ANNOYED TIGER, SUPERMAN AND BIG BEN

Tiger Woods being annoyed is becoming a commonplace occurrence.  His recent mention of annoyance came after winning the AT & T Championship this past weekend.  He's annoyed with the media, the fans and just about anyone who comes into his space.  Here are some remarks after a Tournament of Players Championship in March.  

Want further evidence that Tiger Woods’ biggest problem is the space between his ears?  After nearly shooting himself out of another tourney in the first round yesterday at the TPC Sawgrass, he actually cried about fans shooting him with their camera phones in his backswing: “Just put it on silent. It’s not that hard. It can cost guys’ tournaments."  C'mon man.  Is this  really a guy that we all used to glorify as the mentally toughest athlete on the planet.  We couldn't have been more wrong.  And neither could he be about this.  People taking your picture isn't the reason you're not winning tournaments.  It's your jacked up driver, broken putter and lame iron work.  And oh your infected dome and shattered confidence too.  This guy has never looked or sounded worse than he does right now.  Okay, he's done better since the TPC, on that course that is.  I'm not sure if he has made many strides off.  And speaking of annoyances.  Is there any bigger one right now than Dwight Howard, the one dubbed "Superman".

Howard, the Orlando Magic center who has spent this past year driving NBA fans nuts with his decisions, indecisions and flapping of his gums, is at it again.  Now he wants out of Orlando.  Again.  And this time he is saying the only team he wants to play for is the Brooklyn Nets.  From a public relations standpoint, this guy is awful.  Pure and simple.  Orlando, dump the guy and start over with your franchise.  Better days are ahead. And best of luck to Brooklyn, if that's where he ends up.  I can think of a few ideas for a new nickname for the dude, but none are too pretty and there isn't any speck of "Super" that goes along with it.  

A not so Gentle Ben during his playing days

Ben Davidson, the hulking defensive end who starred for the Oakland Raiders in the 1960s before becoming a famous television pitch man, has died. He was 72.

Davidson died Monday night. He was being treated for prostate cancer. Former Raiders coach John Madden first reported Davidson's death Tuesday on KCBS radio in San Francisco.  Davidson spent 11 years in pro football, starting with the Green Bay Packers and Washington Redskins in the NFL before joing the Raiders in the AFL in 1964.

After his playing career, Davidson became a successful actor with roles in films like "M-A-S-H," "Conan the Barbarian" and "Necessary Roughness" and he played himself in Miller Lite ads.  The first Lite commercials aired in 1973 and starred the likes of football greats Matt Snell and Ernie Stautner and mystery writer Mickey Spillane.  Davidson was an additional mainstay to the success of the beer giant's ad campaign.  Over the course of the next decade, the company shot more than 80 commercials and the roster of the "Lite All-Stars" boasted  nearly 40 celebs and sports icons.  John Madden, Billy Martin, Rodney Dangerfield, Mickey Mantle, Whitey Ford, Dick Butkus, Bubba Smith and Bob Uecker were just a few of the Lite regulars.

Thanks Ben for some great memories.

Thanks for reading,

John