Sports Talk With Regan and Devin
We are Regan and Devin, and our addiction is sports. Using this site we will post our opinions on a wide array of sports topics, we hope that our opinions will spark a debate between us and you the reader. We would love to hear from you.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Regan: NFL Preview
Devin:NFL Preview
AFC North
Pittsburg Steelers-The Steelers possess a nasty defense and a strong running game, key elements to any championship run. Once again, this division is theirs to lose. 13-3
Baltimore Ravens-They will once again have one of the best defenses in the NFL, but I don’t trust Flacco to ever take them to the promise land. 10-6
Cleveland Browns-With one year under Colt McCoy’s belt and the dominant running of Peyton Hillis, the Browns will only get better. 8-8
Cincinnati Bengals-Maybe signing every thug in the NFL is catching up with Cincinnati. A rookie quarterback throwing to a rookie wide receiver is the least of their troubles, this team is a mess. 2-14
AFC South
Houston Texans-Mark my words, this is the Texans year. They return a strong offense with a vastly improved defense. Look for them to make some noise this season. 11-5
Indianapolis Colts-Without Manning this is a 4-12 team, and that’s being generous. Lucky for them the rest of this division is terrible and Manning might be back towards the end of the season. 8-8
Jacksonville Jaguars-Cutting David Garrard was an interesting move, but this team has some pieces to be successful in the future. Still a middle of the pack team right now though. 6-10
Tennessee Titans-Don’t expect the world from Chris Johnson, I actually expect a down year. Hasselbeck isn’t the answer; hopefully Jake Locker is a quick learner. 4-12
AFC East
New England Patriots-The rich get richer; or better in the Patriots case. Ochocinco and Haynesworth will revive their careers and the Patriots will again dominate. 14-2
New York Jets-Its time the Jets put their money where Rex Ryan’s mouth is. Sanchez will have his best year, and they will again make it deep in the playoffs. But can they make it past the AFC championship? 11-5
Miami Dolphins-They have a strong defense, but the offense will not be very affective as long as Chad Henne is at the helm. I’m not sure why they didn’t go after Orton. 8-8
Buffalo Bills- They upgraded their defense tremendously with Marcell Dareus and Shawn Merriman, but that offense is still a glaring weakness. Another team with huge QB questions. 4-12
AFC West
San Diego Chargers-They will return an all around dominant team. The special teams will be better, which is all this team needs. Don’t look much past the regular season for them though. 11-5
Kansas City Chiefs-If Cassell can have another strong year this team will be successful. The defense is growing into a good unit, and Jamaal Charles will continue to average insane yards per carry. 9-7
Denver Broncos-This team is vastly improved from last season. Look for their defense to surprise people and Knowshow Moreno to have a breakout year. Von Miller=Defensive Rookie of the Year. 8-8
Oakland Raiders-Al Davis will somehow find a way to make his team a bottom dweller again. They lost too much in free agency and it will affect them more than they imagined. DMC and Bush will single handedly will 4 games for this team. 5-11
NFC North
Green Bay Packers-I see no reason why they can’t repeat. Aaron Rogers is without a doubt the best QB in the NFL, they have several starters returning from injury, and Clay Matthews is just plain scary! 15-1
Detroit Lions-Detroit finally makes the jump from the bottom of the NFC North. Their defense looks fantastic on paper and if Stafford can stay healthy he will go to the Pro Bowl. 11-5
Chicago Bears-The Bears go by the rule of 3, they have a good season every 3 years. Seeing as how they won the division last year, look for a down year. Cutler throws over 20 int’s again and they resemble the 2009 Bears. 7-9
Minnesota Vikings- Adrian Peterson will get his, but the departures of Sidney Rice and Ray Edwards will hurt a lot. McNabb will be better than last year, but not good enough to make this team competitive. 5-11
NFC South
New Orleans Saints- They have an all world offense, and can score in no time at all. Vilma is the center of a strong defense that never gets enough credit due to the offense outshining everyone. 13-3
Atlanta Falcons-Julio Jones completes this offense and gives Matt Ryan yet another target. They will come into the season with a chip on their shoulders due to the beating Green Bay gave them. 11-5
