Tiger? Woods

Just when it seemed like his game couldn't get worse, Tiger Woods dropped a +18 at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational this past weekend.  He is looking more like a hurt kitten than the ferocious tiger we are used to.  This is the same guy who won the US Open in an 18-hole playoff with a torn ACL and a broken leg.  Now, the once invincible "greatest golfer in history" is now a question mark for this year's Ryder Cup team.  He can't seem to do anything right on the course, except give a signed glove and ball to the fan who he hit in the face with his ball off the tee.  The question before his personal fiasco began in November was not if he would break Nicklaus' record for major victories but when.  Now, the question is if he can ever get it together to even win another tournament, much less a major.  With the PGA Championship looming this weekend, Tiger has a lot of work to do before he will be in contention.

Even before his dirty laundry was aired before the whole world, there were many who despised Tiger for his antics on the course.  Those individuals enjoyed seeing his downfall, but now, even his harshest critics have to be yearning to see the fire back in Tiger's eyes.  Love him or hate him, he has completely transformed golf.  TV ratings when Tiger is playing tournaments are through the roof.  Also, when he was rehabbing his knee, ratings plummeted.  Everybody wants to see Tiger, but a bad Tiger is bad for golf.  Whenever he is in the hunt on a Sunday, it brings an added excitement.

Tiger is doing his best Mike Tyson impersonation, but instead of Buster Douglas doing the irreparable damage, it's Tiger inflicting it on himself due to his bad decisions.  I think the best thing for golf would be for Tiger to find rejuvenation this week at the PGA and not only contend but win his 15th major.  Such a victory would bring a much-needed buzz back to golf that it hasn't had since Tiger took his hiatus to deal with his personal problems.  Not to mention, a Ryder Cup with with Tiger on the team on European soil might bring some positive light back to the former hero of golf.  Tiger, for the sake of golf, stop looking like John Daly and play like Tiger Woods.

America's Pastime: Part 2

We got to check out two more parks this weekend, and as promised, here are my thoughts on each:

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia Phillies:

After eating an amazing cheesesteak at Jim's and a walk around Independence Hall, we made our way to the ballpark.  We got there a couple of hours early, so we could watch bp from our left field seats.  Phillies fans are for real about their home run balls.  Everybody had gloves (except us), and if you did not catch the ball off the fly, you could expect to be booed.  I got robbed a couple of times by gloves, so we didn't end up with any souvenirs.  After bp and before the game, we made it over to Chickie's and Pete's to get the famous crab fries and cheese sauce, which was phenomenal.  Great game, great atmosphere.  It was alumni day, so we got to see all the past Phillies come out and greet the crowd.  Philly fans know their stuff, and they are die hard.  Everybody we saw supporting the Mets was heckled.  Unfortunately, the Mets pulled out a 1-0 game behind a gem from Santana.  The only problem was the seats were about a foot wide, so everyone was on top of one another.  Really my only complaint about the park.

Camden Yards - Baltimore Orioles:

So this was my first trip to Baltimore, and the city is a dump.  We ate at Chap's Pit Beef on the way, and even though the location was questionable, the sandwich was great.  Our seats at Camden were 16 rows back from home plate, so we had a perfect  view of the game.  Camden is probably my favorite park so far.  I loved it so much, I bought a Ripken shirt to rep during the game.  The home run ball plaques on the sidewalk past right field to commemorate some of the longest HRs hit there is a great idea.  The statue of Babe Ruth (a native of Baltimore) and the numbers of the Orioles' greats as you walk in the park were amazing too.  Got to see Jeremy Guthrie outpitch Mark Buehrle (who would have guessed that).  We also got to enjoy a crabcake at the ballpark.  Overall, to date, this park takes the cake.  I mean, you can't beat the atmosphere/history of Fenway, but out of the rest of the parks, this is by far my new favorite.

Hopefully, I can make it to at least one more park this season, but next season, my plan is to have another epic adventure where I can hit up at least 3 or 4 on one trip.

America's Pastime

To commemorate my upcoming trip to Philly and Baltimore to watch baseball, I decided to throw in my two cents on the ballparks I have already visited.  Once I visit Citizen's Bank and Camden Yards, I will include my review of those.

Turner Field - Atlanta Braves:

My first major league game in 1997.  Braves/Cardinals.  Ended up going about 13 innings and ended 1-0.  I have been to a few more games at Turner since that one.  Of course, the atmosphere here is more electric when the Braves are competing for a playoff spot, but overall, it is a great park.  A little too big at times, with a lot of empty seats, it can still get loud when the Braves put runs on the board.  Even up in the nosebleeds, there isn't really a bad seat in the park.  Also, you can bring your own food and drink into the game, so you save a ton of money.  Nothing like watching a game in that Atlanta heat though.

Cinergy Field/Riverfront Stadium - Cincinnati Reds:

Only went to one game here.  It was a dump with a ton of empty seats.  The location in the city was great, but the Reds made a wonderful decision to tear it down and build a new park. 

