UM BASEBALL | RYAN JACKSON
From the moment Ryan Jackson's uncle gave him a T-Ball set when he was 3, his father, Leonard, knew something had clicked. ''He opened that thing up and there was a twinkle in his eye,'' said Leonard Jackson, a pilot for United Airlines. ``From then on, that was it -- baseball everyday. He did a bit of football at Miami Springs Optimists when he was about 8, a good little quarterback, but he missed baseball.''
MARLINS 7, BREWERS 2
The last time the Marlins were in first place this late in the season was 2002, and players stars such as Josh Beckett, Derrek Lee and Mike Lowell were leading the charge to the top of the National League East standings.
ON SPORTS MEDIA
The radio ratings are out, and chalk up a narrow victory for 790 The Ticket, which now boasts a 3-1-1 record against WQAM (560) in the last five Arbitron ratings books in the key demographic group of men ages 25 to 54.
on for new show The Ultimate Fighting Championship sought to expand its image over the past few years. Fighters are appearing on popular television shows, including Tito Ortiz's run on NBC's Celebrity Apprentice with Donald Trump.
IN MY OPINION
Josh McCown has been a nomad the past six years, searching for a home in three NFL towns but never finding that perfect place to settle down, never finding that starting quarterback job that would end his travels.
MARLINS 6, BREWERS 2
Who was the best player the Marlins received in the whopper trade that sent Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis to Detroit for six prospects?
SPOTLIGHT | ON TENNIS
Maria Sharapova is miffed at the WTA tour for trying to force her to do a pre-tournament photo shoot in Rome early next week, and she lashed out on her website. She was asked to do a promotional shoot Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday of next week to promote the Rome Open, and she's in no mood to say, ``Cheese.''
RYAN BRAUN
If you're looking for a sophomore jinx to bring down Milwaukee's Ryan Braun, don't bother. At least don't mention it to Braun. ''No, I don't believe it that,'' said Braun, who is in town with the Brewers for a three-game series against the Marlins. ``I guess you could say I'm off to a slow start, but it's a long season. I'm not worried about [a sophomore jinx]. I work too hard to worry about it.''
Long before he famously stalked birdies and eagles, it seems Arnold Palmer also had an eye for landscapes and contours. ''My first-grade teacher told me I should be an artist when I grew up,'' the greenskeeper's son said with a playful grin.
FIU
One day after receiving penalties from the NCAA for a poor annual progress report, FIU was punished again. The NCAA added an extra year of probation to the university's self-imposed three-year probation period and had 20 1/3 scholarships reduced among 12 Golden Panthers teams for multiple rules violations.
Hundreds of athletes from 22 countries have flocked to Miami in the past two days in preparation for the Pan American Judo Championships, coming from as far south as Chile and as far north as the Yukon.
How far can Scott Olsen go? The Marlins aren't sure, but Olsen's pitch limit appears to be right around 120 pitches. Olsen set a career high with 120 pitches April 9 against Washington in a 7 2/3-inning outing, and he used 121 pitches to go 8 2/3 innings Tuesday. Olsen left the game with two outs in the ninth with the bases loaded.
Fans of the Detroit Red Wings have been known to toss slimy, gigantic octopi onto the ice at Joe Louis Arena during the playoffs to honor an old tradition that dates to the team's Stanley Cup championship run in 1952.
ROUNDUP
The Brito baseball team will take on Lake Worth Trinity Christian on Friday afternoon in the first game of a best-of-three series to determine who will advance to the state tournament.
SOFTBALL
For the fourth consecutive year, Palmetto's softball team will pack its collective bags and head north to represent Miami-Dade in the state semifinals against Jacksonville Mandarin.
ROUNDUP
It might be his first year there, but Michael Broad knows all about Nova's baseball history. The junior shortstop -- a transfer from North Broward Prep -- understands the Titans' tradition, even calling it ``huge.''
BEST BET Captain Jay Cohen on the charter boat Spellbound out of Haulover Marina reported a great week of offshore fishing that produced lots of sailfish, limit catches of kingfish, large dolphins and wahoo up to 25 pounds. The best action has been from 100 feet to 750 feet of water. . . . Captain Todd Morrow on the charter boat Connie Marie led James Rivera of Miami to a catch of an estimated 60-pound cobia off of Fowey Rocks and Mike Steadman of Miami to his first sailfish off of Triumph Reef...
USA DIVING GRAND PRIX
Jevon Tarantino used to lead a double life. He was a diver and a basketball player. He was either in the gym leaping toward the basket, or at the pool leaping toward the sky, defying gravity in both sports.
MARLINS 3, BREWERS 0
The Marlins had just beaten the Brewers 3-0 and Scott Olsen was walking into the clubhouse when he spotted a group of reporters. ''So close,'' Olsen said.
NCAA PROGRESS REPORT
When Pete Garcia accepted FIU's offer to become athletic director 19 months ago, he did so knowing a big job lay ahead to bring the department up to NCAA standards.
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