Shot down in a shootout again

Tampa Bay Lightning have given us plenty of reasons to be cheerful over the past few weeks so it's hard to feel too down about its most recent shootout loss.
This time they went down 2-1 to Montreal to snap a three-game winning streak but at least the final eight possible points of 2008 have yielded seven - not bad given what went before it.
Lightning interim coach, Rick Tocchet, admitted it was hard to be too down on his players, but said it would be nice to win a shootout for a change.
"We grabbed a point, and it was really a great hockey game," said Tocchet. "Shootouts are really tough, because they are confidence-builders if you win them, you can really take off when you win those things. We've been on a little bit of a streak, but we needed the two points, bad, really bad."
Goaltender Mike Smith was solid in net for Tampa Bay all night, stopping 29 shots, but the overall result made it 2-7 to Lightning in shootouts this season (3-10 in overtime).
"I think we still played like we have been, and we did a lot of good things tonight," said Smith, who has allowed 15 shootout goals on 40 attempts this season. "We have to come out of this game with a positive, and that's a top team in this league and we are battling to find our mojo. I think we played a pretty decent hockey game, so we can't get too down."

Come and stay with us on Anna Maria Island at annamaria.com

It's all gone horribly wrong

How the Bucs wish they could have a December do-over. Four straight losses culminating in Sunday's 31-24 defeat to Oakland Raiders has seen their season disappear in smoke. And a sickening injury to returning receiver 'Caddy' Williams did nothing to lift the mood.
''There's disbelief. There's shock. There's emotions, I'm sure, that I can't really describe,'' said the veteran running back Warrick Dunn of the biggest collapse in franchise history. ''To be 9-3, and you lose four in a row when all you have to do is win one and you're in, it's tough to swallow. The guys in this locker room have prepared hard, played hard. Things haven't gone our way.''
Tampa Bay (9-7) was tied for first place in the NFC South heading into December but was outscored 62-19 in the fourth quarter and overtime of losses to Carolina, Atlanta, San Diego and Oakland down the stretch. If there is one area that coach Jon Gruden might want to concentrate on now, it's there for all to see.
''It's very disappointing. ... I'm sick for our players, and our fans, more than anything,'' Gruden said.
The Bucs gave up 564 yards rushing and allowed Carolina, Atlanta and San Diego to convert 21 of 37 third downs the previous three weeks. Oakland finished with 192 yards rushing and converted 6 of 13 third downs.
Quarterback Jeff Garcia threw for 257 yards, including a 58-yarder to Michael Clayton for a third-quarter touchdown that erased Oakland's 14-7 half-time lead. Williams finished with a season-best 78 yards rushing on 12 carries.
Williams sustained a severe injury to his left knee after being tackled along the sideline by CB Chris Johnson at the end of a 28-yard run, and immediately grabbed his knee. Gruden said it was "serious" but did not get specific. But his team-mates indicated Williams tore his patella tendon, the same he tore in his right knee against Carolina last season.

Still, it could be worse (just). We could be Lions fans...

Locate the very best in Florida vacation rentals at annamaria.com

Lightning send us perfect gift

Finally a Christmas present no Lighting fans expected - a win!
Tampa finally wrapped up a result with a 2-0 victory against Pittsburgh. Mike Smith stopped 15 shots in snapping an 11-game winless streak, while rookie Paul Szczechura enjoyed his first career two-point night to help Lightning pick up just its third victory in 17 games under interim coach Rick Tocchet.
Smith made 15 saves to earn his second shutout of the season, Szczechura had a goal and an assist, Matt Pettinger had a goal and Mark Recchi recorded two assists to give him 1,401 points for his career as the Lightning won for the second time in their past 14 games.
The Penguins, who hadn't been shut out at home since January 18 when the Lightning beat them 3-0, were held to seven shots in the final two periods as Tampa Bay set a season-low with 15 shots allowed.
''It's like a sigh of relief,'' said Smith. ''You almost forget how to win.''

Well done guys, that his given us a merry Christmas!

