Gather 'round the warm glow of your computer monitor with your spouse and take a few moments to enjoy this blog together. I'll share tales about my glorious adventures as a husband (many of which will be made up). However, guys, there may be a few helpful hints in here of what to do (or not do) that can help you...keep a happy wife.

Triple Take on Sports

Triple Take on Sports (June 17, 2012)

Three Things to Love About the US Open

  1. It's hard.  The set up at the US Open is typically unlike anything professional golfers face any other week of the year.   Every now and then there will be a year where there will be a low score (like Rory McIllroy last year) but typically the best golfers in the world are hoping to make par.
  2. It's our country's national championship.  Even amateur golfers can attempt to qualify for the US Open.  If  you have a good enough handicap, you can be one of the 9,000 to enter qualifying events held all across the country.  Yes, you can enter even if you aren't from the United States, but, "ain't that America"?
  3. It's a Father's Day tradition.  Barring a tie after 72 holes, the US Open always finishes on Father's Day Sunday.  Spending a Sunday afternoon watching a piece of golf history unfold is a great way to spend Father's Day.

Triple Take on Sports (June 9, 2012)


Triple Take on Sports, Triple Crown Edition

  1. The scratch of I’ll Have Another will deny us again of a Triple Crown winner.   I was talked out of betting him in the Derby by a friend who was adamant that his post draw (#19) would keep him from a good trip. The Wife, however, did have IHA as her Derby pick as both she and IHA owner, Paul Reddam, are fans of cookies.  The name came from Reddam telling his wife “I’ll Have Another” when she offered him a cookie.
  2. With IHA scratched, the status as favorite appears to fall to Dullahan.  Dullahan ran a good 3rd in the Derby after winning the Bluegrass Stakes.  However, his odds will likely be too low to be an attractive option.  In the last 10 years, the favorite has only won once at The Belmont Stakes.  On average, the favorite finishes 5th.  Looks like history sides with taking a stand against the favorite.
  3. I like two long shots in The Belmont.  Street Life is a horse on an improving trend with breeding for classic distances.  The other is Paynter.  Paynter is lightly raced, but shows tactical early speed and has two of the fastest speed figures of the horses remaining in the race.


Triple Take on Sports (May 13, 2012)


Three sports stories that are special to me this week.  One, you may know of, two, you probably haven't.



  1. This week, Josh Hamilton hit four homeruns in one game.  It is a feat more rare than a no-hitter or even a perfect game.  Hamilton's story is a fascinating one.   I won't share it all here, but you can follow this link for more.
  2. Yesterday my career as a coach for The Short One's middle school baseball team came to an end.  For three years, I had the great honor of coaching a dozen outstanding young men, one of whom is my son.  I hope they all go on to achieve greater success on and off the field.
  3. After too many weeks of being out due to his lung injury, The Tall One got back on the field yesterday for his high school team.  He drew a walk and scored a run.  More importantly he felt good about being back!


Selections for the 138th Kentucky Derby (May 5, 2012)


I don't pick favorites.  While this is the deepest Derby field I've seen in a while, I think each of the top three or four favorites have reasons to pick against them.  With that in mind, here are my selections for the Kentucky Derby
  1. Alpha: You'll get very nice odds on a colt that is bred to run this distance and is training very well leading up to the Derby.  He's finished 1st or 2nd in five of his six lifetime races. 
  2. Gemologist: Ordinarily when a horse comes into the Derby undefeated, he is the favorite.  Not this year. When you get decent odds on a horse that most years would be the favorite, you can't pass up that opportunity.
  3. I'll give you two long-shots that I like.  El Padrino and Prospective.  My first two picks have a stalking running style.  They will sit mid-pack and not let the early leaders get too far away from them.  El Padrino and Prospective will likely be closing late.  If the early pace is very fast, it could play well for these two long-shots.

Triple Take on Sports (April 18, 2012)
Why you need to watch the Stanley Cup Playoffs:
  1. It is fast.  Super fast.  The speed at which this game is played has no equal (other than horse racing and motor sports). 
  2. It is powerful.  Even the NFL cannot match the hits delivered in hockey.  The athleticism involved in being a high-level NHL player is exteremely impressive.  I still marvel at how they can do what they do all while skating on ice.
  3. It is intense.  In the Stanley Cup playoffs, there is no letting up.  Whether the game is tied or a blow out, you cannot tell it by how they play the game.  Compare that to an NBA game?  There is no comparison.

Triple Take on Sports (March 11, 2012)


In keeping with a March Madness theme, here my Final Four in three sports topics:


  1. NCAA Tournament: Kentucky, Missouri, Vanderbilt and North Carolina
  2. Teams that will sign Peyton Manning: Arizona, Denver, San Francisco and Tennessee
  3. ESPN On-air Talent: Scott Van Pelt, Mike Tirico, Jay Bilas, Erin Andrews


Triple Take on Sports (February 25, 2012)


In keeping with the movie theme, here are the 3 Best Sports Movies of All Time
  1. Hoosiers: This movie is close to perfect and is high on my list of top movies of all time (regardless of genre).  Hackman and Hopper are both at their very best.
  2. Field of Dreams: So many great characters beyond Ray Kinsela and Shoeless Joe Jackson in this film (Terrance Mann and Moonlight Graham were also wonderful).  Finding peace, redemption and closure in a baseball field built on a cornfield.  If you build it, indeed.
  3. Remember the Titans: This movie never fails to inspire us that even deep-seated differences can be overcome when you play football.  There may be something more there, but I'm not sure.
My most quoted sports movie is easily Caddyshack, so I've got that going for me...which is nice.






