Mammoth Blog

Final move at Daytona by Kyle Busch was one too many in the end

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:39:00 -0500

Kyle Busch got what he deserved Saturday night in the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway, right?

Well, it's not quite that simple. Or at least it shouldn't be -- no matter where you stand on the Kyle Busch Love-or-Hate O-Meter.

Whether or not Busch "deserved" to get turned by race winner Tony Stewart with the checkered flag in sight is going to be a matter of great debate for days, weeks, maybe even months to come. For Busch, make that years to come.
Autostock
Coke Zero 400
Unofficial Results

Pos. Driver Make
1. Tony Stewart Chevrolet
2. Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet
3. Denny Hamlin Toyota
4. Carl Edwards Ford
5. Kurt Busch Dodge
6. Marcos Ambrose Toyota
7. Brian Vickers Toyota
8. Matt Kenseth Ford
9. Juan Montoya Chevrolet
10. Elliott Sadler Dodge
- Results | Laps | Photos

There are sure to be two camps on this one -- those who feel Busch attempted to block the hard-charging Stewart once too often and a little too late, and those who feel the hard-charging Stewart was charging too hard, with little or no regard for Busch's safety and general well being.

The opinion here is that Stewart did nothing wrong and was racing for the victory, as he should have been. After Stewart took a look to the outside and was blocked once legitimately by Busch, Stewart put a second move on and clearly got his front bumper on the outside of Busch's right-rear bumper.

It's easy for a casual observer to say this -- and much harder to execute in a split second, obviously, for a driver hurtling toward the checkers at 180 or more mph -- but it was at that instant that Busch made the critical mistake of trying to place a second block on Stewart.

It was too late -- too late for Stewart to back out of the run he had on Busch, and too late for Busch to get over to effectively block him again. The end result was predictable.

Busch got turned and Stewart went on to win his second race of the season.

Calling it right

Making the call right in the TNT broadcast booth Saturday night was a Kyle by another name, as in Petty. Give him and color analyst partner Wally Dallenbach credit, too, for making the right determination in a split second -- or at least over several split seconds with the additional input of an all-important series of replays.

But they got it right when they absolved Stewart of any wrong-doing.

"Here's what happened, just like what we talked about at Talladega and have talked about before: block me once, that's OK; block me twice, you're going up into the grandstands or you're going into the wall," Petty said on the TNT race broadcast. "That's what happened. The 18 made two swipes at him -- one to the inside and one to the outside."
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Both Petty and Dallenbach quickly agreed that Busch's first attempt to block Stewart was "fair." But once Stewart got his left-front bumper on the inside of Busch's right-rear, all bets were off.

"He had that one coming," Petty said of the race-winning boot that Stewart ultimately gave Busch. "When you cut back across the hood of somebody after you've blocked him once -- and Tony put the bumper on the outside of him, he was there -- that's what is going to happen."

It immediately caused flashbacks to what happened in April at Talladega, by no coincidence the last restrictor-plate race that had been run on a superspeedway this season. That was when rookie Brad Keselowski got a run on Carl Edwards and nearly sent Edwards' No. 99 Ford flying into the frontstretch grandstands.
Autostock
Final Laps

Tony Stewart spins Kyle Busch on the final lap, to set up a spectacular wreck, and win the Coke Zero 400.

* Watch video

If you will recall, Edwards quickly stated afterward the Keselowski had done nothing wrong.

"We saw this same thing at Talladega with the No. 09 car of Keselowski. He stuck his car in there and drove it, put it where it needed to be. And that's the way it was," Petty said Saturday.

Double-standard?

Busch did not appear to be in such a forgiving move toward Stewart following Saturday night's fracas. He reportedly headed straight from the remains of his smoking carcass of a car toward Victory Lane, where it seemed he wanted a word -- and not of a congratulatory nature -- with Stewart.

As much as an altercation between the two former Joe Gibbs Racing teammates in Victory Lane might have been entertaining to the masses, it was fortunate he got intercepted by some security types who instead directed him to get checked out at the infield care center.

In his own post-race news conference, Stewart admitted that the way he had won left a mildly bad taste in his mouth. But you'd better believe that not long after he left the media center, he quickly washed that out with a swig of champagne -- or more likely, since it was Stewart, a few large gulps of a Schlitz beer, followed by more Schlitz beers.

A win is a win is a win.

One more important thing for everyone to remember here is that in the wake of Saturday's incident, there can be no double standards. The next time Kyle Busch is in position to pull the same stunt to claim victory, he has every right to do so without everyone screaming that it's a foul play.

And maybe, just maybe, these guys will start realizing that as long as the rules remain the same for restrictor-plate races, the best move of all at the end of one of these crazy deals might be to give guys a little more room to genuinely race each other to the checkered flag -- instead of "mirror racing" and concentrating so much on blocking the guy behind that you end up essentially wrecking yourself.

That's probably the largest lesson there for the taking from Saturday night. But will anyone truly take note? source>>>

NASCAR creating chaos on the track

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:30:00 -0500

When do finishes like Saturday night's at Daytona International Speedway become unacceptable? At what point does a fan's need to be thrilled cross the line? What happens if the driver doesn't walk away?

Another restrictor-plate race and another breathtaking, relive-it-on-Youtube finish - this time with Kyle Busch as the stunt pilot. While fans marveled or shrieked as his car careened to the finish, the question needs to be addressed - Is this really necessary?

Saturday's finish marked the second consecutive restrictor-plate race that the leader wrecked within sight of the checkered flag. It also marked the fourth time since last season that a plate race ended with a multi-car crash.

TNT's broadcast Saturday showed spectators cheering as cars crashed, smoke and debris trailing like a comet's tail. If fans want that, then just turn the races into thrill shows and eliminate any illusion that this is a sport.

Once the cars stopped ricocheting off each other at the end, it was hard not to recall the words of Carl Edwards, who had a similar acrobatic trip at the finish of this spring's Talladega race.

"They put us in this box," Edwards said then of NASCAR's rules at Talladega and Daytona, "and we'll just race like this until we kill somebody and then they'll change it."

Busch and others walked away this time. Credit the NASCAR's safety improvements and some luck.

The chaos Saturday started when Tony Stewart, hounding Busch on the final lap, looked for an opening. Stewart moved low. Busch blocked. Stewart went high. Busch tried to block but was too late.

They hit.

Busch's car spun in front of Stewart and slammed the wall on the driver's side. Kasey Kahne then plowed into the rear of Busch's car, lifting the rear wheels at least 5 feet off the ground. Teammate Joey Logano then barreled into the side of Busch's car.

Although Stewart won, retained his spot atop the points and reaffirmed his role as title contender, he admitted this victory gave him little gratification.

"You just don't want a race to be decided by this," said Stewart, in a quiet, calm voice.

"It's nobody's fault. It's just racing. It's a product of the environment."

Stewart's right.

It's the same environment that led to Edwards' car flying into the fence at Talladega this spring and injuring seven fans.

Edwards led when he went to block Brad Keselowski on the low side but Keselowski's front bumper was inside Edwards's car. They hit, Edwards spun and then catapulted off Ryan Newman's car into the fence as Keselowski won.

One can trace these incidents to last fall's Talladega race where Regan Smith went below the yellow line at the bottom of the track after Stewart blocked him and passed Stewart, taking the checkered flag first.

Smith said he didn't want to wreck Stewart. NASCAR penalized Smith, gave Stewart the win and all but encouraged drivers the way to win was through contact.

That such dangerous finishes are becoming more common only adds evidence to a need for change.

It's not that NASCAR hasn't tried. Restrictor plates, which reduce horsepower and bunch the field together, was used as a remedy after Bobby Allison's car went into the fence at Talladega in 1987 and fans were injured.

