#he would totally knock Louis out of his record holding spot

[1ddiscourseoftheday]

🚨Thurs 17 Dec ‘20🚨

No one will argue, this year has been the worst and I'm not really into that whole 'silver linings to bad things' bit, but... BUT! If the demise of live shows and rise of livestreams meant Zayn deciding to perform for us?! Well. I would be willing to reconsider my whole ass philosophy on life! Unfortunately, despite the excitement (or was it hysteria?) he inspired last night by getting all our hopes up, it might just be a music video? We'll see though. He definitely did register a new song, UNFXWITABLE (!), and then, and THEN: slid a single photo into his instagram story, a truly beautiful old baroque theater stage, fitted with live show speakers and a tantalizingly closed red curtain. The stage lights are on, the seats are empty... prepping for zomething?? It was discovered to be the St George Theater in Staten Island, very exciting, but today more video of them working on whatever they're working on surfaced (a snippet at the theater with a bit of an unknown song audible) that makes it seem more likely they're working on a music video than a livestream set up. Still, we can DREAM. At the very least we're getting a new song any minute now and at best-- Z3 and a video AND a liveztream?? (or prerecorded, that's FINE.) The pap pics the other day were him leaving a menswear boutique (sorry I said home, my bad, it was the usual 'front door to car' walk though) leading to speculation he was getting fitted for zomething zpecial... maybe we'll get to see it soon!

Likely on account of the added European show tickets going on sale today, Louis came online to check in, and also to laugh at old videos of himself, send larries into a tailspin, and best of all, weigh in on and shut down discourse left and right THANK YOU SIR! Louis is happy to walk us all through how not to get Live In London video taken down (“do it on a burner account haha?” tips from the master truly, no one would know better so listen to him); he denies having such an account himself (“maybe I should”) though unlike Liam (see below) HE doesn't go that extra step into obvious lie territory and say he's NEVER had one. On how he deals with comments about his height (which are up again these last few days due to a video circulating that uses math to conclude once again that he is in fact, as documented, 5'9”), “I rise above them,” he zings back, and in appreciation of someone who actually got the joke, “you're on my level,” DOUBLE PUNNING, BOOM but that's not all: he finishes off with the comment that finished ME off, “such a peculiar debate.” REALLY. Peculiar specifically, not like strange or weird or annoying you just... went right in for the Eroda copyrighted word huh. OKAY. Also: no, probably no collabs on LT2 (“doubt it”), yes he loves twitter “in doses, no better way to talk to you lot” (you mean even better than via t shirts?? sounds fake but okay), tells us he is “100% for sure” is gonna get the vaccine, and that “cucumber is shit” which isn't really a discourse we needed him to solve that I knew of but like, okay! Sorted! Antis seethed about him talking to larries and larry UAs and picking a video of him and H singing You and I to reply to, and probably cucumber enthusiasts and anti-vaxxers were unhappy too, but the rest of us? WINNING.

Liam is all over, first appearing in a fisherman's cap that nicely sets of his full and fluffy beard, then demonstrating answering questions for the Naughty List insta filter. He says he has never made a fake social media account, so I guess he's not lurking here reading these or I would guess that if I believed THAT for one second, he also says yes I have lied to my best friend so I'll just chose to believe he means us by 'best friend' since here he is, lying away. Dixie is absent from the recent promo, which is a blessing not just because they don't mesh particularly well but also because she's gotten even more terrible on main, moving from simply allying herself with racists to producing her own racist content- if we're lucky she'll simply fade away along with xmas and we can move on without any of that thank you very much. Liam is still a good BFF to us though: today he's offering himself up as prize in a raffle, you can enter to win a 'once in a lifetime VIP Experience in 2021 with Liam' for a low low £5, funds going to Stagehand's #ILoveLive campaign to support industry workers. And on the 17th day of christmas, my LP Advent Alarm woke me up with... Roman Kemp leading us through a weirdly peppy breathing exercise, backed with both soothing spa music and a sample of Liam's voice taken from the sleep story played over and over at near random intervals! I said it before and I'll say it again, they REALLY should have recorded all the material at once last month, but tbh I am enjoying the chaotic daily scramble to find something to put on the thing that's come of them being caught short maybe even more than I would normal content, it's getting downright experimental and I'm fully here for it. It's got that classic janky af for no reason 1D feel you know!

Rob Sheffield found better things to say about Watermelon Sugar, naming it his number one song of 2020 and calling it “a lost Stevie Nicks/ Stevie Wonder duet” plus gifting us a Harry quote: “that one we reworked a bunch of times, and it died a couple times, then it just kept coming back. We fully killed it a few times, but it kept coming back in. So I thought, There’s a reason it’s surviving.” And Chris Pine- who also says that he's all done shooting his part of Don't Worry Darling- said, “Harry Styles is an absolute delight. He's one of the most professional people I've ever met. Couldn't be kinder, more gracious, I mean, really, I was stunned by this kid. He's off-the-charts cool.”

And finally, as 2020 draws to a close we are being flooded with a barrage of our guys being declared winners of incredibly narrow categories (Harry on a list of 'groundbreaking magazine covers' for example), but I think the winner of MY list of 'Highly Specific Accolades' is sewn up for the year already; Heartbreak Weather is officially “the first [advertising] campaign to utilize weather-tracking technology to target content to users”! I'll definitely be keeping my eye out for competitors but beating that for reaching for a category will be TOUGH.

#zayn #zayn malik world domination!! #as they say on the twits #louis tomlinson #harry styles #niall horan #i guess #Dixie deets in intern's tags but I abstain on the basis that's she's irrelevant and soon to be history #but if you're looking for that full story head over to her reblog #note her url has changed!! #the intern is now 1DdotdHQ! A promotion!! you can still call her intern if you want but she also answers to Hot Oli #other HQs are welcome to join my internship program if they wanna learn a thing or two #working conditions are bad and pay is worse! get in! #so like I'm not suggesting Zayn would schedule his life around anything so silly but if he did a stream that HAPPENED to be before the end o #of the year #he would totally knock Louis out of his record holding spot? Like I don't want to see that specifically but #if that would tempt his petty ass maybe we should wave it as a motivator #don't think he wouldn't be able to either Louis said about his louies 'they never see us coming' and how right he is #but even the FANDOM never see the zquad coming and it is a FORCE and has even harries beat for sheer numbers #anyway #Roman Kemp's breathing exercise sounds like its led by Arthur Shappey #rich spirit #dixie d'amelio #roman kemp #Rob Sheffield #chris pine #this account is so weird the people who I'm like huh THAT person has a tag now on my 1D update account OKAY THEN #17 dec 20

[viraljournalist]

Power Rankings -- Who starred for each team in 2019

New Post has been published on https://viraljournalist.com/power-rankings-who-starred-for-each-team-in-2019/

Power Rankings -- Who starred for each team in 2019

Heading into the last week of the season, the division races are almost all won, leaving the wild-card races to provide a bit of drama. You’ll find some of that same balance between certainty and anticipation in this week’s rankings. The voters unanimously selected the newly crowned American League West champion Astros our unanimous No. 1 over the challenges from the Dodgers and Yankees. They also rewarded the teams doing the best job of securing their wild-card bids, with the A’s cracking the top five and the Brewers climbing up to No. 11.

