-OK, it's back. Now sit back and enjoy (or weep):

-Have you seen some of the stats budding Phils superstar (and Mike G pick for MVP) Chase Utley is compiling? I know it's early but he's 5th in the NL in average (.351), 1st in the League in Homers (13) and tied for 6th in RBI's (26). And Utley won't fade. He may not win the homer title but he'll be top five in average and ribbies. He's just a complete player right now. Know what else I like about him? He signed his big contract two years ago and has proceeded to have the best two years of his life. In other words, he amped up his game after he got paid. What a rarity in sports these days!

-I usually don't well up too often (except when my wife yells at me) but the story the other day about the female softball player from some small school out West almost got to me. In case you missed it, apparently said player hit a game winning home run (the only home run of her career I believe), was rounding first and proceeded to blow out her knee. Unable to walk, the ump informed her coach that if the player couldn't get up and continue, she would be credited with a single and her team would lose the game. The ump also told the coach that her teammates couldn't assist her either. Game over, right? Apparently a young lady on the other team had other thoughts. She asked the ump if she (and another teammate) could assist the fallen player. Mystified at the request, the ump said yes. The two opponents then proceeded to carry the player around the remaining bases, carefully touching her foot to each base as they went, and then into the arms of her waiting, joyous but confused, teammates at home plate. Here's what I like most about this story. I never would have thought to do the same thing as the player from the other team in that circumstance. I'm also quite certain that other men, especially Major Leaguers, would never have offered to help either. We may have felt bad for the injured player but actually help them to win the game? No way. So what does this game teach us? That in a similar circumstance maybe we can all think differently and do what's right, even at the expense of our own victory. Just another instance where sports, for all the bad things that happen in games, can still teach us how things should be or could be and what we're all capable of when we put our minds to it.

-OK enough sappiness...who would've thunk it. The Marlins are still within a couple games of first and we're into May. Will they fade? Probably, but this team seems to go on magic carpet rides every five years or so. And the last Marlins championship was...2003. So watch out.

-Lastly, no Tiger at this year's TPC so the winner will be-an unknown first timer.

-Well Tiger wasn't able to get it done in the Masters, coming in 2nd for the 2nd year in a row (and fifth time overall in the Majors). Watch out Jack...he's now only 14 behind your record for 2nd place finishes in the Majors. BTW, as staggering as it is to win 18 Majors, it's even more incomprehensible to me that Nicklaus came in 2nd 19 times! That tells you a little bit about the excellence of Jack Nicklaus and how good Tiger must be to be threatening his records.

-The knee surgery Tiger will have is not minor (no matter what his agent says). Any surgeries after the age of 30 (Tiger is 32) are significant. As I told my Golf Exchange co-hort, Russ Evans, the body starts to break down after the age of 30. And unless you're on HGH or steroids, there's nothing you can do about it. This is where walking actually comes into play in the sport of golf. I'm sure Tiger will come out of the surgery fine and will continue to play well this year but, this is his second surgery on this knee. And it's the left knee which is the follow-through (ie, weight-bearing) knee for right-handed golfers in their swing. All in all, we may be seeing the beginning of the only thing that could derail Tiger's bid to win 30 majors and 100 tournaments: injury.

-One note on Masters winner, Trevor Immelman: he must putt better if he's to contend in more majors (including Augusta). While it's true Immelman had a phenomenal week of putting this past week, overall he's ranked 198th! That's not going to get it done on a consistent basis in the big tournaments (or even little ones). While Immelman has a swing comparable to Hogan's (no pressure there, Gary Player), the putting must get better. I know he won by 3 but did you see that putt he missed on #7 Sunday? That looked like me at Bear Lakes with $5 on the line. I mean that thing couldn't have been more than two feet.

-The NBA playoffs are about to start and the NHL playoffs are just underway. As much as I like the playoffs in almost any sport, two and a half months to complete said playoffs is downright ridiculous.  I'd like to see them play every day, even with travel. Then you'd see the best conditioned teams win and we'd be crowning a champ in early May. Last team to pass out wins!

-I don't think I've ever been least pumped (good English) about an NFL Draft than the one coming up next weekend. Where are the really great players coming out of college? I mean we have Jake Long, Chris Long ( and where have you gone, Chuck Long?)  Where are the Peyton Mannings, the Reggie Bushes, the JaMarcus Russells (ok scratch that last one) of this draft? I know, I know. I'll read Kipers guide over the next few days and get myself psyched but right now I don't know who the Fins are going to take and I'm not sure I care.

-Baseball's into it's first month but it couldn't be more like Alice in Wonderland. The Royals, Orioles and Marlins are either leading or have lead their divisions for significant time and the Pirates are even playing well right now. Split season anyone?

- It's Day 2 of the Masters (a toonament unlike no other) and I'm getting a little worried about the Striped One. He's at even par through 5 holes, which is OK, but he's 8 shots (!) behind one Trevor Immelman, who's done for the day. Immelman has played fairly well at Augusta and has even had some good drama (hole in one on #16 in 2005-just ahead of eventual winner TW). I don't know if he'll hold up but with cold and windy weather moving in, 8 under looks like a good Sunday number right now. Tiger can hit that number with a good back nine but he really needs to do something in the next 12 holes to have a chance. It's not just Immelman he needs to worry about-it's the 20 other golfers ahead of him right now. Some of whom have won this thing already.

-Bottom Line: I look for Tiger to finish around 3 under for today and then tomorrow will be the story. If the weather is bad and Tiger can post something around 67 he can do it. Higher than that and it might be too tough. My semi-mid-point pick right now (OK two picks): Paul Casey and Retief Goosen. Casey's one of those little guys (think Ian Woosnam or Zach Johnson) who's actually a good player that might be able to sneak under the radar long enough to make a putt on 17 or 18 and win it. Goosen's got the pedigree (2 US Opens) and has played well here and played well recently. He won't sneak under any radar but if the putter's working, he could win by a couple.

