This is what we learned on the golf course. And not all of it was pretty. Speaking of which: Boo Weekley's outfit. Now, we know he's a popular player and perhaps some will disagree with our fashion sense.
But …
Camouflage shirts on the golf course? Did you see his brown shirt? And the orange hat that looked like someone took a paint brush and flung brown paint on it? If he had played in the group with Michael Allen, Greg Owen and Kevin Streelman then Weekley could have worn anything. Or even nothing. Because nobody would have noticed. Well, aside from the 30 people around the green.
And we learned that the cool thing about seeing the pros up close is to watch the stars of yesteryear. Like Fred Couples -- he's too old to be called Freddie. And much too old to be referred to as Boom Boom anymore. But he's still as smooth as a good Brunello. On the eighth hole, Couples drove into the rough and was blocked by a short hill. His approach landed in a greenside bunker. Then his bunker shot skidded across the green, nearly rolling into more sand. And Couples' reaction is that he swung his club just a bit faster before handing it to his caddy. That coolness is why he's lasted so long.
Ah, but this tourney is about Tiger Woods. Here's a tip: when he's about to tee off, close your eyes and listen. The impact of his club on the ball just sounds more explosive. Just like...
A week after the NBA Draft and two days after the start of free agency, it's still too early to discuss: (A) whether or not the Eastern Conference rankings from top to bottom have changed, and (B) whether any of the contenders have actually improved their chances to challenge for an NBA title.
By adding forward Charlie Villanueva and guard Ben Gordon, Detroit Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars made good on his intention to go after the top free agents available. But the double move, which cost all of the salary cap space the Pistons had available, may end up being little more than a replacement for likely-to-depart Rasheed Wallace and Allen Iverson, not Chauncey Billups, the player the Pistons missed the most last season.
In addition, neither Villanueva, who averaged 16.2 points and 6.7 rebounds for Milwaukee last season, nor Gordon, who was Chicago's leading scorer with 20.7 points per contest, are upgrades defensively. They also don't prevent Tayshaun Prince and Richard Hamilton from getting a year older.
However, like the Wizards, the Pistons have put themselves back in the discussion in what promises to be, if nothing else, a more thrilling and attractive Eastern Conference. We're simply reserving judgment on the overall balance of power until Orlando, Cleveland, and especially Boston play their offseason cards....
07/02/09 8:54 PM
It's still about Lance Armstrong. Even though he hasn't raced in the Tour de France for three years, he's a seven-time winner who will enter as one of the favorites. So says Versus racing analyst Phil Liggett.
"He proved to us in the Giro d'Italia that he was -- by the time that race finished -- probably the best ride in the race," Liggett told The Examiner's Jim Williams. "His form had come great and he took a while to come back after his broken collarbone in Spain and when he started the Giro, he was behind. By the last week, he was very strong. I think the riders are scared of Lance right now."
Liggett said it's a two-man race between Armstrong and possibly his teammate, Alberto Contador.
Tour de France veteran Levi Leipheimer told Williams that the southern track will test the riders because of the heat.
If it becomes an even bigger test of wills, then it's once again advantage Armstrong.
"I guarantee -- he'll be a reckoner in this race," Liggett said. "He will not take it lying...
A couple weeks ago Lucas Glover needed an ID card in his own house. Now he's known worldwide after winning the 109th U.S. Open at Bethpage Black.
Q » Was there a moment where you were like, 'What did I do?'
A » There were a lot of those. I think I said to myself, 'Really?' a couple of times. That part has definitely sunk in and it's a good feeling. But it took a few days.
Q » A lot of U.S. Open champions will take some time off, why didn't you?
A » I was committed. I wasn't in the British yet and needed Hartford and here and the John Deere to get into the British Open. I was scheduled to play and I won. I didn't want to change because of that.
Q » [Do you agree with the description of you as] an honest Texas Ranger type?
A » It's funny, one of my pro-am partners today said, 'Man, I'm glad I don't ask you too much, you'll tell me the truth, won't you?' That's the way I've always been, and that's not going to change....
David Beckham caused a stir in Washington in August 2007, making his first appearance on the field with the Los Angeles Galaxy against D.C. United in front of a sellout crowd at RFK Stadium and sending the local paparazzi into fits as he popped up at different hotspots after dark.
