Michael Campbell wins the US Open

Last weekend, the golf championships of championships took place. The 105th US Open, my favorite Father's Day Tradition in which 150 plus of the world's greatest golfers are tested both mentally and physically at one of the most difficult courses in the world. This year, the victory goes to Michael Campbell, a native of New Zealand, who won his first major after coming oh so close 10 years ago in the British Open.

Not only did Campbell win, he did so in such admirable fashion at the historic Pinehurst No. 2 as we all remembered the late and great Payne Stewart, winner of the last US Open at Pinehurst back in 1999 who tragically died 4 weeks later in a plane crash. Now, pausing from the golf for a minute, I have to say this about Mr. Stewart. He is one of the most admirable sports figures I have seen. He lived for tradition right down to his traditional knickers pants, knee high socks, and old style golf cap. He played with grit and determination, battling back after losing a heartbreaker the year before to Lee Janzen. And more importantly, he is known most for being a great father. After edging Phil Mickelson by 1 shot to win in 1999, he told Mickelson who was wearing a beeper awaiting the call from his 9 month pregnant wife who could have gone into labor any minute that he (Payne) may have won the Open but Phil is getting something much greater, fatherhood.

And so when Michael Campbell gritted away to shoot 1 under par to finish Even for the championship and beat perrennial champion Tiger Woods by 2 while others around him faded, we could all see what it takes to win the US Open.

But, more importantly, we could remember how much more a great father (and mother) can be than any sports star will ever be. Payne Stewart just happenned to nail both.

To all a good night.

Back Home in Omaha: The College World Series

The College World Series, set to get things underway Friday, will of course be as great as usual.

Who will make it to the title game and who will win it all?

Bracket 1 (Saturday and Monday)

Game 1: Oregon State (8) vs. Tulane (# 1 in the nation). Oregon State has a great game 1 pitcher but Tulane is the complete team in pitching, hitting, and defense after getting by the dangerous Rice Owls. With Oregon State, there is serious doubts concerning defending the field and pitching depth at the Championship level after the error proned and high scoringUSC series. I take Tulane 5 to 2 to advance to the Winners Bracket.

Game 2: Baylor (4) vs. Texas (unseeded). This will be a big 12 showdown and could be a dandy. Texas has one of the best pitching staffs in the country and Baylor isn't shabby either. Texas is also ranked in the Top 8 in both major polls so they are a force to be wreckon with. I take Texas 4 to 3 to advance to the Winners Bracket.

Game 3: Loser Eliminated. Oregon State vs. Baylor. Baylor has the pitching depth and more reliable defense. Baylor 9 to 3. Baylor stays alive. Oregon state goes home.

Game 4: The Driver Seat Game. Texas vs. Tulane. The winner has to be beat twice. the loser has to come back and win the next 3 games to survive to the title series. Both teams have pitching depth so coming back isn't out of the question. Texas did it against Arkansas already in the regionals and came back on Ole Miss. What will happen here. I say Tulane in a great one 3 to 2. Tulane takes the wheel.

Game 5: Texas vs. Baylor. Revenge for one, the drive for a rematch for the other. Another dandy Big 12 matchup that could go either way. Baylor's had it all season but Texas has the legendary Augie Garrido. Texas gets help from their coach to win 7 to 4. Baylor Elininated.

Game 6: Texas vs. Tulane. Tulane wins and they advance to the championship series. Lose and Texas survives to play again. I have Texas and their pitching depth and timely hitting taking them past Tulane 6 to 5.

Game 7: Tulane vs. Texas. Winner plays for the Title. Tulane strikes back winning 11 to 5. Tulane advances to face bracket 2 winner in a best of three.

Bracket 2 (Friday and Sunday)

Game 1: Florida (7) vs. Tennessee (unseeded). Florida equals SEC regular season champs. UT just a game back and ranked around 10 to 12 in the country. UT also boasts one of the best pitchers in the country, if not the best. Florida boasts explosive hitting and good pitching. UT wins on the heels of their star pitcher and some late inning heroics 3 to 2.

Game 2: Nebraska (3) vs. Arizona State (unseeded). Arizona State was the only regional 2 seed to make it out of the Super Regionals surpassing national 6 seed Cal-St-Fullerton in 3 games on the road. This could be a dandy or a dud. I'm guessing Dandy as Arizona State is playing as the notable underdog in a friendly Nebraska environment. If Nebraska gets rolling though, they could be deadly. I say Nebraska in a close one 4 to 3 but it could be 11 to 2.

