Well Great, Time to Buy New Wedges

So when a vast majority of the golfing population thinks wedges, they think of Cleveland and Titleist.  Everyone knows that wedges are just Cleveland's thing, simply put, and Bob Vokey is the design mastermind behind the famous Vokey spin milled wedges.  Since well before I was born, Vokey's were the wedges to use, for both tour professionals to weekend hackers alike.  In the coming months, however, the players who have come to know and love their Vokeys will have to rethink their arsenal from 100 yards and in.

The USGA has decided that between the groove depth and the bounce, Vokeys are no longer fair to use. Whatever. This means that everyone with the spin milled versions of the Vokey wedge will have to get rid of them.  Of course, Vokey makes their traditional wedge still with what the USGA deems totally legitimate, but many more don't have that type than do.  

Most people don't know, and even those who have heard won't care at all.  But those people are usually casual golfers who smoke cigars and crush six packs while they play.  For those of us who still compete and will continue to compete in the next few years, this sucks on a variety of level. The first reason is because it costs money to buy a few new wedges.  They can run anywhere from 8 to 130 dollars, and most don't feel the need to pay that much.  In addition, good players become tuned according to their clubs, specifically their wedges.  Learning how to hit 3 new clubs can be easy, but with wedges, a great deal of feel plays a vital role.  

Whether re-investing in new wedges or not, this is definitely a setback that will aggravate Vokey groupies worldwide.  Each year, the USGA comes up with a bogus reason to fix what isn't broken, and they haven't stopped for 2013. 

Big Bubba Wins The Big Green Jacket, What About Tiger?

In a playoff on Sunday, Bubba Watson beat out Louis Oosthuizen for the Green Jacket. His first win at Augusta, Watson joins the long line of greats to accept his jacket in the grand Augusta clubhouse. Seemingly unconventional at times, Watson displayed his talents through a number of over-the-tree trick shots and punches, but nothing beat the eye sore that was his Driver. Although he fell at the end, Oosthuizen made his own personal mark at Augusta, holing a 254 yard shot for a double eagle on Sunday. This marks only the fourth time in history such a fete has been accomplished there.

The Watson/Oosthuizen playoff was all well and good, but there was one player that we all know who definitely did not make a name for himself last week Tiger Woods' only accomplishment was posting a whopping 75 in his final round; his highest score on Sunday at Augusta yet. Any promises that were made about Tiger's so called "big comeback" better start coming true, before the new greats like Watson and young gun Rory McIlroy take an even further lead. As for McIlroy's folly last week, that's purely age and lack of experience, of which Tiger has plenty. If he's using it, questionable. After all, he's rounding the better half of 30, and it's safe to say that the prime of Tiger Woods has now certainly come and gone.

Masters Update for Allowing Women

It's common knowledge that Augusta is pretty exclusive. The first African American member was allowed in 1990...enough said. So it looks like the possibility of seeing the ladies playing Augusta National is a ways off. However, because IBM's title sponsorship of the the Masters guarantees club membership for it's corporate officers, and one of the top exec's at IBM, Ginny Rommetty is a woman, the founding principles of Augusta National might be changing. If they do, however, they stand to lose nearly as much by denying her acceptance as they do if they keep tradition.
Although they try to avoid it, the PGA has taken on a sort of men's only theme from the beginning. Personally, I like the traditions of the Masters. I'm fine with it being a "Male Only Club", but when there's a policy that sponsor exec's get memberships, and you've got women in top spots, it's hard to have two sets of rules.

So there remains a series of questions with this somewhat "no-brainer" of a situation. Should Augusta National make an exception and allow Ms. Rometty to become a member? Will this set an unwanted precedent and open the flood gates to having more women join? And will the LPGA be knocking on the door next to hold the Women's Masters at the hallowed course? The traditions of the Masters have transcended multiple generations of golfers, but even the rules set in 1930 need amendment from time to time.

Das Boot For Das President?

