PGA Championship Final Round Fun to Watch

A five shot lead, a double bogey, back to back birdies, a comeback and a collapse all in the last five holes of a major on Sunday. Was it Tiger Woods making the charge? Maybe it was the crowd favorite Phil Mickelson trying to hold on to a lead? Or how about the young superstar Rory McIlroy trying to take home his second major? No. The thrilling finish belonged to Keegan Bradley and Jason Dufner. Two guys who have hardly ever seen the spotlight in the golfing world. And with all the major superstars nowhere to be found, this is exactly the kind of finish the PGA Tour needed to stay relevant.

Bradley is a 25 year old rookie on the PGA Tour with only one career win and Dufner is a 34 year old golfer who has never won on the PGA Tour. But on Sunday these two players put on a show. The show displayed brilliant golf as well as big time mistakes which made it great entertainment to watch.

Start with Bradley double bogeying the 15th hole to give Dufner a five shot lead and all but end the tournament. But in reality the tournament was just getting started. Bradley followed up with back to back birdies on 16 and 17 while Dufner bogeyed three straight holes to force a playoff. Bradley’s comeback was miraculous, doing it on the final stretch of the golf course that had been mowing down players all day.

And just when you thought it couldn’t get any better just look at the three hole playoff where Bradley and Dufner came close to holing there second shots on the par four 16th that had the crowd standing and applauding. Bradley was able to make birdie while Dufner made par. And that was the difference as Bradley, who was competing in his first ever major, brought home the championship. Bradley was also the first American to win a major since 2010 when Mickelson won the Masters.

The final round on Sunday started off as an “I probably won’t watch kind of round” or an “I might flip over and check the scores round” but by the back nine it was a “who is going to survive” and “put down the remote and don’t change the channel” kind of finish. The PGA Tour had to appreciate the finish and are probably hoping for more like these to come with some of the biggest stars in the game struggling. Bradley and Dufner won’t ever come close to the big time TV ratings like a Tiger or a Phil but if you are a true golf fan then you can really appreciate the drama filled golf that was played on Sunday.

(Picture provided by USAToday.com)

Atlanta Braves: Hunter Pence or Carlos Beltran?

The MLB trade deadline is approaching and there is a lot of conversation about what the Atlanta Braves should do. Should they trade for another bat? Or how about adding an extra reliever? The Braves, who currently sit in second place in the NL East with a 57-41 record but lead the wild card, know they have a great shot at making the postseason but a trade at the deadline could put them over the top. When looking at bats to add to the lineup the two most popular names being thrown around are Astros center fielder Hunter Pence and Mets outfielder Carlos Beltran. So the question to all the Braves fans out there is: Who would you rather have?

First let’s look at Carlos Beltran. The 34 year old six time all-star is finally healthy again and back to putting up decent numbers. In 93 games this year he is batting .290 with 15 homers and 61 RBI’s and has played multiple outfield positions. Beltran has always been regarded as one of the best outfielders in the game and is showing it again this year after making the 2011 All-Star team. Maybe the biggest reason to get Beltran for a stretch run is his postseason numbers. In 22 postseason games Beltran is batting an amazing .366 with 11 homers and 16 RBI’s. Those numbers would be great for a team who always struggles to hit in the playoffs. The downside with Beltran is that he is 34 years old and is a free agent at the end of the season. So the Braves are looking at a “rental player” type situation which is never good when you have to give up your talented young prospects in return. And to get Beltran, the Braves will have to give up good prospects like Jordan Schafer and Mike Minor.

Then there’s Hunter Pence. The 28 year old two time all-star outfielder is under contract through the 2012 season and would provide an all around game to go with this Braves team. In 92 games this year Pence is batting.316 with 11 homers and 61 RBI’s to go along with his stellar defense in center field. In return the Astros are looking for good young prospects just like the Mets. Unlike Beltran, Pence would not be looked at as a rental player for a few months, and would definitely provide more upside for the future. Pence has never appeared in the playoffs but is the type of player that would fit right in inside the Braves clubhouse which already has great chemistry.

In my opinion I think either one of these guys would be a good fit for the Braves. I’m not big on “selling the farm” as they would say to get either one of these guys but I do feel this team needs to make a move if they want to be a true championship contender.

So now it’s up to the Braves General Manager Frank Wren to make the right move and put this team in position to make a deep playoff run. Wren has a track record of making good moves in the past and is also very hesitant to give up talented prospects out of the Atlanta farm system. So time will tell if the Braves will find what they are looking for and pull the trigger on it.

What do all the Braves fans think? What would you like to see the Braves do? Would you rather get Beltran or Pence or would you rather not make a move at all? We have got about 11 days until the trade deadline so let’s use this time to talk about what would be best for this team and what we see them doing the rest of the season.

