Tampa Bay, FL

 
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    Google News: Tampa Bay

  • Bucs 0-for-2 on Replay Challenges - The Ledger

    22 Nov 2009 | 8:28 pm
    Tampa TribuneBucs 0-for-2 on Replay ChallengesThe LedgerTampa Bay Bucs (36) Tanard Jackson tries and fails for the loose ball interception by New Orleans Saints during first half action at Raymond James Stadium After years of neglect, Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense a clunkerTampabay.comBarth catching on in Tampa BayWECT-TV6Bucs' Jackson making up for lost timeTampa TribuneNational Football Post -Tampabay.com -Tampabay.comall 14 news articles »

  • Defenseman Mike Lundin thrilled for latest chance with Tampa Bay Lightning - Tampabay.com

    22 Nov 2009 | 7:50 pm
    Examiner.comDefenseman Mike Lundin thrilled for latest chance with Tampa Bay LightningTampabay.comIt's been quite a journey for Lundin, 25, who as a rookie in 2007-08 played 81 games for Tampa Bay but spent most of last season with the Admirals and this Lightning Recall D Mike Lundin From NorfolkNHL.comall 8 news articles »

  • Tampa Bay Lightning defeats Atlanta Thrashers 4-3 in overtime - Tampabay.com

    22 Nov 2009 | 7:33 pm
    Globe and MailTampa Bay Lightning defeats Atlanta Thrashers 4-3 in overtimeTampabay.comWith Sunday's 4-3 overtime victory over the Thrashers at Philips Arena, Tampa Bay went 2-1-1 and earned five of a possible eight points. Stamkos' tip-in gives Tampa Bay 4-3 OT winThe Associated PressLightning-Thrashers SumsNew York TimesAnother early deficit, another loss for ThrashersAtlanta Journal ConstitutionUnited Press International -MiamiHerald.com -Raw Charge (blog)all 386 news articles »

  • New Orleans Saints' rout of Tampa Bay Buccaneers reveals a glaring gap - Tampabay.com

    22 Nov 2009 | 7:07 pm
    Washington PostNew Orleans Saints' rout of Tampa Bay Buccaneers reveals a glaring gapTampabay.comThey have rarely stood this close to excellence, and because of it, the Tampa Bay Bucs have rarely seemed so far New Orleans Saints get best of Tampa Bay's Josh FreemanNOLA.comTampa Bay Bucs- New Orleans Saints: Saints Get a Freebie, Blast BucsBleacher ReportNFL: New Orleans 38, Tampa Bay 7United Press InternationalSeattle Post Intelligencer -NOLA.com -Tampabay.comall 935 news articles »

  • Packers a trustworthy bunch - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

    22 Nov 2009 | 7:06 pm
    Seattle Post IntelligencerPackers a trustworthy bunchMilwaukee Journal SentinelNo one would willingly put themselves in a position where they had to sweat Tampa Bay bullets while the wounds were still fresh, but if it put the Packers Green Bay Packers-San Francisco 49ers quotesGreen Bay Press GazettePackers survive late San Francisco surgeSeattle Post IntelligencerSmith vs. Rodgers: Sound familiar? It shouldSanta Rosa Press DemocratPackers.com -St. Louis Post-Dispatch -Milwaukee Journal Sentinelall 530 news articles »
 
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    St. Petersburg Times > Local News

  • Hillsborough County closings for Thanksgiving week

    Times Staff
    22 Nov 2009 | 8:23 pm
    Times staff Sunday, November 22, 2009 Government closingsAll federal offices will be closed Thursday.All state, county and city offices will be closed Thursday and Friday.City of Tampa police stations will be closed, but emergency services will continue to run.The Fire Rescue Administration and Fire Marshal's Office will be closed, but emergency operations will continue as usual.Hillsborough County Animal Services will be closed Thursday and Friday, but personnel will be on call at (813) 744-5660.CourtsFederal courts will be closed Thursday. State and county courts will be closed Thursday and…

  • Grant money, passion combine to brighten educational outlook

    Times Staff
    22 Nov 2009 | 5:18 pm
    By Ernest Hooper, Metro Columnist Sunday, November 22, 2009 Maybe the $100 million Gates Foundation grant won't be the cure-all for the Hillsborough school district, but I applaud the district for making an aggressive effort to improve the education of our students.Like any ambitious plan, administrators may discover areas that need to be tweaked along the way. We also need more parents to do their part at home.But at least superintendent MaryEllen Elia and the School Board refuse to accept the status quo. I wish them well. …A friend directed me to a Military.com story in which…

  • For many Tampa Bay area charities, cupboard will go bare

    Times Staff
    22 Nov 2009 | 4:59 pm
    By Jessica Vander Velde, Times Staff Writer Sunday, November 22, 2009 Jody Thomson, a laid-off plumber from Lithia, looks through racks of clothes at E.C.H.O., a charity in Brandon, hoping to find dress shirts he can wear to job interviews. TAMPA — Stacey Efaw doesn't like to go into the back room where she stores food at the nonprofit Emergency Care Help Organization in Brandon.Before the holidays, it's usually stuffed with boxes of nonperishable items. But this year, large voids dot the shelves and signs with bold lettering declare "out of flour," "out of jelly.""It stresses me out,"…

  • Three injured in St. Petersburg crash

    Times Staff
    22 Nov 2009 | 3:30 pm
    By Rita Farlow, Times Staff Writer Sunday, November 22, 2009 ST. PETERSBURG — Three people were hospitalized with serious injuries after an accident Sunday afternoon on 15th Avenue S.Injured were Nathan Anthony Williams, 20, and his passengers, Javantae Rashad Ross, 22, and Deontae Ramon Ross, 20. All are from St. Petersburg.According to St. Petersburg police, Williams was westbound on 15th Avenue S at a high rate of speed about 2:25 p.m. in 1997 Ford Crown Victoria when he hit a curb at the intersection of 46th Street.The Ford spun out and rolled over, hitting a chain link fence, then…

  • Men swim to shore after boat overturns

    Times Staff
    22 Nov 2009 | 2:01 pm
    By Rita Farlow, Times Staff Writer Sunday, November 22, 2009 CRYSTAL BEACH — Two men swam more than a mile to shore after their boat overturned in the Intracoastal Waterway on Sunday afternoon, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.Joseph Edward Adamo and Calvin Bell were a mile or farther west of Crystal Beach when Adamo's 12-foot jon boat flipped over in rough waves about 10:30 a.m., the Sheriff's Office said.Adamo, of Tampa, and Bell, of Port Richey, both 32, swam to shore, then knocked at the door of a home at 945 Port Seaside Drive to ask for help.Deputies and Palm…
 
 
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    TBNWeekly.com - Latest Articles

  • Unemployment declines in Pinellas

    Good news for Pinellas County. The latest figures from the Agency for Workforce Innovation show a slight decline in the unemployment rate.

  • Florida attracts millions of visitors

    TALLAHASSEE - VISIT FLORIDA, the official tourism marketing corporation for the state of Florida, estimated 18.5 million people visited the Sunshine State during the third quarter of 2009 (July-September), representing a 1 percent decrease over the same period last year. 

  • Share the spirit, get involved

    Each year Pinellas County comes together as one big family to make sure people in need have a good Thanksgiving, Hanukah and Christmas holiday.

  • Atlantis on its way to space station

    Space shuttle Atlantis and its crew of six astronauts are headed for space, ready to begin their 11-day mission to the International Space Station.

  • School vaccinations suspended

    ST. PETERSBURG - Due to the continued lag in H1N1 (swine) flu production, the Pinellas County Health Department is scaling back its school vaccination campaign effective on Nov. 16.
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    TBNWeekly.com - Front Page

  • Unemployment declines in Pinellas

    Good news for Pinellas County. The latest figures from the Agency for Workforce Innovation show a slight decline in the unemployment rate.

  • Florida attracts millions of visitors

    TALLAHASSEE - VISIT FLORIDA, the official tourism marketing corporation for the state of Florida, estimated 18.5 million people visited the Sunshine State during the third quarter of 2009 (July-September), representing a 1 percent decrease over the same period last year. 

  • Share the spirit, get involved

    Each year Pinellas County comes together as one big family to make sure people in need have a good Thanksgiving, Hanukah and Christmas holiday.

  • Atlantis on its way to space station

    Space shuttle Atlantis and its crew of six astronauts are headed for space, ready to begin their 11-day mission to the International Space Station.

  • School vaccinations suspended

    ST. PETERSBURG - Due to the continued lag in H1N1 (swine) flu production, the Pinellas County Health Department is scaling back its school vaccination campaign effective on Nov. 16.
 
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    Tampa Stay-at-Home Moms Examiner

  • Easy pumpkin bread great for Thanksgiving morning

    19 Nov 2009 | 9:41 am
    My mom's pumpkin bread recipe has become a holiday favorite. Pumpkin breads can sometimes be dry or boring, but this super moist pumpkin bread comes out perfect every time. What's really neat about my copy of this recipe is t...

  • Do your underage kids have a social networking page?

    12 Nov 2009 | 9:20 pm
    Recently, I've been noticing my friends' kids listed as my friends' friends on their Facebook pages. It's a bit disconcerting to see little shout-outs to their kids on their pages. I can't say why exactly. Perhaps because I...

  • Free movie on the Riverwalk

    12 Nov 2009 | 7:28 am
    Need a break from the kids? How about a free date night revisiting a classic Hollywood film? This Friday, Nov. 13, the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center will have a free showing of the film South Pacific outside on the ...

  • Concerts offer affordable family entertainment

    6 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm
    Do your kids like music? Whether you want to introduce your kids to live music performances, or you just want to spend some quality time downtown along the scenic Hillsborough River, the Patel Conservatory has some great family enter...

  • Staying at home is both better and worse

    6 Nov 2009 | 7:47 pm
    In many ways, working can be easier than staying home with the kids. Working makes it easy to say no to volunteering, "I can't, I have to work." Working means you MUST be organized because there's no saying, &qu...
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    Tampa Nightlife Examiner

  • Dos Equis' The Most Interesting Show in the World hit Skippers in Tampa

    21 Nov 2009 | 11:53 am
    Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 ...

  • Ska is Dead IV tour hits Crowbar Friday

    18 Nov 2009 | 7:53 am
    Have a few beers at Crowbar in Ybor City while enjoying a night of ska.Crowbar plays host to the Ska is Dead IV tour this Friday that features:THE TOASTERS  MUSTARD PLUGVOODOO GLOW SKULLSDEAL'S GONE BAD VICTIMS OF CIRCUMSTANCEI'm sure you've he...

  • VENUE CHANGE: Paul van Dyk at The Kennedy

    16 Nov 2009 | 11:30 am
    World famous Paul van Dyk sets his sights on Tampa Thanksgiving weekend. Previously scheduled for The Ritz, Paul Van Dyk (finally!) comes to The Kennedy in Tampa on Friday, November 27th. Yes, it's Thanksgiving weekend. Are you staying in town? ...

  • Azul Tuesdays at Blue Martini

    9 Nov 2009 | 8:39 am
    Latin music takes over Blue Martini on Tuesdays. Blue Martini, located at Bay Street in International Plaza, is a fancy place to grab a drink. It's a great spot to people watch and mingle with Tampa's flashy and fabulous. At night, the live band pl...

  • Halloween at Downtown Dunedin's Chic-a-Boom Room

    28 Oct 2009 | 8:06 am
    Give yourself choices this Halloween.You can never truly know if the Halloween party that you've been dragged to will really be worth it until you get there. The only way to ensure that you aren't stuck at a lame event is to give yourself options. Do...
 
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    The Buzz: Florida Politics

  • Jeb raps Crist, defends proposed rate increases

    Adam Smith
    22 Nov 2009 | 6:42 pm
    Jeb Bush never actually mentions Charlie Crist in this  Tallahassee Democrat column , but he clearly is taking a shot at Charlie Crist for vocally opposing FPL's requested rate increase. Seems to us the first time the former governor has publicly criticicized current leadership in Tallahassee: The well-publicized pronouncements made outside this quasi-judicial process have already sent a warning signal to the capital markets that will be necessary to finance these large, long-term investments. The growing perception in Florida is that regulatory decisions will be based on…

  • Winner and loser of the week

    Adam Smith
    22 Nov 2009 | 8:48 am
    Winner of the Week: State Sen. Ted Deutch. It looks more and more like the first term Democratic legislator from Boca Raton will walk into the Congressional seat Robert Wexler is vacating to take a well-paid middle east policy advocate job. No serious rival has emerged, Wexler essentially hand-picked his successor for a heavily Democratic district the well-regarded Deutch can probably hold as long as he likes. Loser of the week: Department of Juvenile Justice Secretary Frank Peterman. Spending $44,000 in taxpayer money on travel over two years? Much of it to and from your home area? Come on,…

  • Glenn Beck packs crowd in Tampa

    Alex Leary
    22 Nov 2009 | 8:33 am
    TAMPA — About 1,000 people lined up along Dale Mabry Highway for the chance to meet conservative pundit Glenn Beck, who visited a Borders bookstore as part of his whirlwind tour through Florida on Saturday to promote his latest book, Arguing with Idiots.His tour culminated with a visit to the Villages retirement community in the afternoon, where he had promised to make a big announcement. On his Web site, he shared his plans.He will hold conventions on education issues, the first at the University of Central Florida in March. He plans to develop a 100-year plan for America, and he will…

  • Could Crist's relentless money-raising hurt him?

    Adam Smith
    22 Nov 2009 | 7:35 am
    Palm Beach Post: Three of Crist's top fund-raisers have been hamstrung by federal investigations in the past nine months, and a fourth, Jupiter sports agent and real estate investor Marc Roberts, is facing a federal lawsuit alleging he defrauded a business partner out of $100 million to support his own "lavish personal lifestyle." Crist has "never discriminated" in whom he takes money from, said a former state Republican Party staffer with knowledge of Crist's fund raising. "Now he's facing the consequences of not being careful. And it raises questions…

  • With Nelson on board and LeMieux against, U.S. Senate votes to advance health care bill

    Alex Leary
    21 Nov 2009 | 5:09 pm
    The U.S. Senate just voted 60-39 to advance the health care bill, exposing deep division that will continue to play out during debate after Thanksgiving. Florida Senators reflected the party line vote."This is a debate that we must have. It is a debate that we cannot afford not to have," Democrat Bill Nelson said in a speech Friday, adding there is "room for improvement" and "that's why we need to debate it." Nelson said he would offer an amendment to force an additional $100 billion in savings from drug makers. "So let the debate begin," he…
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    The Feed

  • Deggans on NewsHour at 7:30 p.m. today talking Oprah's departure

    Eric Deggans
    20 Nov 2009 | 1:53 pm
    For a public broadcasting nerd like myself, it's like getting asked to shag a few balls for A-Rod. But the good folks at The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer have been very nice about inviting me onto their show today to talk about Oprah Winfrey's decision to leave her legendary talk show after 25 years on Sept. 9, 2011. The news wires today have been filled with speculation and analysis about Winfrey's move -- to be honest, too many of these pieces feel like obituaries written for someone who won't even die for 18 months. Here's what Winfrey herself had to say this morning:…

  • Who wins and loses when Oprah Winfrey moves to cable in 2011?

    Eric Deggans
    20 Nov 2009 | 3:23 am
    Now that Oprah Winfrey has confirmed rumors that she plans to end her mega-successful syndicated talk show when her contract expires in September 2011, the next question is simple:Who wins and who loses?Winfrey herself is expected to announce the move during her live show today, though she isn't expected to say where or whether her program will reappear elsewhere. She's leaving to focus on the cable channel she's been trying to develop from the ashes of Discovery Health Network, known in shorthand as OWN, or the Oprah Winfrey Network.It means something when one of the most…

  • Glenn Beck reveals major announcement coming about future of his show at rally Saturday in Florida

    Eric Deggans
    19 Nov 2009 | 1:03 pm
    Most of conservative pundit Glenn Beck's book signing events in Florida this weekend will be seriously brisk affairs; he's scheduled to hit seven different cities on Friday and Saturday, culminating with a noon stop in Tampa and a 3 p.m. rally/singing at The Villages retirement community. But his stop at The Villages promises to be a special event. There, Beck says he's going to reveal details on The Plan -- a future direction for his Fox News Channel show, which is now the third most-popular program on the most-watched cable TV news channel. "Coming this January, my whole…

  • Fox News slips up on video again, while Daily Show welcomes Lou Dobbs and explains Palin-hatin'

    Eric Deggans
    19 Nov 2009 | 10:01 am
    The Sarah Palin book tour continues to be the gift that keeps on giving for media watchers. First, Fox News had to apologize today for telling viewers Wednesday that video from a campaign appearance by Palin last year before adoring throngs was footage from a recent book tour stop. The flub highlights the ongoing controversy over whether outspoken conservatives such as Palin are widely popular or appeal to an excited niche. And its the second time in as many weeks that Fox had to apologize for leading viewers to believe old footage was new. It also highlights something I said Sunday on CNN.

  • Creative Loafing sells its cover, critics review and news pages for charity

    Eric Deggans
    18 Nov 2009 | 2:20 pm
    At a time when some critics insist that content in newspapers is unofficially for sale, Creative Loafing's Tampa edition is about to put that notion to the test. To raise money for The Children's Home charity, Creative Loafing in Tampa has opened an online auction allowing the highest bidder to provide content and make editorial choices for its Jan. 20 edition. The items for sale include: its lead cover image, a five-star review from its restaurant critic Brian Ries, a local band profile and photo shoot, the chance to write a music review of your choice and a chance to add your…
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    Bay Buzz

  • Pinellas Dems plan Feb. 27 dinner fundraiser

    Times Editor
    20 Nov 2009 | 12:41 pm
    Pinellas County Democrats will have their Kennedy-King dinner on Feb. 27 at the Hilton hotel in the Carillon Park area of St. Petersburg.No speakers have been confirmed, though CFO/governor's candidate Alex Sink is expected to be the speaker, chairman Ramsay McLauchlan said. She still has to confirm. The party is also seeking a national-level speaker too.A fledgling Web site is here.

