Tiger Woods is first the billion dollar athlete

LOS ANGELES - With Tiger Woods overshadowing the sports world like a colossus, the PGA Tour has so far managed to provide fairly robust resistance to the global economic downturn.

Although neither Woods nor the lucrative U.S. circuit have been totally immune to financial woe, both appear to be in surprisingly good health.

Woods won six times in 17 events on the 2009 Tour and ended his campaign with earnings of $10,508,163...............

Although disappointed he failed to add to his career tally of 14 majors, the world number one also clinched the season-long points race for the FedExCup along with a bonus of $10 million.

While sport has been left vulnerable to the loss of marketing and advertising dollars over the last 12 months, the Tour has negotiated fairly smooth waters.

The U.S. circuit was fully sponsored for 2009 and although the troubled Detroit automaker Buick has withdrawn two title sponsorships for next year, one of those events has already been replaced.

Commissioner Tim Finchem predicts that perhaps two more sponsors could disappear before the end of 2010 but, overall, he believes the Tour is in a "comparatively quite good" situation amid the economic downturn.

"The good news is we've had a lot of good extensions well out into the future," Finchem said at last week's Tour Championship. "I think we're going to have some ... additional new sponsors over the next two or three years.

"I'd characterise the situation as good, maybe even comparatively quite good, when you look at other enterprises. But certainly we have our challenges ahead of us."

Earlier this week two news stories emerged on the same day, one highlighting the power of the Tiger factor and the other proving that golf cannot afford to be complacent.

On the golf front the Tour announced Verizon Heritage would not renew its title sponsorship of the Heritage Classic in Hilton Head, South Carolina after the 2010 edition.

FUTURE INVOLVEMENT

A title sponsor for more than 20 years, Verizon said it would be restructuring its future involvement with the circuit and would focus instead on "select" events that provided more opportunities for business development throughout the year.

Within hours of that announcement Forbes Magazine reported Woods had become the first person in sport to earn more than $1 billion.

According to Forbes the 33-year-old American crossed that threshold with the help of his $10 million FedExCup bonus.

"Woods has been the world's highest-paid athlete since 2002 when he surpassed (Formula One's Michael) Schumacher," the magazine reported.

"His earnings have surged in recent years as he launched a golf-course design business. He currently has three courses underway that pay him more than $10 million per project."

For many people Woods is golf and he has almost single-handedly ushered in an era of multi-million dollar endorsements and lucrative appearance money since turning professional in 1996.

His Afro-American-Asian background has spread the sport to an audience far beyond its traditional image of male, white and middle-class and he has become the world's best known and most marketable athlete.

"He's the best draw out there," Robert Boland, professor of sports management at New York University, told Reuters.

"If you're a sponsor of an event, generally what will happen is you'll cut your overall spend, you'll cut your spend in the middle, but you'll keep your best value deal out there.

"For a lot of people that best value deal probably is the PGA (Tour) and the event that Tiger is in. There's always been some discrimination in favor of events Tiger plays."

When Woods competes the television ratings soar along with an abundance of advertising dollars.
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Bowhunter bags 30-point buck

The 30-point buck a Fond du Lac man shot has people talking all across Wisconsin. WLUK reports.
Source: WLUK


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Manning Wisely Modest After Breaking Unitas Record

Manning Wisely Modest After Breaking Unitas Record

MIAMI (Reuters) - Peyton Manning became the Indianapolis Colts' most successful quarterback, in terms of wins, after guiding the team to a 27-23 victory over Miami on Monday but wisely chose to downplay that particular statistic.

Manning holds a series of Colts records and his 119th victory for Indianapolis took him past the record held by Johnny Unitas - widely considered one of the greatest quarterbacks since the inception of the NFL.

Unitas, who won the NFL Championship in 1958 in what is known as 'the greatest game', a sudden death overtime victory over the New York Giants, played for the Colts when they were a Baltimore team.

The Colts franchise moved to Indianapolis in 1984 -- the team's equipment were bussed out of Baltimore in the dark of night and their league record and stats traveling along too, but Unitas was among those who refused to switch their loyalties to the new city.

Manning, who led the Colts to a Super Bowl triumph in Miami against the Chicago Bears in February, 2007 and who is a nine-times Pro Bowl selection, is certainly on his way to entering the same standard of legacy as Unitas but few would say he has got there yet and he acknowledged that in his post-game comments.

"I've never felt comfortable with these comparisons to Johnny Unitas. I'm very proud to wear the same uniform as he did. He was very nice to me the times that I was around him. Johnny Unitas was a winner," Manning told reporters.

"I never saw him play but my Dad told me a lot about him and what he meant to the city of Baltimore and what he meant to the NFL. It's very humbling to be mentioned in some of these same categories and individual records but this is a team record.