Triple Take on Sports (January 28, 2012)
  1. It is Super Bowl week.  The hype is unbearable.  The constant re-airing of the same stories and interviews is insufferable.  The game is always an event, nevertheless.  For the record, my pick is the Giants (+3).
  2. Super Bowl week is also a fairly slow sports news week.  This was evidenced by the fact that ESPN aired the highlight of one dunk 56 times in one hour SportsCenter broadcast.  The dunk was by Blake Griffin of the Clippers and it was impressive, but it's not the best I've seen and certainly not worth 56 airings.  Here it is.
  3. 18 days until pitchers and catchers report.  Spring is just around the corner.




Triple Take on Sports (December 16, 2011)
  1. The last Triple Take (see below) still applies.  Amazingly, it still applies.
  2. Chicago Bears wide receiver, Sam Hurd, has been arrested on drug charges.  This isn't your typical "jock with weed in his Rolls" story.  Hurd was trying to buy 10 kilos of cocaine and half-a-ton of marijuana.  Tony Montana thinks that is serious. This goes beyond a pro athlete not being a role model.  It's incumbent on the Bears and the NFL to get a better grip on who they let play in their league.  You see, two days before the Bears signed Hurd he was under investigation by Homeland Security on suspicion of large-scale drug activity. 
  3. I have suggested that we simply assign numbers to lame athlete excuses that we hear from them everytime a scandal errupts.  #1 - "The supplements I've been taking must be tainted". #2 - "That's not my weed".  #3 - "That's not my baby".  #4 - "Someone hacked my twitter/facebook account".


Triple Take on Tebow (November 17, 2011)
  1. What is going on in Denver is hilarious.  All the experts are insanely frustrated that Tebow is so far from being the prototypical NFL quarterback, but continues to lead the Broncos to wins.  He is 3-1 since taking over as the starter this year and seems to lead his team to improbable comeback wins week after week.  Last night he took the Broncos on a 95-yard drive capped off by a last minute TD run by, you guessed it, Timmy Tebow.
  2. Hearing him in post-game interviews is like a cliche machine.  "We are just working hard every practice to get better".  "We believe in each other as a team".  "We just play hard for sixty minutes".  The thing is, there is truth and success to be found in each of those cliches and I think he believes each one of them to his very core.
  3. Will this improbable, on-field success continue?  We'll see.  I hope that a desperate media doesn't do what they do so well and attempt to destroy him personally.  He has been mocked by the press for his openness about his Christian beliefs and his "goody-two-shoes" image. The first time he cuts off somebody in traffic, checks out a cheerleader on the sidelines or talks about visiting Hoover "Dam" (going on the dam tour and taking some dam pictures) he will be skewered by a cynical and sensationalistic press. Good luck and God-speed, Tebow.


Triple Take on Sports (October 30, 2011)


  1. Congratulations to the St. Louis Cardinals for winning the 2011 World Series.  I'm not a big LaRussa fan.  He's considered by many, including himself, to be a "genius", however, he made many strategic mistakes in the Series, but the Cards were able to overcome them.  The great lesson to learn here is that the trite expression "it isn't over until it's over" really is true.  During the last month of the season, St. Louis was 9.5 games out of the play-offs, but rallied to make the post-season (a collapse by the Braves didn't hurt).  In Game 6 of the Series (and down 3 games to 2 to the Rangers) the Cardinals were down to their last strike twice, but rallied back to win that game, then take game 7 and the Series the next night.  Never give up and never let up...to be sure.
  2. Tim Tebow has had two starts as quarterback of the Denver Broncos this season.  He's not looked very sharp in either game with the exception of a three minute stretch last Sunday to lead the Broncos to a win over the winless Dolphins.  At this point, he's not very good at being an NFL quarterback.  Lots of people seem to take great pleasure in pointing this out.  Others are not good at being NFL quarterbacks this year: Kyle Orton (the man he replaced in Denver), Blaine Gabbert, John Beck, Kevin Kolb, Donovan McNabb, Rex Grossman, and others would be on that list of bad NFL quarterbacks.  None, however, have been in the spotlight like Tebow.  It would be a nice story if Tebow were to succeed in the NFL.  He is, by all accounts, a decent, humble and hard-working guy.  That's enough for success most of the time in the "real world".  We'll see how it works out for him in the NFL.
  3. I was a coach on The Short One's fall league baseball team.  We were dominant.  The team was 11-1, finising in first place in the league.  The one loss was our first game of the season, so you might say we finished strong.  Good job guys!  I can't wait for the spring season.

Triple Take on Sports (September 24, 2011)


On a weekend where the sports headlines and the run-down on SportsCenter is full of college and pro football, baseball play-off runs and the PGA's Tour Championship, a great sporting event is getting overlooked: The Solheim Cup.  The Solheim Cup is women's golf equivalent of The Ryder Cup.


