Wiregrass Ranch football is moving forward

Posted Oct 27, 2010 by Eddie Daniels

Updated Oct 27, 2010 at 11:25 AM

Leading into last Friday’s matchup against Tarpon Springs, the Wiregrass Ranch coaching staff circled its meeting with the Spongers as the season’s biggest and most anticipated game.

Why? Simply put, Wiregrass felt it had improved upon last season’s 5-5 record and Tarpon would stand as the barrier to the playoffs. After knocking over the Spongers, 20-16, in their Class 4A-District 6 game, the Bulls are one step closer to its first postseason appearance.

Now, River Ridge gets that coveted circle on the calendar.

“Now that we’ve beaten Tarpon Springs, now this is the biggest game. Tarpon Springs is over,” Wiregrass coach Jeremy Shobe said. “Now we have to go in and prepare like this is bigger than Tarpon Springs because it keeps us undefeated (in the district) and it will clench a playoff spot. I really think we have to win one more to clench a playoff spot.”

Wiregrass (4-3) sits atop the Class 4A-District 6 standings with a 2-0 record, having beaten Ridgewood and then Tarpon Springs. Tarpon Springs (3-6) dropped to second at 2-1 and have beaten Ridgewood and River Ridge.

After Wiregrass travels to River Ridge (2-5, 1-2), the Bulls will head to Hudson, facing a Cobras squad that beat them last season and kept the Bulls out of the playoffs.

“We’re not big headed, we’re not going in there overconfidence,” Shobe said of his team. “They know what’s at stake now. Now our goal has shifted form the playoffs to winning the district, being the district champs. We’ve pretty much gotten to where we thought we should be, so now we have to re-access our goals and put higher goals up.”

This has been a swift turnaround for the Bulls. In their inaugural varsity season in 2007, Wiregrass was 1-9, followed by records of 1-9 in 2008 and 5-5 last season.

“Now our goals have shifted to being undefeated in this district and having a first-round, home playoff game.”

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Jeff Lacy opponent named, will fight for title

Posted Oct 27, 2010 by Eddie Daniels

Updated Oct 27, 2010 at 11:48 AM

When former IBF super middleweight champ Jeff “Left Hook” Lacy returns to the ring in December, he’ll be attempting to claim another super middleweight belt.

Lacy (25-3, 17 KOs) will face Upper Darby, Pennsylvania’s Dhafir Smith (23-19-7, 4 KOs) Dec. 11 for the Universal Boxing Organization’s vacant International Super Middleweight title.

The 12-round fight will serve as the headliner at Jannus Live, formerly Jannus Landing, in St. Petersburg on a card that will also feature local favorites “Cowgirls” Jenna Shiver (13-4-1, 2 KOs), Lenroy “TNT” Thomas (16-1, 8 KOs) and Manny “Shake ‘Em Up” Woods (5-0, 2 KOs). The event is a joint venture between Lacy’s Left Hook Promotions and Fight Night Promotions.

The card will air on Bright House Sports Network.

This is Lacy’s first fight after losing to Roy Jones Jr. by a technical knockout in their August 2008 match in Biloxi. Lacy’s corner called off the fight following the 10th round of their scheduled 12-round fight. That bout was for Jones’ World Boxing Organization’s NABO light heavyweight title.

Lacy, a St. Petersburg native has also held the IBO (2005), NABA (2003-05), USBA (2003-04) and WBC Continental Americas (2002-04) middleweight titles as a professional.

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Recruiting heats up for Jesuit players

Posted Oct 27, 2010 by Nick Williams

Updated Oct 27, 2010 at 10:21 AM

Jesuit’s 7-0 start hasn’t gone unnoticed by some college scouts.

Jesuit coach James Harrell said senior quarterback Patton Chillura is being recruited by Princeton and Harvard and will soon make an official visit to Princeton. Harrell also said 6-foot-7, 270 pound lineman Arturo Uzdavinis is receiving interest from Bucknell.

Meanwhile, Harrell said his son and starting running back/linebacker Anthony Harrell, will make an official visit to Vanderbilt this weekend.

