Happy New Year!

Here's to a happy, healthy and successful New Year!

My friend Woosang has his sentiments right on the mark...

Nothing beats the NFL

I had the pleasure of being able to attend the Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers game last week (pictured on the right with my friend Ed), and I have to admit I love the atmosphere at an NFL game.

Now I realize that living in Canada there will be many of you out there saying "what about the CFL"? I have nothing against the CFL, believe me. But comparing the two leaves a lot to be desired.

The Noise:

This was my second trip to a Seahawks game, having attended their playoff game against the Redskins last year. On Thursday it poured rain, the wind gusts reached hurricane force, the game started late due to the weather conditions, and yet the place was packed full of hardy fans ready to cheer on their team. The noise of the 67,650 paid in attendance was deafening.

In comparison, in November I attended the BC Lions Western Final where they knocked off the Saskatchewan Roughriders. I remember people commenting how loud it was - and yes, for the CFL it was loud. But compare that to what's in the NFL, and you swear you could hear a pin drop.

The Stadium:

The Seahawks stadium itself, Qwest Field, is certainly a sight to behold in and of itself. Built a few years back to replace the decrepit Kingdome, the sightlines, the amenities, and the food at Qwest Field are spectacular.

While BC Place is a good home for the BC Lions, I firmly believe the indoor building takes away from the atmosphere. As well, food options are few and far between - and those that are there could use some work on quality and speed of service.

The Product on the Field:

While the CFL is geared to be a more exciting game, the NFL is able to pull off an all around better product. In Seattle there is always quality entertainment - including a solid half time show. The CFL doesn't have that - and when it does only at the Grey Cup. As well, the players in the NFL are the best in the world competing on the world stage. While CFL players are very solid to be sure, it is certainly tricky for them to make the jump to the NFL - although there are those who have done so very successfully (Warren Moon, Doug Flutie, Jeff Garcia).

While I admire the work done by BC Lions Head Bob Ackles, he can only work with what he's got (although he'd make a great commissioner of the league one day).

The CFL certainly draws the football fans in this town. Now it just has to work on growing it's base and attracting non-traditional fans to the game as well. Working on the above items will go a long way to make that happen, but how practical they are remain to be seen.

The NFL Today

I noticed many of my recent posts related to my beloved Calgary Flames, so I thought I had best take a moment to chat a bit about the NFL.

To put it briefly, I seemingly couldn't pick a game right under any circumstances. Don't get me wrong, I'm still in first place in my annual football pool, but I'm certainly giving away a lot of ground at this point. It looks like it will be two weeks in a row that I'll finish alone in last place. Not a good sign to be sure!

Here are some teams that have made my recent football weeks one to remember for the wrong reasons...

Atlanta - I can't get their games right if my life depended on it. The weeks I think they'll do poorly, they win big. The weeks I think they'll break out, they get buried. Go figure!

Miami - They started off rough when I picked them weekly and now that I don't they keep winning. I'm sure if I pick them again, the trend will reverse. Dolphins fans, don't let me pick them!

Carolina - A team that looks like a contender one week, and then is dead on arrival the next. I'm just glad I don't have season tickets for their Jekyll and Hyde show!

And as the season winds down, I have to say my early Super Bowl pick of New England is still holding up. They're leading their division, but looked horrid this week.

If I had to do it all over again today I'd certainly pick San Diego. LaDainian Tomlinson is the real deal and then some! Still, for an early season pick, I think New England still looks like they have an outside chance.

Only a few weeks left until the playoffs, let the drama begin!

Another home win...

Okay, it's still early in the season, but the Flames have won a franchise record tying 9th win in a row on Saturday against the lowly Vancouver Canucks. Just thought I'd let everyone know.

For the Canucks fans out there, I think the script is pretty much following my October predictions. Let's see what happens from here on out.

Ouch!

Wow, 6-0 loss to Nashville tonight for the Vancouver Canucks. Now while the Flames might be my favorite team, I won't try to disparage the home team or crowd. This one even hurt me!

