Tide begins preparations for Canada trip

TUSCALOOSA | Minus a view of his three newcomers who, per NCAA rules, must wait until classes start Wednesday to practice with the team, head coach Mark Gottfried got his first view of his 2007-08 University of Alabama basketball team in action.

On Sunday, Alabama began the first of 10 practices it will hold within the next two weeks to prepare for a trip to Canada on Labor Day weekend. Alabama will travel to Ottawa to play four exhibition games in three days against Canadian university teams. Freshmen Rico Pickett, Tuscaloosa native Justin Knox and Senario Hillman had to watch from the sidelines, as did senior All-Southeastern Conference point guard Ronald Steele. Steele likely will participate little in the next two weeks as he continues his recovery, on schedule, from arthroscopic surgery on both of his knees last April 3.

“I’m feeling better every day. I’m re-habbing hard," Steele said. “It’s hard sitting out watching the guys practice, but I’m trying to do what I can to help them off the court. I’m getting better. I’m not behind by any means in my recovery. They just want me to take it slow so I won’t have any problems during the season. I expect to be ready to play when the season starts."

Gottfried said his team will be ready as well, though he thought conditioning was an issue.

“I think first of all, obviously it’s August the 19th, so we’re not in great basketball shape, nor should we expect to be," said Gottfried following Alabama’s two-hour practice. “That’s the first thing that stood out, more than anything, is our conditioning in August. We’ve got to get a couple of days under our belt here, get our legs underneath us and then I think we’ll start to be a little bit better. But today we struggled more than anything. It was the first day, and, again it’s August the 19th."

Alabama returns starters Steele, Richard Hendrix, Alonzo Gee, Mykal Riley and Brandon Hollinger from its 2006-07 team that had 20 wins and started the season with the championship at the Paradise Jam with wins against, in order, Middle Tennessee, Iowa and, for the championship, Xavier.

The first official day of practice for the season won’t be until October 12, but Hendrix said he and his teammates were eager to get the bonus days that the NCAA allows teams leading to trips like these that teams are allowed to take every four years.

Devil Rays prospect draws 50-game drug suspension

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. | Pitching prospect James Houser was suspended 50 games Saturday after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance.

“The Tampa Bay Devil Rays fully support baseball’s drug- testing program, including the measures taken against James Houser," minor-league director Mitch Lukevics said in a prepared statement.

The Rays’ second-round pick in 2003 out of Sarasota High, who is 5-4 with a 3.65 ERA in 20 starts for Double-A Montgomery, told the Montgomery Advertiser he did not test positive for a steroid but wouldn’t elaborate. Minor-leaguers are subject to unannounced tests.

“I made a mistake and I have to pay the consequences," Houser, 22, told the Advertiser. “I feel bad for my teammates and the organization. I’ll live and learn, go on from here and come back next year."

Houser chose not to appeal.

“What do you do?" he said. “I knew what I was doing was wrong and I have to pay the consequences."

His suspension, which will carry into next season, will be served without pay. He will remain with the Biscuits, who have 14 regular-season games remaining, and work out with the team he threw a bullpen session Saturday but he cannot dress or be in the dugout. Any postseason games Montgomery plays will count toward the suspension.

He will be allowed to participate in the Arizona Fall League and next year’s spring training.

“All I can do is move forward," Houser said. “What happened is done. I think this will make me more focused on baseball."

Houser is the fourth player in the organization to be suspended for violating baseball’s drug policy, following OF Alex Sanchez, RHP Matt Rico and RHP Juan Salas in May. Former No. 1 pick Josh Hamilton was placed on baseball’s restricted list after failing drug tests.