The Cheap Seats

Was there ever any doubt?

Tiger operates by a different set of rules than the rest of humanity. This was made crystal clear in 2009 when the **** hit the fan in Tigers world. His indescretions were laid out in the bright spotlight of the media for all to see. And it wasn't pretty!

We were all treated to Tiger Rules...a woman in every port, gambling excesses, drugs, and my favorite, treating others like gum on the bottom of his shoe. If you were fortunate enough to park his car or wait on him at dinner, hope you enjoyed the thrill- that's all you're going to get. Sad really, someone so blessed and empowered proved to be such a waste. Oh well, we've been over this haven't we?

Fast forward to Friday @ the Masters. The Golf Gods were in attendance. A beautifully stroked wedge to the 15th at Augusta, a pin seeker...literally. I couldn't help but think about the neighbors daughter that Tiger had known as a teen and later as a conquest as the ball struck the pin and found the lake....Ah Karma- such a bitch!

But as Karma often has it, it didn't end there. Tiger consulted his own rule book and dropped the ball a couple of yard behind the original divot, struck anothe beauty and 1 putted for bogey. No big deal right?......WRONG!

Rule 26 states that the ball may be dropped in the drop zone, anywhere on the line where it entered the hazard or AS NEAR AS POSSIBLE TO THE ORIGINAL SHOT.....not 2 yards back. Tiger gained an advantage and this is strictly prohibited by the rule...a 2 shot penalty. Problem is he didn't take a 2 shot penalty and signed an incorrect score card. Disqualification by the rules....right? WRONG!

Enter rule 33-7. Added just last year and, until now known as the HD rule. It is intended to protect the player from an inadvertent penalty, often spotted by the TV viewing audiance, and not noted until after the round is completed. The key word here is inadvertent....meaning the player didn't know he committed a violation. Not knowing one committed a violation and not knowing the rules are two different things. In fact, ignorance of the rules is specifically exempted in the rule.

The fact the rules committee looked at Tigers drop and didn't see a problem with it, until they learned that he said he intentionally improved his drop is the reason given. Fact is.....Tiger Rules!

 

Worse loss ever....probably not. Costly....we'll soon find out. Cut down the nets.....I don't think so.

Cutting down the nets in Indiana is a ritual to celebrate winning a Championship. Last night did not feel like winning a Championship, in fact, it felt like losing one. Did this team "earn the right" to cut down the nets.....sure seems like stretching it to me. I'm old school and I imagine Coach Knight doing something else entirely with those nets.......

Assuming a loss on Sunday @ Michigan, and I don't see any evidence in the last half dozen games to assume anything else, the 2013 Hoosiers will end up in a 4 way tie for the Big Ten title.....whohoo! Hardly the expectation from a team ranked #1 in the country for 9 weeks this season.

I truly believe this team has more talent than any in my memory, over 40 years. High expectations after several disastrous seasons may be delusional but with the pre-season Player of the Year, another 1st team All-American, Freshman of the year candidate at point guard and 2 seasoned Seniors with over 1000 career points each and the most respected 6th man in the country.......what should we expect?

Could this team win the Big Ten outright...sure, the Big Ten Tournament for the 1st time....sure, a National Title for the first time in 25 years....I guess. They could also lose Sunday, lose to any of 4 or 5 teams in the 1st round of the BTT and a 2nd or 3rd round exit in the NCAA to a team like Butler wouldn't be a total shock either.

Lets face it, the team @ #1 for more weeks  than any other, has been dealt one heartbreaking loss after another to teams that shouldn't be within 10 points.....anything is possible!

Hang on, it should be interesting. Thank God Coach Knight isn't in charge, choking and throwing chairs might be in order....maybe even cutting down some nets!

Well there it is, Danica Patrick on a Pole in Daytona Beach. I think we all knew this day would come. Her talent takes her to a position we knew she was destined too.

A Pole in Daytona, seemed inevitable didn't it. Have you ever seen one of those Go Daddy adds....come on, this is clearly her calling. He new boyfriend, Ricky Stenhouse could only muster a 12th place starting position- no worries, his girl is on the Pole.

This is a testimate to how much talent is or isn't involved in getting on the Pole. If you have the equipment, you can make it happen at Daytona, and we all know Danica has the equipment- have you seen those Go Daddy adds?

There's no denying it anymore, all the haters zip it....she's on the Pole!

 

 

Indiana Who-osiers....unpredictable, unreliable, inconsistent, hell I'm wearing my Thesaurus out!