  • Tampa council will vote on police union contract Dec. 2

    tampabaycom
    20 Nov 2009 | 10:21 am
    The Tampa City Council on Thursday scheduled a vote on the police union contract for Dec. 2 at 1:30 p.m. Mayor Pam Iorio and the union have been at an impasse in negotiations since July, largely over raises, so the council has to settle the dispute. But even scheduling the date caused some friction. The city's human resources director Kimberly Crum chose that date after clearing it with the calendars of City Council members.But she didn't check in with the union's attorney, Diane Bailey Morton.  So Morton fired off a memo to the council Thursday questioning why…

  • Mayor Baker backs Jack Latvala

    Times Editor
    20 Nov 2009 | 7:05 am
    St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker has endorsed fellow Republican Jack Latvala as Latvala seeks to return to the Florida Senate. Latvala faces Democrat Nina Hayden, a Pinellas School Board member, in the 2010 race."Jack Latvala has valuable experience that will benefit our region in Tallahassee. He accomplished many things for the Tampa Bay area and the state as a whole when he served in the Senate from 1994-2002. He was the driving force to end the water wars in the Tampa Bay area, he was a champion for the environment, and he delivered results for the communities he represented,"…

  • Tampa approves protection for transgender people

    tampabaycom
    19 Nov 2009 | 11:19 am
    By a 5-1 vote, the Tampa City Council today voted to expand its human rights ordinance to protect people from discrimination based on "gender identity and expression." Charlie Miranda cast the lone dissenting vote after expressing concern about disruptions at work caused when someone comes to work dressed as one gender one day and another gender the next. Linda Saul-Sena was absent, but she voted in favor of the expanded protections two weeks ago during a preliminary vote when the rule change passed unanimously with little discussion. On that day, only a handful of people spoke on…

  • Sen. Crist holds workshop on criminal justice

    tampabaycom
    18 Nov 2009 | 1:55 pm
    Florida Sen. Victor Crist, chairman of the Senate Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations Committee, hosted a workshop in Tampa today to gather information on how to cut costs in the criminal justice system. The emphasis was on programs to keep people out of prison or keep them from going back. "Criminal justice is an expensive process. If we can prevent people from coming into the system, we can save millions of dollars that could be redirected to education, health services and economic development," Crist said. "To simply throw them in a cell and throw away the…
 
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    Bizarre Florida

  • Where are those 18,000 buildings?

    John Chamless
    22 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am
       The state is having trouble locating 18,000 buildings that it owns across Florida, according to South Florida's cbs4.com.   When the Legislature told Management Services Secretary Linda South to locate surplus state-owned property that could be sold, nobody expected it to be a daunting task. But apparently there is no list of all state-owned property. (The Management Services Department is responsible for about 115 state buildings, and we take some comfort in that fact that it knows where they are.)   South told a legislative committee that the department so far has gotten…

  • BB gun brings university lockdown

    John Chamless
    21 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am
       The University of Miami was locked down for about a hour Friday afternoon because of people cruising the campus firing a BB gun, the Miami Herald reports.   The campus reopened at 3:37 p.m. when police apprehended four people.   Nobody was hurt, and there apparently was no panic on campus, though reporters found students who wondered why the campus would close over a seemingly minor incident. “I’m sure it was nothing major, if it was a BB gun,” one said.

  • Break-in at Pasco clubhouse solved cold turkey

    Times Editor
    20 Nov 2009 | 11:43 am
    HOLIDAY — In her robe and slippers, Delores Kietzer surveyed the damage.It was 11 o'clock Wednesday night and the North Buena Vista Civic Association's clubhouse had been broken into. Kietzer, 74, is the president.A neighbor saw three men slip out the back door and yelled for them to stop. The men ran. The witness called the Pasco County Sheriff's Office, whose investigators were now dusting the cupboards and bingo closet for fingerprints.The thieves broke the closet door and made a mess of the place. They stole a DVD player and three packages of hot dogs, which were bought…

  • Two more monkey sightings reported in Hillsborough

    Times Editor
    20 Nov 2009 | 11:41 am
    TAMPA — Two monkey sightings were reported Friday morning in northwest Hillsborough a couple of hours apart. It's not clear if the same monkey was seen twice or if this is the same monkey that eluded officials last week, said Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Vida Morgan. The first sighting was at 13444 Bellingham Drive at 7:50 a.m., Morgan said. A resident told Sheriff's Office dispatchers that a monkey was sitting on his back porch. About 10:15 a.m., someone else reported seeing a monkey at 11700 Cypress Nook, about 2 miles away. Florida Fish and Wildlife…

  • Bank robber escapes on public bus

    John Chamless
    20 Nov 2009 | 5:16 am
       It’s risky enough to use a public bus as a getaway vehicle. But it really blows your cover if a dye pack explodes while you are trying to blend in with the regular commuters.   A passenger alerted cops to the dye pack explosion, but the robber left the bus before they arrived.   The robber was appropriately disguised — a bandana with the cap on top and big glasses— for bank surveillance cameras. But St. Petersburg police suspect he didn’t realize the buses have surveillance cameras, too.
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    (Un)Real Estate

  • Will Tampa Bay home prices rise 5.6 percent by Sepember 2010?

    James Thorner
    19 Nov 2009 | 1:17 pm
    First American CoreLogic is upbeat about Tampa Bay home prices. The real estate company predicts Tampa Bay appreciation of 5.56 percent between September 2009 and September 2010.Most of that price growth will occur in the spring and summer of 2010, the company said. Short term, depreciation is the name of the game:The new First American CoreLogic HPI Forecast anticipates continued declines in most markets, albeit at a slowing rate, for the next six months, followed by a rebound in the spring. Above-average levels of foreclosures, inventories and unemployment will continue to take their toll…

  • More than 1 in 10 Tampa Bay mortgages two months late

    James Thorner
    18 Nov 2009 | 1:11 pm
    Here's another take on the late mortgage/foreclosure crisis from a company called TransUnion: Nearly 11 percent of Tampa Bay mortgages were 60 or more days late as of September 30.In the quarter ending June 30, the delinquency rate was 9.99 percent. A year earlier the rate was 6.83 percent. Mortgage defaults in the rest of Florida were worse. As of Sept. 30, 13.34 percent of mortgages were late statewide. Here's a spread sheet: Download Transunion09Conclusion? The number of troubled mortgages around Tampa Bay continues to rise. This is also confirmed by raw counts in the Tampa court…

  • Is another Tampa Bay home price dip coming next spring?

    James Thorner
    17 Nov 2009 | 3:01 pm
    Many economists, most recently at a home builders conference I reported on last month, have been predicting housing weakness next spring when several things happen at once: Interest rates rise, the home buyer tax credit expires, foreclosures tick up and the government eases purchases of mortgage backed securities.Now here's more support for that theory from Reuters:Both the credit and another major government action -- the purchase of more than $1.4 trillion in mortgage-related securities aimed at cutting home loan rates -- will now end within weeks of each other. The purchases stop by…

  • Realty Web site: Tampa in top 100 for home appreciation

    James Thorner
    17 Nov 2009 | 1:03 pm
    In the last quarter, Tampa home prices rose 2.48 percent, making the city 100th best for home appreciation in the United States.So says the Web site neighborhoodscout.com.Changes that small over 3 months are pretty much meaningless, but I was struck by the fact that Florida cities like Bradenton, Sarasota, Fort Myers and Miami crowded the list of top appreciators. Here's what neighborhoodscout had to say:This makes Tampa one of the highest appreciating communities in the nation for the latest quarter, and may signal the city's near-future real estate investment strength.Relative to…

  • Government cuts mortgage banking slackers a break

    James Thorner
    17 Nov 2009 | 12:17 pm
    Remember way back in 2008 when the Bush administration approved the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act? RESPA included new mortgage lending rules aimed at preventing lenders from charging confiscatory closing costs and slipping in unfavorable interest rate changes. Lending documents were supposed to clarify rather than cloud:By improving the disclosures borrowers receive when applying for a mortgage, and by promoting comparison shopping, HUD believes its new RESPA regulation will save consumers an average of nearly $700 in mortgage costs.The federal government gave mortgage lenders the…
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    Venture

  • Aiming high: Tourism leaders pitching for Super Bowl, World Cup soccer, Republican convention

    Times Editor
    20 Nov 2009 | 5:32 am
    Wake up and good morning. Tourism industry leaders of Tampa and Hillsborough County vented some frustration this week over perceptions that their industry is "old economy" and a drag on Florida's ambitions to raise the employment bar by focusing more attention on recruiting higher-wage industries. Here's a column I wrote touching on that point. (Photo: Maryann Ferenc (right, with glasses), chair of Tampa Bay & Co. and owner of Tampa's Mise En Place restaurant, and Dianne Jacob, Tampa Bay & Co. marketing chief, discuss tourism benefits. Photo by…

  • Synovus Bank, struggling to fix a heavy load of bad loans, sees shares tumble to year low

    Times Editor
    19 Nov 2009 | 10:01 am
    There's no lack of banks struggling in this economy. Some are in worse shape than others. Synovus Financial Corp., parent of Synovus Bank, based in Georgia but with more than two dozen branches sprawled along Florida's gulf coast in Tampa Bay south to Naples, is one of them. Synovus shows more and more signs of distress, including a 52-week low on its stock today that's down 10 percent and hovering near $1.60. Shares of the company have fallen 57 percent in the last three months. Last Friday, Synovus felt compelled to issue a statement…

  • After 35 years, almost $25 billion in annual sales: Happy anniversary, Tech Data Corp.

    Times Editor
    19 Nov 2009 | 4:15 am
    Wake up and good morning. Can you believe today is the 35th anniversary of Clearwater's Tech Data Corp.? The computer parts wholesale distributor has blossomed in what seems like a short period of time into a colossus within Florida approaching $25-billion annual revenues, ranking it among the largest of businesses -- public or private -- headquartered in the state. For all its industry clout, Tech Data remains a low-profile corporation in the Tampa Bay area, where its HQ resides just off Roosevelt Boulevard north of St. Pete-Clearwater Airport. For those who have…

  • Two Tampa business recruiting groups share common goals and, soon, common location

    Times Editor
    18 Nov 2009 | 8:03 am
    The Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corp. -- formerly known as the Committee of One Hundred -- continues its separation from its affiliated Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce by co-locating or sharing space with Tampa Bay & Co. The Tampa Hillsborough EDC and Tampa Bay & Co. both work to attract new business to Tampa and Hillsborough, one by recruiting expanding or relocating businesses and the other by pitching the area as a good spot for conventions, major sporting events and tourism. Here's what Maryann Ferenc, chairman of the Tampa Bay & Co. board of directors,…

  • HSN CEO Grossman: Hire 'energy-givers' -- and if they can bounce on their tails, all the better

    Times Editor
    18 Nov 2009 | 4:14 am
    Wake up and good morning. What does HSN  (Home Shopping Network) chief Mindy Grossman have to do with Winnie the Pooh characters? A lot, according to a Q&A interview with Grossman which appeared recently in the New York Times. Here she is talking about hiring philosophy: "There are a number of things that are really important to me. One — and people laugh that I have this philosophy — is that you only hire Tiggers. You don’t hire Eeyores. "It doesn’t mean they have to be loud, but I need energy-givers and I have to get a feeling that this person is…
 
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    The Gradebook | School news from Tampa Bay, Florida

  • Coming up: Vacation, meetings, more vacation and more meetings

    Times Editor
    22 Nov 2009 | 12:30 pm
    Monday: Higher Education Facilities Financing Authority, noon, TallahasseeMonday-Friday: Thanksgiving break, Hillsborough and Pinellas schoolsWednesday-Friday: Thanksgiving break, Hernando and  Pasco schoolsDec. 1: Pasco School Board, 9:30 a.m.Dec. 2: Commission for Independent Education, 10 a.m., Howey-in-the-HillsDec. 3: USF Board of TrusteesDec. 3-4: The State Advisory Committee for the Education of Exceptional Students, TallahasseeDec. 8: Pinellas School Board, 10 a.m. Hernando School Board, 7 p.m.Dec. 9: Charter School Appeal Commission, 10 a.m., TallahasseeDec. 10: Florida…

  • Florida education news: School spirit, class size, funding and more

    Jeff Solochek
    22 Nov 2009 | 4:04 am
    'WE ARE HUDSON': Hudson High in Pasco has endured its share of detractors, but the school's reality differs quite a bit from the rumors. (Times photo, Keri Wiginton)A SECOND CHANCE? Hernando should offer teacher Michael Provost another opportunity to teach at the STAR Center, the Times editorializes.PUNISHING THE WRONG PEOPLE: An attorney for three Polk educators in trouble for accessing student records says his clients did nothing wrong, the Polk County Democrat reports. A 'POLITICALLY MOTIVATED CROCK': The lawsuit against Florida's school adequacy makes a…

  • A weekend interview with plaintiffs and attorneys in the Florida high quality schools lawsuit

    Ron Matus
    21 Nov 2009 | 8:59 am
    On Wednesday, a group of parents and parents advocacy groups filed suit against the state, charging that it had not lived up to a constitutional mandate to provide high quality schools. On Tuesday, several members of the group and several of their attorneys met with the St. Petersburg Times editorial board. The following are excerpts from the interview. The plaintiffs group included Kathleen Oropeza and Linda Kobert from the Orlando-based group Fund Education Now; Mark McGriff, executive director of the Gainesville-based Citizens for Strong Schools; co-counsel Jon Mills, a former Florida…

  • Florida education news: Career academies, practical jokes, student records and more

    Jeff Solochek
    21 Nov 2009 | 3:24 am
    WHO SAYS CAREER ACADEMIES ARE NEW? The Veterinary Sciences Academy at Tarpon Springs High has been around since 1995, this year serving 220 students. (Times photo, Demorris Lee)CONGRATS: Parrott Middle School ESE paraprofessional Yvette Hart is Hernando's school-related employee of the year. FREE DEGREE: UF offers some Pinellas math and science teachers a free master's degree in exchange for making a five-year commitment to their schools.A GRUELING BATTLE: The latest lawsuit against Florida's schooling system will take a long time to get through, and shouldn't be the only…

  • Fourth candidate enters race to replace Starkey on Pasco School Board

    Jeff Solochek
    20 Nov 2009 | 1:31 pm
    When psychologist Steven Kanakis had trouble finding child care for his son with autism, he pushed for a seat on the Pasco-Hernando Early Learning Coalition to help improve the choices for families like his.His son now attends third grade at Longleaf Elementary School, and Kanakis has seen things in the special education system he thinks need fixing. So he's cast his name into the increasingly crowded field for Pasco School Board District 4."I feel like disabled kids need a voice on the School Board," Kanakis, 46, said.Kanakis would run against pastor John Tracy, retired court…
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    NIE Blogging Zone

  • Being thankful

    Times Editor
    22 Nov 2009 | 9:04 am
    Giving thanks Thanksgiving is a great time to think of what you are thankful for. Sappy? Maybe, but this week is a good time to reflect since you have some time off from school. Tell us what you are grateful for and why. Have a Happy Thanksgiving.

  • Celebrating our veterans

    Times Editor
    9 Nov 2009 | 3:54 am
    Honoring those who servedVeterans Day is the day when Americans honor those who have served in our armed forces. You can learn the history of Veteran’s Day on the United States Department of Veteran’s Affairs Web site. Who will you honor on this Veterans Day? Share your thoughts here on the NIE Blogging Zone.

  • Take flight

    Times Editor
    2 Nov 2009 | 7:54 am
    National Aviation MonthNovember is National Aviation Month. Learn about the history of flight at The National Air and Space Museum.We have come a long way from the days of the Wright Brothers. Read the St. Petersburg Times Special Report “Last Repair Mission to the Hubble”. Share your thoughts about what you have learned here on the NIE Blogging Zone.

  • Happy Halloween

    Times Editor
    25 Oct 2009 | 2:36 pm
    Celebrating All Hallows Eve Did you know that Halloween’s origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in)? The history and tradi-tion of Halloween is rich and diverse. You can learn more about this holiday by going to www.history.com/content/halloween/. Will you celebrate Halloween this Saturday? Share your holiday traditions here at the NIE Blogging Zone.

  • Safe schools Week

    Times Editor
    18 Oct 2009 | 3:00 am
    Being safeThis week is National Safe Schools Week. Throughout the week, students can help keep their schools safe by speaking up against school violence. You can celebrate this week by raising awareness of the important need to keep our schools and communities free from violence. Do you feel safe at school? What can be done to make you feel safer?  Share your thoughts here on the NIE Blogging Zone.
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    Personal Best

  • Let's talk about mammograms and Pap tests

    Times Editor
    20 Nov 2009 | 7:44 am
    This has been quite a week for women's health. First a prestigious medical panel tells us that for most women, mammograms can be put off until age 50, rather than 40, and can be repeated every-other-year, rather than the annual ritual many of us have been following. Then another prestigious medical panel says Pap tests, which catch cervical cancer at its earliest stages, can be done every other year until age 30, and every three years after that. We have a lot of questions about all this, and figure you do, too, and so we've invited Dr. Jennifer Gilby (pictured above), an ob/gyn at…

  • Pears are plentiful

    Times Editor
    19 Nov 2009 | 10:47 pm
    Buy a bagful this weekend to take to work on Monday for snacks or leave out in plain view at home. A medium pear (about 6 ounces) has about 100 calories, plus fiber and potassium. They're great fresh, diced and tossed in a salad, poached in wine, or baked to perfection. Irene Maher, Staff Health Writer

  • Quit smoking

    Times Editor
    18 Nov 2009 | 10:30 pm
    It's expensive. It stinks. It's bad for your health. It's bad for your loved ones. It's even bad for pets exposed to passive smoke. Quit or make a plan to quit smoking today during the 34th annual Great American Smokeout. Free help is available through the American Cancer Society. Irene Maher, Staff Health Writer

  • New mammogram findings: What's next?

