Sports Day Tampa Bay

Rick and Steve preview Sunday night's Bucs-Bears game at Soldier Field. Rick says Chicago (6-2) has beaten both of last season's Super Bowl teams in the last two weeks, including a win in Seattle, and calls the Bears a real NFC contender with Caleb Williams getting better each year and Ben Johnson among the league's best play callers. Rick calls it a different weight class for the Bucs but says he still believes in Todd Bowles' defense. Alex Anzalone was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week, and Tampa Bay leads the league in takeaways. They talk about what Chicago's trade for Jeffery Simmons does to that defense, the Bears being on a short week after Seattle, and a schedule Rick says is the third easiest in the NFL the rest of the way. They also look ahead to the bye and then Detroit.The big question is the passing game. After 11 attempts in Carolina and none in the rain against Atlanta, Rick and Steve wonder how quickly Baker Mayfield (no glove on his healing thumb anymore) and a thin receiver room can get back in rhythm, with Emeka Egbuka possibly missing another game. Steve asks whether the offensive line, which has dominated as a run blocker, can handle pass protection against a defense coming at it. Rick credits Zac Robinson's heavy two- and three-tight-end looks and the blocking of rookie Bauer Sharp, and both hosts say the Bucs can't be one-dimensional against Chicago. Along the way Rick tells the story of how he once covered the White Sox in Chicago when it looked like they might move to the Tampa Bay area, until the Illinois governor stopped the legislature's clock and a new Comiskey Park was funded.After a Breitling Boutique sponsor read, Steve runs through a stacked college football Saturday, including Alabama at LSU, Miami at Notre Dame, Georgia at Ole Miss, Kentucky at Tennessee, and Texas at Missouri, with USF at ECU on Friday night and the Gators hosting Oklahoma. They mention the loss of Miami's Malachi Toney to surgery and say it is too early to worry about the first rankings. The mailbag covers why Coe Keefe is playing mostly on special teams, Rick's B-minus grade for the Bucs' 2026 draft class (Rueben Bain, Josiah Trotter, Keionte Scott, and Bauer Sharp), and whether Stamkos or Mike Evans was harder to lose (Rick says Evans, and Steve adds the Bucs never really replaced him). They wrap with a Lightning doubleheader, at Minnesota Saturday night and at Winnipeg Sunday before the Bucs kick off.SegmentsBucs at Bears preview: Caleb Williams, Ben Johnson, and the Bears' hot streakAnzalone and the Bucs defense vs. Chicago's offenseCan the Bucs pass again? Baker Mayfield's thumb, receivers, and pass protectionJeffery Simmons and the Bears defenseThe short week, the bye, and the schedule aheadSoldier Field, the White Sox story, and the Bears' futureZac Robinson's tight end sets and Bauer Sharp's blockingSponsor: Breitling Boutique, International PlazaCollege football slate: Utah, LSU, Notre Dame, Ole Miss, USF at ECU, and Florida vs. OklahomaMailbag: Ko Kieft and the tight endsMailbag: grading the Bucs' 2026 draft classMailbag: Stamkos or Mike Evans?Lightning doubleheader and sign-off

For the third straight day, Rick's former radio partner and longtime Tampa Bay Times columnist Tom Jones, now at the Poynter Institute, joins the show. Tom was up until 3 a.m. writing his newsletter after election night, so they start with the media coverage: how results come in so fast, the "magic boards" on CNN and NBC, the Associated Press and decision desks, and the New York Times needle. That leads to Tom's gripe of the day. Standing in front of the First Amendment engraved outside the Poynter building, he says he defends anyone's right to say what they want, but out-of-town critics who tell Tampa Bay it doesn't deserve a team can, in his words, "shut up."Rick takes the other side too. He says he can see why Yankees and Guardians fans would admire the Rays and wonder why more locals don't show up, and he talks about how players feel when the opposing team's fans take over the stadium. Tom and Rick get into the transient makeup of the market (Rick guesses the share of native Floridians is very small), whether it will ever change, Tom's sons (one in New York, one still in Tampa Bay) and their loyalties, exorbitant ticket prices and airline-style pricing, and Rick's decision to skip a pricey World Series game that turned into a 10-1 loss. They also wonder what a new stadium will do for attendance, and Rick says Bucs coach Todd Bowles gave the right answer when he asked about opposing fans: win more and you'll see fewer