I think Tiger wanted a 62.
That’s him after his putt did a 270º on the lip on 18 at the PGA but failed to drop. As it was, Woods tied the record 63 for a round in a Major.
Click image for a larger version.
Category: Sports
Commentary and news about sports and sports teams — and media coverage of them.
Best Bonds, baseball line of the day, so far
“If you’re worried about ‘cheaters’ holding hallowed records, don’t hallow baseball records in the first place. They’re just numbers and it really is only a damn ballgame.”
The United Countries of Baseball
From Strange Maps, The United Countries of Baseball.
Stuff
Like to learn how to identify constellations, stars, planets and how to navigate at night? Follow the link.
An interesting 90-second map-based presentation that shows the growth of the world’s dominate religions. From Maps of War.
Mathematical proof that girls are evil.
Rejected Google Holiday Logos.
On eBay you can buy Tony Soprano’s Chevy Suburban.
Click cartoon if you need larger image.
And this is just wrong.
Moonlight Graham
Those who have seen Field of Dreams or read the book on which it was based, Shoeless Joe by W.P. Kinsella, will remember the character “Moonlight” Graham, played by Burt Lancaster in the film.
Archibald Wright Graham (1876-1965) was an actual player — and a doctor. Graham played in one game for the New York Giants. He was in the field for two innings but was on deck when his one game ended.
It was 102 years ago today, June 29, 1905 (in the movie it was the last game of 1929).
101 things all sports fans must experience before they die
NewMexiKen has seen 1 (barely), 4, 5, 6, 22 (mostly), 41 (well, not courtside), 87, 90 and 99.
A Fairway View, but the Window Is Often Broken
When she moved into her retirement condominium on a golf course, Eleanor Weiner admired the lush, pristine views of the fairways and greens, a landscape she never had to mow or maintain. Not long after, as she prepared dinner, a golf ball shattered the kitchen window, whistled past her head and crashed through the glass on her oven door. Ms. Weiner retrieved the ball from her oven and stalked outside to confront the golfer who had launched the missile.
“He told me that’s what I get for living on a golf course,” said Ms. Weiner, who has lived for a dozen years alongside Rancho Las Palmas Country Club near Palm Springs, Calif. “That was the first time I heard that, but it surely hasn’t been the last.”
Nor is it necessarily the law. Read the article to see that some homeowners are suing — and winning — including the one who “collected 1,800 golf balls from her property … then lugged them into court when she sued the club.”
And this: “The one time I did catch the guy, he gave me an address and phone number that turned out to be phony. He was playing in a church outing.”
It’s a girl
The Official Website for Tiger Woods has the announcement for Sam Alexis Woods and promises photos soon.
Best line of the day about John Daly, so far
John Daly rocked the golf world again last week when he and his wife let fly with countering accusations involving sex, violence and alcohol abuse.
“Add a wildly barking dog and Daly with no shirt,” noted comedy writer Alex Kaseberg, “and we’ve got us an episode of ‘COPS.’ ”
June 18th
Worldwide about 16½ million people have their birthday today, among them …
Lou Brock, who’s 68.
Recognized as one of the most gifted base runners in baseball, Lou Brock helped to revolutionize the art and science of this element of the game as he totaled 938 stolen bases during his 19-year career. A six-time All-Star selection, Brock also accumulated more than 3,000 hits to help lead the St. Louis Cardinals to three National League pennants and two World Series championships. Although his stolen base records have been eclipsed, the National League honors each year’s stolen base leader with the Lou Brock Award.
Paul McCartney. He’s 65.
So’s Roger Ebert.
Best actress Oscar nominee Carol Kane is 55.
Not eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame until 2009, Bruce Smith is 44 today. Smith was Virginia Tech’s first great football player.
George Mikan was born on June 18 in 1924. At 6-10 Mikan was the first “big man” in basketball leading the Minneapolis Lakers to five NBA titles in six years. The widening of the lane, the NBA shot clock and the rule against defensive goaltending were brought about by Mikan’s dominance. He was named one of the 50 best ever in the NBA in 1996. George Mikan died in 2005.
That’s Mikan with Abdul-Jabbar and Shaq.
Emmy-award winning actor E.G. Marshall was born on June 18 in 1914. Marshall appeared in more than 100 television programs, most famously for The Defenders.
The famed oil firefighter Red Adair was born on June 18 in 1915. A generation ago Adair’s feats were well-known enough to inspire a John Wayne movie, Hellfighters.
Bud Collyer was born on June 18 in 1908. Collyer was the voice of Superman on the radio 1940-1951, but known better now as one of the first TV game show hosts, in particular for Beat the Clock.
And last, where and when will you meet your Waterloo? Napoleon met his Waterloo at Waterloo (Belgium) on June 18, 1815.
Correct me if I’m wrong
But Johnny Miller is the best sports commentator on television.
Amazing
The greens at Oakmont, where the U.S. Open is underway, are 103-years-old and have never been redone.
Listening to the announcers yesterday and today and one is left with the impression that this is the best golf course in the best condition in the world.
Something to do at work today
How good is your internet connection? Good enough to watch U.S. Open coverage in HD?
Best line of the day, so far
Oh, and Miller will soon turn 60, “and he’s beginning to realize there’s only so many shopping days till Christmas.”
Steve Gregoire on lifelong buddy Johnny Miller — but the thought applies to many of us.
From a good article on Miller at Golf.com.
Funny money
Florida pays basketball coach Billy Donovan $3.5 million a year and football coach Urban Meyer $3.25 million. But that isn’t the shocking part.
Noted David Whitley of the Orlando Sentinel: “Donovan and Meyer still combine to make $750,000 a year less than Dodgers center fielder Juan Pierre, who hasn’t won a national title and is hitting (.271).”