    Times Editor
    18 Nov 2009 | 1:18 pm
    There's been a huge uproar over this week's findings by a government task force that most women don't need to start getting mammograms until age 50. We've known for a long time that breast cancer -- the No. 2 cancer killer of American women -- is far more common in women over 50, and that screening tests for younger women aren't as accurate, and could mean a lot more exposure to false positives, radiation and anxiety than is warranted by the actual help the test can provide. St. Petersburg Times reporter Letitia Stein recently reported on the shortcomings of…

  • Herbal remedy

    Times Editor
    17 Nov 2009 | 10:21 pm
    Start an herb garden. Fresh herbs add flavor without fat and calories. Plus, gardening can be a fun, relaxing hobby, helping with stress management. Basil and rosemary are two easy plants to start with. Irene Maher, Staff Health Writer
 
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    Let's Talk | Reader reaction & hot topics on tampabay.com

  • Links from the Times for Nov. 23: Survivor heads home, driving in old age

    Times Editor
    22 Nov 2009 | 7:31 pm
    Man who lost leg in hit and run leaves hospital for home Andrew Hall came to Bayfront on April 20, after he was hit by a Honda Accord going an estimated 90 miles per hour on Main Street in Safety Harbor. He went home Sunday. Video: A survivor heads home Special report: Read about the Golden Hour when Hall was saved End of the road: Driving in old age At the intersection of freedom and responsibility, there is a hard choice for older drivers. At 79, Joetta Marlor makes a bid to keep her driver's license and her independence. Part one: A key realization | One senior's story

  • Does photo show dolphin or shark?

    Karen McAllister
    22 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am
    Denis McDonough of Dunedin shared this photo he took at the Dunedin Causeway. "t was about 8 feet long. It's either a shark of a dolphin, not sure," he wrote. Your take? Can you tell what it is?

  • Oops, St. Petersburg already had official song; DJ Jim Jeffries

    Karen McAllister
    21 Nov 2009 | 4:02 pm
    A panel of judges chose three finalists from among 31 songs. Then more than 13,000 online votes were cast to choose the best in a contest for an official city song for St. Petersburg. The winner, Charlie Souza of North Redington Beach, received 43 percent of the votes for Carry Me Back to St. Petersburg. On Nov. 14 he shared the stagewith national acts at the annual Ribfest festivities at Vinoy Park. One problem. Turns out St. Petersburg already has an official song. Epilogue: Every night in 1965 Detroit, from midnight to 6 a.m., a bemused voice floated from the radio. The night man on…

  • Top 10 tampabay.com stories this week

    Karen McAllister
    21 Nov 2009 | 3:29 pm
    Here's a look at this week's most viewed stories on tampabay.com. They included stories about a Scientologist, a robber who fled on a bus and a mysterious "beast" in a canal.1. Normandy Nessie: 'Big beast' reported in Madeira Beach canal: If you believe retiree Russ Sittloh, the canals around Crystal Island have their own version of the infamous Loch Ness Monster. "How come no one else has seen this " beast "? It doesn't only show up after " Happy Hour " does it?" ~ Ididso Join the discussion 2. A joyful reunion for dad, brothers:…

  • View photo gallery: Foggy morning in Tampa Bay

    Karen McAllister
    20 Nov 2009 | 6:07 pm
    Patchy fog reduced visibility to as little as a few blocks in some areas this morning. The fog stretched from the Pinellas beaches east through Brandon. View a photo gallery of images from the foggy morning.Share your favorite weather photos: E-mail your pictures to submit@tampabay.com with your name and e-mail address in the body of the message. Then view your photos in tampabay.com's Weather Photo Gallery.
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    Stuck in the '80s | John Hughes movies, retro-music and big hair

  • Rod Stewart's 'Missing You' ... wait! what?!?

    Steve Spears
    22 Nov 2009 | 8:16 am
    Missing You is one of those songs you can't hear enough. John Waite gets a lifetime pass in my book for this tune. But I'm not sure what to think of Rod Stewart's cover version, which I discovered accidentally today on YouTube.Stewart recorded it for his 2006 covers album Still The Same ... Great Rock Classics of Our Time. But it lacks the gut-shredding angst that Waite inserts into his version. (And yes, I also am a fanatic for his duet version with Alison Krauss, even though it takes on more of a love-song attitude.)So here's my theory: Rod Stewart should not be allowed…

  • Simply Red? Mr. Mister? Wham!?! Help pick the Horrible Hits of 1986

    Steve Spears
    21 Nov 2009 | 6:33 am
    Now that our glorious Carl Weathers podcast is in the books, we're turning our attention to the next installment of our "horrible hits" franchise. The year we're up to? 1986. I know what you're thinking: "Oh, we're past the early '80s, this must be easier now." No! No again, I tell you. And that's why we want your input. Help us name the horrible hits of 1986. Here's how you do it. Click here to see a list of the top 100 songs of the year. Any of these songs qualify. Why? Because they must be a "hit" to be a horrible hit. (No…

  • Carl Weathers wants YOU ... to listen to his interview on Stuck in the '80s

    Steve Spears
    20 Nov 2009 | 5:35 am
    If you wonder what Carl Weathers' most memorable moment was in the Rocky franchise, just look up above. It was in in Rocky 4. Click here and listen to find out why. Or click here to get all our shows for free via iTunes.

  • Dueling Christmas movie marathons: 'A Christmas Story' vs. 'Dirty Dancing'

    Steve Spears
    19 Nov 2009 | 11:08 am
    The Christmas morning tradition of opening up big gift boxes full of roller skates, parachute pants and Atari games has long since been retired. But if you want to have a totally tubular holiday, all you need do it turn on the television.And this Christmas, you actually have an interesting choice of two movie marathons: TBS's 24 straight hours of A Christmas Story (beginning Christmas Eve). Or 12 straight hours of Dirty Dancing on the TV Guide Network, starting at noon Dec. 25.Dirty Dancing for Christmas? Somewhere, in the great beyond, even the late Patrick Swayze is shaking his head in…

  • Super Mario Bros. theme song ... as played by a death metal band

    Steve Spears
    19 Nov 2009 | 4:17 am
    Normally things from the '80s don't get better in the remake process. But the castle theme from Super Mario Bros. -- composed in 1985 -- did need an update. Thanks to death-thrashers Nylithia, we have one.We think Princess Toadstool would make a worthy groupie too.[Head bob to The Daily What]
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    The Juice* | Celebrity gossip about who's nude, crude, married, dead and having a baby

  • Police chief says he didn't try to sell Parker-Broderick stuff

    Josh Gillin
    20 Nov 2009 | 2:44 pm
    From the AP: An eastern Ohio police chief accused of breaking into the home of the surrogate mom for Sarah Jessica Parker's and Matthew Broderick's twins says he never discussed selling items from the home. Suspended Martins Ferry Police Chief Barry Carpenter testified Friday at his trial on burglary and other charges, saying he went into the woman's home after he saw a basement door open while on routine patrol. He says he took a photo of a surrogacy file that contained two ultrasound pictures and of a plaster cast of a pregnant stomach. He says he showed the photo of the cast…

  • Wesley Snipes appeals his 3 tax convictions

    Josh Gillin
    20 Nov 2009 | 12:26 pm
    From the AP: Wesley Snipes' attorneys asked a federal appeals court in Atlanta on Friday to review an "unreasonable" three-year prison sentence for the film star, who was convicted a year ago for owing $2.7 million in back taxes. His attorneys also argued the actor should have been granted a hearing to decide whether his trial should have been in New York instead of Florida. Because we all know how unfair the Florida courts are. Prosecutors countered that Snipes, 47, had plenty of time to appeal to move the case to New York in a timely manner before he was convicted of three…

  • Oprah Winfrey says talk show will end in 2011

    Josh Gillin
    20 Nov 2009 | 12:18 pm
    We don't want to say we told you so, but way back on two weeks ago we said Oprah Winfrey's talk show may be shutting down as the most influential female entertainer in the universe focused on her new network. So Juice*heads shouldn't have been surprised when she announced Friday that her last episode would end on Sept. 9, 2011, the AP now says. That's just in time for the 25th anniversary!"Twenty-five years feels right in my bones and feels right in my spirit," she said, noting prayer and careful thought led to her decision."... I certainly never could have…

  • 1 dead in Miley Cyrus tour bus crash

    Josh Gillin
    20 Nov 2009 | 10:45 am
    From the AP: One person was killed Friday when a tour bus belonging to entertainer Miley Cyrus overturned, but the 16-year-old Hannah Montana star wasn't on board, Virginia State Police said. Sgt. Thomas Molnar said the bus ran off the left side of Interstate 85, struck an embankment and overturned. The accident occurred around 8:15 a.m. in Dinwiddie County, about 40 miles south of Richmond. Speed and weather weren't considered factors, although TMZ says the roads were wet from rain. Molnar said the person who died at the scene was male, but didn't identify him pending…

  • Chris Brown is having trouble selling tickets

    Josh Gillin
    20 Nov 2009 | 10:24 am
    Who would have guessed Chris Brown would have trouble selling tickets to his "Fan Appreciation" tour? Well, besides everyone with a pulse, that is?It seems Chris' show in Hollywood at the smallish Avalon earlier this week was so undersold, scalpers were hawking tickets at less than face value, but no one was biting, the New York Daily News says. They're also quick to note that the show was less than two miles from where he beat Rihanna back in February."The Avalon is small and I expected it to sell out the first day, but it didn't. I'm not much of a fan, but…
 
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    Pop Life

  • Rihanna's new album 'Rated R' for revenge

    Sean Daly
    20 Nov 2009 | 12:23 pm
     "These are tricky days for hip-hop queen Rihanna. At the same time she's working the talk-show circus, poignantly revealing the human complexities of domestic abuse, she's pushing a sexed-out album that often plays like a delicious, albeit shocking, revenge fantasy. She calls it Rated R, presumably because NC-17 just didn't have that same snap. Do as she says, boys and girls, not as she sings..." READ THE REVIEW OF 'RATED R,' OUT NOV. 23

  • Lady Gaga & Beyonce naked -- almost

    Sean Daly
    20 Nov 2009 | 10:20 am
    Beyoncé |MTV Music Video Phone might be the Dumbest Video Ever. Sure, it's pretty and expensive and soft-core-y. But Beyonce is trying way too hard. And as for Gaga, not even Stephanie Hayes can defend this mishegas. Beyonce should just eat the dwarf and be done with it.

  • 100% Badass: The Carl Weathers Interview

    Sean Daly
    19 Nov 2009 | 7:12 pm
     "It's all in the hips. It's all in the hips." Behold...Carl Weathers.

  • Shakira: New album 'She Wolf,' new song with Lil Wayne 'Give It Up to Me'

    Sean Daly
    19 Nov 2009 | 6:59 am
    Shakira Album: She Wolf (Epic) In stores: Monday Her hips don’t lie...too bad they don’t sing, either: Colombia’s 32-year-old Shakira does one thing very, very well — and it’s not holding a tune. Or writing a song. Or buying a shirt that fits. Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll has a superheroic ability to move ’n’ groove her hips not seen since Jessica Rabbit caused a three-car pileup in Toontown. On her new album, the boom-chica-boom beats and generic synths seemingly lifted from a 1979 episode of Dance Fever are there simply to inspire her hip bones. As for inspiration for the…

  • The Sweebles Playlist

    Sean Daly
    18 Nov 2009 | 1:24 pm
    My grandmother, Gladys Daly, was 98 when she died. This was a few years ago. She was in bed, happily watching her favorite TV show: Desperate Housewives. She left us during a commercial break...but I still blame Teri Hatcher. Anyway, Grandma was a hoot, a true original. When asked what her secret to longevity was — and for her last eight years, someone was always asking — she usually went with “Don’t sweat the small stuff.” But once, sitting at the head of the Thanksgiving table, she whispered a different answer altogether: sweebles. We nodded our heads in understanding. Of…
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    Mouth of Tampa Bay

  • Sophine Burton on "Chef's Kitchen"

    Laura Reiley
    22 Nov 2009 | 11:16 am
    Sophine Burton, an administrative assistant with Raymond James Financial Services and recent founder of “Sophine’s Sweet Tooth” will be appearing as a guest baker on Chef’s Kitchen with host Roy De Jesus. She will be baking one of the holiday staples, sweet potato pie. The show can be found on Bright House Tampa Bay on Demand, Channel 340 and in featured segments on Bay News 9. This episode will be featured for the week of Thanksgiving. Ms. Burton is still fielding phone calls and inquiries from her October 9 appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show with Chris Rock. “A lot of people…

  • Wine/food deal at SideBern's

    Laura Reiley
    21 Nov 2009 | 11:11 am

  • Chillounge Sat. night in St. Petersburg!

    Laura Reiley
    20 Nov 2009 | 11:27 am
    Looking for something to do on Saturday night? Check this out. It looks super fun, with lots of good local restaurant participating.

  • More blather about the discussion yesterday

    Laura Reiley
    20 Nov 2009 | 8:45 am
    So, colleague and all-around good guy Jim W. sent me this review. It's a slam--a gleeful, meanie-pie, whoa-this-restaurant-blows shellacking. Fun to read, but going back to our ongoing debate, necessary? Like I said to Mr. Peel in an e-mail: I don't like writing negative reviews because I understand how many moving parts there are in a restaurant, and just how hard it is to have them all working effectively, day in and day out. I have to write them occasionally as a service to readers--a small mom and pop restaurant I'll just choose not to write about if I have a really…

  • Do we really need restaurant critics?

    Laura Reiley
    19 Nov 2009 | 1:51 pm
    In a follow-up to the heated post last week, Michael Peel, owner of WineBurgers in Tierra Verde sent me this letter. Although some of it I very strongly disagree with, I think he has some worthwhile points. I'll paste his thoughts below: I have been in the restaurant business for forty years and owned my own restaurants for thirty and I ask: Do we really need restaurant critics? We don’t have critics for banks or car dealerships or insurance companies or mortgage brokers or real estate offices and they impact our lives a lot more than where we’re going to have lunch today or dinner…
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    Reelin' in the Years

  • Friday Fromage: Super Duper Twilight New Moon (*sigh*) edition

    Steve Persall
    20 Nov 2009 | 4:20 am
    I know, I know, it's redundant to put New Moon and "fromage" in the same post title. Let those hormone-hopping tweens and menopausal moms have their fun, and we'll have ours. Hope you caught my flashback to movies, some even worse than New Moon, featuring teenage werewolves. Of course, my favorite is 1957's I Was a Teenage Werewolf that, along with Jerry Lewis' transformation scene in The Nutty Professor, were the movies most likely to make me soil myself as a child. I'll take Michael Landon going lupine-loco over Taylor Lautner's shirtless pouting any…

  • Review: Until further notice, Lee Daniels' Precious is 2009's best movie

    Steve Persall
    19 Nov 2009 | 9:03 am
    All the hype about Precious (let’s drop the rest of its clunky title) makes one wonder how any film could live up to it. After being anointed as a Sundance, Cannes and Toronto film festival event, embraced by critics and adopted by Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry, this tiny movie with a heart as big as its young hero can’t be that good. Can it? Yes, it is. A more unlikely scenario to build a new classic around is hard to imagine. Clareese Precious Jones, played by sneakily impressive newcomer Gabourney Sidibe, is a morbidly obese, illiterate inner city teenager, pregnant for the second time…

  • The Twilight Saga: New Moon review; enough to make a critic howl

    Steve Persall
    19 Nov 2009 | 4:55 am
    OMG, can you believe that Edward, like, unfriends Bella in the new Twilight movie?Not on Facebook, though, so you know he isn’t serious. Teenagers in dreary Forks, Wash. apparently didn’t get the memo about the Internet, iPhones and Xboxes. They’re too busy wallowing in their own mope about who’s kissing or biting who.Just another day that feels like a year in The Twilight Saga: New Moon.That’s cat (or “cool” for anyone over the age of tween). Edward says this is the last time Bella will ever see him but he’s just fronting. He keeps popping up in wispy apparitions – which is…

  • The Great American Teach-In; better than sleeping in

    Steve Persall
    18 Nov 2009 | 3:29 am
    I was 11 years old when my Dad's theater showed To Sir with Love for the first time. The first time seeing it sparked a dream of being a teacher like Sidney Poitier. I made it happen, for 16 years that haven't lost their luster even after I found another dream job. Today theose occupations converge, as the Great American Teach-In is celebrated at schools across the nation. Professionals from all kinds of careers will donate a few hours to, hopefully, strike a spark in someone out there in those desks, like Poitier did for a ragtag bunch of British students.I'm doing double…

  • See? The Academy Awards show is already shorter: Roger Corman, Lauren Bacall, Gordon Willis, John Calley get their honorary awards early

    Steve Persall
    16 Nov 2009 | 5:32 am
    When Academy Awards planners announced the best picture nominee list would increase to 10 finalists, the response included doubts about an already long telecast getting longer. Saturday night in L.A., Oscar planners made an unprecedented move to ensure that won't happen. Rather than doing it onstage, the academy presented its four honorary Oscars -- always a time drag, no matter who gets them -- at a swanky banquet nearly four months before the actual show. This is the first time that has happened in 82 years. That's a lot of film clips and speechifying that won't clutter the…
 
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    Stir Crazy

  • Rotisserie Chicken Wednesday

    Janet Keeler
    4 Nov 2009 | 7:17 am
    How would you like a dinner recipe e-mailed to you every day at 3:30 p.m.? Sign up for Easy Meals from Janet's Kitchen and you'll get recipes like the one here for Chicken Fried Rice. Click here to sign up...

