Tiger Woods: Champ or Chump?

Tiger Woods failed at this year’s U.S. Open. Or did he?

According to the PTI’s and Around the Horns of the world, Woods is a failure and has lost his swagger and edge that has helped him win 12 major championships.

For the second consecutive major of the season, Woods was unable to mount a Sunday charge for a victory, leaving him 0-for-29 in relation to coming from behind to win a major.

In April, Woods came up short in his pursuit of Zach Johnson, who claimed the 2007 Masters – and his first major championship – by two strokes.

Angel Cabrera can now be slumped into the group of “no-names” who have defeated Woods on a Sunday in a major.

But, does Woods’ recent “struggle” really give any indication that he has passed his peak?

Absolutely not.

The man is still the man. He is the best golfer on the planet. When he retires – barring an extreme circumstance – he should be considered the best golfer of all-time.

Give the man some credit. He has had a lot on his plate during the past couple years. Marriage. Death. And now a birth to a daughter. Despite those distractions, Tiger still captured two of the four majors last year in the British Open and PGA Championship.

Tiger’s critics will continue to criticize as long as he fails to win majors. How can the Tony Kornheisers and Michael Wilbons of the world criticize a man who has won 57 official tournaments (Tiger has three wins and two runner-up finishes in 2007 out of 10 entries), 12 majors and quite frankly changed the world’s perspective on golf over the past decade?

Without Tiger Woods, there is no golf worth covering.

As for the other big guns on the PGA tour, there is nobody with the pizzazz and explosion of Woods. Els is foreign. Furyk is boring with an ugly swing. Mickelson continues to break everybody’s hearts with his late-round blow-ups.

It is players like Woods who continue to impress and amaze galleries with clutch shots such as his miraculous chip on the 16th at Augusta in 2005 or his incredible eagle from 209 yards out with a 4-iron at the 2006 British Open at Royal Liverpool.

Woods dazzles. He amazes. But most importantly, he entertains. Woods has the power to hype up what is stereotypically a dreary experience.

So, back to the original question. Is Woods a champ or chump? He may struggle from time to time, but every champion does. Not every dynasty is consistently superior. Just ask the Pittsburgh Steelers. Super Bowl champions in 2006. Nothing short of disaster in 2007.

Woods, just like the Steelers, will regroup and recover.

But, I do not feel too sorry for Tiger. He has his 12 major championship trophies to keep him company.

Formula-1: Please Leave Indianapolis Forever

The checkered flag has flown on the eighth United States Grand Prix, and hopefully the half-filled grandstands and less than exciting race will lead to Bernie Eccelstone taking his Formula-1 series elsewhere. Whether the GP relocates to another American state or country, it makes no difference as long as it relocates far away from Indianapolis, because that is what us locals deserve.

Formula-1, you had your chance. You had your chance to put on a great show. You had a chance to not just entertain the American people, but to educate them as well. But instead, you have provided lackluster, anti-climatic finishes and enough controversy to keep David Letterman busy with one-liners for the remainder of his career.

Let us take a look back at some of the lows and lowers of the USGP’s career.

The USGP debuted at Indianapolis in 2000 to a record crowd for an F-1 event. The nearly 250,000 spectators were treated to an uninspiring performance as Michael Schumacher dominated the inagural event.

Schumacher built such a comanding lead that a late-race spin with four laps remaining did nothing to give his fellow drivers a chance. Despite the miscue, Schumacher won by 12 seconds over Ferarri teammate, Rubens Barrichello.

In 2002, the American fans were insulted by the first of two fatal contoversies orchestrated by Formula-1.

With Schumacher well on his way to his second USGP victory in three years, he literally pulled over on the final straighaway and allowed his teammate – Barrichello – to win the race. Do you think Helio Castroneves or Dan Weldon would ever pull over and allow their teammate to win?

The 2002 debacle got the smoke started, but it was the 2005 USGP that turned the smoke into a four-alarm fire with no chance of putting it out.

To make a long story short, Michelin did not provide an acceptable tire for the teams to use in 2005, which led to Michael Schumacher’s younger brother – Ralf – seriously injured in a practice crash. Ralf’s crash led to a revolt in the F-1 garages. Several teams proposed installing a last-minute chicane in the final high-speed turn, but the Ferrari team would not approve of such a measure.

Instead, 16 of the starting 22 cars pulled off before the start and boycotted the race. If the three remaining teams had been Ferarri, McLaren and Renault, it could have been an “exciting” race. But instead, Ferarri’s Schumacher and Barrichello ran circles around two inferior teams en route to an effortless 1-2 podium finish.

This lack of respct for the fans who traveled as many as thousands of miles away will always leave a bitter taste in the mouths of every racing fan.

The numbers do not lie. USGP finishes have been as exciting as watching two turtles race down the highway. Michael Schumacher won five USGPs by 42.81 seconds for an average margin of victory of 8.56. To put that into perspective, the previous 14 Indianapolis 500s dating back to 1990 that have not finished under caution have added up to a margin a victory of 48.31 seconds.

So, what does that mean? A severe lack of competition.

Had USA’s Scott Speed won today – or been at all competitive – the USGP could have a chance at staying in Indianapolis, or even in America. But Speed drives for the lackluster Toro Rosso team which debuted in 2006, but has earned just a single point when Vitantonio Liuzzi raced to an eighth-place finish in the 2006 USGP.

