SPORTS MEDIA: Baseball's Back, Tiger's NOT

10 years? $300 Million?  Really?

   I admit it, I've already become desperate for College Football.  The NFL?  Not so much.  It's a long wait until August when camps begin for the college kids - to me, there's nothing like it.  Just got a text today that my school, Missouri, opens Spring Football camp in 3 weeks.  The website I follow religiously (Power Mizzou) is already talking about great things like "Quarterback Competition."  I love it.

    In the meantime, let's get baseball going.  Seriously.  Pitchers and catchers this week, then the full squad and before you know it, it's Opening Day.  Here's some topics that will be dragged out in the media for sure over the next month... and Pujols will top it all - unless he agrees to a deal by Noon on Wednesday.


1. Derek Jeter - is he still a shortstop?  How long before he's Robin Yount and visits the outfield?
2. Do the Yankees have enough pitching?
3. Can Damon and Ramirez do anything more than put people in the seats?
4. Is Cubs ownership going to spend money or ease into ownership?
5. Michael Young - is he staying, going, mad or in a forgiving mood?
6. When is enough pitching enough pitching?  Man are the Phillies loaded!
7. Do the Dodgers seem relevant?
8. Does Adam Dunn make the White Sox a World Series contender?
9. Can the Mets return to respectability?
10. Can the Giants do it again?

    Let me know what I'm missing..... I'm a big baseball fan.  Die hard White Sox fan who flew up for the ALCS in 2005 to see Game 2.
 
    Is it just me, or is the NBA becoming too much to take?  This Carmelo Anthony "deal or no deal" is out of control.  No doubt, he's the biggest power broker right now.  And how about the ramifications if he ends up with the Knicks?  Amare, Carmelo... and who knows.. maybe Chris Paul too.  Pretty soon the NBA (as if its not already) will officially become Five Teams and the Rest.  Stars grouping together to play on the same team is not good for the league in my opinion.  You'll see empty seats at arenas around the league unless the star-laden teams roll into town.  Enough already.. somebody make a move and end the Melo Sweepstakes.  And living in Orlando, I sure don't want to hear about Dwight Howard leaving for the Lakers.  Bank on it - we will.  He's a free agent at the end of next season.  Maddening.

    Can't leave without talking about Tiger.  Here's my take.  These days HE JUST CAN'T WIN.  He can't win on the course, and he can't seem to win off the course or in anything he's attached to.  His golf course project in Dubai has gone belly-up, and his weekend scoring average is going in the wrong direction.  Tiger used to dominate because between the ears, he was better than everyone else.  If his game was slightly off, his mind put him over the top.  Now, his game is off, his mind is off and he's not even close to intimidating.  Have you seen the new Nike commercial?  Tiger's in the "Oven" with the other Nike tour players with the new equipment.  Wait - Tiger with the other guys?  When does Tiger start doing commercials with other guys?  He was THE guy... now he's just another guy?  Or one of the guys?



Spitting Image... Bad for Image

     Do I think he'll get it back?  Yes... but I'm not sure when.  Today, we had a meeting for our weekly Grey Goose 19th Hole show on Golf Channel... talking about what direction we do with the Tiger Woods conversation.  We're about at the 1-year anniversary of his "speech" at PGA TOUR headquarters, telling the world that he had let everyone down, and assuring the world that he would become a changed person.  Has he?  Sunday at Dubai, he started within 1 shot of the lead... shot 75 and now the only shot people are seeing is the picture of Tiger spitting on the green.  He apologized on Twitter... which is something new as well.  Honestly, Tiger's rebuild is in shambles.  Will a victory or two change everything and make him lovable again?  Doubtful, but maybe we'll see.  Maybe. 

     One other thing... remember a few weeks back when I wrote about National Signing Day?  I have a new thought after watching High School kids around the country sign in front of huge crowds, on national television, wearing hats and promoting themselves.  How about we wait until May for the hoopla?  What's wrong with waiting until they lock up their academics and qualify for college before we salute them?  Don't get me wrong, I think most deserve to be recognized and their accomplishments are amazing.  But let's hold off for a few months.  Let's not give kids a free pass for the last three months of school to prepare for college football.  Let's make them all finish what they started - which is a High School education and the belief that athletic achievement comes AFTER schoolwork.  I know it won't happen... but at least I got it off my chest.

    As always, I welcome your comments and read them all!  Thanks for reading this blog and following me.