The database has been updated and currently contains information on nearly 31,000 vehicles.   www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/floodedcars  Enter the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) unique to each vehicle to check whether a flood or salvage title has been issued.

 
It is not illegal to sell a vehicle with either a flood or salvage title, but specific requirements exist to ensure the status of such vehicles is disclosed to potential purchasers.

 
If a motor vehicle has suffered sufficient damage to render it economically impractical to repair or has been rendered a total loss by an insurer, the person in possession of the certificate of ownership (or “title”) for the vehicle is required, by law, to surrender the title to the MVC. The MVC will then issue a salvage title for that vehicle. Salvage vehicles cannot be registered for the purpose of being driven on the public highways of New Jersey except for the purpose of going to and from an inspection appointment at a Motor Vehicle Commission facility. (N.J.A.C. 13:21-22.6.)  It is against the law to sell or transfer ownership of a salvage motor vehicle except as a salvage motor vehicle with a salvage title, unless the vehicle is repaired and inspected by the Motor Vehicle Commission. (N.J.A.C. 13:21-22.5.)

 
The owner of a vehicle damaged by flood, but not rendered economically impractical to repair or not rendered a total loss by an insurer, must place the phrase “Flood Vehicle” on the title, assignment of certificate of ownership (title), or manufacturer’s statement of origin if a new vehicle, directly below the word “Status.” All subsequent titles shall be so noted. Vehicles damaged by flood will not be registered unless the application for registration is accompanied by the appropriately noted certificate of ownership. (N.J.A.C. 13:21-5.6, -5.7.)

 
Before purchasing a used vehicle, consumers are advised to:

· Check the vehicle’s title history and be wary if the vehicle has been titled multiple times over a short time period;
· Obtain a vehicle history report from the dealer, or get one yourself from a reputable source; this will let you know if the car has been damaged in the past; and
· Look for an insurance company’s name on the title history, and contact the company for vehicle information. 

Consumers should check whether a new or used auto dealer is licensed by the MVC as legally required. Consumer Affairs can provide information on any past actions it has taken against a dealership and whether consumers have filed complaints about a dealership. Consumers also should have their trained mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection of the vehicle.

 
Among the telltale signs that a vehicle may have sustained flood damage are:

 
· A musty or moldy smell or the strong scent of a deodorizer all over the car;
· Rust on metal parts where water would not normally touch;
· Water-stained upholstery or water damage on the door panels or seat belts; and
· Mildew, silt or debris in areas around the engine compartment, under the carpeting or in the trunk.
Consumers who believe they have been cheated or scammed by a business, or suspect any other form of consumer abuse, can file a complaint with the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs by calling 1-800-242-5846 (toll free within New Jersey) or 973-504-6200.

And we’ll tee it up first with Merion member Buddy Marucci. He’s an elite player, former Walker Cup captain, and is confident the course will be anything but a pushover for the world’s best.

His thoughts on the Championship and the precision Merion demands are in a podcast you can hear via this link at TeeItUpPhilly.com.

—

Click here for more golf blog posts.

—
Ed Abrams anchors mornings on KYW Newsradio, and you can hear his Golf Reports there on Fridays and Saturdays. He has also created a pair of websites: www.DealTrackerGolf.com, featuring leads on the best golf equipment deals… and www.TeeItUpPhilly.com, with video course tours, audio swing tips and local golf deals

By Bill Campbell

There were a couple of baseball incidents last weekend that managed to escape much attention. They happened about a thousand or more miles south of Philadelphia and to teams other than our own. They probably don’t rate with the news about the condition of Roy Halladay’s right arm. But they merit some mention here.

One such incident certainly caused a bit of a panic in the Toronto-Tampa Bay game. Last Tuesday night in a game where Toronto beat Tampa Bay 6-4, Blue Jays pitcher, J.A. Happ, was hit in the head by a line drive and taken off the field on a stretcher. In a frightening scene at Tropicana Field, a liner off the bat of Desmond Jennings caromed squarely off the left side of the former Phillies pitcher’s head with a loud “thwack”. The ball went all the way into the bullpen in foul territory, halfway down the right field line. Happ was transported to a hospital for tests and a press release from the team later reported him to be in stable condition. And it makes me wonder why this kind of thing hasn’t happened more often.

Happ’s injury made me recall from my days as an old-time Phillies broadcaster. I used to  see Richie (aka, Dick) Allen frequently hit the ball through the middle with much authority, whizzing it close to the guy on the mound. I remember predicting to fellow broadcaster, Richie Ashburn, “Whitey, someday we’re going to see Allen peel a pitcher.” Fortunately, I don’t think it ever happened with Allen but it did in the old Connie Mack Stadium when pitcher, Bubba Church, was felled by a liner which caused him permanent vision problems. I saw it happen. Church was never the same pitcher. J.A. Happ was once a sterling Phillies prospect but he never realized his potential here. Now that he’s had this encounter with a liner, we’ll have to see how he recovers.

The sports pages will be filled in the upcoming weeks with news of Roy Halladay and his aching right shoulder. But J.A. Happ’s future is equally questionable now. He may have just pitched 1 1/3 innings on May 6^th, but fans in Florida will remember that line drive – and it’s sobering thud – forever. Just as I remember it with Bubba Church. That this type of incident happens so seldom is my biggest baseball surprise and one for which I am most grateful.

The Umpires Blew It

A few other incidents happened too last week.

Umpiring in major league baseball has left more than a little to be desired lately. The overall status of umpiring has lacked much quality of late. But it reached a new low in the last two weeks. In the Toronto-Cleveland game about ten days ago, a home run was hit with two out in the ninth inning. The umpire looked confused although everyone else in the park, especially the fans, were certain the drive had been hit over the home run line and backed down on the field. The umpire ruled it an in-field double. Fans went crazy and much argument ensued, so the umpire called for a meeting of all four. The dispute continued but they still refused to change the call and erroneously ruled it a double — which was quickly followed by the ejection of one of the managers. The office of Major League Baseball, headed by on-field representative Joe Torre, decided to back the umps, ruling that nothing could be done about once it was in the books. I’m disappointed in Joe.

A week later, what was already a tough time for umpires got worse. Last Saturday in Kansas City, one of them issued an intentional walk to a batter on just three called balls with two outs in the seventh. Royals batter Lorenzo Cain was awarded first base on the seventh pitch of his at-bat after the Yankees’ pitcher, Andy Pettitte, buried a pitch in the dirt. Home plate umpire Mark Wegner called the pitch Ball 4, setting off a controversy. In the Yankee dugout, Manager Joe Girard thought the count was 2 – 2. Pettitte said he wouldn’t have buried the pitch if the count had been 3 – 2, which it should have been. Statisticians in the press box said the confusion apparently came on the first pitch which they initially counted and called a strike. Later, the call was changed to a ball. The Yankees won the game 3-2 but the repetition of umpire errors sustained its second man of the week.

The Eagles’ Mother’s Day Miracle

Chip Kelly, the new Eagles coach, says that Michael Vick and Nick Foles are running very even for the 2013 Eagles starting quarterback job at the moment. Even former Oregon QB Dennis Dixon, who played for Kelly at Oregon, also has entered the picture. The start of rookie camp last week brought in close to 50 players and we saw the debut of former USC quarterback, Matt Barkley, at the Nova Care Complex. The camp will run for only 3 days and wont be open to the media or public. However, Jeremy Maclin, the sometimes brilliant receiver, seems to think that Vick has the inside track. When asked by observers on hand, Maclin replied that Vick, in his judgment, would ultimately be the Eagles’ starting QB.

Through is charitable foundation, Maclin just hosted an event at Lincoln Financial Field, his first annual “Maclin’s Mothers Day Miracles” gathering, which chose 5 local 12-year-old boys who surprised their mothers with gifts, dinner certificates, tickets to a future Eagles game and pledges of good behavior to their mothers. So more than a few good things may be happening at The Linc.

Vick getting a nod over Foles this early, at least according to Maclin, comes as no surprise because most of those who are following this competition expect the 33-year old veteran to win the job. Kelly, who will make the final decision, has said that the role is still undecided and Foles is still very much in the running. When Barkley came into the picture, it was presented as a real wild card, adding another entry into the final decision. We’ll see how this pans out. Barkley was taken in the fourth round of the draft and will be making his first show at Nova Care. The full 90-man squad will convene for its first practice which will surely produce some more clues about the make up of Kelly’s final starting team. As far as the quarterback drama goes, Kelly said, “I’m not going to get all caught up in that.” He knows a guy like Vick has already made his mark in this league. Foles stepped in last year to some extent and the college achievements of Barkley are off the wall and he has pretty good guys here from which he can learn as a rookie.

The Dad Vail Regatta

The 74^th Dad Vail Regatta was held over the weekend down on the Schuylkill at the intersection of Kelly Drive and Hunting Park Avenue, just before the Columbia Avenue Bridge span. Saturday’s finals aired on line on 6-ABC and were streamed on ESPN3.com. We should recall that Harry Emerson “Dad” Vail was one of America’s early inspirational college rowing coaches. He coached at the University of Wisconsin from 1911 to the late 1920′s and his crews competed against great odds since there was little rowing taking place in that state. But he set the bar for crew teams across the country and this race is rowed in his name every year.

Michigan was looking for its third straight title and Mercyhurst was trying for a record-setting fifth in men’s lightweight eight. Bucknell was after a third straight women’s lightweight title as well while Duke defended its women’s heavyweight eight title. The regatta involves 3,500 athletes, 128 schools from the USA and Canada and is the largest collegiate rowing event in the country, taking place on a 2,000 meter course with 6 lanes of standard Olympic length.

When it ended, the Drexel crew won the overall team title, the men’s point trophy and the Men’s Varsity 8 Gold medal. The Dragons sent 12 boats to the semis on the last day with 9 advancing to the grand finals and 6 reaching the medals podium.

In its effort to hire 10,000 new employees nationwide in May, Dollar General will host a career fair at its 600 E. Chelton Ave. location (Philadelphia) this Saturday, May 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This event will be one of approximately 170 nationwide career fairs held on Saturday throughout the 40 states the retailer serves.

A full list of nationwide career fairs on Saturday, May 18 is available at www.dollargeneral.com/careers.

Candidates interested in joining the Dollar General team who are unable to attend a career fair may apply for available positions online at www.dollargeneral.com/careers.

Meanwhile, Domino’s Pizza is looking to hire over 550 new employees across 120 stores in the greater Philadelphia area.  All of the new positions offered are for delivery drivers, assistant managers and general managers.

Those who are interested in applying to their closest Domino’s Pizza store can do so by visiting www.careers.dominos.com.

1,000 people (18 years and older) will receive 25,000 miles* each – that’s enough for a standard roundtrip award ticket (with taxes and fees from only $5 per award ticket).  Spirit is giving away the 1,000 certificates on a first-come first-serve basis, while supplies last.

