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College Football
On Mon. Jan. 10, No. 1 Auburn will battle No. 2 Oregon for the BCS National Championship. Each team has a high-powered offense in what should be a shootout in Glendale. Once that ends, we’ll have to wait until Sept. for next season to begin.

Predicted Champion: Auburn Tigers
Question for 2011: Can the SEC continue its dominance in the BCS Title Game?
Bold Prediction: South Carolina will win the SEC.
Resolution for Mike Leach: To find a job.

College Basketball
The season is just getting fun to watch as conference play begins. Defending champion Duke is the favorite to win the title this season but a slew of undefeated teams including Ohio State, Kansas, Connecticut, Syracuse, San Diego State and UCF all stand in the way of Coach K’s Blue Devils. The Big East has five teams in the current Top 10 rankings although the Big Ten has a strong conference this season.

Predicted Champion: Duke Blue Devils
Question for 2011: Who will be this year’s Butler?
Bold Prediction: Gonzaga will make a run into the Final Four.
Resolution for Frank Martin: To get my team’s swagger back and make a push for the title.

Golf
2010 seemed like the perfect setup year for 2011 – no one dominated the sport completely, Tiger lost his No. 1 ranking, Phil regained his old mojo, the young guns emerged and Europe found success on American soil. This year will be pivotal to Tiger if he plans on breaking Jack’s record of 18 majors. Currently sitting at 14, Tiger turned 35 in Dec., which means that he is coming down to his last opportunities at the highest level of the game. Working with new swing coach Sean Foley seemed to work for him towards the end of year and it will be interesting to see how he starts the year off.

Hunter Mahan, Dustin Johnson, Camilo Villegas, Anthony Kim and Rory McIlroy are all under 30 and all took home victories in 2010. The question now is if they can keep that momentum going and win some this year and possibly a major. Another intriguing question is how Graeme McDowell will respond to a breakthrough year. He looked great in the U.S. Open and Ryder Cup and it will be interesting to see if he keeps it going.

Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk, Ernie Els and Steve Stricker are all over 40 and all took home victories in 2010. (Some even took home more than one.) But not everyone that’s over the hill can follow up a successful year with another one. All showed signs of their youthful self last year and I expect each of them at least contend in a few tournaments, if not win one.

Predicted Champions:

• Masters: Tiger Woods
• U.S. Open: Dustin Johnson
• British Open: Rory McIlroy
• PGA Championship: Hunter Mahan

Question for 2011: Will Tiger win at least one major?
Bold Prediction: Rickie Fowler will win his first major.
Resolution for Sean Foley: To get Tiger back to his winning ways.

NBA
The San Antonio Spurs have emerged as the early season favorite to win the title. But the Miami Heat, led by LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, have found their winning ways after a slow start. In the East, the Celtics, Bulls, Magic and Hawks have all looked tough up to this point. In the West, the Mavericks, Lakers, Jazz and Thunder have all had early season success.

Predicted Champion: Miami Heat
Question for 2011: Will the Spurs’ age be a factor down the stretch?
Bold Prediction: The Knicks will defeat the Hornets for the NBA title.
Resolution for the New Jersey Nets: To get Carmelo Anthony.

NFL
As the season comes to a close, the playoffs stand in the forefront. Tom Brady of the Patriots and Michael Vick of the Eagles have emerged as the favorites to win NFL MVP. New England will be the team to beat in the AFC, as the Steelers, Ravens, Jets and Chiefs all stand as possible challenges. In the NFC, the Falcons are favored, with the Bears, Saints and Eagles all lurking. The Super Bowl is set for Feb. 6 at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas.

Predicted Champion: New England Patriots
Question for 2011: Will Brett Favre finally retire for good?
Bold Prediction: The NFC West champion will win the Super Bowl.
Resolution for Michael Vick: To prove everyone wrong by winning the Super Bowl.

MLB
The San Francisco Giants finally broke through and won a championship for their well-deserving city. But the team to watch in 2011 will be the Philadelphia Phillies, who acquired Cliff Lee, adding to their pitching rotation of Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt. In the AL, the Red Sox got Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez, trying to redeem themselves from a disappointing 2010. The Yankees failed to sign Lee but resigned Jeter and Rivera in hopes that their aging team can make another run at a World Series title.

Predicted Champion: Philadelphia Phillies
Question for 2011: Will pitching be as dominant in 2011 as it was in 2010?
Bold Prediction: The Baltimore Orioles will make a run at the AL East.
Resolution for Brian Cashman: To get some younger talent for the Yankees’ future.

Annoying Analyst Award: Ed Cunningham
The ABC color commentator constantly complained about hard hits during college football games. His influence may have even led to the suspension of Nebraska linebacker Eric Martin.

Keith Jackson Award (Best Announcer): Jim Nantz
Nantz was the lead broadcaster for CBS during the Super Bowl, NCAA Tournament and the Masters, all of which occurred in a 64-day span. All three turned out to classics – New Orleans’ first NFL Championship, Butler’s near-miracle and Phil Mickelson’s “win for the family.” But it wouldn’t have been the same without Jim Nantz.