of them. Along the way Tom talks about being a Steelers fan and having to deal with Aaron Rodgers, why some national fans disliked the Rays (Rick and Tom point to the Junior Caminero bat flips), and why Yandy Diaz is one of his favorite Tampa Bay athletes.The second half is a college football conversation. Tom talks about Penn State firing James Franklin and hiring Matt Campbell, and recalls Jim Leavitt building USF from a trailer. Rick says paying players "through the front door" and the transfer era have made college football more like the NFL, with parity instead of Alabama-style super teams and few undefeated teams. Tom says players should be able to move the way coaches do, that ESPN has a stake in the debate, and that scholarships were never guaranteed. They bring up the injuries that change a player's life while the game moves on with the "next man up." They also cover Florida State's firing of Mike Norvell and his reported $50 million buyout, Tom's Jimbo Fisher radio memories, whether Fisher could return, and Tom's Lane Kiffin story. They close with a plug for Tom's biweekly Poynter podcast (past guests Rachel Maddow and Fox News' Jennifer Griffin, and a teased election-coverage guest he won't confirm), and a note that the pair just recorded two shows.SegmentsThird day with Tom Jones: election night media coverageHow results come in: magic boards, the AP, decision desks, and the New York Times needlePoynter, the First Amendment, and Tom's gripe about critics of Tampa BayIs Tampa Bay a good sports market? Natives, transplants, and opposing fansTom's sons, Rangers vs. Lightning, and who you root forTicket prices, Taylor Swift, and airline-style pricingThe new stadium, Charlie Crist, and "We are St. Pete"Players, visiting fans, and Todd Bowles' "when we start winning"Penn State, James Franklin, Jim Leavitt, and USF's trailer daysThe Rays as a fun team, bat flips, and Yandy DiazCollege football in the NIL and transfer era: parity, ESPN, and player freedomFootball injuries and "next man up"Mike Norvell's buyout, Jimbo Fisher, and Lane KiffinTom's podcast and a teased guest

Tom Jones, Rick's former radio partner and a longtime Tampa Bay Times columnist now at the Poynter Institute, is back for a second straight day. They open with old road stories (Rick's Milwaukee brats tale, Tom's Pittsburgh parallel, Appleton, Wisconsin, and a trip to Green Bay), then turn to the Bucs, who have three wins in the division, Chicago next, then a bye and a trip to Detroit. Rick lays out the four division games left (two against the Saints, Atlanta, and Carolina), figures nine wins will likely take the NFC South, and says Carolina is bad enough that Dave Canales' job could be in danger. He also says Michael Penix Jr. looked like he had never seen rain.With the Vikings suffering their first loss, Rick and Tom revisit the 1972 Dolphins and their champagne ritual, and Tom recalls the 1972 AFC title game in Pittsburgh, a week after the Immaculate Reception and on the night Roberto Clemente died. From there the group talks about the Chargers, Jim Harbaugh's future, and a hypothetical Justin Herbert trade (Steve floats the Ravens), then the huge drop-off from starting to backup quarterbacks, Dan Orlovsky's "three throws a game" line, Jalen Daniels' 1-for-2 day, Baker Mayfield's operational skill, and the toll injuries are taking on the NFL product. They credit Todd Bowles' defense for its takeaways and run defense, and say Chicago will test the Bucs' passing game, with Emeka Egbuka's availability a question.The back half is a media tour. Mike Tomlin is on NBC and may follow Bill Cowher into broadcasting, which leads to a chat about how coaches have no lives, Tom Brady as a Raiders part-owner and broadcaster, and Troy Aikman consulting with the Dolphins. They get into the reported Aikman–Joe Buck feud, using Brady's $370 million Fox deal as the benchmark, ESPN's possible options (Sean McVay, Greg Olsen, the Kelces), Aikman's ties to Jerry Jones, and Peyton Manning's media company. They end with Pat McAfee's pay and ESPN saturation, Michael Wilbon stepping aside for health reasons, the grind of a media career, a look at the show's own history (about 2,360 episodes, a September 2017 start as the Rick and Tom podcast, and ten years since the 2016 radio layoffs), and a plug for Tom's biweekly podcast and poynter.org.SegmentsWelcome back Tom Jones: Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, Appleton, and Green Bay storiesBucs division math: Chicago, the bye, Detroit, and four division games leftCarolina, Dave Canales, and Penix in the rainUndefeated teams, the 1972 Dolphins, and the 1972 AFC title game in PittsburghThe Chargers, Jim Harbaugh, and a hypothetical Justin Herbert tradeThe quarterback gap: starters vs. backups, Jalen Daniels, and Baker MayfieldNFL injuries and the quality of the productBowles, the Bucs defense, and Chicago as a passing-game testMike Tomlin on NBC and coaches who step awayTroy Aikman, Joe Buck, Tom Brady, and the ESPN/Fox broadcast marketPat McAfee, ESPN saturation, and Michael WilbonThe grind of a media careerSDTB milestones, Tom's podcast, and poynter.org