*Recipients of the 25,000 FREE SPIRIT™ frequent flyer bonus miles certificates must register their certificate within 7 days of receipt. Miles will be deposited within 45 days of registration.  Certificates are good for one time use, and only one 25,000-mile certificate can be credited to a FREE SPIRIT account. FREE SPIRIT program terms and conditions apply – complete details available at www.spirit.com.  Certificates do not have a cash value and may not be duplicated or sold. Spirit reserves the right to modify or cancel this promotion at any time. Open to legal residents of the 50 U.S. states (including D.C.), 18 years old or older. For complete details, visit www.spirit.com/redeem.

Time and Place:

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Starting at 11:00 am

IndependenceVisitorCenter – Main Level (on 6th Street between Market and Arch Streets)

1 North Independence Mall West

Philadelphia, PA19106

Join Clarifi and FinanciallyHers® for a special event, Financially Single & Thriving, on Saturday, May 18th from 9:15am – 12:00pm at the United Way Building in Center City (1709 Ben Franklin Parkway) Philadelphia . 

The event will show attendees how to manage their finances at any stage of life, whether they are in a relationship, single or in transition.

Speakers will include:

Tiffany W. Thurman, FinanciallyHers Program Manager, Clarifi

Sheila Brennan, Divorce Coach

Stephanie W. McCullough, Financial Advisor, Sofia Financial

and Judith Drasin, Esq., Associate Counsel, Lipsky and Brandt.

Guest speakers will share their expertise on the following topics:

• Developing realistic goals and expectations during a transition process

• Protecting yourself financially

• Knowing when you need an attorney

Attendees can register at clarifi.org or by calling 800-989-2227. Attendance is free; seating is limited.  A continental breakfast will also be available at 8:45am.

Started in 2008, FinanciallyHers has empowered over 1,800 women to take control of their finances and is primarily funded by Citibank.

Well in recognition of the special day, several restaurants and retailers are offering freebies and special deals.  Whether you’re out shopping, eating or running a few errands, Cameron Huddleston, editor at Kiplinger’s tallies nine offers that you might want to take advantage of:

• Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar is giving mothers who eat at its location on Mother’s Day a $25 gift card for a future visit. See http://www.flemingssteakhouse.com/locations for locations.
• Hooters is honoring moms with a free meal up to $10 with a drink purchase on May 12 at any of its locations.
• I Heart Faces has three Mother’s Day photo-card templates that you can download for free.
• IKEA is offering a free breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon and potatoes and a cup of coffee on May 12 from opening until 11AM.
• McCormick & Schmick’s is giving moms complimentary truffles with brunch or dinner on Mother’s Day.
• O’Charley’s will offer a free slice of pie on May 12 to all mothers who dine at any of its locations.
• Redbox is offering a free one-day rental when you buy an egift card for Mother’s Day. 
• TCBY will give a free frozen yogurt (up to 6 ounces) to moms on Mother’s Day. Check with the store in your area to make sure it is participating.

 For more information visit: http://www.kiplinger.com/article/spending/T050-C011-S001-mother-s-day-freebies-and-deals-2013.html.

Stamp Out Hunger is the nation’s largest single-day food drive.  It collects more than 70 million pounds of food in a single day.   On Saturday, May 11^th, the nation’s 175,000 letter carriers will pick up non-perishable food left by mailboxes and deliver it to local food banks, where it will help families across the country.

In honor of the campaign’s 21^st anniversary, in our region the Campbell Soup Company will contribute one million pounds of food and 21,000 cans to Feeding America to kick-off this year’s Stamp Out Hunger food drive. 

Wonder what foods are great to donate to the food drive?  Here are a few non-perishable food items requested by food banks:

• Cereal
• Pasta
• Rice
• Canned fruits and vegetables
• Canned meals such as soups, chili, pasta
• 100% juice
• Peanut butter
• Pasta sauce or spaghetti sauce
• Macaroni & cheese
• Canned protein – tuna, chicken, turkey
• Beans – canned or dry

For more information visit:   http://www.helpstampouthunger.com/

Up and Down Broad Street

Last Sunday’s Inquirer summed up the Broad Street Run in a memorable way stating, “Broad Street was a no-go. I-95 was a parking lot and game day traffic hadn’t even begun while the Independence Blue Cross Broad Street run rendered that 10-mile city stretch off limits to vehicle traffic until close to noon.” Yes, it was ugly. But that jam up isn’t the thing to remember about last Sunday.

It’s a day that top finishers, Ethiopian natives Askale Merachi and Ayele Feisha, will long remember for the great conditions and enthusiastic crowds. Feisha’s day began at 4:30 a.m. in New York. He drove to Philadelphia, lined up along with about 40,000 other run participants and took off at 8:31 a.m. Forty-seven minutes and three seconds later, he threw up his arms and dashed through the finish line, running eight seconds faster than the next finisher in the ten-mile race. Merachi, the fastest female runner, finished in 53:46. Behind came thousands of runners committed to the event and determined to ignore safety concerns. It was a picture perfect day for the Run, even if the shadow of Boston was carried by every runner and reveler there. Fortunately, the day ended without incident, that highway log-jam broke up and the city was proud.

On Saturday, a horse named Orb won the Kentucky Derby with jockey Joel Rosario in the saddle. The trainer was sixty-two-year-old Shug McGaughey, a member of the Jockey’s Hall of Fame, who had never won the Derby on or behind a horse. Orb is owned by Ogden Mills Phipps and Stuart Janney III, first cousins and prominent members of the Phipps racing empire. Six generations of that family have been involved in the sport, stock-piling victories in the biggest races – but the Kentucky Derby had eluded them too. In 1998, their Easy Goer finished second to Sunday Silence and that was the closest they’d ever come to the roses. Phipps also lost the legendary Secretariat as a foal on a coin toss to another stable. So, although the family insisted it didn’t have Derby fever, we can assume that the singing of “My Old Kentucky Home” at Churchill Downs last Saturday brought a large lump to their throats. As it turned out, the tune never sounded sweeter for the Phipps family when Orb crossed the finish line.

On a sour note, last weekend saw the Phillies blanked on Saturday by Jose Fernandez, a rookie pitcher from Miami, on one hit for a final score of 2-0. The next day the Phils and starter, Roy Halladay, were blown out by the Marlins 14-2. Such losses are more than the Phillies and their fans expected to face this season. And at this writing, Halladay is on the disabled list and heading to Los Angeles for a consultation with an orthopedic surgeon.

On the Road

When the Phillies considered their upcoming schedule last week, they had reason for encouragement. They were to play two games against the Indians in Cleveland and return home for four against the purportedly pathetic Marlins. For a team that had gotten out of the gate slowly with disappointing results in the early going, Charley Manuel’s guys could anticipate the chance to better their record. But schedules can be deceiving – as can a roster that lists more talent that it actually contains. The Indians won both games in their Progressive Park and the Marlins took two at home from the Phils, who were lucky to break even in that series. In fact, after winning the first two games of the series, the Phillies actually presented the Floridians with a chance to shine.

After seeing the rookie Fernandez shut them out and watching Halladay obviously struggle on the mound, you have to wonder if things are going to get better – and, if they do, with what consistency. The Phils are on the road now for six games against clubs that are in serious contention and have consistent pitching. That trip includes San Francisco and Giants pitchers Madison Bumgarner, Tim Lincecum and Barry Zito, all of whom know how to throw against the Phillies. After the third game, an afternoon get-away, the team will travel to Arizona where they’ll see some improved pitching among the Diamondbacks. Barring any future problems in the rotation or bullpen, the Phils will pitch Cliff Lee, Kyle Kendrick and Jonathan Pettibone in California. Hamels will take the mound in Arizona. Doc Halladay will be in LA for medical testing.

Placido Polanco, now with the Marlins, commented on Sunday after Halladay left the game, “If the man is hurt, he is hurt. I hope he gets things taken care of. I hope he comes back like the winner he is.” Also speaking after Sunday’s game was Charley Manuel, who faced the future realistically saying, “We will continue to struggle until we start hitting the ball better and making better contact and doing things better.” The struggles continue. And, yes, we also wish Doc well.

Communication Problems in the Club House

You would think that the Phillies might have learned something from last season’s drama with Chase Utley. Utley missed most of last year because the only person who knew about the severity of his aching knees was Chase Utley. The general manager, the manager, the trainer – no one knew if Utley’s knees had acted up during the winter or if he had done anything about them in the off-season. It was baseball’s version of “Don’t ask, don’t tell” as Utley seemed to have kept all in the dark until the blinders were finally pulled off everyone’s eyes at spring training. The player’s silence and the team’s reluctance to press him probably lost them a pennant, though we’ll never know for sure. But that brings us to the equally disturbing situation with Roy Halladay.

Since coming to the Phillies, Doc has won forty games. He threw a memorable perfect game, a no-hitter in the play-offs. He’s won the Cy Young Award twice. He has thrilled baseball fans here with his talent and dedication to the sport. But lately the left-hander’s right shoulder has been hurting like a toothache. Yet, like Utley of a year ago, it appears that he didn’t tell anyone about it. No one in charge seems to have known just what kind of trouble the superstar was in. There was speculation that he had some post-game stiffness but it seems that there had been no discussion about an underlying issue that could be far more serious. It’s pretty clear that Halladay didn’t confide in pitching coach Rich Dubee, since Dubee kept insisting that the problem would pass. And he mustn’t have talked to Charley Manuel, who indicates that he didn’t know what was going on with his prized starter. It was left to all of us to watch him throw on Sunday afternoon, his pain increasing, his frustration mounting and his face getting redder with every throw before loud alarms were finally sounded. Ruben Amaro said later than he knew nothing about Halladay’s severe discomfort until Doc left the game in the third inning after a pummeling. How can this be? Who’s in charge in the club house? It was only after the game, lost lopsidedly 14-2, that Halladay finally acknowledged his problem to a reporter, saying that his right shoulder pain had “kind of progressed over the last two weeks or so.” Which means that he’s been in pain since April 25th, the morning after his start against Pittsburgh. Apparently, he never told anyone about it until he walked off the mound on Sunday. This is hardly the frankness one should expect from a $20 million player. It’s also not the kind of involvement and oversight that we expect from management. Something is missing in the communication skills at Citizen’s Bank Park. It makes you wonder, what is it about the Phillies that seems to discourage its players from telling the truth? And who’s really running the show?

Roy Halladay will be examined by Dr. Lewis Yocum, a renowned shoulder specialist, in Los Angeles this week. Sadly, fans have to consider the possibility that Doc could be done.

Jason Collins

Jason Collins’ admission last week that he is gay was seen as a watershed moment in professional sports because he’s the first athlete in one of the four major sports to “come out” while still active in the pros. But Will Sheridan, a four-year starter for Villanova’s basketball team who also is gay, says the true watershed moment won’t come until all athletes involved in the four majors come out as well. Whether Sheridan is right or not, time will tell. But Collins kicked off the conversation and Sheridan credits him for it while noting, “A star player on top of his game would and could change the culture right now.”