Way to go BC Lions!

BC is leading Canada in so many categories these days, let's add football to the list!

Congratulations to the BC Lions for their Grey Cup victory!

It keeps growing - make it six games in a row.

My Calgary Flames beat the Detroit Red Wings on Friday night for their sixth straight win. Man it's impressive to beat a team like Detroit given how they've been playing lately. It's not like we just beat a team like the bottom feeders from St. Louis...

Make it Five in a Row...

My Calgary Flames have now won five in a row...while those Canucks have dropped six of seven. Enough said.

Roar you Lions Roar!

Taking up an offer from my friend Woosang I came out to today's BC Lions game and man was it worth wild. The Lions won the Western Final beating the Saskatchewan Roughriders 45-18 to clinch an appearance at next week's Grey Cup.

For any CFL fan it goes without saying that anywhere the Roughriders go, half the province of Saskatchewan follows. This game was no different as the sea of green and white made it's presence known early. But with a score of 29-4 at the half, you would have sworn none of them had a voice. In fact, I'd bet you could hear a pin drop in their section seats. Although I admire the passion they have for the game, on this day I didn't feel too much pity.

On to the Cup to face the Montreal Alouettes! My prediction? Lions, 34-21.

Four in a row!

My Calgary Flames certainly got off to a slow start this season with a 3-7-2 record - but oh what a four game win streak will do to make you feel better.

With a come from behind 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks Saturday, the Flames have now pulled up to the .500 mark.

Let's hope this is a sign of things to come...

A cursed franchise

I watched most of the second half of the Monday Night NFL game the other night and I have to admit the Arizona Cardinals are a cursed franchise. The club has moved from Chicago to St. Louis to Phoenix and for the last sixty years have just plain old sucked.

They modeled that again on Monday, blowing a 23-3 lead on Chicago, having possession of the ball with only 5 seconds left in the 3rd quarter. A fumble for a touchdown, another fumble for a touchdown, and a punt return for a touchdown put them down 24-23 with time running out in the 4th quarter. The Cardinals drove down field and gave themselves a 40-yard field goal to win it, and they missed. Worse yet - I knew they'd miss. Doesn't that tell the story in and of itself.

Playing the Cardinals is the only way a team like the Bears could win a game by not scoring a touchdown on offense. In fact, Grossman, the Bears quarterback, threw four interceptions and lost two fumbles before the game was over. Wow. Simply "wow".

And so the Cardinals did what they do best, lose, and snap defeat from the jaws of victory.

The Canucks in 2006-2007 - Don't crack the champaign yet!

Living in Vancouver, I figured I had better do a posting on the Canucks fortunes for the upcoming 2006-2007 year. Unfortunately for Canucks fans, I don't think they'll like this too much.

On the up side, I believe the Canucks made some solid moves in the off season. Bringing in a proven goalie like Roberto Luongo was a great move by the organization. Although default starter most of last season Alex Auld had his fans in town, I personally believe he did not have what it took to take this team where they hoped to go. At the same time, I also liked the dumping of constant distraction Todd Bertuzzi in the trade that brought Luongo here to Vancouver. Bertuzzi had one stellar year, but his production, attitude, and hustle never returned thereafter.

On the down side, the Canucks are at best a one line team - and that line is not that impressive. Although the Sedin twins have come on strong over the last few seasons, I don't see them as a number one line. A solid second line yes, but not a first. Markus Nasland still has All-Star potential, and I think he's honestly the only star on the team past Luongo. Unfortunately, one scorer does not a championship make. Compare these players to the other top players from teams in the West. Calgary has Iginla, Tanguay, Amonte, Phaneuf. Anaheim has Selanne and Pronger. The Red Wings have Lidstrom, Datsyuk and Zetterberg. The list goes on and on.

The Canucks also have a young and inexperienced defense on the blue line. This will cost them games and points, no question.

