By Rodney Page, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, April 14, 2011

LUTZ — As Jim Thorpe hit balls on the TPC Tampa Bay driving range Thursday, a few of his fellow Champions Tour players stopped by.

"Thorpey, how's it going?" Bobby Wadkins said.

"Good to have you back, Jim," Bruce Fleischer said.

This weekend's Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am is Thorpe's first tournament since serving a 12-month sentence for tax evasion.

He earned about $5 million between 2002-04 but failed to file a tax return. He owed more than $2 million and began serving his sentence April 1, 2010, in Montgomery, Ala.

After 10 months in a federal prison, Thorpe, 62, went to a halfway house near Orlando for the final two. As part of his 200 hours of community service, he gave lessons at his home course, Legacy Club at Alaqua Lakes in Longwood.

On April 1, Thorpe was free to pursue his full-time job as a pro golfer. He tees off at 7:37 a.m. today with Dana Quigley.

"Tuesday morning, when I drove in (to TPC Tampa Bay), I've never been that nervous at a golf course in my whole life," Thorpe said. "I didn't know what to expect. I didn't know how the pros were going to receive me. And it turns out that I got a lot of hugs, a lot of 'good to have you back,' a lot of 'we missed you.' "

Thorpe, who has won 13 times in his Champions career and earned more than $13 million, takes the blame for his tax problems. He said he trusted the wrong people and should've been more diligent with his finances.

He dumped his advisers and surrounded himself with new people, whom he calls "Team Thorpe." He continues to make payments to the government, although he did not say how much he owes.

"I apologize to everybody for the mistakes I've made," he said. "I blame no one but me. It just goes to show that sometimes in life you just make a mistake and trust the wrong people. I'm very, very happy to be back."

The closest Thorpe got to golf at the minimum security prison was watching on TV. He didn't allow his wife and children to visit because he didn't want them to see him in that environment.

"They understood it," he said. "I just told them to let me do what I need to do and it will all be gone in 10 months.

"You don't want to be there. But I realized what I had to do, so I just made it work. I've had guys say to me that they could've never done that. Well, you'd be surprised what you can do if you have to."

Thorpe heard from plenty of fellow pros during his incarceration. He said players including Quigley, D.A. Weibring, Jerry Pate, Andy Bean, Tom Watson, Allen Doyle and Brad Bryant sent him letters.

"I requested to play with him," Quigley said. "I thought I could buffer anything that might happen, but it seems like everyone is happy to see him back. He's quite a personality out here. He's paid his dues, and it's great to have him back."

The last tournament Thorpe played was the AT&T Championship in October 2009. His last win was the Charles Schwab Cup Championship in October 2007. The only other time he has been away from a course this long was after wrist surgery in 1987. That kept him out for more than a year.

Despite the layoff, the North Carolina native said his game is in good shape and he feels fine physically. But he's not sure he can make it to the top of the leaderboard.

"I've never played well here," he said. "I love the golf course, and I don't remember the course playing as hard as it is. I'm just going to try to make birdies and see what happens."

The fact that he gets to make birdies again is a relief, and he vows never to let anything like his tax problems happen again. And looking back, he believes his time in prison actually had a positive effect.

"It gave me a chance to really do some soul searching," Thorpe said. "I could clean out the closet a little bit and get rid of some people in my life. I know now with the team I have I can focus on golf and they're going to take care of things."

Rodney Page can be reached at rpage@sptimes.com.

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, April 14, 2011

Tampa Bay Lightning veteran Marty St. Louis says it's never fun to go to the dentist, no matter if it's on a game day or not.

But, needless to say, St. Louis likely wasn't very happy to have to undergo a double root canal following Wednesday night's 3-0 loss to the Penguins in Game 1, due to two teeth loosened by a high-stick to the mouth from Pittsburgh D Zbynek Michalek.

"I didn't get home at 3 o'clock or anything,' St. Louis said. "But it was definitely my latest dentist appointment."

What bothered St. Louis at the time was that there was no penalty called on Michalek. St. Louis still led all forwards with 17:53 of ice time, and was at practice Thursday, with coach Guy Boucher calling him a "warrior." On the play, Michalek was falling down and swung his stick around, smacking St. Louis in the face.

"To me it was a careless play," St. Louis said. "Broken teeth and a fat lip, your emotion is going to get a little high, and probably got the best of me at that point in time. I thought it could have easily been a penalty. I don't see that play like the referees see the play, a different angle. I'm right in the battle, so obviously I was a little disappointed."

St. Louis felt reporters were making it "more of a story than it is," and wanted to move on, feeling lucky it wasn't worse.

"It's done, it's hockey," St. Louis said. "Sometimes you'll go to the net and get a puck in the face. You get stitches. I'm just happy it wasn't (a higher stick), it might have concussed me. I'll take the teeth instead of the concussion."

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, April 14, 2011

PITTSBURGH — Lightning veteran wing Marty St. Louis says it's never fun to go to the dentist, regardless of when the visit happens.

But that St. Louis had to have a double root canal after Wednesday night's 3-0 loss to the Penguins in Game 1 of their East quarterfinal series made for an uncomfortable rest of the night.

"It was definitely my latest dentist appointment," he said.

St. Louis, 35, was put in that spot after being hit by the stick of the Penguins' Zbynek Michalek as both got tangled in the corner going for the puck and fell. The contact drew blood and damaged St. Louis' front teeth and lip. Michalek wasn't penalized.