Eccelstone said before today’s USGP that Tony George must do a better job of promting the race for it to suceed. To give George the benefit of the doubt, it is difficult to promote a race with extreme media restrictions and a lack of suspense following the first turn.

It is unfortunate for those American fans who actually do follow Formula-1 racing because today’s USGP winnier Lewis Hamilton – the 22-year old rookie phoenom – appears ready to take this sport by storm.

But, once George kicks Eccelstone and his pathetic form of auto racing to the curb, the only way Americans will be able to watch Formula-1 racing will be on live television at 3 or 4 a.m.

So, I bid you – Bernie Eccelstone and Formula-1 – a fond farewell. And please do not let the door hit you on your way through customs.

Nextel Drivers Invade Busch Series

In 2006, Kevin Harvick won NASCAR’s Busch Series title by 824 points. This season, Carl Edwards is safely in position to win the Busch title. He leads by 662 points.

There is just one problem.

Harvick and Edwards are Nextel Cup regulars. They are not only regulars, but they run for two of the upper echelon teams in Richard Childress and Roush Racing. Childress and Roush are not new when it comes to racing championships. Dale Earnhardt Sr. won six of his seven championships while driving for Childress and Roush has captured 2 of the last four titles (Matt Kenseth in 2003, Kurt Busch in 2004).

Harvick and Edwards are not alone when it comes to Nextel regulars running full-time in the Busch series. Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle, Casey Mears, David Reutimann, Regan Smith and David Ragan are all Nextel regulars who run a majority of the Busch races.

So, the question should be asked. Is it fair that Nextel drivers have invaded NASCAR’s minor league?

The Busch series was created to develop drivers and giving them experience and notoriety. Not as a way for the Nextel regulars to “beat up” on the younger, inexperienced, and less-proven drivers.

The plethora of Nextel stars in the Busch series will lead to a lack of development for younger drivers.

Currently, 9 of the top 10 drivers in the Busch standings are Nextel regulars. The lone exception is Bobby Hamilton Jr., who is in seventh place. In 2006, 8 of the top 10 finishers in the standings were Nextel regulars.

The dominance of Nextel regulars in the Busch series has led to a lack of up and coming stars in Nextel Cup.

Of the five rookies on the 2007 Nextel Cup circuit, Juan Pablo Montoya is the leading rookie. He currently sits 21st in the standings. David Ragan is the only other rookie to qualify for every race so far, but that can be credited to owner points as took over Mark Martin’s ride for Roush Racing.

Paul Menard and David Reutimann have each qualified for just nine races and A.J. Allmendinger rounds out the rookie class in 45th place. Allmendinger – last season’s CART runner-up – has qualified for just seven races.

How have Nextel’s rookies fallen so far?

During the span of 2000-2006, at least five rookies finished in the top 40 in points. The only exceptions occurred in 2005 when Kyle Busch (20) and Travis Kvapil (33) led the rookie class. 2002 had a good excuse as two rookies – Jimmie Johnson and Ryan Newman – both finished in the top 6.

Compare all that with this season. Top rookie is 21st and three other rookies rank between 39th and 45th.

So, what can be done to fix this? Obviously, the younger drivers are not getting the preparation and experience they deserve. Busch series drivers need to be competing against other Busch drivers; not against Nextel’s finest, which include former champions.

There is no problem with Nextel regulars competing on the Busch circuit as promotion to increase fan base, ticket sales, and merchandising.

But competing full-time on the series is simply unfair. It is more unfair. It is wrong.

I propose the Nextel series should enforce a top-20/10-race rule. If a Nextel driver finished in the top 20 in points the season before, they are not permitted to drive more than 10 Busch races the following season.

Some Nextel drivers may find that rule to be unfair, but Nextel stars such as Harvick and Edwards racing in the Busch series is the same as Albert Pujols and Barry Bonds playing a full season in the minor leagues.

It is simple. Nextel drivers belong on the Nextel series so Busch series drivers have a chance to grow, develop, and gain exposure.

Nextel regulars, here is my plea. Stay in Nextel. We know you have talent. We know you can drive. You do not need the extra experience or money.

Give the little guy a chance.

NASCAR Allows Busch to Escape

Nearly a week has passed since yet another on-track incident involving Kurt Busch. In previous incidents, Busch took out his anger and frustration on fellow drivers, but his most recent incident crossed the line.

He crossed the line so far he is lucky to even be driving in this week’s Pocono 500.

When Busch came within inches of striking Tony Stewart crew member Jason Lee, he crossed into unprecedented waters.

Busch has grown into the reputation of NASCAR’s new “bad boy” due to on-track encounters with such drivers as Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, and Mr. Excitement Jimmy Spencer, just to name a few.

But, this was the first time Busch ever went after a crew member.

NASCAR had a perfect opportunity to lay down the law and enforce a championship-ending punishment. Instead, they came out and said – not in a direct manner – that endangering the life of a crew member is equal to cheating.

NASCAR penalized drivers and crew chiefs for failed post-qualifying inspections. Drivers were deducted points and were fined and their crew chiefs were suspended from a number of races.

So, when a “professional” driver endangers the life of a fellow professional and receives a similar penalty, where does NASCAR draw the line?

Kurt Busch should have been suspended for a minimum of five races and docked 500 points.

