Tiger's New Nickname: Cheetah!

Tiger. Tiger. Tiger. Of all people...

What amazes me more than anything else is the risk/reward factor that Tiger had to have assessed at some point and decided, "I'm good." Russian roulette is the only other risk that might be more dangerous. However, you might argue that the fact that Tiger has to live through the consequences of his "indescressions" might even be worse! As if the mere humiliation and embarrassment of getting caught cheating on your wife (and family) isn't detrimental, demoralizing, deflating and costly enough, a guy of Tiger's stature exemplifies the risk and downfall to the utmost extreme.

For a guy that seemingly possessed the fortitude and iron will to stand up to any and all challenges, he was done in by a force that he had to know assured him the consequences he is left to deal with.

Corporate America entrusted their image to Tiger. He reaped un-Godly popularity and financial gain from it. Marketability of this magnatude comes with resposibility - like it or not. This icon status made him a role model for millions of kids and adults alike. He never turned away from this obligation - he embraced it - as most anyone would. People would have killed to trade places with Tiger Woods. He had the world at his fingertips.

Being a person of this stature comes with inherent pressure to live up to the image. However, Tiger didn't have to accept the challenge and responsibility. He could have turned down the offers. He could have chosen another profession. He could have just played golf and gone home. It would have, no doubt, been easier to live outside of the larger microscope. But that was not the chosen route.

You also can't ignore the fact that none of this would have come about if Tiger was single. The fact that he was a married man in this position is the other factor that plays heavily into his scrupulous decisions. You could argue that, just like Tiger, Derek Jeter is a marketer's dream and has cashed in on many of the same opportunities as Tiger. However, the fact that he is not married has allowed him much more lattitude in the expectation and responsibility to toe a particular line of lifestyle choices and faithfulness.

In a day and age of mass exposure, camera phones, texting, social networking and internet uploading, how in the world does a guy like Tiger expect to keep these kinds of decisions under wraps? After all, the women that he was "transgressing" with have everything to gain and nothing to lose from their decision. They're not married. They don't have a world-wide image. They don't have endorsements. They don't have money. I suspect they would even enjoy bragging of their exploits. Not Tiger. In addition to one's own moral compass any one of those reasons would be plenty for most to walk the straight and narrow. The sum of all of them - wow! That's a lot of forces working against you for the temporary satisfaction of "getting a piece."

Now for the damage control...

Rumor has it that Tiger is renegotiating his prenuptuial agreement to entice his wife to stay with him. Why? If you want to pay off a mistress or two to avoid any further public humiliation, okay, that's understandable. But why would he be trying to pay off his wife? It seems rather short-sighted to take this approach. I'm sure the mindset and desire to keep the family together is important. It always is after the fact. However, how healthy could an arrangement of this sort truly be? And I suspect the effects of what has come to light will linger with the Mrs. for a while. I'm just guessing but this probably won't bode well for Tiger's chances in the sack for the next, oh, several years! Therefore, if he thought some action on the side was necessary before...

Tiger will probably never be trusted again. He's in for some miserable times. Most likely even more miserable than getting divorced. The fact is, money gets you a lot of things - especially as much as Tiger has. However, it doesn't get you out of this mess and certainly can't purchase you any peace of mind - the most important thing you possess and which you should endeavor to maintain.

This whole thing is still quite shocking to me. Just think about it in these terms: If someone told you that they'd give you a billion dollars (that's a 1,ooo times more than one million by the way) to NOT cheat on your wife, do you think you could do it?

I guess the only caveat to that proposition would be that you'd be surrounded by beautiful temptresses all the time that would be looking to break your will.

I think I could manage.

Fire Weis? Ouch!

Word on the street says Charlie Weis is done at Notre Dame. Evidently he has worn out his welcome in South Bend as the early success that the Irish enjoyed under Weis is now gone. It was the immediate success, on the heels of mediocre football under Tyron Willingham, that rewarded Weis with a huge, and premature, contract extension to the tune of 10 years. For all the smart people that reside at South Bend, the extension was a pretty significant lack of intellect on behalf of someone. Of course all fingers point to the athletic director when a decision like that is made. However, I have to think their were a few boosters and board members that wet their pants trying to convince the administration to lock Weis up since they had seemingly found their golden child. Coming from the insanely successful New England Patriot organization, Weis was viewed as the ray of hope to bring Notre Dame back to the glory days. And to lock Weis up for the foreseeable future was, at the time, a mandatory thing to do to solidify the Irish's bright future. So they thought. Now, the Irish have fallen back to their lackluster ways of recent past and the Domers are no longer content to entrust their future to Weis' direction.

Before I proceed, let me first say this - Notre Dame is no longer the be-all-end-all of college football like it was in the 50's and even through the 80's. This is also true for catholic high school football. This is key. Because catholic high schools are private, and heavily funded, they attracted (and still do) a lot of football talent. It was easy for Notre Dame to pinpoint the catholic high schools for their recruiting base. And what catholic high school phenom wouldn't want to go play for Notre Dame? If another college came calling, they were automatically second fiddle to Notre Dame. These "other" colleges had to search high and low for prospects at a time when recruiting wasn't a well funded aspect of the the football department. If a kid wasn't in their backyard, the process to identify top talent was inefficient at best. To sustain success under this process was almost impossible. Notre Dame, on the other hand, could tap into the catholic system year-in and year-out.

College football has now evolved into a national landscape. TV, and now the internet, has evened the playing field and exposed and commercialized many other programs besides Notre Dame. Over the last 40 years, the budgets for other programs have caught up with Notre Dame. Facilities, across the board, have gotten better. Recruiting has become more intense and better funded. While there is still great talent to be found in the catholic high school system for Notre Dame, they have more competition and can't simply send something on their letterhead and expect the recruit to show up in the fall. And let's be honest...South Bend is no Tallahassee, Austin or Gainsville when it comes to climate and booty call options. This reality is something Notre Dame faithful have a hard time coming to grips with. And because they can't, they think money can solve all their problems. I'm not saying they shouldn't try. They should, of course. They can still be successful - just not to the consistant levels that they feel they should be, or have been.

So, back to the situation at hand. From what I've heard, it will take some 19 million dollars to FIRE Weis. On TOP of this will be the money they will have to throw at their next coach. And to think they are going to skimp on their offering because of the money going to Weis and bring in some up-and-coming assistant to fray the costs is just not going to happen. They are going to go after one of the best coaches in the nation in order to right the ship. The two biggest names being floated about are Urban Meyer of Florida and Brian Kelly of Cincinnati. Meyer would have a higher price tag but Kelly wouldn't be cheap either. Assuming Meyer says no (why would he say yes?) let's say they go after Kelly. I assume it will take a five-year contract in the neighborhood of $15 million to get Kelly on board. So, the Domers are in for a cool $35 million over the next five years for their football coach!

Here's my question: What if Kelly falls flat on his face? What if the Irish continue their futile ways under Kelly and go 6-6 and 5-7 in Kelly's first two years? How patient are the faithful going to be with the new guy? At some point, they're going to be stuck with their coach. You can't think that if Kelly goes backward that Notre Dame would be ready to go through all this again, can you?

Let's just go through it real quick. Let's say that after three years Kelly is out. That means Weis will still be on the hook for roughly $8 mil and Kelly $6. So, before they higher a new coach at that point, they would be coughing up $7 million a year. Throw on another $5 mil per at that point for the next sexy name and you're paying $12 million per year for your head coach. Ouch!

I'm sure all the rich Irish alumns will just refinance their house and send the check.

