Tiger Does It Again

Jason Sobel over at ESPN.com takes a shot at ranking Tiger Woods' Major wins in terms of importance.



I'm 29 years old right now and too young to remember when Michael Jordan started his career at North Carolina. In fact, you could probably say that I became cognizant of Jordan right at about the time he was averaging 37 points a game in 1987. Right before the Bulls would win 6 out of 8 NBA titles starting in the early 1990s was when Jordan became the greatest athlete on the Plano. Tiger Woods right now and assuming he comes back from his knee injury okay is the greatest athlete on the planet right now. I am fortunate enough to consider myself a professional golf fan well before Tiger's career started. Back B.T. (or before Tiger) the PGA tour was followed by old guys and hardcore golf fans. I fell into the latter category and I loved every minute. I remember when Tiger Woods won his first U.S. Amateur at Sawgrass. I remember when Tiger made his professional PGA tour debut the Greater Milwaukee Open. I certainly remmeber where I was during the 1997 Masters.



Anyway, it's hard to argue with his list. Here it is:

1. 1997 Masters
Woods' initial major championship remains the standard-bearer against which all his subsequent accomplishments should be measured. The win didn't just change the game; it changed the world. His jaunt through Augusta National broke down barriers, dispelling the notion that golf was a homogenous game built only for those of a specific bloodline. One day after Woods won that tournament, masses of people were inspired to try the game on courses and driving ranges around the world. That weekend golf became cool. It became popular. It became young and hip and brash -- all because of a young man named Tiger Woods, who usurped the world's best players by a record 12 strokes on the game's grandest stage.

Tiger's Take: "I never thought I would have a lead like I did. You envision dueling it out with Nicklaus or Watson or Faldo, but never to do it in the fashion I did."

2. 2008 U.S. Open
On its own, the torment at Torrey Pines may have been Tiger's most nail-biting, odds-defying victory to date. The six-hole stretch on Saturday that featured two lengthy eagle putts and a chip-in birdie that propelled him into the lead was brilliant; the make-or-break final-hole birdie putt on Sunday was triumphant; the 18-hole standstill with Mediate and ensuing sudden death victory on Monday were exhilarating. But it all holds extra cachet because of how badly injured Woods' not-quite-fully-rehabilitated left knee really was during the tournament and how little preparation he was able to do beforehand.

Tiger's Take: "I think this is the best, just because of all of the things I had to deal with. … It's a close one to the first one I won. But with all the things considered this week, yeah."

3. 2000 U.S. Open
Two words: Utter dominance. There has never been a major so soundly ruled over than this affair at Pebble Beach. Officially, Ernie Els and Miguel Angel Jimenez tied for second place at 3 over par. Tiger? He was 12 under. Most players win the U.S. Open by 15 and then wake up when the alarm goes off. Woods' dream was reality -- and doesn't even crack the top two on his list anymore.

Tiger's Take: "I got the trophy. Now I get to go home. But you don't really understand exactly what you've done, until time passes. And I'll appreciate this win a lot more in the future than I do right now, because I'm too close to the moment. And I had a wonderful week, a great week, actually, but I can't really tell you historically what it really means. I've been told that I've set a few records, but I don't really know what they are. I haven't had time. … The only thing I know is I got the trophy sitting right next to me."

[+] EnlargeAP Photo/Alastair Grant

Nearly two months after his father died, Tiger Woods won the 2006 British Open. Woods embraced caddie Steve Williams on the 18th green in a clear display of emotion rarely shown publicly by the world's No. 1-ranked golfer.
4. 2000 British Open
Asked on Monday to name his third greatest major feat (after this week's Open and the '97 Masters), Woods chose this one -- and for good reason. His compelling domination at St. Andrews led to an 8-stroke victory, but more importantly sealed his place among the all-time legends of the game, as Tiger joined Jack Nicklaus, Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan and Gary Player as the only players to claim the career Grand Slam.

Tiger's Take: "It's the ultimate," Woods said. "This is the home of golf. This is where you always want to win. To have a chance to complete the slam at St. Andrews is pretty special. I was able to bring it home."

5. 2001 Masters
No player in the modern era has ever accomplished the Grand Slam, winning all four professional majors in the same year. But after beating David Duval by two strokes for his second Masters win, Woods staked a claim to what became known as the Tiger Slam, as he held all four major trophies on his mantel at the very same time.