St. Louis still led all Lightning forwards with 17:53 of ice time and was at practice Thursday afternoon. Coach Guy Boucher called him a "warrior."

St. Louis said he was disappointed there was no call; he voiced his displeasure to officials during the game. Michalek wasn't available for comment Thursday.

"To me, it was a careless play," St. Louis said. "Broken teeth and a fat lip, your emotion is going to get a little high, and probably got the best of me at that point in time. I thought it could have easily been a penalty. I don't see that play like the referees see the play, a different angle. I'm right in the battle, so obviously I was a little disappointed."

That being said, St. Louis is ready to move on. He told reporters they were making it "more of a story than it is" and acknowledged the damage could have been worse.

"It's done. It's hockey," St. Louis said. "Sometimes you'll go to the net and get a puck in the face. You get stitches. I'm just happy it wasn't (a higher hit); it might have concussed me. I'll take the teeth instead of the concussion."

St. Louis said he's not going to let his emotions get the best of him tonight in Game 2, and he'll play a smart game. Center Steven Stamkos said the injury might make St. Louis "more hungry."

"That's Marty for you. He's not going to let something like that slow him down," Stamkos said. "At the end of the day, a penalty should have been called on that."

Boucher said that knowing how tough and competitive St. Louis is, he would have been "very surprised" if St. Louis wasn't at Thursday's practice.

"If you come to our (dressing) room, we've got a gigantic picture of him when (the Lightning) won the Cup," Boucher said. "Vinny (Lecavalier) has the Cup in his arms, and we've got Marty bleeding beside him. That pretty much sums it up."

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

By Gary Shelton, Times Sports Columnist
Thursday, April 14, 2011

PITTSBURGH — His legend grows larger by the minute. He is 15 feet tall now, and soon, he will be 20. His teeth are sharp, and his eyes are blazing, and he seems to have more arms than Vishnu.

He is Marc-Andre Fleury, and in front of the goal, he looks like a monster standing in front of a postage stamp. Soon, he will be mayor of Pittsburgh, and shortly thereafter, he will be governor of Pennsylvania. Any moment now, he may reach up and hang his jersey between those of Mario Lemieux and Michel Briere in the rafters of the Consol Energy Center.

This, then, is the task at hand for the Tampa Bay Lightning.

All they have to do is figure out how to kill King Kong.

All things considered, tonight's NHL playoff game is a must-win for the Lightning. First, however, it is a must-score game. Zero goals, the result of a game's worth of work in the opener, doesn't add up to a lot of success.

One game in, and it has contributed to the brightening star power of Fleury. At the end of the Penguins' 3-0 victory on Wednesday night, he left the ice with most of the packed crowd chanting his name over and again. His name seemed to be on every headline and in every talk radio discussion. Flower, they call him. Ha. If Fleury was a flower, then Audrey II of the Little Shop of Horrors was a shrub.

How, then, does a team break through a legend? How do you take a goaltender who plays like Godzilla and turn him into the Geico Lizard?

And, more to the point, which Lightning player is going to open the gate?

How about Marty St. Louis, the guy with blood in his mouth?

For most of the Lightning's playoff seasons, it has usually been St. Louis who has provided the spark. No other player in franchise history has scored as many playoff goals (23) or had as many moments (six game-winners) as St. Louis.

Now, considering that St. Louis spent much of Thursday in a dentists' chair getting a double root-canal after getting whacked in the teeth by the stick of Penguins' defenseman Zbynek Michalek, he has a little more motivation to score a goal.

"It starts with one," St. Louis said Thursday. "You don't think about scoring 4-5. You start with one and let everything take care of itself. You just keep pounding. You can't worry about how good he is. Yeah, he's a good goalie, but there are a lot of good goalies in this league. Good goalies can be beat."

How about Vinny Lecavalier, the team's captain who finished the year so strong. Lecavlier has 18 postseason goals himself. If Fleury hadn't turned into a contortionist at one point Wednesday night, he might have 19.

"Screens and rebounds," Lecavalier said. "They can't stop what they can't see. In playoff hockey, that's how you get the puck into the net."

How about Steven Stamkos, provided he can ever get on the other side of his drought?

For goodness sakes, Stamkos' dry spell has gone on so long, you wonder if it's even fair to call it a slump anymore. Just wondering, but has anyone checked his sticks for concussions? If this was Classic TV, it would be time to call Lassie, but Stammer's scoring touch has fallen down a well.

"You just have to keep shooting," Stamkos said. "It's the same answer every day. It's not making a pretty pass or a pretty play."

Simon Gagne, perhaps? Dominik Moore? Teddy Purcell?

Anybody? Anybody?

Of course, it would suit Tampa Bay coach Guy Boucher just fine if his power play had a few more chances to score. Boucher kept saying Thursday that he was fine with the calls against the Lightning; on the other hand, Tampa Bay had only one power play chance itself. Boucher also pointed out that Pittsburgh was the most penalized team in the NHL this year. Just asking, but does anyone else think that was a dig at the officials?

So how do you break through against a hot goaltender and the defenders who protect him?

"You have to work harder than the goaltender is working," Boucher said. "Simple. You aren't going to do it on free shots.

"What we have to watch out for is to say, 'Hey, we have to score more goals.' That's the biggest mistake we could ever make. We beat these guys at home. We beat them because we played the same game we did yesterday for 40 minutes. You don't want to open up, or it's going to be worse."

