First, I don't understand the infatuation with the Masters, or any other golf tournament for that matter. Granted I don't love golf- I definitely like it- but what is up with the Masters becoming "must see TV". And it's not the whole Tiger Woods angle I'm talking about, but rather the fans of the game who couldn't wait to sit down for hours and watch coverage of the first couple rounds. Really? Hours of enjoyment devoted to the first two rounds? Seems boring to me. On my ride home from school this past Thursday I was listening to my usual sports talk radio, and the host couldn't even finish his thoughts because he was too distracted by the golf he was simultaneously trying to follow. If it were the final round, or maybe even the third, I would totally understand, but there's no drama in the first two rounds. And without drama, it's just guys in funny pants with weird head-tans playing a round of golf and all commentary along the lines of, "_____ is putting himself in position to be right there on Sunday." Perhaps I just don't enjoy all the subtle nuances of golf like others do, or maybe I have more of a life than I thought.
I did enjoy the last couple hours of the final round of the Masters, though. I didn't really have a horse in the race (now that Tiger is dead to me), but I quickly was drawn to Phil. And towards the end I started thinking about Tiger and Phil, and how complete opposites they are. Righty, lefty. Black, white. In shape, fat (hey now). You either love Tiger, or you love Phil when it comes down to the two of them. But now you can add the whole family angle to their list of differences. Tiger, a cheating bastard, and Phil, the man dedicating his play to his beloved wife. I find it interesting how popular both are, how successful they've both been in golf and with sponsorships, and yet how completely different they both are. The similarities are few and far between, yet they are titans of the game.
But I was rooting for Phil to win, and when he hit the birdie on 18 and walked over to his sick wife and hugged her...yeah I cried. I can't even imagine that happening to Grace, or someone else I loved, and to come through and win a major golf tournament while she was in bed and sick...that's just remarkable. And for her to come out and support her husband makes the story not just a great sports story, but a truly romantic one as well. You could tell it meant the world to each of them- her being there, him winning for her- as they embraced and cried.
If you were looking for a replacement for Tiger Woods to root for, like I was, Phil seems to be as good as any.
(Although in 2nd place is Fred Couples- why don't you wear socks old man? That's gross but kinda awesome at the same time.)
~Mikey D
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I think they definitely have their heads up their asses with all of the "tradition" and "spectacle". For example, they showed "the Masters Trophy". Apparently winners receive a replica of this trophy in addition to the green jacket. It is a gawdy silver representation of the clubhouse. Another example was the "champions nest" or something to that effect. It was the players club house. They referred to it as something like "the place in golf history". It looked like any old clubhouse with ugly bright green carpet, white walls, and easter egg pastel furniture.
However, I really enjoyed watching it this weekend. I am not anti-Tiger like you, but I was very happy to have Phil win it. The only leader I didn't want to see was Lee Westwood because I don't know anything about him. I get the importance of the first few days, though. You're trying to make the cut and a lot of times some nobody or over-the-hill guy can come out with a huge start. I agree that I don't need to watch it.
You could say the same thing about a basketball game. There's no need to watch the first 3 quarters, they're just setting up for the 4th quarter.
I faded in and out during all 4 rounds of the tournament. The most entertaining round for me was the 3rd, when Phil almost went for three eagles in a row.
If it's not Tiger, I don't really care who wins. So I'm just rooting for good golf.
It seems weird to me that you guys, baseball fans, wouldn't be able to appreciate traditions in golf.
Not that you would necessarily enjoy them, but I would think you would understand where the golf fans are coming from.
But the thing with basketball is that there's constant action. Something is always going on. And we hate it when there so many timeouts towards the end of a basketball game...why? Because nothing is happening! With golf I'm watching some guy spend 10 minutes trying to figure out the best way to hit his ball out of a bush. If that was Phil on the 17th hole of the final round? Okay, I'm interested. But Joe Schmoe, on Day 1? No thank you.
