Play to win, but have fun doing it. That's how Rex "Scooter" Ballenger Jr., East Bay High's 5-foot-9-inch quarterback, lived life on the field and off, said his coach, teammates and father. Each spoke today at the school about how they are leaning on each other and trying to find something positive in the young man's death. ...more

May 20, 2008

Freedom High School senior Sarah Cardozo was simply happy with her invitation to Monday night's Tampa Tribune Parade of Athletes banquet at the A La Carte Pavilion. ...more

May 20, 2008

The administration at Plant City High School has gotten accustomed to holding signing day parties, but this one beat them all. ...more

February 13, 2008

NEWS AND NOTES For the first time in five years, there is a new Western Conference (Hillsborough County public schools) cheerleading champion. Durant won the title on Friday, dethroning four-time defending champ Bloomingdale. The Bulls finished second, while Newsome took third. ...more

February 12, 2008

NEWS AND NOTES 2 Tampa Catholic Players Named First-Team All-State Five players from Tampa Catholic's state runner-up football team earned all-state honors Tuesday, including senior DL Marco Mendoza and senior LB P.J. Briody, who each were named to the Florida Sports Writers Association's Class 2A first team. ...more

January 15, 2008

The University of South Florida's refusal to investigate allegations that football star Ben Moffitt cheated in his classes shows an appalling disregard for academic integrity. ...more

January 9, 2008

Educator. Coach. Pastor. Father and grandfather. Prison evangelist. Community servant. The Rev. Abe Brown is one of Tampa's last surviving icons from the days before people of color had rights. Some of his peers were more vocal in their leadership — the late Rev. Leon Lowry and Bob Gilder, to name two. Brown, meanwhile, quietly influenced thousands of lives and change in this community. It is only fitting that his biblical name means "father of many nations." "He's the property of history. Our history," says Tampa's poet laureate, James Tokley. "He is the coach of men, of the community and of the hopeless." At the end of the year, Brown, now 80, retires from one job so he can plunge into another. Although he has certainly earned the right to enjoy some time off, that's just not his nature. Because wherever there's work that needs to be done, there is Abe Brown. ...more

December 23, 2007

Coach wasn't putting up with anything from Al Barnes. The teenager knew that when he saw Abe Brown on the porch, talking to his mama. ...more

December 23, 2007