Weird to see Weir?

Two names that the game of golf has greatly missed were both seen towards the top of the leader board at the HP Byron Nelson Championship. Mike Weir was in contention all throughout the tournament, and finished in second place, two back of Brendon Todd. David Duval had a share of the lead after the first round, but after a poor second day missed the cut. These two players were once at the top of the game, but then just seemed to vanish.

Mike Weir is a past masters champion, and was once the only good Canadian and best lefty in the game. He used to be seen in contention every week, and was known for his signature waggle. But after a series of injuries, primarily to his back, he just seemed to have lost his ability to compete with the best. Weir has attempted to come back multiple times, but hasn’t succeeded. This past weekend is the best finish for Weir in quite some years. It’s good to see him back. The PGA Tour seems to be lacking players with experience, and he certainly is one with it.

David Duval is another guy with a little experience under his belt. Duval is a former number one player in the world, and is also a British Open champion. It’s sad to see someone who was the best in the world at one point, drop all the way to the bottom. It does seem like Duval is finding something with his golf game, but he is nowhere near where you think he should be. For David, I am not sure if he will ever be able to return to some success on the PGA Tour. He just seems to have lost it when it comes to competitive golf. He is approaching his mid 40’s and will soon be able to join the Champions Tour. This will give him an opportunity for success, but right now I don’t see him having success in golf in the near future.

I would not be surprised to see Mike Weir make a little bit of a comeback to the game of golf, but I will be if David Duval does. Both of these past-elites are trying to make a name for themselves again, but it will be hard with all of the young talent out there on the PGA Tour.

The Most Interesting Golfer with a year to remember

Miguel Angel Jimenez will not forget the year 2014. Known as the most interesting golfer in the world because of his giant cigars, his pony tail and goatee, and his outlandishly hilarious stretching technique. Jimenez is having one great year with being in contention in The Master's, then the next week winning his first Champions Tour event, and now winning Open De España on the European Tour in his home country of Spain. Oh, and not to mention he turned 50 this year. 

Jimenez has always been a well-recognized golfer due to his character, but this year he is finally making a name for himself for his golf game, and not the person who comes with it. He has been playing well all year, and ever since The Master's, his name seems to be everywhere. The professional tours need more guys like Jimenez because they tend to be much more pleasing to the crowds, and you never know what they will do next. Unlike the players who get mad and throw clubs and cuss, the ones like Jimenez seem to be much nicer to the gallery, and put on a smile no matter what. These are the players who make golf seem like a game, and not a job. Sometimes all of us, not just fans, but the players too, need to be reminded that golf is just a game.

Miguel seems to have found his game even late in his career, this should inspire some of the other players who seem to have lost it as they are approaching 50. Miguel not only puts a smile on people’s faces, but he impresses them as well. We will always root for the most interesting golfer in the world.

Accuracy or distance

When choosing how you play the game, you have to make the choice: accuracy or distance. Do you want to hit the ball long, and risk getting it into trouble, but also give yourself good birdie looks? Or do you want to keep the ball in play, and not risk making a big number, but not give yourself as good of birdie looks? These questions have been asked as long as golf has been around. The truth is there is no right answer, but one of these strategies will fit your game and your mind set the best. 

Distance opens many doors in this game. Distance allows you to go for par 5's and short par 4's. Distance gives you shorter clubs into greens, and promotes hitting the ball closer. Distance is the aggressive way to play golf. But there are some negative aspects to hitting the ball long. You will not be as accurate the longer you hit it. You will risk getting yourself in trouble if you aggressively play with your length. Length can be the biggest advantage in this game, if you can utilize it at the right times.

Accuracy is the smart way to play golf. Choosing accuracy means that your scorecard will become very boring. Lots of pars, the occasional birdie, the occasional double. But it will save you from making a mess on your scorecard. Accuracy won't give you many eagle chances, and therefore a ton of short birdie chances, but it will give you a lot of medium length attempts at birdie. Which means few bogeys, and many birdie looks, and a few of them will drop. There is nothing wrong with playing steady and letting the birdies come to you, and not make any mistakes. Playing smart can be very rewarding. 

There are many tour professionals that choose to use each of these strategies. So they can't even decide which is better. Take Bubba Watson, Dustin Johnson, and Phil Mickelson for examples. All of them just pound the ball out there, and scrape off some birdies. But they also are notorious for getting the ball into trouble, and making a big number. All of these players have put themselves in contention at tournaments, and taken themselves out of tournaments due to there length. 

Players like Luke Donald, Matt Kuchar, and Steve Stricker all play a game of how accurate and precise can they be. None of them worry about how far they can hit the ball off of the tee because they know that they are just as good with a 7 iron as others are with a 9 iron. They don't need the length for an advantage. They are all really good putters as well. This helps because when they have a lot of 15-20 foot putts, they can make a fair amount of them. These are the type of players who are always in contention, and seem to be right there day in and day out with a chance to win.

Traditionally, all of the greats have been able to combine both distance and accuracy to climb to the top. The ones who have been the of all time aren't the longest in the game, and they aren't always the most accurate. but they have found a way to hit the ball decently far, and know where to put the ball, so that they don't make a big number. Tiger Woods, Jack Nickalus, Gary Player, Greg Norman, etc. were never the most powerful player on the tour, and they didn't hit every single fairway. But for some reason the combination of the two creates the all time best.

Jordan Spieth fumbles down the stretch

Jordan Speith had made it through the first three rounds of competition with out a bogey. And then it all came crashing down mid way through the fourth round. Jordan missed about a 20 foot par putt on the sixth hole, and then proceeded to finish his round with four more bogies on the scorecard. It was a rough day for Jordan today, but none the less he is still a 20 year old kid who is living all of our dreams. He will push through one of these days, and all of us will just be shaking our heads in amazement when he does.

Watching him, I can't help but think we haven't even seen him at his best. There has got to be a whole other level that he can go to, and someday in the near future we will see it. Do all of you remember when Rory went off at the US Open and the PGA, and blew everyone out of the water? Well I think Jordan can probably go farther than he did. It will be exciting to watch and find out. One thing is for certain, the kid has game.

Kaymer holds strong throughout

When we discuss clutch putting when it matters the most you have to mention Martin Kaymer's name. When he won his major (the 2010 PGA Championship), he made a ten foot par putt on the 18th hole to get himself into a playoff. Remember the 2012 Ryder Cup, when the European team made that insurmountable comeback to beat the Americans, Kaymer made the clinching five footer. And now the 2014 Player's Championship, Kaymer made another five footer to hold on and escape a playoff with Jim Furyk. Not to mention the 30 footer he made on 17. The German started the week out hot, and didn't stop.

Kaymer opened the week with a course-record tying 63. He then was able to hold onto apart of the lead the rest of the week. Kaymer played very well on the final round, and looked as if there was no looking back. But due to a thunder-storm delay, he was forced to. Jim Furyk finished well before him at 12 under, and going onto the 15th hole, he was 15 under. Then by some act of fate for Jim, Kaymer made a double. After his double he made a par on 16, and then came to the dreaded 17th island green. Kaymer hit what looked like an okay, but not up to standards shot, and found his ball spinning with-in inches of the water. After a very poor chip, all Kaymer had left of his lead was a 30 footer. You know what? He made it. Then marched on to the 18th and made his par to claim the trophy.

After watching the trophy presentation, you can't have thought that this victory couldn't have come to a more deserving and good guy. Kaymer has faced some tough issues with his golf game after once being on top of the world. As a golf fan it is good to see him back because he is truly one of the greatest guys on the PGA Tour, and we are all wishing him the best of luck.

Getting in the right fit

In the world of golf there are so many different choices for how to play the game, and for what styles of clubs to use and trust. You can use a belly putter (not for much longer) or a traditional style putter, you can use cavity back irons or blade irons, you can use a shorter driver or a longer driver, the main thing that is important is finding the clubs that best suit your game. There are many ways to do this, you can get fit by a professional, go to a demo/fitting day, or just experiment with different choices. You just have to find the right fit to play your best golf.

The club you as a golfer want to become the closest friend with is your putter. You need to be able to get the ball into the hole in order to score. In today’s age of technology, the golfing world offers you many options. You can putt with a normal sized grip, and just use it traditionally. You can experiment with different ways to hold the club (left hand low or the claw). You can try the new counter-balance method, which offers a longer grip and overall a heavier putter. You can anchor in multiple different ways: belly putter, “Matt Kuchar style”, or use a long putter. Then comes the grip. You can use a traditional, a midsized, an oversized, a Super Stroke, a Winn, a belly putter grip, when it comes to putter grips the options are endless. There are many options into today’s world for how you choose to putt, it is vitally important that you find what works best for you, and put that to good use.