For Week 25, our panel of voters was Bradford Doolittle, Christina Kahrl, Eric Karabell, Tim Kurkjian and David Schoenfield.

Houston Astros 2019 record: 102-54 Week 24 ranking: 1

While another World Series title would be nice, several awards should be coming Houston’s way this fall. Right-hander Justin Verlander figures to earn his second Cy Young Award (he won with Detroit in 2011), likely holding off teammate Gerrit Cole. Meanwhile, rookie outfielder Yordan Alvarez boasts an OPS better than 1.000 and could end up knocking in a run per game. Sure, Alvarez has played barely half a big league season, but the numbers are ridiculous. Carlos Correa won top AL rookie honors in 2015, but he did not have numbers like these. — Eric Karabell

ICYMI: A superteam showdown? A historic rematch? The World Series matchups we want to see

Los Angeles Dodgers 2019 record: 100-56 Week 24 ranking: 2

Cody Bellinger is not only the Dodgers’ MVP for 2019, but probably the favorite to win the National League MVP, as well. Clayton Kershaw won MVP honors in 2014, but the last Dodgers position player to win was Kirk Gibson in 1988. With 8.6 bWAR entering Sunday, Bellinger has recorded just the 11th 8-WAR season by a position player in Dodgers history and the highest since Adrian Beltre’s 9.6 in 2004. The others: Mike Piazza, Willie Davis, Duke Snider (three times), Jackie Robinson (three times) and Dan Brouthers. — David Schoenfield

ICYMI: How the Dodgers are better built for October than everyone else

New York Yankees 2019 record: 102-55 Week 24 ranking: 3

Yankees fans like to spin DJ LeMahieu as an overall AL MVP candidate. He has been an amazing story, but he isn’t on the level of Mike Trout or Alex Bregman. However, LeMahieu clearly is the team MVP with 6.0 WAR, plus some bonus points for his ability to play all over the field. LeMahieu leads the team in runs and RBIs and still has a shot at the AL batting crown. I guess he can hit outside of Coors Field.– Schoenfield

ICYMI: Severino’s sizzling return shakes up October picture

Atlanta Braves 2019 record: 96-61 Week 24 ranking: 4

Ronald Acuna Jr. and Freddie Freeman are potential top-five finishers in the NL MVP vote — but they only rank third and fifth on the team in bWAR: Josh Donaldson 5.9, Mike Soroka 5.6, Acuna 5.5, Ozzie Albies 4.8, Freeman 4.6. Who do you have? I give the slightest of nods to Acuna. That power/speed combo at the top of the lineup sets the tone, plus he has started in center, left and right, with very good defensive metrics. — Schoenfield

ICYMI:

Who was Braves’ best addition to earn NL East repeat?

Oakland Athletics 2019 record: 94-62 Week 24 ranking: 6

With 32 home runs and 120 runs scored, shortstop Marcus Semien clearly is having a season for the ages from the leadoff slot for the A’s. But his 7.9 WAR also ranks 19th among MLB shortstops since 1947, and just three shortstops have delivered that kind of season in the past 20 years — Hall of Famer Derek Jeter, Hall-worthy Alex Rodriguez and peer Francisco Lindor just last season. — Christina Kahrl

ICYMI: How the A’s rebuilt a winner without tanking

Minnesota Twins 2019 record: 96-60 Week 24 ranking: 5

Shortstop Jorge Polanco will not lead the Twins in home runs or RBIs, but he is the clear club leader in wins above replacement and makes the strongest case for Twins MVP. Yes, five Twins have surpassed 30 home runs, but Polanco is by far the leader in hits and total bases. A year ago, Polanco served an 80-game PED suspension, and while he hit in the second half, few viewed him as a potential star. Prospect Nick Gordon figured to displace Polanco at some point. Few are talking about that now. Good for Polanco, a rock for the likely AL Central champs in the No. 2 lineup spot and at shortstop. — Karabell

Tampa Bay Rays 2019 record: 92-64 Week 24 ranking: 7

The Rays might or might not reach the playoffs, but they’ve already topped 90 wins. They have one position player (Willy Adames) with a chance to play in 150 games and just one pitcher anywhere close to qualifying for the ERA title. That pitcher, Charlie Morton, has been the one Rays starter who has simply been there for the team all season. He is going to end up with 33 starts and over 190 innings, with a 143 ERA+. The Rays might have been able to piece together his innings total had Morton thrown, say, 100 IP. But thanks to him, they didn’t have to, and his performance would have been tough to replicate even with Tampa Bay’s hive approach to roster building. — Bradford Doolittle

ICYMI: What do the Rays have to do to make the playoffs?

St. Louis Cardinals 2019 record: 89-67 Week 24 ranking: 8

Four critical victories in Chicago during the weekend have the Cardinals on the verge of clinching the NL Central title, having already earned at least a wild-card spot. It has been a total team effort of late, with numerous Cardinals players standing out. But one in particular has been veteran right-hander Adam Wainwright: He has won four consecutive starts to begin September, with an 0.33 ERA in those games. — Tristan H. Cockcroft

ICYMI:

Cards close in on postseason return at Cubs’ expense

Cleveland Indians 2019 record: 92-64 Week 24 ranking: 10

Projection systems such as ZiPS of FanGraphs’ Dan Szymborski picked Shane Bieber as a big breakout player in 2019. But seeing that on the page is one thing; watching it unfold over six months of baseball is another. Bieber has posted a league-best walk rate, he leads the majors in complete games and shutouts, his 10.9 K/9 rates in MLB’s top 10 — and we would not be talking about the Indians’ shot at winning an AL wild card if not for his stepping up during the same season that saw Cleveland lose former Cy Young winner Corey Kluber to injury. — Kahrl

