Leominster’s profile

Okay, I admit Woods is spectacular ... but let's not go overboard well....it appears a lot of people are doing just that, if this defines overboard. Many sportswriters today, I am sure, are likening him to Gretsky, MJ, even Ali. Lets face it, who would be the number one most recognizable athlete in the world today if it isn't Tiger? Going into 2006, or forward to 2007, who has the most money locked up in endoresment contracts prior to performance. I daresay Tiger; and who am I to question Nike, AmExpress, Buick, Rolex. They know what they are getting up front for their money; the most recognizable player in any sport, and probably the best in show in the world arena of athletics. All the discussion merely fuels Tigers ability to command more endorsement cash. Tigers performances continue to be historic, and there are those who are always unconfortable when history is being re-written. He has dominated golf like no other, at every level he has competed on. Some question his collegiate achievements, but he may not have had those targets prioritized versus the National Amateur scene. What remains now is for Tiger to rectify his Ryder Cup record- a tall order given that match play is so intimate and instantly reactive.

posted at 10:49 AM on August 21

You may not have noticed, but she's been "competitive" for a while now Grum...er, OK. she HAS been competitive, in Womens and LPGA events. You make that point, and make my point as well. She has won the USGA Womens AmPublinx at age 13. I am confident she will win soon, maybe real soon, in a National womens LPGA event. My point is... she has NOT been competitive, in US PGA events. Players that fail to make cuts, make no money and don't stay on tour, on the PGA tour. I think you took the second part of my comment, and dissected it, rather than along with the first part. The public now remembers her for getting sick and w/d in an event where she was going to miss the cut again. Top that off with some players on tour getting irked by her slow play, having the threesome placed on the clock by officals ( no fun, I've been put on the clock in tournaments because of another), and now having that sentiment getting into the press. Watch for the fickle press to start picking up the feelings of other players as that starts to become a more popular position with the public...and yeah, she and the public may need a break. I am sure that William Morris Co Agency wants a better memory picture than having Michelle in a near-barf state as the last take she gets on television. Michelle Wie will probably continue to be invited to lower tier PGA events; I for one am starting to view this as exploitation of the cruelest kind. She has little shot of making the cut, no shot at winning, it keeps another player out of the field, and the sponsors use her merely for the gate and press appeal. And..I don't think I'm alone in this sentiment. Her handlers have work to do.

posted at 04:39 PM on July 15

All the above comments have value and merit, if you realize the real reason she is out there in the spotlight. Its to SELL stuff, just like anyone else either on tour or who aspires to be on tour. The message she is now sending, rather than selling, is unfortunately that she should GO AWAY for a while...as many above have stated. She is gearing up to be a skit on Saturday Night Live.."my god, a double bogey..quick, my oxygen mask.." ad nauseum. I am sure there are some sharp witted comic writers who have a whole schtick already written about Michelles' weekend of fun and barfing. The GolfChannel lead for the last two days has been Michelle, her "unending quest to make the cut on the PGA tour", but they are bleeding in a few more naysayers...like her playing partner Jeff Gove >As she waited for Gove to putt, Wie knelt at the edge of the green with her head bowed, pulling the bill of her baseball cap over her eyes. "I saw she was hurting, but she never said anything," Gove said. "And she was walking real slow, which I thought was inconsiderate again because we're trying to keep up. If we get on the clock again, that's painful." (AP wire reports) Notice the word "inconsiderate"...thats a biggie in the world of professional golf. So, the implication is she is now affecting, negatively, the performance of other professionals , who are out there trying to SELL stuff...get attention, notice the name on their hats, bags and shirts. Michelle and the public need a break from each other, and maybe she needs to enter an event she can be competitive in, and not the butt of certain future jokes.

posted at 11:46 AM on July 15

wie this young girl has not even earned the right to compete ...um, dlwebb, ANYONE can enter the US OPEN, there is no earning a right to compete in the National Championship. Just be a professional golfer who can come within ten shots of the course rating, or an amateur golfer with a 2.4 hdcp index or less. The US Open regularly attracts over 6000 entries per year, and most of those entries never get ANY press. Mine never did, and yes, I entered several times, as an amateur. The great thing about an OPEN golf tournament is, it IS open to most anyone, most are gender non-specific. Joanne Carner attempted to qualify several years ago (if I remember), but she was much less of a promotional horse than Michelles' handlers are. Lets remember that this is most about press and money, at least in my opinion. Wie got millions to trun pro and get endorsements from SONY, etc. She also commanded $750,00 to tee it up in the Korean event a few weeks ago. Her handlers are doing a great job of keeping her name in the press.