NFC East to Philadelphia Eagles: Thanks a lot

Will Donovan McNabb be traded? That was the question looming this offseason for the Philadelphia Eagles. And with all of the rumors swirling around it was shocking when the place he actually landed was not mentioned in the rumors. McNabb was traded to the division rival Washington Redskins on Easter Sunday and the backlash in the NFC East is still to be determined. But I bet if the members of the NFC East (besides the Redskins) were to write a letter to the Eagles this is how it would go:

Dear Eagles,

First of all we would like to tell you that it has been a battle in this tough division for quite some time. Your organization has had a lot of success in the past decade and a lot of that had to do with your pro bowl quarterback Mr. McNabb. Now we heard that you were looking to trade him to another team. And let me just tell you, when we heard those rumors about the Oakland Raiders being the leaders in the clubhouse that really brought a smile to our face. Finally, a six-time pro bowl quarterback who led you to six division titles, four NFC Championship games, and a Super Bowl will be out of our division. Now of course he hasn’t won you a Super Bowl, but he has kept us from getting there as well, so don’t mind us if we aren’t too sad to see him go.

Wait a minute. Did we as a division just see on television that you trade McNabb to the Washington Redskins? Last time we checked they are not the Oakland Raiders or any other team outside of our division for that matter. And last time we checked they also just hired Mike Shanahan, who is one of the best coaches in the NFL. So are you telling me that you just partnered a pro bowl quarterback with an offensive genius? We still don’t believe it yet but we will be calling you just to make sure it is true so make sure your phone stays charged.

Ok so we just got confirmation that McNabb was traded to the Redskins and not only that they are already working on a contract extension. Also, we just heard his press conference on television today and he doesn’t sound too happy about the way things went down. I wonder who he is going to take that revenge out on? Yes of course you the Eagles, but have you thought about the backlash we are going to get from this? I guess not. But that’s ok. You are not supposed to worry about other organizations but we just thought we would let you know where we stand. We look forward to battling with you many more times in the future. But don’t be upset with us if we focus a little more on the Redskins now that they have a quarterback and a coach who have both been two of the best in the league in recent years. Have a good rest of the offseason and we will see you when season starts.

Thanks a lot,
NFC East

NFC Championship is an Instant Classic

If you just watched the NFC Championship game between the New Orleans Saints and the Minnesota Vikings well then you just witnessed an instant classic. This game had everything you could possibly ask for from big time superstars, to high scoring, to classic mistakes, and finally to non-stop reviewable plays and game winners in overtime. I mean every play in the fourth quarter and overtime had you sitting on the edge of your seat to see which way this game would finally turn.

Watching this game it took me back to last year when Syracuse and UConn were battling in a six overtime game in the Big East tournament and everybody who watched that game talked about it for the rest of the college basketball season even throughout the NCAA Tournament. People who missed that game are still kicking themselves for whatever they were doing that night instead of watching the game. And now with the Saints and Drew Brees winning an epic battle in overtime against the legend of Brett Favre and the fumbling Adrian Peterson people are still talking about the ups and downs that ended up setting up a New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts Super Bowl.

The Super Bowl definitely has the buildup and hype to be one of the best Super Bowl’s of all time. You have the two best quarterbacks in the league with Brees and Peyton Manning and you have the two number one seeds from each conference. It should another back and forth game that will come down to the wire but one thing is for sure, if the Super Bowl does not live up to the expectations then this NFC Championship game that just took place will be the game that that everybody will still be talking about going into next season.

Gilbert Arenas Suspended Indefinitely by the NBA

The NBA and commissioner David Stern have suspended Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas indefinitely without pay. Arenas who is currently under investigation by law enforcement for gun related issues has been nothing but nonchalant over these past few days and will now be off the court for quiet sometime and who knows when his return will be.

This whole situation started just a couple of days ago when the New York Post reported that Arenas and his teammate Javaris Crittenton drew guns on each other in the locker room before practice over a gambling debt. Arenas quickly denied pulling a gun on his teammate and from there the stories continued to surface. Other reports were that Arenas placed three unloaded guns on a teammates chair by their locker to play a joke on them, and that Arenas was just storing the unloaded guns in his locker because he did not want them in his home with his daughter. No matter what the real story is having a firearm inside an NBA arena is a very serious matter and one that everybody knew Stern would not take lightly.

To make matters worse Arenas continued to joke around about the matter not only by making jokes to the media but also in pregame introductions “Agent Zero” decided to use his fingers as guns and point them at his teammates as a joke. Arenas talked to the media after the Wizards game Tuesday and here is what he had to say. “I didn’t do anything wrong,” he said. “All I want from the media is an apology for slandering.” Arenas also went on to say that he was more scared of David Stern then the authorities because Stern is “mean.” Well you can better believe that Stern was already not too happy with the whole situation and with Arena’s attitude it was not going to be a pretty ending to this whole entire thing. And with that said Stern wasted no time suspending Arenas and had this to say about the suspension. “The possession of firearms by an NBA player in an NBA arena is a matter of the utmost concern to us,” Stern said. “Although it is clear that the actions of Mr. Arenas will ultimately result in a substantial suspension, and perhaps worse, his ongoing conduct has led me to conclude that he is not currently fit to take the court in an NBA game.”