Instead, Busch was fined $100,000 and docked a mere 100 championship points. He dropped from 12th to 17th in the championship standings, but there is still enough time for him to catch up to the pack. If he was docked 500 points and missed a handful of races, there is no way he could qualify for the chase.

Would a 500 point deduction and five race suspension been too harsh? Probably, but it would have taught Busch a severe lesson.

Busch has been known to bump fellow drivers out of the way without care or concern for their safety, and that is why he needed more than a slap on the wrist this time.

Busch is the 2004 Nextel Cup champion. He has five career poles and 93 top-10 finishes to go along with his 15 career victories. To put it simple, Busch is not hurting for money.
He can afford a $100,000 fine without a problem. NASCAR could have gone as far as to fine him $1 million. But, for whatever reason, they did not.

To put it simple, NASCAR chickened out.

NASCAR is in real trouble. They are not far removed from Tony Stewart’s accusation that NASCAR is just like professional wrestling. With their slight punishments, they are almost encouraging drivers such as Busch to continue with their antics.

NASCAR needs to put their foot down in a more emphatic manner before a driver – or even worse, a crew member – has to suffer the ultimate sacrifice.

The Pacers’ Answer: The Rifleman

Forget the Raptors’ coach Sam Mitchell. Forget the Suns’ assistant coach Marc Iavaroni. Forget former Portland and Sacramento coach Rick Adelman.

There is one clear-cut answer that will not only lead the Pacers to new heights, but will hold the players accountable for their on-and-off courts actions and will get the city of Indianapolis excited about the Pacers once again.

The answer: The Rifleman, Chuck Person.

Person was drafted fourth overall by the Pacers in 1986 and played in Indianapolis until 1992.

After stints with Minnesota, San Antonio, Charlotte and Seattle, Person retired in 2000 to pursue a career in coaching.

He landed in Indianapolis – first as a team consultant – and was eventually hired by team president Larry Bird to be an assistant coach for Rick Carlisle.

After Carlisle’s firing, Mitchell and Iavaroni’s names have emerged as the front-runners, but the Pacers should take a hard look at Person if they want a team this city can re-embrace.

During Person’s stint as a Pacer, he brought excitement, enthusiasm, unpredictability and leadership, which are qualities the Pacers lacked under the Carlisle regime.

Person has no head coaching experience, but neither did Larry Bird before he guided the Pacers to three of the most successful seasons in the franchise’s history, which culminated with a loss to the Lakers in the NBA Finals in 2000.

Person’s inexperience would be his biggest downfall, but just like President George W. Bush, he would need to be surrounded by wise minds in order to succeed.

Among his best qualities is familiarity.

He is familiar with the city. He played and coached here for a combined eight years. He understands the expectations of the fans. Having lived in Indianapolis during the Colts’ run to the Super Bowl, he knows how this city will embrace a team after multiple disappointing seasons.

Can Person guide the Pacers to prominence and a return to the glory years of the last ‘90s?

Yes, he can.

Person is also familiar with the organization. After playing and coaching here, he understands the expectations of Mel and Herb Simon (owners), Donnie Walsh (CEO) and Larry Bird (club president). If the foursome of the Simons, Walsh and Bird want to keep the head coaching position “in-house,” they should look no further than the man who has sat on the bench as both coach and player.

Finally, Person is familiar with the team. He understands their strengths and weaknesses. He understands their talents and routines. Perhaps Person can transform Jamaal Tinsley from the troublesome, often-injured point guard into the star and leader he was at Iowa State where he earned Big-12 Player of the Year in 2001.

So, what exactly are the chances of Chuck “The Rifleman” Person as Carlisle’s replacement?

100 to 1? 50 to 1?

I think the odds are better than fans may think. The Pacers are always good for a shocker. Bringing in Larry Bird as head coach. Trading away Dale Davis for a then-unknown Jermaine O’Neal. Hiring Isiah Thomas as head coach.

The Pacers like to follow their own routine and refuse to follow the beaten path.

Realistically, I would put the odds of Person as the next Pacers coach at 5 to 1.

He has the hometown knowledge. He has the charisma. He has the attitude. He has the perseverance.

He is an assistant coach on the rise and the Pacers need to snatch him up before they make another mistake as they did with trading away Antonio Davis for Jonathan Bender.

Hiring Mitchell, Iavaroni, or Adelman would not be a bad decision, but hiring Person would be the right decision.

Person is the answer to all the Pacers’ questions.

Indy 500's Promises, Possibilities and Probabilities

With the 91st running of the Indianapolis 500 a mere 20 days away, it is not too early to discuss the possibilities and probabilities that will occur between now and race day.

Obviously, the new media target will be Milka Duno, the sports car driver who is making her Indy debut. She has next to zero open-wheel experience – she finished 14th place at her inaugural event in Kansas City – but she will still demand attention simply because she is a woman with the looks of a swimsuit model.

Duno drives for SAMAX Motorsports, whom she helped finish second at the Rolex 24 at Daytona in January.

Duno is in no way inexperienced when it comes to auto racing, but will she be a contender come race day?

No.

Unlike Danica Patrick’s amazing rookie season in 2005 when she came up four laps short of winning the Indy 500, Duno has not driven the entire race schedule thus far. She has one race. She started dead last and moved up to finish 14th with the help of attrition. She is not familiar with this track, nor is she familiar with her fellow drivers.