  1. On TV, the women appear to hit it as long as their male counterparts, but they hit it just as close to the flags and roll in just as many putts.
  2. It's competition for your country.  The vast majority of my readers are Americans (God Bless you, USA) so get on your patriotism this weekend and see if our girls can best the Euros.  This style of golf competition is so much fun to watch.  Even if you are a casual golf fan, you will enjoy it. 
  3. You may not know as many names as you do on the men's side, but these girls are all very charming (even Michelle Wie).  The same can't be said for the men (hello, Tiger).  I mean, how can you not have Paula Creamer as your favorite golfer regardless of gender?


Triple Take on The Short One (September 17, 2011)

It's The Short One's birthday tomorrow.  He hits the big ONE-THREE.  In his honor, I'll dedicate this week's Triple Take to him.

  1. I'm a coach on his middle school baseball team.  Our fall ball season started with a 13-3 loss.  Since, we run ruled three teams in a row.  Then, today, we won 7-0 against the team that beat us in game one.  The Short One scored two runs and made two very big league plays at 3rd base.  Our team is playing great baseball right now.  Today was as close to a perfect game as I've been part of.  Very proud of The Short One and the team.
  2. The Short One has had a very good year in tennis, too.  His summer team represented the state at USTA sectionals this summer.  He is undefeated in middle school team play this year, too.
  3. His team won at laser tag at his party last night.


Triple Take on Sports (September 8, 2011)


The pro football season has finally arrived and the soundtrack of various NFL Films continuously run through my head.  Here are my predictions for the 2011-12 seaason:


  1. AFC Play-offs:  Divion champs: New England (East) Pittsburgh (North) Tennessee (South) and San Diego (West).  Wildcards: New York and Baltimore.  AFC Championship: Pittsburgh over New England
  2. NFC Play-offs: Division champs: Philadelphia (East) Green Bay (North) Atlanta (South) St. Louis (West).  Wildcards: New Orleans and Tampa Bay.  NFC Championship: Atlanta over Philadelphia
  3. Superbowl: Pittsburgh over Atlanta


Triple Take on Sports (September 3, 2011)


This is actually a Ten-Take on Sports or a Ten-Pack or a Top Ten List (wait...that's already taken). Anyway...here is my Pre-season Top 10 in College Football.


  1. Alabama - The schedule is heavily in their favor.  They have a ton of talent (even though replacing McElroy and Julio Jones will be tough).  Richardson is the kind of back that can carry them a long way and the defense is one of the best.
  2. Florida State - The Seminoles are back in a big way.  Their key game is a non-conference game against another team with national-championship aspirations - Oklahoma.  The 'Noles are going to be looking to avenge their loss to  the Sooners last season.  FSU's conference schedule sets up favorably for them, too.
  3. Oklahoma - After their early season game against Florida State, their schedule is fairly light until they face OK State to end the regular season.  The Sooners have lots of power in their passing game with QB Landry Jones leading the way. 
  4. Wisconsin - The football Badgers will outscore the basketball Badgers this season.  Tranfer-QB Russell Wilson will lead a balanced offense for a team that may run the table in a weak Big 10 (or 11 or 12 or however many teams they have this season).
  5. LSU - If Les Miles can learn how to tell time and keep his players from committing felonies, the Tigers can have a great season.  They have two key games on their schedule - the season opener against Oregon and against Alabama.  I think their defense will handle the Ducks and if they can handle Alabama, they would be a candidate for a national championship.
  6. Oregon
  7. Virginia Tech
  8. Oklahoma State
  9. Stanford
  10. Georgia


Triple Take on Sports - Wardrobe Malfunctions? (August 30, 2011)


In this edition of Triple Take, I'll focus on wardrobe choices in various sports.


  1. First...golf.  I love golf.  The golfers I will pick on here are all players that I like and respect their abilities.  However...Ian Poulter is the modern-day pied piper when it comes to flamboyant golf attire on the course.  He wears lots of bright colors (pink seems to be one of his favorites), wild patterns and even has his own clothing line.  Poulter is a Ryder Cup stud.  Other than that, however, he hasn't done a whole lot - only one win on the PGA tour.  Ricky Fowler is another golfer with a brave wardrobe.  He routinely will dress head to toe (hat to shoes) in one bold color.  Every Sunday, he wears all orange.  He has never won on tour. Look, I'm never going to dress like either of these guys when I play, but I don't really have a problem with how they dress.  However, if you are going to look like Elton John laid out your clothes, you need to win.  I'm pulling for these guys to get their game up to the lofty standards of their clothing of choice.
  2. Second...baseball.  If you are a baseball manager or coach, why must you wear a uniform?  Phil Jackson never wore  shorts and a jersey when he coached basketball.  Andy Reid doesn't dress in helmet and pads as he roams the sidelines for the Eagles.  Baseball purists (and I am one in many ways) need to get with reality and understand how ridiculous a potbellied baseball coach looks trying to fit his spare tire into a baseball jersey.  This is one tradition that baseball needs to get rid of.
  3. Third...tennis.  Wimbeldon has it right.  The players look sharp and professional when playing at the All England Club.  As I watch the US Open tonight, however, they look ridiculous.  Hats turned around backwards.  Men in sleeveless shirts.  Women wearing all kinds of odd apparel and dangling bling (I think you need a prescription from a physician to treat dangling bling).  Then, who can really tell what the Williams' sisters are wearing.  Lady Gaga is confused by them.  Why don't you just put the gals out there in a tube top and daisy dukes and the dudes in cut-off sweat pants and a wife beater.  Keep your players looking professionally, USTA.  Now, I've got to go run some kids out of my yard before I watch Matlock.