This mentality doesn't have anything to do with the financial crisis the economy is in does it? Microcosm actually. If my example comes true I think the value of the Notre Dame diploma is going to be losing value.

Mike Goes Down Swinging

A couple of weeks ago the greatest player I've ever seen play basketball was inducted into the basketball Hall of Fame. Michael Jordan was the signature inductee into the 2009 class that also included the likes of David Robinson and John Stockton. Jordan's speech, however, was a little baffling to me.

As I sat and watched an emotional Jordan walk to the podium to a hero's welcome, I was expecting a humble Jordan to acknowledge the people that helped him achieve his monumental success on and off the court. That, I got. What I wasn't expecting was the actual names of the people that he chose to recognize.

Instead of focusing on Dean Smith, Phil Jackson, his dad, Scottie Pippen, Jerry Reinsdorf and others, Jordan, instead chose to drive a few final nails in the coffin of Bryon Russell, Pat Riley, Jeff Van Gundy, Isiah Thomas and others that provided the fuel for his killer instinct. I certainly understand the fact that these people drove Jordan in a particular way. However, I'm not sure a Hall of Fame speech is the sensible place to harp on these back-handed motivators.

As I sat and listened to the speech, it made me a bit uncomfortable for such time to be devoted to this cast of characters. It's not that he mentioned them at all, obviously these guys were a driving force in his efforts to use any and all reasons to fuel his fire. It was the fact that they were the basis of his speech. It seemed like he was using his final opportunity to address his decorated career to step on their heads one final time.

We all know by now how competitive Jordan was. It was certainly worth mentioning that part of what made him so competitive were the doubters and those that tried to stand in his way of success - good or bad. But a brief comment on these people would have been sufficient in this moment. To provide play-by-play examples and details of the ways in which he used these people to motivate him was over the top. It would be like giving a wedding speech and talking about all the girls that you didn't marry to find the one you ultimately chose. Maybe there is some credibility in the fact that there were other women in your life that taught you things about what you ultimately found in your wife. However, I'm not sure going that route on your wedding day is the time to reflect on these moments - and women. Instead, it would seem most appropriate to mention the more sentimental elements of why you were choosing to spend the rest of your life with THIS woman.

It was as if Jordan was saying, I might be done playing basketball, but I'm not quite ready to walk away. Winning was the ultimate high for Jordan. There's no questioning he would take any measure necessary to reach his goal. But in a career that is now over, I would rather have seen Jordan pay homage to those that taught him the game, those that inspired him to develop a love for the game, those that worked along side him to achieve success, those that provided him opportunities to succeed and those that were there to recognize his success. But Jordan took a different route.

I suspect one day he might look back on his speech and wonder why he spent so much time on the pee-ons instead of those that were true cogs in his final destination. Maybe not. But on a night where you only have one chance to get it right, it appeared Jordan fired a brick.

Health Care - My Version

I don't know all the details about the extremely complex nature of what is needed for adequate and acceptable health care reform but I have a few thoughts that seem like reasonable steps to providing a basis for reform. If I were in charge, here is what I would do:

1. Tie health care coverage to employment. If there should be one mandate, it should be that all employed people have to provide proof of health insurance coverage in order to be employed. Period. You want a job? Show proof of coverage before you can receive a paycheck. Much like proof of auto insurance is required to have valid vehicle registration. Now, I understand there is still a good number of people that somehow find a way to drive without auto insurance, so I'm sure this still won't get everyone properly covered - especially those that are self employed or day laborers. However, I suspect it would get more people into the system than there currently are - especially the 20-somethings that don't have health insurance because they think they're invincible and are the biggest segment of uninsureds.

2. Provide a form to be submitted along with tax returns that verifies health insurance. This would be yet another step in making sure people are covered. If the form is not submitted or cannot be verified, then an audit will take place that will either automatically garnish that person's wages for a baseline (catastrophic) policy or have the individual subject to tax evasion.

3. Do away with company provided health care insurance. Leave all insurance policies up to the individual to shop for and choose. Again, much like auto insurance. Have companies, if they choose, provide some sort of subsidy or contribution, by way of a clearinghouse, to the policy of the employee's choice. This creates more competition among insurance providers to reach out to individuals versus corporations - specifcally large corporations. Auto insurance isn't provided through corporations and it seemingly works just fine. Furthermore, costs/premiums are kept in check through healthy competition because there is always another provider that is ready to step in and provide acceptable coverage for an alternative price. You want the Cadillac of coverage? Pay for it. You won't minimal coverage? Pay for it...and accept the consequences when you need it. That's the risk you take and no one is to blame but yourself. As well, employers are still able to help with costs but not control care.

4. While I don't think this is something that can be madatory, I think insurance companies would be wise to be more accessible and user-friendly. Think for a minute about an insurance company having a kiosk or retail-type outlet for customers to come in and shop for coverage - much like how cellular providers do it. You want an iPhone? Where do you go? The Apple store. You can browse the store, ask questions and make an informed decision. You can ask about the details of the service plan and have someone show you how to add different applications to your phone. What if, instead of a phone, you were looking for insurance coverage? You ask a customer service rep about the pluses and minuses of different coverage plans and add different aspects of coverage to that plan. Your single, healthy with no kids and want a low premium? Let me show you this plan with a $1,500 deductible that covers you in case of a car accident or terminal illness. Would you like to add vision or dental to this plan? No? Okay. Our co-pays as part of this plan are 90% of prescription costs. Is that okay? Yes? Good. Sign this policy agreement and we'll start your coverage. You're married with two kids and have a pre-existing condition? Okay, here are a couple of plans that are popular for people like you. Most people choose option B which have a $250 deductible, 15% co-pay of prescription costs, $25 expenses for well visits and preventive care. Vision, dental and pregnancy care are included in this annual coverage. We offer this for $500 per month. Is that okay? Good. Sign here. This is a one-year agreement. At the end of one year you can change your plan to better suit your needs if you find that vision coverage isn't necessary or that you would rather decrease your premium in favor of a higher deductible or alternative co-pay pricing.

5. If the government wants to intervene to "help" control expenses or get more people covered, let them provide subsidies, like food stamps, to qualified individuals who pay taxes. This would hopefully motivate people to file tax returns so there is more money in the system to provide such help. The stamps could be used for mothly premiums, deductible amounts or co-pays. However the individual chooses to use the subsidy, they can depending on the need of the individual. It controls the extent to which those subsidies are used by the people that abuse the system now - i.e. I can't go to the doctor (ER) for every cold because I only have a limited amount of government provided assistance to cover such a visit. I would rather wait until something more "worthy" happens before I spend this subsidy or I would rather use it against my monthly premium.

6. Deny care to those that try and utilize the ER for general care without insurance. There's no other option to alleviate the cost associated with people that abuse the system. If you don't have insurance, we will not see you unless your bleeding, having a seizure, convulsing, been burned, have a compound fracture, a nail sticking out of her head or been brought to the ER by way of ambulance. This sets a guideline for care. If you have insurance, come on in if you think it's truly an emergency. If not, we will not see you unless it's a dire situation. If you're not bleeding, having a seizure, convulsing or been burned, etc., then you'll have to wait - you made the decision to not have insurance, not the hospital. I suspect this reality would cause most uninsureds to take a hard look at getting some sort of coverage. Tax payers don't pay to fix or replace your car when you get in a wreck without insurance, why should they provide health care if you choose not to have insurance? It's simple really. Just get some sort of coverage and you don't have to worry about a thing. For someone with a high deductible, the hospital may not recoup the deductible amount but at least they're covered for anything above and beyond. Better than what they're forced to deal with now.

