Bleacher Report - Articles by Michael Fitzpatrick

Tiger Woods: A Recap Of The Worst Week Of His Life

Michael Fitzpatrick — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 11:50:15 -0500

Over the past week, Tiger Woods’ worst nightmare has played out right before his eyes; and he has no one to blame but himself and his numerous “transgressions”.

This intensely private, some would even say reclusive, man has spent the better part of the last 13 years creating an air-tight cocoon to insulate him from the outside world.

Until last Friday, Woods’ cocoon was working to perfection. No one knew anything about where this guy went or what he did when he was not out pumping his fists out on the golf course.

Here is a timeline of the worst week of Tiger Woods’ life played out.

Friday November 27th

Aside from his “transgressions”, the cause of this entire situation spinning out of control can be traced back to one single word: “serious”.

On Friday afternoon, the world became captivated by the Tiger Woods story because it was first reported that Woods was involved in a “serious” car accident at 2:30am and was taken to the hospital in “serious condition”.

Anytime we hear the words “serious” and “car accident” two thoughts immediately come to mind: bad injuries or even death.

So, when the world’s most famous and recognizable athlete was reported to be in “serious condition”, word began to spread quickly and most of the general public spent the next few hours looking for an update on his condition.

As this story began to spread it's tentacles to every corner of the world, we heard from the Woods camp for the first time through a message released on www.tigerwoods.com.

The message stated that Woods was involved in a minor car accident outside his Windermere, Florida home and was taken to the hospital where he was treated for minor injuries and released a short time later.

Friday evening, another turning point in this story became public – Police stated that Woods’ wife, Elin Nordegren, used a golf club to smash out the back windows of Woods’ SUV in order to free her husband from the vehicle.

When the police came to Woods’ home to speak with him about the accident, they were turned away by his wife who told them that he was sleeping.

Saturday November 28th

The gossip wheel began turning.

A call from Woods’ agent, Mark Steinberg, was patched through to Florida State troopers who were already on their way to Woods’ home to speak with him about the accident.

Steinberg told them that Woods’ would not be available to speak with the police for the second straight day.

Where was Woods going at 2:30am on Thanksgiving night?

Why would his wife smash out all of the back windows in order to free her husband who was sitting in the driver’s eat?

Was this incident spurred on by a domestic dispute that may have been taking place as a result of a National Inquirer article claiming that Woods had cheated on his wife?

Why won’t he speak with police about a minor fender-bender?

The media – mainstream and tabloid alike – began setting up camp outside of the Isleworth Estate…and they didn’t just show up with make-shift grills and sleeping bags, they came with entire trailers, satellite dishes and catering companies. They were digging in for the long haul.

Sunday November 29th

Woods hires an attorney, whose first order of business was to tell the police that Woods and his wife would not be speaking with police at all.

When troopers arrived at Woods house, his attorney handed over Woods’ driver’s license, registration and insurance information, which is the only information they were required to give authorities.

The 911 transcript is released with Woods’ neighbor telling the operator that someone (Tiger Woods) was lying on the ground and unconscious.

The woman named in the National Enquirer article, Rachel Uchitel, vehemently denies the accusations.

Woods releases another statement on his website saying that the incident has been embarrassing to he and his family and more or less begging for his privacy.

Monday November 30th

Speculation about the cause of the accident continues to spread like wildfire.

Was his wife, Elin, chasing him down with a pitching wedge?

Why wasn’t Woods coming clean about exactly what transpired outside of his home on Friday morning?

Woods releases another statement through his website, this time it’s to announce that he will be withdrawing from his own tournament – The Chevron World Challenge – due to the injuries he sustained in the car accident.

Tuesday December 1st

The police close their investigation into the accident and issue Woods a $164 fine for reckless driving.

Still no word from the Woods camp.

The media gets wind of a story that will appear on the cover of Tuesday’s US Weekly magazine.

The story is about woman who claims that she had an ongoing affair with Tiger Woods, and even more, she had a voice mail and hundreds of text messages to prove it.

On Tuesday evening, US Weekly announces that the recording of Tiger Woods’ voice mail to this woman would appear on their website first thing on Wednesday morning.

Wednesday December 2nd

The world wakes up, turns on their computers, logs onto www.usmagazine.com and listens to the following:

"Hey, it's Tiger," he says in the voice mail, obtained by Usmagazine.com (listen above). "I need you to do me a huge favor. Can you please take your name off your phone? My wife went through my phone and may be calling you. So if you can, please take your name off that. Just have it as a number on the voice mail. You got to do this for me. Huge. Quickly. Bye."

Moments later, Tiger Woods releases a statement on his website.

Although he uses the word “transgressions” instead of “affairs”, it was quite obviously what he was admitting to.

ESPN, Golf Channel, CNN. Fox News, E-News, Entertainment Tonight, Entertainment Weekly and just about every mainstream news and gossip channel spent the rest of the day airing the now infamous Tiger Woods’ voice mail and discussing the situation.

Thursday December 3rd

US Weekly reports that Tiger Woods and his wife are now involved in renegotiating their pre-nupt.

The details that they mention are shocking to say the least.

Woods would give Elin $5 million just to consider staying, and an additional $55 million if she sticks around for another 24 months.

Now, US Weekly is not really considered ‘mainstream’ media, but then again, who released the information that caused Tiger Woods’ to cop to “Transgressions”?

Rachel Uchitel cancels her scheduled press conference at the last minute following a conversation with one of Woods' representatives, immediately sparking accusations of "hush money".

Friday December 4th

As if things could not get any worse for Tiger Woods, Y.E. Yang – who became the first player in history to take down Woods at a major championship when he came from behind to win the 2009 PGA Championship – is now leading Tiger Woods’ very own golf tournament.

Now, many people have had much worse weeks than what Tiger Woods’ has just gone through.

Woods still has his health and is still worth $1 billion, even though a large chunk of it could be heading into a bank account that only his wife has access to.

No one is feeling sorry for Tiger Woods. He brought all of this upon himself when he decided to betray his wife and family and then attempted to cover it all up.

But, in Tiger Woods’ world, it doesn’t get much worse than this.

A Tiger Woods Pre-Nup Complete with Performance-Based Incentives

Michael Fitzpatrick — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:56:16 -0500

The gossip wheel keeps on spinning, and the story keeps on getting more bizarre.

The latest news out of the Playboy Mansion, sorry, Tiger Woods’ Windermere home is that he and his wife, Elin Nordegren, are now renegotiating their prenup.

Like everything else surrounding this story, the details are unknown, and the degree of speculation varies greatly depending upon which "Tiger Woods" story on the Internet you happen to click on.

However, most seem to be reporting the same general information—Woods will be forced to give Elin seven figures now (reports range from $1 million to $5 million to $8 million) before she even considers staying, and then a much larger sum of money if she sticks around for the next 24 months (reports range from $20 million to $30 million to $55 million).

Now, go back and read that last sentence one more time.

Is anyone else picking up on just how ridiculous this little arrangement sounds?

What does it say about Tiger Woods’ obsession with image that he’s willing to shell out as much as $55 million just to keep his "family" image together for another two years?

What does it say about Elin Nordegren that she is only willing to consider patching things up with the father of her children if there is money involved?

What does it say about this marriage when a lawyer is called in long before a marriage counselor?

Elin Nordegren might need to bring in Scott Boras to negotiate her terms, while Tiger Woods might consult George Steinbrenner on just how high he should go.

Now, no one is to blame for this mess other than Woods and his numerous “transgressions” with cocktail waitresses.

However, it sounds as if everyone involved in this has now gone off the deep end.

If you want to patch things up, sit down like normal human beings—which despite her good looks, and his ability to hit a golf ball, they still are—and work on your marriage.

If you both feel as if the past is too much to overcome—which would be completely understandable considering the fact that the “transgression” count is currently at three and counting—come to some kind of financial agreement and go your separate ways.

Yes, there are children involved, and they are going to be the ultimate victims here.

But what is a better situation for them?

Their parents couldn’t resolve their differences so they went their separate ways and are now living happy, healthy lives, or Mom has a $20 million a year contract to live under the same roof as us…and Dad is the one paying her.

Celebrities and billionaires are kooky; we have known that since Howard Hughes began locking himself in hotels rooms and peeing in glass jars.

But my goodness, a new prenup that contains all sorts of contract incentives?

What else would be built into this deal?

For every future “transgression” Woods commits he will be required to pay Elin $20 million?

Each time Elin chases him with a golf club she’ll be fined $2 million?

Elin will earn $10 million per year for the next two years, with an option for Tiger to pick up a third year at $15 million?

Do these people have no one in their lives that can look them in the eye and say “You two have gone off the deep end. Get it together. You are two human beings, for goodness sakes?”

Evidently not.

The Michael Jordan/Tiger Woods Model: Why It Will Never Work With The Media

Michael Fitzpatrick — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:07:01 -0500

Considering that he has looked to Michael Jordan as a mentor for most of his career, it’s no surprise that Tiger Woods has followed the "Michael Jordan Model" in dealing with the media.

It’s also no surprise that the media—sports and gossip writers alike—have now turned on Woods in a New York minute, just as they did with Jordan.

The Jordan/Woods strategy on how to deal with the media is intricate, complex and is slowly implemented over a series of years.

But, here’s an attempt to explain it.

First and foremost, they establish their dominance.

The moment they walk into the media center, or step in front of a group of reporters, the immediately turn on the "I’m better than you and I’m only here because the NBA/PGA Tour is making me be here. In my mind, the journalism profession is worthless and my intelligence is head and shoulders above yours."

They will look down on the media.

They will insert subtle comments intended to put down the journalism profession.

They will embarrass reporters in front of their peers if they ask intrusive or difficult questions, in the hopes that the thought of further embarrassment might stop them from asking similar questions in the future.

They will also create a set of rules:

1) I’ll let you hang with me as long as you never print anything detrimental to my image.

2) The moment you print something bad about me or any of my friends or close associates, you are cut off for good. You will be forever banished from the ‘circle of trust’, and you will spend the rest of your days receiving nothing more than vague, detail-less answers.

3) One person straying from the Jordan/Woods rules can ruin it for the rest. For example, if one single reporter writes an embarrassing or negative article about them, they may completely cut off the media for a few days.

The ultimate principle: If Woods or Jordan ever feel as if they are losing control over what journalists print or say, they will punish them, and possibly even cut hem off for good.

Now, you may be saying "These are professional journalists, why in the world would any of them stick to these ridiculous unspoken, implied rules?"

Well, very often they don’t have much of a choice.

Will their editors be happier and offer them that promotion or pay rise if they are unable to get anything from Woods or Jordan that the public doesn’t already know?

What would be the point of newspapers, magazines, or Web sites spending money to send these journalists to games and events if they are not able to get anything from the biggest stars?

But this "I scratch your back, you scratch mine" arrangement can create a very dangerous situation, and is part of the reason why athletes can often go years and even entire careers without the real truth ever coming out.

It creates a situation where some of those who the public depend on for information are only giving you what Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan want you to have.

In Michael Leahy's book "When Nothing Else Matter" about Jordan's final comeback with the Washington Wizards, he referred to those journalists who played by Jordan's rules as the "Jordan Guys".

They got to hang with Jordan, talk to him about personal issues, about his family, his friends, etc., but, professionally speaking it didn't matter much because they were often too afraid to print anything they might have uncovered anyway.

Now, this type of situation is not necessarily the fault of the media. After all, they are just trying to do a job like the rest of us.

If your boss tells you to completely re-word that email you were intending on sending to your client, would you ignore him and still send it?

You may…but you probably won’t be working there much longer if you do.

Although there are undoubtedly many journalists who play by the Jordan/Woods rules, journalists by nature are always itching to tell the truth; it’s in their blood and it’s what they’ve been trained to do.

So, when the opportunity does arise where they can print the absolute truth and offer their real opinions of you without any real threat of being "punished"—because every single reporter in the country is doing the same thing—they are going to remember all those times Jordan/Woods looked at them like they were fools.

They are going to remember all of those little comments that implied how Jordan/Woods thought journalists were sleazy and worthless.

They are going to remember all those times they were embarrassed by Jordan/Woods in front of their peers.

They are going to remember all those times that their stories suffered because Jordan/Woods were "punishing" the media by not speaking to them for days on end.

They are going to remember that this whole unspoken arrangement was never really an arrangement of equals.

And they are going to remember what it felt like all those years to be treated like a peasant by men who thought they were better than them just because they could hit a little white ball, are throw a round orange ball through a steel hoop.

As we have seen twice now, the Jordan/Woods model works for a while, but at some point during everyone’s career, a little opening will arise, and when it does, the media will unleash the full weight of their power, reach and ability to manipulate the public’s opinion…and there’s not a dam thing Jordan/Woods can do about it.