Bonehead Award: Boxing Hall of Fame
Although he played Rocky Balboa, Sylvester Stallone did not deserve to be in the Hall of Fame. Whereas Mike Tyson and Julio Cesar Chavez fought through tough careers, Stallone was an actor. The movies are an inspiration, but this is a slap in the face to boxers who haven’t made it into the Hall of Fame.

Dazzling Debut Award: Stephen Strasburg
The much-hyped Nationals ace recorded 14 strikeouts over seven innings during his first career start against the Pirates. Before he had a season-ending injury, he compiled a 5-3 record and 2.91 ERA.

Cry Baby Award: Roger Goodell
I’ve never seen so many players get fined for big hits in the NFL. Helmet-to-helmet hits can be dangerous, but some of the NFL’s rulings have been downright absurd.

WTF? Award: Baseball’s no-hitters and golf’s sub-60 rounds
Baseball and golf saw a lot of individual success in 2010. In the major leagues, Roy Halladay and Dallas Braden tossed perfect games less than three weeks apart from each other, while Ubaldo Jimenez, Edwin Jackson, Matt Garza and Halladay (in his first postseason start) threw no-hitters. In golf before this year, three 59s had been shot on the PGA Tour. But in one month, Paul Goydos and Stuart Appleby matched the magical number. In addition, Ryo Ishikawa shot a 58 earlier in the season, but it was a Japan Tour event.
Honorable mention: The end of the LSU vs. Tennessee football game.

D’oh Award: USA vs. Slovenia World Cup Officials
It seemed that the United States had scored a third goal to take the lead against Slovenia when the goal was taken back and the ball was given to Slovenia. No explanation was given to one of the most controversial calls in World Cup history as the two teams tied, 2-2.

Drama King Award: Dan Gilbert
ON THE NIGHT WHEN LEBRON JAMES MADE HIS “DECISION”, THE CAVALIERS OWNER OVERREACTED TO THE OUTCOME AND POSTED A LETTER ON THE TEAM’S WEBSITE. HERE IS AN EXCERPT FROM THE RANT:”I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER ‘KING’ WINS ONE”.

Badass Moment Award: Wimbledon marathon match
In the longest tennis match in history, John Isner prevailed over Nicolas Mahut 6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 7-6, 70-68. The battle lasted over 11 hours to complete in a span on three days.
Honorable mention: The events of April 5 that included Opening Day in baseball, Duke vs. Butler in the national title, Tiger’s return to golf, the beginning of Masters week and the NBA’s announcement of their Hall of Fame inductees.

Disappointment Award: BCS National Championship
Alabama and Texas went into the Rose Bowl undefeated for the much-anticipated national title game. But, on the fifth play from scrimmage, Texas senior Colt McCoy, the NCAA record-holder for wins as a starting quarterback, went down with a shoulder injury. Backup quarterback Garrett Gilbert, a freshman, came into the game and didn’t stand a chance against the Crimson Tide as the Longhorns fell, 37-21.
Honorable mention: Tiger’s year on the PGA Tour.

Mullet Award (Will Be Gone in 5 Years or Less): Brett Favre
After a successful 2009 campaign, the 41-year-old has struggled through a dismal 6-9 season with the Vikings, while throwing 11 touchdown passes and 19 picks. On top of that, his streak of 297 consecutive games started was snapped on Dec. 13 due to a shoulder injury. It seems like only a matter of time before Favre retires, even though we’ve been saying that for the last five years.

Not Surprised It Happened Award: Nebraska’s Move to the Big Ten
After a heartbreaking loss to Texas in the 2009 Big 12 Championship and talk of conference realignment in the summer, the Huskers said sayonara to their old conference and will join the Big Ten in July 2011.

Mike Tyson Award: The Decision
On July 8, the world wasted its time watching LeBron James announce he was taking his talents to South Beach in the worst show that ESPN has ever produced. LeBron should’ve just signed the contract for the team of his choice, but this narcissistic act was a slap in the face to the teams that weren’t selected and showed what sports in society has become.

Never Forgotten Award: George Steinbrenner and John Wooden
Numerous sporting legends passed away in 2010, but few left the impact that Steinbrenner and Wooden did. Steinbrenner, known for spending outrageous amounts of money to get the best players in baseball, made the game what it is today. Wooden, on the other hand, became the greatest coach in college basketball history, winning 10 national championships while at the helm for UCLA.

Best Quote: Phil Mickelson
Following his victory at the Masters, headlined by a risky shot from the pine needles on the 13th hole: “A great shot is one that you pull off and a smart shot is the one you hit when you don’t have the guts try it.”

Kournikova Award: Brooklyn Decker
Andy Roddick’s wife embraced the cover of the 2010 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition. He can’t have too much to complain about.

Best Rivalry: Celtics vs. Lakers
Two years ago, Boston got the best of L.A. in the Finals, but this past summer, the tables turned in the NBA’s best rivalry as the Lakers came out on top in seven games. Kobe Bryant was named Finals MVP in their victory over Boston’s “Big Three”.

Underrated Performance Award: Tiger Woods
The season as a whole was a disappointment but his performance at the Masters was truly remarkable. The season’s first major was his first golf tournament since the infamous car crash outside of his house. Nobody knew what to expect from Tiger but he tied for fourth, shooting under par in all four rounds. His 68 in the first round was his best opening round ever at Augusta National.