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Armwood’s McKinney recovering from surgery

Posted Oct 27, 2010 by Bill Ward

Updated Oct 27, 2010 at 09:59 AM

Armwood senior linebacker/free safety Jermaine McKinney had surgery performed on his wrist Monday night at Tampa General Hospital to drain a bacterial infection that nearly became life threatening, Hawks coach Sean Callahan said.

“The doctors told me that if it (the infection) had gone untreated another day, it could’ve gone into the bone marrow,” Callahan said. “And once it got there, they said it could’ve killed him.”

Initially, the 5-foot-11, 215-pound McKinney was believed to have a fractured ulna near the wrist in his right arm after suffering a fall playing pick-up basketball last week. Scans of the arm, however, proved negative. McKinney also had an unrelated scrape on the arm which became infected. That infection appears to have developed into MRSA, which stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. Callahan said they are awaiting the results of tests to confirm what type of infection it was.

The MRSA organism is known for causing skin infections, as well as several other types of serious infections. The danger comes from the fact the organism is highly resistant to several varieties of anti-biotics. Monday, McKinney had surgery to relieve swelling around the site of infection, as well as receiving anti-biotic treatment.

McKinney’s status for the remainder of the season is uncertain, Callahan said. He has not been able to practice with the team the past two weeks and his recovery from the infection could be anywhere from one to three weeks, Callahan said.

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Internal review of Landers allegations finds no NCAA violations

Posted Oct 26, 2010 by Adam Adkins

Updated Oct 26, 2010 at 06:13 PM

The University of South Florida’s athletic department found no evidence to support allegations of NCAA violations made by academic adviser Myrtice Landers, according to the results of an internal review released Tuesday.

Sixteen separate allegations were either refuted or shown to be permissible under NCAA bylaws, while other allegations raised by Landers were not related to possible violations, the review concluded.

“The NCAA was made aware of the allegations and kept apprised of the review process and the outcome. The review found there was no evidence to support reporting any violations to the NCAA,” the statement read. “Lastly, contrary to the allegations, the review found a culture of compliance and a strong commitment to institutional control.”

The allegations by Landers, which concerned USF’s academic services and compliance staff, ranged from giving books to non-scholarship student athletes, to installing improper software on student-athletes computers and to using a fax machine for personal use. USF’s review was conducted by USF assistant director of athletics Richard Stumpf. USF associate general counsel Colin Mailloux, and Joseph D’Antonio Jr., senior associate commissioner for compliance and governance for the Big East Conference, were present during all interviews.

Landers was originally placed on administrative leave July 15 based on allegations against her of committing a secondary NCAA violation that involved giving free textbooks to a non-scholarship women’s basketball team player. Landers subsequently accused USF of racial discrimination and said the university covered up NCAA violations.

Landers returned to the university as an academic adviser in August after reaching an agreement with USF through mediation, and withdrew the allegation of racial discrimination.

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It’s different this time for Boucher, Crosby

Posted Oct 26, 2010 by Tribune Sports

Updated Oct 26, 2010 at 06:35 PM

By TONY FABRIZIO

TAMPA Lightning coach Guy Boucher says it will be “weird” coaching against Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby on Wednesday night when the teams play at the Forum.

It’ll be the first on-ice meeting between the two since Boucher coached Crosby with Rimouski Oceanic of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League for two seasons from 2003-’05.

Boucher was an assistant coach. Crosby was 16 when he arrived for his first practice and told a 20-year-old player “he wasn’t giving enough competition” in a one-on-one drill,” Boucher recalled.

The 16-year-old quickly became the league’s best player, took MVP honors in consecutive seasons, and led Rimouski on a 28-game undefeated streak and to the Memorial Cup finals in 2005.

Coach and player developed a mutual respect and remain friends.

“Sidney is a fun person to talk to,” said Boucher, “He has ideas about everything. … He’s an encyclopedia of hockey. … ‘This guy this that, and that guy did that.’

“He loves hockey for the game. That’s why I say he’s a good role model for kids and for people because, for him, it’s never about the money or fame. He’s an extremely humble guy. Off the ice … he’s a soft spoken, respectful individual. And then you get on the ice, and he’s just a fireball out there.”