ICYMI: Inside the Indians’ season-long domination of the Tigers

Washington Nationals 2019 record: 85-69 Week 24 ranking: 9

Anthony Rendon has earned himself a massive payout this winter as a free agent with a season that could win him NL MVP honors. He finished fifth in 2014 and sixth in 2017, but he will go higher this year. He is right up there with Cody Bellinger and Christian Yelich as the top three favorites. And with Yelich missing the final two-plus weeks and Bellinger fading a bit down the stretch, Rendon could steals honors after hitting .351 in the second half with 58 RBIs in 65 games. — Schoenfield

ICYMI: Scherzer no lock to start wild-card game for Nats

Milwaukee Brewers 2019 record: 86-70 Week 24 ranking: 13

The question isn’t whether Christian Yelich is the most valuable player in Milwaukee, it’s whether he is once again the NL MVP — and that question remains open. However, that Yelich is head and shoulders above his teammates only underscores how special it is that the Brewers have rolled on even after his season was ended by a broken kneecap. Milwaukee had won 10 of 12 since Yelich last played on Sept. 10, and his replacement, rookie Trent Grisham, has filled in effectively. — Doolittle

ICYMI: Yelich talks about his injury

Chicago Cubs 2019 record: 82-74 Week 24 ranking: 11

The MVP of the Cubs’ season is a little difficult to suss out. Kris Bryant is probably the best player. Javier Baez remains the most dynamic and has a huge impact defensively. But I’ll go with Anthony Rizzo as the best combination of all the above. On a team that has been less than the sum of its parts for two seasons in a row, Rizzo has flourished situationally, with a big edge on Bryant and, especially, Baez in win probably added. On the intangible front, his early return from a badly sprained ankle for this weekend’s huge series against St. Louis was Willis Reed stuff. Rizzo is the heart and soul of the Cubs. — Doolittle

ICYMI: Even Rizzo’s magic can’t save these Cubs

Boston Red Sox 2019 record: 81-74 Week 24 ranking: 12

For any grief outgoing Red Sox baseball ops honcho Dave Dombrowski has and will receive, he figures to be able to point to the six-year, $120 million extension he gave to Xander Bogaerts as a big positive. Boston’s World Series defense was a dud, but don’t blame Bogaerts. He delivered the goods after signing his big deal this past offseason, establishing career highs in virtually every offensive category, playing improved defense and looking like a foundation piece for a Red Sox team that potentially faces significant change in the near future. — Steve Richards

ICYMI:

Why nobody might want to be Boston’s GM

New York Mets 2019 record: 81-74 Week 24 ranking: 14

Rookie Pete Alonso and versatile stalwart Jeff McNeil have definitely been the most valuable Mets hitters this season, but give credit to outfielder Michael Conforto for reaching 30 home runs for the first time. Conforto might never graduate to top-10 status among major league outfielders, but there is a statistical baseline for reliable power, a strong walk rate and competent defense. And at 26 years old, he can still improve. Better results versus left-handed pitching would be nice, and he is not really a center fielder, but Conforto has become a reliable, if occasionally overlooked, performer. — Karabell

ICYMI:

Law on how McNeil surpassed preseason expectations

Arizona Diamondbacks 2019 record: 80-76 Week 24 ranking: 15

Ketel Marte won’t win the NL MVP, but he is just outside the inner circle of contenders in one of the most surprising breakout seasons of 2019. Heck, he even had an All-Star team named after him. Placing sixth in baseball in WAR among position players, as well as seventh in slugging and OPS, plus having the versatility to play center field, second base and even a little shortstop, will do that for you. — Richards

ICYMI: Back injury ends Marte’s season

Philadelphia Phillies 2019 record: 79-75 Week 24 ranking: 16

The Phillies will look to lock up catcher J.T. Realmuto to a long-term contract this offseason. Realmuto sailed past career bests in home runs and runs batted in, and his excellent work throwing out potential base stealers should result in his first Gold Glove recognition. Myriad Phillies are to blame for the disappointing season — from the rotation to the injured bullpen to the inconsistent offense — and, clearly, management gets no pass. But Realmuto, acquired from the Marlins in February, has been awesome. — Karabell

ICYMI: Are Phillies MLB’s biggest disappointment of 2019?

Cincinnati Reds 2019 record: 72-83 Week 24 ranking: 18

Eugenio Suarez continued to build on his historic season despite the Reds’ elimination last week. Suarez hit home run No. 48 on Wednesday, moving him within four of George Foster’s 42-year-old franchise record, and he now has batted .358/.442/.806 with nine homers in 19 games in September. He has been one of the team’s better stories in an otherwise forgettable year. — Cockcroft

ICYMI:

Castillo, Suarez rank among Law’s biggest surprises of 2019

Texas Rangers 2019 record: 75-81 Week 24 ranking: 17

As flawed as WAR might be in judging pitchers, if one of your guys leads baseball in that category for virtually the whole season, it’s hard to argue he isn’t your MVP. That applies to the Rangers’ Mike Minor, who just in the past week or so was passed by Justin Verlander but still ranks second among MLB pitchers with a 7.5 WAR. Of course, Minor’s teammate Lance Lynn is just behind Minor with 6.7 WAR, fourth in baseball, and also is fourth in FanGraphs WAR at 6.0, while Minor is 19th in fWAR (4.0). So take your pick. — Richards

San Francisco Giants 2019 record: 75-81 Week 24 ranking: 19

Let’s accentuate the positive here and celebrate Madison Bumgarner getting back over 30 starts and 200 innings pitched for the first time since 2016, following two fluke injury-shortened seasons. With MadBum heading toward free agency, it was a great bounce-back campaign from one of the defining stars of the decade. Of course, it also inspired the Giants to keep him at the trade deadline as they briefly flirted with contention, which didn’t turn out quite as well. — Kahrl

ICYMI: Mike Yaz — HR in Fenway ‘super special’

Los Angeles Angels 2019 record: 70-86 Week 24 ranking: 21

Infielder David Fletcher is likely to end up the second-most valuable Angels player by WAR, which is something few expected back in March. Fletcher, in his second big league season, has played more than 35 games at three different infield positions — and also has aided in the outfield — and he easily will lead the club in hits. No, Fletcher is not much of a power hitter, but contact options remain important to a lineup, especially when they can handle most every position. Who knows what happens in 2020 or whether Fletcher secures a starting role, but for 2019 give the 25-year-old much credit. — Karabell

San Diego Padres 2019 record: 70-86 Week 24 ranking: 20

The firing of manager Andy Green on Saturday creates an attractive opening for the team’s next prospective skipper, coming off a season in which rookies Chris Paddack and Fernando Tatis Jr. should pick up votes in the Rookie of the Year race and the team has had a strong core consisting of Manny Machado, Eric Hosmer and Kirby Yates. But the beneath-the-radar story of the Padres’ second half has been Dinelson Lamet, who has a 3.20 ERA and 65 strikeouts in 45 innings in eight starts since Aug. 1. — Cockcroft

ICYMI:

Why was Pads manager Andy Green fired?

