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A Memorable Memorial The Memorial Day weekend rocked. The sports world was loaded with the great stories and fantastic endings. While the holiday weekend is known for its great collection of automobile races from around the world, my favorite event took place on the PGA Tour. My buddy, Boo Weekley, took care of business in the final round and once again is the proud owner of one of those plaid blazers.....he's won a couple at Harbor Town, but now he adds a new one to his collection, compliments of winning on the same soil as Ben Hogan. I simply loved watching my favorite golfer on the PGA Tour hit it on the money and close out the tourney. For the last couple of years, Boo has really battled the injury bug, and anybody that has played golf knows that when you have aches and pains....swinging the golf club is no bargain. For the first time in years, Boo is getting healthy and he's flag hunting again. He'd be the first to tell you that his putter can get balky from time-to-time...but my man was awesome on Sunday. I know he's ready to get home, see the family and do some fishing and hunting down there in beautiful Milton, Florida.....but I could not be prouder of watching him win again on the PGA Tour. For folks that enjoyed the Tiger-Sergio spat....good for you.....give me Boo and a hot putter every week. Congrats, Boo! Charlotte Motor Speedway had a rather solemn two weeks of racing. The All-Star race was a snoozefest and the 600 just didn't want to end.....of course, it doesn't help when FOX Sports watches its multi-purpose camera and sophisticated pulley system fall to the track as cars go smashing into at 195 mph. Start...stop. Start...stop. Geez...it was a tough race to watch. I was also shocked at the small crowds for the events this year, too. I know ticket sales are down in NASCAR.....but the track continues to take out seats either physically, or they drape humongous sponsor logos or American flags over thousands of seats. The old race track didn't show well on FOX because it looked like a ghost town. Bruton Smith has been barking recently that he might lift one of his Charlotte dates for Vegas....I wonder if the threat went on deaf ears? Given the small crowds, Bruton might not have a choice. I think NASCAR has made a terrible marketing decision by continually shoving Dale, Jr. and Danica Patrick down our throats. In this day and age....you gotta win races and championships. The sport avoids Jimmie Johnson, and all he does is kick ass. The sport wants to highlight Danica every week, and all she does is get lapped....wrecks....and then blames somebody else for sucking. I almost fell off my couch this past week when Darrell Waltrip proclaimed on FOX that "Danica had been running real good until she wrecked". Good God.....somebody shoot me. Enough with the Danica-worship, she can't compete in this sport.....it's that simple. It would be great if Dale, Jr. could win more than once every five years, too. NASCAR seems flat and without purpose. It's not sure what it wants to be....and right now, I find their sport rudderless. And if DW is still going to pretend that the Go Daddy car is in the hunt, despite being three laps down....well, you get the picture. I watched the INDY 500, too.....the race was spectacular. I loved everything about it....except for one thing.....the ending. Don't get me wrong; watching Tony Kanaan win was a great story....a feel-good moment, if there's ever been one. But how can you have all these great passes on nearly every lap at 225 mph....and then the race ends under caution? NASCAR has its problems, but at least they've figured out that the race has to end at full-speed....the boys running the open wheel league need to take a page out of the NASCAR rulebook and incorporate it. The "Road to Omaha" gets underway this week....and the pressure is on the ACC. In my opinion, the most amazing streak of futility belongs to the league in baseball. The last time an ACC team won the College World Series was back in 1955. I'm not sure there is another conference that has produced as many quality baseball teams during that period as the ACC....but yet when they show up in Omaha, it is a disappointing ending. UNC is the nation's #1 overall seed...Virginia and Florida State are also national seeds. No other conference has 3 national seeds....no other conference has 5 teams hosting regional play this week, either. But can one of these teams finally snap the Omaha Blues? I can't wait to find out....last year was my first trip to Omaha, as I broadcasted my SiriusXM show from the festivities. I loved it....the baseball was terrific, and so were the fans and good people of Omaha. Baseball....good times and awesome steaks. Sounds like a no-brainer. I can't wait to go back in a few weeks....and we'll see if the ACC will once again try to bring home the elusive NCAA Baseball championship. |
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