Sports coverage from the Orlando Sentinel:
- Rich Hill flirts with perfection and ends up with heartache in Dodgers' 1-0 loss to Pirates in 10 innings August 24, 2017Inside his office at PNC Park, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts nursed a beer and commiserated with his coaches. His team has only lost on a few dozen occasions this season, but none stung like the 1-0 defeat Wednesday to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Losses don’t come crueler than this one, in which Rich...Andy McCullough
- College football rankings: Ohio State Buckeyes August 24, 2017Orlando Sentinel college insider Matt Murschel ranked all 130 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in the country entering the 2017 season. The Sentinel staff takes a closer look at a new team daily, counting backward from No. 130 to our projected No. 1 team. Today at No. 1: Ohio State Coach: Urban...Matt Murschel
- Marlins back under .500 after two-hit loss to Phillies August 24, 2017Mark Leiter has had an OK rookie season for a bad Philadelphia Phillies team, relieving when they want him to relieve and starting when they need him to start, and on Wednesday against the Miami Marlins circumstances required the latter. Leiter, who was born in Fort Lauderdale and is the nephew...Tim Healey
- Blake Bortles benching could signal end of NFL career August 24, 2017Blake Bortles may have a 24-hour shelf life in the NFL. He has been benched by Jacksonville Jaguars coach Doug Marrone, a move that reeks of desperate times for the franchise. Just a few years back, Bortles was anointed the face of the franchise after he was taken with the No. 3 pick in the 2014...George Diaz
- Jaguars bench Blake Bortles, turn to Chad Henne for next preseason game August 24, 2017JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Chad Henne will start Jacksonville's preseason game against Carolina, a change that could signal the end of Blake Bortles' career with the Jaguars. Coach Doug Marrone made the announcement Wednesday, a day before the exhibition and nearly a week after he created a quarterback...Associated Press
- Young Orlando City goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar confident, easing back into training August 24, 2017The legend of Mason Stajduhar began on Nov. 9, 2015. A new Major League Soccer club signed a 17-year-old homegrown player said to be among the most promising goalkeepers in the country for his age. He was to spend time developing with the club’s United Soccer League side, Orlando City B. During...Alicia DelGallo
- Orlando City supporter groups suspended next 4 Atlanta United road games August 24, 2017Orlando City’s official supporter groups, The Ruckus and Iron Lion Firm, are suspended from attending the next four away games against Atlanta United FC. That means they have no “supporter group privileges” at those matches, including dedicated seating, special ticket pricing and escorts in and...Alicia DelGallo
- Alex Morgan credits Pride’s support players for scoring hot streak August 23, 2017Oct. 14 is in the back of Alex Morgan’s mind, the day the National Women’s Soccer League championship will be played at Orlando City Stadium. Pride coach Tom Sermanni doesn't want to think that far ahead, but his star forward isn't shy about what she wants. “We know that we have the final here...Alicia DelGallo
- Nebraska legend Tom Osborne backed Lawrence Phillips until the sad, suicidal end August 23, 2017Even until the sad, suicidal end to a tragic, tumultuous life, Nebraska coaching legend Tom Osborne would not give up on Lawrence Phillips. He visited him in prison, tried to keep his spirits up and wrote him one final letter of encouragement just before Christmas of 2015. Phillips, the star running...Mike Bianchi
- Kaká again says he wants to remain in Orlando next season August 23, 2017Orlando City captain Kaká delivered a message Wednesday that he’s given all year when asked about his future beyond this season and if he will sign a new contract with the club: “Yes, that’s the principal idea,” Kaká, 35, said in Spanish to a horde of media after the Lions’ training session. “The...Alicia DelGallo
- New FHSAA football format adds importance to University at Dr. Phillips opener August 23, 2017Dr. Phillips football coach Rodney Wells hasn’t spent much time mulling over the Florida High School Athletic Association’s new point system, which will determine playoff seeding and at-large berths. The seventh-year head coach enters the season with the Panthers focused on the same kind of goals...J.C. Carnahan
- Dolphins should get true look at their team Thursday night vs. Eagles August 23, 2017The real Miami Dolphins might finally show up Thursday against the Philadelphia Eagles. After weeks of injuries and injury fill-ins, the Dolphins will be as close to complete as they’ve been since training camp began five weeks ago when they take on the Eagles at 7 p.m. at Lincoln Financial Field....Chris Perkins