All in all, I believe the Canucks will have a decent year. Enough to win the cup? No. Enough to make the playoffs? Probably not - unless Luongo carries them there. If they do make it in, expect a 7th or 8th finish.

Sorry Canucks fans, more work needs to be done.

Welcome back NHL!

I'm among the millions of Canadians that are thrilled that the NHL is back in action this week. Perhaps it's our upbringing, perhaps it's the years of street hockey, or perhaps it's the thrill of competition. Whatever it is, I'm sure glad it's back!

The NFL is heating up!

Week 2 in the NFL is set to begin tomorrow, and I have to say I've been excited by what I've seen so far. I've been an NFL football fan for as far as I can remember, and there's just something about the return to the field each year that makes me feel like a kid again. Not that I'm THAT old now - but you get the point.

I remembered at the start of every NFL season heading up to the local park with my good friend Jeremy to play a game called "punt/pass". The idea was to throw the ball as far as you could towards your opponent who would in turn throw it back. Then, you'd punt (kick) it back to your opponent who would in turn punt it back to you. Wherever the ball landed was where you had to play from. The idea was to drive your opponent back across the opposing goal line. Did I mention my friend had a good 5-inches on me in height, and a solid 40 pounds in weight? As you can imagine, I didn't win as much as I'd like, but it was a lot of fun anyway!

As for this newly formed NFL season, I have a few predictions I wanted to throw out. As always, I'm interested in your thoughts too!

Overrated teams...

The Kansas City Chiefs will be a big disappointment. The team was getting older on their powerful offense, and the recent loss of QB Trent Green will hurt more, but their biggest problems remain on defense. You can't win if you can't keep your opponents out of the end zone.
Okay, it's no secret I don't like the Dallas Cowboys. Not too many people do! I feel this team might be the most "overrated" in the league. I feel QB Drew Bledsoe is past his prime, they've inherited a headache signing diva WR Terrel Owens, and this is only to name a few plot holes in the Cowboys quest for another Superbowl. They won't be a bad team, but they certainly aren't going to put up the numbers some people are predicting.

Underrated teams...

I like the Jacksonville Jaguars a lot this year. Their offense, even without retiring all-star WR Jimmy Smith, looks to have improved. Combine that will stellar defense and you have a team on the rise.

I like the look of the NY Jets this year - at least to massively improve on their 4-12 season in 2005. I strongly feel the key for the Jets is the health of their Quarterback Chad Pennington. Pennington has been much maligned by fans in recent years given his injury troubles and his apparent "lack of arm strength". I look at him another way. He's a proven winner that rarely makes mistakes. If she stays healthy, we're looking at an 8-8 Jets team, maybe even better.

Teams that had potential, but didn't go far enough...

The Washington Redskins have a dynamite defense, a good running attack, and came within two games of the Superbowl last season. Their problem, they are hanging their hopes on a 36-year old quarterback whose best days are well behind him. It's a shame. Had they sprung for a decent QB, they could have made even more noise.

Teams I have a soft spot for...

The Seattle Seahawks. It's geography as much as anything else for me. That and growing up where the Seahawks were always on TV! I don't know if they'll make it back to the Superbowl this year, but they still should have a solid season. That's as much as I can say - I don't want to doom them with a prediction two weeks in to the year!

My early pick as the Superbowl winner...

The New England Patriots. Tom Brady will do it again - mostly on his back.

A hole in one you have to see to believe

I've had a hole in one in my life, but it really doesn't compare it to this one...



Thanks to Woosang (and his almost hole in one) for drawing this to my attention.

Someone, please stop the Yankees

If there is one thing you need to know about me and baseball it’s simply that I cannot stand the New York Yankees.

Firstly, they spend money like it’s going out of style. Baseball has a luxury tax that was instituted to penalize teams whose player payrolls exceeded a defined threshold (that was much too high to begin with, but that’s another story). For the 2006 season, the Yankees, with a payroll of about $200 million, will pay a tax calculated at 40% of their total player salaries that exceed $136.5 million. It won't even make the Yankees blink an eye.

