Look Who's Back!

I’ll tell you, for a weekend that had limited promise in the sports department, that sure developed nicely in the later hours of Sunday afternoon!

On channel 5, you had the amazing back 9 at Doral between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. Stat of the day: In Woods’ entire career, when he has been in the final pairing on Sunday (some 40+ times), he has averaged a 68.8 while his playing partner has averaged a 71.8. That’s right. Same pairing, which means same weather, same pin placement, same wind conditions, same crowd, same everything. But Woods, with his Jedi-mind tricks is always 3 shots better.

Golf Hint: When playing in the final group, and when playing 3 shots better than your partner, you will win many, many tournaments.

So, on Sunday, Tiger versus Phil, part 5. First 4 times, Tiger has drilled Phil on Sunday, but would part 5 be different? After all, Tiger has not played well in the last few years, and Phil has won every tournament he has entered (almost).

Sunday? Tiger 66, Phil 69. Tiger starts the day down 2 shots, and by the 18th, grinds his way to a tournament-winning par. He is once again #1 in the world. He is still a Jedi. And it now sounds like he is back in full effect for 2005. Maybe that hot wife did not ruin him. That was a very fun afternoon of golf.

Meanwhile, over on Channel 11, it was the 1,000,000th meeting between North Carolina and Duke. Call me a sucker, but I feel that despite the loss of luster on the overall college basketball product, UNC-Duke remains must see TV. The names on the back of the jersey may change, but not on the front. For the record, I detest North Carolina. The short story is that their fans generally think the National Title is owed them, and that their bodily refuse does not offend one’s olfactory sensors (there is another way to say that).

When you live on Tobacco Road, as I did from 1990-1998, you learn very quickly that either you love the Tar Heels and all that they stand for (including America’s youth wearing Tar Heels gear even if it might be hunter orange, bright green, or yellow (below)), or you hate the Heels. I am in the latter group. I wish failure upon them.



Sure, they produced Michael Jordan and Mia Hamm, but it is proven that somewhat evil places produce good people before. Germany produced Dirk Nowitzki and Albert Einstein.

Anyway, I was elated as they trailed a very mediocre Duke team 73-64 with 3 minutes to play, but then UNC ran off 11 straight to close out the game, and those idiot Heels celebrated. They really could win the whole thing this year. UNC is just loaded.

Links: (and yes, there are many!)

Galloway on Hicks’ spending, Teixeira joining him …

But winning is still the bottom line, and don't think it went unnoticed by the young horses when management failed to bring in help when the Rangers were in divisional contention late last season. Or again, when major needs were not properly addressed in the off-season.

Or when the owner flip-flops from one spring to the next, be it the "financial flexibility" sermon of last March, to the "fan support will determine payroll" nonsense of this March.

"What comes first, winning or the fans?" Teixeira said. "To me, that's an easy answer. In our market, the fans have already proved they will come to our beautiful ball park if we put the right product on the field.

"That should not be an issue for us. We aren't Oakland or Minnesota. We are in a top market. If our organization does its part, and we do ours on the field, the fans will support us."

But wait, there is more…

Boras, by reputation, is difficult, if not impossible, to deal with when he has a top-dollar client like Teixeira should be. The agent can normally maximize the contract by sending the player into free agency. With Boras that is almost always the case.

"First off, that decision is mine," said Teixeira. "I would hope any player makes that decision, not his agent. But Scott does a great job. He's the best in the business. And he's been great for my career so far."

But then Tex returned to his dollars-and-sense platform.

"If it's the right player, or players, tell me why money should stand in the way of us, as an organization, getting that player signed. Again, we are in the kind of market where we should be competitive with the top teams. If it's the right player, why not?"

Glancing around the locker room, Teixeira added, "This is an organization blessed with young players who want to stay here and win here. I am definitely one of those."

Justin Thompson story turns for the worse …

Rangers decide on youth versus Chan Ho …

By the way, according the Rangers Spring Training Schedule several games will be televised, including today and tomorrow afternoon on ESPN at 1:00 CST...



Doug Melvin, without mustache (above), will not rush his prospects …

MUST READ: Kekich and Peterson wife swap story …Dick Heller looks back at one of those stories that is tough to believe…

The affair (perhaps an unfortunate word) began in 1972, when the two couples joked on a double-date about wife-swapping, a phenomenon that caught on in some uninhibited circles during the early '70s.

According to one report, the first swap took place that summer after a boozy party at the home of New York sportswriter Maury Allen. The couples made the changes official in October, Mike moving in with Marilyn and Fritz with Susanne, but no word leaked out until spring.

"We didn't do anything sneaky or lecherous," Susanne insisted after the situation became public knowledge. "There isn't anything smutty about this. ... But you have to admit there are some funny aspects."

Amazing, Jim Gray is in the Hollywood Walk of Fame …

Dave Anderson on Tiger’s day …

Dr Z with a nice essay on Dynasties breaking …

If you recall, about 2 weeks ago, Dan played a voice mail that seemed as fake as anything, but vindication is his! The Voice Mail is Legit …

Selig says record books will not be touched due to steroids …

Telander rips Selig …

Hitchcock has used the lockout to learn hockey again …

While attending more than 50 practices, Hitchcock says he has noticed that coaches at every level are teaching defensive hockey at the expense of what their players do with the puck on offense.

He says he's as guilty as anyone and didn't realize what he was doing.
"The discussion points at the NHL level are exactly the same points going on in minor-league hockey, in major junior and college," Hitchcock said. "The same complaints in the NHL - lack of scoring and offensive production - are there in major junior, college and minor pro.

"I started observing practices, and what stuck out to me - and it is our responsibility to correct when the NHL comes back - in every team drill that was taught - five-on-five, three-on-three, etc., all even-strength situations - every part of the teaching process was on defending.

"All accountability was on the defensive side of the puck. There was no discussion or limited discussion on what you wanted from your player with the puck. I thought about it, and then it hit me. We have stopped making offensive players accountable in every level of hockey. We're not doing enough in our own zone."

That is actually an amazing admission from the great Ken Hitchcock. If we were playing hockey, it would be worth a segment. Somewhere, Brett Hull is saying "I told you so"...

And, we end with an email:

Dallasfooty.com …

I play Aussie Rules Football and we are having a
fund raiser. Preston Grey will be playing live check out the PDF.Just a fyi

Steve......baby arm

Good luck, Steve. And Babyarm to you, Sir…

And now, I leave you with this gem from Furio Fan: