By MEL BERMAN
Now that warmer conditions prevail, many species get downright lethargic. But that is definitely not the case with tarpon and snook. They’re ready, willing and able to crush any well-presented bait that ventures into their line of travel. Many skippers report that catch-and-release snook fishing couldn’t be better.
“A lot of the folks here in Boca Grande are targeting all those tarpon in the pass and along the beaches, but I gotta tell you, the snook are going nuts,” said captain Scott Moore. Captain Van Hubbard concurs. “Snook fishing has been awesome. We have more linesiders than I’ve seen in about 20 years, and plenty of big trophy fish.”
Despite these typically warm summer conditions, Spanish mackerel have decided to hang around and still are chasing bait just offshore, by the Skyway and up in the bay at all the big bridges.
Captain Woody Gore had a great day catching plenty of snook around Weedon Island. A few were in the upper slot limit, but most were undersized. Of course, since snook season is closed through August, they all went safely back into the water. After the snook bite, Gore moved out into the bay to catch several nice mackerel, along with some flounder and trout.
Captain Gore reports that these are tough times for live bait. “Because of the warm waters, they’ve been dying in my bait well, and about the only thing I could do is frequently flush it out by spraying some seawater into them.”
Then there’s that huge algae bloom in the bay. While it seems to be moving around, it appears to be most concentrated in waters from the Howard Frankland Bridge northward.
Hear “The Captain Mel Show” Saturdays from 6-9 a.m. on 970 AM. Also, visit “Fishing Florida OnLine Magazine” at http://www.capmel.com.
On Monday, I started this little feature called USF’s Tweet of the Day. And not even a week later, I received my first unsolicated vote - I’ll keep them confidential - lobbying for a specific Tweet as Tweet of the Day. Later in the day, I received a text from another person for this specific Tweet, so as far as I’m concerned it was a landslide. The Tweet will be listed below.
Also, I was unaware this Tweet of the Day mention would create such controversy. I was notified today that Pat Burnham’s winning tweet from Wednesday - “Headed to North Carolina for a week on the beach and to continue my domination of the Burnham Family Golf Tourney” - may not be entirely accurate. What? Someone not Tweeting the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? I’m told Pat Burnham may not have actually dominated the Burnham Family Golf Tourney.
Anyway onto today’s Tweet:
Each weekday afternoon I’ll post my USF Tweet of the Day from USF’s coaches and official personnel, who are posting their thoughts on Twitter, to get us through the dog days of summer.
Today’s installment:
“On vacation with the family-phone rings- struggle- pick it up- don’t pick it up-pick it up every coach has been there 9-0 phone right now”
- USF men’s soccer coach George Kiefer
Click here to follow Brett McMurphy on Twitter.
Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers LB Derrick Brooks expressed he still can play football in the NFL today this season during an interview on ESPN Radio St. Louis.
Brooks spoke with former teammate and NFL player D’Marco Farr on Wednesday about his carrer, the former rivalry Tampa Bay had with the Rams, and what his future might be.
Below is a partial transcript of that interview. To hear the full interview, click here Derrick Brooks Interview
On if he’s bitter with how the organization allowed things to transpire considering Brooks had been with the organization since being drafted all the way back in 1995:
“No, it can’t D’Marco because that’s the business again of the NFL. Everybody knows that when you come in and expect anything different, then you’re going to get disappointed. But with me, the news itself, you know I dealt with it for fourteen years. I just wanted it to happen. It could have been handled a little bit better in my opinion and I would have been ok with that I think. But the news itself, no i had no problem with that.”
On what he can still offer a team at this point in his career:
“A lot. Like I said, four years ago we did an extension and I was committed to playing fifteen years. Back then, hopefully all of them would have been in Tampa but like I said, that’s a milestone that me personally, I committed years ago to make. And like I said, there’s enough interest out there from teams to keep the fire burning. So I’ll continue to stay in shape and we’ll see what happens.”