Triple Take on Sports (August 5, 2011)
  1. The Golf Channel has launched a new interview show featuring David Feherty (cleverly called “Feherty”).  Feherty is a golf analyst for CBS and the Golf Channel and was a former player on the European and PGA Tours.  He has a very sharp wit and is an excellent interviewer (I was pleasantly surprised at how well he does this part of the show).  So far he has had guests from golf (Tom Watson, Lee Trevino, Ian Poulter), other sports (Charles Barkley) and entertainment (Don Cheadle).  He asks the questions that I would like to ask so he covers the golf but also hits other relevant or interesting angles, too.  One of the more endearing aspects of Feherty is his openness.  He is an alcoholic and recovering drug addict.  He is very upfront about his flaws and how they shaped his life.  The Tom Watson show is probably my favorite for this reason.  If you enjoy golf you’ll love the show.  If you don’t love golf you will still be very entertained by Feherty the humorist and the interviewer and intrigued by Feherty the man as a work-in-progress.
  2. I’m not typically a documentary fan, but The NFL Network has created one called Ed Sabol: King of Football Movies.  You may not recognize the name Ed Sabol, but if you are even a casual NFL fan you will recognize his work.  Sabol was the founder and visionary behind NFL Films and created a new way to experience a football game.  I highly recommend you watch this hour-long show.  Sabol, himself, is an interesting character and the story of NFL Films is fun to watch too.  The next airing is on August 6 on the NFL Network.
  3. Finally, I wanted to share a personal sports accomplishment.  At my age, achieving anything in sports is as rare as finding a Mensa member on Jersey Shore.  However, yesterday I achieved a goal that I have had for nearly two decades of playing golf.  I broke 80.  Before then, August 4 had only been known as birth date to jazz great Louis Armstrong, boxing not-so-great Gerry Cooney and, oh yeah, President Barack Hussein Obama.  Forevermore, it will be the day I broke 80.  My previous best had been 81.  I had shot it five different times, but could not break through.  Yesterday, I was playing with The Wife (playing golf, to be clear) after work, so there was some concern that we would get the round in before dark.  From about the third hole on, The Wife kept hinting that she wanted to quit after 9 holes.  As we walked off the 9th green, she asked “So are we done?”.  I replied “I shot a 37 on the front”.  She knew that meant we weren’t done.  I shot 40 on the back to card a 77 and shatter the 80 barrier.  (As an unpaid endorsement, I've got to credit Paul Azinger's Golf Plan App for some drills that helped with my drives (10 of 14 fairways yesterday)). We then had a very nice late dinner at The Village Anchor in Anchorage.  What a great evening.  Now, it’s time to get serious about making that first hole-in-one.


Triple Take on Tiger Woods (July 21, 2011)


The latest in Tiger's total meltdown as a professional golfer and a human being is his firing of long-time caddy, Steve Williams.  Tiger cited a "need for a change" as his reasoning.  Williams was not happy...at all.  He questioned Woods' loyalty and expressed his lack of respect for Woods (for both his firing and Tiger's numerous affairs).  To help Tiger find a new caddy, I offer these three suggestions:
  1. Romeo Posar.  Romeo was caddy for Roy McAvoy in the movie, "Tin Cup".  He has experience caddying in major championships (McAvoy played in and famously blew the US Open).  Plus he knows how to work with a golfer trying to quit bar girls, strippers and biker chicks.
  2. Johnny Miller.  If you ever watch golf on TV you are familiar with the arrogance that is Johnny Miller.  Since Miller always seems to know what club and what shot should be used on every stroke by all golfers, he would make a perfect caddy for anyone, even Tiger.
  3. Reality TV show.  With a US-budget-deficit-sized divorce settlement, loss of sponsors and hush money pay-offs to all of his tramps, Tiger is (reportedly) facing some financial problems.  Why not sell a reality show to ESPN to find your next caddy and make a little dough in the process?  Wannabe caddies could compete in various ways to earn the right to be bag-man for El Tigre.  Contestants could participate in challenges like bunker raking, club cleaning, awkward high-fiving and yelling at photographers.  The winner would caddy for Woods for a year.  Assuming he plays again in the next year.
In all seriousness, I hope Tiger gets his act together...on and off the course...soon.  He is good for golf when he is playing.  Idleness can't be a good thing for someone trying to reclaim their life.