Yet, just as NASCAR made the current car a priority and put a tremendous amount of resources into it, series officials need to show the same energy toward finding a solution to restrictor plate racing.

One thing NASCAR can do now is play a greater role in officiating the races. NASCAR should state that a driver can make one move to block a competitor but if he makes two or more successive attempts to block, he'll be penalized. source>>>

NASCAR asks court to put driver Jeremy Mayfield back on suspension

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:19:00 -0500

NASCAR has asked a federal judge to reverse his ruling and keep driver Jeremy Mayfield off the track.

NASCAR filed the motion asking U.S. District Court Judge Graham Mullen to reinstate Mayfield's ban. He was suspended May 9 after failing a random drug test, and NASCAR said he tested positive for methamphetamine.

The latest twist comes after Mullen's decision last week to grant an injunction clearing him to compete. Mullen said the chance of a false positive on his drug test was "quite substantial."

NASCAR disputes Mullen's conclusion, and says Mayfield poses a threat to public safety. NASCAR also filed a notice saying it plans to bring the case before a federal appeals court. source>>>

Jeremy Mayfield plans a return to the track, just unsure when

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:17:00 -0500

- Jeremy and Shana Mayfield issued a statement to fans, competitors and the media on Saturday and also reconfirmed their resolve to rejoin the Sprint Cup Series with Mayfield Motorsports, possibly as early as next weekend at Chicagoland Speedway.

Mayfield successfully received a temporary injunction this week in federal court in North Carolina immediately releasing him from NASCAR's suspension from his owner and driver's role with his team on May 9 for a positive drug test.
AP
Mayfield speaks out

Jeremy Mayfield describes his fight against suspension: "To say that the last two months have been two of the worst months of my entire life is an understatement."

* Letter from the Mayfields

Mayfield Motorsports' No. 41 Toyota hasn't been on the race track since the May 24 Coca-Cola 600. One week after that race, the Mayfields were forced to lay off their team members, including crew chief Tony Furr. Gaining sponsorship money to revive the team is their primary goal.

"Last Wednesday's ruling by Judge Mullen was a giant step towards clearing my name and getting the 41 car back on the track," Mayfield said in his statement. "Our hope was to bring our team to Daytona this weekend to qualify and race in the Coke Zero 400. For those who know me well, there is nothing in the world that I would rather do than race for you all on the 4th of July.

"Following Judge Mullen's ruling, we had less than [24] hours to prepare the car, assemble a team, get sponsorship and travel to Daytona. Ultimately, we were unable to get this done in time. We decided that our time is best spent back here in North Carolina working around the clock to try and secure the funding needed to get the 41 car to Chicago and beyond."

Furr, who was at Daytona International Speedway this weekend working as a consultant with owner Larry Gunselman's Sprint Cup team -- which was sent home Friday when qualifying was rained out -- said he had a meeting set with Mayfield for Monday and that he saw no problem being ready for Chicagoland or anywhere else.

"I want to figure out what he wants to do, because all the stuff is still there at the shop," Furr said. "We're a day-and-a-half away from having [a car] ready to go to wherever. The full crew worked for a week after the Charlotte 600 -- everyone worked together and left together."

Furr said the shop that Mayfield Motorsports had been using was owned by he and Cecil Tipton and that they'd continued to work there, bringing in Gunselman Motorsports as a tenant to create some income.

"Myself and Cecil have been there ever since it all shut down," Furr said. "And we're trying to make a deal for ourselves, so we can get a paycheck, because our [Mayfield Motorsports] paychecks stopped when everyone else's did, too. Larry had some good guys who were already there and we're just trying to help 'em get to the next level."

Furr said he'd continued to speak to his former Mayfield Motorsports co-workers and that getting them back together wouldn't be difficult.

"I could have a team in place in less than an hour," Furr said. "There are a lot of people out on the street right now and most of the guys that were there to start with will come back -- I've talked to every one of them and been in touch with them since this [judge's] ruling.

"Most of them don't have a job but the ones that do have a job can stay where they're at or whatever they want to do. But they'd all have an opportunity to come back if they wanted to."

Earlier in the weekend, when speculation was rampant about when Mayfield would appear on a track, veteran Mark Martin said he was comfortable with competing with Mayfield, who's raced Martin in the Cup Series since 1993.

"I'm comfortable with being on the race track with Jeremy Mayfield -- 100 percent," Martin said. "I feel that NASCAR needs to have the authority to say whether or not that you drive -- I don't know anything about judges -- I'm just not concerned with being on the race track with Jeremy, none whatsoever. I feel 100 percent confident being on the race track side-by-side with Jeremy."

Ryan Newman, who joined Penske Racing full-time in 2002 after Mayfield split with Roger Penske's organization, on Thursday when virtually every driver was asked to opine on the subject, provided a counterpoint to Martin's opinion.

"The situation that we had when somebody tests positive is something to be seriously considered and there is a lot of responsibility that goes along with that," Newman said. "As a federal judge when you release somebody to go back and [race] without necessarily, in my eyes, clarifying everything -- that's not cool. People make mistakes. I just hope the judge didn't make one.

"I would say that if my car was starting next to [Mayfield's] I would wonder about the first lap. If I was in a position where I was racing him I would potentially question that judgment, but I don't know how to actually do that until that happens. Race car drivers drive by the seat of their pants and you don't think about things [that] may happen, you think about things as they are going to happen, I guess you could say."

NASCAR on Saturday declined to comment further after the Mayfields' statement, deferring to comments made by NASCAR chairman Brian France, who said "Jeremy obviously was reinstated as a result of that [federal court] ruling, and that's where we are today. We are reviewing all of the options, and there are many. And we remain very comfortable and very calm about, despite the ruling, that our policy is thorough, it's accurate and it's fair."

Another hurdle the Mayfields must overcome is a suit filed last month by Triad Racing Technologies, an engine, chassis and parts supplier owned by Marty Gaunt and Mike Held, who sued in North Carolina Superior Court over an unpaid bill reportedly totaling more than $86,000.

"We like Jeremy Mayfield -- Marty and I have both had relationships with Jeremy over the years," Held said on Saturday evening an hour before the Coke Zero 400's green flag. "The issue is, he has a bill to pay. We don't hold anything against him, just pay the bill.

"We spent some time helping Jeremy out and helping him get his team ready for Daytona [Speedweeks 2009] and we just expect him to honor the bill."

Mayfield finally apologized for having an impact on the Daytona weekend outside the race track.

"Honestly, this is the last thing Shana or I want for anybody," Mayfield said. "This weekend shouldn't be about a questionable drug test or a flawed drug testing system. It should be about celebrating our country, the greatest country in the world.

"So, enjoy the weekend with your friends and family, and have a very happy Independence Day. We look forward to seeing you all at the track very soon. source>>>

Tony Stewart wrecks Kyle Busch on the last lap to win a controversial victory at Daytona.

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:49:00 -0500

A huge fireworks show shot off from the Daytona backstretch moments after the true pyrotechnics took place on the track's front stretch.

Tony Stewart, passed on the second-to-last lap of the race, charged back on the final lap of the Coke Zero 400, smacking into Kyle Busch as he barreled to the finish line, sending Busch into an uncontrolled spin.

Stewart zipped past to roll under the checkered flag as bedlam broke out behind him, winning the race as cars went spinning through the grass and along the wall.

Busch tried to block Stewart after taking the lead on Lap 158, and was doing a good job. Busch held the lead coming down the stretch, but when he went low, Stewart went high and made contact, sending Busch spinning into the wall. Busch ended up riding the wall before coming on top of Kasey Kahne's car just past the finish line.

Stewart said he didn't want to hit Busch, but didn't have much choice.

