Saturday, April 14, 2007

The Ebb and Tide

Watching The Masters last week put me in the mood to follow golf in 2007. With the miserable play of the Nationals, I'm not left with much of a choice. In light of the situation, I've decided to accentuate the positive.

Athletes in other sports don't have the longevity of golfers. While it seems like stating 1+1=2, it gives golfers the opportunity to experience multiple game improvements over their careers. Jose' Maria Olazabal couldn't walk after his first Masters victory, but rebounded to win a 2nd, and returned to the top of his game. Golfers may peak late in their careers (Hogan, Watson, etc.). While other sports have 'Comeback Player of the Year', once an athlete peaks and starts to fall, it is rare he can return to such a level of excellence. The career of a golfer does not follow the parabola of improvement/downfall typified in other sports. Career variation put different golfers in the hunt each week, and make stories out of mini-renaissance weeks, currently being experienced by Jerry Kelly.

Golfers don't often succumb to freak injury. The Nats lost two starters on Opening Day. If a golfer commits to a tournament, chances of injury are statistically insignificant.

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