My Mecca

Issue: Augusta National?

Short Answer: Well, yeah, but let's be realistic.

Reasoning: I made a promise to only blog super awesome things anymore, so, you know this has to be awesome.  For those that know me, my Mecca would have to be something entailing baseball or golf. Since my baseball career is long over, golf now rules my life.  So, other than Augusta National (which I will probably never play), Pebble Beach or St. Andrew's or some other world famous course would suffice as my Mecca.  That was, until a few minutes ago.

Dave Pelz is the short game guru.  He has written books, coached some of the best players in the world, and is generally the go-to guy when it comes to golf shots from 100 yards and in.  He could save everyone a few shots on their handicaps, that's for sure.  However, did you know that he has the GREATEST BACK YARD IN THE WORLD???  If you don't believe me, watch this:

When I die, I want to go to Dave Pelz's backyard.  I'm not sure heaven could be any better.

Best Commercial Ever?

Issue: So much for blogging more...

Short Answer: Oh well.  But, I couldn't pass this up.

Reasoning: I'm sure most of you missed it, or, just didn't give a crap, but Rory McIlroy signed a huge deal with Nike last year (some reports had the number around $200 million), joining some dude named Tiger as a spokesman for Nike golf.  Nike now has the #1 and #2 ranked players in the world peddling their products.  So, what is the logical thing to do?  That's right, put them both in a commercial for our entertainment.  This is awesome:

I don't use Nike clubs, I don't use Nike balls, and I don't wear Nike shoes, but, this might make me think about changing sometime in the near future.  OK, probably not, but this is still an awesome commercial.

Feds to Change Rules of Golf

Issue: This has to be a joke, right?

Short Answer: Yes.  And a funny one at that.

Reasoning: As some of you may know, golf is pretty much my life.  Well, my life when I'm not working or when it's freezing outside.  I'm obviously kidding, since I would drop whatever I'm doing to go play golf, and I have played in a near blizzard.  Until you whack that little ball around for 18 holes, you will never know how fantastic a game it actually is.  In no other game is the opponent oneself, as much as it is in the game of golf.  If one plays well or poorly, he only need to look in the mirror.  It seems as though that is a microcosm for life.  Well, it used to be anyway.

Without getting into any political discussions on a sports blog, allow me to share with you the new rule changes that our Federal Government, led by one Barack Hussein Obama, are going to make to my beloved game of golf.  *Sigh*.  I give up.  (I'm not sure who wrote this, so I can't cite it, but thanks to whoever did, because it's hilarious.  And very relevant.):

President Barack Obama has recently appointed a Golf Czar.

Major rule changes in the game of golf will become effective January, 20 2013.

This is only a preview as the complete rule book (expect 2716 pages) is being rewritten as we speak.

Here are a few of the changes:

Golfers with handicaps:

• Below 10 will have their green fees increased by 35%.
• Between 11 and 18 will see no increase in green fees.
• Above 18 will get a $20 check each time they play.

The term "gimmie" will be changed to "entitlement" and will be used as follows:

• Handicaps below 10, no entitlements.
• Handicaps from 11 to 17, entitlements for putter length putts.
• Handicaps above 18, if your ball is on the green, no need to putt, just pick it up.

These entitlements are intended to bring about fairness and, most importantly, equality in scoring.  In addition, a Player will be limited to a maximum of one birdie or six pars in any given 18-hole round.  Any excess must be given to those fellow players who have not yet scored a birdie or par.  Only after all players have received a birdie or par from the player actually making the birdie or par, can that player begin to count his pars and birdies again .

The current USGA handicap system will be used for the above purposes, but the term "net score" will be available only for scoring those players with handicaps of 18 and above.  This is intended to "re-distribute" the success of winning by making sure that in all competitions every Player above an 18 handicap will post only "net score" against every other player's "gross score".

These new Rules are intended to CHANGE the game of golf.

Golf must be about fairness. It should have nothing to do with ability, hard work, practice, and responsibility.

This is the "Right thing to do."  So, please remember; if you shot a round of golf under par, you didn't shoot it yourself. Someone else built that course, and someone else cut the grass so that you could play on it. Someone else built the clubs and the cart.

I think I speak for all single-digit handicappers when I say that this is complete crap!!  SUB-10 HANDICAPPERS UNITE!!

A Good Walk Spoiled?

Issue: Read any good editorials lately?

Short Answer: Funny you should ask...

Reasoning: I figure most of you are sick of reading some of the things I write.  I know UC fans are.  So, when I read something that I like, I will start posting it here, so my readers can get a break from me (and, some may say, to have something worth reading on this blog).  The following is an editorial written by Paul Daugherty of the Cincinnati Enquirer.  His editorials are a must-read on a daily basis.  This particular piece is about golf, which is beyond a huge part of my life.  Please don't fret non-golfers!!  This piece may actually give you some insight into what makes golf-fanatics, golf-fanatics.  Enjoy!  (Thanks to my boy Krig for sending this to me).

Doc: The reward for death is an appreciation of life
Written by:
Paul Daugherty

Whoever said golf was a good walk spoiled didn't know what he was talking about. He also believes chocolate cake is a waste of sugar, dogs are man’s best reason to get a cat and beer means too many trips to the head. Golf is a walk in the park, often literally, all the time. What other sport combines skill, patience, confidence and hiking? I don’t take pictures while I’m playing softball, unless the other team is all female. 

I took a few yesterday, while playing 9 at the legendary Hickory Woods. The sun sinking low, its rays refracted through a prism of trees. The interplay of light and shadow, as clouds the color of a thigh bruise passed through to some more permanent residence. Cleveland, probably. At precisely 428 pm, the light was of that fragile, melancholy and brittle state that so characterizes this time of year. I snapped a phone-photo of the trees and the sky and the world, reflected in a pond bestride the 5th fairway. 

I don’t like this time of year. It is a time of dying. My mother died in the fall, when I was 8. Colors all fade, the earth contracts and shivers. Even on the brightest days, the light is thin. It gets dark so soon. I struggle to find beauty in anything. I know what’s coming. It holds no promise. 

The reward for death is an appreciation of life. It’s probably why I’ll never move from here. At least not permanently. I never want to take a sunset for granted. I’m afraid if I settled on the west side of Florida, close to gulf sunsets, I’d stop going to see them. Now, when I’m down there, I never miss a sunset. I mean, never. 

Hickory Woods was empty yesterday at 3, when I teed off. In fact, I was the only player on the entire course. For 11 bucks, I had my own private club for a few hours. There is a solace on the golf course that cannot be duplicated. I am not one of those people who goes to the links to escape my problems. If I’m having a lousy day off the course, I’m going to have a lousy day on it. Yesterday, I was feeling pretty good about myself. I’d finished a book chapter, I’d worked out. It was 51 degrees on November 26 and I was playing golf. 

If you don’t play, you won’t know the joy of a silent afternoon in the epilog of fall, interrupted only by the pure sound of a shot well struck. You won’t find peace in walking with 25 pounds of equipment on your back, watching a red fox cross the fairway 100 yards ahead of you. You won’t hear the wind provoke a scurrying of leaves, winter’s advance men, or notice the whiteness of a sycamore’s bark, and the way its limbs bend over a pond, as if in prayer. 

I’ve played lots of sports, if only a few competitively. They all have their pluses. None is a meditation, though. Not like golf. The walk, the hike, the sights and sounds. The good connection to the earth, one step at a time. 

The front 9 at Hickory is fairly connected to the man made. Houses don’t intrude on the serene, but they’re there. The road into the place bisects the 5th green and 6th tee. The back-9 is more provoking of reflection and gratitude. But there are places on the front where you can stop and behold what’s good. 

