WESLEY CHAPEL – Amid all the excitement surrounding Hudson’s 20-18 playoff-clinching win against Wiregrass Ranch, Coach Mark Nash delivered a dose of reality in the name of Pasco County’s leading receiver, James Tello.
Tello suffered a re-aggravation of a right shoulder injury suffered early in the season in Friday’s second half. The original injury didn’t cause any tearing of ligaments, but Tello was seen heavily wrapped up and was unable to play during the critical final minutes of Friday’s game.
“Tello might not be able to go,” Nash said of the first-round playoff game in Gainesville in two weeks. “This [injury] might be worse.”
Tello will have an MRI on Monday, and Nash should know soon afterward if he can play. It seems highly doubtful Tello would face his former team – Land O’ Lakes – next week for Hudson’s homecoming regardless of the test results.
Tello leads all Tampa Bay area receivers with 70 catches, his 922 yards are second only to Hillsborough’s Charles Lovett, and he also has seven touchdowns.
Hudson (5-4) has a history of key injuries right before, or during, their playoff games of the past three years. Quarterback Zack Wynn tore an anterior cruciate ligament during the Cobras’ playoff-clinching win at Zephyrhills in 2007. Though he played through it to throw the game-winning touchdown pass, he was ruled out of the postseason and underwent surgery.
Sean Scott, the leading rusher from that 2007 team, was injured two plays into the Cobras’ first-round game at Harmony and did not return in the loss.
Nash lamented Hudson’s recent bad luck in those games.
“For once I would just like to have my complete team for the playoffs,” he said.
Because of that history, it seems possible that Wynn may not play the entire game against the Gators, though he said he is “definitely” playing. Nash did not say what he plan was for Wynn in a game that has no bearing on the playoffs.
“You can print this—Zack’s going to do what I tell him to do,” Nash said.
First-year Freedom football coach James Harrell will have plenty time to savor his team’s 23-0 win over Brandon on Friday night, which put the Patriots in the playoffs for the second time in school history, during his flight to South Bend later this morning.
Harrell’s son, Freedom junior linebacker Anthony Harrell, was offered an unofficial visit by Notre Dame to attend its home game against Navy later today. Harrell said Notre Dame wanted Anthony to attend the home game versus USC earlier this season, but they could not make the trip. Florida State, Miami and Georgia Tech have also shown interest in the 6-foot-2, 220 pound linebacker.
Freedom (6-2) closes out its season at Lennard next week.
It’s been kind of slow on the interaction on this blog site lately (some of that is certainly because of me, and some from some of the changes we’ve made to the web site) but I hope this sparks some conversation. I want you to take a closer look at the hit Chris Neil put on Victor Hedman during Thursday’s game in Ottawa and tell me what you think. Take a fair and objectional view of the situation and take emotion out of the picture. Was this a clean hit? Was it dirty? Was it clean but unneccesary? Are we making too much of this?
Give me your take over the next couple of days because this will be a topic for my beat column that will run in Sunday’s paper, which will give you some of my thoughts on the matter.
By RICK GRASSETT
Anglers fishing with me recently on the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had fast action with bonito, Spanish mackerel, trout, bluefish and pompano in Sarasota Bay and along the coastal Gulf.
On a recent trip off Lido Key, we caught and released about a dozen bonito weighing 10 pounds or more and numerous Spanish mackerel on Clouser flies on intermediate fly lines. We fished Stephens Point and near Butttonwood Harbor in Sarasota Bay another day and had good action with trout to 21 inches, bluefish to 3 pounds and pompano to 2 pounds on Clouser flies on intermediate sink-tip fly lines.
Fly anglers fishing with me have been particularly successful, both in the bay and on the coastal Gulf with crab-colored Clousers, which are olive, tan and white.
Captain Jim Klopfer, of Adventure Charters in Sarasota, reported steady action on the flats around Bird Key and north of Siesta Key. His clients caught Spanish mackerel to 3 pounds, trout to 18 inches, bluefish and jacks to 2 pounds, mangrove snapper to 13 inches and a variety of other species on live and artificial baits. They either drifted the deep grass flats, casting ahead of their drift with Gulp shrimp on a Cotee jig head, or anchored on the edge of the flat and free-lined live baits.
On his best trip of the week, fishing a drop off in Big Pass, Klopfer’s anglers caught five legal gag grouper from 22 to 26 inches and a few Spanish mackerel on live pilchards and small pinfish on 10-pound-class spinning tackle.