Bucs going backwards

The wheels are coming off Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the once unstoppable juggernaut has shifted into reverse. The Bucs lost their third straight Sunday, this time a 41-24 reverse to the San Diego Chargers at Raymond James Stadium, and a team once shoo-ins for a playoff spot are beginning to look anything but.
At least the situation seems to have dawned on the players, who are beginning to realize that taking a playoff spot for granted is not going to get them one.
"I have to harness my inner Jim Mora here,'' cornerback Ronde Barber said. "I mean, to heck with the playoffs. Right now we just have to find a way to win a game, period.''
The report from Tampa Bay Online just about sums it up.
They didn't get it done in the running game, the Bucs rushing for 111 yards overall but getting only 50 on 19 carries by running backs Warrick Dunn, Cadillac Williams, Clifton Smith and B.J. Askew.
They didn't get it done in the passing game, Garcia completing 21 of 35 passes for 232 yards and a touchdown but throwing two interceptions while at least four passes were dropped by receiving targets.
And they didn't get it done on defense, the Bucs limiting the Chargers to just 90 yards rushing but allowing them to convert 54 percent of their third downs while also allowing several big plays.
One of the biggest was a 25-yard Rivers pass to Vincent Jackson just before halftime. That set up a 57-yard Nate Kaeding field goal that did more than just extend a Chargers half-time lead to 20-10.
It's hard to imagine, but the Bucs were 9-3 three weeks ago. If they are to be more than a one-show wonder in the post-season - provided they can get past Oakland Raiders next weekend - they may have to look to the past before going forward.

Get on over to Anna Maria Island. For the best in vacation rentals visit http://www.annamaria.com/

Buccs waiting on Garcia

Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans are crossing fingers, clutching lucky clovers and rubbing rabbits' feet this week, in the hope that QB Jerry Garcia recovers from injury in time for Sunday's critical game against the Chargers. Bucs coach Jon Gruden couldn't say for sure on Wednesday whether Garcia's sore calf will allow him to stick to his preferred game plan and so he is preparing for every eventuality.
"We have good reason to do that," Gruden said. "We have an obvious injury at the quarterback position, and it's a little more serious than we all thought."
Garcia, who claimed it felt season-ending against Atlanta on Sunday, has now changed to a more optimistic tune. "I feel fine," Garcia said. "I feel like I can do more now. I know I'm heading in the right direction."
If that changes between now and the weekend, Gruden will most likely call upon Brian Griese, who took four critical sacks, but completed 26 of 37 passes for 269 yards and a touchdown, while playing for the first time in eight weeks against the Falcons.
"You don't complete 27 passes for nearly 300 yards if you're not a pretty good player," Gruden said. "Brian Griese is not the reason we lost that game. We have a number of things we have to do better."
At least some of the other problem areas are sorting themselves out for the Buccs, with defensive tackles Chris Hovan and Jovan Haye returning to work, they are also hopeful that linebacker Derrick Brooks will play.

Bucs down but not out

Two successive defeats have certainly put a dent in Tampa Bay Buccaneers confidence but the facts remain pretty clear: if the Bucs win their final two games, they'll not only reach the playoffs, but also could win the NFC South.
"That really is the silver lining in all this," linebacker Barrett Ruud said to the Tampa Tribune. "I mean, you hate to go into the last two games needing five teams to lose and this or that team to win. This way, it's still on us."
While both games are against teams with losing records - San Diego (6-8) and Oakland (3-11) - and both are at home - where Tampa Bay is unbeaten - the Bucs have a long list of issues to address.
Of most concern to coach Jon Gruden will be the mountain of injuries that grew even larger Monday when it was announced linebacker Derrick Brooks could miss Sunday's game against the Chargers with a rib injury. Brooks has not missed a start in his 14 NFL seasons.
Add Brooks to a list including safety Jermaine Phillips (broken arm), defensive linemen Chris Hovan (knee), Jovan Haye (knee), Gaines Adams (ankle) and the Bucs could have a hard time winning even one game. The Chargers, who remain in the AFC playoff hunt, still have one of the game's premier running backs in LaDainian Tomlinson, and the Bucs have allowed 474 rushing yards the past two games.
But at least the Bucs have destiny in their own hands, let's hope they can run with it.

Gators turn the Tide

In the end, it came down to who wanted it most. And once the dust had settled on the Gators' historic 31-20 win for the SEC Championship and an expected shot at the BCS National Championship game, that was clearly the visiting team.

Everyone played their part in an historic win for the Gators, one which coach Urban Meyer said would 'will go down as one of the great wins in Florida football history'.

Tim Tebow led the Gators - and from their first possession it was clear they were unfazed by the enormity of the situation. The Gators went 59 yards in nine plays for a touchdown from the kick-off, when Tebow threw three yards to Carl Moore for the touchdown on third and goal.
It was the ninth time this season Florida had scored on its first look at the ball.