  • Easy Weeknight Meals: Casseroles to Panini to Middle Eastern flair

    Janet Keeler
    26 Oct 2009 | 4:50 am
    Here are five dinner ideas to get you out of your rut. White Bean-Turkey Chili with Cornbread Dumplings will do that for you. Monday: Leftover delight Use up leftover rice in Cheesy Chile Rice, a meatless dish idea from the...

  • New book writes the history of Columbia restaurant

    Janet Keeler
    20 Oct 2009 | 9:06 am
    The Columbia restaurant in Ybor City has been around more than 100 years. 100 years! Imagine that. Andy Huse, a Tampa Library archivist and all-around foodie, has written a book about the colorful restaurant's history. Huse will be speaking about...

  • Easy weeknight meals: From pasta to couscous

    Janet Keeler
    19 Oct 2009 | 4:57 am
    This week we celebrate starches. (Don't we always?) Ideas for what to serve with noodles, rice, potatoes and couscous. Monday: With noodles Go meatless tonight with Mediterranean Spinach and Pasta. While 8 ounces of spaghetti or fettuccine are cooking, saute...

  • Easy weeknight meals: Fast scampi and a nutty-blue chicken salad

    Janet Keeler
    12 Oct 2009 | 12:08 pm
    Out of dinner ideas? Here are five to get the juices flowing. Monday: What a scampi We’ve made Shrimp Scampi Fettuccine before and it’s a dish worth repeating. Saute garlic, and minced shallots if you’ve got ’em, in a mixture...
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    Deal Divas

  • Deal Divas live Tweeting American Music Awards fashion!

    Stephanie Hayes
    22 Nov 2009 | 5:22 pm
    So far, Janet Jackson has performed in Han Solo's old Millennium Falcon uniform, and the Black Eyed Peas and Pete Wentz have gone militant-fabulous. Who knows what else is in store? Come follow us now here for all the snark!Photo: Alicia Keys on the 2009 American Music Awards red carpet, Getty Images.

  • Tonight: Bebe fashion show at Jackson's Bistro

    Times Editor
    20 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am
    Bebe wants to get your holidays off to a good start. The label will show off its holiday collection in a runway show tonight at Jackson's Bistro, 601 S Harbour Island Blvd., Tampa.The party goes from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m., with the fashion show sometime after midnight. Ages 21 and up. Tickets are $15 online and $20 at the door. Proceeds benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. For VIP tables, call (813) 265-1234.We know what you're thinking: Bebe? VIP tables? I thought this was the Deal Divas blog!Here's where the deals come in: The first 200 women in the door will get a $25…

  • Move over brown and black. Gray and navy want a turn in our closets.

    Times Editor
    19 Nov 2009 | 8:59 am
    I'm feeling blue these days. And gray. Very gray. But that's not a bad thing. Lots of us rely on brown and black as our staple neutral palette. They are safe, comfortable and convenient. But this fall, navy and gray are jockeying for equal play in the world of neutrals, and I'm totally embracing them in my wardrobe. Both colors are versatile. They look great layered together or as backdrops for bursts of color. Neon, anyone? Gray, my personal favorite of the moment, offers a softer touch to an outfit than its darker brethren. I love how rich pinks and purples really pop…

  • Fug or fab: Snood, half-scarf, half-hood

    Stephanie Hayes
    19 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am
    What do we think about this, friends? It's called a snood, and the Wall Street Journal discusses its place in the trend spectrum this Christmas. When I first saw the word "snood," I thought they were talking about this game that I used to play obsessively on the computer (PROCEED TO LINK AT OWN RISK and OMG I just noticed I can download it for my iPhone! Life = over). Anyway, a snood in this capacity is actually a scarf-hood hybrid. My first instinct? It looks like something my Polish ancestors wore on the docks. My mother has regaled me with stories of her youth spent…

  • JCPenney coupons: $10 off $25 beauty is back!

    Times Editor
    18 Nov 2009 | 2:14 pm
    The news this week couldn't get better for coupons-obsessed gals like me. We have Ann Taylor coupons good for an extra 30 percent off! (Sorry, the Macy's coupons deal that we all love so much already has come and gone.) But joy upon joys, another beauty just landed in my inbox. Print out these JCPenney coupons for $10 off on purchases of $25 through Monday, Nov. 23. Read the fine print for the exceptions. I'm thinking JCPenney is the perfect place to start my holiday shopping. Deal Diva Letitia
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    Whoa, Momma!

  • Free and cheap family fun Nov. 20-22

    Times Editor
    20 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am
    It's the most wonderful time of the year: The weather is fantastic and with the holidays just around the corner, there is plenty to do in the bay area. It's time to take advantage of the reason we like living here. The Mirror Lake Complex is throwing a free Grand Re-Opening and Cookout celebration from 7-11 p.m. Friday at 559 Mirror Lake Drive in downtown St. Petersburg. A special recognition ceremony will be held at 7:15 p.m. The whole family, even the family pet, can attend the party that features an arts and crafts show, lawn bowling, badminton, volleyball, bocce ball, croquet,…

  • Update: Senator from Alaska says program to answer children's letters to Santa is saved

    Times Editor
    20 Nov 2009 | 3:23 am
    UPDATE: Apparently, North Pole, Alaska, has a little pull with the Postal Service -- thanks to a U.S. Senator from the state. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, sent out a media release saying that she had gotten a commitment from the Postal Service to resume the Santa letter answering program in her state. According to the release, "In a phone call today, Deputy Postmaster General Pat Donahoe told Murkowski that the USPS had reconsidered its position not to allow Alaskan volunteers to answer letters addressed “Dear Santa, North Pole.” Apparently the program will resume as it has in…

  • IKEA Black Friday deals

    Times Editor
    20 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am
    We make no bones about it: We are definitely fans of IKEA. We wrote that when we toured the new store as we Tweeted through the gigantic space. Well, on Black Friday, IKEA will have some sweet deals, including a set of six wine glasses for $1.99. That's like 33-cents a glass. If those get broken at your holiday party, you really won't care. Have a girlfriend of two go with you because you can only get two sets at that price. There's also other cheap deals like a kitchen cart for $19.99 (regularly $59.99) or a coffee table for $59 (regularly $119). Perhaps the best deal will be…

  • Just a few hours left to enter for the Energizer Battery giveaway

    Times Editor
    19 Nov 2009 | 1:00 pm
    You've got until midnight tonight to enter for the giveaway of a one of two sets of Energizer 2450mAh Rechargeable batteries, courtesy of the company with the pink bunny and Whoa, Momma! Get all the details here and hurry up before the contest is over.

  • "Planet 51" flips usual alien invader storyline, but kids laugh at slapstick from any galaxy

    Times Editor
    19 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am
    The concept behind "Planet 51" is so simple, it's amazing no one has thought of it before. An astronaut (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) lands on a distant planet. Just as he plants the American flag, he discovers that there's already intelligent life there -- and the denizens of Planet 51 regard HIM as the frightening alien. The reverse-engineered paranoia makes for plenty of warped comedy. To Capt. Charles "Chuck" Baker's surprise, this strange new world is weirdly reminiscent of a cheerfully innocent '50s America. There are tailfins on the…
 
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    Critics Circle

  • Stephen King speaks; also, reviews of 'Under the Dome,' 'Googled,' 'Pilgrims,' 'Nightlight'

    Colette Bancroft
    20 Nov 2009 | 11:16 am
    "Stephen King has written of ghosts and vampires, revenants and demons and all manner of supernatural terrors. "What does he find scarier, the extrahuman monsters or the human ones? "'The human, always the human,' King says." You can read the rest of my interview with Stephen King here. In a phone interview, we talked about why his terrific new novel Under the Dome took more than three decades to write, how the Bush administration inspired some of its characters, and why the current book price wars trouble him. The book is one of King's best, as I say in my…

  • Madame Bovary goes to 'Lucia di Lammermoor'

    John Fleming
    18 Nov 2009 | 8:15 am
    For bookish opera fans, Lucia di Lammermoor is the one to see. Donizetti's bel canto melodrama was based, of course, on one of Sir Walter Scott's now unreadable romantic novels from the Scottish border country, The Bride of Lammermoor. But what's really interesting about the opera from a literary point of view is how often it turns up in other novels, including Tolstoy's Anna Karenina and E.M. Forster's Where Angels Fear to Tread. The most famous and extensive reference to Lucia comes in Flaubert's Madame Bovary. Chapter 15 is an account of a performance of…

  • My Stephen King interview: a preview

    Colette Bancroft
    17 Nov 2009 | 11:45 am
    Stephen King wowed a sold-out crowd last night at Van Wezel Hall in Sarasota, but before he chatted on stage about his smashingly scary new book Under the Dome, he talked to me by phone Saturday evening from his Casey Key home. During the interview, we talked about the political and environmental inspirations for Under the Dome as well as King's feelings about the current book price wars. You can read the interview and my review of Dome on Saturday at tampabay.com or Sunday in the St. Petersburg Times. In the meantime, here's an outtake from our chat. King was an e-book pioneer,…

  • An actor prepares: Watching 'It's a Wonderful Life' and playing George Bailey

    John Fleming
    16 Nov 2009 | 11:54 am
    Christopher Swan (right) is starring in This Wonderful Life, a one-man show in which he plays pretty much all the characters in It's a Wonderful Life, the holiday staple directed by Frank Capra and starring Jimmy Stewart as the savior of Bedford Falls, George Bailey. In preparing for the performance, Swan watched the movie closely, and especially Stewart's acting. Here's what he had to say about it: "Jimmy Stewart is an icon, but to watch him work is a great lesson for an actor. His honesty and his immediacy, his energy and his focus is amazing. In the famous phone…

  • A fortunate event: Lemony Snicket to return

    Colette Bancroft
    12 Nov 2009 | 11:58 am
    Fans young and old of Lemony Snicket's irresistibly macabre A Series of Unfortunate Events books can rejoice (although Snicket might not advise it). Daniel Handler, who wrote the popular series of children's books under the Snicket nom de plume, will pick up that plume again.Publishers Weekly reports that Handler, who published the first 13 Snicket novels with HarperCollins, has signed a new deal with Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for five new books -- a young adult novel (illustrated by Maira Kalman) to be published in 2011, and four new Snicket books starting in 2012.The…
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    Soundcheck

  • John Mayer coming to the St. Pete Times Forum

    Times Editor
    20 Nov 2009 | 7:38 am
    Who says John Mayer isn't coming to Tampa? Not John Mayer, that's for sure. The popsmith, bluessmith and occasional stand-up comedysmith will bring his tour to the St. Pete Times Forum on Feb. 5, according to his Web site. Ticket prices haven't been announced yet, but they're scheduled to go onsale Dec. 5. Click here for details. It'll be the first time Mayer has played the Forum. For the past three years, he's performed at the Ford Amphitheatre. BUT DID YOU KNOW, Mayer played, of all things, Gasparilla back in 2002 -- opening for Better Than Ezra, no…

  • Artist of the day (unabridged version): Jim Morey

    Times Editor
    20 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am
    Monday's Artist of the Day on the Jim Morey Band was but a taste, an aperitif if you will, to today's interview of Jim Morey by Julie Garisto. In it, he discusses: -- His love of New Orleans, and his departure from the city right before Hurricane Katrina -- His affinity for men's hats and jewelry -- The time his car was shot with 30 bullets -- Films that he has scored -- And more. Click here to listen to the JMB's Nuthin' But Love. And after the jump, get Julie's full interview... The band: Jim Morey, vocals, trumpet, keys and guitar; Ann Van Atta, bass and…

  • This week in Tampa: Jackson Browne, Emilie Autumn, Forever the Sickest Kids and more

    Times Editor
    19 Nov 2009 | 9:00 am
    Carole Giambalvo has the week off, so your humble Soundcheck editor will guide you through this week's concert picks. If you're up for a road trip, don't sleep on Neko Case in Orlando or the Bacon Brothers in Sarasota. Wade Tatangelo chatted with both artists -- check out his chat with Neko here, and his chat with the Bacons here. After the jump: The best concert picks of the week ahead, including Underoath, Jackson Browne, Emilie Autumn (above), Forever the Sickest Kids, Gloriana, Sarah Borges and Broken Singles, Chuck Ragan, Gil Mantera's Party Dream, Geri X., the Ska is…

  • Before her first Florida gig in a decade, Neko Case talks about finding her inspiration

    Times Editor
    19 Nov 2009 | 7:15 am
      For the first time in more than a decade Neko Case is coming to Florida. The alt-country chanteuse's sixth solo record, Middle Cyclone, debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 pop chart in March, and Amazon.com has already crowned it best album of the year. Case performs at 7 p.m. tonight at the Plaza Theatre, 425 N Bumby Ave., Orlando. $28. (407) 228-1220. Click here for details. On the phone, though, calling from her farm in rural Vermont, the charming Case sounds like an eager, unsigned artist, chatting about inspiration in household chores. "It comes out when my…

  • The Bacon Brothers talk Hollywood stardom and roots-rock renown

    Times Editor
    19 Nov 2009 | 7:09 am
    Pretty much everyone has a favorite movie starring Kevin Bacon. From Footloose to Flatliners to Frost/Nixon, the clever actor can be seen in blockbusters and critically acclaimed films spanning the past three decades. He has also spent the past 15 years touring and recording with older sibling Michael as the Bacon Brothers. They return to the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall in Sarasota on Friday. Though best known as a movie star — and the subject of the Six Degrees game that's ingrained in pop culture — Kevin Bacon is a talented singer-songwriter and guitarist whose band performs…
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    All Eyes

  • Samurai festival, Lebanon independence, sea cucumber (13 images)

    Times Editor
    22 Nov 2009 | 6:42 pm
    Waves batter the harbor wall on Sunday in Porthcawl, Wales. As fresh gale force winds and heavy rain sweeps across the UK, a major rescue operation is continuing after severe weather conditions caused flooding, cutting off villages and towns in England's Lake District. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images) An Iraqi woman watches out from her balcony at a funeral procession for Jamal al-Baz, in Azamiyah neighborhood, northern Baghdad, Iraq on Sunday. Jamal al-Baz, a member of the Awakening council of Azamiyah, a Sunni group that revolted against al-Qaida, was shot dead early Sunday by unknown…

  • Flooding in Britain (9 images)

    Times Editor
    20 Nov 2009 | 4:09 pm
    Military helicopters and emergency workers save dozens of people as floods swamp northern England's Lake District. A police officer was killed when surging water swept away a bridge. More of the story here Firefighters and RNLI personnell rescue Pat Edwards, aged 81, from her home in the centre of Cockermouth in Keswick, United Kingdom. A major rescue operation is underway after severe weather conditions caused floods cutting off villages and towns in England's lake District. Cumbria Police have also reported that one of their officers is missing after a bridge collapse in Workington. (Photo…

  • Parisian skateboarder, hip hop picture, cricket (15 images)

    Times Editor
    20 Nov 2009 | 3:08 pm
    A skateboarder performs during an exhibition show at the Grand Palais in Paris. (AP Photo/Francois Mori) Palestinian children cheer during an event organized by UNICEF to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, in the West Bank city of Ramallah. Twenty years after the U.N. adopted a treaty guaranteeing children's rights, fewer youngsters are dying and more are going to school, but an estimated 1 billion children still lack services essential to their survival and development, UNICEF said Thursday. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen) Fans photograph singer Trey…

  • Terrorism that's personal (12 images)

    Times Editor
    20 Nov 2009 | 11:17 am
    EDITOR'S NOTE: GRAPHIC CONTENT Text by Jim Verhulst, Times' Perspective editor | Photos by Emilio Morenatti, Associated Press We typically think of terrorism as a political act. But sometimes it’s very personal. It wasn’t a government or a guerrilla insurgency that threw acid on this woman’s face in Pakistan. It was a young man whom she had rejected for marriage. As the United States ponders what to do in Afghanistan — and for that matter, in Pakistan — it is wise to understand both the political and the personal, that the very ignorance and illiteracy and misogyny that create the…

  • Universal Children's Day (15 images)

    Times Editor
    19 Nov 2009 | 2:08 pm
    UNICEF urged the world to help the 1 billion children still deprived of food, shelter, clean water or health care - and the hundreds of millions more threatened by violence - two decades after the U.N. adopted a treaty guaranteeing children's rights. On the eve of the anniversary, the U.N. children's agency issued a report Thursday on the challenges ahead and the accomplishments since the U.N. General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989. UNICEF Executive Director Ann Veneman called a sharp decline in child deaths a "remarkable achievement," and lauded the…
 
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    Sticks of Fire: a Tampa blog

  • shopping is not a contact sport

    Local Shopper
    20 Nov 2009 | 4:03 am
    Shopping doesn't have to be difficult. In fact, it can even be something fun. The trick is not to be rushed. [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

  • last beach bar, sons and daughters, goin’ home

    Music Tampa Bay
    19 Nov 2009 | 4:23 am
    Songs by Cope, Have Gun Will Travel, Jack Speer, and Sarasota Slim are added to Music Tampa Bay. [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

  • gates goal: empower good teachers

    Yesterday's News
    18 Nov 2009 | 12:55 pm
    The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation wants to reward good teachers, and is expected to award $100 million to Hillsborough County Public Schools in that endeavor. [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

  • family volunteer day

    tommy
    18 Nov 2009 | 4:19 am
    This Saturday, November 21 is National Family Volunteer Day. HandsOn Tampa Bay has a few ideas for you to participate this weekend, and become a bigger part of your Tampa Bay community. [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

  • save the artists

    tommy
    17 Nov 2009 | 12:40 pm
    Wednesday is the last day to help “Save the Artists” through the Tampa Bay Businesses for Culture & the Arts. The TBBCA has been holding an “online silent auction,” with... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    Visit Tampa Bay

  • The Columbia Restaurant is Celebrating a Century of History, Culture, and Cuisine

    20 Nov 2009 | 8:28 am
    Travis back with a Tampa Tourism update that I know you'll be eating up.  Here's the info right from the Restaurant's mouth!The legendary Columbia Restaurant has returned with a new book to tantalize the taste buds and imagination. In 1994, The Columbia Restaurant Spanish Cookbook won acclaim with its blend of history and cuisine.  The saga continues in the new release:  The Columbia Restaurant:  Celebrating a Century of History, Culture, and Cuisine.  Over 100 years of The Columbia’s history comes to life in 300+ colorful pages, illustrated with many…

  • DaVinci Revealed at MOSI!!!

