An NCAA men's basketball championship for a "football school" was a huge accomplishment for Florida. But now the Gators have a chance to do what no college has done mdash; simultaneously hold NCAA titles in football and men's basketball. Unranked in the pre-season for the first time since 1997, coach Billy Donovan's Gators went 33-6, including a 73-57 win against UCLA in the final for Florida's first basketball title.
Coach Urban Meyer's football team won the SEC title, defeating Arkansas 38-28 in the championship game, went 12-1 and moved into the No. 2 slot in the BCS standings after USC lost to UCLA. Now it all comes down to the Jan.
8 game in Glendale, Ariz., against No. 1 Ohio State.
2. The Heat is on
The way the Miami Heat's 2005-06 season began, there was little reason to expect greatness. Center Shaquille O'Neal went down with a sprained right ankle in just the second game, and Stan Van Gundy mysteriously resigned as coach in December, fueling speculation that team President Pat Riley had forced him out.
Even Riley's return to the bench wasn't a cure-all. The Heat struggled against good opposition, the low point being a 36-point drubbing by the Dallas Mavericks. That seemed to wake up the team, which reeled off a 10-game winning streak and won the Southeast Division title.
Then the Heat dispatched Chicago, New Jersey and Detroit in the playoffs, leading to a Finals matchup with Dallas. The Mavericks won the first two games, but the Heat, led by Finals MVP Dwyane Wade, took the next four to win its first NBA title.
3.
Hurricanes implode
After more than 20 years as one of the nation's top college football teams, the University of Miami endured a nightmare season. The Hurricanes' 6-6 record was the school's worst since a 5-6 mark compiled under NCAA sanctions in 1997. On an Orange Bowl field where the 'Canes once were invincible, they lost their opener 13-10 to Florida State, were spit at by angry fans after a 17-10 loss against Virginia Tech and brawled with crosstown rival Florida International.
But the low point of the season was the loss of senior defensive tackle Bryan Pata, who was shot and killed outside his apartment in November. Coach Larry Coker was fired after the regular season and replaced by defensive coordinator Randy Shannon.
4.
Daunte's inferno
They won their last six games in 2005. They traded for former Pro Bowl quarterback Daunte Culpepper. They had a season of Nick Saban's coaching under their belt.
They were the fashionable darkhorse choice to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. But once they started playing the games for real, the Dolphins showed that 2006 was going to be just another reprise of the previous four playoff-less seasons. Clearly not recovered from his November 2005 knee surgery, Culpepper played four games before being replaced by Joey Harrington.
Miami lost six of its first seven games, rallied to win four in a row, but was knocked out of playoff contention with a loss to Buffalo. Two lingering questions: Who will play quarterback, and will Saban return or bolt for Alabama? Stay tuned.
5. More Marlins melodrama
After the Marlins divested themselves of almost all their stars in another payroll purge, they were left with the youngest and lowest-paid team in the majors. Predictably, they started poorly, losing 31 of their first 42 games.
But under new manager Joe Girardi, youngsters such as shortstop Hanley Ramirez, pitcher Anibal Sanchez and second baseman Dan Uggla began to blossom. Sanchez pitched the majors' only no-hitter, Ramirez was named National League Rookie of the Year and Girardi was named NL Manager of the Year. The Marlins became the first team to climb above .
500 after being 20 games under that mark. They finished 78-84. The biggest news, however, was made off the field, where Girardi feuded with owner Jeffrey Loria and was fired.
Fredi Gonzalez takes over next year.
6. Glory for the Glades
Florida's high school state championship games were played at Dolphin Stadium, but it might as well have been the shores of Lake Okeechobee, to judge by the results.
Glades Central, Glades Day and Pahokee turned Miami Gardens into a virtual "Muck City" by winning their respective classes, and Clewiston came within a triple-overtime loss of a Muck City sweep. Glades Central, which had endured an uncharacteristic three-loss season, defeated Pensacola-Pine Forest 39-27 to take the Class 3A championship. Glades Day, under new coach Pete Walker, thumped Tallahassee-North Florida Christian 42-9 to win the 1A title, and Pahokee, which had lost the championship game in 2005, beat Ocala-Trinity Catholic 25-11 to take the 2B crown.
