Tiger Far From Finished

He just needs some more time.

Tiger shot a career-worst 18-over par this weekend on a course he's always dominated. He's bottomed out on the course. His game and swing are in the gutter with his personal life, marriage, reputation and image. It's never looked worse for Tiger Woods.

But it's always darkest before the dawn. His current turmoil is just a road block for Tiger. Not even that, just road construction. He needed a lot of work done after speeding down sport and celebrity's Autobahn of riches, women and power. Potholes are plentiful and dangerous there.

Last Thanksgiving was the arbitrary date when his dark side got exposed. That cat was getting out of the bag at some point. Tabloid covers were coming eventually. On top of that, covering tracks and behavior was unhealthy for Tiger personally. Whoring around at every turn, addicted to sex and the power he had with sex.

Problems would form eventually whether the press got ahold of it or it just tore him up personally. The media just hit fast forward on the whole thing. Blew it up, sped it up and threw it up. He may have been able to hide it until he's 40 but what then? All this happens in five years and it's probably uglier. Now in five years, he'll be in a completely different place with a different mindset and he'll be killing it on the Tour again.

So he's about to be 35 in December, with 14 majors. Four behind Jack. The record is still so within reach it's not even an issue in my mind. There are 17 majors before he turns 40. I really like Tiger's odds to win three out of those 17 even with none this year or next. Then it's just two from 40 on.

Tom Watson should have a won a major last year at 59. Tiger will have plenty of golf in him from 40 to 50. So he wins one major every couple of years, big deal. He only needs five more. And I know it's easy to say, "only five more" but, with Tiger, you can. He takes care of his body, physically, better than most on Tour so longevity shouldn't be an issue.

We all thought he'd smoke Jack's record early but it's just not going to happen in that time frame. That was a huge pothole he hit last year and you have to know it will cause damage and delay the arrival at the destination. In this instance, the destination is 19 major championships and Greatest of All-Time.

The only way Tiger doesn't break Jack Nicklaus' record is if he retires from competitive golf and doesn't play in the tournaments. Don't dump your Tiger stock. I'm loading up right now while it's at a garage-sale price and riding it for the next 15 years.

Celtics Fueling Up with Diesel

The Diesel is going green. Boston signed Shaq to a two-year deal today in hopes of boosting its front court with size and stature. The deal is said to be worth around $3 million. The Celtics and Shaq may need each other but neither should expect a ring next year.

The facts of the case are pretty straight forward, and breaking them down, this deal makes sense. The Celtics needed another center with Kendrick Perkins possibly being out until February coming off ACL surgery.

True, it makes the Celtics older but Shaq is a very comparable solution to losing Perkins. Of course Shaq can't defend the screen/roll as well, but his defense, based on strength alone, will hinder most other centers, including fake Superman in Orlando. And even at this stage, Shaq's more of an offensive threat than Perkins. He's still shoot over 56%.

The big question mark is how Shaq will react to a reduced bench role. He may get some starts along the way but he is going to be asked to come off the bench at some point. How will that affect Shaq's mentality? He was the MDE (Most Dominant Ever). He's never came off the bench before. Perhaps with a distinguished franchise like Boston's, with its Hall of Famers in place, it won't be an issue. I have to think Shaq has planned for this before signing, therefore will accept.

As much as I want to say "Shaq, retire! You're making people forget how great you were!" I won't. I won't dwell on how this is his sixth team and can't stay anywhere more than a year now. I'm actually excited to see him playing for another contender, especially Boston, who I follow closely. Along with Sir Charles and Kobe, Shaq completes my top-three list of all-time favorite players in NBA history, so I have a fan-element to Shaq. He can play as long as he wants. I've loved following his career, and will continue doing so, despite his inabiltiy to run quickly up the court.

However, I must now point out how strongly I feel that the Celtics will NOT win the title next year. They will contend and contend hard, too many great players not to. And Doc Rivers knows what he's doing, I'm pretty convinced of that, but it's past Boston's time. I like the move, but it's not going to pay off with a ring. Don't have the youth among its great players and signing Jermaine O'Neal and Shaq is a sign they're grasping at straws.