Alabama responded with a touchdown from Glen Coffee and a 30-yard field goal to lead 10-7 but a three-yard pass to David Nelson gave the Gators a 17-10 half-time lead. But Tide rolled back after Mark Ingram scored on a two-yard run and Leigh Tiffin booted his second field goal, a 27-yarder that pushed Alabama ahead going to the final period.

But with just over nine minutes remaining the Tebow found Jeff Demps for a two-yard run and the inspirational QB finished the scoring with a pass that couldn't have been thrown any better, hitting Riley Cooper for a five-yard TD with under three minutes left.

Not surprisingly, Tebow was named man of the match, and earned a glowing endorsement from his coach. ''I think he's the best college football player in America,'' said Meyer.

You won't find too many folks down here who disagree.

Come and stay with us in Anna Maria with a luxury vacation rental. Visit annamaria.com for more details

Greased Gators up against Alabama slammers

Football fans in Anna Maria and southern Florida are getting ready for the match of the season tomorrow as the Gators take on Alabama for the SEC Championship.
The game looks to be shaping up as a meeting of speed vs power - and something has to give as Florida's offensive speedsters Percy Harvin, Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps meet the 12-0 power players of Alabama.
''They have a lot of speed,'' Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said. ''They have probably three or four players that are unique space players in terms of speed and quickness. They have some good runners. They have a lot of speed. They have a lot of speed on defense. I think we have pretty good team speed.''
The game is taking place on the turf of the Georgia Dome so both sides will benefit from an improvement in foot speed.
''It's not just guys running fast, it's guys blocking and the team you're playing,'' Florida coach Urban Meyer said. ''I am very eager to have those guys get up there. And that's going to be a fast track, but the team we're playing is going to be fast as well.''
Gary Danielson, who is covering the game for CBS, reckons this is a match made in TV heaven. ''This is the most intriguing match-up I've ever done and basically it's because of the styles,'' said Danielson. ''This is Frazier versus Ali. This is ugly versus pretty. This is new versus old. This is spread out versus tight.''
The Gators might be fast, but that doesn't mean they won't be a challenge for an Alabama defensive line that features nearly 400-pound nose tackle and run stuffer Terrence Cody. ''They have a direct run power game that is probably as good as anybody we played against all year,'' Saban said. ''To control the line of scrimmage is going to be a really critical factor in this game.''
Florida's biggest man in the running game just happens to be quarterback Tim Tebow, who has run for 12 touchdowns. Tebow says the Gators are hardly just a finesse team.
''I think they're a powerful team, but I think we've got a little power, too,'' he said. ''I'm looking forward to the match-up. People are always going to think of us as a spread team with speed. We're not too bad in the short-yardage stuff, either.''
It's going to be one heck of a match - which will be narrowly won by the Gators if you ask me.

Fun and games in Philly

It was entertaining for those who were there, but the Lightning would take the worst kind of win, any win, at the moment. Tuesday night's 4-3 overtime loss to the Philadelphia Flyers meant Tampa Bay fell to its third consecutive defeat, leaving it winless in its last five and 1-6-4 after 11 matches. The Lightning also fell to 2-8 this season on games decided in overtime or a shootout.
Not good numbers, but at least the Lightning are providing opposition fans with some entertainment.
It all happened late on as the Lightning rallied from two down in the third, first on a popped-up puck that bounced off Vinny Prospal's shoulder, then through former Flyer Steve Downie. The night could so easily have had a happy ending when Ryan Malone had a breakaway opportunity with 16.3 seconds left, but he failed to convert. But when Scott Hartnell threw his glove Malone had a penalty shot and a chance to win it but Biron saved.
Malone's bad luck continued when he bumped into Biron in overtime and Mike Richards scored on the power play.
Life is never dull with the Lightning around...

History on Bucs' side

At least the Bucs have their fate in their own hands. Unbeaten at home and with an 8-3 record, on Sunday they begin a three-game trip in NFC South, starting against New Orleans and the league's No1 offense.
Tampa Bay then go on to meet the Panthers and Falcons and if they win all three it would virtually guaranteed a sixth division crown in 11 years for coach Jon Gruden.
The stats certainly support the Bucs in their pursuit of the divisional title. Since the league switched to eight four-team divisions in 2002, 36 clubs have opened 8-3 or better after 11 games. All 36 advanced to the postseason, 30 of those won division titles, and nine went on to the Super Bowl.
"It's going to be a really difficult game Sunday. We won't look any further than that," Gruden said. "We've got a long way to go yet, but I'm really proud of our team for hanging in there."

