Tampa Bay prompted the Glazers to be receptive to another London game. And it's an opportunity for the Bucs to market young stars such as quarterback Josh Freeman, receiver Mike Williams and defensive tackle Gerald McCoy to a national and international audience.

"I have no problem with that," said Bucs backup quarterback Josh Johnson, who made his fourth career start in London. "If they fixed the playing field, it would be something nice. But the field was unsafe. It's a soccer field, and players were slipping all over the place. Of course, I'd much rather play the game in Tampa, but I guess it is what it is."

Players' attorneys meet with judge

MINNEAPOLIS — Attorneys for NFL players met with the federal magistrate who will oversee court-ordered mediation with the league as the lockout reached one month and counting.

Attorneys and Hall of Fame defensive end Carl Eller sat with U.S. Magistrate Judge Arthur Boylan in a session that lasted well into the afternoon. All declined comment.

NFL attorneys are set to meet with Boylan today before mediation begins Thursday.

U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson ordered the mediation and is still considering a request from the players to lift the lockout.

Information from Times wires was used in this report.

Times wires
Tuesday, April 12, 2011

SAN FRANCISCO — Jurors in the Barry Bonds case remained mostly out of sight on Day 3 of their deliberations. They never entered Judge Susan Illston's courtoom on the 19th floor of the Phillip Burton Federal Building, spending about six hours behind closed doors Tuesday without reaching a verdict.

Except for a couple of quick breaks and a timeout for lunch, that was it.

No questions for the judge. No readbacks of testimony. And no clues as to which way, if any, the eight women and four men who will decide the home run king's fate are leaning.

With each passing hour, speculation mounted as to whether the jury will be able to reach a verdict on the four charges: three counts of making false statements to a grand jury in 2003 and one count of obstruction of justice.

"I would say it is still early to be thinking about a hung jury," said Douglas Tween, a former trial attorney in the Justice Department's antitrust division and now a principal at Baker & McKenzie. "A general rule of thumb is one to two days of deliberation for every week of trial, so I don't think this case is unusual at this point."

Hamilton out 6-8 weeks

DETROIT — Rangers OF Josh Hamilton is expected to miss six to eight weeks after breaking his upper right arm on a headfirst dive into home, a daring dash the AL MVP later called "stupid."

The former Rays prospect tried to score from third on a foul popup near the Tigers dugout in the first inning. 3B Brandon Inge and C Victor Martinez chased the ball, leaving the plate unprotected.

Inge made the catch then tossed the ball to Martinez, who scampered back to tag Hamilton.

"It was a stupid play," Hamilton said. "The whole time the ball was in the air, the coach was yelling, 'Go, there's no one at home,' and I was thinking, 'I don't want to do this, something is going to happen.'

"But I listened to my coach," he said, referring to third-base coach Dave Anderson. "It was way too aggressive."

DELGADO DONE: Two-time All-Star 1B Carlos Delgado, out of the majors since 2009 while trying to come back from hip injuries, plans to announce his retirement today. Delgado, 38, batted .280 and hit 473 home runs during a 17-year career.

ASTROS: Manager Brad Mills was suspended for one game and RH reliever Aneury Rodriguez for three after their Sunday ejections against the Marlins.

BLUE JAYS: CF Rajai Davis went on the disabled list with an injured right ankle, and RH reliever Casey Janssen was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas.

BRAVES: RHP Jair Jurrjens felt good a day after allowing two runs in six innings during a Triple-A rehab start and is scheduled to return from a strained oblique muscle Saturday.

BREWERS: RH reliever Takashi Saito went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 6 with a left hamstring strain.

CUBS: LHP Doug Davis, 35, agreed to a minor-league contract. Davis can earn up to $2 million in salary and incentives if he is called up.

DODGERS: SS Rafael Furcal went on the 15-day disabled list as expected a day after he broke his left thumb. Furcal will be examined by a hand specialist.

MARINERS: CF Franklin Gutierrez, on the disabled list with a stomach ailment, plans to work out with the team the next three days then begin a rehab stint. … C Adam Moore is likely to miss the rest of the season after right knee surgery revealed more extensive damage.