Great American Ballpark - Cincinnati Reds:

Went to a few games at Great American, and it is a phenomenal place to see a game.  The second series the park hosted was against the Cubs, and I was able to go.  The night before, Sosa hit his 500th on a nice warm night, but the day game on Saturday was cold with a breeze coming off the Ohio River.  Griffey got hurt diving for a ball, and the Cubs fans in the outfield were heckling him.  This park is definitely and upgrade from Cinergy.  It is one of my favorite places to see a game.  The Reds took a lot of seats out, so it does not look as empty, and the view of the Ohio River is incredible.  The fans, granted they haven't been in a playoff race for a while until now, were rather uninterested.

Old Yankee Stadium - New York Yankees:

What a dump.  We sat in the bleacher seats for an afternoon game, and it was literally 98 degrees outside.  Saw Mo Rivera lose the game in the 9th to the Royals.  The fans were awesome though.  Definitely 100% behind their team.  More cutthroat that any of the other fans I have seen though.  Losing was simply unacceptable for them.  Hopefully New Yankee Stadium gives the same feel with a better park, although Yankee fans were proud of their dump in the old park.

Shea Stadium - New York Mets:

The park was definitely nicer than Old Yankee, but the atmosphere was terrible.  They were booing their own team the whole game and chanting for Willie to get fired.  There were a few interesting characters we ran across, but they did not make the experience any better.  We encountered a rain delay, and after the storm, there were no fans remaining, but we were not allowed to move any closer to the field.  I highly doubt Citi Field's atmosphere is any better than Shea's.  It is probably just a little nicer.

Fenway Park - Boston Red Sox:












The Mecca of all the parks I have been to so far.  We were at the game that broke the consecutive sellouts streak held by Cleveland.  They were playing the Orioles, and the fans were fully behind their team.  The only difference between Red Sox fans and Yankee fans are that Red Sox fans wouldn't ever boo their team.  There are certainly better places to watch baseball but no better atmosphere.  Whether it was the wave that lasted 10 minutes and ended with a JD Drew home run or 30,000 Boston accents singing Sweet Caroline, this place is amazing.  Fenway franks are second to none, and even better is the fact that a cop on the field let me grab a handful of dirt from the park.  They don't make ballparks like this anymore.

Busch Stadium - St. Louis Cardinals:














Hands down, the best view from any park I have ever been to.  With city hall and the arch in the background, this park is a gem.  The fans support their team, but they aren't as rabid as the fans on the east coast.  Everybody is in their Cardinals red, but this truly has a Midwest feel.  I didn't go to Old Busch, but the new park is really nice with some great food.  Also, there isn't a bad seat in this park either.  I would think it is one of the better new parks in the league to see a game.

Of course my goal is to make it to every major league park, but there are a few parks I am more excited to see.  Of course Wrigley is a must.  Also, the Jake is at the top of my list, but we will start with Philly and Baltimore this weekend.

My Take on LeBron

So over the last month, the talk of the town seems to be "The Decision."  LeBron opted out of Cleveland, a city yearning to overcome decades of sports failure, for the sunny beaches of Miami.  In my opinion, this was a simple decision.  He has an opportunity to play with two of his good friends with a chance to win multiple championships.  It is not LeBron's fault that he was drafted by his hometown team.  Why should he have more of an obligation to stay than anyone else?  When Paul Pierce lured Ray Allen and KG to Boston to win a title, everyone was excited to see "the Big 3," but now everyone is calling LeBron a traitor.  The double standard is unwarranted.

First of all, Cleveland did not make the necessary moves to keep King James.  Bringing in a mediocre Mo Williams, an ancient Shaq, and a crippled Jamison isn't exactly what I call "doing everything you can to bring home a championship."  There were numerous free agents they could have picked up to supplement LeBron.  LeBron actually helped catapult Mo Williams into an All-Star.  I think if LeBron won a championship in Cleveland, he would have stayed in Cleveland, but ownership just wasn't up to the task.

Speaking of ownership, Dan Gilbert is a moron.  Yes, LeBron left town.  Yes, you are angry, but yes, he made your team millions of dollars in revenue and launched Cleveland back on the map of basketball legitimacy.  Now, after his crybaby tirade, sources around the league are reporting that no one wants to go to Cleveland to play for his organization, and who can blame them?

Now to the old timers.  Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson say that they would have never left town to win championships.  That may be the case, but take a look at the talent that was around each player.  Scottie Pippen is one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history.  MJ never won a title without him.  I don't even know if LeBron had a player that could be considered in the top 50 in the NBA right now.  Magic had Kareem and James Worthy, two Hall of Famers.  Not to mention, both MJ and Magic had a supporting cast that knew their role and could contribute.  LBJ was surrounded by a bunch of misfits.  Also, compare the coaching staffs.  Try to compare Mike (can't win a big game) Brown with Phil Jackson and Pat Riley.  There is no comparison.  Now LeBron has Riley, who knows how to win titles, in the front office in Miami.