Come and stay in Anna Maria, visit annamaria.com for the best in vacation rentals.

A little bit of England in Manatee

Strap on your pads ladies and gentlemen, the 25th annual Sarasota International Cricket festival is about to get under way.
Cricket, that most English of sports, might not be hugely popular over here just yet, but each year the Sarasota International Cricket Club assembles teams from around the world for a four-day tourney. This year there are 15 outfits coming from the United States, United Kingdom, Cayman Islands, Mexico City and Toronto. Play will run from 9:30am to 5pm from Thursday and continue on Friday and Saturday, with a new game starting every hour. Sunday is ‘finals day’ with play scheduled to start at 10am.
“It’s a family afternoon,” Laurence Parry, president of the cricket club, told the Bradenton Herald. “We’re expecting 200 or 300 Saturday, we’re hoping for 600 to 700 on Sunday.”
Admission is free, and the day will include family-friendly activities and refreshments.
Among the invited guests will be four professional players from Glamorgan, South Wales, who will no doubt appreciate the warm break from a cold winter and a chance to play some out-of-season cricket.
Cricket is said to have begun here after a drinking session at Siesta Key’s Salty Dog resulted in a duel between baseball aficionados and cricket lovers on the beach. The upshot was the formation of the Sarasota cricket club.
If you want to go along, the cricket field is located one-half mile east of Lorraine Road on University Parkway.
And if you want to know more about cricket, there are a number of websites you can look at. However, it’s probably best to think of it as baseball with a different shaped bat and just take a look at the famous description of the sport.

Cricket: You have two sides, one out in the field and one in. Each man that's in the side that goes in goes out and when he's out he comes in and the next man goes in until he's out. When they are all out the side that's out comes in and the side that's been in goes out and tries to get those coming in, out. When both sides have been in and out including not outs, that's the end of the game.

Got that?

Tocchet has time - for now

Tampa Bay Lightning interim coach Rick Tocchet has been given the blessing of general manager Brian Lawton, according to an interview in The Bradenton Herald. Following Tampa Bay's 7-3 loss to New Jersey on Sunday night Lawton commented that Tocchet has done "a good job" through his four games in charge and will get the time he needs to change things round.
"When you make a coaching change, obviously, the ownership is going to come to me and say, 'OK, what do you expect to happen?'" Lawton said. "And the history is very strong that, typically, not much for the first 15, 20 games.
"So far, I think we've played harder. I think we've been more organized and more structured. But I still think history is probably accurate - we have a lot of things to work on still."
That Lawton said this after Sunday night's demoralising display might go some way to convincing all but the most hardened cynic. The complete no-show will not be tolerated again, however. "I think we've got a professional enough group to realize that that's not the kind of effort we want to have," Lawton said.
Melrose, hired by Tampa Bay's new ownership before Lawton's arrival, was fired after 16 games and Lawton has a quite straightforward mission statment for his new man to follow. "I think for me it's very simple," Lawton said. "I don't like our forwards skating backwards through the neutral zone. I like to see our 'D' continue to be activated more - just to be more aggressive. I like to see more puck pressure in both directions. Those are things Rick tracks with."
He will be hoping to see more of this in tomorrow night's home game against New York Rangers.
Meanwhile, according to the club's official website, former Lightning associate coach Mike Sullivan has returned to the team and will serve as associate coach to Tocchet. In addition, assistant coach Cap Raeder will become goaltending coach and oversee the development of the organization’s netminders in Tampa Bay, Norfolk of the American Hockey League and Augusta of the ECHL, as well as unsigned prospects in the system. Wes Walz remains as an assistant coach on Tocchet’s staff.

Buccs bounce back

Hello sports fans!
Tampa Bay did it the hard way again, but rallied for a comeback win against winless Detroit. The Buccaneers fell behind the winless Detroit Lions by 17 points, then scored five unanswered touchdowns on their way to a 38-20 victory Sunday. Tampa Bay came back from a 24-3 deficit two weeks ago against Kansas City Chiefs and won in overtime.
''We don't seem to make it easy on ourself and it's not always pretty,'' Jeff Garcia said. ''But we find ways to do it.''
Tampa Bay's third straight win has moved it out to 8-3, while Detroit (0-11) moved a step closer toward becoming the NFL's first 0-16 team.
After falling behind in the first quarter, Warrick Dunn ran for a touchdown and Garcia connected with Ike Hilliard and Jerramy Stevens for scores in the second quarter to put the Bucs ahead 21-17. Rookie Clifton Smith then returned a punt for 70 yards early in the third to give them an 11-point cushion.
Garcia's second fumble of the game gave up the ball to Detroit but Ronde Barber duly stepped in front of Daunte Culpepper's next pass and returned it 65 yards for a 35-17 lead and his seventh career score off an interception. The teams then traded field goals to finish the scoring.
Sunday's game also marked the return of Carnell 'Cadillac' Williams, who rushed for 27 yards on 16 carries in his first game since a knee injury almost ended his career 14 months ago.

