Golf is not the most entertaining spectator sport, I will grant you. For most, it isn't even entertaining playing golf, much less to spend an entire afternoon parked in front of the set whooping and hollering for a bunch of old, paunchy guys swing the sticks. But this weekend's RYDER CUP was a real drama. I was not familiar with the format, or rules of the competition, but I followed the hype vaguely in the media. There were some controversies over who would play, whether the PGA should pay the players, whether it was a real competition or an exhibition, and who would bring the cup back to their motherland. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I didn't watch NBC's Saturday coverage, which by the way started at 5am West Coast time. Wow! This must be some event, I thought, but proceeded to find a hundred other things to do other than watch golf (at 5am in the morning!). But I saw some of Captain BEN CRENSHAW'S press conference during which he was on the verge of a breakdown, but in a menacing manner pointed to the press, and warned them to mark his words, that he believed in fate, and the US would prevail. Bold, I thought. But sad. This poor guy was going to get hurt in the fall. After all, going into Sunday's final round the US was down by 4 points, and no team had ever come from behind by more than 2 points to win the Cup.
A brief explanation is in order here for those like my self who aren't RYDER aficionados. Twelve American golfers are selected for the team to match up against 12 European golfers. They play rounds of doubles and singles with a point for each win. As of Saturday when BEN was giving us all our scolding, the Americans were trailing 10-6 with 12 singles matches to play on Sunday. That meant that US of A had to win 8 of 12 and Europe could only win 3 of the 12, with one tie. That was a tall order for CAPTAIN CRENSHAW to fill, but order it up he did.
So come Sunday, what do the Americans do, but win 8 of the 12, and tie 1. Helloooo. History is made just like that. But the emotions exhibited by the players one by one as they finished their matches and brought USA close to the prize was truly special. First DAVIS LOVE finished bringing the score to 10-7. TOM LEHMAN followed, and was in tears in an NBC interview on the green. Next HAL SUTTON and then PHIL MICKELSON, each swearing to the greatness of the team and their Captain, also near or in tears. DAVID DUVAL was the next American warrior to return to camp with a victory and he pranced around the green, cupping his hand to his ear, as if to demand more applause from an already delirious gallery. DUVAL was one who had mocked the competition as an exhibition. He certainly was exhibiting. DENNIS RODMAN would have been envious.
Still, at 11-10 the US was 3 1/2 points from victory, with 7 matches still underway. TIGER WOODS, the number 1 golfer in the world was one of those matches, but he was still onto the 16th with his match still up in the air, and Europe was leading in most of those, with some of their best players JOSE MARIA OLAZABAL, COLIN MONTGOMERY , and teen sensation SERGIO GARCIA who had been tearing it up all weekend. The drama was ratcheted up to a frenzy. It got better.
The match was 13 1/2-13 in USA's favor after wins by STEVE PATE and JIM FURYIK with the RYDER riding on the winner, between JUSTIN LEONARD and JOSE MARIA OLAZABAL. A tie would return the cup to Europe. LEONARD was trailing by 4 holes through 11, but won the next 4 holes in dramatic fashion. He sank a 30 foot birdie putt on 15, and a 50 foot putt on 17 to win the competition. He was mobbed by the remainder of the US team, as well as many of the wives of the players.
It was a heck of a day on the green. Go USA!
APPELLATE SPORTS
What in the world has happened to American macho sport? Women may take over the airwaves with LIFETIME and WOMEN2WOMEN NEWS, there are cappuccino houses on every corner, but men will always have one thing-football. Okay, men have two things-football and boxing. When the touchy feely, politically correct stresses of this world get to be too much, it's time for men to loosen their belts, gather together in strange tribes and let go of strange bodily noises without fear of public shame. It's MILLER TIME baby. "Come on, hit him! Take his head off! Did you see that stick?"