I mean, I get the tradition. The old clubhouse has had some of the most decorated men in the game walk through it. And if I was actually at Augusta and seeing it in person, it'd probably be a little cool. I'm not enamored with it like some (champions nest? oye), and it doesn't really change my opinion that the first couple of rounds are not must-see TV.
But what about Phil on day one?
What I hear (in my analogy) is that you will watch if Kalin Lucas is driving to the basket in the last minute of play, but you won't watch Chris Allen make a layup in the first 5 minutes.
That's fine, I'm not saying it's wrong. I'm not a really a golf fan either. But I can understand that golf fans would want to watch all four rounds, just like you and I would want to watch every minute of a Spartan basketball game.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that I don't want to watch the Masters wall-to-wall, but I can understand the people that do.
I like your posts. LIONS BABY! fred couples looked like he hopped off a yacht! davegoblue.blogspot
No, no, I'd love to watch Chris Allen early in the game! He's good, he's a starter, I like him. But with golf you are watching EVERYONE play the first two rounds. If the field was limited to only the Phils and the Tigers of the game, then I'd be in (somewhat- there's still no drama). Except on Day 1 I'm watching Billy Joe McQueen, ranked #200th in the world, and playing because he qualified through the Texas State Oil Rig Open.
At least in basketball I know the guys I'm watching- Lucas and Allen- will be there in the end.
Of course they can't do anything silly like rupture an achilles or hurt the arch on their foot. But that would never happen...=)
***
David, apparently I'll go to you for my NFL insights!
But Michigan?!? You've lost your ways following scUM. What's it, 3 years in basketball and football since you've beaten us Spartans? =)
Go Green!
The truth about Obama's liberalfascist healthcare sham -
Obama's health care reform bill is not really reform but corporate socialism that will bilk Americans out of more of their money for premiums and force them to pay more of their money to corporate health giants. Not only this it will curtail our civil liberties and lead us into socialist despotism.
In fact the bill is like Massachusetts health care but far far worse. Liberal elitists in the media and elsewhere have been fighting to keep down the facts of Obama's evil health care insurance plan and how it will not only raise your taxes, siphon money to illegal aliens and lazy bums, deny you your right to choose and force you to buy insurance that is unaffordable and ineffective but cost you your civil liberties and human rights.
Despite the best efforts, members of the far left have spoken out in condemnation of the health care bill. This ranges from Community activists to groups that aid the very poor and the homeless. The truth is starting to come out and many are beginning to regret their unconditional support for the one. The bill in fact does more to hurt the poor, the very people that liberals claim to support the most.
Consider the following facts:
1. The bill would require that you either enroll with government health care or purchase your own health care plan even if you cannot afford it or be faced with a heavy fine.
2. Mandating health insurance will have a similar effect to when car insurance was mandated, it will destroy free market incentives for insurance companies to lower costs and premiums and provide better services meaning that your prices will go up, and up and up and up.
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6. The bill requires businesses to have insurance for all employees. This means they will either go out of business or lay off workers, cut salaries and benefits and increase costs to compensate. They will also have to offer them for their slacker kids as well.
7. Insurance companies WILL be prevented from offering coverage policies that will lower costs such as life time or annual limits.
8. All those who regardless of how much they make will be required to pay an addition 0.5% payroll tax that will eventually rise to 3% in several years.
9. The bill takes 25 million dollars away from homeless and indignant medical services as well as cut spending on medicare.
And this is just the tip of the ice berg... In fact consider the following:
Democrats such as Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton and John Edwards are calling for not just mandatory coverage but that ALL AMERICANS RECEIVE MANDATORY MENTAL HEALTH EXAMINATIONS AND TREATMENT! This means that you will be forced to see a psychiatrist (The vast majority of whom are socialist Nazis) Who will dictate how to run your affairs, force you to take powerful brain damaging drugs and has the power to take away your liberty or your child's liberty!!! Many of These psychiatrists consider liberty and freedom to be dangerous concepts and a form of mental illness. Refusal to comply with their demands can lead to indefinite incarceration in institutions
THIS GUY SHOULD BE IMPEACHED FOR SEVERAL REASONS.
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