Tampa Bay Buccaneers-They will soon have a very scary defense again. Josh Freeman will continue to surprise people and the Bucs will have another strong year. Too bad they play in the NFC South. 10-6
Carolina Panthers-Cam Newton is not the answer, and the Panthers will soon find this out. They did good to keep most of their free agents, but this team is several years away from legitimacy. 4-12
NFC East
Philadelphia Eagles-The Eagles have the most dynamic offense in the NFL and a totally revamped defense. There is no real threat to them in their division. 12-4
Dallas Cowboys- For some reason they did absolutely nothing to improve that terrible defense. But, their offense can be legit; and if Felix Jones can stay healthy you will be hearing a lot about him this season. 9-7
New York Giants-Even with Peyton sitting on the bench he is still the best Manning brother. Injuries this preseason have absolutely killed their defense. Even their much heralded draft class is suffering. Look for a slow start but a strong finish. 7-9
Washington Redskins-Rex Grossman as a starter spells failure for any team. Their offense is full of no names and their defense won’t be able to carry them. Don’t expect much from this team. 4-12
NFC West
St. Louis Rams-With Sam Bradford slingin it and Steven Jackson running it, this offense will put up points this year. As long as their defense is even decent the division is theirs for the taking. 10-6
Arizona Cardinals-Kevin Kolb better look Larry Fitzgerald’s way alot, because that’s all he has. Patrick Peterson will prove worthy of his #5 draft selection and make fans forget about DRC. 9-7
San Francisco 49ers-They have one of the best ‘QB’s’ on defense with Patrick Willis, but can anyone tell me why Alex Smith is still the starter? Maybe Harbaugh can be a miracle worker, but probably not. 6-10
Seattle Seahawks-I, for one, feel like Pete Carroll wants Andrew Luck. Why else would you trade for Travaris Jackson? Trust me, at season’s end the Seahawks will be in the running for the #1 draft pick. 3-13
NFL MVP-Aaron Rogers
Defensive MVP-Ndamukong Suh
Offensive MVP-Phillip Rivers
Playoffs
Wild Card
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Regan: NBA's Top 5 Point Guards
Devin:NBA's Top 5 Point Guards
Honorable Mention
Steve Nash
I know I’ll get beef for not putting him on my list, and maybe rightly so. At age 37 his assist numbers are as impressive as ever, but his point totals are slowly dropping. Even though he shot nearly 50% from the floor, it was his worst season shooting since 2003. The point guard position is evolving and he doesn’t have the legs to keep up with it.
John Wall
Speaking of the new breed of point guard, John Wall is it. Could possibly be the fastest straight line player in the NBA, he is quick and explosive, can get to the rim, and rebound well. In just his rookie year he averaged 16.4 points, 8.3 assists and 4.6 rebounds. He needs to work on his jump shot, but pretty soon he’ll be in conversation with my top 5.
Tony Parker
He has been a huge part of 3 NBA Championships for the Spurs, being named a Finals MVP in 2007. Parker is still very quick and possesses arguably the best floater in the NBA. Scores very proficiently in the paint and is sneaky around the rim. Parker has never been a huge assist guy though, only averaging 5.7 during his career. His knees are also starting to give him troubles.
#5
Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook might be the most explosive player on my list, but not by much. He has crazy athleticism and uses his explosiveness very well. He was drafted 4th overall due to his defense, and he hasn’t’ disappointed in that aspect. He has the quicks to guard and point guards in the league, and the size to guard and shooting guards. Westbrook loves driving to the rim and has the ability to finish over anyone. He has improved his stats steadily each year, averaging 22 ppg and 8 ast in only his 3rd year. The sky is the limit for this kid. I think he has MVP type talent, and if he didn’t play with Durantula I think his numbers would be even better. The only aspect I could see Westbrook improving on is remembering he is a point guard. As fun as he was to watch at times, I think he sometimes forgets that he has the 2 time scoring champ on his team. He would try to take over games when he didn’t need too, which was evident in the playoffs. With his elite athleticism, defense, and constant improvement I could see Westbrook climbing his way up this list very soon.