Game 3: Loser Eliminated. Arizona State vs. Florida. Another dandy with two pretty good coaches that could get even better, especially at Arizona State. However, Florida has the power and the strength to get by Arizona State who is a year or two away from being a major force. Florida 6 to 3.

Game 4: UT vs. Nebraska. I'll be pulling for UT but the Big Red will be rolling and the SEC has trouble with Nebraska in Big Games. I take Nebraska in front of a partisan Omaha crowd with lots of Orange to 3 to 2.

Game 5: Florida vs. UT. Pitching depth and Florida has more. Florida 8 to 6. UT Eliminated

Game 6: Florida vs. Nebraska. I 'm thinkin Nebraska in one but its baseball. Who knows. Nebraska 7 to 6. Nebraska advances to face Tulane (Bracket 1 winner) in a best of 3 for all the marbles.

Tulane vs. Nebraska. I'll reserve picking til later. I coul be wrong you know. These two teams may never meet.

Let the games begin back HOOOOOMMmEE in OOOOMAAAAHAAAAA.

PS: Harold Reynolds is a great commentator for the college world series on ESPN.

College Baseball Update: On their way to Omaha

Who is on their way back home to Omaha? The seeding is below:

Bracket 1 (double elimination)

1) Tulane (beats Rice 9 to 6 in game 3 to advance)
8) Oregon State (beat USC in a 4 hour ballgame monday to win in 3)

4) Baylor (beat Clemson in Game 3 to advance)
5) Texas (bear 5th seed Ole Miss 6 to 4 monday to win in 3)

Bracket 2 (double elimination)

2) Tennessee (swept 2nd seed Georgia Tech)
7) Florida (swept Florida)

3) Nebraska (swept Miami who happen to eliminate State in the regionals)
6) Arizona State (beat 6th seed Cal-State-Fullerton in Game 3)

Bracket 1 Winner vs. Bracket 2 Winner in a Best of 3 Series

As great as the Super Regionals have been, I can't wait for Omaha and the Final 8 in the College World Series.

PS: Pro Baseball sucks. College Baseball is where it is at all year round. Who needs steroids and championships for hire when you can have tradition, tailgating, rivalry, ravenous fans, and young men who play b/c they love the game.

College Baseball Update: Arizona State gets the Shaft

While finishing the second part of "The Trial of Choice" (posted below), I was watching the end of the Arizona State vs. Cal-State Fullerton baseball game at Goodwin Field, home of the CSFU Titans.

With Arizona State leading 2 to 1 going into bottom of the ninth, the Titans of Cal-State showed why collegiate baseball is so great. After doubling to start the inning, the next batter walked leaving runners on first and second with nobody out down 2 to 1. Well, for some reason, the picture threw over to first to hold the runner back (not smart considering he couldn't really advance since a runner was already on second). Well, the pitcher misfires and throws the ball just behind the runner where the first baseman couldn't reach it. The ball escapes into right field scoring the runner on second to tie the ball game at two and send the guy on first around to third with still nobody out.

Well, Arizona State is left with little option but to intentionally walk the next two batters and load the bases with it 2 to 2 in the bottom of the ninth to have a force at every base with no one out. Well, on the fourth ball to the second batter, I saw something I have never seen before. Thats right. The pitcher balked on ball 4 for no apparent reason scoring the winning run when he was just tryin to load the bases.

Well, I say he balked b/c that is what the third base umpire called. Of course, the call was probably the worst call made all season b/c I nor any of the announcers believed that was anywhere near a balk. That, and there was no reason to call a balk in that situation anyway. A perfectly great baseball game and a great attempt at a come from behind win by the CSFU Titans in the bottom of the ninth was ruined by a phantom balk call.



In other news, Florida trounced FSU 8 to 1 and Nebraska beat Miami (who elim. the Dawgs) 3 to 1.

Also, Tennessee hit a 2 run home run in the top of the ninth to come from behind to beat GA Tech 3 to 2.

Ain't College Baseball Great.

PS., the other 4 best of 3 series start tomorrow including Ole Miss hosting Texas at 6.

Games start at 12, 3 , 6, and 9 on ESPN or ESPN 2. Florida is at 6 and UT at 12.

The Trial of Choice: Loyalty or Democracy Part 2

God versus Satan. Loyalty versus Democracy.

Opening Statements follow in the Trial of Choice where Satan (Lucifer) is on trial for the crime of Treason against the Creator, Humanity, and the world in they live.