Chicago White Sox 2019 record: 68-87 Week 24 ranking: 24

The ChiSox’s 2019 MVP, Lucas Giolito, may not have more to contribute this season now that he’s shelved for the remainder of the season, but his emergence as a top-tier starter is a cornerstone development for a team emerging from a rebuild. Giolito has improved in every facet. His strikeouts are up by more than five per nine innings. His walks per nine have dropped from 4.7 to 2.9. And when everyone is hitting home runs, Giolito has given up fewer long balls than a season ago. He has been consistent and durable, traits increasingly rare among starting pitchers. The White Sox hope that a year or two from now we’ll see Giolito as just one of their aces, but for the time being at least they have one. — Doolittle

ICYMI: Sox shut Giolito down with lat strain

Toronto Blue Jays 2019 record: 63-93 Week 24 ranking: 26

Yes, he leads the Blue Jays in batting average (.276) and OPS (.789), but he is just seventh on the team with 15 home runs and his WAR logs in at 0.0. Still, the numbers matter not — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is the slam dunk MVP of the Jays for invigorating baseball in Toronto (and beyond) and providing great hope for years of excitement and electricity to come. — Richards

ICYMI: Biggios now second father-son duo to hit for cycles

Seattle Mariners 2019 record: 66-90 Week 24 ranking: 25

No team has ever employed more players in one season than the 67 that have shuffled through Seattle in 2019. What, you don’t remember Zac Rosscup, Parker Markel, David Freitas or Nick Rumbelow? Backup catcher Tom Murphy leads position players in WAR, which says everything you want to know about this team. But I’ll give team MVP honors to Marco Gonzales, who has won 16 games with a 4.09 ERA, even more impressive considering Seattle’s defense has been among the worst in the majors. — Schoenfield

Colorado Rockies 2019 record: 67-89 Week 24 ranking: 23

The Rockies continue to audition youngsters for potential 2020 roles this September, and one of their bright spots this month has been utility man Garrett Hampson. The 24-year-old rookie has made starts at second base, shortstop and center field; and he has batted .357/.410/.589 with three home runs and has seven stolen bases this month. — Cockcroft

Pittsburgh Pirates 2019 record: 65-91 Week 24 ranking: 22

With all due respect to Josh Bell, Adam Frazier and Bryan Reynolds, Starling Marte’s performance seems to drive the Pirates’ performance unlike any other player. He has been sidelined for the past 13 days with a wrist issue, during which time the Pirates are 2-9. In fact, accounting for any of Marte’s absences this season, the Pirates are just 4-20 when he has been unavailable to play. — Cockcroft

Kansas City Royals 2019 record: 57-100 Week 24 ranking: 27

You’d like to see a team MVP be a little more well-rounded than Jorge Soler, but in absence of an obvious pick, his record-setting home run spree is enough to get the nod. Soler already has obliterated Mike Moustakas’ single-season franchise mark for homers, and with Mike Trout out for the remainder of the season, Soler’s next dinger will make him the Royals’ first home run champion. He still defends like the designated hitter he ought to be, but Soler’s power display has given Royals fans something to follow during a rebuilding season. — Doolittle

Miami Marlins 2019 record: 54-101 Week 24 ranking: 28

A fractured finger ended his season a month ago, but it reflects just how shallow a talent pool the Fish swim in that Brian Anderson still is the easy choice for most valuable Marlin. A defensive asset at third base and out in right field, like most non-Marlins he also had a breakout season at the plate, setting career highs in extra-base hits despite playing in 30 fewer games than in 2018. — Kahrl

Baltimore Orioles 2019 record: 51-105 Week 24 ranking: 29

For a team on pace for just 53 wins, the Orioles have a few reasonable choices for an MVP. Trey Mancini has an .889 OPS, 36 doubles, 34 home runs, 101 runs and 93 RBIs. Jonathan Villar has 3.9 WAR and 38 stolen bases. And Hanser Alberto has 3.1 WAR and a .310 batting average. But our co-MVPs are Chris Davis and Henry Frasca. Huh? Davis, with a .176/.268/.315 slash line and just 11 home runs to offset 134 whiffs? And who is Henry Frasca? He is a 9-year-old fan from Massachusetts who wrote a letter of encouragement to Davis during his record 0-for-54 stretch in April. Davis was so moved, he kept the letter with him throughout the season and spent the afternoon with Henry on a return trip to Fenway Park in August. After watching this video, we suspect you’ll endorse our pick. — Richards

Detroit Tigers 2019 record: 46-109 Week 24 ranking: 30

A rough second half took a lot of the shine off Matthew Boyd’s big campaign, but his first-half 3.87 ERA turned heads and his full-season 11.6 K/9, good for sixth in the majors, should keep them turned. And sure, while pitcher wins don’t mean much, you try flirting with a .500 season (he is 9-11) while pitching for a team due to lose more than 110 games and featuring MLB’s worst offense. — Kahrl

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[itsiotrecords-blog]

http://ift.tt/2twgGUp

Death comes for everyone, even the rich and famous, but sometimes it shows up a bit sooner than expected. On more than one occasion famous figures have found themselves face to face with the Grim Reaper. The ten people on this list outwitted Death and went on to alter the course of history… for a while, anyway.