But, Monday morning coming down, the grid iron and boxing ring seem more like the confines of the courtroom of JUDGE JUDITH SHEINLIN, none other than JUDGE JUDY. There are too many stupid rules, and rulings and procedures, and controversies. At the end of the day, the guys, the bookees, the whole damn world for that matter, should know who is boss, who won, and who rules the planet. That of course didn't happen in the TRINIDAD/DE LA HOYA fight. I for one am not an OSCAR DE LA HOYA groupie; on the other hand I never understood the whole Latino desertion drama either. Apparently Latinos in LA, particularly in and around the neighborhood where OSCAR grew up, were not supportive of the champion. Who cares. That is part of the problem. Boxing fans, and the world should follow him because he is the best fighter, or not, all the rest is Hollywood hype and nonsense. The business should be done in the ring, and that is that. "Screw all the hype. Bring on the action!"
But boxing hasn't been that way since the days of ALI and FRAZIER. Promoters and money grabbers have diluted any sense of competition from the sport. There are so many titles, and claims to titles, and rematches. When there is a fight to unify some of those titles, there are controversies over the decision, or the effort, or the refs. Who cares anymore? DE LA HOYA threw 800 more punches and should have won, but he threw less punches and won his last fight, but he didn't deserve it because he didn't try in the final rounds, , or did, or wasn't in shape, or was, or ...........yada, yada, yada. Did DON KING koochy koochy with any of these judges? And pay per view is one big rip-off. Very seldom is the event worth the pay per view hype, and the fans are tired of having it stuck to them. Besides, with CAGE COMBAT, and MORTAL COMBAT and the rest, where there really is fighting, and they fight until there is a winner, undisputed and obvious, do fight fans need any of this WBC or IBF crap? I think not! "We want real boxing, damn it! Fight to the death."
Nor do we need the new NFL rules regarding tape review. In the MIAMI/ARIZONA game, the DOLPHINS were driving late in the half and were given a generous spot by the refs down deep in ARIZONA territory. The announcers and the entire viewing audience I suspect, knew immediately that the spot was too generous, giving the DOLPHINS an undeserved first down. There was some delay, until it was announced that the play was being reviewed. Uh, yeah! The network showed the spot and the announcers came up with the call that the spot was about a yard too favorable. About a minute and a half later the stripes from the booth above ruled that the spot should have been the 11 and1/2 yard line, hence no first down. Several things bothered me about this fracus. First, what took so long? The viewers knew on sight, we all saw it ourselves and knew right away. Besides, even after the lenghty review, the ultimate stripes still got the spot wrong. "Off with the zebra's heads!"
To further complicate things, a challenge to the referees rulings can be made by either team, and if they loose, they surrender a time-out. This adds some gamesmanship to the controversy. It's another layer of strategy and planning, which makes the process mildly interesting. Except that, if there is a controversial call in the last 2 minutes of the half or the game, the review is automatic. What? Why is that? This takes the gamesmanship, throws it out the window and says to the fans, we have bumbling idiot referees who do make mistakes, and it can cost games, and it is important enough to review, but not for the whole game. Hellllloooooo. Is someone reviewing every play during these closing minutes? Come on. Toss the refs on their keesters, they all stink! Then again, the entire rule book employed by the NFL needs to be tossed. Somehow the AUSSIES and BRITS can play a fast paced, hard hitting game of football without a cadre of referees and TV monitors to ruminate on each and every move, and without pads! And I bet they don't have LIFETIME or WOMEN2WOMEN NEWS there. "Bring me a cold FOSTERS or GUINESS, now!"
AGASSI FOLLOWS THROUGH
After the withdrawal of PETE SAMPRAS, we thought it was AGASSI'S tournament to win, and he followed through yesterday, but it wasn't easy. He had to come from behind to TODD MARTIN, the surprise number 7 seed, in his first grand slam final. It was another All-American final following the SAMPRAS/AGASSI final at Wimbleton. Indeed it was the absence of SAMPRAS, which gave ANDRE the opportunity to capture his second U.S.OPEN Title, his 5th grand slam title, his second this year to go with his FRENCH OPEN Title, and a number 1 ranking. Do you think he is anxious for SAMPRAS to return to form?
MARTIN was a surprise leader in the match, up 2 sets to 1, before AGASSI turned it up and put the match away winning 6-3 and 6-2 in the final 2 sets. It was a turn of events, as twice during the tournament MARTIN had to come from 2 sets down, once in his opening match against STEPHAUNE HUET and later in the round of 16 against GREG RUSEDSKI. But it was AGASSI'S turn to play the come back kid, and pocketed the $750,000 winners check.
