The Big Ten Network is Kaput!! (and other notes)

Big Ten Network Athletic Excitement!!!

Alright, I just checked the BTN, and got to see a few vet. students at Purdue talking about their classes...earlier today, I got to see the opening ceremony of the Armstrong Building. And while I'm happy that Purdue, and every other BT school has a lot of smart people in each institution, this isn't what we signed up for.

Perhaps I missed the announcement, but maybe France Cordova and her counterparts have taken over the airwaves...or maybe the BTN is just playing a rotten joke on me since I just got a new TV. Whatever the case, the new BTN stinks.

I want my sports, yo.

Tiger, Tiger Woods, y'all
Tiger Woods is a good golfer. How good? Well, he wins over 20% of the tourneys he enters...and when he makes it to the final group on the fourth day of a tournament, he's even better. He has now won 56 of 67 final group pairings in which he's played.

He just seems to crush players, great players, mentally. And this week, Paddy Harrington was that guy.

Trouble in NY
If you visit here regularly, you know that I have luke-warm feelings for baseball. But, I like to see the Red Sox win. The good news for me, NFL pre-season footbal began earlier tonight...The bad news, the Sox look pretty awful right now and are flirting with not evening being in the driver's seat for the Wild Card. And, at the same time, the Yankees look like a team that's actually worth the massive payroll that they've been forking out for as long as I can remember...money well-spent, I guess...finally.

Tiger To Take Mulligans, Too

You know, I've never much been a fan of the British Open. Like many American golf fans, I just don't see the appeal. Windy, overcast conditions, boring holes, greens the size of Texas, nothing pretty about any of the holes, etc.

However, the game was indeed invented there and it's a tourney that's revered by the players and it's a place where the countrymen truly appreciate their golf.

What's amazing about it is the fact that sometimes being over par is plenty to win, or at least be in contention. Sure, this happens at the U.S. Open sometimes, too, but that's mainly because they make the course an asinine length or let the "rough" grow to shoe-swallowing size.

In Great Britain, it's usually the wind. If you took St. Andrews, for example, and plopped it in Arizona, pros could shoot in the 50s. No joke.

So it's funny -- but understandable -- to me to see Tiger potentially not even using a driver this week at the British Open. This is something we weekend hackers do. I play with a guy on a regular basis who rarely uses his driver anymore. Our home course is 6600 yards from the blue tees -- pretty damn respectable (126 slope, for those interested). And yet this guy doesn't need a driver. He hits his 3-wood about 260+ as a rule and I've seen him crank it up to 300. Insane. But he sprays the driver everywhere. Solution: don't use it.

But to see a professional -- perhaps the greatest professional -- tamed so thoroughly by the conditions of the golf course that he's planning not to use the big dog... well, I'll tell you -- it reminds me of how humbling golf is, even for the greatest among us. And that's cool.

Weekend Sports Notes

Series might not come to a pause
According to a few different sources, the Purdue/UND series might not be put on pause in a few seasons as UND was reporting a while back. Jack Swarbick sees the importance of the second-longest running rivalry on the Irish's schedule.

Purdue and UND have beel playing eachother consecutively since the mid-40s...Navy since the 20s.

While I really don't want to see the Manatee and co. removed from Purdue's schedule, I really don't want to hear about Morgan Burke kissing Swarbick's ass to get a deal done. So if they start acting like the stuck-up ladies that they are during negotiations, let 'em go, Morgan.

Meat in the MMA
Former Purdue team clown and DT, Matt Mitrione will be heading a new direction as an athlete and entertainer in the near future. He'll be fighting in the MMA by way of a reality series in which a handful of former NFL players will be trying to make a new name for themselves in the same venue. Good luck, Meat!

Following in his whiny Daddy's footsteps

Marco Takes Over His Rightful seat
For a few years, Danica has held the throne as the whiny princess on AGR...Not anymore.

After a 3-or-4 lap battle with Patrick, Andretti overtook 5th place in the Bombardier 550. He went on to finish in that place. But that wasn't enough for Andretti. He of course had to get all bitchy after the race telling everyone that Danica doesn't understand the AGR team attitude as do the other three drivers who race for his Dad.

