Truth: Tiger Woods will enter this year's PGA Championship with a chance to win the Grand Slam. I won't say that he's going to win it, because quite frankly, I think he'll buckle under the pressure. But, after skipping the year-end Mercedes Championship to rest up for the 2006 season and opening with a flurry at last week's Buick, Tiger has positioned himself for his best year yet.
He's happy professionally, as he's playing well and feels great. He's happy personally, married to Swedish bombshell Elin Nordegren. But he's still got a chip on his shoulder because the Grand Slam is the only thing he hasn't accomplished.
While the courses were set up for him to do it last year, he still has a great shot in '06. Expect him to tear up Augusta in April and win the Masters by a good seven or eight strokes. If he gets through the U.S. Open at Winged Foot, he'll return to his second home at Royal Liverpool, where he's had success in the past (not as much as at St. Andrews, but still). I think he'll get tripped up at the PGA Championship at Medinah.
Take it to the bank though: Come mid-August, Scott Van Pelt and the SportsCenter gang will be going crazy as Tiger prepares to make history.
Truth: Last weekend's win by AU's men's and women's basketball teams will spring them to a second-half run.
I'm more convinced about the men's team getting on a roll, but I think the women have a chance too. The men thoroughly dominated a Lafayette team that had come in with confidence and a decent record. The 18-point drubbing the Eagles threw on the Leopards wasn't nearly as close as how it may have looked.
Linas Lekavicius was a monster, weaving through the defense and directing traffic while allowing point guard Derrick Mercer to run the offense through him and Andre Ingram.
Sitting at 3-4 right now in the league, the Eagles will need to win at least four of their last six to grab the third seed and avoid Bucknell until the finals.
The women, on the other hand, had to struggle to beat the 'Pards, eking out a one-point win. But, the argument can be made that this win will do more for the young team than a blowout would have. They grew up that day, being led by freshmen Sahar Nusseibeh and Pam Stanfield while old reliable Tala Hadavi put up 19 in the game.
Melissa McFerrin's crew sits at 2-5 in the league with a tough road trip coming up. With no dominant team in the league (a la Bucknell in the men's draw), if the Eagles get hot and finish the season at .500, they could make some noise in the tournament as the fifth or sixth seed.
Both teams start their runs this weekend in Bethlehem, Pa., against the Lehigh Mountain Hawks. They'll be looking to return the favor for January losses at Bender.
Lie: Jerome Bettis will win the Super Bowl in his backyard. Sorry, Steel City lovers, but I just don't see it happening. I ripped him a couple weeks ago, but Matt Hasselbeck has impressed and has the experience needed to guide this offense. He and Big Ben are pretty equal, but no matter how great Bettis and Willie Parker are, they don't compare with MVP/free-agent-to-be Shaun Alexander, who will grind up 150 yards on the ground.
Comparable defenses and special teams make for a ridiculously close game in the Super Bowl no one seems to care about. I like Hasselbeck in a dome, airing it out to Darrell Jackson and Joe Jurevicius (who is the best possession receiver in the NFL).
Look for Pittsburgh to come out strong, build a touchdown or so lead, but succumb late to the Mike Holmgren genius and the clutch plays of Alexander and Hasselbeck. We seem to forget that this team is 15-3. Seattle 27, Pittsburgh, 21.
