Updated throughout the day with quick takes from staff.
Today's Calls: Yang vs. Tiger, Bolt vs. 9.58, Mike Vick vs. “60 Minutes”, Mark Sanchez vs. Jay Cutler, Rangers vs. Red Sox, Derek Jeter vs. Luis Aparicio, Stephen Strasburg vs. the Nationals, Julio Jones vs. the Field, Gina Carano vs. Oblivion and More.
The Opening Pitch: Well, now HERE'S an interesting twist to "Tiger vs. the Field."
It turns out that it is SO much more interesting when Tiger is going down to the wire and LOSING than when he goes down to the wire and wins.
Can anyone remember the last time this happened? This wasn't Tiger skipping the event or being injured or missing the cut or being so far out of it on Sunday it didn't matter.
This was Tiger with a wire-to-wire lead, caught from behind and buried by the 110th-ranked player in the world -- the previously unheard of but instantly legendary Y.E. Yang, suddenly the most famous "Y" first-initials in sports since Y.A. Tittle. (Heck, Y.E. played like he was channeling V.Y. in the Rose Bowl.)
We kept waiting for Tiger to put Yang away. And waiting. Even heading into 18, I'm pretty sure 90 percent of people watching figured Tiger HAD to tie Yang in regulation, then beat him in a playoff.
Yang played 18 like he didn't know who he was playing against.
It takes that kind of disregard to pull off the Upset of the Generation in golf -- for the Field to finally have its revenge. And this concludes a major season where Tiger -- back from his year-long rehab -- didn't win one of 'em. It is a new era in the PGA. A much-improved era. The Era of the Field.
Usain Bolt: 9.58. Good lord. That was one of the most exciting sports spectacles I have ever witnessed. I don't think it is hyperbole to call Bolt the greatest sprinter in history. That sub-10 seconds was more enjoyable than the months of Vick coverage put together.
Vick Watch: So if it wasn't for Yang's upset of the generation, Mike Vick would have hijacked the entire weekend, just like he did Friday's news cycle. From his practice debut Saturday (not bad!) to his "60 Minutes" interview on Sunday night (not great!), Vick (almost) owned the weekend.
The most interesting detail from Vick's interview was not that he said he cried in prison (who wouldn't?); it's that he self-described himself as "lazy" about how he approached his NFL career. You know you are ridiculously talented when you can be lazy but still excel at QB in the NFL.
(At some point, Vick will stop being the focal point of the NFL season. It's just that, for now, I can't see when that will happen. I guess Week 1 of the regular season, when Vick is out-of-sight/out-of-mind until October at the earliest. But wait: There's his new blog.)
NFL Exhibition Opening Full Weekend: Biggest winner? Mark Sanchez (gets start in the Jets' next game). ... Matt Stafford had a pretty good debut, given that he is a rookie (and that he is playing for the Lions). ... Jay Cutler? Not so much. (Cutler's old team wasn't much better.) ... Preseason Tonight: Jags-Fins (See any Wildcat?) and Panthers-Giants (Two top NFC contenders).
AL Wild Card insanity: Not only did the Rangers win their head-to-head series with the Red Sox, but Texas pulled ahead for the AL Wild Card. OK, *now* Red Sox fans may commence freaking out. It was one thing to get crushed by the Yankees while they were still in control of the Wild Card. Now? Yikes.
Is Derek Jeter the greatest shortstop of all time? He isn't even the best shortstop on his own team, so no. However, Jeter now owns the MLB record for career hits by a shortstop -- every new hit from here on out simply puts his record that much more out of reach from a future SS.
David Wright: Done for season? Talk about adding insult to injury. If you thought the Mets' season couldn't get worse. ...
Strasburg Watch: Looks like the Nats won't sign him. Here's a question: Can the Nats trade his draft rights (for the final 12 hours) to the Yankees for, say, $10 million and a prospect, and let the Yankees pay the absurd sum Scott Boras is demanding for Strasburg?
MLB Talking Points
• Did Phils just shut the door on the Braves?
• Whoa: Angels' 9-run 13th.
• NL Wild Card: Rox-Fish split.
• Walk-Off Watch: Colby Rasmus HR.
• Fantasy Stud: Gregg Zaun (Pinch-hit grand slam).
NHL: Mark Messier has a nice little apprenticeship as assistant GM with the Rangers. Is there any doubt that he will be an NHL GM within a couple of seasons? (Why wouldn't a franchise, looking for a little cachet, hire him after next season to be their GM?)
CFB: If I could have my pick of any WR in the country -- not just for best hands, but for all-around awesome -- I would take Julio Jones, and no one else is really close. (And to think that the NFL still thinks Jones is two full seasons from being NFL-worthy.)
