Time for our Monday look back at the wide world of sports. In case you missed it, the world's most famous athlete was involved in a minor accident. If you consider rumors of a golf-club wielding wife and a rumored affair for the world's most famous athlete minor. We'll also hit the NBA and the NHL, one of the best rivalry games in the world, Bud Selig, and another champion being crowned. Just watch out for those fire hydrants, they jump out at you...
1. Tiger
-Wow, this is not how we are used to seeing Tiger Woods in the headlines. By now you probably know everything that happened and all the rumors. Out of all the takes out there on the web, this article inside Tiger's issues from Gary Van Sickle is the best. You know all of the questions: where was he going at that time of night? How do you hit a fire hydrant & a tree out of your own driveway? Why smash a golf club through the back window of an SUV after a minor accident? And so on and so forth...
But, let's take a different angle. How has Woods handled this whole HydrantGate? (I'll take better suggestions) Frankly, Tiger has done about as well after this mess than he did on the Back 9 at the 2009 PGA. This is the first time his perfect off-course image has come under any scrutiny. Look at Tiger's statement: he says he's a human being and he's not perfect. Umm.. ok? Isn't that ultra defensive and a little condescending; you hit a tree, it's not like committing adultery or anything, whoops.... He talks about the irresponsible, false rumors and hammers home his need for privacy time and time again like we're all taking pictures during his backswing.
Again, the whole statement is so defensive and standoffish that one has to wonder what is really going on here. Why release such a dramatic statement to the public and then refuse to talk to the police? Why wait 2 days to release a statement that could have come yesterday afternoon? Tiger has definitely flubbed a chip shot here. Now the police want a warrant to check for probable cause of a crime being committed. There's certainly more to follow.
(By the way, Tiger's Top 4 Google Searches: mistress, accident update, girlfriend, and... fart.)
2. Bud
-Maybe Bud Selig himself hasn't heard the news, but, he is stepping down after the 2012 season. The reasoning? That's when the Mayan Apocalypse is going to come of course. You wouldn't think MLB could exist without Uncle Bud did you?? Evidently Bud wants to pursue other interests besides being the most knuckleheaded commissioner in sports while he still can. Oh, by the way, he'll be 78! It's not good for Bud that the two defining images from his time in office is the '94 Strike and the All-Star Game tie. Oh, and that whole steroids thing. The obituary on the Bud Selig Era can be written if and when he does step aside. And if we survive Bud Selig stepping down as a sign of the apocalypse.
3. El Clasico
-The big news from the world of soccer comes from La Liga in Spain where Barcelona beat eternal rival Real Madrid in El Clasico 1-0 on a 56th minute goal from Swedish star Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Barca had to hold on for the last half hour after Sergio Busquets was sent off after a second yellow. For all of the hundreds of millions that Real Madrid spent on Ronaldo, Kaka, Alonso, and Benzema, they couldn't get a single goal when it counted most. That's pathetic. Although, we should give the credit to Barca's heroic defense. Valdes in goal, along with the backline of Abidal, Pique, Puyol, and Alves were heroic all match long with dramatic saves and blocks all over the place. It was one of the best defensive efforts in all of my years watching soccer (3, I think) and moved Barcelona to the top of La Liga. You have to wonder if the new Galacticos will be able to bring Real the glory their paychecks demand. Here's the highlights...
4. Loose Nets
-Last night the Nets tied a legendary record by losing their 17th straight game to start the '09-'10 NBA season at the Lakers (highlights below). At least they gave Lawrence Frank 16 games to turn it around! Seriously though, we knew the Nets would be bad, but historically bad? It's a surprise. Thank goodness both of us picked the Under on 28.5 wins in our season preview! The reason the Nets are so bad? They are last in the Triple Crown of offensive stats (PPG, FG%, 3PT FG%). They're actually a decent defensive team (9th in PPA) which makes their 0-17 start so stunning. The thing that's killing this team is any veteran leadership. Half of their top scorers are in their 1st-3rd year in the league and Rafer Alston isn't exactly the guy I want captaining a sinking ship. CDR, Brook Lopez, and T-Will might all turn out to be great players some day, some day.
5. Random NBA Thoughts
-The teams most thankful for NJ's start? 3-14 New York and 2-15 Minnesota, yipes... so much for the East being much deeper, 6 teams have a winning record, ick... Boston is already 6 games up in the division with 7-11 Toronto in 2nd place... Phoenix and Dallas just might stick around at the top of the West, while the Hornets are digging a big hole... Carmelo Anthony - MVP? (highlights of his fitty vs the Knicks below)... if AI signed with Philly it would be the perfect way to end his career, this Stephen A. Smith retirement is no way for a Hall of Famer to go out.
6. What The Heck, Let's Talk Some NHL!
-I think this is the first time in my lifetime I've seen Detroit out of the West Top 8... me thinks the NHL is rooting for a Caps/Pens, Ovie/Sid Eastern Conference Final matchup... Joe Thornton might be the most underrated player in hockey, and sports... the Coyotes look to be better off without the Great One behind the bench... how about Pens v Flames for an insanely early Finals pick... I understand wanting to bring back fans with a lot of goals, but it might be bordering on too much, these are the scores of Saturday's 13 games: 6-1, 4-3, 5-1, 4-3, 1-0, 4-3, 4-3, 8-3, 4-1, 4-3, 7-3, 3-1, 2-1... that's a 5.5 average if you take away the extra 6 shootout finals, not quite the days of the Left Wing Lock. Speaking of goals, let's check out Sidney Crosby's Saturday Hat Trick vs the Rangers...
7. Another "Champion" Is Crowned
-You know we always like to end with a comedy bit, and what better to fill those shoes this week than the championship of the UFL!! It went by so quick, I can't believe I'm watching the NFL and college football instead of this! I kid, I kid. Here's the highlights of the Las Vegas Locos' upset of the undefeated Florida Tuskers in the 2009 UFL Championship Game (I'm getting goosebumps just typing this...). By the way, this has an astonishing 279 views on Youtube, which makes it 139,235 views behind a video of paint drying as of press time, I'm not making that up. Anyways, about those highlights? Eh, who cares, here's the video of the game and of paint drying, you decide which one you would rather watch...
Check back later tonight as Mr Yoder II takes you through the world of College Football with the YCS Standings and the Heisman Watch, who will be #1 out of McCoy, Gerhart, Ingram, and Tebow? And check back tomorrow for our Protecting the Shield NFL recap and continuation of our Top 10 Games of the Decade countdown!
2 comments:
I've got issue with the Tiger situation, not so much your view of the incident.
Why is the media and we, the general public, entitled to an explanation by Tiger on what happened? If this happened to you or I, would we be fine with satisfying all the people asking questions? Is Tiger doing anything wrong in keeping this incident private? No.
I don't understand why a statement made by a famous person has to be critiqued so much and the reading between the lines is becoming too much for me to handle. Tiger owes us NOTHING; I'll spell it; N-O-T-H-I-N-G. Why does fame and fortune have to come hand in hand with full disclosure of personal matters?
- Brother Yohey
Brother Y, sure Tiger has the right to keep this matter to himself. But he has to understand that that method will only attract more rumors, intrigue, and controversy. Even the biggest Tiger supporter has to admit he's not handling this well, thanks for the comment.
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