Clewiston fell 27-24 to Jacksonville-Bolles in Class 2A.
7. Golf winds of change
The annual arrival of the professional golf tours in South Florida used to be as consistent as it was predictable.
Doral and Honda would kick off the PGA Tour's spring Florida swing with full-field events, and the LPGA Tour would conclude its season in November at Trump International. But 2006 brought some fundamental changes and heralded more to come in '07. The Honda Classic, already braced for a move from Mirasol to PGA National, saw its operating foundation dissolved and replaced by a group headed by the Nicklaus family.
The PGA Tour's new FedEx Cup schedule for '07 shifted the Honda to the first event on the Florida swing. Doral was turned into a limited-field World Golf Championship event and given the final slot on the Florida swing, formerly occupied by The Players Championship, which is moving its dates to May. The LPGA Tour reduced the ADT Championship's final-day field to eight players competing for a $1 million first prize.
And the Champions Tour announced it will return to South Florida this year with the Allianz Championship in February.
8. Hi, neighbor
Tiger Woods already was docking his yacht in Palm Beach County, so it shouldn't have surprised anyone in January when it was revealed he had bought a 10-acre property on Jupiter Island for $38 million and planned to move there from his primary residence near Orlando.
In August it came out that Woods added 1.7 acres for $6.5 million.
Of course, it isn't as if he can't afford it. In a year in which he lost his father, Earl, to cancer, Woods still won eight tournaments mdash; including six in a row beginning with the British Open mdash; earned $9.9 million and was named Male Athlete of the Year by The Associated Press.
9. New faces, old results
After going 21-14-6 in the second half of last season, the Panthers believed they were poised to make a serious run at their first playoff berth since 2000. General Manager Mike Keenan traded Florida's best player, goalie Roberto Luongo, to Vancouver in a five-player deal that netted goal-scoring forward Todd Bertuzzi.
But Keenan was gone before the season began, forced to resign in September, and Bertuzzi has missed most of the season with a back injury. Forward Joe Nieuwendyk retired Dec. 6 because of a bad back.
And the Panthers find themselves in a familiar position mdash; looking up at the rest of the Southeast Division.
10. "A very, very sad day"
On the morning of the Toyota Indy 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, there were plenty of season-opening story lines for the Indy Racing League.
Would the Penske duo of Sam Hornish Jr. and Helio Castroneves dominate the race and possibly the season? Would Danica Patrick, starting from the No.
3 position, win her first race? But a few hours before the race started, all of that was forgotten. During the morning practice session, driver Paul Dana was killed in a two-car crash.
Dana, a rookie, slammed into a stopped car at nearly 200 mph. He and driver Ed Carpenter were flown to a Miami hospital. Carpenter, 25, appeared to have no injuries, but Dana, 30, was pronounced dead.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the Dana family and all of Rahal Letterman Racing," Dan Wheldon said after winning the race. "It's a very, very sad day."
1.
Derby winner fights for life
The cards and letters poured in by the thousands, even though the recipient mdash; a horse mdash; will never be able to read them. Barbaro had won the Kentucky Derby by the largest margin in 60 years and appeared poised to become the first Triple Crown winner since 1978. But while millions of TV viewers watched in shock, he shattered his right hind leg coming out of the gate in the Preakness.
Five hours of surgery were needed to give him a chance to live. On Dec. 13, Dean Richardson, chief surgeon at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center in Kennett Square, Pa.
, said Barbaro might be released "in the not-so-distant future."
2. Zidane butts in
The head can be an effective weapon in soccer, but rarely in the literal sense.
But that was the case in the World Cup final between France and Italy when French superstar Zinedine Zidane head-butted Italian defender Marco Materazzi in the chest during extra time. Zidane, a three-time World Player of the Year, was thrown out of the match, and Italy eventually won on penalty kicks. But the biggest question lingered long after the match: What did Materazzi say to provoke Zidane?
After initial speculation that he had called Zidane a terrorist, the Italian admitted to making a suggestive remark about Zidane's sister.
