Tiger or Phil

Would you rather have the career of Phil Mickelson, the nice guy with the heartbreak at the majors or Tiger Woods, with the major championships and the martial problems.  Phil has five major championships, (3 Masters, 1 PGA and 1 Open) he probably should have won another PGA Championship and at last one if not two U.S Opens.  Yes, Phil has melted down when it counted it a bunch of tournaments but he's a very humble guy.  Phil is often the best looser ever but he gives you the interview you want, he'll own up to his mistakes and at the end be a great man and a great family man.  Tiger Woods on the other hand has 14 Major Championships (four away from Jack Nickalus record) and is a 10 time leading money winner on the tour.  Tiger has had trouble being consistent ever since his father died and has since gotten into car accidents, divorced his wife and has endured three back surgeries.  Tiger who hasn't won a major since the U.S Open in 2008 may not catch Jack now.  Tiger will not be your best friend, he will not spend lots of time with fans and doesn't grant many interviews but he can live in luxury.  Phil is the opposite he doesn't have the money or the wins but is a much more personable guy.              

Is Rio Safe?

The summer olympics come to Rio in just two short weeks and we don't know if their safe.  Their have been reports recently of bodies, in some state of decay I imagine washing up on shore of some of the beaches so I guess they'll play Beach Volleyball and any other sand sports on a beach that may or may not be full of dead bodies.  Just today the police in Rio arrested some people who may or may not have been terrorists. The water is polluted, you might be able to filter it to drink it but the lakes and rivers for the boating events is probably going to be brown,  the athletes who would normally be wearing water clothes are now wearing three layers to stay safe from the water.  Zika is a big problem, it's a disease from a mosquito that apparently causes birth defects.  Some of the Venues might not be safe, if they're even finished building them.  These are just some of the reasons, top athletes are pulling out of the olympics.  Mainly because of Zika golf (top 3) and tennis players among other sports have said they won't go. The olympic village it self will be one of the safest places in the country during the games, but the olympic village is only a made up part of Rio.  If you're going to go and risk your life, you might have to think twice.            

Baseballs second half

With the second half of the baseball season about to get under way tonight, its time for teams to determine if their in it or not.  With the second Wild Card teams like the Yankees who are .500 and  71/2 back in the division still have a chance.  This next month is when teams are going to decide if their buyers or sellers at the August 31st, trade deadline.  A lot of teams are right on the cusp and the next couple weeks will be telling as to wether they buy or sell, for example we'll know a lot about what the Yankees are capable of in the next ten games with 3 against Boston, 4 against Baltimore and 3 against San Fransisco.  For example if the Yankees faultier in their next ten, teams will lining up to acquire Chapman, Miller, Beltran and McCann.  Some teams that would be lining up to make a trade would be the Chicago Cubs who stated out strong and have faltered a bit, they could use bullpen help, the San Fransisco Giants like winning in even years, the Houston Astros are coming on and could use a bat and the Washington Nationals are right there and could use some bullpen pieces not to mention the Cleveland Indians.

MLB Power rankings:
1. San Fransisco Giants (they finished the first half strong and the Cubs didn't)
2. Chicago Cubs
3. Cleveland Indians (loaded for another potential Cleveland championship)
4. Washington Nationals
5. Detroit Tigers      

Midsummer classic

Every year at the approximately the half way point of the baseball season the games best players gather for an All-Star Game.  The MLB All-Star game has been around since at least the 1920's making it the oldest and in mine and many other people's opinion the best of the four major sports.  Baseballs All-Star game while being an exhibition is generational, you can go back and look at when your grandparents saw Mickey Mantle play.  The Home Run Derby that goes with the game has gotten life pumped back into it with the timing of the rounds.  The  MLB got it right with there two days of fun.  This game should not count thought, giving the winner home field advantage in the World Series should not happen.  For the last thirteen years the managers of this game have been torn between trying to win and getting their league home field in the World Series or playing everybody.  The problem is they can't think of a better way to award home field, it used to alternate years.  This should be an exhibition where everyone on thee roster gets to play, a celebration of the first half of the season.            

Yankee Struggles

We had high hopes for the New York Yankees coming into this season.  At least I did, I thought they could surprise and well they still can but the seasons half over, and in yogi's words it's gotten late early.  The Yankees go into tonights game at 40-42 (2 under .500) 7 games behind Baltimore in the AL East and 4.5 back of Houston for the second Wild Card.  A good run and the Yankees would be right back in it, even though they are under .500 they still in both races with a lot of divisional play left in the second half.  The Yankee problems have been a struggling offense and inconstant pitching.  Nathan Evoldi was recently demoted to the bullpen, okay we'll see what happens there.  The glaring the problem is the struggling offense, it seems as though most nights the offense struggles to score more than two and five is an outburst.  Carlos Beltran has been the best offensive performer but your relying on a forty year old.  A-Rod who is clearly breaking down has trouble catching up with a fastball and has trouble getting his bat around on anything that moves, don't get me wrong he'll still run into one every now and then but the days of him carry the team are over.  I like Refsnyder a lot but he's still kind of raw but he'll be a good one.  As we come up on the trade deadline are they buyers or sellers, I say you buy don't do anything drastic to mortgage your feature, but trade maybe one of the big three in the bullpen and maybe a Beltran or a McCann if anyone wants them.  I believe the rotation will be okay, the middle relief needs some help you have to be able to trust them with a close game, it also looks like this team needs another bat weather thats through a trade or just bring up an Aaron Judge.  Despite struggles this team is not far out. a couple runs and there right back in it, need to run off a couple 8 of 10 streaks.