playoffs

Alabama’s Saban has surprised even Bear Bryant

January 1, 2016 College football

Friday, 6 a.m. If Bear Bryant were coaching today, this is how he would have spent his Saturday night. He would have lit a cigarette and drawn from it. He would have sipped deeply from his bourbon. He would have sighed heavily. Then he would have said this about Alabama. “Damn, but those boys are […]

Tagged as: Alabama, Bryant, playoffs, Saban

Read the full article →

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 […]

Tagged as: 2016, Buc;s, Lovie, playoffs

Read the full article →

Bottom-line: Does Tampa Bay deserve playoffs?

December 14, 2015 general

Monday, 6 a.m. You want the playoffs. You deserve the playoffs. You need the playoffs. It has been so long now, since the 2007 season. It has been since the 2002 season that the Bucs have won a game in the post-season. And so you miss the fabric of it. The feel of it. The […]

Tagged as: Buc;s, playoffs, Saints, Winston

Read the full article →

Game on line, would you have believed in Evans?

December 7, 2015 general

Monday, 6 a.m. Who would you have picked? Given a huddle of Buccaneers, given the pressure, given the moment, whose number would you have called? And when Mike Evans cried “Me, me, me,” would you have responded by saying “Hee-hee-hee?” In the biggest moment of the Bucs’ biggest game of the season, Winston simply looked […]

Tagged as: Buc;s, Evans, playoffs, Winston

Read the full article →

Do you realistically believe the Bucs have shot?

December 1, 2015 NFL

Tuesday, 6 a.m. Forget about mathematically. How about realistically? And so at this point of the sentence, we type “Bucs,” and at that point we type “playoffs,” and we look around the room to see if anyone is grinning. It has been that way forever —  not an appearance since after the 2007 season, not […]

Tagged as: Buc;s, NFL, playoffs, Smith

Read the full article →

Bishop-Hedman collision leaves Bolts reeling

June 14, 2015 general

Sunday, 12:37 a.m. TAMPA All in all, it had been a tough enough week for Ben Bishop. First of all, there was the mysterious injury. Then there was the constant game of dodge-the-question about when he would be able to play next. There were, of course, the experienced Blackhawks. And suddenly, there was teammate Victor […]

Tagged as: Bishop, Blackhawks, Cooper, Hedman, Johnson, Kucherov, Lightning, playoffs, Stamkos

Read the full article →

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 […]

Tagged as: Blackhawks, Bowness, Lightning, playoffs, Stamkos, Stanley Cup

Read the full article →

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, […]

Tagged as: Blackhawks, Cooper, Lightning, NHL, Palat, playoffs, Stanley Cup

Read the full article →

Resilient Lightning surge back to beat Chicago

June 6, 2015 general

Saturday, 11:53 p.m. Tampa Say this for the players of the Tampa Bay Lightning. They can take a punch. Content beyond this point is for members only.

Tagged as: Bishop, Blackhawks, Garrison, Lightning, playoffs, Stamkos, Stanley Cup, Stralman, Vasilevskiy

Read the full article →

Lightning face, oh, it-would-be-nice game

June 5, 2015 general

Friday, 2:53 p.m. Together, they make a face. Together, they shake their heads. Must win? No, say members of the Tampa Bay Lightning, this isn’t a must win. This is a gee-it-would-be-good-to-win. This is a wouldn’t-this-series-feel-better-if-you-win. This is a what’s-the-hurry-to-win. And sure, the Lightning could still be in marvelous shape if it won. Even after […]

Tagged as: Callahan, Carle, Cooper, Lightning, playoffs, Stamkos, Stanley Cup

Read the full article →

← Previous Entries

Next Entries →