Crosby, whose team has been in Tampa since Sunday, said he instantly recognized that Boucher had a “certain passion for hockey” and credited him for helping to develop his game.

“I remember doing a lot of one-on-one stuff on the ice,” Crosby said. “He always worked a lot of the skills-side of things .He was a pretty talented player himself, so I think there was always kind of a communication there as far as trying things and working on moves.

“He worked individually with guys a lot and was always pretty intense, that’s for sure.”

Boucher was asked to recall the most amazing thing he ever saw Crosby do. He gave a wide-eyed expression suggesting he didn’t know where to start after all the amazing things he had seen Crosby do with a hockey stick.

And then he chose anecdote that had nothing to do with Crosby’s athleticism.

The Oceanic, Boucher recalled, had returned from a road trip early in the morning after clinching a playoff berth. Players were greeted by a large number of fans who had stayed the night to buy playoff tickets. Crosby disappeared.

“He didn’t’ say anything,” Boucher remembered. “But he went to Tim Hortons, which is like Dunkin’ Donuts, and got muffins and donuts and juices and coffee for everybody. And he shook hands with everybody and thanked them for being there for us.

“He was 16 years old, so that was different.”

Crosby confirmed the story.

“We got a few players together and went and thanked them,” Crosby said. “We were thankful for the support we had in juniors, and Guy and the whole coaching staff we had there in Rimouski were a big part in developing the players and making sure we were learning things on and off the ice.”

By the time Crosby finished at Rimouski, he was one of the most highly regarded picks in history. He was taken first overall by the Penguins in 2005 and finished sixth in scoring as a rookie.

A year later, led the NHL with 120 points and became the only teen-ager to win a scoring title in any major North American professional sports league. He also won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the League’s MVP.

In 2009, Crosby became the youngest captain to lead his team to a Stanley Cup title.

Boucher said Crosby’s success is as much about his work ethic as his talent.

“He never wanted a day off,” Boucher said. “We had to force him. I remember one time, we told him there was a day off the next day, and he just hid his skates. He came back the next day, but the rink was closed. So he went to see the Zamboni guy to open it up for him. He went on by himself.”

Crosby finished second in scoring last year with 109 points, tying Tampa Bay’s Steven Stamkos for most goals with a career-high 51. Nine games into this season, Crosby has six goals and 11 assists.

But then Boucher knows how to stop him, having studied his strengths and weaknesses for two years in the Canadian Juniors.

Or not.

“I’ve seen a lot of people who thought they knew what to do against him,” Boucher said laughing. “And he (got) four or five points against them.”

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Gaither’s Hannah adds another offer

Posted Oct 26, 2010 by Katherine Smith

Updated Oct 26, 2010 at 12:55 PM

Gaither’s Chadd Hannah picked up his second scholarship offer.

The senior defensive lineman received an offer from Bowling Green State University, Cowboys coach Mark Kantor said. Earlier this month, Hannah got an offer from Rutgers.

Hannah is currently second on the team with six sacks. He also has 40 tackles.

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Rays award $30,000 to the Tampa YMCA

Posted Oct 26, 2010 by Roger Mooney

Updated Oct 26, 2010 at 09:52 AM

The Rays Baseball Foundation, the official charity of the Tampa Bay Rays, today awarded $30,000 to the Tampa YMCA through the club’s All-Star Grant.

The grant will benefit the Tampa YMCA’s Teen Achievers program, initiated in 2009 at Blake High School.  This well-respected, proven national model targets academically at-risk students, who need intense academic and/or social support.

“The Rays are eager to support a program that can serve as a blueprint for educators and youth counselors throughout the nation,” said Rays President Matt Silverman.  “The partnerships formed through the Rays Baseball Foundation continue to be a source of great pride for all of us in the organization.”

Through grants and other contributions, the Rays Baseball Foundation has invested over 1.8 million dollars in the Tampa Bay region over the past three years.

The goals of the Teen Achiever program are to improve students’ academic performance, build employability skills, increase feelings of self-esteem, and surround students with a positive network of supportive adults. 