Fishing should be good in both the coastal Gulf and Sarasota Bay this weekend, depending on wind conditions. The best time to take a look in the Gulf is when the wind is out of the east. When the wind blows onshore, conditions should be good for fishing the shallow and deep flats of Sarasota Bay.
Call captain Rick Grassett at (941) 923-7799 or visit http://www.flyfishingflorida.net or http://www.snookfin-addict.com.
If you’re not checking out any high school football tonight, get yourself down to the Hyatt, 211 North Tampa Street, in downtown Tampa for the Ballroom Brawl.
Clearwater native Keith Thurman will headline the event. Here’s the night’s card:
BOXING
WHAT: Ballroom Brawl
WHERE: Downtown Tampa Hyatt Regency, 211 North Tampa Street
WHEN: Tonight at 7:30
TICKETS: $20, $35 and $75 (available by calling (813) 503-8109 or visiting Ticketmaster locations)
FIGHTS: Main Event: Keith Thurman (10-0, 10 KOs) vs. Edvan Barros (10-7-1, 7 KOs), eight rounds, welterweight; Nick Iannuzzi (12-1, 7 KOs) vs. Michael Alexander (12-3, 8 KOs), six rounds, cruiserweights; Sherali Dostiev (0-0) vs. Sergio Aguilar (0-1), four rounds, super bantamweight; Lamar Davis (3-1, 1 KO) vs. Roy Boykins (1-1, 1 KO), four rounds, heavyweights; Cordaro Simpkins (2-0) vs. Edgardo Rivera (2-0, 2 KOs), four rounds, super featherweight; Manny Woods (1-0) vs. Jason Wahr (1-2-2), four rounds, middleweight; Quinton Willis (4-0-1, 2 KOs) vs. Khristian Geraci (4-6-1, 3 KOs), four rounds, middleweight
Tonight is a big night in Hillsborough County football. This is the final week of scheduled district play, meaning tonight will mark the close of the races for state playoff berths - well, unless of course a district tiebreaker is needed on Monday.
Robinson, Jefferson, Tampa Catholic and Sickles have already secured playoff berths. As for the rest of the county teams which still have postseason hopes, we broke down the scenarios in each district in last Sunday’s Tampa Tribune. If you’re curious what it will take for your team to reach the postseason, you can find our breakdown HERE.
As for those district tiebreakers: the full breakdown is available on the FHSAA website in the Football Manual. Here is the short version (as short as I can explain it, anyways). All district tiebreakers will be Monday night at 7 p.m.
The host team, which will be determined via best regular-season winning percentage of teams involved, will receive a first-round bye. The remaining two teams will play in Game 1 (all games are one quarter in length). The winning team will move on to play the host team.
If the tiebreaker is to determine the district runner-up, the winner between the host team and Game 1 winner gets that playoff spot.
If the tiebreaker is to determine the district champ and runner-up, the scenario is as follows: if the host team defeats the Game 1 winner, the host team is district champ and Game 1 winner is runner-up. If Game 1 winner defeats the host team, the Game 1 winner is the district champ, and the host team would face the Game 1 loser to determine the runner-up.
Bucified, is very excited for # Bucs, QB # 5 Josh Freeman …
Green Bay: This is Our 1st Throwback Game and the Time Has Changed!
Being Bucified for the kids during Halloween was great, and I needed the smiles from the kids to take on the 2nd half of this 2009 Football Season…
Josh Freeman really looked good, and mature in London, I know we lost, but I have seen a ray of hope, and I am going to stand by the Future. I have to support our Buccaneers, even more now that rumors are that Jacksonville may be moving to Los Angeles, California. I love saying the Tampa Bay Bucs, and cant imagine them leaving … The reason I say Josh is mature is: I waited three years to take many of my Bucified Dream Seeker Students to a Buccaneers Game, Josh Freeman made it happen on 9-27-2009; many other programs get the chance to go, thank God for # 5 for allowing my Dream to come True! he put the Bucified Bert Dream Seeker Program on the MAP! You know I will be making some noise Sunday!!!!
