* As we’ve seen, popular, long-time Buc defensive tackle Gerald McCoy was let go, and the high-profile, controversial Ndamukong Suh was signed to take his place. The media being the media had to ask, of course, if Suh were the “Real McCoy?” Indeed, is he that or just “A Tackle Named Suh?” Well, Johnny Cash would get it.
* Congrats to USF softball coach Ken Erickson for being named head coach of the 2020 United States Olympic team. He has coached the women’s national team for a decade–and is 52-4 as coach of Team USA in international play that includes two World Championships and a Pan American Games gold medal. The USF alum is the winningest coach (any sport) in school history. Go, USA. Go, Bulls.
* It’s been hard to watch any Stanley Cup play–for obvious reasons. Now it’s the Boston Bruins vs. the St. Louis Blues in the Stanley Cup finals. I’ll continue not to watch, but I do have a preference: St. Louis. The Blues were in last place in early January before going on a tear. And while their 45 wins and 99 total points pale next to the Lightning’s regular-season 62 and 128, the Blues did beat the Bolts both times they played. Plus the Blues have never won a Cup. As for Boston, who last won the Cup in 2013, the Bolts beat them three out of four, they feature the game’s biggest punk in Brad Marchant and, well, they’re Boston.
* Amid the attention focused on state softball and baseball teams as the NCAA championships get underway, let’s not forget the University of Tampa, which qualified again for the Division II World Series in Cary, N.C. For the record, UT has won it seven times and prominent alums include Lou Piniella, Tino Martinez and Ozzie Timmons, current first-base coach of the Rays. Go, Spartans.