Not such good news for Tampa Bay hockey fans. If Lightning had been taking some tentative steps forward under interim head coach Rick Tocchet, they fell over spectacularly Sunday against New Jersey Devils.
After earning points in each of the first three games since Tocchet took over for Barry Melrose, Tampa Bay revisited some old bad habits in a 7-3 loss to the Devils. "This is nowhere near the effort that we need, the desperation," right wing Marty St Louis said. "We have a long way to go, but it's just really disappointing when you take some great strides forward and then you take a dump like that ... it's hard."

Same old same old

The Barry Melrose era is fast becoming just a bad memory for Lightning fans, but interim coach Rick Tocchet isn't having a much better time of it and remains winless following yet another disappointing performance Tuesday night on their home ice.
Bryan McCabe scored twice in regulation and Nathan Horton had the lone goal in a shootout for Florida Panthers, who beat Tampa Bay 4-3. Tomas Vokoun made 49 saves, and David Booth added a goal for Florida, which has won three of four following a six-game losing streak.
Tampa Bay, which trailed by three goals in the second period, did stage another fightback in tying at 3-3 when Steve Eminger snapped a 63-game, goal-scoring drought with 2:51 left in the third. Radim Vrbata and Evgeny Artyukhin also scored for Lightning, which has lost five in a row - including two straight in shootouts - under Tocchet.
But the players are remaining optimistic that things are going to turn around soon. ''That's a game right there that we're going to build on,'' said Lightning goalie Mike Smith, who stopped 33 shots. ''Just shows how we can play when we play with passion.''
Try as they might, forgetting life under Melrose is proving harder for some Lightning players than others.
A report on the Canadia hockey show 'Hockey Night in Canda' pointed the finger at Lightning center Vinny Lecavalier as the ringleader of a player revolt against his former coach. Hot Stove panelist Al Strachan claimed Lecavalier led the charge to have Melrose fired, saying: "I heard that Vinny Lecavalier went into ownership and said, 'I didn't like it under John Tortorella last year, and this is worse this year and you've got to get rid of him.'"
In response, Lecavalier, who verified Strachan did try to call him before reporting the rumor, said: "I didn't do it, I don't think anybody else did it. They went to another show after the Hot Stove segment and said they talked to me and that it wasn't true, and after that I didn't really think about it."
There will be those who believe him and others who think there's no smoke without fire - and that's what makes juicy gossip so much fun!

Come and stay with us in Anna Maria, click on annamaria.com for the best in Florida rentals

Just the ticket

Fresh from a worst-to-World Series season, the Rays have announced a slight increase in ticket prices for 2009, while offering increased discounts on season tickets and creating a new 'marquee' category for 11 Saturday night games.
The Rayes are looking to increase a season-ticket holder base that ranked near the bottom of Major League Baseball in 2008. Season-ticket holders will continue to have the best seat locations at Tropicana Field; they maintain the right to purchase postseason tickets; and they will also receive a discount of up to 35 per cent off individual game prices, which equates to the entire 81-game home schedule for the cost of only 53 games.
The organization also announced it will be maintaining free parking for carpoolers. "Free parking is one of several initiatives we have launched to keep our games affordable and appealing to families," Rays president Matt Silverman said. "Fans will again be able to park for free, bring food and select beverages into the ballpark, and enjoy a Rays game for about the price of a movie."
The 2009 season will mark the fourth consecutive year the Rays have offered free parking to patrons. Vehicles with four or more passengers will be able to park for free in team-controlled lots at Tropicana Field. For vehicles with fewer than four passengers, parking in the main lots at Tropicana Field will cost $15, while parking in remote lots will be available for $10.
The 2009 schedule features 21 prime games, including the home opener against the Yankees, when the Rays will raise the 2008 American League pennant and AL East championship banners, and the June 23-25 series with the Phillies, a rematch of the 2008 World Series.
Individual ticket prices for both regular and prime games have increased slightly. Upper-deck tickets for regular games are $10, which will continue to rank amongst the lowest in all of baseball. For prime games, upper-deck tickets will be $16. The Rays have also introduced marquee games. All 11 marquee games occur on Saturdays. These games will feature a premium giveaway item or postgame concert.
Tickets for prime games range from $270 (Home Plate Club) to $16 (upper deck and TBT Party Deck); marquee games range from $240 to $13; and regular games range from $210 to $10.
Tickets purchased on the day of the game within five hours of game time will include a $3-$5 fee depending on the pricing category of the ticket.
To join the Rays' season-ticket priority list, visit raysbaseball.com or raysbeisbol.com
When you go to the game, why not stay in Anna Maria Island? Click here for the best in vacation rentals

