Golf World’s Ron Sirak is an imbecile Part II

In a preview of this week’s LPGA Championship, the clueless nitwit writes-

For dark horses consider impressive rookies Na Yeon Choi and Yani Tseng, as well as Juli Inkster, who turns 48 this month and just needs to remember that she is a great putter to win again.

A Hall of Famer, barely a month separated from losing a tournament in a playoff, somehow qualifies as a dark horse? That is laughable.

The laughs aren’t done yet. Sirak’s article is datelined Maryland, where the tournament is taking place. How does a sober golf reporter not know a player he’s writing about isn’t even in the field? Inkster isn’t, she’s back in California in order to attend her daughter’s junior high school graduation. I heard of Inkster’s plan to skip the LPGA Championship at least a month ago. It was also reported in last Sunday’s Baltimore Sun.

Anyone tell me why Golf World lets this idiot cover the LPGA?

For further examples of Sirak’s cluelessness, click here, here, here, here.

Pistons Fire Flip Saunders

Flip Saunders led the Detroit Pistons the the Eastern Conference finals three straight years. That’s why they fired him.

Flip Saunders was fired as the Pistons’ coach Tuesday, four days after Detroit was eliminated from the playoffs by the Boston Celtics. And more changes could be on the way for a team bounced from three straight conference finals.

“Make no mistake, everybody is in play right now,” said Joe Dumars, the Pistons’ president of basketball operations. “There are no sacred cows here. You lose that sacred cow status when you lose three straight years.”

Saunders had a year left on a four-year deal he signed in 2005. His ouster comes three years after he took over for Larry Brown, who led the Pistons to two straight NBA finals.

“I think this team became way too content and did not show up with a sense of urgency to get it done,” Dumars said at a news conference. “I can’t sugarcoat it. It is what it is.”

Dumars stopped short of saying he would dismantle the Pistons. “The idea you can make yourself bad and make yourself good again, that’s a farce,” he said. “I have no interest in completely ripping the team down. Will I look to making significant changes? Yeah, you’re damn right I will.”

Bizarre. I don’t have the knowledge of the game to judge whether Saunders get the most out of the talent at hand. But, certainly, the Boston Celtics, to whom the Pistons lost in the finals, were widely considered the most talented team in the NBA. This strikes me as a knee-jerk move.

Cowboys Give Glenn Ultimatum

If Terry Glenn is going to continue his career with the Dallas Cowboys, he’ll have to agree to a big insurance policy.

The Dallas Cowboys want receiver Terry Glenn on their team.

But an NFL source said the Cowboys have told Glenn to either sign the $500,000 injury waiver for his surgically-repaired right knee or prepare to play elsewhere. And that time is growing short for Glenn’s decision.

Glenn is due $1.74 million this season. By signing an injury waiver, if he injures his right knee at any time, that $1.74 million would be nullified and he would be paid a pro-rated $500,000. If he was to suffer any other injury other than to his right knee, he would be paid the full $1.7 million.

That’s a tough business move. Then again, Glenn sucked nearly $6 million from the Cowboys’ salary cap last year and couldn’t play. And he refused to have surgery that would have him fully ready to go this year. So it’s hard to blame the Cowboys for wanting a little insurance.

Cowboys Sign T.O. to 3 Year Extension

Terrell Owens is about to turn 35 but that didn’t stop the Dallas Cowboys from extending his contract another three years.

Since his signing with the Dallas Cowboys, the team has taken every opportunity to avoid potential headaches with receiver Terrell Owens. Despite Cowboys owner Jerry Jones’ preference for risk, he saw no gamble in giving Owens the extension he sought, but did not openly lobby for.

Any chance the Cowboys were going to cut Owens loose at the end of this season is now all but gone. Owens, who will turn 35 in December, could now potentially end his career a Cowboy.

Owens, whose original contract runs through the 2008 season, agreed to a three-year extension worth $27 million. Combining the 2008 season with the extension, the deal is four years, $34 million. Owens, now under contract through 2011, is among the league’s highest paid receivers with New England’s Randy Moss and Arizona’s Larry Fitzgerald.

The extension includes a signing bonus of just under $12.9 million. His base salary this season will be $830,000, $100,000 of which is guaranteed. By signing the deal now it gives the Cowboys a little more room under the 2008 salary cap.