On Saturday, SERENA WILLIAMS upset MARTINA HINGIS, in the first of perhaps many hard fought battles. MARTINA beat VENUS WILLIAMS in the semifinals, thwarting an all-WILLIAMS final. It was SERENA'S first grand slam final, and the 17 year old showed the poise and grace of a veteran, not to mention the strength of an ironman, or ah, woman. MARTINA will have 2 WILLIAMS sisters around as her nemesi for years to come.
SPARKS FLY
The SPARKS, LA's WNBA franchise fizzled yesterday in the conference finals at Houston, losing to two-time and the only WNBA champs the league has had, the COMETS. So why should Los Angeles' female athletes be any different than their male counterparts? LA's LAKERS, KINGS, DODGERS, ANGELS and the rest haven't been near a championship for decades it seems. And the collegiate programs that used to bring Angelinos championships on a regular basis, have seen better days. Remember when UCLA could be counted on to win the NCAA Basketball Tournament, what, every year. Heck they went on winning streaks of, oh, 80 or 90 games. And in the same years, USC would clean up the football title, with a Heisman winner nearly every year. Those days are gone, my friends, long gone.
For a moment on Thursday evening last week, it looked like the SPARKS would save us. They routed the COMETS, leading from start to finish, winning by 15 points. But LA fans were jolted back to reality on Sunday when the COMETS blinded the SPARKS by 28 points, after which Monday's game was hopeless. The SPARKS came out hot, leading by double digits in the first half on the strength of LISA LESLIE'S 14 points, but by the half they knew their fate. Houston riding the scoring and assists of CYNTHIA COOPER, a Trojan champion herself from many moons ago, trailed by only 3 points. And things went south from there for the SPARKS, so much so that late in the 4th quarter, LISA LESLIE, quite the ambassador for women's basketball and women's sports in general, being a model, corporate spokesperson, Olympic champion and all around professional, completely lost her cool and from a running start drove both her elbows into the throat of TINA THOMPSON, her former teammate from Morningside High School here in Los Angeles, and supposed good friend off the court. It looked like pro football or even pro wrestling, with LESLIE having to be restrained by teammates before tumbling to the floor in a heap, pointing and jeering along the way. Sparks were flying! Who said if there were a woman president there would be no war. Yeah right. In any event, congratulations are in order for the SPARKS, ORLANDO WOOLRIDGE and assistant MICHAEL COOPER. They had a great season, and did well to strengthen interest in women's basketball in this city. There is always next year.
Now, with the ANGELS having the worst record in baseball, and the DODGERS , despite their hot streak being 17 games out, and the NFL leaning towards rescinding the promised franchise for LA, we are stuck with the LAKERS as our championship hopefuls. At last look, PHIL JACKSON was considering rehiring DENNIS RODMAN to bulk up the forward line-up. Things are not looking up.
THE WNBA, I LOVE THIS GAME!
What a weekend for women's basketball. The COMETS won their third WNBA championship, establishing themselves as a legitimate dynasty in the fledgling sport. And CYNTHIA COOPER won her third playoff MVP award, after coming off her 2nd consecutive scoring title, and another fantastic season. Oddly enough she didn't win the league MVP. That title went to SACRAMENTO MONARCHS' YOLANDA GRIFFITH , who led the league in rebounds and steals and was second in scoring. Must be political. The fans would tire of hearing COOP everytime an honor is handed out. Besides I doubt she much cares, after bagging her third championship ring, to go with the series MVP trophy. And she already has 2 league MVP awards. Helllooo. She is being compared to MICHAEL JORDAN. The woman is not wanting.