- UF left tackle Martez Ivey nursing nagging injury August 23, 2017UF junior Martez Ivey, the Gators’ top offensive lineman, is nursing a nagging injury that will be monitored but is not expected sideline him. “We're going to have to manage that like we did his freshman year,” UF coach Jim McElwain said. “He'll be ready to go at tackle for us.” Ivey underwent...Edgar Thompson
- UF coach Jim McElwain: Gators may use three QBs in Michigan opener August 23, 2017UF coach Jim McElwain has yet to decide on a starting quarterback, but not because he’s unhappy with his situation under center. McElwain actually is so pleased by the Gators’ heated competition he said he is pondering playing all three QBs during next weekend’s season opener against Big Ten powerhouse...Edgar Thompson
- FSU LB Matthew Thomas could return ‘any day,’ Fisher says August 23, 2017Florida State starting linebacker Matthew Thomas and has not practiced with the Seminoles since the first week of preseason camp, but he is expected to return at some point before the season. When he will return, however, is still up in the air, according to head coach Jimbo Fisher. “All those...Safid Deen
- 49ers' Katie Sowers becomes first openly LGBT coach in NFL August 23, 2017Earlier this month, Katie Sowers became just the second woman hired by an NFL team as a full-time coach. The offensive assistant for the San Francisco 49ers made more history Tuesday, when she came out publicly as a lesbian in a report by Outsports, making her the first openly LGBT coach in league...Des Bieler
- St. Petersburg Bowl gets new sponsor, renamed Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl August 23, 2017The St. Petersburg Bowl will have a new title sponsor and a new name when the game kicks off on Dec. 21 at Tropicana Field. Bad Boy Mowers has agreed to sponsor the game, which will be renamed the Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl. ESPN, which is the game’s primary rights holder, announced the deal...Matt Murschel
- Winter Park man feeds off charitable drive during rare feat in Switzerland August 23, 2017After more than 26½ hours of racing crammed into one weekend, Chris Sadowski was tired. The Winter Park could not rest fully, though, not with the realization of why he was in Switzerland in the first place never far from his thoughts. It has been almost a month since Sadowski completed the 78-kilometer...Stephen Ruiz
- Jimbo Fisher prefers bigger, taller players in return game over smaller speedsters August 23, 2017Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher’s decision to have standout safety Derwin James and sophomore receiver Keith Gavin return kickoffs, and junior cornerback Tarvarus McFadden field punts was met with comical reaction after Tuesday’s practice. After all, football fans used to seeing smaller, fast-twitch...Safid Deen
- ESPN afflicted with Robert E. Lee phobia August 23, 2017Well that didn’t take long. I wrote this two days ago about the hysteria to remove all traces of the Confederacy from polite society and wondered what the virtuous forces would go after next: First they came for the statues. Then they came for the names. Now they’re coming for a horse? USC’s horse?...David Whitley
- FSU-Alabama showdown could use Jim McElwain’s mouth August 23, 2017If we’re lucky, Jim McElwain will get up at his press conference Wednesday and announce Florida’s starting quarterback will be …“I’m not saying until Jim Harbaugh tells us who is even on his roster. Come on, Jim. What are you worried about?”Harbaugh’s roster shenanigans aren’t really hampering...David Whitley
- UF receiver Freddie Swain’s focus, sacrifice earn him spot in rotation August 23, 2017UF receiver Freddie Swain just wanted to play football, catch passes, score touchdowns. Easy enough, the four-star recruit from Ocala figured. At the big-time college level, Swain’s casual approach was not going to cut it. Swain was sure-handed, a smooth route-runner and a fierce competitor, but...Edgar Thompson
- UCF linebacker Chequan Burkett juggles football, school and fatherhood August 23, 2017UCF linebacker Chequan Burkett and teammate Nate Evans were on their way back from Publix last week when he got the call: his wife was going into labor. “She said she had some pains in her back and she was like ‘I think he’s coming,’” Burkett recalled. While his wife, Megan, was having the baby...Christian Simmons
- Young Orlando City players work on leadership as veterans recover from injury August 22, 2017Orlando City shaved 23 years off its typical starting XI last week when the Columbus Crew came to town. Captain Kaká was not on the field due to red card suspension. Veteran defender Jonathan Spector missed his second game recovering from a knee injury and back-up captain Will Johnson limped off...Alicia DelGallo
- Most Florida high schools start football season without concussion-sensor technology August 22, 2017Football is in Florida’s blood.And with school back in session, the Friday night lights are once again lit.The whistle blows. The pads crunch. And teenagers give the game they love everything they have.Unfortunately, the adults who run most of the high school programs in Central Florida aren’t...Scott Maxwell