Besides, Boucher said, his team could have scored two to three goals if it had buried its chances. As good as Fleury was, the Lightning was a co-conspirator in its defeat.

"You can't get frustrated," Boucher said. "We know we're encountering an amazing goaltender to can win a game by himself, but we also know our guys weren't in the right space."

The thing is, the Lightning needs this game. Otherwise, it would have to win four games out of five against Fleury to advance. When a team has yet to score, that's a steep hill.

So how does it win? By swarming. By screening. By getting feisty in front of the net.

After all, with enough planes, with enough firepower, King Kong eventually fell to earth.

Times staff
Thursday, April 14, 2011

By Terry Tomalin, Times Outdoors Editor


Thursday, April 14, 2011

Trivia question: How many national championships has the University of Florida won?

If you are a football fan, you will say three: at the end of the 1996, 2006 and 2008 seasons.

If you are a basketball fan, you will say two — 2006 and 2007.

But if you are an all-around sports fan, the correct answer is 25 team titles when you add golf, swimming, track and field, tennis, etc.

And now, the Gators just brought home another national title. This one, however, is in bass fishing. In fact, this is the second year in a row that the Gators have fielded the best college bass anglers in the United States.

"It is pretty cool," said Jake Gipson, who along with Matt Wercinski won the College Fishing national championship last week on Kentucky Lake near Murray, Ky. "People definitely know about it this time around."

The two seniors, both 24 and from Niceville, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 14 pounds, 4 ounces Saturday to win their second title in as many years, a rare feat in any collegiate sport.

Their three-day total of 15 bass weighing 41-8 gave them a 4-pound, 6-ounce margin of victory over LSU-Shreveport this year. At the 2010 event, they boated 10 fish weighing 29-10 to win by 9 ounces.

"It was just an awesome experience," said Wercinski, a business major. "In bass fishing, all you have is the opportunity to win. And we did it two times."

Bass fishing is not sanctioned by the NCAA, nor is it an official "club sport" at Florida. But the school will benefit from the anglers' success. The tournament's grand prize was worth $100,000, with $25,000 going to the school. The University of Florida Bass Fishing Club also will receive a check for $50,000 and a Ranger bass boat, motor and trailer valued at $25,000.

The anglers also will receive an invitation to fish against the pros in August at the Forrest L. Wood Cup in Hot Springs, Ark., and possibly bring home a $1 million purse.

"I've gotten a lot of praise from our friends and family," Wercinski said. "But it is not like I have people stopping me on campus. This is no Tim Tebow."

Gipson and Wercinski went to high school together, but they did not become fishing partners until they went off to college. They try to dip a line whenever possible. Their favorite fishing hole is Orange Lake near Gainesville.

Self-professed "best friends," Gipson and Wercinski said they fish together like a "well-oiled machine."

Gipson added: "We both fish from the front of the boat. Matt's left-handed and I'm right-handed so we can stand shoulder-to-shoulder when we fish."

Florida fishermen have an advantage on their home turf, but Gipson said, "It is hard to adapt when we travel to other spots in the country."

Florida lakes tend to be shallow bodies of water with a lot of grass and other aquatic vegetation.

"We are all basically grass fishermen," said Gipson, who studies engineering. "But a lot of these lakes are deep with no grass. It can take some getting used to. You have to be versatile."

The college national championship event, run by bass fishing's FLW Outdoors, featured 125 teams, 25 from each of the five geographical divisions on the organization's college tour. UF had two teams qualify for this year's event.

Over the years, FLW Outdoors has awarded more than $2 million in scholarship money to more than 100 colleges and universities. The organization's college fishing events are free to enter, boats and drivers are provided by FLW Outdoors and all collegiate teams receive a travel allowance.

To learn more, go to College Fishing.com or FLWOutdoors.com.

By Rodney Page, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, April 14, 2011

LUTZ — Tom Lehman has played in four Champions Tour events this season.

He has won twice and finished second once. All 12 rounds have been in the 60s, and Lehman is a combined 58 under.

And he would rather you not bring it up, thank you very much.

"That's always the kiss of death," he said. "They talked about that at The Players Championship, where I had a streak of not hitting the ball in the water for like 22 years. The next year, I hit it in the water."

But facts are facts. If there was a favorite for this weekend's Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am, it would have to be Lehman. Including his two PGA events this season, Lehman has shot in the 70s in only three of 20 rounds. And his highest score all year is 72 at the Phoenix Open in February.

Lehman, 52, was in Sunday's final group at the 2009 Transitions Championship in Palm Harbor but shot 75. His only start at the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am was last year, when he tied for 44th.

"I feel really good about the way I've been playing the last three or four years," Lehman said. "Last year, I thought I played extremely well. I just didn't quite get the results. It was just a little bit here and there. So far this year, those little things are going my way."

Speaking of hot: And then there's Nick Price, who is just about as hot as Lehman. Price has nine straight rounds in the 60s, including a 60 in the first round of the Toshiba Classic on March 11. Price, 54, has four top-three finishes among six Champions Tour tournaments.

He also has experience at TPC Tampa Bay. Price won the 2009 tournament, and since then, he has won three more times on the Champions Tour. While Price has played well, he said he hasn't played enough. He's looking forward to playing more over the next two months.