I’m leery of giving players that old so much money. The Terry Glenn situation, where a guy who was still at the top of the game one year and never recovered from an injury the next, should serve as a bright beacon for the Cowboys. Perhaps Jones is looking forward to the “uncapped season” to bail him out should T.O. go south; otherwise, this is an awfully big risk.

Then again, as ESPN’s Michael Smith points out, “The key to the deal may not be the length or even the money. The best part: Owens will not be playing out the final year of his contract, eliminating a potentially explosive topic from a team that needs its attention on ending an 11-season drought without a playoff win.”

Smith adds, “He’s 34 now and in as good shape as anyone a decade younger. A fitness devotee, he’s unlikely to let himself go now. His former teammate and mentor Jerry Rice played well into his 40s.” True enough. Then again, almost nobody manages that. Even a supremely fit athlete like Owens can break down playing such a brutal sport.

Pacman Jones Allowed to Practice, Not Yet Reinstated

The NFL has allowed Adam “Pacman” Jones to return to practice.

Suspended Dallas Cowboys cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones moved a step closer to becoming an active NFL player again Monday when NFL commissioner Roger Goodell gave him permission to participate in practices, training camp and preseason games.

Goodell said he will wait until Sept. 1 — six days before the Cowboys’ season opener against the Cleveland Browns — before making a final determination on full reinstatement.

But being allowed to get on the field with his teammates even on a limited basis was a much-welcomed step in the right direction for Pacman and the Cowboys. He will make his Cowboys debut during the organized team activity workouts today.

It’s absolutely unconscionable that one man has this much power to decide the livelihood of another. Presumably, though, Goodell wouldn’t allow a man to practice only to deny him the opportunity to earn a living once the season starts. If this is being done in good faith, the only rationale for holding the final decision over Jones’ head is to add incentive for good behavior.

The drought is over- Seon Hwa Lee wins Ginn Tribute in playoff

Lee defeated Hall of Famer Karrie Webb in a playoff. This a result of Webb three-putting the first hole of sudden death from fifteen feet.

Sophie Gustafson began the final round of the Ginn Tribute with a 6 shot lead. After birdies on the first and third holes, Gustafson was at 20 under and up by seven. If Sophie had played the last 15 holes in 6 over, she would have been in a playoff. Instead she played them in 9 over, which included two back nine double bogeys to finish the tournament with a disasterous 79.

This week is one of those few times I find myself rooting against a player. I just don’t like Sophie Gustafson. Her attitude on the course, possible cheating at her last win in 2003, and the sourpuss look on her face just turn me off about this golfer.

Lee’s win today may have been appropriate. She was the last South Korean to win on the LPGA Tour, taking the HSBC Match Play in July 2007. The week after that win, and the week before today’s triumph, both saw Jeong Jang lose LPGA tournaments in a playoff. Today was Lee’s 3rd win in three years on tour and will qualify her for the ADT Championship in November.

Lee is a very unsung player, even when you take into consideration the golf media’s tendency not to give the South Koreans their due.(When I was covering the Stanford International in April, a few members of the media were surprised when I said no South Korean had won in 9 months) Seon Hwa coasted to the 2006 Rookie of the Year award, over the much more heralded Ai Miyazato and media darling Morgan Pressel. Look at this blog post of mine, and note how a golf writer couldn’t be bothered to pen the name Seon Hwa Lee. Lee has topped Pressel(and the still winless Miyazato) in wins, top 10s, top three finishes, money, and stroke average since they both came on tour. Morgan has a major, but her career was been disappointing to date. Until her 2nd place finish in New Jersey two weeks ago, Morgan had been stinking up the tour(Missed cuts three weeks in a row) for most of 2008. Don’t expect any talk of Lee being a top 5 player by the golf media, in spite of the fact she is that on this year’s money list and last year’s. Ask golf writers to list their top 10 LPGA players right now, I don’t think more than 3 in ten would list Lee in the top 10. On the other hand 3 or more would list Pressel, in spite of Morgan having the better record. Want proof? Read this post of mine and check where Lee and Pressel are ranked.