#4
Rajon Rando
I thought about putting him at #5, but the mere fact that he had the heart to play with a dislocated elbow in last year’s playoffs, and still managed to play well, bumped him up on my ranking. The ‘Big Three’ can now be called the ‘Big Four’; Rajon Rondo has become a huge part of that team. Their success could even be defined by him now. He has come from being a weakness, to possibly the teams’ biggest strength. He sets up his teammates magnificently with his dribble penetration and passing. Coming into a team with 3 future Hall of Famers couldn’t possibly be easy, but Rando has done it perfectly. He plays the best defense of any point guard, and has even given bigger players like LeBron James trouble. He ranked 2nd among point guards in steals last year, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. I think Rondo could shut down any NBA wing player if he put his mind to it, he’s that good. His freakishly long arms allow him to steal balls, contest shots, and keep his opponent in front of him. His only weakness, no matter how obvious it is, is his shooting. Teams treat him like Shaq from outside of 10 feet and he shot a miserable 56.8% from the line last season. That’s terrible for any position. He won’t put up a lot of points, but he fills up the stat sheet like nobody’s business. In a game last season he had a triple double with 10pts, 10 reb, and a whopping 24 ast!! He sets the tone for his team like a point guard should with is tenacity. If you want to build your team around a point guard who can score in the paint (59.7%), dish the ball, and play stifling defense, then Rando is your guy.
#3
Chris Paul
This is where it gets though. Paul is an amazing player with no real weakness. He is always a league leader in steals and assists, averages almost 19 and 10 for his career, and can take over a game when needed; or even a playoff series, like he did against the Lakers. The main reason I have him here at #3 is because of his history with injuries. Chris Paul is a competitor who won’t back down from anyone, but injuries with this guy are evident. Paul’s injury last season affected all of his numbers, as they dropped off substantially from previous seasons. As we all know knees are nothing to take lightly and that kind of injury could likely shorten his career if he isn’t careful. He is smaller than the other top point guards but his strength still allows him to guard bigger guards, and his overall numbers are great for a point guard. He is a crafty, quick, and agile guard who shoots good percentages and routinely makes defenders look silly. When the game is on the line you want the ball in his hands, whether he is shooting or creating for his teammates. You can’t go wrong with Chris Paul on your team, but in the end he is 3rd on my list due to his injuries that caused his numbers to drop last season.
#2
Derrick Rose
The former number 1 pick and reigning MVP has certainly lived up to the hype. He turned a middle of the road 41-41 Bulls team into an NBA best 62-20, all while playing in the Eastern Conference that included the Heat, Celtics, and Magic. The best thing about him; he’s only 22! The improvements he has made since entering the league are nothing short of miraculous, which makes me wonder how good he can eventually become. Between his 2nd and 3rd seasons Rose took all of his numbers to a whole different level. He averaged nearly 5 more points, 2 more assists, more steals, blocks, rebounds, and a dramatically improved 3 point shot. Derrick Rose’s ability to get to the paint and finish at the rim is ridiculous! No 6’3 player should be able to do the things he does! He has also developed a short range floater and mid-range shot that is vital for any point guard in the league. His speed and explosiveness are only matched by Russell Westbrook, which is saying something. He is the youngest player to ever win the MVP and one of only three players in the last 30 years to record 2,000 points and 600 assists in a single season; joining Michael Jordan and LeBron James. No other player in the NBA had the impact for their team that Rose had on his Bulls team; hence the MVP award. There isn’t much he needs to do better besides continue to work on his outside shot, and maybe improve his defensive tenacity a bit. But with his work ethic I think we will all soon forget he ever even had those flaws.
#1
Deron Williams
This race was close until Chris Paul got injured and his numbers dropped this year. But even excluding that, Williams record vs. Paul is 14-5…Deron Williams owns Chris Paul. After a crazy season for Deron Williams that included Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan retiring and Williams being traded to the surprise of everyone, he ended up with the Nets. Even after all the commotion he put up fantastic numbers with 20.1 ppg and 10.3 ast. He is always among the league leaders in those important stats. Last year he was 3rd the league in assists and 3rd among point guards in points. When he got to New Jersey he averaged almost 13 assists, giving the Nets exactly wha they were looking for. Williams’ handles could possibly be the best in the NBA, his ‘killer crossover’ leaves defenders grasping at air, he is deceptively fast for a man that weighs 210 lbs, and he can take over games with the best of them! His defense is very solid, with his size he