Tiger Woods is making good column fodder for us in the biz
T.G.'s Ten
Tiger, Tiger, Tiger ... tsk, tsk.
Far be it for me to cast stones here, but when the most recognized athlete in the world hits the tabloids for infidelity, then a tsk is in order, doncha' think?
Much of this story has left a bad taste in the mouths of many golf fans. After all, the story first broke in the National Enquirer, then exploded everywhere when he drove over a fire hydrant and crashed into a tree with his Cadillac Escalade and went to the hospital in the wee hours of the morning.
Since then we've heard the 911 tape of a call made by his neighbors, mini statements from Woods asking people to respect his privacy and then he dropped a bomb on everyone with a huge public apology on his Web site on Wednesday morning.
In the apology he speaks of "transgressions" that he regrets while adding "I have not been true to my values and the behavior my family deserves."
Woods has always been perceived as a clean-living guy up until now. A reported billionaire who is married to former model Elin Nordegren.
It's one that I should be able to get this out of my head eventually, as long as he doesn't use a 3-iron ever again. For those scoring at home, it's the supposed club of choice used by Nordegren to break out the back window of the Escalade to extract El Tigre.
2) Well, old Charlie Weis was not retained as the head coach at Notre Dame. Not sure why since the Domers were hitting stride down the stretch this year.
Weis had six years left on his contract when let go and will cost the university millions just to be told to go away. I heard a radio report that he paid each of his assistants a million dollars each as a goodbye gift.
Wow!
Now the search is on to find a replacement for the struggling Irish. Not sure who it's going to be, but I'd bet it won't be another of those fat cats already out there.
3) The Chicago Blackhawks played Columbus on Tuesday and won in a shootout. It took the two teams 11 rounds to determine a winner, which was closing in on the NHL record of 15 rounds.
Sounds exciting an all, but a total of three goals were scored of the 22 attempted.
Sheesh, maybe someone should have used a 3-iron.
4) Venerable NCAA football coach Bobby Bowden was informed this week that he was not going to be asked back next year. The 80-year old will retire from football as the second-winningest DI coach of all time behind Joe Paterno of Penn State.
At 6-6, Florida State has a bowl game left to send Bowden off. My guess would be the Gator Bowl and what better matchup would there be than against 6-6 Notre Dame?
But only if the Fighting Irish are coached by the Blackhawks goalkeeper from the other night.
5) Speaking of old ... or were we talking about the Bears' offense?
Ron Turner's play calling in the red zone? Orlando Pace's knees?
All the losses?
Take your pick.
6) Jimmy Johnson just won NASCAR's title for the fourth straight year. It is incredible how he has dominated the sport since breaking into the competition with Hendrick Motorsports.
I've often joked that the Chase for the Cup would be quite exciting these days were it not for Johnson. Still, Hendrick teammates Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon finished second and third this year. The only Hendrick driver nowhere to be found was Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Maybe he should apply for the head coaching position at Notre Dame. Why not? He had as much head coaching experience as Weis did five years ago.
Hehe.
7) The White Sox inked outfielder Andruw Jones and infielder Omar Vizquel as insurance for the team in the past couple of weeks. There are those that are speculating that Jones won't be a regular this year but the 32-year old center fielder did not have a bad year last year. Though he only hit .214, he did hit 18 doubles, hit 17 homers and knocked in 43 in 281 at-bats. If he plays center field anywhere like he used to, I'd take that.
Not sure about how much Vizquel had left in the tank, though. I'm pretty sure that both he and Bowden played on the same handball team in high school.
8) Speaking of handball (or oddball if you want) word is that the Cubs are trying to hand Milton Bradley off to another team. I say hand him off because it is doubtful that anyone is going to pick up much of the remaining two years and $20 million left on his contract.
In addition to eating his contract, it is said that the North Siders are going to have to take on a "bad" contract, as well. Right now the two names that have been bandied about on the radio the most are Pat Burrell of Tampa and Luis Castillo of the Mets.
Earnhardt's bad contract would also qualify but I doubt Hendrick would want to put up with the headache Bradley brings to a team.
9) Loved the Drew Litton cartoon that ran this week about the BCS. It was a picture of Santa Claus telling football players with TCU, Boise State and Cincinnati uniforms on, "I don't care how good you've been, you're not getting squat from me."
Raise your hand if you know anyone — ANYONE — not in favor of a playoff system for the NCAA.
No joke needed here. Just mentioning the BCS goes far enough.
10) Former MLB player Tommy Henrich died on Tuesday at the ripe old age of 96. He was the oldest living Yankees player who won four World Championships.
He may be best known for hitting the first walkoff homer in World Series history in Game 1 in 1949.
Which makes him the perfect story to end on.
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