Secondly, despite the fact they’ve lost more than they’ve won over the past decade, they still hold a constant aura of “we’re better than you”. I have no problem with confidence, in fact, I believe it helps. The Yankees go beyond that – well beyond it.

Lastly, I want to make it perfectly clear that I respect what the Yankees have done in the past. The tradition of the Yankee pinstripes from players such as Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris, is what legends are made of. I very well could have cheered for those Yankees of days past, when players wanted to play for the team, not for dollar signs.

I always have a soft spot for the Boston Red Sox as they usually give the Yankees a run for their money, but they’ve had the worst record in baseball since the All-Star break. I hope some team will arise to slay this giant before it’s all said and done. If not, it will be a long, long, off-season.

NFL Season is Fast Approaching!

Those who know me well know I'm a big NFL football fan. In fact, I've run a friendly pool with friends for over a decade.

As football season fast approaches, my excitement has been hightened by the pre-season matches that have been appearing on television more and more frequently. This is surprising given that NFL pre-season matches consist of the "stars" playing half the first quarter, then the backups come in, then those on the bubble to make the team hit the field, and by the fourth quarter you'd swear they've got people out there that they picked up out from a local recreational team.

I'll have much more to say about the gridiron as the season approaches in September. Stay tuned football fans!

Tiger is Awsome - Better by the Dozen

Regardless of my last post, I do have to admit Tiger Woods is just awesome. His five shot victory today at the PGA Championship at Medinah Golf Club just outside of Chicago just proved it again. It's his 12th major championship, and he's getting better by the dozen.

He came in to the final round tied for the lead, and a number of players were just a shot or two behind. Looking at the results, you never would have known.

He's fun to watch, deserving all his accolades and more. When Tiger's on his game, he's a man among boys. What that makes an amateur golfer like me I don't know. Perhaps I don't really want to know!

An age old discussion, new names...

No matter what the sport, no matter what the record, sports fans have the inane ability to try and compare athletes across the ages. Was Wayne Gretzky a better hockey player than Gordie Howe? Was Joe Montana a better quarterback than Terry Bradshaw? Was Pete Rose a purer hitter than Ty Cobb?

Today, the age old question has been arising again in the golf world. Is Tiger Woods better than Jack Nicklaus? Personally, I don’t think either this, or the previous questions, are truly a fair comparrison. Each player’s career spanned a different era.

Looking at Nickalus and Woods – decades separate their respective periods of dominence. Golf clubs, golf courses, training, even golf balls have all evolved. A direct comparrison simply cannot be made.

What can be done some argue, is to look at how the player compared to their peers. In other words, who was more dominent in their era?

With Tiger’s recent win at the Buick Open, he’s won his 50th PGA tournament. These days, PGA tour professionals are lucky enough to win half that many titles in their lifetime. Tiger is only 30 years of age.

When it comes to the big tournamnets, the “Major Championships”, Woods has won 11 thus far. In his career, Nicklaus won 18.

Will Woods eclipse that mark? If I were a betting man I’d say “yes”. Let’s not forget though, Nickalus finished 2nd in Majors a whopping 19 times.

The point I’m trying to make is that a TRUE comparrison can never truly be made. Both players will have impressive statistics at the end of the day. Both will show unparalled skill and remarkable poise to get there and both will be remembered as the domninent players of their day.

So instead of trying to compare them across the ages, let’s just look at what they have done yesterday, and are doing today. Their talent, and the history of the sport, demands no less.

A Tribute to Dads’ Everywhere

On Sunday, Eldrick “Tiger” Woods captured has second straight British Open Championship in commanding fashion. In the final round, he made the impossible look possible on a course where many other professionals from around the world were looking like armatures. But that wasn’t the story of the day…

Tiger Woods lost his father a few months ago. A man who had brought him in to this world, introduced him to his passion of golf, and taught him a love for life. Tiger, like many young children, was close to his father. As the years wore on, some would believe their bond would weaken – but it strengthened. Through it all, there was “Dad”.

