We Suspect Nantz Has Classier Accommodations

By Jon Show

Jon Show is on loan to Sporting News from our sister publication, SportsBusiness Journal. He's in Augusta for The Masters and will be writing about his experiences in this space daily during the tournament. Be sure to check out his columns as well.

The first lesson learned from my trip to Augusta: don't trust travel sites. Below you'll find an image of my hotel on Kayak.com, a fairly reputable site that I use frequently:

[img=http://i.tsn.com/i/photos/20080409/88730.jpg]

And here's the actual hotel:

[img=http://i.tsn.com/i/photos/20080409/88731.jpg]
Note the extremely classy Cock & Bull Lounge to the right.

Maybe I'm being a little picky, but I take issue with a few claims made by the No-tell Motel proprietors at Kayak.com.

Claim: We invite you to stay with us and experience the magic of Augusta's past, while enjoying the finest in Southern hospitality and luxurious accommodations.
Reality: The florescent bulb in the bathroom doesn't work and according to the gentleman at the front desk, they only have "round ones" left. He suggested I drag the lamp in from the bedroom.

Claim: You can see in the picture of the actual hotel, a sign promises VCRs and a pool.
Reality: There is, thankfully, no VCR and the pool looks like a large public urinal.

Claim: The Augusta Budget Inn is a new concept in hotel lodging and is designed to take your hotel stay from ordinary to extraordinary.
Reality: If you're an attorney who specializes in false advertising, please contact me.

See Also: Simon on Sports has ranked tomorrow's pairings. Surprisingly, the T. Hamilton-B. Bateman duo didn't rank high on the list.

This post originally appeared on the Sporting Blog. For more, see The Sporting Blog Archives.