Perhaps the dynamics of the unspoken arrangement that Woods and Jordan created with the media was skewed from the very start.

Perhaps those who were seemingly controlled by these worldwide mega-stars were actually the ones holding the real power all along.

What Will Change for Tiger Woods?

Michael Fitzpatrick — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:02:03 -0500

Tiger Woods’ image has been tainted—there’s absolutely no question about that.

He has spent the last 13 years creating and nurturing an image that portrays him as a champion athlete, a model husband, and an ordinary family man.

Exactly six days ago a fire hydrant caused it all to come crashing down on his head, both literally and figuratively speaking, and there's no one to blame but himself.

He will be viewed differently by many folks for weeks and months to come.

However, although both the mainstream and tabloid media are speaking as if they are preparing to attend a wake, very little is likely to change in the long run.

Sure, he may be sleeping on the couch for the next two months.

He may need to have his lawyers review whatever prenup he has in place just to make sure that it is indeed airtight, which will in turn allow him to sleep a little better out on that uncomfortable couch.

He may look into purchasing a large steel safe to house his golf clubs and ensure that no one else other than he has access to the key.

He may also have to get used to cameras not only following his every move on the golf course, but also following him at airports, at the beach, as he comes and goes from his private Isleworth Estate, etc.

But other than that, not much else will change for Tiger Woods in the long run.

First off, his sponsors are not going anywhere.

Why?

Well, there are three reasons for that.

One: They don’t want to risk any of their competitors picking up Tiger Woods.

Example: Nike drops Tiger Woods, and Titleist immediately hands him a $100 million contract. Woods wins three majors in 2010 (which isn’t that far-fetched considering that he has already won major championships at three of the four venues that will host the 2010 majors).

Titleist then comes out with a massive television, print, and Internet campaign with Tiger Woods essentially saying, “I switched my equipment and had one of the best years of my career; maybe you should do the same.”

That is Nike’s worst nightmare and is why they will NEVER jump ship from the Tiger Woods Brand.

Two: These companies are paying for success just as much as they are personality.

Example: Accenture drops Woods, and IBM Consulting immediately picks him up. Accenture still wants to be involved in golf because their target market is wealthy CEOs and top-level executives who gravitate towards golf more than any other sport. So, the pick up Steve Stricker instead—a good, Midwestern family man who is also one of the top golfers in the world.

Accenture then has to sit by and watch Tiger Woods mop up the course with Stricker at next year’s U.S. Open...all while wearing a shirt with a large IBM Consulting logo on it.

Would you really want to hire a consulting firm that put themselves in a situation where their "new" guy is being pummeled on national television by the guy they decided to let go?

Three: They know that these things always blow over, and they want to be there to reap the benefits when it does.

Example: Kobe Bryant, Alex Rodriguez, Andy Pettitte, Michael Jordan, David Beckham—all went through embarrassing scandals.

Where are they now?

Exactly where they were prior to those embarrassing scandals.

Our attention spans apparently cease growing the moment we leave the fifth grade. This too will eventually blow over; it always has and always will.

Conclusion

Yes, Woods’ sponsors may not be happy with him at this very moment, but the risk of them jumping ship far outweighs the risks involved with continuing to make him their company spokesman.

Secondly, will Woods continue to dominate the PGA Tour?

Of course he will.

The guy won the U.S. Open while playing on a broken leg. Do you really think some personal issues will get in the way of him chasing down the records that he’s devoted his entire life to breaking?

Sure, the mental game is a huge part of golf, and any chips in a golfer’s mental armor can be extremely detrimental.

However, Woods has always had an uncanny ability to compartmentalize his life, perhaps better than any other modern athlete.

If you’ve ever seen Woods on a golf course, you’ll know that it looks as if he doesn’t even know that there are massive crowds lining the fairways of every single hole he plays. He doesn’t seem to know that there are others playing alongside of him, or that television cameras are beaming out his every move to the entire world.

If there really is such a thing as "the zone," Tiger Woods seems to have the ability to move in and out of it at will.

Yes, this is an embarrassing incident that might carry with it some mental scarring, but don’t expect Woods do anything else other than what he’s always done once inside the ropes—block out everything other than golf.

Third, will he lose any fans?

Here in America, when it comes to sports and entertainment, we love three things more than anything else.

1) We love creating heroes.

2) We love to see our heroes fall from grace.

3) We love a good comeback story.

Woods’ fans may be disappointed.

His younger fans may come home from school today and ask their parents what “transgression” means.

A member of an elite country club might not want to be seen wearing his Tiger Woods cap for a little while.

But the thing is, most have followed Tiger Woods’ career for one reason and one reason only—he has been the most dominant player to ever pick up a golf club, and that is unlikely to change.

At the end of the day, the obscure chance that we might see greatness is the real reason why we turn on the television to watch Tiger Woods.

We see ordinary things like car accidents, affairs, divorces, etc. in our everyday lives.

We don’t, however, see a guy hit a 212-yard five-iron out of the bunker to a back-right pin location with a lake lining the right side of the green while the tournament is on the line.

We don’t often watch a man win the U.S. Open while playing on a broken leg.

We don’t often see a guy sink tournament-winning putts 99.9 percent of the time he finds himself standing over a tournament-winning putt.

Whether he hit a fire hydrant, had an affair, had multiple affairs, or tried to cover up his affairs is irrelevant because it ultimately has no bearing on why we really tune in each week to watch Tiger Woods play golf.

You see, at this very moment, sponsors, fans, and the entire golf world may be disappointed with Tiger Woods.

But at the end of the day, we will all gravitate back to him because his marriage, his driving skills, and his PR savviness are not why people sponsor, follow, or cheer for Tiger Woods.

Our interest in Tiger Woods rests on a single principle—we want to watch the most dominant golfer in the history of the game play golf.

What the Tiger Woods Incident Can Teach Us About Our Society

Michael Fitzpatrick — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:43:39 -0500

Why do we really want Tiger Woods to come clean?

We’ve all read the numerous articles virtually begging Tiger Woods to come clean, but why?

What is really fueling our desire to find out exactly what happened outside of Tiger Woods’ private home at 2:30 am last Friday morning?

Are we concerned that he’s gotten away with a crime?

Not likely.

He hit a fire hydrant and a tree on private property. The only person injured in the incident was Tiger Woods (the fire hydrant got banged up to). In fact, the police have already issued him a citation for careless driving and closed the case.

So legally speaking, it’s a done, finished, finito. The exact same punishment would have been handed down to any one of us had we been in the same situation.

Are we concerned that he’s making a huge PR mistake and that his sponsors might jump ship?

Well, no. First of all, it’s highly unlikely that anyone will lose any sleep over whether or not Tiger Woods’ sponsors decide to drop him.

Second of all, his sponsors have already publicly affirmed that the statement Woods released through his website was good enough for them.

In fact, just this week, Bank of America decided to pursue a larger role in the Tiger Woods Foundation.

Sounds like this whole incident has really rattled the world of corporate sponsorships...not really.

Are we angry that we bought that $6 bottle of Gillette shaving cream because Tiger Woods promoted it and now we feel as if we deserve answers from him?

If that’s the case, you might want to seek some professional help.

Let’s be completely honest here. No one is going to go out tomorrow and purchase Old Spice shaving cream instead of Gillette just because Tiger Woods won’t tell us why he crashed into a fire hydrant.

Are we angry because we spent $30,000 on a Buick Enclave last year because we thought Tiger Woods drove the same car and now we feel entitled to know what happened outside his house at 2:30 am last Friday?

Once again…the professional help thing might be looking pretty good if that’s the case.

The fact of the matter is that Tiger Woods hurt no one but himself—and a fire hydrant— during the car accident. He did not commit a crime other than careless driving, which he has been issued a citation for. His sponsors have publicly stated their support for Woods and the way in which he handled the situation. Even a new sponsor has decided to come on board with the Tiger Woods Brand since the incident took place.

So, why does he need to come clean?

Well, the answer to that question is simple.

It’s the same reason why when we overhear a couple arguing on the train, we can’t help but eavesdrop.

It's the same reason why when Nick Lachhey and Jessica Simpson allowed cameras into their home, Newlyweds became one of the most successful shows in MTV history.

It’s the same reason why US Weekly and People Magazine are two of the best selling magazines in the country.

It’s the same reason why every single night at around dinner time channels two, four, five, and seven are airing celebrity gossip shows such as Entertainment Tonight , Entertainment Weekly, and E! News .

The reason is because we, the public, are nosey.

It's plain and simple.

No one ever wants to be painted with the "nosey" brush; our society typically views it as a negative trait. Yet our intense desire to know what happened outside of Tiger Woods’ home at 2:30 am last Friday is what is ultimately fueling all the talk about how “Tiger needs to come clean” and “Tiger needs to tell everyone what happened.”

It’s for no reason other than we are just desperate to know.

Now, not to rain on anyone’s gossip parade, but there are only two people who truly know what went down last Friday—Tiger Woods and his wife—and neither of them are going to be sitting for a tell all interview anytime soon.

So, as much as it rips at our gossip seeking guts, it is unlikely that Tiger, his wife, or anyone else will decide to feed the wolves on this occasion.

Love it, hate it, or never really cared about the story in the first place, it makes no bit of difference.

No amount of interest, curiosity, or nosiness is going to change a thing.

His current sponsors aren’t going anywhere. New sponsors will continue jumping on board the "Tiger Woods brand," he’ll continue winning golf tournaments, and six years from now he’ll probably be worth $2 billion.

As sports' most popular saying goes—it is what it is.

Why Everyone Wants Tiger Woods to Come Clean, and Why He Won't

Michael Fitzpatrick — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 10:42:18 -0500

“Tiger Woods needs to come clean.”

“Tiger Woods needs to explain exactly what happened on Friday morning and set the record straight.”

“Tiger Woods needs to explain everything right now.”

These are all phrases that you will see written in virtually every article about Tiger Woods and the incident that took place outside of his home at 2:30 a.m. on Friday morning.

But what you have to understand is that the general public, along with the many journalists who are taking this point of view, are not doing so without bias.

Tiger Woods doesn’t need to do anything.

On the contrary. We, the public, as well as the media, are desperately hoping for Woods to come clean and explain everything. It would provide a very entertaining story, and, at the end of the day, entertainment is what everyone is really after here.

No one cares about how Woods’ car managed to roll over a fire hydrant, or what hospital he was taken to, or the extent of his injuries.

Nope—we are concerned with one thing and one thing only: Was his wife, Elin, chasing him down with a 5-iron at the time of the accident?

From a public standpoint, we all want the juicy details of exactly what went down on Friday morning.

However, let’s just for a moment step back and explore the big picture from a PR standpoint.

What is more interesting and entertaining, staring at a blank wall or watching television?

Right now, Tiger Woods is the equivalent of staring at a wall.

There is a complete lack of information coming out of the Woods' camp, and there is unlikely to be any further information released anytime soon, if at all.

We also now know that Woods is not legally required to speak with the police. All he is required to do is hand over his license, registration, and insurance information, which he did yesterday afternoon through his lawyer.

So, if you have had any aspiration of reading all the juicy details in a police report, think again.

Considering the fact that he was in and out of consciousness for at least six minutes immediately following the accident, it’s safe to say that Woods probably suffered a concussion and will not attend his tournament—The Chevron World Challenge—this week.

That basically means that we will not see or hear from Woods until he shows up at Torrey Pines in late January for the former Buick Invitational (now the Century Club of San Diego Invitational).

Can you remember the "big news" from two months ago?

That makes two of us.

And many of those stories two months ago would have certainly been viewed as HUGE news at the time.

When Woods shows up at Torrey Pines in two months, he will respond to questions with well-rehearsed, detail-less answers...once again, the equivalent of staring at a blank wall.

Woods lives in an airtight cocoon that he has spent years constructing to insulate and protect himself from the outside world.

This cocoon is unlikely to crack or spring a leak any time soon.

So, he has two choices.

He can come completely clean about what might be a very embarrassing truth, or he can turn himself into a blank wall.

We, the public, would love nothing more than for him to come clean. It would give us something interesting to read and follow.

When people read newspaper articles, Internet articles, or watch news reports on the "Tiger Woods incident," they do so because they are after some new information that may provide them with some form of entertainment.

How entertaining is it going to be to read articles for the next two months that say, “nothing further from the Woods camp” or “Tiger Woods was not seen again today.”

That’s not interesting, nor is it entertaining. It is, in essence, the equivalent of staring at a blank wall.

And as we all know, people will eventually get bored of staring at a wall, and decide to turn on the television and see what else is going on.

Maybe Woods is hiding something; maybe he isn’t. Needless to say, there are some not-so-small question marks surrounding the initial "accident" story.