can guard multiple positions. His distributing and incredible court vision can’t be questioned either; if he can average over 10 assists on a team full of offensive no-names (C.J. Miles, Ronnie Price, Kyrylo Fesenko), then just imagine what he would do with some actual talent. When Deron Williams decides to score the basketball there is no stopping him. He can shoot from distance, pull up in the mid-range, and drive the ball. He will go through, around, or even over a defender when he wants to. Even with all this I feel like Williams has the potential boost his numbers and become the unquestioned best point guard in the league. He is a scorer, a passer, a defender, and a leader. Last year DWill was a more consistent scorer than Paul, and a better passer than Rose, making him the best all around point guard in the NBA right now.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Regan: Jimmertime
Devin: Jimmertime
There is no denying his basketball talent, so don’t even try. You could pull a Rick Reilly, look at one bad shooting night, then try to convince the nation that Jimmer is the next Adam Morrison. It’s obvious that his bias against BYU blinded his judgment on this one, the moron and joke of a sports writer Reilly admitted afterwards that the BYU vs. Florida game was the only Jimmer Fredette game he had ever watched. My apologies, please forgive me for my rant, I just had to get my 2 cents in. I am not here to bash Mr. Reilly, rather to point out the blatantly obvious! Many times while watching Jimmer play I found myself making the O face. His unlimited shooting range, unmatched hesitation move, sick crossovers, touch at the rim, and ice cold veins had me doing happy dances that took me back to Waffle Wednesdays in my middle school cafeteria. If you somehow have not had the pleasure of witnessing his game, check out this video! It’s easy to see that Jimmer has what it takes to play at the next level, I’m a firm believer in stats, and his don’t lie. His senior year he averaged 28.9 ppg, 4.3 ast, nearly 40% from downtown, and 89% from the line. He won nearly every individual award known to man and basically took his entire BYU team to the Sweet 16, doing more with less than arguably any other player in college basketball last year. Actually scratch that, there is no argument there. So after watching that video you’re probably asking yourself, “How in the world can anyone question this kids game?!”
That’s a good question, but the analysts are trying to find a way. He’s too slow to play point and too small to play shooting guard, quicker guards will have a field day with him, all in all he’s just not athletic enough. When hearing all that I just wish I could tell the analysts to say what’s really on their mind; he’s white! But what were they watching during the BYU games? It obviously wasn’t #32. Anybody who watched him can tell you what a fallacy those opinions are! He tested 3rd best in the NBA combines agility tests, beating Isaiah Thomas, Brandon Knight, and yes even Kemba Walker. Get this, his agility times even beat John Wall’s times from last years combine. If that isn’t convincing enough then put the game tapes on. Teams put 6’0 quick guards on him; Jimmer just out muscles them or use their quicks against them! Ok, that didn’t work so put your 6’8 forward on him to try and bother him with size, he’ll just go right around them or even better, shake them and shoot a 30 footer while the defender is trying to regain his balance! Have them both guard him at the same time…Fredette about it! Remember Kawhi Leonard from SDSU, the forward drafted 15th overall based solely on his defense? (His offense is all ‘potential’ right now.) He and his teams ‘fast and quick’ guards got burned for 98 points in three games by Jimmer Fredette! I’ll do the math for you, that’s 32.6 ppg against the type of defenses he should struggle against! Or look at the Sweet 16 game against Florida, when Jimmer’s jump shot wasn’t falling in the first half he was getting to the rim at will while being guarded by the lighting quick Kenny Boynton and Erving Walker. Not only was he getting to the rim easily, he was finishing at the rim against their athletic bigs! But wait, I got one more for you. Does the name Derrick Williams sound familiar, the do-it-all combo player that went 2nd overall in the NBA draft? He also had a chance to try and guard Jimmer. How did that turn out you ask…well 2 blowout losses for Arizona and 82 Jimmer points later, Williams and his Wildcats failed as well. Williams even admitted that the “only way you stopping Jimmer is when the game ends.” I’ll go as far as to say I have never seen a defender even give Jimmer trouble. The point is that Jimmer is unguardable; the only person that can beat Jimmer is Jimmer himself! If he wants to shoot he’ll either shake you like a rag doll, or take a few steps back and drain a 3. The defense just has to live with it. Listen, Jimmer’s got the athletic ability; he routinely abused bigger and faster defenders. So please stop with the nonsense that he is too slow to play in the big leagues! He’s just gonna make you, along with NBA defenders, look silly! If you don’t believe me, ask the NBA players like Derrick Rose, Deron Williams, Chris Paul, Dwayne Wade, and LeBron James who practiced against him two summers ago for the 2010 FIBA World Championships.