Hmmm. This is the same guy who's taken out his team mates on multiple occassions (Franchitti and Kanaan in different seasons)...the same guy who never takes responsibility for anything...and the most-recent target of his vitriolic speak is Ms. Patrick.

Danica is a whiner, generally...but this season she's pretty much kept her mouth shut and done her job...finishing in the top-5 more already, than she has in any previous season. But she's a free agent, so you can decide if she's actually grown up or she's just mimicking a Diva NFL WR in the same position.

Tiger's Back
Woods did something he usually doesn't do- won while not starting in the final group on Sunday. He was 4 back at the beginning of the day...and charged to a six-stroke differential on the day to win going away at the Memorial...The US Open at the monsterous Bethpage Black Course is just two weekends away.

Fed wins 14
Roger Federer won his 14th Grand Slam event in France yesterday as he edged closer to becoming the greatest player ever. Federer has never had great success on clay, but Nadal's exit from the tournament opened the door and he completed the job. Hopefully next year he has a chance to go through Rafa to win it so tennis snobs won't put an asterisk by this year's victory.

I really don't think this win is as noteworthy as his comments after the tournament. He was interviewed by EsPN later in the day and really wasn't too humble at all. The interviewer asked if he felt that like Sampras/Agassi, did Nadal make him a better player. He responded that he didn't think so...and instead, the rest of the men's professional tennis world should be thanking him for forcing them to raise their collective games. While he might be somewhat correct because he was so dominant in his early career, Nadal has pistol-whipped him on quite a few occassions in the last few years. False humility a la Kobe after game 2 of the finals isn't impressive, but neither is overly-compensatory cockiness when speaking of his biggest rival.

I'm Just Like Tiger Woods

I love golf and I really enjoyed the Masters again this year, but when this guy (Angel Cabrera, pictured) wins a major, it doesn't do much for the argument that this should be considered a "real sport." He's overweight, he's aging and he smokes. Then again, I guess that's why many of us love golf -- because we never feel truly out of it if guys like this can win.

I did feel bad for Kenny Perry, who seems like a truly nice guy but who imploded with two holes to go. Had this been Phil Mickelson, we'd be talking about it for months. Because it was Kenny Perry, though, it'll only sort of be remembered. Kind of like Jean Van de Velde.

But the inspiration for the title of this post was Tiger's situation on the 18th on Sunday. Playing well for most of the day, he hits his drive wayward and into some trees. Hell, I miss the fairway plenty. So he then has to punch it out. I'm also familiar with this shot. And then he shanks it and it rockets off a tree in a far different direction than he intended.

I'm telling you, I'm just like this guy. We were even born the same year and have hot wives. It's amazing you can tell us apart.

Good Friday Gumbo

We have entered a time of year that's a bit difficult for me to deal with- my personal sports desert. Conversely, J and Tim love this time of year as they are fans of beisbol...and while I grew up on the diamonds, I was never much a fan of watching it as my attention span is no where near long enough to watch an entire regular-season baseball game.

But for those of you out there who are baseball fans, congrats, your wait is over- the longest, most-drawn out major sports season is upon us- enjoy! Savor the 7,000 regular season games that each team plays. Unlike American tackle football, in which you always end the season wanting more, if you're a fan...with baseball, every bit of your craving will be satisfied, and then some as you watch players half-ass their way through the slug-fest that is the MLB season.

And if you're a Cubs fan, all apologies to you in advance...not because your team's a loveable loser, but because you have to hang around other Cubs fans (zing!!).

I kid because I love you guys, remember that.

Augusta
There are a couple of things this time of year that bring me great glee. The Masters is underway, and Chad Campbell has started off today as he ended yesterday. He's -2 this morning and -9 overall...with a three-stroke lead. Obviously, if he stays hot, he's going to win going away, but the amount of talent in his rear-view mirror might overwhelm him at one time or another in the next two days- Fuyrk, Perry, Cabrera, Weir, Cink and even Lary Mize are all in the top-20...and of course, Eldrick is in the conversation...and he'll hang around. If you watched yesterday, there was a three-hole span in which Tiger was playing like Tiger. He'll put together a five or six hole span today, and more than likely will be in the top- ten by Saturday morning. That's gotta be disconcerting- when a pro does everything right and is playing out of his mind, and this guy's just there...hasn't played his best golf, but you know a run's coming. That's when guys crack.

