TAMPA—Miss it. Miss it already. Don’t you?

Lightning hockey, I mean.

And, in truth, it shouldn’t be so.

The Lightning ought to be still contending in this National Hockey League Playoffs. Should be playing Buffalo, the role Ottawa earned by playing tougher, skating faster, having a better power playing unit, and surely better goal tending the opening Playoffs series the Lightning lost 4-1 to the Senators.

Tampa Bay Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda beaten Ottawa in the first round of the present Stanley Cup—Ottawa, the companion new franchise created Dec. 6, 1990, at the NHL Palm Beach meetings alongside the Bolts.

But we are into genuine hockey withdrawal in this great place in which we live that got better with that sport being played regularly at the dandy St. Petersburg Forum. The first opportunity losing series to Ottawa was not characteristic Tampa hockey of recent years, not by a slapshot. The fans deserved better, the full-throated fans who accepted

TAMPA—It was last week suggested here consideration be given renaming these resilient, reborn Lighting the Cinderella Men, after the as the hero of that terrific boxing story of the Life of Unlikely Heavyweight Champion James J. Braddock, for all they had overcome to make it to the NHL Playoffs.

The recommendation is withdrawn.

Now suggest consideration of The

TAMPA—Call them The Cinderella Men.

Why?

Because repeatedly, they did not turn into pumpkins at midnight.

Because they rose to the zenith when they had do—like last July in San Jose. . . like last Saturday night at the Forum in Tampa when Martin St. Louis scored the winning dream goal in a manner dreamed of by every kid who ever fantasized on a frozen pond, like a half dozen times in this

TAMPA--This is an anniversary time little remembered by many.

But it is certainly worthy of a toast by those affected and those of us who have profited by that far-reaching development over 30 years ago.

Thirty-three years ago, to be exact and hammer in the point even more.

And landmark event that it was, only 31 people were there, and I was one of them there to report

TAMPA—Emerging as self-evident from the announced 21-10 Pittsburgh Super Bowl XL win over frazzled Seattle Sunday at Detroit were several truths:

A. The NFL truly has to take a look at its officiating, once of such high standard, but in this showcase game was flawed, flawed, flawed;

B. It was pretty lousy game, saved only by a few standout plays, most generated, and thus the win, by the Steelers,

TAMPA—Virtually, all individual champions and championship teams go through it—even this fine Tampa Bay Lightning team—that reputation will be enough for the winning to continue—that showing up with the last available Stanley Cup in their trophy case, brandishing their weapons as they whisk around the rink with the swagger of, well, of champs would be enough.

Even the great Yankee games of Ruth