Jason Collins, 34, is considered a journeyman player, having spent time with six different teams in a twelve-year NBA career. He can become a free agent this coming season bet there is no guarantee that any team will sign him to a new contract – not due to his sexual orientation but to his age. We’ll have to keep tabs on that story. As for Sheridan, his basketball career was over by the time he publicly came out in an ESPN article two years ago. He said that he had told some close friends in middle and high school that he was gay, and that he had told his college room mate, Mike Nardi, on the first day of school. At 6’8″, Sheridan was a starting forward at Villanova from 2003 to 2007, reaching the Sweet Sixteen and the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament. Some students outside the Villanova community found out about his orientation during those years and taunted him when he played at St. Joe’s or Penn. His biggest fear at those times, he said, was for his parents and grandmother who were sitting in the stands. Now twenty-eight, Sheridan lives in New York where he is a hip hop artist. He acknowledged that he has a still-strained relationship with his father, which he hopes will change over time. He’s realistic, saying, “It took me nineteen years to come out to my parents. I have to give them time to be comfortable with who I am.” Which is pretty much what all parents want for their kids.

Jason Collins and Will Sheridan. Two pretty brave men.

In the Golf World

At Quail Hollow Country Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, a guy names Derek Ernst birdied the final eighteenth hole to force a play-off and then to win the Wells Fargo Championship against Englishman, David Lynn, last weekend. Ernst was playing in his ninth PGA tour as a fourth alternate. He had been driving from New Orleans to Athens, Georgia, to play in a Web.com tour event this week when he received a call last Monday afternoon. He was told that Quail Hollow’s greens were in poor shape and players had begun to withdraw so he’d landed a starting spot if he could get there. He headed for Charlotte. At the start of the tournament, Ernst was ranked 1,207 in the world but he beat out the likes of Rory McElroy and Nick Watney for the win – not to mention Phil Mickelson, who bogeyed two of the final three holes to derail himself. It looks like Derek Ernst’s ranking and his plans for the immediate future have just changed.

Now that we’ve all had a week to process the 2013 NFL draft, here are my thoughts…for what it’s worth.

The first three picks (OT Lane Johnson, 4th overall; TE Zach Ertz, 35th overall, DT Bennie Logan, 67th overall) make sense, although it may have made more sense to draft a defensive player before the third round, seeing as how bad the Eagles ‘D’ was last season.

The one pick that interests me the most is the selection of Matt Barkley in the fourth round (98th overall). The quarterback from USC was once considered a high, first round draft pick. Barkley could have made a lot of money if he left after his junior year and that’s where he was selected, but he chose to return to USC for his senior year instead, which I consider a noble thing to do. Unfortunately for him, his senior year was a disappointment and a shoulder injury caused his stock to plummet even further.

I heard Barkley speak for the first time this week and I liked what he had to say. He sounded like a true leader. Can he play? That remains to be seen.

It will also be interesting to see how Barkley fits in to Chip Kelly’s plan because he, Michael Vick and Nick Foles all have very different styles. This leads me to believe that maybe Kelly doesn’t have a plan just yet.

I can’t wait to see how it all plays out!

First up, this Sunday, May 5, 2013 from 9am to 1pm the Burlington County Freeholders are holding a FREE recycling and shredding event at the Robert C. Shinn Recycling Center, 130 Hancock Lane in Westampton.

Burlington County residents will have the opportunity to shred confidential documents and safely dispose of computers and TVs.   Residents do not even have to leave their cars. Volunteers are on hand to unload the recyclables.

Residents are urged to bring only “confidential” documents for shredding, such as bank and credit card statements, tax returns, papers with account numbers or social security numbers. They will be shredded on-site. They should not bring already-shredded paper, binders, plastic folders, computer disks or plastic credit cards. Up to four bags or boxes per household will be accepted.

In addition to TVs and computers, accepted E-waste includes laptops, monitors, computer keyboards, mice/cables, printers, desktop copiers, scanners, fax machines, VCR/DVD/MP3 players, cell phones, game consoles and rechargeable batteries.

This event is for Burlington County residents only. ID is required. No businesses, please. For more information call 609-499-1001 or email recycle@co.burlington.nj.us

Meanwhile, next week the Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union Downingtown Branch will host a FREE shred event.  The date is Saturday, May 11, 2013 rain or shine from 9am until noon (or until truck is full)

The FMFCU Downingtown Branch is located in the Brandywine Square Shopping Center at Route 30 & Quarry Road in Downingtown, PA19335

This is a paper-only shred event.   Binders and carboard boxes will not be accepted.  Paper clips and staples on documents are o.k.   There will be a 4 box limit per individual (16″ L x 12″W x 9″H)

For more information on this event and for suggestions on what documents can be shredded, visit fmfcu.org/shredevent.

A little practice wouldn’t hurt … and knowing what to work on is a big plus. So I sought out a guy with an excellent short game — Radnor Valley CC head professional George Forster – who gets us pointed in the right direction in a podcast via this link at TeeItUpPhilly.com.

—

Click here for more golf blog posts.

—
Ed Abrams anchors mornings on KYW Newsradio, and you can hear his Golf Reports there on Fridays and Saturdays. He has also created a pair of websites: www.DealTrackerGolf.com, featuring leads on the best golf equipment deals… and www.TeeItUpPhilly.com, with video course tours, audio swing tips and local golf deals

You may recall that Frontier has recently expanded service in our area.   I know that the mountain air is a little thin up at their main hub in Denver, but if this is the way they hope to attract customers, they need to take a hit of oxygen.

The first new charge involves carry-on-baggage.   Frontier says that its most loyal customers have made it very clear that finding overhead bin space for carry-on bags has become unacceptably difficult.   In response, Frontier will be introducing a charge for carry-on bags for customers buying Basic fares through third party sites.   The fee will range from $25 -$100, but they don’t explain how they’ll determine what price you’ll pay.  The message is clear – buy your tickets directly from us or you’ll be sorry.  All tickets sold through their website include a carry-on bag with the fare.  How nice of them.

Checking a bag?  The fee to check a first bag will remain $20 when purchased during on-line check-in at FlyFrontier.com but will increase to $25 when purchased at airport check-in for all Economy and Basic tickets booked on or after June 1, 2013 for travel on or after July 11, 2013.

If all this information is making you thirsty.  I suggest that you drink up before you board.  As part of the transformation into an “Ultra Low Cost Carrier”, Frontier will begin charging for onboard beverages this summer. Effective July 1, 2013, customers who purchase Economy or Basic fares will be charged $1.99 for coffee, tea, soda and juice. All on-board purchases continue to require a credit or debit card.  Beverages will continue to be free for Ascent and Summit level EarlyReturns® members, as well as for all customers who purchase Classic and Classic Plus fares, when they show their boarding pass or EarlyReturns® membership card.  All customers will now receive a full can of soda or juice and customers choosing coffee will be offered free refills.   

A whole can of soda and coffee refills, Yippee!

Chip Kelly’s Picks

So far, I like Chip Kelly. I particularly like the way he talks. No nonsense about him. For instance, he recently said when talking about his first round draft pick, Lane Johnson, “The game of football is won up front. Lane Johnson is another tough, physical guy.” That’s why he expects Johnson, an offensive tackle from Oklahoma, to help the Birds. “That’s what we were looking for as we went into this draft,” Kelly explained. He thinks that’s what he’s got.

Lane Johnson, 6/6″, 303 lbs., said he came into the draft thinking the Eagles were among a handful of teams – along with Arizona, San Diego, Detroit and Miami – who might take him. When Miami traded up, he thought that was his destination but soon afterwards a 215 Area Code call showed up on his phone and then his situation was quickly clarified. Johnson said he knew that Oregon under Kelly ran a very fast-paced offense and he said, “I think I fit with what they need.” At the end, the Eagles’ draft lined up like this:

1. Lane Johnson – Offensive Tackle, Oklahoma
2. Zach Ertz – Tight end, Stanford
3. Bennie Logan – Defensive Tackle, LSU
4. Matt Barkley – Quarterback, USC
5. Earl Wolff – Defensive Back, N.C. State
6. Joe Kruger – Defensive End, Utah
7. Jordan Poyer – Defensive Back, Oregon State
8. David King – Defensive Back, Oklahoma

The Kelly Draft indeed represented a comforting change from the Eagles’ drafts of the recent past. It leads me to believe that the new coach really is the captain at the wheel rather than the general manager, though that observation might be a bit premature. A more reasoned review and analysis will come sometime in October or November, when we see what this new coach has put together. As for the draft, Kelly said, “It’s over and done within three days. You’re on the plane with sixteen-year-old kids in that area for a few years. Three days and it’s done. There’s nothing else you can say about it.” It took Chip Kelly about the same amount of time to decide who would play for him at Oregon. The kids are a bit older here. But the question is the same: mainly, can he play or can’t he? Kelly picked eight players in three days. Their true value won’t be realized till the season starts. Bet there was a big difference in his method and that of Andy Reid. No hesitation or waiting to see if there was one more option out there. He was decisive and sure. Is it possible that the coach made it clear to the Howie Roseman and Jeff Lurie who would run the draft and the kind of players he wanted on the field? It sure looked that way. Kelly seems to think in terms of size, weight, height, speed length, hand size. He focuses on the basics. And he seems to carry the wisdom of that old adage about the advantage of big people – they beat up little people. He wants the big guys, the right big guys, on the field.

The NFL Draft Overall

We’ll remember the 2013 draft, for a long time, as the draft that was dominated by linemen. The first round included 18 linemen, one quarterback and – for the first time since 1963 – no running backs.

The Minnesota Vikings went all out by the numbers with three first round picks. Based on their picks, the Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens made up their minds to replace Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. The New York Jets added another quarterback to a position that has haunted them for a long time by picking up Geno Smith in the second round – and Tim Tebow has been sent packing. The Kansas City Chiefs, now coached by Andy Reid, chose as its number one overall pick an offensive tackle from Central Michigan, Eric Fisher. But overall, teams loaded up on linemen making big and beefy guys the stars of this draft.

No team caused more chatter, however, than the Minnesota Vikings who got to the playoffs last year led by MVP Adrian Peterson. They traded four selections to New England to move up into round one and take Tennessee receiver Cordarrelle Patterson after grabbing Florida defensive tackle, Sharrif Floyd, and Florida State corner back, Xavier Rhodes. The Vikings may have the make-up of a playoff team again.

So the NFL went light on glamour at the skill positions and the big guys, able either to get their guy down or to protect those precious, speedy passes, were the most coveted players. Former Denver Bronco, John Elway, called this draft “deep in the trenches”, suggesting that it contained a lot of good players to fill the “trench” positions with little glitz but a lot of guts. We’ll see how it all works out.

The Flyers

Having already been eliminated from playoff consideration, the Flyers cleared out their lockers on the last day of the regular season vowing to return a bigger, better team next year. According to General Manager, Paul Holmgren, they also will return with the same coach, Peter Laviolette, who has two years remaining on his contract. Holmgren said that Laviolette will be back despite a poor 2013 season.

Before season’s end, however, the team paid a fitting, emotional tribute at the Wells Fargo Center last Tuesday night to the city of Boston before facing off against the Bruins. The Flyers posted a sign which read, “From One Tough Town to Another” and honored the first responders and police who had rushed to the scene of the Boston Marathon bombings. The Flyers wore “Boston Strong” patches on their jerseys and stickers on their helmets and the crowd united in supporting our New England neighbors. A class act, for sure.