On if he feels that he not have found a job just yet perhaps because teams around the league - the Bucs included - are changing away from the Tampa 2 scheme in recent years:
“No it’s not because if you play defense, you play football. So from that standpoint it’s meaningless. We made that defense what it was honestly with those classic battles against the Rams. And what our primary zone defense did was Cover-2 because of the front that you had to rush the pressure. Right now, you’re not getting as many combination of rushers that can rush like we could in our heyday. You know, four to six coming out. You’re just not seeing that anymore within units. And you know, like anything else in this game, you got to change. The style of offense is more or less not running the wide open offenses that ‘The Greatest Show On Turf’ ran that forced you to play that style of defense. So it’s not necessarily that teams aren’t playing that defense; it’s offenses are changing too, so the defense has got to change with the offense that’s being run by various teams now.”
Recent Chamberlain graduate and 6-foot-10 center Matt Kendrick has signed a grant in aid to play with Division II Saint Leo University, Saint Leo sports information director Evan Ortiz confirmed.
Kendrick averaged 19.3 points and 12.8 rebounds per game this past season and was named to the Tribune’s All-Hillsborough County Boys Basketball second-team.
“We are excited to have Matt Kendrick join us,” said Saint Leo men’s basketball coach Mike Madigan. “He is a welcomed addition to our program. To my knowledge he is the tallest player in Saint Leo Basketball history. He has the size to change the game defensively with blocked shots and rebounding, he runs the floor very well and we expect he will develop in to a very complete player in his time here.”
The Lions ended the 2008-09 season 15-16 overall and were eliminated by Rollins College in the Sunshine State Conference Tournament quarterfinals.
The Big East announced its Big East Network Games of the Week - i.e. the games that weren’t considered worthy of ESPN/ESPN2.
USF landed one of those games - at Syracuse, Oct. 3.
Two other USF games are being considered: at Pittsburgh Oct. 24 and at home against Louisville on Nov. 21,
USF’s current television schedule:
Sept. 12 at Western Ky., BrightHouse (Ch. 47)/ESPN regional, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 3 at Syracuse, Big East network, noon
Oct. 15 Cincinnati, ESPN, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 30 West Virginia, ESPN2, 8 p.m.
Nov. 12 at Rutgers, ESPN, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 5 at UConn, ESPN/ESPN2/ABC, TBA
The Rays acquired right-handed relief pitcher John Meloan today from the Cleveland Indians in exchange for right-handed relief pitcher Winston Abreu. Meloan will report to Triple-A Durham.
Meloan, who turns 25 on July 11, has spent the entire 2009 season with Triple-A Columbus. He went 0-0 for the Clippers with a 5.52 ERA. In 25 appearances (two starts), he allowed 52 hits and 17 walks while striking out 37 in 44 innings. He has pitched seven games in the major leagues, appearing in two games for the Indians in 2008 and five games in 2007 with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Over parts of five minor league seasons, he is 15-16 with 22 saves and a 3.75 ERA.
Meloan was acquired by the Indians on July 26, 2008 from the Dodgers along with catcher Carlos Santana in exchange for infielder Casey Blake. In 2007 he was named a Southern League All-Star and Double-A Reliever of the Year by MinorLeagueBaseball.com. He was selected by the Dodgers in the fifth round of the 2005 June Draft out of the University of Arizona.
Abreu, 32, was designated for assignment on June 27 after making two appearances for the Rays.
USF’s sports information department released a list of 18 incoming freshmen on the football team that are currently enrolled in summer school. This, however, does not mean that they all have met NCAA qualifying marks and have been approved by the school’s academic committee.
So while they are currently considered part of USF’s program, that doesn’t necessarily mean they are officially in and cleared to play for the Bulls this fall. USF sports information director Chris Freet said he can’t comment on who has been cleared by the university. So of these 18 in summer school, not all of them may still be around in the fall. We’ll have to wait and see.
With that said here are the 18 incoming freshmen of the 23 freshmen that signed who are enrolled in summer school (junior college signees are not included):
Samuel Barrington, Bradley Battles, Ricardo Dixon, Julius Forte, Ryne Giddins, Sterling Griffin, Chase Griffiths, Derrick Hopkins, Steven Jacques, Jaquez Jenkins, DeDe Lattimore, Lindsey Lamar, Jonathan McGhin, Victor Marc, Luke Sager, Demi Thompson, Isaac Virgin and Kayvon Webster.
