Fine If Fitz Had Left, Ducks Destroy Cats, Time to Cap the Open?

Larry Fitzgerald returns for another season and Kurt Warner gets elected for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Cardinal fans have something to smile about in early February. I am happy for both men, but even more so for Warner. The donut hole in his career with the New York Giants had some voters initially sitting on the fence about his belonging in the Hall. Add to that, the ridiculous voting procedure by the Hall of Fame. Only five players get in per year, even though there are 32 teams in the League!? There’s a backlog of names that belong in the Hall  IMO. It’s not going to happen with the class being so small year in and year out…

When I watched Tiger Woods flail away at Dubai this past week, I thought for a brief moment about Fitzgerald returning for another season. There’s something to be said for getting out of the game too early, rather than too late. Steve Nash’s body failed at the end and it was painful to watch him TRY to get up and down the court. Fitz has everything going for him and he’s still amazingly productive at age 33. Sure, those who wear Cardinal red glasses wanted to see him keep playing, I would’ve been just as happy had he announced he was retiring…

So the Arizona Wildcat basketball bandwagon crashed into a ditch Saturday afternoon in Eugene, Oregon. No sugar-coating just how brutal Arizona was, but as I pointed out two weeks ago when Arizona won at UCLA, it’s not that big of a deal. The Ducks and Wildcats have identical records (21-3, 10-1), they may well meet again in the Pac-12 Tourney in Las Vegas. They will both make March Madness and while seeding is important, those who take an old-fashioned butt-kicking in the first week of February as the end of the world, I’d argue otherwise. Get back to me on Saturday, Feb. 25th vs UCLA. Until then, the Wildcats should overwhelm those that are on their schedule. By the way, #2 Baylor, #3 Kansas,  and 7th ranked  West Virginia all lost AT HOME on Saturday. It’s not so bad Wildcat fans, a little humility can do a team  good…

I hear Phoenix Rising FC is going to use the grandstands at WM Open as part of their pop-up stadium for the coming season. This past couple of weeks MLS Commissioner Don Garber has visited  expansion hopefuls San Diego, Sacramento, and Cincinnati. When will he visit Phoenix? I have asked Rising FC Governor Berke Bakay to come back on the show this week for an update…

How big, is too big? Are we getting to the point with the Phoenix Open that we should start to wonder? I walked with Mickelson, Kuchar and Patrick Reed on Friday morning and it was fine getting around. But, when Spieth, Fowler, and Rahm teed off just after 12pm, forget it. No room for fans to comfortably get around 1,2, and even 3…