Number 2 is like that. It’s an uphill par-3, 160 yards from the blue tees, through a narrow corridor of trees to an equally slender, if long, green. I slapped a 27-degree hybrid that started straight, then faded just enough to catch the right slope and bounce to the edge of the woods. If you play one course enough, you know it the way you know your child’s face. I knew exactly where my ball was. I drew the 58-degree wedge from my quiver and trudged ahead. 

That’s when I saw the buck. Fifty yards ahead, just along the treeline, a few feet from my ball. 

I stopped. He looked up. We watched each other for awhile. The sun grazed the tops of the trees, the wind made the smaller branches sway. It was quiet enough, I could hear him breathing. The world paused, long enough for me to be grateful I was in it, playing golf, walking the good earth and staring at a buck. 

Several years ago, I wrote an entire column counting the virtues of November golf around here. When the weather is passable, which is more often than you think, it’s the best time of year to play. The courses are in great shape, they’re not crowded, the faded beauty of the season lingers. That column prompted an increase in play at Hickory, which didnt do me any good, but might have kept the snowbirds around town until after Thanksgiving. 

No matter. I define golf not by the shots I hit, or the scores I make, but rather by the peace I acquire while playing it. Yesterday was special. Yesterday was a blessing and a gift. It made me grateful for having lived it. 

On the 9th hole, a par-4 of maybe 390 yards, my drive lands dead center of the fairway, but still 180 yards short of the green. That’s where I conked a 7-wood dead right and 20 yards short of where I would be if I were a good player, which I am not. I bumped a wedge to the fringe and took 3 putts from about 60 feet. Miserable. 

The walk wasn't, though. Not at all.

Original article can be found here. 

A Win For The Ages

Issue: Dude, where have you been?

Short Answer: August is a slow time for sports.  Bear with me...

Reasoning: This has been an especially slow month for sports, given the NFL lockout, the Reds stinking it up, and golf without one Tiger Woods.  And, well, it has shown in my blog.  Working full-time doesn't help either, but, I have to be honest, I just haven't seen much interesting to write about lately.  There hasn't been much going down in the world of sports.  However, this weekend was the 93rd PGA Championship held in my second hometown, Atlanta, at the fabled Atlanta Athletic Club (which, in case you were wondering, isn't in Atlanta, nor is it really even near Atlanta).  My guess is that most of you didn't watch, as the biggest names on the leaderboard were David Toms (boring), Lee Westwood (seems like a jerk), and Scott Verplank (old).  While I enjoy watching those three guys play, they don't exactly draw in the casual golf fan.  And, if you are one of those casual golf fans, you missed one of the best tournaments in recent memory.  I am not going to recap the tournament (only because I am long-winded and I have limited space), but I will pass along two tidbits that made the PGA Championship special.  Or odd.  Or just plain strange.

First, let me quickly discuss Keegan Bradley's (that is the young man who actually won the tournament, for those of you who had more important things to do on Sunday - or for those that just don't like golf) place in golf history.  See, this was Keegan Bradley's first ever appearance in a major championship.  Never had he played in the Masters, the U.S. Open, or the British Open.  Commentators always talk about the "experience" a golfer needs to win a major championship because the pressure becomes too much for those who have never experienced it.  That is why you don't often see a "no-name" win a major.  Sure, it happens, because luck is part of the game, but you see Tiger, and Jack, and Phil, and Arnie, and Ben, and Sam win majors; you don't often see a Keegan.  Yet, Keegan Bradley stared down the competition in his first ever major, and came out on top in the end.  I am here to let you know how uncanny Bradley's victory was.  Here is the ENTIRE list of golfers who have won a major in their first ever major appearance:

1. Keegan Bradley - 2011 PGA Championship
2. Ben Curtis - 2003 British Open Championship
3. Francis Ouimet - 1913 U.S. Open

Not very long, is it?  Many of you have probably heard the story of Ouimet, who was a caddy at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, when he was allowed to enter the U.S. Open being held there in 1913.  He beat two of the top players in the world in a playoff, and his victory is widely regarded as one of the biggest upsets in the history of sport, not just golf.  Keegan Bradley just did something that absolutely never happens.  He won a major in his first ever try.  He faced the pressure and came through when it mattered.  I'm just glad I was around to watch it (even if you weren't).

Secondly (and lastly, for that matter), Keegan Bradley became the first ever winner of a major while using a long putter.  For those that aren't familiar (what do you do?), a long putter is a putter, that is long.  Adam Scott uses a long putter that comes right underneath his chin.  Keegan Bradley uses a long putter termed "belly putter" as the butt end of the putter basically lodges in, or near, one's belly button.  Supposedly long putters allow for more stability, and, therefore, more consistency in putting.  I would question how consistent they are, when a person using one has never won a major, prior to yesterday.  Most players who go to the long putter do so when they encounter "the yips."  The yips are basically a mental block over short putts.  Players who experience the yips have a hard time making a smooth, consistent stroke, which often ends with missing 2 and 3 foot putts, something you cannot do and expect to succeed at the highest levels of golf.  Players using long putters today, however, aren't necessarily suffering from the yips.  Some, like Keegan Bradley, have chosen long putters because they believe it makes their game better, not because they are attempting to cure some sort of mental block.  In fact, many commentators are suggesting Lee Westwood (who has 6 top-10's in his last 9 majors) go to the long putter, not because he misses short putts, but because he doesn't hole a lot of putts from 8-20 feet.  Here is what I do know:

1. Keegan Bradley will be responsible for a huge boom in amateurs using long putters, whether those amateurs really need them or not;
2. You may even see a few PGA Tour members go to a long putter;
3. Players should examine their brains before they examine their putters;
4. I will NEVER use a long putter.

See, putting, like most anything in golf, is mental.  Those that have the confidence on the greens are going to be the better putters (i.e., Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson).  The long putter creates artificial confidence for a golfer, for at least a while.  That's not to say the long putter can't boost that confidence enough to where a golfer truly believes he is a better putter because of it, which, in turn, gives golfers exactly what they need - the confidence to believe they WILL make the putt, not HOPE they will make the putt.  Long putters are for some, but not for all.  See, confidence has never been my problem (even though I stink), so I will never need a long putter (even though I stink).  If I had to stand over a 4-foot putt, in front of millions of people, for millions of dollars, and a championship trophy, maybe a long putter would help.  Until then, I will stick with a regulation putter, and continue to stink.

Heeeeeee's Baaaaaack

Issue: Who?

Short Answer: Tiger.

Reasoning: I know I write about golf a lot.  That's because golf is awesome.  Pick up some clubs and find out.  I dare ya.  And, well, most of those posts are about the one and only, Tiger Woods.  Would you rather me write about Briny Baird?  Most of you probably think I just made that name up.  I didn't.  That is the biggest problem with golf right now - there aren't many recognizable faces or names.  The players are possibly better now than they have ever been, but, it is really hard to root for anyone not named Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy, Steve Stricker, Bubba Watson, or, well, that's about it (seriously, I can't stand Nick Watney, Ricky Barnes, and some of the other toolbags out there).  So what happens when there is a tournament when none of those fellas are in contention?  Let me welcome you to last weekends Greenbriar, Classic.  First, the tournament took place in West Virginia which makes it automatically no fun.  However, the Greenbriar resort and golf course are absolutely gorgeous (p.s. the absolute only thing in the entire state of West Virginia that can be classified as "gorgeous") which is enough to draw avid golf fans, e.g., me, but it is not enough to get the casual fan to watch.  Tiger does.