''I don't know if I was real proud of that, but I don't know what else I could do,'' said Stewart, who won the race from the pole. ``I went where I had to go, he went where he had to go. He helped me the whole race, so you hate to see him get wrecked like that.

``He went to block us and we were already there. That doesn't mean you like it. You don't want to see him wreck, want him to finish good. But we weren't going to give it to him. If I did something wrong, I'm sorry. That's not the way you want to win these things.''

Stewart's car was strong all night, as he led throughout the latter portions of the race. Stewart, who now has three Cup wins at Daytona -- all coming in the July race -- didn't have a bad pit stop as his crew helped him win all seven of his stops.

Jimmie Johnson ended up finishing second, with Denny Hamlin taking third.

''These guys [on the crew] did an awesome job,'' Stewart said. ``They had awesome stops all night long.''

Stewart, who led for 86 of the 160 laps, was leading a four-car pack consisting of Busch, Hamlin and Johnson down the stretch.

On the next-to-last lap, Busch went up against the wall on the front stretch and took the lead as the white flag came out. It was a lead that wouldn't hold up, as Stewart bulled his way through. Busch, because of the crash, ended up finishing 14th. He was taken to the infield care center after coming out of his window, with his brother Kurt saying he was OK.

Kyle Busch declined to comment to TV reporters from TNT after the race. Jeff Burton made a challenge late in the race, pulling in front of the field on Lap 127. Just two laps later, Burton was out of contention after making slight contact, losing tire pressure as a result and being forced to pit on green to change it. That put him back at the end of the field -- 28th at the time -- a lap back. Burton got back on the lead lap on the caution that happened on Lap 145.

''One bad set of tires,'' Burton told his crew, ``ruined the whole day.''

There was a 13-car incident just after the midway point of the race, with those involved all but knocked out of contention after sustaining body damage. One of those drivers was Jeff Gordon, who started the race on the front row alongside pole-sitter Stewart.

Gordon came into the pits a number of times after the wreck to get things banged out as he sustained damage to the right front; Gordon ended up 28th. Ryan Newman, who started seventh, was also effected and finished 19th.

The crash started on Lap 77 when David Stremme was tapped by Kasey Kahne in heavy traffic along the wall and spun out, smashing into Kahne as he tried to power his way past. When Stremme hit Kahne, the two caromed through traffic and set off a chain of events in which more than a dozen cars went smoking down the stretch as they tried to reel things in.

The struggling Dale Earnhardt Jr. was knocked out in the melee, his car hitting David Reutimann hard and stripping off some of Reutimann's sheet metal in the process. Earnhardt, who came into the race ranked 19th in the season standings, complained of handling problems early on but said his team seemingly had straightened things out.

''We just got it driving good and had it freed up,'' Earnhardt said after being knocked out because of contact for the second night in a row. He completed 58 laps in Friday's Nationwide race. ``It's a tough race for us.'' source>>>

Roger Federer wins Wimbledon for a Record 15th major, to surpass Pete Sampras

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:37:00 -0500

And you thought last year's Wimbledon final was exciting?

A year removed from one of the most dramatic losses of his career, Roger Federer redeemed himself Sunday on Centre Court, staving off resilient American Andy Roddick 5-7, 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-5), 3-6, 16-14 in the longest Grand Slam final in history.

The 77 games topped the 71 games played in the 1927 Australian Open, and the 30-game fifth set was the longest fifth set in history, eclipsing the 20 games played at the 1927 French Open final.

Roddick stood between Federer and a record 15th Grand Slam title, and he delayed the crowning achievement as long as he could with his booming serves, masterful shot-making and sheer will. Like two prizefighters, the former world No. 1s duked it out for four 4 hours 16 minutes. The fifth set stretched 95 minutes before Roddick blinked. He hit an errant forehand, sealing the win for Federer.

It was Federer's sixth Wimbledon title (the third at Roddick's expense), and on Monday he will reclaim the No. 1 world ranking from Rafael Nadal, who took it from him last summer after beating him in a Wimbledon final that ended with a 9-7 fifth set as darkness set in. At the time, fans thought they wouldn't see another match like that for many years.

They were wrong.

Even before the first ball was struck, there was a sense something big was about to happen. Pete Sampras, whose record Federer broke, had not been to the All England Lawn Tennis Club since he last played here in 2002, and he took an overnight flight from Los Angeles for a front-row seat. Beside him were legends Rod Laver and Bjorn Borg.

Elsewhere in the audience: Henry Kissinger, Woody Allen and Russell Crowe.

As the two finalists walked onto the court, their contrast in styles was striking. Federer wore a white blazer and white slacks with gold trim. Roddick wore a nondescript tennis shirt and shorts, a ball cap and a blue rubber bracelet. Federer took a long stare at the champions' board. Roddick stared straight ahead.

RODDICK IS GAME

Roddick was the heavy underdog, but it was clear right away that he was undaunted by the occasion. He had lost back-to-back Wimbledon finals to Federer in 2004 and 2005, and he wanted this one desperately. Roddick, 26, has won only one Grand Slam title -- the 2003 U.S. Open -- and he was determined to prove he is not a one-hit wonder.

In the opening game, he launched serves of 135 mph, 136 mph and 137 mph. He saved four break points to take a 6-5 lead in the first set and broke Federer the next game to take a one-set lead.

The American had four chances to win the second set in the tiebreaker, but he failed to capitalize. The most glaring error was a high backhand volley on the fourth set point that sailed sideways off the frame of his racket. It is a shot that might give Roddick nightmares for quite a while.

''There was a pretty significant wind behind [Federer] on that side, and it was gusting pretty good at that time,'' Roddick said. ``When he first hit it, I thought I wasn't going to play it. Last minute, it looked like it started dropping. I couldn't get my racket around it. I don't know if it would have dropped or not.''

In the past, he would have imploded at that moment, would have let that shanked volley creep into his mind well into the next set. But this is a new-and-improved Roddick, a calmer, more thoughtful Roddick on and off the court.

''At that point, there's two options: You lay down, or you keep going,'' he said. ``The second option sounded better to me.''

Roddick gave Federer all he could handle, but Federer never cracked. He served a career-high 50 aces to Roddick's 27, and he had 107 winners compared with 38 unforced errors. In the end, he was just a little better.

THE DUST SETTLES

That the match was thrilling for fans made the loss no less painful for Roddick. He sat slumped in his courtside chair as the crowd, feeling his pain, chanted his name. He was near tears, but still did his on-court interview.

''I just want to say congratulations to Roger. He's a true champion and deserves everything he gets,'' Roddick said. ``I tried. Sorry, Pete. I tried to hold him off. It was a pleasure playing here [Sunday] in front of champions like Manolo [Santana], [Bjorn] Borg, Rod Laver, Pete.''

After pausing to compose himself, Roddick continued to say: ``I still hope one day my name will be up there with theirs as a champion of this tournament.''

Federer, meanwhile, was jubilant. The expectant father cradled his trophy like a newborn baby.

''That was a crazy match with an unbelievable ending, and my head is still spinning,'' Federer said, wearing a custom-made jacket with a gold No. 15 emblazoned on the back. ``I'm happy I broke the record here, because this is always the tournament that's meant the most to me. Andy played unbelievable. Sports is cruel sometimes.''

With the 15th Grand Slam title, Federer will be considered by many to be the best player of all time. Sampras said, ''In my book, he is.'' Laver called Federer ``the greatest player of his era.''

Federer said he was humbled seeing all the former greats watching him from the Royal Box. When Sampras and his wife arrived fashionably late after the third game, Federer gave him a nod.

''I know how much the record meant to Pete, and I know how much it means to me, and in a way I still feel like we share it because he's such a wonderful champion,'' Federer said. ``It's nice that he is showing appreciation for what I'm doing.''

Underneath Federer's jacket was a T-shirt that read: ``There is no finish line. Far from done.''