One of the hottest areas in golf technology is the driver. There are endless options when it comes to the club you use off the tee. When getting fit for a driver, first you should pick out the head you want. You can choose a 430cc head, or a 460cc head, you could even use a 260cc head (Taylormade SLDR Mini). Depending on the brand you choose, you could have a traditional black headed driver, or white, or silver, or red, or blue, or orange, etc. Whichever company’s driver you choose will lead to a modern and innovative form of technology. Then it is ideal to get the right shaft in your driver, like all of your clubs, you want the right shaft, but for the driver it is extra important to have the right shaft. This is because it is the longest club in your bag, and it has the most room for error when it comes to crookedness. The driver if not the most important, one of the most important clubs in your bag to get fit right for.

Above is the Nike Covert 2.0. This driver offers the golfer many different lofts to choose from, and it is the only current driver out there with cavity back technology.  http://www.mygolfway.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Nike-Golf-VRS-Covert-Tour-Driver.jpg

When it comes to irons you just want to make sure you don’t go for too much in the direction of not forgiving enough. You want to make sure you have irons that are forgiving enough for your game, so that way you won’t lose shots that are unnecessarily lost. Many avid golfers think that since Tiger Woods and Adam Scott choose to play with blade irons that they must as well. Well Tiger and Adam have two of the best swings in the game’s history, and they rarely miss hit a shot, which I don’t believe is the case for many avid golfers. It is also ideal to make sure your shafts aren’t too stiff because then you can lose many unnecessary shots, just because you can’t get the club in the right spot. I can’t stress enough how much of importance it is to have the right clubs for you, not someone else.

One thing I’ve noticed when picking out the right clubs for myself is that you can’t be playing with a club that is too long. Many drivers that come out have stock shafts that are 46 inches long, and that is ridiculous. The only reason for that is because a longer shaft promotes length, but also crookedness. A club that is perfectly fit for you will go longer and straighter, than one that is not. Most golfers should be using a driver that is 44 inches in length, not one that is 46. I suggest to anyone who wants to get the right fit for themselves to go see their local PGA Professional, and set up a club fitting. This will promote the ideal club selection for themselves, and lead to lower scores. 

Ko wins the week after Wie returns

Seventeen year old sensation Lydia Ko has stepped up big on the spotlight she had. Ko has already won three times on the LPGA Tour, one if them being as a pro. She claimed this weeks Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic by one shot over American-star, Stacy Lewis. Ko was able to build up a couple shot lead down the stretch, but found herself with only one shot over her nearest competitors on eighteen tee. After a birdie by Lewis, Ko was able to make her five-foot birdie putt to win her first event as a professional.

Her win came the week after Michelle Wie got into the winning circle after a five year drought. Wie was the Lydia Ko of the 21st century. Wie was the teenager who could do everything, she was going to be the first girl to play in the Master's. Wie had been given all of these expectations as soon as she stepped onto the scene, and now Ko is the "golden girl." Wie did not repeat her victory, but she did settle for a top ten finish, so she keeps showing signs of progress, and that maybe the old Wiesie is back.

It's always weird to see a girl win her third LPGA event when I'm older than her. I happen to be almost two months older than Ko, and she is already winning professional tournaments. It definitely inspires me that I can one day fulfill my dream. Lydia Ko is an inspiration to not only young women golfers, but also to the guys.

Society today

Many people grow up in today's society always being told what to do, and always answering for others. Few are picking up the sword and carving their own paths. And frankly that's sad to see.

Now a day's all we see are people who take orders from others, and people who expect to be given everything in life. Everyone hears the old joke growing up "Do you want to flip burgers for the rest of your life?", but now that is the case with many teenagers. A good number of them get jobs at McDonald's or Burger King and never grow out of it. Our society now is molded around "What's the most I can get with the least amount of work", and there needs to be a serious change in the attitudes of our youth.

We don't see youth dreaming of being astronauts, the next president, or really just dreaming. Many of them just choose to play video games and be lazy. They expect for their parents to provide for them as long as possible, and when they finally have to move out, they finally do. They aren't choosing to go to college, or get a high paying job, no that's too much work. They just want to smoke weed, get drunk, and get the most out of their youth before they have to put on big boy pants. The issue is their big boy pants are what used to be the last generations teenager pants. And this causes a serious issue with where our society is headed.

Due to the lack of motivation by our youth, our society is not headed in the direction as hoped. I'm not saying there aren't youth out there who still dream, and are still motivated to go far in life. There are many that still do. But the increase in our youth that are not motivated is much higher than the ones who are. As a high school student I get to watch our societies youth from a first person view, and I do see many programs that are out there to encourage students to go far in life. But those programs are always viewed as either for the "nerds", or boring. I think the area in which the most progress could be made would be in our schools, and with our teachers. As a student I have had teachers who are very inspirational, but I've also had teachers who prefer to not even be at school. Many of them just hand out a packet and then sit on their computer or cell phone, and watch the clock just like the students for when they can leave. The teachers who are inspirational always try to push their students to their maximum potential, and encourage them in positive directions with life. We need more of them.

We need more teachers to become role models and inspirations to our youth. This will encourage our students to go far in life, and chase a good future. As a society, we need our youth to start taking responsibility, and even though it can be more challenging, carve their own paths.

Your choices, not others

Right now in my AP Lang class we are discussing the topic of sexism and inequality still in America. This whole thing has got me thinking a lot. Do we still have sexism in this country?

I will agree that women are pushed into thinking they have to be sexy and attractive. Or that most powerful positions are held by men. Which infers that women are looked at not so much for there brains and accomplishments, but as a sex object or care taker. But equal rights do exist. Women are more powerful than ever now. The video "MissRepresentation" states that women have the least amount of power they have ever had, which is so unbelievably false. Maybe it's tougher for a female to grow up to the perfect figure we like to think, than it is for a man, but that doesn't mean this is the least amount of power girls have ever had. Women have tremendous power, and just as much as men, they just have to seize that power.

As a male, maybe my views are slightly biased, and no I don't know what it is like to grow up in this day and age as a female. But I do know and understand how a majority of men view women, and their capabilities with power. Most men view women as being smarter than them to be honest. And a majority of them see girls as having the capability for lots of power. So this conceived notion that men can't stand women with power, and that guys want all of it and discriminate girls out of it is a lot of bull shit. Yes, some men do think this way, but not most. I get annoyed easily with these complaints and women's marches about how little power and rights they have. According to our constitution it's the same, so take advantage of that and put down your sign's and get some power. Men are allowing women to take up powerful roles, but very little of them choose to do so, and then blame that on the men. In this day and age, women and men are responsible for their own life's and their own roles in society. Maybe it is a little more challenging for a female to gain power than a man, but the only way to prove you are equal is by PROVING it, not by complaining and pointing fingers. So I challenge all the women who want to make a difference for all women, to make that difference. You choose your own fate, others may influence it, but ultimately you have the say.

I change my challenge. I challenge everyone (male, female, black, white, Asian, etc.) to make a difference they want for themselves, and the only way you can do that is by making your difference in this world.

Kuchar gives it back to the tour

Matt Kuchar has been all over the leaderboards these past few weeks, with three straight top five finishes leading up to this weeks RBC Heritage Championship. Kuchar found himself four back of former number one in the world, Luke Donald, entering Sunday. He quickly got himself into the hunt Sunday, and was able to hold himself on top of the leaderboard by the end of the tournament. Kuchar finished with a final round 64, to just pass Donald for a one shot victory. That's just the beginning of the story.

Kuchar finished second place at the Valero Texas Open, and he had lost in a playoff to Matt Jones. Jones chipped-in in the playoff to beat Kuchar, and get into the field at Augusta. Kuchar found himself with a share of the lead on the 18th tee box. When he was in the green side bunker, all he was hoping for was an up and down, and then to face Donald in a playoff. The golfing gods had other plans for Kuch. Matt's bunker shot, was perfect. No literally, he holed it. Kuchar made his bunker shot to pull ahead by one over Donald, and to finally get that win in 2014. This victory was long awaited for Kuchar after the great start he has had to his season.

Donald on the other hand has been struggling of late. This week's event was a good one for Luke, and it showed signs of the player he once was coming back. Luke once was at the top of the game, building all of his success off of his short game and good iron play. But after an attempt to gain distance and win more, he quickly slipped down the rankings. It is nice to see him back and in contention, hopefully we will see more of these kind of performances from Donald in the near future.

Donald and Kuchar are two of the household names in golf, everyone knows who they are. So for the two of them to be battling it out down the stretch the week after a major was a treat for golf fans. It would be nice to see these kind of performances every week on the tour.

Bloody Love

I have an older brother. And just because we grew up in the same house, have the same parents, and share the same last name, I am expected to love him. I have been yelled at by my parents for not loving him, and people always tell me you should love your brother. When I ask them why, they respond: because he is your brother. Some reason. Just because we have the same blood, I'm expected to love him. I don't really know if I agree with this expected custom. Do I really have to love him because we are related?