Buccs keep on keeping on

Matt Bryant had field goals of 39, 26, 29 and 26 yards, and BJ Askew scored the Bucs' lone touchdown on a one-yard run in the third quarter to help Tampa to a 19-13 home win over Minnesota. Gus Frerotte threw a 3-yard TD pass to Bobby Wade and Ryan Longwell kicked field goals of 43 and 37 yards in the first half for Minnesota.
38-year-old quarterback Jeff Garcia again starred for Tampa Bay, throwing for 255 yards without an interception and moving out to 4-1 since regaining his starting spot. Coach Jon Gruden said: ''He moves around and you don't know what he's seeing and what he's thinking. That's his game. He's a creative player, and his legs are his ally. I've tried to be honest with him the whole time. We need his legs and we need his scramble ability, his elusiveness in the pocket.''
The Buccaneers' defense was again key in restricting their opponents' ability to score, with Derrick Brooks and Co equal to the task of slowing down leading rusher Adrian Peterson.
Peterson was coming off a 192-yard performance against Green Bay and was trying to match the Vikings' franchise record for consecutive 100-yard games set by Robert Smith in 2000. He gained 85 yards on 19 carries up to the third quarter, but in the fourth Minnesota ran just eight times in chasing the game.

In hockey news, Rick Tocchet now knows the size of his task if he is to turn around the Lightning's season. Tocchet had just one practice session with the squad following the Friday sacking of former coach Barry Melrose in response to Tampa's three straight losses.
A veteran of 18 NHL seasons, Tocchet perhaps is best known for his role in a sports betting ring that led to a league suspension. He rejoined Phoenix Coyotes as an assistant coach in February, then was hired by Melrose in the offseason.
His first game as a head coach saw Tuomo Ruutu and Rod Brind'Amour score in the shootout and Cam Ward stop two shots to give the Carolina Hurricanes a 3-2 victory Sunday. Vincent Lecavalier and Jussi Jokinen both failed to score in the shootout, handing Hurricanes a second victory in six games.
Tocchet made a few subtle changes, including reuniting the line of Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis and Vinny Prospal - and it soon paid off. Lecavalier and St. Louis scored in the same game for the first time this season to give the Lightning a 2-0 lead, but Carolina rallied in the second period, with Wade Brookbank and Brind'Amour pulling the scores back.
Undeterred, Tocchet is just looking forward to getting his first win under his belt. "The last thing I need to do is show the guys that I'm too anxious or stuff like that. I actually was very calm, so it was kind of surreal, kind of fun."

Don't forget, if you're coming to Florida, you must check out annamaria.com for the best in holiday rental accomodation

Wings given helping hand

TAMPA - Mark Recchi, Jussi Jokinen and Matt Pettinger scored but the Lightning still lost their third straight as Detroit outshot them 39-18 in a 4-3 defeat Thursday night. Detroit's Chris Osgood improved to 17-0 lifetime against Tampa Bay.
The Lightning paid for three penalties taken in an 18-second span during the final half-minute of the second period - Paul Ranger for cross checking, Chris Gratton for slashing and Adam Hall for elbowing. Zetterberg and Samuelsson scored on the advantages to give Detroit a 3-2 lead early in the third.
Lightning coach Barry Melrose said: "In the second period we go brain dead and take three terrible penalties. We can't give the best team in the world a two-minute five-on-three and then another two minute five-on-four. Detroit doesn't do that. Detroit doesn't beat itself. That's winning and losing. Tonight we beat ourselves."
In college football, the Gators are remaining focused on their true goal after securing the SEC title last week against Vanderbilt. To keep their national title hopes alive, the third-ranked Gators must avoid a loss in their three remaining regular season games.
That task continues Saturday when they host former Florida coach Steve Spurrier and South Carolina, looking for its seventh win in eight games. Florida (8-1, 6-1) won the SEC East for the second time in three years with a 42-14 victory over Vandy and the Gators will play No. 1 Alabama in the SEC championship game in Atlanta on December 6.
"Making it to Atlanta for the SEC championship was one of our goals at the beginning of the season, but our goal is to take care of business every Saturday," said Tim Tebow, who went 12-of-17 for 171 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 88 yards and two scores last Saturday.