Last Friday, March 2nd, Alexa Adler announced her candidacy for President. Running on the independent ticket, Adler bases her candidacy off of her passion for broadcast journalism that she has yet to study but somehow loves.

"I love California, and coincidentally, it's one of the more important states in the election. If people from California like, vote for me, you know?... it would be great and we could all listen to levels as a country. Go UC Santa Barbara!"said Adler when asked about her campaign.

Alongside her chosen running mate, Tanya Adler, Alexa plans to appeal to the common American through her mommy-daughter campaign strategy. Coming off of her most recent stress fracture, Adler intends to visit southern states Florida and South Carolina next week, although issues have risen from her boot's lack of portability.

"I only have to wear it for another week," commented Adler.

After further investigation, it was later discovered that Adler's response when asked about the duration of her boot wearing is repeated, in that she says she always has a week left. This sort of flip flopping, as seen in the Mitt Romney campaign, has risen popular skepticism regarding Adler's ability to run the country. Nonetheless, the mother and daughter dynamic duo are fully dedicated to winning votes. Adler will appear next week in a debate against independent adversary Ralph Nator, during which she will quote massive excerpts of text from her AP Comparative Government book until the moderator tells her to stop.

Mission Impossible: Because They Needed Another One

Tom Cruise loves to run. Anyone who has seen his films will tell you. Not in every one of Cruise’s films, but particularly those following his 80’s prime movies of synthesized triumph songs and intricate high fives with fellow pilots. He always has a running scene. Since he boarded the Mission Impossible train toward fake spy flick station, he’s gone from hanging over heat sensing floors to crashing helicopters in train tunnels. Yet another one has come out, but this time with some nicer suits, a few more BMW’s and a taller building. Other than these few minor intricacies, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol is pretty similar to its predecessors.

Yes I agree… we should discuss the title! If two words combined make for a lackluster action flick title, they are ghost and protocol. Other terrible ones include “The Rise of Cobra,” from back when they made a movie about a doll. However, we cannot forget about Cruise. Now rounding 50, Cruise’s new movie involves the exploding of the Kremlin, and then somehow the hypothetical nuclear war of the 21^st century. Needless to say, they stop it at the last second with a metal briefcase. Way to go Ethan Hunt!

What I do enjoy about the Mission Impossible series is their diverse cast list from movie to movie. Each seems to employ young, hip actors to play the supporting role. I’m not sure where they go between each movie. I know for a fact they never die in the movies. Maybe Ethan Hunt enjoys changing it up to make things interesting.

But perhaps the largest contributor to every one of these films is the man himself: Ving Rhames. If a director throws a fedora on Ving Rhames ultra smooth shaven head, it will certainly make for a great laugh. If you don’t believe me, take the time to watch his few scenes in 2007’s I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, where Rhames plays a sexually confused firefighter with a history of a bad temper. In Ghost Protocol, he makes an appearance in the final scene, and honestly that was the best part. Other than that, the movie takes us around the world from Russia to Dubai, with the earing guy from that Slumdog movie and the princess from Robin Hood. Nobody really remembers their names.

It is an airplane movie for sure, but otherwise don’t go out your way to see it. If you get uncomfortable when Tom Cruise grows long hair and looks like he did in the Last Samurai minus the beard, don’t bother at all. I give it 2.5 bulldogs, but feel free to give it as many as you’d like.

Wegner Spotlight

Most people walk down the hallways, pushing and dodging others to get to class. But there is one senior that requires no pushing. His name is Aron Wegner, and people make a path for him out of fear alone.

Weighing in at 186 pounds of artificially generated muscle, Wegner crushes anything he touches. The modern face of growth hormones, Wegner defies the normal stereotype of the the typical high school senior.

However, the path to muscle mania was not easily traveled. Before last year, Wegner was a feeble pre pubescent with a slower development than others around him. Feeling both self conscious and inhibited by his lack of development, Wegner began an experimental trial of growth hormones. He saw immediate results. Not only did Wegner shoot up a mere 6 inches, but he began to tear shirts simply by putting them on.