NATIONALS: 3B Ryan Zimmerman went on the 15-day disabled list with a strained abdominal muscle. C Jesus Flores was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse.

WHITE SOX: DH Adam Dunn returned to the lineup six days after having an emergency appendectomy. … OF Lastings Milledge, who played at Northside Christian, cleared waivers and accepted an assignment to Triple-A Charlotte.

Times wires
Tuesday, April 12, 2011

DALLAS — This season, Marc Crawford guided the Stars to the most points of any team in NHL history that missed the playoffs. It wasn't enough to keep his job.

Crawford was fired Tuesday after two seasons. Though Dallas' playoff bid went to the final minutes of the regular season, general manager Joe Nieuwendyk seemed to have already decided his club needed a change to contend for the Stanley Cup.

"We have a lot of good things in place," Nieuwendyk said. "The hardest thing for Marc to probably accept (is) that I don't feel he's the guy going forward that takes us to the next level."

ISLES KEEP CAPUANO: The Islanders removed the interim tag from coach Jack Capuano. Under Capuano, who took over after Scott Gordon was fired Nov. 15, New York went 26-29-10, including 25-21-8 to close.

DRAFT LOTTERY: The Oilers will pick first overall in the draft for a second straight year. The Devils won the draft lottery, but teams can't move up more than four spots, leaving Edmonton with the first overall pick. Colorado and Florida will draft second and third, respectively, followed by New Jersey, the Islanders and Ottawa. The draft is scheduled June 24-25 in St. Paul, Minn.

CAPITALS: Michal Neuvirth, who won five of his final six regular-season starts, was named the starter for tonight's Game 1 of the first-round series against the Rangers.

COYOTES: Defensemen Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Nolan Yonkman were recalled from the minors.

FLAMES: Acting general manager Jay Feaster, the former Lightning GM, said Calgary is keeping captain Jarome Iginla for a 15th season. "Jarome isn't going anywhere," Feaster said. "Jarome is the face of the franchise in many ways."

By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, April 12, 2011

St. Petersburg Times staff writer Tom Jones breaks down the matchup between the Lightning and Penguins.

Offense

Lightning: Most of the Lightning offense this season has come from Marty St. Louis, whose 99 points were second in the league, and Steven Stamkos, who was second in the league in goals (45) and fifth in points (91). But Stamkos struggled down the stretch with only five goals in the final 28 regular-season games. Fortunately for Tampa Bay, captain Vinny Lecavalier has looked like the Lecavalier of old with nine goals and eight assists in the final 14 games. He is third on the team with 54 points. The only other player to register 50 is Teddy Purcell (51), but the Lightning hopes Simon Gagne (17 goals in 63 games) and Ryan Malone (14 in 54) are finally 100 percent after being hampered by injuries. The Lightning also hopes to get continued contributions from Dominic Moore (18 goals), Sean Bergenheim (14) and Steve Downie (10 goals in 57 games).

Penguins: It's hard to decipher the Penguins' offense because it is missing its two biggest weapons. Sidney Crosby, quite possibly the best player in the world, has been out since early January with a concussion, and his status for this series remains up in the air. Evgeni Malkin, the 2009 playoff MVP, is out with a knee injury. Even though Crosby played in only 41 regular-season games, he still finished as the Penguins' leading scorer with 66 points (32 goals). Defenseman Kris Letang was second with 50. Though the Pens aren't top-heavy with scorers, they do have depth. Besides Crosby and Malkin (15 goals), six players who spent the whole season with the team have double digits in goals, including two 20-goal scorers: Chris Kunitz (23) and Tyler Kennedy (21). (Late-season acquisitions James Neal and Alex Kovalev have 22 and 16, respectively, most of them with their former teams, the Stars and Senators.) Then again, one of those double-digit goal scorers is forward Matt Cooke, who is suspended for this series. Key players to watch are center Jordan Staal, who had 30 points in 42 games after coming back from injury, and Kovalev, who had only two goals in 20 games with the Pens but has dazzling offensive skills.

