Weekend Sports Update ……

Well here I am in the beautiful city of Miami, on business for the next couple of days, at the expense of the firm that I work for. In conjunction with the associates of the Miami and Orlando offices. We’re working on a proposal for a Latin American client of the firm. If all goes well it’ll mean several million dollars in terms of fees and commissions that’ll be forthcoming to the firm . On the other hand if things don’t work out we’ll still be paid but it won’t on the scale that many of the firm’s senior partners had envisaged. But that’s another story , for another day.

Woods raises the Buick Open trophy signaling his victory of the the event held at Warwick Hills G&CC in Grand Blanc , Michigan. This was Woods' 69th official PGA Tour victory placing him third alltime on the PGA victory tour list. picture appears courtesy of getty images/ Chris Graythern ...................

Well on the sport’s front, Tiger Woods won his 69th professional PGA tournament. And basically it was merely another stroll in the park for the world’s number one golfer. The main challenge for Woods wasn’t how much he’d win by but whether or not his game was really where he wants it to be. With only the PGA Championship left on the calendar as the sole remaining Grand Slam event. Woods must view this as an event that needs his utmost attention . If he’s to resurrect what by his own lofty standards can be viewed as something of a disappointment by his own lofty standards.

For Woods at this stage of his career it’s not merely about winning events on the PGA Tour. It’s more to do with rewriting the history books and surpassing Jack Nicklaus’ total of eighteen Grand Slam major victories. Whilst Woods may well now be viewed as the best to have ever played the game. In many purists’ eyes the veracity of that argument can’t be made until he chases down to the reverential total and surpasses that milestone. If things had gone right for Woods in the two opening Grand Slam events, The Masters and the US Open . Then, we may well have been talking about Woods being on the threshold of winning his seventeenth major Grand Slam tournament. As it is, questions lingered as to his missing the cut at The Open. But one as they might say could account for that as merely ……”Tiger being Tiger “?

Woods’ win of the Buick Open , was one of ease, for the golfer by his own irreprissible standards. His three stroke victory never really saw him placed under any great challenges that weren’t as such of his own making. It was merely Tiger against himself after the first round of the tournament , held at Warwick Hills GC, in Grand Blanc , Michigan. And with his 69th official tour victory that now places him third alltime on the list of victors on the PGA Tour. The alltime victor’s list is head by the 82 victories of Sam Snead . When it’s all said and done, Woods may even surpass Snead’s total . As it is , it’s felt that he’s now in the prime of his career , even after just over a decade on the PGA Tour.

Filly , Rachel Alexander on her way to victory in The Preakness held at Pimlico Racecourse in Baltimore , Maryland. The equine won the race going away from Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird. picture appears courtesy of afp/ Ricardo Cortez .........................

Well this year’s Triple Crown was once again much ado about nothing. There was heightened excitement when it was felt that Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird was thought of as a logical favorite to triumph in all of three of the premiere equine events ran as part of the Triple Crown. Well it wasn’t to be for the victor the victor in the Kentucky Derby . This race, alongside that of The Preakness and The Belmont Stakes make up the triumvirate of most prestigious races held on the North American thoroughbred racing circuit. Inasmuch, as I like the content of thoroughbred racing here in the United States , I believe that the quality of racing isn’t on par with that of its European counterparts. Especially within the United Kingdom and France , of all places. Whilst the purses here are larger , the overall quality and prowess of the jockeys are somewhat less than satisfactory.

Rachel Alexander (6) ridden by Calvin Borel , sits behind Munnings (4) and Papa Clem (3) at the start of the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park, Oceanport , New Jersey. The filly went on to win the race with ease by a margin of 6 lengths over her closest rival. picture appears ap/photo/ Bill Kostroun ...........

But it’d be foolish, to think that the racing here isn’t of a top notch level. And while much has been made of the heroics of Mine That Bird this equine season. If anything it has been the exploits of Preaknesss winner, the filly , Rachel Alexander , that has had the press and the fans of thoroughbred racing aghast, with her abilties. And for jockey , Calvin Borel , it too, has been a monumental season. As he’s had the privilege of having ridden both horses to victory in two of the three legs of the Triple Crown.

Racehel Alexander ridden by Calvin Borel strolls to victory in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park, Oceanport , New Jersey. picture appears courtesy of equi photos/ap/ Ryan Bishop ........................