#1 Charles Dickens Almost Died In A Train Wreck While he’s one of the most beloved authors of all time, Charles Dickens was kind of a jerk. After his wife gave birth to ten kids, suffered multiple bouts of post-partum depression and gained a lot of weight, the writer ditched her for a much younger actress named Ellen Ternan. The couple spent a lot of time hanging out in France, and it was on one of their trips that Dickens almost met an early end. After a vacation in Boulogne, Dickens and his lady fair caught a boat and then boarded a train for London. Miss Ternan’s mother was tagging along, and the trio boarded the 2:38 train on June 9, 1865. Disaster was waiting to strike — a team of construction workers had removed the tracks from a viaduct crossing the River Beult. They’d gotten their schedule screwed up and didn’t know the train was on its way. Despite the engineer’s best efforts to stop, the train plummeted off the bridge. Every one of the first class carriages crashed into the swamps below, except for the one carrying Dickens. Thanks to a strong coupling on a second-class car, Dickens was spared a horrible fate. But he wasn’t out of the woods yet — his car was dangling off the side of the bridge. Thinking fast, Dickens climbed out and rescued his traveling companions. Then he went back inside, grabbed his top hat and brandy, and ran down to the marshes below. Over the next few hours, Dickens rescued passengers and gave the wounded sips from his flask. He even filled his hat full of water for the injured to drink. And just before heading home Dickens realized that his unfinished copy of Our Mutual Friend was still in the dangling car, so he crawled back inside and pulled it out. Ten people died that horrible day in Staplehurst, and over forty were injured. But while Dickens might’ve escaped physically, he was emotionally scarred for the rest of his life. Dickens inexplicably lost his voice for two weeks, and then he started experiencing trembling, panic attacks and an overwhelming fear of trains. Strangely enough, Dickens passed away on the fifth anniversary of the day that ruined his life.

#2 Mel Blanc Almost Died In A Car Crash In addition to voicing all of the Looney Tunes, Mel Blanc also gave life to characters like Woody Woodpecker and Dino the Dinosaur. Of course, he’ll always be remembered as the man behind Bugs Bunny, that wisecracking, carrot-chomping rabbit that, uh, saved Mel’s life. It was 1961, and Blanc was heading to San Francisco when tragedy struck. Driving down a dangerous turn known as Dead Man’s Curve, Mel was hit by an out of control Oldsmobile. The oncoming vehicle totally crushed the actor’s Aston Martin, and paramedics had to haul out the jaws of life and whisk him off to the UCLA Medical Center. When Mel showed up in the ER, doctors were skeptical about his chances. He was suffering from a broken pelvis and broken legs, and had fallen into a deep coma. Physicians tried their best to bring him back, but for two long weeks the comedian was completely unconscious. And that’s when neurosurgeon Louis Conway got a wild idea. The doctor walked up to his bed and asked, “Bugs Bunny, how are you today?” Mel responded in his trademark New York accent, “Eh? What’s up, Doc?” Over the next several minutes, Dr. Conway talked to several other characters like Daffy Duck and Porky Pig. Each time Mel responded in character, complete with stutters and lisps. And then, suddenly, he snapped out of his coma. The real Mel was back. As for Dead Man’s Curve, the city of Los Angeles decided to reshape the road, preventing any future accidents.

#3 George Washington Was Almost Shot On Multiple Occasions Everybody knows George Washington was for the first President of the United States, but did you know that this iconic American almost never made it to the White House? In 1754, Washington was promoted to lieutenant colonel of the British army, right in time for the French and Indian War. He played a crucial role in a battle outside Fort Duquesne — it was July 9, 1755, and the British were marching on the French fort when they were caught in a clearing by the French’s Indian allies. Perhaps due to his outdated views on warfare, the British general, Edward Braddock, refused to let Washington send men into the woods to fight the natives. As a result, Braddock took a bullet to the chest. Washington rallied the troops and lead an effective retreat, but not before multiple marksmen tried to take him out. By the time the Brits had escaped, snipers had shot two of Washington’s horses, knocked off his hat, and put four musket balls through his coat. Miraculously, Washington escaped unharmed. This wasn’t the last time the man would cheat death. In 1777, Washington found himself facing the very nation he’d once served. It was September 11, and he desperately needed to stop the 12,500 British soldiers heading towards Philadelphia. So the morning before the showdown at Brandywine Creek, General Washington rode out to inspect the battlefield. Little did he know that a band of sharpshooters was hiding in a nearby clump of trees. These weren’t ordinary snipers. They were led by Captain Patrick Ferguson, a Scotsman who was the best shot in the British Empire. The man even invented his own rifle. And here he was, ordering three of his men to fire on this unknown officer. However, before they could take him out, Ferguson canceled the order. Something about ambushing the man felt wrong. Ferguson, ever the gentleman, shouted out to let the officer know he was there. When Washington spotted the marksman, he began to ride away. Now it was all fair, and Ferguson could’ve “lodged half a dozen balls” in his target, but he let the American ride away. Hours later, after the British won the battle, an injured Ferguson learned the identity of the man he’d let slip away. Imagine how different the world would be today if he had pulled that trigger.

#4 Vladimir Lenin Was Almost Assassinated Under the rule of Vladimir Lenin at least 10,000 Russians were murdered in September and October 1918 alone. The event that kicked off all those killings was the very same incident that put Lenin on our list. The story starts in 1890, with the birth of Fanya “Fanny” Kaplan. Born to a Jewish Ukrainian family, Kaplan grew up a member of the Socialist Revolutionary Party with an emphasis on the “revolutionary.” When she was just sixteen she tried to blow up one of the Tsar’s lackies, which got her thrown into a Siberian prison camp for eleven years. Kaplan was released thanks to the February Revolution of 1917, but she didn’t stay a fan of Lenin for long. In just a matter of months, the Bolsheviks had gotten rid of the Constituent Assembly and tightened their hold on the government. Ticked off at Lenin’s power play, Kaplan decided to revisit her assassinating ways. On September 3, 1918, Lenin was giving a speech at a Moscow factory, and when he left the plant he ran into several bullets courtesy of Comrade Kaplan. She put one bullet in his shoulder and another in his jaw, but unfortunately for Kaplan Lenin was a pretty tough dude and survived the assassination attempt. Five days later, Kaplan was executed. She was only twenty-eight-years-old. To make things even worse, on the same day one Leonid Kannegisser killed Moisei Uritsky, a member of the Russian secret police. Paranoia running understandably high, Lenin decided to wipe out anyone he considered an enemy. Tragically, Kaplan’s assassination attempt led to the four-year crackdown known as Red Terror, one of the bloodiest massacres in the history of the Soviet Union.