Defense

Lightning: The Lightning's blue line is much improved over a year ago because of the additions of Eric Brewer and Pavel Kubina and the emergence of second-year player Victor Hedman, who finished the regular season plus-3. Brewer, obtained during the season in a trade from the Blues, has quickly established himself as the team's top defenseman and should draw the most difficult assignments. Veteran Mattias Ohlund might have lost a step, but he still is a physical presence in front of the net. The big question is how coach Guy Boucher is going to manage having nine defensemen when Randy Jones returns from a high ankle sprain. The only knock is that the Lightning's defense hasn't produced offensively apart from Brett Clarke (nine goals, 31 points). Marc-Andre Bergeron is probably the team's best offensive defenseman, but he might find himself in the press box because of holes in his defensive game.

Penguins: Without their two superstars, the Penguins turned stingy in the second half of the regular season and ended up allowing the seventh-fewest goals in the NHL. Since the start of March, the Penguins allowed two goals or fewer in 12 of 18 games. The defensive corps is young, with just two 30-year-olds (Brooks Orpik and Paul Martin), and it is not particularly big or physical. The biggest is veteran Orpik at 6 feet 2, 219 pounds. Look for him to match up against Steven Stamkos and Marty St. Louis. The defense, despite being young, does have experience and can generate offense. It is a "get-'r-done'' type of crew. It won't check anyone through the boards, but it plays responsibly.

Goaltending

Lightning: The Lightning brought in 41-year-old Dwayne Roloson specifically to get it into the playoffs. In 34 games after coming over from the Islanders, Roloson went 18-12-4 with a 2.56 goals-against average and an impressive .912 save percentage. Roloson does have playoff experience; he led an underdog Oilers team to the final in 2006. The Lightning picked up Roloson because its goaltending was shaky, yet backup Mike Smith has come on of late. He won five of his last seven regular-season starts and comes into the postseason with a three-game winning streak in which he has allowed four goals and shut out the defending-champion Blackhawks. But Smith has never appeared in a NHL postseason game.

Penguins: Marc-Andre Fleury was voted the Penguins' MVP this season, and there's talk about him getting league MVP votes. He started 62 games and compiled a 36-20-5 record, a 2.32 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage. Fleury, 26, has tons of playoff experience. He has appeared in two Stanley Cup finals and won the Cup in 2009. He is 38-24 in the postseason and has appeared in 62 postseason games, 29 more than Dwayne Roloson.

Special teams

Lightning: This series could come down to the Lightning's power play. Tampa Bay finished sixth in the league in the power play, converting at 20.5 percent. However, the Penguins had the league's top-rated penalty-killing unit at 86.1 percent. And take note: The Lightning has given up the most shorthanded goals in the league, a mind-boggling 16. Meantime, the Penguins were tied for second in the NHL with 13 shorthanded goals scored. The Lightning's penalty-killers were solid at 83.8 percent, eighth in the NHL.

Penguins: Historically, they have had one of the NHL's best power plays, but not this season. Missing stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin for most of the year — as well as power-play quarterback Sergei Gonchar, who signed with Ottawa in the offseason — the power play dipped to 25th at 15.8 percent.

Coaching

Lightning: Guy Boucher has had a stunning season as a rookie NHL coach. He sparked the team to a hot start, guided it through a rash of injuries and coaxed it out of a losing patch in March. Had it not been for that hiccup in March, Boucher might be the leading contender for coach of the year. However, that he pulled the Lightning out of its slump to win seven of its last eight in the regular season shows how steady his hand has been.

Penguins: Dan Bylsma has proven to be one of the NHL's elite coaches. He took over late in the 2008-09 season and led the Pens to the Stanley Cup. This season Bylsma has had to deal with injuries to his two biggest stars and a rash of injuries to other key players, and yet he still led the Penguins to 106 points. Only because of a tiebreaker did the team not win the Atlantic Division.