Not the words Roddick wants to hear. source>>>

Tiger Woods supports a rule change that will make it harder to play out of the rough

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:23:00 -0500

The way professional golf is played may have changed for good after the U.S. PGA Tour decided to go along with a new rule that amounts to a rollback of golf technology, a move that world number one Tiger Woods has endorsed.

The rule, implemented by the U.S. Golf Association (USGA) and Royal and Ancient Golf Club (RA), means that from the start of 2010 the U-shaped grooves on wedges will be banned in favor of V-shaped grooves, with the intention of rewarding accurate driving over distance hitting.

Research by the USGA has shown that U-shaped grooves allow top players to generate much more spin when playing the ball out of the rough, making the ball come to a quick stop on the green.

The USGA and RA felt this meant that landing in the rough was no longer enough of a penalty for shots that strayed from the fairway. In recent years pro golfers have begun to drive for distance rather than accuracy, knowing they can spin their way out of the rough if they miss their target -- a style of play known as "bomb and gouge."

Despite pressure from some players and golf equipment manufacturers, the U.S. PGA Tour has decided to go along with the rule change, meaning U.S. PGA Tour competitions, including the U.S. Open, will feature the club restriction from next year.

Amateur competitions will not ditch the U-shaped grooves until 2014 and the new rule will not apply to recreational players until 2024.

Gareth Taylor, Product Manager at leading golf club manufacturer Callaway, told CNN he believes the change will reward more skilful players.
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"At the moment players are getting a lot of spin on the ball so I think it will make people play better," he said.

"They'll have to get their technique finely tuned and not rely on the club."

He says club makers have been given ample notice to prepare for the switch. "I don't think the change is a regression, it just means research and development will have to come up with better ideas to help the players out."

Taylor explained that as a golfer strikes the ball the grooves on the club face catch the coating on the ball's surface, producing back spin.

He said that the rule change applies to five irons and up and requires the grooves on the club face to be more spaced out, which will make it harder for the grooves to catch the ball.

Tiger Woods has supported the changes, saying: "I think it's great. We've had plenty of time to make our adjustments. All the companies have been testing and getting ready for this."

To compensate for the loss of spin from the rough, tour players may use softer balls, which spin more but do not travel as far. That could favor players who already use the softer ball -- including Tiger Woods. source>>>

Tiger Woods Wins AT&T Golf Crown

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:15:00 -0500

World No. 1 golfer Tiger Woods of the United States has won the AT&T National golf tournament near Washington, D.C. held at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland. Woods outlasted defending champion Anthony Kim on Sunday as well as a challenge from Hunter Mahan.

Tiger Woods started the day tied with Anthony Kim and was even par through his first five holes. But the world's top player had birdies on the sixth and seventh holes, and finished the first nine holes at 12 under par.

Woods added a birdie on 10. But the 11th hole, where he had struggled all week, again proved difficult when he hit his drive into a ravine. Woods had to drop his ball and bogeyed the hole to fall back to 12 under for the tournament.

Woods said the pressure was on when he learned that Hunter Mahan shot an eight under par to tie him for the lead.

"At the time, I was tied for the lead. And you can go either way," he said. "You can win the tournament or lose the tournament from here. So just keep plodding along and hopefully sneak one or two birdies coming in and get the title."

Tiger regained his form and birdied the 16th hole to go to 13 under par and win the trophy for the first time.

Hunter Mahan finished in second place at 12 under par. Mahan said that shooting eight under par 62 was something he knew he could do.

"You know I felt like I was hitting great all week," he said. "I just couldn't get any putts. And that just kind of beats you up because you are hitting so good and get nothing out of it. To hit the good shots and to make the putts in the final round like I did today, it feels nice."

Defending champion Anthony Kim finished in third place at nine under par after shooting a one over par 71.

The tournament was one of the last U.S. PGA Tour events before the British Open tees off on July 16 in Scotland. Next year, the tournament will be played at Aronimink Golf Club outside of Philadelphia as the Congressional Country Club prepares to host the U.S. Open in 2011. source>>>

Georges St. Pierre tops the UFC Welterweight rankings ahead of UFC 100

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:05:00 -0500

The UFC Welterweight Title is up for grabs at UFC 100 as fan favorite (and UFC betting favorite) Georges St. Pierre will take on the man many consider to be his biggest challenge yet: Thiago Alves.

promo/ufcBut is Alves really the second best fighter in the division? Read on:

1. Georges St. Pierre (18-2)-

St. Pierre has the power and explosiveness of someone much heavier than 170 pounds to go with incredible speed, heart, intelligence, and athleticism.

The popular mantra in the media heading into UFC 100 is that his opponent Thiago Alves is stronger than him but that might be in aesthetics only. St. Pierre just might use his wrestling ability to toss Alves around like he's done to everyone else in the division.

2. Jon Fitch (18-3)-

Holding a win over Alves but not quite the same amount of fanfare, Fitch deserves this spot until we see how Alves fares against St. Pierre.

Fitch was outclassed on his feet against St. Pierre in their UFC 87 title match but still hung in for five rounds and got some shots in. He has an interesting fight with Paulo Thiago at UFC 100 in which he'll be the favorite, but his teammate Josh Koscheck didn't do too well in that role as he lost to Thiago.

3. Thiago Alves (16-3)-

He's had a couple of impressive wins over Matt Hughes and Josh Koscheck but it is worth noting that he came in overweight against Hughes (giving him an advantage) and that Koscheck took him on at short notice.

Still, Alves has the skill set, power, and aggressiveness to take out St. Pierre at UFC 100 despite being the underdog on the BetUs.com sportsbook.

4. Mike Swick (14-2)-

"Quick" had a nice win over Ben Saunders at UFC 99 where he again showed off his uncanny hand speed and athletic ability. He needs a bigger test and Matt Hughes might provide it for him soon.

5. Martin Kampmann (15-2)-

The Danish rising star turned down a bout with TJ Grant in search of bigger and better things. Perhaps he should get a shot at Swick, a fighter in a similar position career-wise. Kampmann isn't a head-turner but he is solid in all facets of his game right now.

Up-and-comer to watch: Paul Thiago (11-0)

He was an unknown commodity coming into his UFC 95 match with welterweight star Josh Koscheck but shocked the world with a TKO stoppage win. The ref called it too soon but it was still an impressive performance.

Now, Thiago has the opportunity of a lifetime when he faces Jon Fitch as an underdog at UFC 100 that could put him on the fast track to UFC Welterweight Title contention. source>>>

Brock Lesnar looks for more fame, glory, riches at UFC 100

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:01:00 -0500

Physically, Brock Lesnar is already the UFC's biggest star.

The 6-foot-3, 280-pound Lesnar looks to be made more of granite than flesh.

A win at Saturday night's historic UFC 100 event at Mandalay Bay could easily place the behemoth right at the top of the list of mixed martial arts' biggest stars in terms of financial success and stardom.

But the former collegiate champion wrestler previously tasted such fame during a highly lucrative professional wrestling stint with the WWE.

The self-proclaimed farm boy says there's nothing wrong with a big paycheck, but it is his love for amateur wrestling - which he spent years training at without making a dime - that pushes him in practice every day.

"I guess the main thing is I enjoy what I'm doing. I got the best job in the world," the UFC heavyweight champ said. "I've already made a lot of money and now it's just a matter of staying grounded, being close to my family and, you know, being happy. There's more to life, if you're not happy life can be pretty damn miserable and I wasn't very happy as a professional wrestler and now I'm happy. Life is pretty enjoyable."

But because of the South Dakota native's humble upbringing and appreciation for hard work, Lesnar said he's not going to look the other way when a big payday comes his way.