The filly , herself, is unbeaten in all of her six races and has amassed well over $1,500,000 in prize money for her owners. But the intriguing thing has been to witness her take on the boys and beat them at their own game. Having been the first female to do so in a Triple Crown event with her emphatic victory in The Preakness by some 6 1/2 lengths over Kentucky Derby winner , Mine That Bird.

This weekend Rachel Alexander went out and once again prevailed in a Grade One event ,winning the $1.25million Haskell Invitiational at Monmouth Park, Oceanport, New Jersey. And to once again to emphasize how good this 3 year old filly really is. To say the ease with which she triumphed once again at Oceanside wouldn’t do her enough justice. Suffice to say that her victory over these colts was just another example that in the world of thoroughbred racing it certainly isn’t necessarily a man’s world. She completely annihilated her competition with her turn of speed, striding away from some top class equine talent.

Next up for the filly , may well be another race against the boys in Travers Stakes. And there’s no telling how emphatic she might be on her next outing. The one thing that you can be sure of is that she’ll have her full show of support from all of her fans out there. Especially if she shows the kind of form that has now become the norm for her.

McCutchen of the Pirates rounds third base after hitting a three run home run against the Washington Nationals. McCutchen would have a career day hitting three home runs and driving in six runs against the NL East team. In picture also is Nationals' third baseman Ryan Zimmerman . picture appears courtesy of ap/photo Gene J Puskar ..............................

Say what you will, one either clamors for the game of baseball, or they don’t . Given what transparency that there’s now said to be within the game. I , for one can’t say that as of late I’ve been overly excited with the direction that the game is now said to be going in. And at the same time I don’t even feel that the hierarchy can be entrusted to safeguard the best interests of the game . Much less , deal with the steroid issue in the appropriate manner. In watching the actions of the players, the owners and that of MLB , it’s like watching children at play deficating on themselves and then looking for someone else to come along and clean up their mess. And that’s given the fact that they’ve been potty trained.

McCutchen and teammate Lastings Milledge celebrate after McCutchen's celebrated feat against the Nationals. McCutchen joined a select few players whom as a rookie (aged 21 or younger) have hit three home runs in a game and driven six runs. Amongst those of that rarified air are Willie Stargell , Roberto Clemente (twice) and Aramis Ramirez . picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Gene J Puskar ........................

That asides, watching the heroics of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Andrew McCutchen hit three home runs as a rookie , was an impressive performance. Albeit that the Pirates’ season must be filled with about as much optimism as that of both Kim Kardahsian’s and her hopes of reuniting with Reggie Bush .

McCutchen’s display for the Pirates whilst impressive. It simply doesn’t hide the very fact that this ballclub is heading nowhere. We’re forever being told that as such young teams such as the Phillies and Royals are building towards the future and that they’ll become competitive. But other than the Tampa Bay Rays and the Florida Marlins at present. There isn’t a team in baseball that’s even viewed in that criteria in terms of having a young core roster and being consistently competitive.

The Pirates are a microcosm of what’s said to be wrong when it comes to baseball and the imbalance that there’s said to be between the small to mid-tier to large market teams . Luxury tax sharing revenues or not , the teams that have been recipients of this. Not all of them have used those funds to bolster their rosters. Instead a large part of that money seems to have found its way into the pockets of their owners. And what’s even more intolerable these are the same owners who come cap in hand to the various municipal , county and state governments looking for tax breaks in and taxpayers’ monies to facilitate the building of ballplarks up and down the country. Think the Yankees’ and Mets’ new ballparks were funded through private monies ? Think again ?

Andrew McCutchen hits the third of his three home runs in the Pirates 11-6 rout of the Washington Nationals. picture appears courtesy of the post gazette/ Matt Freed ............................

So as it now stands, while McCutchen’s accomplishment can be looked upon as something of a great achievement for the player and the team. It doesn’t belie the fact , that for the Pirates’ immediate fortunes . It really doesn’t amount to much , other than a brief satisfying moment for the team’s fans. It certainly won’t change the fact that this team doesn’t appear to have a chance of competing at the highest levels of the game. It’s merely just another ballclub that exists within the realms of MLB for the vultures to come and swoop on down upon to replenish their rosters as and when they see fit. It’s not as if the hierarchy seems to think that there’s anything wrong in that to begin with. As far as they’re concerned ‘……it’s a dog eats dog world. And the weaker teams are just there to be gobbled up without there being any recourse at all ‘ !