Of USF’s remaining five freshmen signees: Khyri Thornton and Kamran Joyer both said they met NCAA qualifying standards, but were denied admission by USF’s academic committee and Gerard Atkins said he’s considering Georgia Military College if not accepted into USF. USFNation.com reported Adaris Bellamy said he’s likely headed to Fork Union Military Academy and Ivan Nicholas is still trying to improve his test scores and GPA to get accepted into USF.
As far as USF’s six junior college signees – Jamar Bass, Jason Pierre-Paul, Carlos Savala, Leslie Stirrups, Jacquian Williams and Kevin Williams – only Kevin Williams has currently been ruled out and won’t attend USF in the fall.
Selvie says: USF senior DE George Selvie did an interesting Q/A with Q/A with Scout.com NFL Draft analyst Chris Steuber.
Selvie talked about the upcoming season, coming back for his senior year and admitted when he “first arrived [to USF], you couldn’t get your own parents to come to the game. That’s not the case now.”
Among Selvie’s more interesting answers:
Q: Who’s your dream date?
A: A weekend in Hawaii with Oprah
Q: What’s your most prized possession?
A: An autograph from the immortal Hulk Hogan
Q: What’s something you can’t live without?
A: Toilet paper
The team has added five draftees to the roster for next week’s prospect camp to be held at the St. Pete Times Forum starting July 8.
Thos who have been added are:
D Victor Hedman (First round, second overall)
RW Carter Ashton (First round, 29th overall)
RW Alex Hutchings (Fourth round, 93rd overall)
G Michael Zador (Fifth round, 148th overall)
G Jaroslav Janus (Sixth round, 162nd overall)
The team’s second round pick, LW Richard Panik, reportedly has a bit of a shoulder issue that he is getting over and therefore wil not be at the week-long camp.
In addition, there are six players that were on the original roster who will not be attending:
Justin Courtnall
Johan Harju
Denis Kazionov
Dimtri Kazionov
Paul Szczechura
Steve Downie
The Big East released the home and away opponents for men’s basketball and the University of South Florida got a pretty decent break in who’s coming to Tampa, which ultimately should help the Bulls improve their conference win-loss record.
In USF’s current position, I contend it’s always better to play the worst teams in the league at home and the better teams on the road. Chances are you’re not going to beat the better teams whether it’s home or road, but a home court advantage could be a difference maker when two of the league’s teams in the bottom half of the league plays each other.
Each league team has three “mirror” opponents – teams you play home and away. USF’s mirror opponents: Cincinnati, Notre Dame, Providence.
Here are USF’s 2009-10 Big East Conference opponents (game dates won’t be released by the league for a few weeks).
USF’s home opponents: Cincinnati, Connecticut, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Providence, Rutgers, St. John’s, Seton Hall, West Virginia
USF’s away opponents: Cincinnati, DePaul, Georgetown, Louisville, Marquette, Notre Dame, Providence, Syracuse, Villanova
Of USF’s nine home opponents, Cincinnati, Providence, Rutgers, St. John’s and Seton Hall are all expected to finish in the bottom half of the league, so not a bad draw for the Bulls.
This will be the third year of the Big East’s 18-game league schedule. All 144 regular-season conference games will again be televised, either by CBS Sports, the ESPN family of networks or ESPN Regional Television.
This comes as a bit of a minor surprise, but Steven Stamkos was left off the list of invitees to Team Canada Olympic orientation camp, which will be held in Calgary August 24-27. Certainly, based on age, Stamkos is probably considered a longshot to even make the team but after he enjoyed such a productive World Championships in April there was some thoughts that he would find his way onto the invited list. Seriously, what would it have meant to invite Stamkos? What would it mean to have him get a feel fo rit since, if the NHL goes to the 2014 Olympics, there’s a good chance Stamkos would be a part of that team.