The suspension is without pay but it turns out that might be the least of his problems. Along with Arenas facing legal action, it is now starting to like the Washington Wizards are ready to be done with Arenas for good. The Wizards strongly backed the decision to suspend their all-star guard and made it sound like it was a relief that they could finally put this situation behind them. It also would not be a surprise if Washington looked into voiding his contract. It is a rare thing that happens in the NBA but with a matter as serious as this it is definitely something that could happen. Just two years ago the Wizards signed Arenas to a six year 111 million dollar contract and since that time he has failed to live up to his end of the deal. Whether it is because of injuries or off the court issues Arenas has went from being one of the faces of the league to a guy who is now on the outside looking in. One thing is for sure it looks like it will be a while before we see “Agent Zero” inside an NBA arena again.

Just Play Basketball Allen Iverson and Keep Your Mouth Shut

What do you get after just one game, one loss, and only 18 minutes of playing time off the bench for Allen Iverson? That would be an upset and angry Allen Iverson. Do you think the Memphis Grizzlies regret their decision to sign him after just one game? After an overtime loss to the winless Sacramento Kings, Iverson is already not happy with his role and it looks like it could only get worse.

“I had no problems (with the hamstring),” Iverson said. “I had a problem with my butt from sitting on that bench so long. That’s the only thing I got a problem with.” Doesn’t it sound like we are back in Detroit listening to him say the same thing over and over again? And he wasn’t done there. “I’m not a reserve basketball player,” Iverson said. “I’ve never been a reserve all my life and I’m not going to start looking at myself as a reserve. That’s something for the media to talk about. It’s only a big issue when the media talks about it. The subject never came up in my career until everything happened in Detroit. No one talked about me being a sub or anything like that until last year.”

I’m sorry Allen, are you blaming this one on the media? Is it not you that brings the whole reserve issue up every time you talk after a game? I can’t remember one game where Iverson has came off the bench and been happy with it. And I don’t think that is ever going to happen. Every other team besides the Grizzlies that were looking to sign Iverson this offseason have to be sitting back and relieving a huge sigh of relief after seeing what he said after his first game. And if you think Iverson was done talking about it, think again. “In all the other years of my career, it’s never come up. I’ve been a starter on All-Star teams, Olympic teams and NBA Finals teams. It’s just a big deal now. I think it’s something people should let go. I’m not a bench player or the sixth man. Go look at my resume, it will show that I’m not a sixth man.”

Well Allen, you need to let it go. All of those accolades about playing in the Finals and being on All-Star teams were a long time ago and your skills have greatly diminished since then and do not look to be coming back any time soon. You shoot a lousy field goal percentage, you don’t even try to get your teammates involved and your defense is barely good enough for the NBA D-League. So maybe it is time to just except the fact that you now are a bench player for the rest of your career and be thankful that a team even decided to sign you this season. And if you want any chance of playing beyond this season you might want to do the most important thing of all for your career and that is keep your mouth shut and just play basketball.

La Russa Returning to Manage Cardinals as McGwire Takes Over as Hitting Coach

The St. Louis Cardinals are coming off a crushing NLDS sweep to the Los Angeles Dodgers and have a lot of decisions to make in the offseason. But one decision that they will now not have to worry about is the future of manager Tony La Russa. La Russa agreed to a one year contract to manage the Cardinals for a 15th season and a familiar face will be joining him on the coaching staff.

Every coach from last season will return to the bench with La Russa with the exception of the hitting coach Hal McRae. McRae is now out and the guy taking his place is pretty well known in Cardinals baseball history. Mark McGwire, who has not been seen anywhere near Major League Baseball, will be the new hitting coach for the team and pitching coach Dave Duncan will return as well. McGwire who hit 583 homeruns in his career has always talked about coaching one day and next season that day will finally arrive. McGwire has yet to come forward and comment on his new position but La Russa sounds happy to have him. “I’m a big fan of his,” La Russa said. “He’s back in uniform and, hopefully, people will see his greatness. But the number one reason he’s here is to coach our hitters.”

McGwire retired as one of the greatest homerun hitters of all time but after being a subject in the steroid era he has quietly fallen out of the public eye. The last time McGwire was really heard from was at a 2005 congressional hearing in which he refused to comment about steroid use. McGwire has worked with some Cardinals hitters before and players who have worked with him have been very pleased with their results.

As for La Russa, he is happy to be back managing the Cardinals for another season but knows that sooner or later it will come to an end. “I know there’s an end in sight somewhere,” La Russa said. “This is a great place to be. Past stars show up all the time. You’ve got to be a mummy not to be affected by that.” The Cardinals should once again be a playoff team again next year as they are every season but still have some questions that need to be answered in the offseason. Matt Holliday and Mark DeRosa are key free agents for this team but as always their pitching staff should be stacked and they have that other guy by the name of Albert Pujols who will continue to be the best player in Major League Baseball. One thing is for sure the Cardinals should not have any problem competing for that top spot in the National League again next season.