3. Bonds passes The Babe
When Barry Bonds hit his 715th career home run May 28 off Colorado's Byung-Hyun Kim in San Francisco, he took over second place on the all-time list behind Hank Aaron's 755.
It marked the first time since 1921 that Babe Ruth, whose 714 homers Bonds had tied May 20 with a blast off Brad Halsey in Oakland, was not No. 1 or 2 on the home-run list. Even as he moved closer to Aaron mdash; Bonds finished the season with 734 homers mdash; the Giants slugger continued to be dogged by basball's steroid controversy and possible legal woes.
He received good news in July when the federal grand jury considering possible perjury and tax-evasion charges against him expired without an indictment. Reaching agreement on a one-year, $16 million contract ensures that Bonds, 42, will remain in a Giants uniform for a 15th season in 2007 as he pursues the 22 homers he needs to pass Aaron.
4.
Landis derailed in Tour
Could a Lance Armstrong-less Tour de France continue to hold the interest of American sports fans? That was the question going into the Tour a year after the retirement of seven-time champion Armstrong. Then along came a former Armstrong teammate to score a stunning victory.
Floyd Landis' background mdash; he was raised in a strict Mennonite community without TV or radio mdash; made his story a heartwarming one, until it was revealed he failed a drug test during the Tour. Landis has steadfastly maintained his innocence. Even if he is cleared, he said, he may be done as a bike racer.
5. Done in by a driver
First, he was "the best player never to win a major." Then, after Phil Mickelson won the 2004 Masters, skeptics wondered whether he'd be a one-major wonder.
But with victories in the 2005 PGA and 2006 Masters and a lead going to the final hole of the U.S. Open, Mickelson suddenly was the best player period.
Then it all fell apart. Needing only a par to win his third consecutive major, something only Tiger Woods had done in the past 50 years, Mickelson sliced his drive off a hospitality tent, hit a tree with his second shot and made a double-bogey.
6.
Agassi says goodbye
Andre Agassi came to the U.S. Open already having determined it was time to give his 36-year-old ailing back a rest.
But first he wanted to give his fans one more show, and he treated them to an unforgettable performance. He defeated Andrei Pavel and Marcos Baghdatis before falling in four sets to Benjamin Becker, a German-born former NCAA champ at Baylor. "Over the last 21 years, I have found loyalty," a tearful Agassi told a crowd of 23,700 people who gave him a three-minute standing ovation.
"You have pulled for me on the court and also in life." Agassi ended a 21-year career as the only man to win all four Grand Slams and an Olympic gold medal. He is the only man to rank in the top 10 in three different decades, and the oldest man (33) to be ranked No.
1.
7. Super Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers had to win their final four 2005 regular-season games just to make the playoffs.
Once they got into the post-season, they did something no other team had done mdash; win three consecutive road games, then the Super Bowl. After overcoming a 10-point deficit to beat Cincinnati, they stunned Indianapolis, surviving a late-game fumble by Jerome Bettis. Then they won the AFC Championship Game in Denver.
Their 21-10 victory over the Seahawks gave the Steelers their first Super Bowl title in 26 years. The drama wasn't over, though. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger survived a serious off-season motorcycle accident and an emergency appendectomy that kept him from playing in the 2006 opener against the Dolphins, but the Steelers endured a lackluster season and missed the playoffs.
8. Texas denies USC
It was a storybook BCS championship matchup. USC and Texas had started the season ranked 1-2, and that's where they were ranked going into their national championship showdown in the Rose Bowl.
USC, winner of 34 in a row and seeking an unprecedented third consecutive title, was led by two Heisman Trophy winners mdash; Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush. Texas, winner of 19 straight, had quarterback Vince Young, runner-up to Bush in the Heisman voting. The Trojans were favored by a touchdown, but as Texas coach Mack Brown said the day before the game, "We don't have to be the best team of all time, just tomorrow night.
" That's just what happened, too, as Young ran for an 8-yard touchdown with 19 seconds left and the Longhorns won 41-38.
9. New leadership for NFL
For the first time since 1989, the NFL went into a season with a new commissioner.
