general

Gruden’s energy led the Bucs’ biggest win

August 3, 2017 general

Thursday, 3 a.m. Before the trophy, before the firing, before the clashing of swords, Jon Gruden was energy. If anything was going to define his stay in Tampa Bay, that should be it. Gruden entered by pushing, prodding and poking a pretty good Bucs’ team. He put a clock on his practices, and he tried […]

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Rays’ Pruitt throws a surprising gem against Astros

August 3, 2017 Baseball

Thursday, 2 a.m. It may have been their most surprising victory of the season. Certainly, it featured their most surprising star. Austin Pruitt, a pitcher who has been demoted twice this season, outdueled Astros’ star Dallas Keuchel in a 3-0 victory, throwing 6 1/3 innings of shutout baseball. Yeah, you read that right. Austin beat […]

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10 questions the Bucs must answer in ’17

August 2, 2017 general

Wednesday, 4 a.m. You can measure a training camp by the drills. There are endless drills, endless groups of moving around the field in the name of a regular season more than a month off. You can measure a training camp by the beads of sweat, those relentless beads dripping down an athlete’s body. It […]

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Longo’s cycle leads Rays to win

August 2, 2017 Baseball

  Wednesday, 2 a.m. Captain America is known for his cycle. Marlon Brando is known for his. Peter Fonda, too. And the guy who used to be known as Lance Armstrong. And now, there is Evan Longoria. Cyclist.  Content beyond this point is for members only.

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So far, Jackson has had the impact the Bucs wanted

August 1, 2017 general

Tuesday, 4 a.m. Mike Evans is the best player. Chris Godwin is the flashy newcomer. Adam Humphries is the kid with the dependable hands. Tight end O.J. Howard is the one with the solid future. DeSean Jackson? He’s the fast one. And so far in the Bucs’ training camp, he’s the one who, so far, […]

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Astros clobber Rays as Cobb is chased early

August 1, 2017 Baseball

Tuesday, 3 a.m. It was so bad that the Rays’ last relief pitcher was a catcher. It was so bad that the Rays’ had two hits going into the eighth inning. It was so bad that the Rays lost by a football score. Yeah, it was painful, all right. The Rays lost, 14-7, and gave […]

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Martin hopes suspension doesn’t cost him further

July 31, 2017 general

Monday, 3 a.m. For a man with nowhere to go, Doug Martin seems to be in a hurry. The players around him go through their paces quickly. They have less than two weeks before the preseason begins, some six weeks before the start of the regular season. There are places, like the end zone, to […]

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Bullpen sharp as Rays finally win one in New York

July 31, 2017 Baseball

Monday, 2 a.m. Need one word to describe the latest game by the Tampa Bay Rays? How about “relief?” Relief, as in the feeling of a baseball team winning after it had lost eight of the previous 10 games. Relief, as in a team stopping the slide downward in the standings. And relief, as in […]

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Random Thoughts: Clearing clutter from the HOFs

July 30, 2017 general

Sunday, 4 a.m. Here on induction weekend, when the Halls of Fame get more crowded, here are five guys who shouldn’t be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Former Cardinals’ owner Charles Bidwill, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, Pittsburgh receiver Lynn Swann, Packers running back Paul Hornung (on the Pete Rose ticket) and Bills’ running […]

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Bucs’ linebackers want to be among league’s elite

July 30, 2017 general

Sunday, 4 a.m. Batman had Robin. Starsky had Hutch. Thelma had Louise. The best performers, it seems, come in pairs. For every force, there is a counter-force. For every right fist, there is a left one. There is thunder, and there is lightning. It is that way with a lot of positions in the NFL. […]

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