Lefty taking swing at Padres?
Bid would use a lot of his green
Game On! blogger Reid Cherner has no interest in owning his own team.
Phil Mickelson
The golfer’s proclamation that he wants to buy the San Diego Padres is great news for that city. Everybody can use another lefty. Especially one who could be the city’s Magic Johnson.
The most surprising thing about Mickelson’s pursuit? We might actually see an athlete reach into his own pocket and not pick someone else’s. Not content to be just a name on the letterhead, the four-time major winner says he’ll be using “a lot of my money” in his bid that includes a large group.
Here’s hoping the Padres play baseball like Mickelson plays golf. In sports, we don’t always reward the riverboat gamblers. But we certainly get entertained.
Whether he’s winning three green jackets or throwing one away with a triple bogey, Mickelson is a golfer we can’t take our eyes off. Give me nine innings of that, perfect weather plus a frosty one, and you couldn’t tear me away from Petco Park.
Tim Duncan
Note to self: Leave Duncan at home for my next contract negotiation. The San Antonio Spurs big man is a first-ballot lock as a Hall of Famer, but he’ll win no AFL-CIO Awards.
With his contract up in July, this was the time when Duncan should have been making a lot of noise about not being sure of his plans. Instead he says, “I’m here, and I’m a Spur for life.” That isn’t the type of announcement that gets you an ESPN hour-long special.
Duncan must think averaging a career doubledouble makes you unique. But if he were a true superstar, he’d be demanding more touches, denying rumors he’s leaving or rejecting the notion he got his coach fired.
Maybe a fifth ring will allow him to get his priorities straight.
PGA Tour
Tiger Woods tells us he’s on the cusp of greatness again. Rory McIlroy proves to us that he isn’t by missing the cut last week while throwing a club. And the Northern Irishman is made the 10-1 favorite for the U.S. Open on June 14. In Rory we trust. In Tiger we hope. All of that could change this week if we get deeds and not words by Woods. If he wins the Memorial, he’ll have two-thirds of the “Living Legends” Slam. He already won the Arnold Palmer Invitational, and now it is Jack Nicklaus’ show starting Thursday.
The third leg should be a shoo-in since it is the AT&T National. That would be some home cooking, since the 14-time major winner is the host.
NBA playoffs
If Boston Celtics fans are looking for that last ray of sunshine, it is this: The bottom has been reached. There is no way Boston can play as poorly as it did in Game 1 against the Miami Heat. The team had five technical fouls, two of its superstars were 6-for-25 and the Celtics scored 33 second-half points.
Doc Rivers is a AAA-certified mechanic. Once he gets under the hood, the Celtics’ engine will have a different sound today. The performance should be more NASCAR level and less demolition derby.