The Flyers finished 23-22-3, missing the playoffs for only the second time and for the first time since 2007. Holmgren said he had no doubt that the coach was still getting his message through to the players after nearly four seasons. “I think our players played hard till the end,” he said, “I think Peter is a strong motivator, a strong tactician, and I expect him to lead our team back into the playoffs next year.”

Winger Scott Hartnell made another plea for management to improve their defense during the off-season, saying. “We didn’t score as many goals as we did last year but we gave away too many 5-on-4 goals.” Goalie Ilya Bryzgalov is still upset over reports that she spelt during a recent team meeting and again criticized the media, saying, “You guys just have to blame someone. You never look yourselves in the mirror, eh? You never make mistakes? Your articles are always perfect. In reality, what have you done for this city? If you ask yourself, what have you done besides only criticize? Not much.” Sounds like the goalie is ready for a rest. Danny Briere expects to be dealt or have the Flyers buy out his contract but the club hasn’t approached him about waiving his no-trade clause. He commented, “I’ve said all along, my family is here, my kids are here. This is my first choice. This is where I want to be but I understand it’s a business so we’ll see what happens.”

One of the Flyers’ big problems this season was inadequate replacement players. The offense missed Scott Hartnell, who had produced 37 goals in the previous season but missed this one after suffering a broken foot in the third game of the season. He missed sixteen games and never regained his form and there was no one as effective to replace him. Looking ahead, Coach Laviolette said, “I still think that is a good hockey team. It’s a young team but will continue to learn and, hopefully, over the summer will heal from injuries and come back a year older and wiser.”

In the rest of the NHL, the Ottawa Senators grabbed the seventh seed in the East. Montreal and New York will match up into eighth and a first round series against Pittsburgh. The Colorado Avalanche fired coach, Joe Sacco, after the season ended with Colorado missing the playoffs for the third straight season. They never got anything out there in this shortened season and felt a change was needed. So it’s on to the playoffs, which we’ll be watching on television.

Carlos Ruiz

Carlos Ruiz, better known as “Chooch”, has the chance to really help the Phillies and in more ways than one. His return to the daily line-up will have an obvious impact. But in their first thirty games the Phillies have shown a void in leadership. Last year, Ruiz seemed to take on that role to a degree. I’m hoping his return will cause him to do the same. He works hard, has a good sense of humor and he shows a real respect and affection for the game. He keeps himself in good physical condition, in season and off. All qualities of a real leadership. He just might be the missing piece the club has been searching for. The twenty-five game suspension for using Adderall, a banned substance, without a doctor’s prescription became a bit of a dagger point for a team that staggered out of the gate for the second consecutive season.

Remember when the Phils played the early part of the 2010 season without Jimmy Rollins, followed by 2011 and Chase Utley’s mysterious knee problems? Then last year both Utley and Ryan Howard opened the season on the DL which pretty much sealed the Phillies’ season. They were out of contention by the All Star break. The run of five straight National Leage East titles ended due to missing injured players who could not be replaced. Ruiz meant a lot to the pitching status – both the rotation and the bullpen – and Chooch had his best year in 2012 with his bat. Over the last two years, the Phillies rarely had Ruiz, Utley and Howard on the field at the same time and those absences were costly. They started only twenty-three games together last year because, shortly after Utley and Howard returned, Ruiz went out with a foot injury. The team has a winning percentage of 602 when the trio plays together – 539 when they don’t. So once you do the math, you can see how essential Ruiz’s return is in so many ways.

It was expected that Chase Utley’s questionable knees would affect his future more than that of anyone but Utley is playing well. Howard has become the position player or most concern, running as he once did before his major surgery for a torn Achilles more than a year ago. On the pitching front, Roy Halladay appeared to have been pitching better coming off a brutal Spring until he got pummeled by Cleveland last night. The failings of the bullpen haven’t helped him so far. The biggest shock in April was the poor start of Cole Hamels who only got his first win a few days ago. Overall, pitching handed the Phillies a sour apple to chew on for the month and they’re glad to turn the calendar to May.

As for Ruiz, he’s thirty-four years old and will be potential free agent after this season. Some may speculate whether he can perform as well without Adderall as he did while using it. I’m going to leave that to the speculators and hope that he will come back, play like he can play and lead.

The recall affects 10,000 Foresters made from January 2013 through March. The company says the floor mats can curl when exposed to heat. 

The problem was discovered in cars arriving at a port in Vancouver, Washington.  Subaru then traced the problem to improperly manufactured backing on the mats.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the mats could distract the driver or interfere with operation of the car.

Subaru dealers will replace all four mats free of charge. It will begin notifying owners in April.

Philadelphia, PA (CBS) — It seemed odd at the time, this rangy, gangly kid surrounding by all of these smaller runners coming around the turn of the track.  But there he was, Lane Johnson, all feet, and churning arms, and pumping fists, head-and-shoulders above everyone else running the 400-meter dash. Then it was off to the field events to throw the shot put.

There really wasn’t anything the Eagles’ first-round draft pick out of Oklahoma, by way of tiny Groveton High School, in Groveton, Texas, couldn’t do. Including perfect, dead-on voice impersonations.

Johnson could throw the shot 50 feet and run the quarter in 49 seconds. Then go into Frank Caliendo and imitate his teammates and coaches.

Everything with Johnson seems to have come late. He was 17 when he graduated Groveton, a Class A school at the time located in a rural community. He was 6-foot-6 then, but he weighed 215 pounds with aspirations of playing quarterback at a major Division I level.

“Lane graduated at 17 years old and he really didn’t start growing until he got out of high school,” said Kevin Parker, Groveton’s defensive coordinator who was also Johnson’s high school basketball coach. “It’s crazy what’s happened. He probably put on 40 pounds between the time he graduated and the fall of the next year. He began growing pretty rapidly from that point on.”

Johnson’s dream was to play quarterback, but his high school coaches projected him as a tight end, if he was going to play major college football. No one was looking at Johnson as a quarterback.

“Of course, Lane outgrew that position, too, once he got to Oklahoma, but he could probably still play tight end, he’s phenomenal,” Parker said. “I was his basketball coach at Groveton. Lane was a good basketball player, too. We’re not very good in basketball, but we were a lot better when Lane was here. He really did everything for us, he played inside and outside. He could bring the ball up the floor.

“Lane was so athletic, he used to run the quarter for us—and throw the shot put. That’s a pretty rare combination. I’m not surprised at all by Lane’s success. There’s a great story with Lane recently. About two years ago, we had a linebacker here in Groveton that was a really good player. He was about 235 pounds and can run. He and Lane were really good friends. Lane was working out with him and they were picking at each other one day. The linebacker kid was saying how he could outrun Lane.”

So Parker brought them out to a track and Johnson raced the smaller—perceived faster—kid. Imagine a mini-locomotive and you have an idea of Johnson coming at you.

“They literally ran five or six 40-yard dashes and the linebacker kid can’t touch Lane, I mean can’t even get close to him, that’s when we started to realize Lane could be really, really something,” Parker recalled. “Lane was probably 285 pounds at that point.”

Eagles’ head coach Chip Kelly better watch himself though. One time at Oklahoma, Johnson was being videoed doing impressions of his teammates. He needs a little time, but when he gets someone down, he nails it. His Sooner teammates kept pestering Johnson to mimic Sooners’ coach Bob Stoops—and Johnson kept saying no.

When he finally relented, he nailed Stoops Southern draw perfectly—and about that same time Stoops walked in and everyone laughed.

One time the gangly kid running around the track may have been comical to others watching. No one is laughing at Lane Johnson’s fast feet now.

Joseph Santoliquito is a contributing sports blogger for CBS Philly.

When you buy a dozen doughnuts at Krispy Kreme this Sunday you’ll get a dozen Original Glazed doughnuts for FREE to share with the unsung heroes in your life.

You’ll need a coupon to take advantage of this offer.  You can download the Krispy Kreme Hero Appreciation Day coupon at HeroAppreciationDay.com .

The offer is valid at participating Krispy Kreme locations.  To find a location near you visit:  www.KrispyKreme.com

C

Seriously. And we’re not talking about the dash from your golf cart to the halfway house or 19th hole.

Believe it or not, it might help your golf swing.

Rob Licata is a Titleist TPI Certified Fitness Instructor who enjoys helping golfers get more out of their games … by building a better body… that makes it easier to sequence the swing properly. It might get you a little more distance. And it doesn’t have to be torture.

His thoughts on a workout program and the way it can benefit your game are here in a podcast at TeeItUpPhilly.com.
—

Click here for more golf blog posts.

—
Ed Abrams anchors mornings on KYW Newsradio, and you can hear his Golf Reports there on Fridays and Saturdays. He has also created a pair of websites: www.DealTrackerGolf.com, featuring leads on the best golf equipment deals… and www.TeeItUpPhilly.com, with video course tours, audio swing tips and local golf deals

Philadelphia, PA (CBS)—He went from a kid once called “Pugh-ney,” who despite his massive, 6-foot-4, 310-pound frame, carries a cherub’s babyface. Because of this, Justin Pugh opted to grow a beard.

Now he looks like a great bearded giant cherub. After the former Council Rock South and Syracuse star was taken 19th overall by the New York Giants in the first round of the NFL Draft Thursday night, it works.

Pugh, a stellar left offensive tackle at Syracuse, has the versatility to play any position on the offensive line for the Giants.

(credit: Charles Wainwright for SU Athletic Communication)

“I’m doing great, I’m doing great, it was surreal to get that phone call,” Pugh said. “I grew up rooting for the Eagles, but I’m a Giants guy now. I grew up right down the street, so I got to watch a lot of their football and to see a lot of their guys. You obviously have to appreciate the way the Giants play the game for the past few years. I’m excited to be a part of the organization, and New York is a great city, it’s not too far from home.

“Growing up an Eagles’ fan, this is a whole new era. Exactly, I’m reborn. I already told my older brothers that they have to burn all of their Eagles’ stuff in the house. I have two brothers and seven best friends. One of them as an Eagles’ tattoo on his chest and he’s going to need a few months to get over it.”

Pugh was sitting in his Holland, Bucks County home when the call came from 201 and Giants’ coach Tom Coughlin. The Giants were on the clock and Pugh broke out into a big smile. His mother began crying, and Justin’s pals dog piled on top of him.

“It was great,” Pugh said. “Coach Coughlin was the first one to call me. When we did the interview at the [NFL] Combine, coach Coughlin asked me who was the best player who ever played at Syracuse and I told him, ‘Coach Coughlin.’ That was the one that sealed the deal for me as soon as I said that. We’re a couple of Syracuse guys and I’m staying in state. They told me that I would come in and compete wherever they see fit. I’m just going to go in and do what I have to do, play hard-nosed football.”

(credit: Charles Wainwright for SU Athletic Communication)

In two weeks, Pugh reports to Giants’ minicamp.

Justin’s biological father passed away. He was raised his mother, Carolyn, and stepfather, Frank Gavaghan, who instilled in Pugh a wrought-iron work ethic.