But, whatever the case, it’s unlikely that he will provide us with the information we’re all so desperately craving, and that often frustrates the heck out of the media and the general public.

Woods is creating a nightmare scenario for the media and general public; he’s not giving us exactly what we want.

But are you prepared to stare at a blank wall for the next two months?

Me neither.

Why the World Is Obsessed with the Tiger Woods Story

Michael Fitzpatrick — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 11:37:53 -0500

Let’s be completely honest with ourselves.

The moment we heard the incorrect, and downright reckless news reports that Tiger Woods was in "serious" condition after being involved in a car accident outside of his Windermere, Fla., home, three questions immediately came to mind.

1) Will he be okay?

2) Will he play golf again?

3) Will any of his injuries affect his ability to play golf at the same high level?

The first question was a natural response to hearing about any tragic incident. Believe it or not, most human beings are still at least somewhat concerned with the well-being of others, even those they do not know personally.

However, this initial instinctive response quickly moved toward a more selfish view of the situation.

We were not overly concerned with whether or not Tiger Woods would ever be able to enjoy a game he devoted his entire life to; we were concerned with whether WE would ever again be able to watch him win major championships while witnessing a theatre that no other golfer has ever been able to provide.

We were concerned with whether or not we’d see Tiger at Augusta next June or at next year’s US Open at Pebble Beach where he demolished the field back in 2000, or at the British Open at St. Andrews, where he was won twice already.

The moment we found out that the initial reports about Woods being in "serious" condition where way off base and that he was treated and released from the hospital, our thoughts immediately darted towards a possible scandal.

Where was he heading at 2:30 a.m. on Thanksgiving night?

How could his wife have carried a 180-pound man out of the car?

How could he have possibly hit a fire hydrant and tree that he’s managed to avoid for the last 10 years?

Why are he and his wife refusing to speak with police?

The story, or lack thereof, has now reached epic proportions.

It’s the National Enquirer meets US Weekly meets ESPN.

If there’s anything we love more than sitcoms and sporting events, it’s watching athletes and celebrities fall from grace.

It makes us feel a little a little better about ourselves and our own lives. We can’t hit a golf ball like Woods, we don’t have $1 billion and a massive house like Woods, we don’t travel in a private jet like Woods, at least we can watch him suffer through an embarrassing situation.

It brings a big smile to our faces.

Come on, how many of you weren’t painted with an ear-to-ear smile upon hearing that A-Rod had used steroids?

How many of you didn’t just love seeing the Giants ruin the Patriots undefeated season back in 2007?

How many of you didn’t laugh hysterically when Steve Phillips admitted to having an affair with an intern?

How many of you didn’t thoroughly enjoy watching David Letterman try to weasel his way out of why someone was trying to extort him?

We love it and we can’t get enough of it.

There’s a reason why the National Enquirer is still going strong after 73 years.

There’s a reason why US Weekly is one of the top-selling magazines in the country.

There’s a reason why “Tiger Woods affair” and “Tiger Woods mistress” are two of the top searched phrases on Google over the past two days.

There’s a reason why at 7 o'clock every night, channel 2, 4, 5 and 7 are filled with celebrity gossip shows such as Entertainment Tonight, Entertainment Weekly, E-News, etc.

And there’s a reason why Tiger Woods is now appearing on the front pages of magazines and web sites whose writers didn’t know a golf ball from a baseball just 72 hours ago.

Who cares about the football games today when we might be able to hear the 911 tapes from Tiger Woods' accident?

Who cares about college basketball when there’s a chance that we might find out why Tiger Woods drove into a fire hydrant early on Friday morning?

It’s a sad, sad world, when most of the general public thoroughly enjoys watching others fall from grace.

Now, I won’t pretend to sit here on my high horse.

I too will be checking the Internet and news stations throughout the day to see if there’s any further information about why Tiger Woods drove into a fire hydrant at 2:30 on Friday morning.

Why?

Because unfortunately that’s just human nature.

Expecting Details From Tiger Woods? Don't Hold Your Breath

Michael Fitzpatrick — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 15:40:20 -0500

TMZ.com is now reporting that Tiger Woods’ wife Elin could have been the cause of the facial lacerations he sustained during the early morning hours of Friday, November 27th.

For nearly 24 hours now, reporters from both mainstream and tabloid news outlets have been camping outside of the exclusive Isleworth Community where Woods makes his home in Windermere, Florida.

Articles continue to appear on the front pages of every newspaper and website published in the free world, speculating on what might or might not have gone down at 2:30 a.m. on Friday morning.

Maybe Woods was involved in some kind of a domestic dispute stemming from an article that appeared in the National Enquirer, which accused Woods of having an affair with New York City party girl Rachel Uchitel.

Maybe his wife went all Tonya Harding on him with a golf club during the dispute.

Maybe he was driving under the influence.

Maybe he was having some kind of mental breakdown.

“Woods needs to meet with the press and come clean about everything,” is one popular phrase that has been appearing in many articles.

“Woods needs to make a statement ASAP about what happened on Friday morning,” is another popular one.

Instead of sentences that contain “Woods NEEDS to do this” and “Woods NEEDS to do that,” a more appropriate phrasing should probably be something along the lines of “we the public are desperately hoping that Woods will provide us with some kind of information about what really took place on Friday morning.”

A side effect of this worldwide explosion of the "Tiger Woods story" is that you now have many tabloids, and even sports reporters, attempting to cover this massive story despite their unfamiliarity with Tiger Woods and the game of golf. These are journalists who are not at all familiar with the way in which Tiger Woods operates.

Woods is one of the most private and reclusive athletes on the face of the planet.

He’s spent years building an impenetrable, air-tight cocoon of a few close friends, family, and business associates that know better than to leak any personal information about Woods.

This is the same guy that kept a torn ACL secret for more than nine months and a broken leg secret for the entire week of the 2008 US Open.

Woods would not publicly disclose who he voted for in the last Presidential Election and he rarely, if ever, takes a definitive stance on any controversial issue within the game of golf or sports in general.

No one even knew when Woods was going to return to the PGA Tour in 2009 until the tournament director at the Accenture Match Play Championship received a fax from Woods confirming his intention to play just five days prior to start of the event.

Heck, this guy wouldn’t even let anyone know who he was rooting for in the 2008 NBA Finals between his adopted hometown team, the Orlando Magic and his former hometown team, the Los Angles Lakers.

Do you really think Tiger Woods is going to come out and release a statement detailing everything that went down outside of his house at 2:30am on Friday morning?

It is highly doubtful to say the least.

He may not even release anything more than the very short statement that was posted on his website yesterday afternoon.

If he does release any further information, it will probably be something along the lines of “Tiger Woods was injured during a personal incident that took place at his home in Windermere Florida on Friday, November 27th. His injuries were minor and he is looking forward to hosting and competing in next week’s Chevron World Challenge.”

If Woods decides to attend the Chevron World Challenge next week, he will undoubtedly be bombarded with questions about what took place in the early morning hours of Friday November 27th.

His responses will be well-rehearsed, vague and detail-less, if he even decides to addresses the questions at all.

Woods is a man that holds his personal privacy more sacred than any other aspect of his life, and quite frankly, he could care less whether or not reporters and the public feel as if they have received sufficient information about the incident that took place on Friday morning.

For those of you expecting Woods to come clean on all the juicy details of what went down on Friday morning, or are expecting someone from within his inner circle to spring a leak…you may be waiting a very long time.

10 Reasons To Be Thankful That You're a Fan of Golf

Michael Fitzpatrick — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:51:58 -0500

Although Thanksgiving should probably be a day of mourning as it pretty much marks the beginning of the end for American Indians, it has somehow become a national holiday where we all get together with our families and celebrate what we are thankful for.

If you’re a golf fan, here are ten reasons you should be thankful.

10. International Competition

Golf is one of the few sports that transcends borders.

Whether you’re in South Dakota or Malaysia, a golf course will never be far and a PGA Tour event will be on television.

Most professional golfers play in tournaments around the world, and there is an international team competition held each year—the Ryder Cup or the Presidents Cup.

9. It’s an Olympic sport

Baseball, football and several other popular sports are currently not included in the Olympics. Golf has officially been named an Olympic sport beginning at the 2012 games in Rio De Janeiro.

8. Players don’t sit out because they want larger contracts

You won’t see Tiger Woods not playing in the US Open because the purse has been decreased. You won’t see Phil Mickelson forgo the FedEx Cup because he wants the winner to be paid $12 million instead of $10 million.

Just doesn’t happen in golf.

7. No Taunting

I think it might actually be written somewhere in the NFL and NBA rule books that upon dunking a ball, or catching a long pass, you are required to taunt your competition.

Aside from a first pump or two (which is more of a celebratory act anyway), you don’t see much taunting during a professional golf tournament.

6. No whining to rules officials

Kobe Bryant and LeBron James may be the best basketball players in the world, but their also professional whiners. When was the last time you saw Bryant or James miss a layup without immediately darting towards the referee and complaining about a foul?

Doesn’t happen in golf.

5. Players call penalties on themselves

An NFL defensive back may grab a player’s face mask and drag him to the turf while a pass is en route, and that defensive back will still jump up and raise his arms above his head as if nothing happened.

If that were golf, the defensive back would have approached the ref and called a penalty on himself.

4. Popularity is growing around the world

Although we may be going backwards in terms of the number of Americans playing golf, which has more to do with a terrible economy and our middle class being on the road to extinction, golf is growing by leaps and bounds around the world.

Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are ranked number one and two on Forbes’ list of the highest paid athletes on the planet. That doesn’t happen if golf is not an extremely popular sport around the world.

3. Players are accessible

You don’t need to pay $500 or attend a $5,000 a plate fundraiser to get an autograph from Phil Mickelson. He’ll stand around and sign autographs for 45 minutes after virtually every round.

Although some players don’t take the time to sign autographs, most will take a significant amount of time out of their day to sign autographs for the fans.

Fans at golf tournaments can get close enough to talk to the players, and believe it or not, they may even talk back.

2. Tickets are cheap.

You want to go watch the Barclays (a FedEx Cup event), it will cost you $30 for the entire day and you will get the opportunity to stand within five feet of Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Padraig Harrington, etc.

You go to Yankee Stadium that same night and it will cost you $2,000 to get anywhere near the likes of Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, etc.

Anyone can go to a golf tournament and watch the best players in the world from just a few short feet away.

1. NO STEROIDS

Aside from Doug Barron, who was recently suspended for using banned substances that he was taking due to a heart condition and low testosterone levels, steroids are non-existent in golf.

This era of power golf will not be tarnished in any way by the use of performance-enhancing drugs.

Top Five Moments of the 2009 PGA Tour Season

Michael Fitzpatrick — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:32:32 -0500

He’s Baaack

At just after 7am on a cool February morning in Arizona, Tiger Woods stepped onto a PGA Tour practice range for the first time in more than eight months.

He was walking a little slower, and he wasn’t attacking the ball with the same ferocity as he once did, but it was still Tiger Woods.

And if you thought your eyes were deceiving you, the hundreds of cameramen and reporters out at 7:15am on a Wednesday morning would have been enough to make you believe.

Woods’ much anticipated return was cut short when he was defeated by South African Tim Clark in the second round of the Accenture Match Play Championship.

For a guy who had won 65 PGA Tour events and 14 major championships before going down with a knee injury, there was only one way for him to prove he really was back—and that was to win.

Less than a month after his initial return, Woods overcame a five-stroke deficit in the final round to defeat Sean O’Hair at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

The sun had set, Arnold “The King” Palmer was looking on from just off the side of the green, and Woods was lining up his 25-foot putt in almost complete darkness.

As Woods went through his tedious pre-putt routine, one could not help but think back to the last time he faced a must-make putt. It was on the 72nd hole of a little tournament known as the US Open, and we all know how that turned out.

The moment Woods struck his putt, the green was illuminated by the flashes of hundreds of cameras. As the ball began closing in on the hole, Woods began slowly back peddling before unleashing one of his trademark fist pumps upon seeing his ball disappear into the cup.

He’d done it again.

After an eight month hiatus, excitement had finally returned to the PGA Tour.

Woods vs. Michelson Showdown at Augusta

Although Angel Cabrera, Kenny Perry and Chad Campbell would compete in a three-way playoff, most golf fans began enjoying their Easter ham upon the conclusion of the Woods/Michelson showdown.

Longtime golf announcer Jim Nantz later said that after watching Woods and Mickelson walk off the 18th green, he had to take a deep breath and remind himself that there was still a golf tournament going on.

Woods and Mickelson began the day well behind the leaders. But it didn’t matter. These two heavyweights could've begun the day tied for last place, and their pairing would have still been the tournament’s main event.