Tiger's Take: "When I won in '97, I had not been a pro a full year yet. I guess I was a little young, a little naive, and didn't understand what I accomplished, for at least a year or two after that event. This year, I understand. I've been around the block. I've witnessed a lot of things since that year. You know, I have better appreciation for winning a major championship, and to win it -- to win four of them in succession -- it's just, it's hard to believe, really, because there's so many things that go into winning a major championship."

6. 2006 British Open
Solemn and steely-eyed on the course, Woods never displayed the internal emotion that he was carrying throughout the four rounds … until his final putt dropped. Less than three months after his father, Earl, passed away, Tiger broke down in a rare display of public effusion, clutching caddie Steve Williams in a tight embrace while tears welled up in his eyes.

Tiger's Take: "At that moment, it just came pouring out and of all the things that my father has meant to me and the game of golf, and I just wish he could have seen it one more time. I was pretty bummed out after not winning the Masters, because I knew that was the last major he was ever going to see. So that one hurt a little bit. And finally to get this one, it's just unfortunate that he wasn't here to see it."

7. 2000 PGA Championship
Proving that sometimes the greatest challenges can come from the unlikeliest of sources, little-known Bob May matched Woods shot for shot at Valhalla. In a major championship version of Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better, Tiger showed that he was better than the absolute best May had to offer. The result was entertainment for the ages.

Tiger's Take: "The fireworks started on the back nine. This is probably one of the greatest duels I've ever had in my life. Hats off to Bob. He played his heart out.''

8. 2005 Masters
You'll remember The Chip. You know, the one on 16 that landed some 30 feet above the hole only to funnel toward the cup and hang inexplicably on the lip before swooshing its way into the hole. The bogey-bogey finish that followed? The playoff against Chris DiMarco? They all take a backseat to one of the most memorable shots of Tiger's career, which led to his first victory in his last 10 major appearances, the culmination of massive swing changes in previous years.

Tiger's Take: "More than anything, it's validation of all the hard work I've put into it. Hank [Haney] and I have put some serious hours into this and, you know, I read some of the articles over [the] past year of him getting ripped, I'm getting ripped for all the changes I'm making, and to play as beautifully as I did this entire week is pretty cool."

9. 1999 PGA Championship
With only one major to Woods' credit -- and none in his previous 10 attempts -- those who had anointed Woods as the Next Big Thing were already looking for the next Next Big Thing. They thought they had found it in Sergio Garcia, an excitable 19-year-old Spaniard who had the look and athleticism to be Tiger's longtime rival. Woods got the best of his young peer that week -- and the chalk outline of Garcia's major career may still rest somewhere on the final holes at Medinah.

Tiger's Take: "To come out of it on top took everything out of me. I just tried to hold him off and did the best I could."

10. 2002 U.S. Open
A return to a municipal facility brought a sense of energy back to the Open and no player was better suited to win one for the blue-collar crowd than Woods. To this day, it remains the lone major in which he and Phil Mickelson finished as the top two competitors, though in reality Tiger's 3-stroke win wasn't met with much of a challenge down the stretch.

Tiger's Take: "It's so hard to describe how good it feels to win a major championship, because it takes so much out of you, and it's so difficult to do because you have to really play well. And you've got to be at the top of your game in order to win a major championship. You can't go out and slop it around and win. And it's just really neat to look at the guys on the list that I'm a part of now. And hopefully my career will keep being positive."

11. 2002 Masters
By lengthening their course nearly 300 yards, Augusta National officials believed they were "Tiger-proofing" the Masters and setting a more level playing field. Think again. Woods surgically dismantled the larger ballpark, winning by 3 strokes to earn his second-straight green jacket and third overall -- trailing only Nicklaus and Palmer on the all-time list.

Tiger's Take: "I keep saying it -- you've got to have some good breaks. I played well this week, made some good putts when I really needed them, but I had some good breaks as well. I was able to somehow finagle a way to get up and down and save a lot of pars this week."

12. 2007 PGA Championship
Frankly, we're still trying to figure out how Woods doesn't own the all-time major championship single-round scoring record by his lonesome, rather than sharing it with some two dozen others. He shot 63 in the second round at Southern Hills, but was left befuddled when his final birdie attempt of the day failed to find the bottom of the cup, leading him to call it a round of "62½." That score did give him the 36-hole lead, though, one which he would never relinquish en route to claiming his first major win since his daughter, Sam, was born.

