general

Koetter has to mold potential into production

August 23, 2017 general

Wednesday, 4 a.m. In the days ahead, Dirk Koetter faces the biggest challenge a coach could face. And no, I’m not talking about facing the New England Patriots. For that matter, I’m not talking about the Packers or the Falcons or the Falcons again. I’m not talking about Drew Brees or Odell Beckham or Jordy […]

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Colome wobbly, but he saves the day once more

August 23, 2017 general

Wednesday, 3 a.m. For a man who deals in heat, there is a lot of ice inside the veins of Alex Colome. He is calm. He is placid. He perspires, but he doesn’t really sweat. All he does is save games. Colome was at it again Tuesday night. At a time when most pitchers would […]

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Bucs have often struggled with wayward kickers

August 22, 2017 general

Tuesday, 4 a.m. The long, strange tale of the Tremblin’ Toes begins with a bricklayer. Perhaps, it ends with one, too. His name was Mirro Roder, the canceled Czech. He didn’t last long, but he was the original Bucs kicker, an odd designation of an odd position. He was a common man, a blue-collar man. […]

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Winston has started out sharp in preseason

August 21, 2017 general

Monday, 4 a.m. Halfway through the sweat, and the quarterback looks cool and collected. Halfway through the grind, and Jameis Winston has clear sailing. He looks sharper. He looks more efficient. No, he doesn’t look perfect. Yes, he had his brain cramp moment in a nullified interception where he tried too hard to force something. […]

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Snell, once again, allows Rays to end a losing streak

August 21, 2017 general

Monday, 3 a.m. Do you call him “Ace” yet? At least, do you recognize that he finally won the “deuce” of his season? Blake Snell, who spent much of this season as the Rays’ starter without a win, stopped his second consecutive four-game losing streak Sunday, throwing a shutout against a Seattle Mariners lineup that […]

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Random Thoughts: O.J. playing in South Florida?

August 20, 2017 general

Blake Bortles is terrible, but I loved the comment under one of stories on him. If he was traded to the Bucs, they could advertize their quarterbacks as “Bortles and Jameis.” – That, of course,would be the highlight. – I’m not sure what O.J. Simpson is going to do when he gets out of prison, […]

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Could Spence be as special as Simeon Rice?

August 20, 2017 general

Sunday, 4 a.m. Tampa Bay fans don’t want much from second-year defensive end Noah Spence. They just want him to be Simeon Rice. That’s all. Like Rice, Spence is a lean, fast defensive end. Unlike Rice, he has yet to build his resume. But already, he has flashed enough potential – and gotten enough rave […]

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How much further down can the Rays slide?

August 20, 2017 general

Sunday, 3 a.m. Surely, they cannot catch the Chicago White Sox? Can they? At this point, they are certainly better than Detroit, better than Oakland. Aren’t they? On the other hand, the way the Tampa Bay Rays are going, perhaps no cellar is safe. The Rays lost again Saturday, falling 7-6 to the Seattle Mariners. […]

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Ask Gary: Did Bucs’ first game concern you?

August 19, 2017 general

(Each week, the readers take over GarySheltonsports.com and play Ask Gary. They send in a question, or a couple, on Thursday night or Friday morning and we all talk about the world of sports.  Think of it as a radio show where you don’t have to be on hold. Join us and ask a question, make a comment […]

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Kiermaier’s spark isn’t enough to stop Rays’ fall

August 19, 2017 general

Saturday, 3:30 a.m. No wonder Erasmo Ramirez is so darned happy. After all, he got to pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays Friday night. Ramirez, a pedestrian pitcher at best while he was with the Rays, came back into the Trop and threw a two-hitter to lead the Seattle Mariners to a 7-1 victory. It […]

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