    20 Nov 2009 | 8:20 am
    Hi all!  Travis back with some really cool Tampa Bay entertainment options, no matter who you are!  You can bet that you'll catch me at this exhibit more than once. We are heading out to MOSI for a brand new exhibit that will be there from Feb. 13 - May 31, 2010.  DaVinci The Genius and the Secrets of the Mona Lisa will be at MOSI, Tampa’s Museum of Science and Industry, for this limited engagement.This is the exhibition’s first appearance in the southeastern United States and will shed light on DaVinci’s contributions to modern science.While DaVinci is…

  • And The Winner Is....Alexis Gray!!!

    20 Nov 2009 | 7:57 am
    Congratulations are in order for Alexis Gray of the Doubletree Guest Suites Tampa Bay, who recently received top national honors for being recognized as a national winner of the Catch Me At My Best Program! For this contest, all of the DoubleTree team members participated in a customer focused service program initiated by the Doubletree Brand called Catch Me At My Best. Each team member had the opportunity to have special comment cards filled out from guests who “catch” them going above and beyond.  Alexis was the top winner in the high customer contact category. …

  • Shop Till You Drop at Ellenton Prime Outlets for Black Friday!!!

    20 Nov 2009 | 7:15 am
    Can you believe its almost the holiday season! Like I really needed any more reasons to spend money shopping in Tampa Bay and filling my belly with holiday treats! Are you feeling the holiday excitement yet? You will at Prime Outlets for the Ellenton Fourth Annual Midnight Madness Pajama Jam Event taking place at midnight on Friday, November 27 (Black Friday).  As normal with all Black Friday events, I would suggest you get there early in order to try and beat the lines of eager shoppers waiting to get their hands on some of the years hottest deals. While your out there, please…

  • The Florida Orchestra in December

    20 Nov 2009 | 6:51 am
    Hey everyone!  Travis here with some Tampa Bay area events, hosted by the Florida Orchestra, during December.  So strap your sleigh bells on because here we go!Dec. 2: An Intimate Collaboration, The Austrian Way Highlighting Music by Beethoven & Bruckner. As a multi-cultural prelude to The Florida Orchestra’s next Masterworks concert, The Studio@620 and The Florida Orchestra present An Intimate Collaboration: The Austrian Way, with discussion, music, and other art forms related to Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto and Bruckner’s Symphony No. 6 featured on the…
 
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    Buc 'Em

  • Rookie mistakes take their toll on Freeman, Bucs.

    Niko Houllis
    22 Nov 2009 | 1:16 pm
    More photos » by John Raoux - AP Josh Freeman was vulnerable to rookie mistakes today vs Saints. Browse more photos » For awhile there, the Bucs defense was keeping the game close. But they dont call it a team sport for nothing. All three  aspects of the game must be clicking, and after the 1st quarter, the Bucs offense behind rookie QB Josh Freeman started to commit too many turnovers. At one point the Bucs stopped the Saints 4 of their first 5 possessions and had a tie 7-7 game, but Freeman threw too many interceptions and the game got out of control.  The defense came…

  • Game day thread: New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Week 11

    Buc Wild
    22 Nov 2009 | 9:00 am
    Antonio Bryant #89 / Wide Receiver / Tampa Bay Buccaneers Height: 6-1 Weight: 205 Born: Mar 09, 1981 College: Pittsburgh It's been awhile since we've seen him so I just wanted everyone (including you Freeman) to re-familiarize themselves with AB. Lets see if we can't knock the Saints off their undefeated perch.

  • BUC'EM Predictions!

    Niko Houllis
    22 Nov 2009 | 8:26 am
      Read on for individual Predictions....and make yours!  Me? Im taking opposite of everyone!! Gotta pull up from the rear! Congrats to BucsFanDave for taking the lead based on winning percentage, to BucWild and UNFNole for total wins; 63, and congrats to last weeks best picker, BF Dave with 11-3 in an upset week.   STANDINGS.... BUCSFANDAVE    35-17    .673 BucWild                    63-32    .663 UNFNOLE                63-32    .663…

  • Buc 'Em readers pick Saints

    Buc Wild
    22 Nov 2009 | 5:45 am
    Featured Poll Poll Will the Bucs get win #2 at home against the Saints? 42% The Bucs win and end the Saints unbeaten streak 43 votes 57% No, New Orleans takes home the W 58 votes 101 votes   Our weekly poll has brought back some interesting results at times.  The Bucs have been picked against heavily and selected as the winner by a huge margin in some polls.  This one?  Well it's a bit closer with the edge going to the Saints.  We've been averaging about 100 votes and stay true to form here.  Lets see if the majority is right on this one, or if the Bucs can pull…

  • Week 11 Preview: New Orleans Saints vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

    Craig T
    21 Nov 2009 | 10:47 pm
    vs.  Overview: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers return to action Sunday following a disheartening and controversial loss to the Miami Dolphins last week.  This week, the New Orleans Saints come marching into Raymond James Stadium as the talk of the NFL.  Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that the Saints come into Ray Jay at a pristine 9-0 mark and are rolling towards the #1 seed in the NFC and homefield advantage throughout the playoffs.  The Buccaneers look to play spoilers this week, as well as continue the development of their young football team and…
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    Bucs Beat

  • Photo gallery: Saints 38, Bucs 7

    Times Editor
    22 Nov 2009 | 5:57 pm
    Click here for Gary Shelton's analysis and more photos of the Bucs' loss to the Saints

  • Bucs coaches, players to blame for lopsided loss

    Stephen Holder
    22 Nov 2009 | 3:30 pm
    This is one of those games where everyone contributed. Unfortunately, many of those contributions were negative ones, helping the Bucs wind up 38-7 loss to the undefeated Saints today in Tampa. Afterward, coach Raheem Morris summed it up. "That was a total team loss from a coaches standpoint and a players standpoint and all around," he said. "We lost that game together."It's unclear what coaching miscues Morris was referring to, but it certainly can be argued the Bucs should have been smarter about their offensive strategy late in the first half, when they gave the…

  • Stephen F. Holder blogs throughout Bucs-Saints

    Times Editor
    22 Nov 2009 | 10:43 am
    Join Times beat reporter Stephen F. Holder as he blogs live throughout the Bucs game against the New Orleans Saints. Your comments and questions are welcomed.Bucs-Saints

  • Bucs CB Elbert Mack out against Saints' passing attack

    Stephen Holder
    22 Nov 2009 | 8:50 am
    The Bucs will have to face the Saints' high-octane passing game without the help of their nickel back, second-year man Elbert Mack. He has been fighting a lingering ankle injury the past two weeks and was unable to finish either the of the team's past two games, against Green Bay and Miami. He fought through it to practice a bit last week, but there hasn't been any improvement. About the only available course of action now is rest, it appears. This development means veteran special-teamer Torrie Cox will be pressed into extensive duty, something that will take a physical toll…

  • Saints' Reggie Bush, Sedrick Ellis out vs. Bucs

    Stephen Holder
    21 Nov 2009 | 12:45 pm
    The Saints announced today that RB Reggie Bush and DT Sedrick Ellis will not travel to Tampa for Sunday's game against the Bucs. Both players are suffering from knee injuries and were listed as questionable on Friday's injury report. The Saints are 9-0 and favored by double digits. Bush has six touchdowns this season while Ellis, the team's first-round pick, has been a key to stopping the run.
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    The Point After

  • Video: Jets coach Ryan cries during team meeting

    Times Editor
    20 Nov 2009 | 8:39 am
    Many NFL coaches have reasons to weep, Times sports columnist Gary Shelton says in this clip from "The Lineup,'' 6-6:30 p.m. weeknights on Bright House Sports Network.

  • This week, the NFL turns to the quarterbacks the Bucs threw away

    Gary Shelton
    19 Nov 2009 | 12:38 pm
    For the Raiders' fan, it is a break in the inaction. It isn't a new direction. It isn't a legitimate alternative. But, for goodness sakes, it is something different. For the Broncos' fan, it is making the best of a bad situation. It isn't anyone's choice. It isn't a welcome sight. For crying out loud, it is just trying to keep the ship afloat until the captain returns. Ah, but for the Bucs' fan, it is a nice little slice of nostalgia. It is a reminder of yesterday's shortcomings. It is  a matter of recycled memories. For the sake of everyone…

  • Video: Bill Belichick catching heat

    Times Editor
    17 Nov 2009 | 2:26 pm
    Times sports columnist John Romano wonders if coach Bill Belichick made some reckless decisions during the Patriots' loss to the Colts in this video clip from "The Lineup,'' 6-6:30 p.m. on Bright House Sports Network.

  • Video: Pat Burrell for Milton Bradley?

    Times Editor
    13 Nov 2009 | 8:35 am
    Why would the Rays want troubled outfielder Milton Bradley in a potential trade for Pat Burrell? Times sports columnist John Romano asks in this video clip from "The Lineup,'' 6-6:30 p.m. weeknights on Bright House Sports Network.

  • Video: Steve Spurrier still looking for an edge

    Times Editor
    11 Nov 2009 | 9:54 am
    Five years later, South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier is still looking for an edge against his former team, Times sports columnist John Romano says in this video clip from "The Lineup,'' 6-6:30 p.m. weeknights on Bright House Sports Network.
 
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    Buccaneers Gab

  • Fast Start Fades Fast as Saints Pound Bucs 38-7

    Matt Loede
    22 Nov 2009 | 8:06 pm
    The first possession for the Bucs was good Sunday, going 95 yards for a quick 7-0 lead over the Saints. But just like that, the best team in the NFC South turned on their magic, putting the Bucs away with some quick scores to move to 10-0 with a 38-7 rout of the Bucs. “We knew how potent their offense was, and we knew that really the best defense was our offense being able to sustain drives,” QB Josh Freeman said. “The tough thing is that only lasted our first drive.” Freeman had his issues, he was 17 of 33 for 126 yards and three interceptions. The first-round draft pick was sacked…

  • VIZIO Pro Football Profiles – Ronde Barber Trailer

    Matt Loede
    17 Nov 2009 | 7:14 pm
    In stark contrast to todays news by Twitter comes a decidedly refreshing return to in-depth looks at professional footballs biggest stars. VIZIOS PRO FOOTBALL PROFILES, with host Laura Okmin, debuts October of 2009 across all Fox Sports Net (FSN) regional networks and dedicates each 30-minute episode to getting to know the real people that we only know as our favorite football stars. A new episode of VIZIOS PRO FOOTBALL PROFILES will debut each week beginning October 2, 2009. Check local listings for time and availability. FSN reaches over 85 million homes nationally. Featured athletes…

  • Dolphins Edge Buccaneers 25-23 On Late Drive

    Stephen Rhodes
    15 Nov 2009 | 3:56 pm
    Sunday found a Florida matchup, courtesy of a quirk of sorts in the NFL scheduling, between the Miami Dolphins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. At first glance, you might think that there wouldn’t be very much scoring; if you subscribed to that line of thinking, then surprisingly, you’d be wrong. Actually there were the obligatory lead changes as most close games tend to have; however, it took a late drive conducted by Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne which led to a 25-yard field goal with 10 seconds left, enabling Miami to escape Land Shark Stadium with a 25-22 win over Tampa Bay. The Dolphins,…

  • Bucs Put LB Rod Wilson on IR

    Matt Loede
    10 Nov 2009 | 3:59 pm
    The Bucs have placed linebacker Rod Wilson on Injured Reserve. Wilson is the Bucs backup middle linebacker to Barrett Ruud. The nature of his injury has not been announced.

  • Morris Says He’s Impressed with Freeman’s Work Ethic

    Matt Loede
    10 Nov 2009 | 3:19 pm
    ESPN reports about Josh Freeman and his work ethic, and today Raheem Morris said that he’s impressed by it: Tampa Bay quarterback Josh Freeman’s work ethic became a concern among fans after a broadcaster suggested the Tampa Bay rookie quarterback wasn’t working very hard on the mental part of the game. Head coach Raheem Morris gave strong responses to the contrary when asked about Freeman’s work ethic. “I wasn’t shocked to see him do it at all because I’ve seen him coming in here and studying,” Morris said. “You have to give the kid credit…
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • New Orleans Saints 38, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7

    admin
    22 Nov 2009 | 6:27 pm
    The Bucs must have irked the Saints after they scored first in this game because they destroyed the Bucs the rest of the way.  QB Josh Freeman finally looked like a rookie QB today as he completed 17 of 33 passes for 126 yards with 1 TD pass and 3 INTs.  He also carried the ball 2 times for 30 yards (15.0 ypc) today but he also lost a fumble.  Overall, Freeman had a day to forget.  Cadillac Williams led the way for the Bucs today with 32 yards rushing on 11 carries (2.9 ypc).  Earnest Graham only carried the ball 3 times but he got 31 yards (10.3 ypc) and he also caught 3 passes for 16…

  • New Orleans Saints vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

    admin
    20 Nov 2009 | 7:24 pm
    The Saints are sitting at 9-0 on the year and you would think that this week would be a laugher for them against the 1-8 Bucs.  It won’t be as easy as most people think it will.  The Saints are having big defensive issues as of late due to injuries so they will likely try to dominate this game on offense.  Drew Brees will likely have a lot of time to throw against a Bucs’ D that is lacking pass rushers.  That is bad news for the DBs of the Bucs in having to deal with Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, Jeremy Shockey and Robert Meachem.  The Bucs are allowing 211.9 yards passing per…

  • Miami Dolphins 25, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23

    admin
    15 Nov 2009 | 4:20 pm
    The Buccaneers lost a heartbreaker as they took the lead 23-22 with 1:14 seconds left in the game but then the defense gave up the game.  Josh Freeman had another solid game as he completed 16 of 28 passes for 196 yards with 1 TD pass and 1 INT.  He also carried the ball 7 times for 36 yards (5.1 ypc) earlier today.  One area that Freeman has to do a better job of is holding onto the football as he fumbled 4 times today (losing 1).  Cadillac Williams led the way on the ground for the Bucs in this game with 52 yards rushing on 14 carries (3.7 ypc) with 1 TD run.  Derrick Ward pitched in…

  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Miami Dolphins

    admin
    13 Nov 2009 | 2:24 pm
    The Buccaneers travel to Miami to deal with the Dolphins on Sunday and this should be a interesting football game.  A lot will fall onto the shoulders of rookie QB Josh Freeman in this game as Cadillac Williams could have a hard time finding running room against a Fins’ D that is only allowing 94.5 yards rushing and 3.7 yards per carry so far this season.  The Bucs will still try to run the ball early in this game to keep the Dolphins’ D honest.  If they can’t then the Dolphins will be bringing the blitz early and often against the Bucs.  If that does happen then Freeman…

  • The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lose Will Allen for the season

    admin
    12 Nov 2009 | 6:07 pm
    The Buccaneers have lost backup safety Will Allen for the year due to a broken thumb.  Allen played in 8 games this season for the Buccaneers and he made 20 tackles and defensed 1 pass.  Corey Lynch will replace Allen on the second team.  He has played in 5 games for the Bucs this season and he has 1 tackle and he has defensed 1 pass.  Lynch will likely at least be an equal to Allen who just isn’t that much of a player.
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    Yardbarker: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Saints Thump Buccaneers 38-7 For A Perfect 10-0 Record

    22 Nov 2009 | 6:21 pm
    New Orleans continues it’s dominance of NFC South teams with it’s latest lopsided victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With every new win the Saints set a new record for the most successful start in franchise history and the 10 game winning streak is the first ever for New Orleans. Drew Brees finally ended his streak of [...]

  • Saints a Perfect 10-0 Following 38-7 Win Over Tampa Bay

    22 Nov 2009 | 2:38 pm
    The New Orleans Saints are 10-0 for the first time in franchise history. Brees and the offense rolled to a 38-7 win against the 1-9 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With the offensive line not allowing any sacks, Brees threw for less than 200 yards; however, he had 3 touchdown passes and 0 interceptions. Robert Meacham finished the [...]

  • Bucs' Bryant back; Bush, Ellis sit out for 9-0 Saints

    22 Nov 2009 | 9:39 am
    Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Antonio Bryant was active for Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints after sitting out the previous two weeks because of a sore left knee.

  • Game day thread: New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Week 11

    22 Nov 2009 | 9:00 am
    Antonio Bryant #89 / Wide Receiver / Tampa Bay Buccaneers Height: 6-1 Weight: 205 Born: Mar 09, 1981 College: Pittsburgh It's been awhile since we've seen him so I just wanted everyone (including you Freeman) to re-familiarize themselves with AB. Lets see if we can't knock the Saints off their undefeated perch.