Triple Take on Sports (July 9, 2011)
  1. How embarrassing has the ceremonial first pitch become?  In the past month several professional athletes have completely choked when given this honor.  John Wall, Dirk Nowitski and some soccer playing dude all made Rick Vaughn look like a control pitcher.  Add these to President Obama's first pitch from Opening Day 2010 (juuuuuust a bit outside) and it's practically an epidemic.  On the other end of the spectrum was George W's first pitch in the World Series in 2001.  Perfect strike.  This link may help in the analysis.  If you can't make the throw, just wave from a luxury box.
  2. Tiger Woods announced this week he would not play in the Britsh Open next week and had no timetable to return to golf.   He says he will not come back until he is 100% healthy.  Sports analysts have now been asking the questions: "Will Tiger win in the next year?" and "Will Tiger win another major?".  It wasn't long ago when these same analysts asked "Can Tiger win all four majors in one season?" and "How many more majors will Tiger win than Jack?".  Cycling off of skanks (definitely) and steroids (allegedly) may have been too much for Eldrick to handle at the same time.  Hopefully, he will get his life squared away, get healthy and get back to golf soon.  Love him or hate him...he is great for the game. 
  3. With the prospects of a delayed (or cancelled) NFL season, we can still look forward to a great 2011 college football season.  That is...unless you are a USC or Ohio State fan.  Oregon and Oklahoma both look very tough.  At the end of the day (or the end of the BCS Championship game) you have to wonder which SEC team will claim the mythical national title in college football this year.  
Triple Take on Sports (June 29, 2011)
  1. Congratulations to the South Carolina Gamecocks for winning their second straight College World Series.  Both of The Wife's sisters went to South Carolina (and they know all the double entendres associated with the school's nickname).  The College World Series is a very underrated sporting event.  Even if you don't watch college baseball all year (and you probably don't), tune in to as much of the College World Series as you can.  The kids play the game with a ton of heart and you just might see the Major League All-Stars of tomorrow.
  2. The NBA and its players association are not learning anything from the NFL and seem to also be headed for a lockout.  The difference is, not nearly as many people will care if part of the NBA season is lost.  The NBA is basically five or six elite teams that get most of their games on TV and then a bunch of also-rans that play the elite teams on a random Tuesday.  Maybe if the NBA goes away for awhile, the NHL can attract a bigger following?  Nah.  Who am I kidding.
  3. The Wife and the Short One both play a lot of tennis.  Me?  Not so much.  Wimbledon is going on right now and, once again, America is absent for most of the second week.  Where have all the young American athletes gone?  They sure aren't playing soccer.

Triple Take on Sports (June 22, 2011)
  1. LeBron and The Heatles lost.  Schadenfreude is not normally an admirable trait.  However, it is a national phenomenon in this case.  (Schadenfreude is deriving pleasure from the misfortune of others.  You'll be surprised to know that this is a German word.)  LeBron was hated by the Cavalier Fans simply because he left Cleveland.  However, the way he left Cleveland (with the televised "The Decision") took him to national prominence - not as a super-talented athlete, but as someone with a personality akin to a dog pile.  Americans typically only collectively root against Communists, personal injury attorneys and Michael Vick.  Welcome to that party, LeBron.
  2. The NFL and the league's players association are "hard at work" at creating a new collective bargaining agreement.  At the center of this discussion is how to divide up the $9 BILLION of revenue the league brings in.  Greed on both sides is obvious in every slimy sound-byte.  When you look around the league and see that washed-up players like Ryan Leaf and JeMarcus Russel made millions and barely saw the field while former players suffer through failed knees and the effects of multiple concussions.  Capping the salaries of unproven rookies and allocating money to the health care of former players has got to be a part of this new agreement.  It is clearly the morally right and fair thing to do.
  3. Rory McIlroy was amazing in the US Open.  He has been in contention in the last four major championships, but could never close the deal.  His Sunday collapse at the Masters this year was stunning.  However, he bounced back in great style to lap the field in the US Open.  Too many commentators have gone too far in their praise of Rory.  Comparisons to Tiger and Jack are premature.  We've seen lots of very talented golfers come and go over the years.  Greg Norman, Nick Price, Paddy Harrington have all had great runs of dominance.  While all were tremendous golfers, none accomplished what Jack, Arnie or Tiger have done.  Give Rory some time and let's see what he does.  Hopefully, Tiger will come back strong and we'll see a rivalry between the two of them that never emerged between Tiger and Phil.


The Belmont Stakes (June 10, 2011, revised June 13, 2011)


Well, I don't know what happened here, but I had a very detailed analysis of the Belmont Stakes.  Somehow, Blogger lost that plus all of my other "Triple Takes..." for the last month. 


In all honesty, I did not have Ruler on Ice.  I did know that he and Shackelford would be on the lead, but certainly didn't see Ruler getting that distance.  The sloppy track and adding blinkers absolutely played in his favor. 

My superfecta pick was Animal Kingdom, Santiva, Brilliant Speed and Stay Thirsty.  Animal Kingdom lost the race five steps out of the gate when he clipped heels with another colt.  Santiva looked strong for awhile, but faded.  Stay Thirsty and Brilliant Speed ran 2nd and 3rd, respectively. 