There are two Lightning players going to the camp, however, as Vinny Lecavalier and marty St. Louis are on the list of 25 forwards invited. Also, former Lightning defenseman Dan Boyle, who was an alternate for the 2006 team and never saw action, is among the 16 defensemen invited.
Here is the entire list from Hockey Canada’s release:
The list of five goalies includes three-time Olympian Martin Brodeur (New Jersey Devils), and 2006 Olympian Roberto Luongo (Vancouver Canucks). Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Marc-André Fleury has been invited, as have Steve Mason (Columbus Blue Jackets) and Cam Ward (Carolina Hurricanes). Two-time Stanley Cup champion Chris Osgood was not invited, although many had debated his chances during the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Just five of the 16 defencemen invited have Olympic experience: Jay Bouwmeester (Calgary Flames), Dan Boyle (San Jose Sharks), Scott Niedermayer (Anaheim Ducks), Chris Pronger (Philadelphia Flyers), and Robyn Regehr (Calgary Flames). Dion Phaneuf of the Flames gets his shot after being left off the 2006 roster for his youth. Rounding out the mix on defence are: Marc Staal (New York Rangers), Shea Weber (Nashville Predators), François Beauchemin (Anaheim Ducks), Brent Burns (Minnesota Wild), Drew Doughty (Los Angeles Kings), Stéphane Robidas (Dallas Stars), Mike Green (Washington Capitals), Dan Hamhuis (Nashville Predators), and Chicago Blackhawks duo Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook.
Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby highlights the list of forwards. The group of 25 has 10 from the 2006 Olympic team roster, including Shane Doan (Phoenix Coyotes), Simon Gagné (Philadelphia Flyers), Dany Heatley (Ottawa Senators), Jarome Iginla (Calgary Flames), Rick Nash (Columbusn Blue Jackets), Joe Sakic (Colorado Avalanche), Martin St-Louis (Tampa Bay Lightning), Eric Staal (Carolina Hurricanes), Joe Thornton (San Jose Sharks), Vincent Lecavalier (Tampa Bay Lightning). Youngsters getting a chance are: Jeff Carter (Philadelphia Flyers), Ryan Getzlaf (Anaheim Ducks), Milan Lucic (Boston Bruins), Patrick Marleau (San Jose Sharks), Andy McDonald (St. Louis Blues), Brenden Morrow (Dallas Stars), Corey Perry (Anaheim Ducks) Michael Richards (Philadelphia Flyers), Derek Roy (Buffalo Sabres), Patrick Sharp (Chicago Blackhawks), Ryan Smyth (Colorado Avalanche), Jordan Staal (Thunder Bay, Ont./Pittsburgh, NHL) Jonathan Toews (Winnipeg, Man./Chicago, NHL) and Dan Cleary, who has impressed with the Detroit Red Wings. One youngster not included on the list is Tampa Bay’s Steven Stamkos, who drew attention during his performance at the 2009 world championship
TAMPA The Newsome boys basketball team defeated Oldsmar Christian, 67-59, on Wednesday night at Tampa Prep to win the Southeast Basketball Academy Summer League Championship.
The Wolves finished 11-3 overall and 5-0 in the playoffs to capture the league title, which consisted of 27 teams, including Clearwater, Sickles, Kathleen and Tampa Prep.
“This will give us confidence going into the season,” said Newsome rising senior forward Samal Shepherd, who led the Wolves to its first playoffs appearance this past season while averaging 19.5 points per game. “It showed we’re one of the better teams [in Hillsborough County]. We’re on the rise.”
Newsome led 63-59 with under a minute remaining when Oldsmar turned the ball over and was forced to foul. Newsome rising senior forward Jake Hodges sank two free throws to give his team a 67-59 lead. Unable to score on the opposite end, Oldsmar was forced to foul again, this time sending rising junior guard Trent MacKey to the line with 3.9 left in the game. MacKey made both free throws to close out the game.
Newsome defeated Blake in the semifinals to advance while Oldsmar Christian beat Tampa Prep.
