Picture courtesy AP

Woods makes his highly anticipated return to golf, announcing on Tuesday his return to the Masters. The golf world is abuzz wondering if the four-time champion will finally trade in his velvet robe for the jacket once again.

According to Augusta.com:

“The major championships have always been a special focus in my career and, as a professional, I think Augusta is where I need to be, even though it’s been a while since I last played,” Woods said.

Although Tiger has been away from golf for some time, he’s no stranger to the club. We can also expect him to be much stronger putting from the rough, having worked diligently on his stamina, visiting holes from NY to LA.

Once Tiger hits the links we can only hope that our attention-deficit media takes their focus off his personal life and focuses on more important things like Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson.

While he may forget the names of his mistresses, Tiger won’t be forgetting that he’s number one. Come time for the Masters, he will make us forget their names too.

-Zach Superior

In a 40-point December loss to the Titans, Incognito drew two personal foul penalties for head-butting opponents, was benched by coach Steve Spagnuolo and watched the second half from the bench with a poncho over his head.

Incognito, who was named the dirtiest player in the NFL earlier in 2009 by The Sporting News, was later fined $50,000 by the NFL for the head butts.

Click here to read the full article – By of ESPN.com

“Actually, he probably still would have been in the rotation,” Spoelstra said. “Probably not with the minutes he would have liked, and I also told him that the way the year’s been going, that it’s still up for grabs. I’ve had those conversations with everybody in the locker room. It’s about production right now.”

The Heat hosted the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night. Alston remains listed on the roster, but his image did not appear in the team’s pregame introductory video.

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

The GM said “we made good progress.”

In fairness, the shutout loss came on a night in which the Panthers hit the goalpost six times. And Friday’s deadline only freezes rosters until after the Olympic break, meaning nobody in the locker room should feel comfy.

If that wasn’t obvious by GM Randy Sexton’s heated comments after a loss Tuesday, it was on the club’s Web site Friday, when new managing partners Cliff Viner and Stu Siegel posted a sharply worded, signed letter.

“We must admit the significant shortcomings we have as an organization,” they wrote, “and we must move quickly and efficiently to overcome these shortcomings.”

The partners said their goals included qualifying for the playoffs “on an annual basis” and contending for the Stanley Cup “in the near future.” They pointed a finger at players who have dropped five straight entering tonight’s home game against Boston, the final outing before the Olympic break.

Click here to read the full article – By Palm Beach Post

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Eventually, perhaps other things will matter more when Lightning fans judge Vinik. Perhaps he will finally bring stability to the franchise. Perhaps he will finally make the rest of the league think of the Lightning as a smart, calculating franchise. Perhaps he will be hungry enough, passionate enough, wealthy enough to make the Lightning essential once again. Perhaps he’ll even hang around for a few seasons.

For now, however, there is Vinny.

Do you think Vinik can get to him?

Soon, the Lightning will be his. Perhaps by the team’s next game (on March 2), the deal will be complete. (The transaction might have been completed by now, but word is NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has misplaced his rubber stamp again, and owners say they won’t buy him a new one until at least March.)

Still, this feels as if it is all but done. Before long, Vinik will close the deal on the schizophrenia of a team and the apathy of the fans, on the underachieving players and the overpaid ones, on a defense that can allow four goals in the time it takes you to sneeze and on an offense that seems to think the net is currently starring in the final season of Lost.

Click here to read the full article – By Gary Shelton of St. Petersburg Times

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“We’re letting each other down. (Goaltender Tomas Vokoun) is playing his butt off, and we’re not giving him any support.’

That’s an understatement. The Panthers have scored 13 goals in their last 11 games, including four during their current four-game losing streak.

The offense took another hit when coach Peter DeBoer confirmed that forward Rostislav Olesz suffered what is believed to be a broken hand in Tuesday’s 4-1 loss to Carolina. He will be out for the final two games before the 16-day Olympic break and perhaps longer. Although Olesz hasn’t scored a goal in his past 11 games, he is still fifth on the team with 26 points.

Snapping the scoring drought won’t be easy. These next two games at home are against Northwest Division-leading Vancouver Canucks and the Boston Bruins. Vancouver is led by former Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo, who has a 2.33 goals-against average on a team that has allowed the third-fewest goals.

Click here to read the full article – By Palm Beach Post

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Scorching, really, though Niittymaki’s record in his past eight starts doesn’t tell the whole story.

It’s one thing to win. It’s another to carry a team that during a 7-1-1 roll has scored 22 goals, a paltry 2.4 average, though that is plenty when your goalie is in a stretch with a 1.09 goals-against average and .965 save percentage in the seven wins and one shootout loss.

“He’s been amazing,” defenseman Andrej Meszaros said.

Please, Niittymaki said, “It’s not that huge a deal.”

“You’re just relaxed and patient and wait for the puck to come to you,” he said Wednesday at the Ice Sports Forum. “I’m not out there in a zone. You feel good and things are going good. That’s about it.”

Click here to read the full article – By St. Petersburg Times

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Vokoun earned a more prestigious honor Monday.

he 33-year-old veteran was named the NHL’s Third Star for January. Capitals winger Alexander Ovechkin was the First Star while Canucks center Henrik Sedin was Second Star.

Vokoun capped one of the best months in his career Sunday by notching his fourth shutout in January. He posted an 8-4-2 record with a 1.49 goals-against average and .956 save percentage and allowed more than two goals in just three of his 14 starts. Two of those three games were against the high-powered Capitals.

Vokoun made his 16th consecutive start Monday against the Ducks and coach Pete DeBoer plans to go with him the final five games before the Olympic break. He won’t get any rest then.

Click here to read the full article – By Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel

“The most important thing,” he said, “is to hit the net.”

Stamkos picked a top, inside corner, right where he aimed; another display of one of the league’s most devastating shots, a one-time slap shot from the left faceoff circle that consistently finds the short side between goaltender and post.

“He has one of the best shots in the league from that position,” coach Rick Tocchet said.

It is a main reason Stamkos has a team-best 29 goals and entered Monday tied for the league lead with 12 on the power play.

The shot also is one of the best ways to measure how far Stamkos, 2008’s No. 1 overall draft pick, has come in confidence and production.

In the 87 games since Jan. 29, 2009, when he was benched for a third and final time as part of last season’s program to make him a smarter and stronger player, Stamkos has 83 points on 46 goals and 37 assists.

Compare that with six goals and 13 assists in 46 games prior, during which he admitted thinking, “My shot’s not as good. My hands aren’t as good,” and that he might be better off back in juniors.

Click here to read the full article – By St. Petersburg Times

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