As I sat and watched the entire round on Sunday (one too many on Saturday night for me), I often wondered why, or possibly who, the heck I was watching.  Funny thing is, the tournament was unbelievably compelling.  (Keep in mind, you may not recognize any of these names) Bob Estes, a 45-year old former winner on the PGA Tour, fired a 64 on Sunday to take the lead (-10) in the clubhouse.  Bill Haas birdied the 17th hole to move to -10 and tie for the lead.  Scott Stallings was tied for the lead going into Sunday, but he shot 4-over on the front 9 to end his chances, or so I thought.  Stallings birdied 5 of the first 7 holes on the back nine to move to -10, and he still had the reachable par-5 17th ahead.  It was his tournament to win or lose.  When he drove his ball into the hazard on the 17th, it looked like he would choke.  He saved bogey, then birdied 18 to join Haas and Estes in a playoff.  The 18th at the Greenbriar is a par-3, which makes for an exciting, if not quick, playoff.  Haas hit it to 20 feet and missed the putt.  Estes hit his to 12 feet and missed the putt.  Stallings hit it to 6 feet and made the putt for his first (for some reason I am thinking his last - seriously, the most impressive thing about him were his man boobs) PGA Tour victory.  It was fantastic to watch.  Unless you aren't as serious about golf as I am.  There was nothing to draw the casual fan, especially after Phil missed the cut.  So, what does golf need?  You guessed it.

When Tiger is in the field, everyone watches.  No matter what he does from now until the end of his career, he is one of the best golfers of all time, and even casual fans enjoy watching the best, no matter what the sport.  Even when Tiger is 8 shots back going into Sunday, don't you (and by "you" I mean those that do the things I am about to write...) watch just for the chance that he makes a patented Tiger comeback?  Don't you watch when Tiger is blowing away the field by 9 shots, just to watch the amazing things he can do with a golf ball?  I know I do.  This is how good Tiger Woods is at golf: He has played in only 7 (he withdrew from The Players after one round, so, 6 1/4) full events this year (out of 34) and he is still 135th on the FedEx Cup points list (the top 125 head to the playoffs) and ranked 28th in the world rankings (his lowest ranking since his first full year on tour).  I mean, seriously, all he has to do is play decent golf over the next few weeks and he will make the playoffs easy, which means he could still win the FedEx Cup, and he hasn't played competitive golf since May 12th.  Even crazier is the fact that he is still ranked in the top-30 in the world.  That is how much ahead of the competition he was when his career crashed like his Mercedes that fateful night over a year-and-a-half ago.

By the way, I love the fact that he got rid of Steve Williams (his caddy), because it shows he is trying to clean the slate and start anew.  That's what he needs to do.  I don't think it was anything personal, he just needed to move in a new direction.  And I, for one (just in case you haven't figured it out yet), cannot wait until he gets there.

What a Weekend in Sports

Issue: Uh, dude, it's Wednesday...are you talking about this past weekend or this coming weekend?

Short Answer: Sorry, my days run together...this past weekend was phenomenal.

Reasoning: Sports is my life and always has been.  I even love the sports I stink at.  And, for all you ladies out there, sports is the best reality television available.  There are no scripts (unless we are talking about boxing), no cuts, no second takes, and drama is always abound.  "It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings," was coined by the great Yogi Berra, and, it applied in his day, applies in ours now, and will apply in the future as well.  This weekend was full of happenings which demonstrate the greatness of sport and why I love them, all of them, so much.  Let's take a look at what I'm talking about:

• Steve Stricker is the man.  Steve Stricker is an old man competing in a young man's game.  Tiger Woods is aging, and we have seen his health deteriorate, his game deteriorate, and, yes, his marriage deteriorate (I couldn't resist).  Yet, Stricker seems to be flourishing at a time when most men his age are trying to hold on for dear life.  Stricker is 44 years old, which is not old by any means, but most of the guys he is competing against are in their 20's (re: Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson, Martin Kaymer, Charl Schwartzal, etc.).  At last week's John Deere Classic, Stricker showed us again that age isn't anything but a number.  Stricker entered Sunday's final round at -20, three shots clear of the field.  Most everyone thought "steady" Steve would run away with the tourney.  However, some bad play by him and a string of 5 birdies on 6 holes by Kyle Stanley had the two tied with four holes to play.  Stricker then did exactly the opposite of what everyone thought he would do...bogey 15 and 16.  Now two shots down with two to play, Stricker needed a miracle.  He drained a 20-foot birdie on 17 to pull within one.  Stanely bogied the 18th with a missed 10-footer, and the players were tied.  However, Stricker had the most unfortunate of lies on his approach to the 18th green.  Take a look at what he did:

No lay-up.  No safe play.  He attacked that shot with one goal in mind...winning the tournament.  And he did.  Kudos Steve, kudos.  Oh, by the way, it was the third consecutive year he has won the John Deere Classic.

• Mark Montgomery's unbelievable pitching line.  (Thanks to my man Tim for finding this one)  I've been around the game of baseball long enough to think I've seen everything.  Yet, every single time I go to the park, I see something I have never seen before.  That is what makes the game so fun to watch.  And, along those lines, here is something I have never seen before, and will probably never see again: Mark Montgomery, RHP, 1 IP, 2H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0BB, 5 K, 2 WP.  Let me explain for those of you who don't follow - Montgomery struck out 5 hitters in one inning!!!  Two of them happened to reach on wild pitches (drop third strike rule), so either this dude has some unreal stuff, or Charleston needs to start looking for a new catcher.  I am willing to bet this is the first occurrence of 5 strikeouts in one inning, ever, above the Little League level.  Truly unbelievable.
• The hapless San Diego Padres at it again.  As a franchise, the Padres have NEVER thrown a no-hitter.  They are obviously not easy, but you would think someone, sometime, would have thrown one, but, since the Padres usually stink, it's not that far-fetched.  Saturday looked like the day Padre history would change (notice I said "looked").  Aaron Harang was making his first start off the disabled list on Sunday (thankfully it wasn't for the Reds this time, but the Padres).  Usually when a pitcher comes off the DL a strict pitch count is enforced by the team.  So, when Harang had thrown 95 pitches after the 6th inning, the Padres pulled him.  What makes this a bit odd is the fact that Harang had not allowed a single hit in those six innings.  Problem is, the Padres only managed one hit in those six innings, and the score was knotted at zero.  Josh Spence, a left-handed reliever, replaced Harang in the 7th and he struck out Andre Ethier.  Chad Qualls then replaced Spence.  An error, a walk, a pop-out, and a ground out later, and the Padres had no-hit the Dodgers through seven.  Mike Adams replaced Qualls at the beginning of the 8th inning.  It was an eventful inning, but Adams made it through without giving up a hit.  The Padres went in order in the top of the 9th, so the game went to the bottom of the 9th tied at zero, and there had been exactly ONE HIT in the entire game (by the Padres Cameron Maybin, if you were wondering).  Luke Gregerson replaced Adams in the 9th and he struck out Matt Kemp and forced James Loney to ground out to 1st base.  That's right, 8 2/3 innings of no-hit baseball...you know what's coming, don't you?  Gregerson promptly gave up a double to Juan Uribe, and the no-hitter ended.  But it gets better.  The very next batter, Dioner Navarro, singled to center field, and the game was over.  The Padres had been one out from their first ever franchise no-hitter, and they lost the game 1-0.  From no-hitter to walk-off loss.  Ouch.
• Derek-freakin'-Jeter.  If he weren't a Yankee, he would probably be my favorite player of all time.  He plays the game right.  He plays the game hard.  He is a smart player, and you can tell just by watching him play the game.  He is a first ballot Hall-of-Famer.  And, he has a flair for the dramatic.  Going into Saturday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Jeter needed 2 hits to reach the magical mark of 3,000.  George Brett had already publicly said that 3,000 is the hardest hit to get because of the constant media attention.  Jeter himself had admitted he was going up to the plate with the approach that he was swinging at everything, no matter what.  Some people, I'm sure, were ready for Jeter to take quite a bit of time to reach the magical number.  But, we are talking about Derek Jeter here.  He singled in his first at-bat for his 2,999th career hit.  Then, in the bottom of the 3rd, he did this (I put the Spanish version in here for two reasons: 1) it was the shortest version; 2) I love Spanish baseball announcers (hit numero tres mil!):

Just another tidbit for Derek Jeter's Hall-of-Fame plaque.  Oh, by the way, the fact that he is the first player to ever do this as a Yankee (all 3,000 as a Yankee that is) means absolutely nothing.  The Yankees have historically been a buy and sell team, even when it comes to superstars.  Jeter is just the one guy who the Steinbrenner's never felt like trading, so he had his 1st and his 3,000th hit as a Yankee.  Too bad, it would have been way cooler had he had all 3,000 hits as a Cincinnati Red.