Heck, television could have shown their final round on pay-per-view, and millions of households would have gladly accepted the charges.

After Mickelson birdied six out of his first nine holes and Woods was three-under-par at the turn, it was beginning to look as if one of these guys might actually pull off a comeback comparable to Nicklaus at the '86 Masters or Palmer at the '60 US Open.

For Woods, it would have been yet another jaw-dropping accomplishment in a long list of jaw-dropping accomplishments.

For Mickelson, it would have defined a career.

But it was not to be.

Michelson double bogeyed the par-three 12th and then missed a short eagle putt on the 13th.

Woods on the other hand continued his charge by birdying the 13th, 15th and 16th before the greatest closer the game has ever seen inexplicable bogeyed the final two holes, which eliminated any hope of a fifth green jacket.

Mickelson’s final round 67 landed him in alone in fifth place while Woods’ 68 put him in a tie for 6th.

Oh yeah, and Angel Cabrera won the Masters with a par on the second sudden death playoff hole.

The Twilight Zone (aka The US Open)

Lucas Glover and Ricky Barnes were battling it out for the US Open title; David Duval was right on their tails; Hunter Mahan was making a run of his own before his perfectly struck approach shot on the par-four 16th happened to ricochet off the pin and roll clear off the front of the green; and it began pouring rain every time Tiger Woods stepped foot onto the golf course.

Bethpage Black might as well have been the twilight zone during that memorable week back in June.

The only part of the 2009 US Open that didn’t come as a complete shock was Phil Mickelson finishing second for the fifth time in his career.

Glover played the back nine on Monday—yup, that’s right, on Monday due to the monsoons that swept through the New York area that week—in even par, which was good enough to give him a two-stroke victory over Phil Mickelson, Rickey Barnes, and David Duval.

During the trophy presentation, Barnes turned to Mickelson and told him that he could take the second place medal. Mickelson calmly replied by telling Barnes not to worry about it...he already had four of them at home.

Y.E. Yang Slays the Tiger

Tiger Woods had never lost a major championship when holding at least a share of the 54-hole lead.

That’s worth repeating.

Tiger Woods had never lost a major championship when holding at least a share of the 54-hole lead…until he ran into Y.E. Yang at the 2009 PGA Championship at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn.

When Woods sent his tee-shot on the par three 17th, clear over the back of the green, thus virtually securing Yang’s victory, he put his hands on his knees and hung his head down in defeat.

It was a scene reminiscent of Rocky Balboa cutting the seemingly invincible Ivan Drago in Rocky IV.

Golf’s most dominant prize fighter of all time had been cut…and it was a bad cut.

Not since a driving range pro by the name of Jack Fleck defeated Ben Hogan in the 1955 US Open had golf seen a more shocking upset.

Yang, a former Korean power lifter, celebrated by hoisted his golf bag over his head on the 18th green, while the rest of the PGA Tour was undoubtedly hearing the voice of Tony "Duke" Evers (Rocky Balboa’s trainer in Rocky IV) screaming, “You see, he’s man! He’s not a machine…he’s a man!”

Watson Comes Within a Hair

Every player at the 2009 British Open was competing against a field made up of the best golfers on the face of the planet. Well, every player except one.

Tom Watson was not only competing against 157 of the top players in the world, he was also competing against a far more ruthless and unforgiving opponent—Old Man Time.

And he came within a measly two yards of conquering them all.

All eyes were on Watson as he teed off on the 72nd hole at Turnberry holding a one-stroke lead. After all, it’s not every day that you see a 59-year-old man about to win a major championship.

When Watson found the right side of the fairway, the excitement began to build as his win looked inevitable.

Inevitable because Watson is from a different era in the game, an era when professional golfers were more likely to win tournaments rather than lose them.

Exactly 30 years earlier on the same hole, Watson stuck his approach shot to five feet and then proceeded to sink his birdie putt to defeat Jack Nicklaus in what is now known as “The Dual in the Sun.”

However, things did not go as smoothly for Watson on this day.

With the pin placed on the back of the green, Watson’s approach shot landed towards the front of the putting surface and sprung clear off the back edge of the green.

He pitched to around six feet and began lining up his putt.

As Watson stood over his six-foot putt to win the British Open, one could not help but question the pure cruelty of the golf gods.

You see, Watson’s days of winning ended when he lost his ability to make putts from inside of 10 feet.

So, what’s standing between Watson and arguably the greatest achievement in sports history?

That’s right, a six foot putt.

The massive crowds surrounding the 18th green at Turnberry uniformly winced as Watson’s putt came up three feet short.

He tapped in for a bogey five and began preparing himself for a three-hole playoff with Stewart Cink.

By then, however, Old Man Time had broken through the front lines and Watson appeared both physically and mentally broken.

Cink won easily, and golf fans will forever remember the 2009 British Open as another one of those “what if” moments in the game’s long and illustrious history.

Other Memorable Moments:

Henrik Stenson shoots a final round 66 to win The Players Championship by 4 strokes.

Phil Mickelson wins The Tour Championship while Tiger Woods wins FedEx Cup.

Ryan Moore finally breaks through at the Wyndham Championship.

Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Steve Stricker dominate the Presidents Cup.

The Giants' Losing Streak Comes to an End—Barely

Michael Fitzpatrick — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:42:47 -0500

Eli Manning threw for 384 yards, three touchdowns and led the Giants on a game winning overtime drive yesterday afternoon at the Meadowlands.

Let’s elect him New York’s athlete of the year right now.

Let’s roll out the red carpet for him every time he walks in and out of Giants Stadium for the rest of his career.

Let’s begin praising him as the best pig skin tosser in New York since Broadway Joe.

Or…let’s just be thankful that our $100 million quarterback finally played like, well, a $100 million quarterback.

Yesterday afternoon Manning did exactly what you’d expect your $100 million franchise quarterback to do. He took his team by the reins and led them to their first victory in nearly six weeks.

The Giants’ running game was non-existent and the defense was suffering yet another fourth quarter collapse. So, despite Coach Coughlin’s admission that he didn’t have enough confidence to turn to Eli with the game on the line two weeks ago against the Chargers, he had no choice but to turn to his $100 million man this past Sunday.

And Eli delivered.

It was an ugly win for a team that’s been playing ugly football for more than a month now, but it was a win all the same—even if it was likely determined by the overtime coin toss.

There was little to suggest that had the Falcons won the overtime coin toss, Matt Ryan would not effortlessly lead them right down the field for a third consecutive time.

Although the Giants avoided becoming the first team in NFL history to go 5-0 and then lose their next five straight games, we shouldn’t view this victory as anything more than it was.

Our franchise quarterback simply played like a franchise quarterback, and the defense still appeared to be in a state of complete disarray.

Cautiously optimistic would be the best way to describe the feeling of most Giants fans as the team prepares for Thursday night’s showdown with the Denver Broncos.

However, cautiously optimistic is a very large step up from being ready to toss in the towel.

The Giants live to fight another day, thanks in large part to Matt Ryan's call of "tails"—and the coin landing with heads pointing towards the sky.

Three Reasons Why Notre Dame's Troubles Run Far Deeper Than Charlie Weis

Michael Fitzpatrick — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:25:28 -0500

1) The SEC, Big Ten, Pac-10 and Big 12

Yes, Notre Dame Football is rich in history and tradition; there’s no question about that.

Countless books have been written and Hollywood movies have been made about the tradition that is Notre Dame Football.

However, that was then and this is now.

Let’s be completely honest with ourselves. These days there’s no way that the best running back in the country is going to choose Notre Dame over Florida, LSU, USC, Ohio State, and Penn State … it’s just not going to happen.

Notre Dame is no longer in that top-tier of elite college football programs.

You could fire Charlie Weis and bring in Bill Belichick with Steve Spagnuolo as his defensive coordinator, and Notre Dame is still going to have an extremely difficult time luring top high school players away from schools like Florida, LSU, Ohio State, etc.

The SEC in particular has become the premier college football division in the country over the past decade. The game in the SEC is faster and more closely resembles an NFL-style game, which is one of the main reasons why NFL scouts have been and will continue drooling over SEC players.

There’s nothing Charlie Weis or anyone at Notre Dame can do about that.

2) Academics

Sure, the athletic directors at the University of Florida or Penn State University will undoubtedly tell you that athletes face the same admission requirements as everyone else.

But once again, let’s be honest with ourselves. The coaches at Florida, Penn State, LSU, etc. are going to have a much easier time getting that top-ranked high school linebacker—who also happens to be a D student—into their programs than Charlie Weis will at Notre Dame.

It’s one of those dirty little secrets that are … well … not really a secret at all.

In terms of academics, Notre Dame is an excellent school, which at the end of the day is more important than how far a 19-year-old can throw a football.

However, stringent academic requirements and big-time college football don’t always mesh well together.

3) South Bend, Indiana

With only 8,000 undergraduate students, Notre Dame is a small school, and it’s located in an even smaller town.

Let’s think about this for a moment. The top running back in the country goes on a recruiting trip to Notre Dame.

The football game that he attends is, of course, an experience like none he’s ever had before.

However, South Bend is very small and very cold. The student population is also small and Notre Dame is not what you’d consider to be a big party school.

The next week, that same top running back visits LSU. The game is also a great experience. Maybe it’s not quite like attending a football game at Notre Dame, but it’s still awesome in his eyes. Additionally, he sees 18,000 girls walking around in shorts and tank-tops in November, he’s brought to a series of parties that are larger and more wild than anything he’s ever imagined, and he sees first hand how the 30,000-strong student population worship their athletes as if they were Greek Gods.

Older readers of this article might be thinking that they’d rather attend a strong academic school with a legendary football program like Notre Dame.

OK, that’s great.

But we are talking about 18-year-old athletes who have nothing on their mind other than girls, parties, and making millions of dollars in the NFL.

Which recruiting visit do you think is going to have a larger impact on that 18-year-old running back's decision?

Exactly.

And once again, there’s nothing that Charlie Weis or anyone else at Notre Dame can do about that.

There’s no denying that Charlie Weis has not done the best job while at Notre Dame. However, Notre Dame Football has some serious issues that run far deeper than just the coach.

Why the Patriots vs. Colts Showdown Was Depressing for NY Giants Fans

Michael Fitzpatrick — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:04:33 -0500

Whether you’re a Patriots Fan, a Colts fan, or simply a football fan, Sunday night’s showdown between the Patriots and Colts was one of the most riveting games seen in quite some time.

However, if you’re a New York Giants fan, you may have inexplicable felt a wave of depression sweep over as you watched Sunday night’s game.

It may have happened while watching Tom Brady connect with Randy Moss for yet another big play.

Or it may have happened while watching Payton Manning completely take charge of the game and call one successful audible after another.

Or it may have even happened as you scanned through the box score in your Monday morning paper saw how Brady threw for 375 yards and three touchdowns and Manning threw 327 yards and four touchdowns.

Those stats in the context of Sunday night’s game would have presented no surprise. After all, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning will likely go down as two of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game.

However, the depression many Giants fans may have felt upon seeing these two heavyweights go head-to-head on Sunday night was likely sparked by the realization that the Giants are paying Eli Manning more than each of those quarterbacks.

Both defenses were severely struggling on Sunday night; very similar to the way in which the Giant’s defense has been struggling over the past month.

The difference?

The Colts and Patriots were able to makeup for this fault by relying on their explosive, high-scoring offenses which were led by two highly talented, and highly intelligent quarterbacks.

The Giants do not have that luxury. Eli Manning simply does not possess the skill, knowledge or instincts to take over a football game the way Peyton and Brady did on Sunday night.

He will never be that guy.

That’s not to say that Eli is not a good quarterback, because he is. He performed extraordinary well during the Giants Super Bowl run back in 2007.

However, remove the 2007 playoffs and Super Bowl from your memory, and what do you have?

Yup, that’s right...you have a good, solid quarterback; but by no means an elite quarterback.

He’s just not in that class...no matter what his bank account says.

Doug Barron: The Face Of Performancing Enhancing Drugs in Golf

Michael Fitzpatrick — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:17:31 -0500

Mark McGuire, Sammy Sosa, Shawne Merriman, and Barry Bonds are names commonly associated with steroids in professional sports.

Doug Barron is not.

At 40-years-old, Baron is slightly overweight, has a heart condition, was diagnosed with an unusually low testosterone level back in 2005 and has never won a PGA Tour event in his 17 years as a professional golfer.

Heck, Doug Barron is a walking billboard for those people who still think that golf is not a sport and professional golfers are not athletes.

But in an almost comical chain of events, Doug Barron has now become the face of performance-enhancing drugs in golf.

He is the first man to be officially suspended by the PGA Tour for testing positive for banned substances.

