Sports Commentary

Japan is experiencing a spike in coronavirus infections, leading to renewed cries in some circles to cancel the Tokyo Summer Olympics scheduled to begin on July 23.

Recently I received an email from a former Prescottonian who is probably the best-known tennis athlete we can claim as ours, Taylor Johnson, who is currently playing for UCLA, which just finished its season, reaching 4th in the country. They won the Pac-12 regular season and made the NCAA’s Elite 8.

Open up a copy of the Rules of Golf or on your smart phone, load and open the app USGA Rules of Golf. ...

My summer hiking focus will be a tour of National Parks thanks to the fine book by Robert and Martha Manning: Walks of a Lifetime in America’s National Parks.

Baseball’s Unwritten Rules reared their uninterpretable and oftentimes ugly head last week.

The game of tennis, like many things during COVID, took a hit.

Anyone who has played this game for any time, realizes that distance is a big factor. Face it — the farther your shots travel, especially off the tee, the easier it is to score lower.

The phone rang at my library in Spring Valley. The caller asked, “Do you know anyone who could train us on reading a topographic map and using an orienteering compass with a little GPS info thrown in for good measure?”

Last month, the NCAA Board of Governors voted to extend President Mark Emmert’s contract through Dec. 31, 2025. The vote was unanimous, which means the entire board — consisting of mostly college presidents from all three divisions — approved of the reign of incompetence Emmert’s presidency has exemplified.

Bob Baffert, welcome to the Doping Hall of Infamy. You’re joining a very accomplished group, the crème de la crème of chemically enhanced miscreants.

The past two weeks for me have been exhilarating and, yet again, eye-opening that nothing in this life is to be taken for granted.

With COVID-19, our young people have suffered a lot during this past year with lockdowns, Zoom classrooms, canceled sports and social activities, etc. The setbacks they have endured can be life-changing but luckily a golf course is a safe haven.

When asked why anyone would want to work at the Cline Library in Flagstaff, the interviewer responded by saying, “Because the best hiking in Arizona is nearby.”

Like the teams they represent, MLB’s labor pool is populated by the haves and have nots, and we don’t mean talent.

Now into the 26th day of my/our “Bike and Tennis Across American” trip and the end is nearing.

I have had many positive comments from our readers on the recent column featuring famous quotes. So here are some that deal with the golf swing. Enjoy these and apply some advice from the best!

He called it his favorite hike. Really? That’s quite a claim. He would rather hike Woodchute Trail 102 than any other route, at least in Yavapai County. His hiking experience did not extend much beyond local trails, yet that’s notable recognition for a trail perched above Jerome and Highway 89A.

Buckskin Mountain State Park lies at the north end of the Buckskin Mountains. I discussed the south end in February when I hiked in the vicinity of Gibraltar Mountain.

Many of you know I’m in the middle of a bike ride across the country, promoting tennis and biking, going from San Diego, California, to St. Augustine, Florida.

Last month the NFL announced new media deals with CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN/ABC and Amazon that will net the league $113 billion over 11 years, or $321 million a year per team.

After this week of watching the Masters Invitational with the focus on Georgia and our country witnessing the proliferation of “cancel culture,” resulting in the politicization of businesses and sports, I want to share with you some history and interesting tidbits regarding the first golf major of the year.

It’s not easy to deal inwardly when the ball and your racquet become out of sync, or your opponent isn’t cooperating with what you’re trying tactically against them.

For anyone who wondered why the NCAA refers to its annual basketball tournament as “March Madness,” they now have an answer.

This week’s column deals with the upcoming Masters Invitational. It is not a PGA Tour event but is a true invitational, hosted by the members of Augusta National. It is unique and Augusta National is a hallowed place that is revered by all — golfers and non-golfers.

The NBA called this season's trade deadline the busiest in the last 35 years, with 46 players from 23 teams involved in 16 different deals.