But the real excitement was in Saturday's championship game, with the NEW YORK LIBERTY on the verge of elimination. After losing the first game of the best of 3 series in New York in front of their townies, few gave the LIBERTY much liberty. At the COMPAC CENTER in Houston the hardest place in the league to win a road game, they found themselves down by as much as 18 points in the first half. They trailed 24-6 and were a joke on the game of basketball. But, some gals had their asses kicked at half-time and with several minutes to go the LIBERTY was down by only a basket. What's more, CYNTHIA COOPER was having a bad game, going 1-10 from the field. The stage was set. KIM HAMPTON, who retired Sunday, made a crucial rebound and basket. After 2 COOPER free throws, CRYSTAL ROBINSON, New York's deadly 3-point specialist, and leading scorer nailed what looked like a 3-pointer, but was only given 2. It was a clutch basket on a play designed for her. The game was tied with less than 20 seconds to go. COOPER pushed the ball down the court to TINA THOMPSON, who banked home the winning? basket with 2 seconds to go and no time outs left for the LIBERTY. The ball languished near the free throw line, with no one taking it out, until finally HAMPTON tossed it in to THERESA WITHERSPOON, T-SPOON as she is known, who desperately drove the ball near midcourt and launched a prayer. It was straight and long, 60 feet long, and banked right into the basket, for a 3 to snatch the victory from the COMETS and the packed house. The place was stunned, the COMETS couldn't believe it. The LIBERTY couldn't believe it. The announcers couldn't believe it. It was the most remarkable finish to a game I've ever watched. No matter that the world order was put back the next day. YOU GOTTA LOVE THIS GAME. But ladies, next year let's get some real playoffs, 3 out of 5, or say best of 7.
SAMPRAS OUT OF US OPEN
8/31/99
PETE SAMPRAS will have to wait until 2000 to win his 13th grand slam, as he has withdrawn from the US OPEN before even hitting a single ball. Since June, SAMPRAS has been the hottest player on the men's tour, winning Wimbleton, and mowing through the competition in the hard court warm-up tournaments. He has beaten ANDRE AGASSI, the other sizzling player on the tour, 4 times since June, including the WIMBLETON final. ANDRE must be thanking his lucky stars, now, as the path has been greased for his US OPEN title chances. SAMPRAS was injured playing in the finals of the PEN PILOT CHAMPIONSHIPS 2 weeks ago, and apparently was re-injured practicing Sunday, causing his exit from this, the last grand slam of the season. Word is now that he has a herniated disc in his back. When and if SAMPRAS wins his next grand slam tournament he will be alone at the top of men's tennis, surpassing greats ROD LAVER, BJORN BORG and the rest.
GRAF GONE?
8-19-99
Women's tennis lost one of it's finest stars, if not the finest last week as STEFFI GRAF decided from Germany to call it quits. It was a bit of a surprise she did so before the US OPEN set to begin next week in New York, particularly after the comeback year she was having. She won the FRENCH OPEN and lost in the finals at WIMBLETON to LINDSAY DAVENPORT. She seemed to have come fully back from injuries and emotional difficulties arising from her father's tax conviction and subsequent imprisonment, to once again reclaim her status as number 1, or certainly a major obstacle to that position for the youngsters like MARTINA HINGIS, VENUS WILLIAMS, LINDSAY, and others challenging for the top. GRAF'S comments on her retirement are somewhat perplexing. She is quoted as saying "It was almost too easy to catch up to the top players again. I have nothing left to prove." How about that at 30, you really are better than them? That would be something. Oh well, I guess that's just wishful thinking. It would be nice, as a fan of professional tennis, to keep the field muddied up. It would make the matches more entertaining to watch, and the players that much better. There may never be a player better than STEFFI GRAF. I recall seeing her for the first time, at the 1984 OLYMPIC GAMES in Los Angeles, at the tennis center at UCLA. Tennis was an exhibition sport then, and GRAF was just 14 years old, playing on one of the side courts so I was able to get really up close and personal. Wow! She had a canon for a forehand, and all who watched that day knew she would be a great professional player. She of course went on to win the gold medal in 1988 when the sport was a full fledged competition. In that same year she won the grand slam, for what is now called the golden slam. No one has ever achieved that honor in tennis. It is sad to think her time is now done. The queen is dead, long live the queen.