Lee will keep on winning LPGA tournaments. Sooner or later the golf media will give Seon Hwa her due. At least I think they will.

Lee defeated Hall of Famer Karrie Webb in a playoff. This a result of Webb three-putting the first hole of sudden death from fifteen feet.

Sophie Gustafson began the final round of the Ginn Tribute with a 6 shot lead. After birdies on the first and third holes, Gustafson was at 20 under and up by seven. If Sophie had played the last 15 holes in 6 over, she would have been in a playoff. Instead she played them in 9 over, which included two back nine double bogeys to finish the tournament with a disasterous 79.

This week is one of those few times I find myself rooting against a player. I just don’t like Sophie Gustafson. Her attitude on the course, possible cheating at her last win in 2003, and the sourpuss look on her face just turn me off about this golfer.

Lee’s win today may have been appropriate. She was the last South Korean to win on the LPGA Tour, taking the HSBC Match Play in July 2007. The week after that win, and the week before today’s triumph, both saw Jeong Jang lose LPGA tournaments in a playoff. Today was Lee’s 3rd win in three years on tour and will qualify her for the ADT Championship in November.

Lee is a very unsung player, even when you take into consideration the golf media’s tendency not to give the South Koreans their due.(When I was covering the Stanford International in April, a few members of the media were surprised when I said no South Korean had won in 9 months) Seon Hwa coasted to the 2006 Rookie of the Year award, over the much more heralded Ai Miyazato and media darling Morgan Pressel. Look at this blog post of mine, and note how a golf writer couldn’t be bothered to pen the name Seon Hwa Lee. Lee has topped Pressel(and the still winless Miyazato) in wins, top 10s, top three finishes, money, and stroke average since they both came on tour. Morgan has a major, but her career was been disappointing to date. Until her 2nd place finish in New Jersey two weeks ago, Morgan had been stinking up the tour(Missed cuts three weeks in a row) for most of 2008. Don’t expect any talk of Lee being a top 5 player by the golf media, in spite of the fact she is that on this year’s money list and last year’s. Ask golf writers to list their top 10 LPGA players right now, I don’t think more than 3 in ten would list Lee in the top 10. On the other hand 3 or more would list Pressel, in spite of Seon Hwa having the better record. Want proof? Read this post of mine and check where Lee and Pressel are ranked.

Lee will keep on winning LPGA tournaments. Sooner or later the golf media will give Seon Hwa her due. At least I think they will.

Update- One note and a clarification.

Webb has been to playoffs four times against one of the South Korean ladies. Three times against Se Ri Pak, and then today’s playoff. Karrie Webb has lost each and every time.

I’m not saying Lee is a top-five player. Top 10 yes. I am however saying her record is much stronger than Pressel’s, who people are much more likely to rank than Seon Hwa.

Move over Michelle Wie Part IV

A 18-year-old South Korean won the Ladies German Open today.

MUNICH, Germany – South Korean teenager Amy Yang shot a 5-under 67 on Sunday to win the Ladies German Open by four strokes.

*****

Yang, an 18-year-old who had a course-record 63 on Saturday, finished with a 21-under 267 total for her first victory as a professional. Sweden’s Louise Stahle was second at 17 under, and Gwladys Nocera of France was another stroke back in third.

This isn’t even Yang’s first win in a professional golf tournament. In 2006 she won the ANZ Ladies Masters in Australia. An event considered a major championship by the golfers from down under. Yang is also the leading money winner on the LET(Ladies European Tour) so far for 2008. Next week is the LPGA Championship at Bulle Rock. Yang, who only has non-exempt status on the LPGA Tour, would be a good long shot pick for the LPGA. At present Amy looks unlikely to be in the field.

Michelle Wie was also playing in Germany this week. How did she do?

Michelle Wie had a solid final round to finish sixth.

*****

Wie shot 67 to finish 14 under, the first time since the Evian Masters in July 2006 that she completed a tournament under par – a streak of 13 events that included seven missed cuts.

Michelle Wie shot 4 straight rounds under par, by far the best golf she has played in two years. So is Michelle back? I’d wait to see how she plays at the Wegman’s in three weeks before passing judgment. Michelle was given a sponsor’s exemption to play in the Rochester New York LPGA Tour stop.