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Woods Wins Open, While Willie's Out of Work

Tiger Woods and Wilie Randolph

Tiger Woods (left) holds the trophy after defeating Rocco Mediate at the US Open golf tournament. Manager Willie Randolph (right) of the New York Mets stands in the dugout before a game.

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Is Tiger Woods the greatest sports star ever? Yesterday, Woods won the US Open in a sudden death playoff against rival Rocco Mediate ... with a bum knee. The L.A. Times has more:

It took 91 holes for Woods to claim his third U.S. Open title and his 14th major championship, leaving him exhausted, relieved, somewhat surprised and only four professional major victories from matching Jack Nicklaus' record of 18.

... Woods won despite not playing even a practice round of golf since April 15 surgery on his left knee, a knee that could become Woods' biggest obstacle in chasing down Nicklaus.

Meanwhile, Willie Randolph -- formerly of the New York Mets -- is having a very different morning. This from the New York Times:

Nearly three months into another disappointing season, the Mets announced early Tuesday morning that they had fired Randolph, the first African-American to manage a baseball team in New York, after three and a half years as manager, and replaced him with the bench coach Jerry Manuel.

What do you make of Woods' win and Randolph's firing?

Flashback:
Sports Round-Up: Racial Bias Hitting Baseball?
Tiger Woods' Golf Domination Bad for the Sport?

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Tiger Woods must join Muhammaed Ali as the Greatest.

Congratulations to the Greatests.

Fan 101
dePaul Consiglio

Sent by dePaul Consiglio | 9:10 PM ET | 06-17-2008

Willie Randolph's firing is another example of baseball not having much patience with black managers. Black managers aren't given the benefit of the doubt to the extent that white managers are. Remember Cito Gaston in Toronto? After wining back to back World Series victories for the Blue Jays in the 90s he was unceremoniously fired 3 seasons later even though he had an overall successful stint with the club. More things change, the more they remain the same.

Sent by Bernard | 9:55 PM ET | 06-17-2008

HAIL HAIL I'M NOT FROM QUEENS.
But I wouldn't have any regrets if I asked for and Willie Randolph signed his Autograph for me.
I's one of the more valuable in my town.

dePaul Consiglio

I'm from Ramapo Township NY and I can prove it.
We're on the map.

Sent by dePaul Consiglio | 10:13 PM ET | 06-17-2008

Baseball managers are hired to be fired. If Willie Randolph did as manager of the Mets what Tiger Woods did on the 17th on Saturday, the 18th on Sunday, and the sudden death hole on Monday, Shea Stadium would be printing post-season tickets rather than his pink slip.

MLB has problem with recruiting Black fans, no doubt, but Willie Randolph's firing is a red herring. There have been far more successful Black managers who have led their teams to World Series Championships. Willie Randolph so far hasn't shown he is one of those managers.

Sent by Matthew Scallon | 11:42 PM ET | 06-17-2008

This is actually about the story done on "Helping Black Men Excel Academically" but I couldn't find the feedback section for it.

Cornelius, from the Grand Boulevard Federation, said some pretty insane things. Specifically that it is unrealistic for the kids he works with to think they can be the next Barack Obama or president of the US.

Barack came from a single family home, was raised in a lower income situation and has managed to reach some of the highest peaks in American Society. He certainly didn't "have everything" as Cornelius stated the perception is.

The attitude that he shared on the program suggests, to me at least, that he should rethink his attitude when it comes to the kids he works with.

I don't want to only criticize, as his emphasis on college and education was right on. I understand that he wants "male unity and leadership" within their own communities, and that is a valid point.

Still, I hope he changes is whole "...They're not gonna say wow I could be president now, I think they know better than that. I think they're smart than that" perspective.

Just my two cents.

Sent by Jonathan | 12:37 AM ET | 06-18-2008

Willie Randolp is a class act, and I know he will be successful in the future with some other team. I have been a fan of Willie Randolp since his days as the starting second baseman for the New York Yankees. He was always a class act then, and still is. What happen to Willie is to be expected in a high profile media market like New York City. Willie will come back!
Don W.

Sent by Don | 1:27 AM ET | 06-18-2008

About Tiger's Win? That's just Tiger being Tiger even with a bum knee. For once, I was really pulling for Age (Rocco) before beauty (Tiger).

Rocco was just a breath of fresh air and he was the underdog who was just happy to be at the competition not to talk of having a shot in winning the U.S. Open.

About Willie Randolph's firing? How do you say classless? The firing was not surprising but the way Mets management did the act - in the middle of the night and about 3,000 miles away from home. Come on!

Some folks need an etiquette course for firing: Don't do it over the phone, fax, e-mail, and don't fly a guy 3,000 miles away when the team won then break the news at 3:15am.

Sent by Moji | 6:02 PM ET | 06-18-2008



   
   
   
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