“This is huge for my mom, she was crying, but she realizes now that she can come to every game and I’m so happy she’s going to be able to get there,” Pugh said. “She’s not losing her baby. I have the beard going right now, so I don’t have the babyface right now.”

Road Trip

If you are a Golf Association of Philadelphia member, be aware that there are still some open spots for the GAP Member Play Day event at the Country Club of Scranton on Wednesday, May 8. I’m guessing the distance (and maybe our cool spring) has something to do with the open spots, but I can assure you that the CC of Scranton is well worth the drive. The original 18-hole layout is a Walter J. Travis design, with a new nine added by Michael Hurdzan in 1988. You can register here.

Party Time

Here’s one that is a little different: Deerfield in Newark, Delaware, will be holding a Glow Ball Tournament this Friday night. They tried it last year and it was a big hit. It will be a 9-hole scramble with 6 players on a team… all playing with nite-lite golf balls. 7pm registration and party… 8:00 shotgun… and an after-golf party with happy hour drink prices until 11pm. Your $57 entry fee includes a 2013 Glow Ball T-Shirt.

More info here…

Register online here... or call 302-368-6640 ext 3.

For Real Players

Forsgate Country Club is gearing up for its annual R.A. Schiavone Memorial Cup Pro/Senior Scratch Event, which will be on Tuesday, April 30, and Wednesday, May 1. Info: Forsgate Director of Golf Carolyn McKenzie Andrews at (732) 656-8959 or Forsgate Head Golf Professional Mark Mazzola at (732) 656-8953.

Quick 9

This one isn’t an event… but Back Creek GC in Middletown, DE, is giving you a chance to get in a quick 9 and a beverage every Thursday afternoon for just $24. That’s for tee times between 1p and 2pm on Thursdays. You can call the pro shop for more info at 302-378-6499.

Tee Time Deals

And if you’re looking to take advantage of today’s weather to whack the ball around… you can browse the deals here.

Enjoy the warmth!
—

Click here for more golf blog posts.

—

Ed Abrams anchors mornings on KYW Newsradio, and you can hear his Golf Reports there on Fridays and Saturdays. He has also created a pair of websites: www.DealTrackerGolf.com, featuring leads on the best golf equipment deals… and www.TeeItUpPhilly.com, with video course tours, audio swing tips and local golf deals

By Bill Campbell

Different Opinions

There seems to be a national animosity directed at Tiger Woods. It’s pervasive and it doesn’t look like it’s going to end. We’re usually pretty forgiving when it comes to our fallen idols– but not when it comes to Woods. I can’t help but wonder why. Consider the question.

Jack Nicklaus has won eighteen majors, more than anyone else. Tiger Woods is next with 14. I’m a Jack Nicklaus fan but I’d enjoy seeing Tiger tie Jack at eighteen. Am I wrong or do you really think it shouldn’t happen? Tiger Woods is thirty-seven years old. At the recently-played Masters, he participated in his 61^st major golf tournament as a pro. He has the time and talent to tie The Golden Bear. Do you want to miss that? Can you look forward to his doing it? Or is it more important that he fail as payment for his personal flaws? It’s more than an interesting question and I think that the various responses we all may have to it get us to the essence of why we love pro sports and all it involves.

To me, this question is really about two men, two superior athletes. One finished as a top competitor with no scandal to haunt him. The other is doing the chasing. It makes me think back to when Hank Aaron was chasing Babe Ruth. We see Tiger as he stands over the ball, powerful and solid, perhaps better than anyone else. We can envision Nicklaus in his day, doing the same. Woods has won not only seventeen majors but has racked up sixty-three other tour victories. Only 189 players have six tour wins or more over their entire careers. He has three U.S. Open trophies, three claret jugs, four Wanamaker trophies and four green jackets. Yet many want to see him fail, to fall short of rebuilding himself and his career. Is that what we want for this sport?

Johnny Miller tells us that much too much is made of the majors but, as far as I’m concerned, you can’t say enough about Tiger’s eighty-nine worldwide victories, seventy-seven on tour and twelve wins in the big league courses in Europe, Japan, Africa and Australia. Just as you can’t say enough about what Nicklaus brought to the game. But despite all of these accomplishments, some fans – a considerable number – just don’t like Tiger and they never will. It’s all about the scandal, of course, and I guess that’s understandable. The recent Masters, when there were questions about Tiger’s placement of his ball after his shot went into the water, didn’t help. In fact, it just fueled the opinions about Woods’ perceived attitude and arrogance all over again. But whether you like him or not, it must be acknowledged that Tiger Woods stands almost alone in the world of professional golf. The numbers don’t lie. Maybe the golf writer Michael Bamberger was right when he said that Tiger Woods is a guy who “wants it too much and needs it too much.” Maybe the fans get that about him and so they begrudge him his success. I’m told that Bobby Jones was despised by the locals when he first went to St. Andrew’s to play in the British Open in 1921. We may be seeing something like that again in 2013 when it comes to people’s perceptions of Tiger Woods. Jones won their respect. Nicklaus had it and kept it through the years. Maybe it’s not too late for The Tiger.

Musings from The Masters

There were a couple of interesting developments at the Masters last weekend which I continue to think about. There were two miraculous shots that I keep seeing in my mind. Maybe you do too.

The first was Tiger Woods’ shot in the third round that clanged off the flag staff and into the water. It came at an inopportune time and could have cut his momentum in pursuit of the leader. But Woods didn’t react negatively to it. Recalling it after the tourney he said, “We could do a lot of ‘What if’s’ on every tournament when we don’t win. We lose more tournaments than we win. I certainly had my chance all week. I just didn’t make enough putts.” A fair self-evaluation if ever there was one. And it avoided his revisiting the drop of the ball that came after that shot, creating controversy all around and resulting in a two-shot penalty on Woods. But I keep seeing that ball fly off and sink in my mind and I have to think he does too.

The other remarkable shot was the second on eighteen by Angel Cabrera that enabled him to deadlock, albeit temporarily, with Adam Scott and head into sudden death play. It was aimed dead at the pin but with dexterity and touch. Under tremendous pressure, Cabrera tapped it just right and….there it was. The typing putt. An incredible moment causing the crowd to erupt into cheers. There had been lots of talk about Woods’ penalty till then but, in the final analysis, great golf overcomes controversy and the focus was on Cabrera and Adam Scott. The eventual winner, Scott is thirty-two years old and was 0 for 48 majors as he entered Masters week. By the end, he had become the first Australian to win the green jacket. He and Cabrera made it a Masters to remember, shot by shot, hole by hole.

Forty-three-year old Angel Cabrera has won just two events in 187 majors. But if you’re going to win only two, what better than the U.S. Open, which he won at Oakmont in 2007, and the Masters in 2009? He was the 209^th ranked player in the world and was trying to become the second-oldest to win the Masters, and the 17^th oldest to win it twice, as we watched earlier this month.

Third round leader, Brandt Snedecker, was merely disappointed this time in not winning, winding up at 284, 5 strokes out of the playoffs and giving Woods a putting lesson. Phil Mickelson, a three-time Masters champion, carded fifteen birdies for the week but had just one round under par, ending with a final round of 73 and a total of 257. His analysis, “I’m just having an off year. This is my favorite tournament, the one that I look forward to play. To perform like this is most disappointing,” said it all.

As you can tell, I love golf whether I’m playing or watching the game. These pros give us a lot to see, think about and remember.

Villanova track and field coach, Marcus O’Sullivan, said, “To me, the runners provide a sanctuary of sorts. People go there [to Boston] because it’s time to come together in a joyous moment and at a joyous time. So when something happens like Boston, man, it is really very tragic.” The bombings, which tore through that sense of joy, will have an effect elsewhere, too. Like at the Penn Relays which start next week for the 119^th time, featuring 20,000 athletes from grade school kids to elite professionals. The event draws more than 100,000 spectators to Franklin Field, including something like 50,000 on the last day. After Boston, the relay officials at Penn are calling security a high priority. Dave Johnson, Director of the Penn Relays, issued a statement saying, “It is something we take very seriously. Given the situation in Boston, additional security measures will be undertaken during this year’s games. We are not, however, going to discuss the specific details about security activities. Things will certainly be tighter than they were the last few years ” Johnson refused to elaborate but said that high-level talks involving various agencies are underway to protect the runners and fans from incident. We all know that even the best of planners can’t anticipate everything but let’s hope things go off in our city without a hitch.

The first responders in Boston quickly reached seventy-eight-year-old Bill Iffrig, a dedicated runner from Washington state and intended Penn Relay starter, who was seen falling to the street when the first bomb exploded in the crowd to his left. We’ve all seen the photo and video by now. Iffrig has become a symbol of Boston down and Boston rising. He says he will run again. That’s how the running family lives. That’s how Boston lives. Here in Philadelphia, we understand that. We wish them well.

Sixers and Flyers

The 76ers ended their sad season on Wednesday night with a meaningless victory over the Indiana Pacers, 105-95. It was an empty win because the Pacers are going on to the NBA playoffs but the Sixers are heading home. Indiana benched 4 starters to rest them for the impending competition so the result was a foregone conclusion. The Sixers’ season fell well short of expectations and everyone was, indeed, glad to see the season come to a close. Doug Collins appeared ready to end his 3-year coaching stint here and to take on a special advisory position. His finishes with a 110-120 record here, after coaching jobs in Detroit, Washington and Chicago. He never has managed to complete a third season at any other spots. Overall, Collins is 442-407 as a coach. He may be involved in significant Sixers’ decisions in the future as he’ll be collecting something like $4.5 million next year. And it appears that he will remain part of the team family. I wonder whether his voice will be heard. It’s interesting to ponder – along with the fate of Andrew Bynum, whose future after this wasted year is hard to predict.

As for the Flyers, the next New York Rangers victory will close the door on the Flyers’ playoff hopes. That inevitable win will signal the Flyers to lock up their stuff and save it for next year. At one point during the current season, both the Sixers and Flyers coaches looked like they’d be gone. Peter Laviolette still has his job although he’s garnered fewer victories than expected this season. Looks like he’ll be back to lead to Flyers through a regular-length season unhampered by player-management disputes and lock-outs. We’ll see what happens. For now, we turn to baseball, basketball play-offs, the NFL draft, pro golf and running to see us through the spring and summer. Not a bad deal.

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – A strong cold front has been wreaking havoc on the weather across the US this week, and now it’s our turn!

This system separates warm, moist air to the east from much cooler, drier air to the west, and that clash of air masses is producing a volatile situation as the front marches eastward tonight.

Thunderstorms are moving from southwest to northeast and there is a good amount of shear in the atmosphere. For tornadoes to form, you need pretty specific conditions, and wind shear plays a large part in that.

There are two types: speed shear (wind speed increasing as you move up through the atmosphere), and directional shear (wind direction changing as you move upward through the atmosphere). You must have both for a tornado to form.

In an environment like the one we’re seeing this evening, we have plenty of speed shear with the high-velocity winds aloft, and just the tiniest bit of directional change could prompt a thunderstorm cell to start rotating.