Again, I don't have all the answers but it seems like these few steps would bring costs down and create a better health care environment. You get what you pay for. Probably way too simplistic. I'm sure there are many holes in my rationale but it seems like a good start.

Gates Gets What He Wants...And Hates It

As we all know by now, Henry Louis Gates Jr., a prominent and renowned Harvard professor, was arrested last week in front of his own home after a neighbor called 911 to report what appeared to be a break-in attempt at the Gates' residence. This story gained national attention for its racially related claims and even had President Barak Obama commenting on it in his national televised press conference.

Here is the official police report:

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2009/0723092gates1.html

For some more insight into Gate's take on the situation, here is an article from the Washington Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/21/AR2009072101771_pf.html

In my opinion, here is the most telling comment from Gates on the event:

"I'm glad that someone would care enough about my property to report what they thought was some untoward invasion," Gates said. "If she saw someone tomorrow that looked like they were breaking in, I would want her to call 911. I would want the police to come. What I would not want is to be presumed to be guilty. That's what the deal was. It didn't matter how I was dressed. It didn't matter how I talked. It didn't matter how I comported myself. That man was convinced that I was guilty."

I have a few responses to different parts of these comments from Gates':

A.) You WERE guilty of what was being reported! You were the one trying to break into the house - that's a fact! Now, because it was ultimately determined through some questioning and research that it was your own house and, therefore, not a criminal break-in attempt, officer Crowley was the one that determined you were NOT GUILTY of unlawful intrusion.

B.) Please tell me what else officer Crowley, or anyone, accused you of that wasn't fact? What else was officer Crowley convinced you were guilty of?

C.) Everything Gates says that he would want to happen if the situation happened again, in fact, happened the first time the event occured. However, evidently, it wasn't good enough. Be careful what you wish for, I guess. Furthermore, to suggest that only poorly dressed people that aren't well-spoken and don't handle themselves well are capable of crime is about as uneducated of a comment I have ever heard from a highly educated individual.

I would pose these questions to Gates:

Did someone look like they were breaking into the house? Yes.

Did someone call 911 to report it? Yes.

Did the police come to investigate the report? Yes.

Did Gates, in fact, have to break into the house - or at least, attempt to? Yes.

Was it determined that it was Gates' house? Yes.

Did the officer determine and conclude that the report was unjustified based on his findings at the residence? Yes.

Sounds like case closed to me.

Here's how the ordeal should have culminated:

Crowley: "Thanks for your cooperation Mr. Gates. I apologize for any inconvenience."

Gates: "No problem. Thank you for your time officer."

Unfortunately, Gates' behavior surrounding the events that, according to him, he himself would desire, were way off-base.

Officer Crowley was doing his job - plain and simple. Any claim of racism is completely unsubstantiated. Furthermore, Gates' claim of racial profiling is even more unfounded. Officer Crowley was simply responding to a report of a break-in in the area. He was not patroling the area and decide to approach Gates based on the fact that he was black. He did not randomly knock on the door and demand that Gates produce identification or else be arrested. He was doing his job.

To answer Gates' question of, "is this what happens to black men in America?" I would answer: no, this is what happens when the police get a call from a concerned neighbor who has reported a possible break-in attempt at this particular residence. This happens to be the protocol for investigating the situation and making sure the resident of the home, you in this instance Mr. Gates, is safe.

Having only limited facts into what he might be encountering, the officer's job is to survey the situation and act accordingly. By all accounts, that's exactly what was done by officer Crowley. Only Gates' actions lead to his arrest. Had he merely cooperated with the procedure, millions of Americans would still not know who Henry Gates Jr. is.

Consider these few thoughts for a minute: What if the actual set of circumstances were that Gates was being held hostage by the two men that were reported to be breaking into the house? Had this been the case, I doubt Gates would have been so confrontational and eager to claim racism in officer Crowley's procedure.

What if the men that were reported to be breaking into the house had a gun to Gates' wife's head in the basement and had sent Gates to the door?

What if the the two men that were reported to be breaking into the house were in the house, unbeknownst to Gates, waiting to ambush him, but hiding in a closet?

What if Gates and his wife were having a domestic dispute whereby she had locked him out of the house out of fear that he would harm her?

The point is, officer Crowley doesn't know how benign the situation actually is when he shows up. Even upon finding out that the person he is speaking with is the homeowner and was the person, justifiably, trying to break into the house, can officer Crowley be 100% confident that all is well. Only by some questioning and a brief investigation inside the house would officer Crowley be able to leave satisfied that the report was unwarranted.

The fact is, latitude needs to be extended to all police force when investigating a claim...and certainly one of intrusion. Given the endless set of circumstances that might be transpiring, there is a certain amount of due dilligence that must be conducted by the responding officer - I don't care if the homeowner is black, white, well-dressed, well-spoken, rich or poor. As we all should, Gates should recognize and respect this. Unfortunately, his education on race seemingly lead him to jump to illconceived conclusions about the level of the questioning. Instead of cooperating, Gates chose to resist, argue and draw undue attention to the situation. Therefore, he turned a "standard operating procedure" case into a volital national debate and got his mug shot taken in the process. Congrats Skippy!

Considering he's the one demanding an apology, I don't suspect Gates will be offering up any apology of his own for his role in this event. Sad if you ask me.



Just for the record, there was a black officer that arrived at the scene as well and supports officer Crowley's decision to arrest Gates for his actions.

I won't even touch on Obama's idiotic comments on the situation - that might be a whole other blog entry for another day!

Traffic School = Sucks

I had to attend traffic school today and it was as uncerimonious as I remembered it to be. I think next time I'll just choose to either do it from home by ordering the video or just blow it off altogether and take the hit on my insurance. But, I take pride in the fact that I "graduated" with honors (Cum Laude, thank you very much).

Nothing makes you feel like a dirty rotten scoundrel quite like traffic school. I suppose alcohol class might suck worse but I haven't had that privledge and I hope I never do. I only know that the only time I felt like such a societal bottom feeder was when I had to go to city hall to actually pay my ticket. I had to shower just get the stink off of that place. The people that populate city hall on a daily basis looking to resolve their debt to society are a rather scandilous bunch to say the least - certainly not people I'd want to rub shoulders with frequently - ever really.

But back to traffic school...

I suspect the majority of people that were in attendence (39 of us) where there as a result of speeding. However, the directive is no doubt to subject attendees to a program seemingly more fit for a felon. I understand the reasoning, the concept and the scare tactics - it just sucks.

The videos that you have to watch are very graphic and unsettling. They are graphic re-enactments of wrecks that have to do with not wearing a seatbelt, speeding or driving under the influence. It basically made me want to (a.) get a Hans device and a helmet (b.) drive 15 miles per hour and (c.) never have a drink and get behind the wheel in the same week, let alone day - not a bad thing actually.

If the government made 16-year olds take this course BEFORE going to get their permit, I would venture to say that a number of kids would say, "you know what, I'm gonna sit this year out and reapply at a later date." Hell, it almost me made turn in my license afterward. It makes me cringe to think that one day I will have to entrust my kids with the responsibility of driving. I think I'm going to get them a bus.

Nonetheless, I think for the foreseeable future I'm going to take a more conservative approach to driving. Not that I was ever wreckless necessarily but being that the consequences of taking certain chances are rather fresh in my mind after sitting through several hours of traffic school is a genuinely scary reality. I guess me walking away with that mentality makes the program effective and a good reality check for my otherwise invincible self (joking).