Now I will give the nay-sayer's this. I should at least attempt to love him and be friends with him because he's my brother, and I won't argue that there should be more of an effort for family. But it is not like I haven't tried to get along with him, and love him like "family should". I have attempted to get along with him and be friends with him, but every time it comes down to him thinking he's cooler, tougher, or smarter than me (which isn't the case). Most of the time he will just throw out some insult to make himself look superior. I don't go around saying how much better I am than him, so why must he do it to me? I really don't know. He acts as if I was born with all the talent, and is super jealous of me. I was born with a good mind, and a good work ethic, that's all. I have worked much harder than him to receive the things he is jealous of. So he should blame himself, and not me. For me to love him I have to be able to put up with his shit, and not be bothered by it.

In my eyes, I am always blamed for not loving him. He isn't questioned. I don't really know why he isn't. Because to me it seems like I'm the one making an effort and not him. As I hinted at earlier, I should at least give him a chance, and make the effort. And I have and will continue to. Returning to the original topic, do I really have to love him because I am related to him? I think the answer is no. But I do think that I should treat him like family should treat family, and I should care about him and be there for him. But I do not need to love him.

The Dream

Every year amateur and professional golfers gather together in early May, and compete for a chance to play their way into the US Open. Some of them hoping to shoot the rounds of their life with the hopes of possibly being competitive in the first qualifier. While some are past success stories on the tour, with hopes of getting their name back into the spotlight. No matter what the story is, or the motivation behind it, they all have the same dream.

We've seen dreams come true, and we've seen them shattered. A couple years ago, most golfers remember, there was a heavy set club-pro named Dennis Miller, and he made this putt in extra holes to buy himself a trip to the Open. The 42-year-old hit a great putt that stopped right on the edge, and as he turned around in despair the ball dropped in the cup. He didn't even see it go in. Stories like that are what inspire and amaze all of us golfers. It's what motivates us every day. It is possible.

This year on Tuesday May 6th, I will try my hand in the first round. I will attempt the dream. It is possible for 17-year-old kids to make it there, and even possible for them to be competitive. A couple years ago, a young man by the name of Beau Hossler found himself competitive in the US Open. Hossler had already been committed to the Texas Longhorns, who happen to be one of the top golf schools in the country. He held the lead part way through the Open, and faded off a little by the end of the tournament. But for a 17-year-old kid to hold the lead in one of the biggest golf tournaments in the world, it inspires all of us to give it a try, you just never know what will happen. Beau achieved the dream.

All golfer's, no all athletes, hope to have their moment of glory at one point. Whether that's making a game winning basket, or getting a clinching interception late, and for us golfer's it can be to qualify for the US Open. There are many dreams out there. Many find their moments of glory at one point. I have had multiple, but that doesn't prevent me from the continuous grind to achieve more. All golfer's dream, some achieve their dreams, and some keep working to achieve them. Golf is a game of dedication, if you are not dedicated, you might as well not play. It's a game you always have to keep refining to get better, you can't really ever take a break. If you are dedicated to your game, then your dreams become much more of realities.

Bubba claims second jacket

Bubba Watson is wearing another green jacket. Bubba had remained in the hunt during the whole week, and never was figured out of it. He shot three-under to start the tournament, and found himself only one back after day one. He then held a three shot lead after shooting four-under on Friday. But after a stumbling two-over, 74, on Saturday, he found himself with a share of the lead tied with 20 year old, Jordan Spieth. Spieth got off to a hot start Sunday, but stumbled and found himself falling quickly behind Watson, and Bubba didn’t look back. Bubba did not slip up and give Spieth any room, he made good birdies on 8 and 9 to slide past Spieth, and played a good even-par back nine to secure the jacket.

The 2014 Master’s was really a two man race on the final day. Matt Kuchar made some noise early, but after a four-putt double on the fourth hole, his name was never really of relevance for the rest of the tournament. Jonas Blixt did find himself making a charge throughout the final round, but he couldn’t really catch Spieth or Watson. The most the Swede got to was five-under, and ended up sharing second with Spieth at that. Other than these two names the only ones you really heard were Spieth and Watson.

At the end of golf’s Christmas, Bubba Watson found himself with his second green jacket in three years. Bubba who is known mostly for his long drives, and passion, found himself relying heavily on his putter. Bubba made many putts during the final round, and that usually means a good outcome for the tournament. For some reason he just really fits this golf course. Most people would think that due to his inaccuracy off the tee and his shaky putting, that he would not be a good fit for Augusta, but Bubba finds his home here, and that’s a pretty good thing to find. This is the second win this year for him, and you have to think there will be more to come. He has been putting very good all season, and when you’re putting good and driving the ball a country mile, then that usually means success. Plus the first major victory drama will not be a factor this time, and he will be able to get right back on the grind and keep the peddle down this year. There are not many guys on the tour as good at heart as Bubba, so from a fans perspective we are all very proud of you Bubba.

Day one recap of The Master's

After the first round of play, we have a pretty competitive Master's, as was expected. Bill Haas, son of Jay Haas and past Fed-Ex Cup Champion, finds himself sitting atop the leader board with a one shot lead. He leads the past two champions, Bubba Watson and Adam Scott, as well as two years ago runner-up, Louis Oosthuizen, by one. So far The Master's is setting up for an exciting weekend.

Some other player's that find themselves in the hunt are K.J. Choi and Brandt Snedeker at two-under, as well as Fred Couples, Rickie Fowler, Jordan Spieth, and Rory McIlroy all at one-under. Today will be a big day for the tournament because if some of these bigger names at even or a couple over can make a charge up the board then we will have one exciting tournament. Right now we have a lot of big names right there, and if more could get up there then we will be in for a treat.

Day two of the Master's is underway. Please visit: http://www.masters.com/en_US/ for live coverage of today's round.

The Master's is underway

With the commemorative tee shot's form Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Gary Player the 2014 Master's Championship is underway. There have been numerous players making early round charges, but there seems to be a pattern of receding shortly after. Webb Simpson birdied his first three holes to start the day, but then made a double bogey mid way through his front nine. Reigning champion Adam Scott had a two shot lead at four-under par, but then also followed that up with a double bogey. We saw the fifty year old Spaniard, Miguel Angel Jiminez, make a charge up the boards to get to four-under, but that was also short lived. At the moment, we have four players finished at two-under par, and Bill Haas holds a one shot lead over Louis Oosthuizen at four-under. Past champion, Fred Couples, who currently resides on the Champions Tour shot a nice one-under par round. The theme so far for this year has been a magic number of four, and some old timers who are showing they can still compete on the biggest stage.

Multiple players have only been able to reach four-under par and cannot go further, and then they dip back down. This is showing us viewers that Augusta National is still holding up its reputation. The course always has given up some birdies, but it always finds a way to take many of those shots. There are plenty of birdie holes at Augusta, but there are many holes where the player gets onto the tee, and is wishing to just get to the next hole with the same ball. This great feature allows for makes and breaks on final rounds, and it allows for an exciting finish down the stretch. That is what makes this arguably the greatest tournament in the world, and the one I look forward to every year. The Master's is a golfer's Christmas.

for Master's coverage visit:   http://www.masters.com/en_US/index.html

Matt Jones takes down Kuch and buys ticket to Augusta

Matt Jones started Sunday at -9, six shots back of the leader Matt Kuchar. Kuchar has won The Players and a WGC event, so his lead was not to be caught. But Jones had other plans. Matt Jones who had never won on tour fired a final round 66 (6-under) to match Kuchar's even par round, and force a playoff. Jones ended up taking the playoff by chipping-in in dramatic fashion, and punching his ticket to the Master's.

Jones had not already qualified for the Master's, and this victory bought him an invitation. He had to chase down not only Kuchar, but he also had to pass Sergio Garcia. Garcia, who is also a past Players champion, was the closest to Kuchar entering Sunday. He ended up two behind Kuchar and Jones. This was a good finish for Garcia. He has been lacking confidence these past few years, and has lacked a lot of success on the tour. So hopefully this third place finish will give him some confidence with the major season starting next week. Sergio has been close in many majors over the years, and maybe this year will be the year.

Past number one in the world, Rory McIlroy had a great finish to the event with a final round 65 to give him some confidence going into the Master's. Rory, like Sergio, has struggled on the PGA Tour these past years after being on top of the game at one point. This finish should carry over some momentum going into next week, and maybe both McIlroy and Garcia will be back and in contention in majors this year.

Jones' victory was huge to a small time name like himself. He through his name out there, and is now a PGA Tour champion and will be playing at Augusta National. This next week's major should be a suspenseful one, especially with Tiger not in the field.

Tiger to not compete in Master's

Tiger Woods announced earlier this week that he will not compete in this year's Master's. This came as a shock because I don't think anyone believed his injury was as severe as it ended up being.

