Great day on Thursday. Loads of great golf here at ANGC, loads of great comments at the 5-at-10 - it was a load of awesomeness. Friday's normally our mailbag day, and sense we're in the home of "a tradition unlike any other," we are not about to start changing our tradition now. Mercifully, we have a collection of Masters related questions, so we can stay on the topic du jour. (The topic of the day - "MMMMM, that sounds good, I'll have that.") That said, we have every intention of posting throughout today's second round, and that means we need you. (A one-way commentary is a speech; a multi-way commentary is the 5-at-10 at its family-oriented, InterTubes, sports-based web column best).
Here we go...
Boo WeeklyFrom ElJefe
Is there a formula for the correlation of the oddity of your name and your golf prowess? I mean did their parents give them just awful names to toughen them up? The Masters' field does have a "Bubba" and a "Bo" (I chose him in the pick using my "ace-cannot-lose; Bo-knows-golf picking system" ) Alas, Bo's last name is Van Pelt so I guess he spent a lot of time fighting for his lunch money along with Retief Goosen.
ElJefe
This question made the 5-at-10 laugh. Hard. Then we scrolled through the players' field photos - strange-looking group here, no doubt. We're not talking early-1980s Boston Celtics funny looking, but you get the idea.
No idea about the name-game correlation. In the previous generation, there was some balance - sure, there was a Davis Love III, who was predestined as a PGA player, or an Ian Woosnam, but you also had a Fred (Couples) and a Tom (Watson).
Sweet Beatles melody, there are a lot color swirls and sideburns out here this week. Alas.
That said, regardless of their names or outfits, they must embrace the tradition of this place. That means you and your hat Ronnie-Bobby-Rickie-Mike Bieber Fowler. And Kburg, the tradition is what makes this place. The green jackets, the $6 lunch of two P.C. sandwiches and a drink, the no-running-on-the-grounds rule, all of it. And if they start bending tradition, well, that's when they start breaking tradition.
In this Aug. 12, 2007 file photo, Tiger Woods holds up the Wanamaker Trophy after winning the 89th PGA Golf Championship at the Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Okla. On his web site Friday night, Dec. 11, 2009, Woods announced that he is taking an indefinite break from professional golf. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)From CelticVol
I'm pumped for the Masters this weekend. There's nothing like watching the Masters on a Sunday afternoon. Although I am a little miffed at the Mrs. for scheduling a birthday party during this time. Why do women do this? Oh well, I'm rooting hard for the two great lefties, Phil and Bubba. To get me juiced for this years Masters, I purchased the new Tiger Woods 12: Masters Editions. As Dick Enberg would say, "OHHHHH MYYYYYY!!!" Can you imagine what it would've been like growing up with games like this?
C-Vol,
The 5-at-10 can fondly remember Intellivision football with number-pad play calling (run plays started with 7; pass-play codes started with 9). Then came Nintendo, and Mike Tyson's Punchout, which for our money is the Babe Ruth of sports video games - yes, there may have been athletes/video games since Ruth/MT Punchout, but that was the first mega-name. Then Blades of Steel which begat Double Dribble which begat Tecmo Bowl which begat Madden which begat (Bill Walsh) NCAA football, and it was on.
Now they have seasons and front offices and drafts (the 5-at-10 loves the draft, even the video, virtual draft, but you know this) and recruiting in college football and even earning sponsorships in the golf games. It's unbelievable.
Now, what's up with the 5-at-10 folks scheduling stuff this weekend. Gang, it's the Masters, for crying out loud. Schedule things in the a.m. or around lunch this weekend, but block out the 3-8 p.m. time slot Saturday and Sunday.
Matt Kuchar reacts to his birdie on the second hole during the first round of the Masters golf tournament Thursday, April 7, 2011, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)From Cindy
Who's going to win the Masters?
Cindy,
The 5-at-10 has said Matt Kuchar for more than a couple of weeks, so there's no way we're going to change now. As for the standings in something almost as prestigious and almost as competitive, here are the standings for the "Mastering the masterful Masters top-5 masters challenge:"
With 5 points (4.5 for McIlroy, 0.5 for Kuchar)
Mrs. 5-at-10 - Matt Kuchar, Lee Westwood, Bubba Watson, Rory McIlroy, Phil Mickelson
With 2.5 points (K.J. Choi - outstanding pick, you two)
Kburgess - Bubba Watson, Anthony Kim, Aaron Baddeley, KJ Choi, and Rickie Bieber (Fowler)
Nick Bonsanto from ESPN 105.1 - Phil Mickleson, Tiger Woods, Mike Weir, KJ Choi, Bubba Watson
With 0.5 points (Matt Kuchar)
Bigbearzzz - Tiger Woods, Justin Rose, Matt Kuchar, Bubba Watson, Phil Mickelson
Mcpell - Phil Mickelson, Martin Kaymer, Lee Westwood, Matt Kuchar, Eldrick "Tiger" Woods
OTWatcher - Phil Mickleson, Matt Kuchar, Justin Rose, Fred Couples, Lee Westwood.
