Rays have trouble crossing the plate in defeat

May 10, 2018 general

Thursday, 4 a.m. There are guard dogs in front of home plate. There is a moat, filled with alligators and piranha. The palace guard hangs out there. There is a maze complete with snakes. There is a high-tech alarm system. But don’t worry. Your Tampa Bay Rays are safe. The Rays, once again, managed to […]

Read the full article →

Rays lose yet another one-run decision

May 9, 2018 general

Wednesday, 4 a.m. It is possible to look at a one-run loss as a matter of being competitive. You can look at it as being a play away. You can look at it as a near-success. Or, you can look at the one-run loss like this. Man, does it stink. Once again, the Tampa Bay […]

Read the full article →

Dungy an asset to Bucs’ Ring of Honor

May 9, 2018 general

Wednesday, 3 a.m. He is not the most accomplished coach in Bucs’ history. Tony Dungy never won a Super Bowl here. With the offensive staff he had, I’m not sure he ever would have. Only Jon Gruden won the Super Bowl here. He was not the funniest coach in Bucs’ history. He couldn’t crack you […]

Read the full article →

Bolts’ win was their most impressive series

May 8, 2018 general

Tuesday, 4 a.m. Now that the Tampa Bay Lightning has kissed (ahem) the big, bad Boston Bruins goodbye, we should take a minute to reflect on just what the team has done. These were the Bruins, the beast from the dark. This was the unbeatable foe from the unwinnable arena. This was a burly first […]

Read the full article →

Step 8: Bolts measure up to Boston’s muscle…again

May 7, 2018 general

Monday, 4 a.m. Well, that was easier than expected. The big, bad Boston Bruins — feared in the deep, savage in the dark — proved to be no problem at all for the Tampa Bay Lightning in their second-round playoff series. Just like that, their muscles were no problem, and their teeth weren’t that long, […]

Read the full article →

Rays throw, run themselves out of game vs. Jays

May 7, 2018 general

Monday, 3 a.m. You can blame Alex Colome’s arm. After all, it’s the arm that uncorked a wild pitch, leading the go-ahead run by the Toronto Blue Jays. Or you can blame the legs of Carlos Gomes and Mallex Smith, who helped to run the Rays out of the game Sunday afternoon. Either way, a […]

Read the full article →

Random thoughts: Trying to stop Hot Lips Marchand

May 6, 2018 general

Sunday, 4 a.m. When you watch Brad Marchand play, you wonder if he’s after a championship ring or an engagement ring. — Nice of Justify to wade through the mud to win the Kentucky Derby. I didn’t miss being there a bit. — CBSsports.com lists every NFL team’s fatal flaw. With the Bucs, it’s … […]

Read the full article →

Welcome back! Colome looks familiar again

May 6, 2018 general

Sunday, 3 a.m. Talk about the start all you want. The pitcher. The offense. All of it. For the Tampa Bay Rays, however, it was the finish that made Saturday night worthwhile. At first glance, you might even hope that Alex Colome is back. “Alex Colome deserves ton of credit,” Rays’ manager Kevin Cash said. […]

Read the full article →

Ask Gary: Did anyone predict this Lightning team?

May 5, 2018 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, […]

Read the full article →

Step Seven: Lick this! Bolts rally to beat Boston

May 5, 2018 general

Friday, 3 a.m. Maybe  you  are offended by the tongue. Who wouldn’t be? Tongues are particularly loathsome, after all. Certainly, Brad Marchand, sleazy guy, the lizard king of the NHL, wants you to be offended by the tongue. That’s why he licked Ryan Callahan with it. When a hockey team is being outplayed in the […]

Read the full article →