  • Week 12 Preview: New Orleans Saints vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

    21 Nov 2009 | 10:47 pm
    vs.  Overview: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers return to action Sunday following a disheartening and controversial loss to the Miami Dolphins last week.  This week, the New Orleans Saints come marching into Raymond James Stadium as the talk of the NFL.  Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that the Saints come into Ray Jay at a pristine 9-0 mark and are rolling towards the #1 seed in the NFC and homefield advantage throughout the playoffs.  The B...
 
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    St. Petersburg Times > Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers-New Orleans Saints: Tom Jones' Two Cents

    Times Staff
    22 Nov 2009 | 8:23 pm
    By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer Sunday, November 22, 2009 Times staff writer Tom Jones looks back Sunday's Bucs-Saints broadcast on Fox.Worst jumping the gun. We love Fox's Sam Rosen, below, whom we consider one of the most under appreciated announcers in the biz. What we like about him is he rarely jumps the gun by saying something he shouldn't. But he broke that Rosen Rule when he wasted no time pinning a second-quarter interception on Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman.The play was over for a fraction of a second when Rosen said, "That was a poor throw by Josh Freeman.''Replays, however,…

  • Key moments in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers loss to the New Orleans Saints

    Times Staff
    22 Nov 2009 | 8:20 pm
    Stephen F. Holder, Times staff writer Sunday, November 22, 2009 Brees does enoughThe Bucs have given up bigger games to Saints QB Drew Brees, who went 19-of-29 for 187 yards Sunday. But it wasn't his numbers. It was his efficiency that was most impressive. Brees wasn't intercepted or sacked for the first time in five games. In the previous four games, he had thrown seven interceptions and lost three fumbles. He did neither against the Bucs. Instead, he threw three touchdowns, even though much of his success came on short routes rather than deep passes. "I think he showed (Sunday) that he can…

  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers-New Orleans Saints: Three plays worth another look

    Times Staff
    22 Nov 2009 | 8:03 pm
    By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer Sunday, November 22, 2009 Bucs linebacker Barrett Ruud, left, and cornerback Ronde Barber head toward tight end David Thomas during his 37-yard first-quarter gain. Five plays later, the Saints tied the score. The Saints were missing running back Reggie Bush, a key part of their short passing game, because of swelling in his left knee. So tight end David Thomas stepped in, finishing with four catches for 66 yards and a touchdown. His highlight was a 37-yard catch-and-run with 4:19 left in the first quarter. Thomas got behind linebacker Barrett Ruud,…

  • New Orleans Saints' rout of Tampa Bay Buccaneers reveals a glaring gap

    Times Staff
    22 Nov 2009 | 8:02 pm
    By Gary Shelton, Times Sports Columnist Sunday, November 22, 2009 Saints quarterback Drew Brees compiled just 187 yards against the Bucs, but the veteran’s leadership and three touchdown passes helped the team reach 10-0. TAMPA They have rarely stood this close to excellence, and because of it, the Tampa Bay Bucs have rarely seemed so far away from it. Standing across from a team with a perfect record, the Bucs have never seemed more flawed. Standing across from a team this impressive, the Bucs have never looked so insignificant. Standing next to a team so spotless, the Bucs and their…

  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Gimme 5

    Times Staff
    22 Nov 2009 | 8:02 pm
    John Romanojromano@sptimes.comBy John Romano, Times Sports Columnist Sunday, November 22, 2009 Talk of the townFive topics suitable for inane debate on talk radio.1. A new low: That was officially the most lopsided loss ever for the Bucs at Raymond James Stadium. The only time the Bucs have ever been outscored by more at home was a 44-9 loss to the Bears at the old Tampa Stadium in 1984.2. To the losers go the spoils: Follow the logic here. Tampa Bay is one of the worst teams in the NFL. And the defense is worse than the offense. And the line is the defense's weakest link. Ergo, this…
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    The Heater

  • Top prospects OF Desmond Jennings and RHP Jeremy Hellickson added to Rays 40-man roster

    Times Editor
    19 Nov 2009 | 12:03 pm
    The Tampa Bay Rays have added two of their top prospects, OF Desmond Jennings and RHP Jeremy Hellickson, to their 40-man roster. The move was expected, as the deadline is Friday to set their 40-man, and both Jennings (the Rays Minor League Player of the Year) and Hellickson (Rays Minor League Pitcher of the Year) are expected to be key pieces in the Rays future. The Rays are also adding LHP Alex Torres (acquired from the Angels in the Scott Kazmir trade) to the 40-man, and reinstated 1B Carlos Pena from the 60-day disabled list to complete the roster. Both Jennings and Hellickson helped lead…

  • Rays OF Fernando Perez says diving catch attempt in spring training likely caused left shoulder injury, too

    Times Editor
    19 Nov 2009 | 11:11 am
    Turns out, Tampa Bay Rays OF Fernando Perez's attempt at a diving catch in spring training last season cost him more than he originally thought. Perez, 26, dislocated his left wrist on that play in March in Port Charlotte, which led to surgery and him missing most of the season before joining the Rays in September. But Perez said his left shoulder injury (to his labrum), which he had surgically-repaired in October, likely occurred on the same play. So how come he didn't know until later? Perez said doctors told him that with a labrum tear, if you have long periods of inactivity,…

  • Durham Bulls manager Charlie Montoyo wins minor league award

    Times Editor
    17 Nov 2009 | 1:57 pm
    Durham Bulls manager Charlie Montoyo has won the Mike Coolbaugh Award, given to an individual who has "shown outstanding baseball work ethic, knowledge of the game and skill in mentoring young players on the field." Montoyo will be honored, along with Minor League Baseball's four other major award winners during the Winter Meetings Dec 7-10 in Indianapolis. Montoyo, a manager in the Tampa Bay Rays minor league system for the past 13 seasons, led the Bulls to their third straight Southern Division crown on their way to the International League title. Durham also won the Triple-A…

  • East Lake's Coghlan named NL rookie of the year; Rays' Niemann fourth in AL

    Times Editor
    16 Nov 2009 | 11:36 am
    Florida Marlins outfielder Chris Coghlan, a former East Lake standout, has been named the National League Rookie of the Year.Tampa Bay Rays RHP Jeff Niemann came up short in his bid to win AL Rookie of the Year, as he finished fourth. Coghlan edged Philadelphia Phillies pitcher J.A. Happ in a tight race after receiving 17 first-place votes and 105 points in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Happ had 10 first-place votes and 94 points. Oakland reliever Andrew Bailey won the AL award, announced Monday by the Baseball Writers Association of America. Bailey, who had…

  • Report of Carl Crawford wanting out of Tampa Bay is false

    Times Editor
    14 Nov 2009 | 11:58 am
    With trade rumors already circulating about All-Star leftfielder Carl Crawford, now there's an apparently false, unattributed report from the NY Baseball Digest that suggests Crawford wants out of Tampa Bay. The NY Baseball Digest report, citing an unnamed source, stated that Crawford is upset with the Rays over picking up his 2010 option and allegedly backing out of an agreement to negotiate his potential long-term deal. The report just doesn't seem to have any merit, as it doesn't match up with what both sides have been saying all along (and as recently as this week).
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    DRaysBay

  • A Poll For Fun

    R.J. Anderson
    22 Nov 2009 | 4:06 pm
    And future article purposes. Note: A handful is five or so. Two is ten or so, etc. Poll In your estimation, how many runs is a good (or bad) attitude worth over a full season? About a run or two About a handful A handful and a half Two handfuls More hands required   103 votes | Results

  • Rays Family Tree: Dead Trade Strings of 2003 Pt 1

    FreeZorilla
    21 Nov 2009 | 6:21 pm
    More photos » by Jason DeCrow - AP Chan Ho Park, the last man standing from the Flaherty String Browse more photos »   1997 Trade: Brian Boehringer and Andy Sheets for John Flaherty (GFA 2003)   Pre-Trade: The Rays selected Brian Boehringer, a 28-year-old right-handed reliever from the Yankees in the 1997 expansion draft. 1997 was his best year with the Yanks compiling a FIP of 3.98 with a career best K/9 of 9.9 in 48 IP. Andy Sheets, a 26-year-old utility-man was also selected by the Rays in the expansion draft away from the Mariners with whom he posted a 2 season slash…

  • The Rays’ All-Time Offensive Leaderboard: The Sabremetric Edition

    Steve Slowinski
    21 Nov 2009 | 7:00 am
    More photos » by Gail Burton - AP (AP Photo/Gail Burton) Browse more photos » While writing my piece for last weekend, I spent a lot of time looking at the Fangraph win values of historical players on the Rays.  I'm a huge fan of baseball history and lore, and looking at those old totals sparked an interesting question in my mind: I wonder who's had the worst offensive year ever while on the Rays.  For being one of the two youngest teams in baseball, our franchise already has a long history of suckitude - to be precise, 10 years with a record of 645-972 (.399…

  • Rays' Offensive Leaderboard

    Steve Slowinski
    21 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am
    Ponder this question, answer it, and then mentally rank the options in order from one to five.  Leave full rankings in the comments section.  And no Fangraphs-peeking allowed!No worries, the answer will be coming at 10 AM today. **For those that haven't heard of wRAA, imagine the question this way: who has provided the Rays with the most offensive value during their time with the Rays?** Poll Who do you believe is the Rays' all-time offensive leader (as measured by wRAA)? Fred McGriff Aubrey Huff Carl Crawford Carlos Pena Evan Longoria   203 votes | Results

  • An Interview with Tampa Bay Rays Director of Pro Scouting Matt Arnold

    Tommy Rancel
    20 Nov 2009 | 2:00 am
    More photos » by Gene J. Puskar - AP Arnold has ties to newly-acquired Rays reliever, Ramon Ramirez. Browse more photos » A few weeks ago, the Rays quietly (is there any other way the Rays announce things?) announced a couple staff moves for the upcoming season. One of the moves that intrigued me was the promotion of Matt Arnold to the newly created position of Director of Pro Scouting. This intrigued me for two reasons: First, I was unaware the team did not have a director in place already. And second, who is Matt Arnold? Lucky for me, I was able to contact…
 
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    St. Petersburg Times > Tampa Bay Rays

  • Tampa Bay Rays plan to be aggressive in addressing bullpen, catcher

    Times Staff
    21 Nov 2009 | 6:16 pm
    By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer Saturday, November 21, 2009 ST. PETERSBURG — With the free agency period starting last Friday, the Rays find themselves in a somewhat similar situation to last winter. They like their nucleus, so they don't have many holes to fill, and they don't have much financial flexibility to work with. But executive VP Andrew Friedman plans to be active — and likely will have to be creative — in addressing two main areas: adding a reliever or two, and figuring out the catching tandem. Friedman said the Rays are looking at both right- and left-handed…

  • St. Petersburg has sharp response to coalition's draft report on Tampa Bay Rays stadium

    Times Staff
    19 Nov 2009 | 6:06 pm
    By Stephen Nohlgren, Times Staff Writer Thursday, November 19, 2009 ST. PETERSBURG — A draft report by the group examining possibilities for a new major league baseball stadium has provoked a pointed response from the city of St. Petersburg:Tropicana Field is "fan friendly,'' the Tampa Bay Rays are legally required to play there for the next 17 years, and don't involve the Rays in Hillsborough stadium discussions without the city's approval.That's the gist of an e-mail to the stadium group Wednesday by St. Petersburg development director Rick Mussett.The ABC Coalition, which has…

  • Vince Naimoli, who ran the Tampa Bay Devil Rays until October 2005, addresses his perceived media-distorted image in a new book

    Times Staff
    19 Nov 2009 | 5:33 pm
    By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer Thursday, November 19, 2009 ST. PETERSBURG — During his time running the then-Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Vince Naimoli was called a lot of things, as even he acknowledges: "I've been labeled cheap, called a tyrant and branded a loser." Now Naimoli has responded with a few thousand words of his own by writing a book, Business, Baseball & Beyond, in which he challenges what he says are misperceptions about him, tells his version of several controversial events in team history and, more than once, lobbies for his share of the credit for the…

  • Top prospects OF Desmond Jennings and RHP Jeremy Hellickson added to Rays 40-man roster

    Times Editor
    19 Nov 2009 | 10:03 am
    The Tampa Bay Rays have added two of their top prospects, OF Desmond Jennings and RHP Jeremy Hellickson, to their 40-man roster. The move was expected, as the deadline is Friday to set their 40-man, and both Jennings (the Rays Minor League Player of the Year) and Hellickson (Rays Minor League Pitcher of the Year) are expected to be key pieces in the Rays future. The Rays are also adding LHP Alex Torres (acquired from the Angels in the Scott Kazmir trade) to the 40-man, and reinstated 1B Carlos Pena from the 60-day disabled list to complete the roster. Both Jennings and Hellickson helped lead…

  • Rays OF Fernando Perez says diving catch attempt in spring training likely caused left shoulder injury, too

    Times Editor
    19 Nov 2009 | 9:11 am
    Turns out, Tampa Bay Rays OF Fernando Perez's attempt at a diving catch in spring training last season cost him more than he originally thought. Perez, 26, dislocated his left wrist on that play in March in Port Charlotte, which led to surgery and him missing most of the season before joining the Rays in September. But Perez said his left shoulder injury (to his labrum), which he had surgically-repaired in October, likely occurred on the same play. So how come he didn't know until later? Perez said doctors told him that with a labrum tear, if you have long periods of…
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    Lightning Strikes Feed

  • Tampa Bay Lightning defeats Atlanta Thrashers 4-3 in overtime

    Times Editor
    22 Nov 2009 | 4:49 pm
    Steven Stamkos scored 2:56 into overtime to give the Lightning a 4-3 win over the Thrashers on Sunday. Stamkos, whose goal was his team-leading 15th, salvaged the game for Tampa Bay, which had led 3-1 with less than five minutes left in regulation. The Lightning also got goals from Ryan Malone, Kurtis Foster and Stephane Veilleux.

  • Lightning players Marty St. Louis and James Wright to sign autographs on Monday

    Damian Cristodero
    22 Nov 2009 | 1:12 pm
    Right wing Marty St. Louis and left wing James Wright will sign autographs from 6-7:30 p.m. Monday at Champs Sports at The Shops at Wiregrass, 28211 Paseo Drive, Wesley Chapel. 

  • Defenseman Mike Lundin likely to play for Tampa Bay Lightning against the Thrashers

    Damian Cristodero
    22 Nov 2009 | 1:10 pm
    Tampa Bay Lightning coach Rick Tocchet would not say it as a definite, but it appears defenseman Mike Lundin will get to play Sunday against the Thrashers. Tocchet said all seven of the Lightning's healthy blue-liners will skate in pregame warm-ups, but Tocchet also said Lundin likely will get in. And all we can say about that is good for Mike Lundin. <!--break--> You've got to really like Lundin, 25, who was a feel-good story as a rookie in 2007-08, when, right out of the University of Maine, he played 81 games as a rookie. But after spending most of last season with AHL Norfolk…

  • Tampa Bay Lightning calls up defensemen Mike Lundin and Matt Smaby from AHL Norfolk

    Damian Cristodero
    21 Nov 2009 | 11:25 am
    Busy morning for the Tampa Bay Lightning, which called up defensemen Mike Lundin and Matt Smaby from AHL Norfolk. <!--break--> Lundin is not expected to play Saturday against the Hurricanes, but coach Rick Tocchet made it seem like Lundin will get in a game soon. Lundin's call-up seems tied to the right ankle injury of defenseman Mattias Ohlund, who won't play until Wednesday against the Rangers at the earliest. With back-to-back games, Tampa Bay, with just six healthy defensemen, needed a little depth, and Lundin has played well for the Admirals with two goals and 11 points in…

  • Defenseman Mike Lundin called up from AHL Norfolk

    Damian Cristodero
    21 Nov 2009 | 8:02 am
    <!--break-->Defenseman Mike Lundin was called up from AHL Norfolk for tonight's game with the Hurricanes. No immediate word on if he will play or who might be coming out of the lineup.
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    St. Petersburg Times > Tampa Bay Lightning

  • Defenseman Mike Lundin thrilled for latest chance with Tampa Bay Lightning

    Times Staff
    22 Nov 2009 | 8:28 pm
    By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer Sunday, November 22, 2009 ATLANTA — To be honest, Mike Lundin said, he did not believe he would again play for the Lightning.So when the defenseman was called up Saturday from AHL Norfolk, it was "definitely a shock." And playing Sunday against the Thrashers was "obviously a thrill."It's been quite a journey for Lundin, 25, who as a rookie in 2007-08 played 81 games for Tampa Bay but spent most of last season with the Admirals and this season was cut out of camp.But down to six healthy blue-liners, the Lightning needed depth, and with two goals,…

  • Tampa Bay Lightning defeats Atlanta Thrashers 4-3 in overtime

    Times Staff
    22 Nov 2009 | 8:27 pm
    By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer Sunday, November 22, 2009 Steven Stamkos hits the Philips Arena glass to celebrate his winning goal in overtime against the Thrashers as Atlanta center Todd White skates away. ATLANTA — As it turned out, the Lightning's four-game, cross-country road trip wasn't so bad after all.With Sunday's 4-3 overtime victory over the Thrashers at Philips Arena, Tampa Bay went 2-1-1 and earned five of a possible eight points. Not bad considering the angst after Saturday's dreary loss to the Hurricanes in which the Lightning's top players played their worst…

  • Tampa Bay Lightning defeats Atlanta Thrashers 4-3 in overtime

    Times Editor
    22 Nov 2009 | 2:49 pm
    Steven Stamkos scored 2:56 into overtime to give the Lightning a 4-3 win over the Thrashers on Sunday. Stamkos, whose goal was his team-leading 15th, salvaged the game for Tampa Bay, which had led 3-1 with less than five minutes left in regulation. The Lightning also got goals from Ryan Malone, Kurtis Foster and Stephane Veilleux.