5-at-10 - Matt Kuchar, Nick Watney, Justin Rose, Phil Mickelson, Lee Westwood
SportTalk 102.3's Quake - Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Matt Kuchar, Dustin Johnson, Anthony Kim
SportTalk 102.3's Cowboy Joe (he is a cowboy after all) - Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Justin Rose, Luke Donald, Matt Kuchar
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Rest of the field
BIspy4 - Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Lee Westwood
CelticVol - Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson, Justin Rose, Lee Westwood, Tiger Woods
EC - Dustin Johnson, Rickie Fowler, Bubba Watson, Martin Kaymer, Phil Mickelson
WC777 - Tiger Woods, Jonny Vegas, Anthony Kim, Bubba Watson, Phil Mickelson (also known as Dill Pickelson)
ElJefe - Bubba Watson, Fred Couples, Phil Mickelson, Reitef Goosen, Bo Van Pelt
scole023 - Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Anthony Kim, Lee Westwood, Dustin Johnson
BigHacker - Tiger Woods, Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer, Dustin Johnson, Gary Woodland
TFP golf writer David Uchiyama - Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson, Lee Westwood, Dustin Johnson, Anthony Kim
Pretend Al Davis ("I'm coming for you EC.") - Ditka (What do you mean he's not in it? He's Ditka for the Love of Gene Sarazen's Sand Iron.) OK, Tiger ("Duh."), Jason Bohn ("He went to Alabama like Stabler and Namath."), Charley Hoffman ("If there was ever a golfer that looked like a "Raider Golfer," it's this guy."), Bo Van Pelt ("Giants used to have a stud linebacker named Brad Van Pelt, maybe they're related."), Mark Wilson ("Former BYU QB right? Throws a good deep ball right? He was pretty good with us the first time in the 80s. No. That was Marc with a "C" you say? Take him anyway.)
Charlie Sheen - Tiger Woods, Davis Love III, Jhonny Vegas, Ryan Moore (winning), Fred Couples
SportTalk 102.3's Dr. B (he is a doctor after all) - Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Paul Casey, Dustin Johnson, Martin Laird
Atlanta Braves first baseman Fred McGriff heads home after hitting his 300th career homer against the Cincinnati Reds Sunday, May 19, 1996 in Atlanta. McGriff missed the record on a previous at-bat Sunday that would have been a grand slam. That ball flew two feet outside the left-field foul pole. (AP Photo/Tannen Maury)From BaseballJunkie
Why are you such a Braves homer? Why not tell us about all your favorite Braves players and Braves moments. But really this team is OK -- maybe even pretty good. But they're not the Phillies, and if you think the Braves are, your dumb. I know everyone around here is a Braves fan, but seriously man.
Thanks for stopping by BaseballJunkie, and we'll be glad to cover some of our favorite moments. We were blessed to get to a bunch of bad Braves games growing up - the 5-at-10's Pop was cool like that and shared his love of baseball. The 5-at-10 has never been anything close to a Braves fan growing up - we always cheered for the Dodgers strangely (we loved the uniforms was one of the main reasons).
As for these Braves, well, we think they are well-assembled, have a balanced lineup and enough power to challenge anyone. That opinion and three bucks will get you a small Starbucks French-vanilla-cream-mocha-non-fat-latte.
As for our favorite Braves moments, here's one family-oriented, InterTubes, sports-based web column's view:
Best Braves' moment historical - Winning the series in 1995
Best Braves' moment emotional - Sid's slide in 1992
Best Braves' moment individual play - Nixon's game-saving, homer-robbing catch against the Pirates and Andy Van Slyke
Best Braves' moment pro wrestling division - Huge brawl with the Padres in late August 1984, Bob Horner with a cast on his broken wrist mixes it up with Champ Summers. It was awesome in its awesomeness.
Best Braves moment, insomnia division - The July 4 game against the Mets in 1985 that went 19 innings, survived a few rain delays and finished around 4 a.m. before the fireworks finally were shot. Poor-hitting pitcher Braves Rick Camp hit a homer in the 18th inning to push the game another inning before the Mets won 16-13.
Tennessee coach Derek Dooley talks to the media during the Vols' first NCAA college football practice of the season on Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2010 in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/ Knoxville News Sentinel, Adam Brimer)From Big Orange Follower
What happened to the spring football updates? You've done like three total. You know spring practice ends next week, right? What's up?
BOF, there's no explanation for our shortcomings in our UT football spring reviews. But know this, we're going to finish fast next week.
In fact, we'll even put dates on it. Monday - offensive line
Tuesday - defensive line
Wednesday - linebackers
Thursday - secondary
Friday - it's the mailbag, so we'll see what the questions bring.
Then we'll spend the following week going around the SEC in an extra special 5-at-10 series that will still be the same low, low price.
Until Monday (although we'll be back soon with our first Masters update from Friday)...