"If I was still on the regular tour, I would've played seven times in the last nine weeks," Price said. "But I've only played four (in the last nine weeks) on our tour. It's been a little frustrating. Golf is momentum and getting on a roll. At least for me it is."

Price said he never thought he'd want to play more golf in his mid 50s.

"If someone had told me at 34 that I'd be having as much fun playing golf as I am now, I would say no way," Price said. "I'm enjoying playing golf now as much as I ever have."

Field change: Ex-Rays first baseman Fred McGriff was added to the celebrity field after country singer Vince Gill withdrew Wednesday. Gill's publicist did not give a reason for the withdrawal. That leaves a very athlete heavy celebrity field. Only Craig T. Nelson (actor), John O'Hurley (actor), Stone Phillips (newscaster) and Joe Don Rooney (singer) are non-athletes.

Making an appearance: Actor Michael J. Fox will not play due to shoulder surgery but will be make an appearance. At 11 a.m., Fox will ride in a cart with Kenny Perry's group. At 12:45 p.m., he will ride with Tim Simpson's group. This is the third year Fox has appeared at the tournament.

By Brent Gaskill, Times Correspondent
Thursday, April 14, 2011

What's hot: Kingfish season is here, but it's always interrupted by windy conditions from passing late-season frontal systems. Clear, calm days with easterly breezes between the fronts has produced outstanding action from Spanish mackerel and king mackerel along the beaches. Anchor over hard-bottom areas and deploy a frozen chum block while free-lining lively scaled sardines.

Rig right: Lighter tackle will hook more fish. A 10-pound-test braid is more than adequate for hooking and landing both kinds of mackerel. Use a clear section of monofilament or fluorocarbon to separate the bait from the highly visible braid followed by a short section of light wire to avoid the mackerel's sharp teeth.

Kid-friendly: Kingfish and Spanish mackerel are perfect for family fishing. They provide action, speed and a challenge for any age group or skill level. Chumming with live bait will bring the fish right to the transom and within easy casting range. Simply pitch a bait out into the chum slick and let it swim naturally. Children can usually work fast-running fish against light drag settings, creating a perfect family outing with fresh fish on the table for dinner.

Brent Gaskill runs Summer Vacation Charters out of the St. Petersburg area and can be reached at captbrent@summervacation charters.com or (727)510-1009.

By Rodney Page, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, April 14, 2011

Making news

Foundation to discuss Gulf beach testing

The Florida Suncoast chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, a nonprofit environmental organization working to protect oceans and beaches, will present an update on water and sand testing of gulf beaches as part of "paddle-out" event at St. Pete Beach on Sunday, marking the one-year anniversary of the gulf oil spill. Activists, volunteers and state and federal representatives will hold an 8 a.m. news conference, followed by a paddle-out and a update presentation at 9 a.m. For information, call (949) 732-6413.

Banquet, auction helps fund CCA

The Florida chapter of the Coastal Conservation Association has fought many battles for recreational fishermen over the past 20 years. Without the CCA, Florida's recreational anglers wouldn't enjoy such a stellar inshore red drum fishery. Anglers can support the Tampa chapter of the CCA through its annual banquet and auction Thursday at the Tampa Airport Hilton on Lois Avenue. For tickets, call (813) 238-2220 or go to ccaflorida.org/chapters/tampa.html.

Things to do

• Snake seminar, 1 p.m. Saturday at Weedon Island Preserve in St. Petersburg. Free. Call (727) 453-6500.

• Island Earth Days, Saturday and Sunday at Honeymoon Island State Park, Dunedin. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Live music, kayak races, rain barrel workshops, bungee jumping, rock wall climbing, fresh seafood, arts and crafts, environmental vendors, guided nature and beach walks and activities and crafts for kids. Cost: $8 per vehicle at park gate. Information: call (727) 738-2903 or visit www.islandearthdays.com.

• Gopher tortoise hike Sunday at Boyd Hill Nature Preserve in St. Petersburg. Call (727) 893-7326.

• St. Petersburg Sail and Power Squadron's safe boating seminar. 7-9 p.m. Wednesday at the St. Petersburg Sailing Center at Demen's Landing. Information: www.boating-stpete.org.

Rodney Page, Times staff writer

Times wires
Thursday, April 14, 2011

Sprint Cup

What: Aaron's 499

When/where: Today, practice (Speed, 2 p.m.); Saturday, qualifying (Speed, 11:30 a.m.); Sunday, race (Ch. 13, 1 p.m.); Talladega, Ala.

Fast facts: Dale Earnhardt Jr. has five Talladega victories, taking a record four straight from 2001-2003. He's winless in 100 races and has one victory — on fuel mileage at Michigan in June 2008 — in 115 starts for Hendrick Motorsports. He had 17 victories in 291 starts in nine seasons for Dale Earnhardt Inc., winning six times in 2004. … Clint Bowyer won the October race at the track. … Michael Waltrip is attempting to make his first Sprint Cup start since the season-opening Daytona 500. He has made 49 Talladega starts, winning the 2003 fall race.

Standings: 1. Carl Edwards, 256; 2. Kyle Busch, 247; 3. Matt Kenseth and Jimmie Johnson, 243; 5. Kurt Busch, 240; 6. Earnhardt, 235; 7. Ryan Newman, 233; 8. Juan Montoya, 232; 9. Kevin Harvick, 228; 10. Tony Stewart, 213

Nationwide

What: Aaron's 312

When/where: Today, qualifying (Speed, noon); Saturday, race (ESPN2, 3 p.m.); Talladega, Ala.