Comeback Award: Michael Vick
Talk about redemption. After being one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the NFL for the Atlanta Falcons at the beginning of the decade, Vick served time in prison on dog-fighting charges. Then the Philadelphia Eagles picked him up as a backup quarterback. This season, Vick is in the middle of the talk for NFL MVP with his 21 passing touchdowns, nine rushing touchdowns and over 3,000 passing yards in 12 games.

Cinderella Award: Nevada Wolfpack
Boise State was up 24-7 at halftime, playing on the road against Nevada. It seemed as if their undefeated season would continue, but then the Wolfpack rallied. With 13 seconds left, Nevada scored to tie the game at 31 and seemingly sent the game into overtime. But after a miraculous pass by Kellen Moore, the Broncos were set to win the game with a field goal. Kyle Brotzman, however, missed the field goal as time expired and sent it into overtime. In the extra period, Brotzman missed again and Nevada cashed in their field goal to win, 34-31.

Mr. Clutch Award: Graeme McDowell
Pressure doesn’t get any bigger in golf than the final match of the Ryder Cup with the entire fate of your country resting in your hands. And if it does, then the final round of the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach must be where it is. In 2010, McDowell delivered in those pressure situations and delivered his best year as a golfer. And for good measure, he came back from four shots down in the final round to beat Tiger in a playoff at the Chevron World Challenge.
Honorable mention: Drew Brees.

Sportsmanship Award: Armando Galarraga and Jim Joyce
With the first 26 batters retired for Armando Galarraga, it seemed inevitable that he would add his name to the list of perfect games. But the 27th batter was called safe by Jim Joyce after the throw to first base. Instant replays showed that the batter was in fact out. Nevertheless, Galarraga retired the 28th batter and accepted that he didn’t throw a perfect game. Joyce reviewed the footage after the game and saw that he had blown the call. The next day, Joyce apologized and Galarraga received a brand new red Corvette.

Rocky Balboa Award: Dustin Johnson
How does a man come back from two heart breaks like Dustin Johnson experienced in 2010? First, at Pebble Beach he had a three-shot lead going into the final round but ballooned to an 82 and tied for eighth. Two months later at the PGA Championship, an apparent bunker on the 72nd hole costed him the title. He would’ve been put into a three-way playoff but he grounded his club in a bunker outside of the ropes and suffered a two-stroke penalty.
Honorable mention: Butler

Jimmy V Award: Mike Krzyzewski
In April, Coach K won his fourth national title with Duke over the Butler Bulldogs. On Dec. 29, he won his 880th game and passed Dean Smith for No. 2 on the all-time wins list for men’s coaches.
Honorable mention: Phil Jackson

Play of the Year: Landon Donovan’s goal against Algeria
After 90 minutes of frustration against Algeria, Landon Donovan scored the most dramatic goal in United States soccer history, advancing the Americans to the next round. The goal was celebrated around the country and increased interest in the sport.
Honorable mention: Saints’ onside kick in the Super Bowl.

Game of the Year: NCAA Championship: Duke vs. Butler
The national championship was back-and-forth the whole way as the favored Blue Devils held a two-point advantage over the hometown Bulldogs with 3.6 seconds remaining and Brian Zoubek at the line. He missed the second free throw which led to a Butler rebound and Gordon Hayward’s halfcourt heave that missed by a few inches. It was a classic David vs. Goliath championship but if that shot would’ve gone in, it would’ve been the greatest shot in basketball history.
Honorable mention: Gold Medal Hockey: USA vs. Canada.

Story of the Year: Connecticut women’s basketball
As of Dec. 29, the Connecticut women’s basketball team has won 90 straight games passing John Wooden’s teams at UCLA, when they won 88 consecutive. They have dominated nearly every team they’ve played in that stretch and won two straight national titles.

Moment of the Year: Saints win Super Bowl XLIV
Five years after Hurricane Katrina destroyed much of New Orleans, Drew Brees led the Saints to their first Super Bowl victory. He earned MVP honors for the game, going 32-of-39 for 288 yards, but the lasting image was him holding his son in the air as the confetti sprinkled down.
Honorable mention: Phil Mickelson’s win at the Masters.

Athlete of the Year: Cam Newton
We’ve all heard the allegations off the football field, but on the football field, Newton has been a man amongst boys for the Auburn Tigers. In one of the most dominating seasons as a quarterback in college football history, Newton won the Heisman Trophy and led his team to an undefeated season along with a date in the BCS National Championship Game.

Criteria:

• At least one athlete from each sport (College Football, College Basketball, NFL, NBA, MLB, Golf, Tennis)
• No more than two athletes from each sport
• At least one woman athlete must be on the list

10. LeBron James
Before taking his talents to South Beach, LeBron was unanimously chosen as the 2009-10 NBA MVP. This season, he has averaged 24.8 points per game, along with 7.2 assists per game for the Miami Heat.

9. Evan Turner
The Ohio State basketball superstar won the Naismith Award, the Wooden Award and was chosen second overall in the NBA Draft.