Things to learn from the Belmont:
  1. You can't trust Shackelford.  He got easy leads in the Florida Derby, Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes and could not hold the lead.  He got the same kind of lead in the Preakness, but won that one.
  2. Ruler On Ice may fall into the Mine That Bird category of winning a Triple Crown race and never winning a race again.  Ruler is a gelding so they will likely race the horse as long as they can.  Look for him in an Allowance Race at Turfway Park this time next year.
  3. I still like Animal Kingdom.  Bad breaks out of the gate in The Preakness and The Belmont may have cost him The Triple Crown.  We'll see for sure after he gets some well-deserved rest this summer and gets back on the track in a few months.
While this was not the best crop of 3 year olds, it was very nice to see that three of the top runners ran in all three Triple Crown races.  Too often the connections don't let that happen.  That makes the racing that much ennjoyable for the racing fan when they do.

Good luck to you and your pick.

More on Hockey, the NFL and horse racing (April 29, 2011)
  1. For Easter last Sunday, our family had the traditional dinner at Fuji Japanese Steakhouse, followed by a road trip to Nashville to watch Predators' hockey.  It was a great game as the Preds won their first ever playoff series.  There is little in sports as exciting as playoff hockey....especially when it is live.
  2. As Commission Roger Goodell walked on stage at the start of the 2011 NFL Draft, he was booed resoundly.  Good riddance.  He has botched these labor negotiations all the way around.  It's about time for him to find a new gig.
  3. The Kentucky Derby is coming up on Saturday May 7.  I'll have more on this (including my Derby picks) in next week's blog.  This will be helpful so that you know which colts to NOT bet on.

Triple Take on Sports (April 23, 2011)
  1. The NFL draft is coming up this week.  Ordinarily I am very psyched about it.  Before ESPN ruined it and started the draft on Thursday night, it would start at noon on a Saturday.  As a sports-geek I would plan out my afternoon around watching the draft.   Pick by pick.  This year, not only is it ruined by not being on a Saturday, it all may be for naught.  The owners and the players' association need to strike a deal or there may not even be a season in 2011.  That makes it hard to get excited about a draft that may not matter until the fall of 2012!
  2. What is exciting is playoff hockey.  Do yourself a favor and watch at least some of the NHL playoffs.  It is fantabulous!
  3. A very good friend invited me to Keeneland Race Course yesterday.  It was a great time.  Everybody in the box cashed at least a few tickets and one of our friends made a small bundle.  The Spring Meet is winding down, so if you don't make it out next week be sure to catch the Fall Meet in October.


Triple Take on Sports (April 13, 2011)
  1. The Master's finish was amazing.  On Sunday eight different golfers had a share of the lead at some point and the champ, South African Charl Schwartzel, birided the final four holes to claim the Green Jacket.  Rory McIlroy's collapse was difficult to watch as he let a four-shot lead slip away during the fourth round.  The next day, McIlroy found himself flying with Schwartzel from Georgia to Malaysia. McIlroy tweeted "Flying to Malaysia with Charl.  Glad one of us has a green jacket on!".  And included this photo.  What a class act!
  2. Tiger Woods was one of the golfers in contention on Sunday.  If the guy could have putted at all he would have won easily.  I still wonder who will win in their sport again first - Tiger Woods or Dale Earnhardt Jr?
  3. One of my two favorite baseball players is on the DL.  My oldest son, The Tall One, is sick and won't be able to play for awhile.  It's not the same going to games and not seeing him double to center or patrol the outfield.  Get well soon, Tall One.

It's Masters' Week April 6, 2011

Historically, this is one of the greatest weeks of the year on the sports calendar.  Major League Baseball starts on Monday afternoon.  NCAA Finals are on Monday night.  The Masters starts with the Par 3 competition on Wednesday and the tournament (or as past Masters Chairman Hootie Johnson would say "toona-ment") begins on Thursday morning.  Of course, Major League Baseball screws it up by having opening day last Thursday.  Thursday?!  Bud Selig, it takes a special brand of moron to screw up the great traditions of baseball.  Congratulations.

Three things on The Masters:


  1. Phil Mickelson won the Masters last year and won last week at the Shell Houston Open.  Phil has three green jackets, but has never won two years in a row (Last to do that?  Tiger Woods in 2001 and 2002).  Winning back to back weeks (and back to back years) is tough to do, but when Phil won at Augusta in 2006, he did win the week before at the Bell South Classic.  Look for Phil to have a big week, but he always seems to play well there.
  2. The Masters is one of the top wife-friendly sporting events.  I'll put that full list out in a post soon.
  3. My pick for the week...Nick Watney. He has one of the best putting averages on tour and rarely 3-putts.  He hits a lot of greens.  And he plays well at Augusta (three times in top 20 including a 7th place finish last year).  All necessary ingredients to win The Masters.





Sit Down Before You Read This... (March 30, 2011)
...there are more scandals in college sports.  Three big stories either broke or developed further this week regarding cheating (in some cases, stealing) in big time college football.


  1. Jim Tressel's mess at Ohio State keeps sliding down that slippery slope.  Every time he speaks to the media, there is something else he is having to backtrack on or clarify or apologize for lying about.  They may have to vacate that bogus 2011 Sugar Bowl where they won with those "non-suspended, suspended" players.
  2. The director of the Fiesta Bowl was fired when it was discovered he had a couple million bucks in unsubstantiated expenses and had pressured employees to make directed political contributions.  This will probably be the tip of the iceberg in corruption in the NCAA's precious bowl system.
  3. HBO reported today that four Auburn University football players took money from boosters while they were being recruited or in school.  This just in...water is wet.  I don't know how you stop this stuff.  Paying players legitimately won't work because there will always be a booster willing to slide a few dollars more to a player under the table.  You might as well send them a 1099 and have them pay taxes on it.