"I can honestly say I wouldn't fight for peanuts. I've been there; I've wrestled - blood, sweat and tears for 18 years. I got a lot of time in the gym and got paid zilch," Lesnar said.

"So now here's my opportunity, this is prize fighting. I mean, you look at it any other way, you might as well just go fight in the underground and, you know, bare knuckles or whatever, and fight in the streets."

Lesnar's critics scoff at his rationale, saying he's only in it for the money and with just three MMA fights, didn't deserve the title shot he got against Randy Couture.

The 2000 NCAA heavyweight champ from the University of Minnesota couldn't care less.

"I don't run around looking for any respect you know, I just try to get in and do my job," he said. "I'm just looking forward to the fight because getting in there and actually doing exactly what you love to do is an honor and a privilege."

Lesnar also sees it as a privilege to get another shot at the only opponent he's lost to, Frank Mir.

While the two have traded several verbal barbs in the months leading up to their unifying match, both showed nothing but respect on last week's conference call.

"I don't dislike Frank in any way other than he's got a win over me," said Lesnar, who looked to be in good position to defeat Mir at UFC 81 in February 2008 before making an inexperienced mistake and getting caught in a leg lock.

"I don't like to lose. Revenge is a key factor here for me."

Mir sees the talk as two warriors not wanting to give each other the satisfaction of respect.

"I think that neither one of us feels like maybe we have the (same) amount of respect we should have in what we want to attain right now in the heavyweight division," said Mir, the UFC's interim heavyweight champ. "You know Brock is a newcomer into it, you know with only four fights and with his skill level in NCAA wrestling and stuff. He wants to, you know, obviously push forward on his credibility and why he deserves the exposure he gets.

"And then on my part too, I think after I had the accident, I had so many bad fights in a row. Now coming back on the winning streak that I am on now, I am also craving that same, you know, respect, I guess. At the end of the day, I want to say, 'hey, I'm as good as I was and that should be recognized.'"

Despite his inexperience in the Octagon, Mir says he respects Lesnar for more than just his sheer power.

"His progress has been more advanced than what the average martial artist that's fought in the UFC," Mir said.

"To make it easy we just went ahead and prepared for the worst-case scenario that Brock knows everything I know about mixed martial arts and on top of that he's stronger and bigger and faster than I am."

Lesnar said that's not a bad game plan.

"I think I've improved dramatically from my first adventure into MMA. I bill myself as a fighter now and I want to evolve," Lesnar said. "I want to make myself a well-rounded fighter so obviously I'm not going to leave any stone unturned when it comes to submissions, submission defense, striking, knees, leg kicks and learning to defend everything.

"It's not just an offensive sport. You've got to be able to handle both sides of the spectrum. I've brought a number of highly trained trainers in to help me evolve." source>>>

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Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:45:00 -0500

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Brett Favre puts deposit on Edina, Minnesota condo

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:43:00 -0500

A Brett Favre signing with the Minnesota Vikings is expected to be announced in time for the start of the team's single-game ticket sales July 20.

The Vikings will play Favre's former team, the Green Bay Packers, Oct. 5 at the Metrodome on Monday night on ESPN. The Vikings are planning to require anyone buying a ticket to that game to also buy a ticket to the Aug. 2 exhibition game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Meanwhile, a little birdie heard that quarterback Brett Favre and wife Deanna last weekend made a $30,000 deposit on a condominium near 50th and France in Edina. source>>>

Judge Lifts NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield's Substance Abuse Suspension

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:45:00 -0500

Independence Day came a few days early for suspended Sprint Cup driver Jeremy Mayfield, as a federal judge granted him a temporary injunction allowing him to race as early as this weekend.

The ruling, made Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Charlotte by senior Judge Graham Mullen, lifted Mayfield's suspension for failing NASCAR's substance abuse policy and allows him to return as the driver/owner of his No. 41 team in time for Saturday night's race at Daytona International Speedway.

"The truth came out. That's what it's all about," Mayfield said after the decision was announced. Mayfield was suspended on May 9 after failing a random drug test eight days earlier at Richmond International Raceway. During a recess at Wednesday's hearing, NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said Mayfield tested positive for methamphetamines. Mayfield has denied using the drug, saying a mix of medications led to the positive test.

Poston said NASCAR does not plan to appeal and will repsect the judge's decision, which also restores him as driver-owner of his own team. Mayfield's wife Shana took over as owner of the team while Mayfield was suspended.

Shana Mayfield burst into tears as the judge announced the decision.

"You can't imagine," Jeremy Mayfield said of his emotions upon hearing the judge had ruled in his favor. "It's huge to us, more than any race I've ever won."

In announcing the decision, Mullen said Mayfield may be subject to whatever drug testing NASCAR deems fit. Poston said Mayfield will be tested on a regular basis.

Mayfield has maintained from the start that he did not take methamphetamine. He claimed the positive test was the result of combining prescribed Adderall for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and Claritin-D for allergies.

"I have never taken methamphetamines in my life, and when accused of taking them I immediately volunteered to give another urine sample,'' Mayfield said in an affidavit.

He reiterated those comments on Wednesday, and will continue to fight his case in a lawsuit against NASCAR. "Either way we know the truth will come out,'' he said.

Mayfield said the suspension has cost him sponsorship and forced him to lay off 10 members of his team. He has not attempted to enter the No. 41 team with another driver since the May race at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte.

Mullen kept his ruling to the temporary injunction, leaving the question of monetary damages to be determined at a later date.

Mayfield said it may be too late in the week for him to get his own car to Daytona in time for Thursday's practice and Friday qualifying. But he left open the possibility of driving for Larry Gunselman, who has been working out of Mayfield's shop.

Despite the injunction, the onus remains on Mayfield to create doubt about the test results as he seeks a permanent return to the track and monetary losses. Diehl said that process could last more than a year.

Diehl said in a 45-minute argument that the evidence was "overwhelming'' in favor of his client.

Diehl claimed that NASCAR's drug testing program does not meet federal workplace guidelines or follow proper procedure of SAMHSA [substance abuse and mental health services association].

He argued that Mayfield did not give permission for the "B'' sample to be tested after the "A'' sample came back positive, as guidelines state, and that the "B'' sample should have been tested at an independent laboratory. He said since proper procedure was not used and because the "B'' sample was compromised when opened that the entire test should be thrown out.

Both samples originally were tested by Aegis Laboratory, the Nashville Tenn.-based facility NASCAR employs to run its testing program.

"They must be held accountable,'' Diehl said of NASCAR and Aegis. "If you don't follow procedure then drug tests are thrown out.''

Diehl allso argued that NASCAR's policy is unfair because it does not provide a list of all banned substances, as is the case in most other professional sports.

He referred to the governing body as having almost god-like powers, saying "if they decide to ban Coca-Cola or coffee or orange juice or anything else,'' they can.

"That just smells bad,'' Diehl said. "And it stinks enough that the court should say 'You can't do that.'"

Diehl also argued that Mayfield has no prior history of drug abuse and that there was no testimony in the affidavits of those that collected the specimen indicating he showed signs of drug use.

He scoffed at NASCAR's charge that methamphetamines have been in Mayfield's system for some time, noting that Mayfield passed a test before the February opener at Daytona. He said if Mayfield had as much methamphetamine in his system as has been insinuated then "he's either a walking zombie or dead.''

NASCAR argued there was indisputable evidence that Mayfield tested positive for methamphetamines. Attorney Paul Hendrick said that both of Mayfield's urine samples recently were sent to a second lab, MedTox Laboratories in St. Paul, Minn., and that the results confirmed the original tests.

Diehl said those samples were as compromised because they already were open. He again pointed to procedure.

"If they met their own rules they wouldn't have tested either of them because the seal was broken,'' he said.