I want to stress that by far, the biggest impact from these storms will be gusty winds and heavy rain, but a Tornado Watch means that conditions are conducive to rotating storms and thus, we can’t rule out an isolated tornado, especially in areas off to our west where the watch is active.

Tornadoes are most often formed in single-cell storms, called supercells, rather than within a squall line. As of this afternoon, the storms appear to be forming a line, which to me would indicate a greater likelihood of straight-line winds. We’ll have to watch out for discrete cells to develop out ahead of this line or storms to break off – those will be the ones to watch for tornadic activity.

But keep in mind, a tornado watch doesn’t mean a tornado is going to happen! If a warning is issued, that means a tornado has been spotted and you should take cover immediately. As always, we will update instantly on TV, on cbsphilly.com, and via social media if a warning should be issued for our area.

Well, with this week’s real life and death developments it seems appropriate to just let the golf blog rest for a few days.  We’ll be back next week.   Meantime, our thoughts and prayers are with all the people affected by the terrorism in Boston and the explosion in Texas.

– Ed

—

Click here for more golf blog posts.

—
Ed Abrams anchors mornings on KYW Newsradio, and you can hear his Golf Reports there on Fridays and Saturdays. He has also created a pair of websites: www.DealTrackerGolf.com, featuring leads on the best golf equipment deals… and www.TeeItUpPhilly.com, with video course tours, audio swing tips and local golf deals

Doug Collins

A new Doug Collins story has replaced the rumors about his possible departure. Now we know that he’s leaving. The 76ers managed to conclude the home part of their season downing Cleveland, 91-77, but Collins is not long for the Wells Fargo sidelines. He’s decided to go – and I view Collins’ decision to leave the 76ers with disappointment and regret.

Doug Collins seems to have trouble lasting through his third season no matter where he hangs his hat. He coached three seasons in Chicago, two-and-a-half in Detroit, two in Washington. He’s completing his third season in Philadelphia and it looks like he got no opposition from anyone in the front office as he decided to end his time here when the Sixers play their last game. According to one NBA source, “They really want to avoid a backlash of the fans siding with Doug. They will be happy if Doug makes the call and it works out that he leaves.” The team really wants to avoid a public relations problem so the front office wouldn’t axe the former player/favorite son guy who held the team together during a very tough year. The Sixers have had more than enough bad press to last a lifetime, with the Bynum debacle and multiple injuries that haunted the team this year which will be its second 50-game loss season in the last fifteen years. Since the group headed by Joshua Harris bought the team before the 2011-12 season, hardly anything has worked out as planned and things have gone from bad to worse. I suspect Doug has been wrung out and he’s ready for a rest.

Rightly or wrongly, Collins is viewed as demanding everyone – on the team and in the front office – to burn the candle at both ends. But that has to be daunting even for him as he approaches his 62nd birthday. One of his assistants, Brian Jones, who had coached with Doug at Detroit and Washington, has resigned to join Doug’s son, Chris, on the coaching staff at Northwestern. Doug may find following his son’s career there to be enough of a basketball outlet for him next year. No matter how your feel about him as the Sixers’ coach, I know Collins well. He’s a good guy and I wish him all the best.

Roy Halladay

Notes from The Masters

Among the problems at The Masters, besides Tiger Woods’ problems in where to legally place his ball, was a really bad round by veteran Phil Mickelson, who shot 77 on Friday. Afterwards Mickelson commented, “I just played terrible. There is no way around it. I’m not hitting very good shots and I’m missing it in bad spots and not really knowing which side I’m going to miss it on. It’s certainly disappointing.” Another seasoned pro, 54 year old Fred Couples, also had a tough time and admitted, “I was very mediocre. I made a lot of pars but I had just some mediocre swings.” Couples was gaining on the leaders and became a gallery darling until running into his problems midway through the third round. His final test was on the 17th which he described as a “comedy of errors.” He triple-bogied the hole when he hit his approach shot over the ground and sand. It was downhill from there. Couples also felt responsible for his playing partner Justin Day’s three putt. But Day, Adam Scott and Marc Leishner each had a chance to win for the first time for Australia as the event roared to a dramatic close on Sunday.

In the third round on Saturday, 14-year-old Guan Tian Lang of China didn’t make birdie all day, taking a 77 for the round. But he had a large crowd that saw him make a tough putt on 18 for par. “Thanks to everyone who reacted,” he said, “I’m so glad I made that putt.” This young player also did something that Jack Nicklaus, Ben Crenshaw, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods and Jay Segal did before him: he won the low amateur honors in his first appearance at Augusta with a 75 and a final score of 300. Lang was the only amateur to make the 36 hole cut and placed 58th. I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of him.

Rory McIlroy was 1 under for his round and just 3 strikes off the lead through 6 holes on the final day but he played his last to 8 over, finishing well behind at 221. “I’m very disappointed,” said McIlroy, “I feel like I have been playing well coming in and it’s becoming very frustrating.” But Tiger Woods had to be the most frustrated of all at The Masters last week. Entering the third round tied with five other players at 3-under, Woods played a mediocre round at best and ended the day learning of a two-shot penalty for an improper drop the day before. Woods, who has been digging out from golf fans’ bad graces, suffered a bit of a setback thanks to that move. The pros had their tough times last week. But let’s talk about Sunday.

Since 1990, there have been three sudden death playoffs at the Masters: Angel Cabrera over King Perry and Chad Campbell on the second hole in 1990, and Bubba Watson defeating Louis Oosterhizen and Adam Scott. Then there was last Sunday when the Aussies finally had their day in a thriller. Rainy conditions made it difficult for many of the players to grip a club or putter. But the Australian, Adam Scott, battled it out on two sudden death holes with the Argentinian, Angel Cabrera. Scott pulling it out after Cabrera missed a relatively easy putt on the second hole. Cabrera, caddied by one of his sons, was a gracious loser and only enhanced my perception of him as one of the class acts on the tour. But Scott held firm throughout the match and didn’t let his nerves overtake him. As he took in the victory Scott said, “There have been so many great Aussies to be the first and so many have fallen short of it. If it happens, great. If it doesn’t, then we just keep playing along.” That he did – all the way to a green jacket. I thought it was one of the great finishes in Masters’ history.

I once saw Adam Scott play in the flesh. I remember thinking that he stood up to the ball better than anyone on the tour and had a classic swing. I’ve been following him since and was really pulling hard for him to win The Masters on Sunday. Not that there is anything wrong with Angel Cabrera’s game. He’s a great player, a true competitor, and the two made it a thrilling match to the end. CBS did its usual solid job in bringing the event to so many people around the globe. The skills of Scott and Cabrera should make us all appreciate the consummate skill of the guys who so splendidly play this treacherous game.

Coaching Salaries

Much has been recorded, both before and since the NCAA post-season tournament, about the healthy salaries paid to college basketball coaches around the country. Due to extensions granted 62-year-old Duke coach, Mike Krzyzewski, he has the chance to reach the left estate of $7 million before his 70th birthday. Almost the same can be said for those basketball stalwarts at Louisville and Kentucky, Rick Pitino and John Calipari, respectively. There are many, however, whose names are never mentioned in the category of wealthy coaches but who are paid quite well: such as Kansas’ Bill Self, whose paycheck figures out to be over $4,750.000; Michigan State’s Tom Izzo at $3,220,000; Florida’s Billy Danson at $3,689,000. These salary figures were compiled by USA Today from 62 of the 68 competing schools who make up the NCAA. As I read them it occurred to me that the story would be of more local interest if the salaries of some of the “City Six” coaches were considered.

According to the list, which focuses strictly upon coaches who gained entrance to the 2013 NCAA tourney, Villanova basketball coach, Jay Wright, earns $2,290,000. He ranks tenth. Temple’s Fran Dunphy ranked fortieth at $725,000 and Dr. John Giannini of La Salle was forty-ninth at $426,000. It goes without saying that those who coach basketball at St. Joe’s, Penn and Drexel have more than one incentive worth fighting for besides school loyalty though they may be paid less than these three. John Beilein of Michigan failed to make any kind of ranking but I find it hard to believe that the coach of the team that took Louisville into the final game for the title wasn’t well paid. The average salary of these coaches is a bit upward this year in contrast to a decline for those dealing in academic spending – which says something about priorities, doesn’t it?

Dawn Staley

Among the Naismith Basketball Memorial Hall of Fame inductees this season will be Dawn Staley, who grew up in the Raymond Rosen projects at 25th and Diamond in North Philly. She’s the girl who arguably did more for women’s basketball than anyone, ever. Last Monday, in the ballroom of the Marriott Marquis in Atlanta, she spoke about the challenges she faced as a kid from the projects. Although she participated in just about every sport growing up, Staley said that she more than survived those years because “basketball chose me.” The game chose her and took her from Dobbins Tech to the University of Virginia, to three Final Fours, two National Player of the Year gold medals, the ABL, the WNBA and then to head coaching jobs at Temple and South Carolina. Staley has, without doubt, compiled one of the great resumes in basketball history. Addressing her induction into the Hall alongside many other notables, Staley said, “This means the most because you look at the greats who have contributed so much to the game. I just truly love it. I try to repay that, to keep on going through coaching and giving other little kids, girls and boys who are very positive about what they do, how to be a success.”

During the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Dawn Staley was the point guard for, arguably, the most important team in the history of women’s team sports. The impact of that U.S. team, which posted a 60-0 records and won a gold medal, cannot be overstated. It piqued the interest of players and fans alike and encouraged athletic girls to aspire to play hard and win. In all, Dawn Staley led the Virginia Cavaliers to three Final Four appearances. She holds the NCAA record for most steals (454). She’s the only college player to record 2,000 points, 700 assists and 400 steals. She was a three-time olympic gold medalist (1996, 2000, 2004). Professionally, she is a five-time WNBA All Star, two time ABL All Star, coached Temple for 8 years and has a career record of 172-80.

Contributions like those made by Dawn Staley resonate in the growth of all women’s team sports since the 1990′s, particularly that of women’s college basketball. The sport now draws large crowds and TV ratings. Next to pro football and men’s basketball, the ladies’ game is the NCAA’s most popular sport. Much of that recognition should be credited to Dawn Staley. If anyone deserves a spot in the Basketball Hall of Fame, she does. Way to go.

Saturday April 20

Sponsor: SB1 Federal Credit Union
CBS 3 Parking Lot 1555 Hamilton Street, Philadelphia 19130
9 a.m. – 1 p.m. 

Sponsor: The Delaware Dpt. of Justice Consumer Protection Unit
DelDOT Administration Building parking lot. 800 Bay Road, just south of the Route 13-113 split in Dover
9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Sponor: Rep. Mike Vereb
West Norriton Township Building 1630 West Marshall Street in Jeffersonville (Montgomery Co.)
Noon – 2 p.m.

May 4

Sponsor: The Delaware Dpt of Justice Consumer Protection Unit
William Penn High School. 713 East Basin Road (Route 141) New Castle
9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Sixers Coach Doug Collins may have informed the team that he will not be returning next season, but has yet to speak with the media.  That will come Thursday after the teams final game in Indiana.  I know the team was a disaster this season, but it wasn’t all his fault.