“We’ve added some new players and our chemistry has been off,” Oldsmar Christian coach Ryan Pannone said. “We did well against Tampa Prep but we didn’t play well against Newsome. They out-rebounded us and out-played us.”
It’s obviously been a long day tracking everything down today, jumping on conference calls, jumping into the car for press conferences, keeping an eye on web sites and keeping perspective on what today means.
On the signing of Mattias Ohlund, I have to say I like it. And if there was one player who the team wanted, this was the guy and I think you have to give some credit to general manager Brian Lawton for getting this one done. He identified the need, identified the player he felt could fill that need and got a deal done. Sure, Ohlund may not be as quick as he was five years ago, but this is still a perfect fit, even if the seven years is a bit long. The cap number, though, is friendly even if it’s front loaded.
Adding Matt Walker addresses a need for a physical type defenseman, and Walker is tough and will surely become a favorite of head coach Rick Tocchet for the way he plays. He also adds some good size.
Now, here is my question after adding two defensemen today (and the re-signing of Lukas Krajicek), what do you make of the blue line?
Here’s what you have right now
Mattias Ohlund
Matt Walker
Lukas Krajicek
Paul Ranger
Andrej Meszaros
Victor Hedman
Matt Lashoff
Matt Smaby
Mike Lundin (who for some reason is not listed on the roster of the team’s web site, is this a sign of things to come?)
and
Vladimir Mihalik
Ty Wishart
Kevin Quick
That’s 12 defensemen all of whom played in the NHL at some point last season with the obvious exception of Hedman. Of the 11, nine will be on NHL contracts next season - assuming that Lashoff, Lundin and Smaby are signed.
To me, that’s a major logjam. Sure, the defense is upgraded with the addition of Ohlund and Walker, but what’s to become of the other players?
Does Lashoff still fit in their plans? Does Paul Ranger, for that matter? Is Lundin all but out of here? What about Matt Smaby, who made a heck of an impression last year playing through a broken foot even when there was nothing on the line?
I think it’s got to be pretty obvious that the team will be moving some bodies off the roster. Brian Lawton said earlier today that he still needs a backup goaltender (Clemmensen, Anderson, Garon, Conklin, Jason LaBarbera all off the market) and when I spoke with Lawton on Thursday, I got the impression that a goaltender might be more likely to come via trade, but that was just a general feeling I had after talking to him.
On Wednesday, Lawton also said the team would like to add another forward (Chad LaRose is still out there?), and as we know, there is a log jam on the bottom lines especially when you factor in Brandon Bochenski and Zenon Konopka are on one-way contracts this season.
So, I think it is pretty obvious that more moves are coming and at this point it might be more bodies out than in, it’s just a question of who is on the way out?
Heard this story making its way through the air waives today about new Lightning defenseman Matt Walker, and don’t remember it from the postseason, but after watching this, you understand why Tampa Bay likes the toughness that Walker can bring to the ice.
I also spoke with Walker earlier and he ensures me that the finger is fine, “It’s coming along great, it’s starting to look like my finger again . . . it doesn’t look like my other finger, mind you,’’ he said.
Walker mentioned that he heard there was some interest in him from Tampa Bay and when the Lightning came calling, it didn’t take long for him to agree to a four-year contract that will pay him $1.7 million per season.
“It was an easy decision for me once they called,’’ Walker said. “It wasn’t something I had to think over and over and I wanted to come to Tampa Bay.
Getting the security of a four-year deal was also a factor for Walker.
“It just takes so much pressure off my mind,’’ he said. “I don’t have to worry myself with what’s next. The last few years it seems I’ve had to claw away and claw away, now I can come to the rink everyday and just play hockey and go about my business and be ready on a daily basis.’‘
Those among us asked who know agree the USA 3-2 loss to Brazil with a second half wear-out advanced soccer in general and bigtime soccer overall with their performance in South Africa’s Federations Cup title match in Outh Africa a week ago. And the U.S. team did not, they agree, slip backward because they were overcome by a Brazilian blitz.
