Is Tiger Back?

Needed a break from the Net and the drama surrounding the federal government shutdown and HB 235, so I found myself tuning in to the second round coverage of the 2011 Masters.

While scarfing down my Blue Bell I tuned in just in time to see Tiger Woods surge from being at even par for the day to closing to three shots off the lead while shooting a 66.  In the process he looked like he was starting to hit the types of shots he routinely used to make when he was the world's number one golfer for the last 10 years.

There's 36 more holes of golf to be played at Augusta national, and the question on mine and every other sports fans mind as we go into this weekend will be 'Is Tiger Back?'

Since he came back from his drama a year ago he's shown flashes of the old Tiger, but faded in later rounds.   I would like to see him break Jack Nicklaus' record for major tournament wins since he's only two tournaments wins from tying it.  I'd also like to see him start winning tournaments again, be it a major or a PGA tour one.   

As to whether he's back and finally sorted out the issues that have plagued his golf game, we'll find out in a few hours as the third round of The Masters gets underway. 

Happy Birthday To 'The Greatest'!

Today was also the birthday of the the best heavyweight champion of all time, Muhammad Ali.   He was born in Louisville on this date in 1942 and will always be The Greatest' to me and my generation of fight fans.

ESPN Town Hall Meeting Tomorrow

I touched on the subject in an earlier TransGriot post, and I'll be tuned in from 6-8 PM EST on Friday night when ESPN hosts a town hall meeting from Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, GA on the current image of the Black athlete.

It's part of the week of ESPN programming leading up to King Day that started January 11 entitled Content of Character.


This town hall will be hosted by Good Morning America's Robin Roberts and Outside The Lines Bob Ley.  

The panelists for the two hour program will be director Spike Lee, ESPN commentator Michael Wilbon, Kentucky men’s basketball coach John Calipari, current WNBA Tulsa Shock player and world champion track & field athlete Marion Jones and former University of Miami football coach Randy Shannon.

Should be an interesting two hours.

Sania Mirza Sohaib Malik Marriage

Indian tennis star and heart throb of millions of Indian youngsters Sania Mirza is finally all set to marry Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik in April. Sania had broken her engagement because of incompatibility with her childhood friend Sohrab Mirza barely two months earlier.

Sania's father Imran Mirza and other family members were not available to comment on reports by a Pakistani television channel that former Pakistani captain would marry Sania.

According to Geo News, Shoaib Malik's mother met the family of Sania, and sought Sania for her son. The channel claimed that Sania's family has accepted the proposal and the two families are all set to conduct the engagement the two.

The channel even claimed that the engagement ceremony was expected to take place next month.

Confirming the news, Sohaib Malik wrote in his Twitter page, "Thanks for all your support. And the news of me marrying to Sania is true. Inshallah will get married in April."

"I fully understand what it takes to be an international sports person and I will support Sania in her career as long as she wishes to play," he said.

"Representing India at the 2012 Olympics is very important for her and I will be the proudest husband if she can win a medal for her country," he added.


A statement by Sania's father Imran Mirza also stated that 23-year-old Sania and the 28-year-old all-rounder will be based in Dubai, where Malik is a resident.

"This is a unique case where the husband and wife will represent their respective countries in sport," said Mirza in Hyderabad.

"My wedding, inshallah, is going to be the biggest day of my life. I have been in the constant glare for too long and would appreciate privacy at this very personal moment in my life," Sania was quoted as having said in a statement.

"I hope to be fully fit to represent India in the Commonwealth and Asian Games that are scheduled for later this year," she said.

Sania's mother, Nasima said, "Marriages are made in heaven."

We wish the couple good luck and the very best although i know how you guys feel about Sania Mirza finally getting married. As consolation here are some hot pictures of Sania Mirza for you.

Spain wins Euro cup 2008 Final

Their last significant title came in the 1964 Euros at home and it took Spain 44 years to claim their first major football title as they beat Germany 1-0 in Sunday's European Championship final in Vienna.

Fernando Torres scored the only goal of the game, sliding the ball past German keeper Jens Lehmann after 33 minutes to win the Euro cup 2008 Final.

Germany started the second half strongly as they went in search of an equalizer with German captain Michael Ballack firing a shot narrowly wide on 58 minutes.

But Spain had a series of chances to double their lead midway through the half as Sergio Ramos headed straight at Lehmann and Andres Iniesta forced two more saves in quick succession from the German keeper.

Marcos Senna also went close for Spain with nine minutes left, failing to connect with the ball at full stretch in front of an open goal after substitute Dani Guiza's clever headed pass.
Spaniards swept their first-round games, eliminated World Cup champion Italy in a penalty-kicks shootout in the quarterfinals, then routed Russia 3-0 in the semifinals.

Torres, who had 33 goals for Liverpool this season but has been invisible in Euros, came through off a brilliant feed from Xavi Hernandez.

This was the last game for 69-year-old Aragones, the oldest coach to win the Euros.

"The most important thing about our team, perhaps, is the manager," Torres said. "He has confidence in us and he lets us play. We have brought him the championship in his last game for Spain and we are very happy we could make this history for him and for us."

The three-week Euro 2008 tournament in Austria and Switzerland had already delivered plenty of drama, excitement and hugely entertaining football, raising expectations that the title showdown would serve up a suitably thrilling finale.