Stay with us for your best local major sports round-up, and while you're here check out all that Anna Maria has to offer at annamaria.com

Joe rewarded

It won't bring back the World Series, but Joe Maddon was rewarded for a standout season with the Rays with the American League Manager of the Year award.
"Truly a remarkable season in so many different ways," Maddon said on a conference call about two hours after arriving in Rome on his honeymoon.
Maddon was a runaway winner in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. He received all but one of the 28 first-place votes - the other went to Minnesota's Ron Gardenhire.
It was a nice wedding gift for Maddon and his wife, Jaye, who got married last weekend. But it meant that one of the first things he did in Italy was get on the phone with reporters. "Jaye is very understanding of the whole situation. We knew this was a possibility," Maddon said.
Well done Joe, now enjoy your honeymoon...
If you're coming to Anna Maria Island, you have to check out the great rentals at www.annamaria.com

Long-time coming

Hi there sports fans, just wanted to pay tribute to Evan Longoria, who was named the American League Rookie of the Year Monday, giving the Rays their first national Baseball Writers' Association of America honor.

Despite a drop off in his performances against the Phillies, without the power-hitting third-baseman the Rays probably wouldn't have been in the World Series at all.

"I would have loved to have played well in the World Series and to have helped the team, but it didn't happen that way," Longoria said. "But I don't think this award has anything to do with taking any distaste away from the fact we didn't win the World Series or that I didn't play well. It's more of a personal success for me."

Longoria, 23, was listed first on all 28 ballots and is the first unanimous AL rookie selection since Boston's Nomar Garciaparra in 1997. Voting took place before the postseason, during which Longoria hit six home runs and drove in 11 runs in the Division and AL Championship series. His 1-for-20 with two RBIs and nine strikeouts in the World Series were the only downsides to an excellent season.

During the regular season, the 2006 No. 3 overall pick batted .272 and led AL rookies in home runs (27), RBIs (85), total bases (238) and extra-base hits (60).

Check out this film of Evan hitting a bomb to left-field in the bottom of the ninth innings.

Longoria's award was the second major honor for the Rays in a week, following Carlos Pena's Gold Glove last Thursday. Rays fans are hoping that today Joe Maddon will be named the AL Manager of the Year.

The baseball season may be over for another year but there are still plenty of reasons to visit us here in Florida. Check out annamaria.com for the best in holiday rentals on beautiful Anna Maria Island

Caddy teed up for start

The Bucs are ready to give Cadillac Williams the go-ahead to return to active duty, according to the Tampa Bay Tribune. "It's a green light, but it doesn't mean it's a green light that he's a featured back," Bucs coach Jon Gruden said of Williams, who is expected to be added to the 53-man roster on Wednesday. Williams' first game could be as little as a couple of weeks away.
The 26-year-old hasn't featured at all since he tore the patellar tendon in his right knee in September 2007. Since then Williams has been rebuilding his knee and is just now just returning to game fitness.
On Monday, for the first time since launching his comeback bid, the Bucs' 2005 first-round draft pick practised in pads against the Bucs' regular defense. And the results were encouraging. "I was a little nervous about it, but it felt good to get knocked around and to bounce back up again and all that," Williams said. "I feel good. I feel like I'm good to go."
Meanwhile, in Washington, Olie Kolzig did not enjoy the best of homecomings against the Capitals, the Ligntning losing against his former team for the sixth consecutive time at the Verizon Center.It may only be seven months since the Lightning goaltender suited up for the Washington Capitals, but his ex-teammates didn't exactly roll out the red carpet in a 4-2 defeat.
The Capitals had fired three goals in seven shots before forcing Tampa Bay into a timeout. The Lightning did turn their game around in the second period, outshooting the Capitals 18-6 and getting on the board with the first of Gary Roberts' two goals, but it was too little, too late. Again.
"This was not the start we wanted and we have to improve," Kolzig said. "Guys have to somehow start looking in the mirror and do whatever it takes to be ready when the puck drops and that's what it comes down to."
Looking for somewhere to stay in Anna Maria? For the best the island has to offer, visit annamaria.com first.

