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Paper Tiger

By John Ekdahl

Round 3 of the W.G.C.-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club kicks off today with Tiger near the bottom of the leaderboard. Tiger has won 7 of the previous 11 tournaments played at Firestone, so it’s been surprising to see him post 74-72 over the first two days. The 74 on Thursday was the highest score he has ever posted at Firestone. Clearly purple isn’t his color.

Phil Mickelson is one shot behind leader Retief Goosen and in striking distance of the number one player in the world ranking for the first time in his career. If Woods finishes lower than 44th (he’s currently tied for 77th) and Phil can post a top-4, he’ll take over the #1 ranking. Mickelson, recognizing the opportunity, trotted out in this yesterday. It’s a good thing Paul is on vacation.

 
  
 
Comments (70)

    I think Tiger needs to get back to sleeping with random women or he’s never going to get his A game back.

    /yeah, I know, that’s a horribly wrong thing to say

    You’re not wrong, The Jeff, not at all. Your point is EXACTLY relevant to what seems to be going on. In general terms.

    Tiger used to be in total control of everything. His game, his money, his facade, everything. He was one of THE alpha-males in sports. Now he’s not even in charge of when he sees his kids.

    He is quite literally redefining his entire relationship with life, with the world….how he fits into it, and how much power he has, or doesn’t have.

    It isn’t surprising he’s struggling. In golf it’s all about the mindset, and it’s up to the individual. Not like other sports where someone trying to de-cleat you, or fire a 100 mph fastball upside your head, kinda forces you to get focused.

    (Mickelson looks a bit like a Northwestern football player from the ’60s… color scheme-wise, that is).

    —Ricko

    In a sense, Tiger Woods is somewhat like Mike Tyson. Of course, Woods had the facade of a good family man, but there was a time when both had the potential to be called the best ever in their respective sports. Obviously, Woods was dominant for a much longer period of time, but Tyson appeared to be unstoppable, too. Now Woods may never win a major again, with his knee and personal problems. Tyson became irrelevant years ago.

    Ricko, great points, well stated. I think you nailed it.

    On Mickelson’s “uni”. He never looks like his clothes fit him. He wears the European cut pants that his body type just wasn’t made for. The white belt and the tight shirts should be left for the younger generation too. His (and others) black shirts with the sponsor names/logos I’ve never liked. Annika Sorenstam used to wear those too. Too much logo creep. And the short sleeves don’t look right on him.

    Uh, that’s not a ‘tight shirt’ and the sleeves are the proper length for a sporting garment. Phil is outfitted with a properly fitting shirt. Short sleeves should not come to the elbow and the sleeve seam should not fall below the crest of the shoulder. I don’t know why it happened, but over time, men were brainwashed into thinking that their clothes should fit a full size or two larger than they’re supposed to. Even the sizes themselves grew (a pre-1990s medium is roughly the same size as as a post-1990s small, and now many companies make garments in size XS so that the people who used to wear size small can buy shirts that fit, because current smalls are too large)

    “August 6, 1952 – Satchel Paige, at 47, becomes the oldest player in major league history to pitch a complete game or a shutout when he and the St. Louis Browns beat Virgil Trucks and the Detroit Tigers, 1-0, in 12 innings.”

    How old is Jamie Moyer again? Although I don’t think he’d go 12 innings, no matter what.

    —Ricko

    As a connoisseur of the hue, I would have to say Tiger donned a polo more of the lavender persuasion. Meanwhile, clearly Phil is sporting orchid.

    Tiger’s lost it. He’s done. The game is so much mental, and the intimidation/fear factor from the other golfers isn’t there anymore. They would just roll over before because they knew he’d stomp them. No more. And what’s with the silly goatee/mustache thing he’s sporting? Trying to look gangsta or something? Give it up, Eldrick. You did it to yourself. The only one that was ever was going to be able to beat Tiger…was Tiger. Case closed.

    Ahhh, if he wasn’t caught, like MANY on the tour, he’d still be right there on top. Believe me, he’s just one of a bunch that partook/partake in that lifestyle out there.

    I’m trying to think of something I care less about than tiger woods, but I’m having a hard time…

    tiger’s not done in this sport…not by a long shot

    however, once they started testing for PEDs and the like, he became mortal

    not saying tiger ever took the stuff…just saying that ever since they started testing…

    Ricko-

    I think Jamie Moyer is 47, but he’s gone for the year due to injury. Thought there was an outside chance for him to reach 300 wins with good health, but he’s stuck at 267, so that’s not going to happen.

