TWP Magazine » Cliff Pyron

Tiger Woods: Out of The Woods

admin — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 06:35:54 +0000

This is not a simple up and down par save. No various assortments of skillful shots will be able to help Tiger through this predicament. Regardless of what the man does throughout the rest of his career he will always be defined by what has surfaced since Thanksgiving. Just in case you haven’t been paying attention to the biggest sports story of 2009 let me give you the abbreviated version; Tiger Woods was in a car accident, has been “allegedly” involved with multiple women other than his wife, and his sponsors/world is crumbling around him. It is a story that keeps snowballing and its unique aspects will be analyzed. I would like to touch on but a few of those, including its impact on golf, his family, and his future. And Like Tiger I will attempt to sort out this mess…
First of all, let us try to get a grasp on the magnitude of this story. The Tiger Woods saga was on the front page of the New York Post for a record 20 days, passing a little story called 9/11. Unbelievable that with so much else going on in our world that this story has this kind of impact, but that is another argument for another time. There are no parallels to this. Some say it’s a lot like the Kobe Bryant situation but guess what Tiger is much bigger than Kobe. According to Forbes magazine, Woods is the first billion dollar athlete. He is a brand that makes the sport of golf relevant, and what do these events say about the sport of golf which is supposedly a gentlemen’s game? He has tarnished the game, his image, and most importantly the relationship with his family. Be that as it may, it probably won’t affect him on the course.
Tiger will come back to golf and will continue to be the best. He will go on to break Jack Nicklaus’ majors winning record and may be remembered as the best in the history of golf. Unfortunately for Tiger none of these accomplishments can undo what he has done. Although his actions will never be forgotten, playing and playing well is the only way he will be able to move on. Let’s be honest, whether you love Tiger or love to hate Tiger, we all want to see him back on the golf course. Worst case scenario, he’s back by The Masters.
None of that matters to Elin Nordegren, also known as Mrs. Woods. We all know he cheated not only because of the accusations but because Tiger himself has apologized for his discretions. Whether he cheated with 12 women (as the media is reporting), 6 women or 1 woman it doesn’t matter. All those numbers address are the severity of his personal problem. Tiger is human, he has problems (major problems) and it has cost him not only from a financial standpoint. We all know Elin didn’t bash out the back of Tiger’s ride to save him from the big bad fire hydrant. She did a number on not only the car but rumor is to his trophy room and his face (broken nose, chipped teeth, possibly more). Although this is purely speculative it does make sense because he is yet to make a public appearance. Not only is Elin going to abandon ship, so are many of his sponsors. Accenture and AT&T are some of what is sure to be only a taste of what is to come. Tiger like any other human being should be and is paying for what he has done.
It is the story that never ends. More and more women claim to being with Tiger as his world continues to unravel. Woods’ real colors don’t consist of his Sunday red. Even though he asks for privacy, he shall receive none here. He didn’t want privacy when he was making his billion dollars. You can’t pick and choose when you want to be famous. The true Tiger has come out of the Woods.

Words: Cliff Pyron
Photos courtesy of Hutton Harris

Make Or Break Year For Seahawks Hoops

admin — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:35:24 +0000

I remember a time when opposing teams feared coming to Trask Coliseum. Teams knew they were in for a long night against a tough defense and a brutal student section decked out in teal. Things have changed a little bit since then, highlighted by the fact that UNCW basketball hasn’t been to the NCAA tournament since the 2005-2006 campaign. As the Seahawks have slid from being a perennial CAA power so too have the fans that have filled Trask in years past. The students, community and basketball team itself (although the team may not admit it) is desperate for this year to be a successful season if basketball is to continue to be the sport at UNCW.

Head Coach Benny Moss brought in a new philosophy following the Brad Brownell era , which no matter how you look at it has changed the identity of UNCW basketball. The Seahawks have turned into an offensive minded ball club that push the ball and spend much of game shooting from beyond the arc. This may be exciting to some but is yet to excite in the wins column. In three years as Head Coach, Moss has the overall record of 34-60 and 20-38 in CAA play. In his defense, the 2006-2007 season was plagued by injury and he hasn’t had a full complement of players which he has recruited, until now.

This year the team returns all five starters from last year, including its leader in scoring (15.6 ppg), assists (4.4), and steals (2.2) Chad Tomko. Tomko is to be joined by seven new players, including three freshman and four transfers. For the first time in his tenure Coach Moss and Tomko for that matter, will have a presence down low in the now eligible ECU transfer John Fields and a healthy Will Ohuaregbe. This means good things also for the athletic Dominque Lacy (10.4 ppg, 5.9 rpg) who was often forced in seasons past to play out of position. Lacy should be able to slash, shoot that 12-15 foot jumper and stay out of foul trouble with this new look squad. Also, look for a more effective Johnny Wolf (13.9 ppg) as he should benefit from this revamped lineup as well. High expectations loom as these Seahawks enter the 2009-2010 season.

Highlighting this years schedule are non-conference matchups against George Washington and Wake Forest. George Washington being the same school that came back from an 18-point deficit in the first round of the 2006 NCAA tournament to beat UNCW in the 8-9 seed game. Hopefully a little piece of revenge will be in store for the Colonials after that heartbreak on Sunday, November 15th at Trask Coliseum. The Demon Deacons of Wake Forest University also visit UNCW early in the season, as the Seahawks will attempt to upset this national power and its NBA talent Al-Faroug Aminu on December 16th. All the basketball action officially starts Friday, November 13th as UNCW visits Appalachian State.