NASCAR argued that it is not a federal entity and does not have to follow federal guidelines. The NFL, the NHL and Major League Baseball also allow the "B'' sample to be tested by the same lab as the "A'' sample. But Diehl noted those organizations have a collective bargaining agreement that requires the testing policy to be approved by union members, while NASCAR has no such agreement.

NASCAR attorneys argued that Mayfield did not notify Dr. David Black or anybody at Aegis that he was on Adderall or Claritin until after the positive test, thus not following prescribed guidelines. They pointed out that the prescription for Adderall came from the "Vitality Anti-Aging Center and Medical Spa'' and not Mayfield's primary physician.

Lawyers for NASCAR said allowing Mayfield back on the track before he is completely cleared by physicians would endanger the lives of other drivers, crew members and fans. They presented affidavits from several drivers, including Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, saying they did not want to compete with somebody known to have tested positive for a banned substance.

Diehl did not argue that point.

"It's almost a 'duh' statement to say they don't want drivers to use drugs,'' he said.

NASCAR attorneys also argued that the driver contract does not guarantee the right to compete and that Mayfield is not entitled to compensation. They also noted that Mayfield's team has had opportunities to enter races with another driver, as it did two weeks after the suspension with J.J. Yeley.

"While [Mayfield and his team] have not suffered, and will not suffer, any harm that could not be compensated through a monetary award, reversing the suspension would create a real and serious risk of injury or death to others," NASCAR stated in affidavits.

"If other drivers refuse to race, it will harm the relationships that NASCAR has developed with its drivers, fans, sponsors and broadcasters over the last sixty years."
source>>>

FSU files NCAA rebuttal, argues against vacating-of-victories penalty

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:37:00 -0500

- In the rebuttal it filed on Tuesday to the NCAA, Florida State argued once again why it shouldn't be forced to vacate victories in the aftermath of a widespread academic fraud scandal and the university described as "woefully inadequate" the NCAA Committee on Infractions' rational that led to the disputed penalty.

FSU's rebuttal is the latest step in an ongoing appeals process that might not end for months. The university in April submitted to the NCAA its original appeal. The NCAA Committee on Infractions last month responded, arguing strongly why the vacation-of-victories penalty should stand. And then the university filed its rebuttal to that response. The rebuttal had been due to the NCAA by today.

As was the case in its original appeal, one of the university's primary arguments in its rebuttal is that the Committee on Infractions failed to give proper weight to FSU's investigative efforts and self-imposed corrective actions in the wake of a scandal that involved 61 athletes and three former university employees.

In its rebuttal, FSU wrote, "The rationale offered for the imposition of penalties did not include a discussion of substantial mitigations and was, accordingly, woefully inadequate."

Florida State also contends that the vacation penalty should be reversed because of an agreement the university in the fall of 2007 reached with the NCAA's Enforcement Staff and Student-Athlete Reinstatement Staff. That agreement allowed those athletes who might have been implicated in the academic fraud scandal to admit wrongdoing and serve a suspension equivalent to 30 percent of their season.

The agreement was designed to convince implicated athletes to come forward and endure a less stringent penalty in return for their honesty. The university is now arguing that the vacation-of-victories penalty "contradicts the central idea of [FSU's] agreement with the NCAA."

"To continue to regard student-athletes as ineligible for a window of time prior to their reinstatement contradicts this agreement," FSU wrote in its rebuttal.

Further, the university argued - as it had in its original appeal - that the records of innocent coaches and athletes be shielded from the vacation penalty.

Both the Committee on Infractions and Florida State are attempting to convince the NCAA Infractions Appeals Committee, which will ultimately decide whether to uphold the vacation-of-victories penalty. At stake are victories from the 2006 and 2007 seasons - including two national championships in men's track and as many as 14 victories in football.

If Florida State is forced to vacate the football victories, then it would likely end coach Bobby Bowden's pursuit of retiring the most victorious coach in major college football history. Bowden, 79, ended the 2008 season with 382 career victories, one behind Penn State's Joe Paterno.

The Committee on Infractions also placed Florida State on four years' probation and forced FSU to cut approximately 19 athletic scholarships, six of those in football spread over three seasons. The university, though, is only appealing the vacation-of-victories penalty.

FSU President T.K. Wetherell said recently the university is prepared to take its case to court if the NCAA Infractions Appeals Committee doesn't eventually reverse the vacation penalty. source>>>

Kid Rock's Badass Beer to debut at Comerica Park concerts in July

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:00:00 -0500

If you're lucky enough to be holding tickets to one of Kid Rock's shows in Comerica Park on July 17 and 18, consider yourself now doubly blessed.

Drink Americas Holdings, the company that teamed up with Kid Rock last fall to launch his signature beer, just announced that the brew will be finished in time to be put in kegs and sold at kiosks at Kid's Detroit concerts.

It's only fitting that the beer, created by the Romeo-native who calls himself an "American Badass" will be called American Badass Beer.

The beer is so patriotic, it will even share a birthday with the U.S.A.

The Webberville-based Michigan Brewing Company will start production on July 4th. According to Drink Americas' CEO, orders are already coming in.

Yahoo Finance, July 1: J. Patrick Kenny, CEO of Drinks Americas, said, "We are very excited about the launch date, the beer and all the work that has been put into making Kid Rock's AMERICAN BADASS BEER" a success. Based on orders alone we are off to a very good start. We will let the beer speak for itself as people begin to taste this great product."

According to a report from the Country Music Channel earlier this year, the new beer will create 349 jobs in Michigan. source >>>

Former boxing champ Alexis Argüello, mayor, found dead in Nicaragua

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:07:00 -0500

The people of Nicaragua and the international boxing world woke up to the shocking news Wednesday morning that three-time world champ and mayor of Managua Alexis Argüello, 57, is dead.

Early media reports said Argüello, a born-again Sandinista, apparently shot himself in his Managua home in the early morning hours. Forensic medical specialists were still conducting the autopsy to determine cause of death.

Known in the boxing world as ''The Explosive Thin Man'' and the ''Gentleman of the Ring,'' Argüello came from a humble background and turned to the boxing gym at the age of 14, after being thrown out of school for not being able to pay tuition.

In the ring, the skinny kid from Managua found his calling and after only three years of training traveled to Costa Rica and knocked out their national champ in six rounds.

''I beat the crap out of him,'' Argüello said in a 2007 interview, laughing loudly with his infectious Yogi Bear chortle. Argüello went on to win his first world boxing title at 22, and then won two more in different weight classes.

In November 1982, Argüello challenged junior welterweight king Aaron Pryor in a fight billed as ''Battle of the Champions,'' attempting to become the first fighter to win titles in four divisions. More than 23,000 fans packed the Orange Bowl in Miami, and the two waged an epic battle in which Pryor knocked out Argüello in the 14th round.

After the triumph of the Sandinista revolution in 1979, the Sandinista Front confiscated Argüello's properties and bank accounts in Nicaragua while he was living in Miami. For a brief time, Argüello supported the Southern Front counterrevolutionary movement led by Edén Pastora, even traveling to the Rio San Juan and training with the guerrillas in the mid-1980s.

Argüello attempted a brief boxing comeback in the early '90s before finally hanging up the boxing gloves in 1995 with a record of 82 wins, eight losses and 65 KOs.

After his boxing career ended, Argüello fell into drugs and alcohol abuse, and said he would go on ''20-day binges.'' He said he felt trapped in the fast-paced lifestyle of Miami, a life of ``drugs, speedboats and parties.''

He said he eventually became suicidal. But in his despair, Argüello turned to God and says ''a voice'' told him to give back to his people. Then he turned to his former nemesis, Sandinista leader Daniel Ortega, who gave him a chance in politics.

After serving as vice mayor of Managua for three years, Argüello, a simple and good-hearted man known for his comic slips during press conferences, announced his bid for the mayor's office in 2008.