Less than two weeks ago, The PGA Tour announced that Barron would be suspended for one year after testing positive for testosterone and propranolol (a drug that could be used to steady nerves) at the St. Jude Classic.

“You could give me a list of 500 tour players and I would not pick Doug Barron’s name off the list to be first,” Brad Faxon said on the Golf Channel.

Barron has been plagued with so many physical ailments over the years that his lawyer is arguing that he is “a disabled individual” as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

When the PGA Tour issued its list of banned substances in July of 2008, Barron immediately asked for an exemption based on his his physical condition, but was denied by the PGA Tour.

The PGA Tour has stated that Barron’s “blatant and intentional use of two different prohibited substances despite the denial of his T.U.E. applications” was the cause of his suspension.

Barron released a statement on November 2nd saying the following: “I would like to apologize for any negative perception of the tour or its players resulting from my suspension. I want my fellow tour members and the fans to know that I did not intend to gain an unfair competitive advantage or enhance my performance while on tour.”

Gain an unfair advantage?

It seems as if this guy required these medications in order to simply stand upon two legs for the duration of 18 holes.

"He was using these drugs for medical reasons, not to enhance performance,” said Barron’s Lawyer, Jeffrey Rosenblum.

Barron is currently awaiting a decision by the Federal Magistrate in Memphis, Tennessee to see if his suspension will be overturned and whether or not he will be allowed to attend the second stage of the PGA Tour’s qualifying school.

There’s nothing funny about performance enhancing drugs in sports.

However, it’s difficult to look at the new poster boy for the PGA Tour’s anti-doping policy and not at least chuckle.

At $3 Million, Tiger Woods Still Comes with a Temper

Michael Fitzpatrick — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 11:47:30 -0500

Tiger Woods is currently taking part in the 2009 JBWere Australian Masters, which is being held this week in Melbourne, Australia.

The JBWere Australian Masters is co-sanctioned event between the Australasia and European Tours, and is being run by Woods’ management company, IMG.

Outside of the PGA Tour, players are allowed to accept appearance fees, and Woods was given $3 million just to show up at the JBWere Australian Masters.

$1.5 came from IMG and the other $1.5 came from the Australian Government.

The $3 million has so far proved to be money well-spent as a crowd of more than 25,000 has been following Woods' every move at Kingston Heath Golf Club over the past five days.

However, when the Australian Government wrote Woods a $1.5 million check, they probably didn’t envision some their citizens being put in harms way as a result.

Still running hot from a missed five-foot birdie putt on the 12th hole, Woods pushed yet another tee shot into the right rough on the 13th.

What came next was an ugly scene to say the least, even when considering the numerous temper tantrums Woods has exhibited throughout the 2009 season.

As Woods eyed his tee shot heading towards the 10-deep gallery lining the right-side of the fairway, he completely lost it.

He threw his club into the ground with such force that it bounced off the tee box and flew at least three-deep into a gallery that had probably been waiting out in the Australian heat for two hours just to catch a small glimpse at the world’s No. 1 golfer.

Woods’ club missed a woman and a child by less than six feet and narrowly missed the heads of several men whose faces had previously been painted with ear-to-ear smiles before seeing a large titanium driver with a Nike logo on it speeding directly towards them.

It’s not often that you see Tiger Woods look embarrassed by anything he’s done on a golf course, but on this occasion, "embarrassed" is the only word to describe the look on Woods’ face as he walked over to retrieve his driver from the gallery.

Luckily for the crowd surrounding the 16th tee box, Woods managed to find the fairway and they were subsequently sparred from a flying Nike driver.

When Woods lipped out a short birdie putt on the 16th green he paused and gave the hole a cold stare as if couldn’t believe it had just spit out the golf ball of the world’s No. 1 player.

However, Woods should have known by this point that the golf Gods do not look kindly upon those who throw clubs at the heads of innocent bystanders.

To make matters worse, Woods slammed his putter down and let out, well, lets just say a loud expletive, after a poor lag putt on the 17th green. He was rewarded by the golf Gods for this action by missing another short birdie putt on the 18th.

In typical Woods fashion, he still found a way to tie for the lead after 54-holes despite his extremely poor play on Saturday.

However, as the renowned sports writer Grantland Rice wrote in 1963, “It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game.”

Woods’ extreme temper is nothing new to golf fans. But this most recent tantrum was one of his worst for several reasons.

He is not only representing himself this week but he’s also representing IMG and the Australian government, who each paid him $1.5 million to attend the JB Were Australian Masters.

Aside from IMG and the Australian government, he’s also representing the PGA Tour and his home country of America. Luckily Woods’ playing partner and fellow American Jason Dufner was nothing short of a true gentleman all afternoon. We wouldn’t want us getting a bad reputation overseas or anything now would we.

As the dust begins to settle on Woods’ latest tamper tantrum, the Australian Government is probably contemplating whether or not the $1.5 million would have been better spent on bringing a loveable lefty to town instead.

The New Tiger Woods Is Playing a Different Game

Michael Fitzpatrick — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:21:32 -0500

“Power” has always been the word most synonymous with Tiger Woods.

When Woods was 7 years old, he was hitting the ball longer than most 12-year-olds.

When he was 12, he was hitting the ball longer than most 16-year-olds.

When he was 16, he was hitting the ball longer than, well, just about anyone who had ever picked up a golf club.

When Woods first arrived on the PGA Tour back in 1996, he completely decimated golf courses with a length that had even his playing partners looking on in utter amazement.

It was almost comical watching a lanky 20-year-old kid confidently blast his drives a good 40 yards past the likes of Greg Norman, Nick Faldo, Tom Lehman and Phil Mickelson.

In 1997, Woods made a complete mockery of Augusta National by getting home in two on virtually every par-five with nothing more than a driver and an eight iron. Woods finished the 97’ Masters at 18-under-par, won by 12 strokes and officially altered the future of golf course architecture forever.

Over the past 12 years, hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent on “Tiger Proofing” golf courses.

Woods’ 14 major championship wins have come, in large part, as a result of his ability to annihilate the par-fives.

That was Tiger Woods then. But, the Tiger Woods of 2009 is being forced to play a game different to any he’s ever played before.

For the first time in his life, Woods is playing the same game as everyone else. He’s hemorrhaging distance faster than Wall Street has been hemorrhaging cash, and the distinct advantage he used to enjoy through his herculean power is no longer existent.

In 1997, Woods averaged 294 yards off the tee while playing with a driver that was the size of a modern day five-wood and a ball that did not yet have afterburners installed.

In 2004, Woods averaged 301 yards off the tee. In 2005, his drives flew an average of 316 yards.

But in 2009, Woods has dropped back to an average of 298 yards off the tee. He is still one of the longer hitters on tour, but he’s also one of the few players on tour who have gone backwards in length over the past few years as equipment and golf balls have allowed even 10 handicappers to hit 270 yard drives.

2009 marked the first year Woods has ever finished outside of the top-20 on tour in driving distance. He has only finished outside the top-10 twice in his career (in 2005 he finished 11th and in 2007 he finished 12th).

At the 2009 Masters, Woods was paired with Phil Mickelson on Sunday.

Mickelson’s drives consistently flew 15-20 yards further that Woods’. At that time, Woods had just returned from reconstructive ACL surgery, so it was palpable to believe that Woods was not yet playing at 100 percent.

Then at the 2009 PGA Championship, Woods’ typical domination of the par-fives was non-existent and he was subsequently beat by the far shorter hitting Y.E. Yang.

At the 2009 Presidents Cup, Woods was pulling the same clubs on par-threes as Mike Weir and Steve Stricker, both of whom are considered amongst the shorter hitters on tour.

During the third round of last week’s WGC-HSBC Champions, Woods could only watch as a guy in a painters cap and walking shoes – Ryan Moore – outdrive him on virtually every hole.

On Sunday, Woods began his final round just two strokes off the lead and was grouped with Phil Mickelson and Nick Watney in the day’s final pairing.

On the par-five second, Woods was out-driven by both Watney and Mickelson and needed a three wood to get home in two while Watney and Mickelson reached easily with long irons.

On the fourth hole, Woods found the fairway with a three wood and then sat by and watched Watney outdrive him with a three wood of his own, and Mickelson outdrive both of them with an iron.

On the par-five eighth, Watney outdrove Woods by around 20 yards, and despite finding the fairway, Woods was forced to layup on a hole that a large percentage of the field was going for in two.

On the ninth, Mickelson was within ten yards of hitting his three-wood further than Woods’ driver, and on the 11th, Mickelson once again hit a long iron further than Woods’ three-wood.

Rory McIlroy, who was playing several groups ahead of Woods, needed only a three wood to reach the short par-four 16th, while about an hour later Woods came up just short and right with a driver.

The reasons behind Woods’ alarming loss in distance could be numerous.

First, he’s playing on a knee that was surgically reconstructed just 16 months ago. Woods himself has admitted that, in an attempt to protect his left knee, he was not fully transferring his weight to his left side during early part of the 2009 season. Perhaps he’s still a little apprehensive about going all out on his surgically repaired knee.

Second, he may only be swinging at 70-80 percent in an attempt to gain more control. It’s no secret that Woods’ Achilles heel has always been an erratic driver, and one that has been even more erratic since his return from the knee injury.

Third, back in 1997 Woods was golfing. Today he seems to be more concerned with swinging. What that means is that when Woods first burst onto the scene and began making a mockery of the courses he played on, he was simply playing golf. Today, he appears to be thinking more about his golf swing when standing over the ball than about simply playing the shot.

Fourth, Woods swing was a lot quicker and more free-flowing back in 1997-2000 when compared to his 2009 golf swing.

Silky smooth would be the best description of his 2000 swing, while his 2009 swing could be seen as somewhat robotic, particularly on tee shots.

The reasons behind his recent loss in distance are irrelevant. What is relevant, however, is that he has lost an advantage that he has relied heavily upon for his entire golfing life.

From AJGA Tournaments right on up through major championships, Woods’ ability to hit the ball significantly further than anyone else has always provided him with a physical and mental advantage over his competition.

Imagine playing with the 2000 Tiger Woods on Sunday of a major championship while holding a three stroke lead with just nine holes to play and knowing full well that Woods will at least birdie if not eagle each of the two par-fives on the back-nine. That is something that eats at a players mind and forces him to alter the way he plays his game over the final nine holes. That, in essence, is the closest thing golf has to an intimidation factor.

Today, Woods is on the outside looking in. He’s the one watching players get home in two on par-fives with a driver and long iron while he’s forced to lay up and hope he can stick his wedge close enough to have a decent look at birdie.

Can Woods still dominate?

Of course he can. Woods is so far ahead of his competition that he can still win and win often while not at his best. With six wins and nine additional top-10 finishes in 17 events, Woods was as dominant as ever in 2009. Despite a loss in distance, he still managed to lead the tour in par-five scoring average this year, which is a testiment to his extraordinary level of skill in every other aspect of the game.

A closer in baseball can lose five mph on his fastball and still be dominant.

That being said, dominating the ninth inning would be a little easier if he still had those additional five mph.

PGA Tour Beware, Here Comes Rory!

Michael Fitzpatrick — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:35:48 -0500

20-year-old Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy has officially decided to accept his US PGA Tour card for the 2010 season.

"I just feel I will become a better golfer if I also play in America,” McIlroy said yesterday at the Hong Kong Open. “I will be playing in world class fields with more world ranking points on offer and the only way for me to get better is to play alongside better players.”

McIlroy, who is undoubtedly aware of how the European Tour and it’s fans will view the loss of yet another big star to the US PGA Tour, quickly followed by making clear his ultimate intentions.

"The European Tour will still be my home tour. I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea that I'm just going away to America because that is not what I'm planning.” McIlroy said.

The smooth swinging native of Ulster, Ireland, whom both Tiger Woods and Ernie Els have predicted to be the next number one ranked player in the world, won his first professional event earlier this year at the Dubai Desert Classic.

McIlroy finished inside of the top-20 at three out of this year’s four major championships, including top-10s at the US Open and US PGA Championship. He also finished within the top-10 at two out of the four World Golf Championship events.

McIlroy, who played in 11 PGA Tour recognized events in 2009, will need to play in at least 15 events in 2010 to retain his tour card for the following year.

Aside from the competition factor, the PGA Tour is also where the money lies in golf.

Virtually every tournament awards more the $1 million to the winner, there are more world golf ranking points available, endorsement deals are widespread and lucrative, not to mention that the PGA Tour’s end-of-the-year playoff system (The FedEx Cup) has not had to slash it’s purse like the European Tour’s Race to Dubai was forced to do this year as a result of the tough economy.

It would be a surprise if McIlroy, who is currently ranked 17th in the world, did not crack the top-10 next season while playing on the PGA Tour.