As for "The Decision" itself.  It was not LeBron's idea to broadcast his decision over a 1 hour prime-time block on ESPN.  ESPN made that decision, and the revenue from that went to the Boys and Girls Club.  If people wanted to complain about it, they should have simply turned off the TV.

LeBron may never be the next Kobe or the next MJ.  I don't think he wants that.  He changed his number from 23 to 6 as a tribute to MJ being the true 23.  He is LeBron.  He is a freak athlete with a drive that will be on full display next season.  Remember Kobe needed several years to find that drive without Shaq (and he may have never found it if it wasn't for a ridiculously uneven trade for Pau Gasol).  So everyone who LeBron is being compared to had help.  Now that LeBron has talent around him, the sky is the limit.  We are all witnesses!

Tar Heels Missing the Dance Again?

Last season was a nightmare for University of North Carolina fans.  One year removed from a national championship, an injury-riddled disappointing Tar Heel team missed the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2003.  This is also first time a Roy Williams-coached team has missed out since his first year at Kansas in 1989 when they were on probation.

The 2010 Tar Heels struggled at the guard position, did not have a legitimate match-up problem, and couldn't keep their front line healthy; however, they did have length in the post which was evident by the number of blocks they recorded every game.  With the #2 recruiting class coming in (according to ESPN), it would seem like a turnaround is in order in Chapel Hill.  The #1 player in the country, Harrison Barnes, is a match-up nightmare.  He has more size than any guard who would try to guard him on the wing and more speed than any big man who would attempt to guard him in the post.  He will make an immediate difference.  UNC is also bringing in another athletic wing in Reggie Bullock.  His game has been compared with Jerry Stackhouse, but it is unsure the level of immediate impact he will bring.  Finally, UNC is bringing in a true point guard, Kendall Marshall.  He will probably start right away over Larry Drew for Roy's boys.  Even so, these 3 players do not completely fix the problems in Chapel Hill.

A report was released yesterday that freshmen twin post players David and Travis Wear, who were essentially reserves this year, are transferring from UNC.  This coupled with the departures of Deon Thompson and Ed Davis translates into a very thin front line for UNC.  John Henson and Tyler Zeller are all that is left in the depleted front line, and Zeller has been plagued by injuries.  Also, Marcus Ginyard, one of their best defenders, is graduating.  The question marks continue to add up for the Tar Heels.  It is unlikely that UNC will have the injury problems in 2011 that they had in 2010, and they definitely have a better option at point guard, but with the thin front line, 2011 could be another long season for the Tar Heels.  They will probably make it back in the tournament, but in Chapel Hill, simply making the tournament isn't good enough.

Calipari to da Bulls?

It has been rumored that Coach Cal is on a long list of candidates to replace Vinny Del Negro as the coach of the Chicago Bulls.  These are strictly rumors, but there is a lot of speculation surrounding these rumors.  Of course, Chicago has Derrick Rose, former PG under Cal at Memphis.  Also, with LeBron becoming a free agent after the season and his close relation to Cal, it is not out of the question that LeBron may consider Chicago if Cal is brought in as the head coach.  Finally, Chicago, although not so recently, is one of the premier franchises of the modern era (thanks in large part to MJ).  A Cal coached Bulls team with Rose and LeBron could bring another championship to Chicago.  Coach Cal has told numerous reporters that he is not interested in this job though.

Of course all of this is speculation; however, following this report, University of Kentucky officials immediately began working with Cal on a new contract after ONE season.  He is already the highest paid coach in college basketball with an 8-year deal.  I know he turned the UK program around in 1 season, but I think UK should be weary about a new deal so quickly.  Everyone knows Cal's track record of having wins vacated.  I am not saying the guy is guilty; I am just saying that both of the Final Fours he as been to have been vacated by the NCAA.  Few people remember that he was an assistant under Larry Brown at Kansas during a time which landed Kansas on probation too.  None of this has stuck to Cal, but a program with the history of UK needs to be careful before rewarding Cal after just one season.  In addition, in recruiting the "one and dones," he has to bring in more players, on average, than most other coaches, which just increases the likelihood of another Derrick Rose situation.

Cal may be using the Bulls offer as leverage for a new contract, and UK officials don't seem to care.  Two days after UK President Lee T. Todd Jr. was "disappointed" by the 2.025 team GPA in the fall semester, athletic director Mitch Barnhart didn't seem to worry about the plummeting grades when he said the following: "I'm extremely proud of what Coach Calipari has done in just one year as the leader of our men's basketball program.  Cal has brought Kentucky men's basketball back to its rightful place of national prominence and I'm excited about our future."  The point is that there are too many question marks surrounding Coach Cal to reward him with a new deal after just one season.