His victory in the November 2008 elections was highly contested. The opposition alleged fraud and the daily newspapers referred to Argüello as the ``mayor appointed by the Supreme Electoral Council.''

The allegations of electoral fraud have since cost the Nicaraguan government more than $160 million in lost foreign aid.

Argüello has been treated harshly in the Nicaraguan press, which has mocked him for incompetence and for saying foolish things in public. The Sandinistas handled him tightly, appointing administrators to run the mayor's office.

On Wednesday he was being remembered as one of the greatest boxers and the best Nicaraguan athlete ever.

First Lady Rosario Murillo said Argüello will be remembered as ``the champion of Nicaragua.'' source>>>

University of Michigan releases full non-conference men's basketball schedule

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:02:00 -0500

The big-name opponents on the University of Michigan's non-conference men's basketball schedule were no secret.

Now, the university has released the rest of its slate that leads up to the Wolverines' Big Ten schedule.

Last season, the Wolverines faced the nation's 12th toughest schedule en route to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 11 years.

This year, Michigan will face seven tournament teams in its non-conference schedule, the school announced Wednesday. Michigan's full schedule will be announced in mid-August.

The Wolverines, who will play 17 times at Crisler Arena in the coming season, begin with an exhibition game on Nov. 6 against Wayne State.

The regular season begins eight days later against Northern Michigan before playing Houston Baptist on November 20.

From there, Michigan will travel to Orlando to participate in the Old Spice Classic Nov, 26-29 competing in a tournament field that includes NCAA Tournament entries Florida State, Marquette and Xavier -- along with two schools that competed in the NIT -- Baylor and Creighton.

Alabama and Iona are also in the field of teams taking part in the event.

Following the Old Spice Classic, the Wolverines will return to Crisler Arena for a
pair of home games beginning with Boston College on Dec. 2, in the 11th annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

Last season, the Eagles had a 22-12 record and earned a bid into the NCAA Tournament. In the second game of the homestand, the Wolverines host Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Dec. 5.

Michigan then travel to Utah on Dec. 9 to face the reigning Mountain West Conference champion Utes, who finished the season 24-10 last year. Before traveling to Kansas a week later, the Wolverines will host the University of Detroit on Dec. 13.

The two schools haven't faced one another since 1999, when the Wolverines pulled out a 66-62 win.

Six days later, Michigan will travel to Phog Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kan., to play perennial power Kansas.

The Jayhawks, the 2008 national champions, finished last season with a 27-8 record, winning the Big 12 and advancing to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.

Three days later, Michigan will host Coppin State on Dec. 22, in its last
non-conference game before opening conference play. The Wolverines and Eagles have met once before - a 81-53 Michigan win in 2005.

The Wolverines' final non-conference test will be a matchup with Connecticut on Jan. 17, a bye weekend for Michigan in conference play. The Huskies earned their third trip to the Final Four in school history last season while compiling a 31-5 overall record.

The date with UConn is the second game of a home-and-home series as the two teams met last season on Feb. 7 at Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Conn. source>>>

Tiger Woods Plays Genial Host at AT&T National tournament , Then Responds to Criticism

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:48:00 -0500

Shortly after noon Tuesday, about 36 hours before the official start of his third AT&T National as tournament host, Tiger Woods was in a playful mood. Seated at the head of a conference table in the upstairs board room at Congressional Country Club, Woods smiled after glancing at Thursday's first-round tee times.
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Woods Putts Away His Run at U.S. Open (June 23, 2009)

"Hey, I've got Lucas," he said, referring to the freshly minted United States Open champion, Lucas Glover. "How about that for a great draw? And Charley Hoffman. Perfect. I think maybe I'll have to wear my hat like this."

Woods whipped off his Nike cap, grinning as he turned the ends of the brim up until it flattened into Hoffman's trademark surfer-skater-rapper look. Then he spun the hat around backward and leaned into the table to address a few more serious issues.

Two weeks after his tie for sixth at Bethpage Black, Woods seemed well over the disappointment of failing to seriously contend in the second consecutive major in which he was the overwhelming pretournament favorite. This week brings Woods a real-life perspective to his golf ups and downs, provided by the thousands of servicemen and women who are admitted free and the wounded warriors who participate as honorary starters in the pro-am.

"We spend the week thanking them for coming out here and being a part of this event," he said, "because what they do for our country here and abroad is phenomenal."

While he might have been tough to live with during the weeks of fits and starts at Augusta National and on Long Island, Woods has digested the relevant learning and tossed the rest like rinds into the disposal.

"As a whole, I didn't hit the ball as well as I would have liked at Augusta, and at the Open, I hit it well and I just didn't putt well," he said placidly. "At major championships, you can't have one thing missing. You can't hit the ball well and not putt well or not chip well or not think well. That's the whole idea -- to test every facet of your game."

Tested and found wanting at both the Masters and the Open was Woods's ability to finish off rounds, normally a nonpareil strength. At Augusta, where he finished four strokes out of the three-way playoff won by Angel Cabrera, Woods bogeyed his final hole in two of four rounds. At Bethpage, he played his final four holes to complete the first round in four over and bogeyed his final hole of the second round.

"When I played the last four in four over," he said, "I had fought so hard through those conditions to get it back to even, and it was frustrating that I did finish that way. But I knew I wasn't out of the tournament.

"Then it was surprising to see how low those guys went the first two days on the other side of the draw. They were just making birdie after birdie. Eleven under was leading at one point. We didn't see that starting out in the practice rounds. No one foresaw someone getting to double digits."

Woods's trials since having knee surgery have shown how difficult it is to win consistently on the PGA Tour. He made it look too easy for too long. Consider that in the 23 months since the 2007 British Open, where he finished in a tie for 12th, Woods has not finished outside the top 10 in a stroke-play event and has won 10 times, including two major championships.

Finishing off a sentence for an interviewer who was struggling to describe that level of performance, Woods said, "It's pretty good."

As high as the on-course standards are, they have been just as high off it. The Tiger Woods Foundation has funneled millions of dollars into programs that benefit at-risk young people in California and, through the efforts of his mother, Kultida, young people in Thailand. Though pushed back by the economic downturn, plans remain on track for a Tiger Woods Learning Center to be built in Washington to mirror the one in Irvine, Calif., Woods estimated Tuesday that 10 million children have already been helped by foundation programs aimed at teaching life skills.

Viewed against that backdrop, remarks made by the Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown on a recent HBO show featuring Brown and the N.B.A. Hall of Famer Bill Russell were difficult for Woods to understand. Brown characterized Woods's efforts to effect social change as "terrible, terrible." Brown added, "Because he can get away with teaching kids to play golf, and that's his contribution."

Brown said he thought Woods should do more. Woods responded at his news conference later on Tuesday afternoon.

"I think I do a pretty good job as it is with what we're trying to do with the foundation," he said, citing millions raised through the AT&T National, the Chevron World Challenge, the Tiger Jam in Las Vegas and the foundation's Block Party in Orange County, Calif.

"It's taught a lot of kids how to get back and learn," he added. "To learn how to lead, learn how to give back, learn how to teach others." source>>>

Golf in the Kingdom' realized on film

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:45:00 -0500

As the golf world begins gearing up for the British Open, its oldest major championship, a book steeped in the mysteries and lessons of the ancient game is inching closer to becoming a film on the big screen

"Golf in the Kingdom," Michael Murphy's mystical novel set in Scotland, was published in 1972, and Murphy - a Salinas native who lives in Sausalito - has spent the past 37 years waiting to see his prose made into a movie.

He got that chance this spring, watching as producers wrapped up shooting "Golf in the Kingdom" at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Oregon, a five-course golfer's paradise reminiscent of an old Scottish links.