“And, that was the difference, depth,” said Perry Van Der Beck, former Tampa Bay Rowdie star. “Our USA side was outnumbered. They have always been in world competition, but the spread is closing. In this Cup game, Brazil had a sideline full of all starters. We, the USA, had a starting team and subs. Brazil sent them at us in waves, one after one and two after two and there was no dropoff, thus the advance of the score from two-nil in the USA favor to two-three. So, they weren’t just better, they had the numbers of better players. But, we are catching up.’’
“Absolutely,’’ said Farrukh Quraishi, an original Rowdie here now in the public relations department and player placement business with his wife, Lisa Brock.“We’ll get there, in time. We have a big country and unlimited resources. America just hasn’t used them all. We will, as soccer gets more important to everyone. And it is. Millions watched the USA and Brazil on television and were proud.”
Though terribly disappointed in the fact that our team was overtaken.
“Couldn’t handle the numbers,’’ said Van Der Beck, who is soon to start assembling a new Rowdie team—yes, that will be the name, thanks to former owner Cornelia Corbett—that will play in the Division II United States team next spring-summer. The owners will be newish Tampan and soccer believer Andrew Nester, and Tampa native and well-known restaurant man, David Laxer. David is the son of the late Bern and Gert. He and his associates will build a neat 10,000 seat soccer stadium at a yet unannounced site but play next season at another unannounced site. The Rowdies may, just may, advance to Division I by the second spring.
Bet they will.
“I’m excited,’’ said Laxer. “Soccer’s coming back. We want to help it to do that, and we will.’’ David’s late dad, Bern, slipped out of his busy kitchen to see as many old Rowdies games as he could. The Laxer Family has always been civic spirited, and helpful as only they could be. They were part of many of our sports successes and now will be in another.
“This American team in South Africa in the Fed Cup, was a sleeper,’’ said Van Der Beck. “They were in a grouping with South Africa, Spain, Brazil and Egypt. When they beat Spain in a shutout, it shocked the soccer world. In fact, they have been doing that for a while now. The soccer people have much more respect for the American effort in this sport than do so many of us over here. And, now, this great effort in South Africa! I just hope they can keep it up next year when the World Cup comes around, in South Africa, too,” added Perry.
“They don’t laugh at us any more,’’ said Laxer. “And we are serious here in Tampa. We are going to do our best to give Tampa another sport of which we can all be proud, like we were when the Rowdies played the New York Cosmos and Pele in old Tampa Stadium before a full house. Now, that was fun.’’
Was fun. And nationally televised too.
Heck, another genuine star of the old Rowdies, Rodney Marsh, has moved back to Tampa to share the times.
Perry and Laxer might want to let him throw out the first ball.
Hello, Fanatical Friends! I have to talk about this photo because student Erika Hayes has 14 years of perfect attendance. This class of 2009 Phenomenal Student graduated with a 5.4 GPA as a student at Robinson High School.
I was invited by her and her mother to witness her receive an award from the Hillsborough County Superintendent Mary Ellen Elia for her accomplishment. I can’t thank her and her mother Tonya “Cookie” Wideman enough for giving Erika a chance to do something I never though was possible. This was very special to me and you can find out why on my site at http://www.bucified.com.
My Fanatical Friends, I have been very busy working on a big project for my program getting ready for the 2009 Football Season. I truly believe I will be up for the challenge when it’s time for me to get Fanatically Bucified for our Buccaneers!! I have notice a lot of people who are very skeptical about a winning season. I really can`t wait to take them ON because I have proof as to why the whole world should be optimistic like we are, My Fanatical Friends…
This off season The Dream Seeker “OLE IS Alive“ program had some major accomplishments and I am so excited to see the fruit of my HARD work. My standards are high. The goals I set to achieve for the program, before I get deep into the Bucs 09 football season , are just about done… I`m enjoying working with my 2009 scholarship recipients. I`m so ready to change gears so stay tuned. You are about to see what I have been working on…I will say this, I know you all will love the finished project…
Sincerely Bucified & OLE IS ALIVE!
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