Tom Watson: An Old Lion's Last Roar

Yes, this is the age of the Tiger.  Tiger Woods rules golf as no man before him.  He also rules the marketing world as none before.

So in this world of 'Tigers', let us not forget the old lions.

I'm sure there are lots of younger viewers out there that asked, "Tom who?"

To those younger viewers, Tom Watson won the British Open 22 years ago, long before flip phone cell phones, I-pods, Pentium home computers, and the Wii system that, by the way, has a Tiger Woods' golf game.

And I'd love to say it's not important if he wins or loses the open.  I'd love to say it doesn't matter because the world got to see the old lion stand and roar one more time on a world showcase, but the truth is, it does.

In this world of winners and losers, the world only remembers the winners.  By trade, I'm a football writer, not a golf analyst.  And even I can't always name the runners up of the BCS title games, the 'other' participant in the Super Bowl, or even who finished second in most of the Heisman Trophy contests.

The world remembers winners.

Therefore it is important, important to me and most of my 50 and 60 something generation, to have the young guns at least pause for a minute and know that all the old lions out there may have slowed a step, may drive for less yardage and may no longer look as a Hollywood advertising agency would want us to look like, but we can still roar.

With age comes infirmities, but with age comes wisdom and guile. 

Don't discount the old lions as irrelevant.  They were on top of the mountain before you were born and were the stars of their day. 

Though they may have lost what it takes to daily rule the pride anymore, a wise young Tiger should know better than to try and back one down.

So Tom, finish this story book event for all of us.  Take your place on the top rock and let out one last mighty roar!

Then step back and listen, I and all the other old lions out there will give you a roar back, saluting you for giving us all a little spring in our step again, for making us all feel less like old lions and remembering what is like when we ruled the herd.