One other thing that it was good for is that it made me realize that my license has been expired for the past 10 days. Since I was already at the government licensing division it made it very easy for me to walk down the hall and get it renewed - my old license didn't look much like me anymore anyway - less hair now!

So, now that I have paid my debt to society, renewed my license and adopted a more responsible approach to driving, I can say that I'm back in good standing with the state and, theoretically, a better person. Self-esteem needs a little repair but that should come back in due time.

Now, I just need to go hop in the shower and wash off the "dirt-ball" label I left traffic school with.

Ian Baker-Douchebag

Ian Baker-Finch is my new nemesis. Why he is so prevelent in CBS' golf coverage, I don't know. Supposedly he's assigned to a certain hole but for some reason he takes over the telecast at times.

His accent is, at best, tough to bare. It's more annoying the more he talks and he says things that lack true golf insight - it's more of a rambling contradiction in most cases.

I don't think I'm alone in my sentiment.

Here is one recent exchange between CBS color analyst David Feherety and Baker-Finch after a replay of Tiger Woods holed a pitch shot behind the 11th green at The Memorial golf tournament that featured a one-handed finish by Woods:

Baker-Finch: That's how you play a soft shot. Keep the left hand going. Keep the club face open. Take the right hand off so you don't get too much effort.

Feherey: That's fundamentally not right.

Baker-Finch: Remember the shot that he holed from similar rough at the back of 14 a fews years ago in his three victories in a row.

Feherety: Who doesn't.

Really? That's how you play a shot? One-handed?

First of all, only the follow-through was one-handed. But Baker-Finch wasn't going to let that formality stand in the way of his sensationalism of the analysis. And to suggest that's how you, Joe Weekend Hacker, are supposed to play the shot is ludacrious.

The truth of the matter was that Tiger happend to take his right hand off of the club which was, in my opinion, probably to add a little drama to the shot as opposed to, as Baker-Finch suggests, how it's done correctly.

If you read between the lines, Feherety's two responses were essentially: "No it's not" and "You're an idiot"

Here is another comment from Baker-Finch after Jim Furyk hit a good shot out of a green-side bunker:

"It's so hard from these bunkers isn't it David because there's not a lot of play in that sand. It's very thick and heavy - almost a wet crusty feel."

Is it wet and crusty or thick and heavy? Thick and heavy? Maybe so. Wet and crusty? Well, since the course hadn't received any rain during the four days of play - probably not. As well, if a bunker is thick and heavy, it's most likely dry and there's a lot of "play" in it. If it's wet and crusty, not so much. What a moron.

A lot of golf announcers are guilty of over-dramatizing the circustances or the difficulty of certain shots but, for the most part, that comes with the territory. I mean, it's golf, which is to most people very boring to watch. Therefore, the analysts have to spice it up a litte bit but IBF has recently gotten to be a real bur in my saddle with his brutal input.

Moving onward...

Given the fact that a golf telecast takes on the same persnickity nature of the game itself, I would love to see a casual fan in the booth to give a little more of a hacker's point-of-view. Preferably someone that's not necessarily a Tiger fan and doesn't look to stroke him off at turn - God knows there's plenty of that going on already. I know Ferehety plays that role to some extent for CBS but I'm looking for someone a little more raw. Johnny Miller (NBC) is more of a realist in the way I like to hear golf commentated but I'd like to hear someone a little less educated in certain circumstances and more critical in others. CBS' crew just has way too much of a PGA love-fest going on. I feel like CBS' crew is a group of jovial tight-wads that need a no-nonsence critic that isn't afraid to always paint such a rosy picture.

New Tax Structure - Makes Sense To Me!

I heard an idea recently on the radio that made a lot of sense that I have yet to find much of a flaw with. The concept is to do away with the personal income tax and switch to a uniform increase in sales tax that will accomplish the same principle, yet to a greater and more all-encompassing magnitude. The main advantage to this concept is that it incorporates 100% of the US population versus the, roughly (and conservatively), 50% that currently report and pay personal income taxes.

As I see it, this structure would be a uniform, proportionate and non-discriminating structure that would alleviate the painful, time-consuming and expensive process by which most law-abiding citizens currently go through come April of each year. It almost seems way too simple. This probably explains why I'm either way off-base or the government is evidently resistant to the idea.

To simply do away with the personal income tax filing method in favor of a increased sales tax, no one is exempt. The rich can't search for loopholes or other tactics by which to avoid paying the piper. The middle-class chips in in the same blue-collar way they most likely currently do. The poor aren't exempt because of failing to file personal income taxes altogether or other entitlements that might be extended by the government. The illegal immigrants pay into the system regardless of their green card status. Men, women, children alike share in the responsibilty. No dependents. Your kid buys a pack of baseball cards, they're in - just like everyone else.

The basis is simple: You live here, you pay your share. You buy something, you contribute - whether you like it or not. If you can afford it (or should I say, even if you can't), you are carrying your weight with society. Want a cell phone? Pay the price - plus, say, 15% - 20%. Want to get your nails done? It's no longer $30.00 - it's $36.00. Seems nominal doesn't it?

What we would lose in the revenue generated from 50% of people paying their personal income tax would be more than made up for by 100% of the people paying an increased sales tax. No? I think so.

Now, we currently have a sales tax structure in place (6%) that serves this purpose to some extent. However, it's hardly enough to cover our national spending budget. In these times, when we're bailing out GM, Citi, AIG and the like, 6% is not only not enough but it still doesn't alleviate the need for the government to collect from responsible citizens. And even THAT still isn't enough. Seems like change is needed in this battle.

The fact is, the current system is set up for the rich to contribute the most (I think the stat is something like 1% of the population contributes 80% of the revenue generated by the personal income tax) and as the income level decreases, so does the obligation - the more you make, the more they take! Hardly reasonable or motivation to go knock it out of the park. As well, this won't necessarily go away by increasing the sales tax in lieu of ridding ourselves of the personal income tax. After all, the rich can afford more "stuff" and they buy more "stuff." Therefore, they will continue to pay in more to the system than anyone else. However, the playing field is level for everyone and your contribution is only determined by what you can afford - or choose to spend. No more of the guy that has a cell phone, a kick-ass stereo, 24" rims, low-profile tires and an iPod but evidently doesn't make enough to pay income taxes.

Corporations would adhere to the same policy. Buy inventory, pay as you go. Buy a machine, pay as you go. Buy a building, pay as you go. No loopholes. No need to pay quarterly or speculate and save for the end of the year only to find out that you're short. Pay as you go. Simple math that applies across the board.

Where is this unfair?

You make $45,000 and buy $30,000 worth of goods, you pay in $6,000. You make $2,500,00 and buy $1,000,000 worth of goods, you pay in $200,000. Seems perfectly proportionate to me. As well, unless you steal in order to avoid the consequences of paying the increased sales tax, it's a self-monitoring system. No longer would the IRS have to perform countless hours auditing individuals and companies to get to the bottom of how they might be sheltering income through shell corporations, LLC's or off-shore accounts.

There is a minor downfall with adopting this system as it would seemingly come at the expense of a number of jobs. The IRS wouldn't need the same number of employees to process the paperwork. Accountants and CPA's would, by-and-large, be put out of business. However, the people that hold these positions are bright-minded people. They're resourcesful. They have options. It's not like they are specially trained to weld or hang drywall with no other tools. Their knowledge and business accumen would surely be in demand in some other area of business commerce. Hell, now that the government is collecting from 100% of the population, they could even afford to give these people a severence package to cover them for a certain period of their pending unemployment while they seek alternative employment.