Tiger withdrew at the end of WGC Cadillac Championship due to a pinched nerve. He then withdrew from the Arnold Palmer Invitational, and has now had back surgery and will not play at Augusta. This shocked the whole country because this is known to be the one Tiger wants the most, and he has rarely missed it. Tiger's absence this year really opens up the tables to who is the favorite. Most people will have to take Adam Scott, who is the defending champ and number two player in the world, behind Tiger. This is just adding to the suspicion that Tiger's body is wearing down, and his time is running out quickly to catch Jack. He has gone from injury to injury, and still manages to be the best player in the world. So I don't think he's done yet, but I do think that this is just showing how easily he can break down now. There is no doubt Tiger's time is limited.

This year's Master's might be a very good show, now that Tiger will not be competing. There is no clear favorite now, and there are many guys that have a great chance to win. It's all up in the air now. The guys to look for now are Jason Day, Adam Scott, Sergio Garcia, and Jordan Spieth. Jason Day is coming off of a win at the WGC Accenture Match Play, and has finished in the top 10 multiple times at Augusta. Scott, as I said earlier, is the defending champ and the number two player in the world. Garcia is having a good week right before Augusta, and has one multiple times this year on the European Tour, and has had multiple top 10's this year on the PGA Tour. And finally the 20 year old Spieth already has one win on tour, and can play anywhere, so what's stopping him from winning at Augusta? With Tiger not in the field, there is not a favorite for this year's Master's. Anyone could take home the green jacket this year.

UConn and Kentucky both advance

Connecticut and Kentucky both entered the Final Four being looked at as teams who did not deserve to be there. The Huskies dominated the Florida Gators and ended up beating them by double digits. The Wildcats were able to pull off a down-to-the-wire victory over the Wisconsin Badgers, and were able to win by just one point. The seven seeded Huskies and the eight seeded Wildcats could only have dreamed of being in this spot entering the tournament, the visualization would have been tough.

When you look upon the championship game tomorrow, think about the all the really good teams from this season, and then look at the two that are still standing. The Big Ten Champions, gone. The Big 12 Champions, gone. The lone undefeated team, gone. Two teams whose regular seasons had been considered a disappointment are the teams who remain. Kentucky started the year as the number one overall ranked team, but quickly fell through the ranks and was not ranked for a large part of the year. Even with those poor regular seasons, the Huskies and the Wildcats found ways to advance throughout the tournament.

For Kentucky, they have been riding on the back of the Harrison twins, and they have stepped up big. Aaron Harrison has it to big game winning shots to eliminate Michigan in the Elite Eight, and Wisconsin in the Final Four. Julius Randle and James Young stepped up against Wisconsin both scoring over 15 points. It seems to be that the Kentucky's five freshman starters are finally starting to play like the team they were expected to be.

UConn did not enter the season with as big of expectations as the Wildcats. The Huskies were expected to be a good team and have a good seed in the tournament. But they were not supposed to be the best team in the country. Their starting point guard, Shabazz Napier was a freshman on the 2011 championship team, so he will lead his Huskies into Monday night with experience. This should be a good game of two teams who have ended up where they wanted to, but with a different path than what was expected.

Connecticut and Kentucky survive to make Final Four

When talking about UConn and Kentucky basketball you normally think of teams that are in contention in the tournament, and teams who are usually ranked in the top 10 for the AP polls. Not this year. Kentucky opened the season being ranked number one in the nation, but immediately dropped out of the top 25. UConn had some success through out the season, but never lived up to the standard the standard they hold for basketball. Entering the tournament neither of these schools were projected to make it through the second round, and some predicted them to lose in the first round. But as we now enter the final four, the two teams are still alive.

UConn was a seven seed starting the tournament, and had to beat Villanova, then Big 12 champs Iowa State, and then the Big 10 tournament champs in Michigan State. Their road was not easy, considering both Michigan State and Iowa State had been picked by a lot of people to win the whole thing. They will face the number one overall seeded Florida Gators on Saturday, and this will be an even tougher test than the ones they have already had. Most experts are picking Florida to win this game, but do not be surprised if Connecticut is with them the whole way, they did dominate MSU and ISU for practically the whole game.

Kentucky started the tournament as a eight seed, and had to face an undefeated Wichita State in the second round. After they handed the Shockers their first loss, they then had to play last years champions, the Louisville Cardinals, and after the shocking win over the in-state rivals, they faced the Big 10 champions, Michigan. So, just like the UConn Huskies, the Wildcats faced a very tough road to get to the final four. On Saturday the Wildcats will face the Wisconsin Badgers, who just knocked out the one seeded Arizona Wildcats.

Both Connecticut and Kentucky do not have easy roads to winning the tournament, but with their seeds, adn the teams they had to face, it is impressive that they are even in the Final Four.

Cyclones fall in tourney

The Iowa State Cyclones coming off of a great Big 12 performance were looking to make a tourney run this March. That is until they met a hot Connecticut team.

Connecticut came into Friday's game after a big upset over the #2 seed Villanova, and they kept the momentum going all throughout the game. Connecticut got up to 16 point lead before the Cyclones were able to get within five, but they were never able to catch them. Connecticut kept the momentum going into Sunday's game when they defeated one of the tourney favorites #4 seed Michigan State.
They will face the number one overall seed, Florida, Saturday night.

Iowa State did have a good run for their past performances, even if it was not what the Cyclone's players had in mind. The Cyclones were able to defeat the North Carolina Central in the first round pretty handily, and then faced a tough opponent in the second round with North Carolina. The Tar Heels looked as if they were going to send the Clones packing, but with a late game charge by the seniors Melvin Ejim and DeAndre Kane, the Cyclones managed to survive.

With the season coming to an end, the Cyclones will wave goodbye to Melvin Ejim who was the Big 12 player of the year, and DeAndre Kane who was the Big 12 tournament MVP. These are two major losses for the Clones, but there is definitely some potential for next years team. Naz Long and Monte Morris definitely arose as potential stars, and Georges Niang is already a star for the Cyclones. This was a great year for Iowa State basketball, and hopefully the success will continue.

Cyclones take Big 12 Tourament

The Iowa State Cyclone's men's basketball team just completed one of there tournaments on top, now it's round two. The Cyclone's claimed victor to the Big 12 Tournament this weekend with a victory over Baylor in the finals. This was the second time the Cyclone's won the tournament, the first being in 2000. This title run says that the Clones could do some damage in the NCAA Tournament.

Iowa State had not led against Baylor until a three pointer tied it up at 50 a piece late in the second half. The Cyclone's then never looked back. They dominated the Bears for the last part of the second half and showed that they were definitely a force to be reckoned with. The Cyclones go into the NCAA Tournament a #3 seed facing North Carolina Central in the first round. Most experts are picking either Iowa State or the #4 seed Michigan State to win their section of the bracket. The Cyclone's definitely have some threats with the Big 12 player of the year in Melvin Ejim, and the Big 12 Tournament MVP in DeAndre Kane. They also Georges Niang who is a major threat from inside. The Cyclone's pack a heavy punch, and they are really looking to make a name for themselves these next couple weeks.

Senden escapes heated race at Snake Pit

John Senden, who has one win on the PGA Tour at the John Deere Classic, looked like a veteran who has one 10 plus times on the tour coming down the stretch Sunday. Senden had former world number one Luke Donald right on his tale, and also 2013 US Open champ Justin Rose. He managed to escape a very tight leaderboard and emerge victorious.

Senden hit what was by far the shot of the tournament on the tough Par-4 16th. He had just hooked a fairway wood off the tee into the trees on the right, then hit a marvelous hook from the pine straw up about 20 yards from the hole. Then he executed what was by definition a perfect shot. Senden hit a beautiful chip that rolled right up to the hole like a putt and dropped. This birdie moved him to six-under, and then he made a long birdie putt on the 17th to move to seven. Then finished the round with a smooth par on the 18th to shoot a solid final round one-under 70. Senden had to watch as Kevin Na birdied the 17th to pull with in one, but was relieved when he missed a long birdie attempt on the 18th which gave him the victory.

Kevin Na, also a one time champion on the PGA Tour, was the only one who scared Senden on the last couple holes. But Na missed judged a pitching-wedge on the 18th which ultimately gave Senden the win. This was still a very good performance for Na, considering all the slow play drama that once again haunted him. But the demons seem to have started to go away, and maybe we will see some more impressive stuff out of Na.

Veterans, Luke Donald and Justin Rose, could not get the job done this weekend, but still there was some good that came out of this tournament for both of them. Rose who is coming off of an injury is showing the world that the injury won't affect him come major time. Donald once held the highest position in golf, but hasn't one in over a year. This tournament showed that he is still very competitive, and maybe he will break through for that first major this year.

The Valspar Championship had an intense finish, that shocked many of the viewers. We as fans can only hope to see this quality of a tournament every Sunday.

Significance of golf marketing

Why is it so important that golf companies to have as many PGA Tour player's using their clubs? What does it do for the golf industry?