His father took great pride in the skills of his son. Traveling with him whenever possible to offer moral support on the bad days and being a larger than life spirit to embrace in victory. “Dad” was always there. In fact, the father became a trademark of the son. When Tiger won a tournament, more often than not his father would be there at the 18th green watching on. When Tiger won, he’d go over to his Dad and give him a big old bear hug. On Sunday, his father wasn’t there.

As Tiger stood on the 18th green of Royal Liverpool, I told my wife Beverly that he’d break down remembering his father once he sunk his winning putt. For all the media hype and marketing bluster, Tiger Woods was only human. True to form, he broke down in tears while hugging his caddy after his victory.

After accepting the Claret Jug, Woods spoke eloquently about his father. He missed “Dad” and wished he could have been there to watch him win once more.

This is a picture of me and my father. My Dad has taught me a lot about life. He taught me the spirit of giving by tirelessly coaching my sports teams, he taught me patience by teaching me to golf (and I’m not that bad at it now…), and he’s taught me about love and dedication through his devotion to our family. He’s truly helped me through the happy times and the tough times. In some small way, I’d like to believe I helped him through much of the same.

So Tiger, thanks for the reminder of how lucky I am. Your win was truly a tribute to all Dads. This is, in part, a tribute to mine.

The British Open

Thursday saw round one of the British Open kick off at Royal Liverpool in Great Britain. The "Open Championship", as it is known in Europe, is full of history and folklore.

The British Open that stands out in my mind isn't one of conquest, or even brilliant shot making for that matter. The tournament that I remember vividly is the 1999 British Open when a Frenchman by the name of Jean Van de Velde stood in the final round on the 18th tee with a three stroke advantage.

Needing to make only a 6 on the par-4 18th hole at Carnoustie Golf Links, Van de Velde fell apart completely. Knocking one shot off the bleachers, dumping another into the water, placing yet one more into a bunker before finally making a triple-bogey 7. At one point after plunking it in the water, Van de Velde actually thought about hitting out of Barry Burn stream. To show you how "in the bag" this was for Van de Velde, Tournament organizers were already engraving his name on the Claret Jug (the Stanley Cup of European Golf) when he approached the 18th tee.

I remember watching, with my jaw dropped, as it went from bad to worse for poor Van de Velde. Soon thereafter, he lost the Championship in a playoff. It just goes to show, in golf anything can happen.

So given my World Cup prediction prowess (ha!), I thought I'd take a stab at the winner of the British Open. I'm picking Ernie Els, if only because he usually plays well in the Open, and he's due!

SPLASH!

I'm reminded of this almost every time I watch a soccer game. The diving on the pitch really needs to stop for the credibility of the game to truly remain strong.

Are penalty kicks the way to end it?

As a typical North American "once every four years" soccer fan, I found myself drawn in to the action of the recent World Cup in Germany. It certainly was an exciting tournament, marked by fierce play and stellar athleticism. So after a month of action, 147 goals, and unparalleled moments of drama, why does it have to come down to ten spot kicks?

Think about it. You play through the Round Robin, the Round of 16, the Quarters, the Semis, play 120 minutes in the Final and you stop to decide the winner by something completely unrepresentative of the rest of the tournament. Heck, why make the players take penalty kicks at all? Why not decide it over a nice game of checkers or Parcheesi instead?

There are those that say with out penalty kicks the game would go on forever, with neither team scoring. I disagree. If you leave players out on the field long enough, one of them will either make a mistake, or a dramatic play, that will lead to a winner being chosen.

Having such a well played tournament decided by penalty kicks is a travesty, and I have to believe the majority of fans would agree.

Oh yes, and congratulations to all the Italians out there. You were the best team in the tournament and were full value for your victory.

World Cup Final Prediction

I went 1 for 2 in the World Cup semi-finals, so now I have credibility. Okay, maybe that's a stretch, but I'm making my pick for the finals anyway.