Assuming Duno qualifies for her first Indy 500, I cannot see her staying on the lead lap for more than 10 laps.

Or….

She could have a decent qualifying run and with the help of a few breaks and a solid pit stop strategy, she could be battling Ganassi, Penske and AGR for the lead in the closing laps.

But I have a better chance at winning the Presidential Democratic Nomination than Duno does of winning or even competing in the 500.

But, that is what makes the Indy 500 the spectacle it is: anything can happen.

Now, to the most important question of the month – not necessarily who will win the race, but will it be a Penske, Ganassi or AGR driver that will be sipping milk in victory lane?

Will Helio climb the fence for the third time? Will Weldon regroup from last year’s disappointing fourth place finish after leading a race-high 148 laps to capture his second victory in three years? What about the defending champion, Sam Hornish? Despite a subpar start to the IRL season, Hornish will be a factor on Memorial Day weekend because of the name on his car – Penske.
Or, will the winner come from the Andretti-Green Racing stable? Can Tony Kanaan shake off many Indy 500 disappointments and win the second Borg Warner Trophy for car owner Michael Andretti.

Speaking of Andretti, can he overcome last year’s third-place finish and win the one race that has eluded his career?

Do not count out Marco – last year’s runner-up – who had the race won until the final straightaway. If Marco is in the same situation this year, I guarantee he will not make the same mistake twice.

Throw in Ganassi’s Scott Dixon and AGR’s Dario Franchitti, and I would be stunned if the winner does not emerge from the aforementioned group.

But, as mentioned earlier, that is what makes the Indy 500 so special and suspenseful. A few mishaps by the big dogs and a couple odd-ball strategies from some smaller teams and Scott Sharp or Ed Carpenter could shock the world.

That is why they call it the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.

Indy 500 Just Around the Corner

With the racing season officially underway after Kevin Harvick’s Daytona 500 win, it is time to start counting down the days until the 2007 Indianapolis 500 (92 days).

It will be hard for this year’s race to live up to last year’s spectacle when Sam Hornish nipped Marco Andretti at the finish line as the elder Andretti, Michael, watched from a close third place.

Last year’s race created a buzz that should increase momentum the 500 generated before the near-fatal split of 1996.

Roger Penske won his 14th Indy 500 as a car owner when Hornish won his first Indy 500. Michael Andretti was leading the race with 3 laps to go, only to relinquish the race lead to his son, Marco, who failed to hold off Hornish on the final straightaway.

All of those stories will headline this year’s race, along with a few new ones.

Helio Castroneves, a 2-time winner, is always a threat on Memorial Day weekend. Despite his crash with 2004 winner Buddy Rice, he will be a favorite to tie Louis Meyer, Johnny Rutherford, Wilbur Shaw and Bobby Unser with three likenesses on the Borg Warner Trophy.

Danica-mania has slowed since her remarkable fourth-place finish in the 2005 Indy 500, but that should pick up as the IRL season officially kicks off March 24 from Homestead when Danica Patrick begins her first season with Andretti-Green Racing.

Patrick will have plenty of experience and resources as she will team with last year’s runner-up Marco Andretti, 2004 runner-up Tony Kanaan, and former front-row starter Dario Franchitti.

And don’t forget about the elder Andretti, who will lace up his driving suit once again and tackle the race that has eluded him 15 times.

Chip Ganassi Racing’s tandem of 2005 Indy 500 champ Dan Weldon and Scott Dixon hope to regain the dominant form of last year when they led for a combined 154 of the 200 laps.

Weldon had the entire field covered midway through the race, but luck was not with Ganassi as Weldon had to settle for a fourth-place finish and Dixon for sixth.

Nevertheless, Ganassi’s cars and teams are consistently primed and ready for May, and this year should be no different.

Rounding out the list of big stories heading into May is the return of Sarah Fisher, who will compete in her fifth Indy 500 and first since 2004. She will team with 2005 Indy 500 champ Buddy Rice and drive for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing.

There is still the possibility of a third woman to join Patrick and Fisher on the starting grid.

Milka Duno of Venezuela is rumored to be driving for Cahill Racing, but a formal announcement has yet to be made. Duno already has Danica-ish looks and could steal some of Patrick’s thunder come May.

So what does all this mean? The anticipation for the Indy 500 is underway with a talented pool of hungry drivers eager to drink the milk in victory lane.

Fresher Vision’s Official Pick: I started attending the Indianapolis 500 in 1991, and in the 16, a Penske driver has won seven. To make Penske an even more odds-on-favorite, his cars have won 7 of the last 11 races in which they have competed in (Penske skipped out on the race from 1996-2000 due to the IRL-Cart split).

Hornish or Castroneves would be a safe pick, but I am not going the safe route this year.

My prediction is always fast and consistently competitive, and that is why I believe Tony Kanaan will be drinking the milk on May 27 as he will capture his first Indianapolis 500 win. Kanaan was runner-up to Buddy Rice in 2004, and could have given Rice a run for his money had rain not shortened the race by 20 laps. Kanaan followed up his 2004 runner-up finish with the pole in 2005.

In his five previous Indy 500 starts, he has led for 119 laps and four top-10 finishes. The only time he failed to finish was his rookie year of 2002 when he crashed on the 89th lap when he crashed while leading.