Roger Goodell, the NFL's chief operating officer for the past six years, was elected Aug. 8 to succeed the retiring Paul Tagliabue. Goodell, 47, took over a league in transition.
The TV package had changed, with NBC returning after eight years and broadcasting Sunday night games. The Monday Night Football franchise went to ESPN. And for the first time, regular-season games were shown on the NFL Network, a channel many cable subscribers don't get.
More change is on the way on Goodell's watch mdash; in October NFL owners approved a plan to play some regular-season games abroad mdash; beginning next season.
10. Another uneasy Ryder
As it always does, the U.
S. team went into the Ryder Cup optimistic about its chances to defeat Europe. And as has almost always happened during the past decade, the Americans went home bitterly disappointed.
Europe's 18w-9w decision in Ireland matched the 2004 score as the biggest blowout by the Europeans. Two months later, U.S.
officials named Paul Azinger the captain for 2008 and changed the selection process. Whether those moves will be enough to revive the U.S.
team remains to be seen.
"I am such an idiot."
Phil Mickelson, after making double-bogey on the final hole of the U.
S. Open when a par would have given him the title.
"None of it's printable.
Sometimes you don't have to be coherent as long as it's loud enough and profane enough."
Paul Maurice, Toronto coach, after a Maple Leafs win
"I think we can go home and turn on Classic NBA. It will be on there already.
That's the best game I have ever seen."
Mike D'Antoni, Phoenix coach, after the Suns' 161-157 double-overtime victory over New Jersey
"I think I've said, 'amazing,' about 1,000 times."
Justin Morneau, Twins first baseman, after learning he edged Yankees captain Derek Jeter for the AL MVP
"I hope I look like that when I'm 43.
I'll probably be in a wheelchair."
"Terrell has 25 million reasons why he should be alive."
Kim Etheredge, Terrell Owens' publicist, referring to the receiver's salary with the Cowboys to dismiss reports of a suicide attempt
"It's the first time I've played with him since he's been Tiger.
Last time I played with him, he was still Eldrick."
Jason Gore, who was paired with Tiger Woods, his friend from junior golf days in California, at the Bridgestone Invitational
"I don't like baseball caps, because they're too easy to throw. I make bad decisions when I get angry.
I have a lot of pride in my straw hat, so I don't want to rip it up and throw it."
Nick Saban, Dolphins coach
"I'm not retiring. I am graduating.
Today is my graduation day. Retirement means that you'll just go ahead and live on your laurels and surf all day in Oceanside. It ain't going to happen.
"
Junior Seau, former Dolphins linebacker who announced his retirement on a Monday and then agreed to a contract with New England four days later.
"They don't even have enough to indict a ham sandwich, let alone Barry Bonds."
Michael Rains, Bonds' attorney, after hearing the news that the slugger would not be indicted by a grand jury
"I did insult him, it's true.
But I categorically did not call him a terrorist. I'm not cultured and I don't even know what an Islamic terrorist is."
Marco Materazzi, Italian soccer player who acknowledged he insulted Zinedine Zidane before the French captain head-butted him in the World Cup final
"I packed one suit, one shirt and one tie.
That's it."
Pat Riley, Heat coach, who claimed he never considered the possibility Miami wouldn't finish the Mavs in Game 6
"I always like to pass. For one, you get two 'oohs' on the play, one on the pass and one on the bucket.
"
LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers star
"Excuse me while I disappear."
John Chaney, announcing his retirement after 24 seasons coaching basketball at Temple University
"I didn't feel my inner peace, I didn't feel my aura. Inside I was black.
"
Johnny Weir, U.S. champion, after finishing fifth in the men's figure skating competition at the Olympics
"We're going to kill somebody.
Somebody else is going to die at Daytona or Talladega with what we're doing right here. I hope I'm not around when it happens."
Tony Stewart, about bump-drafting, which he thinks is out of control, especially at Daytona and Talladega.
"She's going to make a cut eventually. She's never going to win, period. Maybe once she makes a cut, she'll forget about it.
"
Mark Calcavecchia, on Michelle Wie playing in PGA Tour events
Roger Federer: The tennis star went 92-5 this year and won 12 singles titles.
