After trade, Lightning a more complete team

March 3, 2015 general

TAMPA Today, they are more complete. Today, they stand a better chance. Today, the Tampa Bay Lightning has more balance to their roster. And isn’t that what the NHL trading deadline is all about? “It makes everyone just a little bit taller,” is the way coach Jon Cooper puts it. Content beyond this point is […]

Tagged as: Coburn, Connolly, Cooper, defense, Garrison, Gudos, Hedman, NHL, Stamkos, Strahlman, Sydor, Yzerman

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Ask the Expert: Jerry Angelo

March 3, 2015 general

Tuesday, 6:01 p.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. Our old buddy Simeon Rice scoffed […]

Tagged as: Bradford, Collins, Dent, Hall of Fame, Hardy, Johnson, McCown, NFL, Peterson, Rice

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Testimonial Tuesday: Talking about Gary Shelton

March 3, 2015 general

Miss the wit and insight of my friend Gary Shelton in the Times? Get all that and more at his new site GarySheltonsports.com. In return, he promises to be my best friend, so please do your part. — Nancy Alexander Tampa Bay Radio Personality * * * The problem with reading a favorite sport columnist […]

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What if the NFL held a free-agent draft?

March 2, 2015 general

Fantasy football is cool…but it isn’t the real draft. Free agency is cool…but it isn’t the draft. The start of a season is cool….but it isn’t the draft. You could even offer up that the playoffs are great, but unless your team is in them, or it’s time for the Super Bowl, the playoffs aren’t […]

Tagged as: Bryant, Bucs, free agency, Ingram, Pierre-Paul, Suh

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Random thoughts: now Melvin is overpaid

March 1, 2015 College Sports in Florida

Sunday, 6 a.m. Hello. I used to be known as B.J. Upton, but now I want to be called Melvin. In a related story, the Braves used to pay me in large stacks of “Benjamin Franklins.” From now on, they would prefer that be in “George Washingtons.” — Ronald Belisario shouldn’t worry. The hardest part […]

Tagged as: Manziel, Mike Tyson, Rice, Rodriguez, Thomas Benson, Tiger Woods, Warren Sapp

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To all fields: Does Josh get a pass for addiction?

February 28, 2015 general

Saturday, 6 a.m. On the diamond…. If his drug of choice made a fly ball go farther, the name of Josh Hamilton would be a swear word today. If his drug of choice made a fastball go faster, you’d be yelling for his head. If his drug of choice perked him up, and made him […]

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For a night, Lightning look playoff-ready

February 27, 2015 general

Friday, 11:55 p.m. TAMPA Here he comes. His footsteps get louder as he approaches. His growl is menacing. His game is dangerous. There are goals that are exclamation points, goals that are guillotines, goals that settle all debates. Steven Stamkos had one of those Friday night, a wind-it-up and slam-it-shut slapshot that turned out the […]

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Ask Gary: Talking about Tiger, Rays Stadium, Lovie

February 27, 2015 College Sports in Florida

Gary, I don’t know if you had to cover the PGA tour in your sportswriting career – I’m betting you did, though. That being said, and with the PGA Tour headed our way in Tampa Bay, Tiger Woods seems to have hit rock bottom with his golf game.  He seems to have developed something called […]

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Jepsen, Frieri hope to help rearm the Rays’ bullpen

February 26, 2015 general

Thursday, 6 a.m. PORT CHARLOTTE He never had Rafael Soriano’s death stare. He never had Fernando Rodney’s archery skills. He never had Jake McGee’s fastball. All that Joel Peralta had was the instructions on how to get hitters out. Now, in the effort to find pitching to come after the pitching, it is up the […]

Tagged as: Boxberger, bullpen, Cash, Frieri, Jepsen, McGee, Rays, Rodney, Soriano

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Ask the Expert: Phil Esposito

February 26, 2015 general

Phil Esposito was a Hall of Fame forward for the Boston Bruins. Not only that, the Tampa Bay Lightning was his brainchild, and he was the team’s first owner. Even now, he works on the team’s radio crew. Each week, Esposito will answer questions from readers. To ask Phil a question, send it to GarySheltonsports@gmail.com. […]

Tagged as: Brooks, defense, Larionov, Lightning, playoffs, Red Wings, Stamkos, Tony Esposito

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