News flash! Tiger announces he is dating Lindsey Vonn

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Gee, wonder what kind of questions Tiger Woods will get this week at Bay Hill?

Woods just used his Facebook page to confirm what had been rumored for a while. He and skier Lindsey Vonn are a thing.

Woods, though, did bury the lead with this post. It’s still about the golf:

This season has been great so far and I’m happy with my wins at Torrey and Doral. Something nice that’s happened off the course was meeting Lindsey Vonn. Lindsey and I have been friends for some time, but over the last few months we have become very close and are now dating. We thank you for your support and for respecting our privacy. We want to continue our relationship, privately, as an ordinary couple and continue to compete as athletes.

Respect their privacy? Not likely.

The timing is interesting. I expect Woods decided to make this announcement because somebody else was about to break it, and/or had pictures of the couple together. Or Vonn might just be at Bay Hill this week to watch Woods in the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Not that she will be able to get around much because of her injured knee.

Either way, as Bonnie Raitt once sung in a song, “Let’s give them something to talk about…”

*****

Tim Layden, who did a profile of Vonn in Sports Illustrated last week, issued this tweet.

I’d like to thank @lindseyvonn for doing non-denial denial on Tiger romance in SI last week. Was obvious. Now official.

 

Better late than never: Dan Jenkins wins Red Smith Award; sports magazine writers finally get honor

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Or what took so long?

Last year, the Associated Press Sports Editors gave their top honor, the Red Smith Award, to Frank Deford. It was long overdue considering how Deford likely is on Mt. Rushmore for modern sports journalists.

This year, another one of those faces on the sportswriting peak, Dan Jenkins, finally will get his Red Smith. Last Friday, APSE announced the 83-year-old Jenkins will be honored during its summer conference in Detroit.

Why did two titans like Deford and Jenkins have to wait so long for recognition from APSE? Well, they are mainly known for their magazine work. Last year, Deford became the first magazine writer to win the Red Smith; Jenkins now is the second, mainly for his work at Sports Illustrated and Golf Digest. He still is going strong, pumping out columns for Golf Digest.

APSE is made up primarily of sports newspaper editors. So that attests to the reason why the award previously has been given to newspaper writers and editors.

However, if Deford and Jenkins don’t have a Red Smith, what’s the sense in giving out the award? At least APSE recognized these glaring omissions.

APSE president Gerry Ahern did a nice write-up on Jenkins. Here are the highlights.

“I’m delighted, I’m flattered and frankly I’m overwhelmed because I’m such a fan of most of the people who are in there and have known a great many of them,” Jenkins said. “I even knew Red pretty well.

“I used to sit next to him at Super Bowls and NFL games and was a great admirer of his. I used to quote stuff to him, his stuff. He was such a wonderful, gentle, terrific guy and helpful to any other writer, any young guy who read him and understood his work.”

The Red Smith Award is just the latest honor for the inimitable Jenkins, who got his start in newspapers at the Fort Worth Press and Dallas Times-Herald. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2012 and won the PEN/ESPN Award for Literary Sports Writing last year. The PGA gave him its Lifetime Achievement in Journalism Award in 1995 and he entered the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Hall of Fame in 1996.

But the Red Smith Award is special, Jenkins said. The thought of being enshrined alongside Smith, Blackie Sherrod and Furman Bisher brought out emotions.

“I’ve got a few plaques hanging on my wall, but I’ve never been as thrilled about any award as I am about this one,” Jenkins said.

More from Jenkins:

“These are supposed to be fun and games as Red himself always said. I love to try and keep people honest. We have enough God-like creatures running around in Sports nowadays that someone has to try and keep their feet on the ground.

“I just say what I think and things come to me. Sometimes it’s funny and sometimes it’s not. I hate to draw blood but sometimes I do.”

Here’s who is on deck for the Red Smith:

Twelve sports journalists received nominations for the 2013 Red Smith Award. The five top vote-getters behind Jenkins (in alphabetical order) are Henry Freeman, Leigh Montville, Bob Ryan, Fred Turner and George Vecsey. In accordance with APSE rules, they will automatically be on the ballot for 2014.

 

Q/A with Verne Lundquist: Appearing in Happy Gilmore ‘is gift that keeps on giving’; his love for NCAA tournament

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Verne and Raft and all is right in the world.

It wouldn’t be an NCAA tournament without Verne Lundquist. Thanks to some tweeks in his schedule, the popular play-by-play man is rested and anxious to go this week.

