Ask Gary: Is reporting a story harder these days?

June 13, 2015 general

Saturday, 6 a.m. (Each week, the readers take over 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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Rays’ Butler makes up for time he waited

June 12, 2015 general

St. Petersburg On a million fields no one ever goes, in a million games no one will ever remember, he imagined days like these. Someday, Joey Butler thought, he would get his chance. Someday, some team would turn to him and trust a significant part of a season to him. Someday, after all the doubts, […]

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At the ripe old age of 26, Archer has arrived

June 12, 2015 general

Friday, 5:42 p.m. You can see the age around the eyes. They are the eyes of experience, the eyes of age, the eyes of wisdom. He is 26 now, and he has seen some things. Yep. Chris Archer has done some growing up. Don’t look now, but almost overnight, Archer has gone from promise to […]

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Lightning front office is the primary line for a team

June 12, 2015 general

Friday, 6 a.m. In metaphor, it is easy to see them on a line, each with their own particular skill, each with their own individual impact. A play needs to be made, and they make it. There is talent there, cohesion. Together, they can make a difference. They blend together, stars who make each other […]

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For Lightning, it’s time for the stars to come out

June 11, 2015 general

Thursday, 5:03 p.m. It’s as simple thing, really. The leaders have to lead. The impact players have to make an impact. The best players have to be the best players. For the Tampa Bay Lightning, it is that simple. If they are going to win the Stanley Cup, they will have to look to the […]

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Lightning scoring comes up dry as Bishop sits out

June 11, 2015 general

Thursday, 12:22 a.m. You can sum it up like this: There was a Ben Bishop-sized hole in the Tampa Bay Lightning Wednesday night. To most fans of the Tampa Bay Lightning, that’s how this one will be remembered. Period. It doesn’t matter that rookie Andrei Vasilevskiy played well. It doesn’t matter that Chicago got only […]

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Palat playing “big-boy” hockey for the Lightning

June 10, 2015 general

Wednesday, 3:49 p.m. He is the last Triplet you can name. The last one whose jersey you will buy. He has the least amount of flash. The least amount of goals. He is Ondrej Palat. And he is the glue. If you wish, you can wax philosophic for days about Tyler Johnson, about the speed, […]

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Ask the Expert: Jerry Angelo

June 10, 2015 general

Wednesday, 8:10 a.m. 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 question will be selected. Rex Ryan, as you might have […]

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For Tampa Bay, Chicago the key is desperation

June 9, 2015 general

Tuesday, 3:26 p.m. The biggest motivator they have is that hollowed out feeling of plummeting downward. It is then, in that moment of abject desperation, that the Tampa Bay Lightning is at its best. It is then, when there is nothing left to do but to fight, that they play the finest hockey of their […]

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Bishop guts out 36 saves as Bolts win Game 3

June 9, 2015 general

Tuesday, 1:05 a.m. The big thing wasn’t that Ben Bishop started the game. It wasn’t that he somehow managed to finish it. For Bishop, and for his Tampa Bay Lightning, it was the 60 minutes in between that will be remembered. Bishop added another moment to his growing legacy Monday night, gutting it out in […]

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