Barring another freak accident, the 2007 Indy 500 will be Kanaan’s to lose.

Chargers Electrocute Marty-Ball

If somebody were to tell former San Diego Charger coach Marty Schottenheimer that his club would post a league-best 14-2 record with a first-year starting quarterback and his running back would win the league MVP, he would take that and call it a season.

All of the above happened. The Chargers went 14-2 before bowing out in the divisional round of the playoffs after Tom Brady led the Patriots in a come-from-behind over the host Chargers.

Phillip Rivers finally stepped out of Drew Brees’ shadow and commanded the Chargers on the field with his calm and collective style. He made few mistakes. He may not have won games, but he did not lose them either. Rivers passed for 3388 yards and 22 touchdowns in earning a Pro Bowl berth, which he had to decline due to a foot injury he suffered in the regular season finale.

LaDainian Tomlinson re-wrote the NFL record book this season. The fifth-year pro from TCU broke Priest Holmes’ 2003 rushing touchdown record with 28. Holmes had set the record with 27.

Add all that up and Marty-ball will be playing somewhere else in the future.

Schottenheimer was fired on Monday as head coach of the Chargers due to dysfunction inside the organization after both his offensive and defensive coordinators – Cam Cameron and Wade Phillips – were hired as the head coaches in Miami and Dallas, respectively.

What was the real reason behind Marty’s dismissal?

A dismal playoff record? Marty is 5-13 as coach of the Browns, Chiefs and Chargers during the playoffs, including four losses when his team was the top seed. This season was the ninth year a Schottenheimer coached team lost in the opening round of the playoffs.

But, it is hard to find evidence to fire a coach simply because he could not win a home playoff game.

Would the Colts have won this season’s Super Bowl had they fired head coach Tony Dungy after squandering home field advantage with a loss to the eventual champion Pittsburgh Steelers?

Highly unlikely.

The firing of Schottenheimer proves one simple theory:

There is no loyalty in the NFL.

Case 1: Ted Marchibroda

Entering the 1994-95 season, the Indianapolis Colts would have been lucky to achieve a winning record. They not only finished with a 9-7 record and advanced to the playoffs, but they fell one play from reaching the Super Bowl as Jim Harbaugh’s hail mary as time expired fell incomplete. Nevertheless, despite the Colts completing one of their most successful seasons in franchise history, Marchibroda was not offered an extension. Instead, he was given a hearty handshake and was kicked to the curb. In other words, “Thanks for nothing.”

Case 2: Ray Rhodes

After a successful tenure as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagle, Rhodes left the city of Brotherly Love to take over as coach of the Green Bay Packers after Mike Holmgren left for Seattle.

Rhodes did not get a fair shake in Green Bay as he was fired after one season in which he led the Packers to an 8-8 record.

Case 3: Trent Dilfer

Dilfer, a journeyman quarterback from Fresno State, finally demonstrated his potential on the national stage as he led the Baltimore Ravens to a convincing and dominating win in Super Bowl XXXV. Dilfer did not put up Peyton Manning-like numbers, but he was efficient and used his experience to prevent turnovers. Similar to Rivers of the Chargers; he did not win games, but he was sure not to lose them either.

What happened to Dilfer after winning the Super Bowl? He was not resigned and has since played for Seattle, Cleveland and San Francisco and has never been given a solid opportunity for another ring.

So, what happens to the San Diego Chargers now? If I could look into a crystal ball, I see a similar situation to 2001 when Tony Dungy was fired from Tampa Bay after posting four straight winning seasons. The Bucs brought in then-Oakland Raiders coach Jon Gruden, who hoisted the Lombardi trophy the following year.

Whoever general manager A.J. Smith brings in will be inheriting a talented team who is already the odds-on favorite to raise the Vince Lombardi trophy next year in Glendale, Arizona.

Phillip Rivers. LT. Antonio Gates. Lights Out Shawn Merriman. Potential candidates are drooling over the opportunity to coach these players.

The future coach of this organization should win immediately or else lightning will strike twice.

Let the Madness Begin

March Madness does not officially begin for another 31 days (29 days if you include the play-in game in Dayton), and there is still LOTS of basketball yet to be played, but it is never too early to nominate and eliminate some Final Four contenders.

The NCAA tournament this season has the makings of being one of the wackiest in recent years as Florida, Ohio State, North Carolina and UCLA have already taken turns as the top-ranked team in the land with Wisconsin, Pittsburgh and Texas A&M laying in the weeds.

Not to mention surprise teams such as Nevada, Washington State, Butler and Air Force who could be tough outs come mid-March.

Add all that up, and it is anybody’s guess as to which team will be cutting down the nets on April 2 at the Georgia Dome.

Several teams already appear to be potential locks as No. 1 seeds, but that does not always guarantee a free trip to the Final Four. Last year, none of the No. 1 seeds advanced to Indianapolis as a surprise 3-seed Florida knocked off a 2-seed UCLA team.

This year, expect much of the same. Perhaps more.

If the season were to end today, Florida, Ohio State, Wisconsin and North Carolina would appear as the front-runners for the coveted top seeds.

Florida has perhaps the best starting lineup in the country – and possibly the best of the past decade – but rarely does the favorite in February cut down the nets in April.

Just ask UCONN as they lost to Cinderella George Mason in the regional final last season.