Now 72, Lundquist asked CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus for an extended break in the grind during college basketball season as part of his new contract. After he completed his football duties, instead of trekking  to exotic outposts like East Lansing, Mich. and West Lafayette, Ind., he and his wife headed for a trip Down Under.

Lundquist, though, returned to the microphone a few weeks ago.Thursday, he and his good friend, Bill Raftery, will dive in at Auburn Hills, Mich. for what Lundquist calls his favorite assignment. He did his first NCAA tournament game in 1982, teaming up with former LSU coach Dale Brown.

Here is my Q/A with Lundquist on going strong at 72; and how appearing in Happy Gilmore still is paying dividends for him. Also, I am rerunning his comments on calling the famous Duke-Kentucky game from a post I did with him in December.

How does it feel to being doing another NCAA tournament?

I’m coming up on 50 years in the business. Isn’t that staggering? It is to me. I have a good sense of what goes well and when it doesn’t. It’s like a competitor. When it goes badly, you want another at bat. You don’t have too many that go badly. I wouldn’t be here if I did. I’m proud of the fact I’m still working, still considered viable.

Is the tournament your favorite?

I do think so. Raft and I have become such good friends.

How difficult is it to do four games in one day?

It’s the hardest thing ever. There’s nothing equal to it. The first time, I thought I was up to the challenge, but I didn’t know how to organize myself in the proper fashion. You learn you don’t use up too much energy in the first game. Then you pray to high heaven the last game is compelling. There’s nothing like a blowout in that fourth game to make you really weary.

What sets apart the tournament in your view?

You can argue about what is the greatest sporting event. It’s certainly in the top three. To see the public embrace it has been great. Is the Super Bowl bigger? Certainly, from a corporate aspect it is. But it doesn’t have the charm the NCAA has because of the potential of a Butler winning the title. If (Gordon Hayward’s shot) goes in, Duke-Kentucky becomes the second greatest game.

You went more than 10 years without watching a replay of the famous Duke-Kentucky game. Why?

I thought I had a good broadcast. The truth of the matter is I didn’t want to intrude on the reality of my memories. I didn’t want to look at the tape and say, ‘For crying out loud, why did I do that?’

About 10 years ago, Billy Raftery and I were getting ready to do Marquette-Kentucky (in the NCAA tournament). He called and said they were airing the game on ESPN Classic. He knew I hadn’t watched it. I picked it up midway through the game. At the end, I thought I did a pretty good job.

What was going through your mind as Grant Hill got ready through the in-bounds pass?

At first, I was surprised that Rick Pitino didn’t have anyone guard him. I think if Rick had one do-over, he would have put somebody 6-8 on him.

Then for a split second, I remembered I announced Grant Hill’s birth on a Dallas TV station. His father, Calvin, and I were good friends. Now here’s this guy (Grant) about to throw in the pass. I thought, ‘Oh my God.’ It was very personal to me.

What was your assessment of the final call?

You hope you get the call right. Mine wasn’t particularly brilliant. I channeled my inner Marv Albert and yelled ‘Yes!’

Somebody once asked if I was proud of that call? I’m proud I didn’t muck it up. It wasn’t an innovative piece of broadcasting, but it captured the moment. Len and I then had the good sense to shut up and let (director Mike Arnold) do his job.

What was the reason why you didn’t work as many basketball games this year?

When I did my new contract, I asked them if they could relieve me of some games. There was too much travel to places like East Lansing and West Lafayette. It was very gracious of them to do that. I still watched the games, but I was thankful to be able to do it with my wife.

You’re 72. This is supposed to be a young man’s game. Why does it still work for you?

The fact that I’m working at 72 in a high-profile position makes me feel honored. I think there still is some connection to not only the generation younger than me, but maybe two generations. I have to connect with kids 18-22. I think (appearing in) Happy Gilmore is the gift that keeps on giving.

I’m being factious, but something like that accidentally kept me viable with the college kid crowd.

Do you still enjoy it?

I don’t think you can fake a passion for it. You have to do the preparation. You can’t shortcut the process. The only thing I don’t like is the uneasiness of dealing with the airlines. Everything, except getting from point A to point B, I still find immensely pleasurable.

How much longer do you plan to work?

I’m not gilding the lilly when I say I am so appreciative to management that they gave me the time in the winter. I’ve got a contract that (could take him to 75). Then we’ll see.