Rick's former radio partner and longtime Tampa Bay Times columnist Tom Jones, now at the Poynter Institute with his own podcast, drops by to talk about a wild few days in Tampa Bay sports. They start with the Bucs' 16-0 win over the Falcons, where Baker Mayfield completed zero passes, and Rick says nothing like it has been played since 1974 (Joe Ferguson's two attempts for the Bills while O.J. Simpson ran). That leads to old Monday Night Football highlights, Terry Bradshaw calling his own plays, and quarterbacks handing off 30-plus times a game. They then marvel at how hard it rained at Raymond James Stadium (not a drop during warmups, then a downpour right after the anthem), how poorly the field held up, and what Rick calls the NFLPA survey's failing grade for the playing surface. Along the way Tom explains why his St. Pete house stayed dry, and they trade Halloween stories, including childhood costumes in Pennsylvania, Heidi Klum's severed-hand getup, and horror movie marathons.The heart of the show is Nikita Kucherov. Tom says he understands both sides: Kucherov deserves to be paid like one of the NHL's best players, and the Lightning can't be blamed for balking at a massive contract for a 33-year-old who'd be 39 at the end of it. Rick and Tom wonder how his teammates really feel after Kucherov reportedly told them on the plane to Nashville that he had asked for a trade, why it became public in-season, whether it will hang over the locker room the way it did with Steven Stamkos, and if he really felt disrespected after only two conversations with Julien BriseBois. Steve points out that Kucherov wears an A and the team poured onto the ice when he broke the franchise scoring record, and the group debates his reluctance to speak to the media, the "Cooch being Cooch" culture around him, and what a real captain looks like (Tom's pick is Stamkos, with Derrick Brooks, Warren Sapp, and Gerald McCoy as other examples). Tom tells a story about the Lightning captain Dave Andreychuk keeping the whole team in the locker room after a bad loss at the old Nassau Coliseum so reporters could ask questions.They also take a look at the bigger picture: the Lightning's history of letting stars go (Stamkos, Marty St. Louis, Vincent Lecavalier), why a team that's trying to keep its window open doesn't want draft picks, Kucherov's playoff scoring, whether Steve is right that he'll end up in Vegas (Tom and Rick also think he won't be in Tampa Bay a year from now), how fans might react, and the chance BriseBois has to meet him in the middle or trade him in February if the Lightning fall out of the race. They finish with a plug for Tom's podcast, his guests (including Rachel Maddow and Fox News' Jennifer Griffin, and an upcoming one he can't reveal yet), the Elizabeth Holmes documentary he can't stop talking about, and a quick promise to be back tomorrow.SegmentsWelcome Tom Jones back to the showThe Bucs' no-completion win and old-school footballTerry Bradshaw and quarterbacks who called their own playsThe rainstorm and the state of the field at Raymond James StadiumHalloween stories and horror moviesKucherov's trade request: timing, reaction, and who's rightHow Kucherov's teammates really feelKucherov and the media: "Kuch being Kuch"What makes a captain: Stamkos, Brooks, Sapp, McCoy, and Dave AndreychukOne year from now: where will Kucherov play?Lightning history with stars, and the playoff scoring questionFan reaction and whether Kucherov will play hardWhy it went public, and the trade-deadline outlookTom Jones' podcast, guests, and the Elizabeth Holmes documentary