CBB: Anyone think that Kentucky fans will actually show Rick Pitino any mercy? (Won't it be bad enough that UK will probably win the game by 40?)
NBA Offseason: Joe Smith might seem like a minor pick-up, but in the suddenly absurdly competitive East, Smith is the interior depth that the Hawks need to ensure that they are a playoff team -- perhaps even in the mix as a Top 4 team in the East.
MMA: Gina Carano has to be one of the biggest marketing let-downs in MMA history. She is like the female Kimbo Slice.
Steroid Watch: Kurt Angle arrested for possession of HGH? No: A pro wrestler has HGH? SAY IT AIN'T SO!
Gossip: Colt Brennan says he and Jessica Simpson aren't a thing. Remember when athletes would WANT to be in a relationship with her? Now 3rd-string NFL QBs are distancing themselves.
The Last Word: "What do you mean not on the team? He's under contract. He is not going anywhere but right here. He is our future quarterback." -- Titans owner Bud Adams on the future of Vince Young in Tennessee.
Dan Shanoff writes The Wake-Up Call every weekday morning for SportingNews.com and blogs daily at DanShanoff.com. Got any comments, questions or feedback? Email Dan at shanofftsn-[at]-gmail-[dot]-com. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/danshanoff.
This post originally appeared on the Sporting Blog. For more, see The Sporting Blog Archives.
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Carano a marketing let-down? She’s the reason a female MMA fight was able to headline a major organization’s card for the first time in history. That’s hardly a let-down.
And calling her the female Kimbo Slice is absurd – Kimbo was built up as the face of an organization with very little except street fighting and some wins over cans like Tank Abbott on his record. He was built up to be a large favorite and then lost to a middling fighter in Seth Petruzelli, who stepped in as a late replacement and was stepping up a weight class as well.
Gina, in the meantime, was built up as a top star who admittedly has garnered more interest because of her looks, but who has a Muay Thai background and actual MMA skills. She came into the fight with Cris "Cyborg" Santos as an underdog and not even Gus Johnson said anything about Cyborg "shocking the world" with her win.
Carano’s loss doesn’t mean the end of Strikeforce like Kimbo’s loss did for EliteXC and it wasn’t a loss to be embarrassed about – she was fighting a quality opponent who defeated her. If she’s still interested in fighting, Strikeforce will still use her and she’ll still draw the fans. The loss doesn’t make her a punchline like Kimbo’s loss did for him.
by ModMind.tsn on Aug 17, 2009 9:49 AM EDT reply actions
Shanoff – Gina is tough…I wouldn’t say the wrong thing about her.
by ohiostate1016 on Aug 17, 2009 10:13 AM EDT reply actions
To an extent I agree that Carano is way over marketed. But it works, and she does have a good bit of talent. IMO, more than Kimbo, in her division.
Jeter not the best SS on his team….bahahaha! Surley you jest.
And the fact Jessica Simpson was even brought up here shows how serious this must be.
by sarah242k on Aug 17, 2009 10:20 AM EDT reply actions
Comparing Gina to Kimbo is like comparing a nice New York Strip to a cheeseburger from McDonald’s. While you may find a little fat in your strip from time to time it is still infinitely better than the cheeseburger from McDonald’s.
Gina is a legitimate martial artist going 12-1-1 in Muay Thai and trained under the legendary Thonsaphon Sitiwatjana (better known as Master Toddy). Kimbo Slice was an internet sensation for beating up bums on the street and even lost in that setting when someone who knew what they were doing (Gannon). Kimbo was created to be the face of an organization and was given match-ups to protect that face. Seth Petruzelli was a guy who had just gone through a weight cut to make LHW and gave up nearly 35lbs when he was pulled from the undercard to fight Kimbo the very day of the fight. Gina became the face of woman’s MMA by beating legitimate competition on network tv. Cyborg Santos was a legitimate threat that was favored on betting sites and was focused on beating Gina for over a year.
To say Gina was a marketing letdown is insane. Gina is the reason for that fight to be a main event of a great card. In fact, I personally think Strikeforce dropped the ball a little and didn’t market the fight to draw in the audience that could have been interested. Every great fighter in MMA has a loss on their record it will be interesting to see how Gina responds.
Oh…and sarah…he is absolutely right that Jeter is not the best SS on his team :)
by wilcoxon on Aug 17, 2009 3:52 PM EDT reply actions
bite me, wil! hehe!
by sarah242k on Aug 17, 2009 4:32 PM EDT reply actions
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