Sideline Chatter also notes that Gilbert Arenas, who will make $12.8 million in the 2008-2009 season, may have to renegotiate. “Arenas said Saturday that the knee injury he suffered in April and the recent birth of his second child has led him to view his financial future in a different light.”
The 24 Hours of Le Mans and the tyranny of time
Dan Neil blogs the world’s greatest race. An excerpt:
I have been to most of the world’s great auto races, sometimes as a journalist, other times as a spectator, and I promise you Le Mans is the best. No other race has the history, the pageantry, the poetry of Le Mans. Unlike, say, an IRL race under the lights at Texas Motor Speedway –- entertaining but shallow –- Le Mans is long enough for dramas to unfold, narratives to play out, heroes and fools to be minted. I worked on the Panoz LMP900 crew a few years ago –- neither of the team’s cars finished the race –- but I stood in awe of the savage determination of the mechanics as they threw themselves onto the boiling-hot cars over and over, trying to patch up the suffering machines. My God. These people love racing.
The race begins at 3PM Saturday.
Best line of the day, so far
“With Rags to Riches hitting the wire first on Saturday, fillies have won the Belmont Stakes three times more often (1867, 1905, 2007) than Phillies have won the World Series (1980).”
It was a beautiful night for a ballgame
NewMexiKen attended the Albuquerque Isotopes – Memphis Redbirds game at Isotopes Park Friday evening. Temperature at game time, 80°. Temperature at game end, 69° and windy. Still it was a beautiful clear evening for the 8,298 people in attendance who saw Myron Noodleman and the ‘Topes beat the Redbirds 7-4 — and two hellacious homeruns over the 428 feet marker in left centerfield, one for each team.
Best yet, we walked up to the window a half-hour before game time and ended up in the seventh row behind the plate looking down the third base line for $11 apiece.
You may click on each of the images to see a larger version.
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In Albuquerque everyone stands at attention for the National Anthem. Players from little league teams joins Isotopes players on the field. |
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There’s a ball here some place. Good seats, eh? |
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And, of course, no game in Albuquerque is complete without the first-to-third dash by red, green and taco. Taco won. |
Of course, almosts don’t count, but we almost saw a 5-4-3 triple play. The ‘Topes batter beat it out for an expensive fielder’s choice.
Seriously, who hasn’t wanted to stab John Daly?
Golfer John Daly shot a solid opening round Thursday at the Stanford St. Jude Championship, but at the end of the day found himself in the rough.
That night he and his wife, Sherrie Daly, got into an argument at the East End Grill at Winchester and Hacks Cross, he told Shelby County Sheriff’s deputies.
Then Friday morning, he said, he was awakened by his wife attacking him with a steak knife and shouting, “I will kill you.”
Red card
According to the Seattle Weekly the following will get you ejected from Safeco Field, home of the Mariners.
•Foul/abusive language or obscene gestures
•Intoxication or other signs of impairment related to alcohol consumption
•Displays of affection not appropriate in a public, family setting
•Obscene or indecent clothing
•Any disruption of a game or event, including throwing of objects or trespassing on the playing field or other restricted areas
•Sitting in a location other than the guest’s ticketed seat
•Fighting, taunting or making threatening remarks or gestures
•Smoking or the use of tobacco products, in any form
NewMexiKen can’t decide what I think about this. Yes, I’ve witnessed some awful behavior at stadiums, even threatening. Still, some of my fondest memories of ball parks include the guy eating the moths — and kissing his girlfriend; some guys yelling to the lower deck, “Hey Miller, how much for your daughter?” (Miller was the name on the jersey a guy was wearing); and, of course, moving to better seats.
Oh, and catching my teenage uncle smoking when I was 7 or 8 — and threatening to tell Grandma.
Link via Awful Announcing.
Yay!
The University of Arizona softball team defended its national championship tonight defeating Tennessee in a best of three series. The Wildcats beat the Vols in the deciding game 5-0.
Taryne Mowatt, the Arizona pitcher — and in college softball a team usually has just one pitcher — threw 1,035 pitches in the tournament since Thursday (8 games, 60 innings). She was the Women’s College World Series MVP.
It’s Arizona’s eighth NCAA softball title.
The Fortunate 50
SI.com lists the highest earning athletes in the world. Tiger Woods is number one, earning an estimated $$111,941,827.
Guess who is number two? And not only that, but he earned almost half as much as Tiger from salary and winnings alone, not endorsements.
Best sports line of the day, so far
“You can’t blame [the NBA] for the Stoudemire-Diaw suspensions because they correctly interpreted a stupid, idiotic, foolish, moronic, brainless, unintelligent, foolhardy, imprudent, thoughtless, obtuse and thickheaded rule.”
Bill Simmons, who adds: “What kind of league penalizes someone for reacting like a good teammate after his franchise player just got decked?”
Follow the link if only to read the Dave Cowens story about two-thirds of the way down.
Best sports line of the day, so far
“[B]ut I think basketball is the purest form of athletic expression. Football is too scripted, baseball’s too boring, and soccer … well, soccer can best be compared to caviar. No one really knows why anyone likes it, but they’re all afraid to say that it looks like poop and tastes like fish eggs.”
Paul Shirley in a discussion of the NBA playoffs with Neal Pollack at Slate. Shirley is the author of Can I Keep My Jersey?: 11 Teams, 5 Countries, and 4 Years in My Life as a Basketball Vagabond
In parts one and three of this series, Pollack has some strong thoughts on the NBA and the ripoff of the Suns.
Best or worst line of the day depending on how he intended it
“I would say Michael understands, and I told him he is in essence on a short leash.”
Atlanta Falcos owner Arthur Blank on Michael Vick’s dogs problem.
Thanks to Jill for the tip.