8. Roy Halladay
In his first year with the Phillies, Halladay lived up to the hype, winning the NL Cy Young, while throwing a perfect game in May and a no-hitter in his first playoff start against the Reds. The right-hander had a 21-10 record with a 2.44 ERA.

7. Graeme McDowell
During a year where Tiger struggled, McDowell flourished. He won his first major at Pebble Beach in June at the U.S. Open before clinching the Ryder Cup for Europe in October. In addition, the Northern Irishman won two European Tour events and defeated Tiger in a playoff at the Chevron World Challenge in December.

6. Drew Brees
In February, the Saints quarterback led his team to an upset victory over the Colts in Super Bowl XLIV. This season, Brees has thrown for 4,122 yards and 31 touchdowns through 14 games.

5. Serena Williams
The tennis superstar won the Australian Open and Wimbledon for her 12th and 13th Grand Slam singles titles.

4. Tom Brady
The favorite to win NFL MVP for this season has thrown for 3,561 yards and 31 touchdowns through 14 games.

3. Kobe Bryant
In June the Lakers won their second consecutive NBA title and Bryant took Finals MVP honors. The shooting guard is averaging 25.4 points per game this season.

2. Rafael Nadal
The Spaniard won the French Open, U.S. Open and Wimbledon this year. He has been the World’s No. 1 tennis player since June 7.

1. Cam Newton
Despite the negative allegations, Newton has been the most dominating athlete of the year, leading the Auburn Tigers to the national title and winning the Heisman Trophy. He has passed for 2,589 yards and 28 touchdowns, while rushing for 1,409 yards and 20 touchdowns.

Honorable mention:

• Josh Hamilton
• Michael Vick
• Gordon Hayward

College Football: Alabama Crimson Tide
The SEC won its fourth consecutive national title, as the Crimson Tide rolled Texas, 37-21, in a disappointing game. On the Longhorns’ fifth play from scrimmage, quarterback Colt McCoy was injured, putting them in a huge hole. He wouldn’t return as Alabama scored 24 second quarter points en route to Nick Saban’s second title.

During the summer, the story was conference realignment. At the end of all the rumors, Nebraska will head to the Big Ten; Colorado and Utah to the new Pac-12; TCU to the Big East; Boise State, Nevada, Fresno State and Hawaii to the Mountain West and BYU will be an independent starting in 2011.

During the 2010 season, Auburn and Oregon proved to be better than the rest. Auburn’s quarterback, Cam Newton, ran away with the Heisman despite rumors of his father paying universities. Less than stellar seasons from Texas (5-7), Florida (7-5) and USC (7-5) led to a new look for college football. Urban Meyer stepped down from Florida and Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp took over.

NFL: New Orleans Saints
The Saints marched to a 31-17 win in Super Bowl XLIV over the Indianapolis Colts thanks to a 32-of-39 passing performance from Super Bowl MVP Drew Brees, who threw for 288 yards. The most indelible moment was a surprise onside kick by New Orleans to start the second half, which the Saints recovered and led to a touchdown.  With less than four minutes to go, the Colts were trailing, 24-17, as Peyton Manning led his team to the Saints’ 26. But Tracy Porter intercepted a Manning pass and took it to the endzone, giving New Orleans their first Super Bowl title.

The 2010 season was headlined by the NFL’s rules about head-to-head collisions, Brett Favre’s streak of starting 297 consecutive games ending and Michael Vick’s extraordinary comeback to the NFL’s elite players.

College Basketball: Duke Blue Devils
Butler forward Gordon Hayward came within three inches of making the greatest shot in basketball history, when his buzzer-beating half-court heave at the end of the national championship banked off the front of the rim. Mike Krzyzewski and the Duke Blue Devils, however, benefited from the miss and won a thrilling game, 61-59 in front of a pro-Butler crowd in Indianapolis.

Other big stories included the NCAA Tournament being expanded to 68 teams, the death of legendary coach John Wooden and the Connecticut women’s team breaking UCLA’s streak of 88 consecutive wins.

NBA: Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers defeated the Celtics in seven games in the NBA Finals, giving Phil Jackson his 11th title. But during the summer, the free agent frenzy was the big story. In the end, the Miami Heat got LeBron James and Chris Bosh, adding to the talent they had in Dwyane Wade. As the 2010-11 regular season began, the Heat struggled and the Spurs got off to the best start, going 25-3 as of Dec. 23.

Golf:

• Masters: Phil Mickelson
• U.S. Open: Graeme McDowell
• British Open: Louis Oosthuizen
• PGA Championship: Martin Kaymer

Tiger Woods made his return to golf at the Masters, causing a media frenzy at golf’s first major. He went on to tie for fourth but Phil Mickelson claimed the green jacket in the end, thanks to his eagle-eagle-birdie stretch on Saturday and his miraculous 6-iron from the pine needles on No. 13 on Sunday. It was a feel-good story for everyone who watched Phil embrace his wife, Amy, after the round.

The U.S. Open returned to Pebble Beach and for moments in the third round, Tiger looked like his old self again. But he, Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Ernie Els fell apart on Sunday, giving way for steady Graeme McDowell’s first major championship.

At the British Open, relatively unknown Louis Oosthuizen blazed the field, winning by seven shots. St. Andrews hosted the tournament as the South African proved his talent.