DODGER MIDTERM
7-14-99
After a great pre-season, and big expectations, largely stemming from the costly acquisition of KEVIN BROWN, the DODGERS face the second half of the season in last place and 10 games behind. Not exactly the way RUPE and MALONE planned things. After a horrendous start, BROWN has settled in and gives the team a shot at a win every time he pitches. His record of 9-6 with a 3.53 era could be better, though. The real problem is offense, and the DODGERS just don't have any. Neither SHEFFIELD nor MONDESI are in the top ten in rbi's. And it seems the team goes limp whenever there are runners in scoring position.
Perhaps the scoring bonanza and brawlfest that was the last game before the ALL-STAR break is a sign of things to come. Speaking of ALL-STARS-who was the brainiac that decided to deal PEDRO MARTINEZ. He has a shot at winning 30 games this season, and shined as mvp of the showcase game, striking out 5 of 6 in 2 innings including SOSA and McGUIRE. Wouldn't we like to have him back.
And how about getting MONDESI back. 18 home runs in April and May, and only one since. Without MONDI, the DODGERS can kiss their slim chances bye bye.
CELEBRATING THE 4TH AT WIMBLEDON
7-9-99
It was an all American day at the finals in Wimbleton on July 4th. PETE SAMPRAS continued his punishing game on grass, extinguishing any hopes ANDRE AGASSI had of pushing to number 1 in the world on the steam from his FRENCH OPEN title. PETE made it look easy, beating AGASSI in straight sets to capture his 5th WIMBLEDON title, and his 12th career grand slam win. ANDRE looked good coming into the final, easily beating the number 2 seed, PAT CASH in the semis. But SAMPRAS was dominating, making it look easy.
On the women's side, LINDSAY DAVENPORT finally broke though at Wimbledon, beating crowd favorite, STEFFI GRAF, also in straight sets. DAVENPORT was seeded 2nd, but was not considered the favorite, given her large size and somewhat limited mobility. Her service game was powerful, and time and again she got down low to handle STEFFI'S swift groundstrokes with snappy returns of her own. After last year's US OPEN win, DAVENPORT'S first grand slam, she now is gaining momentum to make a legitimate run at number 1 in the world. The women's game is so competitive, though, with MARTINA HINGIS sure to make a strong showing in her next outing, and the emergence of several young players, MARIANNA LUCIC, and JELENA DOKIC, as well as the WILLIAMS sisters all wanting to move to the top. On the way down, STEFFI GRAF said farewell to the Wimbledon crowd. We shall see........
DRAMA AT WIMBLEDON
6-23-99
Like many 18 year old girls, MARTINA HINGIS got a little tired of mom doting over her every step on the women's tennis circuit, so she decided to make a move and entered WIMBLETON without the assistance of her longtime companion and coach. She was abruptly bounced from the tournament by 16 year old qualifier JELENA DOKIC in the first round. It is only the third time a number 1 seed has lost in the first round at WIMBLEDON. Oddly enough it happened to STEFFI GRAF in 1994. It was only several weeks ago that HINGIS lost a bitter FRENCH OPEN final to GRAF before a mocking crowd in Paris which jeered and booed HINGIS such that she ran crying into her mother's arms at the conclusion of the match. The French crowd took a particular liking to the loss, and MARTINA'S troubles, in retaliation to some harsh remarks HINGIS had leveled at Frenchman, I mean Frenchwoman, and HINGIS' opponent in the AUSTRALIAN OPEN final, AMELIE MAURISMO. In a show of immaturity, HINGIS withdrew from the doubles competition, in which her and teammate ANNA KOURNIKOVA were seeded second.
So, the tournament is up for grabs, with STEFFI looking for her 23rd grand slam championship, and MONICA SELES hungry for another championship.
On the men's side, the tournament still has BORIS BECKER who decided to come out of retirement and seek his fourth WIMBLEDON crown. He was down 2 sets and three match points in the first round before staging an incredible comeback against MILES MACLAGAN. BECKER, no doubt is the crowd favorite, but the men's side of the tournament is very interesting with PETE SAMPRAS looking to add to his grand slam wins and go down in history and ANDRE AGASSI coming off a FRENCH OPEN win, and talking about regaining number 1 status in the world.
All rights reserved. © 1999 Manmade Multimedia.
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