But it was at Morton's The Steakhouse in Arlington where he infamously saw an early effort to fit with his new teammates backfire, details Sports Illustrated's Grant Wahl in an excerpt of "The Beckham Experiment." The book is an explosive inside look at Beckham's first two seasons in Los Angeles, which hits bookshelves this month -- just as Beckham rejoins the Galaxy for his first MLS match this season vs. New York on July 16.
At the dinner he helped organize with 10 other players two years ago, Beckham wasn't recognized by the waiter, who promptly took his wine glass when Beckham said he didn't have an I.D.
Later, when the check came, Beckham paid only for himself despite a $6.5 million salary ($48.2 million with endorsements), leaving his five-figure salaried teammates to hope their $45 per diem would be enough.
Wahl offers an unprecedented behind-the-scenes account of Beckham's life with the Galaxy in 2007 and 2008, with the meal at Morton's just the first hint of disconnected times to come.
"[Landon] Donovan didn't call Beckham out at Morton's after all," writes Wahl....
One name came to mind when watching Redskin players Jason Campbell and Antwaan Randle El tee off at times at Congressional during the pro-am Wednesday: Mark Brunell.
Why? Because their tee shots often resembled Brunell's passes: high and out of bounds.
Thank you; we'll be here all week.
Turns out the safest place to be when they teed off was in the middle of the fairway. Unless it was an adjoining fairway. The first one we saw Campbell hit happened to be on the 11th. Alas, he was teeing off from 15.
And it only took one hole to see why Tiger Woods opted to play with Tony Romo instead of the local starting QB. Romo is a player; Campbell is still learning the sport. Here's a tip, Jason: pivot on your shots.
Judging by the crowd, they wanted to see Romo as well. Of course, he was playing with Woods as well as the Minority leader of the House John Boehner (R-Ohio). Still, there were more fans wearing Romo No. 9 Dallas Cowboy jerseys than there were actually following Randle El and Campbell (as well as Mike Weir and Caps coach Bruce Boudreau). Their gallery numbered around 40. Heck, Romo got a polite reception for his first tee shot and only one fan shouted, "Go Redskins!" But before the opening ceremony, he was loudly booed.
In fact, we counted two fans wearing Redskins shirts during the first few hours of their round.
But the Campbell group was more relaxed,...
Shaq already joined Cleveland; Vince Carter was shipped to Orlando and even the Wizards acquired their talent by way of a trade. So when NBA free agency opens today, it could pale to what’s already taken place.
Still, all these players can help:
Impact
SF Hedo Turkoglu » He takes big fourth-quarter shots, can handle the ball and execute the pick and roll flawlessly. Is he worth $10 million a year? Tough call.
PG Andre Miller » He’s a terrific passer and underrated talent, partly because he’s so quiet. Do not take Mike Bibby instead of him. Bibby will not take you far in the playoffs; Miller can.
“I love him,” one former coach said. “Philadelphia would be seriously not as good if they let him go. He’s not a true leader because he’s so introverted, but he’s one of the best point guards in the NBA from the free throw line on down.”
SG Ben Gordon » He can score and would provide instant offense. ’Nuff said.
Enigma
PF Charlie Villanueva » Cleveland reportedly is interested. But any team should be wary of committing major dollars to Villanueva.
“I don’t know if he could be a starting power forward on a playoff team,” the former coach said. “But he had a great season and he can make shots all over the floor. Just don’t ask him to get big stops or big...
The Wizards need a big man. Free agency offers a couple choices. But will that make for a match? It's debatable. Even though Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld said there's no mandate to avoid the luxury tax, one NBA source said, "I don't think they will go over."
But if they do -- and they're already committed to $75.8 million, which, if they enter the season at that mark, they might have to pay the tax -- they need to find more help inside. Aside from Brendan Haywood, the Wiz lack any real playoff experience or consistency.
Antonio McDyess would help; he's a good shooter, tough defender and rebounder. He wants to go to a contender, but he'll likely have better options than Washington, which has a mid-level exemption available ($5.6 million) and a veteran minimum (around $1.1 million).
Forget Rasheed Wallace; he and coach Flip Saunders reportedly clashed while both were in Detroit.
Zaza Pachulia, Shelden Williams and Marcin Gortat are other possibilities.
"Orlando feels he's a 20-minute player at best, but I really, really like him," said the NBA source about Gortat. "He'd be a good addition and wouldn't cost too much."
The Wizards also have a biannual exception ($1.99 million) and could find a lower-level big man.
Another option is to trade some guards, but will a team be willing to take on Mike James and his $6.46 million contract --...