The positives sure seem to outweigh the negatives as I see it. You?

Try it for a year, see what happens. I have to think we would like the result.

But what do I know?

John Calipari either has a great knack for timing or knows when to get the hell out of dodge.

Back in 1996, after leading UMass to the Final Four and a 35-2 record, he accepted a job offer to coach the New Jersey Nets. Soon thereafter, it was determined that Marcus Camby, UMass' star player, accepted $28,000 from an agent and UMass was therefore forced to vacate their Final Four and all 35 of their wins from the '96 season. Now, it is being reported that a key player from Memphis' national semi-final team from 2008 never passed his SAT. If this is true, Memphis will surely be forced to vacate all 38 wins from their '08 season and be stripped of their Final Four accomplishment. Calipari will then hold an interesting record - the only coach to have ever lead two teams to illegal Final Four appearances. Hmmmm! Not sure that one goes on your resume.

The player in question from the Memphis allegations is surely Derrick Rose although that has yet to be reported as fact. What other freshman would qualify as being an intergral part of that team? Rose was Memphis' key recruit so to think that Calipari was oblivious to the fact that there were issues surrounding his eligibility is ludicrous. However, I'm sure that will be his claim. Not his department right? Riiiiiiiiiiiiight!

Calipari is now the coach at UK so, interestingly enough, allegations that surround his former program, his former star player and his most recent success are once again left to be sorted out by his former employer. Ironic? I think not.

The allegations surrounding Memphis were brought about back in January so Calipari was aware of this situation when he capitalized on an opportunity to take the Kentucky job. I have to think this made Calipari's decision to accept the Kentucky position a little easier than he let on. Nonetheless, I have to wonder if Mitch Barnhart and Kentucky were equally aware of this situation. The last person that can afford to have egg on his face is Barnhart. If he's not there already, Barnhart is becoming notorious for botching the due dilligence aspect that is required of his position. Therefore, I'm sure he will have yet another fool-proof defense to his decision to pursue Calipari in the face of these allegations - especially considering he claims to hold compliance in such high regard. However, if he did in fact know about these allegations and proceeded with the hire anyway it appears as though satisfying the faithful is more of a priority than compliance. If he did not know about these allegations then he's once again proven himself a fool when it comes to the background check that goes with analyzing viable candidates for one of his athletic progams. Regardless, rest assured that whatever he says will not be met with much understanding from the media hounds that make it their job to question his authority, process and motives.

Since taking the job Kentucky fans have been caught up with the Calipari love affair that currently surrounds their program. After all, in just a couple of weeks, Calipari's snake oil has landed them the top recruiting class in the nation and once again has the Bluenecks thinking about banner number 8. Therefore, don't expect Cats fans to do anything but justify Calipari's Memphis discretions as nothing more than something out of his control.

Out of his control? Doubtful. On his watch? Definately!

When Kentucky hired Calipari they were handed a double-edged sword. The Big Blue Nation figured the good edge would soon take them to great heights and that the bad edge would be holstered without consequence. However, in just a matter of weeks it appears that the bad edge is not only apparent, but could soon be wielded upon themselves. If the NCAA comes down on Calipari in addition Memphis (see Simpson, Kelvin), Kentucky could once again be doing business with one hand tied behind their back.

Maybe the consequences of these allegations never find their way to Lexington and Cats fans will get the next banner that they so covet. However, you might want to keep the ladder handy in case that banner needs to be taken down in the future. After all, that seems to be the modus operandi of the Music Man known as coach Cal.

In the meantime, Mitch Barnhart - call your office.

Just Horsing Around...

If I hear another sports radio personality or other member of the media say Rachel AlexanDER I'm going to bang my head against my steering wheel. I was going to say "shoot myself" but that hardly seems justifiable. Anyway, just so I can get this off my chest to all those listening, it's Rachel AlexanDRA! After all, she is a girl!

Okay, now that I just lowered my blood pressure by issuing that statement, I'll opine about the Triple Crown trail - well, I guess it's not a trail anymore since no Triple Crown is at stake in the Belmont. However, it has still maintained a high viewing priority - at least for me.

Derby:

I'd be lying out of both sides of my mouth if I were to say I had anything to do with Mine That Bird as I evaluated my picks. The object of my affection for 135 was Frisean Fire, Pioneerof The Nile and Papa Clem. Two out of three were in the hunt, the other is still running. Oh well. Such is life when you're trying to make sense of 19 horses I guess.

Nonetheless, Mine That Bird and Calvin Borel made a huge move at the top of the stretch that was certainly deserving of the victory. That horse obvioulsy had another gear that made it appear that everyone else was simply standing still. Kudos. Great kick. Great ride. For Borel to have the nuggets to slip through that sliver of space on the rail and motor home to the finish line was impressive. However, when I looked back at my program after the race, I hardly felt like I missed an elelment of Mine That Bird's racing history that would have told me he was sitting on that kind of performance - wasn't alone on that sentiment either.

The Derby is a great spectacle and although my interest in horse racing wanes at other times of the year, I always love the pomp and circumstance, as well as the buzz, that is created in Louisville around the first Saturday in May.

Preakness:

Rachel Alexandra was the class of the field and she proved it. Calvin Borel had a decision to make (riding the Derby winner or riding the Oaks winner) and he made the right one by taking Rachel's reins. In the world of tough decisions to make, that's one that you'd like to be faced with. Which brings about a very interesting plot to the whole Triple Crown trail. Who in the world would think that the Derby winner would have three different jockies for the Derby, Preakness and Belmont. However, it seems likely this is what will happen. Unbelievable!

Can you imagine the quagmire: Hey, we have a Derby winner and need a jocky. You interested? Nah...

As impressive as Rachel Alexandra was in her wire-to-wire victory, Mine That Bird's performance was every bit as impressive. For a horse that everyone thought was a flash in the pan, his gutsy effort was more than a mere validation of his Derby victory. Had the race been the mile and a quarter that the Derby is, he probably would have won the second leg as well. However, it wasn't. So, he didn't. Still, he had another hard charging performance that only lacked the same real estate along the rail. Nonetheless, he was game all the way!

Another interesting comment that I heard about the Preakness is that there was no strategy or decision for Borel to make during the race since Rachel was the class of the field and lead wire to wire. Bullshit. Pardon my French. Breaking from the 13 hole, he had to guide his horse into position while steering clear of the danger that presents itself as the field approaches the first turn. The pace was another factor to feel out. The fractions were quick and, as a jockey, you have to (a) have a feel for it and (b) understand what that might mean for your horse's ability to finish. As well, once the race enters the top of the stretch, you have to gauge (a) what you have left underneath you and (b) be mindful of who's coming up from behind. Granted, Borel didn't have to seize an opportunity along the rail as he did in the Derby, but it was still a tactical ride that requires more skill than simply mounting the horse.

Even though a Triple Crown isn't at stake as we head toward the Belmont, there are still plenty of exciting storylines to play out. I think Mine That Bird is suited perfectly for the Belmont distance and think the owners of Rachel Alexandra should strongly consider skipping the race. Not because she couldn't win it, just not sure it is in the best interest of the horse - but what do I know. However, if they chose to run Ms. Alexandra, it should be another scintilating race.

Can't wait!

Swine Flu - Shmine Flu

Can someone please tell me what the big deal is about swine flu? And I refuse to use the politically correct term - H1N1...it's swine flu. Period!

