Bucs would like better odds of making playoffs

February 24, 2020 general

Saturday, 4 a.m. The Tampa Bay Bucs didn’t get any closer to the playoffs this weekend. But they might soon. I will pause for a minute while you chuckle. Got it out yet. I’ll wait another few seconds. Go ahead. Get one lass snicker in. After all, the playoffs are a land out of reach […]

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Vipers fall to 0-3 with loss in home opener

February 23, 2020 general

Sunday, 3 a.m. They scored some points. They held a lead. Is that enough for the Tampa Bay Vipers? Probably not. The Vipers lost again, falling to 0-3 in the young XFL season after a 34 -27 loss to the undefeated Houston Roughnecks. The Vipers held a 27-26 lead in the fourth quarter until Houston […]

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Bolts staggered again by Arizona’s offense

February 23, 2020 general

Sunday, 4 a.m. It has happened as quickly as falling off a cliff. The Tampa Bay Lightning are officially in a slump. Only yesterday (actually, it was three days ago), the Lightning was riding an 11-game winning streak, and it seemed as if they would coast down the stretch of the NHL season. They had […]

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Kiffin fits in well in Bucs’ Ring of Honor

February 22, 2020 general

Saturday, 4 am. Even now, he is imagining how the salt and pepper shakers could blitz the dining room chair. He squints, and he imagines the coffee table coming hard around the edge and blitzing the television set. The way he has it drawn up, the flower pot in the corner is about to come […]

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Lightning streak ends with third period fail

February 21, 2020 general

Friday, 4 a.m. What? They lost? Is that even possible? Is it under league rules? Can the Tampa Bay Lightning really finish second in a game? A streak in which the Lightning seemed invincible came to a thudding halt Thursday night with a 5-3 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. After 11 straight wins, and […]

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Will Anderson end up as the Rays’ closer?

February 20, 2020 general

Thursday, 4 a.m. One-run lead. Bases loaded. No one out. Ninth inning. The noise rises. The intensity builds. Jose Altuve stands at the plate, and no one has any idea if he’s still stealing signs. Palms sweat. Throats are dry. Every second seems to take a minute and a half. Think for a second: If […]

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How will the Lightning use new acquisition?

February 19, 2020 general

Wednesday, 4 a.m. Now that they have the Pickleman,what do they do with him? Blake Coleman, the latest addition to the Tampa Bay Lightning, joins his new team Thursday night in a game against Vegas.For Jon Cooper, Coleman is a new toy, a new weapon, a new reason for his sizzling team to remain hot. […]

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Bolts set new franchise record with 11th straight

February 19, 2020 general

Tuesday, 4 a.m. They are comets shooting through the night sky. They are a bullet fired from a gun. They are a race car roaring down the stretch. They are the Tampa Bay Lightning. And can anyone slow them down? The streaking Bolts won again Monday, pulling out a 4-3 overtime win over a very […]

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Lightning plays the odds in Coleman trade

February 17, 2020 general

Monday, 4 a.m. Perhaps it will work. Perhaps it will reinvigorate the Lightning. Perhaps it will convince the players that management is doing all it can to put together a championship team. And perhaps it won’t. That’s the risk to any trade, isn’t it? A team makes one of these push-it-over-the-top deals, and more often […]

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Bolts beat Philly despite shaky third period

February 16, 2020 general

Sunday, 4 a.m. In professional sports, no one throws a victory back. No one rejects success. No one declines a victory. That said, Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper wasn’t exactly thrilled with the Lightning’s 5-3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers Saturday afternoon at Amalie Arena. The Flyers, down 4-1 at one point, scored two […]

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