Triple Coupon Wednesday!

One thing I've learned this week

Blogging is apparently not like riding a bike, it's hard to get back on a regular schedule...

The Masters: Lay off Mickelson

If there's one thing I get sick of, it's people talking about how Phil Mickelson is supposed to be this great rival of Tiger Woods, and how he gets hated on when he's not performing up to Tiger's standard, especially by Jim Rome clones who are always bagging on Mickelson's weight.

First off, Tiger Woods has no rival. Period. We haven't seen a golfer of his mental toughness and physical skill ever and we may never see it again once he hangs up his bag. Tiger's not competing against his peers, he's competing against Arnold and Jack.

Second, Mickelson's got 3 majors and 2 green jackets, so frankly, to call him a failure as a golfer is absurd. That's a pretty darn good career considering most touring pros are lucky to win one major. Most of us regular folk would be lucky to break 100 at these major courses on our best day.

So just lay off the guy, already.

LaMarcus leaves; Barnes stays

Well, two Longhorns made key career decisions this week, and both are probably going to turn out to be the right ones

LaMarcus Aldridge is going pro; Rick Barnes is not going to N.C. State

Yeah, LaMarcus probably could have benefitted from another year at Texas, but an opportunity to collect first or second pick money from an NBA every day, and if he gets hurt next year, he's better off getting injured as a pro, than getting injured as a college player.

Plus, as much as I like college ball, you have to be fully committed to coming back if all you're getting for doing so is a scholarship and the title of "student-athlete". Aldridge was kinda hemming and hawing there for a while, and if you're doing that when making the decision to stay or go, it's best to just declare, get an agent, and go pro.

Barnes, on the other hand, took one look at the NC State job and decided that he was better off at Texas, where it's his team and his recruits, and he doesn't have to play 2 games each against Mike Krzyzewski and Roy Williams every year. Call it a hunch, but I think Memphis's John Calipari may come to a similar conclusion.

Support Your Local Arena Football Team
(not starring James Garner)

Austin, Texas, you really need to get behind your Wranglers

The Wranglers are 7-4 and in the hunt for the AFL playoffs after getting off to a 5-1 start, which is a heck of a lot better than they were this time last year. But frankly, the attendance figures at the Erwin Center have been pathetic.

Especially since this is football that Austin folks should be able appreciate. After all this isn't normal football, it's weird football.

They pass almost every play. They score almost every trip down the field.

The AFL is the "homeless drag-queen running for mayor" brand of football compared to the buttoned up, respectable NFL. Last I checked, the unofficial city slogan wasn't "Keep Austin Normal."

Maybe if they had local bands play after the game, it would be a better-attended event, who knows.