As of yesterday, there were about 1,500 confirmed cases in the United States. Hardly an outbreak by my calculations. Rounded by four decimal places that figure still equals 0%. You have to go six decimal places before something other than a zero even shows up. Hardly a reason to cancel sporting events, weeks of school or any other social gatherings.

The confirmed deaths from swine flu - 2! I'm not even going to do the research but I suspect more people have died from getting struck by lightning since the so-called swine flu pandemic. PANDEMIC! Pa-Lease!

A pandemic is described as an epidemic over a wide geographic area and affecting a large proportion of the population. Riiiiiiight! Swine flu should be re-labeled the no-demic.

I chalk up the fear mongering going on about swine flu as merely a slow week in the news. After all...it's the FLU! It's not like the swine derivative causes your head to fall off your shoulders. That might actually be something to be worried about. But it's not! The flu has been around for, what, 1,000 years? I would suspect there have been more cases of the regular flu in the past few weeks. Don't hear a whole lot of coverage about the good ole fashion flu being a pandemic do you?

The next time there is a sickness that warrants the pandemic label and the amount of news coverage that the swine flu has garnered, I would suggest the over-under be at least 1% of the population, be a sickness that has more substantial consequences and has precautions other than washing your hands.

That being said, I still don't want it.

Prep Star Tyler Heading Overseas

San Diego High School basketball standout, Jeremy Tyler, is heading overseas to hone his basketball skills. In doing so, Tyler, a Junior, will be skipping his Senior year of high school, foregoing his college eligibility, and taking his game to the Euro league. This has raised many eyebrows and drawn much criticizm around the nation as Tyler is the first prep star to leave high school early for the opportunity to play professionally. I, on the other hand, don't have a problem with Tyler's decision.

If anyone should have a problem with Tyler's decision to forego the balance of his high school and college eligibility, it's me. Tyler was Rick Pitino's prized recruit for Louisville's 2010 recruiting class. Louisville is my team. Tyler's decison directly affects Louisville's future - seemingly in a negative way. Therefore, this is bad news for me and all Louisville fans. However, I think for a player of his caliber it makes sense.

Amateur athletes all over the world often dedicate their life, at the expense of a typical adolescent lifestyle and schooling, to become Olympians or future pros. It isn't at all uncommon for a teenage tennis player or golfer to commit to a rigorous regimine that includes intense training to achieve their ultimate goal. These athletes could work their way through the typical route to achieve the same success but the resources and competition are often not as adequate. The only difference between Tyler and these other athletes is the pay grade during the process.

Not only will Tyler make millions of dollars of the next two years, which never sucks, he will be able to learn and compete from and against a much higher level of competition that can't be replicated in high school or even at a high level Division I college like Louisville.

Once Tyler is eligible for the 2011 NBA draft his experience could be invaluable as it relates to being able to step into the league with a game ready-made for the suitor for his services. Might his game be exposed to a certain extent that would remove the "upside" tag that most NBA teams draft upon? Sure. There is a risk to going this route. But I like the balls he's showing in taking on that risk and the commitment it's going to take to prove what he's out to prove. If he ends up being a top-5 pick, he will have played his cards perfectly and cashed some nice checks in the meantime.

Spanish basketball sensation Ricky Rubio started playing professionly in Europe when he was just 14 years old. By all accounts he will be a top-3 pick in the upcoming NBA draft. Don't seem to hear many people making too many disparaging remarks about his decision - and it came at an even more tender age. As it turns out, his decision ramped up his learning curve and ended up landing him on last years Spanish Olympic team playing alongside the likes of NBA'ers Pau Gasol, Rudy Fernandez, Jose Calderon and Juan Carlos Navarro as a 16 year-old!

Of course, my opinion of Tyler's decision does have a caveat. Given the fact that he's only 17 years old (from San Diego) there are some pitfalls that could be damaging to his future. After all, he will be in a foreign country forced to adjust to many other things beside the skill level of his competition. There will be homesickness, a language barrier to some extent, money issues that he's never had to deal with, increased scrutiny and press as well as the ego-related reality of not being coddled and hyped like he's surely become acustomed to. However, if handled properly, dealing with these things could be a good real-life lesson in what it takes to be a professional.

Obviously, we won't know how Tyler's decision ends up playing out for another two years. Maybe he falls flat on his face and never plays anywhere else BUT Europe. But if you're a sensation of his caliber why not cash in on the next two years and be better for it in the long-run?

How Tyler's decision plays out could lead to more high school players making a similar decision. However, I doubt it will be to the extent we saw high school players jumping directly to the NBA over the past 10 years. I think most players will see the college route as the better option despite the money opportunity in Europe. I think most kids still find playing for a college program, experiencing the college lifestyle, trying to carry their team to the Final Four or winning a national championship a dream they'd rather try and fulfill on their way to the NBA.

Furthermore, I think most players parent(s) will require that they finish high school so the European option would only be a one-year proposition. Therefore, the probabilityof gaining much more than money a year earlier won't be as valued as the opportunity to learn from a coach, like Pitino, for that one year, getting to play on national TV, in front of your family or being the poster-child for One Shining Moment.

We shall see.

So Long Big John

John Madden recently announced his retirement from broadcasting after 30 years in the booth. Madden was a stalwart in the booth for many of the NFL’s premier match-ups during his time as a color analyst. Hearing his voice typically meant you were watching a Monday night game, Sunday night game, playoff game or the Super Bowl. Not bad. However, while Madden’s presence over the game during his career was indisputable, his legacy is now a source for debate and talk-radio fodder.

John Madden had a perspective and a delivery that was unparalleled. This doesn’t necessarily mean it was entirely refreshing or likable for that matter. Generally speaking, he was a jovial, well-liked and well-respected color commentator. I never had a problem with his shtick they way I do, say, Dick Vitale, but to hail Madden as some mercenary or (cough) the best ever is a little too much for me to digest.

Madden certainly came to the booth with a great amount of credibility based upon his success as a coach for the Oakland Raiders. He brought an affectious style that seemed to speak to the common viewer and was able to gain popularity through knowledgeable insight but also through the timely rise of the NFL during the same time. His timing was perfect in this regard. Was he a cog in this uprising success? Sure. Was he the patriarch of this success? Hardly.

I don’t have a problem with Madden, per se. I was never overly annoyed by his style. Wasn’t overly impressed or intrigued by it either. He didn’t do anything for me that couldn’t otherwise be done by another solid professional (Troy Aikman). Those that are looking to label him as the best ever might need to step back and give pause before hanging their hat on that position.

Personally, I think if you want to start running down the best announcers ever, you start in baseball, not football. Think about filling the dead space of a baseball game with meaningful commentary as well as having the savvy and understanding to deliver to the average viewer the complex aspects that a baseball game entails.

In the latter years, I would argue that Madden basically became a caricature of himself. This wasn’t all his fault but, to me, listening to him talk in circles about the most inconsequential aspect got old and didn’t necessarily provide much useful analysis. It was as if he began to play into his own stereotype. There’s a difference between people laughing with you and laughing at you and it seemed in the twilight of his career there were some beginning to laugh at him.

I’m not hear to beat Madden up…I’m really not. He’s a likable guy that was good for football in many ways. I just can’t stomach the talk that a color commentator like Madden is being compared alongside the likes of true play-by-play announcers like Vin Scully, Harry Kalas, Jack Buck, Cawood Ledford or even Mike Tirico.

