Sports Shorts

* Maybe it won’t matter, but the Lightning, as we know, do not have home-ice advantage in the Eastern Conference finals with Pittsburgh. The Penguins finished the regular season with 104 points and the Bolts had 97. Seems fair enough, although teams from different divisions don’t play identical schedules.

But then there’s head-to-head competition, a seeding tie-breaker in various sports. The Lightning won all three regular season games against the Pens. A series sweep, arguably, should count for something beyond confidence boost. But it could be a moot point–unless, of course, it comes down to a game seven in Pittsburgh. Go, Bolts.

* Baseball fights are often oxymoronic exercises, with much more yelling, pointing and restraining than actual fighting. Except last Sunday when the Texas Rangers Rougned Odor cold-cocked Jose Bautista of the Toronto Blue Jays. That was a bat-flippin’ shock.

Because of the Odor haymaker, much less was made of another story line. Winning pitcher Matt Bush of Texas recorded his first big league “W.” Yes, the same Matt Bush, 30, who was once with the Rays organization. The same Matt Bush who recently finished serving 3 1/2 years for a DUI accident in Charlotte County in 2012 that caused serious injury and involved leaving the scene of the accident.

Bush is still in Alcoholics Anonymous, has a curfew, has to avoid alcohol and can’t drive. A Rangers official or his father are constant companions off the field.

No, Bush’s story didn’t warrant the media coverage accorded the Odor-Bautista punch-out, but stories of redemption–and possible inspiration to others needing to turn around their lives–are more important.

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