Lorena Ochoa: Though she did not win a major, she unseated Annika Sorenstam on the LPGA's money list, winning six times, and won AP Female Athlete of the Year honors.
Tiger Woods: Despite losing his father, Earl, to cancer, Woods won the British Open and PGA Championship, and won the AP Male Athlete of the Year award.
Lindsay Jacobellis: The U.S. snowboarder had gold wrapped up at the 2006 Turin Games until she tried an unnecessary move and fell near the finish.
LaDainian Tomlinson: Move over Shaun Alexander. The Chargers' running back obliterated the Seahawks' TD record ..
. with several games left in the season.
Allen Iverson: The enigmatic guard was told to stay home by the 76ers before being dealt to the Nuggets.
Jason McElwain: The autistic manager for the Greece-Athena (N.Y.) High School basketball team scored 20 points in four minutes in the final game of the season.
Bob Knight: The Texas Tech coach needs one victory to break the Division I record for most career victories.
Mike Nifong: The district attorney, who last week dropped rape charges against three Duke lacrosse players, now faces ethics charges filed against him by the North Carolina Bar.
Daisuke Matsuzaka: The Red Sox won the bidding rights to the standout Japanese pitcher at $51 million, then signed him to a six-year, $52 million deal.
Amelie Mauresmo: The tennis player broke through by winning the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
Karrie Webb: The Boynton Beach resident was one of the comeback stories of the year, posting five wins on the LPGA Tour, including the Nabisco Championship.
Dakoda Dowd: The 13-year-old golfer was granted an exemption to play in an LPGA tournament with her mom dying of cancer.
Jimmie Johnson: The Nextel Cup points champion won the Daytona 500, Coca-Cola 600 and the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard.
Terrell Owens: His season-long saga in Dallas continues to unfold mdash; from injuries to a denied suicide attempt to mistrust of teammates.
New Orleans Saints: Not certain if they'd even stay in New Orleans when the year began, the Saints are 10-5 and could reach their first Super Bowl.
Carolina Hurricanes: The former Hartford Whalers, who had little success in the playoffs, beat the Edmonton Oilers to win the Stanley Cup.
Jason Grimsley: After admitting use of performance-enhancing drugs, the former Diamondbacks pitcher then claimed several stars, including Roger Clemens and Miguel Tejada, used them, as well.
Sasha Cohen: With Michelle Kwan sidelined, the American skater had a chance at Olympic gold but fell once and slipped again in the free skate to earn silver.
Mike Arch, 61. Jupiter resident and a founding member of the Jupiter Inlet Offshore Fishing Club. Sept.
12.
Paul Arizin, 78. Early pioneer of the jump shot who led the Philadelphia Warriors to the 1956 NBA championship.
Dec. 12.
Red Auerbach, 89.
Hall of Fame, cigar-smoking coach who led the Boston Celtics to nine NBA championships in the 1950s and '60s. Oct. 28.
Elden Auker, 95. Vero Beach resident and former submarine-style pitcher who struck out Babe Ruth and helped the Detroit Tigers win their first World Series championship. Aug.
4.
Don E. Beattie Jr.
, 51. Director of Golf at The Country Club at Mirasol and a longtime fixture in the South Florida PGA. June 17.
Art Bellisari, 66. Longtime Boca Raton High assistant football coach and head softball coach. March 4.
Trevor Berbick, 52. Former heavyweight champion who was the last boxer to fight Muhammad Ali (in 1981). Oct.
27.
Patty Berg, 88. A founding member of the LPGA Tour and its first president, Berg won an LPGA Tour-record 15 major titles.
Sept. 10.
Susan Butcher, 51.
Four-time champion of the Iditarod, the 1,100-mile sled-dog race from Anchorage to Nome. Aug. 5.
Roy Chapman, 79. Owner of 2004 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Smarty Jones. Feb.
17.
Marilyn Culp, 61. Wife of Miami Heat trainer Ron Culp who also was a founder of The Miami Coalition to prevent drug abuse.
June 10.