However, it was not only his appearance and strength that saw improvement. An avid baseball player, Wegner began throwing harder, hitting the ball further, and clearing the plate before any baseman could tag him.

"It changed my life. I was weak and insignificant, but now I have a presence. People notice the changes, and that's the best part," said Wegner when asked about the results.

The growth hormone, HCH, has continued to provide other student athletes with the same results experienced by Wegner over the past year. Could this be the new face of confidence building among teens? Only time will tell. But one thing is certain: If you tease Wegner about it, he'll tear your face off...literally.

Example of Inverted Pyramid Style

CHARLOTTESVILLE — Prosecutors in the George Huguely V murder case continued to lay the building blocks of their case Monday, calling a series of Charlottesville police officers who collected T-shirts, cargo shorts, a shower curtain and DNA samples from inside Huguely’s mouth and from beneath his fingernails.

The forensic evidence lays the groundwork for the witnesses Commonwealth’s Attorney Warner “Dave” Chapman said he expects to call later today, including the assistant medical examiner for the state who performed the autopsy on Yeardley Love. But whether the items contain relevant evidence has not yet been stated in the courtroom.

15

Comments

• Weigh In
• Corrections?

inShare

Gallery

 The former university men’s lacrosse player is accused in the 2010 death of Yeardley Love, his ex-girlfriend and a player on the women’s lacrosse team.

More coverage

Photos: The faces in the courtroom

With the media circus surrounding the case, take a look at the main subjects in the trial.

Huguely was a man of privilege, rage

David Nakamura, Steve Yanda and Daniel de Vise

MAY 2010 | Huguely was sometimes chivalrous, occasionally savage.

Emotions overflow as Love is honored

Jean Marbella

MARCH 2011 | Yeardley Love’s family and former teammates pay tribute by retiring her jersey.

Huguely, 24, of Chevy Chase, has pleaded not guilty to murder, robbery and four other charges in the May 2010 death of Love, his on-off girlfriend and like Huguely, a senior at University of Virginia and lacrosse player. Love of Cockeysville, Md., was 22.

The jury also heard early Monday from the police officer who retrieved Love’s laptop, as rain was falling, from a trash bin after Huguely took it from Love’s apartment on the night they argued, hours before her body was found by a roommate.

In a videotaped statement Huguely voluntarily gave police on the morning of his May 3, 2010, arrest, Huguely said he had tossed the computer, which he said he had taken as “collateral” to ensure Love would talk with him the next day. His statement was aired in court Friday.

Huguely told police he had gone to Love’s apartment to try to patch up their relationship, which had been strained over romantic betrayals. He said on the tape that he had kicked through her locked bedroom door and got into a physical altercation in which he shook her and wrestled with her on the bedroom floor. Huguely told police Love was alive when he left, but had bleeding that he thought was at her nose.

On Monday, jurors were shown copies of a handwritten letter from Huguely to Love that police said they found in her desk drawer at the scene. Jurors also were asked to read what was described in court as an “e-mail exchange” that appeared to be about four pages long.

Those e-mails have not been read aloud in court, however, last week both prosecutors and the defense team referred to a series of profanity-laced and angry e-mails between the couple days before Love’s death that included a line from Huguely that said, “I should have killed you,” after finding out about a sexual encounter Love had with another man.

The state medical examiner ruled Love died of blunt force trauma to the head, a finding he presented in April when Huguely was indicted in the case. The jury hearing his murder trial have yet to hear that finding.

Huguely’s attorneys — Francis McQ. Lawrence and Rhonda Quagliana — have indicated their case will include medical testimony that Love could have died from an irregular heartbeat brought on by the drug Adderall that she was prescribed for an attention disorder.

A U-Va team doctor last week testified that as part of the university’s monitoring of student athletes during the time Love was playing, athletes taking Adderall were tested for heart irregularities while on and off Adderall and that Love showed no sign of an abnormal heartbeat during three such tests that occurred between 2006 and 2009.