• U.S. Women's soccer beats Brazil in the World Cup Quarterfinals.  I saved this for last because I thought it was the coolest, most dramatic, and possibly, most important sporting event of the weekend.  I realize that some may be surprised by that, given that baseball and golf are my passions, but, I watched this game from start to finish, and it was breathtaking.  The U.S. jumped out to a 1-0 lead on an own goal by a Brazilian chick who's name I can't pronounce or spell.  Then the U.S. got screwed royally.  A penalty kick save by Hope Solo was nullified, and the second chance was all Marta (the best women's soccer player in the world) needed.  She buried the PK to tie the score at 1-1.  She then had a goal that I'm still not sure how it went in (and I'm still not sure how the lineswoman missed the offsides on the play) to put Brazil up 2-1.  In the 122nd minute (the game only lasted that long because of a Brazilian player obviously faking an injury) the U.S. women pulled this off:

If you don't have chills, you aren't alive.  Go see a doctor.  This was one of the greatest games I have seen in any sport, at any time, any place, period.  This game had everything: the ups (U.S. taking an early lead), the downs (U.S. falling behind 2-1), the villains (Marta, the Australian referee), and the heroes (Rapinoe, Wambach).  In a game, men's or women's, that is what is needed for a game to be great, and this one was just that.  However, I'm not completely sold on this being one of the most dramatic moments in sports history.  Let's save those for Super Bowls, World Series, and NBA Finals.  Let us take a step back and remember, this is still women's soccer, and in the U.S., it doesn't matter much.  The only reason we (we being those of us who don't particularly care for soccer in the first place, and, for the record, I am not one of these people) cared about this game in the first place is because these women are wearing USA across their chests.  Take away that, and you have another game that no one really cares about.  This game happened on the biggest stage in women's soccer (not sure how big that really is), it involved the U.S., and it happened in front of the world, and that is why we care.  The game of women's soccer will grow because of this, but that won't make people in the States care about it anymore than they do now.  That is, until the World Cup of 2015 comes around, the ladies put on their USA jerseys again, and we cheer for our country once again.  I'd cheer for a women's cricket team if they had USA on their shirts.  Oh yeah, Hope Solo is hot.

Updates on Previous Posts

Issue: You actually have anything worth updating?

Short Answer: Ehh.  Maybe.

Reasoning: I haven't been watching much in the way of sports lately.  Turns out this "work" thing kind of gets in the way.  Oh, that and "playing golf" seems to get in the way as well.  So, with the College World Series just ending, the Reds playing average baseball, Wimbledon coming to an end, and millionaire football players not getting along with their billionaire bosses - I'm not sure there is much to write about right now anyway.  So, I am going to update you on the recent happenings relating to some of my older posts.  It is much more interesting than it sounds, trust me.  Here we go:

1. At the end of January I wrote this post about how awesome Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are.  At the end of the post (go ahead and scroll down, it's ok) I wrote a "runner-up" for the Odd Stat of the Week, which stated that Roger Federer was 166-0 in majors, when winning the first two sets.  Through the first four rounds of Wimbledon, he had run his record to 178-0 (this included this year's French Open as well).  However, Federer's record now sits at 178-1 after losing to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (3-6, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4) in the Quarterfinals at Wimbledon.  You knew it was coming sooner or later, but I don't think anyone thought the streak would end with a loss to world powerhouse Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.  Roger is just getting old.
2. In early March, at the height of the Charlie Sheen scandal(s), I wrote this post about his association with the Cincinnati Reds.  Charlie Sheen, ladies and gentlemen, is still at it.  In the upcoming Sports Illustrated magazine, Sheen admits "that he took steroids 'for like six or eight weeks' while filming the 1989 movie 'Major League.'  He adds that the performance-enhancing drugs helped his fastball go from 79 mph to 85 mph."  Talk about dedication.  The man played a Major League player in a movie, so, he figured he would do everything a true Major Leaguer does.  Including steroids.  I love that his fastball gained 6 mph of velocity, going from "batting practice" to "ridiculously hittable."  And, all he had to pay for it was some bacne (a shorthand word combining back + acne) and a few mood swings.  Sheen even admitted the steriods "made him a bit more irritable than normal."  That seems a bit scary.
3. At the beginning of May I wrote this post, challenging a top-10 list of the worst sports movies ever.  I disagreed with a few, and wrote my opinion on what makes a good sports movie.  Well, I watched a sports movie the other day that belongs on, or near, the top-10 list of worst sports movies ever.  And I'm sure most people will think I'm crazy.  Remember the Titans is downright awful.  The underlying message is great, and the director did a great job showing how difficult the times were for all students, black and white.  But, outside of that, it has to be the cheesiest sports movie EVER.  Hands down.  Seriously, watch the movie strictly from a sports standpoint next time.  It's a joke.  There is a lot of singing, a lot of dancing, and a main character (Gerry Bertier - played by Ryan Hurst) who doesn't do one thing in the movie that ISN'T cheesy.  Do me a favor and watch any part of the movie where the team is "dancing" during warm-ups or when they come up with their new "hip" entrance to the field - and watch only for Ryan Hurst.  It is absolutely hilarious.  Oh, and the fact that the movie is "based" on a true story doesn't mean Hollywood gave you the true story.
4. At the end of April I wrote this post about the NBA and NHL playoffs.  In the post I wrote "Jason Kidd will be the reason the Mavs lose" in the playoffs.  Uhhh, you see why I don't write much about the NBA?  I thought Jason Kidd was terrible.  Turns out, not only is he not terrible, but the Mavericks are the Champions of the NBA thanks in large part to him.  Oh, and that Dirk guy.  No more NBA predictions from me - ever.
5. Finally, back in January I wrote this post about the return of Tiger Woods (then wrote this one about Tiger hocking a loogey on the green, then this one about Tiger losing in the first round of the Match Play Championship, then this one about Tiger at the Masters, then this one about Tiger withdrawing from the Players Championship).  Well, I'm here to report that Tiger is not back yet, and he may not be back for awhile.  If you heard his press conference this week (to promote his tournament - one he won't be playing in) you heard a man who sounds defeated - a man who doesn't believe in himself anymore.  The old Tiger would have sat there and defiantly talked about how he would kick Rory McIlroy's ass once he came back.  But, the new Tiger danced around questions, and used words like "hopefully," "should," and "probably."  The old Tiger would have said "yes," "no," and "kiss my a#& you stupid mother [bleeper]."  Tiger needs a mental coach badly.  He needs someone to build up his ego, because his ego is what separated him from the rest of the golf world.  Back in the day, Tiger didn't think he was the best golfer in the world, he knew it.  If he gets back to that, he'll win again.  If he doesn't, he won't.  For every one's sake, I hope he does.  But, it doesn't sound like he will.  I guess watching Rory will have to suffice for now.

The Odd Stat(s) of the Week

Issue: Does that mean we are getting more than one crazy stat?

Short Answer: It sure does.