posted at 06:39 PM on June 03

Are you just trying to wind me up? JJ...I was hoping that no one would dignify the ignorance of stating that golf lacks athleticism. I guess those fitness trailers on tour are going to be used for the homeless folks now.

posted at 06:16 PM on May 05

...a great story for The Golf Channels latest reality show "The Daly Planet" starring, of course, John Daly.

posted at 05:34 PM on March 10

....more mutterings.....this "distance technology" is just ruining golf...

posted at 10:22 AM on March 10

Great side stories here....its supposed to be PHIL'S tournament, being the Ford guy on tour (remember, Tiger is the Buick guy)...but, like 'what will Phil do next?", maybe hit it in the water?...again-duoh. Tiger gets Phils goat again. Villegas played college golf in Florida, is from Columbia and drew the neatest galleries. Sorry, zippinglou, he didn't come from nowhere. He won eight titles at Univ.of.Florida and played Nationwide last year, earning a promo to the tour this year off last years Nationwide money. With this third place, and last weeks second place in Arizona, he has iced a card for the rest of this year and next. Watch out for him now in earnest, with no worries about keeping his playing card. This course was never this easy when it has all the palm trees. Not only has the monster lost 400-500 trees, the added air flow throughout the course has firmed up all the fairways and grounds in general. Guys like Crenshaw (1988) used to win here with -10 to -14. (short and stright, but great putting) Given a choice of 280 in the fairway with 170 yard approach shots, or 330 drives anywhere with 120 yard wedges to the greens, go with distance. I'd hope the course plants a lot of trees before next years World Golf tournament.

posted at 12:12 AM on March 06

This was a frequent sight on all the Boston TV stations over the years- I believe the changeover for Boston Garden was featured for a few commercials for various products. The "Bull Gang" prided themselves in quick changes; I think the all time fastest change was a bit UNDER an hour, from hockey to baskets. Years ago, before advanced plastics technology, a coating of sawdust was needed to keep the ice from really melting. Having a snap-together parquet floor was also a speedy item. A google about this produced a lot of sites. Neat stuff.

posted at 05:25 PM on March 05

Both guys have legitimacy on their side- but Augusta has the legacy of Bobby Jones, who had the ability to plan for the future and then acknowledge it when it arrived. "It" is now the game of the PGA tour today, with 330 yd tee shots, seven irons from 180 and players who'd rather be in bunkers than face a ten yard chip shot. Jones himself stated that Nicklaus possessed a game that "I am not familiar with" when asked about Jacks ability to hit it long and straight. Imagine Jones laying out ANGC in 1932, and still having that venue used today. "wow" comes to mind when I think of all the great courses the tour/US Open used to play at, that are now obsolete. The complaint will be heard that only certain players will be able to win at Augusta. Thats ALWAYS been the case- Jacks got five, Arnie has four, and a bunch of others have multiples. Its the best TV coverage, and fans like it because its the only major that is site-static. I can hardly wait for it to start.

posted at 09:32 PM on March 02

The old SONY Mens rankings needed a lot of tweaking before they got it right- and it appears the Rolex Womens does as well. Back then, Jumbo Ozaki gained points in weak fields when HE showed up, because his presence made the field more competitive. He would show up, beat a weak field, and gain in the ranks. Anomalies like that make it difficult to compare players that don't compete against each other. Currently, Morgan Pressel is unranked because she does not have enough appearances. How much is the US Amateur weighed in this scale. THAT will be interesting to see, when she comes eligible for ranking. Based on the Wie rank, Pressel should be a lock for #2 in the world.....or does Rolex want Wie higher? Sadly, the current US Open Champion, Birdie Kim, checks in at #51. I smell sex appeal, marketing and endorsement potential as ranking criteria.

posted at 10:04 AM on February 22

Does anybody know why her coach was not there? According to wire reports, the coach (Rafael Arutunian) is in transit. The draw isn't even until 2-17-06, so his arrival shortly is within acceptable limits.

posted at 07:52 PM on February 11

pop quiz answer...because I heard on last weeks TV coverage...Mayfair at LA, the year that tournament was at a different venuwe than Riveira

posted at 10:11 AM on February 06

Crisp is in the mold of a lot of players who come to Boston and then really blossom. Damon essential did just that in his stay here. So has Manny, Varitek and numerous others. Besides, its not the biggest centerfield in BB, so concerns about his arm may be overcooked. Damon was very fast off the batted ball, maybe the best in the majors, which made his price OK for CF at Yankee stadium. Hey- Frank Malzone hung in for a few years strictly because he could hit the wall. Its a special place, Fenway. One never knows who will be a good player in this stadium.

posted at 06:02 PM on January 28

...as if the Patriots need anyone else to wish them ill....thanks for the boost, roger. 28-3 and counting..

posted at 09:43 PM on January 07