*Some final words on that canceled NBA game last week at the St. Pete Times Forum:
>The Orlando Magic-Miami Heat game was a sellout. Had been for months.
>Ticket prices topped out at $252.75.
>It was an EXHIBITION game.
>What recession?
* The Buccaneers, with a 5-2 record and tied for first in the NFC South, are the NFL’s surprise team of the year so far. One other surprise: Most teams good enough to go 5-dash-2 don’t give up more points than they score. Through seven games, the Bucs have been outscored by 27 points.
* Look what’s out in time for the holidays: “Saw 3D.” Oren Koules is back in his element. Thankfully, he’s back where he belongs–and it’s no longer Koules and the Gang producing the horror show that the Lightning had become before Jeff Vinik stepped in.
* A lot of college football fans around here remain disappointed that USF no longer wanted to continue its series with UCF. USF, which won all four games, noted the one-sidedness of the rivalry, but really wanted more schedule flexibility. Never mind that both schools could use a natural, I-4 rivalry game that would energize campuses and guarantee big crowds and low-overhead travel expenses. And, ironically, guess who the AP and USA Today now have ranked higher than UF and Miami? Indeed, UCF.
* And speaking of USF, we know that Skip Holtz was brought in to take USF to the next level. To do more than pull some upsets and then fade fast and limp off to a minor bowl game. But Holtz also knows that he wasn’t brought it to accomplish that at any cost. The most recent study (following the class of 2003) by the NCAA of Graduation Success Rates shows USF at an unflattering 46 per cent for football (national average was 69 per cent). As for the Big East, USF was 8th out of the eight conference members.
* And when it comes to high school football in this state, Hillsborough County remains a Florida force. Armwood is ranked first in 4-A, and Jefferson is first in 3-A. In addition, Jesuit is third in 2-A; Berkeley Prep, 4th in 1-A; and Plant 7th in 5-A.