5 at 10: Tiger Woods, MMA and Jeff Francoeur shows off the arm

Monday, August 8, 2011

OK, let's get to it. From the "7-Up Stinks Studios," here we go...

photo Adam Scott from Australia, right, and his caddie Steve Williams share a laugh on the 17th tee during third round play in the Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio on Saturday, Aug. 6, 2011. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)

Tiger still the center of attention in middle of the pack

Tiger Woods finished 18 shots back of Bridgestone winner Adam Scott and caddie Stevie Williams, his former caddie who Woods fired earlier this season. Tiger finished tied-for-37th and collected $58,000; Scott's winning check was for $1.4 million, meaning Williams walked away with roughly $140,000, considering the customary caddie's 10-percent cut. ?Not to be satisfied with winning or making more money or enjoying one of the most high-profile moments in the history of caddies - the gallery at the 18th fairway was chanting "Stevie, Stevie," for crying out loud - Williams met with the media afterward and started swinging all 14 clubs.

Williams, who carried Woods' bag on 13 of his 14 major championships, said Sunday's win was the most satisfying of his career. Ouch. And huh?

Williams, who said he has been a part of 145 wins as a caddie, said this was the "greatest week of my life caddying and I sincerely mean that." Ouch. And huh?

Williams said he was fired over the phone; Woods said Tuesday that he fired Williams face-to-face - a claim that Woods' camp reiterated again Sunday night. Whether you see that as semantics or dramatics, when has a caddie dominated a storyline like this? Has it ever happened?

That said, here's saying that Stevie may want to avoid the limelight for a while. After all, his news conference and the hubbub with Tiger got more coverage and interest than Scott's excellent play. And if you're Adam Scott, that could get old quickly.

photo Atlanta Braves' Dan Uggla hits a two-run single off of New York Mets' Ryota Igarashi in the eighth inning of a baseball game on Friday, Aug. 5, 2011, at Citi Field in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek)

?Braves battle back

Atlanta took two of three from the New York Mets last weekend, but it wasn't easy. Sunday, renowned Mets-killer Chipper Jones delivered the game-winner in the ninth in a 6-5 victory and the Braves (66-49) remained 3.5 games clear of Arizona in the wildcard standings.

Yes, the Phillies are running away and hiding (they've won nine of their last 10 and are 8.5 games up in the NL East). Yes, the starting pitching is starting to leak oil (and Jair Jurrjens' trip to DL does not help matters). Chipper is less than 100 percent and Brian McCann's absence is more noticeable by the day.

But enough with the gloomy 5-at-10. Let's remember that this bullpen is tighter than the nuts on the Veterans' Bridge. Defensively this team is solid and the addition of Michael Bourne gives the Braves an ability to manufacture runs.

Uggla update: Dan Uggla, he of the 28-game-hitting streak, is now hitting .220. It's his highest average since he was at .222 (he was 6-for-27 through seven games) on April 7. He was at .173 on July 4 before the hitting streak began, and while his streak has been impressive, let's give a small tip of the cap to Freddi Gonzalez who took the heat and kept sending Uggla out there everyday. Side note: Do you know who leads the Braves in homers, RBIs and runs scored? Yep, Dan Uggla.

photo Brad Keselowski holds the trophy in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race, Sunday, Aug. 7, 2011, at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa. (AP Photo/Russ Hamilton Sr.)

NASCAR's wounded warrior

Brad Keselowski won the NASCAR race at Pocono. He did it driving with a broken left ankle.

Now we're not saying this was a Willis Reed-at-the-Garden moment or like Jack Youngblood playing in the NFC title game with a broken leg, but it's still pretty impressive. We're not talking about a sprained wrist or a strained hamstring - a broken ankle is pretty dagnab painful.

And yes, a NASCAR driver does a lot of sitting at work, but those pedals are not going to push themselves.

As for the race, well, it was not bad. And here's saying Pocono is an underrated track. Did anyone see at the end where Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch exchanged words? Although, it's probably a fair question at the end of every NASCAR race to ask, "Did anyone see at the end where (Fill-in-the-blank) and Kyle Busch exchanged words?"

Say what you will, and we think Kyle Busch is a tool bag, but his presence makes NASCAR more interesting.

photo Former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz speaks during a mixed-martial arts news conference for UFC 133 Thursday, Aug. 4, 2011 in Philadelphia. Oritz takes on Rashad Evans in the main event on Saturday night. (AP Photo/The Wilmington News-Journal, Suchat Pederson)

This and that

- We'll let EC update us further on this, but 5-at-10 sentimental favorite Tito "MMA's Big Papi" Ortiz was TKOed in the second round Saturday night. So it goes.

- The Colorado Rockies have lost 16 straight games that were played on Sunday. We have nothing else to add really, we just thought that was noteworthy.

- Any interest in a 5-at-10 contest for this week's PGA Championship? We've done one for each of the previous three major championships, and the PGA is at least called a major championship.

- The Atlanta Hawks were sold this weekend. The world's longest yard sale was this weekend. Considering the level of junk that the Hawks and the yard sale have produced in the last few years, we don't think this was a coincidence.

- College football update: The teams are still practicing. The coaches are still worrying and the fans are still salivating. Starting this, the 5-at-10 will start a regular countdown of things we're watching for this college football season. More details to come.

photo Kansas City Royals' Jeff Francoeur during a baseball game Friday, July 15, 2011 in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

Today's question

Did anyone see the throw Jeff Francoeur made Sunday? (Click here and select the video titled "Must C: Cannon")

Francoeur still ranks as the best high school player/athlete we have ever seen. Who is the best high school athlete you've ever seen? Discuss.??