Lightning center and No. 1 overall pick Steven Stamkos is making the transition this season from junior star to NHL regular. Throughout the season, the 19-year-old from Markham, Ontario, will share his experiences with Tribune writer Erik Erlendsson to give readers an insight into a new way of life during his rookie journey. ...more

March 8, 2009

Soon after breakfast and the morning announcements, six fifth-graders filed into Principal Diane Lethbridge's office at Sun 'N Lake Elementary School. ...more

March 6, 2009

For a quick, perhaps subconscious, glimpse of the world Mitch Talbot inhabits this spring, listen to how he describes the place he would like to begin this season, the major leagues. ...more

March 4, 2009

Tony Dungy, who retired from coaching at age 53 this year, said he always planned leave football at some point but that his son's 2005 suicide provided "a little sense of doing it a little quicker." ...more

March 3, 2009

Plant's offense had gotten off to an uncharacteristically slow start this season, but the Panthers finally got things rolling Saturday. ...more

March 1, 2009

First lady Michelle Obama tells People magazine that the target date for the arrival of the family pet is after her daughters' spring break trip in April, though 7-year-old Sasha is convinced the dog is coming April 1. ...more

February 25, 2009

Mark Teixeira found out quickly what life would be like on his new team when he reported to New York Yankees camp last week at Steinbrenner Field. He had signed an eight-year, $180 million contract over the winter, one of three premier free agents that cost the Yanks about half a billion big ones. ...more

February 25, 2009

Winning a spot on the New York Yankees' roster was at the forefront for Jason Johnson. Then the cause of blurred vision in his right eye changed everything just days before spring training began. ...more

February 23, 2009

Jeff Niemann has only five major-league appearances to his credit, but in many regards 2009 qualifies as a make-or-break year for the former first-round pick. ...more

February 20, 2009

Jeff Niemann has only five major-league appearances, but in many regards 2009 qualifies as a make-or-break year. ...more

February 17, 2009