Paul Dana, 30. Indy Racing League rookie driver killed during a practice session at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
March 26.
Rod Dedeaux, 91. Coached Southern California to a record 11 NCAA baseball championships.
Jan. 5.
Maggie Dixon, 28.
Army women's basketball coach died of heart arrhythmia. April 6.
Pat Dobson, 64.
One of four pitchers to win 20 games for the Orioles in 1971. Nov. 22.
Bob Dove, 85. Hall of Fame end at Notre Dame who played eight seasons in the NFL in the 1940s and '50s. April 19.
Moe Drabowsky, 70. Pitcher for eight teams in 17 years, also known as a prankster who once gave Commissioner Bowie Kuhn a hotfoot. June 10.
Brahm Dubin, 56. Built sports management company JCD Sports Group that operates golf courses and tennis centers throughout Palm Beach County. Sept.
10.
Gerald Ford, 93. Played center on the University of Michigan's 1932 and 1933 national-champion football teams years before he became president.
Dec. 26.
Andra Franklin, 47.
Dolphins fullback in the early 1980s. Dec. 6.
Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion, 75. Hockey Hall of Famer credited with inventing the slap shot. March 11.
Scott Goering, 18. Jupiter High senior and son of Don Goering, longtime South Florida representative of Titleist, in a car crash. May 16.
Curt Gowdy, 86. Palm Beach resident and longtime sports broadcaster who chronicled Ted Williams' last home run, the first Super Bowl and dozens of other dramatic moments. Feb.
20.
Eric Gregg. Former major-league umpire whose struggles with weight problems saw him reach almost 400 pounds.
June 5.
Craig "Ironhead" Heyward, 39. Former University of Pittsburgh All-American running back who played 11 years in the NFL.
May 27.
Dick Hickox, 68. Miami's first basketball All-America who led the Hurricanes to their highest national ranking (No.
8 in 1959-60). Aug. 18.
Steve Howe, 48. Former major-league pitcher who was suspended seven times for drug use and in 1992 became the first baseball player banned for life because of drugs. He was later reinstated.
April 28.
Lamar Hunt, 74. American Football League founder and owner of the Kansas City Chiefs who came up with the term "Super Bowl.
" AFC championship trophy bears his name. Dec. 13.
Jerry Jacobs, 71. Longtime Forest Hill High football and track coach and athletic director. June 19.
Ryan Johansen, 25. Former Martin County High School baseball star and minor-league pitcher for the Vero Beach Dodgers. Feb.
20.
Charlie Leigh, 60. Kick returner for the 1972 and '73 Super Bowl champion Miami Dolphins.
Oct. 26.
Jim Lemon, 78.
Former All-Star outfielder and major-league manager who once hit three straight home runs off Whitey Ford. May 14.
Bob Lewis, 81.
Owner of 1997 Kentucky Derby winner Silver Charm and Charismatic, who won the same races two years later. Feb. 17.
Cory Lidle, 37. New York Yankees pitcher killed with instructor Tyler Stanger, 26, when his single-engine plane slammed into a 40-story apartment building in Manhattan. Oct.
11.
Mary Lutz, 55. Director of competitive riding for the physically challenged at the U.
S. Equestrian Federation died after falling from her horse. June 9.
Bob Mathias, 75. Two-time Olympic champion (1948, '52) in the decathlon and former U.S.
congressman. Sept. 2.
Ray Meyer, 92. Former longtime De Paul basketball coach who twice took the Blue Demons to the Final Four. March 17.
Steve Mizerak, 61. Riviera Beach resident and billiards champion who became known to millions of TV viewers through Miller Lite beer commercials. May 29.
Ivan Murrell, 63. Port St. Lucie resident and former major-league player for Houston, San Diego and Atlanta in the 1960s and '70s.
Oct. 8.
Eric Namesnik, 35.
Two-time Olympic swimming silver medalist and 1988 graduate of Spanish River High.
Jan. 11.
Byron Nelson, 94. Former golf great whose 11 consecutive tournament victories in 1945 are generally believed to constitute the greatest year in the history of the sport.
Sept.
26.
