aba Page 156 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights
October in Tampa
• For the first time in franchise history, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays are Playoff-bound. Back in Spring Training, everyone laughed when starter Scott Kazmir said his Rays were going to the dance. After all, the team had finished in last place the previous season. Well, who's laughing now? ...
Longoria Studly, But Rays' Division Push Still Needs More Cowbell
It's getting more and more annoying to attend a game at Tropicana Field. The guy sitting to your right is wearing a mohawk. And the guy to your left is banging a cowbell. What happened to simply wearing a cap and keeping a scorecard? Evan Longoria walloped three homers on Thursday but it wasn't enou...
Could There Be A More Fitting Metaphor For The AL East Race?
Don't tase Boston's divisional title chances, bro! If this isn't a sign from the baseball gods that the race is over in the East, I don't know what is. This Red Sox fan tried to leap the dugout and run onto the field at the Trop on Wednesday, but was met with Epic Failure: security grabbed him, and ...
Mock The Mohawk At Your Own Peril
Silly? Yes; especially when you consider that manager Joe Maddon is wearing one. But the Rays' new mohawk look seems to have mystical powers; a force that the Boston Red Sox were not able to overcome on Tuesday. The Rays broke free from a virtual tie with Boston atop the standings with a 2-1 win at ...
Universe Rights Itself, Soon Should Be Completely Normal
Like in the Michael Douglas film Falling Down, Joe Maddon is wearing a short-sleeved dress shirt and demanding breakfast at McDonald's, even though its past 11:30. Sorry Joe. We're back where we were in July 24; the Red Sox and Rays, tied for first in the East. Only this time Boston clearly has mome...
Why Your Team Won't Make The Playoffs: American League
And down the stretch they come! A look ahead at the final few weeks of the regular season, and why your team is doomed, in capsule form. Today, the American League ... East • 1. Tampa Bay Rays. Record: 85-56. Magic number: 20. Big strength: Evan Longoria is back after a stint on disabled list with a...
NFL Season Preview: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The NFL season has officially started, so it's time to finish the impassioned season previews from various writers, bloggers, diehard fans, cooks, TV personalities, and numerous other walks of life whom consider football the only sport worth watching. Clearly, these previews will be running until, o...
Instant Replay II: Rise Of The Machines
Let the record show that the first use of instant replay in Major League Baseball was used on Wednesday to confirm an Alex Rodriguez home run in the Yankees' 8-4 win over Tampa Bay (a more deserving recipient there has never been). But wait, was it the first? Stacy Long of the Montgomery Advertister...
Do Not Mock The Power Of The Taco
In case you haven't noticed, we're into September and the Tampa Bay Rays are still in first place in the AL East. This is no longer a joke, people; they could actually win this thing. The Red Sox relegated to the wild card race? The Yankees, out of the playoffs entirely? How did this happen? The Ray...
Joey Galloway Is The White Tiger
Jon Gruden seems like the kind of guy who would be fun to hang around with as long as you weren't a reporter covering the Bucs. Witness the caddying incident with John Daly. But he may have outdone himself when he coined a new nickname for enigmatic receiver Joey Galloway: The White Tiger. From The...
Giant Houndstooth Hat Arrives For Alabama Concession Stand: The Bear's Den
Somewhere the ghost of Bear Bryant is crying. And not just because Alabama outsourced the giant houndstooth hat to a Connecticut based company. But because, you know, this seems like something that should exist just outside the Tampa Bay Bucs pirate ship. The goal is to spruce up the concession stan...
Clemson Defensive Coordinator Suggests Top Alabama Football Recruits Drive Escalades
And by "suggests", I mean "said." At least the top recruits do. What could bring on this rumination? Perhaps the upcoming neutral site game between Clemson and Alabama. As part of his job for the big game Clemson's defensive guru, Vic Koenning, is charged with stopping Alabama's newest starting rec...
The Strange Saga Of A.J. Pierzynski And Doug Eddings Continues
Is this the episode where Doug Eddings reveals that he is A.J. Pierzynski's father? Something's going on; and the Rays aren't happy about it. Take a look at this play in the 10th, where it appears that Pierzynski is tagged out in a rundown between second and third. But second base umpire Eddings rul...
B.J. Upton Has No Time To Run Out Doubles
One has to wonder why the Rays didn't pull the trigger and sign Barry Bonds long ago; he would have fit in quite well. They could give him the locker right next to B.J. Upton, and together they could form the Home Run or Nothing Club. Hmm. Are storm clouds gathering above the Rays' quest of an AL Ea...
USA Basketball Beat Spain By 37 With Perimeter Shooting, Superior Apparel
The United States' And 1 Mix Tape Tour quest for their first gold medal in basketball in eight years claimed another victim this morning. America shot 12-of-25 from behind the freaking arc as Spain was blown out, 119-82. Eight Americans scored in double-digits as Spain was held to just 39 percent sh...
US Dominates China, Yao Is Hobbled
The US Men's basketball team is off to an excellent start on their bid for international redemption following a breezy 101-70 win over Yao Ming and the host nation. Dwyane Wade, looking every bit as unstoppable as he did before being beset by injuries, set the tone with 19 points on a perfect 7-7 f...
Shocker: Cage-Fighting Alabama Fan's Legal Strategy Fails
Of course the legal strategy was pay a retarded man to take the blame for a fight you started. The fight happened at the 2005 Iron Bowl when an Alabama fan, Joey Barrett, Jr., yelled, "Roll Tide!" at an Auburn fraternity house. Oh, and the Alabama fan happened to be a cage fighter armed with a knife...
The Rays Are Still Leading This Thing In August? What?
Carlos Pena was only halfway through explaining his game-winning, three-run homer during an FSN interview on Wednesday when an unidentified teammate doused him with a bucket of Gatorade. Such is the mood in Tampa Bay, where players are giddy, and people are actually beginning to show up for games. Y...
Our Hero Heads For The Loving Embrace Of Alligators, Stifling Humidity And Jon Gruden
Fans of the interception will be happy to know that Brett Favre is THIS close to becoming a Tampa Bay Buccaneer; as the Tampa Tribune is breathlessly reporting. Why this is especially intriguing is that coach Jon Gruden is known for his intricate and varied playbook, and Favre won't have a lot of ti...
CC Sabathia Supports Print Media
That's quite an ad taken out by CC Sabathia in today's Cleveland Plain Dealer, thanking Clevelandities "for 10 great years," for their love and support, etc., etc. Also I think there are some movie reviews in there, and today's Dilbert (newspaper space is at a premium these days). From Cleveland.com...