These questions can be answered with a simple and common answer. The laws of money. Competition between companies brings in money to them. When you watch ESPN or primarily the golf channel, you will notice all the advertisements for brands of golf clubs and apparel. This makes the viewer believe that one company is better than the other, or since this professional uses these clubs then I must. Since there are so many companies, and not every tour player uses only one specific ball or one specific driver, then there is not really a difference in performance from company to company.

One of the biggest marketing tricks performed recently in the golfing world was Rory McIlroy's switch to Nike from Titleist. This switch made it so that him and Tiger Woods were both with Nike, and that way the two best players in the world used the same brand. Tiger had pretty much built Nike's golf success by using their brand for a very long time and winning most of his tournaments while using them. Nike is starting to come out with some very good products, their resin golf balls (20Xi-X and S) have proven to be competitive with Titleist Pro-V1's and Taylormade Penta's and Lethal's. And their Method series putters have also shown to be as good as Scotty Cameron's or Odyssey putters. When Nike signed Rory they boosted well up in the golf business world, even our local golf courses put them on the racks. The new Covert driver by Nike has become a huge success taking much of the spin off of the tee. Their products have seemed to become better, and much more recognizable now that they have both Tiger and Rory working for them. When a company sign's PGA Tour professionals to their label, they start to get more and more business because if those pro's are switching then I probably should as well.

A fast rising company in the world of golf is Adams. They are a company who has had some success over the years, but it has been mostly with players from other companies using their hybrids, and not all of their clubs. Adams has also found a lot of success on the Champions Tour, and not so much the PGA Tour, but they are quickly rising. Adams has just recently signed multiple time major champion Ernie Els, and now that they have the "Big Easy" their products are looking good for everyone. Some pro's like Aaron Baddely and Robert Garrigus have used Adams products for a few years now, but they are starting to make a footprint on the tour, and that has caused a big increase in sales. Many of the stores did not used to carry all of the Adams lines, but now you can find pretty much all of their clubs wherever you go.

Their is a big competition in the golf markets to sign PGA Tour professionals. This will make your company more popular and increase sales.

Jimmy Walker escapes tough field at Pebble

Jimmy Walker entered Sunday with a six shot advantage at -13 over Hunter Mahan and Tim Wilkinson, his nearest competition. Walker has already won twice this season, and he made it a fourth.

Walker turned nine with still a four shot lead at -14, but found trouble down the stretch at tough and famed Pebble beach. Dustin Johnson and Jim Renner both made charges up the leaderboard and got to -10, leaving all the deciding to Walker. Walker bogeyed 10, 12, 13, and 17 on the back. The lowest he got was -11, and that is where he finished after squeaking in a five footer on the 18th. Jimmy can't be too satisfied with his finish, but he got the job done, and his third win of the season. Johnson shot a final round low of 66, and Renner shot 67. Both have to be satisfied with at least putting some pressure on the distant leader.

Some of the players with in touching distance just couldn't get the job done on the final round. Hunter Mahan, the multiple time winner on the PGA Tour, was one of the big names that just couldn't find what it took to catch Walker. Mahan came into the final round closer to Walker than everyone else, and for a while looked like the one who could catch him, but down the back nine, like Walker, Mahan just could not find the necessities to finish it. Mahan miss hit multiple shots, and ended up shooting an even par 72. Tim Wilkinson was tied with Mahan at -7 going into the day, and he ended up shooting a final round 73 to finish in a tie for seventh at -6.

Jimmy Walker outlasted the field to squeak out a one shot lead, after leading by six to start the round. On a tough Pebble Beach course, with a tournament full of delays and suspended rounds, Walker has to be over joyed with the win this week.

Young guns of golf, the emerging faces of the game

There are many young golfers who dream to be Tiger Woods, or wish they could just compete against him. But there are the few who get that chance, and they aren't much older than the dreamers. Names like Jordan Speith, Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler, Ryo Ishikawa, Hideki Matsuyama, Jessica Korda, Lexi Thompson, and Michelle Wie are the ones you hear. These are the ones who have made those dreams realities, and are starting to challenge the very best in the game.

The biggest name on this list would have to be Rory McIlroy. Rory came into the picture when he was still a teenager. He has one two major championships (2011 US Open, and 2012 PGA), and is a formerly ranked world number one. He has 11 professional wins at the age of 24, and hasn't quit. Rory has been labeled the next great one, and is expected to overthrow Tiger. The fact that he will or not is definitely up for concern, but there is no doubt this kid is good. Rory for how young he is, can compete with any golfer in the world, and he was at one point the best in the game. There is plenty more to come from this kid, and do not be surprised if you see him sitting a top the rankings later in his career.

Hideki Matsuyama, unlike Rory, is building his name. He's a player who people who watch a large amount of golf know, but he isn't yet a household name. Matsuyama was able to compete in the Masters as an amateur at the age of 18, he was low amateur, and therefore was invited back to compete the following year. He played on the 2013 President's Cup Team, and has had some success on the PGA Tour. He does not have a win on the PGA Tour, but it won't be a shock if he gets in the circle in 2014.

Jordan Spieth is a common name around any house that pays attention to golf. That kid who won a national championship at Texas, and then turned pro. Yeah, that's Jordan. He got a win in 2013 at the John Deere Open in the Quad Cities, defeating Zach Johnson and David Hearn in a playoff. Spieth was also on the President's Cup Team in 2013 along side Johnson, and competed against Matsuyama. Spieth, though only 20 years old, can compete with anyone, and I predict he will win a major in 2014.

Everyone knows who the "Big Wiesie" is. Also known by her real name, Michelle Wie was at one point the face of the future for the LPGA Tour. She was going to be the first girl to compete in the Masters. So maybe her father got her in a wrong mind set, and has caused a few issues for Michelle to grow as a player. But we all remember that fast swinging, smooth rolling little girl who just appeared one day and never left. Well Michelle never really developed into the player everyone was expecting, and now there is a new generation of women golfers that have replaced what could have been her story. Jessica Korda and Lexi Thompson are just two of the young women golfers that have emerged. Korda being 20, and Thomspon being 18 both have won a couple of times this early on in their careers. Korda has two professional wins, while Thomspon has five. And both of them have competed in the Solheim Cup, and are the faces of American golf. They both inspire many young players to reach the dreams, and that anything is possible.

Many of these young emerging golfers have already reached their dreams, and all of them continue to inspire many young golfers who wish to be them. The game is going into a good direction, with these players leading the way.

Iowa State outlasts Oklahoma State in 3 OT's

The Cyclone season hasn't turned out like they were hoping after a 14-0 start. They lost four out of five after that, but they have revived it. Monday night they proved their worth. These past four games they have played ranked opponents, Kansas State, Kansas, Oklahoma, and now Oklahoma State. They fell to #6 ranked Kansas, but managed to pull out a win against the other three.

After three overtimes in Stillwater, Iowa State found themselves outlasting Ok. State and being on top 98-97. This was the first time in 26 years that Iowa State has beaten Ok. State in Oklahoma. Iowa State is off to one of its better starts in a long time. They have beaten six ranked opponents, and are currently 17-4. The only down side is that they are 5-4 in the Big 12. The Cyclones are not just looking for the Big 12 title, but maybe a national one.

Iowa State had some players who were able to perform on a very large stage, and under an immense amount of pressure. DeAndre Kane led the way with 26 points, 9 assists, and 9 rebounds. Melvin Ejim added to the cause with 23 points and 13 rebounds. Georges Niang had 17 points and 5 rebounds, while Monte Morris and Dustin Hogue both added 10 points. Hogue had 13 rebounds like Ejim. Kane and Ejim, and occasionally Niang, have shown that they are the leaders on this team, and when plays need to be made they are called upon. Unlike many programs, the Cyclones can rely on three to four players and not just one. This way when the target is guarded, another player can easily step up and make the big play. This separates the Clones from many of the top programs, and this may be a key part of their success, and their future success.

The Big 12 will not be easy to win this year. There are currently five ranked teams in the Big 12 (Kansas, Texas, Iowa State, Oklahoma State, and Oklahoma), and Kansas State was ranked before they lost three of their last four. Kansas is currently leading the conference at 8-1 in the conference, but with four other teams ranked nationally it won't be easy for them to stay on top. Texas sits in second for the conference with a record of 7-2. Then there are four teams with four losses (Oklahoma, West Virginia, Iowa State, and Kansas State) closely behind them. Like the Big 10, the Big 12 is very strong and competitive this year, and its teams will be looking to make a run in the tournament.

This overtime thriller showed just how competitive the Big 12 is this year. These two teams, like many in their conference, need all the wins they can get so they can move up in the national rankings and conference standings. You will see a lot more from these two schools come March, I guarantee it.

Seahawks dominate SB

The Seattle Seahawks destroyed the Denver Broncos 43-8 in the 48th Super Bowl. This was the Seahawks second appearance in the Super Bowl, and they did not disappoint.

The heavy talking, but heavy hitting Seahawks came out swinging against the Broncos, and really the game never looked good for Denver. Denver gave Seattle a safety on the first snap of the game due to a high snap that flew over quarterback Peyton Manning's head. Manning also threw two interceptions. The game was in control of Seattle from the very start, and Denver just wanted it to stop as soon as they could.