Quick numbers on Shaq

Career: 24.1 ppg  11.0 reb 35.7 min.
Last 3 years: 14.7 ppg  7.6 reb  27.3 min.

(photo: Tony Dejak, AP)

Favre Frenzy

There's something about Favre that makes people lose their minds. We've all been down this road three times now and people are still going crazy over "reports" about Favre's decision making. I thought we covered all this last year. Even Favre doesn't know what the hell he's going to do. Certainly not right now.

The reports by the Star Tribune, ESPN and everyone else really makes me question how diligent these people are checking their sources. They were reporting Favre had "notified the Vikings he would not return." If you look closer it was some text message to an unnamed teammate that was the source.

Vishante Shiancoe told the StarTrib Favre "told a couple guys on the team he was going to retire." I need more than a mystery text message from a third or fourth party to confirm the decision of the most indecisive person in sports history.

They asked Childress. Of course he hadn't heard a thing about it, only saying the situation "is fluid," whatever that means. Steve Mariucci brought some sense to the discussion, claiming he talked to Favre who was, of course, shocked by all the fuss but said he never made such a decision.

Favre saying he's retiring in a off-the-record text message, allegedly, on August 3 doesn't hold any weight in the 2010 Favre Watch. It's much too early. He didn't join the team until August 17 last year. It's going to be later than that this year.

Calm down, Viking fan. No need to get anxious about battling around .500 with TJack behind center just yet. Favre Watch is far from over. As Rich Eisen said, "It's a marathon, not a sprint."

Bottom Bengals

Ochocinco says the Bengals are going to win the Super Bowl. Ocho is just good at getting people worked up. The 2010 Bengals, with their new circus act T.O., won't be sniffing the Super Bowl this year. They won't even be sniffing the playoffs.

It's not just TO coming in causing a media circus. He and Ocho are now "Bonnie and Clyde" and "Batman and Robin." Maybe on the reality TV circuit. If they want to get attention with their shenanigans, fine. Yuck and laugh it up. Make outrageous claims like how not winning the Super Bowl will be a "shame."

It's more than just two media whores that will keep the Bengals from the playoffs this year. It's the team's history. It's the schedule. It's last year. It's the team. Don't buy what Ocho is selling.

If you look at the Bengals under Marvin Lewis, who is entering his 8th year, you'll notice a trend of mediocrity. Not that Lewis is entirely to blame but he hasn't come close to producing back-to-back teams worth a damn.

Under Lewis:
2003: 8-8
2004: 8-8
2005: 11-5, won division
2006: 8-8
2007: 7-9
2008: 4-11-1, man that tie is an eye sore.
2009: 10-6, won division

Based on that history, the Bengals will be, at best, 8-8. The 2005 team was even better than last year's team, yet the following year they underachieved. And they had a much more potent offense in '05.

Now you have to look at their schedule for this year. It's the fourth-toughest in the league, based on opponent's record from 2009. Here are some noteworthy games: Week 1: @ New England.  Week 10: @ IND. Week 12: @ NYJ. Week 13: vs. NO. Week 16: vs. San Diego. Plus the divisional schedule.
Last year they went 6-0 vs. the AFC North. Does anybody think that could miraculously happen again? There is no way in hell they sweep their division again. Pittsburgh and Baltimore will definitely have something for them this year. Cleveland might even be able to pull one out on them. I say 3-3 in division this year, maybe 2-4.

The Bengals have too many people gunning for them this year. They are playing a first-place schedule. Teams want revenge. Teams don't want them back in the playoffs, especially Pittsburgh. The Bengals got a little too full of themselves last year and this off-season. Now they have Ocho predicting them to the Super Bowl.

One more thing: Carson Palmer is overrated. He's not in the elite group and never has been.

Final prediction: 2010 Bengals: 6-10. Check their schedule. Tell me where the wins are.

Sweet Lou's Had Enough

Can anyone blame him?

