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2 SPORTS SATURDAY, JULY 13, 2002 THE TAMPA TRIBUNE TBO.com HOMETOWN REPORT CLOSE-UP FSL's T-Yanlcs oane Riahfr At Home Wfth Fourquestions with Kansas City ChiejsAll-Pro tight endTony Gonzalez, who played college bas Sporting News. He's among the nation's top 100 seniors according to Tom Lemming's Prep Football Report. Lemming al Division. Seoane was named manager of the Western Team for the June 18 FSL All-Star Game at Dunedin Stadium. Seoane, the second baseman on Miami's national championship team in 1982, played professionally in the Yankees' organization during the mid-1980s.

He was a coach and manager for the Angels (mostly in Class A) until 2000, when he joined the Yankees. Ironically, the Tampa Yankees' general manager, Sammy Arena, also is a Tampa Catholic graduate. "It's a unique situation because our families have been friends for a long, long time," Arena said. "I'm excited to have Mitch here. The players know exactly where they stand with him.

"This isn't like coaching high school or college. These guys are playing for their jobs and trying to get to the big leagues. Mitch does a nice job charting the course for them, then he expects them to be professionals and produce." ketball at California and is playing for the Miami Heat in the Orlando NBA summer league this week in his effort to sign with an NBA team. His plan is to be the first man to play in the NFL and the NBA: QYou had 11 rebounds in your first game. Was rebounding a strong part of your game when you played in college? A That's pretty much been my game, rebounding and defense.

Hitting the open shot wasn't part of it Wednesday, when he went 0-for-7 from the floor, but rebounding is always something I know I can fall back on. I'm 6-5, 250 pounds. These basketball players are around 6-7, 200 pounds, so I know I can move them. By JOEY JOHNSTON jjohnstontampatrib.com For most of his baseball life, Mitch Seoane has packed his belongings in February and headed to Cactus League spring training. Later, it was off to distant outposts in the Midwest League, California League, Texas League or Pacific Coast League.

This season has been different Seoane, manager of the Class A Tampa Yankees in the Florida State League, now works at Legends Field. That's five minutes from his home. His father, Manuel, attends each home game and sits behind home plate. Afterward, Seoane can go to dinner with longtime buddies. "The Yankees really treat their players and people well, so it's a privilege to be here," said Seoane, 41, who played second base on Tampa Catholic's Class 3A state championship team in 1979.

"It's all about winning here. We want to develop players and send them higher in the system. But the organization really wants to win at all levels and that's our goal, too." That's evident when visiting the Legends Field clubhouse. As players head for the dugout, they see a large quote from Gen. Douglas MacArthur: so lists former Plant wk mikc wimams, who is headed to Southern California, as one of the nation's top 100 incoming freshmen.

Happy birthday to former Chamberlain High and Florida football player Eugene (Dazzling McCaslin, who is trying to make the Bucs' roster as a LB. Friday, McCaslin turned 25. In addressing some hostile fan response to second-year men's basketball coach Perry Clark, University of Miami athletic director Paul Dee told CaneSport Magazine that many Hurricane fans favored the hiring of USF coach Seth Greenberg, a former UM assistant who interviewed with Dee in the summer of 2000. "I like Seth," Dee said. "I interviewed Seth.

He and I met privately over in Sarasota. We went to a bagel shop at 7 in the morning and we were still there at 10 when the guy changed from cream cheese to ham. We had a really good, solid conversation." To report local sports news, milestones, updates or happenings, call Joey Johnston at (813) 259-7353 or send an e-mail 1 1 ui Tribune photo by MARK GUSS Tampa Yankees manager Mitch Seoane played on Tampa Catholic's state championship team in 1979. "There Is No Substitute For Victory." So far, so good. The Yankees won the first-half title in the FSL's Western LOCAL NOTES: Jefferson WR Andre Caldwell is rated among the nation's top 25 college football prospects by The QWhat was your favorite sport when you were a kid? Alt was basketball and football, just like now.

I guess football is my true love. It has to be, because that's my job. But basketball has always been a big part of what I do. QDo your football skills help you on the basketball court? Alt helps in rebounding. Moving a 300-pound All-Pro defensive end, guys like Michael Strahan and Reggie White, makes it a lot easier when I come out here and I've got to move these tall, lanky guys.

You've played in summer leagues before. How does this experience compare? A This is my third time doing this. Last year, I was on a free-agent team and averaged over 20 points and 10 rebounds, so this is nothing new to me. But this is better competition. It's more structured.

It's guys with contracts in the NBA. It's harder to get playing time. Before I came down here, they told me I'd go one day on, one day off. They haven't treated me like a football player. They've said I won't get any special treatment, and I don't want any.

