This oft-overlooked area was a huge factor in the Rays' leap to prominence in 2008. Though the statistically inclined have made a significant effort in recent years to come up with metrics able to quantify the defensive performance of players and teams, no one system has emerged as the standard. Because of that, judgment of defensive effectiveness remains perhaps the most subjective facet of the game. ...more

April 2, 2009

This oft-overlooked area was a huge factor in the Rays' leap to prominence in 2008. ...more

April 1, 2009

Gaither/Sickles won its third state hockey title in four seasons with a 4-1 win against Manatee in the final of the Florida State Combined Division Championship on Sunday afternoon. Gaither/Sickles victory was keyed by an outstanding defensive performance that stifled the Mustangs potent attack, as Axel Andrup made 22 saves. Gaither/Sickles had accomplished a similar feat in a 2-1 semifinal win against River Ridge earlier in the day, Andrup making 14 saves in that contest. However, senior defenseman Evan Spriggs said the teams' forwards also deserved a lot of the credit. "Defense is a huge part of how we play and our strategy," Spriggs said, "but you can't just compliment the defense. The offense was amazing at what they did. We had to play our game, and we had the will to win." ...more

March 24, 2009

This year's AFC Championship Game is all about defense and is expected to determine which team advances to Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa. ...more

January 18, 2009

Bucs cornerback Phillip Buchanon struggled to surmise his team's defensive performance against San Diego. ...more

December 22, 2008

While Florida's offense has been nothing short of scintillating over the past five games, it has often been the dominant play of the defense that has the Gators looking like possibly the best team in the nation. ...more

November 11, 2008

With each win, Florida coach Urban Meyer's affection for this year's defensive team increases, and, it seems, bad feelings for last year's bubble out. ...more

November 3, 2008

Only a few ticks of the clock remained before Saturday night would become Sunday morning and Florida coach Urban Meyer already had touched on all the obligatory talking points of the Gators' 26-3 win against Miami - early offensive struggles, running game questions, special teams success and a stand-up defensive performance - when one last question stopped him like rush-hour traffic at a train crossing. ...more

September 8, 2008

Patrick Patterson scored 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds as Kentucky knocked off No. 3 Tennessee 72-66 on Tuesday night. ...more

January 23, 2008

In his postgame analysis, University of South Florida men's basketball coach Stan Heath acknowledged that his team's defensive effort was less than stellar in an 86-70 loss to Providence College on Saturday afternoon at the Dunkin' Donuts Center. ...more

January 13, 2008