Fast facts: Kyle Busch has three victories this year to push his Nationwide total to 46, three behind Mark Martin for the series record. … Dale Earnhardt Jr. is making his eighth series start at Talladega. He won the 2003 race.

Standings: 1. Ricky Stenhouse, 218; 2. Jason Leffler, 204; 3. Justin Allgaier, 194; 4. Elliott Sadler and Reed Sorenson, 188

IndyCar

What: Grand Prix of Long Beach

When/where: Today, practice; Saturday, practice, qualifying (Versus, 6 p.m.); Sunday, race (Versus, 4:30 p.m.); Long Beach, Calif.

Fast facts: Dario Franchitti won the 2009 race. … Canadian star Paul Tracy, a four-time Long Beach winner, is making his first start of the season, driving Jay Penske-owned Dragon Racing's No. 8 car. … Four past race winners and four IndyCar series champions are among the drivers named to the 42 entries filed for the Indianapolis 500, scheduled for May 29. Eighty-three cars comprise the 42 entries, the most since 2002. The defending 500 champions trying to make the field: Franchitti (2007, 2010), Helio Castroneves (2001-02, 2009), Scott Dixon (2008) and Dan Wheldon (2005). Standings: 1. Will Power, 94; 2. Franchitti, 87; 3. Tony Kanaan, 63; 4. Dixon and Simona de Silvestro, 54

Formula One

What: Chinese Grand Prix

When/where: Saturday, qualifying (Speed, 2 a.m.); Sunday, race (Speed, 3 a.m.); Shanghai

Fast facts: Sebastien Vettel is attempting to become the first driver since Michael Schumacher in 2004 to start the season with three straight victories. He has 12 victories in 64 career starts. … Schumacher won the 2006 race for the last of his record 91 victories.

Standings: 1. Vettel, 50; 2. Jenson Button, 26; 3. Lewis Hamilton and Mark Webber, 22; 5. Fernando Alonso, 20

NHRA

What: 4-Wide Nationals

When/where: Today, qualifying; Saturday, qualifying (ESPN2, 6 p.m.); Sunday, final eliminations (ESPN2, 7 p.m.); Concord, N.C.

Standings: Top Fuel — 1. Del Worsham, 265; 2. Antron Brown, 257. Funny Car — 1. Robert Hight, 289; 2. Cruz Pedregon, 241. Pro Stock — 1. Jason Line, 289; 2. Greg Stanfield, 222. Pro Stock Motorcycle — 1. Eddie Krawiec, 124; 2. Hector Arana, 104

Trucks

Next: Bully Hill Vineyards 200, April 22, Nashville Superspeedway, Gladeville, Tenn.

Standings: 1. Johnny Sauter, 150; 2. Matt Crafton, 145; 3. Timothy Peters, 143; 4. Cole Whitt, 143; 5. Ron Hornaday, 141

By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, April 14, 2011

Lightning Live: 6:30 p.m. on Sun Sports. Preview show for Game 2 of the Lightning-Pens series with reporting and analysis from Paul Kennedy, Chris Dingman and Bobby "The Chief" Taylor.

Friday Night Fights: 9 p.m. on ESPN2. Main event is a 10-round junior welterweight bout between Ruslan Provodnikov (18-1, 12 KOs) and Ivan "El Marro" Popoca (15-0-1, five KOs).

Sports Connection: 11 p.m. on BHSN. A preview of the Magic heading into the postseason, as well as highlights and analysis from Game 2 of the Lightning-Penguins series.

By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, April 14, 2011

Jersey of the day

Steelers safety Troy Polamalu had the hottest-selling jersey in the NFL last season, according to NFLShop.com. The sales figures ran from April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2011. Rounding out the top five were quarterbacks: Aaron Rodgers (Packers), Drew Brees (Saints), Peyton Manning (Colts) and Tim Tebow (Broncos).

He said it

"I don't even know how to respond to that one. I've had a lot of other things on my mind — winning. So my relationship with Charlie is not one where we communicate that way." — Bobcats owner Michael Jordan, in the Charlotte Observer, on his relationship with actor Charlie Sheen, who appears in Hanes commercials with Jordan. Although, isn't it funny that Jordan said one of the things on his mind right now is "winning"?

Times wires
Thursday, April 14, 2011

Rockies 6, Mets 5

Game 1

NEW YORK — Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki hit back-to-back homers, and the Rockies won their fourth straight one-run game. With the bases loaded, Matt Lindstrom got David Wright to fly out to the track to end it.





Texas AB R H BI BB SO Avg.

Kinsler 2b 4 0 1 0 0 0 .250

Andrus ss 4 0 0 0 0 1 .188

Hamilton lf 3 1 1 0 1 2 .316

A.Beltre 3b 4 0 1 0 0 0 .195

Mi.Young dh 4 1 2 1 0 0 .293

N.Cruz rf 4 0 0 0 0 0 .273

Moreland 1b 3 0 1 1 0 1 .304

Torrealba c 3 0 0 0 0 0 .241

Borbon cf 3 0 0 0 0 0 .190

Totals 32 2 6 2 1 4

Detroit AB R H BI BB SO Avg.

