Masters Missing Something
Last Thursday one of the sports world’s greatest traditions celebrated its 87th birthday when the field teed off at the Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia for the Masters. Billed as “a tradition unlike any other,” this world famous golf tournament always has been played on the breathtakingly beautiful green plushness of the Augusta National Course, punctuated by the brilliant colors bursting from the azaleas, dogwoods, camellias, wisteria, and magnolias.
Augusta National in all its spring finery greeted the field of 88 golfers who teed off last Thursday in the hopes of winning that coveted green jacket. But one name was conspicuously missing this year because Tiger Woods still is at one of his homes in Florida recuperating from a nearly fatal car crash in February.
On Feb. 23 Woods was in Los Angeles driving to an early morning appointment at a very high speed when he lost control of his car. Sheriff Alex Villanueva said Woods reached a speed in excess of 85 mph in a 45 mph zone and failed to negotiate a curve. His SUV hit a welcome sign, bounced over a highway divider, and skidded 150 feet before smashing into and uprooting a tree. Several people who saw the accident helped Woods to get to the hospital. Authorities ultimately concluded that Woods must have pressed down on the accelerator instead of the brake.
Dr. Anish Mahajan, the chief medical officer and interim CEO of Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, described Woods’ injuries as follows: “Mr. Woods suffered significant orthopedic injuries to his right lower extremities that were treated during emergency surgery by orthopedic trauma specialists at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, a level-1 trauma center. Comminuted open fractures affecting both the upper and lower portions of the tibia and fibula bones were stabilized by inserting a rod into the tibia. Additional injuries to the bones of the foot and ankle were stabilized with a combination of screws and pins. Trauma to the muscle and soft-tissue of the leg required surgical release of the covering of the muscles to relieve pressure due to swelling.” The reference to open fractures means the bones had punctured the skin.
Of course right now the big question is whether or not Woods will ever play golf again, and the immediate answer is that it’s way too early to tell. But Woods is a fighter, and I really wouldn’t surprised to see him swinging the clubs at some point. Given his bad experience with cars, however, he should have learned by now to use better judgment behind the wheel. It’s kind of a cruel coincidence that the club often giving him some trouble in his matches is the driver.
Let’s All Play ‘Jeopardy!’
Answer: This “Jeopardy!” guest host often wears green and gold on Sundays. (Answer upcoming)
Ever since last November, when the iconic Alex Trebek lost his incredibly courageous battle with pancreatic cancer after hosting “Jeopardy!” for 37 years, the powers that be at the show have been conducting a search for a new permanent host. Their method of doing so is to invite a number of guest hosts for the show to see whether any of them is a good fit.
The first of these was Greatest Of All Time (GOAT) Ken Jennings, who won a total of $4,522,700, and he was very good during his four-week stint, and so was Mike Richards, the executive producer of the show. But things went downhill after Richards, with Katie Couric, who was obnoxiously bubbly, and Dr. Oz, who received the worst ratings so far and who elicited outrage from some hardcore “Jeopardy!” fans because of his tendency to convey misinformation on his own show. The current guest host is the Green Bay Packers’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and the three-time NFL MVP and future Hall of Famer seems to be very comfortable doing the show.
In the coming weeks, Anderson Cooper and Dr. Sanjay Gupta are among those scheduled to take their turns hosting the program. The producers have not released a deadline for naming a new permanent host. I obviously don’t have a vote in the matter, but if I did, I’d have to give the to Jennings, who just seems to belong behind that podium occupied for so long by Tribek.
Question: Who is Aaron Rodgers?
No Verdict Yet
Day nine of the Derek Chauvin murder trial concluded with the testimony of Dr. Andrew Baker, Hennepin County Medical Examiner. Despite the attempts of the defense to blame George Floyd’s death on the use of fentanyl, Baker said neither that drug nor heart disease caused Floyd’s death. Instead Baker said Floyd died from “cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression.” Obviously this is another blow to the defense. The death has been ruled a homicide, and the trial continues tomorrow. Stay tuned.
Burning Question
Does anyone remember when Pittsburgh had a Major League baseball team?
Ponder This:
An invisible man marries an invisible woman. The kids were nothing to look at either.
~Anonymous