Unfortunately, the final major of the year provided a heartbreak for one of its contenders on the 18th hole. Dustin Johnson, who had experienced troubles at Pebble Beach two months prior, grounded his club in an apparent bunker on the final hole, causing a two-stroke penalty and removing him from a playoff. The playoff was contested between German Martin Kaymer and American Bubba Watson at Whistling Straits. In the end, Kaymer came out on top, claiming his first major.

2010 also gave us a classic Ryder Cup, contested at Celtic Manor Resort in Wales. Despite several downpours that led to a Monday finish, the Europeans and Americans traded shots down to the final day. Graeme McDowell saved the day for the Euros, defeating Hunter Mahan in the last singles match. Europe took back the cup with its 14 1/2 to 13 1/2 victory.

Overall, golf in 2010 was headlined by Europe’s success on American soil in PGA Tour events and the emergence of young guns in today’s game. But Tiger Woods always provides a story, and 2010 gave us his toughest year as a professional. He recorded zero wins, two top-five finishes and lost his No. 1 ranking to Lee Westwood.

MLB: San Francisco Giants
It looked like a Yankees and Phillies rematch in the World Series when they were set to play the Giants and Rangers in the League Championship Series. But the underdogs came out on top, and the Giants won the Fall Classic, 4-1, their first championship since 1954.

The 2010 season proved to be the “Season of the Pitcher”, as Dallas Braden and Roy Halladay each threw perfect games, with Armando Galarraga controversially losing his on the 27th batter. Halladay would throw a no-hitter in his first postseason start as Ubaldo Jimenez, Edwin Jackson and Matt Garza each added one in the regular season.

On Thursday play was suspended due to a three-hour fog delay in the morning, but right out of the gate it seemed that vintage Tiger was back. Caught working with coach Sean Foley on the range prior to his round, Tiger birdied three of his first four holes but faded to shoot a 1-under 71. World No. 2 Phil Mickelson fared worse, shooting a 1-over 73.

That set the stage for a young gun to take the lead after 36 holes, Matt Kuchar, which was a common theme on the year. He unfortunately faded over the weekend and handed the lead over to fellow American Nick Watney to take a three-shot lead into the final round. Other players in the hunt included Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy, Steve Elkington, Martin Kaymer, Zach Johnson and Bubba Watson.

In the morning Phil made a run, shooting 67 to tie for 12th. Tiger, however, spiraled downward to a 73, and tied for 28th. As the leaders teed off in the afternoon, Watney’s lead evaporated on the opening hole with a double bogey, which led to an 81. This final round disappointment was all too familiar with his playing partner, Dustin Johnson, who had a similar experience at the U.S. Open.

As the 92nd PGA Championship at Whistling Straits rolled along, the wind picked up for a difficult final round. Kaymer looked solid early, taking a two-shot lead at one point, but a shaky bogey on the 15th looked like it might be the young German’s kryptonite. Dustin Johnson and McIlroy couldn’t get anything going early, but stayed tough throughout the round and made a surge at the end. Zach Johnson showed glimpses of his form at Augusta three years ago as he charged at the lead on this thrilling Sunday. Long hitter Bubba Watson refused to go away with birdies on 13 and 14, looking for his first major title. 47-year-old Steve Elkington hit some extraordinary shots down the stretch but bogeyed 17 and 18 to diminish his chances.

All of these happenings set up for a dramatic finish as the players vied for glory’s last shot. Watson was the first to post 11-under, which at the time looked very solid. McIlroy and Zach Johnson couldn’t find a way to tie that number when they finished their rounds but nevertheless tied for third. Kaymer came to the 18th in need of a par and hit a perfect flop shot that set up a tremendous par putt to tie him with Watson. Dustin Johnson then birdied the 17th to take the outright lead at 12-under, and looked poised to put Sunday at Pebble Beach behind him.

But his tee shot on the 72nd hole sliced into the crowd and landed on a patch of sand, which the crowd had walked on throughout the event. Needing par to win, the crowd was separated to create room for the leader’s second shot. He grounded his club in one of the 1200 bunkers on the course, something that, at the time, didn’t seem like a big deal to the world. Some of the gallery stood in the bunker with Johnson as he flew the green with his approach. He chipped onto the green and missed his par putt, and seemingly found his way into a three-way playoff.

But, as fate would have it, the rules officials pointed out to Johnson that he hit his second shot out of a bunker and grounded his club, which was a two-stroke penalty. After 20 minutes of talking over the ruling, heartbreak set in for the young American as his chance of winning the PGA was over. He acted as a gentleman as the scenario developed, but it’s hard to imagine how terrible he feels after a triple bogey (that would’ve been a bogey) on the final hole.

As much as I hated to see how it unfolded, the ruling was clearly stated for the players prior to the tournament and he did violate grounding his club in a bunker. But even though this drama on the 72nd hole was stealing the spotlight, a playoff still had to determine the champion.

It was a three-hole playoff (on holes 10, 17 and 18) for Martin Kaymer and Bubba Watson to crown a first-time major winner. Watson took the lead after one hole, with a birdie on 10 but Kaymer answered back to tie it after the 17th. Then on the final hole both tee shots went into the right rough, with Watson drawing the better lie. He played first and landed in Seven Mile Creek, 30 yards short of the green. Kaymer then chipped out to the fairway, taking the advantage.