Tiger Woods may be the biggest sports celebrity on the planet, but even he can't trump the importance of the Redskins in Washington, a lesson he'll learn first hand when he's paired Wednesday with Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo in the Earl Woods Memorial Pro-Am.
Woods was asked Tuesday if it'll be the first time a member of his group has been booed.
"To have [Romo] come out and Jessica [Simpson] sing the National Anthem is going to be pretty special for all of us," said Woods. "For him to come here to D.C., certainly I didn't realize it was going to be this big a deal."
It wouldn't be if Woods -- who said he's always wanted to play with Romo -- had chosen to play with Jason Campbell or Antwaan Randle El.
He could've saved his round with Romo for his first try at Turnberry, the site of this year's British Open.
"Granted, [Romo is] used to getting booed," said Woods. "It comes with being, I guess, on a team sport, away from...
06/29/09 8:46 PM
The Capitals weren’t expecting to be busy in the free-agent market this summer. But with the loss of forwards Sergei Fedorov, Viktor Kozlov and the expected departure of Donald Brashear, Washington has three holes to fill and may not be able to plug all of them from inside the franchise. With no elite offensive talent left in the minors, a free agent to replace either Kozlov or Fedorov makes sense. But the Caps were tight against the salary cap all last season so any additions will have to be cost effective. Here are some possible candidates when free agency opens Wednesday:
Mike Knuble, F
The veteran winger would be a nice fit. Pittsburgh had success with a similar player in Bill Guerin, acquired at the trade deadline. Knuble is big at 6-foot-3, 230 pounds and loves to crash the net. He is 37. But he made just $2.8 million last year with Philadelphia so a modest raise might work for the Caps. Knuble has scored between 21 and 30 goals in each of the last six years.
Nik Antropov, F
Another big man at 6-foot-6, 230 pounds. Has a skill set similar to Kozlov and scored a career-high 28 goals last year splitting time between Toronto and the New York Rangers. That came after a 26-goal season in 2007-08. He also had a good postseason series against the Caps last spring. The forward made $2.1 million last year, but that could double this summer. Antropov, 29, has been...
Houston's ascension » The Rockets, with a healthy Yao Ming, would have been a serious contender in the Western Conference next year. But Ming isn't healthy. And now comes a report that he might miss all of next season because of a broken left foot. Has an NBA franchise ever dealt with as many injuries as the Rockets? Oh, that's right. Forgot for a minute what town we lived in.
Brandon Jennings connections » Jennings, had a phone conversation with rapper Joe Budden that made its way onto YouTube, probably without Jennings' knowledge. Regardless, the conversation was loaded with f-bombs and the N word. At one point Jennings says, "[Bleep] the Knicks" for passing on him in last week's NBA draft. Milwaukee selected him 10th overall. Jennings' mouth will get him headlines his entire career. Budden benefited from this story. At least people still know he exists.
Matt Palmer's record » The Angels 30-year-old righty is 7-1. Very impressive, right? Not so much when you look inside his numbers, which likely foreshadow a tough second half. Look at his ERA: 5.16, ballooning after getting a win Sunday AFTER allowing six runs in five innings. He's allowing 1.45 walks and hits per inning pitched.
Frankie Rodriguez » Come on, dude. Walking a pitcher with the bases loaded? That's what the Mets reliever did Sunday night -- and to the Yankees' Mariano...
Apparently it wasn't just Shaq that Kobe Bryant did not want to share the spotlight with in Los Angeles. Turns out he's not a big fan of the mayor, either.
According to the Los Angeles Wave newspaper, the parade for the Lakers two weeks ago was held up because of a diva-esque battle between Bryant and Los Angeles's media-hungry mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (better known for dating hot TV anchors in the city).
The parade was delayed an hour because Bryant reportedly did not want the mayor on the same bus as him, loudly saying that he did not like him and that, "I'm not going to let him pimp my popularity!"
Bryant eventually got on the bus, but the mayor -- with the help of some of Bryant's teammates -- snuck on behind him. Later, at the rally, the mayor introduced the players. When he announced Bryant, he extended his hand only to have the Lakers star walk right past him....
It was like the jolt of the alarm clock on Monday morning.
The U.S. men's soccer team's first-half fantasy -- a 2-0 lead against Brazil in Sunday's Confederations Cup final -- was followed by a halftime spent daring to imagine the possibility of becoming most unlikely champions. But ultimately, a dream week in South Africa that began with a 3-0 win over Egypt for magical advancement out of group play, then crossed over into surreal territory with a 2-0 upset of top-ranked Spain, was always destined to end with a harsh dose of reality.