#5 Hunter S. Thompson Almost Killed Bill Murray Hunter S. Thompson was, without a doubt, one of the wildest writers in history. This was the guy who hung out with the Hell’s Angels, ran for sheriff of Aspen, Colorado while pledging to legalize drugs, and used cocaine like there was no tomorrow. Thompson had quite a few celebrity friends, several of whom he almost killed. He nearly gave Jack Nicholson a heart attack by sneaking up on his house in the middle of the night, shining a spotlight through the windows, playing a recording of a dying animal, and firing several gunshots into the air. And while Johnny Depp was living in Thompson’s basement, the future Captain Jack Sparrow noticed that the table Thompson had provided as a night stand (which supported an ashtray) was actually a crate of dynamite. However, the closest he came to actually murdering a star was the time Thompson almost offed Bill Murray. In 1980, the comedian played a version of Thompson in the movie Where the Buffalo Roam. In order to get the feel of the character Murray spent a lot of time with the journalist, essentially morphing into another version of Thompson complete with all his eccentricities. The two were so tight that Thompson once called Murray up at 3:33 in the morning to discuss his idea for “Shotgun Golf,” the craziest sport ever invented. Their friendship took a bizarre turn at the Hotel Jerome in Aspen, Colorado. The spot was one of Thompson’s favorite hangouts, and he could often be found lounging in the bar. One night, Thompson and Murray were standing near the swimming pool and discussing who was the better escape artist. Wanting to prove Murray was the lesser magician, Thompson duct taped him to a lawn chair and tossed him into the pool. As you might expect, Murray wasn’t able to free himself, and Thompson waited till the actor was nearly dead before hauling him onto dry land. Hunter S. Thompson might’ve been a colorful character, but he certainly was a dangerous friend.

#6 Gordon Ramsay Was Almost Murdered By Smugglers Like any chef, Gordon Ramsay has probably had his share of kitchen accidents, but in the real world he’s a walking disaster zone. In 2008, while filming an episode of The F Word, Ramsay was making his way down a 280-foot incline when he lost his footing. The chef slid all the way down and plunged into the freezing cold water below. Making matters worse, Ramsay was weighed down by all his climbing gear. He struggled under the water for forty-five seconds before he was dragged to shore by his crew. But that’s nothing compared to what happened in Costa Rica. In 2011, Ramsay was filming a documentary on the highly controversial and widely illegal practice of shark finning. It’s a grisly method of fishing that involves catching a shark, slicing off its fin, and chucking the animal back into the ocean to die. The practice kills 100 million sharks annually and has reduced certain populations by 95%. Unfortunately, shark fin soup is a status symbol in countries like China, where it’s slurped up by the rich and powerful. So if the problem is China, why was Ramsay in Central America? Well, that’s where the smugglers work. According to Ramsay, these crews work in facilities surrounded by “barbed-wire perimeters and gun towers.” They aren’t people you want to mess with, but Ramsay wasn’t intimidated. The Hell’s Kitchen star made his way into one of their compounds, where he found thousands of shark fins. The gangsters didn’t take kindly to his presence — as Ramsay tried to leave, they poured a barrel of gasoline on his head and tried to light him on fire. As this was happening, a group cars swarmed into the parking lot to try to prevent the chef’s escape. Fortunately, Ramsay and his crew were able to drive away… only to later run into another bunch of angry, armed smugglers who held Ramsay at gunpoint until local cops showed up. They weren’t exactly heroes — the officers sided with the gangsters and ordered Ramsay to leave or face deportation. But at least he wasn’t set on fire.

#7 Mark Twain Was Almost Killed In A Duel Before he gave life to Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain worked as a miner, printer and, most famously, a riverboat pilot. Twain was also an accomplished reporter, but it was his journalistic ways that almost sent him to an early grave. In 1864, Twain was appointed editor-in-chief of the Virginia City Daily Enterprise, but his new position only lasted about a week. The curly-headed writer started a 19th century flame war with James Laird, editor of the rival Daily Union. After a vicious back and forth that involved a lot of name calling, Twain decided to humiliate his enemy in the most embarrassing way possible — he’d challenge Laird to a duel. Twain assumed Laird would turn down the duel, and then everyone would think the Union editor was a coward. At first Twain’s plan seemed to work, because Laird said no. But Twain took his act a little too far — feigning righteous indignation, Twain challenged Laird not once, but two more times… and Laird said yes. Now Twain was in a bit of a tight spot, as he was a lousy shot. In the days leading up to the match, Twain drove a rail into the ground, set a squash on top of it, armed himself with a Navy six-shooter, took the customary fifteen paces back and tried hitting his imaginary opponent. Twain missed every single time. Things were looking rather grim for our hero, but that’s when he heard gunfire coming from a nearby ravine. James Laird was practicing as well, and Twain was afraid that his enemy would send spies to watch Twain practice. Thinking fast, Twain’s second—a man named Stave Gillis—blew the head off of a little songbird nearly thirty paces away. When Laird’s buddies showed up, Gillis claimed that Twain was the man who’d pulled the trigger. Shaken, Laird’s pals hustled back to their boss, and on that very same day Twain received a letter from his rival calling off the duel. That was good news, as Laird was a competent shot who hit his practice target 13 out of 18 times.

#8 Uma Thurman Was Almost Crushed By A Van Acting is a dangerous profession. Working on location, performing stunts, handling dangerous weapons… someone could end up seriously hurt. Actors like Brandon Lee and Vic Morrow died on set, and in 2009 Uma Thurman almost found herself a member of that unenviable club. The actress was relaxing at the bottom of a hill while on break from shooting Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lighting Thief when a van started rolling straight towards her. The transportation crew had forgot to set the parking brake, and in just a few moments Thurman was going to end up road kill. And that’s when James Bond showed up. Pierce Brosnan was working on the same film and saw the van lurching forward. He shouted for Uma to move, but she couldn’t hear her co-star’s cries. Going into 007 mode, the actor rushed down the hill, jumped inside the van, and slammed on the brakes. While the van smashed into the curb and took out a few garbage cans, Uma Thurman got out of the way. Believe it or not, this wasn’t the first time Brosnan saved a leading lady. While filming a love scene with Halle Berry on Die Another Day, the actress decided to do a little improv. She grabbed a knife, cut a fig and took a bite, only to start choking. Fortunately, Brosnan kept his cool and gave Halle the Heimlich, saving her from death by fig.

