But Is It Really A Sport?

I know it’s contradictory that I’m giving airtime on a sports blog about what I think should not be considered a sport, but sometimes I have to break the rules to make a point.  So here goes… my list of non-sport sports that are out there. All of which should be removed from ESPN until surfing gets more visibility.

·      Horse Racing- where do I even start. First of all, any “sport” that involves animals I don’t like. With that said, they have names that make for very confusing headlines, such as “I’ll have another won’t run”. I’m sorry what? What will you have another of and why are you avoiding exercise?

·      Boxing- stupidity at it’s finest. Let’s hit each other in the face over and over again until they have severe brain trauma and pass out. Also, anytime girls in bikinis are used as promotions- that’s called Spring Break Cancun, not a sport.

·      NASCAR- not to be confused with Formula One racing like the Grand Prix where there are actual obstacles to avoid and high speeds around tight turns. NASCAR is a bunch of polluting loud advertisements that go in circles for hours and hours. What’s the point. I’d prefer to watch a hamster spin on a wheel.

·      Poker- super cool, takes a lot of skill and smarts (not to mention luck), but is it really a sport? I mean, if you can play it alongside others who are actually betting on real sports- shouldn’t that by default exclude it from inclusion?

I’m sure there are more that I will add to the list, but that’s all for now. One big sweep of non-sport sports that should be deleted from ESPN.

That's What Friends Are For

It is not often you see a major champion winner greeted after his final putt on 18 by anyone other than his wife/girlfriend and children. That's not the case with Bubba Watson. One of the most loved and fun guys on the tour, Bubba was able to take home the green jacket yesterday at Augusta National for the 2012 Masters Championship and was greeted by non-other than his fellow golfers.  While most of the players were already on planes back to their hometowns, Rickie Fowler & Ben Crane (of The Golf Boys) and Aaron Baddeley stuck around to watch as their friend battled for a victory in playoff holes. 

There are not many other sports I can think of where this would happen. Can you imagine the Patriots sticking around to congratulate the Jets on their Super Bowl win after they were beat in the playoffs? Probably not. Or Vancouver players bringing their kids to watch the Sharks win the Stanley Cup. Yea right. Golf is an individual sport but suprises at times with the support players have for one another.

If only more sports could be like golf....

First Golf Crush

Your first golf love is one you'll never forget. It's engrained in your memory like your first kiss, your first prom or the first time you birdie a hole. My first golf love was Payne Stewart, with his brutally attractive outfits and constantly happy attitude, he drew my attention as a child.  I later moved on to the likes of Fred Couples and Greg Norman and from there the list goes on and on.

My cousin has found that great love this past weekend while at the PGA Championship in Atlanta.  Despite the sweltering heat and intense humidity, she fell in love with Rickie Fowler. I mean really, who can blame her. With his amazing dance skills and movie start dimples, what's not to love. Following in my footsteps of liking someone who defies the odds of fashion, Rickie can pull off the brightest colors with little effort.  Even though he is only 22 (her age will go unmentioned) it's best to remember, a lower number is always better in golf.

The Tale of Two Caddies

I guess change can be a good thing, but when it comes to Tiger and Stevie this is one break-up that will take some time to get use to.  It was no surprise that Stevie starting carrying Adam Scott's bag for the last two major tournaments since Tiger didn't play, but I bet he didn't know he was going to need to look for a more permanent position soon. Let's back-up a bit, as you remember I wrote about this a while back, Adam Scott fired long time caddie Tony Navarro right after the Masters where he tied for 2nd, and asked Stevie to carry his bag. The ripple effect of this action is one I didn't see coming.

On Wednesday, Tiger announced on his blog that he would no longer be working with longtime caddie Stevie Williams. With almost $5M in tournament winnings from Tiger, Stevie is said to be one of the most successful caddies of all time, and the best. For someone like Tiger who doesn't like to talk a lot during the match (unlike Lefty who wouldn't find the green without talking to Bones about it first), Stevie offered the perfect amount of advice to help make Tiger the huge success he is today.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the pond, and tournament winnings, Adam Scott often got tips from Tony during matches. They were friendly on and off the course but Adam apparently didn't like the advice he was getting or the way he was playing with Tony on his bag.

Who knew that Adam and Tiger were about to join the swingers club, in more ways than one. Adam and Stevie are temporarily together, there has been no announcement made as to whether this will become full time, but when I'm at the PGA Championship next month we'll see if they're walking the course in tandem.

Then there's Tiger. Who is going to carry his bag? Greg Norman seems to think Tony Navarro is a good selection and possibly in the running.  This is all speculation from The Shark and I hope it isn't true- but with that said, Tiger isn't going to take a rookie caddie so he'll have to steal from some on the tour. Looks like Angel Cabrera should start watching his back... and giving Tony a bonus.