Just 41 seconds into the second half, Luis Fabiano played the role of the grating buzzer, lite-rock station or cheesiest FM morning show on the dial, a wake-up call that permanently wrested the stunning vision from the Americans' hearts and minds.
The rest of the half -- two more Brazilian goals, the dagger with only minutes to go in regulation -- was as cruel as the morning commute: both inevitable and unavoidable.
But the glaring light of day isn't entirely negative. First, in 90 minutes against Spain and one half against Brazil, the U.S. saw a glimpse of how it can win against the best opponents in the world: with confidence oozing forth from ever-stalwart goalkeeper Tim Howard into the rest of the team, and with masterful Landon Donovan and courageous Clint Dempsey slotted into the midfielder behind rugged, athletic and powerful...
Jason Bay used to play in relative anonymity in Pittsburgh. That distinction ended at the trading deadline, when he was shipped to Boston. Now with 19 homers and 69 RBI entering Sunday, and no brain cramps, Bay has adequately replaced Manny Ramirez.
People are noticing you now, are you better or just playing on a bigger stage?
I haven't changed my approach or my stance. There's a lot of stuff before and after the games that goes into being a Red Sox, but ultimately it's a pretty easy environment to thrive in with the lineup we have.
What was it like last year going from Pittsburgh to Boston?
It was a little much when you get traded from a team that's not doing well and all of a sudden 12 hours later you're in Boston. Last year was a learning experience. We had a playoff race, my wife É had a baby at the end of September. No matter what I did it was a news story.
What opened your eyes the most?
I get to the airport and there's a greeting over the [intercom], 'Welcome to Red Sox nation; the bags from Pittsburgh are coming out on carousel 13." People were taking pictures with me in the airport. Everyone knows it's a little different, but until you get in the middle of it, you really don't know. At first it's a lot, but the more you're around it, it becomes normal. You go on the road and you've got 10,000 fans for [batting practice] screaming. It's great....
A few years ago, Yi Jianlian refused to sign with Milwaukee for six months after the draft. You'd have thought they were the Red Army instead of an NBA team willing to pay him millions.
Eventually he won out -- sort of -- by getting shipped to New Jersey.
And now Ricky Rubio is pulling the same stunt. He has options, but so does Minnesota, which can afford to wait. Rubio's agent claims he has offers from Turkey and Spain. Heaven knows the NBA might fold if he stays overseas.
Agents always bring up the marketing opportunities, or lack of them, in certain places. Let's see: Tim Duncan (San Antonio); LeBron James (Cleveland) and Dwight Howard (Orlando) all have fared just fine. Hmm; win and play well -- that's what delivers marketing chances. (By the way, Rubio couldn't even help his team in Spain sell out this past season).
Why does Rubio want to come here? To play in warm weather and sell himself? Or to compete against the best? He'd better be good....
06/25/09 8:32 PM
They watched Alex Ovechkin take home more hardware last week. Now the Caps' goal is to land more prospects, starting Friday night at the NHL draft in Montreal.
And just because the Caps have a low pick -- 24th -- doesn't mean they won't find another one.
History suggests they will. Thanks to stellar scouting that hasn't hurt them in recent years. Since 2001, Washington drafted nine of the 23 players on last spring's postseason roster. And there are as many as five more at AHL Hershey who soon will push for a roster spot.
Everyone knows about Ovechkin (1st overall, 2004). That one's easy. But that same year Caps GM George McPhee pulled two defensemen from the late stages of the first round -- Jeff Schultz (27th) and then, improbably, Mike Green (29th). Not a bad spot to find a Norris Trophy candidate. That year's second-round pick, Chris Bourque, was one of the last cuts in training camp last fall and appears ready to make the jump to the NHL.
That's just one draft, you say? Fine. In 2006, McPhee and his staff grabbed Nicklas Backstrom -- a no-brainer at No. 4. But they weren't close to finished, They plucked not one, but two young goalies from that draft -- postseason hero Simeon Varlamov at No. 23 and, in the second round, Michal Neuvirth, who led Hershey to the AHL championship in 2009.
McPhee didn't need a top-five pick in 2002 to grab Alexander Semin, who was...