Rhymes 2b 4 0 0 0 0 0 .182

Boesch lf-rf 3 0 0 0 1 1 .276

Ordonez rf 3 0 0 0 0 0 .208

Raburn lf 1 0 1 0 0 0 .261

Mi.Cabrera 1b 3 0 2 0 1 0 .382

V.Martinez dh 4 0 0 0 0 1 .225

Kelly cf 2 0 0 0 0 0 .182

A.Jackson ph-cf 1 0 1 0 0 0 .205

Jh.Peralta ss 3 0 0 0 0 1 .344

Avila c 3 0 0 0 0 2 .250

Inge 3b 3 0 0 0 0 1 .242

Totals 30 0 4 0 2 6

Texas 000 000 200— 2 6 0

Detroit 000 000 000— 0 4 0

LOB—Texas 4, Detroit 5. 2B—Mi.Young (4), Moreland (3), Raburn (3), Mi.Cabrera (2). RBIs—Mi.Young (3), Moreland (3). RISP—Texas 2; Detroit 2. DP—Texas 1; Detroit 1.

Texas IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA

Ogando W, 2-0 7 2 0 0 1 4 79 0.00

Oliver H, 4 1 1 0 0 0 1 13 1.59

Feliz S, 4-4 1 1 0 0 1 1 24 0.00

Detroit IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA

Verlander L, 1-1 9 6 2 2 1 4 119 3.13

T—2:19. A—18,724 (41,255).

Times wires
Thursday, April 14, 2011

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Spurs guard Manu Ginobili is doubtful for Sunday's Game 1 against the Grizzlies with a sprained right elbow.

Ginobili, 33, an All-Star who averaged 17.4 points this season, had an MRI exam Thursday. He was hurt during Wednesday's regular-season finale when he collided with the Suns' Grant Hill while coming off a screen.

San Antonio locked up the No. 1 seed in the West last week. Coach Gregg Popovich sat his stars Tuesday at the Lakers but played them against the Suns.

"They needed to get a good run … so they can keep a rhythm," Popovich said after Wednesday's game.

Spurs center Tim Duncan defended Popovich.

"You can't predict anything," he said. "And there's no reason to second-guess."

Lakers, Jackson fined: The Lakers and coach Phil Jackson each were fined $75,000 for Jackson's comments about the collective bargaining agreement, ESPN.com and the Associated Press reported. ESPN.com reported the fine stems from Jackson comments last week, during which he said the expected lockout after this season factored into his decision to retire.

Kings: Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson spoke to league owners in New York about keeping the team in California's capital. Owners Joe and Gavin Maloof, who also spoke, are considering a move to Anaheim, Calif., because of a lack of a new arena. They must file an application by Monday. Johnson, a former NBA All-Star, said he hopes the Maloofs stay but if not, a group headed by Pittsburgh Penguins co-owner Ron Burkle would be interested in purchasing the team or buying another to move to Sacramento. The Maloofs have said they will not sell.

Late Wednesday: Kobe Bryant scored 36, including a 3-pointer with 4.8 seconds left that forced overtime, to lead the visiting Lakers to a 116-108 win over the Kings that clinched the West's No. 2 seed. Los Angeles finished with the same record as Dallas but earned the tiebreaker because it won its division while Dallas finished behind Oklahoma City. … Blake Griffin had 31 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists to lead the host Clippers past the Grizzlies 110-103. A win would have earned Memphis the No. 7 seed. Instead, New Orleans will face the Lakers.

By Brandon Wright, Times Correspondent
Thursday, April 14, 2011

Tonight: Storm (1-3) at Philadelphia (1-3)

When/where: 8 tonight; Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia

TV/radio: NFL Network; 1250-AM

The skinny: Philadelphia, in last place in the East Division of the American Conference, plays its first home game after four on the road to start the season. … Philadelphia won ArenaBowl XXII in 2008, the final championship before the Arena Football League suspended play for the 2009 season. … Former Philadelphia Eagles QB and current ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski is a majority owner of the Soul. … Soul DB Tanner Varner has three interceptions, one off the AFL lead. … Philadelphia WR Donovan Morgan is second in the AFL, averaging 140.8 yards per game. … The Soul has five sacks as a team, one fewer than league leader Cliff Dukes of the Storm.

Brandon Wright, Times correspondent

By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, April 14, 2011

St. Petersburg Times staff writer Tom Jones gives his Two Cents preview of the NBA playoffs, which begin Saturday.

Eastern Conference

TEAM TO BEAT: Coming into the season, many were ready to hand the NBA title to the Heat and its collection of superstars LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Some thought the aging Celtics had one more run left in them. A few others liked the Magic's chances because of Dwight Howard. But how many thought the Bulls, who lost out on the LeBron sweepstakes, would be the clear-cut Eastern favorite heading into the postseason? They might play the most ferocious, in-your-face, deny-every-pass, contest-every-shot defense in the NBA. Their 91.2 points allowed were second-best in the NBA, a mere two-tenths of a point behind the Celtics. On offense, the Bulls have point guard Derrick Rose, left, who averaged 25 points per game and is the favorite for league MVP. The Bulls have won nine in a row, 13 of their past 14 and 21 of their past 23. That stretch includes two victories against the Magic and one each against the Celtics, Knicks and Heat. Interestingly, however, one of the two losses came against the Pacers — the Bulls' first-round opponent.