More Basketball Talk (March 21, 2011)
  1. As a Tennessee fan I hate to see Bruce Pearl leave.  He's done a lot of good things for the program and made it relevant like never before in a solid college football town.  Time for Mike Hamilton, Athletic Director, to hit the bricks.  Thankfully, Pat Summit is still there and winning.
  2. Washington as my sleeper team narrowly missed against North Carolina.  But, Florida is still alive.  I don't think they can win it all, but they should make the Final Four.
  3. The NCAA basketball tournament is one the most "wife-friendly" sporting events each year.  I'll put a full blog post out on this topic in the near future.

Three Tips on Your NCAA Tournament Bracket (March 13, 2011):
It has been awhile since I won a pool with my NCAA bracket.  I've finished "in the money" a few times recently, including a close 2nd last year.  So, when you read these tips, be aware from whence they come:

1. My sleeper team to make the Sweet 16 is Washington.
2. Watch out for Florida.  I know they lost in the SEC tournament, but their balanced attack will help them go deep.
3. Pick against the home town team.  All the "homers" in your office pool are going to pick the popular local teams.  Go against the grain and at least keep them out of your final four. 



Three Reasons to Enjoy the Troubles of the Miami Heat (March 6, 2011):
The Heat have lost four in a row and 5 of their last 6 to fall to third place in the Eastern Conference.  I don't normally follow the NBA, but this is funny.
  1. They boasted they would win six NBA titles before they had even had their first practice of the season.
  2. The obvious holes on their team were overlooked by most pundits and by their own team.  They can't beat a good team, they can't win close games and they have no answer against big, physical opponents.
  3. This is just rewards for LeBron's ridiculous "The Decision" broadcast on ESPN.  I'm sure when he brought up the idea, his "yes men" responded with "Great idea, Bron", "That's why you're King James", and "That's what makes you a Global Icon, LeBron".
I don't know when I've wanted a team to lose so much other than the New England Patriots.


Sports Trio for the Week (February 27, 2011):
  • The golf match play event has been this week.  As a field of 64 bracket, it is more exciting and unpredictable than the NCAA basketball tournament.  A 16-seed CAN beat a #1 in this golf event as Tiger Woods got knocked out by Thomas Bjorn this week.
  • A great story this week in NASCAR.  Trevor Bayne (a 20 year old rookie in just his second race) managed to win the Daytona 500 last Sunday.  Of course this week he wrecks a car in practice and in the Nationwide race on Saturday.  Welcome back to reality, Trevor.  Your win was fun to watch at Daytona anyway.
  • It looks more and more likely that the NFL owners and players are headed for a labor dispute.  Better brush up on your Canadian Football League rules - no fair catch, three downs, etc.



Triple Take on Sports (February 19, 2011):
  • Brethern looked very good last weekend in a derby prep race at Tampa Bay Downs.  He didn't have the best competition, but he won easily.  Nobody looks close to Uncle Mo yet, though.
  • The NBA is unwatchable and their all-star game is even worse.  Avoid it at all costs tomorrow.
  • Both of my boys made their schools' baseball teams.  The middle school and high school seasons will start before you know it.
Three sporting comments (February 12, 2011):
  • Congrats to the Pack.  My Super Bowl pick was wrong, but I was glad to see Green Bay get the win.
  • Post Super Bowl February is a sports wasteland.  Once March gets here and the NCAA basketball tournament starts, there is a nice run of great sports all the way to the baseball All-Star Break.
  • Whether you love football or not, this is an impressive video (especially around the 4 minute mark).


A trio of quick thoughts on sports (February, 6, 2011):
  • The 16th hole of the Phoenix Open is fun to watch whether you are a golf fan or not (CBS, 3:00).  A little bit more of that would be good for the game.
  • Pitchers and catchers report in one week.  A better foreshadowing of spring than that stupid groundhog (pun, intended).
  • Super Bowl pick.  Pulling for the Packers, but think Pittsburgh wins.  27-24. 
I have read a lot of people talking about Master of Hounds.  This horse has run in Ireland, Great Britain, the United Arab Emirates and Churchill Downs (once in the Derby and once in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf).  To me, if you are going to like Master of Hounds at 10-1 odds, then why not like my long shot pick, Santiva at 15-1.  He had a very similar race as MofH in the Derby (both with a 95 speed figure and both finished 5 ½ lengths back), he has an identical racing record (1 win, 3 places, 1 show) and Santiva is bred to run just as long as MofH.  The bonus for Santiva over Master of Hounds is Santiva hasn’t made two trans-Atlantic flights in the last five weeks.  At 15-1 , Santiva seems like a good value play for the Belmont.
This will be the 143rd running of the Belmont Stakes.  According to ESPN and the Daily Racing Form, this year marks only the 22nd time that the Derby and Preakness winner will face each other in the third jewel of the Triple Crown.  The Preakness winner has won the Belmont 9 of those times, the Derby winner six times and a different colt has won six times, too.  That gives a slight edge to Shackelford if that means anything to you.  Only five of those races have seen the Derby and Preakness winners finish Win-Place in the Belmont (making a Shackelford-Animal Kingdom exacta box unlikely, again, if that history means anything to you).

