Friday, September 22, 2006

Friday afternoon musings...

Come on Tigers, win a couple of games. Please? Just end the damn suspense already. String together a few wins, relegate the Twins to the wild card, and win the flipping Central! If the Tigers can't beat the Royals and Blue Jays, at the very least, 6 out of 10, they don't deserve the division crown. They are a playoff team, but they aren't exactly inspring much confidence in their post season chances with losses like yesterday's debacle.

The Red Wings exhibition season started? Who knew? Sorry hockey fans, but I'm finding it awful hard to even think about the NHL right now. When it comes to the Wings, I only have one question. When do the playoffs start?

The Ryder Cup began this morning. In the middle of the night, around 3:30 am eastern time, actually. Despite what NBC would like you to think, if you were going by the coverage on the USA Network today. I despise big events being broadcast on a tape delay. Show the damn thing live! Someone needs to remind the suits at the networks that we can get the results almost instantaniously on the web. I've not seen a single graphic stating that the event is on a delay. So why pretend they are broadcasting the Ryder Cup live? Speaking of the Ryder Cup...

Anyone else expecting anything other than a massive choke job from the American team? The defining term from all the golf experts in regard to the US players is SOFT. PGA golfers are spoiled beyond belief. They play under über-perfect conditions, and are teated like pampered kings via tournament handouts and freebies. Let alone your average player can make serious coin on tour for just being "Good enough." Where's the incentive for a 2nd tier player to improve?

Look at the current PGA Tour money leaders. In 71st place is a journeyman's journeyman, Steve Flesch. He has NOT won a title this season, but has made $1,023,611. The money list is interesting read, if only for the amazing amount of nobodies who are in the 35% tax bracket. Camilo Villegas has made $1,712,697. John Senden? Only $1,551,232. Ryuji Imada is a relative pauper at $895,534. I have a question. Who in the living HELL are these guys?

Is it any wonder the Americans aren't embarressed by having their asses handed to them every 2 years? PGA Tour players live on a planet which we public course players can only dream of. These guys don't have a care in the world, other than if their courtesy car will be a Mercedes or a Buick at the next PGA event.

Will the Wolverines avoid a let down against Wisconsin? You know what all Michigan fans have to thinking. Which game, against an inferior Big 10 team, do they find a way to blow? Honestly, I doubt it's Wisconsin. They have a score to settle, to avenge last year's loss. Honestly, maybe that's the one good thing about coming off of a 5 loss season, the Wolverines have several payback games on the schedule. Hopefully we won't see that game where Michigan takes a team for granted, and loses the game, the respect of the nation, and their Big 10 title/BCS appearance/National title hopes.

Michigan has the opportunity this season to be, once again, considered a program that is one of the elite of the elite. I know, I know, they ARE Michigan, and should be considered a top program, no matter what. But you have to admit there have been way too many 3-4 loss seasons recently for a program of Michigan's stature. U of M needs to remind the media and fans that they do belong in that group, or more correctly, never left.

And please, stop bringing up 1997. In relative terms, that was eons ago. Kids that are playing college ball now were in elementary school then. Things change, you can't keep looking back, but need to look forward. How have things changed? Charles Woodson is no longer an All-World corner, he's a journeyman hanging on with the Packers. In other words, things have changed, changed enormously. The Michigan fan base needs to move on from 1997. Let's hope this Wolverine squad can make some new memories...

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