    Jaime Moyer broke this record earlier this season when he threw a CG shutout against the Braves on May 6
    allowing only 2 hits. It was a 9 inning game.a7

    BULL DURHAM is on Versus at 3 p.m. EDT.

    Just, y’know, in case it’s raining where you are or something.

    —Ricko

    Red Sawks/Yanks – yes. Sick of it. Bull Durham – my favorite. Maybe of all time.

    I saw the same thing. Cano and at least one base coach — but no other Yanks — had a pink Harmon on their collars.

    Did anybody notice the shots of Andy Pettitte wearing sunglasses with another pair above the brim of his cap?

    And of course, later tonight these guys
    link
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    will headline the NFL Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremonies.

    When’s Ray Guy getting in?

    Wasn’t Guy a first round selection by the Raiders? It’s going to be tough for special teamers like him and Steve Tasker to enter Canton. Football, unlike baseball, has a glut of worthy candidates. Personally, I think L.C. Greenwood should have been inducted already.

    Ken Stabler has merit, but his last several years were forgettable. Still remember him looking old with the Saints wearing # 16. I think that was around the time Earl Campbell was limping around wearing # 35 in a Saints uniform.

    Watching Twins pre-game show.
    Throwback Night in Cleveland.

    Indians in something they’ve worn before, I believe.
    Cleveland Buckeys, maybe?
    Twins wearing unis of the “Saint Paul Gophers”. Looks like mono black with a white crown hat.

    —Ricko

    1909 Saint Paul Gophers (and they’re navy blue, not black). About the most letters I’ve ever seen on an MLB game hat: STPG
    1946 Cleveland Buckeyes.

    Blyleven is talking about how the “Gophers” remind him of the late ’70s White Sox unis. “Navy blue with the white socks.”

    —Ricko

    Gophers have collars, too. Pullovers with placat. 3/4 quarter sleeves (or so).

    Good looking game. Twins haven’t wore a true throwback since, I believe, 1997 (that’s the year Ron Coomer mentioned in the pregame), when they wore early 20th Century Senators unis at the Dome.

    —Ricko

    No argument here. Navy and white works. Loved those late ’70s White Sox unis. Remember seeing them on a warm, clear spring night at Met Stadium in ’76.

    “Gophers” socks have a really wide solid navy stripe around the calf, but a lot (most?) of the players are blousing their pants low enough to cover it.

    —Ricko

    White Sox wore white sleeves with their navy jerseys, though. And the white crown caps didn’t last much past the first road trip.

    —Ricko

    After re-identifying the unis for viewers tuning in late, Twins’ play-by-play man Dick Bremer just said of the Gophers unis, “I’m surprised they don’t have a big Nike swoosh on them.”

    —Ricko

    For anyone interested, it was either late in the top of the 8th or early in the bottom of the 8th that Bremer said that (likely the former, I think; pretty sure a Twins hitter was on camera when he said it).

    —Ricko

    That stach of Pavano’s makes it even better. But the Newbalance shoes need to go away. One instance Scott Ericson’s shoepolish would have been nice.

    According to the telecast 1909 Gophers were a Negro team, played the “Western League” or something. Apparently had a 36-game winning streak that year.

    Thought I’d link to the Wikipedia entry (haven’t read it yet)…
    link

    —Ricko

    LI Phil | August 7, 2010 at 5:06 pm | Reply
    “ray guy was a kicker, right?
    /never”

    Punter. And he should be in. This is coming from someone who can’t stand the Raiders, mind you.

    Stenerud’s in. Why can’t Guy be in?

    Until Ray Guy is enshrined in Canton, and the Moody Blues and Chicago are enshrined in Cleveland, neither is a legitimate Hall of Fame.

    Interesting, I remember Guy as a very athletic punter as well. Early in super bowl 19, he pulled down a high snap with one hand for a successful kick. Another punter would have likely misplayed the high snap for a turnover.

    Throwbacks in Hamilton, and the Ti-Cats look great while winning the game!
    link
    OK, they’re fauxbacks. Sleeve number was never that small back in the day.

    Stripes were never that thin, either.