"There are a lot of people that were part of those wins. A lot of great coaches and a lot of great players. It's a very humbling achievement," he said.

Manning's class was evident throughout Monday's win - he managed to throw for 303 yards and two touchdowns despite his team having the ball for less than a quarter of the game - the lowest recorded possession time for a winning team.

"We stayed loose on the sidelines and then we knew that we had to be effective when we had the ball. It was about being calm," he said, adding that he had followed the example of his younger brother Eli, who on Sunday kept his cool to lead the New York Giants to a late win at Dallas.

"I had pretty good inspiration from a certain quarterback from the Giants - he kept me up pretty late (on Sunday night). I saw how calm and cool he was with young receivers too," said the Colts quarterback.

Unitas still holds the league record for most consecutive games with a touchdown pass - his record of 47 games was set in 1960 and has never been seriously challenged.
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Golf Fitness Challenge

Don't you think it's interesting that athletes in every other sport go on to break records like running (the four minute mile barrier) and baseball (record home runs), yet golfers still can't break 80, or even 90 after years and years of practicing and playing? I bet a few of you have yet to break 100 and haven't seen any rewards for the hours and hours of effort you have put in. Maybe you've read the same statistic we have. Did you know the National Golf Foundation reports the average male handicap is 16.2 and the average female handicap is 28.0.

But, here's the real problem. Did you know that these same statistics haven't changed for over 20 years? Yes, it's true. The average male and female golf handicap is exactly the same as it was way back then. Now, how the heck is this possible?

• Is it because we don't have access to enough swing instruction information to help us improve?
  
  
• Is it because we aren't seeing advances in equipment, balls or technology so there is no way to get better?
  
  
• Or maybe we don't have good role models on today's tour to set good examples?

Surely you don't believe any of those three are true. Maybe, just maybe, it is the opposite...

Maybe there is just too much technology and too much information and no way to know how to process it...and maybe, just maybe...

There are too many golf fitness and exercise programs and it is simply too confusing to try and choose one. In fact, here is what one of our readers and avid golfers Gus Mestak asked...

For More Detailed Information: Golf Fitness Challenge

In the process of this confusion, there must be some questions we're not asking and answers we're not getting. But, what? What are we missing? What is the real secret to improvement with the game.

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Indy Wrestler Death Under Investigation

Philadelphia Police are investigating the mysterious death of a minor league professional wrestler.

Matt "Riot" Lowry, 21, died at Hahnemann University Hospital Tuesday after collapsing during a training exercise at "The Arena" on Ritner Street in South Philadelphia Monday.

Lowry hoped to wrestle for CZW-Combat Zone Wrestling, described on its Web site as Ultra Violent Entertainment. While detectives tried to piece together exactly what happened, promoter Dave Markland told CBS 3 Lowry was stricken as he exercised with a trainer outside the ring.

Markland, who is also the owner of CZW, was told by paramedics that Lowry suffered no head trauma or bruising, but died from a brain hemorrhage.

A man who trained Lowry told CBS 3 that the athlete was not injured inside the ring when the injury occurred.

Lowry was originally from Ohio, but neighbors said he was visiting a friend in Westville, New Jersey.

Lowry was not a member of the CZW, and was just training with a friend, who is a trainer for the independent wrestling troupe.

Adding to the tragedy for family members and friends, Lowry's mother died within the past year, forcing him to stop wrestling. He had only recently moved here from Ohio to resume his career.

Police are hoping eyewitness interviews and the results of an autopsy will provide important information about what caused Lowry's death. But as they await the results of toxicology tests, the final answers could be weeks away.
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USC’s Barkley still hampered by bruised shoulder

LOS ANGELES (AP)—Southern California quarterback Matt Barkley is still unable to throw in practice, increasing the possibility the freshman won’t start the No. 3 Trojans’ upcoming game at Washington.

Although the bone bruise in Barkley’s right shoulder felt much better Tuesday than it did after last week’s victory at Ohio State, sophomore Aaron Corp worked with USC’s first-team offense for the second straight day.

Barkley, who burst into national attention with his fourth-quarter play against the Buckeyes despite the injury, was held out of throwing drills.

“I tried this morning, and it felt pretty bad,” Barkley said. “I can’t really bring my shoulder back. … I thought I was going to be able to throw today, but it has gotten better. I think it’s progressing.”

Coach Pete Carroll didn’t set a deadline for naming a starting quarterback, but he praised Corp’s practice performance.

“We’ll make the determination when it seems right,” Carroll said.

Safety Taylor Mays also missed practice for the second straight day with a sprained right knee ligament, but the senior All-American plans to suit up Saturday in his hometown before deciding whether to miss a game for the first time in his college career.

