TommyD

The Players Championship

May 5, 2009 by TommyD

We are two days away from the start of The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass, so now it’s time to go out on a limb and pick a favorite to win this year’s event. Hopefully it won’t be as hard as picking the Kentucky Derby!!

tiger-woods Tiger Woods – You would think that the 2001 Players Championship winner would be a pretty safe bet…wouldn’t you? Consider this – Tiger does not have a single top 10 finish in this event since his win, his best finish being a tie for 11th. Add in there is current struggles on the tee box and well…it doesn’t exactly lead me to believe that this is his year. But then again, I’m not one who is willing to bet against Tiger..no matter the situation.

phil-mikleson Phil Mickleson – What does Phil have to do to get respect? Everyone thought it was to win a major and he’s obviously done that. But I was watching a report on the golf channel the other night and they asked several pros if Phil was number one in the rankings would they consider him to the best player in golf? The answer…unanimously was…NO!!! Poor Phil. Even though he is at the top of his game right now, this isn’t going to be his year to win again.

Sean OHair Sean O’Hair – Last week’s winner at Quail Hollow will find it tough to go back to back, despite his strong record at TPC Sawgrass. Unfortunately I don’t even see a top 10 in his future this weekend.

zach-johnson Zach Johnson – Zach had the lead going into Sunday at Quail Hollow before the proverbially wheels came off the bus early in the round. Look for Zach to make a good run at this year’s championship.

Sergio Garcia – The
sergio-garcia defending champion beat Paul Goydos in a playoff last year after not having any finish better than 15th prior to last year’s event. To date Sergio has not had a finish better than 13th. Could we see a repeat?

anthony-kim Anthony Kim – Did you see the Masters in April? 11…count ’em…11 birdies in one round. Kim has great skill and a killer putter. Look for him to be up front early, but he will drop back on Sunday as he does most of the time.

There are a whole bunch of other players who…on any day could have the weekend of their life and walk away with one of golfs most coveted trophies. But as promised, I’m going to go out on a limb and predict this year’s winner….drum roll please….

The winner of the 2009 Players Championship is…….Zach Johnson!

Ok..Ok…not exactly out on a limb.

Zach looked impressive through most of the Quail Hollow Championship. He’s a solid player who is currently ranked 7th on the money list. You know he has to be hungry after letting last weekend slip through his hands.

Filed Under: General Sports, Golf, PGA Tagged With: anthony kim, Golf, phil mickleson, players championship, sean o'hair, sergio garcia, tiger woods, tpc sawgrass, zach johnson

Mind My What???

May 4, 2009 by TommyD

After spending the better part of the day chasing that little white ball around the woods, I found myself sitting in a local drinking establishment contemplating my choices of beer and eagerly awaiting the 135th running of the grandest of sporting events, the Kentucky Derby.

If you thought that the most outlandish and absurd storyline that would come out of Saturdays race was who had the most hideous hat, you obviously didn’t wait for the final two minutes of on your feet excitement that begins with the starters bell.

mind-that-bird2 As the bell rang, the gates flew open releasing 19 of the most graceful beasts you will ever see compete, bumping and jarring their way into position. One horse was sandwiched between two others right out of the gate, nearly tripping and he eased off falling several lengths behind.

As the rest of the field took off down the front stretch, this 50-1 odds favorite took pursuit. I’m sure his jockey urged his ride on, hoping for a miracle, but knowing that now the odds were really against them.

All eyes were focused on the top of the field and on their favorites whose numbers were listed on their betting slips. No one was noticing that the horse who was way in the back was closing a seemingly insurmountable distance with every stretch of his legs.

Then the horses reached the fourth turn and it seemed that the race would be decided between the top 5 horses.

And then that miracle happened.

Some how this horse that was in absolute dead last made a charge to the front. From at least 17 lengths down comes the most unlikely of superstars…Mine That Bird. This 50-1 long shot had somehow made up an unheard of distance and then weaved his way through traffic to not only win the Kentucky Derby, but he won it going away, by an impressive 6 3/4 lengths.

Not bad for a horse that was originally purchased for only $9,500. A horse that everyone else said should never have even been entered. Just to give you an idea of what a steal this was…Dunkirk who finished 19 lengths behind Mine That Bird was purchased for $3.7 million.

I think I’d ask for my money back.

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Filed Under: General Sports, Horse Racing Tagged With: kentucky derby, Mine That Bird

Is Watching NASCAR Safe?

April 27, 2009 by TommyD

ATTENTION NASCAR FANS: Before you buy your next ticket to the track, ask yourself one question – Is my last will and testament up to date?

If you missed the final lap of the Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway Sunday, then you not only missed a thrilling ending to the worlds fastest sport, but you also missed one of the most terrifying situations in racing.

A last lap crash, on the front stretch…with a car going airborne…and heading straight towards the fans.

In case you missed it here’s a replay…

If that catch fence fails or Carl Edwards’ car is a few feet higher, then we would have an awful tragedy being broadcast all over the news today. Eight NASCAR fans were treated for minor injuries as a result of the accident, but no one, including none of the drivers, was seriously hurt. In fact, Carl Edwards stepped out of his car and jogged to finish line in a symbolic finish to the race

Is it a testament to the technology and engineering that no one is mourning a loved one today or is it just divine intervention? Maybe its a little bit of both. The fact that no fan was seriously hurt is amazing. The fact that Carl Edwards isn’t in a hospital is a amazing.

So the question remains: Even though no one was seriously hurt, is it safe to sit in the stands and watch a NASCAR race?

I think the answer for race fans is yes.

First, consider the odds of being in position on a track to witness this type of wreck. They are pretty big and you would have a better chance of getting in an accident after the race just trying to get out of the parking area.

Second, this doesn’t mean that NASCAR and the track owners will not be investigating the mechanics of this crash for months to come. You can say what you want about this sport but I believe on thing to be true…safety is a number one concern for all involved.

There were at least 3 other cars that I saw yesterday hit the wall head on (similar to a crash that killed Dale Earnhardt) and they walked away. Why? Technology like the Hans Device and softer barrier walls, which a few years ago didn’t exist, kept those drivers not only alive but unhurt.

I would put my money on the development of a safer catch fence in the near future…possibly one that does not allow debris through, as a result of this accident.

Like racing or not, the finish to this race was thrilling, terrifying and amazing all in the span of about 10 seconds.

You will definitely see me at the track…and I just looked…my will is up to date!

Filed Under: Motorsports, Nascar Tagged With: Carl Edwards, Talladega