Lou Piniella announced he'll retire after the season. He should have done it sooner, after last year. Now the final 70 games are like a prison sentence. Wait....every season with the Cubs is a prison sentence. Even the good ones because you already know how it's going to end.

Lou's got a solid managerial resume. World Series ring, record for most wins in a season (116), three manager of the year awards. He's had a nice career in the game. But even Lou Piniella can't do the impossible: bring a championship to the Cubs.

Being a proven manager is one of the criteria for winning with the Cubs. Lou even had a pretty damn good team to work with there, for a while.

Lou with the Cubs:
2007 - Won division, 85-77. Good first season. Got the fans believing, got their hopes way up. Then Arizona pulled out the brooms on them in the NLDS. But hope was still high.

2008- "The year," according to Cub fans. Went 97-65. Defended Central title. Made consecutive playoff appearances for the first time since they last won the World Series, 1907-1908. It was all lining up to "reverse the curse." Wrong. The heavily-favored Cubs were again swept out of the NLDS. Piniella made some debated pitching moves and rotation decisions in that series.

That was the one shot Piniella had with the Cubs. Last year, the Cubs finished just above .500 and missed the playoffs. Many could see the writing on the wall for Piniella. But he was brought back for another season.

It was apparent to me starting in 2009, Piniella just didn't seem interested anymore. He knew they didn't have as good of team, with as good of shot, as the previous year. The fallout from the 2008 season had taken it's toll on the now 66-year-old Piniella. Dealing with the fans and media in that city suffocates the life out of someone in his position. Add players like Zambrano to the mix, I'd be surprised if Piniella isn't crazy by now.

So now in 2010 the Cubs are 43-52. No hope for rest of the way. Lou's seen enough. He couldn't get it done for the Cubs and their suffocating fans. I'm not sure anybody can. And it will be a while before the get someone as qualified as Piniella.

Photo credit: Chicago Sun-Times

Blanks Already Filled In

I was getting worried FavreWatch 2010 would never get here. I’ve been waiting around for months and months wondering what the Wrangler-wearing, Southern Miss baseball-watchin’ gunslinger has been up to down in Hicksville, Miss. Only because I needed a few good laughs.

The entire Favre fiasco is comical to me now. I used to be think it was too much but now each time I see "breaking news," like Brad Childress visiting him in Mississippi, I laugh. The Power of Favre - it's so sad, it's funny.

Thank goodness for coverage of Childress’ visit to Mississippi Monday. That gave me the laughs I was looking for.When asked why he was there, Chili responded in his over-sized Vikings fishing hat, “You can fill in the blanks.”

Okay, I will. The Brett Favre-Brad Childress Fill-in-the-blank game:

Brett Favre will play for the Minnesota Vikings in 2010.

He will miss training camp because he doesn’t want to attend. His excuse will be his ankle. He will need that time to mow his lawn and discuss his future with his daughter on their front porch.

Childress will sit around waiting because he has no other choice. He’ll continue to lose all credibility and respect. By October, Favre will be officially the head coach of the team.

Favre will continue to drop hints about playing and throw to high schoolers in front of a camera, while never giving anyone a straight answer.

And everyone will watch.

Thanks, Chili. Filling in the blanks myself was much more fun than listening to your gruff voice mumble clichés. Plus, what does Chili know about Favre playing that we don’t? Nothing.

End note: One blank we don’t need filled in: Favre's lid. He's got never-ending supply of dirty, greasy Nike golf hats. Each one dirtier and more worn than the last. Good to know.

Welcome to Miami

The LeBron James fiasco is finally over. After two years of hype, a week of constantly changing reports and a self-serving hour-long special on ESPN, LeBron James announced he will "take his talents to South Beach."

This thing has been discussed more than Brett Favre's decision to un-retire. It turned into the biggest spectacule in recent history. It's been broken down every way, by everyone. Still, here's my two cents.

Why I Like "The Decision"

1) He needed to leave Cleveland. I know about the tormented Cleveland sports fans. Spare me the tear-fest. LeBron James is bigger than Cleveland. If your goal is to be a global icon, you dream a little bigger than living and working in Cleveland your whole life.