The Bucs beat the Falcons 16-0 in a downpour at Raymond James Stadium, and they did it without completing a single pass. Baker Mayfield attempted only three throws (none caught) while Bucky Irving and Kenneth Gainwell combined for 310 of a club-record 324 rushing yards on 56 team carries, the most by any NFL team since the 2010 Jets. Rick and Steve credit an offensive line that included Luke Goedeke's return and a sick Graham Barton, go through Irving's patient new style, and note that Irving and Gainwell are the first pair of teammates to each have 25 carries and 125 yards in a game. On the other side, Michael Penix Jr. had a miserable homecoming (8 of 24 for 125 yards and four interceptions, two to Alex Anzalone), and the Bucs defense keeps taking the ball away. The hosts say the weather helped Tampa Bay, but the Bucs handled it better than Atlanta did.The Bucs are now a half game behind Carolina with wins over both division rivals, and they look ahead to a tough trip to Chicago, followed by a bye and a trip to Detroit. The big question is the passing game: Emeka Egbuka may return in Chicago, Chris Godwin has all but disappeared, and Rick questions whether the receivers can make plays when the Bucs have to throw. They also touch on Baker Mayfield telling ESPN he "sucked" the first four weeks, Carolina firing its defensive coordinator, Dave Canales' job security, the Ravens' quarterback troubles after Lamar Jackson's injury, and a scary neck injury to Lions linebacker Jack Campbell, sending prayers.After a sponsor break, they turn to the biggest news of the weekend: Elliotte Friedman reported that Nikita Kucherov wants to be traded, and Steve walks through the contract math (an eight-year, $9.5 million-per-year deal that expires, reports of a roughly four-year, $15 million offer vs. a request for $17 to $20 million over six or seven years, and a market reset by Leo Carlsson's $18 million deal and Cale Makar's $20.4 million). The hosts discuss why Julien BriseBois says he won't trade him, why a contender isn't looking to rebuild with draft picks, what it means for the locker room, and whether it echoes the Steven Stamkos saga three years ago. They finish with Florida State's firing of Mike Norvell (with a buyout of about $50 million), how good the job is in today's college football, Florida's loss to Georgia, USF's 46 passing yards, and some Rays news: Taylor Walls wins his first Gold Glove, Drew Rasmussen's $20 million option is picked up, and Yandy Diaz's $13 million contract is finalized.SegmentsBucs beat the Falcons 16-0 in the rain without a completion324 rushing yards, Bucky Irving, Kenneth Gainwell, and the offensive lineMichael Penix Jr.'s four interceptionsNFC South standing: a half game behind CarolinaNext up: Chicago, the bye, and DetroitCan the Bucs pass? Receivers and Emeka EgbukaDefense: takeaways and an injury to Yaya DiabyBaker Mayfield's four-game turnaround and Daniels comparisonLamar Jackson, Jack Campbell, and Carolina's coaching hot seatSponsor: Breitling Boutique, International PlazaKucherov wants a trade: contract numbers and the marketJulien BriseBois, the Stamkos comparison, and why the Lightning won't rebuildLocker room impact, playoff criticism, and three possible outcomesFlorida State fires Mike NorvellFlorida loses to Georgia; USF's 46 passing yards at Raymond JamesRays notes: Taylor Walls' Gold Glove, Rasmussen's option, and Yandy Diaz's contractBaseball labor watch

It's Football Friday, Halloween is Saturday, and the clocks fall back, but first Rick and Steve put a bow on the Rays' season. Rick still thinks the team overachieved in every way, Steve says they probably reached the World Series a year or two early, and both worry about a likely lockout and what it does to the roster. They talk about the chemistry that carried the team (team dinners on the road, Nick Martinez's arrival, and a contrast with a talented Mets team where Lindor and Soto reportedly don't get along), whether the Rays can afford to re-sign Freddy Peralta and Martinez, how the CBA could change things with a salary floor, a cap, and shorter maximum contracts, and which prospects (Xavier Isaac, Brody Hopkins, and catcher Caden Bodine, who played at four levels this year) might help.Rick says Chandler Simpson showed "ice in his veins" in the playoffs and relays John Smoltz's view that Simpson will become a leadoff man, while Steve explains the analytics behind Yandy Diaz leading off and says the Rays' approach is to not give young players more than they can handle. They debate Junior Caminero's postseason (he hit the ball but not for home runs, and needs protection in the lineup), and Rick tells the Tom Brady story about being "brothers as champions" to show why losing a final is so tough when you don't know if the group will ever get back. Both then remember how far this franchise has come in a year, from playing at Steinbrenner Field with the roof off the Trop to being the best team in the American League.After a sponsor break, they turn to a big weekend in football, starting with Florida vs. Georgia in Atlanta (next year's game will be at Raymond