PGA: Big Names in Danger of Losing Their Tour Cards

Michael Fitzpatrick — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:51:16 -0500

The PGA Tour has officially arrived at The Last Chance Saloon.

This week’s Children’s Miracle Network Classic, at the Disney Resort in Lake Buena Vista, FL, will be the final opportunity for players to earn the most coveted prize in all of golf: a PGA Tour card.

Upon the conclusion of the Children’s Miracle Network Classic, those players who fall within the top-125 on the tour’s money list will retain their cards for the 2010 season.

Those who fall between 125-150 on the money list are eligible to receive an unlimited number of sponsor’s exemptions in 2010 and are also exempt into the final stage of the tour’s qualifying school.

However, finishing between 125-150 on the money list and not advancing through the final stage of Q-School could produce a logistical nightmare, particularly for those players who have become accustomed to creating their own schedules.

Players who hold PGA Tour cards are given the first opportunity to fill fields at each tournament. For that reason, players who finish between 125-150 on the money list are often forced to wait until the last minute to find out whether or not they have been admitted into tournaments.

When picturing players who are out there fighting for their livelihood in golf, you typically envision younger, lesser known guys just trying to keep their head above water, or older guys who are desperately trying to hang on until they turn 50 and become eligible for the Champions Tour.

However, that’s not always the case.

Here are six well-known players who are in danger of losing their PGA Tour cards.

Ricky Barnes

Ricky Barnes is best known for two achievements: defeating Hunter Mahan in the finals of the 2002 US Amateur, and finishing tied for second in this year’s US Open at Bethpage.

It can be difficult to fathom how a player who had a 25-foot putt to force an 18-hole playoff at the US Open just four months ago is now in danger of losing his tour card for the 2010 season.

But Barnes’ performance at the US Open was his only top-10 finish this year.

Between mid-July and Mid-October, Barnes missed six consecutive cuts.

His best finish outside of the US Open came three weeks ago at the Frys.com Open where he tied for 39th.

The $559,830 Barnes earned at Bethpage is the only reason why he’s currently 121st on the money list.

Outlook: Very Good

Unless Barnes misses the cut and several players outside of the top-125 play extremely well this week at the Children’s Miracle Network Classic, he should keep his tour card for at least one more year.

Rich Beem

Rich Beem is probably best known for his goofy little dance on the 18th green at Hazeltine National Golf Club back in 2002.

However, what some tend to forget is that Beem’s little dance was sparked by winning the 2002 PGA Championship over a surging Tiger Woods.

Beem’s 2002 PGA Championship victory carried with it a five-year exemption on the PGA Tour, which ended after the 2007 season.

Last year, Beem finished 140th on the money list, which gave him conditional status for the 2009 season.

The 2002 PGA Champion is currently ranked 124th on the money list and is one solid week away from regaining his tour card for the 2010 season.

Outlook: Good

A decent week at the Children’s Miracle Network Classic should secure a 2010 tour card for Beem. Even if Beem does finish outside of the top-125 this year, he still has an ace in the hole—he’s a likable character that will have no problem securing a large number of sponsors' exemptions during the 2010 season if he were not to make it through the final stage of Q-School.

David Duval (Bubble Boy)

Ah, David Duval...this generation’s tragic hero.

David Duval represents every PGA Tour player’s worst fear. He is what keeps both successful and struggling tour professionals awake at night.

Ten years ago, Duval was the No. 1 player in the world. Between 1997 and 2001, he won 13 events; the last of which came at the 2001 British Open.

His 59 in the final round of the 1999 Bob Hope Classic, which was exactly what he needed to edge out Steve Pate by a stroke, is considered by many to be one of the greatest rounds ever played in tournament golf.

But in a matter of months, between late 2002 and 2003, Duval simply lost his golf game, and he has been trying to regain it ever since.

For four days in June, we were given a small glimpse of exactly what David Duval is still capable of when he tied for second at the US Open.

Many thought that this performance could provide the fuel that would reignite Duval’s fire.

But it was not to be.

Following his second-place finish at Bethpage, Duval managed to make the cut in just one out of his next seven events.

Like Rickey Barnes, he finds himself within the top-125 based almost solely on his performance at the US Open.

Outlook: On the Fence

Ranked 125th on the tour’s money list, Duval is sitting on top of the proverbial fence and he could fall either way. He could play well and land on a 2010 PGA Tour card or he could miss the cut and be forced to take a trip back to Q-School or rely on sponsors exemptions next year.

Even more so than Rich Beem, Duval will have little trouble securing a large number of sponsor’s exemptions. Duval has garnered a cult following of fans who desperately seek a feel-good comeback story.

Duval could have easily retired, sat on his millions of dollars and spent the rest of his days relaxing with his family and enjoying his second love—snowboarding. But whether he ever wins another PGA Tour event or not, there is and always will be something admirable about a man who simply refuses to give up on his dreams.

Stuart Appleby

Last season, Stuart Appleby earned $2.48 million and finished 23rd on the tour’s money list.

Appleby is an eight-time winner on the PGA Tour and has been a member of four Presidents Cup teams.

But in a prototypical case of just how quickly things can take a turn for the worse on the PGA Tour, Appleby is now in danger of losing his tour card for the 2010 season.

2009 will be the first time in more than a decade that Appleby has failed to earn more than $1 million in a single season.

Outlook: It’s Over.

Appleby has already packed it in for the 2009 PGA Tour season, despite being 134th on the money list. Appleby will attend the JBWere Australian Masters this week where he is hosting a free golf clinic for children, which Tiger Woods is scheduled to speak at.

Appleby will either attend the final stage of Q-School in December or rely on sponsors exemptions next year.

Chris DiMarco

Although it’s somewhat hard to believe, Chris DiMarco’s ranking of 136th on the 2009 PGA Tour money list is actually an improvement upon his 2008 season where he finished 146th.

DiMarco has three PGA Tour wins and has been a member of two Ryder Cup teams and two Presidents Cup teams.

At the 2005 Masters, a miraculous chip-in by Tiger Woods on the par three 16th hole of the final round was all that came between DiMarco and a green jacket.

Tiger Woods’ chip-in on the 16th (better known now as the “In your life have you seen anything like that” chip-in) is considered to be one of the greatest shots in Masters’ history and catapulted Woods to an eventual victory over DiMarco in a sudden death playoff.

In 2006, DiMarco again finished second only to Woods in a major championship. This time it was at the Open Championship at Royal Liverpool.

DiMarco’s recent collapse has not been any where near as extreme as what David Duval has been and is still going through. However, DiMarco is treading furiously just to keep his head above water.

Outlook: Dim

Unless DiMarco finishes inside of the top-five this week at Disney, he will be attending Q-School in December or will be relying on sponsors' exemptions for the second consecutive season in 2010.

Rocco Mediate

Tiger Woods won the 2008 US Open—while playing on a broken leg no less—but you’d never know it based on the amount of attention Rocco Mediate received in the days, weeks, and month followings their epic dual at Torrey Pines.

The guy that Johnny Miller referred to as “Tiger Woods’ pool boy” became America’s lovable loser.

Rocco appeared on the Tonight Show , the Letterman Show, was asked to participate in the 2008 Skins Game, and renowned sports writer John Feinstein even wrote a book about him.

However, the position Rocco now finds himself in is a painful reminder that despite capturing the hearts and minds of a nation, he was not the one walking out of Torrey Pines with the US Open Trophy last year.

Rocco is currently 141st on the tour’s money list and will need to finish no worse than third this week to retain his PGA Tour card for the 2010 season.

Outlook: Grim

Although Rocco is unlikely to keep his PGA Tour card for the 2010 season, he should have no trouble whatsoever securing sponsors' exemptions if he were not to make it through Q-School.

As a result of his performance at last year’s US Open, Rocco has became one of the most lovable and recognizable players on tour, which makes him a sponsor’s dream.

On Another Note

Rickie Fowler and Jamie Lovemark are not in danger of losing their PGA Tour cards because neither player ever had one to begin with. However, they are both attempting to do something that only four players have accomplished in the past 20 years.

Phil Mickelson, Justin Leonard, Tiger Woods and Ryan Moore are the only players in the past two decades who have turned pro and immediately earned enough money to avoid a trip to Q-School.

Fowler will probably need to earn $70,000 or more to automatically secure a spot on the PGA Tour for the 2010 season. A Top-10 finish this week should be all Fowler needs.

Lovemark will likely need to finish no worse than third this week to avoid a trip to Q-School.

Both players earning their 2010 PGA Tour cards this week may sound like a stretch...until you realize that Fowler and Lovemark tied for second just three weeks ago at the Frys.com Open.

For Giants Fans, There's No Need To Wait Until Monday Morning

Michael Fitzpatrick — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:20:57 -0500

It’s easy to be a Monday mourning quarterback.

The ancient Roman’s were undoubtedly questioning the decisions made by their favorite Gladiators in 476 A.D.

Thousands of years later we’re still doing the same and we’ll continue it as long as there are games being played.

That being said, no one at Giants Stadium needed to wait until Monday morning to begin second guessing Kevin Gilbride’s fourth quarter play calling.

The second Eli Manning turned to hand the ball off to Brandon Jacobs on third and goal on the nine yard line with just over two minutes left in the game, hands flew in the air and baffled looks could be seen on the faces of virtually all 78,741 Giants fans who, up until that point, had been enjoying an unseasonable warm November evening in New Jersey.

This was one of those rare occasions where even if Jacobs had thundered his way into the end zone, most would have still questioned Gilbride’s call; or at least taken a deep breath knowing full well that the Giants just escaped a potentially disastrous situation.

The reason for Eli Manning’s massive bank account is the Giants’ belief in his ability to perform in situations exactly like the one they faced this evening.

Not turning to Eli on third and goal with the game on the line was the equivalent of Joe Girardi leaving Mariano Rivera in the bullpen in the ninth inning of a World Series game with the Yankees leading by one run.

With more than two minutes left in the game and the Giants leading by just three, it was almost as if Gilbride decided to settle for a field goal and hope that the defense came up with yet another big play.

Lawrence Tyne’s kick successfully spilt the uprights, the Giants extended their lead to six, and 78,741 fans apprehensively clapped their hands while trying to ignore that nauseous feeling in their stomachs.

Philip Rivers had more than two minutes left to drive the Chargers down the field, get the ball into the end zone and escape from the Meadowlands with a one point victory—and the Giants inconsistent secondary was all that stood in his way.

Game, set, match.

Rivers capped off an 80-yard drive with a touchdown pass to Vincent Jackson with just 21 seconds left in the game.

A few incomplete passes and an Eli Manning sack later and the Giants had officially extended their loosing streak to four games heading into the bye week.

It may be too late to go back on the Eli Manning/Philip Rivers trade that was made on draft day in 2004. But, is it possible to trade offensive coordinators?

LeBron James Arrives in New York for First Unofficial Recruiting Visit

Michael Fitzpatrick — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:27:43 -0500

Like a high school senior arriving on campus, LeBron James will walk into Madison Square Garden tonight for his first unofficial recruiting visit.

Although the Knicks have made little secret of their intention to pursue James and other high profile free agents aggressively during the upcoming off-season, James has remained tight lipped.

That being said, he is a free agent after this season and the Knicks have all but handed him a massive contract and a fancy pen.

Perhaps LeBron will evaluate his opponents a little closer than usual this evening.

Perhaps he’ll be silently comparing Knicks fans to Cavaliers fans.

Maybe he’ll look at the streets of New York a little differently on his way to the Garden and ponder whether he wants to live in a city that’s very large, extremely over-crowded, yet constantly oozes an exciting energy, or in a city that’s small and quiet, but worships him more than any other athlete on the face of the planet.

Maybe he’ll even rent a car and take a discrete day trip with a real estate agent out to some of New York’s prestigious suburbs.

What he’ll see in his evaluation of the city is, well, New York. You either love it, hate it, or like most of its inhabitants, you just deal with it because that’s where the opportunities lie.

When James evaluates the Knicks, however, he’ll see a poor basketball team that’s been even more poorly run.

In recent years, Knicks owner James Dolan has literally run the team into the ground. Last year, marked the Knicks’ seventh consecutive losing season.

Large contracts being given to poor players with even worse attitudes has led to a rare sight at Madison Square Garden; empty seats and lots of them.

Although the highly competent Donnie Walsh was brought in last year to serve as the team’s president, it will take him years to clean up the colossal mess created by Isaiah Thomas and the Dolans.

If history has shown us anything, it’s that no matter how dominant one player is, he can’t win without a solid supporting cast.

Michael Jordan endured years of losing seasons before the Chicago Bulls finally brought in Bill Cartwright, Horace Grant, and Scottie Pippen.

LeBron should know this little piece of history better than anyone. He’s been arguably the most dominant player in the league over the past few years, yet he’s been unable to carry an entire team upon his back nor win an NBA title.