Barkley was hurt in the second half of USC’s 18-15 victory in Columbus, but he stayed in the game to lead the decisive 86-yard drive in the final minutes. Although he can’t throw, he has studied the film of the drive that instantly carved out a small place in USC history for him—and even more clearly for tailback Joe McKnight, who did most of the work.

“Still the same thought: it was crazy,” Barkley said. “It was awesome. … I thought I played well. There were about two or three reads that I messed up on. There were bringing it with their blitzes and fronts, but I thought it was good.”

Barkley beat out Corp for the chance to replace Mark Sanchez during training camp, but the freshman was helped when Corp developed a small crack in a bone below his left knee during USC’s third practice. Though Corp returned to practice several days later, he’s only five weeks through a projected six-week path to full recovery.

Corp believes he’s about “95 percent,” saying he can do just about anything the coaches require.

“I definitely feel like the starter, at least pretending to be,” Corp said. “If I can keep playing well and give our team a chance to get better, that’s what I’ll do.”

Corp would add new dimensions to the Trojans’ offense. He’s a more aggressive runner than Barkley, with USC linebacker Chris Galippo describing the Orange County product as the toughest running quarterback he ever played against in high school.

That mobility is one reason Carroll was hesitant to use Corp until his leg was more fully healed, although Corp didn’t see it that way.

“I was ready last week, ready two weeks ago,” Corp said. “If they need me, I’ll feel good.”

Mays plans to wear a brace on his knee when he goes through pregame warmups at Husky Stadium. The Seattle native doesn’t attach any special meaning to his final college game there, but he hasn’t missed a game in his entire career at USC, starting every contest except the first game of his freshman season.

Carroll said Mays would be much more likely to play without practicing than Barkley, given Mays’ experience in the USC system. If Mays can’t play, backup Drew McAllister looks ready to go after missing last week’s game with a hip injury.

Mays said his knee was “just a little stiff, and it feels uncomfortable. Maybe when the ball is snapped, I won’t even feel it. Hopefully I’ll be tough enough to get through it.”

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Smith’s contract reminiscent of Williams’ pact

As Michael Crabtree continues to hold out for a better contract offer from the San Francisco 49ers, maybe he’s haunted by the images of Leland Hardy and Andre Smith.

Hardy, the lead negotiator for Master P’s No Limit Sports agency, negotiated the deal of 1999 NFL draft pick and current Miami Dolphins running back Ricky Williams. By all accounts, Williams’ deal was one of the most ludicrous contracts in NFL history.

The contract was heavily weighted in incentives that were almost impossible for Williams, selected No. 5 by the New Orleans Saints, to reach. Williams’ pact had a maximum value of $68 million and included a then-record signing bonus of $8.8 million. However, the bulk of those incentives were based on Williams surpassing the performance of former Denver running back Terrell Davis, who had the most productive four-year start to a career by any running back in NFL history. Williams, upon getting traded to the Miami Dolphins in 2002, restructured his contract so that he could earn incentives and increase his base pay in following years.

The memory of the Williams deal was revived by Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle Andre Smith. Smith’s odyssey to being the No. 6 overall pick is a misadventure by itself (some projected him to go as high as No. 2 before a series of goofs, such as leaving the NFL scouting combine early). However, his contract may rank right there with Williams as a show-stopper. Or in the case of agent Alvin Keels, a career stopper. Throw in the fact that Smith missed most of training camp while holding out and you have a deal that defies logic.

Smith essentially signed what is really a six-year contract (don’t believe the four-year claim, the team can easily buy the last two years) worth an expected value of $42 million, assuming he hits all the normal thresholds. If Smith hits all the “Superman” clauses in the contract (he basically has to go to the Pro Bowl and Cincinnati has to get to the playoffs every year), he can make a maximum of $50 million.

Now, compare that deal to what quarterback Mark Sanchez got from the New York Jets at No. 5 and what wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey got from the Oakland Raiders at No. 7. Sanchez signed a five-year deal in which he will make $47.5 million if he hits the normal thresholds and can max out at $60 million.

In other words, Sanchez can make more money in less time. Of course, Keels can argue that Sanchez got the “quarterback premium,” an unwritten rule of contracts. But that logic doesn’t explain how Heyward-Bey, taken a pick later, did so much better than Smith. Like Sanchez, Heyward-Bey signed a five-year deal and can make $38.5 million with the reasonable thresholds and $54 million with the maximum thresholds.

And Heyward-Bey didn’t have to hold out. Moreover, most people say Heyward-Bey was one of the biggest reaches of the first round this year.

To top all of that off, Smith could get only $21.5 million guaranteed because the deal was technically written as a four-year deal with a two-year club option (he’s guaranteed to make $8 million more if the option is exercised).

All of that makes for one really bad contract. Or as one person with extensive knowledge of NFL contracts put it: “One of the worst contracts I’ve ever seen.”
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