San Mateo County Times: You want real controversy in sports? Come to England

WIMBLEDON, England - Trouble is local. We've been suffering with Barry Zito and Joe Blanton. Here in England, it's Christino Ronaldo. Along with the weather.But the weather is always trouble. As the great Jim Murray wrote more than once, the sun never rises on the British Empire.



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London Daily Telegraph: Ryder Cup: Tiger Woods' injury may be a blessing in disguise for the US team

He won't be there. The No 1 player in the world, the No 1 player on the United States points list, will not be at this September's Ryder Cup. Nor, as we learned, at the Open or the PGA Championship.

It is impossible to read the mind of Tiger Woods, but it is a decent guess that while the US team will miss Tiger, he won't miss the Cup competition that much.

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San Mateo County Times: Pain from Tiger's knee injury will be felt by many

This is always the fear, the worry. This is always the sword hanging by a thread.Any athlete, any sport, is beholden to his body. Talent and courage are no match for a torn ligament or a broken bone. Injuries happen to the best.

Now an injury has happened to Tiger Woods, the very best.

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San Mateo County Times: Tiger unquestionably one of a kind

THIS WAS a Sunday at Anaheim Stadium before a Monday night game between the Rams, the Los Angeles Rams, and the 49ers. That the dialogue occurred some time ago doesn't alter the intent. The chase for success is timeless.John Robinson was the Rams coach, and anticipating the unenviable task ahead, asked a journalist, "What does Joe Montana see the rest of us don't?''

That could be asked of any great athlete, any winner, any champion.

At this moment, that could be asked of Tiger Woods.

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London Daily Telegraph: US Open: Lee Westwood rues missed play-off

A beautiful morning for golf yesterday, cool breeze, some sunshine, good crowd. Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate took full advantage. Lee Westwood, unfortunately, could not.

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London Daily Telegraph: Justin Hicks' lead true to US Open tradition

Of course it was Justin Hicks. There's always a Justin Hicks in the US Open, although the name may be different. There's always the unsuspected golfer who takes the first-day lead while everyone is asking what happened to Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson.

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Oakland Tribune: Tiger, Phil star in Greatest Round Never Played

SAN DIEGO - A lot of hoopla. That's what one of the hoopla-ees, Adam Scott said. Not a lot of great golf, however. But we're so demanding. That was only Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson out there with Scott. Like they're anybody special?

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Alameda Times-Star: The unknown awaits competitors at U.S. Open

SAN DIEGO - What's out there? Besides the unknown? Besides the unpredictable? The Roger Federer embarrassment in the French Open, the Big Brown collapse in the Belmont, the Lakers' two bad games in Boston against the Celtics?

A lot of weird things, unforeseen things, things that make you wonder what could happen in the U.S. Open, which begins today.

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Tri-Valley Herald: Spander: Top 10 predicted finishers in U.S. Open

1. Phil Mickelson - If Lefty can't win at home, he never will.

2. Tiger Woods - The knee's still sore; the player's still great.

3. Geoff Ogilvy - 2006 champion is 4th on current money list.

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London Daily Telegraph: US Open: Tiger Woods knee still in doubt

Tiger Woods, who had knee surgery on April 15, set alarm bells ringing yesterday when he said he had not walked 18 holes since he played in his last round of the Masters on April 13. Asked if he was fully recovered, he answered: "Probably not."

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Tri-Valley Herald: Golfing worlds collide for Tiger, Phil

SAN DIEGO - Tiger Woods' comments perhaps offered more than he intended. "Once you tee off,'' he said, "you're in your own little world.'' A world he doesn't intend to share. Even before he tees off.

Especially before he tees off.

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Contra Costa Times: Who will break through June Gloom to win U.S. Open?

SAN DIEGO - June Gloom. That's what they call it down here. Summer on the California coast, gray and mysterious. Fog on the bluffs above the Pacific where the Tiger stalks and hang gliders soar while down below surfers seek the magic wave.

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Oakland Tribune: Love of game keeps baseball lifers Murphy, Vucinich going strong

YOU HAVE to love the game. Mike Murphy said that. Mike Murphy lives that."Yes, I love the game,'' Murphy insisted about the National Pastime, about baseball, about his profession. "I've been here for 50 years.''

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Oakland Tribune: We should have seen Big Brown's big disappointment coming

ABOUT THOSE "foregone conclusions''? Hey, we all say something stupid now and then. Of course, when you're talking about a $50 million horse, more than few people take note.

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London Daily Telegraph: US Open: Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson duel

The United States Golf Association have often been accused of being staid, unimaginative, a group of old men in long-sleeved white shirts who still exist in the days of wooden shafts and knickers. That misconception will end once and for all during next week's US Open at Torrey Pines in San Diego.

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Contra Costa Times: Kiffin, Russell both still evolving

ALAMEDA - As a matter of fact that was Lane Kiffin coaching the Raiders. Next question.

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Contra Costa Times: From Cy Young to Cy Done?

SAN FRANCISCO - His old pitching coach was in the other dugout. Rick Peterson didn't want to say anything about Barry Zito. "Haven't seen him in five years,'' was Peterson's terse refusal.

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Oakland Tribune: Lakers-Celtics? Who reset the time machine?

THERE'S SOMETHING quite right with a Lakers-Celtics final. Even though for a great many of us there's something quite wrong.

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San Mateo County Times: Harkleroad bares it all for Playboy

A tennis pro whose future was yesterday, Ashley Harkleroad had been recovering from surgery when the phone rang with an offer.

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Contra Costa Times: A's help Thomas have a happy birthday

OAKLAND - Nothing stops the A's these days. Not singing gorillas, at least not a girl dressed up as one. Not the sparsest of crowds. Not a minor injury to Frank Thomas. Not a Toronto Blue Jays team which had won five in a row.

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