Tiger?

In a press conference at the NEC Invitational being held up in Akron at Firestone, Tiger Woods revealed he left Baltusrol Sunday night and had flown back to Orlando, despite still having a chance to win the PGA Championship in a playoff. This revelation was even more shocking than TO returning to the Eagles today. Tiger Woods, the greatest competitior of our time, giving up when there was still a chance he could win? Honestly, I think this ranks with Randy Moss walking off the field during the remaining seconds of the Vikings/Redskins game last year. In both cases, the odds were against the Vikings and Tiger winning, but they still existed, and the odds were reasonable they could still have both won.

Tiger was not officially out of the golf tournament until around 10:40am Monday when Steve Elkington finished at -3. Just 10 minutes earlier when it appeared Elkington had hooked his drive on 18 into the trees and Phil Mickelson had just bogeyed 17 to fall to -3, leaving Tiger just one shot behind. I can't believe Tiger would take the risk of not being able to win a major championship. A head scratcher.

What else can we talk about:

• The current book I'm reading details the history of the Stock Market from 1982-1999, chronicling the origins of the Bull Market of the 90s and the Bubble that followed. The author makes a compelling argument (and one I agree with) that the corporate accounting crises were caused by executives' compensation packages, which were primarily made up of stock options. For example, if a company's stock price hit a certain level, the executive would be entitled to buying a pre-specified number of the company's shares at a low price without having to physically pay for the stock shares. Basically, free money. During President Clinton's first term, there was discussion in Congress as to whether these stock options should be classified as expenses on the company's balance sheet. Congress passed the Safe Harbor Act of 1995, which protected companies from shareholder lawsuits that were based on incorrect earnings forecasts. President Clinton vetoed the bill, saying, "I would ask the American people to remember there have been a lot of examples in the last 15 years of people who have been ripped off to a fare-thee-well, who didn't get all their money back but at least got some of their money back because they could go to court." Congress overrided the President, clearing the way for the unethical corporate accounting that took place in the 90s. I have to give President Clinton his due for recognizing this potential danger. If only the Republican-led Congress saw it as well.
• Next on my reading list (now that I have time to read) is Moneyball, the story of Billy Bean and the low-revenue Oakland A's. After I get through that, I think I'll be only 10 books behind.
• Speaking of unwise Republicans, Gov. Bob Taft was charged with 4 misdemeanors for not reporting as many as 60 golf outings. In May, Gov. Taft said, "If there are unethical practices, there will be consequences." Let's see if he applies this rule to himself, especially since he played golf with the man who was responsible for investing state money in rare coins. Is there anything else he can do wrong??? I think it's time for him to go.
• And continuing on the legal front, UConn's starting backcourt for this year most likely, AJ Price and Marcus Williams, have been charged with stealing 4 laptop computers. Coach Jim Calhoun has suspended them indefinitely while the case goes through the courts. The computers reportedly belonged to incoming freshmen women's basketball players. Just last year, Price was battling a brain hemorrhage. How do you go from that to stealing???? With this, and guard Antonio Kellogg getting kicked off the team for marijuana and assaulting a police officer, looks like Coach Calhoun maybe calling me to play guard for his team because he has no one else.
• The Bengals signed David Pollack leaving, you guessed it, Da Bears' Cedric Benson as the only 1st round pick not signed. What a great week for Da Bears. First, Rex Grossman, and now no Cedric. Could be a long year....
• The US is 1 win away from qualifying for the 2006 World Cup after defeating Trinidad & Tobago 1-0. I can't get into Major League Soccer or Champions League or anything like that, but I can get into World Cup soccer. Yes, I did get up to watch US Soccer in the 02 World Cup when they would play at 2:30am in South Korea. Go USA!!!!!!!

Tomorrow is my big interview in Cincy, so watch out Cincinnati, I'm coming for ya!!!

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