President Bush gave U.S. Olympians a rousing White House send-off to next month's games in Beijing, urging them Monday to "compete swifter, higher and stronger" but also be mindful they will be "ambassadors of liberty" to the people of China and elsewhere. ...more

July 22, 2008

President Bush gave U.S. Olympians a rousing White House send-off to next month's games in Beijing, urging them Monday to "compete swifter, higher and stronger" but also be mindful they will be "ambassadors of liberty" to the people of China and elsewhere. ...more

July 22, 2008

Before its athletes take to the football field this fall, representatives from a youth sports organization will hit the golf course. ...more

July 12, 2008

Until this week, the 7-on-7 football passing league organized by several Pasco County high schools has avoided the wrath of Florida's summer storms and proceeded without interruption. ...more

July 10, 2008

When Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire signed a law banning lead and chemicals known as phthalates from children's products in April, Amy Tucker was thrilled. As president of Matter Group, a Seattle company that makes children's games and stuffed animals out of recycled materials, Tucker's products were already lead- and phthalate-free. But when other states began adopting their own restrictions, she became dismayed by the emerging patchwork of regulations. ...more

June 30, 2008

AVON PARK — The fastball thrown from Trey Perry's arm mowed down the final batter of Avon Park's 8-4 win over Clewiston just as the darkened heavens' thunderclap signaled the coming rain on Durrah Martin Recreational Complex. ...more

June 21, 2008

SEBRING –– Trailing by three runs and down to its last three outs, Sebring showed a lot of heart by exploding for 11 runs en route to a stunning 12-4 win over Lake Placid in Saturday's third round of the Dixie AAA (ages 9-10) District 8 tournament at Max Long Recreational Complex. The win kept Sebring unbeaten in the six-team, double-elimination tournament, and set up a game against once-beaten Avon Park on Sunday afternoon. "That was an unbelievable comeback," said Sebring head coach Bobby Cannon. "To be able to battle back in our last at-bat says a lot about the desire and character of the kids on this team. "We were too aggressive at the plate most of the game, but our pitchers kept us close and we finally got the bats working before it was too late." The disappointing loss knocked Lake Placid into the loser's bracket and set up an elimination game against Okeechobee American on Sunday afternoon. "We played well except for one bad inning," said Lake Placid head coach Mike Warner. "We had Sebring rattled and on the ropes, but we couldn't put them away. ...more

June 15, 2008

With the Opening Ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics now only 75 days off, the dreaded and not-so-unfamiliar B-word is once again being mentioned by a few invited nations looking to make a statement on one of the world's biggest stages. That word, of course, is boycott – the political tact used by nations wishing to show their displeasure with either the game's host, or just something they don't agree with in the world. ...more

May 24, 2008

It's understood that Akinori Iwamura is not the prototypical leadoff man. ...more

May 11, 2008

The Sebring baseball team dropped a heartbreaking 11-10 loss to Riverdale in the third and deciding game of a Class 4A regional final series on Saturday in Fort Myers. ...more

May 10, 2008