06/25/09 8:29 PM
Among the U.S. national team's accomplishments in the stunning Confederations Cup semifinals upset of Spain in South Africa was the quieting of the growing chorus of criticism over the team and head coach Bob Bradley.
And yet, there's little doubt that the blog-heavy disenchantment actually helped inspire the U.S., first to beat Egypt, 3-0, last weekend before Wednesday's front-page triumph, a 2-0 win that ended the Spaniards' 35-match unbeaten streak (including 15 wins in a row).
"All the [expletive] experts in America," said U.S. midfielder Michael Bradley, a.k.a. the coach's son, after the Egypt game, "let's see what they have to say now, all right?"
"Yapping about the coach is a great step forward for the United States," reminded New York Times columnist George Vescey on Thursday, also pointing out that the biggest benefit of the match could be a higher seed for the U.S. at the 2010 World Cup draw in December.
Against Spain, a solid U.S. game plan and long overdue lineup changes also contributed to the equivalent of Appalachian State over Michigan. But that extra edge came from pressure, the kind that in the modern era, can be exerted from halfway around the globe.
"There's little intangibles that American players have, the will to put their face in a tackle and do everything that it takes to win a game," said D.C. United...
06/25/09 8:26 PM
Looks like Shaq needs a new nickname. Could be that he becomes the Big Kielbasa. Maybe the Big Snowflake. But if he delivers what Cleveland wants, he'll also become the Big Savior.
Cleveland's trade for Shaquille O'Neal does not guarantee the Cavs a title. They still need size on the perimeter. And O'Neal is 37.
"They're gonna have to leave him on ice and see where he is in March," one Eastern Conference executive told The Examiner's John Keim. "It's a luxurious move and it was done to combat Dwight Howard ... I know we won't mind if Shaq is on the court late in games. You can pick and roll him to death and foul the [heck] out of him at the other end."
But O'Neal's arrival certainly strengthens the Cavs, which in turn makes the Eastern Conference just a bit tougher.
It's also a nod toward 2010 for Cleveland, when LeBron James becomes a free agent (in case you hadn't heard). If O'Neal does not work out, his $21 million contract comes off the books, freeing up a lot of cash for Cleveland to pursue other free agents....
By: John Keim
06/24/09 10:00 PM
Tony Romo will have a chance to be booed in Washington long before his Dallas Cowboys come to town. That is, if golf fans want to boo someone on the course. Not that this is a New York golf crowd, however.
Still, maybe they'll ask if he ever gets the yips while, say, holding on extra points. We can't imagine anyone in Washington bringing up the topic of his winless playoff record or Terrell Owens. Regardless, Romo will be in town for Tiger Woods' tourney next week, playing in the Wednesday pro-am. He likely got the nod because girlfriend Jessica Simpson will sing the National Anthem at the opening ceremonies on Wednesday.
Before you get too upset: Yes, Jason Campbell will play as well. So, too, will Antwaan Randle El. Of course, based on crowds at FedEx, there will surely be Dallas fans in attendance. Certainly, they wouldn't say anything about Mark Sanchez or Jay Cutler. And no one would dare say to Randle El before a short putt, 'Hey, that's about as far as one of your punt returns.'" Or would they?...
By: John Keim
06/24/09 10:00 PM
The outrageous predictions are long gone. Emilio Bonifacio won’t win the batting title. Nick Swisher isn’t receiving Cy Young votes. But 70 games is a pretty good litmus test, which brings us to the following players:
Joe Mauer
The Minnesota catcher is having a season (.395, 14 HR, 42 RBI) that borders on the surreal. He missed a month with back pain but is on pace to qualify for the batting title by the All-Star break. We’re not saying he’ll hit .400 (the odds certainly are against him) but Mike Piazza’s single-season record for a catcher (.362) is in serious jeopardy.
Albert Pujols
“The Machine” has unparalleled statistical consistency — eight straight years of .300, 30, 100. So we’re not surprised by his performance. But Pujols (.328, 26 HR, 70 RBI) is on pace to shatter his season-best homer (49) and RBI (137) totals. He leads the NL in runs, RBI and home runs. A Triple Crown bid is not out of the question. And one other little fun note on him: He’s batted four times with the bases loaded this season; he has three grand slams and a two-run single.
Carl Crawford
He put on a stolen base clinic earlier this season, swiping a record-tying six bags against the Red Sox. Crawford leads the league in steals (37) by a wide margin — seven more than Boston’s Jacoby Ellsbury, 13 more than anyone in the NL....