#9 Benedict Cumberbatch Was Kidnapped And Almost Murdered While he hasn’t solved any real-life crimes, Benedict Cumberbatch has had his fair share of adventures. On a trip to Nepal, the Sherlock actor found himself lost in the mountains and had to follow a trail of yak droppings back to civilization. But that pales in comparison to what went down in 2005 when Cumberbatch was filming the BBC miniseries To the End of the Earth. Cumberbatch was on location in South Africa, and one evening the actor was driving outside of Durban with two of his friends. Unfortunately, one of their tires went flat, and as the trio tried to repair it six armed thugs pulled up alongside them. Things went south fast. After they were searched for valuables, Benedict and his friends were tied up and thrown into a car. The robbery had become a kidnapping. Cumberbatch was afraid he’d end up murdered, but  he was also concerned about the ropes around his arms. They were a little tight, but when he complained the gangsters tossed him into the trunk. Cumberbatch was terrified, but for some mysterious reason the kidnappers eventually pulled over, dumped the trio on the side of the road, and drove off. A little later, when a stranger chanced by and freed them from their bonds, Benedict broke down crying with gratitude. The incident had an understandably profound impact on the Englishman, giving him a new appreciation for life.

#10 George Orwell Was Shot By A Sniper As the author of Animal Farm and 1984, most people assume that George Orwell was rabidly anti-communist. But Orwell was a dedicated socialist who hated Joseph Stalin — while he felt the dictator had corrupted Lenin’s ideals, he was still very much in favor of Karl Marx’s ideology. He was such a diehard believer that, in 1936, he went to Spain to help the Republicans fight the fascists during the Civil War. It was a decision that almost ended his life. In 1937, Orwell was hunkered down in a trench outside Barcelona. Unfortunately, he was taller than most of his Spanish comrades, and his head stuck up out of the ditch. A sniper caught a glimpse of the Englishman and put a bullet into his throat, right between his trachea and carotid artery. Later, in his book called Homage to Catalonia, Orwell would describe being shot as being struck by lightning. “Roughly speaking,” Orwell wrote, “it was the sensation of being at the centre of an explosion.” While he didn’t feel any pain, he did feel an electrical buzz. His knees gave out and he crumpled to the ground, blood oozing all over his clothes. Fortunately a doctor saved Orwell’s life, but for some odd reason decided to keep his bloodstained neckerchiefs and scarf. Those items eventually ended up in the hands of a man named Donald Bateman, and after his passing in 2013 his family sold them at an auction for the tidy sum of £4,500.

Source: TopTenz

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[foxfiregolfclub]

How Tiger Woods, in His Heyday, Made Golf Cool

How Tiger Woods, in his heyday, made golf cool by transcending it

Maybe it was those 350-yard drives and spontaneous, exuberant fist pumps.

Perhaps it was the big smile, athletic build and the brilliant marketing campaign that showed him doing everything from juggling golf balls with his club to walking on water. Then, too, there was that name — Tiger — and the fact he looked different than all the other golfers he was beating so regularly.

Whatever it was, Tiger Woods has been as much a cultural comet in professional golf as a victorious one. From the time he turned pro in 1996, and even past his last major victory at the U.S. Open in 2008, Woods drew mores eyes to him and his sport than any other golfer ever. In his prime, Woods turned tournaments into must-watch events, even for those who’d never teed up a golf ball.

He was compelling, a perfect blend of talent and charisma suited for a growing American diversity and the digital age. TV ratings, galleries and prize money all increased significantly. People had to watch. Woods dragged golf — a sport most Americans have never played — into the Land of Cool.

“Tiger embodied a kind of modern cool that golf hadn’t seen before,” said Orin Starn, a professor of cultural anthropology at Duke University. AP Photo/Peter Cosgrove

Among professional athletes for most of the early 2000s, Woods ranked with basketball icon Michael Jordan at the top of the Q Score, which rates popularity and marketing appeal. In 2008, Forbes ranked Woods No. 2 on its annual Celebrity 100 list, based on fame and money. Only Oprah Winfrey was higher.

Plus, he was making cultural as well as sports history. In 1997 at just 21, he stormed to a win at the Masters, shooting a record score and living up to years of hype. That it came at Augusta National, where African-Americans hadn’t been allowed to play until 1975, put him in a special place. The attention just kept coming, with 13 other major victories — including four straight — and 79 total wins on tour.

“Tiger embodied a kind of modern cool that golf hadn’t seen before,” said Orin Starn, a professor of cultural anthropology at Duke University and author of the book “The Passion of Tiger Woods.” “This was to a certain degree, and still is, a bland, vanilla sport played by anonymous white guys who all dress the same and look the same. So to have this charismatic, young African-American-Asian-American hybrid figure bursting onto the scene made huge news.”

Rick Schloss, the former longtime media director of the annual PGA Tour event at Torrey Pines in San Diego, recalled how the galleries swelled when Woods came to the tour, attracting a younger element interested in one thing: Tiger.

��They’d go there to watch him,” Schloss said. “They don’t know what else is going on. They’ve got their Ugg boots on, the hats on backwards, they’ve got a craft beer, and they know he’s cool.”

In 2001, after he won four straight majors, Americans polled by Gallup named him as the nation’s No. 1 athlete. His favorability rating was on a par with the likes of Jordan, John Glenn, Colin Powell and Pope John Paul II.

Yet Woods slipped from that perch in 2009, when his off-the-course life turned upside down with a personal scandal that led to divorce. He took a leave from golf for several months. He lost sponsorships. When he returned, he wasn’t the same. His smile, swing and putting stroke were diminished.

His last tour win came in 2013, and he failed to reach the weekend at his only two starts in 2017, missing the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open in late January and withdrawing due to injury from a European Tour event after one round in Dubai a week later. He hasn’t played since.

Prior to that, Woods missed nearly a year and a half because of a back injury, although he did play the Hero World Challenge, an unofficial PGA Tour event that he hosts, in December.

Woods was still in high school when he made his PGA Tour debut as a 16-year-old amateur at the 1992 Los Angeles Open. He missed the cut. AP Photo/Bob Galbraith

In his absence, golf’s attendance and TV ratings suffered.

Now 41, Woods has skipped three 2017 tournaments (the Genesis Open, Honda Classic and Arnold Palmer Invitational) that he typically plays each year, and his next move remains unknown. He even WD’d from a news conference prior to the Genesis Open, which is run by the Tiger Woods Foundation.

Woods hasn’t given up hope of making what would surely be a dramatic return at next week’s Masters. Starn, for one, is looking forward to seeing Woods back inside the ropes.

Said Starn: “There’s always interest in a comeback story in America.”

TIGER’S CELEBRITY PRECEDED HIM to the PGA Tour. He was a child prodigy, a standout at Stanford and a six-time USGA national champion (three U.S. Junior Amateurs and three U.S. Amateurs). He and other celebrities from the sports and entertainment world were like magnets, attracting one another. He lived in a different, more star-studded world than golf’s other top players.