"To see it filmed was sort of a reverse deja vu," said Murphy, who spent a month at Bandon and appears briefly in a bar scene.

A book that inspired an eclectic following and even its own society (the Shivas Irons Society), "Golf in the Kingdom" tells the tale of a young American named Michael who is transformed by a day of golf with a teacher named Shivas Irons at Burningbush Golf Club in Scotland. It is regarded as the best-selling novel ever about golf, and the late John Updike called the book "a golf classic if any exists in our day."

But it seemed as though "Golf in the Kingdom" would never become a movie. Clint Eastwood held the option on the film for 10 years, but neglected to follow through with the project, which has had 15 scripts written over the years.

"I've always said it was the longest virtual movie, coming to a mind near you," Murphy said in a recent phone interview.

Producer Mindy Affrime and director Susan Streitfeld finally discovered the first tee, though.

"Things happened for a reason," Affrime said of the drawn-out process. "Maybe 'Golf in the Kingdom' needed Bandon Dunes. It's being made at a time when it wasn't too weird to talk about being in the zone or true gravity. It seemed to be the right time. We've been through many versions and this is the smallest and most compact."

Though the production team calls it a low-budget film, Affrime rounded up an accomplished cast that includes David O'Hara ("The Departed," "Hotel Rwanda") as Shivas, Mason Gamble ("Rushmore," "Gentleman's Game"), Frances Fischer ("Titanic") and Malcolm McDowell.

"I think it's obvious that to get that caliber of actor is not about anything but the material," Affrime said.

When it is released some time next year, "Golf in the Kingdom" will not fit tightly into the sports genre category. Murphy, who teamed with Streitfeld on the script, calls it an art film.

"It's eccentric, but not as much as some art films," said Murphy, who is the co-founder of the Esalen Institute in Big Sur and has written numerous books. "We'll have to see. It's all how it comes together."

Affrime said the golf in the film is authentic, but more important was the Scottish feel that Bandon Dunes provided and a cast packed with actors from the British Isles.

She said the film not only stays "very true to the book" but also attempts to make the story "more mysterious."

"We don't want to take ourselves or golf serious," Affrime said. "This is a movie that uses golf to talk about a lot of things. ... We've made the antisentimental sports movie." source>>>

Brad Paisley: A Face Made for Videos

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:57:00 -0500

Brad Paisley's face is made for music videos. It is so good at registering shades of emotion (usually degrees of delight or incredulity) that it constitutes a show within a show.

Whether the subject is light or serious, Paisley maintains a critical distance from it, observing and dissecting the action even as he takes part in it. That distance, that space in which he summons up his reactions, is, of course, the driving force of his humor. He is more amused by human foibles -- and he confronts plenty of them -- than he is shocked or annoyed.

Although he is a master of traditional country music styles, Paisley stands apart from his backward-looking peers in several regards, as his videos emphasize. Chief among these is the fact that he is neither offended nor threatened by advances in technology or shifts in cultural attitudes. He simply assimilates them, smiles knowingly and moves on. You can witness this tendency in such clips as "Online" and "Celebrity."

Nor does he have that "going back home" mania that afflicts so many country singers. He realizes that growing up, learning and venturing out into the larger world brings its own joys. As he says to his high school persona in his "Letter to Me" video, "These are nowhere near the best years of your life." He appreciates his past without regarding it as the golden age.

Another point worth noting: Regardless of the video's mood, you can always count on a few shots of Paisley's nimble fingers racing up and down the neck of his guitar.

CMT credits Paisley with 22 videos. Of these, this column has already covered two of his most popular -- "Whiskey Lullaby" with Alison Krauss and "Start a Band" with Keith Urban. Now let's peek at a few more visual-lyrical gems.

"Who Needs Pictures" (1999) -- This is Paisley's first video, back when he was still alternating between wearing a cowboy hat and going bare-headed. Prowling through a drawer, he turns up an old camera with undeveloped film inside. This discovery, which unleashes memories of a lost love and happier times, enables Paisley to show both his pensive and perky sides. It's quite an effective introduction of an exciting new talent.

"He Didn't Have to Be" (1999) -- Here, Paisley assumes the role of a man who's been raised by a loving stepfather. Now, as they sit outside the delivery room, Paisley dwells on the hope that he can be just "half the dad" his stepfather "didn't have to be." If this tableau doesn't move you to tears, you're granite.

"Me Neither" (2000) -- Even playing the buffoon whose every pickup line falls flat, Paisley emerges as a lovable loser who won't stay down.

"Two People Fell in Love" (2001) -- To make the point that love is the foundation of all human achievement, Paisley takes a child from birth to winning a Nobel prize in the first 37 seconds of this video. Then he slows the action down for some idyllic multi-generational family scenes. It's so warm you almost have to turn on the air conditioner.

"I'm Gonna Miss Her" (2002) -- It's ultimatum time. Mrs. Paisley (played here by actress Kimberly Williams, who would became the real Mrs. Paisley in 2003) tells her feckless husband, "It's me or fishing." As she throws his clothes out the front door, it becomes pretty clear which choice he's made. Lots of other celebrities are involved, including sportscaster Dan Patrick, Grand Ole Opry star Little Jimmy Dickens and TV schlockmeister Jerry Springer. Popping up as Paisley's fishing buddies are his producer, Frank Rogers, and his frequent co-writer, Kelley Lovelace, whose own story inspired "He Didn't Have to Be."

"I Wish You'd Stay" (2002) -- Through shots of scrapbooks, kids playing and cars driving away, Paisley casts a wistful eye on the bittersweet sensations of parting, whether it's a lover going away or a child leaving home. The singer's face is particularly eloquent in this one.

"Celebrity" (2003) -- Fame is a bitch. But such an alluring one. Paisley plays a contestant on Celebrity Icon, a show for people with more zeal than talent. William Shatner is a painfully bored judge, and Little Jimmy Dickens is the dark horse who gets the girl as Paisley looks on with slack-jawed amazement. Seinfeld's Jason Alexander is pricelessly insufferable as the wannabe star who inflicts his delusions of grandeur on a hapless coffeehouse barista.

"Mud on the Tires" (2004) -- Even spattered with mud, Paisley looks immaculate throughout this festival frolic.

"Alcohol" (2005) -- This one stands out from the others because of its stylized stage set, with a staircase that leads nowhere and empty picture frames hanging in midair. If this be alcoholic disorientation, it's not all that bad. Paisley's sly humor is instantly recognizable.

"Online" (2007) -- A thematic variation of "Celebrity" with Jason Alexander starring as a routinely dissed pizza-delivery guy who aspires to be superstar Paisley -- and who can be anything he wants to be when he's online. Joining in on the fun are William Shatner, Estelle Harris (George Costanza's grating mother on Seinfeld), Patrick Warburton (David Puddy on Seinfeld) and Paisley's former opening acts, Taylor Swift and Kellie Pickler. Anyone fascinated with this subject is advised to read James Thurber's The Secret Life of Walter Mitty or to watch the Danny Kaye movie of that name. Amidst all this thespian firepower, Paisley settles for a modest supporting role.

"Letter to Me" (2007) -- Consider this video as the high school commencement address Paisley won't have to give in person. It features members of his own 1991 graduating class from John Marshall High School in Glen Dale, W.Va., and is filled with the wise observations of one who's still chronologically close enough to high school to remember the glory but sufficiently distant to know that even brighter glories can lie ahead.

"Waitin' on a Woman" (2008) -- Paisley comes close here to upstaging that master of scene-stealers, Andy Griffith. Griffith has the key spoken line and the comic twinkle, but Paisley excels in reacting to them. We watch as his face transforms from skeptical to quizzical to understanding, all without his making a gesture or saying a word. Now that's acting. source>>>