Tiger's Take: "It's a feeling I've never had before, having Sam there and having Elin there. It feels a lot more special when you have your family there. … So it's evolved, and this one feels so much more special than the other majors. … I was so excited and just want to give Elin and Sam a kiss and get back to signing my scorecard."

13. 2005 British Open
What does it say about a man who can claim a Claret Jug for the second time in as many attempts at the vaunted home of golf, and still have it rank so far down on this list? On a week remembered more for his idol Jack Nicklaus' retiring from major competition, Woods conquered St. Andrews to the tune of a 5-stroke victory -- his largest winning margin at a major in five years.

Tiger's Take: "It's pretty cool. I've kind of gone one past halfway. Jack's got 18, now I have 10. Man, I tell you what, I honestly -- when I first started playing the tour -- I didn't think I'd have this many majors before the age of 30. There's no way. No one ever has. Usually the golden years are in your 30s for a golfer. Hopefully, that will be the case."

14. 2006 PGA Championship
There's no such thing as a "bad" major title and picking one would be like naming a least-favorite child. But Woods' victory at Medinah is certainly the least memorable of the 14 wins. He took sole possession of the lead on the opening hole of the final round and never relinquished it, earning a 5-stroke victory without ever seriously being challenged. If you dozed off and don't remember, don't feel too guilty.

Tiger's Take: "It was a special day out there. I just had one of those magical days on the greens today. I just felt like if I got the ball anywhere on the green, I could make it. It's not too often you get days like that, and I happened to have it on the final round of a major championship. So it was a really neat feeling to have."

Bye Bye Reunion

Reunion Arena may be no longer according to news coming out of Dallas City Hall tonight

According to the Dallas Morning News,

On Tuesday, the Dallas City Council's economic development committee unanimously recommended closing Reunion Arena by month's end and preparing the 28-year-old facility for demolition

Off the top of my head, the two biggest events in Reunion Arena history were the 1986 final four and the Stanley Cup finals in 1999 and 2000. Many great memories of that place but it is time to let go...

Beatles Because They Kick Ass

Yes, this is most definitely still a sports blog but it never hurts to cover other topics and since I have come across this site recently and I know the Beatles are relevant for basically any generation.

This site has a bunch of YouTube clips and other videos of the Beatles throughout the years and much of these not many people have probably seen if ever in their lifetimes. Cool Stuff.

Here is a link to the site

Just a sample, but here is Paul and the rest of the band singing "Don't Let me Down"

Secretariat

Seeing Big Brown strangely finish dead last in the Belmont Stakes after looking so invincible in the Preakness and Kentucky Derby was very strange.

There have been many close calls, but the last Triple Crown winner was Affirmed in 1978 and it now 30 years and counting. Of all the great horses in history, noone will every touch Secretariat for sheer dominance.

Check out the footage of the 1973 Belmont...

Greatest Post Game Rant Ever

Watching Ozzie Guillen's rant and the Mariners manger John McLaren go nuts last week brought back fond memories of the greatest post game rant by any manager and probably ever.

Hal McRae

Erin Andrews Interview

Jamie Mottram of Mr. Irrelevant and Dan Steinberg of D.C. Sports Blog interview Erin Andrews for the Blog Show. Thanks to Awful Announcing.




Because I know a mention of Erin Andrews always gets cheap hits, and she is greatness. Apparently she just turned 30.

Memorial Day

I know my buddy Cuyler loves when I give YouTube links, so I hope he enjoys this Memorial Weekend update to the Blog.

Phil Mickelson wins the Colonial in dramatic fashion and I doubt many saw it being Memorial Day weekend and all.



Good post on Burnt Orange Nation about the state of the Texas secondary going into the 2008 season...



$72 million dollar house in DFW area...

Incredible high school basketball ending...

Cowboys Draft Picks

1 22nd overall -- Felix Jones RB ARKANSAS
From Cleveland

Jerry Jones may not have gotten Darren McFadden, but he did get an Arkansas running back. Felix Jones is not a power back who is going to consistently push the pile in short-yardage situations, and the fact that he shared carries with McFadden in college and lacks elite size raise concerns about his ability to carry a heavy workload. However, he is a big play waiting to happen; he's quick around the corner, shifty enough to make the first defender miss and turns on the jets in the open field.