He hit onto the green, with a putt for par and Watson flew the green, into a bunker, and had a chip for bogey. He nearly holed out but landed four feet away for double. Kaymer missed his par putt but made the comeback, ensuring him of the victory.

The 92nd PGA Championship will be remembered by a lot of things: Tiger’s struggle (which summed up his entire year), the slew of young talent that contended for the title, Elkington making a run at the age of 47 and Dustin Johnson’s heartbreak on the final hole. But the image that should overshadow the final major of the year is a young German with a lot of talent that won his first major, which could be a sign of more to come.

Champion: Ernie Els – The Big Easy has had arguably the best year on the PGA Tour in 2010, with wins at Doral and Bay Hill. He also had a solid finish at Pebble Beach and I like his odds on this PGA Championship course.

Contenders: Hunter Mahan – This week I’m looking for young Americans that bomb the ball to play well, and Mahan fits those credentials. With his 64 on Sunday at Firestone, coming off a victory at the WGC-Bridgestone, he is probably the hottest player on tour.

Phil Mickelson – It seems like only a matter of time before Lefty gets the No. 1 World Ranking. This week it could happen if all the right things fall into place. I look for Phil to bounce back after a tough British Open and a 78 on Sunday at Firestone, and his arthritis shouldn’t be a factor.

Rory McIlroy – With the exception of the two 59s thus far this season, McIlroy has produced the best rounds on tour. His 62 in the final round at Quail Hollow and his 63 in the first round at St. Andrews (followed by an 80) were very impressive from the young Irishman. And don’t overlook his tied for ninth finish at Firestone last week.

Retief Goosen – After a sixth place finish at St. Andrews and a tied for third finish at Firestone, I look for the South African to be a serious threat this week.

Steve Stricker – I don’t usually like Stricker in majors but he’s another guy that could become the No. 1 player in the world at week’s end. The only reason I like his odds this week are because Whistling Straits is in his home state.

Dustin Johnson – Forget the debacle at Pebble Beach, this guy is for real and his length will be a huge advantage at Whistling Straits.

Ricky Barnes – He hasn’t performed as well at the last two majors but his tied for 10th finish at Augusta looks impressive as I look for contenders for this week.

Darkhorse: Justin Leonard – Despite a 76 on Sunday at Firestone, Leonard had a top 25 finish at the event and last time the PGA was at Whistling Straits, in 2004, he made it to the three-man playoff before losing to Vijay Singh.

Others to watch: Tiger Woods – After a disastrous week, this is the least confidence I have had in Tiger’s game. But his year will be considered a success if he happens to pull out a victory this week.

Sean O’Hair – After a fifth place finish last week, the young American’s confidence must be sky-high. I think the PGA Championship is the major that best suits O’Hair’s game and I look for a solid finish this week.

Graeme McDowell – I like the chances of the U.S. Open champ this week, especially because it’s on a links course.

Louis Oosthuizen – I have no idea what to expect from the South African this week but whatever he does will be very interesting to watch, given his seven shot victory at St. Andrews.

Anthony Kim – He didn’t perform up to his level last week at Firestone following his return from thumb surgery, but who knows what Kim could do this week.

Winning score: I think that 8-under par will be the winning score this week. This was the score that won the tournament back in 2004 and although the course has been lengthened, the players have not been afraid to shoot low scores this year.

Of note: For the first time since the 1997 Masters, Tiger Woods will not be the favorite to win a major. The odds favor Phil Mickelson at 14-1, with Tiger at 16-1.