When looking at this game you would think that Denver, being the #1 offense in the league, could put up more than eight points. And that Decker and Welker would be a lot bigger part of the outcome, but they weren't and they couldn't. Seattle was the better team. Russell Wilson was able to play with little to no pressure the whole game, and that was very easy on the young quarterback.

With a touchdown off of an interception, and a kick return for a touchdown to open the second half, the Seahawk defense and special team was really rolling. Their defense is their pride and joy, and what they brag about. Richard Sherman, the loud and explosive cornerback, didn't make a lot of huge plays, but he was certainly there to shut down Denver's explosive receivers.

This all around effort by Seattle showed how good they really were this year, and as many thought the best team in the league. Maybe that's why they won the Super Bowl by 35 points. It's party time in Seattle right now, but for Denver it's time to get hungry again and be back there next year.

Stadler overcomes tough field

What a finish it was at the WM Phoenix Open. And who would have guessed half way through that Craig Stadler's son would have came out on top.

With Bubba, Hunter Mahan, Graham DeLaet, Chucky III, Webb Simpson, Ryan Moore, and the 21 year old Hideki Matsuyama right there in the hunt I wouldn't have put money on Kevin Stadler. And for a while with how bad Stadler was putting it wasn't looking good for him, but he didn't go away. Bubba slipped down the stretch, Hunter missed some good looks late, and Graham was too late with his charge. So the straight hitting, heavy set Craig Stadler duplicate, also being his son, emerged victorious.

Stadler made a birdie on 17, which put him at 16-under and in a tie with Master's Champion Bubba Watson. Then on the 72nd hole of the tournament, Bubba misjudging a wedge from the rough, then missing a seven footer for par handed Kevin Stadler the victory, and his first win on the PGA Tour.

Stadler had five birdies, and a double bogey. His bogey-free round was a steady one, where he didn't drop many shots. Even though he missed a couple very easy putts, it didn't cost him a lot because he still remained on top.

The famed 16th hole, with the enormous gallery, and the stadium like atmosphere seemed to help boost some players moral, and got into some players' heads. Bubba put one into the bunker, and then proceeded to miss the five footer coming back for par. While Hunter Mahan birdied there coming off of a birdie on 15, and that gave him a shot down the stretch. This tournament is one that is always a highlight of every year, and with the bunched leaderboard, and the epic finish, this years event proved its worth.

Golfing communities view on Sergio

As a fan of golf, I would have to think that over all of Sergio Garcia's years as a touring professional, he has done some things to hurt his image, and to lose support from the fans and media. Nevertheless, Sergio has still gotten wide spread support from the fans and media, and maybe it is sympathy because he's just that little hot headed kid from Spain, he doesn't know better.

Being born in 1997 I do not really remember Sergio's charge at the 1999 PGA Championship, when the 19 year old kid from Spain, who could do it all, almost triumphed over Tiger Woods. But I do love watching the replay of it almost every year on The Golf Channel. You want to know why? Because growing up Sergio was one of my idols. I was not a big Tiger fan, I was one of those kids who didn't hop on band wagons mostly because everyone else was. So I turned to Sergio. Believe it or not, there aren't a lot of people who are both a Tiger fan and a Sergio fan. Tiger does have way more fans, but both of them are in that current stage of trying to get forgiveness from the fans and media and regain their fans. Tiger with his whole scandal, and marriage flaws. And Sergio with his Tiger issues, and racist jokes. I don't think Sergio is racist, I think he just has some issues with Tiger and was very childish about how he acted, it doesn't make him a bad person. So for all of those people who have been hating on Sergio since he made the joke about Tiger, and for his and Tiger's issues at The Players, it's time to move on.

Garcia has found his form of late, and this does help his image because people will become fans of Sergio when he can back up his talk. Sergio has one two of his last three events. He won the Thailand Golf Championship late in 2013, and he won this past weekend at the Qatar Masters. He defeated Mikko Ilonen in a three hole playoff to claim the victory in Qatar. These two recent wins have boosted Garcia to number nine in the world rankings. They have also given Garcia some hope that maybe this year is the year he gets that win at a major.

Sergio can hit it long, straight, with a cut or a draw, he is great with his irons, he has tremendous feel around the greens, and his putting is the best of his career. So what's stopping him from getting that win? The answer is, no one really knows. But with his game he can win at any of the four locations every year. So do not be surprised if Sergio wins multiple majors in the next couple years. Because with the confidence he is playing with, the old Sergio may have come back.

Sergio will have to deal with tough crowds and media the rest of his career, that is certain. When you flip-off a fan, make a fried chicken joke towards Tiger, and joke in more than five majors, it is hard to get every fan on your side. So Sergio will just have to not let the tough crowds get to him, and keep it all in perspective. He has been able to play a game his whole entire life, and never work a day. If Sergio can get his life in perspective, for the first time in his career, then I strongly believe that will take the pressure off, and allow him to win that first major, and many more.

Wolverines upset State for three straight

The #21 ranked Michigan Wolverines traveled to the Izzone at Michigan State to face the #3 ranked Spartans. The young and slowly building Wolverines had just beaten the previous ranked #3 Wisconsin Badgers, and then the #10 ranked Iowa Hawkeyes. So, traveling to the Brezlin Center was not an easy task for probably a tired Wolverine squad. But nevertheless they did not play like a worn out tired team.

With four minutes left Michigan and Michigan State were all notched at 60, until Michigan's Nik Stauskus hit a three and led Michigan to get up 68-60, and they never looked back. Winning the game 80-75.

This game was the first time that two teams from the Big Ten played when they were 6-0 or better in the Big Ten. And with two ranked teams, and rivals, it did not disappoint. These two teams will get a lot of talk come tournament time, but this loss for the Spartans will be a little bit of a set back. For the Wolverines, this is a huge jump forward, especially after their struggling start. This streak against ranked opponents will get them back on the track they were hoping to be on at the start of the year. It will be interesting to see if they can hold this streak for a large part of the rest of the season. Their schedule doesn't get much easier in the next couple weeks.

Some of the main contributors to this game were Gary Harris of the Spartans who put up 27 points and got five boards. Alvin Ellis III also put up 12 points for the Spartans off the bench. For the Wolverines, Nik Stauskus and Derrick Walton Jr both scored 19 points. Caris LeVert also scored 17. The Wolverines shot 57.9% from beyond the arch, while the Spartans 41.2%. The Wolverines also out shot the Spartans 83.3% to 69.6% from the line. The Spartans fouled six more times than the Wolverines, and for a team who was better from the line, that is always a plus.

Is it safe to say that on this given occasion, the Wolverines were just better than the Spartans? Not a better team, just on Saturday.

New Pro Bowl system works

This year, the NFL decided that they were going to change the Pro Bowl to a elementary school football plan. Two coaches (former players) will draft the teams, and then coach the group of players. Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders were the coaches this year. With the teams drafted by coaching preference, and not separated by conference, this experiment added a little fun and excitement to the
Pro Bowl.

One of the new excitements to the Pro Bowl was the teammate on teammate hitting and tackling. With the new system, teammates would face up against their own teammates and get a chance to lay a big hit on them, or run right past them. This proved to be an effect of tonight's game, as multiple occurrences appeared when hard hits were laid on teammates, and teammates stood up others and ran right through them. This almost appeared fun for the players, and seemed to get them out of a money driven game for just one night.

After the first half of hard hitting, the second half was a little uneventful, and not as exciting. Maybe they decided someone could get hurt, but I think the Pro Bowl should be the best players on the best players to see whose the best. Not a game where there is little hitting, and very little effort involved. This years game brought some of that out, I think in the future we will see a little more excitement from the players and fans for the Pro Bowl, and the players will be looking forward to go to there and have a chance to win.

The Pro Bowl should be a serious competition between the best players in the world to see whose the best. I feel like this new system may provide that.

Three Remain Unbeaten in Men's Ball

With the season getting closer and closer to its end, and the start of the tournament, only three teams remain unbeaten in men's basketball. Arizona, Syracuse, and Wichita State are the three. Only two have one loss.

It has been an interesting past week. Iowa State, who many thought could play with anyone in the nation, suffered three straight losses to end their undefeated season. Ever since the big win against Baylor at home, they haven't looked the same. They've been missing some of their spark, and really just energy. It will be interesting to see if they can end this losing streak, and get back on track.

Villanova, currently ranked fourth, was looking to take care of Creighton at home. But they did not expect what they got. The Blue Jays came out swinging, they started the game with 10 straight three pointers and never looked back. This dominant win over a top-ranked opponent definitely puts them in the spotlight, and gives their team the opportunity to get some recognition as a team to beat. For Villanova, it is hard to beat a team who makes 21 three pointers, so the real task for them is to just forget that game and move on.