1 25th overall -- Mike Jenkins CB SOUTH FLORIDA
From Seattle

Jenkins doesn't have a great deal of upper-body strength and struggles to reroute receivers at the line of scrimmage. You'd also like to see him capitalize on more opportunities to make big plays. That said, he has the potential to develop excellent man-to-man cover skills because he opens his hips well and is a quick, fast athlete. There's also a lot to like about his versatility; he can line up at safety and can make an impact as a kick returner.


2 - 61 overall

Martellus Bennett TE TEXAS A&M
Bennett isn't an elite run-blocker and doesnt have great top-end speed. However, he's a great value. Watching him on film and knowing that he played college basketball for two seasons, it's hard not to compare him to San Diego tight end Antonio Gates. Much like Gates, Bennett knows how to use his size to box defenders out and he can make tough catches in traffic. Taking the comparison even further, Bennett is versatile enough to flex out wide as Gates does in the Chargers' offense.
Complete analysis

4 - 122nd overall

Tashard Choice RB GEORGIA TECH
From Cleveland
Choice doesn't have breakaway speed and will put the ball on the ground, but he reads his blocks well and is a north-south runner who falls forward. He is the second running back the Cowboys have drafted and will provide depth. Also, there may be concern about getting Marion Barber signed long term.


5 143rd overall -- Orlando Scandrick CB BOISE STATE
From Chicago through Buffalo and Jacksonville

Scandrick probably would've been better off returning for his senior year so he could work on his footwork and add some weight to his frame. On the other hand, he's fast enough to run with receivers downfield and opens his hips quickly. He also has shown a knack for blocking kicks and can make an impact in the return game.


6 167 overall Erik Walden DE MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE
From Miami


Walden excels at getting to the quarterback and has experience lining up at linebacker and end. This is the second pick in a row in which we feel Dallas has reached; Walden isn't big enough to hold his ground at defensive end position and his speed will make it difficult for him to be effective in coverage as a 3-4 outside linebacker.

Ron Washington on the ropes and Cowboys Draft

Adam Morris over at Lone Star Ball is reporting on the possible imminent departure of Ron Washington as Manger of the Rangers

"Evan Grant says the triumvirate of Tom Hicks, Nolan Ryan, and Jon Daniels are meeting for lunch around now. He says Ryan and Daniels are supposed to meet with Ron Washington, as well, but doesn't know if it was before this meeting or after."

I personally think Jon Daniels needs to do something and this might be the best option.

Cowboys have 3 picks in the top 61 of tomorrow's draft and should probably go after WR, DE/DT, and Running Back. But we'll see. It should be interesting....

Worst Announcer Ever

After this fine work, Jeff Brantley might be a good candidate...

Opening Day

What a great time of the year!

March Madness is in full swing and we will be witnessing the first final four with all #1 seeds for the first time since seeding started in 1979.

Baseball season is just getting started and the Masters is around the corner.

A&M / UCLA Gold







The Bracket

The Next Koufax and Wearing Red

Baseball probably reached the peak of its popularity in this country in the 1950s. While the sport was huge in the 20s and 30s, after World War II major league baseball expanded out West starting with the Dodgers leaving Brooklyn and Giants leaving from New York for San Francisco(both in 1957) and going from there.

While Baseball is not considered a growing sport because it is too slow for this ADD generation, the sport will always have more nostalgia than any other and its fans are no less passionate then they were 25 or 50 years ago. With that being said, there is still nothing to me like baseball. Maybe it's because I was born in a baseball town (St. Louis), but I love America's pastime. With the season less than a month away, I figured I would give some baseball tidbits...

I picked up my tickets for the first 5 games of the Rangers season today so I am pretty pumped even if the team is probably headed nowhere. The kids in the Minors are hopefully not far away so hope always springs eternal at this point of the season.

Maybe the Rangers would be better served going back to their red uniforms.

Apparently, teams in Red win more

Highland Park Product and Uber Prospect Clayton Kershaw is going to be a very good pitcher barring some sort of collapse. He is only 20 years but arleady he is drawing comparisons to the great Sandy Koufax. Watch this clip of Kershaw's curveball and you might become a believer yourself.