As much as I am not a fan of the Italian squad, I have to admit they have looked more than solid in their recent games. Their defense first play has worked like a charm, and timely goals have led to well earned victories.

France is a team of elders, filled with experience and a number of 30-somethings. They have shown that they can use their heads to win games, although their bodies might not be able to provide a flashy run-and-gun offense of years ago.

My prediction:



Italy will be too much to handle for the French - they'll win it 2-0.

Trying again to predict the World Cup

As all my readers know, I had an abysmal record predicting the World Cup quarter-finals. 0 for 4 to be exact. It's time I either avenge or embarrass myself once more. My hope is for the former.

Germany vs. Italy: The home nation Germans have looked like a team of destiny though out the tournament. They've had dramatic goals, a bit of luck, and a lot of support from the fans in the stands. Italy has played their typical brand of soccer, living by the creed of defense first - and it's working. Italy is looking better and better. This time though, I believe Germany will edge them out. Speed will defeat stellar defense.

Prediction: Germany (Score: 2-1)


Portugal vs. France: Portugal is coming off a win over England, edging them out in penalty kicks. France are themselves coming off of a high, beating a favoured Brazilian team as they had done eight years ago. This will be a back and forth game, but in the end, experience will edge out a Portuguese team that always falls short.

Prediction: France (Score: 1-0)

0-4 - A blind monkey could do better...

Okay, so I was 0-4 in my picks for the World Cup quarter-finals. And admittedly, a blind monkey randomly picking would have invariably done better. And yes, I have watched a lot of the games so far and should have known better. Wait...what's my point??

I will endeavor to do better in the my predictions for the semi-finals. I couldn't do any worse!

The Quarter-finals...

After some exciting action in the Round of 16, the FIFA World Cup of Soccer is reaching the Quarter-finals this weekend. Here are my predictions...

Germany vs. Argentina: The Germans looked very strong in their last match against Sweden, while Argentina was lucky to escape from Mexico. The Germans have the home field, the home crowd, and a lot of momentum. In typical World Cup style, Argentina will edge them out with a late goal.

Pick: Argentina (Score: 2-1)

Italy vs. Ukraine: Italy is a perpetual soccer power house, while the Ukraine are the new kids on the block. I am no fan of Italian soccer with it's "defense first" style, but an early goal in their favour means they can lock the door quickly. Unfortunately for the Italians, I feel the Ukraine will get the early goal, one from which the Italians won't be able to recover.

Pick: Ukraine (Score: 1-0)

England vs. Portugal: I have said time and time again that the English are overrated. I still strongly feel that way. In saying that, the heated game the Portuguese had against the Dutch has left their team emotional and with some suspended scorers. The English will bow out, but not this match.

Pick: England (Score: 1-0)

Brazil vs. France: A much anticipated rematch of the World Cup finals in 1998. The French took the title that year, and they are coming off a dramatic win against Spain. The Brazilians are, as always, the class of the field. They have deep talent, unparalleled ball control, and are the five time world champions. Unfortunately for French fans, this is not the round for Brazil to be eliminated.

Pick: Brazil (Score: 3-1)

And then there were 16

The round robin of the World Cup of soccer is now over, and the excitement of the round of 16 is just beginning.

The surprises:

• The failure of the Czech Republic to qualify for the knockout portion of the tournament given the upstart performance by Ghana. The Czechs looked old at times, perhaps this World Cup was simply a few years too late for them to make the run they had expected.
• The early exit by the Korea Republic is also a bit of a shocker given their performance at World Cup 2002. I can imagine that it must be driving my friend Woosang nuts, as well as the newly soccer crazed nation in South Asia.
• The qualification of the Australian team to the next round of the World Cup is also a big surprise. Many expected this team to be an "also ran", myself included, but the Aussies proved them wrong. This gives a nation like Canada some hope!
  