1. This year will mark the 92nd time it’s been played. Compare that number to the 110 U.S. Opens and 137 British Opens that have been held. It lacks the history of each of these two events.
2. The PGA is older than the Masters, which has been held 73 times, but it also doesn’t have the tradition of that tournament either. The Masters is played at Augusta National every year and has timeless traditions that include the Champion’s Dinner, the green jacket ceremony, Amen Corner on Sunday and much more. Plus I don’t remember Carl Spackler hitting the flowers at Bushwood Country Club, imagining himself winning the PGA.
3. The PGA is played on easier versions of U.S. Open courses. Hazeltine, Oakland Hills, Southern Hills, Medinah, Baltusrol, Oak Hill and Winged Foot have all hosted PGA Championships in the past 13 years and each of them have hosted a U.S. Open at some point.
4. It has oftentimes been the easiest major of the year. The Masters will occasionally produce a low score but the PGA has had Tiger shoot 18-under twice in the past 10 years, while David Toms shot 15-under in 2001, the lowest aggregate score (265) in a major.
5. It used to be a match play event. From 1916-1957 the PGA Championship was sometimes a 32-man field as well as a 128-man field in a bracket format to determine the champion. Since 1958 it has been a stroke play event, making it arguably a 52-year-old golf tournament. (That’s younger than Tom Watson.)
6. The last nine years of the tournament have produced winners like David Toms, Rich Beem, Shaun Micheel and Y.E. Yang, which with all due respect were not household names at the time of their win.
7. There have been great players that haven’t won it but it hasn’t hampered their careers at all. Tom Watson (who won eight majors), Arnold Palmer (seven), Bobby Jones (seven), Nick Faldo (six) and Seve Ballesteros (five) combined for zero PGA titles but are all in the Hall of Fame. But, on the other hand, one major has eluded the careers of Sam Snead, Lee Trevino, Byron Nelson and Raymond Floyd. Snead never won the U.S. Open, Trevino never won the Masters, and Nelson and Floyd never won the British Open.
8. It has lacked the indelible moments that the other three majors have produced. Who could forget Jack winning at age 46, Tiger destroying the field at 21 or Phil breaking through for his first major win at Augusta? Who could forget Watson’s chip-in on No. 17 at Pebble Beach, Francis Ouimet beating two Goliaths or Hogan’s win after a near-fatal car accident at the U.S. Open? Who could forget Watson and Nicklaus’ Duel in the Sun at Turnberry, Jean Van de Velde’s collapse at Carnoustie or Doug Sanders’ missed two-footer at St. Andrews in the British Open? What has the PGA given us – Sergio Garcia’s scissor-kick when he lost to Tiger?
9. Golf’s “fifth major”, the PLAYERS, may be just as big of a deal. It has been deeply associated with TPC Sawgrass, with the most recognizable par 3 in golf and it has just as good of a field as a major championship.
10. In 1953, the “Hogan Slam” was completed, giving “The Hawk” wins at the Masters, U.S. Open and British Open. The reason why he didn’t play in the PGA Championship – it overlapped the same week as the British Open.

And while all of these reasons provide evidence that the PGA Championship isn’t quite as big of a deal as the other three majors, it is still a leg of the Grand Slam, and still provides every golfer in the field one last shot for glory.

• Tiger Woods just finished the worst four round performance of his career this past weekend, with a tied for 78th finish at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational (out of 80 players). The event didn’t have a cut, which gave Woods the chance to shoot four rounds over par in the tournament. At times on the weekend, he virtually gave up on some of the holes by taking no time between shots. What is even more ludicrous than his sheer performance this week, is how much he dominated this event in his prior visits. During his first 10 appearances at Firestone, his record was 7-3, with his worst finish being fourth. A 7-3 record at a golf tournament is ridiculous, given that he isn’t playing one-on-one with another player, instead he was beating the top 50 players in the world over that period.
• Believe it or not, there is still some good news for Tiger:

1. He is still the No. 1 player in the world.
2. He will start this week at even par.
3. Phil shot a 78 on Sunday. (Tiger shot a 77.)
4. He has performed his best at the majors this year, with two top five finishes and no missed cuts.
5. He has reached the absolute rock bottom. It can’t possibly get worse for him unless he shoots 80-80 or worse and misses the cut. So things should move in a positive direction for Tiger.

• Would you pick Tiger for the Ryder Cup team if he doesn’t make it by the point standings? At the moment Tiger is in 10th place in the U.S. Ryder Cup Rankings with this week being the last tournament before the team is set. The top eight make it automatically on the team but Corey Pavin will get two captain’s picks. If Tiger doesn’t earn a spot by points, I wouldn’t take him. Here’s why:

1. He obviously isn’t at the top of his game, or anywhere in the same atmosphere.
2. At the most recent Ryder Cup, in 2008, Tiger was out due to injury and the Americans won in decisive fashion. It may not have been because of him but in the previous three Ryder Cups, U.S.A. has lost, including two Euro beat downs.
3. He is more of an individual player than a team-oriented player.
4. His Ryder Cup record is 10-13-2. That doesn’t need any explaining.
5. He needs some time off from the game following the FedEx Cup (even though he might not make it past the first playoff event). Tiger must get his personal life back in order and spend some time away from it all, so we can all go back to seeing the Tiger that we are used to.

• On the topic of the Ryder Cup, here are some of my thoughts, from the U.S. point of view:

1. The Europeans have definitely had a successful year on the PGA Tour circuit. Five of the top 10 players in the world are from Europe, which is scary.
2. Hunter Mahan clinched a spot on the team with his impressive win at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. I love this young gun’s game and he had a successful showing two years ago at Valhalla.
3. Phil is No. 1 in the rankings and he has had an up-and-down experience as a Ryder Cupper. He is playing very well this year, but having Tiger on the team could prove to be a distraction, like when they were paired together in 2004.
4. Jim Furyk and Steve Stricker (as well as Phil) will provide some of the veteran leadership on the team, which is always needed to succeed. But the rookies are also needed to complete the team. If the standings were to stand through next week, Jeff Overton and Matt Kuchar would make the team (and also Lucas Glover). You never know what to expect from these guys, and while Overton has had some high finishes this year, his hot head could get to him in the heat of competition.
5. The Euros have the homefield advantage this year at the new Celtic Manor Resort. It’s always a taller task to try to win on the opponent’s soil, especially when they will be angry about losing the previous Ryder Cup. I’m not sure how many Americans have seen the course but my guess is very few. More bad news: Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland won there earlier this year with a 62, and his nerves are in check with a U.S. Open win at Pebble Beach.
6. Captain’s picks (given that the standings stay the same): Dustin Johnson is currently ninth in the standings and I love that his length could be a huge factor for the U.S. (similar to J.B. Holmes in ’08) but I don’t know how much the debacle at Pebble Beach will affect his mental game under Ryder Cup pressure. Ricky Barnes is another name I like. He has played well in major championships these past couple years and could prove to be trouble for the Euros. He is in 11th at the moment. Three more names that pop out at me are Sean O’Hair (15th), Rickie Fowler (17th) and Bubba Watson (18th). O’Hair has some great talent that could be vital for the Americans. Also Fowler is a young gun with no fear that would be a tough competitor. As for Watson, he absolutely bombs the ball and had a decent performance at Firestone. But whoever Corey Pavin chooses, here’s my advice: listen to Paul Azinger.