Peter Norman, 64. Australian sprinter who shared the medals podium with black-power protesters Tommie Smith and John Carlos at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics.
Oct. 3.
Joe Niekro, 61.
Longtime major-league pitcher, younger brother of Phil and the career wins leader (144) for the Houston Astros. Oct. 27.
Tom Nugent, 92. College Football Hall of Famer who was credited with developing the I-formation at VMI and later coached at Florida State and Maryland. Jan.
19.
Buck O'Neil, 94. Former Negro League star who fell one vote shy of the Hall of Fame.
Became the first black coach in the majors with the 1962 Chicago Cubs. Oct. 6.
Willie Pep, 84. At 5-feet-6, the Hall of Fame boxer went 229-11 during a 26-year career. Nov.
23.
Bryan Pata, 22. University of Miami defensive lineman was shot and killed at his apartment complex.
Nov. 7.
Floyd Patterson, 71.
Became the first boxer to regain the heavyweight title when he beat Ingemar Johansson in 1960. May 11.
Joe Phillips, 77.
Juno Beach resident whose 50-plus years with Wilson Sporting Goods made him the confidant of some of golf's biggest names, including Sam Snead and Gene Sarazen. March 20.
Kirby Puckett, 45.
Hall of Fame outfielder who played for two Minnesota Twins World Series championship teams. March 6.
Ramon Rickards, 24.
Defensive end for Florida Atlantic's inaugural football team was killed in a motorcycle accident. May 24.
Dan Ross, 49.
Cincinnati Bengals tight end who set the record for most Super Bowl receptions (11, since tied) in 1982. May 16.
Erk Russell, 80.
Coordinated Georgia's "Junkyard Dawg" defense for Vince Dooley. Sept. 8.
Johnny Sain, 89. Three-time All-Star combined with Braves teammate Warren Spahn to make up one of baseball's most famous pitching tandems ("Spahn and Sain and pray for rain"). Nov.
7.
John Sandusky, 80. Former NFL player and longtime assistant coach with three NFL teams, including the Dolphins from 1976-94.
March 5.
Bo Schembechler, 77. Football coach won 194 games at Michigan from 1969-89.
Nov. 17.
Ted Schroeder, 84.
Tennis Hall of Famer who won Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in the 1940s.
May 26.
Flint "Scotty" Schulhofer, 80. Hall of Fame trainer who saddled two Belmont Stakes winners during a 40-year career.
Dec. 14.
Herb Schulz, 83.
Ran charter boats for 57 years from docks in Boynton Beach and Lantana. May 27.
Silas Simmons, 111.
Pitcher-outfielder in the Negro Leagues who was said to be the oldest living professional baseball player. Played from 1912-29. Oct.
28.
Louise Smith, 89. NASCAR racer in the 1940s and '50s and the first woman inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1999.
April 15.
Jack Snow, 62. Star wide receiver for the Rams from 1965-75 and a longtime Rams broadcaster.
Jan. 9.
Ernie Stautner, 80.
Hall of Fame defensive lineman for the Pittsburgh Steelers and longtime Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator. Feb. 16.
Syd Thrift, 77. Former general manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates who spent nearly a half century in baseball. Sept.
18.
Jose Uribe, 47. Former San Francisco Giants shortstop who played in the majors from 1984-1993.
Dec. 8.
Mickey Van Gerbig, 64.
Palm Beach resident and champion amateur golfer whose titles included the first Palm Beach County Amateur Championship in 1976. March 4.
Don Veller, 94.
Florida State's first full-time paid football coach went 31-12-1 in 1948-1952, including the school's first unbeaten season in 1950. Nov. 10.
Randy Walker, 52. Northwestern University football coach. June 29.
Andre Waters, 44. Former defensive back who spent most of his 12 seasons in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles. Nov.
20.
Stanfield Watson, 18. Former Glades Central football player killed in a car crash a few weeks before he was to begin college.
July 16.
Don A. "Hap" Wilson, 43.
West Palm Beach resident and board member of the West Palm Beach Fishing Club. Sept. 15.
Earl Woods, 74. Father who became the architect and driving force behind Tiger Woods' golfing career. May 3.
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