* Once again, Tampa acquitted itself well on a national stage for hosting its second “Frozen Four” at Amalie Arena. It’s worth an estimated $10 million in economic impact, plus all those ESPN cutaway shots to highlight an area that looks particularly alluring in early April to major markets up North.
By all accounts, the NCAA loved everything from the sell-out crowds and the facility to the chamber-of-commerce weather and local hospitality. Bids for future Frozen Fours will be accepted this fall, and it hardly hurts that Brian Falson, chairman of the NCAA Division I men’s hockey committee, is also the athletic director at the University of North Dakota. And UND is the school that just won the national championship.
* Among those in town for the Frozen Four was former Lightning captain Marty St. Louis. We all know the circumstances, hardly classy, that he orchestrated in order to leave two years ago. So plaudits to Lightning owner Jeff Vinik for having St. Louis as his suite guest. Vinik recognized him for all he did for the franchise for more than a decade. Classy move.
* Chris Archer: He’s the face, voice and go-to marketing image of the Tampa Bay Rays. But right now he just needs to be a reliable starting pitcher.
* When Villanova won the NCAA men’s basketball championship, it started three seniors. Its point guard was described as a “small white guy with choirboy looks.” Nobody on the team is a future NBA star. At this level, that is an anomaly among today’s sham student-athlete, one-and-doners. For Villanova, call it won-and-done right.