• Phil Mickelson had yet another chance to become the No. 1 player in the world slip away from him on the weekend, ballooning to a 78 on Sunday. He says that it isn’t a big deal to him but he is playing so good this year, that 78s aren’t normal. I think the reporters asking him about it at every tournament is getting to his head about how close he is to taking over Tiger’s spot. Despite this, I expect a solid performance from Lefty this week at Whistling Straits.
• Lee Westwood withdrew from the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational on Friday with an ankle injury and dropped out of this week’s PGA Championship. Arguably the best player without a major, Westwood had runner-up finishes at the Masters and British Open. I don’t know if he will heal in time for the Ryder Cup but he’ll have to wait until 2011 for another crack at a major.
• Anthony Kim made his return after a three-month absence from thumb surgery at Firestone last week. He had a disappointing tied for 76th finish but still beat Tiger. I think it will take Kim some time before he gets back to where he was when he left, but eventually (maybe at the Ryder Cup or FedEx Cup) he will get it back.
• 2010 has truly been the year of the 59. Twice in four weeks, players have shot 59. (Not to mention Ryo Ishikawa fired a 58 in Japan earlier this season.) Paul Goydos finished his gem at the John Deere Classic, in the first round, before falling to Steve Stricker, who shot an opening round 60. Then at the Greenbrier Classic, Stuart Appleby birdied his way to 11-under on Sunday to surge for a one-shot victory. Only five 59s have ever been recorded on the PGA Tour and two have been from this season. (The previous one was shot by David Duval in 1999.) I guess the new grooves aren’t bothering them that bad. But are these sub-60 rounds as well as other low scores bad for the game? I think it’s fun to watch players get in the zone and play well but I think 59s should be rare occurrences. Similar to the perfect game in baseball, it was a rare happening until this year which has made them less special. The PGA Tour is the major league of golf and the players should play in the most difficult setups, leading to higher scores. Congrats to Goydos and Appleby (and Ishikawa) but next year the Tour needs to take some lessons from the USGA.
• Last time the PGA Championship was at Whistling Straits was in 2004. A lot has changed since then, when Vijay Singh won in a playoff over Chris DiMarco and Justin Leonard. The PGA is supposed to be the easiest major of the year but 8-under won that year, which is no walk in the park. In this year’s edition, I expect the young guns to play well. I don’t think there is an absolute favorite heading into this week but I also like the Americans’ chances and a player that can hit the ball far. I’ll release my picks on Wednesday for the 92nd PGA Championship.

At least 80 percent of SportsCenter was devoted to Favre as opposed to highlights of professionals, and he didn’t even say anything! (Not that he is the most trustworthy person when it comes to this subject.) ESPN2 showed highlights of him throughout his career, giving people reminders of the good old days. When Alex Rodriguez hit his 600th home run the other day (although we had already gotten tired of waiting), ESPN wouldn’t even show a mere 30-second clip of a historic milestone; instead it was Favremania.

Vikings fans called into their local radio station saying their season and their chances of winning the Super Bowl were ruined. The betting odds in Vegas for the NFL champion had Minnesota go from NFC favorites on one day to only 10-1 odds. Attention everyone: They have other great players that got them to the NFC Championship last season, like Adrian Peterson and Jared Allen.

Even though ESPN has been making me impatient recently, some of the guys there get it that we are bored of hearing about football’s most famous ankle. I was watching The Scott Van Pelt Show on ESPN2 and after he briefly talked about Favre he admitted their network was going too far on the subject. There’s only so much coverage you can provide on nothing but a rumor.

Then Favre came out an said he hadn’t made a decision yet. Good job, ESPN, now you all look like idiots.

I understand that people want to hear about the superstars. When Tiger Woods hit a fire hydrant last fall, that’s all that SportsCenter covered. When George Steinbrenner passed away, same thing. When LeBron James’ contract had expired with the Cleveland Cavaliers, yet again it happened.

Although, there are only a handful of stars that can gain this much attention by doing something, depending on what they do. It’s only the really big names. If the starting quarterback for a mid-major team was charged for dogfighting or raping someone, they would mention it but not cover it until the program is over.

I speak for the people when I say that I can handle it to a point. It was breaking news at the time and a little information about it will suffice during the show, but don’t devote over 30 percent of SportsCenter to one man and a lot of speculation. Get SportsCenter back to what we all want to watch – highlights of the greatest athletes in the world, using their extraordinary talents.