  • Lightning players Marty St. Louis and James Wright to sign autographs on Monday

    Damian Cristodero
    22 Nov 2009 | 11:12 am
    Right wing Marty St. Louis and left wing James Wright will sign autographs from 6-7:30 p.m. Monday at Champs Sports at The Shops at Wiregrass, 28211 Paseo Drive, Wesley Chapel. 

  • Defenseman Mike Lundin likely to play for Tampa Bay Lightning against the Thrashers

    Damian Cristodero
    22 Nov 2009 | 11:10 am
    Tampa Bay Lightning coach Rick Tocchet would not say it as a definite, but it appears defenseman Mike Lundin will get to play Sunday against the Thrashers. Tocchet said all seven of the Lightning's healthy blue-liners will skate in pregame warm-ups, but Tocchet also said Lundin likely will get in. And all we can say about that is good for Mike Lundin. <!--break--> You've got to really like Lundin, 25, who was a feel-good story as a rookie in 2007-08, when, right out of the University of Maine, he played 81 games as a rookie. But after spending most of last season with AHL Norfolk…
 
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    The Bulletin: USF Sports

  • Simpler plan helps Daniels thrive vs. Louisville

    Greg Auman
    22 Nov 2009 | 3:03 pm
    TAMPA – Two months ago, when senior Matt Grothe was lost to a season-ending knee injury, USF’s coaches were adamant that they wouldn’t scale back the Bulls’ offense for redshirt freshman B.J. Daniels. But after Daniels piled up 445 yards of total offense in the Bulls’ 34-22 win against Louisville on Saturday, those same coaches conceded part of Daniels’ comfort against the Cardinals came from a decision to simplify things. "We’ve kind of tried to narrow down his reads a little bit," offensive coordinator Mike Canales said after Saturday’s win. "Say just go (to…

  • USF men's hoops 4-1 after beating UNC-W

    Greg Auman
    22 Nov 2009 | 2:25 pm
    USF's men's basketball finished a solid showing in the Charleston Classic with a 74-66 win against UNC-Wilmington on Sunday, giving the Bulls a 4-1 record as they return to Tampa. Junior guard Dominique Jones had 28 points, including 10 during a key 12-1 run after the Seahawks had cut USF's lead to 52-51 with nine minutes to play. Jarrid Famous added 13 points, and Gus Gilchrist overcame a slow start to finish with 14. Here is the boxscore from ESPN.com. With a 4-1 record, the Bulls have matched their best five-game start since 2001-02, the last time the Bulls played in the…

  • USF bowl picture improves after victory

    Greg Auman
    22 Nov 2009 | 12:34 pm
    Good week for USF's bowl status, with the Bulls picking up the seventh win they needed to get bowl-eligible, then two unexpected bonuses, with Rutgers losing at Syracuse and Connecticut beating Notre Dame in double overtime. The Notre Dame loss is good for the Big East, and for the St. Petersburg Bowl as well. With Notre Dame dropping to 6-5, it makes it less likely that the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville will exercise its right to choose the Fighting Irish instead of the No. 2 Big East team. If Notre Dame were to win at Stanford next week, the Gator Bowl could still contractually choose the…

  • Photo gallery: USF 34, Louisville 22

    Times Editor
    21 Nov 2009 | 6:59 pm
    Click here for more photos of USF's win over Louisville

  • At it again: Leavitt headbutt fires up Bulls

    Greg Auman
    21 Nov 2009 | 5:27 pm
    TAMPA -- When USF coach Jim Leavitt took the podium after Saturday's 34-22 win against Louisville, he looked as if he'd played in the game himself, with a bloody gash across the bridge of his nose and a red mark above his left eye. Asked about the injury, Leavitt deadpanned that he "fell in the locker room," but his players revealed a familiar Leavitt halftime motivation: headbutting players while they still have their helmets on. "He was fired up. He grabbed somebody -- I think it was (walk-on linebacker ) LaDre Watkins," safety Nate Allen said. "He…
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    Gator Report | University of Florida Gators football, recruiting and hoops news

  • Photo gallery: Florida 62, Florida International 3

    Times Editor
    21 Nov 2009 | 8:02 pm
    Click here for more photos of Florida's win over Florida International

  • Florida linebacker A.J. Jones doubtful for Florida State game

    Antonya English
    21 Nov 2009 | 3:36 pm
    Florida linebacker A.J. Jones will most likely miss this weekend’s game against Florida State, after suffering a possible MCL injury in Saturday’s win over FIU. “He’s doubtful for this week’s game,’’ UF coach Urban Meyer said. “MCL is non-surgical, so that’s the good thing.’’ Jones, a former Tampa Middleton standout, is fifth on the team with 37 tackles and three sacks. He has started all 11 games this season. OL Carl Johnson is questionable with a right ankle sprain suffered with 3:32 remaining in the first half. OL Maurkice Pouncey suffered a lower-leg, bone bruise,…

  • ESPN's College GameDay is coming to Gainesville

    Antonya English
    21 Nov 2009 | 3:34 pm
    The Florida-Florida State rivalry may have been one-sided the past several years, but that apparently hasn’t taken the luster off the game. The Gators and Seminoles will be in the national spotlight this weekend when ESPN’s College GameDay originates from Gainesville on Saturday.  It will mark the 31st time the award-winning show has been on site for a Florida game. The Gators are 20-10 in the previous 30 appearances. The 31 appearances and 20 victories are the most in the nation.

  • Fans encouraging other fans to wear eye black for Tim Tebow's last home game

    Antonya English
    20 Nov 2009 | 9:37 am
    Want to show Florida quarterback Tim Tebow a unique kind of support in his last home game at The Swamp? A new facebook group has a suggestion for you: wear eye black in honor of Tebow for the Nov. 28 home finale against Florida State. Florida fan Tracey McInnis has created the “Calling All Gators – A Gift for Tim Tebow” group on facebook to spread her idea.  The group’s description reads, “Gator fans, we have had the amazing privilege of watching THE greatest college football player EVER, play for four years. On January 11th, 2009, Tim Tebow gave us the gift of one more year. The…

  • Brandon Spikes a Butkus Award finalist

    Antonya English
    20 Nov 2009 | 7:17 am
    Florida senior LB Brandon Spikes is one of five finalists for the Butkus Award, honoring the nation's top collegiate linebacker. Joining Spikes on the list are Rolando McClain (Alabama), Sergia Kindle (Texas), Sean Weatherspoon (Missouri) and Eric Norwood, South Carolina. McClain, Weatherspoon and Spikes were all finalists in 2008. In mid-October, Spikes is fourth on the Gators' squad with 45 tackles, including 4.5 for loss. He also had interception that was returned for a touchdown against Georgia and a fumble recovery at South Carolina. The winner will be announced on or…
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    St. Petersburg Times > Florida Gators

  • Florida Gators enjoy blowout win over Florida International before facing Florida State Seminoles

    Times Staff
    22 Nov 2009 | 10:49 pm
    Chris Rainey, pursued by FIU linebacker Aaron Davis, is praised by UF coach Urban Meyer: “I thought he was tremendous.’’

  • Photo gallery: Florida 62, Florida International 3

    Times Editor
    22 Nov 2009 | 1:02 am
    Click here for more photos of Florida's win over Florida International

  • Florida Gators QB Tim Tebow makes more SEC history

    Times Staff
    21 Nov 2009 | 11:13 pm
    By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer Saturday, November 21, 2009 GAINESVILLE — With Saturday's 55-yard run in the first quarter of Florida's 62-3 win over Florida International, his 54th career touchdown, Florida QB Tim Tebow broke a tie with LSU star Kevin Faulk (1995-98) for first in SEC history. With his two touchdown passes, Nos. 80 and 81, Tebow tied Mississippi's Eli Manning (2000-03) for fourth in SEC history. (Florida's Danny Wuerffel is first with 114 from 1993-96.)And with 317 offensive yards, for a total of 11,078, Tebow moved from fifth to third in SEC history. (Florida's…

  • Florida Gators' future QB shines in rare appearance

    Times Staff
    21 Nov 2009 | 11:13 pm
    After taking over for Tim Tebow during the third quarter, redshirt sophomore John Brantley goes 9-of-13 for 146 yards for Florida.

  • Florida linebacker A.J. Jones doubtful for Florida State game

    Antonya English
    21 Nov 2009 | 8:36 pm
    Florida linebacker A.J. Jones will most likely miss this weekend’s game against Florida State, after suffering a possible MCL injury in Saturday’s win over FIU. “He’s doubtful for this week’s game,’’ UF coach Urban Meyer said. “MCL is non-surgical, so that’s the good thing.’’ Jones, a former Tampa Middleton standout, is fifth on the team with 37 tackles and three sacks. He has started all 11 games this season. OL Carl Johnson is questionable with a right ankle sprain suffered with 3:32 remaining in the first half. OL Maurkice Pouncey suffered a lower-leg, bone bruise,…
 
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    Seminole Report | Florida State football, recruiting and hoops news

  • Florida State Seminoles Susan Kuijken looks for a title for herself, team at Monday's NCAA women's cross country championship; men's team shooting for Top 20 finish

    Brian Landman
    22 Nov 2009 | 5:40 pm
    There’s not a lot Florida State standout Susan Kuijken hasn’t accomplished during her four-year career. Except for one thing – a cross country national title. Oh, she’s come close, finishing third in 2007 and second last year by just seven seconds to three-time NCAA champ Sally Kipyego. So this season, for her, has been all about being at her best when it counted the most – at Monday’s NCAA finale in Terre Haute, Ind. She’s raced just twice this season, at the Pre-national meet  on the NCAA course (she finished second) and then at the ACC championships (she won), looking to be…

  • Bobby Bowden and Steve Spurrier one more time?

    Brian Landman
    22 Nov 2009 | 12:38 pm
    With Florida State now bowl eligible after Saturday’s dramatic 29-26 win against Maryland, you can’t help but imagine the possibility that Bowden could face his old rival, Steve Spurrier, if the Music City Bowl were to pair FSU against South Carolina. Joked coach Bobby Bowden: “I could relax a lot better at the bowl if he ain’t there. I’d relax a lot better if Steve ain’t there.’’

  • Update on Florida State's search for a new defensive coordinator

    Brian Landman
    22 Nov 2009 | 12:30 pm
    When Florida State coach Bobby Bowden interviewed Mickey Andrews 26 years ago, they met up at a Tallahassee fast-food restaurant and had cheeseburgers. You can bet the next defensive coordinator won’t be feted at McDonald’s nor will it just be Bowden, despite continued Internet rumors to the contrary. “It’ll be more of a we; it’ll be more of me and Jimbo,’’ Bowden said of his anointed heir, Jimbo Fisher, contributing mightily to the search. As for a timetable, Bowden said he would “imagine we’ll start doing it soon,’’ but don’t expect any real progress until after the…

  • Florida State unveils new Nike uniforms

    Brian Landman
    21 Nov 2009 | 9:10 am
    Don't adjust your television set. That is Florida State you're watching and not Texas Tech. FSU is wearing Nike Pro-Combat uniforms – one of 10 schools selected to test drive the new, lightweight design – as well a new black helmet. The Seminoles have worn a helmet with a base color other than gold only once, at the 1968 Peach Bowl when they had a garnet-based helmet with a white stripe and FS in white, block letters on the side. FSU plans to keep the uniforms and may use them again. It will incorporate the lightweight technology, however, into their traditional uniforms next…

  • Florida State soccer pulls out 2-1 win in double OT

    Brian Landman
    20 Nov 2009 | 7:27 pm
    Florida State’s Jessica Price skillfully out maneuvered three Texas A&M defenders to score a golden goal in the final moments of the second overtime Friday for a dramatic 2-1 win in the third round of the NCAA Tournament. “It’s an indescribable, amazing feeling,’’ the redshirt sophomore forward said. With the win, the Seminoles (19-4-1), a No. 1 seed, advances to the NCAA quarterfinals for the fifth straight year and will face Notre Dame next week, almost certainly here in Tallahassee on Friday.  Notre Dame beat the visiting Seminoles in last year’s quarterfinals. FSU is…
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    St. Petersburg Times > Florida State Seminoles

  • Coach Bobby Bowden says everything has to go right for FSU Seminoles to beat Florida Gators

    Times Staff
    22 Nov 2009 | 11:20 pm
    By Brian Landman, Times Staff Writer Sunday, November 22, 2009 TALLAHASSEE — Anything is possible. That will be Florida State coach Bobby Bowden's three-word mantra to his players, and fans, this week as the Seminoles prepare for Saturday's game in Gainesville against No. 1 Florida. The Gators have won five straight in the series, the past two by wide margins thanks to the play of QB Tim Tebow. "What a task," Bowden said Sunday morning. "What a task." But anything is possible, right? He knows the Seminoles (6-5) will have to be flawless — a challenge with a…

  • Florida State Seminoles Susan Kuijken looks for a title for herself, team at Monday's NCAA women's cross country championship; men's team shooting for Top 20 finish

    Brian Landman
    22 Nov 2009 | 10:40 pm
    There’s not a lot Florida State standout Susan Kuijken hasn’t accomplished during her four-year career. Except for one thing – a cross country national title. Oh, she’s come close, finishing third in 2007 and second last year by just seven seconds to three-time NCAA champ Sally Kipyego. So this season, for her, has been all about being at her best when it counted the most – at Monday’s NCAA finale in Terre Haute, Ind. She’s raced just twice this season, at the Pre-national meet  on the NCAA course (she finished second) and then at the ACC championships (she won), looking…

  • Bobby Bowden and Steve Spurrier one more time?

    Brian Landman
    22 Nov 2009 | 5:38 pm
    With Florida State now bowl eligible after Saturday’s dramatic 29-26 win against Maryland, you can’t help but imagine the possibility that Bowden could face his old rival, Steve Spurrier, if the Music City Bowl were to pair FSU against South Carolina. Joked coach Bobby Bowden: “I could relax a lot better at the bowl if he ain’t there. I’d relax a lot better if Steve ain’t there.’’

  • Update on Florida State's search for a new defensive coordinator

    Brian Landman
    22 Nov 2009 | 5:30 pm
    When Florida State coach Bobby Bowden interviewed Mickey Andrews 26 years ago, they met up at a Tallahassee fast-food restaurant and had cheeseburgers. You can bet the next defensive coordinator won’t be feted at McDonald’s nor will it just be Bowden, despite continued Internet rumors to the contrary. “It’ll be more of a we; it’ll be more of me and Jimbo,’’ Bowden said of his anointed heir, Jimbo Fisher, contributing mightily to the search. As for a timetable, Bowden said he would “imagine we’ll start doing it soon,’’ but don’t expect any real progress until after the…

  • Good feelings may be short-lived for Florida State Seminoles, coach Bobby Bowden

    Times Staff
    21 Nov 2009 | 11:39 pm
    By John Romano, Times Sports Columnist Saturday, November 21, 2009 "I wouldn't be willing to go through a 6-5 season. To have everybody down my neck at that age." Bobby Bowden in December 1996 TALLAHASSEE — The most delighted 6-5 coach in America is accepting congratulations on the field after beating a last-place team in the final minute Saturday afternoon. On his way to the locker room, a group of cheerleaders stops him to ask if he will pose for a photo. And so, as the 80-year-old coach stands sandwiched between a group of coeds, a photographer teases him about smiling…
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    St. Petersburg Times > High School Sports

  • Pinellas boys basketball season preview

    Times Staff
    22 Nov 2009 | 5:09 pm
    By Bob Putnam, Times Staff Writer Sunday, November 22, 2009 Forward Okaro White leads a strong Clearwater team, but he’ll likely miss the next two weeks because of an injured left ankle. If Okaro White is considered the most dominant player in the county and the Clearwater Tornadoes are the defending conference champion and Class 5A state finalist, the other county teams' task is only slightly more challenging than moving a mountain range. White was the Times' all-county player of the year as a junior last season, averaging 20.8 points and 8.6 rebounds in leading Clearwater to the 5A…

  • North Suncoast boys basketball season preview

    Times Staff
    22 Nov 2009 | 4:08 pm
    By Izzy Gould, Times Staff Writer Sunday, November 22, 2009 Wiregrass Ranch senior forward Eric Williams can expect to see more of the double and triple teams he has seen in the preseason. Jeremy Calzone hoped to avoid this speech this soon. With his Wiregrass Ranch team huddled around late Friday afternoon, he spoke softly about overcoming setbacks and how winners brush off tough losses. Calzone's voice was barely audible over the fast pace of junior varsity practice in the background. This wasn't a moment to dig in with a tongue lashing. "We lost for so many years," Calzone said. "They have…

  • Hillsborough boys basketball season preview

    Times Staff
    22 Nov 2009 | 4:02 pm
    By Joey Knight, Times Staff Writer Sunday, November 22, 2009 Jamal Cherry, dribbling past West Palm Beach Summit Christian’s Brice Jenkins during last season’s state semifinals, is one of four returning starters for Tampa Prep. There was no fast in Tampa Prep's fastbreak, and the lethargy was making Joe Fenlon livid. "That was an absolutely pathetic effort," the Terrapins' 26th-year coach yelled during this recent evening practice. A few more scalding observations were strung together as the players stood silently, panting and awaiting Fenlon's next directive. Then just before…