So we have it, the tale of two caddies, with my two favorite players and an unknown future.

Sad End to a Great Tournament

Well the US Women's soccer team gave it their all on Sunday in the World Cup Finals. In an epic battle against Japan, the game came down to penalty kicks. How almost our whole roster missed their shots is beyond me, but with that said, we shouldn't have even let it get to a PK situation. I mean, if we got points for hitting the post it would have been game over early. Not to take any credit away from Japan, they had a USA vs. Brazil-esque finish to send them into PKs. They played with heart and we just couldn't bring home the trophy.  The good thing that came out of this, our team is more united than they have ever been. I suspect we'll get a full returning roster with the exception of Christie Rampone who is 36 and will most likely retire soon.

Here are some fun facts for you: we have to give the women credit, the World Cup Finals gave ESPN their highest ratings for a soccer game to date with roughly 13.5 million viewers tuning in. That's a lot of people watching a sport that is barely appreciated in the states. In addition to everyone watching, there were roughly 7,196 tweets per second, which is more than the royal wedding. 

Brazil Who?

Sunday marked the quarterfinal game for USA and Brazil, two teams that have faced each other numerous times in the past, both crediting some of the best players in the world, and the US Team always comes out on top.  So begins the game Sunday morning, within minutes of kick-off Brazil scores an own goal, good thing this isn't Colombia in the 90s or she would have to start looking into witness protection.  USA got momentum early but struggled in the midfield for the majority of the first half and leading into the second. What I don't understand is at halftime announcers were saying how well the US was playing, what I noticed was a lot of sloppy soccer. Don't get me wrong, the team has amazing talent, but I'd like to see them being a bit more proactive, especially going into the Semis.  They need to start stepping up to balls, not waiting for them; need to expand the field instead of playing bunch ball. Enough with the coaching tips.....

66 minutes into the game Rachel Buehler was given a red card for a foul that was bullshit in my mind. To give a PK off that play is just ridiculous. It was an act of authority by the head ref that was unnecessary. Thinking she'd give one back to us or even in OT was wishful thinking, there were numerous fouls in the box against the US that were uncalled.  Marta, the woman (subject to opinion) who is said to be the best in the world right now scored to take the lead with only a few minutes left. Up to their usual sleezy tricks, Brazil started to stall, delay the game, fake injury, and pretty much used any other tactic they had to not let us score.

They failed. Abby scored with less than a minute left in OT to take the US team into a shootout.

Hope Solo I think is the best women's goalkeeper in the world. She proved it this weekend with two PK saves, one during the final shootout saving their hopes (no pun intended, insert overused joke here) of the Cup.

One person who should get more credit than she has so far, is Megan Rapinoe. She set-up Abby for the goal, set-up Lloyd for numerous opportunities, and nailed her PK.

This was a storybook game that had everyone cheering for the US. Now it's time to get their heads back in the game and win on Wednesday morning.  World Cup 2011 is going to USA this year.

Ying and Yang

There have definitely been some ups and downs the last month in sports. From NBA and NFL lock-outs to a first time Major tournament winner, a lot has happened and the stage has been set for July.

Women's World Cup:
USA women's soccer has always been a powerhouse, since winning the World Cup in 2009 with probably the most famous team they've ever had including Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy, Brandi Chastain, Kristine Lilly (the list can go on and on).

This year's team is strong, young and extremely talented. Alex Morgan is 21 and the youngest on the team, said to be the next Mia Hamm (not sure that's even possible but looking forward to watching her play), has the speed and the will power to get the job done.  They've won their first game against Korea 2-0 and are now going to take on Colombia on Saturday.

Wimbledon:
I know England is gloomy but there have been more than a few dark clouds over Wimbledon recently as Roger Federer, both Williams sisters, and Andy Roddick all getting knocked out of competition early.  Whoops!

US Open:
Rory McIlroy- need I say more. I went to the tournament, I saw first hand the competition and can honestly say he earned it.  The field played well, except of course for Phil who started his Thursday round by hitting it off the tee into the water on #10. Everyone is saying that Rory could be the next Tiger, or even better than Tiger, if that happens there is a long road ahead of Rory. But I will say, he did eat his humble pie after The Masters and deserves his place at the top for now.

NBA and NFL lockout:
I'm calling a technical foul on both organizations for rough housing, unsportsmanlike conduct and off-sides (just cause) for not getting past their own egos and greed.  The NBA announced today they are definitely going into a player lockout as they have not been able to come to an agreement on terms. Message to both- shut up and play ball.