The cream of the crop:

• After a slow start, the Brazilian team is rounding in to fine form. They're now scoring and making some crisp plays. A weak draw might allow the Brazilian team to make it all the way to the semi-finals without too much trouble.
• The home nation German team is looking very formidable. They've potted a lot of goals and are looking solid overall.
• Spain and Argentina are also looking solid, tied with Germany for the most goals scored in the tournament thus far.

Most overrated team:

• England. Although they have a tremendous fan following, the English team not only has trouble scoring, but also looks shaky on the defensive end. I have to believe when the English play a solid team they will be on their way out the door.

My pick to win it all, Argentina, has already won their game to advance to the quarterfinals. Who else will be joining them will be learned as the week goes on.

Let the action begin!

It's Hurricane season for a reason

Intensity. That's the one word to sum up tonight's Stanley Cup Game 7 in Carolina. Nobody can argue that both teams didn't leave it all on the ice, the Carolina Hurricanes just had the most left in the tank.

The game was full dollar for it's billing, living up to expectations with back and forth action. Alas for Canadian fans like myself, the outcome was not what we had hoped. As a fan of the other Alberta NHL team that fell a goal short last season, I can understand the heartbreak.

Although I feel for the Oilers, I have to smile at seeing long time star Rod Brind'Amour hoist the Stanley Cup. Good for him and congratulations to the Hurricanes.

Lefty doesn't learn...

With a one shot lead heading down the 18th hole in the final round of the US Open, Phil Michelson choked. Not only did he choke, he forced it upon himself.

On the narrow 18th hole, Phil could have pulled out a 4-wood or a 2-iron, and played it safe in the tight US Open fairways, but he pulled out the driver. As you guessed he didn't put it in the fairway or else this post would not have been written. Instead he put it off a tent and left it in deep trouble in the left hand rough. From there, the mistakes compounded. He hit a tree, played another shot in the bunker, hit it through the green, and missed a prayer of a chip to force a playoff.

Phil has a history of going for it all, and making a bad decision from time to time, but to do so on the 72nd hole of the US Open is insane. Poor Lefty, he just doesn't learn.

Hat tip to Walter for telling us all to watch for the eventual winner, Geoff Ogilvy.

Lefty needs one more round

Phil Mickelson is only one round away from claiming his thrid straight PGA Tour major at this weekend's U.S. Open. Sunday's final round should prove interesting!

Click here to view the updated scoreboard...

My FIFA World Cup 2006 prediction

Now that all groups have played at least one game, I feel comfortable making a stab at a prediction for the ongoing World Cup.

First, the contenders...

Germany: I would be remiss if I didn't mention the home Germans first and foremost. Home teams have a history of doing well in the World Cup, and this shouldn't be any exception. The Germans have looked solid through two games, although not spectacular.

Argentina: A team stacked with talent with a history of falling just short in recent years. This could be the year that all changes.

Brazil: A perennial favorite, this Brazilian team has skill, speed, youth and experience. The only thing that can defeat Brazil are themselves and the elements. Only once has a non-European team won the World Cup in Europe.

England: Always highly rated, but often a disappointment. Unfortunately, given the pressure this team is under, I don't see that changing this time around.

France: Always highly rated, many are downplaying the French chances this time around because they have an admittedly older team. Experience is a good thing, but a younger faster team should be enough to pick them off.

Italy: Another solid squad, but one accused of often playing too defensive. That might bode well against some of the teams out there, but a skilled squad like Brazil might be too much to handle if they get an early goal.

Korea: A stellar performance four years ago on home soil will not be repeated this time around. I believe the Koreans will advance to the quarterfinals, but unfortunately no farther.

Netherlands: An injury plagued squad represents the best soccer nation never to win the World Cup. Despite the injury bug they have won their first two games, but the Dutch wounds might be too much to overcome.

Spain: Never a winner of the World Cup, but out of the gates like wild fire for their first game in 2006. Inexperience in the "big game" might be their downfall.

My prediction...



ARGENTINA

I believe it's the Argentines time to shine to eclipse their Brazilian counterparts - at least this time around. Although it's hard to win in Europe, this team is too talented to miss out.