Play-by-play announcers have an infinitely harder job. By nature they carry a greater responsibility. They do the heavy lifting of bringing you the action. They’re the broadcasters that were many sports fans’ eyes and ears back when America used to gather around the radio to follow their team or listen to sporting events. A play-by-play announcer has to be quick, clear, concise, accurate and sharp. The real good ones are masters at setting up their color man to step in and provide, well, color analysis. They have to know just when to interject into the moment as well as when to shut up and let the moment speak for itself.

Nonetheless…

I’ll give Madden props for how he was able to capitalize on his cult like success and following. He put his name on a video game that has got to got to be the highest grossing video game in the history of video games. He parlayed his quirky evaluation into an hour long show to reveal his All-Madden team. He partnered his Madden Cruiser with Outback Steakhouse and had much commercial success pushing Miller Lite. He put himself in a well leveraged position and counted his money all the way to the bank. Well done my man. More power to you. Nothing wrong with being rich!

All-in-all, Madden’s timing for announcing his retirement was generally well played. Others tend to hang on way too long and die a slow death or fade off into obscurity. Madden, on the other hand, played his hand perfectly. Kudos…and thank you. We’ll miss you Big John, but I’m hoping we don’t get carried away either.

Hang In There Kenny

Kenny Perry had a golden opportunity to exorcise the demons of the '96 PGA Championship this past weekend at Augusta National golf course. He literally walked off the 16th green with one arm in the green jacket. Unfortunately, fate reared it's ugly head and Kenny's date with destiny quickly faded away.

Back in 1996 Kenny had a similar date with destiny wiped away on the last hole of the PGA Championship in his home state. Back then, Perry was merely riding an emotional wave of good fortune and solid play when he put himself in position to win his first major at Valhalla. Many considered his opportunity at the time a bit of a surprise. This past weekend at the Masters it came as no surprise that he was once again on the doorstep of major success.

Outside of guys named Mickelson, Tiger and Padraig Harrington, Perry has been the most dominant golfer on the PGA Tour over the past three years. His recent renaissance has earned him such prestigious wins like the Memorial and the Colonial, not to mention his success in the 2008 Ryder Cup. However, the golf God's have a crule way of showing up at the most inopportune times.

Nobody seems to be more of a geniunely good guy than Perry. If anyone deserves success for being humble and likable it's Perry. Unfortunately, likability and humbleness won't par a hole for you when you most need it.

Perry faltering on the final two holes at the Masters was, no doubt, a tough pill to swallow. But for someone that considers everything at this point in his career "gravy" it somehow makes you want it for him that much more. Perry's obviously not a pretentious up-and-comer that feels he's entitled to anything. He's remained grounded and taken his recent success in stride. However, at 48 years of age, his days to bring home the elusive major title that all touring pros covet are numbered.

I figure he's got 6 - 8 majors left in which he can legitimately contend. The numbers would suggest the odds are stacked against him to capitalize on one of those opportunities. However, if anyone can turn this recent negative into a positive, it's Perry. I'll be his biggest fan during his on-going quest to capture the ultimate pinnacle of his profession. I'm sure I won't be the only one to want such good things for Perry as he plays out the rest of his career. However, if the major championship that he so richly deserves manages to elude him during his final years I just hope that when it's all said and done, that career isn't defined by his monumental failures on golf's biggest stage, and more about the example he has set during those failures.

Hang in there Kenny. Although I'm sure it comes as little solace, and even though you've fallen a one hole short, you're finally gaining the respect and support that us Kentuckians have had for you all along...and it couldn't happen to a better, more deserving guy.

DVR v. Divorce

Being a father with kids that occupy the majority of my time away from work I am often relegated to recording shows or sporting events that I want to watch. My standard operating procedure is to head to the basement after the kids go to bed and settle in for the action that the rest of the world already knows the outcome of. Therein lies the rub. The fact that the rest of the free world knows about, commercializes, publishes, markets, advertises, discusses, debates and opines about leaves me in full defense mode from the time the event ends to the time I am able to start watching.

I take painstaking efforts to avoid gaining knowledge of the outcome of the sporting event that I have recorded since I don't want my small sacrifice of not getting to watch the event live ruin the drama that all others get to enjoy as they play out second by second. This approach might seem rather easy but some unpredictable and, therefore, unavoidable circumstances have played themselves out in some frustrating ways in the past few months.

Take for instance the NCAA's Final Four semi-final games. I was too busy laboring in the yard to catch the beginning of the first game so I recorded the game(s) and planned on starting from the opening tip of the UConn/Michigan State game once I've had a chance to get cleaned up and eat dinner. However, this proved a little more difficult than I had thought. I mean seriously, what the hell could possibly happen between the 20 minutes that it takes for me to hop in the shower and grab a sandwich and head to the basement that would reveal the results that I'm trying to avoid? Well, typically, not much. Unless, that is, your wife has a stake in the office pool and is now interested in the action.

My wife was tied for the lead heading into the semi-final games. The only chance she had a raking in any of the cash was for Michigan State and Villanova to win. So my wife, who couldn't otherwise care less about anything to do with sports, is now checking in on the action to see where she stands. Nonetheless, by the time I get out of the shower the first game is now finished. As I dart from the bathroom to the kitchen to begin watching my recording, my wife boastfully states: "I'm halfway there!" Thanks. Didn't see that one coming.

Another instance was theis weekend's Masters. Since I was (a) driving back from Atlanta and (b) it was was Easter, I recorded the final round. My kids wanted to call my parents to tell them about their Easter basket surprises so as my daughter is talking to my mom, I hear my mom scream (through the phone) about "Kenny Perry's putt." I look at the clock and it was 6:50 so I figured it was whatever was happening on the final hole. Because she seemed so excited I figured it was because Perry had made a putt to win the tournament.

My dad then gets on the phone and wants to talk to me about the finale. I told him that I had recorded the action so I wasn't watching. This further suggested to me that Perry had won because, being a Kentuckian, he's our boy.

After the kids went to bed I began watching the action. About halfway through the final round I decide to go send a quick e-mail. I would typically not have run the risk of seeing something on the computer that would ruin the result for me but figuring my mom had already spilled the beans, I didn't think I'd be finding anything out that I didn't already know. The home page that comes up is msnbc.com and wouldn't you know it, it has Angel Cabrera on the front wearing a green jacket. Although it ran contrary to what I had originally thought, it was yet another unexpected way to get the news.

A part of me wanted to convince myself it wasn't right. I especially thought it was an error when I saw the leaders walking to the 17th tee and Perry still holding a two-stroke lead. I had to wonder for a second if the picture I saw was, in fact, correct and, in fact, Cabrerra.

While both of these are recent examples, my parents and wife have been sources of my frustration in the past as well. In a previous Masters recording (which was won by Phil Mickelson - one of my favorite golfers) I asked my dad not to say anything regarding the tournament because I was planning on watching it later. He said, "Okay, I won't...but you're going to be happy." Wonderful dad. For a second there I thought you were going to ruin it for me.

I also recorded the NCAA Championship Game. As I hit the couch to begin the action I get a text from a friend of mine that simply says, "not worth watching."

I guess I just have to (a.) come to accept the fact that confidentiality is impossible for my viewing protocol or (b.) become a couch potato that ignors his kids and family responsibilities and watch it real time while warding off 10,000 distractions. I'm thinking the latter ain't gonna happen short of divorce.

Kelly, sit down, we need to talk...

Anyone know the number for Winters, Yonker and Rousell?

