Here's to Vijay Singh for sticking to his guns and standing by his original comments about a woman playing in a men's tournament. So many people today say things they really feel or think, and then, because of some people who don't have better things to do with their time than bitch, utter some apologetic epitaph to their original comments.
Truly, I have no problem with him having a problem with her in the tournament. He's an individual with his own opinions and beliefs. Good for him. Personally my shorts aren't choking my life blood over all this. In Annika's defense, she's only playing in this tournament because she won...WON...the chance to do so at a prior PGA event.
Maybe guys like Vijay worry that this is the beginning of touraments being unisex, where men and women face off on the same event. If that's his worry, he's wasting his time. That "worry" belongs to the women in the LPGA, because if that happens, alot of women who are making a decent living playing golf will no longer make the cut. I'm not being macho and saying women can't compete, I'm just being realistic.
As Mike states, the tee off point in men's golf is substantially longer than any in the women's game. And most men in the PGA can flat out knock the crap out of the ball. That's not to say some women wouldn't find themselves in the money. It's equally true that there are some men in the PGA who don't necessarily have the strongest swing. Do these guys ever win it all? No. Many times, they place in the bottom tier of the events they're in. Obviously, the longer you can whack the ball, the less shots you'll need to put it in the hole.
When I was a kid, getting my first taste of sports, I remember wondering then why the men and women didn't play together. I'm sure I assumed it was because, in the child vernacular, boys are stronger than girls. Now, of course, I realize that strength also entails heart and desire. Could a woman win a men's PGA event with the top notch field? Anything is possible. But would it be worth the sacrifice of talent in the women's game? Having two separate entities like the PGA and LPGA, ensures that a maximum number of both men, and women, have an opportunity to compete and make a good living.
MY TRIP TO AMITY
Not too far back, the wifey and I took off for Martha's Vineyard to spend a few sun soak days in the land where "JAWS" was built.
Having been there several times already, I had begun to seek out different spots where scenes from the movie were filmed. And much to my incredible suprise, I just recently figured out that the hotel I stay at is about 15 steps to Amity Town Central. It took me all of 2 minutes time to walk to Amity City Hall, where Quint's famous first scene with the chalk board took place. To my incredible joy, the room was still set up the exact same way as the movie. Complete with a chalk board with a shark eating a man on it, which for me was just way too cool.
I was standing in a field out at a beach area called Gays Head, when I realized I was in the spot where the "Amity Means Friendship" sign was posted, where Hooper told Mayor Vaughn the shark would have to bite him in the ass before he did anything to stop it.
With each visit, I find more and more. For the JAWS maniac like myself, it's just the neatest thing. Once we got home, the now classic flick was showing on TBS so I caught the last half of it. If you watch it thru to the very end, you will see Chief Brody and Matt Hooper finally reach shore. In the distance, you will see a cliff and a lighthouse. That's when it hit me like a brick in the face....HEY...I'VE BEEN THERE TOO!!!!
Way too cool. The only down side is that I stupidly left my camera at home so I don't have any action photos. As for my homeboy JAWS compadre, Mike, I've been trying to get him to come visit and go to Amity to check it out in person, but so far, no luck. I guess you have to be a real fan of the movie to do something like that!
Take care and God bless,
Matthew