  1. My pick is still Animal Kingdom.  I don’t like the odds and will have an investment in my long-shot pick and others, but I still think AK is the best horse.  He is bred to run the distance (1 ½ miles) and then some.  He had a sharp, bullet workout last week at Belmont so he seems to remain in good form.  Finally, jockey John Velazquez is a tremendous rider, especially at Belmont.  He has won seven riding titles at Belmont Park and won the Belmont Stakes in 2007 aboard Rags to Riches.  If he places AK about mid-pack (as he did Rags to Riches) instead of well back (as AK was in the Preakness) then Animal Kingdom will have no excuse for not winning the 2011 Belmont Stakes.
  2. What about Shakleford?  I just don’t think he’s got the bloodlines to get the distance.  If he gets an easy lead and the main contenders don’t keep him in shouting distance, then he just may steal the race.  I don’t see how any of these jockeys can let that happen.  Ruler on Ice (adding blinkers) or Prime Cut may put some early pace pressure on Shackleford, as well, which does not help his chances.
  3. I have read a lot of people talking about Master of Hounds. This horse has run in Ireland, Great Britain, the United Arab Emerates and Churchill Downs (once in the Derby and once last fall in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf).  To me, if you are going to like Master of Hounds at 10-1, then why not like my long shot pick, Santiva, at 15-1.  He had a very similar race as MofH in the Derby (both with 95 Beyer Speed Figures and both finished 5 1/2 lengths back), he has an identical race record (1 win, 3 places and 1 show).  Both also have the same, very attractive Daily Racing Form distance rating indicating both are capable of making the 1 1/2 mile race. The advantage to Santiva is that he hasn't made two trans-Atlantic flights in the last five weeks.  At 15-1, Santiva seems like a good value play for the Belmont.

A trio of thoughts on the sporting world
  1. The Tall One finished his high school baseball season recently.  I'm very proud of how he did.  He batted .480 on the year and only had one error.  In the district finals he was 3 for 4, with two runs scored (including the game winner in the bottom of the last inning).  He also came in to pitch in the last inning and held their opponent scoreless to get the win.
  2. Is there any bigger villain in the NBA right now than LeBron James?  The Dallas Maverick fan base has grown to a size that rivals Mark Cuban's ego.  It would be nice to see Dirk get the championship and at least delay the inevitable ring(s) that will come to James and the Heat.  By the way, I heard that Chris Bosh was going to be the inspiration for a new breed of alien in Avatar 2.
  3. The Preakness didn't go as well for me as the Derby.  I'll have Belmont Stakes picks coming up later in the week.

The Preakness and Some Sport News for the Short One (May 19, 2011)
  1. The Preakness: Well, I gave you two-thirds of the trifecta at the Derby, including the winner, Animal Kingdom.  Picks for the Preakness, you may ask? Well....while there won't be much value there, you can't toss Animal Kingdom.  He was much the best on the First Saturday in May and has not been overworked during his 3 year old campaign.  I still like Mucho Macho Man, who will likely be closer to the lead than in the Derby and will improve his chances to see the winner's circle.  Finally, I think Midinight Interlude is worth another look.  He had a poor ride from his jockey in the Derby and trainer Bob Baffert has put his rider of choice, Martin Garcia, on the mount.  If you are looking for a potential, non-Derby horse longshot, consider Sway Away.  He has been consistent runner and has a Preakness winner as his sire (Afleet Alex) and dam-sire (Seattle Slew).
  2. The Short One placed third in a tennis tournament over the weekend.  In each of his wins, he won pretty easily.  His only loss was to the #1 12-year old in the state.  The Short One took more games against the #1 in that match than any of his other tournament opponents combined.
  3. I am a coach on The Short One's middle school baseball team.  We made the Final Four in the county tournament.  The team had a lot of heart and won several games in come-from-behind fashion during the year.  I'm very proud of them (especially my own boy) on a great season.

The Kentucky Derby (May 6, 2011)
I'll give you three picks for this year's Derby.  Remember, these picks may be worth only what you paid for them.
  1. Dialed In: I usually try to avoid the favorite, but I was on this colt before he was annoited the favorite.  He has enough stamina in his bloodlines to get the distance, his running style fits a typical Derby winner and he is getting the hottest jockey at Churchill Downs (Julien Leparoux).
  2. Mucho Macho Man: This colt is extremely consistent in a field full of inconsistent runners.  If the early pace is not quite as fast as most years (which is very possible) Mucho Macho Man will be in a good stalking position to get first crack at the front-runners and hold off the deep closers.
  3. Animal Kingdom: This is my long-shot play (at least as of this moment).  While he has never run on traditional dirt, he has never finished lower than 2nd place.  Also, while many colts will be out of gas down the stretch, this one will be flying by them.  He is built to run forever.
My original pick was Archarcharch, but when he drew the #1 post position, I had to back off of him.  In the last 20 years a horse in the 1st gate has not even hit the board at the Derby.

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