The hot potato that is the #1 ranking in NCAA BB continued this week as IU became the 5th consecutive to team to relinquish the top spot in less than a week. I could see it coming the day the 2013 schedule was released. There it was, 2-7-13 ( my 60th BD) @ Illinois....ugh! This was going to be a day to be remembered and believe me when I say I won't soon forget it.

I would put this performance in the top 5 biggest gags in my decades long love affair with the Hoosiers. Sure there are always ups and downs...that's what it's all about. The ups- '76-'81-'87...need I say more. I've always said my attendance at the 87 title game was one of the highlights of my life. One of my fondest memories. I guess it takes these highs to make the lows of yesterdays loss hit so hard. I don't expect to win every game, though I do feel this team should be undefeated at this point. I expect to lose Sunday @ OSU and probably 3 more times before it's over....@ MSU, MI and MN.

I don't enjoy any loss, but some are to be expected and Big 10 road games always prove a tough challenge. If your going to win a Big 10 title you have to win your home games and the road games with teams that don't have the talent to compete.....unless you cooperate and hand it to them like I U did yesterday. 16 turnovers to a team that doesn't present any particular defensive problems is a gift. A gift that likely cost them any chance at the regular season top spot and #1 Big 10 Tournament top seed. Only the winner of the Big 10 Tournament will get a #1 NCAA seed.

This years NCAA Tournament promises to be one of the most competitive in years. There is no clear cut top team and every team in the top 20 presents a difficult challenge. A top seed will be very valuable and much coveted....good luck Who-osiers- you're going to need it!

Oh boy....here we go again.

In Feb 2009 Alex Rodriguez admitted to using performance enhancing drugs, steroids from 2001-2003 while playing for the Texas Rangers. In Dec of 2007 the Yankees signed AR to a 10 yr. $275 mil contract, the highest in baseball. They also let the Rangers off the hook for 1/2 the salary they were paying...mind boggling numbers.

I'm a life long Yankee fan, up or down I love the Yankees- and there have been some downs. 15 year and 20 year spans between championships. But there have always been championships, 12 in my lifetime...lots of ups! I decided a long time ago...somewhere around Reggie or Catfish, that I wasn't going to worry about the $, I'm not paying it.

Fans make far to big a deal about the money. I've often wondered what sports would be like if we didn't know what the players made. All we should really concern ourselves with, as fans, is the price of a ticket or a beer at the ballpark....and that's only if your going to the game. No doubt it's pretty pricey to attend a game today. The good news is, you don't have to! Nearly every game is available, in your living room, on your couch, drinking your own $6 - 6 pack.

Anyway...we do know what players make. I'm sure this puts lots of pressure on them to perform. Some do-some don't. Many players have wilted under the pressure to live up to the money they make. Many more have resorted to any and every tool available to them, legal or not. Pressure is an interesting thing, it makes otherwise very moral individuals do immoral things. This generation of athletics is littered with cheaters, many we know, many we don't.

One we know for sure is AR. He's admitted it. Of course that was then and now he clean and he's sorry and he'll never do it again......sound familiar?

Like I said....here we go again.

Neither will throw or catch a pass, block or tote the ball for a 1st down or touchdown. The game will be decided between the lines, but it's tough to argue either of the teams in Super Bowl XLVII would be there without their coach and their virtually unprecedented late-season moves.

49'ers Coach Jim Harbaugh decided to stick with Colin Kaepernick, who had replaced starter Alex Smith after an injury in week 9. His first start resulted in the seasons only tie. Harbaugh saw what we have all seen since, Kaepernick is a stud. The 2nd round, 36th overall pick in the draft, may be the most dangerous weapon in the NFL.

Kaepernick is making Harbaugh look like a genius....maybe he is. The poise displayed by the young QB and the rest of his team on Sunday is the stuff Super Bowl Champions are made of. Down 17-0 on the road, in a rough atmosphere, the 49'ers pounded the Falcons the rest of the game and validated their Coach and the young QB with their SB appearance...very impressive!

The Ravens and their Harbaugh also took an improbable route to the big game. John Harbaugh fired his Offensive coordinator in week 10 after a disappointing loss to rival Pittsburgh. The move, on the same level as a QB change ignited the team and the Offense. The playoff return of inspirational and defensive leader Ray Lewis is icing on the cake. The Ravens appear divinely destined to be in this game.

