All posts tagged Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Rap Sheet

Washington State star baller Klay Thompson, son of former Laker Mychal Thompson, smoked up in his car and got arrested after a win against USC last night, thereby proving the maxim that you should do that at home, where you have access to water and snacks and the police aren’t there. Also, make sure your headlights work. Geez. What are they teaching in the colleges? [Seattle Post-Intelligencer]

‘Twas another busy week for athletes with issues in Tampa.

Shelton Quarles, coordinator of pro scouting for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was arrested on a DUI charge in Tampa early this morning.  The former Bucs linebacker refused field testing and earned the tiny bail of $500. [ESPN NFL]

Former Rays and Washington Nationals’ outfielder Elijah Dukes supposedly manned up and hit his pregnant girlfriend this week, landing in a Tampa jail on Wednesday on charges of aggravated battery — a felony because his girlfriend is five months pregnant.

Mountrail Mounshay Mack, 20, said she and Dukes had spent the past several days in motels. This is the latest in Dukes’s unimpressive string of domestic violence arrests. Last year he owed three women almost $150,000 in child support. [St. Petersburg Times]

And with that the challenge is laid down to find a more depressing story, which, sadly, is not at all difficult.

MTSU Women’s Basketball Team Grieves Murdered Player

MTSU Blue Raider’s player Tina Stewart died this week after her roommate, a freshman at MTSU, stabbed her. The team decided yesterday that they would play in the Sunbelt Conference Tournament, in which they are the top seed, as a tribute to her.

The men’s team stood behind the women’s team at the press conference where they announced their decision, all wearing “20Gether” purple ribbons and stickers. Stewart’s boyfriend, MTSU junior basketball player K.C. Anuna said that she was “just trying to do the right thing.” Information is limited due to the police investigation.

And yes, it is possible to have chills and feel deep sadness the entire time one types up some sports news.  It’s entirely possible. Deepest condolences to the MTSU community. [ESPN]

Silver Lining

In happier cricket news — for Ireland, anyway — the Olde Sod beat England in the ICC Cricket World Cup.  The Irish broke two records during the three-wicket win, with the tournament’s highest ever run-chase and Kevin O’Brien of Dublin’s Railway Union Cricket Club clocked its “fastest ever hundred.” O’Brien said:

When we were 111 for five we could have just pottered around, but I chanced my arm and we didn’t look back really. We attacked and it came off.

This sports writer of Irish descent will now turn in my St. Patrick’s Day card and add up “understanding cricket terms” to my life list. Congratulations, Ireland. Sorry, England. [Sky News]

Two California Women Baseball Pitchers Make History

Marti Sementelli from Birmingham High School in Lake Balboa, California, and Ghazaleh Sailors from San Marcos of Santa Barbara will face off tomorrow as the first two female starting pitchers in a high school baseball game. Both are seniors and were teammates on the U.S. national team that won the bronze medal in the World Cup of Women’s Baseball in Venezuela last summer.

“I always wanted to be the one who breaks barriers,” Sailors said.

To celebrate, ESPN wrote the worst headline ever for this story:

“Girls to square off in historic mound duel”

Really, ESPN. Really. I will just say “Congratulations, Marti and Ghazaleh! May the best arm win.”

[ESPN]

Quote of the Week:

No, it does not involve tiger blood or winning. Get off my lawn. The NFL lockout talks continue, after an extension until tonight at 11:59 and one more probable after that.

“For all our fans who dig our game, we appreciate your patience as we work through this. We are going to keep working. We want to play football.” ~     NFL union executive director DeMaurice Smith [ESPN]

[Photo: Hillsborough County Sheriff's Department]

[Photo: ESPN]