James Stadium). They look at how first-year coach Jon Sumrall has handled a season that wobbled, the Gators' road win at Texas without their starting quarterback, a tough finish that includes Oklahoma, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, and Florida State, USF's game with UAB, Florida State hosting Clemson amid talk of a coaching change, and a Belichick-coached North Carolina team that could trap No. 1 Miami. Rick, who's lost his voice, then previews the Bucs' home game against the Falcons: Atlanta's strong run defense, Bijan Robinson, Drake London, Michael Penix Jr. (the NFC Player of the Week, playing in his hometown for the first time), a defense that Rick says is playing as well as any Bucs team since the Super Bowl era, takeaways (12, second in the league, and eight in the last three games), the 79 percent win rate of teams that win the turnover battle, the third-and-28 grudge, and Baker Mayfield's Kevin Stefanski chip. They end with the stat the Bucs would like to retire: the last Tampa Bay team to win at Raymond James Stadium was the Lightning.SegmentsFootball Friday: Halloween and daylight saving timeThe Rays' season in hindsight: overachieving and arriving earlyThe lockout, team chemistry, and the Mets' clubhouseRe-signing Peralta and Martinez, and the CBAProspects: Isaac, Hopkins, and Caden BodineChandler Simpson, the leadoff debate, and Caminero's postseasonTom Brady's "brothers as champions" speechFrom Steinbrenner Field to the AL's best teamSponsor: Breitling Boutique, International PlazaCollege football: Florida vs. Georgia in AtlantaJon Sumrall's first season and the Gators' remaining scheduleUSF-UAB, Florida State-Clemson, and Miami at Belichick's North CarolinaBucs vs. Falcons: Penix, Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Atlanta's run defenseThe Bucs' defense and the turnover battleThe remaining schedule, the NFC South race, and the last team to win at Raymond James

The Rays' World Series run is over. They lost to the Milwaukee Brewers in five games, and Rick and Steve look at it from both sides. Nobody expected this team to be here: Rick notes they weren't even picked to win the AL East, let alone win it by a lot and sweep the Yankees. But it's the third World Series the Rays have lost, and a loss like that doesn't go away. They credit Milwaukee (the best team in baseball, with a lineup Drew Rasmussen called relentless) and also point to what the Rays didn't do: score 12 runs in five games, hit .182, go 8 for 39 with runners in scoring position, and get what they needed from Junior Caminero, Jonathan Aranda, and Yandy Diaz. Chandler Simpson, who tied Randy Arozarena's franchise record with eight hits in a World Series, drew praise as the one player who did everything he could. Steve offers a stat about the Brewers' bottom of the order, where Cooper Pratt had six straight at-bats with a hit, while the Rays' seventh, eighth, and ninth hitters had six hits all series.They defend Kevin Cash ("When you don't hit, what do you want the manager to do?"), talk about whether Rasmussen's Game 5 start on short rest was a good call, and look at how Milwaukee learned from last year's NLCS sweep and finished the job. Rick and Steve look at a franchise that was displaced to a minor league park a year ago and is now going to the World Series, what needs to happen with the offseason pitching staff (Peralta and Martinez are likely gone, with Shane McClanahan and Ryan Pepiot possibly returning), and why a lockout could keep baseball away longer than anyone wants. Rick reflects on why they feel like they're coming back down a mountain, and Steve says it may have been the most fun Rays season he's seen (Rick says the 2008 team still edges it).The back half returns to the Tampa Bay sports market. Brewers fans took over the Trop for Games 4 and 5, and Rick makes the case that Tampa Bay is a young market built on newcomers: Steve estimates fewer than a third of residents are natives, the franchises date to 1976 at the earliest, and it's a tourism and healthcare economy. Steve compares it to Atlanta and points out how many former players still live here. They also note the six championship rounds in six years. Along the way they celebrate Joe Davis borrowing Bob Uecker's home run call for the Brewers' Cooper Pratt homer and the Williamson walk-off, with a Jack Buck/Joe Buck/Vin Scully history lesson, and applaud Taylor Walls for pushing back on a question after Game 4. After a sponsor break, the Bucs get their turn: Baker Mayfield's glove, strength against strength with Atlanta's run defense, the Bucs' second-in-the-league 12 