    Eskimos wore throwbacks to the Warren Moon era last night. Sleeve stripes looked pretty good, allowing for today’s jersey cut. The socks, though, were a joke, to the point of looking ridiculous. Can’t figure out how why the sock companies (most of them) do such a shitty job on the sock stripes.

    You’d think they would, oh, I dunno…look at a photo of what they’re trying to replicate, maybe?

    —Ricko

    Crazy question, I know, but would Montreal ever wear a Concordes throwback? I recall Turner Gill in a Concordes uniform, they had a white helmet instead of the blue Alouettes helmet of that era.

    I’d doubt it, but you never know.
    link
    They had a blue…uh, bleu helmet as well:
    link
    I have a picture of them in the white helmets and jerseys against Hamilton, but it’s downstairs somewhere with my old programs.

    Not certain what the deal is there exactly. Think the original Alouette folded, and the Concordes replaced them, possibly even as a league-run team (at least for a while). For first season (’82?) Concordes wore a royal (well, almost navy) helmet with no stripes, just a logo on the side, with a red jersey and white pants. A very generic uni, actually.

    The following season the helmet was changed to striped white and added royal pants were added on the road.

    The current Alouettes are, I’m pretty sure, a different franchise altogether from the other two. Last season, of course, they wore the throwback white “winged” helmet and red jerseys of the ’60s Als…so I suppose there’s no reason they couldn’t wear Concordes unis, too. Other than it represents the low point of the CFL in Montreal in the past 5O+ years, probably.

    —Ricko

    Not certain what the deal is there exactly. Think the original Alouette folded, and the Concordes replaced them, possibly even as a league-run team (at least for a while). For first season (’82?) Concordes wore a royal (well, almost navy) helmet with no stripes, just a logo on the side, with a red jersey and white pants. A very generic uni, actually.

    The following season the helmet was changed to striped white and added royal pants were added on the road.

    The current Alouettes are, I’m pretty sure, a different franchise altogether from the other two. Last season, of course, they wore the throwback white “winged” helmet and red jerseys of the ’60s Als…so I suppose there’s no reason they couldn’t wear Concordes unis, too. Other than it represents the low point of the CFL in Montreal in the past 5O+ years, probably.

    –Ricko

    Actually, the current Alouettes are the old Baltimore Stallions. They moved when the Browns became the Ravens.

    I saw the end of that game. Thought something looked different, and I realized it was the old number font. Too bad Toronto didn’t play along. I like their new unis, but the 80s Argos had one of the best unis of all.

    Oh, and I have got to watch the replay of throwbacking Saskatchewan at Montreal!
    link
    It’s an I’d-wear-that-palooza!

    I have a bunch of CFL games on VHS from very early ’80s.

    All the games were just gorgeous. Top to bottom, the league had great looking unis back then. Well, up until the Pepsi Al’s went away, that is. Then the quality dropped just a bit. One-ninth, actually, I suppose.

    —Ricko

    In fact, if I were running the show at Pitt, I’d say, “Here’s our new football unis, just change the helmet logo to the Marino/Dorsett-era script ‘Pitt’. And, yah, let’s do it in white edged in royal the way the Blue Bombers did their ‘W’, just to put a new spin on it.”
    link
    link

    —Ricko

    That would work for me. Winnipeg’s my least favorite CFL team, but those were great unis.

    By the way, notice the all-black shoes on the throwbacking Alouette?

    ‘cept I think Biletnikoff was the only guy who wore black shoes with that uni (had a mess of white tape on them, of course). White shoes were team issue with the Pepsi unis.

    —Ricko

    Also pretty sure those are the socks from the Al’s road unis (they may have worn them for one season at home, though).

    Most years, the homes were royal with white-around-red NW stripes (with a white bottom to replicate a crew sock).

    Ottawa Rough Riders wore white socks like that both home and road in early ’80s, though (J.C. Watts era).

    —Ricko

    Saw the highlights on TSN.com. Only a few Als went with all-black shoes.

    I gotta DIY me a JC Watts jersey some day. Loved watching him at OU and at Ottawa. Read his book, and was disappointed to see he or his proofreader referred to his team as the Roughriders instead of Rough Riders.

    From watching the Notre Dame coverage on ESPN, I’ve got to say that other than the different color armpits, I like the Notre Dame practice jerseys, with the Adidas 3 stripes going up the sides..
    Not the best pic, but the best I could find..
    link

    In the words of Mr. Vilk.. “I’d wear it!”

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