Does he really think he’ll be able to carry both the riff-raff in Knicks uniforms and the incompetent men in suits who preside over them all the way to the NBA Finals?

LeBron’s a tremendous basketball player, but this is one challenge that not even the perpetual gambler, Michael Jordan, would have taken on during his prime.

That is unless Donnie Walsh approaches James and explains to him how much he’s learned from the New York Yankees management and the Knicks will be looking to purchase their own championship in 2010-2011.

While the 2009 World Series Is Still Undecided, Its MVP Is Not

Michael Fitzpatrick — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:42:45 -0500

Although the 2009 World Series has yet to be decided, the series MVP has certainly been determined.

Unless Andy Pettitte goes out and pulls a Don Larsen tonight or Alex Rodriguez hits four solo home runs in a 4-3 Yankees victory, MLB can begin engraving Chase Utley’s name into the 2009 World Series MVP trophy.

Utley is batting .333 with five home runs and eight RBI during the series.

No player in the history of baseball has hit more home runs during a single World Series than Utley. His blast in the bottom of the seventh inning in Game Five tied the mark Reggie Jackson set during the 1977 World Series.

And this is all while batting in front of the coldest hitter in the game right now, Ryan Howard.

It is by no means an exaggeration to say that Utley has hit virtually every decent pitch he’s seen out of the park.

Why Yankee pitchers insist on throwing the ball anywhere in the vicinity of the strike zone with Utley at the plate is as baffling as why many thought Chad Gaudin and his lifetime 4.50 ERA should have started Game Five.

Had the Yankees bombarded Utley with curve balls and sliders out of the zone after his two-home run performance in Game One, Derek Jeter, Joe Girardi, A-Rod, and the gang would have been making their way down the Canyon of Heroes today rather than preparing for Game Six.

If the Phillies happen to pull off a miracle in the Bronx this week, Chase Utley’s name will forever be associated with the greatest postseason performances in the game’s long and illustrious history.

However, if the Yankees win one of the next two games—which is the more likely outcome—Utley’s MVP award will be just an unwanted consolation prize; one that could serve well as a highly-functional bathroom doorstop.

Whether you’re a Yankees fan, Phillies fan, or simply a baseball fan, a tip of the cap to Utley is certainly warranted.

But, no matter how well an individual player performs, unless his team wins the series, he’ll wind up being just an answer to a difficult sports trivia question five years from now.

Of Course A.J. Burnett Started Game Five

Michael Fitzpatrick — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:24:29 -0500

Will the Phillies win Games Six and Seven this week at Yankee Stadium?

Probably not.

The 1985 Kansas City Royals were the last team to come back from a 3-1 deficit to win the World Series.

However, if the Phillies do pull off some kind of miracle in the Bronx, Joe Girardi’s decision to start A.J. Burnett in game five on three days rest will be second guessed all winter.

It’s always easy to second guess.

Although on this occasion we are talking about baseball and not football, it can still be referred to as “Monday morning quarterbacking”.

Had Burnett gone out and pitched well enough to close the door on the Phillies last night, Girardi would have been considered a genius and hailed as a hero.

But, Burnett pitched poorly.

The Yankees lost.

And instead of creating “Girardi is King” signs for the tickertape parade, Yankee fans are now sharpening their pitchforks for Girardi just in case this series slips away.

The fact of the matter is that on two days rest, three days rest or five days rest, you never know which A.J. Burnett you are going to get when he steps onto the mound.

So, if Girardi didn’t start Burnett in Game Five, what was his other option?

Game Five: Gaudin would have been the only other logical choice. However, Gaudin hasn’t even pitched in over a month; and when he was pitching regularly this year he had an ERA of 4.65. Is this the guy you want on the mound in a World Series clinching game?

Game Six: Now you start Burnett on full rest. Well, that sounds great, only that on full rest or not, Burnett is a prototypical case of Jekyll and Hyde. You never know what you are going to get when this guy steps on the mound. He could look like Cy Young, or a batting practice pitcher.

Game Seven: You have Sabathia on the mound. Sabathia will more than likely give you a solid start, but this is Game Seven and anything can happen. A walk, a seeing eye single and a Chase Utely homerun and the Yankees are down three zip at the blink of an eye.

One would have to assume that Gaudin’s chances of winning Game Five in Philadelphia would have been slim at best. Burnett could have been a thoroughbred or a lame dog in game six, and then you find yourself in a situation where you have your ace on the mound in Game Seven, but as we all know, anything can happen when it comes down to a single baseball game.

The alternative strategy is the one that Girardi is currently pursuing.

Game Five: Start Burnett on short rest. Maybe you’ll get Cy Yong or maybe you’ll get a lame dog. Either way, Burnett had pitched well in Game Two, so just maybe you’d get the “good” Burnett again in Game Five.

Game Six: You start Andy Pettitte. He also would be going on three days rest, and he’s not as young as he used to be. However, do the Yankees have a starting pitcher in their dugout that has shown more of an ability to get the job done in big-time games than Pettitte?

Game Seven: You have your ace on the mound. Win or lose, Sabbathia is the guy you want out there with everything on the line…his bank account says so.

Second guessing managerial decisions is a past time nearly as old as baseball itself.

Had Gaudin started Game Five and allowed the Phillies to take part in a home run derby competition, then the unpredictable Burnett gets rocked in Game Six tomorrow and the Phillies are somehow able to sneak out a 3-1 win in Game Seven on Thursday, would you be happy with Girardi’s handling of the pitching staff?

Of Course not.

Millions of New Yorkers would be the smartest Friday morning managers in the city.

Time For The Giants To Change The Blueprint

Michael Fitzpatrick — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:27:31 -0500

We’ve all seen the Giants lose football games before.

Some losses have been tougher than others, with yesterday’s loss to the Eagles certainly falling in the “tougher” category.

However, losing a game and being unprepared for a game are two separate matters.

And yesterday afternoon, the Giants were unprepared.

During the Fox Pre-Game Show, Jimmy Johnson discussed how the New Orleans Saints had created a blueprint on how to pick apart the Giants’ defense. The Cardinals followed that same blueprint, he said, and the Eagles would do the same.

Well, he was exactly right.

The New Orleans Saints exposed a vulnerability within the Giants’ defense: the secondary.

And like a pack of hungry wolves looking to prey on the weak, the Cardinals and the Eagles mercilessly attacked the Giants’ secondary.

The blue print on how to beat the Giants?

Run mid-range crossing patterns and out routes.

The Giants’ secondary have yet to demonstrate an ability to defend against passes thrown in front of them.

Furthermore, they have yet to show much of an ability to make a decent tackle once a pass has been completed.

The offensive side wasn’t much better for the Giants yesterday afternoon.

The Eagles appeared to know where Eli Manning was going to throw the football before Manning even knew.

When Manning was intercepted by Asante Samuel during the Giants first procession of the game, Samuel’s move was timed so perfectly that it appeared as if he and Manning had been out on the field practicing the play prior to the start of the game.

If only the Giants’ young receivers could time their routes as perfectly as Samuel.

And the running game?

Perhaps the Eagles offensive line found a way to electronically intercept the Giant’s play calling, because everywhere Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw turned, they were met by a sea of green jerseys.

Tom Coughlin should have probably done a playbook inspection immediately following the game, just to ensure that some young locker room assistant didn’t snatch someone’s playbook and hand it over to Eagle’s defensive coordinator Sean McDermott.

The blueprint is out on how to defeat the Giants.

The Saints created it, and other NFL coaches have since looked like the second coming of Vince Lombardi as a result of their ability to simply watch a few game tapes and realize that the Giants secondary is weak to say the least.

How do the Giants prepare for next week’s game against San Diego?

Well, they change the blueprint.

Of course, that’s a lot easier said than done. The players are still the ones that need to execute on the field. But, that’s another article for another day.

New York Yankees Lead Series 2-1, but Phillies Fans Have Dominated

Michael Fitzpatrick — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 11:11:41 -0500

Although the Yankees may be leading the World Series 2-1, Phillies fans have completely dominated Yankees fans in terms of the noise and energy exuded so far.

Yankee Stadium sounded more like a wake during the first two games of the series when compared to the pure madness seen last night at Citizens Bank Park.

And I’m not talking about an Irish wake either.

The first thing I noticed when flipping on the television to watch Game One at Yankee Stadium was all of the empty seats.

To be 100 percent perfectly honest, this was the first time in my entire life I had seen empty seats during the middle of a World Series game.

The first thing I noticed last night was 43,000 fans shaking white towels while screaming their heads off, and this was during the rain delay. The noise and energy went up another notch once the tarp was finally lifted from the field.

A few empty seats could be seen during the late innings of last night’s game. However, we have to consider that it was after midnight, it was raining, and the Phillies were down by four runs.

More empty seats could be seen at Yankee Stadium during the fifth inning of Game One, when the Yankees were trailing by just a run.

As the rain began to fall at Yankee Stadium during the first game of the series, many fans ran for cover.

As the rain fell during Game Three, Phillies fans zipped up their coats and yelled a little louder.

When the Yankees had runners in scoring position during Games One and Two, the decibel level at Yankee Stadium was slightly higher than that of a soft whisper.

When Jimmy Rollins led off Game Three with a base hit—which Alex Rodriguez should have come up with—it sounded as if he had just hit a grand slam to end the series.

“It's seventh inning of Game Two, and Yankee fans have finally shown up,” Tim McCarver said to describe the Yankees fans’ lack of enthusiasm.

Now, the amount of noise, or lack thereof, at Yankee Stadium can be partly blamed on the exuberant ticket prices being charged.

Many hardcore Yankees fans were forced to watch the games at home while celebrities and Wall Street executives—for whom we as tax payers may or may not have bought World Series tickets—were the only ones able to afford tickets to the game.

As we all know, celebrities and millionaires are not the type to sit out in the rain and cheer on a team that they probably know very little about.

That being said, I’m sure tickets to Game Three at Citizens Bank Park also had a hefty price tag attached to them.

It has often been said that the Yankees' decline initially began after losing the 2001 World Series to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

I personally disagree with this, considering that the Yankees made it to the World Series in 2004 and had made the playoffs every year up until last. But that’s an argument for another day.

If the Yankees were in the midst of some kind of decline over the past eight years, have their fans declined along with them?

If Games One and Two are anything to go by, the answer to that question would have to be yes.

Anthony Kim, Robert Allenby, and Golf's New Rivalry

Michael Fitzpatrick — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:39:38 -0400

Well, maybe “rivalry” isn't the best word to use when describing the tumultuous relationship between Anthony Kim and Robert Allenby.

After all, the word “rivalry” implies that these two players have been involved in some form of heated competition on the golf course.

The only heat involved in this competition has been in the form of hot air flowing from each player’s mouth.

Immediately following his 5-and-3 loss to Kim three weeks ago at the Presidents Cup, Allenby referred to Kim as a “loose cannon.”

He then went on to describe how some of his friends had seen Kim returning to his hotel room at 4 a.m. (just hours before his scheduled singles match against Allenby) and that Kim was not exactly sober at the time.

It’s always an ugly scene when an athlete appears bitter after a tough loss.

And the most obvious question that comes to mind upon hearing these allegations is why Allenby would possibly want to make it known that he was beaten by a guy who, according to his "friends’" account, was probably still drunk, or at least suffering from a terrible hangover when he stepped onto the first tee at 8 a.m. for their match.

Kim vehemently denied the accusations and said that if Allenby was bitter about the loss, maybe he should have practiced harder.

A PR nightmare was beginning to brew, and we all know how much the PGA Tour loves PR nightmares.

Less than 24 hours after the conclusion of the Presidents Cup matches, Allenby released a statement apologizing for his comments about Kim, while Kim released a statement of his own saying that he and Allenby had spoken by phone and the issue was “dead.”

But this week at the Volvo World Match Play Championship, which is taking place in Malaga, Spain, it's clear that the issue is far from “dead.”

Yesterday evening, when it became official that Kim would be facing off against Allenby in a 36-hole semifinal match, Kim was quoted as saying “I'm going to tell you what I'm going to do, 'Dinner at 6:30 here, be done by 7:30, shower eight, Internet and talk to some friends eight to nine, be in bed by 9:30!”

Aside from a quick “good luck” on the first tee box this morning, the two players barely acknowledged each other over the course of the next eight hours.

In a move that might have appeared spiteful to many, Kim declined to concede any putts to Allenby during the first 18 holes of the match.

Perhaps the move did show a touch of spite, or perhaps it was just intelligent match-play strategy.

Allenby is, after all, one of the worst putters on the PGA Tour.

With a large sum of money on the line, would you really be prepared to concede four-footers to a guy who would have trouble rolling a golf ball through a basketball hoop?

