FeedbackRE: Wake up call for the Masters, I have to agree with most of what John Huggan wrote.
However, this "new" Augusta has been with us now since 2002, and is capable of the exciting final day surges that John craves – as
witnessed in 2004 with Els and Mickelson, when I, as many others did, had already measured Ernie for his green jacket with a few holes to go. Woods and DiMarco in 2005 was also pretty tasty.
It's easy to look at this with green-tinted spectacles. Pre 2002, there have been many snooze fests – Couples' unchallenged victory in 1992, and Langer's in 1993 (courtesy of Chip "2nd place is fine for me" Beck). Olly's win in 1994 was in the bag with a few holes to go, as was Faldo's in 1996 (although that was compelling for "car crash" reasons as we watched a man fold before our eyes). 1997? Oh yeah, Tiger lapped the field – interesting in a technical way, but no great drama.
There are two main problems with the current Augusta. One is pin positions, which don't encourage attacking play, and the other is the ridiculous 7th – move the tee up, Billy.
McStumpy, Edinburgh
It's in the bag for USA
ONLY a golf fanatic would have stayed up to watch this five-hour marathon. I'm retired and left at the 15th, put on the recorder and watched the remaining holes on Monday morning.
Thing was, it became clear after the 16th that if Tiger had only holed two of the short putts he missed on the back nine the only green jacket Mr Boring Immelman would have been wearing was from the peg of his local M&S.
You only need to look at the record of Faldo, Lyle, Seve, Langer, Ossie and Woosie to realise that the likes of Casey, Rose and Company are a long way short of class.
They remind me of reformed alcoholics... nae bottle. Heaven help us come the Ryder Cup because this lot are about to be shown up for what they are. I'll be going down to the bookies to place my bet on USA.
Black Five, Edinburgh
Not that I'm bitter…
RE: Hamilton 2 – 0 Clyde. 5,000... on the day you win the league… well done.
Not that I'm bitter or anything. Right, now I have that out of my system, well done Hamilton, congratulations.
Maybe some of those Old Firm fans who live in your catchment area will have a change of heart. Or not.
Good luck next season, we'll be up to join you soon.
Dee Till Eh Deh, China
OnlineMIND YOUR LANGUAGE
Re: Tom English – Johnson missing vital ingredient
Very fair comment. It will be very interesting to see if Johno can deliver results at the level of Sir Clive, the yardstick against whom he will be measured. (If not, he has seen what has happened to Robinson and Ashton...) He will have very little time to get himself established.
He will need to go in hard and stand up to the suits above him, as he did to the IRFU man. But he might need to moderate his language a bit!
The Laird of Kitakyushu
… AND PLAY FAIR
Martin Johnson must moderate the cheating tactics he embraced as a player. As a rugby fan I accept when he played within the rules, he showed how good he was, however when he played beyond the rules, he thought he was above them and showed the "who me?!" expression.
JT
JOHNSON WAS A THUG, NOT A HERO
Sorry, Johnson was, is and always will be a thug.
Dallaglio though, when he was captain and England massacred Scotland, was the only time I felt "fair do".
Afterwards Dallaglio was proud, but never rubbed it in… I hope England sink.
ThePeter, Glasgae
strong>GOOD WEEK
JOE CALZAGHETHE 36-year-old Welshmen returned to a hero's welcome after defeating Bernard Hopkins in Las Vegas for the world light heavyweight title. Winning a split decision after being floored in the first, Calzaghe, the decade-long world super middleweight champion now undefeated in 45 fights, declared himself a "legend killer" and hinted at going for one last scalp – US light heavyweight hero Roy Jones – before hanging up his gloves.
BAD WEEK JOHN ARNE RIISE
LIVERPOOL'S Norwegian left-back came off the bench as the Reds led Chelsea 1-0 in the first leg of their Champions League tie at Anfield. Liverpool had dominated until, in the fifth minute of injury time, Riise misjudged an innocuous cross to power a diving header into the roof of his own net, giving Chelsea a precious away goal. It was the first time Riise had netted since a similarly inept own goal gave Luton a 1-1 draw in the FA Cup back in January.
What the papers said...
… about the SPL's decision to extend the season if Rangers reach the UEFA Cup final
The Daily Record Thank God that we saw a shaft of common sense come from the SPL's offices when it was announced the championship will indeed be extended should Rangers KO the Italians to make it to Manchester. It's the least they could do. And it was as little as they dared do with Lawwell watching their every move.
The ScotsmanLEX Gold and Iain Blair, chief executive and company secretary respectively of the Scottish Premier League, will surely draw great comfort from the popular belief that, if you've upset both members of the Old Firm, you must have done something right.
The Daily MailHe knew that pleasing everybody was impossible. So Lex Gold did the next best thing, politically speaking. He came up with a solution guaranteed to upset everyone.
Quotes of the week "It's like being in the army in the 1950s. If you got surnburnt, they put you in prison for two weeks."
Gordon Strachan explains – sort of – why Scott Brown might struggle to break back into the Celtic side after completing a three-game suspension
"I've scored a few penalties in that side but today I didn't score – no problem."
Manchester United's Ronaldo is unperturbed by his miss against Barcelona on Wednesday
"I'd just love to bowl that every ball – if I was good enough I would, it's as simple as that. If I knew the formula, I'd bottle it and sell it."
Somerset bowler Peter Trego, who dismissed England star Andrew Flintoff for a golden duck at Old Trafford this week
"If I was to make a more aggressive bet I would say 2009. But no later than 2010 or they've missed the boat."
Prospective backer Sir Allen Stanford on the start date of English cricket's proposed rival to the Indian Premier League
RIPDEREK McKAY'CUP tie McKay' was a hero of Aberdeen's Scottish Cup winning side of 1970, scoring two goals in the 3-1 victory over Celtic in the final. The Macduff-born striker scored just four goals for the Dons, the others being the goals to take them to the final with 1-0 victories over Falkirk in the quarter-final and Kilmarnock in the semi-final. He settled in Australia after retiring from the game aged 33. He died, aged 59, on holiday in Thailand after a suspected heart attack.
The full article contains 1231 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