In Big Ten action, Wisconsin dropped to straight to Indiana, and then an emerging Michigan team. Michigan defeated the #3 ranked Badgers, and then beat the #10 Iowa Hawkeyes, now they face the #3 Michigan State Spartans, to see if they can revive their season, and get three straight wins over top-ranked opponents. While the Spartans look to stay strong, and keep one blemish on the schedule. Both Michigan and Michigan State are unbeaten in the Big 10.

There are currently six ranked Big 12 teams, five ranked Big 10 teams, and three AAC and ACC teams. Most experts say that the Big 10 is the best conference this year, but it is safe to say that both the Big 10 and 12 are very strong. Do not be surprised if you see the two teams in the Final Four Championship be from these two conferences. Whether it is Big 10 vs. Big 12 or two teams from the same conference playing each other. the top teams from both of these conferences will definitely be there on the biggest stage.

Free Valentino Dixon

Murderer, free man, painter, and prisoner are the words Attica inmate Valentino Dixon has been called the most in his past 22 years.

Dixon has been an inmate at the Attica Correctional Facility for the past 22 years, and will remain there for maybe the rest of his life. He was convicted of murder on August 10, 1991 even though the evidence was sketchy.

He did not get a good representation in court, and never got the chance to fully explain his case. Although the same person said that they couldn't identify Dixon as the killer, almost a year later they could. Multiple witnesses have came forward since the case saying that Lamarr Scott was the killer, even himself. And still their remains no justice for Dixon.

Even though their is no actual proof, no clear video, the evidence points that Lamarr Scott killed Torriano Jackson. It does not point at all in the direction of Dixon. The only thing that points towards Dixon is the person who said they witnessed him kill Jackson, but then that same person told a reporter, after Dixon was convicted, that he lied.

So why hasn't Dixon been freed?

The judicial system's rules have not allowed it. So because of a false witness and no representation, a free man sits in jail and waits while his loved ones slowly die away, and he can't spend their last days with them.

But Dixon does get some popularity, and that gives him hope of a second chance to be free. Art.

Dixon sits in his cell all day drawing away, and focusing on his art. His art allows him to get away from the wasted life he is living.

He chooses to draw and illustrate golf courses he has never stepped on, or never seen. He draws Augusta.

This man has gone through much tragedy, and living a life he hasn't chosen for himself, a life people have chosen for him, and ones that have never given him a chance at freedom. But yet he chooses not to sit in his cell and go crazy, but he chooses to draw the most beautiful golf course on the face of the planet.

Free Dixon.

Seattle holds on to make Super Bowl

Richard Sherman.

"I'm the best corner in the game!"

Sherman's past game antics will drive a lot of people crazy, but his play will drive his opponents just as crazy. The play he made to seal the deal against rivaled 49ers will go down as one of the best plays of the season, considering the moment. But taunting, and then freaking out in an interview, that just isn't acceptable, and it greatly embarrasses a team.

The Seattle Seahawks used their 12th man to inch past the San Francisco 49ers, and to clinch their spot against the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl. The score left on the board was 23-16.

Just as you thought Colin Kaepernick would lead the 49ers on another late round charge to win the game, you realized he was playing the best defense in the NFL. Though he may be slightly crazy, Richard Sherman made a hell of a play to force an interception, and win the game. He kept Crabtree's hands off of the ball, but in his face. After the interception, Sherman went to have a word with Michael Crabtree, but all he got was a hand to the face, and then a 15 yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for taunting. You would think he could have a little sportsmanship as he clinched his team the victory. But no.

This game will be remembered for its intensity, and its close finish down the stretch. But it will be remembered more for Richard Sherman's outrageous acting after he won the game. Sherman owes the Seahawks, the 49ers, Erin Andrews, and the NFL an apology for his actions.

The Super Bowl should contain a good battle between the best offense, and the best defense. It will really be a test of the survival of the fittest to see who can grab the trophy in a cold New York day.

Patriots just don't have it in AFC Championship

After an interestingly surprising season, the New England Patriots fell short Sunday to the Denver Broncos, 26-16. The Patriots just did not look like the normally tough to beat, explosive team they are known to be. The Broncos on the other hand looked very determined, as if nothing was going to stand in their way of getting to the promised land.

Tom Brady and the Patriots opened the game with back to back three and outs, and proceeded to never lead once in the game. After they got on the board the closest they got was seven (10-3). It was just a all around dominating performance by Peyton Manning and the Broncos.

Manning unlike Brady looked determined and excited to be there, and was a man on a mission. He performed very well throwing for 400 yards and no turnovers. He did not have an issue finding Julius and Demaryius Thomas who combined caught for 15 catches and over 200 yards. The Broncos after they went into the half up 13-3 seemed to be in cruise control. They immediately went up 20-3, and then the game seemed to be close to out of reach.

Brady and the Patriots seemed to be lacking something. Which isn't much of a surprise considering they had lossed their three main defensive leaders for a good part of the season, and Talib got reinjured early in the game. So without Talib, Wilfork, or Mayo it was hard to put pressure on Manning. Then on the offensive side, they never established a running game, so they had to turn to passing. With Brady, that shouldn't have been an issue right? When Brady had very little time to throw, and without Gronk, it was very hard for him to find targets to throw to, and this ultimately led to their defeat. But with all the losses, and them no where near playing at full strength, it was considerably a good year for the Patriots, and they definitely grew as a ball club. Do not be surprised to see them in the exact spot next year, well how can you not with Brady as their quarterback?

For the Broncos, this win clinched them a spot in the Super Bowl, and Manning will get a shot at a second ring. They will get to play either the Seahawks or the 49ers who play tonight, and they will get a good test, but also a very good chance to bring home Denver's first title since 1998.

Must See Classic Movies

There are some great movies coming out in the modern era of filming, but there may have been some greats that you've missed. Here's some of the greatest classics you must see.

The Great Escape
This film takes place during World War II in a German prisoners camp. Judging by the title, you can tell it's about the escape out of the prison camp, and back to freedom. This film stars Steve McQueen (Hilts), James Gardner (Hendley), Richard Attenborough (Bartlett), Charles Bronson (Danny), James Coburn (Sedgwick), James Donald (Ramsey),  and Donald Pleasence (Blythe). Most of you haven't seen this movie because it was released in 1964, but this classic is definitely worth your time.

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The Magnificent Seven
This western is about a village who is under rule by a Mexican bandit and his gang. the village people can't fight for themselves, so they have to hire some gunslingers to fight them off. Yul Brynner is the man who stands in these bandits way, and can only recruit seven men for this low paying job. This film stars Yul Brynner (Adams), Steve McQueen (Tanner), James Coburn (Britt), Charles Bronson (O'Reilly), Eli Wallach (Calvera), Brad Dexter (Luck), and Robert Vaughn (Lee). This classic western isn't short of the shooting and the suspense that all good westerns involve. It also shows the good hearts of many gunfighters and that it isn't just the money they fight for.

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True Grit
Many of you have probably seen the newest version of this movie with Jeff Bridges playing Rooster Cogburn instead of John Wayne, but the classical is one you can not miss.

In this western, John Wayne plays federal marshal Rooster Cogburn. Cogburn is hired by Mattie Ross to find the man who killed her father. Ross doesn't know what she gets herself into by hiring Cogburn, though he comes across as a little crazy and alcoholic, Cogburn is a man with "true grit", and he won't give up until the job is done. As they track down Ned Pepper and his gang, the marshal and the 14 year old girl create a father-daughter bond, and this leads to Cogburn's extremities to finish the job. This classic surely doesn't disappoint. It is filled with great actors such as John Wayne (Cogburn), Robert Duvall (Pepper), Glen Cambell (La Boeuf), and Dennis Hopper (Moon).

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Von Ryan's Express
This classic, similar to The Great Escape, is about an escape from a German prisoners camp. But unlike The Great Escape, it's about the unity of the men, they don't go their separate ways. Led by Captain Ryan, this bunch of war heroes risks it all to reach freedom. Frank Sinatra leads the cast as Ryan, Trevor Howard (Finchman), Brad Dexter (Bostick), and James Brolin (Ames). This all time great is one of great suspense, and leaves you breathless.

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The Sting
In this great classic, Robert Redford and Paul Newman team up again to take on the mob boss, and seek revenge for their friend who was murdered. They attempt to pull the ultimate heist and steal him of his riches. This all time great, shows great emotion, and proves that nothing is truly over and the art of deception is deadly. Cast involves Redford (Hooker), Newman (Gondorff), and Robert Shaw (Lonnegan).


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Top RB's in 2014 Draft

Unlike the quarterback situation, there are some major Division 1 schools that have running backs looking to make a difference in the draft class of 2014. The top quarterbacks were coming mostly from schools you wouldn't expect. The running backs are a little different.