Jimmy Kimmel is Fu**king Ben Affleck

The ongoing YouTube feud between Jimmey Kimmel and his girlfriend Sara Silverman has reached epic proportions.

Check out Kimmel's latest work:



Sarah's initial video that got the feud started with Matt Damon





Jimmy and Matt have a history



Damon does Matthew McConaughey

Texas and A&M Back to Thanksgiving

Brian Gamble (linebacker) after the infamous 1999 game following the Bonfire tragedy. I remember the early ass kickoff and the breakfast fiasco where the Longhorns never got served any at the Ramada. They ended up eating at IHOP or something. Major got food poisoning and Chris Samms had to start his first game as a Freshman in front of the most fired up crowd you've ever seen. I was in the stands that day and will never forget it:

The 1999 Aggie Bonfire Tragedy



Longhorn Band Remembers the Tragedy



Simms gets his revenge in 2000





Ricky in his younger days, back in 1995, which was the last game in the SWC history:

Highlights from the 1995, a Texas win clinching the last SWC championship

Texas A&M and Texas will play their annual rivalry game on Thanksgiving night this year for the first time since 1993.


"I'm thrilled that ESPN has offered to move the game back to that traditional date of Thanksgiving," A&M athletic director Bill Byrne said.

The new contract calls for the game to be played on Thanksgiving the next two seasons. For more than a decade, the game has been played on the day after Thanksgiving.

"This tradition-rich rivalry between two great universities deserves this type of exposure," first-year A&M coach Mike Sherman said.

Yes We Can

Big 12 Hoops Race

Taking a look at the Big 12 ratings, there is still much uncertainity about who is going to make the NCAA field out of the conference.

While it looked a couple weeks ago like the league would get at 5 teams in and probably 6, much has chaged at this point with 4 games remaining for each team.

Baylor and Texas A&M both find themselves squarely on the bubble.

Here is the outlook right now:

For sure in the field of 65
Texas, Kansas, and Kansas St.

4 teams now stand at 6-6 in the conference and it will be tough for any of these teams to get in the field with only a .500 record in conference meaning these four teams need to win 3 of their last 4 conference games to gaurantee an at large bid. It would be a shame if the conference only gets 4 teams in this year, because overall the quality has been very good this year in the Big 12 and I have been known to criticize the conference in the past.

Anyways, here is a look at the four buble teams.

Baylor -- 17-8 overall 37 RPI 32 Strength of Schedule

Wins over Notre Dame and South Carolina. Losses to Arkansas, WAZZU.

Ramaining Games: at Colorado, Mizzou, A&M, at Tech

Texas A&M -- 19 - 7 overall 44 RPI 77 SOS

Wins over Ohio st. and alabama, Losses to Arizona

Remaining GAmes: Tech, at OU, at Baylor, Kansas


Texas Tech -- 14-11 overall 56 RPI 7 SOS

Wins over Gonzaga Losses to Butler, SHSU, New Mexico, Stanford

at A&M, Texas, at Kansas, Baylor


Oklahoma -- 18-9 overall, 28 RPI 6 SOS

Wins over Arkansas, Gonzaga, West Virginia Losses to Memphis, USC, Stephen F. Austin

@Nebraska, Texas A&M, @Okie St., Mizzou

If I had to make a guess looking at these resumes, I think Baylor and Oklahoma will 3 out of their last 4 to give the big twelve 5 NCAA teams with the outside possiblity of 6 if one of these other teams makes a deep conference tournament run.

Watch out for Oklahoma's trip to Lincoln and Baylor's trip to boulder because both games are huge trap situations.....

It should be interesting these last 2 weeks.

DIRK and JFK

Since I know very few people probably watched the NBA All-Star game, check out Dirk Nowitzski's new TV Commercial.

See Description below from Robert Wilonski on wonderful UnFair Park blog by the Dallas Observer.

Till I can find a better version of the NBA's "Where Amazing Happens" ad featuring Dirk Nowitzki, which debuted last night during the NBA All-Star Game, this shot-off-a-TV version will have to do. One significant note: It's the first player-produced ad -- which is why Dirk told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram yesterday, "It's definitely good."