  • 6A state volleyball: Plant enjoys the euphoria of its fourth title in a row

    Times Staff
    21 Nov 2009 | 8:33 pm
    By Eduardo A. Encina, Times Staff Writer Saturday, November 21, 2009 Plant senior Becca Howard, who had 48 assists in the final, said the spotlight was hard, but it served as a motivator as well. LAKELAND — Chasing four straight titles had its challenges for the Plant volleyball team.From its first practice this season, the team has had a bull's-eye on its back. Plant was the match opponents circled on the schedule. Even those who donned the Plant uniform found it tough — the pressure, the grind, and eventually, the reality of the end.Still, the Panthers had to escape to other…

  • Cotey: No denying Plant's a state volleyball power, even without facing Berkeley Prep

    Times Staff
    21 Nov 2009 | 7:24 pm
    By John C. Cotey, Times Preps Columnist Saturday, November 21, 2009 From left, Plant’s Alex Johnson, Ali McCurdy, Maddie Martin, Leah Jordan, Becca Howard and Katie Daorai celebrate match point vs. Winter Park in the Class 6A volleyball championship. LAKELAND — Plant High beat Winter Park on Saturday in Lakeland for the Class 6A state volleyball title, dropping a set but otherwise looking unbothered, unbowed and unbeatable.You know, the usual. For those counting at home:Four straight state championships.A No. 7 national ranking.A 29-1 record."A dream season," coach Leanna Taylor…
 
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    Wild Side

  • State to host tarpon meeting in St. Petersburg

    Times Editor
    20 Nov 2009 | 2:10 pm
    Florida has made great strides in tarpon management in recent years, thanks to ground-breaking research by state biologists who have learned how to track the silver king of gamefish. But researchers rely on average anglers like you and me to help with this ongoing study. To learn how you can do your part, join in the discussion on Dec. 3 when the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's hosts a tarpon tracking seminar in St. Petersburg. Biologists from the FWC's Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI hope tarpon enthusiasts and anyone else interested in helping preserve…

  • Amberjack season closes in federal waters

    Times Editor
    22 Oct 2009 | 12:02 pm
    The recreational harvest of amberjack in the Gulf of Mexico will be close Oct. 24 and remain so through Dec. 31.  The ban will apply to federal waters, which begin nine miles offshore, but anglers fishing in state waters may still catch and keep one amberjack per day, 30 inches or longer. Federal officials say they were forced to shut down the fishery because recreational anglers exceeded a quota established last year, but at least one major sportfishing group has challenged that claim. “The National Marine Fisheries Service continued its bizarre history of biased management regarding…

  • Grouper Lawsuit

    Times Editor
    30 Sep 2009 | 10:13 am
    The Texas-based Coastal Conservation Association, which has a chapter in Florida, has filed suit against the federal government over pending grouper regulations. The Florida Chapter of the CCA led the fight to ban inshore netting in Florida waters and has a strong following among recreational anglers. The lawsuit, filed this week in Ft. Myers, challenges Amendment 29 to the Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Management Plan, which the CCA contends gives the bulk of the Gulf’s grouper fishery to the commercial industry.  “CCA has stated from the beginning that this management action is…

  • Powerboat Racing Comes to Clearwater

    Times Editor
    28 Sep 2009 | 12:49 pm
    When offshore racing fans cruise the dry pits at this weekend's Super Boat National Championship in Clearwater, many will stop and linger at the Miss GEICO tent. Most powerboat enthusiasts are familiar with standard piston engines, but few have ever seen a boat powered by helicopter turbines.  Powerboat enthusiasts have been experimenting with Army surplus engines since the mid-1970s. But it wasn’t until the mid-1990s that turbines gained widespread acceptance. These engines are more powerful, and some believe, more relaible than piston engines. Miss…

  • Big bass could tie world record

    Times Editor
    23 Sep 2009 | 8:38 am
    George Perry, a farmer in Montgomery, Ga., never intended to set a world record when he went fishing on June 2, 1932. The weather was too bad to work in the fields, so he rowed out in a homemade wooden boat to catch dinner. Then, with a lure known as a Creek Chub Wiggle Fish, Perry hooked a bass that would break the world record of 20 pounds, 2 ounces. The farmer took the fish into town and had it weighed at the post office. It tipped the certified scale at 22 pounds, 4 ounces. Perry then went home, and cooked his catch, which netted him $75 worth of merchandise in a Field and Stream contest.
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    Two Cents: Sports with Tom Jones

  • Shooting from the Lip/Monday edition

    Tom Jones
    22 Nov 2009 | 7:04 pm
    Looking back at a weekend of televised sports ... Best clipNBC might be the Notre Dame network, but it doesn't shirk its responsibility of reporting the story even when it is critical of the Irish. As UConn lined up for a potential winning field goal at the end of regulation Saturday, NBC rolled out a clip of Charlie Weis from when he was hired in 2004. In it, Weis talked about how a 6-5 record wasn't good enough for Notre Dame and it wasn't good enough for him and that Notre Dame "had the wrong guy'' if anyone was satisfied with 6-5. UConn missed the kick, but…

  • ESPN reaches multi-year extension with Jon Gruden

    Times Editor
    16 Nov 2009 | 7:06 am
    Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Jon Gruden has agreed to an exclusive, multi-year deal with ESPN, according to an ESPN news release.In addition to his Monday Night Football role, Gruden will appear on ESPN’s NFL Draft and Super Bowl week coverage. He  will call the 2010 NFL Pro Bowl and serve as an analyst for ESPN Radio’s 2010 Rose Bowl and Bowl Championship Series (BCS) title game broadcasts. He also will be part of SportsCenter coverage leading up to the telecasts of both games."Working with Mike, Jaws and our entire Monday Night Football team is the most fun I have had…

  • Shooting from the Lip/Monday edition

    Tom Jones
    15 Nov 2009 | 8:08 pm
    Looking back at a weekend of televised sports ... Most coverageIt hit me late Saturday afternoon: Too many college football games are on television. This revelation occurred as I was trying to keep track of the Gators-South Carolina, Miami-North Carolina, Ohio State-Iowa and USC-Stanford games at the same time. If you're trying to keep track of four games, you quickly realize that you can't even keep track of one. Every Saturday is the same. It starts with a slew of games at noon, most which are bad and only of interest to the fans of the schools playing in them. It's difficult…

  • WDAE's Dan Sileo back on air

    Tom Jones
    6 Nov 2009 | 4:27 am
    WDAE-AM 620 talk-show host Dan Sileo was back on the air Friday, a week after being suspended for making comments about the financial state of Tampa Bay Bucs owners, the Glazers. On Oct. 29, Sileo said the Glazers had lost $400-million in the Ponzie scheme of imprisoned Bernie Madoff and an impending debt payment likely would force the Glazers to sell the team. Bucs co-chairman Joel Glazer denounced the report and Clear Channel Communications, which owns WDAE, retracted the story, issued an apology and suspended Sileo. However, Sileo, 45, returned to his usual 6-9 a.m. time slot Friday…

  • Shooting from the Lip/Monday edition

    Tom Jones
    1 Nov 2009 | 7:13 pm
    Looking back at a weekend of televised sports ... Biggest local storyIn a twisted sort of way, the Dan Sileo controversy might have been the best thing that could have happened to bay area sports-talk radio. If you missed it, Sileo went on his WDAE-AM 620 morning show Thursday and said he had a friend who claimed the Bucs’ owners were in financial trouble because of dealings with imprisoned Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff and were desperate to sell the team. The Glazers responded by saying it wasn't true. WDAE suspended Sileo and ran a retraction of the story on its Web site, saying the…
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    The Pewter Plank | A Tampa Bay Buccaneers Blog

  • Finally Raheem Does Something I Like

    Dustin Staggers
    18 Nov 2009 | 1:50 pm
    Profootballtalk.com is reporting that Raheem Morris has been fined 20k for his “expletive filled tirade” against officials during Sunday’s game after Michael Clayton’s catch/no-catch. “You know I got fined,” Morris said. “I got fined and I’m more than happy to give my money to a charity of their choosing. That’s just who I am. I’m fortunate [...]

  • “Controversial?”

    Dustin Staggers
    15 Nov 2009 | 4:30 pm
    This piece was written by the Pewter Planks’ best writer, Daniel Edwards.  Only problem with Dan is he writes 3 articles a year.  Enjoy. The Good Connor Barth: Apparently this Connor kid is pretty good.  Barth went 3 for 3 on FGA from 50+ yards (tying the NFL record for most 50+ yard FGMs in a game), [...]

  • Let’s Keep It Going

    mattfisherman
    15 Nov 2009 | 8:51 am
    For the first time in almost a year the Bucs have a chance to put a win streak together.  It won’t be an easy task as they take on the Wildcat heavy offense of the Miami Dolphins.  The Bucs showed last week that they still have a lot of fight left in them.  The key to [...]

  • Can We Win Two Straight?

    Dustin Staggers
    12 Nov 2009 | 6:35 pm
    While I want to have high hopes for this Sundays road game in Miami, my naysayer side keeps popping up on shoulder and slapping me in the face.  I want to think we can win multiple games in a row, I want to think that Josh Freeman is the answer (shit, I even picked him [...]

  • About Time!

    Dustin Staggers
    9 Nov 2009 | 7:51 am
    The Buccaneers picked up their first win of the season yesterday, downing the Green Bay Packers 38 to 28.  On a day that was originally dominated by our throwback jerseys, and the induction of Lee Roy Selmon into the Buccaneers ring of honor, the talk today is all bout rookie Josh Freeman. Freeman led the Buccaneers [...]
 
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    United Way Tampa Bay Blog

  • 70 Percent of Young Americans Are Unfit for Military Duty

    uwtb
    4 Nov 2009 | 7:08 am
    70 Percent of Young Americans Are Unfit for Military Duty — Sphere News, Opinion and Analysis.  Click on this link for the complete article. More evidence of the immediate need for finding ways to keep our children in school and on track for a meaningful graduation from high school. The recent Graduation Pathwya Summit was part of United Way’s initiation on helping Children and Youth Achieve Their Potential through education. One of the goals we are encouraging is “90 by 19″  — ninety percent graduation rates in Tampa Bay by 2019. Want to learn more about the…

  • NOVEMBER’S MESSAGE FROM DIANA BAKER, PRESIDENT/CEO

    uwtb
    3 Nov 2009 | 7:23 am
    With the fantastic change of weather last month came some of our crowning achievements. Our community impact goal to help children and youth achieve their potential was brought to the forefront during the Graduation Pathway Summit we hosted along with the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County, the City of Tampa and Hillsborough County Schools. Nearly 400 interested and vested business and civic leaders attended, determined to place a stake in the ground to continue improving the graduation rate in Hillsborough County Schools.  Not graduating from high school is bad for the child and bad…

  • DO GOOD. MOVE UP. MEET OTHERS– JOIN THE LIVE UNITED NETWORK.

    uwtb
    2 Nov 2009 | 8:15 am
    When you join the LIVE UNITED Network, you’re joining a group of aspiring leaders looking for more than professional development—they’re looking for personal development. LIVE UNITED Network identifies the next generation of community leaders, introduces them to influential philanthropists in the Tampa Bay area and prepares them for their role in serving our community. As a member, you support vital community impact programs through a minimum donation of $1,000 to United Way of Tampa Bay. As a LIVE UNITED Network member, you’ll rub elbows with high-level executives in the Tampa Bay…

  • DAVIN JOSEPH LIVES UNITED

    uwtb
    20 Oct 2009 | 1:26 pm
    Davin Joseph is big – six foot three inches, 313 pounds. That’s to be expected for an NFL lineman.   His heart is big, too. Davin helped start a program through United Way of Tampa Bay to provide Thanksgiving meals to families in need. In 2008 “Turkey Time with the O-Line” served 600 meals. He participates in programs to help pediatric patients. And Davin’s Dream Team provides home game tickets to charitable groups. Davin was selected as the player spokesman for United Way of Tampa Bay to highlight the 35-year collaboration between the groups, and to promote the LIVE UNITED…

  • HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION SUMMIT SLATED FOR OCT. 22

    uwtb
    5 Oct 2009 | 6:42 am
    At 9:00 a.m., Thursday, October 22, 2009 at the Doubletree Hotel in Tampa, local business executives, educators, community impact organizations and government leaders will meet at Graduation Pathway. Participants will learn how to positively influence high school graduation rates in Hillsborough County. Convened by the Children’s Board, the City of Tampa, Hillsborough County Public Schools and United Way of Tampa Bay, Graduation Pathway offers area business leaders critical information to keep teens focused and graduating from high school. Graduation Pathway addresses the issue as a…
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    Raw Charge

  • Tampa Bay Lightning Game 21: at the Atlanta Thrashers

    Cassie McClellan
    22 Nov 2009 | 5:43 pm
    More photos » by John Amis - AP Browse more photos » The Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Atlanta Thrashers in overtime 4-3. Sorry for not posting a game recap for last night's game. It completely slipped my mind. Probably because I was thinking about this game since it was an earlier start than usual. This game was not televised in either Atlanta or in Tampa. It was radio only for everyone. Which was unfortunate, since over the radio it sounded like a great game. The Lightning came out with energy and outplayed the Thrashers for most of the game. In fact, they were ahead for most of…

  • Tampa Bay Lightning at Atlanta Thrashers game thread

    John Fontana
    22 Nov 2009 | 1:30 pm
    Versus Full coverage from SB Nation No TV?  FAIL.No Flagship radio station broadcast?  FAIL.If they snap Antero Niittymaki's winning streak against the Thrashers?  EPIC FAIL...    

  • Weekend Southeast Shootout: Lightning vs. Thrashers briefs

    John Fontana
    22 Nov 2009 | 12:50 pm
    More photos » by Tom Mihalek - AP Browse more photos » WHERE: Phillips Arena, Atlanta, GeorgiaWHEN: 5:00 PM ESTMEDIA: No Television in either market, 970 WFLA (radio), 620 WDAE (joined in progress at the conclusion of football coverage) For the third time on this four game road trip, the Lightning will not be televised in the Tampa Bay market.  Radio coverage will be off the Lightning's flagship station in favor of NFL action... Not only will there be no local TV coverage, but there will be no TV broadcast in Atlanta either. And the only appropriate word for this is FAIL.

  • Tampa Bay Lightning at Carolina Hurricanes game thread

    John Fontana
    21 Nov 2009 | 3:30 pm
    Versus Full coverage on SB Nation Hurricane season ends in 10 days.

  • Weekend Southeast Shootout -- Lightning at Hurricanes preview

    John Fontana
    21 Nov 2009 | 10:07 am
    WHERE: RBC Center, Raleigh, North CarolinaWHEN: 7 PM ESTMEDIA: Sun Sports (Cable), 620 WDAE (radio) The spend the next two days playing back-to-back road games to conclude their road trip that started in Phoenix on Monday.  And while the west coast spin netted three points, those three points weren't against members fo the same conference, let alone the same division.  It's still too early to drop the "P" word, but it is integral that the Lightning show up in Raleigh tonight and Atlanta tomorrow. The Bolts are seven points behind the division-leading Capitals in the standings, and…
  • add this feed to my.Alltop
    Tampa Real Estate Blog

  • Just Listed in Dunedin

    lipply
    19 Nov 2009 | 6:02 pm
    MLS #7438426 - Offered at $169,900 - Call Arlene Colecchia at 727-647-4594 for a showing. Here’s a pool home in Dunedin at a great price. This home features 2 bedrooms, 2 baths+ and a large kitchen and living area. No deed restrictions and no HOA fee. A light and bright home with a sparking clean pool is enough to make you pack your bags and come south! Don’t miss out because we know it’s not going to be around for sale too long!

  • Northdale Homes and Condos for Sale

    lipply
    19 Nov 2009 | 4:15 am
    The area of Northdale is a small community with big conveniences. Located in the north Tampa area, this mature collection of subdivisions are lined with shady oaks, tall pines and seasoned landscaping bringing a beauty to the area all its own. Many varieties of homes from traditional ranch-style houses to two-story residences bring originality to this area and separate it from the repetitive style found in some newer built communities. Similar to its sister city of Carrollwood, you will find many residents enjoying morning walks, afternoon bike rides, or evening jogs along the paths that line…

  • MacDill Area of Tampa - Homes & Condos for sale

    lipply
    18 Nov 2009 | 4:33 am
    Residential areas surrounding MacDill Air Force base offer Military families a convenient place in which to live, allowing them to take full advantage of the shopping and services provided to them through the base itself. Located in South Tampa and close to the Gandy Bridge, MacDill allows for a convenient drive to the pristine Pinellas beaches. This bridge also opens up other opportunities for work that may not be found in Tampa. The MacDill area also provides a short drive into downtown Tampa for businessmen and women, for a night filled with entertainment or a day spent at area…

  • Lutz Area of Tampa

    lipply
    17 Nov 2009 | 11:55 am
    From single-family homes on conservation lots to maintenance-free villas, the Lutz area has something for everyone. Situated in both Hillsborough and Pasco Counties, Lutz began as a once small town that has since grown significantly over the past decade. Large master planned communities have been built and provide residents with golfing and other recreational activities with homes sitting on waterfront properties and natural conservation lots. Downtown Lutz is home to antique and gift shops and is a place where the community gathers throughout the year for annual celebrations, parades, and…

  • Rocky Point Homes for Sale

    lipply
    17 Nov 2009 | 11:53 am
    Condominiums and homes share this palm tree-lined area of Rocky Point with many businesses, waterfront seafood restaurants and hotels. This highly desirable area is perfect for the businessman who wants the convenience of living close to downtown, but with a view of the sun on the ocean each day or the family or individual with a passion for boating, fishing or the beach. Located just before you hop on the Courtney Campbell Causeway to head over to the Pinellas County side and the Clearwater Beaches, Rocky Point’s location makes any drive to any place simple via I-275 or the…
 
Log in