#1 Ka'Deem Carey (Arizona)
Carey, according to most experts, is projected to be the first running back drafted. Most think he won't go till late in the first or early in the second, but that doesn't mean he won't make an instant impact in the NFL. Carey rushed for over 100 yards in all of his games in the 2013-14 season. Two of which were over 200 yards. It's safe to say that his biggest game may have been against a strong Oregon team where he rushed for 206 yards and scored four touchdowns in their punishing blow to the Ducks. Realistically I see Carey going to the Browns who have a late first round draft pick from the Colts, or possibly the Carolina Panthers. I would say New England would be interested, but they need a line much more importantly than another back.

#2 Bishop Sankey (Washington)
Sankey is an underrated back out of the University of Washington. He ran for almost 1,800 yards and scored 18 times. He also caught 25 passes for 298 yards. He is a multipurpose back who will make a big difference for what ever team he gets drafted by. He is projected to get drafted in the second round. But don't be surprised if he goes higher.

#3 Andre Williams (Boston College)
Williams was one of the nominees for the Heisman trophy this year. He didn't walk away with it, but being invited is an honor. Williams ran for over 2,100 yards at BC and for 18 touchdowns. He was the only form of offense Boston College had, so being a reliable back shouldn't be a problem. He is projected to go in the second or third  round, it would be shocking if he goes in the first round, but there is no doubt he can run with the ball, so look out for him in the future.

#4 Tre Mason (Auburn)
Mason helped lead the Auburn Tigers to a BCS Championship appearance. The Tigers fell short, but they had an incredible year with him as the main back. Mason, like Williams, was a nominee for the Heisman and was not successful on winning it. Mason ran for over 1,600 yards and 22 touchdowns. He was a very popular back, and is projected to be drafted in the second round. I see Williams more valuable, so that's why he is in front of Mason. There is a good chance for Mason to go in front of all three of these backs, but I don't see it.

#5 Carlos Hyde (Ohio State)
Hyde  could prove to be a valuable pick up in this years draft. Hyde ran for over 1,500 yards and scored 15 times. He didn't put up incredible stats like the others listed, but to average over 100 yards a game in the Big Ten is still very impressive. Hyde helped lead the Buckeyes to the Big Ten Championship game, where they fell short to Michigan State. The Buckeyes also were beaten by Clemson in their bowl game. Hyde put up some good stats through his years at the Horseshoe, and could be a very valuable selection this year. Look for Hyde to go in round three or four.

There are many good backs going in this years draft. A few of them may go in the first round, but not many. Not because of a lack of talent, but more because of the already tough NFL back lineups.

Heisman Faults

I want everyone to take their eyes off of Jameis Winston and Tre Mason. Just take some time, and do some research about who really should have gotten Heisman, and who really should or should not have been there.

Case 1: Manziel vs. Winston
Or should it be Manziel vs. Winston and all of America. Johnny Manziel, ya you all remember him, the guy who won the Heisman last year. Well because he's not a freshman this year he was barely brought up for Heisman. Sure enough he was invited, but was it because he truly had a chance of winning it, or was it just because he won it last year. Take a look at his stats for this season. he completed 69.9% of his passes, threw for 4,114 yards, had 37 touchdowns, but 13 interceptions. His team went 9-4, and won their bowl game against Duke, where Johnny did his thing and regrew the courage in his players after they were down 28, and they ended up winning.

Jameis Winston. The non-rapist. Winston was on the National Championship winning team, Florida State, and that punched his ticket to carrying the Heisman trophy. Winston's stats were 4,057 passing yards, 40 touchdowns, and only 10 interceptions. His completion percentage was 66.9. So now you're thinking Winston should have won, his stats are better than Manziel's. And that is true for passing stats.

Manziel rushed for 759 yards and 9 touchdowns. Not as good as his 1,410 yards the previous year, and 21 touchdowns. But his past statistics shouldn't affect this years candidacy. All that matters is being the best. Winston rushed for 219 yards and 4 touchdowns. Clearly Manziel is a duel threat quarterback,. and Winston isn't. I rest my case.

Case #2: Running Backs

Ka'Deem Carey. Of the six players invited, This name wasn't one of them. Carey rushed for over 1700 yards, and scored 17 touchdowns. He also caught passes for over 170 yards. The Arizona running back ran for over 200 yards and scored three touchdowns against highly ranked Oregon, and led them to the upset. Carey was on the Arizona team that finished the season 7-5.

Bishop Sankey also was not invited. He ran for almost 1800 yards, 18 touchdowns, and received for over 200 yards. He played on the 9-4 Washington Huskies.

Tre Mason was one of the two backs invited. He ran for over 1600 yards and 22 touchdowns. He also caught receptions for 121 yards this season. He played on the Auburn team who reached the National Championship.

Tre Mason was talked about for having the best chances other than Winston. The other running back that was invited was Andre Williams for Boston College, who also went 7-5. He ran for over 2,100 yards, and 17 touchdowns. Mason scored more touchdowns. But the yardage isn't comparable. The reason Mason was a heavy pick was because of his uniform. Just like Winston.

That is one of the reasons Carey or Sankey wasn't invited. Carey is projected to be the first back to go in this years NFL draft, in front of both of these players. And Sankey is projected to go about the same time as all of them.

Isn't it about time that the Heisman board looks at the players who are the best instead of the best players on the best teams? You would think that would be the case for the trophy celebrating the best player in the nation.

Top QB's in 2014 Draft

It is not clear who the top quarterback's are in the 2014 draft. Many of the highest projected picks come from schools you don't follow and are unfamiliar with. Most of the top one's aren't qb's from Alabama, LSU, or other major BCS teams. Those one's are behind these guys.

#1 Teddy Bridgewater (Louisville)
Many people who follow college athletics are familiar with Louisville, but they well more known for their basketball team than their football. Bridgewater threw for 3,970 yards, 31 touchdowns, and only 4 interceptions. Many of the experts think he will go early to the Houston Texans, who are reestablishing their team after they fired head coach Gary Kubiak. They struggled finding a quarterback this year benching Matt Schuab halfway through the season, and starting TJ Yates and Case Keenum. It looks like the Texans are looking for a leader, and Bridgewater might be just what they want.

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#2 Blake Bortles (Central Florida)
Bortles led the Knights to a Tostitos Fiesta Bowl win over the heavily favorited Baylor Bears. Central Florida is not commonly known for its athletics, but they may be getting a little bit of a spotlight in years to come as they showed how good they were against Baylor. Bortles threw for 3,581 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions. The experts are thinking a team like the Jaguars or the Browns will pick up Bortles. These teams usually draft a quarterback as they are usually looking for a fresh start to their next season. We will see how different Bortles is from the rest, and see if he can change a franchise.

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#3 Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M)
Manziel is really the one super star to go into this draft out of college. He won the Heisman Trophy his freshman year, and led A&M to two bowl appearances. Manziel threw for 4,114 yards, 37 touchdowns, but 13 interceptions.  He also rushed for 759 yards and 9 touchdowns. Other than the pics Manziel performed the best, and of the three so far, he had clearly the toughest schedule. Manziel will look to make a sudden impact by whatever team he gets drafted by because he is a great leader, and a phenominal athlete. He just isn't the standard for the NFL right now when it comes to style of play. That's why he is number three.
















#4 Derek Carr
Derek is the younger brother to former Texan quarterback David Carr. Derek attends Fresno State University where he led the Bulldogs to a 11-2 record, falling to USC in the Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl. Carr had a much weaker schedule than #3 Manziel, but whenever someone throws for over 5,000 yards in a season they are looked at for the draft. Carr threw for 5,082 yards, 50 touchdowns, and only 8 interceptions. He doesn't turn the ball over much, and can certainly hit his targets. Carr is a more traditional style quarterback which suits well for the NFL, but he still has to prove himself on a major spotlight. That's why I have him ranked fourth for my quarterbacks.

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#5 Brett Hundley
Brett is a mobile quarterback like #3 Manziel, which isn't the best option for the getting drafted in the NFL. But their have been successes like Kaepernick and Wilson. Hundley at 6'3" can throw and run, much like the 49ers Colin Kaepernick. He led the UCLA Bruins to 10-3, with a dominating performance in the Hyundai Sun Bowl against Virginia Tech where they won 42-14. Hundley threw for 3,071 yards, 24 touchdowns, and only 9 interceptions. He also ran for 748 yards and 11 touchdowns. He like Manziel are lowered in the draft due to their style of play, but he will certainly get his shot on the biggest stage.

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Their are plenty of other quarterbacks who aren't listed above who will get their shot in the NFL. You will see names like AJ McCarron (UCLA), Zach Mettenberger (LSU), Aaron Murray (Georgia), Tajh Boyd (Clemson), Connor Shaw (S. Carolina), Jordan Lynch (N. Illinois), Braxton Miller (Ohio St.), Logan Thomas (Virginia Tech), and Stephen Morris (Miami) pop up in this draft and in the talk. But the five listed above are the ones who are most likely going to go the earliest and will get sooner opportunities to start in the National Football League.