Painful
And speaking of crack, I watched some NBA basketball last night- haven't done that all season...and after watching, I remember why I don't watch. Somehow, NBA basketball moves slower than MLB baseball. I have no idea how they do that.

Spring Practice
Not a ton of note out of West Lafayette for Spring practice...Ken Plue is lighter, but still looks to be a monster. Keith Smith has also shed some weight since last season...and Hope thougth he was kinda pudgy last year. And Higgs and Beckford are both in position to be significant contributors in '09...and Beckford definitely passes the eyeball test as he looks like a BT linebacker right now.

The most note-worthy news out of West Lafayette this spring, other than Siller's forced-departure of course, is that another former blue-chip quarterback is talkinga bout looking at Purdue as a possible place to land...This quarterback is Robert Marve, TMill's University of Miami pal. Marve intended on going to 'Bama, then after a coaching change, headed to Miami, started there after a redshirt year, pissed off his coach and now is heading elsewhere.

I'm not sure if I can give him the nod on whether I want him in the black and gold, but Danny Hope wants to see him on campus, and will this weekend for a visit. A schollie has been offered.

Spring practice comes to a close on the 18th at the end of the final scrimmage, which is open to the public...the event begins at 1:00.

Sad State of things
Just a quick note about me being a moron- I wrongly lumped SI in with EsPN the other day after I read a half-arsed article on their website. Let it beknownst, Luke Winn and a couple other people at the magazine are good at their jobs. And, we're on a mailing list by the magazine that gives us the heads up on some interesting stuff they publish.

If you have 10-15 minutes, here's another article from SI that you should probably read.

You've probably figured this out if you visit regularly, that I'm a purist and idealist when it comes to amateur sports. I know there's a lot of corruption in recruiting and even merchandising and that has woven itself into the fiber of amateur sports, but I love to see young athletes playing a game because they love it. I also love to see student athletes who are also good kids and do things correctly...AAU basketball has done a whole lot to bastardize high school and collegiate basketball, and shoe companies, crooked college coaches, agents and TV have all gotten their grubby hands into this grimy side of the non-pay game.

The article above takes what you knew to another level as these corrupt adults are using every inch of the rules to make themselves money at the expense of these expendible commodities that many of us see as kids.

As Gene Keady used to say angrily, "Kids need Dads..." And he was right, and there are many snakes in the grass of high school basketball dressed as caring individuals that have nothing but their own interest in mind. It stinks to see more and more of it...

Not sure I'll post again in the next few days, so if I don't-
Happy Easter weekend to everyone and their families!

What's Dumb, White and Can't Control Its Mouth?

I know this one...there are actually two answers- First it was Rory Sabatini and second, Rat Thief Goosen.



I know, I know, Ratief was being funny when he made his hilarious comments about Woods faking his knee injuries. I'll tell you, there is really nothing funnier than knee injury jokes...By the way J, you faked your knee injuries a few years back...The crutches and limp made it REAL convincing. See, that is funny.

Turns out, ole Faker Woods might not have been pulling everyone's leg...In fact, he was actually much worse than he let on. I've never torn my ACL like Tiger and J Money...but I have partially torn ligaments in my ankle. That was no picnic. My little injury put me in a walking boot for weeks. I've also had stress fractures in the same ankle...that put me in a cast.

Tiger Wuss

So, when I found out what Woods had played through to win the US Open, my man crush got even bigger for ole Edrick. The amount of torque he put on that knee each time he swung the driver was immense and has been talked about ad nauseum, but simply walking on that knee was an accomplishment in itself. Think about this- Woods walked about 23 miles in four days on a torn ACL and two stress fractures. That's gritty, I don't care which sport you play. Heck, some athletes can't even walk 23 feet even with no injury at all.

Tim's been really upset with all of the golf talk on our site in the last week. Well, with Woods out of all PGA events for the rest of '08, I'm pretty sure golf talk will generally subside around the US...Hope you're happy now Tim!!!

