w Page 5164 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Becky Hammon Not Going To Be The Most Popular Gal At The V.F.W
Becky Hammon's decision to play for the Russian national team in the 2008 Olympics has stirred up all sorts of Cold War emotions in Americans, yet once U.S. coach Anne Donovan calls you a "traitor" for your decision, well, it's a Rocky IV mindset all over again....

Maximizing Your Collegiate Experience
It might be hard to remember, but the University of Arizona was once home to a highly respected college basketball program. The 2002-2003 season in particular featured a tremendous team, including players like Andre "Iggy" Iguodala, Channing "Ham Sandwich" Frye, Will "Thrill" Bynum, Luke "Lookout" W...

The Most Disappointing Tiger Woods Victory In History
The seventh hole of Torrey Pines decided the fate of Rocco Mediate. Rocco said before the hole, "They wanted a show, they got a show." Indeed. It seemed before today's round, most of the experts were giving Rocco about as much a shot at beating Tiger as Matt Lauer. He proved everybody wrong....

Naked People Are Stridently Anti-Willie Randolph
We don't deal with a lot of public relations people around here, which is one of the many pleasures of writing on the Internets. (For now.) But for some reason, we are on the mailing list for Rick's Cabaret in New York City — we don't know why! Swear! — and we received the following email today: "RI...

After 18 Holes, It's Now Sudden Death At The U.S. Open
"You are watching one of the greatest U.S. Open championships in history..."...

Barbados World Cup Dreams Go Down Hard
Well, that went about as expected, considering that Sussman is their starting goalie. Barbados lost to the U.S. 8-0 on Sunday in a World Cup qualifier, as you can see in the above video highlights, which are nearly as long as the match itself. Watch closely, because I'm pretty sure we scored two goa...

You Are Missing Some Serious, Serious Golf Drama
Rocco Mediate somehow managed to overcome a seemingly impossible three-stroke deficit on Tiger. Then it was two. Then it was one. Then... it was tied....

Rocco Cuts Into Lead, Still Nobody Seems To Think He Has Any Shot
As they approached the 12th hole at Torrey Pines, Johnny Miller and Dan Hicks appeared down on Rocco's chances. He'd lost a shot on ten, gained it back on 11, but, still, seems completely out of this thing down by two shots with six to go against Tiger....

Tiger Up By Two, Rocco Swats At Imaginary Vultures Circling Him
Broadcast switch. ESPN retires its coverage for the day and turns it over to Bob Costas at NBC who sounds very, very serious, saying that "Rocco Mediate's Cinderella story is in jeopardy." He's speaking in hushed tones, like he's in a confessional or explaining death to a small child. He has not cal...

Woods Takes One Stroke Lead, Rocco Still Smiling Like A Man Playing With House Money
The focus on Rocco right now is his closeness to the common man. After every shot, Johnny Miller is quick to point out Rocco's likability: shlubby, balding, great attitude, "looks like the guy who cleans the swimming pool", etc. It seems genuine, but you get the sense that they're waiting for Tiger...

Media Approval Ratings: Bill Walton
It is easy to forget sometimes that Bill Walton used to stutter. Remembering that little factoid makes his signature BOLD PROCLAMATIONS a little easier to handle; he wouldn't be Bill Walton if he didn't sound uncertain....

After Three Holes ... Rocco Up By One Stroke
Former fat guy and poker aficionado Rocco Mediate almost had a hole in one on the third hole par 3. He ended up with a birdie and is even through three. Tiger bogey'd the hole after shot out of the bunker went 15 feet past the pin....

Some Monday Afternoon Championship Golf For You
The US Open playoff — and how cool is it that they make the two people who tie play another 18 holes the next day? — tees off in about 20 minutes. As Jason Sobel put it, it's Tiger's knee vs. Tiger's brain. Or, as we put it, it's Tiger's knee against Rocco Mediate's male pattern baldness. Don't worr...

Today We Honor All Middle-Aged Slightly Tubby Guys ... And Tiger Of Course
You know, you have to feel for Rocco Mediate. The guy staves off Tiger Woods all day, the best player in the world on his tail, a 46-year-old man playing the tournament of his life, and his reward is to go 18 more holes tomorrow against the guy. The goal should be survival at this point....

To Watch Tonight
What to watch while shopping for cheap airfare to Bulgaria, Copenhagen and Stockholm... • In Progress — Coverage of Tiger Woods winning the U.S. Open [NBC] • 5 p.m. — Soccer: Barbados at U.S.A. Fear the ragin' Bajans. [ESPN2] • 7 p.m. — College World Series: LSU vs. North Carolina. Where can you see...

Celtics Fans Are No Longer Hitler Sympathizers
The first line of Jemele HIll's ESPN.com article showed promise: "I thought it wouldn't bother me. I thought I would be OK. Turns out, I was as wrong as Skip Bayless." But somewhere down the line, she lost her way. A reader tipped us off that in Hill's anti-Celtics screed, she used a line that liken...

Brandon Marshall Isn't Ready To Wipe With His Right Hand Yet
You might recall when Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall said back in March that he hurt his arm slipping on a McDonald's bag. That turned out to be a fib; he was just roughhousing with some family members and accidentally put his hand through a TV screen. But now it's June and he looks a...

In Case You Forgot Why Tiger Woods Got To Marry A Swedish Model
Like many humans and corporate executives before him, Tiger Woods began his round of golf on Saturday with a double bogey. But unlike everyone else, he finished the back nine with two eagles and a birdie. Only Dick Cheney sets himself up in a better position to shoot more types of bird on a weekend...

About Last Night...
What you missed while shopping for the ten best fictional dads for Fathers Day... • U.S. Open: Tiger Uppercut! The one-and-a-half-kneed wonder leads Lee Westwood by one shot. But will we see the Hundred Hand Slap prevail in the final round? • NCAA Baseball: Stanford scores 11 runs in the 9th to beat...