-Where have you gone David Duval?

-"Worst" Masters winner: Larry Mize.

-"Best" player never to have won it: Johnny Miller (4x runner up)

-Best Masters-1986

-OK this will be a short one, so hold onto your hats.

-Good article by Greg Stoda in the PB Post today on Shaq. Don't know why he feels the need to denigrate every place he leaves, but he should realize that above all, nobody cares! Does anyone really give a hoot if the Heat treated him poorly? Shaq, you're on a team with a chance. Be happy. Let it go. All is well, all is well!!!

-Shame about the Panthers. I thought they had a shot at the playoffs this year. Can't believe it's been somehting like 8 years. Doesn't everyone make the NHL playoffs? (I think I read somewhere that the Heat play the Red Wings in Round 1). They have a good nucleus: Weiss, Horton, and Booth are good young players and Vokoun's a decent goalie. They need more production from the 2nd and 3rd lines. And Ollie hasn't been the same since carotiding Zednick.

-Quick, name anyone but Dancin' Machine Taylor on the Dolphins right now.

-Quick, name anyone on the Marlins right now.

-Saw Drillbit Taylor the other night. I give it two stars (but I won't say out of how many). I will say that it's tough to watch because this is the movie where Owen Wilson tried to off himself right after production. I just don't get it. How does one become a movie star and feel the need to end it all? I guess money, fame and good looks can't buy happiness (But, my God, what does then?!)

-OK see you again in a couple months. (Just kiddin' Jim!)

-Just a quickie here folks but I couldn't resist...Seems slugger Ryan Howard, former (and future) MVP for the Philadelphia Phillies won his arbitration hearing w/the team today and will collect a cool $10 mil for his efforts next year. That's a slight raise over the $900K he made last year. Now as most of you who listen to me on ESPN 760 or read the blog know, I side w/management an Ivory-pure 99.99% of the time when it comes to anything dealing w/players. Most of them are pain in the rear whiners who were nothing more than lottery winners in the great gene pool.

Well this is the 0.01% Why on God's Green Earth, GM Ruben Amaro, would you screw around w/this guy over $3 mil (Phils were offering a ridiculous $7mil in arbitration). If you didn't already know it, let me spell it out for you: RYAN HOWARD IS THE TEAM!!!! Not a significant "cog" in the machine, not a "spoke" in the wheel, HE IS YOUR WHOLE *&%^$ TEAM!!! You guys have already retarded his development by not bringing him up from the minors soon enough three years ago in some kind of blind deference to Jim Thome and, now, after getting an MVP performance from him for the last three years at an average of half a mil per year, you want to bargain w/him? You should be doing back flips to make him the highest paid Phillie in history. This guy will re-write the record books. And to top it all off, he's a good guy. He's the anti-Barry Bonds. He stays out of trouble and the fans love him. I really believe this kid could be one of the top 25 players of all time and the Phils want to make sure they get him at their price. Sheesh!

Howard was reportedly happy after the hearing and still seeks a long term deal w/the Phils, But if I were him, I'd play out the next couple years and go somewhere (Mets, EvCo?) that might actually appreciate him.

Ugh, typical Phillies!

-Ok, I know, I know...I promised to regularly update the blog last month after not blogging for several months, but...locusts, floods, cats and dogs living together, I just haven't been able to do it! Besides, Evan put Homeless Jim Rutledge in charge of monitoring the blogs and let's just say Jim isn't the intimidating figure EvCo is (He's Homeless for God's Sakes!) (Sorry Jim).

-Anyway, let's talk some sports. First, is there any real need to watch the entire Daytona 500? I mean I've become much more of a fan since my kids are into it but really, just watch the last 20 laps or so and you're gold. I think most of the drivers would be happy w/a Daytona 100 so waddaya think NASCAR? Just a suggestion. Also, I've seen a number of newspaper accounts crediting Kyle Busch with leading the most laps overall but so what?! He didn't win. That's like giving the Patriots credit for leading most of SB 42.

-Speaking of the best team never to win a Super Bowl, I see Coach Belichick is now apologizing for whatever taping he's ever done in the past. Where was this in September? I also wonder if he'd be apologizing if the Patriots won the game. I think Congress and Arlen Specter should stay out of this and focus on much more important things (like steroids in baseball) but I do wonder why Commissioner Goodell destroyed the allegedly incriminating tapes. What could they possibly show that he felt the need to permanently get rid of them?

-Golf is starting to heat up as the Florida Swing begins here at the Honda next week. Lots of big names have committed but the tourney won't truly "arrive" until  #1 and #2 (and no, not pee and poop) decide the event is worthy of their presence. My guess is the realization will occur in the next two years. The Honda will become the "Wachovia of the South" and that's not a bad thing. PGA's a great venue and Tournament Director Ken Kennerly does whatever it takes to make the players feel welcome. And that's what it takes to lure the big boys.

-I've mentioned this a couple times on "Golf Exchange" w/Russ Evans (Sundays, 8-10am on ESPN760) but I really think that the most impressive record in sports (and that includes Van DerMeers back to back no hitters, Joe D's 56 game hit streak, Secretariat's Belmont run in '73 and UCLA's 88 game win streak in basketball) is Byron Nelson's 11 wins in a row in 1945. Even though the streak was compiled with some of the tour off to war and some of the events were with partners, I never thought it could be approached. But Tiger has two six win streaks in his career and has started this year with two straight. I know his goal is to win the Grand Slam and that's a feat that hasn't been accomplished in 70+ years but I really believe he could win 12 in a row if he put his mind to it. In today's era with so many good players, 12 in a row would never be broken.