Reasoning: June can often be a boring time for some sports fans.  The NBA is over (thank goodness), as is the NHL (who plays hockey in June anyway?).  Also, the NFL is still a few months off (or, in 2011, maybe a few years off?).  Major League Baseball and the PGA Tour pretty much dominate the major sports landscape.  Just as it should be.  Shockingly enough, the second week in June is one of my favorite sports weeks of the year.  The U.S. Open is the second best golf tournament of the year (next to the Masters) and the College World Series (something I never got to play in) is in full swing.  Plus, the Cincinnati Reds are on my TV or radio (two words for you: Marty. Brennaman.) every single day.  So, I thought I would use this time of year to spurn on my "Odd Stat of the Week" post.  Here goes:

1. Here is an odd enough stat about the U.S. Open that Rory McIlroy just dominated: the last two Open Champions both hail from tiny Northern Ireland (2010 winner was Graeme McDowell).  The population of Northern Ireland, in 2009, was 1.789 million people - that's bigger than Philadelphia, but smaller than Houston.  It covers 5,459 square miles - just slightly bigger than Connecticut.  Yet, that country has produced two golfers who have been able to win the most difficult championship in the world, in back-to-back years.  Maybe there is something in the water - or the Guinness.
2. How about some more about Rory McIlroy?  U.S. Open records that he set or tied last week: 1) Fewest holes to reach double digits under par (26); 2) Lowest first 36 holes (131); 3) Most strokes under par through 36 holes (-11 - remember, he double-bogied his 18th hole on Friday); 4) Largest 36 hole lead (6 - tied record); 5) Lowest first 54 holes (199); 6) Most strokes under par through 54 holes (-14); 7) Lowest 72 hole total (268); 8) Most strokes under par through 72 holes (-16).  Anyone see all that coming?  I thought not.
3. Now, that all sounds impressive, but, let us take a step back and realize how easy Congressional was playing in terms of a U.S. Open.  Going into last week there had only been 4 players EVER to shoot four rounds under par in a U.S. Open: Lee Trevino (1968), Tony Jacklin (1970), Lee Janzen (1993), and Curtis Strange (1994 - he didn't even win).  So, in 111 years of U.S. Opens, only 4 competitors shot four rounds under par.  In 2011, two players managed to accomplish this feat - McIlroy (duh) and Robert Garrigus (-6).  On top of that, Y.E. Yang shot three rounds under par and an even par round of 71.  Sergio Garcia also shot three rounds under par and an even par 71.  So, it is obvious the course wasn't a typical U.S. Open course, but, what McIlroy did was exceptional anyway.
4. Enough golf, let's move to college baseball.  Sort of.  Alright, this stat has nothing to do with baseball, but, the only reason I know the stat is because I saw it when I was watching the College World Series, so I think it counts.  Almost unbelievably (or absolutely believable, I still haven't decided), out of the 120 schools in the Bowl Subdivision (or, Division I for people who like to make sense, unlike the NCAA), only 17 of them have never been found guilty of a major violation in any sport.  That is about 14%.  And, it gets worse.  Only 4 of those 17 schools are from Automatic Qualifying conferences (SEC, ACC, Big 12, Big 10, Big East, Pac 10).  The four schools are: Boston College, Northwestern, Stanford, and Penn State.  What makes it even worse is the fact that between these four schools they have exactly two National Championships in the three major sports (football, basketball, baseball) - Penn State football in 1982 and Penn State football in 1986.  Of course, most students choose to go to the other three school because of their academic prowess, but it seems if a school doesn't cheat today, a National Championship is out of reach.  Maybe we should just pay athletes so cheating can't happen.  Then there would be no need for the NCAA, so, I bet that won't happen any time soon.
5. Vanderbilt University is making its first appearance at the College World Series ever.  This is odd only because they have been so good over the past decade or so.  They are attempting to become the first team to reach the finals of the World Series, in their first trip there, since...the 1994 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets led by Jason Varitek, Nomar Garciaparra, and Jay Payton.  This is only odd because I'm sure most readers are surprised that I played baseball at a school that produced quality major leaguers.  It still surprises me too.

That's all for this week's edition of the Odd Stat of the Week.  On a side note, I had mentioned here earlier that I was writing for examiner.com as the Cincinnati Reds Examiner.  Well, I quit.  Mostly because I put a lot of effort into writing my articles and I got paid about 8 cents.  Seriously.  I'd rather write for free on my blog than write for 8 cents.  At least this way I get to express my own opinion.  Farewell, Examiner (thank goodness).

Tiger Woods Strikes Again

Issue: What do you mean?  He was hurt, right?

Short Answer: Bull.

Reasoning: I don't like to speculate, ever.  Speculation can only cause trouble and embarrassment for everyone involved.  Plus, how could I ever prove I was right?  Well, one thing I learned in law school is to just talk really fast and use a lot of big, ambiguous words, so by the time you are finished, no one really knows what you were talking about in the first place.  Then, charge $250 per hour for those services.  Sounds like a plan.  Since I am not a licensed attorney, I can hypothesize, without any real proof other than my gut feeling, and not get myself in trouble.  I think.  And my hypothesis is this - Tiger Woods withdrew from The Players Championship yesterday, not because his knee, achilles, and calf hurt, but because his pride was hurt, maybe beyond repair this time.

I will not pretend like Tiger is not hurt.  His knee has been an issue for quite some time now, and I'm sure it still bothers him.  Last time someone questioned Tiger's injuries was Retief Goosen after the U.S. Open in 2008: "It just seemed that when he hit a bad shot his knee was in pain and on his good shots he wasn't in pain. You see when he made the putts and he went down on his knees and was shouting, 'Yeah,' his knee wasn't sore. Nobody really knows if he was just showing off or if he was really injured. I believe if he was really injured, he would not have played."  Whoops.  Turns out his leg was broken and his ACL was torn.  Let me ask you this - had Tiger gone out and shot 42 on his opening nine at the U.S. Open in 2008 (like he did yesterday at The Players), don't you think he would have withdrawn then too?  The only reason to play golf on a completely shattered leg is because you think you have a chance to win.  No chance, no play.  End of story.

Tiger has often said the same thing: "Why play if you don't think you're going to win? If I don't think I can win, I won't enter the event."  By that logic we can assume Tiger entered The Players Championship thinking he was going to win the tournament.  This means he was mentally and physically prepared to play 72 holes of golf, walking the whole time, and beat all of his competitors.  He last played competitive golf at The Masters, well over a month ago.  Could his sore knee, achilles, and calf not heal up in the amount of time?  If it didn't heal, what was he doing at the tournament in the first place?  His answer to that was this: "[his doctors] said I could play. The more rest I get, the better it would be, obviously. Obviously, it's a big event. I want to come back for it and play, and unfortunately I wasn't able to finish." (emphasis added).  So he wanted to come back and play because it was a big event, not because he thought he could win?  I'm confused.

The fact is this - Tiger has some lingering leg problems, this I do not doubt at all.  And, those leg problems may have been part of the reason Tiger withdrew.  They were not the sole reason though.  The triple-bogey he took on hole four yesterday was the result of an approach shot in the water and then his subsequent pitch-shot in the water.  Pretty sure a pitch-shot into the water wasn't because his knee hurt.  The Shot Tracker on PGATour.com recounts Tiger's last hole yesterday: shot 1 - 327 yard drive (what knee??); shot 2 - 279 yard 5-wood (hurts that bad, does it?) to 17 yards from the hole; shot 3 - chip shot fails to make the green, ends up in green side bunker (the knee must have got him there); shot 4 - sand shot to 22 ft. 3 in. from the hole (that one was the achillies); shot 5 - putt left 1 ft. 3 in. short (damn calf); shot 6 - hole out for bogey.  My guess is if you can reach a 583-yard par-5 in two shots, your knee, achillies, and calf aren't causing the trouble.  Hanging a +6 on the front side may have had more to do with it than Tiger will ever let on.

For the record, I am still rooting for him to come back because golf is more fun to watch when he is in the hunt.  But, after this charade, that may be the only reason I want him to come back.

Masters Sunday

Issue: Hell of a Sunday, no?

Short Answer: It most certainly was.