Both teams scored 28 points to register come from behind road wins......Great Stuff! No matter the outcome of the game, it will go down in history as the first with teams coached by Brothers. Somehow I don't think that's what will be remembered after this classic match-up.

Roger Clemens, the seven time Cy Young winner~I mean Lance Armstrong the seven time Tour de France Winner, finally came clean this week. Not clean in the sense of "I'm going to get this off my chest" -clean in the "OK I'm busted, lets get it out there" sense.

Roger~ I mean Lance choose Oprah's obscure OWN network, and the always pressing Winfrey to host the Mea culpa. The two hour "interview" revealed what anyone with an ounce of common sense already knew about Roger~I mean Lance. He lied, cheated, intimidated, sued, and emphatically denied every allegation. Faced with the now public exposure of those in the know and stripped of his seven awards~I mean titles, he was in a corner and could no longer deny the truth.

Boy, theres a word~truth. As fans do we know when we're getting the truth and when we're being fed a bunch of B.S.? You bet we do. Superhuman accomplishments simply don't happen without the aid of banned or illegal substances. Athletics would like us to believe otherwise. Roger~I mean Lance worked harder than his competition. He was fueled by a burning desire to win that others in his sport did not posess....NOT!

And now it's out there for all to see. "I cheated!"

Does Roger~I mean Lance think this public display of contrition will make all the hurt caused by his cheating and denying go away? Apparently. Why else would he do it? Clearly he's only doing it for his own benefit. Did he ever truly believe he was cheating..NO.

Roger~I mean Lance has lost all credibility. Even the details of the admissions seemed shaped to elicit sympathy and understanding. In America we forgive those who ask for forgiveness and take ownership of their misdeeds.....unless they are clearly doing it only because they are forced to face the music.

I hope Roger~I mean Roger- was watching!

Well the view from The Cheap Seats  is not pretty today in Colts land...   After a 14-0 start, and NFL record 23 regular season wins in a row, the Colt's leadership decided it was time to mail it in mid way thru the 3rd quarter of Sunday's 29-15 loss to the Jets. Indy had secured a 15-10 lead and seemed to be in control against the outmatched Jets. Their coach had basically called it a season the previous Sunday after a loss he thought had eliminated them from playoff contention......he was wrong.   Colts Coach Jim Caldwell called (mouth full) off the key offensive and defensive players and put the teams record setting season in the hands of an untested rookie. I'm sure Caldwell felt he had the teams best interest in mind with the move, but the 67,000 in attendance didn't agree...and they were right.   There is no way to justify this move. Not in front of your home fans at the final regular season home game with perfection on the line. They don't deserve that. You can't sit Peyton Manning in this situation, with perfection and history calling...no way! 

Well there it is.... "After much soul searching, I have decided to take an indefinite break from professional golf. I need to focus my attention on being a better husband, father, and person."

With all the work he apparently has to do, I don't look for him back any time soon. If you saw NBC's special- Tiger Woods Secret Life last night, you'll know what I mean. I would never have believed ANYONE could get away with the crap he's been doing, let alone the highest profile person in the world. But get away with it he did, and in a big way. Not for the gaul of a woman who had nothing to do with it, calling the National Enquirer to bust a girlfriend who had dissed her......unbelievable!

Know what really pisses me off about the whole thing?.........MICHAEL JORDAN.

There I've said it, we all know who's to blame for this mess. His Royal Highness, the Legend, the One the Only- Tigers Hero....MJ.

We should have known, the signs were there. Jordan was seen with Tiger many times, including Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup. There he was driving around in his golf cart, the Big Dog, smoking his big cigar and looking down his nose at the peons outside the ropes. Turns out Tiger had the same attitude. Same preference for high dollar Vegas gambling and, of course the womanizing. Jordan drug his family thru the mud a couple of times before finally biting the bullet, admitting he's a DOG, and coughing up a couple of hundred million $'s.....starting to sound familiar. I don't like where this is headed.

Remember Jordan's first retirement. I always contended that was a League suspension for gambling. I also believe it had something to do with the mysterious circumstances around his fathers murder. Hey, this stuff is for real! Tiger is headed down the exact same path. Earl is already gone, but this too will end ugly if he continues to associate himself with role models like Jordan and "I've got your back" Barkley. He of course had some great advice, "don't get mad....get even".......Oh boy!

Well now we all get to suffer as Y E Yang and Lucas Glover battle it out for the Masters title....can't hardly wait. Talk about trickle down!