We are transitioning to be one of the best teams in the National Football League. I apologize that I did not see this sooner, but I understand now where we are going. Oh yeah, I will eat some crow, but this much is a FIRST for me. Now, I understand how humiliating life has been for the professional loser (AKA) Wonder Woman and her crew, the HATERS. I used the week off to get a grip on where our Bucs are going and now I see the light, so let me explain…
First, I want to say relax. We are not an 0 and 7 team our record show , and we will NOT Go 0 and 16. Why you ask? I `m glad you did… for the record we should have won 3 of the first 7 games in my book, now we have 9 more games to go and now we HAVE My Main Man JOSH FREEMAN as Quarter Back, I can give you a lot of reason but # 5 is the only reason you need, OH yeah, he is young, but he is Bucified! Ready? I spoke to him and I was very impressed, because he is beyond his years, he is so mature and seasoned for his age, so get ready for a wonderful second half of the 2009 Buccaneers Football Season…I am so excited, because I want a win A GAME so bad, that I can hardly wait for the Green Bay Cheese Heads to come to the Raymond James Sunday at 1:00pm!
Back to Josh # 5 Freeman… See Coach Raheem spent a year with him when he was in college. They have been together this year since April, and now we are in November. This means he has been with a phenomenal Coach being groomed for about 2 years now….You get it? Fasten your seat belts and get ready for our first win coming Sunday!! From the little time I have seen # 5 play, I see why Super Bowl MPV Doug Williams, said that this Quarterback is a GUN Slinger…I am embracing the changing of the guards, and don’t forget the time changed for everyone last Sunday at 2AM. For everyone….so Green Bay, I have 5 reasons why you will lose: (1) This is a Throwback Game (2) We are honoring the Great Superb Lee Roy Selman # 63, and 3,4,anf # 5 Josh Freeman is all of the rest of the reasons.
So Let’s Go Bucs! Bring on the Cheese Please…
My Prediction Green Bay 14 Tampa Bay 21
Hope you enjoyed the bye week. I did. No Buccaneer loss—has to go down as best week of the season thus far. Let’s just hope that when we look back at the season we can say that it was the turning point, eh?
Going orange! Nothing like a little Bucco Bruce to rally the troops! Lee Roy Selmon going into the ring of honor, members of the 1979 “worst to first” team on hand, and the first game ever in our throw-backs—this is smelling like the perfect recipe for a Buccaneer surprise. Hey, we’ve got a new kicker, too. Maybe we’ll actually put 3 on the board Sunday. A league low two field goals so far. TWO!
Rumor has it that some of the other Buccaneer alumni have been disappointed that Selmon is going into the ring of honor alone. Let’s see: Who is the lone Buccaneer in the Hall of Fame? Um… I’ll give you sixty-three guesses.
Here’s a question: If the Bucs win Sunday, do they dress in creamsicle the rest of the season?
Time to get back into action. Here are the sure-fire locks for week nine: Bucco Bruce lives! Bucs over Packers; Ravens over Bengals; Patriots over Dolphins; Falcons over ‘Skins (buh bye J.Z.); Bears over Cards; Colts over Texas; Jags over Chiefs; Saints over Panthers; Seahawks over Lions; 49ers over Titans; Giants over Chargers; Eagles over Cowboys (and more Williams impressions of T.O. to come); Steelers over Broncos. Bye: Bills, Browns; Vikings, Jets, Raiders and Rams.
By ROY CUMMINGS
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TAMPA – Bucs rookie quarterback Josh Freeman may not have wide receiver Antonio Bryant to throw to on Sunday, and it’s all because of that long plane ride back from London last week.
That, at least, is where Bryant is placing the blame for the pain in his left knee, which has him listed as questionable for this week’s game against Green Bay at Raymond James Stadium.
“That plane right didn’t help me,’’ Bryant said. “I was good for like two weeks before that. Then I got on that plane ride coming back, and I got up to go to the bathroom and I was like, Oh!’’
Bryant said he fell asleep during the ride home, which resulted in a shrinking of his quad muscle. That and the fact he was “all crunched up’’ in a coach seat combined to create renewed pain his knee, he said.
Bryant’s comments came after he missed a second straight day of practice Friday. He said he’s unsure whether he’ll play Sunday, adding that he is concerned about the longterm ramifications of playing on a sore knee.
“I don’t have no contract,’’ said Bryant, who is earning $9.8 million as the Bucs franchise player this year. “It don’t do me no good to play for a game or two and then be right back and have to sit down again.
“[But] if I feel good then I’m going to run out there and be like, ‘Hey let’s go.’ It’s all about going to the stadium and coach will let me know. If he lets the dogs out I’m good, if not, hey, it’s about longevity.’’
In addition to Bryant, the other Bucs listed on the team’s injury report are
WR Michael Clayton (wrist, questionable), CB Elbert Mack (ankle, questionable), CB Aqib Talib (ankle, probable) and LG Jeremy Zuttah (shoulder, probable).
The Strawberry Crest football team will hold the first Charger Golf Tournament to raise funds for the team.