Intangibles

Lightning: Despite not having made the postseason in four years, the Lightning has playoff experience. Vinny Lecavalier, Marty St. Louis and Pavel Kubina played key roles in the Lightning's 2004 Stanley Cup run. The interesting player to watch, however, is third-year star Steven Stamkos, who is appearing in his first postseason. Sidenote: The Lightning and Penguins split their four-game regular-season series.

Penguins: Will Sidney Crosby, out since early January with a concussion, play? And even if he does, how effective can he be after missing more than three months? The Pens will miss suspended pest Matt Cooke, but this doesn't figure to be an overly physical series. The Penguins have far more playoff experience, with many of their players having been a part of their recent success.

Times wires
Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Braves 5, Marlins 0

ATLANTA — Tommy Hanson pitched seven four-hit innings for his first win, Jason Heyward and Brian McCann homered and Chipper Jones drove in two for the Braves. Hanson finally got a few runs to work with, and Atlanta turned in several nifty defensive plays, two of them diving stops by shortstop Alex Gonzalez. The Braves had scored three or fewer seven times, including both of Hanson's starts.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, April 12, 2011

BOSTON — The rapid escalation of the Legend of Sam Fuld was best measured Tuesday in text messages, e-mails and posts on Facebook and Twitter.

And a series of interview requests from ESPN on down.

The day after the New Hampshire native's smashing Fenway Park debut proved more challenging, in a way, than getting the four extra-base hits and making the diving catch.

"It's overwhelming," Fuld said. "It's a great feeling, but it is kind of overwhelming."

He was inundated enough by hundreds of texts, e-mails and Facebook messages. "I heard from a lot of people I haven't heard from in a long time," Fuld said. "I didn't realize the game was ESPN, so it was kind of like the perfect storm. It was great."

Then by mid afternoon, he was made aware of the heavy traffic on Twitter, where there were more than 1,000 posts of one-liners in testament to his awesomeness, along the lines of Chuck Norris and Tim Tebow jokes. There also were accounts opened under the name LegendofSamFuld and in his name. (Fuld hadn't used Twitter yet but said he probably would now.)

He also made a previously scheduled appearance at the Bosox Club luncheon and got a warm reception there, too.

Fuld didn't celebrate much, visiting a bit with his parents and others of 30 friends and relatives on hand, then going back to help his wife, Sarah, put their 1-year-old son, Charles, to bed.

He had another large group in the stands on Tuesday and went 1-for-4 with three catches. Plus he stole a base, answering his mom Amanda's lone "complaint" about Monday.

"I've been on Cloud 9 really just since getting here," he said. "It's been a dream come true to play here period. And to have a night like that, it's been awesome."

SHORTSTOP SHUFFLE: Elliot Johnson started at short with Boston starting LHP Jon Lester, and it sounds like manager Joe Maddon will go with more of a platoon with Reid Brignac (hitting .227) than first planned.

"Part of it is that Elliot Johnson has done so well and there is no reason to really push Reid on the lefties as much," Maddon said. "We've been seeing a lot of righties, we're going to see a lot more righties so he's going to still have the preponderance of play. … As Reid gets a little more proficient against lefties I might throw him back out there."

Johnson, a switch-hitter, has started two of the three games against lefties.

FINE TIME: Maddon was fined $500 for his entertaining tirade leading to his Sunday ejection, the minimum amount and with no further discipline. "I thought it was fair," Maddon said.

IN PRAISE OF CARL: Red Sox LF Carl Crawford received his 2010 Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards on the field before the game, and Maddon said he was glad the Rays were on hand for the ceremony.

"The fact he did it as a Ray is very important,'' Maddon said. "And even though he's going to accept it in a different uniform, I'll remember it for what he did for us last year."

MEDICAL MATTERS: 3B Evan Longoria's recovery from his strained left oblique is "moving along pretty good," Maddon said, but it will still be late April before he returns to the lineup. That allows for three full weeks on the disabled list, plus "a couple of games somewhere (in the minors) to get going again."

LHP J.P. Howell, recovering from shoulder surgery, will throw the first of three planned batting practices today in Port Charlotte then start a minor-league rehab, shooting for a mid May return.