How can you not root for Mediate?

Tiger and Rocco just teed off at the Open for the 18-hole playoff. They both hit their first drives in the fairway and Rocco congratulated Woods after Tiger sarcastically raised his hands in celebration.

Mediate is a chatty guy...he's twitchy...acts nervous and quirky...really seems to enjoy being in the position he is today...overall, he's a likable dude. Part of me would really like to see Rocco do it since he's never won a major. That said, I'm still pulling for Woods. Why do I keep rooting for him? Because I just love seeing records being broken and watching history being made. Each time Woods steps on the course gets one step closer to other immortals of the game. He might be the greatest who's ever played the game...I hope I'm watching as his record leaves no doubt that he was just that.

-Oh, by the way, if it was sudden death, Woods would have just won the tournament. Woods is up by one stroke as they head to two.

-Rocco is up by 1 after 4.

-Even after 5

-Woods up 1 after 6.

-Woods up 2 after 7

-Woods up 2 after 9

-Woods up 3 after 10

-Woods up 1 after 13

-Rocco up 1 after 17

TUNE IN IF YOU'RE NEAR A TV!

Sudden death...Tiger & Rocco still even after 90 holes.

It looks like Rocco just lost it with his last shot...stay tuned.

-Woods on in two...Rocco hitting his third from the rough (designated drop after ball came to rest next to grand stands)...

-Tiger wins in one hole during sudden death playoff.

Woods Sizzzzzzlin'

Tiger Woods bum knee doesn't seem to be bothering him...in fact, a slight limp isn't slowing him down at all. Experts, like myself, thought the torquing on his knee would be too much for him since he swings so hard. Yeah, it really stifled him...he only reached a 600+ yard hole in two. In case you don't like him, tough...He's going to be in the final group both Saturday and Sunday.
I will give the anti-Tiger crowd this- ESPN's pro-Woods slant, especially when he's in 36th place is silly and sometimes annoying...but, they simply have to keep their cameras on him because you never know when he's going to do what he did on his final nine holes this evening. He shot a 30 for nine at the US Open. Simply amazing. Mickleson was also chipping and scrambling well on the same nine holes in which Woods topped his score by SEVEN strokes. Silly.

Green Jackets Are Studly

Hey! The Masters started today. And some dude named Ian Poulter had a hole in one (they're going with "Poulter Heist" over on ESPN.com). Tiger's even for the day with only like 20 guys to jump over... nothing for him.

And since I like to share old commercials that I think are cool, here's evidence that Tiger can do things with a golf ball that no human should be able to do.

Come on... seriously...

Weekend Sports Notes

Tiger Woods is a Good Golfer
I told you guys this a few weeks back, but maybe this will help you understand just how great Tiger Woods is at the gentleman's game:

The PGA, like many individual athlete sports leagues has rankings that roll over from year-to-year...And Woods wins a lot of tournaments (he's entered two and won two in '08). So, it's not a surprise that he's got a commanding lead on the rest of the golf world. But, the point gap between Tiger and Mickleson (#2) is the same as the gap between Mickleson and #1000in the PGA standings. Seriously.

It's estimated that Woods could take three years off from the game and would still be in the lead.

Mrs. Tiger Woods dominates the other PGA wives off the course as her husband does on the course

Good News...Finally.
My fellow BS writers don't really care at all for racing, let alone open wheel racing. I thoroughly enjoy the IRL and believe Indy is still the best race and racing venue in the world. For years, I've been pleading and begging for Champ Car to stop the charade and fold itself into IRL. Well it looks like it might happen in '08. If you're not a NASCAR guy, you know this can't happen soon-enough. Here's to the possiblity of the IRL returning to the national consciousness as it was before the split.

Super Mario

The State of Basketball in the State of Basketball
For the first time in a long time, when the AP poll comes out Monday morning four college basketball teams from the state of Indiana will be in the top-20.

Butler has been very good all year, IU has been standing around and watching Eric Jordan beat a whole bunch of teams all year, Notre Dame is suddenly a Big East contender, and a youthful Purdue team has grown up a season early.

It kind of reminds me of the days when Phelps, Knight and Keady were prowling the sidelines.