To NFL fans, the Raiders become the Traitors

March 30, 2017 general

Thursday, 3 a.m. The first time I was at Oakland-Alameda Coliseum, there was a holdup in the security line to get in. Seems that the guards were busy checking out the light sabre of some guy named Darth Vader. Seriously, here I was, waiting for officers to make sure my laptop wasn’t a nuclear device, […]

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Rays’ fans search for a reason to believe

March 29, 2017 general

Wednesday, 6 a.m. I believe in the glove. I believe in Kevin Kiermaier, climbing the wall, flashing leather. I believe in his legs, and his heart. I believe that if anyone can chase down a fly ball, it is Kiermaier. I believe in the professionalism. I believe that on his way from this drill to […]

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Bolts’ Gourde has his once-in-a-lifetime moment

March 28, 2017 general

Tuesday, 4 a.m. If there was a moment he was born to, this was it. If there was a moment that he had bounced around for, going from the Victoriaville Tigers to the Worcester Sharks to the San Francisco Bulls to the Kalamazoo Wings, it was this one. For a lifetime — if 25 years […]

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Would another losing season doom Cash?

March 27, 2017 general

Friday, 4 a.m. There are a lot of things wrong with the Tampa Bay Rays that are not his fault. With Kevin Cash, the conversation starts there. His team’s pitching was subpar. The hitting wasn’t very good. The defense was shaky. The baserunning was an adventure. The roster was bleeding. The bullpen was overused. The […]

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Random Thoughts: Sometimes, bad play is worse than politics

March 26, 2017 general

I’m a little weary of articles that act like there is a grand conspiracy to keep Colin Kaepernick out of the NFL. Kaepernick’s play did that, not his politics. Play like that, and it doesn’t matter if you are Captain America. – By the way, I’m sure that Josh Freeman feels blackballed, too. – And […]

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Ask Gary: Should Sternberg show more urgency for a stadium?

March 25, 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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Lightning rebounds with big victory over Boston

March 24, 2017 general

Friday 4 a.m. It wasn’t how often the Tampa Bay Lightning fell behind Thursday night. It was how long they stayed there. The Lightning, for once a spunky, resilient team, came back three times from one-goal deficits. Their accumulated time? A total of only 163 seconds. The bounceback ability of the Bolts, not seen nearly […]

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Ask the expert: Jerry Angelo

March 23, 2017 general

Jerry Angelo is a former personnel director for the Bucs and former general manager of the Bears. Each week, Angelo answers your questions regarding the NFL. Send your questions to GarySheltonsports@gmail.com with “ask the expert” in the subject line. The most interesting questions will be selected. Thursday, 4 a.m. This week, we got a couple […]

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Now that free agency is mostly over, how did Bucs do?

March 23, 2017 general

x Thursday, 4 a.m. The shopping is done. The groceries are in the cart. The cashier has taken the money. And the Tampa Bay Bucs did well. Again. Didn’t they? Deshaun Jackson is a shiny new toy whose face should immediately go on the side of the stadium. Chris Baker seems like a solid player […]

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Lightning blows one against low-flying Coyotes

March 22, 2017 general

Wednesday, 4 a.m. It felt like goodnight. It felt like time to turn the lights off. It felt cold and empty and meaningless. Oh, yes. You can still talk about mathematical possibilities if you wish. The Tampa Bay Lightning remain, amazingly, only four points out of the playoff chase. They have 10 games left. There […]

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