During school hours, the kids participate in career exploration and leadership development sessions, after school they participate in skill-building and tutoring programs provided by the YMCA, and on the weekends they attend Saturday Academy, where they meet with Tampa Bay-area professionals and are guided in potential careers. 

When the program began, there were 25 freshmen.  Today, Teen Achievers includes 50 freshmen and 25 sophomores.  In 2009, students in the Teen Achievers program outgained other students in the school district by 30 percent in 9th grade FCAT reading scores. 

“Thanks to the Rays Baseball Foundation’s contribution, we’re continuing to challenge and encourage these students to set high goals and achieve them,” said Michael Brown, Group Vice President of the Tampa YMCA.  “Our goal is to continue providing support and guidance to these students and, eventually, take this program throughout the county.”
The Rays Baseball Foundation focuses primarily on youth and education programs in the Tampa Bay region that make a measurable difference in the Tampa Bay community.  The Foundation’s All-Star

Grant selection process started in May with a candidate pool of nearly 150 community nonprofit agencies.  The All-Star Grant provides substantial monetary support to help community organizations fulfill their mission. 

Key contributors to the foundation include Rays owners, sponsors, fans, employees and players.  All Rays players currently signed to multi-year contracts contribute to the Rays Baseball Foundation and its programs.  That group includes current Rays Carl Crawford, Evan Longoria, Kelly Shoppach, Carlos Peña, Willy Aybar, Ben Zobrist, James Shields and Dan Wheeler. 

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Wharton’s Brett picks Tampa

Posted Oct 26, 2010 by Adam Adkins

Updated Oct 26, 2010 at 09:50 AM

Wharton senior baseball player Kyle Brett has verbally committed to the University of Tampa, Wildcats coach Scott Hoffman said Tuesday.

Brett, a right-handed pitcher, emerged as Wharton’s top hurler last season. He posted a 2.03 ERA over 58 2/3 innings pitched in 2010 and tossed five complete games in his 10 starts, and finished with a 5-4 overall record with 55 strikeouts and 50 hits allowed.

Brett, who also plays in the Wildcats infield and hit .333 with 14 RBIs last season, also had some interest from Appalachian State, but was intent on joining the Spartans, Hoffman said.

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The NFL returns to London, England

Posted Oct 26, 2010 by Paul Stewart

Updated Oct 26, 2010 at 05:07 AM

Next Sunday, the 49ers and Broncos travel to Wembley Stadium for the 4th International Series game.  There will be the usual vested complaints about travel logistics, schedule disruption and the loss of a home game for San Francisco fans, but please take time to look at the bigger picture.

The NFL is big business in the UK.  Viewing figures for live games are comparable to any other sport outside of live soccer, and the knowledge of the average NFL fan is well on par with that of any American.

Yes any TV producer can easily find a guy in the street who doesn’t understand the game, but the real fan here knows which side of a strong side formation the TE will line up, what a red dog is, and Erin Andrews is so hot.

Since 1982, televised NFL games have been important staples in the schedules and we now have four live games each week, a double-header on Sunday evenings, switch channels for the late Sunday game (1-4am over here) and then the Monday Night game (1.30-5am) if you still have the stamina.

The Wembley game is a celebration of the NFL for all the fans over here. It doesn’t matter who plays, it is the event that is huge.  You will see fans of every one of the 32 NFL teams represented, college jerseys, British team colours.  A colleague from NFL Films has described the atmosphere as unique outside only of the Super Bowl.

12 months ago the Tampa Bay Buccaneers went beyond the call of normal support in what they did to thank their British fan club for 25 years of support, sending cheerleaders and alumni to a touch football event against the UK Patriots that turned out to be the first Buccaneer win of the season.

The Miami Dolphins did similar things for their UK club in 2007 and the San Francisco 49ers have many fan events planned during their week in London.

When you only have eight regular season home games a season, losing one is hard to the home fans and I sympathise with them for that.  But in terms of the big picture, there are 256 regular season games in each NFL season so allowing one to come across the pond is not a massive sacrifice.

And if you had seen the effect it has on the British fans, you would not begrudge the effort at all.

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