Missing link

Forgot this in the linkdump. Posnanski with a great post on Tiger, the Masters, his early days in the sportswriting business, and being assigned to the Augusta despite knowing nothing about golf.

People are stupid

a) The people way back in Tiger's rear view mirror are (2) Sergio Garcia, (3) Phil Mickelson and (4) Padraig Harringon. As for the first two, give me a break. And I don't think Paddy could overtake Tiger if he won another two majors this year. This should be no higher than 5%.

b) This is the only really viable option. Yes, Gino has the UConn women rocking and rolling as usual. Or more than usual. But still, once tourney time rolls around, anything can happen.

c) Are you shitting me? The fucking Bills, in the playoffs? Because TO is a positive? Hey, remind me, how did the Cowboys do these last 3 years? Yeah, that's right, two one-and-dones and a whiff – and they supposedly have talent! I'll give this 10%.

Maybe it seems crazy to give 85% odds to the Husky women losing, when I would actually bet them to win the whole thing. But in the context of this poll of three unlikely things, them losing is by far the most likely of those things.

Looking at it the other way, what would have to happen for each of these to come true?

a) One of those three guys would have to win 2 or 3 majors, and Tiger would have to absolutely suck. Hah! Maybe 5% was too high.

b) During any one of six games, UConn has to be slightly off, and a frisky underdog needs to play a hell of a game and pull the upset. THIS HAPPENS EVERY FUCKING YEAR!

c) The Bill need a QB, an O-line, a D, a head coach with a clue......... yeah, call me.

Brilliant

As Posnanski always is.

Seriously, you need to read this guy. You don't even have to care about sports. You need to read this guy.

On Tiger.

UPDATE: Someone in comments there posted this link, about Tiger's days playing at the Navy course with his father. Some people just don't deserve to live. I think Tiger should go buy that course and make it "Black Only." Just for shits and giggles.

Tiger Woods? Why yes, he is the man.*

Of course, the 18-hole playoff for the US Open still wasn't enough to resolve the issue.

It took one extra hole, and one wayward drive by Rocco Mediate (giving the performance of his life), to finally finish things off on the 19th hole of the day.

What an amazing event, and Monday's play just solidified my opinion that this was the best golf event I've ever seen.

And I'm not alone.


*If you are one of the stupid fucks who still thinks "You da man!" is funny or original, or if you yell "Get in the hole" when Tiger - or anyone - is teeing off on a 613-yard par 5, I fucking hate you. This message was brought to you by Angelos, The Arbiter Of All That Is Pure And Good™.

Soccer, golf deliver stern rebuke to myopic "sports fans"

First, soccer:

For those who remember, the Greek national team won the Euro in 2004, their first ever major tournament win. In what can only be described as a highly improbable run, they beat Portugal and Spain in the group stage, lost to Russia in a meaningless group match, then beat France in the quarters, the Czech Republic in the semis, and Portugal again in the final. My father happened to be visiting at the time of the final, so we PPVed the final match and had a nice heart-attack-inducing 2 hours together.

This year, returning as defending champs, they regressed to the mean and have already been eliminated from knock-out round contention, with a meaningless game against Spain remaining.

I've watched as much as I can, what with not working from home anymore and home projects galore (put the last of the bamboo flooring down this weekend), but I forgot this morning's early game because of all the stuff to do around here.

My brother called me early in the second half of today's Czech Republic - Turkey match though and told me I had to watch, the offenses on both sides were just going nuts. The Czechs had a 2-0 lead, but the Turks had been pressuring and pressuring in a highly entertaining back-and-forth match. Sure enough, after the Czechs had a shot clank off the crossbar instead of going in for what would have been a clinching 3rd goal, the Turks went right down the field and scored to make it 2-1. And man did they keep the pressure up. Chance after chance fell by the wayside, total craziness, until they managed to tie the game with 3 minutes remaining in regulation. I get up to refill my beer, planning on settling in for a PK shootout, and Turkey scores again!!! Amazing. Turkey advances to the knockout stage, the highly-ranked Czechs go home. The ultimate winner, though, was the fan. What a friggin' game.

In other news, this was probably the best weekend of golf I've ever seen. Tiger Woods (perhaps you've heard of him), in his first tournament play since April, sunk a HUGE clutch putt on the last hole to force an 18-hole playoff tomorrow. Why is that anything more than business as usual for Tiger? Well, mainly because he had no business being on that course. He has obviously not fully recovered since the knee surgery he had after the Masters, and
was doubled over in pain after every tee shot, and some of his longer irons - every power shot, really. If this had been any tournament but a major, he wouldn't have been there.

The shots he pulled off Friday and Saturday on the back nine, and the gutty grinding he did on Sunday, made this an even more compelling watch than his 15-stroke destruction of the field at the US Open at Pebble Beach in 2000. There just are no words for this guy that haven't been used ad nauseum already.

I'm quite sure I will never see a man as good at any sport as Tiger Woods is at his.