Florida has virtually the same core of playmakers that claimed the school’s first basketball crown last year, but some things have changed.

Last year, the Gators crawled in under the radar. This season, they will be the hunted.

Prediction: It will be hard for Florida to withstand every team’s best punch for six rounds, which is why the defending champs will be ousted in the regional.

In the NFL, offense wins games but defense wins championships. Wisconsin has one of the more stellar defenses, but they will need to score more than 50 points to cut down the nets.

Despite national player of the year candidate in Alando Tucker, the Badgers just do not have the horses to hang with the higher scoring teams in the country.

Prediction: Wisconsin will struggle mightily and will not even advance to the Sweet Sixteen.

UCLA, last year’s national runner-up, seems like a shoe-in to be playing in Atlanta on the last weekend of March, but it is very difficult to advance to the Final Four year-after-year unless your school rhymes with Luke.

UCLA head coach Ben Howland has been a winner every place he has coached, but these are not the Bruins of the 60’s and 70’s that produced multiple titles under the Wizard of Westwood.

Prediction: The surprising success and depth of the Pac-10 conference this season will take too much out of the Bruins, who will fall in the regional final.

That leaves 2005 champion North Carolina. After an 83-79 loss at NC State on Feb. 3, the Tar Heels have looked like a championship caliber team in their past two outings. First, a win at Cameron Indoor Stadium over heated rival Duke, and then the dismantling of Wake Forest, 104-67.

Roy Williams has championship and Final Four experience that spans over 15 seasons, which gives him the edge over any other coach in the country with a contender.

Prediction: The Heels will falter in the ACC conference tournament, but will bounce back in a big way with a tournament run that will culminate in Atlanta.

As for who will join UNC, the list continues to grow. Some teams to be aware of are Texas A&M and Pitt, even though they are cruising through a pair of watered-down power conferences in the Big-12 and Big East, respectively.

Who will be this year’s George Mason? Beware of the Texas Longhorns. Kevin Durant – not only the best freshman, but the best player in the country – could easily become the next Carmello Anthony and shock the world by cutting down the nets on April 2.

So many favorites. So many underdogs. So many upsets await.

That is why they call it Madness.

Pacers Should Blame Themselves

Jermaine O’Neal feels disrespected by the referees? Perhaps that is because the referees and the NBA have been disrespected by the Indiana Pacers.

Since Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson jumped into the stands at the Palace of Auburn Hills on November 19, 2004, the Pacers have given the NBA black eye after black eye.

It started when Artest demanded a trade from the very team that stood by him and supported him after his 72-game suspension from his participation in the Palace brawl.

After the Pacers washed their hands of Artest by trading him to Sacramento, the Pacers were dedicated to a clean image that would make the city of Indianapolis proud.

Their cleaner image lasted until October 9 when Jackson, Jamaal Tinsley, Marquis Daniels and Jimmie Hunter were involved in an altercation outside an Indy west-side strip club in which Jackson fired five bullets into the air after he was hit by a moving car.

So much for a new, clean image.

After trading away Jackson to Golden State, Tinsley, Daniels and new Pacer Keith McLeod have found themselves under investigation yet again after Tinsley allegedly punched a bar manager and threatened his life.

Even though this latest incident has not been fully investigated, recent behavior would lead everybody to believe the Pacers were at fault.

Black eye after the black eye, and now the Pacers feel they have been disrespected?

The Pacers need to respect the league before they demand respect of their own.

This new lack of respect the Pacers have demonstrated needs to be blamed on the organization’s management and their lack of discipline, as well as bringing in players with questionable moral issues.

Donnie Walsh and Larry Bird are probably kicking themselves on a daily basis because of their poor management decisions. Trading away locker room leader in Austin Croshere and replacing him with Daniels – who looks like he is the star of Cops – is not a good way to win a championship or maintain the squeaky-clean image the Pacers created during their glory days of Reggie Miller, Mark Jackson and Rik Smits.

If the Pacers were performing on the court, perhaps there would not be a magnifying glass on every newsworthy story. But, the Pacers are just two games above .500 and have lost three consecutive games to sub-.500 teams.

If the Pacers want to win back the fans, they need win on the court first and re-earn the respect of the league before they demand respect from the referees.

The Pacers organization needs to make a blueprint of the Colts.

Class wins championships. Thugs win jail time.

Congrats to Colts Fans, Too....

When the Indianapolis Colts won the city’s first world championship of any kind since the Indiana Pacers won the 1973 ABA crown, the city as a whole celebrated in a professional, upstanding manner.

Just as the town is proud of the Colts, the Colts should be proud of their fans.

Once the clock reached all zeros, it was uncertain how this city would react. Would they react with class or rage?

I can attest to this because I was a first-hand participant in the downtown celebration, but it was pure class and dignity – mixed with some alcohol – but for a mere six arrests for a town of close to a million after the town’s first championship in over 30 years – I’d still call that class.

Other towns have literally burnt down their city after a championship win – or loss.

In 2002 – after Maryland’s men’s basketball team won the NCAA championship – their hometown celebrated with arson and embarrassment. In fact, the losing Indiana Hoosiers rioted as well as a form of frustration. They celebrated their runner-up “fluke” of a season with setting furniture on fire and storming the streets with dangerous, evil attitudes.