Woods appeared on the sidelines at NFL and basketball games. He played golf with Jordan, Charles Barkley and Tony Romo. He hung with Mark Cuban, Michael Phelps, Jon Bon Jovi, Sting and Will Ferrell. Each year, the Tiger Jam fundraiser for his Tiger Woods Foundation in Las Vegas delivered the celebs. It all brought more attention to golf and the tournaments he played.

Chris Zimmerman, the former director of advertising for Nike and then the company’s general manager for golf, was there when Woods turned pro and signed a $40 million sponsorship deal with the company. From the outset, he said, those around Woods were intent on making him more than just the best golfer of his generation.

Nike grew its golf equipment business around Woods’ persona. The company didn’t even make clubs or balls until Woods was signed as a spokesman. Getty Images

“From day one, they had interest in what Tiger could be as an athlete, but also as a brand,” said Zimmerman, now the president and CEO of business operations for the St. Louis Blues. “That’s a tall order for a 21-year-old coming out of a few years at Stanford. But he had been on a path toward greatness from an early age, and certainly both his dad and the people around him, they were very clear that they believed Tiger Woods could be a great brand, much in the same way that Michael Jordan had been.”

The first Nike TV commercials in 1996 to introduce Woods to viewers were “Hello, World” and “I am Tiger Woods.” Each told stories. The first was about his commitment to golf and his road to the tour. The second, his roots and connection to a new, diverse generation. Zimmerman says the intent was never to make Tiger cool — above the rest — but to show his respect for the game and help Nike launch its golf equipment business.

When Woods’ style and personality meshed with his wins and the acceptance of Nike’s products, the ad campaign helped catapult him into the Jordan realm.

“That’s where the magic is,” Zimmerman said.

The most memorable commercial was itself enchanting, a 1999 spot in which Woods juggled a ball on a clubface for nearly 30 seconds while switching hands, going between his legs and behind his back before popping the ball into the air and knocking it down the driving range with a baseball swing.

While many top golfers can do the same thing, Average Joe and Jane watching at home didn’t know that. Tiger, it seemed, could do anything.

“It was an exceptionally successful commercial,” Zimmerman said. “It just fascinated people. They wanted to know if it was real, had he really done that.”

Those commercials helped him vault from athlete to cultural icon, according to Donna Barbie, professor of humanities and communication at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida and editor of the book “The Tiger Woods Phenomenon,” a collection of essays.

“His dad and his companies were marketing geniuses,” Barbie said. “Has there ever been a golfer who was so marketed as Tiger Woods?”

Barbie, who studies cultural phenomena, said Woods was a “change agent” for golf, bringing it further into the mainstream and boosting TV ratings, attendance and earnings. Even the golf video game that bore his name was popular with young gamers.

When in the Washington D.C. area for the 2009 AT&T National, Woods dropped by the White House to visit with Barack Obama. Pete Souza/White House/Getty Images

“They would never have dreamed of playing golf, of all things, in some software, electronic format if it hadn’t been for Tiger Woods,” she said. “I can guarantee that.”

His presence on tour was a signal that golf had changed and that younger players would have to change, too, to compete.

“It’s not old men in weird plaid pants anymore,” Barbie said, laughing. “It’s young, vibrant athletes who can show their athleticism.”

The fact Woods was built like an athlete — and trained like one — made him stand out among fellow golfers, Barbie contended. So did his heritage, his talent and his bearing. He wasn’t the everyman, eye-contact, hand-shaking Arnold Palmer who brought fans to the game in the 1950s and ’60s. Woods was more focused and aloof on course, making him both “cool and compelling.”

“He was not one of the people,” Barbie said. “But he caused people to want to participate and witness greatness. … They love Tiger Woods because he was above it, because he was on the pedestal. We really love to look up to people who are larger than life.”

Barbie, a lifelong golfer, often followed Woods on the PGA Tour, watching his fans as much as she watched him. They always expected to see him to do the unexpected. Usually, he did.

At the peak of Woods’ popularity, his stature as a sports figure was rivaled only by Michael Jordan. Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

She recalled Woods one year at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill contemplating whether to go for a green over water or lay up.

“He’s holding a wood and everyone’s going, ‘Yeah, he’s going to go for it,'” she said. “And then he puts the wood away and brings out the iron, and there was a groan by the gallery, just a groan, like, ‘Really? You’re going to disappoint us?’ And then he takes out the wood and goes for it and gets it, and everybody is ecstatic.

“That’s what cool is.”

CHRIS RILEY PLAYED AGAINST Woods as a junior and in college before both turned pro in 1996. While Woods went straight to the PGA Tour, Riley got there in 1999, eventually advancing to No. 22 in the Official World Golf Ranking and playing with Woods and Team USA in the 2004 Ryder Cup.

Riley said Woods “transcended the game” and helped lift the image of golf, which was “nerdy” when he played as a boy but now is considered a “cooler game.”

Chris Riley, a 2004 Ryder Cup teammate of Woods, says “nobody watched golf unless you were a golfer” before Tiger arrived on the scene. AP Photo/Dave Martin

“No doubt,” Riley said. “At sports bars now, people will watch golf, especially if Tiger is playing. Even if he’s not playing. But pre-1996, nobody watched golf unless you were a golfer.”

Plus, Riley said, Woods impacted the sport with his dedication to fitness, prompting other golfers change their training habits to keep up.

“You don’t see the guys anymore, the Tim Herrons, going to have a beer or a cocktail after the round,” he said, referring to the tour veteran nicknamed “Lumpy.” “They go to the gym to get a massage, work with their trainer.”

It’s not hard to see how Woods’ influence on the game has rubbed off on the current wave of top talent led by Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson, Jason Day, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas. However, Tiger’s impact off the course might be only as effective as his game. As his play has gone downhill, so has the sport’s popularity as recreational activity.

According to the National Golf Foundation, participation in golf surged as Tiger surged, but it has slowed or declined in recent years by measurements such as number of public courses, golfers, annual rounds played and youth participation (although not among girls and women).

The equipment business Nike had built around Woods suffered, too, and last year the company announced it would no longer sell golf clubs, balls and bags.

“Tell me if I’m wrong, but I think he made it cool to watch and not really to play,” Riley said.

Starn sees the same thing. Tiger’s magnetism was a boon to the tour, but it might not have the lasting effect the sport had anticipated. Without Woods in recent years, Starn said the tour lacks a dynamic sense of excitement.

“But I do think Tiger generated a kind of excitement around golf that was unprecedented,” Starn said.

SOURCE: ESPN