MANNY MATTER: Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci writes on Manny Ramirez in the upcoming issue, calling him "a major figure in what will go down as one of the greatest eras of slugging — and the dirtiest — the game has ever known."

MISCELLANY: David Price had an ice pack on his right buttocks, where he was hit by Adrian Gonzalez's liner, but said he was fine. … Rain is expected all day today in the Boston area. … If played, the game is on Fox Sports Florida due to the Lightning playoff opener. … Bullpen C Scott Cursi, a lifelong Penguins fan, said the losses of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are too great and picks the Lightning to win in six games.

Times wires
Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Soccer

Man U, Barcelona advance

Manchester United moved into the European Champions League semifinals by beating English rival Chelsea 2-1 on Tuesday, and Lionel Messi scored his team-record 48th goal of the season to advance Barcelona with a 1-0 victory at Shakhtar Donetsk.

Javier Hernandez scored in the 43rd minute for host United off Ryan Giggs' cross. After Didier Drogba tied the score in the 77th, Park Ji-sung scored off the restart, with Giggs again getting the assist, giving United a 3-1 aggregate win.

"It was a tough game," said Giggs, 37. "We scored a couple of great goals. … It's easier as you get older because you pick your moments."

Meanwhile, Messi scored in the 43rd minute, and Barcelona won the series 6-1.

Beckham MLS return?: David Beckham, 35, said it's possible he could be back in MLS next season after his five-year contract expires with the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Et cetera

Autos: Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne, 20, landed a sponsorship from Good Sam Club, a sister company of Camping World, for the Sprint Cup race Sunday at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway and the All-Star Race on May 21 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway. Bayne drives for Wood Brothers Racing. … Race organizers are progressing with plans to bring Formula One back to the United States in 2012 with a proposed 3.4-mile track on the outskirts of Austin, Texas. The last U.S. Grand Prix was held in 2007 in Indianapolis.

Golf: Cherry Hills Golf Club in suburban Denver will host the 2014 BMW Championship, Broncos Hall of Fame QB John Elway said. The event, to be held Sept. 1-7, 2014, serves as the third in a series of four FedEx Cup playoff competitions. … South Africa's Sunshine Tour will host a $10 million World Golf Championships event — the Tournament of Hope — though the date and venue have not been finalized.

Horses: Kentucky Derby contender Uncle Mo, who lost last week, had a thorough physical exam, and trainer Todd Pletcher said the 3-year-old colt is fine.

Jurisprudence: Former Giants star LB Lawrence Taylor, who pleaded guilty in January to sexual misconduct and patronizing an underage prostitute, was declared a low-risk sex offender by Rockland County (N.Y.) Court Judge William Kelly. Taylor's photo will not be posted on the online sex-offender registry. The girl was 16 when she met Taylor; he said she claimed she was 19.

Tennis: Serena Williams, 29, returned to the court for practice, her "first day back" after a series of health problems, including blood clots in her lung. The 13-time Grand Slam singles champion and former No. 1-ranked player has not played an official match since she won the Wimbledon title in July. … Second-seeded Roger Federer started his claycourt season by dispatching Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-2, 6-1 in the second round at the Monte Carlo Masters in Monaco.

Times wires

Times wires
Tuesday, April 12, 2011

WASHINGTON — Jayson Werth tried hard not to show that this performance against his old Phillies teammates meant anything special.

Werth homered and doubled to lead the Nationals to a 7-4 win Tuesday night in his first appearance against Philadelphia since leaving as a free agent.

Asked about the significance of the game, at first he called it "business as usual." But a question about his home run led to a playful dig at his former manager, Philadelphia's Charlie Manuel.

"I was just trying to perform well for Charlie," Werth said with a smile. "He hasn't seen me play in a while."

Werth, who signed with the Nationals after four years with Philadelphia, doubled to lead off the fourth and scored, starting a three-run inning that gave the Nationals the lead for good. He homered in the fifth for a 5-1 lead.

"Anytime you hit a home run you're going to have some satisfaction," Werth said. "Was it extra special against those guys? Probably a little bit."