How did Indianapolis celebrate? They celebrated with hugs, high-fives and smiles.

They celebrated the same way the Colts celebrated: With class.

After the Colts won the Super Bowl, but before they celebrated, they prayed and thanked God for their success. I did not see much praying in the bars after the victory, but nevertheless, nothing was broken or burnt.


Both the Colts and city of Indianapolis are all about class and dignity, and that was displayed to perfection Sunday night.

I’m sure the Colts were proud of their fans when they arrived for the parade and rally on Monday and saw the city was still intact.

So, hats off to the Colts. Every NFL team should blueprint their team from top to bottom. Religion. Dignity. Football. In that order. It may not be flashy, but it is classy. And this year – class – not flash, won the championship.

Hopefully if – and when – the Colts win another championship, this city will continue to celebrate with class.

Barbaro: Death of a Sports Icon

When news broke that reigning Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro was euthanized due to injuries suffered 8 months ago at the Preakness, goose bumps covered my body like the Chicken Pox.

Barbaro’s death will send people to bed tonight with tears in their eyes, whether they are a horse racing enthusiast or not.

Barbaro’s rise and fall was more than a horse racing story. It told the story of a horse on the brink of history, but fell from glory and fought for his life until the very end. Barbaro told the story of hope like nothing had ever done in the world.

Barbaro claimed the 2006 Kentucky Derby by 6 ½ lengths, which was the largest margin of victory wince 1946. He was the favorite to win the Preakness and Belmont and become just the 12th horse to win the Triple Crown and first since Affirmed accomplished the feat in 1978.

Instead of being showered with joy and praise, Barbaro’s Triple Crown – and eventually his life – came to an end one furlong (1/8 of a mile) into the Preakness when he pulled up lame after shattering his right hind leg.

Immediate surgeries proved temporarily successful to ease the pain, but in the end, the injuries proved fatal.

Barbaro should be considered one of the bravest athletes of our generation. For eight months, he fought for his life. He inspired us. He taught us that no matter how high the chips are stacked against us, we should never give up. Through surgery after surgery, he refused to give up. Sadly, the combination of his size and severity of the injury, along with new arising illnesses from the initial injury, proved too much for the celebrated colt.

Hours after Barbaro’s injury when his outlook looked bleak, the world rallied behind Barbaro with flowers, cards, and messages of encouragement, which proves that the nation adopted Barbaro as an honorary pet.

Barbaro’s triumph and tragedy are rare in this day and age of cheering for sports figures with questionable values and backgrounds. If Barry Bonds or Ray Lewis were forced into retirement in their prime because of a life-threatening injury, would there be similar support and outcry of sadness as there is for Barbaro?

Doubtful. Highly doubtful.

It is a crying (literally) shame the world was not fortunate, blessed, and privileged to see what Barbaro was truly capable of.

Barbaro took the world by storm. Before the Derby, the focus was on odds-on favorite Brother Derek. It was not until after Barbaro was draped with one of the greatest sports trophies of our time – the lush blanket of 554 red roses – that we realized just how special and talented Barbaro was. For two weeks, we jumped on the Barbaro bandwagon in hopes of him winning the Triple Crown.

Unfortunately, just as when anybody passes before their time, all we have are the memories when that person, or in this case animal, made us feel blessed and happy.

I challenge everybody to live up to Barbaro’s legacy:

Work hard. Live happy. Never give up.

Montoya is Real Deal

Is there anything Juan Pablo Montoya can’t do? Or win? Or drive?

The 1999 CART champ, 2000 Indianapolis 500 champ and winner of a handful of Formula-1 races, Montoya was dazzling yet again when he led his team to the Rolex 24 endurance race win at Daytona International Speedway.

Mexican driver Salvador Duran and road racing expert Scott Pruett joined forces with the 31-year old Colombian racing master to win a second consecutive Rolex 24 race for team owner Chip Ganassi.

Juan, it may be time to take some carpentry classes so you can build yourself a brand new trophy room. At this rate, it will fill up quickly.

Montoya was hired this season to drive a NASCAR for Ganassi, whom he drove for during his stint in CART and the Indy victory.

Some motor sports experts may question Montoya’s endurance since Cart and F-1 races are completed before breaking a sweat, whereas most NASCAR races last at least 400 miles and can go as long as 4 or 5 hours.

Montoya’s performance behind the wheel during the Rolex 24 proved to the racing world he is durable behind the wheel for hours and hours while driving the high banks of Daytona.

So, how long will it take for Montoya to dominate the NASCAR series and win the Chase?

Two years.

As long as he drives for Ganassi Racing, he will be a favorite to win every race and every championship, but I think it will take him one full season before Montoya’s domination begins.

Montoya will spend his first season adjusting to the travel schedule, the length of the races, as well as the length of the season, but once the rookie stripes come off, he will have the passion and driving ability to dominate this sport for the next 10 years.

Ganassi loves winning more than anything and with an unlimited budget and strong sponsor support, Ganassi will supply Montoya with all the resources he needs to be the first foreign driver to win NASCAR’s prize jewel.

Ganassi has succeeded in open wheel and sport car racing due to talented drivers. Ganassi was blessed with young, talented drivers en route to four consecutive CART championships spanning from 1996-1999 (1996: Jimmy Vasser, 1997-98: Alex Zanardi, 1999: Montoya).