Team you should root for: If you're an NBA fan, you should root for the Knicks. Why? Because when the Knicks are good, the league is more interesting. And there's nothing quite like the buzz of postseason basketball at Madison Square Garden. Plus, the Knicks are due. They haven't won a title since 1973. Unfortunately, the Knicks have kinks to work out. They were the surprise of the NBA for the first half of the season, then pulled off the blockbuster trade to pick up Carmelo Anthony (7, right) and Chauncey Billups (4). But the trade did not turn the Knicks into contenders just yet. New York was only 14-14 after the trade and enters the playoffs with two bad losses to the Bulls and Celtics — its first-round opponent. The big issue is defense. The Knicks were 28th in the league in points allowed (105.7) and allowed less than 100 points only twice in the final 12 games.

Team that could surprise: Everyone seems to be counting out the Celtics, and it's true they don't seem to be the same team since they traded Kendrick Perkins in February. Not only did the team's inside presence at both ends of the floor take a hit, but the players seemed mentally shaken by the trade of the popular Perkins. The Celtics went 15-12 after the trade, partly because Shaquille O'Neal, left, who was supposed to take up many of Perkins' minutes, played only six minutes of the final 34 games. It's probably not wise to count on the 39-year-old Shaq returning to decent form (if at all) for the postseason, but a veteran team is a dangerous team. Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Rajon Rando still know how to win big games, and this team still plays excellent defense. And if Shaq is even a little bit effective, he can create matchup problems inside for the Heat and Bulls.

Best first-round matchup: Celtics vs. Knicks: Two legendary teams from two cities with knowledgeable basketball fans. Plus, it's Boston vs. New York. That's good stuff no matter what the sport. But keep an eye on the Magic-Hawks series. Doesn't it seem as if there is something missing from the Magic? Maybe it's that Gilbert Arenas has provided very little since coming over in a trade from the Wizards. The first-round showdown with the Hawks will be much tougher than when the teams met last postseason. The Magic swept the Hawks last spring, winning by an average of 25.3 points per game. But the Hawks won three of the four meetings during the 2010-11 regular season and did a solid job against center Dwight Howard. While Howard remains the toughest matchup for any team in the East, the Hawks held him to just more than 19 points per game and 43.1 percent from the field in the season series.

Series everyone wants to see: Celtics vs. Heat: These two teams built a nasty little rivalry during the regular season and this would figure to be a black-and-blue, seven-game slugfest.

First-round predictions: Bulls over Pacers in five, Heat over 76ers in four, Celtics over Knicks in six, Magic over Hawks in seven.

Western Conference

Team to beat: Talk all you want about the Spurs' 61-win season and how they are the top seed in the West. Until someone beats the champs, the champs are the team to beat. That would be the Lakers. The Lakers can look ragged at times. Even star Kobe Bryant knocked his team for its inconsistency. They won their final two games but lost five in a row before that. Still, maybe the Lakers simply lost interest down the stretch and were only waiting for the postseason to begin. You know when the postseason gets going that Bryant and his band of veteran teammates will take their game to another level. Big man Andrew Bynum's bruised knee is a bit of a concern and, once again, you have to wonder how much point guard Derek Fisher, right, has left in the tank at 36. But don't we say that every year?

TEAM YOU SHOULD ROOT FOR: You have to love the Nuggets. Star Carmelo Anthony essentially backed the Nuggets into a corner, and they had no choice but to trade him. Not only that, they had to also deal point guard Chauncey Billups. You had to figure the team was going to fall apart and become the Western version of the Cavaliers. Instead, the Nuggets went 18-7 after the trade and finished the season with 50 victories. They averaged 107.5 points per game, which was tops in the league. In the past three weeks, the Nuggets beat the Spurs at home and the Lakers and Mavs on the road. Are they going to win the NBA title? No. But they've already accomplished more without Carmelo than they did with him.

TEAM THAT COULD SURPRISE: Oklahoma City doesn't show up on most people's list to reach the NBA Finals, but it's a team that no one wants to play. For starters, the Thunder has the league's top scorer in Kevin Durant, who averaged 27.7 points per game. Russell Westbrook, below is one of the game's top and most-underrated point guards, averaging 8.2 assists against 3.9 turnovers. He also averages just under two steals a game. Everything that Kendrick Perkins gave the Celtics (good inside defense, rebounds) he is now giving to the Thunder. The other thing to like about the Thunder is it has just enough playoff experience not to get rattled, yet it is the league's third-youngest team, meaning its legs should be plenty fresh for a postseason run. This is a scary team.

Best First-Round Matchup: Mavs vs. Blazers: For the past couple of years, Dallas and Portland were chic picks out West, teams that had a chance of knocking off a heavyweight and, if a couple of things broke just right, getting a shot in the conference final. But the Trail Blazers were bounced in the first round each of the past two seasons. The Mavs have won at least 50 games in 11 straight seasons but have reached the NBA Finals only once, where they lost to the Heat in 2006. They have been knocked out in the first round in three of the past four seasons. Well, at least one of them has to move on this season. Portland won the past two times these teams met. The Blazers are bigger and faster at guard and have the defense to slow Dirk Nowitzki.

Series everyone wants to see: Lakers vs. Spurs: Not only are these the two best teams in the West but probably the two best teams in the league. Kobe Bryant and his five NBA rings against Tim Duncan and his four NBA rings. This would be the best series of the postseason.

First-round predictions: Spurs over Grizzlies in five, Lakers over Hornets in five, Thunder over Nuggets in seven, Blazers over Mavs in six.

