Scottie time
So after a lackluster Sunday of a major golf championship, there should be no question about the best player in the world.
His name is Scottie Scheffler.
(Side note: The backlash about the failed driver tests for Scottie and Rory McIlroy and others became a hot topic for a minute Monday, but the details are relatively minor upon further review.)
(Side note on the side note: If we forget about Rory’s driver being ruled “non-conforming” – which apparently happens frequently for PGA pros – his decision to skip every media avail over the weekend was a bad look.)
Anywell, there are no questions about Scottie. He’s rolling through the best run in professional golf we’ve seen since peak Tiger.
But with Woods, we wondered if he could catch Jack’s magic number of 18 majors. We put aside science and recent performance aside every time Tiger puts a peg in the ground at a major and with Christmas morning optimism, we watch to see if Woods can inch a step closer.
With Scottie, we ponder his all-time ceiling.
There are six golfers with eight or more major championships, and all of them are identifiable with a single name.
Jack, Tiger, Hagen, Hogan, Player, Watson – that’s the group.
Scottie has three majors. Could he join that group?
Will he?
Rivalries are good
So Robert Griffin III is trying to find his niche in the ever-changing social media world.
Hey, we all are, I suppose.
“Morning, I’m the 5-at-10. Would you like cream or sugar with your cup of Joe? And thanks for pulling up a screen.”
RGIII was going to be a star in the NFL before the injuries. I believe that.
He had a relatively short run at ESPN. But he made waves with his rant on the Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese season-opening hubbub on X (formerly Twitter, remember?) Monday.
“Angel Reese hates Caitlin Clark. It’s staring us all right in the face, but people are afraid to say it.”
That was his opening to a social media post that created its own headlines Monday as the sports world reacted to the latest Clark-Reese drama.
First, RGIII delivering a take that becomes a talking point for retakes is how modern sports media works, for the good and bad.
Second, his argument was well-reasoned.
Here’s more from RGIII’s original post:
“Some people get uncomfortable when you say Angel Reese hates or is jealous of Caitlin Clark because of the complex racial history of America and the historical stereotypes of the angry or jealous Black woman. I understand that.
“Angel Reese isn’t just some jealous Black woman. Angel is an NCAA Champion and great basketball player. She’s a competitor who has shown she doesn’t like how Caitlin Clark is crowned, while she’s criticized for showing the same confidence and fire in her own way.
“That’s not an assumption, that’s what Angel Reese has said and shown us all.”
Only Angel Reese and those in her immediate circle truly know if “hate” is the right word.
I’m not sure that we’ve ever seen a rivalry in sports – especially one this new with players this young and new to the national scene – spark this kind of divide.
Sure, Bird-Magic was epic.
The Jordan-LeBron has been divided.
The Manning-Brady discourse was everywhere.
And maybe there are others I’m forgetting.
But Clark-Reese feels different.
One, to even hint that simmering racial tensions – from each side – are not involved is nonsensical.
Two, to even consider that this is not a tremendous benefit for the WNBA as it grows from a league that three years ago was considering contraction to a place where Clark-Reese games sell-out NBA arenas is just silly.
We want emotion and passion from our sports stars – to feel like they care about the game and winning as much as we the fans do – all the time.
Heated rivalries are at the apex of that, and I, for one, am enjoying the intensity and the competition.
Thoughts?
A fun list
So The Athletic is filling our college football soul with some first quarter-century rankings from the 2000s.
They list the best teams.
They list the best players.
And I think they got it right with the best player but may have missed on the best team of the 2000s to date.
With the proper call first, they say 2010 Cam Newton was the best. Here’s the list, and personal interest aside, no one was singularly better than Cam carrying AU to the natty. Several were statistically better, yes, but no one was as much HIM as Cam was 15 years ago.
Some minor quibbles from the players’ list:
> Uh, guys, how is Johnny Manziel NOT on this list, and Andrew Luck is 12th?
> Brock Bowers was better than 23rd, which is saying something for a tight end;
> Man, the list is so stacked, that Tim Tebow at eight seems low until you look at the dudes ahead of him;
> Joe Burrow’s record-setting run at LSU feels better than fourth, even with the admission that Ndamukong Suh at 3 and Reggie Bush at 2 were tremendous players as well.
As for the team rankings, well, they defaulted to what seems to be everyone’s fall-back place with the 2001 Miami Hurricanes. That ‘Canes team had 15 first-round picks on it.
But considering that the 2019 LSU crew beat five teams that finished in the top eight of the final poll by an average of 20 points, I disagree.
Simply put, LSU ’19 with Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson would be a touchdown favorite over those Hurricanes.
At least.
(Can I get an amen, Vader?)
This and that
› There is a report circulating that a college sports CEO will be put in place with the House v. NCAA settlement. That sounds all well and good, but the above story said the hiring of said CEO will be done by the Power Four commissioners. Uh-oh.
› The Braves got a win without playing Monday since Spencer Strider was reactivated from the IL.
› Dogs are the best. Here’s a Twitter video that made me smile. You’re welcome.
› San Francisco handed Fred Warner his bag, making him the highest-paid linebacker in the NFL.
› SEC baseball tournament starts today in Hoover, outside of Birmingham. Should be fun.
› Congrats to Gordon Lee, which won the Class A Georgia baseball state title. Here’s more from the TFP’s Lindsey Young.
› More preps goodness from TFP sports Editor Stephen Hargis, because rules are rules.
Today’s questions
True or false, it’s Tuesday. Morning, Ernie.
True or false, the college sports CEO will make things better.
True or false, the Braves are about to make a run.
True or false, Cam Newton was the best college football player of the 2000s.
True or false, LSU ’19 beats Miami ’01 by at least a TD.
True or false, Scottie gets in the Major 8 club of elite.
True or false, you never watched a WNBA game before Clark and Reese entered the league.
You know the drill, answer some T or Fs, ask some T or Fs.
I’ll be late to the conversation later today – we have eighth-grade promotion (don’t get me started) – so we’ll check back.
As for today, May 20, let’s review:
The second modern Olympics opened on this day in 1900. Spy, how were the opening ceremonies in Paris that year?
Jimmy Stewart would have been 117 today. Great American.
David Wells is 62 today. Great character with the nickname Boomer.
Rushmore of Boomer(s). Go.