I know his defense has been in question and will be until he proves he can play it. But look at that BYU team last season, Jimmer was the offense! I can say with 99% confidence that I think Coach Rose didn’t want him playing hard defense and picking up silly costly fouls! If Jimmer fouls out who is going to carry that team offensively? If you doubled Jackson Emery’s average, the second leading scorer from that team, he would still be almost 4 ppg behind Jimmer! Besides, if you have the athletic ability to average nearly 30 a game you can play a little defense, it just comes with the territory. Jimmer Fredette wasn’t drafted based on potential like so many other 1st round picks nowadays, he was drafted based on his skill, talent, accomplishments, and the fact that he dominated all of college basketball last year. He is athletic, he can shoot lights out, and his basketball I.Q. is like 10x more than Regan’s regular I.Q. He has given none of us a reason to doubt him. Fredette is not only gonna make it in the NBA, he is gonna take the NBA by storm. At some point in his career he will be an All-Star, win a few 3 point contests, average 20 points with 7 assists, prove all his nay sayers wrong, and in the process hopefully put Rick Reilly out of a job! (That last one was for me.) So will Jimmer Fredette make it in the NBA? Let me put it this way; do you like your popcorn plain or buttered?
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Regan: National League's Top 5 Players
Devin: National League's Top 5 Players
Brian McCann - Braves--McCann is arguably the best catcher in all of baseball right now. With 18 HR and 55 RBI he could very have the best season of his career. He is on pace to best most of his stats from previous years. Has won the Silver Slugger Award 4 of the last 5 years and there is no reason to believe he won’t win it again this year.
Matt Kemp- Dodgers--Having the best year of his career so far with 26 HR and 84 RBI while batting .317 and stealing 29 bases, he is one of the league leader in all of those catergories. Can beat you anywhere on the diamond with his speed and power. Already a 25/25 player this year, could even make it to the 40/40 club if he keeps it up and stays healthy.
Ryan Braun - Brewers--The player who is the reason Fielder isn’t in my top 5. Braun is batting .326 this year with 21 HR and 74 RBI while also has stealing 20 bases. Was NL player of the month in April and broke the record for All-Star votes in the NL this year. Had a 23 game hitting streak earlier this year. Also one of the top left fielders in the game today. Led NL left fielders last year with 279 putouts.
Albert Pujols- Cardinals--The Machine’s batting average is down a bit this year, but c’mon it Pujols. He still has 27 HR and can turn it on at any time. Until he has just a terrible year he will be considered one of the best in all of baseball. Had 2 straight games with walk-off home runs in June, so he is still very much clutch. With Pujols in the lineup the Cardinals average 4.8 runs per game, without him they only average 3.9.
Ryan Howard - Phillies--Howard is one of the games best power hitters. With 24 HR and 89 RBI’s to this point in the season he is on pace to possibly reach another 40 HR season. His average is down a bit this year, but playing with the Phillies its not a huge deal. Became the fastest player to reach 250 HR in MLB history last season.
Honorable Mention
Joey Votto - Reds--Stats are down a bit from his MVP year last season, most likely wont reach last years numbers of 37 HR and 113 RBI but is still having a strong season so far with 17 HR and 70 RBI and a batting average of .322. Does have the best On Base Percentage of his career though.
Prince Fielder- Brewers--Another one of the great power hitters, has already accumulated 26 HR and 85 RBI while batting .304. Was the All-Star MVP this year. Might not even be the best player on his team though.
Andrew McCutchen - Pirates--Has been a huge part of the Pirates success this year. Made it to his first all star game in 2011 and has 15 HR and 64 RBI (already career highs) so far this year. Has also stolen 17 bases, so has an outside chance to have a 30/30 year for the Pirates.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Regan: American League's Top 5 Players
Devin:American League's Top 5 Players
OF - Jose Bautista-Blue Jays--This one is pretty undeniable. I don’t know of anyone who would leave him off of this list. After exploding onto the scene last year with an incredible 54 HR, 124 RBI, (pretty amazing at only 6’0 195 lbs) and his first All-Star game appearance his game demanded respect. This year he is again on pace to reach those number with 33 HR and 73 RBI at this point. He also set the record for most All-Star votes with 7,454,753; beating the old record by over 1 million votes! His defense is strong as well, playing 70 games at RF and 25 at 3B with a fielding % of .978! Not too many weakness’s in his game.
OF - Josh Hamilton-Rangers--Hamilton is just as strong defensivly as he is offensivly, easily a top 5 defender in the outfield. He has had a few injuries this year and has only played in 74 games so far, which is why his stats aren’t on par with last year. He is still batting .308% with 59 RBI and 13 HR, better than a lot of healthy players who have played all season. When healthy Hamilton is a threat in every aspect, and an obvious MVP candidate.
