Author Archive
Tampa Bay Lightning Preview: Bolt Out of the Blue?
Posted: 1st October 2009 by JC De La Torre in NHL
It's been a wild couple years for the Tampa Bay Lightning. After five straight years in the playoffs that included a Stanley Cup championship, the Lightning were sold twice, fired two coaches, traded away fan favorites for prospects, and were last and second to last in the league.
For the first time in a while, things appear to be looking up for the Lightning. Their murky ownership situation seems to be ...
Ahmad and Giants Run Over Offensively Challenged Bucs 24-0
Posted: 27th September 2009 by JC De La Torre in NFL
Earlier in the week, Coach Raheem Morris of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers said earlier in the week that the New York Giants were who they want to become. When Raheem's master plan is finally executed, the team will look a lot like the Giants' physical style of football.
New York showed Tampa Bay how far away they are by dominating both lines of scrimmage in a 24-0 whitewash of the Buccaneers ...
It was a question that seemed absurd a month ago. Will the Tampa Bay Rays finish with a winning season? A month ago, with the team over .500 by 14 games it seemed assured.
An eleven game losing streak and a September where the Rays have gone 7-16 has put the winning season in jeopardy.
For most clubs, failure to make the playoffs is failure. It wouldn't matter if the team won ...
Buccaneers-Giants: Hide The Women and Children, Folks
Posted: 24th September 2009 by JC De La Torre in NFL
As the eternal optimist among the Featured Columnists of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it's been said that I own a pair of Pewter-Colored glasses.
Sure enough, when you look at my first two previews and ultimate prediction, I've given the Buccaneers the benefit of the doubt. I truly believed the Bucs could beat the Cowboys and the Bills.
This time though, the glasses are off and folks, what my non-cloudy eyes perceive ...
What’s Wrong With The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Defense?
Posted: 22nd September 2009 by JC De La Torre in NFL
For eleven of the past thirteen years, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been one of the top ten defenses in the NFL. Today, they sit at 31st.
For eleven of the past thirteen seasons, the one thing you could count on was the Buccaneers shutting down the opposing quarterback. You would see maybe two or three big passing plays of 40 yards or more in a season. Today, they've given up ...
Rays Showing Some Fight Left In Them for the Last Go around
Posted: 22nd September 2009 by JC De La Torre in MLB
Last week I lambasted the Rays for not playing with much heart down the stretch. While I know my article had no impact on them whatsoever, I'd like to think that somewhere in the baseball universe, word got back to the team that they were going out like dogs.
Since their epic slump following the Scott Kazmir trade, the Rays have won four in a row and five of their last ...
Tampa Bay-Buffalo: Bills Blast Bumbling Bucs, 33-20
Posted: 20th September 2009 by JC De La Torre in NFL
It may be quite a while before Tampa Bay Head Coach Raheem Morris experiences the thrill of his first NFL coaching victory.
Tampa Bay saw their best opportunity of the first quarter of the season slip past their fingers as the Buccaneers had turnovers, penalties, and some defensive lapses in a uglier then the score indicates 33-20 loss to the Buffalo Bills.
Buffalo, coming off a tough loss against their rival New ...
It wasn't enough that the Tampa Bay Rays lost for the 13th time in their last 14 games. Now they're fighting amongst themselves.
The pressure of a disappointing season seems to have reached a breaking point for Tampa Bay, as All-Star Carl Crawford and the team's biggest free agent acquisition of the offseason, Pat Burrell got into a shouting match before the third game of a four game set with ...
Bucs At Bills: Two Teams Try To Recover From Week One Disappointment
Posted: 17th September 2009 by JC De La Torre in NFL
The Bucs were victimized at home while the Bills were heartbroken on the road. As both Tampa Bay and Buffalo set their sights on major opening upsets, both teams fell short and find themselves staring at an 0-2 start.
For the Bills, it's a bit tougher. Not only do they have to recover from their heart wrenching loss to their hated rival, the New England Patriots, they have to do it ...
Tampa Bay Finally Ends Their 11 Game Skid Beating Orioles, 8-4
Posted: 14th September 2009 by JC De La Torre in MLB
After getting destroyed by some of the best teams in the American League, the Tampa Bay Rays finally found a team they could beat—the Baltimore Orioles. They didn't make it easy, rallying from an early 4-1 deficit to pull off an 8-4 win.
David Price overcame a four run first inning to pitch seven strong innings for Tampa Bay and secure his 8th victory of the season.
Reid Brignac not only powered ...