* Once again, the Rays, not unlike a number of other Major League Baseball teams, are still a few players short well after spring training officially opened. Not because of injuries, but because of visa problems. We’re talking the Dominican Republic. Again.
Put it this way: If your main export is baseball players, the visa process has to be a priority.
* I loved that Russ Cozart quote during the run-up to another Brandon High state championship in wrestling. The Eagles’ coach, in assessing the intangibles of a program that is the standard of excellence on the mat, said: “Confidence is part of the sport, but being cocky isn’t.”
He said nothing about his team wrestling with “a chip on its shoulder” or bringing some “swagger” to the competition. When you’re good, as in really, really good, your talent will say it all. Why render it annoyingly redundant and classless?
How old school. How refreshing. How much basketball and football could learn from the Brandon Eagles wrestling team.
* USF’s All American Conference home football games for 2014: Connecticut, East Carolina, Houston and UCF. With last year’s understandable drop in attendance, the Bulls can use all the help available and having UCF, the Bulls’ only rivalry game, is a decided plus. The Knights, who made a major splash on the national scene last season and have always drawn well, have never mattered more to USF.