Finally, McCown turns tears into triumph

November 19, 2014 Tampa Bay Bucs

TAMPA Somewhere beyond the tears, somewhere on the other side of the fire, we have learned something about the quarterback-for-now. Somewhere in the middle, we have learned there is something to like about Josh McCown, after all. No, he is not everything you want in a quarterback. He is not young, and his arm is […]

Tagged as: Bucs, quarterback

Read the full article →

Bucs should win despite their draft position

November 18, 2014 Tampa Bay Bucs

The air smells cleaner. The sun shines brighter. The music plays a little louder. For the moment, the Tampa Bay Bucs have stopped the laughter. For once, they have won a football game. Yay. Just like that, their plan looks sharper, their coach seems smarter and their future looks better. The winning streak is at […]

Tagged as: Bucs lose, mock draft

Read the full article →

To win, the Bucs need to be in a rush

November 17, 2014 general

TAMPA The distance between success and failure isn’t that far, really. You can measure it in the length of your driveway. In the width of a small bedroom. Less than the distance of swimming pool. From here to there. It’s that tantalizingly close. Most weeks, you can almost reach out and touch it. It’s the […]

Tagged as: Bucs, Lovie Smith, pass rush

Read the full article →

Catch a Rising Star: Mike Evans

November 17, 2014 Tampa Bay Bucs

Coming for Christmas: Mike Evans jerseys. And Mike Evans bobbleheads. And Mike Evans action figures. Soon, there will be the Mike Evans chess set, the Mike Evans footballs and the Mike Evans toothbrushes. A Greatest Hits CD is coming soon. For the right fee, I am certain that Evans will juggle at birthday parties. Yeah, […]

Tagged as: Bucs, Mike Evans

Read the full article →

FSU keeps finding ways to escape

November 16, 2014 Florida State University

First, you blindfold the FSU Seminoles. They are used to starting off in the dark. After that, you place them in a straightjacket. Then you submerge them in a water tank, and you let loose of the piranha, and you chum the water with blood. After that, you might want to drop heavy things upon […]

Tagged as: FSU, Winston

Read the full article →

Muschamp runs out of time, out of work

November 16, 2014 College Sports in Florida

The school tried being patient. It tried being reasonable. It tried being fair. It tried giving the condemned man a chance. In the end, none of it could save Will Muschamp. Even the Gators reached the inescapable conclusion that Muschamp was in over his head. His final effort against South Carolina finally coached him to […]

Tagged as: Florida

Read the full article →

It’s better elsewhere for Tampa Bay icons

November 15, 2014 Tampa Bay Bucs

It’s a nice place, Tampa Bay. Good weather. Nice beaches. Pretty water. Great sunsets. Fish for dinner. So why does no one stay? Why does no one pick here? Here, there always seem to be more flights leaving than arriving. Here, people stop by on their way on their way to somewhere else. Here, people […]

Tagged as: Maddon. Friedman. St. Louis.

Read the full article →

Smith’s Sense of Calm Is Comfortingly Familiar

November 10, 2014 Tampa Bay Bucs

The coach was too quiet. The players didn’t pay enough attention to him. Already, the suspicion was that his voice had been tuned out. Already, the team was losing around him, and he wasn’t making enough changes to his team or to his scheme. There wasn’t enough urgency. Already, there didn’t seem to be a […]

Tagged as: Lovie Smith

Read the full article →

Is Winston football’s biggest villain?

November 10, 2014 College Sports in Florida

They loathe him in Louisiana. In Texas, they spit out his name as if it were a curse word. In Ohio, they shake their heads and wait for the next headline to drop. In New Jersey, he represents all that is wrong with his sport, and by extension, his university. He is Jameis Winston. And […]

Tagged as: FSU

Read the full article →

USF’s Big Comebacks Could Turn Program

November 10, 2014 College Sports in Florida

First things first. Tulsa is terrible. SMU is worse. Before you get all fuzzy about the way USF stormed back from a 20-point deficit against the first and a 13-point deficit against the second, you have to admit that. Beating Tulsa is like drag-racing a parked car. Beating SMU is like beating one going in […]

Tagged as: USF

Read the full article →

← Previous Entries

Next Entries →