The season fell apart do numerous injuries, mainly, Andrew Bynum who didn’t play a single game all season.   Later, Thad Young and Jason Richardson were hurt, that didn’t help.

I can’t help but feel bad for him.  Doug is a good guy, not only great with the media but with the fans.  Before Monday’s game in Detroit he was signing autographs.  When was the last time you saw a coach do that?

Over the summer I was in line behind him when he was grabbing a coffee.  Let me tell you, he knew everything about everyone in the place.  Asking about their kids, nephews, how the cashier’s mother was feeling… this was a guy that cares.  In fact that was part of the problem with him as a coach, he may have cared too much, and many say the players chose to tune him out.

It’s a sad state of the NBA when caring about your team turns out to be a bad thing.

Here are some of the freebies that you can take advantage of this Tax Day;

Arby’s
For the third straight year, Arby’s is offering a free value-sized order of curly fries or a small order of potato cakes.   Just use this printable coupon.  http://coupon.arbys.com/AprilArbysTaxday04152013/

 
Cinnabon
Customers can pick up two Cinnabon bites for free today from 6-8 p.m.  

 
Office Depot
It’s always helpful to keep copies of your tax return. Office Depot and receiving a free black and white copy of your tax return (up to 25 pages, single sided.  This offer expires May 1.

 
Boston Market
Today you can get a “Big Rib-bate” special:  two rib meals for $10.40  (no coupon needed)  The meal includes a 1/4 rack of St. Louis Style BBQ Ribs with mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet corn and freshly baked cornbread.

Chili’s
Get a free appetizer or dessert with the purchase of an adult entree April 15 through April 18.   You’ll need a coupon for this one.  You can find it on the Chili’sFacebook page.  Print it out or show it to your server via your smart phone.  https://www.facebook.com/Chilis#!/Chilis/app_443870895626234

 
7-Eleven
Get a medium Slurpee for free when you text “Slurp7″ to “711711″ (this offer runs through 4/30)

The bank will be hosting an informational Career Fair on Monday, April 22, 2013, at the Hilton Garden Inn, 4000 Atrium Way, Mt. Laurel, NJ, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Spirit’s Philadelphia (PHL) – Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) schedule

Philadelphia – Dallas/Fort Worth
Depart 12:45 pm
Arrive 3:10 pm
Flight 215

Dallas/Fort Worth – Philadelphia
Depart 07:40 am
Arrive 11:55 am
Flight 484

Spirit’s Philadelphia (PHL) – Las Vegas (LAS) schedule effective April 25, 2013:

Philadelphia – Las Vegas
Depart 7:45 pm
Arrive 10:13 pm
Flight 373

Las Vegas – Philadelphia
Depart 10:40 pm
Arrive 06:28 am+1
Flight 394

For more information visit www.spirit.com

Its founder, Fred Shoemaker, is featured on this weekend’s KYW Golf Report, where he talks about the eye-opening experience a student gets with a couple of the drills they use to help bring out their natural golf motion.

While those drills (one of which involves throwing a club) get quite a bit of attention, there’s so much more to Extraordinary Golf … just as there was much more to our interview than that quick sound bite.

And you can find it in a podcast here at TeeItUpPhilly.com.

I’d go as far to say there’s some “extraordinary stuff” in there… as well as a link to where you can find this kind of coaching in our region. Something to ponder as you watch those beautiful swings at Augusta National this weekend.
—

Click here for more golf blog posts.

—
Ed Abrams anchors mornings on KYW Newsradio, and you can hear his Golf Reports there on Fridays and Saturdays. He has also created a pair of websites:  www.DealTrackerGolf.com, featuring leads on the best golf equipment deals… and www.TeeItUpPhilly.com, with video course tours, audio swing tips and local golf deals

Remember the old days when we’d be dying for more Masters coverage and would have two settle for a couple of hours on Thursday and Friday? No more.

ESPN will be airing the first round today from 3pm to 7:30pm.

Beyond that expanded TV coverage, though, there is much more online at Masters.com. There, you’ll be able to view players on the range… coverage of Amen Corner… holes 15 & 16 … and two featured groups — Peter Hanson, Charl Schwartzel, and Webb Simpson … and K. J. Choi, Zach Johnson, and Graeme McDowell. That coverage begins at noon.

While I’m really looking forward to watching the best in the world tackle Merion in June, there is something extra-special about the Masters, which comes after a long winter and really kicks off the golf season and Spring. This is my favorite event of the year.

Play

Poke around online and you’ll find some golf specials this weekend, many of them after noon (because most people want to play early then park themselves in front of the TV).

One example:  At Ballamor you can play Saturday or Sunday afternoon for just $58 including cart (a $20 savings). A tee time is required… at 609-601-6220.

Of course, you can always check here for the latest GolfNow hot deals and Golf18 Network tee times in this region.

Buy

I have long said that if you really want a deal on golf equipment, buy the models from last year or the year before. But if you need the latest and greatest, this one is the best I’ve seen in some time. Rock Bottom Golf is having a sitewide 15% off sale… which takes the price of a TaylorMade R1 Driver down to $382.49. More info including the promo code is here. As the Masters’ defending champ likes to say in a commercial for another equipment manufacturer… you’re welcome.

—

—

Click here for more golf blog posts.

—
Ed Abrams anchors mornings on KYW Newsradio, and you can hear his Golf Reports there on Fridays and Saturdays. He has also created a pair of websites: www.DealTrackerGolf.com, featuring leads on the best golf equipment deals… and www.TeeItUpPhilly.com, with video course tours, audio swing tips and local golf deals

 By Bill Campbell

 Chase Utley

Much has been said and written about the Phillies, especially when they opened the season by losing 4 of their first 6 games. But one laudable performance has been somewhat overlooked. Exactly one year ago, you couldn’t open a sports page in any publication anywhere without reading about the desperate condition of Chase Utley’s knees. So far this year, the pitching is front and center and it’s all about Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels and the Phillies’ bullpen problems. But Utley is off to a terrific start, hitting 467 in the first 4 games, with 4 extra-base hits, 2 doubles, a triple and a home run. Even in that 13-4 debacle against Kansas City last Friday night, Utley hit a single and a double and scored a run. Cole blew a 4-0 lead on his way to defeat but Chase carried his weight. Phillies fans should take note.

Utley says his pre-game workouts have become easier to handle because of his overall conditioning work, and his notorious knees have not given him trouble. He’s looked spry and quick in the field and on the base paths. He slid into third base in the third game against the Royals last week with Ryan Howard drilling him home a batter later. It was really good to see. Utley has stolen 33 bases in his last 34 attempts, including each of his last 12 efforts. It’s a nice way to start the season.

With the Royals’ success in their easy win over the Phils at the opener, it really became Delaware’s Day. Eric Hosmer and Mike Moestakas, both former Wilmington Blue Rocks from the Carolina League, led the Kansas City barrage against the Phillies’ bullpen going a combined 8 for 10 at the plate with 3 RBI’s, all by Hosmer. In all, 5 former Wilmington players played in Friday’s game. And let’s not forget that Kansas City traded 3 former Blue Rocks in exchange for pitchers James Shields and Wade Davis, who started for the Royals on Friday and Sunday, respectively, and took the Phillies apart. The Royals don’t visit Philadelphia often but they will remember their time here last week for quite awhile. So will the Phils.

We can’t deny that the Phillies’ problems in the bullpen continue, borne both of the inexperience of Jeremy Horst, Chad Durbin and Raul Valdes and the unpredictability of veterans Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels. But the job being done out of the gate by Chase Utley is encouraging. Let’s hope it continues.

 The Pathetic Sixers and Flyers

The 76ers are out of the play-off chase and they’re getting a day or two off. Though they have 6 games remaining, they were eliminated from play-off contention with the recent loss to the Miami Heat. Having been out-scored by the Heat 24-7 in the final 10 minutes, time off seems appropriate. The embarrassing defeat, coupled with Milwaukee’s victory over Toronto, locked up the last spot in the Eastern Conference play-offs for the Bucks. It was the Heat’s fourth straight season sweep of the Sixers who had been play-off participants in the last 2 years. They didn’t come close this season. The 76ers last defeated Miami on March 15, 2009. The Heat is a team that seems to get better and better, winning their last match-up against the Sixers without the help of the injured Dwayne Wade or Chris Bosh. Miami has won 29 of their last 31 games which is easily the best record in the NBA’s Eastern Conference. But the Sixers, patched together due to injuries and the missing Andrew Bynum, fell into reverse this season. “There’s a reason why they went on that run,”said Sixers center, Spencer Hawes. “They have a lot of guys that can beat you. I can’t remember the last time we beat them so, right now, it’s got to be them.” We can’t remember either.

The Masters

It’s Masters week. The deciding rounds can be seen on Thursday and Friday from 3:00 to 7:30 p.m., Saturday from 3:00 to 7:00 and Sunday from 2:00 to the finish. It’s the 77^th Masters and Tiger Woods looks like he’s ready to play. Tiger has won 6 times in his last 20 tournaments and has battled back to rise again to Number One in the world of golf. His 14^th major title victory came in the 2008 U.S. Open when he almost hurried around Torrey Pines to pull it out on a 19^th hole play-off. He hasn’t won at Augusta since 2005. But he seems to be back on the stick now with back-to-back victories last month in the World Golf Event in Dubai and the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill. It looks like his confidence is restored and he’s girded for battle. Woods recently said, “I’ve gotten so much better since last year’s Masters. I’ve cleaned up a lot of things in my game and I’ve turned some of the minuses in my game into pluses. I’m really excited about the rest of this year.” He had descended to “Fifty Plus” in world rankings from Number One after that SUV accident in 2011 which led to revelations about multiple infidelities. But now he needs to win 5 more majors to break Jack Nicklaus’ career record of 18. Woods says he is not driving the ball as well as he has. At one time his drive was the best, most consistent part of his game. However his putting game, often overlooked, is on fire. He putted phenomenally at Bay Hill, missing just once from within 10 feet. So defending champ Bubba Watson, three-time Masters’ winner Phil Mickelson, and World Number Two player, Rory McElroy, had better be prepared. The Masters can always produce a dark horse – but my money’s on Tiger.

“There’s almost no excuse for not getting the best deal on an item anymore,” said Lisa Lee Freeman, editor-in-chief of ShopSmart. “More and more apps feature bar code scanners which are giving users instant access to other retailers’ prices that may be better than the one they are about to pay.”

ShopSmart’s recommendations of price-comparison apps is part of its “Bargain Issue” which features tips on where to save (in-store versus online), the best sites and apps for coupons, a list of amazing cheap products and more.