I want people to take me seriously. As far as trying to play professional basketball, if I can't get it done this year, I'll be done with it. GaryHaber TONIGHTS GAME WHO: Tampa Bay Storm (4-8) at Detroit Fury (1-11) WHENWHERE: Tonight, The Palace of Auburn Hills TVRADIO: Sunshine Network; WDAE, 620 AM NOTES: The Storm last played the Fury on May 18, 2001, winning 41-14 and setting a record for for fewest rushing yards allowed (minus 7). The team also recorded four sacks, forced three fumbles and didn't allow a passing touchdown. Tampa Bay is in a must-win situation.

The Storm must win this week and next and get help from other teams if they are to extend their postseason run to 12 consecutive years. Eddie Daniels 'e 'Oil A r- Is v. xv The Associated Press CYCLING Maurice Greene, left, doing his best Michael Jordan impression, beats out Tim Montgomery in the 100-meter race at the Golden Gala in Rome. Armstrong Leaves Sprinting To Others In Tour De France FOOTBALL Bucs Release WR Poole After Signing Him In March TAMPA Wide receiver Keith Poole was released Friday by the Bucs, less than four months after he signed. Poole has played five seasons in the NFL, making 26 starts for New Orleans between 1997 and 2000, and with Denver in 2001.

He has 96 career receptions for 1,734 yards and 1 1 touchdowns. After the Bucs signed free agents Joe Jurevicius and Keenan McCardell and drafted Michigan's Marquise Walker, there was little room for Poole on the roster. Poole has been bothered by a hamstring pull. Ex-Packer Levens Signs Contract With Eagles PHILADELPHIA Dorsey Levens, the fourth-leading rusher in Green Bay history, signed a one-year contract with the Eagles. The 6-foot-1, 230-pound Levens was looking to get more playing time than he did in Green Bay.

Philadelphia was looking for a rurining back to replace Correll Buckhalter, who will miss the season with a knee injury, and possibly split time with Duce Staley. FALCONS: Waived wide receiver Jeff Graham, who failed to show up for mandatory minicamp earlier this week, and signed eight-year veteran Willie Jackson to take his place. The Falcons signed Graham to a one-year contract in April but a month later his name was listed on a federal search warrant connected to cocaine bust in Dayton, Ohio. He has not been charged with a crime. CHARGERS; Signed wide receiver Terry Charles, a fifth-round draft pick.

STEELERS: Signed cornerback LaVar Glover, a seventh-round draft pick. TRACK AND FIELD SOUND OFF Regarding Hootie Johnson's lashing out at the women's groups who are requesting that Augusta National accept female members before next year's tournament: I think Hootie should take the offensive and order that Masters tournaments no longer admit women spectators. That will show those uppity ladies who is in charge once and for all, by golly. JIM LYMAN Lutz with her first competitive match in more than six months. Davenport, the No.

9 player in the world, made her comeback in the not-so-serious confines of World Team Tennis as a member of the New York Buzz in a match against the Hartford FoxForce. She won 12 of 22 games in a combination of women's singles, mixed doubles and women's singles. WNBA Greene's time, just short of his world record of 9.79, followed some lackluster performances by the reigning world and Olympic champion, who won at the Gaz de France last week after two consecutive losses. Marion Jones clinched her third consecutive Golden League win in the women's 100, clocking 10.89 on the stadium's newly fitted track. Gail Devers won her seventh consecutive race of the season with a 12.51 in the 100 hurdles.

As in Jones' case, the victory kept the Devers, 35, in contention for a share of the Golden League jackpot of 1 10 pounds of gold, worth about $500,000. Athletes who win their events in the seven Golden League meets qualify for a share of the prize. TENNIS let others do the sprinting in the Tour de France. Armstrong, seeking a fourth consecutive Tour title, finished the sixth stage in 72nd place, in the same time as winner Erik Zabel of Germany. The 30-year-old Armstrong is expected to concentrate on his strengths individual time trials and mountain stages.

"You won't see Lance attacking in these flat stages and wasting his energy," said Jogi Muller, spokesman for Armstrong's U.S. Postal Service team. The next time trial is Monday, and the first of six mountain stages in the 2 1 -day Tour takes place Thursday. Zabel, of the Telekom team, won the 123.7-mile run through the cow pastures and red-brick villages of SAY WHAT? OFFICER SHAQ: Basketball star Sha- quille O'Neal wants to be a police officer. O'Neal has been designated a second-class reserve officer by the police department of the Port of Los Angeles, the Daily Breeze reported.