In Ganassi’s previous Rolex 24 victory, his threesome of Casey Mears, Dan Weldon (2004 IRL and 2005 Indy 500 champ), and Scott Dixon (2003 IRL champ) are young guns whose careers are on the up and up.

Ganassi has never achieved significant success during his NASCAR tenure as a car owner due to a combination of employing drivers past their prime (Sterling Marlin) or drivers who are still wet behind the ears (current drivers David Stremme and Reed Sorenson).

Montoya’s arrival will bring with him a confident and winning attitude that should rub off on Stremme and Sorenson.

Montoya has been a winner in every form of racing he has attempted. In NASCAR, he will not be a winner…

He will be a champion.

Hammerin' Hoosiers Hitting Stride

After suffering one of the worst team losses in school history on Tuesday at Illinois, the No. 24 Hoosiers bounced back with a vengeance and took out their anger on the Michigan Wolverines.

Sampson promised a hammering defense when he was introduced as head coach and Saturday’s win was a perfect example of his vision.

The Hoosiers limited the Wolverines to 34.9% from the field on 15-43 shooting. They were a woeful 2-9 from behind the 3-point line.

Sampson must have broken out the rawhide whip that Bob Knight used on Calbert Cheaney in the early ‘90s because the Hoosiers pulled a complete 180 on Saturday from the team that took the floor in Champaign on Tuesday.

Before Tommy Amaker’s Wolverines even broke a sweat at the Assembly Hall on Saturday, they were already down 11-0 to the Hoosiers, who improved to 11-0 at home for the season.

Despite Michigan cutting Indiana’s once-17 point lead down to 8 late in the second half, the Hoosiers finished strong in their 76-61 victory, which marked the 11th consecutive loss for Michigan at the Assembly Hall.

It was important for the Hoosiers to put up a stellar performance because they have a challenging road ahead.

On Wednesday, Indiana will travel to Madison to face No. 3 Wisconsin. The Badgers are considered one of the elite teams in the nation, along with Florida, North Carolina and UCLA.

Wednesday’s game will be a huge measuring stick for the Hoosiers. The Hoosiers have played remarkably well in losses to ranked opponents Butler, Duke, Kentucky and Ohio State by a combined 20 points (Butler was not ranked at the time of their game, but they are currently as high as No. 12 in some polls).

The Hoosiers’ success for the rest of the season will hinder on their ability to shoot from behind the 3-point line.

The Hoosiers have a bi-polar mentality when it comes to consistency from behind the arc this season. In their 15 wins, they are 39.6% from 3-point land, but are shooting just 32.2% in their 5 losses. And nobody can forget that pathetic 4-25 shooting performance in their loss at Kentucky.

But, a good 3-point shooting game does not guarantee a win because the Hoosiers were 12-22 from downtown in their loss at Ohio State.

The Indiana basketball program is at its highest mark since Bob Knight’s dismissal, and that includes the fluke 2002 NCAA tournament run. There is a renewed jubilation that has feasted on Bloomington, and as long as Sampson and his Hoosiers can throw down the hammer like they did against Michigan, they should be a tough out come March.

Notre Dame Has Earned Nothing

Tonight when Notre Dame takes the field against LSU in the Sugar Bowl, football fans all over the country will be scratching their heads.

How did Notre Dame land a spot in the BCS?

They finished 10-2, but six wins came against inferior opponents – Michigan State, Stanford, Navy, North Carolina, Air Force, and Army – all finished with losing records.

And, when the Irish actually stepped up and played a respectable opponent, got destroyed.

When they were ranked No. 2 in the nation and hosted Michigan, they were humiliated, 47-21.

After an average season, they finished their regular season with a trip out west to USC, and once again were taken apart by the Trojans, 44-24.

So, after a sub-par season in which they played two good teams and lost to those very two teams, they are rewarded with a Sugar Bowl invitation. Why?
They are Notre Dame.

If Notre Dame was not so stubborn and too good to join a conference, there is no way they are playing in the Sugar Bowl tonight.

Notre Dame is not the same team from the late ‘80s and early ‘90s that was filled with Heisman winners and national champions. Players do not come to Notre Dame because it is Notre Dame anymore.

Teams such as Texas, USC, Ohio State, and Michigan have dominated college football during the past decade, which has left Notre Dame on the outside looking in.

Notre Dame’s last bowl victory came at the end of the 1993-94 season when they narrowly defeated Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl. Since then, the Irish have lost eight consecutive bowl games by an average of 16.5 points.
The Irish have not had a consistent successful head coach since Lou Holtz resigned in 1996.

During Holtz’s 10 seasons at the helm, he compiled 100 wins, two national championships, 9 straight New Year’s Day bowl appearances, and his teams finished in the top 10 in the AP poll five seasons.

In the 11 seasons since Holtz’s resignation, the Irish have been northing short of mediocrity, which includes 4 head coaches, the George O’Leary debacle, and 6 bowl defeats.

Holtz went 100-24-2 during his stay at Norte Dame. Since then, four Irish coaches have combined for a 75-46 record.

Granted, the Irish appear headed in the right direction. They appear to have found their man, Charlie Weis, who hopes to re-establish Notre Dame’s program as one the elite programs in college football.

All that said, one question still looms. Why is Notre Dame playing in a BCS game?

One answer. They are Notre Dame.