The match ended on the 32nd hole of the day with Kim leading by five holes with just four to play, thus concluding the latest episode of the Kim/Allenby high school soap opera.

The Volvo World Match Play Championship, being a European Tour event, falls outside of Principle Finchem’s jurisdiction.

However, before Kim decides to steal Allenby’s lunch money, or Allenby starts bullying Kim in the locker room, perhaps it would prudent for Principle Finchem to call both players into his office and settle this childish feud once and for all.

“Anthony Kim, you will refrain from all late-night activities before high-profile PGA Tour events...you might actually win another tournament if you do so,” Finchem could begin by saying.

“And Robert Allenby, you will keep all gossip to yourself, and maybe you could also work a little harder at your putting so we could finally have a decent Presidents Cup match in 2011.”

World Series: It's a Sad Day When Seats Are Empty for Game One at Yankee Stadium

Michael Fitzpatrick — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:30:57 -0400

When I think back to the old Yankee Stadium, the first thought that comes into my mind is an animal house.

The crowd was extremely loud, extremely rowdy, and the hostile environment they created made playing there unbelievably difficult for visiting teams.

At the new Yankee Stadium, however, those boisterous fans seem to still exist; only now you can’t see them because their seats begin a good 20 rows from of the field.

Throughout the 2009 season, there was much talk about the astronomical prices the Yankees were charging for tickets.

A ticket to see a regular season game while sitting in one of those large, comfy seats in the first twenty rows – dubbed “The Legends Seats” – would set you back $2,600 or more.

I can only imagine what the Yankees are charging for The Legends Seats during the World Series.

Whatever the cost, it appears to be a little too steep because there was an odd-looking sight at Yankee Stadium last night.

I initially noticed it during the third inning.

It was something I’d never seen before at a World Series game and it slowly but surely began to stick out like a very sore thumb.

I found myself starring at this astounding site while actually missing some of the action on the field.

There were empty seats directly behind home plate; and we are not talking about just one or two that may have been vacated by someone needing to go to the bathroom.

As the camera panned back from time-to-time, the situation down in Legends section was even worse than I had thought.

At least 20 percent of the seats were empty…during a WORLD SERIES GAME!

Sure, Kate Hudson, Kurt Russell, Alec Baldwin and Rudy Guiliani were all comfortably seated in their Legends Seats and being waited on hand and foot.

But, the fact of the matter is that 99.9 percent of loyal Yankee fans cannot afford to pay thousands of dollars for a ticket, particularly in this day and age.

Let’s not forget that the epicenter of the country’s financial meltdown is located a mere 15 miles from Yankee Stadium.

The empty field level seats looked strange during the regular season; they looked ridiculous during the playoffs; but now, during the World Series, they are just embarrassing.

Grab some lucky fans sitting just beyond the Legends Seats and move them down so at least it doesn’t look like the best seats in the house are empty during a World Series Game.

Or hire some seat fillers, for goodness sake.

I get it. The Yankees need to somehow pay for this $1.5 million dollar clone of the previous Yankee Stadium.

But wouldn’t they want to avoid the embarrassment of having empty seats starring back at the millions of televisions viewers who have tuned in for game one of the World Series?

New York Giants: No Need To Reach For The Panic Button Just Yet

Michael Fitzpatrick — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:38:50 -0400

There’s no need to send an angry mob out after Eli Manning.

Ripping your brand new, $125 Brandon Jacobs jersey to threads would be a waste of time, energy and money.

And we’re still at least two weeks away from calling for Tom Coughlin’s head. Even though Coughlin led the team to a Super Bowl victory less than two years ago, this is New York, the impatient sports-fan capital of the world.

But before we begin searching for our pitchforks, let’s all just take a deep breath and relax.

The Giants are 5-2; are still leading the NFC East; and are only seven games into a 16-game season.

Are the last two weeks cause for concern?

Of course.

Three weeks ago, the Giants were considered by many to be the best team in the NFC. Now, they’re one loss away from sharing the NFC East lead with the Eagles.

However, this is the NFL. This is not college football, where one loss can literally end your season.

Last year the Cardinals made it to the Super Bowl with a 9-7 regular season record.

Two years ago, the Giants went 10-6 during the regular season before going on to defeat the undefeated Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.

The most concerning issue facing the Giants right now is their young, inexperienced receiving core.

Even though Eli may earn more money than his older, more accomplished brother, he will never be Peyton.

Eli cannot, and should not, be depended upon to single-handedly carry a football team.

You can slap the number "84" on the back of a Colts offensive lineman and Peyton will still find a way to get him the football.

This is simply not something Eli can do.

Eli is a very good NFL quarterback. He’s just not one of those rare, once-in-a-generation quarterbacks that can toss a mediocre offense upon their back and carry them to the Super Bowl.

Before we go any further, let’s identify the elephant in the room here – Plaxico Burress.

Two years ago, Manning could toss the ball up anywhere in the vicinity of Burress and have at least some degree of confidence that the 6-foot-6 Burress would come down with it.

He also had Amani Toomer as a second option, which isn’t to shabby considering that Toomer was one of the Giants' all-time best possession receivers.

This year?

Well, Manning has to let the ball fly while having no idea whether or not his young receivers will even run the correct routes.

On two consecutive downs during the second quarter of last week’s game against the Cardinals, Manning threw the football in one direction while Mario Manningham ran in a completely different one.

Whether it was quarterback or receiver that ran the wrong play is completely irrelevant. The fact is that there was a complete breakdown in communication on two consecutive plays.

This is not something you’d expect to see from a high-school football team, let alone from a team that many are still expecting to make a run at the Super Bowl.

Plain and simple, the Giants young receivers are learning on the fly and we’d be naive to expect them to miraculously develop into veterans between last Sunday’s loss to Arizona and this week’s divisional game against Philadelphia.

In the meantime, the Giants still have those two running backs that used to carry their fair share of the offensive load…what are their names again?

Oh yeah, Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw.

Highest-paid quarterback in the league or not, perhaps it’s time to transfer at least some of the weight over to the running game.

This Is Not a Joke: Mark McGwire Named Cardinals' Hitting Coach

Michael Fitzpatrick — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 10:29:51 -0400

Before there was Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, and Manny Ramirez, Mark McGwire was the poster boy for steroids in baseball.

McGwire transformed himself from a tall, lanky rookie into baseball’s version of the incredible hulk in just a few short years.

McGwire was fortunate enough to play during MLB’s "Don’t ask, don’t tell" era, otherwise the 70 home runs he hit during 1998—now known as "The year of the steroid"—might never have happened.

It’s a good thing that Barry Bonds came along and hit 73 home runs in 2001, otherwise we’d have a steroid user holding one of the most sacred records in a game that is considered to be our national past time.

Just yesterday, McGwire taught all steroid era players a lesson on how to emerge from exile.

Simply keep your mouth shut, disappear for a few years, and then they’ll allow you back as a coach.

Yup, that’s right, a coach.

McGwire was named the St. Louis Cardinals’ new hitting coach yesterday afternoon during a press conference held by Tony LaRussa.

What would you have given to have been a fly on the wall during McGwire’s interview for the job?

Cardinals’ front office: “Mr. McGwire, could you explain how your stats improved so much in the late 90’s and what advice you give to our younger players who are also looking to improve?”

McGwire: “Sure. Well in the mid-90’s I started experimenting with any form of performance enhancing drug I could get my hands on. This allowed me to significantly bulk up and all those warning track fly balls I hit in the late 80’s and early 90’s were now going out of the park. Testing for PEDS is far more stringent these days, but I’m sure we could figure something out for our younger players”.

It’s going to take decades for baseball to fully get over the despicable actions taken by the games biggest stars over the past 10-15 years.

We’d be kidding ourselves if we thought otherwise.

However, MLB finally appears to be moving in the right direction in their attempt to fully eliminate steroids from the game. Testing is more widespread, and penalties for testing positive for PEDS are far more severe.

Sports writers even seem reluctant to allow players who openly admitted using steroids during their careers entrance into the Hall of Fame.

McGwire isn’t banned from the game—he’s not Pete Rose or anything—so his appointment as the Cardinals’ new hitting coach is not violating any rules.

However, I’m no PR expert, but I’m thinking that now might not be the best time to name Mark McGwire as the St. Louis Cardinals’ new hitting coach.

Forgiveness is always a good thing. But, sometimes it’s not prudent to forget…at least not just yet.

For The New York Giants, It's Time To Sink Or Swim

Michael Fitzpatrick — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 11:48:48 -0400

Last week, the Giants were tossed from their cozy little boat named Victory .

In the three weeks prior to their horrific loss in New Orleans, Eli Manning and the Giants steamrolled their way through Tampa Bay, Kansas City and Oakland.

Big deal.

Tim Tebow and the University of Florida could have probably steamrolled their way through Tampa Bay, Kansas City and Oakland.

The Giants’ first true test since they took the field at the new $1.3 billion Cowboys Stadium in Week 2 came last week in New Orleans; and they failed miserably.

Manning threw for just 178 yards, Jacobs and Bradshaw combined to rush for just 81 yards, and Drew Brees mopped up the end zones with the Giants secondary.

It’s now time for the Giants to sink or swim.

Prior to the New Orleans debacle, the Giants were considered by many to be the best team in the NFC.

That’s no longer the case.

But, as we all know, the NFL season is a long and grueling test. This isn’t college football, where one loss can end your entire season.

However, the way the Giants bounce back this evening against a good Arizona Cardinals team will say a lot about what we can expect from the team for the remainder of the season.

In recent years, the Giants could be considered a streaky football team.

Last season, the Giants were 11-1 when they lost to the Eagles at home in Week 14.

That single loss changed the entire complexion of the season.

They lost the next week to Dallas, then barely snuck by Carolina in overtime in Week 16 before finishing off the regular season with 20-19 loss in Minnesota to the Vikings.

In stark contrast to their 2007 Super Bowl run, the Giants limped into the 2008 playoffs and were handily defeated by the Eagles 23-11 in the divisional round.

Up until last week, the Giants had been virtually untested. The next five games will be one long test.

After taking on Arizona this evening, they will face off against Philadelphia, San Diego, Atlanta and Denver over the next five weeks (with a bye mixed in). These are all very good teams.

It’s only October. But the Giants are already at a crossroads, and the way they come out and perform this evening against the Cardinals could be a defining moment of the 2009 season.

Rocco Mediate Finds Himself Back in a Familiar Position

Michael Fitzpatrick — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 11:18:53 -0400

Tiger Woods won the 2008 US Open—while playing on a broken leg, no less—but you’d never know it based on the amount of attention Rocco Mediate received in the days, weeks, and months followings their epic dual at Torrey Pines.

The guy that Johnny Miller referred to as “Tiger Woods’ pool boy” became America’s lovable loser.

Mediate appeared on The Tonight Show , The Late Show , was asked to participate in the 2008 Skins Game, and renowned sportswriter John Feinstein even wrote a book about him.

His appearance fee doubled and his contract with Callaway immediately jumped from $300,000 to $500,000 per year.

Mediate’s engaging personality had always made him a sort of cult favorite among hardcore golf fans, but this level of fame and fortune was something completely new to the 47-year-old journeyman.

For Mediate, life was certainly good in 2008.

However, the position he now finds himself in is a painful reminder that, although he captured the hearts and minds of a nation, he was not the one that left Torrey Pines with US Open Trophy in hand last year.

Rocco is currently 151st on the PGA Tour’s money list and is hoping to play well in the final three fall series events in order to keep at least conditional status for the 2010 season.

The top 125 on the tour’s money list automatically retain their tour cards for the following year.

Those who fall between 126 and 150 on the money list are given conditional status and are able to play through the grace of sponsors exemptions.

Rocco being Rocco, he will have no trouble receiving sponsors exemptions in 2010. But he first needs to finish inside of the top 150; otherwise, he will be the most popular player at the PGA Tour’s 2009 Qualifying School.

This type of situation is nothing new to him.

In 2004, he finished 176th on the money list. In 2005, he finished 114th. In 2006, he finished 206th, and in 2007 he finished 82nd.

He had to rely on major medical extensions (due to a recurring back injury) and a career earnings exemption in order to keep his tour card through these difficult years.

Mediate is off to a solid start, though, in his final push to retain his 2010 playing privileges.

At the Frys.com Open, which is being held this week in Scottsdale, Ariz., Mediate has opened with rounds of 67 and 66 and is currently tied for 11th at the halfway point.

A top-25 finish this week followed by halfway decent finishes in each of the final two fall series events should ensure that golf fans will get at least one more year of the lovable, fast-talking Rocco.

In an era when PGA Tour golfers can at times appear to be a large group of quite emotionless clones, Mediate provides fans with a much-needed alternative.