He's from and lives in Akron, not Cleveland. As far as I can tell he loves Akron, not Cleveland. He never even moved to the city. He isn't working, middle-class like Cleveland sports fans. He's a child star who happened to get drafted by the Cavs. If they didn't somehow get the No. 1 pick in 2003 the people of Cleveland would have just watched from afar and this situation would have never presented itself.

He doesn't care about the Browns or Indians. He roots for the Cowboys and Yankees. The big dogs. The front-runners. He wouldn't even like the Cavs if he wasn't playing for them. LeBron goes big, and Cleveland isn't big enough.

I believe LeBron knew he was going to leave after this contract was up because he didn't want to spend his whole life in Cleveland. I like Cleveland, I've cheered for the Browns and Indians in the past, but someone in his position isn't content staying in NE Ohio forever. And who can blame him?

The Cleveland fans who call him coward and traitor are the selfish ones. LeBron doesn't owe them his entire career. That's not the way professional sports works. Sorry, it may not be ideal, but it's the way it is. When your contract is up, you're free to go elsewhere. Just as said team is able to cut you at any point.

The burning jerseys and Dan Gilbert's childish, classless, rudimentary letter to the fans of the Cavs was more disgraceful than LeBron leaving, but probably equal to having a one-hour special to announce the decision. The letter most likely speaks for most Cavs fans, but that just shows how fickle they are.

It reminds me of Cubs fans and why they will never win a World Series. The fans care way more than any player possibly could. They ride the players and manager so hard it almost subconsciously turns the team against winning, just to spite the idiots cheering for them.

I doubt LeBron ever had any fantasies about playing his entire career in Cleveland. Did he want to win a title there? Sure, but it would still have been his first, the city's second. It seems LeBron doesn't care about Cleveland as much as the locals want him to, but that's not his fault.

2) LeBron James and Dwayne Wade. The two most exciting players in the league playing every game together. Whether you like either one, you can't doubt their playmaking abilities. There hasn't been a combo like this since Shaq and Kobe, but even then Shaq was a different kind of spectacular. Shaq couldn't do it off the dribble and in the open court like these two can.

It's great for the league. More people will be interested, which means more eyeballs. The anticipation for next year is already building.

Chris Bosh better be hitting the offensive boards and get comfortable with the idea of averaging 13 points per game. He is the definition of third wheel. Solid player, but I have the feeling he wanted to be, at least, a No. 2 guy, not a No. 3, in-the-shadows guy. He claimed he was "a centerpiece" before free agency. Well, not anymore. He's a candlestick that gets moved out of the way for the centerpiece.

Pat Riley needs to get on the bench from the start if they want to win next year or the following year. Erik Spoelstra seems like a good up-and-coming coach, but this is out of his league right now. Maybe after a year or two he would get it together but there's no time for that. The expectations are very high.

In Closing

I haven't agreed with how LeBron went about handling his business since the end of the season. I didn't really care for the way he handled his business on the court. I certainly didn't like the hour-long decision special. Very self-indulgent, but the demand for it was there. His communication with Cleveland management could and should have been a helluva lot better, but it wouldn't have made things much better. Gilbert probably still sends out the letter.

Most people would have preferred a simple released statement or press conference. It kind of felt like LeBron thought he was doing people a favor by answering questions before and after. I don't think that helped but it got the interrogation part over with the same night.

The way ESPN catered to the show was laughable. It shows just how much power LeBron wields.

I will say this, I haven't been a huge fan of LeBron but this decision moved him up a notch in my book. Once he wins a title, he will go higher. A ring is a ring is a ring. It doesn't matter if he did it "on his own" or he had Dwayne Wade helping. If they win multiple rings, it really won't matter. No one does it on their own.

He said winning is the most important thing and now is getting killed for picking a team with a good shot at winning. Cleveland wasn't doing any better than they have the past three years. Miami and Chicago gave him the best chance to win. And out of those two, Miami had more to offer. Case closed. Get over it. It's his life, not yours.