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07/24/2006: "Sports Wrap"
Between the weather in St. Louis and the weather in SoCal - identical in type if not scope - I layed low this weekend and just watched sports ...
- As a golfer, I find nothing as artistically beautiful as watching Tiger Woods surgically dismantle a golf course as his competitors each take their shot and fade away. At the Open Championship, first Sergio, then Ernie and finally Chris each tried to hang with Tiger and failed. Any time the third round leader has the best final round of anyone on the leaderboard, he's gonna be tough to catch, and it's even more so if his name is Woods.
It was also gratifying to see his reaction at the end of the round as he broke down and let out what was certainly an incredible amount of emotion. Tiger has been criticized by some as being aloof and mechanical with the media - much like Michael Jordan earlier - so to see so public a display of raw emotion should only bring his fans closer.
- Jared Weaver is now 7-0 for the Angels to begin his career. The last guy to start 8-0 was the chubby kid from Mexico, and we all know where Fernandomania drove the Dodgers. Meanwhile, the Boys in Blue continue their slide. I'm not sure what is more embarassing - the fact that the Cardinals swept the season series for the first time in over a century, or that ex-pat Jeff Weaver - who couldn't even hang with the Angels - got one of the wins.
- Meanwhile, the Marlins just keep on winning. Remember when they were predicted to lose 100 games? They'd have to go 17-48 the rest of the way to do that - and even the Dodgers aren't that bad ...
- Somehow, Floyd Landis overcame it all and won the Tour de France. Some are trying to call this one a classic, but I'm not sure. It was definitely different, though - the top 5 finishers from last year failing to return, Landis' Phonak team failing to run down a breakaway that initially cost him the maillot jaune, Floyd's own epic bonk in yellow followed the next day by a display of grit in the Alps that was Lance-like. And he did it all with an arthritic hip that will be replaced in a month - and I'm told will end up on eBay (seriously!). It was a wild ride, and in the end all that matters is who ends up at the top of the podium in France, and this time, it's Floyd Landis. Enjoy the view, Floyd - you earned it!