Reasoning: I wrote about what the Masters means to me here.  To the golfers, however, it means quite a bit more.  To win a Masters Tournament means to cement your name in the history books.  Just ask Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, or Arnold Palmer.  Or ask Trevor Immelman, Zach Johnson, or, you guessed it, Charl Schwartzel.  Maybe Charl will win a bunch of times over the next decade and we can put him into the former list.  But, I'm betting he doesn't, and we can keep his name on the latter list.  Yesterday was ol' Charlie's first ever win on the PGA Tour, even though he played as if he had done it hundreds of times before.  Schwartzel was unflappable in birdieing the final four holes of the tournament, although the last birdie was not needed, it put an exclamation point on his win.

To me though, the story wasn't about Schwartzel (alright, it was, but it's no fun to talk about someone that no one knows anything about).  The Masters was more about the following (remember, this is only my opinion):

American golf is being dominated by the world - If you have tuned into the Ryder Cup over the last decade or so, you already know this.  Since 1995, the United States has only won the Ryder Cup twice, and one of those was 1999 when the U.S. put together the greatest comeback in the history of the event (remember the Justin Leonard putt?  And the most horrible shirts in the history of the Cup?).  So what does this have to do with the Masters?  At the end of the third round, the leaderboard looked like this:

1. Rory McIlroy -12 (Northern Ireland (I thought he would shoot his 80 on Saturday, but, you knew it was coming))
2. Angel Cabrera -8 (Argentina)
3. Jason Day -8 (Australia)
4. Charl Schwartzel -8 (South Africa)
5. K.J. Choi -8 (South Korea)
6. Adam Scott -7 (Australia)
7. Luke Donald -7 (England)
8. Bo Van Pelt -6 (United States)

That's right, Bo Van Pelt was the closest American to the lead going into the final round.  Call me crazy, but I don't think anyone really gave Van Pelt much of a shot to win, even after he made eagle at 13 and eagle at 15.  And, guess what?  He bogeyed 16 and 17 and finished at -8, six shots off the lead.  Tiger Woods was the only American to finish in the top 7.  If we don't do something as a country soon, the U.S. Open may have to be renamed.

Tiger Woods IS NOT BACK (yet) - Look, I am a Tiger Woods fan.  I was explaining to someone the other day that we should all be happy to be alive at a time when one of the best golfers to walk the earth is playing the game.  I wrote about Tiger in this very blog here.  And, I have never, and will never, doubt the ability of Tiger.  He got to where he is for a reason, and once he stops being so mechanical, he will dominate again.  During the final round yesterday, I heard a lot of people (experts?) talk about how Tiger, after a front nine 31 (-5), was back.  Wrong.  The old Tiger wouldn't have celebrated so demonstratively after an eagle on hole 8.  Yeah, hole 8.  Still got a few holes to play there, buddy.  The old Tiger would have expected to shoot 31 on the front, and would have brought Augusta to its knees on the back nine.  But, Tiger parred 10 and 11, then missed a 3-footer for par on 12.  I figured it was over right then, but, he still had 13 and 15 to play.  After a huge drive on 13 (with a 3-wood no less), Tiger had a 7-iron into the par 5.  He hit it over the green, misplayed his chip, missed his birdie, and made par.  They say par is never a bad score, but I beg to differ at that point in the tournament.  Tiger hit it close on 14 and missed his birdie.  Then, on 15, from 215 yards, Tiger stuck it to 4 feet.  He then missed his eagle putt.  A birdie put him back to -10 and into a tie for the lead, but he was 4 holes ahead of the final group, and only 16 is a birdie opportunity on Sunday at Augusta (unless your last name is Schwartzel).  Tiger finished par, par, par and everyone watching had to know his chances were gone.  After a front nine 31, Tiger shot 36 (even par) on a back nine where Schwartzel shot 32, Day shot 32, Scott shot 33, Ogilvy shot 31, Ryan Palmer shot 32, and Justin Rose shot 33.  The opportunity was there for Tiger to win the Masters, and, he did not take it.  The old Tiger would have.

All that being said, I still don't doubt Tiger Woods.  He is not back, yet.  But, he will be.  I can almost guarantee it.  As long as he stays away from Perkins' waitresses and keeps his car on the road.

Opening Day

Issue: Wasn't that a week ago?

Short Answer: For baseball, yes.

Reasoning: Major League Baseball opening day is supposed to signify the beginning of Spring.  Recently, however, most opening days have been played in arctic-like temperatures.  Hell, the Cincinnati Reds played their opening day in HIGH temperatures of 44 degrees.  I realize Cincinnati has a storied history (we were the first ever professional baseball team), and playing a game on opening day in Cincinnati is a long standing tradition (although it has been quite a few years since we have played the actual first game in baseball - something I contribute to us sucking for so long).  But seriously, wouldn't it make more sense for the Reds to open up in San Diego or Atlanta or Houston or Florida?  Actually, it wouldn't make more sense, it would make too much sense.  Anyway, my point is, baseball opening day does not signify the beginning of Spring anymore.  Today, the beginning of the second week of April, signifies the beginning of Spring (or, at least the end of winter).

Not only does the second week of April mean the beginning of Spring (I realize that Spring really began on March 20 - bear with me), but it also caps off one of the best stretches of sport, anywhere, anytime.  Baseball opening day was March 31, followed by the Final Four matchups on April 2, then the national championship game April 4, followed by today, April 7, the beginning of the Masters.  I mean, if only the Super Bowl and the World Series were next week, right?  Augusta National Golf Course is the Mecca for all golfers.  People I know that love the game of golf, talk about their trips to Augusta (mostly for practice rounds Monday, Tuesday, and/or Wednesday - but some for the weekend too) talk about them with a tear of joy in their eye.  They have been to a place most people can only talk about going, or hope to go "some day" (just imagine a 5 year old kid at the bus stop who just got back from Disney World and that is how someone who just got back from Augusta National is treated - with reverence).  I was once asked what I would give, literally, not hypothetically, to play one round of golf on Augusta National.  My first answer was my car, which, at that time, was a 1997 Mitsubishi Montero Sport.  It was probably a $20,000-$25,000 SUV.  The problem then arose - how would I get there?  So I can't give up my car, because Augusta was two hours by car from Atlanta, so, walking, with my golf clubs, would probably take a couple of days.  The answer was then clear - I would have to give a testicle (you can still conceive a child with only one, right?).  See, I didn't have anything else worth anything.  Lungs and kidneys are fairly vital organs.  Testicles are too, but, I would literally give my left (or right) nut to play Augusta National.  I'm not kidding.  Ask anyone who really knows me.  Too bad no one at Augusta really wants my testicle anyway.

I write all of this to implore those of you out there that don't play or watch golf, to tune into the Masters.  In my opinion, Augusta is the most beautiful place on earth, and, they happen to play one of the most important golf tournaments on it every year.  If you haven't watched the Masters in high definition, you haven't seen the most breathtaking scenery you may ever see.  You want to know how much I love watching the Masters?  I went and bought a blank VHS tape last night so I can tape the coverage.  Let me answer all the questions I know you are asking right now:

1. I have baseball games to coach, so I can't watch it live;
2. It is actually a DVD/VCR combo;
3. I only own one VHS - Mallrats - "That kid, is BACK on the escalator!";
4. I do not have DVR - and I'm not sure why;

If you have any other questions, just tune in and watch the best golfers in the world play the best golf course in the world.  I know I will.  Once my tape rewinds.

The Upset of the Century?

Issue: What does Tiger's loss in the WGC-Accenture Match Play tell us?

Short Answer: Not a whole lot.