The Prosecution (God’s defense).

Who is Satan? The defense will claim he is a Proud defender of liberty and democracy, the leader of the common man? I say to you “NO!” He is A savage, vengeful and deceitful leach who rebelled against the Creator in an effort to destroy the Paradise in which God created while murdering morality in Cold Blood.

Now, lets look at the fall of Adam and Eve from the Paradise sat down for man by the Creator in the Garden of Eden, a fall that was manipulated into happenning by the ill conceived deceit of Satan in an attempt to extract revenge against God after being banished to Hell in a failed revolt against his and our Creator. You see, after Satan was rightfully defeated for leading a savage and deadly revolt against the Creator, a revolt based on greed, power, and jealousy, Satan and the other fallen angels who followed him in the revolt decided to fight on. As a a major foundation for their planned assualt against God, they planned to attack the basis of right and wrong, of sacred morality itself. From their new kingdom in Hell, led from the palace Pandemonium, Satan and his following archangels began to devise a plan to spread a plague of sin across God’s dearest creation Human Life and Adam and Eve. Satan, using his vile offspring Sin and Death, thieves a ride out of Hell and up to the new world. Using deception and treachery, Satan manipulates Uriel, the guardian of the new world, to show him to the Garden of Eden, the beautiful home of the newly created Adam and Eve. Satan then, as a slithering snake does, preyed on the innocence of Eve and persuades her to eat the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Satan does this because he knows Eve will then go to Adam to tell him she ate from the forbidden tree. Preying on the fears that Adam will then be alone, Adam succumbs to the treachery and eats the fruit so that he will stay with Eden when they are both cast out of the Gates of Eden. Satan has corrupted and destroyed God’s creation with lies and deceit. He has violated the law of order. Would a honorable leader, a leader with the cause of liberty on his shoulders stoop to such acts as Satan has? No. They would fight with their heart, not the envy of their eyes, the greed of a million men.

The Defense of Liberty [Satan’s (Lucifer) Defense]

The Prosecution would leave you to believe Lucifer is cold and selfish and driven only by greed. And they are right! But it is not the greed for power, the greed for his betterment over another. What Lucifer is driven by is the “greed” to live and breathe where all angels and men and spirits are equal. Where they have a right to be who they want to be. You see, God is rightfully the creator and that we do not dispute. However, no one has the right to create slaves of war and oppression, submissive to the mind of one. God had become abusive and a tyrant to those in which he created. Left with the life of crushed hearts and broken backs, Lucifer and the other third of the angels had no choice but to revolt in the name of Liberty and Democracy, of Equality.

Just look at what happen when Satan/Lucifer revolted. God shows him no respect, instead only toying with his opposition in a time of war. God does not even send in the necessary amount of forces to stop Lucifer’s needed rebellion, much less finish it. God played with the emotions of Satan, the other rebel angels, and even the subjects of his with whom he had no qualms with. It was said that Satan tricked Adam and Eve, but it is also said in Book III of Paradise Lost that God saw Satan flying toward the Garden of Eden to corrupt Adam and Eve. God knew of Satan’s plan and did nothing to stop it when he could have easily done so. Is that not Surprising? God, who is far stronger than Satan and certainly capable of stopping him, lets Satan tarnish the minds of Adam and Eve, causing their downfall and the end of paradise on Earth.

That is the end of Opening Statements.

Stay tuned as those involved take the stand to testify.

The Trial of Choice: Loyalty or Democracy Part 1

God versus Satan. Loyalty versus Democracy. The two major concepts in this multipart series I have written. Some may like it. Some may find it offensive. So what. I like it and that it what counts. So here we begin.

This is sort of a spin off of John Milton's Paradise Lost.

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What do people think of Democracy? What do people think of Religion? How important is Loyalty? John Milton seemingly asked these questions in Paradise Lost when he tried to explain to readers his thoughts on the book of Genesis. When asking these questions, though, Milton went against preconceived notions and seemingly turned Satan, an entity who strikes fear into any Christian's soul, into a character similar to George Washington. On the other hand, God, the honorable pure creator, was turned into the perfect example of cruelty and never before equalled tyranny. Some say Milton created this image of God to benefit himself politically (I disagree) while others dismiss the notion that Satan is like George Washington, thinking it is absurd. However, to some, the image is shocking, yet highly possible when evaluated. This theological disagreement leads to the etremely tense, mind-boggling trial of the spirit: God versus Satan.

Stay tuned as opening arguments are stated in the next post.