O'Neal, 30, Normandy from Forges-les-Eaux to Alencon in 4 hours, 23 minutes and 7 seconds. SOCCER O'Neal Norwegian Team Will Pay norfafftre Tn Wafrh Kama Byears, Marciniak Suspended For Their Part In Fight NEW YORK Latasha Byears and Michelle Marciniak were suspended by the WNBA fortheirpartina fight Thursday night. Byears, of the champion Los Angeles Sparks, was suspended for two games and fined $1,000. Marciniak, of the Seattle Storm, got a one-game suspension and a $500 fine. Allison Feaster scored all but four of her 19 points on 3-pointers and Tammy Sutton-Brown added 18 points as the Charlotte Sting beat the Orlando Miracle 72-67.

Mwadi Mabika scored 32 points and DeLisha Milton converted a 3-point play with 26 seconds remaining in overtime as the Los Angeles Sparks ended Portland's franchise-record seven-game vanning streak with an 82-76 victory against the Fire. Rookie Swin Cash scored 14 of her 18 points in the second half to lead the Detroit Shock to a 72-69 victory against the Minnesota Lynx. Sheri Sam had 15 points and 10 rebounds to lead Miami to its sixth win in seven games. Indiana rookie Tamika Catchings, a starter in next week's WNBA All-Star game, suffered a concussion in the first half and never returned as the Miami Sol beat the Fever, 68-62. has completed enough training to fight crime with senior officers and carry a gun.

"He can now ride as a second man in a port police car not that he can fit in it," city councilwom-an Janice Hahn said about the 7-1, 350-pound athlete. O'Neal's work with the department also is considered a good recruitment tool for new officers, she added. WTA Rejects Claims Doping Is Rife In Sport ST. PETERSBURG The governing body of women's tennis rejected claims by a top Australian doping official that use of performance-enhancing substances is rife in professional tennis and anti-doping programs are ineffective. "We categorically reject the claim that the success or physical condition of women's tennis players today is proof of rampant drug use," the WTA said in a statement.

Australian Sports Drug Agency (AS-DA) chief executive John Mendoza told The Australian newspaper that tennis authorities were living in a "fool's paradise" if they didn't recognize doping was widespread. DAVENPORT RETURNS: Lindsay Davenport tested her repaired right knee Greene, Jones, Devers Lead Pack At Golden Gala ROME Maurice Greene ran the fastest 100 meters of the year, clocking 9.89 seconds at the Golden Gala. "The dog came out a little today. But as the year goes on, you'll see more dog," the world record-holder said, pointing to a bulldog tattooed on his left arm. Greene led all the way in beating fellow American Tim Montgomery, who was second in 9.94 at Rome's Stadio Olimpico.

OSLO, Norway Norwegian soccer team Harstad Sports Club is taking the term "paying customers" literally. The club team from Harstad, a town of 23,000 people 155 miles north of the Arctic Circle, will pay spectators $1.39 each to showup for today's match against second division rival Staalkameratene. "For our recent games, less than 100 people have shown up, and we want to attract more," said Gunnar Berg, a member of the club's board. "Second division soccer is not exactly what draws the big crowds. We hope this will do something for the team." A staff and wire report HONORS GRAYS GET A BRIDGE: The Homestead Grays, a Negro League baseball team, had a bridge named in their honor in their western Pennsylvania hometown.

Some believe dedicating the span that leads into the suburb just east of Pittsburgh is an overdue tribute to a team that included Hall of Famers Josh Gibson and "Smokey" Joe Williams. When Allegheny County and Homestead borough officials signed legislation Thursday to change the name of the Homestead Hi-Level Bridge to the Homestead Grays Bridge, Elija D. Miller couldn't contain his excitement. The 95-year-old Homestead resident was the Grays' backup bat-boy in 1926. "They call me 'Lucky' and I'm lucky to be here," Miller said.

The Grays existed for about 40 years from 1912. The Associated Press HOW TO CONTACT US Deputy Sports Editor Nick Pugliese, (813) 259-7854, dpugliesetampatrib.com Pro FootballHockeyMotorsports: Steve Komacki, (813) 259-7858, skornackitampatrib.com CollegesGolfParimutuels: Mike Pennetti, (813) 259-7893, mpennettitampatrib.com High Schools: Rozel Lee, (813) 259-8425, rleetampatrib.com Local SportsSoccer Michael Harris, (813) 259-7302, mharristampatrib.com Outdoors: Frank Sargeant, (813) 259-8423, fsargeantampabay.rr.com Columnist: Martin Fennelly, (813) 259-7352, mfennellytampatrib.com Our address: Sports, The Tampa Tribune, 200 S. Parker Tampa FL 33606-2395 To call Senior Editor for Sports Rick "Duke" Maas: (813) 259-7753 To send comments and ideas through e-mail: sportstampatrib.com Sports fax: (813) 259-8148 To report results: (813) 259-7655 as soon as possible after the event For information about The Tampa Tribune's news departments: (813) 259-7600.