Ryan's game a winner

ATLANTA: Falcons rookie Matt Ryan turned in another solid performance as Atlanta won for the fourth time in five games to keep them very much in the play-off race after a 34-20 win at New Orleans. Ryan threw two more touchdown passes as his opposite number, Drew Brees, had a day to forget for Saints.
Brees threw a season-high three interceptions, the last of them returned 95 yards for a touchdown by Chevis Jackson as Falcons went out to 6-3.
Ryan found Roddy White for a 16-yard touchdown on the Falcons' second possession, then Jerious Norwood ran a short pass 67 yards for a touchdown in the opening minute of the fourth quarter for a 27-6 lead.
Jackson then finished off New Orleans with the second-longest interception return for a touchdown in Falcons' history timing perfectly his interception of a pass to Devery Henderson at the five-yard line and running back the rest. The win brought up Falcons' best start on their home field since the 1998 Super Bowl season, they are now 4-0 at the Georgia Dome.

Coming to Florida? Check out Anna Maria Vacations for the best in holiday rentals

Gators go wild at Vandy

NASHVILLE, Tenn: Florida Gators clinched the SEC Eastern Division spot in next month's conference championship game following a 42-14 victory against the Vanderbilt Commodores, moving to 8-1 overall and 6-1 in the SEC. Few will have expressed much surprise at the result, it was Florida's 18th straight win against Vandy.
Vanderbilt, after opening the season with five consecutive victories, fell to 5-4 and 3-3. Fifth-ranked Gators, meanwhile, earned a second trip to Atlanta for the SEC title game in three seasons.
South Carolina comes to The Swamp this week, followed by The Citadel and Florida State before the Gators get No. 1-ranked Alabama in the SEC Championship.
PHILADELPHIA: Vaclav Prospal and Jussi Jokinen scored second-period goals to lift the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday night. Mike Smith made 34 saves for the Lightning, who ended a two-game losing streak in the third of a five-game road trip, with games ahead at Washington and Florida.
Coach Barry Melrose was forced to tell his players a few home truths at half-time after another lacklustre opening. ''I have no problem doing it,'' he said. ''I'm hoping that they get to the point where they don't want to hear me do it. That's the ideal thing.''

Pena strikes gold

TAMPA: Carlos Pena became the first Gold Glove winner in Rays history after being named in the American League team at first base.
Pena, the 30-year-old former journeyman whom the Rays signed as a minor-league free agent in January 2007, led all first basemen and infielders with a .998 fielding percentage, making only two errors in 1,099 chances, getting 991 putouts and helping on 117 double plays.

Back with a vengeance ... sort of

NEW YORK: Tampa Bay Lightning responded to remarks made by general manager Brian Lawton after their loss at New Jersey on Wednesday with a bit more fight against New York Rangers. It wasn't enough to alter the result, but it was enought to placate the man in the suit.

Despite Chris Drury's hat trick for New York sealing a 5-2 loss for Lightning - the most goals Tampa Bay has allowed this season - Lawton was happy with the effort shown.

"I actually thought the guys did well, and that's why it was frustrating Wednesday in a shootout loss to New Jersey to not get two points, because you are going to get into games like tonight where we play well, and we really did, and you are not going to win," Lawton said. "And that's the way the league is, sometimes the game won't let you win."

Lightning struck down

NEWARK, NJ. Tampa Bay Lightning just couldn't get past New Jersey Devils goaltender Kevin Weekes in a 4-3 loss on Wednesday night at the start of a five-game road trip. After allowing a shootout goal to Vincent Lecavalier, Weekes stopped Jussi Jokinen and Vaclav Prospal to lift the Devils to a 4-3 win. Weekes' heroics came just a day after the Devils learned their franchise player Martin Brodeur will be sidelined for months.
Jokinen scored twice for Tampa Bay, and Martin St Louis tied it late in the third period, but the Lightning's three-game winning streak ended. ''We battled back in the last two games,'' Jokinen said. ''That's the sign of a good hockey team. I think the first and third periods were very good hockey for us.'' Elias and captain Jamie Langenbrunner scored in the shootout for New Jersey, which won for the second time in six games.

Welcome to my Florida sports blog

Hello and welcome to my sports blog, focusing on all that's going on in Florida, and as I'm from Anna Maria Island, concentrating on Tampa Bay's professional franchises. Check back daily for a sports news digest and anything else fun I come across from around the world. I'll be updating regularly, but feel free to add comments and anything I might have missed!

Mike