Times wires
Thursday, April 14, 2011

Rockies 9, Mets 4

game 2

NEW YORK — Troy Tulowitzki hit his major-league-leading seventh homer and the Rockies wrapped up a four-game series sweep. Tulowitzki finishing 10-for-16 with eight RBIs in the series. "Am I shocked by it? No," manager Jim Tracy said. "When he gets hot, he's a very, very dangerous player."

Times wires
Thursday, April 14, 2011

Tennis

Nadal, federer make quarters on Monaco clay

MONACO — Six-time defending champion Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer coasted into the quarterfinals of the Monte Carlo Masters with straight-set victories Thursday.

Nadal beat Richard Gasquet 6-2, 6-4 to chalk up his 34th straight win at the claycourt tournament. Federer earned a 6-4, 6-3 victory over 15th-seeded Marin Cilic.

Nadal has lost his past three finals — once to Federer and twice against second-ranked Novak Djokovic — and is without a title since winning the Japan Open in October.

Horses

Dutrow horses get okay to run in Ky.

Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Rick Dutrow can't race in Kentucky this year, but his horses can.

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission allowed owners for Amen Hallelujah and Court Vision to switch trainers Thursday, shortly after a circuit court judge granted the owners a temporary injunction.

The decision came after 24 hours of legal wrangling between Dutrow and Kentucky racing officials, who denied Dutrow a racing license Wednesday for "consistent disregard for the rules of racing."

Jockey released: Eibar Coa was released from a Hallandale Beach hospital nearly two months after he injured his neck and broke his wrist in a fall during a race at Gulfstream Park. Coa had limited movement from the neck down. After two neurosurgeries and rehabilitation, doctors and therapists have called his recovery miraculous.

Swimming

Governing body responds to slam

The sport's governing body responded, albeit vaguely, to criticism that it refused to help a USA Swimming panel that investigated the death of an American in an open-water race in the United Arab Emirates last year.

A day after the investigation was published and report leader Dick Pound attacked the organization, FINA, for an "inexplicable" lack of cooperation, FINA said its five-member investigating task force did have authority to share details about the death of Fran Crippen, 26, in October. It did not say if any information was shared. FINA said it had already improved open-water safety with rules similar to recommendations made by Pound's team, including one setting a maximum allowable water temperature of 88 degrees.

Crippen, whose sister Teresa is a UF All-American, died after suffering from heat exhaustion near the end of a 10K race. Some complained that the water was too hot and organizers didn't have enough safety workers or equipment.

Et cetera

Soccer: David Beckham's league-high fifth yellow card this MLS season has resulted in an automatic one-game suspension. The Los Angeles midfielder received the card for a reckless tackle Wednesday against Toronto.

Cycling: Fran Ventoso won a second straight stage of the Vuelta de Castilla and Leon in Spain. Defending champ Alberto Contador placed 14th to move into ninth overall after two legs.

Volleyball: Three-time U.S. Olympian Stacy Sykora was in serious but stable condition with a head injury after the bus carrying her Brazilian team crashed going to a match.

Times wires

Times wires
Thursday, April 14, 2011

SAN ANTONIO — Kevin Na saw his first shot on the par-4 474-yard No. 9 on Thursday veer badly off course. His next wasn't any better. Or the next one.

"I got done with the hole, and I said (to my caddie), 'I think I made somewhere between a 10 and a 15,' " Na said. "But I think it's close to a 15."

Try 16.

J.J. Henry and Stewart Cink shot 5-under 67 for the first-round lead at the Texas Open. If it wasn't for No. 9, Na might have been there with them. He shot 4 under on the other 17 holes. But so dreadful was the nearly 20-minute ordeal, the score was adjusted twice — first from 14 to 15 then, after a lengthy video review, to 16.

The worst score at a PGA Tour event is John Daly's 18 on the par-5 No. 6 at Bay Hill in 1998. Ray Ainsley had 19 on the par-4 No. 16 at Cherry Hills in the 1938 U.S. Open.

Even Na was smiling by the time he tapped in a 6-footer.

His tee shot sailed into the woods. After finding the ball, he called it unplayable and teed off again — into the woods. He whiffed one stroke, ricocheted another off his thigh, tried two shots left-handed, and had the ball barely sputter forward.

All while still in the woods.

"There's some rocks in there and some pretty nasty stuff," said Geoff Ogilvy, who played in the group behind Na. "You don't have to do a whole lot wrong to have three or four attempts to try and get it out. It becomes a comedy of errors sometimes."

Masters champ struggles: Masters champ Charl Schwartzel shot 39 on the front nine and sat at 1-over 73 after the first round of the European PGA's Malaysian Open in Kuala Lumpur. "I didn't sleep very well," said Schwartzel, who arrived in Malaysia on Wednesday. "I'm struggling to focus." Alexander Noren shot 8-under 64 to lead by two. Rory McIlroy, who led for most of the Masters, shot 69 after his clubs finally arrived. They were lost on the flight.

Times wires
Thursday, April 14, 2011

Brewers 4, Pirates 1

PITTSBURGH — Randy Wolf had 10 strikeouts and allowed only three hits in 6 2/3 shutout innings as the Brewers won their fourth in a row. Wolf allowed two singles, a double and two walks, and didn't allow a runner to advance past second. Milwaukee has won its past seven April games at PNC Park by a combined score of 65-6, the past four by a combined 38-1.