3B - Evan Longoria-Devil Rays--Arguably the best defensive third baseman in the MLB right now. He won the Fielding Bible Award in 2010 as the top 3rd baseman defensively. Didn’t make the All-Star game this year due to America still being on A-Rods baseballs! He has been the cornerstone of the Rays franchise for the past 4 years. His offensive stats wont ‘wow’ you, but they are very solid. He’ll get his team a good 25 HR and 100 RBI a year. And at only 25 he will only get better!
1B - Mark Teixeira-Yankees--Defense seems to be the agenda for today! Teixeira has plenty of that to go along with his huge offensive outputs this season. He has accounted for only 2 errors this season with a .998 fielding percentage. He is also a very good switch hitter (He broke the switch hitting HR record this year with 12) which makes him hard to pitch to. His batting average is down, but I believe he will bring that up to round out the year. Even still he is on pace for 50HR and 140 RBI which would be his best season to date.
1B - Adrian Gonzalez-Red Sox--Gonzalez has meant more to his team than just about anyone else in the MLB, excluding Bautista. He has carried the Red Sox at times with his offense, batting .356 (top in the AL) with 18 HR and 92 RBI. In the month of June he was named the AL Player of the Month, hitting an incredible average of .401!
Honorable Mention:
OF - Curtis Granderson-Yankees-Having a huge season with 28 HR and 85 RBI! Probably should have made the list, but I’ll be honest…I HATE the Yankees!!
1B - Miguel Cabrera-Tigers--All-Star season for Cabrera, hitting 22 HR and 69 RBI so far. He is in the top 10 of every triple crown catergory.
Feel free to comment and tell me if you agree or disagree. Who did I miss and who shouldn’t be on here.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Regan: Has Tiger Let Out His Last Roar?
Devin: Has Tiger let out his last roar?
Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water, but this time Jill fell down and Jack didn’t come tumbling after. Jack stayed on the hill and won 18 Majors. The question is will Tiger ever join him on top of that hill? Admittedly I am no golf guru. I follow the sport lightly but I do try to play a few times a week, and from my experiences trying to play I can tell you that golf is 99% mental! If your head isn’t in it you might as well not even swing the club. We all know what happened with Tiger late in 2009; it seemed to be more documented than any presidential race. So Tiger takes a few months to assess the damage, and then gets on his merry way back to golf. Hold on; just a few months?? After his entire personal life fell apart!?! I’ve heard how mentally tough Tiger Woods is, but we’re talking about his wife and kids, and all his nasty personal secrets spread for the world to see! Imagine that happening to you. Now imagine with that in the back of your mind trying to do ANYTHING with any amount of focus. Sounds tough huh? Ok so in a cruel twist maybe he never cared about his family and it’s all been about the fame, money, and wins. Well guess what, even though he’s probably a little more famous now than he was before, the wins and money aren’t falling into his lap like they used to. Since the whole debacle there have been lawsuits claiming millions; and after Tiger decided to drop his pants sponsors like Gillette, Accenture, TAG Heuer, Gatorade, and AT&T decided to drop him. But here’s the big one; since late 2009 no wins in a PGA event. In the 2007-09 seasons Woods played in 39 events, with an incredible 32 top 10 finishes! In 2010 and 2011 he has played in 18 events, with only four top 10 finishes. After doing the math, that comes out to……bad! Tiger Woods is 4 majors behind Jack Nicklaus, obviously not a huge number. Nicklaus won his 18th major at the age of 46, 11 years older than Tiger currently is. But that was a healthy 46, Tiger is a bruised and battered 35. He missed a good part of the 2008 season and has also missed a decent amount of playing time this year with a variety of injuries. The injuries have taken their toll on his play; this year he is ranked 99th on the PGA tour in drive distance average, his average rank before now was 16th. Tiger is struggling, and it’s obvious to the world. He has gone through winless stints in his career before, even coming back from a huge obstacle when his father Earl died. But even then it only took him 2 months to win another major, the 2006 Open Championship. I know he’s great, and if anyone could break Jack’s record it would be him; but Tiger you gotta get your shiz together! Don’t get me wrong, I love a good comeback story, and I honestly hope I’m wrong on this! (In fact with my luck, after writing this he’ll probably win the Bridgestone Invitational this weekend.) I want to see Tiger overcome his own demons and stand on top of the golf world again. But I just don’t see it happening. Tiger’s mental edge is gone. Maybe it tumbled down the hill along with Jill, which leaves Jack and his 18 Majors alone at the top.