 

Your broadcast lineups for NCAA tournament

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Here are your best pals for the upcoming feast of basketball:

OPENING ROUND
TUESDAY, MARCH 19

6:40 pm, truTV, Dayton
N.C. A&T vs. Liberty
Marv Albert-Steve Kerr-Craig Sager

9:10 pm, truTV
Mid Tennessee vs. St. Mary’s

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20

6:40 pm, truTV
LIU-Brooklyn vs. James Madison
Jim Nantz-Clark Kellogg-Tracy Wolfson

9:10 pm, truTV
Boise St. vs. LaSalle

THURSDAY, MARCH 21

12:15 p.m., CBS, Auburn Hills
Valparaiso vs. Michigan State
Verne Lundquist-Bill Raftery-Rachel Nichols

12:40 p.m., truTV, Lexington
Bucknell vs. Butler
Ian Eagle-Jim Spanarkel-Allie LaForce

1:40 p.m., TBS, Salt Lake City
Wichita St. vs. Pittsburgh
Spero Dedes-Doug Gottlieb-Jamie Maggio

2:10 p.m., TNT, San Jose
New Mexico St. vs. Saint Louis
Brian Anderson-Dan Bonner-Marty Snider

2:45 pm, CBS, Auburn Hills
Mid Tennessee / St. Mary’s vs. Memphis
Lundquist-Raftery-Nichols

3:10, truTV, Lexington
Davidson vs. Marquette
Eagle-Spanarkel-LaForce

4:10, TBS, Salt Lake City
Southern U. vs. Gonzaga
Dedes-Gottlieb-Maggio

4:40, TNT, San Jose
Oregon vs. Oklahoma St.
Anderson-Bonner-Snider

6:50 p.m., TBS, Lexington
N.C. A&T/Liberty vs.Louisville
Eagle-Spanarkel-LaForce

7:15 p.m., CBS, Auburn Hills
South Dakota St. vs. Michigan
Lundquist-Raftery-Nichols

7:20 p.m., TNT, Salt Lake City
Belmont vs. Arizona
Dedes-Gottlieb-Maggio

7:27 p.m., truTV, San Jose
California vs. UNLV
Anderson-Bonner-Snider

9:10, TBS, Lexington
Missouri vs. Colorado St.
Eagle-Spanarkel-LaForce

9:45, CBS, Auburn Hills
Akron vs. VCU
Lundquist-Raftery-Nichols

9:50, TNT, Salt Lake City
Harvard vs. New Mexico
Dedes-Gottlieb-Maggio

9:57, truTV, San Jose
Montana vs. Syracuse
Anderson-Bonner-Snider

FRIDAY, MARCH 22

12:15 p.m., CBS, Philadelphia
Albany vs. Duke
Kevin Harlan-Len Elmore-Reggie Miller-Lewis Johnson

12:40 p.m., truTV, Kansas City
Ole Miss vs. Wisconsin
Albert-Kerr-Sager

1:40 p.m., TBS, Dayton
Temple vs. N.C. State
Nantz-Kellogg-Wolfson

2:10 p.m., TNT, Austin
Pacific vs. Miami
Tim Brando-Mike Gminski-Otis Livingston

2:40, CBS, Philadelphia
Cincinnati vs. Creighton
Harlan-Elmore-Miller-Johnson

3:10, truTV, Kansas City
Boise St./LaSalle vs. Kansas State
Albert-Kerr-Sager

4:10, TBS, Dayton
LIU Brooklyn/James Madison vs. Indiana
Nantz-Kellogg-Wolfson

4:40, TNT, Austin
Colorado vs. Illinois
Brando-Gminski-Livingston

6:50 p.m., TBS, Philadelphia
Florida Gulf Coast vs. Georgetown
Harlan-Elmore-Miller-Johnson

7:15 p.m., CBS, Dayton
Iona vs. Ohio State
Nantz-Kellogg-Wolfson

7:20 p.m., TNT, Kansas City
Villanova vs. North Carolina
Albert-Kerr-Sager

7:27 p.m., truTV, Austin
Northwestern St. vs. Florida
Brando-Gminski-Livingston

9:10, TBS, Philadelphia
Oklahoma vs. San Diego State
Harlan-Elmore-Miller-Johnson

9:45, CBS, Dayton
Iowa St. vs. Notre Dame
Nantz-Kellogg-Wolfson

9:50, TNT, Kansas City
Western Kentucky vs. Kansas
Albert-Kerr-Sager

9:57, truTV, Austin
Minnesota vs. UCLA
Brando-Gminski-Livingston

Most powerful athlete: It’s LeBron James according to Bloomberg

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No surprise here. It’s all LeBron, all the time now through June.

