Sports Beat

SPORTS BEAT

By Rich Briggs
The Weekly Recorder
April 18, 2008

*As of this writing, the Pittsburgh Penguins have put the Ottawa Senators on the brink of elimination, winning Monday night 4 – 1 and taking a 3 – 0 lead in the series. It is very likely the Penguins may have closed out the series by the time this column went to deadline and production. The way they have been playing, it appears they may be almost unstoppable. Unlike last year, when the Pens went to the playoffs for the first time since 2001, this team is much more prepared for the playoff run, and perhaps more mentally than just physically. It takes a certain mentality to play playoff hockey. It requires a grind of playing nearly every other day, four straight series, including the Stanley Cup Finals, and winning 16 games to do it.

This team is starting to click, with most everyone back from injuries. The chemistry is starting to take shape where players are beginning to know where their teammates are going to be and what they are going to do. Also, this is a very tight team. Teammates are standing up for one another. Chemistry in the locker room is just as important as the play on the ice. It starts with captain Sidney Crosby and continues throughout the team. When teammates genuinely like each other and enjoy being around each other, it shows, on and off the ice.

As of Monday evening, the Pittsburgh Pirates won a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on the west coast, coming from behind to do it. That win put them above .500 with a record of 7 – 6. While this is not cause for running out and buying playoff tickets, at least it appears the franchise is starting to make inroads. However, with the Penguins playing the way they are during the playoffs, this is the perfect opportunity for the Pirates to continue playing good, sound, fundamental baseball and continue their competitive, if not winning, ways. The Penguins, right now, are the best thing for the Pirates. Give them time to get back on track and field a competitive team, something we can all be proud of. If the Penguins continue playing well into May, and even June, then the Pirates can fly under the radar and be in position to be a solid ball club when the Pens are done playing, and hopefully with a Stanley Cup championship.

*Anyone who plays golf knows what a humbling game it can be. If you want to be good at it, you have to play a lot. However, it also costs some money to play the game and it is not cheap. Between greens fees and a cart, it can get expensive. Yet, the game draws so many to the golf course because it can still be a lot of fun to play.

I bring this up because the Masters, the first golf major of the year, was staged last weekend at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia. What separates this tournament every year from some others, including the other majors, is that it is staged at one location. It is not rotated like the other majors. Also, if one hopes to complete the calendar Grand Slam (all four majors won in a calendar year), the participant must win the first major, and only that player is eligible to win the Grand Slam.

Golfers and even non – golfers, know about Tiger Woods, the greatest golfer of his generation and, arguably, the greatest of all time. Before the Masters started, a member of the media asked him about completing the Grand Slam (the Masters, the U.S. Open, the British Open, and the PGA Championship) and he said he felt good about his chances. He made it sound like he expected to win and perhaps he was taken to task for his statement.

When you are the best golfer in the world and looking to stake your claim as the greatest golfer ever, you can make those statements. When Tiger is on top of his game, no one can touch him. There is some talk that he is as intimidating a figure as anyone in the game, which is saying something since golf is not going to be confused with football. But the way he plays the game, his mental toughness gives him his edge. That is why he has been so dominating and why he has won 13 major championships.

Last weekend, Tiger was going for his fifth green jacket and his 14th major championship. Unfortunately, he fell short because, as he described it, his putter was not doing what he needed it to do to finish his putts. Many of his putts lipped out or missed their target altogether. That is very unlike Tiger, but it is also the game of golf. It can humble any man, any mere mortal. One time you drive the ball nearly perfectly, the next shot is so far off target that it brings you back to earth. I know because this has happened to me many times. To play this game well requires a lot of consistency, and you only get that playing on a regular basis.

Some may have criticized Tiger for his comments that a Grand Slam was in reach. Some may have called it arrogance while others may have called it confidence. If someone is as good as Tiger is, I would have to call it confidence. There are many who believe Tiger is the only golfer on tour who can complete the calendar Grand Slam. He is known for the Tiger Slam (he won all four tournaments in a row from 2000 – 01) and is the only golfer to have held all four titles at the same time. That is a very difficult task to complete.

Tiger managed to finish second last weekend, which he has done several times already. South African Trevor Immelman won the Masters, despite the fact every golfer had a bad day on Sunday. No one finished their last round under par. Tiger must now set his sights on the U.S. Open in June at Torrey Pines for his 14th major title. He is closing in on Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 majors and everyone associated with sports is watching his pursuit closely.

However anyone found Tiger’s comments to be regarding his chances of the calendar Grand Slam, one cannot discount his confidence and his ability to do it. While he may not achieve this goal during career, he is not going to quit trying. That is what makes his pursuit so intriguing. His abilities are rare, second to none, and he makes a very difficult game look very easy. As the saying goes, bragging isn’t bragging if you can back it up, and Tiger very nearly did. Here is hoping his quest at the U.S. Open bears better fruit.

*Next weekend, the Pittsburgh Steelers will be on the clock during the 2008 NFL Draft with the 23rd pick in the first round. Many pundits have had their say, and will continue, about who they feel the Steelers will select with their first pick. Most feel the Steelers will go for the offensive line in the first round. Not so fast. That first round pick is almost used on the best player available and I feel that will not change. While help is needed on both of the interior lines, I honestly feel the Steelers may shift gears with that pick and go outside the box.

There is always a chance they may go with a wide receiver, a cornerback, or even a running back, although I feel that is doubtful. The Steelers only have six picks in the seven rounds and I would not be the least bit surprised if they traded out of the first round to get additional picks. Now that Ben Roethlisberger is signed, sealed, and delivered, the Steelers need to protect their investment. That means a plethora of picks in the later rounds so that they can build their depth along both lines. I do not see them trading up to go after someone earlier because that could mean giving up precious picks in this draft, or future drafts.

However, we will delve a little deeper into this year’s draft with next week’s column. This may be the first year in a long time that some people may not find that much interest in the draft with the Penguins playing so late into the season. Of course, that could be a stretch since there are so many football fans in this region, but the Penguins have captured this area’s fancy and could relegate the draft to the back burned. Never the less, we will take a look at the NFL Draft next week and which direction the Steelers may go.