--Robert Wilonsky













Some breaking news in the JFK Assassination Story by Dallas District Attorney Craig Watkins...

Okay, not really, but it would be cool wouldn't it?

Anybody that is at all interested in the JFK Assassination has to see this Frontline Special. It changed my life...

Texas

In honor of my good friend Cuyler's return to Texas, here a couple of You Tube clips from our beloved Longhorns.

Kenton Paulino hits one of the biggest shots in Longhorn Basketball history to beat West Virginia in the 2006 tournament sweet 16 in Atlanta...

Do you remember who Texas lost to in the Elite 8 game to reach the final four?

LSU would knock the Longhorns out to reach the final four.

4) LSU 70, (2) Texas 60 (OT)


Though the game was close throughout, Texas needed a three-pointer from Daniel Gibson to tie the game and send it to overtime. Gibson's shot, however, was the closest Texas came to defeating LSU, as the Tigers took over in overtime. LSU's Glen "Big Baby" Davis had 26 points and a game-clinching three-pointer while Tyrus Thomas chipped in 21 points and thirteen rebounds. Gibson had 15 but teammate LaMarcus Aldridge was a non-factor, scoring only four points as LSU advanced to the Final Four for the first time since 1986.





In my first ever game at Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium back in 1996, check out this hit by Bryant Westbrook . Don't ask who I was rooting for.. Check out the cameo by once uber recruit Ron Powlus .




More Westbrook against Texas A&M in the final SWC game in history...



In case you have been in a cave the last few months, new Texas Defensive coordinator Will Muschamp is a bad man....

Where are They Now?

I grew up loving Notre Dame. This is no secret and anyone who has known me for any length of time knows I have a soft spot in my heart for Notre Dame. While the 2005 Texas football season will always be my most memorable year from a fan standpoint, the 1993 Notre Dame season ranks a close 2nd as far as interest and satisfaction in watching a team play.

In 2005, I had the good fortune of seeing that team play multiple times including its 4 most important games:


09/03/05 La.-Lafayette W 60-3

09/10/05 @ Ohio St. W 25-22

09/17/05 Rice W 51-10

10/01/05 @ Missouri W 51-20

10/08/05 + Oklahoma W 45-12

10/15/05 Colorado W 42-17

10/22/05 Texas Tech W 52-17

10/29/05 @ Oklahoma St. W 47-28

11/05/05 @ Baylor W 62-0

11/12/05 KansasW 66-14

11/25/05@ Texas A&M W 40-29

12/03/05+ Colorado W 70-3

01/04/06+ Southern California W 41-38

The 4 games I attended that year were Ohio St, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Southern California. The years prior to '05 I was able to attend many more home games, but I wouldn't trade the experience and those 4 games listed for anything.

Well, if you think about that '05 season that is how I felt for the 1993 Notre Dame season. I only saw that team in person once at the Cotton bowl after their tragic loss to Boston College.

Take a look at ND's schedule from 1993:

9/4 Northwestern 27 -12 W

9/11 @Michigan 27 -23 W

9/13 michigan st. 36 - 14 W

9/25 @ Purdue 17 - 0 W

10/2 @ Stanford 48 - 20 W

10/9 Pittsburgh 48 - 0 W

10/16 @ Brigham Young 45 - 20 W

10 / 23 Southern Cal 31 - 13 W

10 /30 Navy 58 - 27 W

11/13 Fla St. 31 - 24 W

11/20 BC 39 - 41 L

1/1 TExas A&M 24 - 21 W

Here is an interview with the QB from that Notre DAme team and listed as one of my heros on myspace page.




Kevin McDougal remembers 1993 Notre Dame


Here are some YouTube Clips of the above seasons.

Famous NBC Intro of the "Game of the Century" #1 florida st. vs. #2 notre dame in Southbend









Heartbreak against Boston College



Now to happier times...

Texas stuns Ohio St. in the HOrseshoe

Sidenote that I was in this endzone where the winning score occurred surrounded by Buckeyes...





Vince beats USC Iwas in this endzone as well surrounded by SC fans...



Ohhh, we need to see it again...

Mike Gundy

This Mike Gundy You Tube moment is worth visiting again. Here are a couple of links for your viewing pleasure..

Gundy becomes famous


Gundy Coors Light Commerical