Bruce Cooper knows the official version of what happened to his son. One of four people clinging to an overturned boat in the Gulf of Mexico, his son Marquis gave in to the wind, the cold, the pounding waves. He slipped away from the boat and died. ...more

March 5, 2009

With each hour that passes while three boaters remain lost in the body-heat sapping waters of the Gulf of Mexico, optimism that bubbled up when a fourth man was rescued Monday is fading this afternoon. ...more

March 3, 2009

Coach Raheem Morris and general manager Mark Dominik clearly did have a plan as free agency began. Now if only those other guys had followed it. ...more

March 2, 2009

As hard as he tried to acknowledge the separation that now exists between himself and the Buccaneers, Derrick Brooks couldn't quite pull it off Friday. The leader in him just wouldn't allow it. ...more

February 28, 2009

Happy to return to the Bucs for another year, receiver Antonio Bryant pulled himself from the shelves of the NFL's free-agent marketplace before the market even opened Thursday. ...more

February 27, 2009

Davis Named District 13 POY Academy of the Holy Names senior Katie Davis has been named the girls basketball FACA District 13 Player of the Year. ...more

February 25, 2009

TAMPA – Tyrone McKenzie has traveled from Riverview to Michigan to Iowa and back to Florida in hopes of one day becoming an NFL player. ...more

February 23, 2009

The Carolina Panthers placed the franchise tag on defensive end Julius Peppers on Thursday, setting up a potential nasty showdown with their four-time Pro Bowl defensive end who wants to play elsewhere next season. ...more

February 20, 2009

Unless Bryce Brown makes a decision Wednesday, the nation's top-ranked recruit will play college football somewhere other than Miami. The national letter of intent Brown was offered by Miami expires Wednesday, and a person involved in recruiting the running back from Wichita, Kansas told The Associated Press the Hurricanes will not reissue the scholarship offer. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Tuesday because neither Brown's representatives nor Miami could authorize him to speak publicly. "Miami will not give him another letter," the person said. Brian Butler, Brown's advisor, told The AP that he was unaware those scholarship offers have an expiration date, but reiterated that the U.S. Army All-American — who was wooed by most of the nation's big-time programs, and still is having discussions with several of them — won't be signing until March 16. "Not until then," said Butler, who handles all of Brown's dealings with media and coaches. "If there's no letter here from Miami on March 16, then I'll get on the phone. So that's up to Miami. Bryce has his timeline set. We're not changing it at all." Citing NCAA rules, which specifically ban coaches from discussing recruits until their paperwork is filed, Miami coach Randy Shannon refused comment. Signing day was Feb. 4, and that's the date on the NLI issued to Brown by Miami, which means that paper would be valid until Wednesday. Brown, of Wichita East (Kan.) High, committed to Miami months ago. The brother of Miami linebacker Arthur Brown rushed for 1,873 yards and 29 touchdowns in nine games this past season, averaging 9.2 yards per carry for a team that finished 6-3. Later Tuesday, the saga turned again, when Brown announced that his final two recruiting visits will be at LSU later this month and Miami in early March. "They'll be in spring ball, so I want to see how the coaches interact with the players at practice and look at how the new offense is coming along," Brown said in a statement posted on his advisor's Web site, his preferred way of making recruiting-related announcements. "And, most importantly, spend some time with my brother." Other schools Brown is still believed to be considering include Auburn, Kansas State, Tennessee, Oregon and Southern California. His father, Arthur Brown Sr., said he wants his son at Miami. "Most definitely," Arthur Brown Sr. said. "That would be my ideal preference, for he and his brother to play together. That's always been my preference." Even without Brown, Miami had one of the nation's highest-ranked recruiting classes this year, a group that included Parade All-American running back Lamar Miller. He rushed for 1,719 yards and 22 touchdowns this past fall for Miami Killian High. ...more

February 17, 2009

To move forward, the Bucs had to say goodbye to Jeff Garcia. It may cost them in the short term, but it's the only way to build something that can last for more than one season. ...more

February 17, 2009