Reasoning: The Accenture Match Play Championship is set up just like the NCAA basketball tournament.  There are 64 players, set up in a bracket-style golf tournament.  The winner of each match moves on to the next round.  Whomever wins six matches in a row, wins the tournament, and a boatload of money.  Most golf fans love this event because it is different than any other tournament.  In fact, the only other place one generally sees PGA professionals participate in match play, is in the Ryder Cup, which only takes place every two years (and the United States has been getting their butts handed to them over the last decade or so, which makes said match play not as fun to watch).  Plus, throwing in $10 and filing out a bracket with friends is quite fun, and, at the same time, quite impossible.  See, unlike the NCAA basketball tournament, where there is quite a large talent gap between a #1 seed and a #16 seed, the Accenture Match Play has no such talent gap.  The #16 seed in the match play can hardly be considered an underdog.

To wit, the four 1 v. 16 matchups at this year's event looked like this: (1) Lee Westwood v. (16) Henrik Stenson; (1) Phil Mickelson v. (16) Brendan Jones; (1) Martin Kaymer v. (16) Seung-yul Noh; and (1) Tiger Woods v. (16) Thomas Bjorn.  Although 3 of the #1 seeds moved on to the second round, it is not a guarantee.  How about some stats?  Total number of wins for the #1 seeds in 2011?  One.  Martin Kaymer at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship on the European Tour.  Total number of wins for the #16 seeds in 2011?  One.  Thomas Bjorn at the Commercialbank (not a typo) Qatar Masters on the European Tour.  Stroke average, combined, for the #1 seeds in 2011?  70.59.  Stroke average, combined*, for the #16 seeds in 2011?  71.25.  A total difference of .66 strokes per 18 holes.  So, unlike the NCAA basketball tournament, a #16 seed upsetting a #1 seed isn't really a big deal.  Or even out of the ordinary.  In fact, Tiger Woods is the only #1 overall seed to ever win the match play.  Six times a player seeded #14 or higher (14, 15, or 16) has won the match play, and only five times has a seed lower than #14 (1-13) won the tournament (Tiger has won 3 of them).  And, in 2002, Kevin Sutherland was a #16 seed and won the whole thing.

So, when Tiger Woods was "upset" by Thomas Bjorn in the first round on Wednesday, it didn't surprise me, and shouldn't have surprised anyone else either.  The only advantage a #1 seed has in this format is the "intimidation factor."  Playing against one of the best players in the world is more of a mental challenge than a physical challenge, in the game of golf.  In past years, those playing against Tiger stood no chance at winning because he had that killer instinct.  Not so much anymore.  At this point, is anyone afraid of playing Tiger Woods?  Absolutely not.  Thomas Bjorn was playing against the weakest #1 seed.  Sure, this is an upset, but in name only.  Plus, Bjorn has a win this year, and exudes the confidence that goes along with that.  Tiger hasn't been confident since a little fender-bender around Thanksgiving-time a year and a half ago.  I wrote about Tiger's return to competitive golf here, and I still hope he can come back and win.  It makes golf more fun to watch.  However, the loss to Thomas Bjorn shows me that him winning again may be farther off than I'd hoped.  Damn.

*The Accenture Match Play was Brendan Jones' first event of 2011.

Spitgate

Issue: The currently-most-famous-loogey was spat by...?

Short Answer: Tiger Woods.

Reasoning: This weekend, while most of the PGA Tour was competing in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Tiger Woods was in Dubai, playing in the European Tour's Dubai Desert Classic.  Tiger shot 66 on Friday to move into contention, and was inevitably one shot back heading into Sunday.  He fired a final round 75, and, needless to say, didn't win.  But, on this Monday, the story wasn't about his choke-job on Sunday, but rather about a loogey he spat on the 12th green after making a feeble attempt at birdie.  I find it laughable that the story here is about some spit, but, unfortunately, the European Tour made it the issue.  See, the European Tour reprimanded and fined (an undisclosed amount) Tiger for his actions.  And this has been reported on every media outlet (re: ESPN) all throughout the day (literally, on ESPN).  Since spitgate became national news, Tiger took to Twitter to apologize: "The Euro Tour is right – it was inconsiderate to spit like that and I know better. Just wasn’t thinking and want to say I’m sorry."  (No citation needed - I was watching ESPN most of the day.)

First, let me say, this is completely ridiculous.  Everyone who agrees with the fine does so because they say it is "disgusting" and "rude" because other players may come along and put their ball down right in his spit.  Really?  First of all, what are the chances of that?  A zillion to one?  Probably more.  Second, what are the chances the spit is still in a huge puddle on the green and hasn't soaked into the ground?  You know, because the ground tends to soak up water and all.  And, even if someone's ball did roll through the spit, and then that person touched it, at least it's Tiger Woods' spit and not someone like Sergio Garcia's (nothing against Spanish people or anything, he just strikes me as an ass) spit.  Tiger Woods' actions did not warrant a fine, nor did they warrant national attention.  He was outside, on a golf course, which, in my eyes, is open ground for spitting.  Whenever and wherever.

However (three out of four straight words with the word "ever" in them!), I cannot fully condone Tiger's actions, because I am what they like to call a "golf purist."  I believe there is no place for a temper in golf; that players should take care of the course they play on so those that come after them can enjoy the same course they did; that players should be considerate of those playing around them; and that golf carts are an example of how technology has made the game worse (along with equipment, balls, and everything else in golf these days - although I must admit, it is more interesting to watch a 330 yard drive than it is to watch a 270 yard drive.  Trust me on this one.).  Tiger broke most of these rules.  I play golf all the time and I played baseball all my life.  Trust me when I tell you that I engage in the act of spitting on an occasion or two (million).  I don't ever spit on the green, not because I'm worried about a player behind me putting his (or her) ball in it, but because I respect the course too much to do so.  A golfer's only opponent is the course he (or she) is playing on, so Tiger, by spitting on the green, basically spit on his opponent, because his opponent was beating him.  And beating him badly.  It was a classless move at a time when he was clearly frustrated.  But, after the negative attention it has brought him, I'm betting he never does it again.

And, I'm still rooting for him to win again and do what I said here.

A Tribute to a True American Hero

Issue: Today is the Super Bowl though.  What gives?

Short Answer: Already did a Super Bowl post (see below).  This is way better anyway.

Reasoning: Allow me to set the scene for some of the coolest video I have ever seen:

• Setting - The 16th hole at the TPC Scottsdale Stadium Course (I have actually played the Desert Course at TPC Scottsdale, but that has absolutely nothing to do with anything).  This hole has become its own entity over the last decade.  In 2008, Tournament sponsor FBR (the sponsor is now Waste Management) added 3,000 more bleacher seats to bring the total capacity, for the 16th hole only, a very short par-3 at about 150 yards, to over 20,000.  And most are ridiculously drunk.  The whole setting is basically the exact opposite of what you would expect at a golf course on the PGA Tour.  But, man is it cool to watch.  The fans boo the players when they miss the green, and leave putts short, and play it safe.  However, when you do something good, the place absolutely erupts.  It is pure, unadulterated fun, and it makes a relatively benign tournament in February, into something worth watching.  Here is video of Tiger Woods making a hole-in-one at the 16th in 1997 (the reason I chose this video is because of the sheer raucousness of the crowd, and, when they pan away as he is walking off the tee, you can see beer cups, bottles, and cans being chucked onto the tee by fans.  Awesome.):

• Cast - The video clip stars Billy Mayfair.  He will never be considered a great golfer by PGA Tour standards, but he has won 5 times (none since 1998).  He is aging, and he actually had to go back to Q-school after the 2010 season, since he finished 142 on the official money list.  He did, however, attend Arizona State University, and fans at the 16th hole love ASU alumni (re: Phil Mickleson).  In the video, Billy Mayfair pays homage to another former Arizona State Sun Devil, Pat Tillman.  For those of you who don't know, Pat Tillman played safety for Arizona State and then the Arizona Cardinals.  He was a fantastic athlete.  He was also a fantastic American.  Shortly after the attacks of September 11, 2001, Pat Tillman decided to walk away from a career in the NFL to join the Army Special Forces.  He was killed in Afghanistan in 2004, most probably by friendly-fire (author Jon Krakauer penned quite a literary piece called Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman, which details the events surrounding his death.  Heck of a read.).
• Climax - Billy Mayfair, a decent-at-best PGA Tour golfer, heads to the 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale in the 2nd round (which actually took place on Saturday due to frost delays earlier in the week.  Yes, frost delays in Phoenix.  Winter sucks.).  The 16th tee at TPC Scottsdale is the place where even professional golfers get nervous.  No one wants to get booed by 20,000 people.  So, Mayfair ups the ante (and the pressure) by donning a Pat Tillman Arizona State jersey.  That alone would have stopped anyone from booing him, no matter what.  But, what happened next, kinda makes you wonder...

