Remembering Lovie’s top 10 hits, misses

December 31, 2015 general

Tuesday, 6 a.m. There have been good choices. Jameis Winston, for instance. There have been wise selections. Dirk Koetter comes to mind. There have been building blocks on the way to a better day. Ali Marpet. Kwon Alexander. On some days, Donovan Smith. But have  they been enough? Have they come fast enough? Ah, as […]

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Playing at home isn’t a big advantage for Bolts

December 31, 2015 general

Thursday, 12:15 a.m. Once, it was the biggest strength of the Tampa Bay Lightning. It was passionate, and it was friendly, and it felt like home. It was Amalie Arena, and teams hated to visit here. If it were any more cushy, teams would take towels home as souvenirs. These days? Amalie is a funhouse, […]

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Kelly’s firing brings up an old lesson in the NFL

December 30, 2015 general

Wednesday, 6 a.m. Not all actors are meant to be producers. Not all singers are meant to lead an orchestra. Not all drill sergeants are destined to be generals. And so the Peter Principle has cost another coach another job with another team. In the end, Philadelphia coach Chip Kelly wasn’t a good enough coach to […]

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Lightning loses lead in third, falls in shootout

December 28, 2015 general

Monday, 11:43 p.m. For 32 seconds, the Tampa Bay Lightning had things going their way. They had just scored the tying goal, and only 21 seconds later, they scored the go-ahead goal against the Montreal Canadiens. Things were going according to plan. Then, 32 seconds later, Montreal tied things up on a goal by Dale […]

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Should a bad game for Martin be a firable offense?

December 28, 2015 general

Monday, 6 a.m. Shoot him. That’s what I say. Blindfold him, line him against the wall and fire. Doug Martin fumbled. Then, recidivist that he is, he fumbled again. So let’s blow him up and throw him away. Let’s forget about the yards. Let’s forget about the touchdowns. Martin has sinned against the empire, and […]

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Were the Bucs really a better team in 2015?

December 27, 2015 general

Sunday, 6:45 p.m. It was all a dream, right? At one point, I imagined the Bucs were 6-6. I imagined they had clobbered the Eagles. I imagined they had swept the Atlanta Falcons. I saw improvement all around. I blame my medication. Was any of it real? Or was it a mirage, a freak of […]

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Next year isn’t promised to Bucs, either

December 27, 2015 general

Thursday, 6 a.m. The team has its quarterback. The victories have tripled. The system is in place. From here, what can go wrong? Around Tampa Bay, you’ve heard it a thousand times. Next year. Next year will be better. Next year, James Winston will have a year under his belt, and Dirk Koetter will be […]

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Random Thoughts: Golson forgettable at FSU

December 27, 2015 general

Sunday, 6 am. Hello, I’m Tiger Woods. And you might have heard of my death on the internet. Well, it was a hoax. Nothing is dead except my short game. – In the end, Everett Golson may be remembered as the FSU quarterback who mattered least. No one has had that many headlines and so […]

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This time, the Lightning finds plenty of power

December 26, 2015 general

Saturday, 10:55 p.m. This time, there was power to the power play. This time, the goal was plenty wide enough. This time, the Lightning took advantage of its opportunities. It’s amazing the difference one game can make. In its previous loss to Vancouver, the Lightning was one-for-10 on its power play. Against Columbus, however, Tampa […]

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Ask Gary: Can the Panthers stay unbeaten?

December 26, 2015 general

(Each week, the readers take over GarySheltonsports.com and play Ask Gary. They send in a question, or a couple, 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 or be funny. Send the […]

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