From Bloomberg:

If 2010 gave us “The Decision,” 2012 brought “The Redemption.” In a year in which he claimed his third NBA Most Valuable Player award, his first NBA championship, his second Olympic gold medal, and two multimillion-dollar endorsement deals, the Miami Heat’s LeBron James can add another accolade to his ever-growing list: the top spot in the Bloomberg “Sportfolio”/Horrow Sports Ventures 2013 Power 100.

Three former Power 100 No. 1’s follow James in this year’s rankings: golfer Tiger Woods (No. 2); Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (No. 3); and New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (No. 4). Tennis star Roger Federer rounds out the top five.

And more on LeBron:

With a first NBA title under his belt and in the hunt for a second, the sky is the limit for James. He’s in the midst of arguably the best season of his basketball career, and is backed by a blue-chip endorsement portfolio that includes Nike, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Samsung, and State Farm. All this basketball and business bounty came after James’ Nielsen/E-Poll N-Score, a measure of marketability used for this study, reached the lowest point in his career following the Heat’s loss to the Mavericks in the 2011 NBA Finals.

James can also claim another distinction from his Top Five Power 100 peers: he’s the only one in that grouping who’s younger than 30.

“Longevity is the key to this year’s top grouping. From Peyton to Federer to Kobe to Brady, these athletes are on the backside of their historic careers yet still command on and off field attention and respect,” notes Gerry Philpott, CEO of E-Poll Market Research. “It will be interesting to see if the young stars of today can hold up over the years like these pros.”

And here’s a link to the entire list.

 

Saturday flashback: Vintage hockey covers from SI; Hull, Orr, Howe, and Gretzky’s first

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Earlier this week, I bemoaned the fact that hockey rarely gets featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated these days.

That wasn’t the case way back when. Hockey used to be front and center during the early years and even beyond for the magazine.

SI has a site that features all of its NHL covers. Here are a few from the collection.

The first NHL cover was in 1956 with the great Jean Beliveau; an artist’s rendition of Gordie Howe; Bobby Hull without his teeth; Sportsman of the Year Bobby Orr; hello and good-bye for Wayne Gretzky.

 

Jay Mariotti writes Kobe story for ESPN.com; ‘Thrilled to work with the pros at ESPN’

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Reunited: Jay Mariotti and ESPN. At least for one story.

This morning, ESPN.com posted a lengthy piece from Mariotti on Kobe Bryant and the Lakers.

In an email, Mariotti said, “Found Kobe to be a refreshingly candid interview subject–so reminds me of MJ. I’m thrilled to work with the pros at ESPN, and I clearly have the itch to produce sports pieces.”

Whether Mariotti does more for ESPN remains to be seen. While praising Mariotti’s story, ESPN spokesman Mike Soltys said, “Nothing else is currently planned.”

It is highly unlikely Mariotti will have a regular presence at ESPN. At best, he might do a periodic piece such as he did with Bryant. Then again, this could be a one-shot deal.

 

 

 

 

What’s the point of the Big Ten championship game on Sunday?

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Besides getting me to fork over a bunch of money to sit in the 300 level of the United Center with my kids?

The Chicago Tribune’s Teddy Greenstein points out the game rarely has an impact on seeding for the NCAA tournament. Greenstein writes:

We begin the reporting for this story with a premise: The Big Ten tournament title game is an afterthought. Or more accurately, a before-thought.

It’s the amuse bouche before a 12-course meal, the mixed greens stalling the delivery of your porterhouse.

It has no influence on NCAA tournament seeding, and those watching at home are screaming at the TV: “Just give us the brackets!”

Ah yes, there’s this issue of ratings:

Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany: “I don’t feel that (it lacks importance). What the data would show is that as people get ready for Selection Sunday, it’s a different kind of program. If we were going against the show, that would be madness — early March Madness. But leading into the show, we view it as a good thing, and I think CBS views it as a good thing.”

Roger that. The 2011 championship game (Ohio State 71, Penn State 60) drew 3.7 million viewers. Last year’s game (Michigan State 68, Ohio State 64) hit the same mark. The last two Big East championship games (Connecticut-Louisville and Louisville-Cincinnati), played Saturday night on ESPN, drew 2.2 million in 2011 and 3.3 million last year.

CBS analyst Clark Kellogg, who will call Sunday’s final at the United Center with Jim Nantz and Steve Kerr: “Perception is not always reality. There are pockets of folks more interested in the brackets. But because of the quality of the Big Ten and the magnitude of the league, that adds more juice to what is taking place.”