Thank you Billy Mayfair.  And, thank you Pat Tillman - a true American hero.

The Return of Tiger Woods

Issue: Tiger finally tees it up this week at the Farmer's Insurance Open.  Any thoughts?

Short Answer: I can't wait.

Reasoning: Golf is a sport in which dominance is nonexistent.  The (arguably) greatest player of all time (to this point), Jack Nicklaus, still lost way more tournaments than he won.  His 18 majors sit in the record books alongside 511 wins (Cy Young), 755 home runs (Barry Bonds is not the record holder, I don't care what anyone says), 61 home runs (ibid), 1,549 receptions and 22,895 receiving yards (Jerry Rice), and 5,714 strikeouts (Nolan Ryan) as records that may never be broken.  18 certainly does not seem like a lot in a sport where players compete for 20+ years, and each year four different majors are contested.  But, when you take a look at how hard it is to win a major, or multiple majors for that fact, 18 becomes a hallowed number.  In the history of major tournaments, did you know, that only 76 men have won more than one major?  Did you also know that the list of men who have won 10 or more majors is exactly four people long?  Walter Hagen (11), Bobby Jones (13 - if you count the old majors, i.e., the British Amateur and the U.S. Amateur), Tiger Woods (14), and Jack Nicklaus (18).

I mention the above facts because if Tiger Woods never wins another tournament, he has already positioned himself as one of the top three golfers of all time.  In a sport that dates back longer than most, this is a fairly impressive accomplishment.  And the fact that I am alive to watch Tiger play, means that I can't wait to see him play again, even if it is in the Farmer's Insurance Open.  Many people have written Tiger Woods off, saying that he will never again be his old self.  So what?  Isn't what he gave us from 1999-2008 good enough?  The answer is a resounding, yes.  That being said, why would anyone write this guy off?  Is it because he FINALLY went an entire year without winning a tournament?  I would list all the PGA golfers who have never won a tournament in their entire career, but I'm not sure I have enough room.  Tiger Woods is only 35 years old.  He has won 71 times on the PGA Tour (3rd all time behind Jack Nicklaus (73) and Sam Snead (82)).  So, the guy has some marital problems (his biggest mistake was getting married in the first place - dude, you are one of the most famous athletes on the planet, maybe you should ride that one out for awhile - just a thought) and one substandard year, and it is time to start looking for who's next?  Bubba Watson, Ricky Fowler, Dustin Johnson, Martin Kaymer, Ryo Ishikawa, and Graham McDowell are all fine players and may have fantastic careers on the PGA Tour.  I will give you any of them, plus 2 shots a side, against Tiger, and I will bet you whatever amount of money you want.  One bad year does not a career make, and we should be willing to give that benefit to Tiger.

Tiger's problem is not his game.  It is his head.  Before the media circus surrounding his accident a year and a half ago, Tiger was all about golf all the time.  Now, you can see him attempting to be someone he isn't.  He says hello to fans, grants interviews whenever, and doesn't have that killer look in his eyes anymore.  If he can get that back, watch out.  Jack Nicklaus won his 18th major, at the Masters in 1986, at the age of 46.  Give me one reason Tiger can't still be winning majors at 46?  He is in better shape, has better equipment, and (I think) still has the desire to be the best. 

I have written a couple posts here at uncommonly sports about athletes who I believe have gotten a raw deal.  Cam Newton and Michael Vick come to mind.  Now, Tiger Woods has brought a lot of scrutiny on himself, so it is hard to say he has gotten a raw deal.  But the amount of doubters out there lead me to believe that Tiger, like Lou Brown (manager of the Major League Cleveland Indians) once said, can't wait to give the media a great big s**tburger.  I hope when he wins his first tournament of 2011 he stands up at the podium, holding his giant trophy and oversized check (yes, I realize they don't do this anymore) and gives everyone in the media tent the finger, says "I'm Tiger Woods b**ches," and walks out.  Don't doubt Tiger - he has already proven how good he is, and I feel sorry for the field if he decides he has to do it again.

These Guys Are Good

Issue: Any cool videos that people may want to see?

Short Answer: These are unreal.

Reasoning: I'm not sure how many people have seen these, but even if you have, they are worth another look.  These two videos contain European PGA Tour professionals attempting what most of us average golfers (i.e., hacks) believe to be impossible shots.  It's crazy to think how good these guys are to even come close to pulling either of these shots off.  Take a look:

Amazing.  As is this one:

For those of you that don't play golf, take it from me, what you just saw is impossible.  The only people on the planet who could fathom pulling either shot off are professional golfers.  And you saw how many times they missed before one of them got lucky.  Awesome videos.

The Odd Stat of the Week

Issue: In honor of the PGA Tour's official start tomorrow, could you do the "Odd Stat of the Week" a bit early this week, and make it golf related?

Short Answer: Ask and you shall receive...

Reasoning: The golf season basically has no offseason, as it is warm enough somewhere in the world, at all times, to play golf.  However, the PGA Tour officially kicks off its season this week with the Hyundai Tournament of Champions at Kapalua (Hawaii).  In order to play in this tournament, one must have actually won a PGA Tour event last year, so, there will be no Tiger Woods.  Also, there are a host of those who did win, who have chosen not to play (yeah, I don't get it either, but maybe Hawaii gets old after you have been there a few times?  Really?  What better does a professional golfer have to do than go to Hawaii and play for a million or so dollars?  REALLY?).  Anyway, the list of those not coming to Kapalua include Phil Mickelson, Louis Oosthuizen, Martin Kaymer, Lee Westwood, and Rory McIlroy.  For those of you that only recognize Phil - Oosthuizen won the British Open in 2010 and Kaymer the PGA Championship; Westwood is the #1 player in the world and McIlroy is the brightest young star out there.  But, the tournament is in Hawaii, and when one (me, in particular) lives in a cold weather climate, tuning in to watch golf in Hawaii, golf stars or not, sounds pretty good.

With that said comes the odd stat of the week, which deals directly with the Tournament of Champions.  Here is a list of the last 10 champions of the event, and the number of Tour wins they had THE REST OF THE YEAR*:

• 2010 - Geoff Ogilvy - 0
• 2009 - Geoff Ogilvy - 1
• 2008 - Daniel Chopra - 0
• 2007 - Vijay Singh - 1
• 2006 - Stuart Appleby - 1
• 2005 - Stuart Appleby - 0
• 2004 - Stuart Appleby - 0
• 2003 - Ernie Els - 1
• 2002 - Sergio Garcia - 0
• 2001 - Jim Furyk - 0

The lesson to be learned here is that maybe some of these golfers should think about dropping a few strokes around the course on Sunday, as winning this tournament seems to be a curse.  Unless, of course, your name is Tiger Woods, who won this tournament in 2000 (which is now 11 years ago!) and then won 8, yes 8, more times that year.  Since he won't be there this year, someone else is about to curse their season.  If, you know, winning $1,120,000 for four days of work can be considered a curse.

*Thanks to Jason Sobel at espn.com.