The event will be held Nov. 14 at the Walden Lake Golf and Country Club in Plant City. The cost is $75 per person and $300 for a foursome. It includes lunch and a one-year subscription to Golf Digest.
For more information and to register for the event, go to the team’s website at www.strawberrycrestfootball.com and click on Booster Club.
By ROY CUMMINGS
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TAMPA – Word is the Bucs are really going all out with this throwback theme. Not only will their players be retro-fitted, so will the stadium.
The logo in the middle of the field is already in place, and it’s said to either be the old Bucco Bruce helmet or Bucco Bruce himself.
The end zones will have a 70s look as well and of course, the Bucs cheerleaders will be wearing 1976 era uniforms, too.
Hey everyone, sorry about the delay in getting back on here to name the blog. Been a crazy couple of days trying to get more settled into the new job.
Anyway, thanks to all those who commented and wrote with suggestions for naming the blog. I like the way you folks think. Lots of strong suggestions. Instead of me ruling over the naming rights of this blog like a dictator, let’s put it up to a vote.
Also, some good news: the person whose entry wins the vote still gets a free lunch on me up to $25, but I also have a $25 gift card from footballfanatics.com to throw in courtesy of Aaron Knox at TBO.com.
So, I’ve chosen four entries from you guys and the name I had in mind (Shootin’ the Bull—no one else suggested this one so I may not have a chance) ... When you vote, simply list your choices in order of preference…we’ll use a point system to determine the winner: 10 points for top choice, 7 points for second, 5 points for third, three points for fourth, and one point for fifth.
Let’s keep the poll open until Tuesday at midnight; that way, we’ll have a new name by kickoff at Rutgers on Thursday. And if by chance my entry wins, the second-place entry gets the gifts.
So, the poll is now open. Here are the five choices and in parenthesis the person who suggested the name:
Shootin’ the Bull (yours truly)
The Herd Huddle (StateRoad42)
The Bull Session (Buller64)
Full of Bull (T Bever)
The Bulls Brigade (JP_813)
As you can see, the word Bull is a popular one in this contest. Thanks for playing along.
By ROY CUMMINGS
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TAMPA – The Bucs have finally replaced the Gaines Adams banner on the southeast corner of Raymond James Stadium.
And the winner is:
Cadillac Williams.
You have to think there was some thought given to putting quarterback Josh Freeman in that spot but it’s probably a little too early for that.
Cambridge Christian senior baseball players Matt Fishman and Derek Self have picked up their first offers to play at the next level, Lancers coach Rick Shears said Friday.
Fishman, a right-handed pitcher, received one from Quincy University, a Division II program. Self, a left-handed pitcher/outfielder, received one from Webber International, an NAIA program.
Both players played big roles in Cambridge Christian reaching their second consecutive state title game last season, respecially on the mound. Fishman and Self were the Lancers’ Nos. 1 and 2 starters, respectively.
Fishman went 8-5 with a 2.18 ERA. Self went 6-0 with a 2.27 ERA.
Both were good offensive threats as well. Fishman hit .447 (in 47 at-bats) and Self hit .342 (in 79 at-bats).
On the surface, Tampa Bay Tech’s matchup tonight with Wharton looks like somewhat of a trap game. The Wildcats are just 2-6 on the season, and a huge matchup with Hillsborough looms the following week.
The game against the Terriers is especially intriguing because Tampa Bay Tech kept Hillsborough out of the playoffs last year (by defeating the Terriers in a late-season district matchup), and a win this year – coupled with a win over Plant earlier this season – would vault the Titans program into a level of respectability never before achieved.
In reality, however, tonight’s matchup is the biggest of the season for the Titans. A win over the Wildcats not only would give Tampa Bay Tech a second consecutive playoff berth, it also would give the Titans just their second district title in program history (the other was in 2000).
And Titans coach C.C. Culpepper said he’s stressed that point to his team all this week.
“It’s been Wharton, Wharton, Wharton,” Culpepper said, adding he’s not only expressed the point verbally, but also with visual reminders in the locker room. “It’s very visible that Wharton is the most important game of the season.”
Tampa Bay Tech’s turnaround under Culpepper, now in his third season, has been nothing short of astounding. He took over a program in 2007 that had lost 20 consecutive games and has posted three consecutive winning seasons. Culpepper views the chance to claim a district crown as the next step for his rising program.
“We definitely have goals set for this team, this program and this school. There is a lot of weight on us as players and coaches,” Culpepper said. “We know what we have to do. We just have to play football.”
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