By Cliff Pyron

UNCW Soccer: Devan Carroll

admin — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 17:45:59 +0000

By Cliff Pyron
One of the few drawbacks to UNC Wilmington is that the school does not have a football program to go along with all the other great athletic experiences the university has to offer. Since the town doesn’t have football to enjoy this fall I’m going to suggest taking up interest in football of a different kind. The UNC Wilmington men’s soccer team play the nation’s best in colligate competition and are one of the most exciting teams on campus. Last year Coach Aidan Heaney’s Seahawks won the CAA regular season title and came just penalties away from advancing to the CAA Championship, and possibly postseason. The thrill of last year’s run is looking to be echoed once again this season.
One big reason for the team’s success, Devan Carroll, he is a senior forward, last years leading goal scorer, and reigning CAA player of the year. Carroll, who had a team leading 20 points last year including 9 goals and 2 assists, and the soccer team are worth putting down the textbooks to go watch. “If I could predict something about this upcoming season, I would predict that the Seahawk fans would see a better Seahawk team than before. Definitely a team hungry for a title,” says Carroll. It will be a rough road for the squad though, battling against non-conference powerhouses UNC Greensboro and Duke and long-time conference rivals George Mason and William and Mary among others. “Our upcoming season is going to be a very tough one but we all are looking at every game the same way. By saying that, we all know we are going to have to work very hard and show every team that we are a very good team and not a team to be taken lightly,” added the forward. Regardless of the schedule the team has the potential to be one of this upcoming year’s best athletic teams at UNCW.
Carroll was recently named to the Hermann Award Watch List which is the top individual award in college soccer, but accomplishments like this don’t seem to phase him. He stresses the value of his teammates and harps on team goals rather than individual accomplishments making him a unique star. Carroll continued, “I will definitely have a target on my back but with the team we have, as long as we all play hard it is going to be hard to stop any one person on our team.” Presented with the Thomas V. Moseley award (UNC Wilmington’s top male athlete) last year Carroll is the special kind of player that keeps Seahawk faithful on the edge of their seats. “Devan is a player who makes great use of his speed and finishing ability, a combination which has led to him being one of the top strikers in the CAA,” said Ian Richardson, Sports Editor for The Seahawk. If you haven’t seen the talented forward play it is hard to put into words his abilities, you just might need to go see the show.
Carroll and the Seahawks open their regular season slate against Campbell, Tuesday, September 1 at home. The game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. start.

A Week at the Masters

admin — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 01:03:33 +0000

by Cliff Pyron

Even if you are not a golf enthusiast there is just something special about The Masters. This tournament is the unofficial start to the PGA tour season and sets the tone for the year in golf. There are more interesting storylines going into this tournament and the golf year than can be remembered in recent history. I am writing this article on Friday from Augusta, bringing you a firsthand look at the golfers of yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Today was the final round at The Masters for two of golf’s most legendary players in Gary Player and Fuzzy Zoeller. Player, 73, received a standing ovation on almost every hole and is in phenomenal shape. He paved the way for international players to play the game in the United States. The respect for this man in the golf world is shown in his pairing with Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus in the annual par-three tournament on Wednesday at Augusta. Seeing them together was truly an amazing experience that I will tell my kids about some day. Enough with the sentimental junk, lets break down the actual competitors…

Every golf conversation starts and ends with Tiger Woods. We are witnessing the greatest golfer and perhaps the greatest athlete of all time in Tiger. Fresh off knee surgery and a win at Bay Hill, Tiger looks to prey on his competitors this year and return to his dominant ways. So far through two rounds Tiger is -2 and may be too far from the leaders to make a run but is probably looking at a top-ten finish. When you see him you feel like you are in the presence of someone special and to be honest he doesn’t even look real, but this highly decorated profes-sional is going to return to his winning ways sooner rather than later regardless of how he finishes at Augusta.
Although he may never truly be the rival to Tiger that the media makes him out to be, Phil Mickelson is the underrated player of the people. His sincerity and kindness coupled with his overshadowed accomplishments make him one of the most loved players on tour. Phil obviously has the talent to be dominant it is just his mental game that sometimes hurts him. Already with two wins on the season and competing thus far at The Masters, look for Phil to put together perhaps his greatest year since 2004 (when he won The Masters, finished second at the US Open and second at the British).

Other possible threats for this year include Padraig Harrington who won two majors in Tiger’s absence last year. Current Fed-Ex points leader Geoff Ogilvy will also be in the mix after his hot start. It could also be Sergio Garcia’s year as long as he focuses on his game rather than the ladies that follow him around. But the one player to watch out for is 48-year-old Kenny Perry. He is tied for the lead here at The Masters, has already won this year, and debatably had the best season of any player on tour last year. He’s not flashy but he has such a solid game. The aged Perry is successfully putting off his stint on the Champions Tour and unlike these young guns will not bow to Tiger Woods.

It should be an outstanding year on the PGA Tour. Watch it to witness greatness, watch it to see lasting tradition, and watch it because it is the best sport to watch in HD!