My Ideal of Diplomacy For Somali Pirates

A recent issue that is all over the news in the past few days is that of Somali pirates. A few days ago these pirates were able to overtake a US cargo ship, capture its captain (Richard Phillips) and take him hostage and have demanded $2 million dollars in exchange for the safe return of the US captain. Ransoms have been requested in previous hijacking efforts and many foreign countries that have dealt with these pirates have opted to pay millions of dollars in ransom money in order to resolve the ordeal safely without involving alternative negotiating strategies or some sort of alternative confrontation. It is speculated that the total of the ransoms that have been paid are in the neighborhood of $30 - $80 million dollars!

I'd like to offer up a different strategy.

My approach, I'm sure, lacks the diplomacy that our goverment would prefer to exercise but when you're dealing with a country and people that have no concept or respect for such, I think you deal in terms everyone understands - highly equipped armed force!

Our first order of business is to rescue Captain Phillips without the risk of having him harmed in the process. How you might ask? Negotiating is not the answer. Nor is meeting any monetary demands the pirates might suggest. Above the water tactics are proving to be a bit tricky without putting Captain Phillips in harms way.

Short of sending in Jason Bourne, here's my idea: dial in the coordinates of whatever lifeboat these captors are on and have a US submarine surface directly underneath the vessel and capsize it. All occupants of the boat are thrown overboard. A Navy Seal team swoops in and secures Captain Phillips while the pirates are left to either drown or get sucked through the propeller of the submarine.

While the current state of the situation is requiring our military forces, I think future endevours could be every bit as effective without the expense of our most kick-ass resources.

In order to appreciate the nature of the situation you have to understand who we are dealing with here. Somalia has lacked structured government since 1991 and has thus, been in anarchy for the last 18 years. Therefore, the inmates are running the asylum which means druglords are very influential people that have access to resources that are typically very hard to come by. These druglords are recruiting and equipping desparate Somali people with the promise of part of the cut of any ransom money that might be received from these heists. As I understand it, the Somali coast is littered with people of many trades trying to earn a living - most notably fishermen. The pirates involved in these heists appear as typical fisherman when they approach these cargo ships and eventually brandish weapons as they take over these highly valued ships.

Nonetheless, the pictures of these ships and their pirates would hardly seem tough to ward off for the types of liners that are sailing the seas off the African coast - especially if each liner was equipped with a US Marshal in change of "negotiating" with these "fishermen".

Here are the details of my suggestion: For the immediate future (and I don't think it would take long to get this point across) I would like to see these ocean liners be equipped with multiple touret guns and a US Marshal that is also armed with a couple of rocket launchers, hand grenades and a few other assault type weaponry. Any lifeboat, dingy or upside-down car hood that comes within 200 yards of any commercial liner will be fired upon. I think that language translates whether you're from Somalia, Mogudishu or Rwanda - back the "F" off! You looking for some ransom money? You're barking up the wrong tree.

I'd venture to say that after maybe three of four dingy's get blown into smitherines it might start to get a little tough for those druglords to recruit the next wave of brave souls looking to score some cash on the high-seas. But maybe not since there's always other liners out there whose countries are evidently more willing to cooperate.

UConn Women v. High School Boys

The UConn women’s basketball team just completed a perfect season by beating Louisville in the National Championship game Tuesday night. This is the second UConn team under Geno Auriema to go 39-0. This year’s team not only went undefeated but was, essentially, unchallenged. The Lady Huskies won every single game by at least 12 points and their average margin of victory was 31 points per game. These are obviously impressive, jaw-dropping stats. I commend them for their dominance and excellence.

As I watched the game the other night I asked myself how this dominant UConn team would fare against a average or decent high school boys team. It was an intriguing thought to try and process because I think there are several factors to consider which I will get to in a second. My answer, however, I arrived at almost immediately: It wouldn’t be close.

First of all, the women’s ball is smaller than the men’s ball. This is a bigger factor than you might think. I played high school basketball and could not palm a men’s ball. This may sound inconsequential but for ball control, dribbling and shooting it is a huge factor. As for ball control and dribbling, it would basically allow most guys to handle the ball like Michael Jordan. You know what I’m talking about - palming the ball, arm extended away from the defense while you warded off pressure and surveying the defense. A smaller ball also gives you more control while dribbling in traffic and gives you the ability to go stronger to the basket and even more readily alter your shot in a split second if need-be. These factors would instantly make high school boys tougher to defend for the women.

The smaller ball also provides a wider margin of error when shooting since the ball is smaller yet the rim size is the same. Because the boys are used to shooting with a bigger ball, this is an advantage that would only be realized by the boys. Given this fact, accuracy would obviously increase in shooting for the boys. Shooting range would increase for the high school boys as well, again, another aspect that would make them tougher to defend for the women.

Another immediate factor that would play to the boys’ advantage is physical size. Height would be the first noticeable aspect of the size comparison. A tall girl is anywhere from 6’1 - 6’4”. A tall high school boys player might be 6’3” - 6’6” (or taller). This general size discrepancy would make it especially harder for the women to play toe-to-toe with the boys in the post. Even point-blank shots would be tough to make for the girls given the fact that the defense they would have to navigate would be a challenge under these circumstances. This size advantage would, for the most part, be evident at all positions, therefore, the women would be challenged in a way that they are not accustomed to as it relates to getting good looks at the basket.

Another aspect of the size difference would be strength. Strength would be a component that would allow the boys to better dictate the action on both the offensive and defensive end. Stronger players would hold the advantage in posting up, boxing out, defending, rebounding and penetrating the defense on the offensive end. These types of advantages are key elements to the success, efficiency and effectiveness in which players and teams are able to out-perform their counterparts.

The last characteristic I bring up as a key element of this breakdown would be general athletic ability which I would characterize into such aspects as quickness, jumping ability , speed and lateral movement. The boys in high school would dominate each of these components as well. This would, yet again, give the boys a decided advantage in the many key elements of gaining an advantage on the opponent.

The only advantage that I can see the UConn girls would have is coaching. However, because the boys are better prepared to dictate all other aspects of the game, I don’t think any amount of coaching could off-set the other advantages that the boys hold.

I admire the girls game and can appreciate the exceptional skill that the UConn women’s team has over their female competition. I actually think the boys, or men for that matter, could learn quite a bit from some of the fundamentals that the girls exhibit. I even think watching the girls play live, in person, would give most people a newfound respect for their skills. However, I think the physical aspects that even high school boys have would be too difficult for the women to deal with.

To give you a quick example, in college I played one-on-one against a girl from the Western Kentucky basketball team that was Ms. Basketball in the state of Kentucky and broke Rex Chapman’s scoring record at Apollo high school. She was an All-American candidate her senior year, was a two-time all-conference performer for the Lady Toppers and, at the time of her graduation, held the single season record at Western for points in a season (736), scoring average (22.3) and set a single-game record for points (41). Therefore, she was no slouch! I’d love to have had the same success that she enjoyed. However, during our one-on-one game, it was no contest. She had to settle for outside shots because she lacked the strength to drive or post up with any great success. Rebounds were also tough for her to come by. Nonetheless, we played to 20 and I beat her 20 - 8.

Now for my prediction of the outcome between a decent boys high school team and the 39-0 UConn women’s team: 30 points!

Hello Me

Since this if my first blog entry on a blog that has no followers, I say, "Hello Me." Hopefully, over time my friends, family and, God willing, someone from ESPN will feel compelled to check in from time to time to see some of my thoughts and insights about sports, current events, family related things, friends, opinions, etc.

As some of you may know I would love to be a sports columnist. Until that happens (probably never), I figure writing my own blog is the next best thing. Therefore, I am anxious to use this forum as an outlet for my passion for writing.

Now, what to "blog" about first?