The match also offered an intriguing contest between two football-obsessed nations with contrasting records of success.

Germany were chasing a record fourth European Championship title to go with those they won in 1996, 1980 and 1972. With three World Cups to their name as well, the German national side have a reputation as pragmatic and perennial challengers for major honors, most recently reaching the semifinals of the 2006 World Cup.

The Spanish, by contrast, had long been considered the sport's biggest underachievers. Home to two of the world's greatest clubs in Real Madrid and Barcelona and one of Europe's strongest leagues, it had been 24 years since Spain last reached a major final, losing to France in the 1984 European Championships.

The country's sole previous international success came in the same competition as hosts in 1964 and the current squad's run to the final had captured the nation's imagination, Goodman said.

With two of the world's top clubs, Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, the nation has tons of talent. Now with the With two of the world's top clubs, Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, the nation has tons of talent. What it has lacked is fortitude.

No one can say that anymore as they have put their critics to rest and emerged as the European football champions in an exciting and thrilling tournament.

Wimbledon 2008

The word Wimbledon conjures images of tennis whites, green grass, bowls of red luscious strawberries topped with cream and of course, rain that somehow manages to leave a mark. Steeped in tradition, the aura of Wimbledon is difficult to explain but easy to grasp and it engulfs you from the moment you step off the tube at Southfields station.

The sleepy suburb of Wimbledon comes alive for two weeks, bursting at the seams with wide-eyed, chatty tourists. The walk to Gate No.1 that takes 15 minutes on a normal day resembles the early morning rush hour back home.

The Championships, Wimbledon is the oldest tennis championship in the world. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments and the only one played on grass courts.

The tournament is held in the London suburb of Wimbledon, England, at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. It is held annually from late June to early July. The tournament is calendared so that it ends on the second Sunday of July and begins on the Monday, 13 days earlier.

It is the third Grand Slam tournament played each year. It is preceded by the Australian Open, which is played on hard courts, and the French Open (Roland Garros), which is played on clay courts. It is followed by the U.S. Open, which is played on hard courts.

In the Wimbledon 2008 tournament, five major events will be contested, as well as four junior events and four invitation events.

It takes something special to get a seat on Centre Court, that hallowed turf that names like Borg, Becker, Sampras and Federer call their second home. There are no flashy signs, no showy costumes and no noise. It’s just an appreciative silence that meets the players when they take court to battle it out for top honours.

The sun is shining and the forecast is good, which means Wimbledon 2008 is already better than Wimbledon 2007. Many hopes will be shattered and some new surprises sprung as every year at Wimbledon 2008.

Jeev Milkha Singh Wins Austrian Open Golf title

India's Jeev Milkha Singh took a leaf out of Nick Faldo's Open-winning book when he hit 18 pars in the final round at Fontana to win the Austrian Open title.

Faldo ran in 18 successive pars at Muirfield in 1987 to claim his first major title, and Singh repeated the feat for a round of 71 and a three-round total of 15 under to hold off Englishman Simon Wakefield by a stroke.

A closing 71 for a 15-under 198 three-round total in the weather-shortened event left Singh one shot better than Britain's Simon Wakefield.

Wakefield, Singh's nearest challenger overnight, began the final round four off the lead in the tournament reduced to 54 holes because of Thursday's washout.

The Englishman exerted pressure on playing-partner Singh by birdieing three of the last four holes but came up a stroke shy of forcing a playoff.

Earlier, Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell, who defeated Singh in a playoff for the Ballantines Championship in March, looked like being the Indian professional's threat again.

But after closing to within two strokes, McDowell bogeyed the last two holes to slip out of the winning picture on 202.

Dane Soren Hansen also got to within two strokes of Singh but double-bogeyed the last to also drift to 202.

Singh collected $337,000 in adding to his prestigious 2006 Volvo Masters title and China Open that year but admitted he may have been a little lucky to do so with Sunday's par finish.

"I had no idea about Nick Faldo and I was trying to make birdies but they just wouldn't go in," the winner said. "I think I'm fortunate to win shooting 18 pars. Simon put up a great fight."

"My game-plan was to not do anything silly," he said, "but after the 12th I decided to be a bit more aggressive."

Singh, who won the Volvo Masters and China Open in 2006, has finished second twice this year.
Victory for the Indian came after two second places this season. Singh noted: "I've knocked on the door a few times and at last it opened."

	NAME	COUNTRY	ROUND 3	SCORE	AFTER
1	JM Singh	Ind	71	-15	18
2	Wakefield	Eng	68	-14	18
3	Erlandsson	Swe	65	-12	18
3	Jonzon	Swe	67	-12	18
3	Fowler	Aus	69	-12	18
3	Edberg	Swe	65	-12	18
3	Pyman	Eng	65	-12	18
8	S Hansen	Den	69	-11	18
8	McDowell	NI	68	-11	18
8	Rock	Eng	65	-11	18
8	Delamontagne	Fra	65	-11	18
8	Sm Little	Eng	67	-11	18
13	Waring	Eng	67	-10	18
13	Brown	US	71	-10	18
13	F Molinari	Ita	68	-10	18
13	Sullivan	Wal	65	-10	18
13	Jeppesen	Swe	65	-10	18
13	Jaidee	Tha	64	-10	18
19	Bland	Eng	71	-9	18
19	Canonica	Ita	70	-9	18