takeaways, 13 sacks in three games, Michael Penix Jr.'s first game at Raymond James, Baker's chip against Kevin Stefanski, and the Bucs' search for their first home win.SegmentsThe Rays lose the World Series in five: a season nobody expectedDisappointment and credit for MilwaukeeCaminero, Aranda, Yandy, and the offensive strugglesChandler Simpson's World SeriesCooper Pratt, the Brewers' bottom of the order, and the MVP12 runs in five games: why the Rays lostDefending Kevin CashLooking ahead: Neander, the pitching staff, and the lockoutThe mountain after the season: why it's so hard to get backBrewers fans take over the Trop and Tampa Bay's market identityTampa Bay's run of championship roundsJoe Davis, Bob Uecker, and baseball broadcasting historyTaylor Walls pushes back on a postgame questionSponsor: Breitling Boutique, International PlazaBucs preview: Baker Mayfield, takeaways, and the Falcons

The Tampa Bay Rays finally have a World Series moment. Ben Williamson's Baltimore chop over the first baseman ended a 12-inning Game 4 and cut Milwaukee's lead to 3-1, and Rick and Steve (who was at the Trop) take it from the top. Brewers rookie Cooper Pratt led off the 12th with a home run, the first rookie ever to hit an extra-inning homer in a World Series, and Ian Seymour was the one who gave it up. But Milwaukee, sending out pitchers who hadn't thrown in 12 days, let the Rays back in: Joey Ortiz committed an error to start the inning, Junior Caminero reached and limped from first to third, Cedric Mullins pinch ran, Johnny DeLuca delivered a bases-loaded tying single up the middle, and Williamson (who had been waiting with a helmet for five innings) ended it. The hosts break down the pinch-running choices, the Brewers fans who looked ready to party and ended up stunned, and why a game like this might loosen up a Rays team that looked tight.They look ahead to tonight's Game 5, with Jacob Misiorowski on the mound for Milwaukee and the Rays deciding between an opener and a bullpen game (Steve guesses Steven Matz). They talk about Caminero's leg, Kevin Cash saying he's fine, the importance of putting the "three aircraft carriers" back at the top of the order, and a run-scoring drought in which the Rays have scored in just seven of 39 innings and had a crooked number in only two of them. They credit Tyler Wells and Griffin Jacks (who might have been left in one batter too long), the diving catches from DeLuca and Chandler Simpson, and Rick and Steve discuss Richie Palacios' throws from second base. Rick says nothing like this has been done before, which Steve points out was true until Boston did it in 2004, and both agree the pressure would shift squarely onto the Brewers if the Rays win one more at home.The second half takes a turn into Tampa Bay itself: Milwaukee fans filled the Trop (a thousand cases of Miller and Coors Light went through Ferg's in a single day), and the hosts respond to national critics who rip the market. Steve notes that roughly 60,000 Wisconsin transplants live in the Tampa metro, that the Rays, Lightning, and Bucs are young franchises in a young market, and that the real problem is transit and traffic (he spent an hour getting to the Trop and an hour and a half getting home). After a sponsor break, they praise the former Rays who turned up for Game 4 (Evan Longoria threw out the first pitch, with Chris Archer, Zach Eflin, Taj Bradley, and Tyler Glasnow in the stands), predict a big contract for Freddy Peralta, and then switch to the Bucs: Baker Mayfield's glove, the Colts' fire sale (Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner are gone, and Jonathan Taylor may be next), the Panthers' trip to Green Bay on Thursday night, a must-win game against Atlanta, and a Sunday night date in Chicago.SegmentsRays win Game 4 in 12 innings: the walk-off and how it happenedCooper Pratt's home run, Ian Seymour, and Milwaukee's miscuesCaminero's injury, pinch-running decisions, and Cash's benchMilwaukee fans in the Trop and the rally-towel mix-upResilience: why this Rays team can still believeGame 5 outlook: Misiorowski, who starts for the Rays, and Rasmussen's restThe run drought and defense behind the pitchersPalacios' throwing and a mental-block storyBrewers fans take over: Ferg's, Wisconsin transplants, and Tampa Bay's fan reputationTraffic, I-275, and getting out of the TropBoston 2004 and a first for everythingWorld Series ratings and the game within the gameSponsor: Breitling Boutique, International PlazaFormer Rays in attendance and Freddy Peralta's coming paydayBucs back at practice: Baker's glove, the Colts' fire sale, and the road ahead