Here are five, free apps that are best for comparing prices on the go according to ShopSmart:

1. Price Check by Amazon lets users scan a product’s bar code, snap a photo, or say its name to see whether Amazon sells it for a lower price.  It also supports – and encourages – users to share in-store prices, so other customers can benefit from Amazon’s willingness to undercut other retailers.  Works on: Android and Apple.
2. RedLaser was one of the first price comparison apps and is still the gold standard.  Users can now find deals and coupons for retailers, store digital versions of loyalty cards, and make purchases directly in the app if they see a cheaper price elsewhere.  Works on: Android, Apple, Blackberry, and Windows.
3. ScanLife allows users to price compare with ease and share prices with fellow scanners.  The app has a live feed that shows prices others have scanned. Works on: Android, Apple, Blackberry, and Windows.
4. ShopSavvy is a granddaddy price-comparison app that now features user reviews, product videos, enhanced purchasing tools and the ability to add prices for local stores and new products.  Works on: Android, Apple, and Windows.
5. Smoopa is all about sharing prices users find.  Stores are graded by how often they return the lowest prices among Smoopa users.  Those who stumble upon an in-store price that beats competitors and makes the purchase receive a reward redeemable via PayPal, gift cards for stores such as Amazon and Walmart or a charity donation. Works on: Android and Apple.

For more information about ShopSmart visit:  www.ShopSmartmag.org

Personal property losses that are not covered by insurance or other reimbursements may be deductible on your tax return. For details on eligible deductions, see IRS Form 4684, Casualties and Thefts, and read the instructions.

IRS Notice 2013-21, Section 165(i) states that affected taxpayers in a federally declared disaster area have the option of claiming disaster-related casualty losses on their federal income tax returns for either this tax year (2012) or the previous tax year (2011).

According to IRS Notice 2013-16, taxpayers who reside outside the disaster area but whose books, records, or tax professionals are located in the areas affected by Hurricane Sandy may also be eligible for tax relief.

The IRS may waive their usual fees and expedite requests for copies of previously filed tax returns for affected taxpayers. Taxpayers should put the assigned Disaster Designation in red ink at the top of IRS Form 4506, Request for Copy of Tax Return, or IRS Form 4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return, and submit it to the IRS.

Taxpayers impacted by Hurricane Sandy can access IRS information related to Sandy online at http://www.irs.gov/uac/Tax-Relief-in-Disaster-Situations

Visit www.irs.gov/uac/Contact-My-Local-Office-in-New-Jersey for information on the nearest IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center.

Taxpayers may download forms and publications with information on tax relief from the official IRS website, IRS.gov, or order them by calling 800-TAX-FORM. The IRS toll-free number for general tax questions is 800-829-1040.

Instruction

There’s a ladies Short Game Clinic tomorrow evening at Paxon Hollow Golf Club and you can find details here.

Honeybrook is partnering with a new PGA Junior Golf League for boys and girls 13 and under. It will enable them to play in team competitions against league teams from other clubs.   All the info is here.

I’ll get an earful from PGA Professional George McNamara for having this under “Instruction” instead of creating a different category of “Coaching” but here goes: George and three colleagues have banded together to bring a different type of teaching to this area — a method called Extraordinary Golf.

Instead of the usual golf lesson where you try to absorb the pro’s knowledge or try to get into specific positions, Extraordinary Golf begins with the premise that your body and brain are amazing things, and a perfect swing is already inside you. Through increased awareness (and self-coaching) it can be drawn out. The founder of Extraordinary Golf, Fred Shoemaker, was in the area for a recent seminar for Philadelphia PGA Professionals, and we’ll hear from Fred on the KYW Golf Report this weekend. It is intriguing stuff, and in this case, a brief video is worth a thousand words:

This coaching foursome — George McNamara, Mike Caldwell, Meg Donohue and John Poole — will provide that style of coaching this year at Blue Bell Country Club, as well as at their individual clubs… George and Mike at Brandywine CC… Meg at White Manor… and John at Chester Valley.

Contact info for all four (email and phone) is available at www.SwingWithFreedom.com.

Deal Tracker Tuesday

Speaking of Brandywine, here’s a very nice deal that the GolfNow.com Deal Caddy just posted this morning: an Any Time/Day Round, with Cart, at Brandywine CC for $44 (a $77 value). You can buy up to four of them and they’re good anytime through the end of May.

Over at TeeItUpPhilly.com we have links to numerous other area deals, from GolfNow to Groupon.

Masters Week also means the online retailers really “bring it” as they try to capitalize on the excitement about a new golf season.

One sale in particular that has some great deals is the TGW.com “Green Monday” sale (that continues through tonight despite its name). Great buys on shirts, shoes and other stuff. More info here.

And as always, there are links to numerous other specials at DealTrackerGolf.com.

—

Click here for more golf blog posts.

—
Ed Abrams anchors mornings on KYW Newsradio, and you can hear his Golf Reports there on Fridays and Saturdays. He has also created a pair of websites: www.DealTrackerGolf.com, featuring leads on the best golf equipment deals… and www.TeeItUpPhilly.com, with video course tours, audio swing tips and local golf deals

By now, you know how it all turned out. But on Thursday morning, when the LaSalle Explorers awakened after winning 3 games in 5 days, they became just the second “play in” team to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. It hadn’t been easy. Only Virginia Commonwealth, back in 2011, had played in and gone all the way to the Final Four. LaSalle had played Boise State, Kansas State and Mississippi at a very high level and the Explorers hoped to advance one more round as they climbed within reach of the Final Four. It wasn’t to be but it was a great ride. Aside from La Salle, the bottom half of the bracket was represented by: the Shockers of Wichita State; Oregon, figured in many quarters to be the tournament darling; and Florida Gulf Coast University. On Thursday, 12 other teams all were seeded among the top 25 in the tournament, including 10 of the top 13. All of this really is a salute to the Selections Committee.

The third round restored some order to the tournament though results of the second round were a bit surprising with 10 lower seeds winning in those 32 games. You might recall that Harvard lost a game to Penn not all that long ago and became an upset winner in the NCAA affair when it beat New Mexico. When asked if anything could or should be said or written into the surprise entries, La Salle coach John Giannini replied, “Forget it. You can say or write that all these lower seeds won but college basketball is completely different now than it used to be. Schools are investing more than even in their teams. They are building more facilities. Budgets are increasing. Salaries are rising. The Wichita State’s and LaSalle’s are bearing down and taking this stuff for real. People in and out of the tournaments want to be a part of this ‘March Madness” and are working very hard to play at an improved level.” He’s so right. The quality of play throughout this NCAA tourney underscored Giannini’s observations. And even though the Explorers couldn’t handle the Wichita State, we’ve got to salute Giannini and his team’s excellent performance throughout the NCAA post-season show. It was their first NCAA selection since 1992 and the Explorers’ overall performance was commendable. So it’s good to step back and think about the enormity of what these kids from North Philadelphia accomplished. Win, lose or break even, they deserve nothing but praise.

La Salle’s Number 13 seed and record of 24-10 it didn’t get them anywhere against the tough Wichita State crew. Coach Giannini was quick to praise the winning Shockers, calling them “as good as any team we’ve played all season.” They sure were. They killed LaSalle in the early going, scoring am almost immediate lay-up and pounding the Explorers in the paint. La Salle did seem to be, as the Inquirer headline proclaimed, “Shocked from the start.” That was surprising because the team had looked good in previous games. In fact, their biggest defeat in any game had been by only 5 points against Mississippi. But the roles were reversed last Thursday night and the Explorers never got it going, leading to the end of a season to remember.

With only 7 minutes into the game, the Explorers were down 14. By the half the margin was 16. By intermission, there wasn’t much doubt as to who the winner would be. Wichita had a lock on it. Malcolm Armstead proved to be the Shocker bell-cow, leading his team with 18 points. Forward Carl Hall was strong in the paint, finishing with 18 points and 8 rebounds. In his first 2 NCAA games, the 6’8”, 238 pound Hall had been less than dominating in a 76-70 win over top-seeded Gonzaga, the team I’d predicted to with the tourney. He scored just 10 points and 1 rebound in 29 minutes. But he took control against the Explorers, scoring 10 of the Shockers first 14 points for a 14-2 lead. LaSalle hit for 7 from the field while Wichita was 7 for 8. In the last game of his LaSalle career, guard Ramon Galloway scored 11 points, while Jerrell Wright and Tyrone Garland paced the team with 16 points each. And so ninth-seeded Wichita State, a very good team indeed, will now go on to meet Number 2, Ohio State, in the Western Regional final on Saturday.

A Word for the Ladies

There was another basketball game that merited attention and that one was among the women. Last Saturday in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the ladies of Kentucky (29-5) played Delaware and its great star, the 6’5” Elena Delle Donne, in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Regional Semifinal. The Blue Hens were 32-3 going in, having won 27 straight. Their coach, Tina Martin, said she had the best squad around and it stacked up as one of the great games on the schedule, gender notwithstanding. It wasn’t the first time this season the Kentucky Wildcats faced one of the game’s truly great players. Their coach, Matt Mitchell, learned some things against another of game’s most imposing stars, Baylor’s Brittany Griner, in a tense 85-81 loss. But the team recently beat Dayton, 84-70 and felt strong. Mitchell had to plan for Delle Donne who can rebound, pass, average 28.5 points and dominate from the perimeter. Delaware also had a very good supporting cast, making the task of playing them even more difficult. And as Delle Donne goes, so goes 6th seed Delaware. Kentucky believed that it could defeat any team in the nation with its best effort. And it did, holding off Delaware 69-62 for a second straight advance to the regional final and bringing an end to the college career of the Delaware star.

I’ve been following and writing about Elena Delle Donne for several seasons. She transferred to Delaware to be closer to her family and friends and Delaware has been ever grateful. Someday, somehow, I hope to travel to watch Elena Delle Donne play. If I ever do, I’ll tell you about it.

Baseball

It’s baseball time and the Phillies think they are better equipped now than they were at the start of last season. At least they have the right side of the infield together in Ryan Howard and Chase Utley. They were conspicuous by their absence this time a year ago. The team may have some better pitching both in the starting rotation and in the bullpen but depth is not on their side. It would be easier to digest if Roy Halladay’s ERA was a bit lower than 6.00, as it has been this spring in Florida. But we should know more about him after he pitches next Wednesday in the second game of the regular season. Halladay has been a spear-carrier for the Phillies since he’s been here. He has set a standard, not only in wins and losses but more so in training, keeping in competitive condition and always being ready, eager to compete. I’m hoping that the other members of the Phillies cast have taken a lesson from his book and have reciprocated. They do appear ready to roll now and Domonic Brown seems poised to add his talents to the cause. It’s about time for Brown, who had a terrific spring. So, let’s play ball.

At Large

In this interesting sports week a few things happened besides LaSalle’s story. For instance, Andy Reid signed Brad Childress to help him coach in Kansas City. Childress, who was the offensive coordinator in Cleveland last season, will work on special projects for Reid. He spent 5 years as head coach in Minnesota where he earned 2 division titles. In 2009, his team went 12-4. Additionally, Green Bay s close to signing quarterback Aaron Rodgers to a long-term contract that could average around $25 million a year, making him the highest paid player in NFL history. New England signed free agent wide receiver Michael Jenkins, a 9 year veteran who caught 40 passes for 447 yards and 2 touchdowns with the Vikings last year. He was a first round draft pick who played for Atlanta over his first 7 season. Things with the Eagles were pretty quiet last week.

Elena Delle Donne

One last note about Elena Delle Donne. Originally the top high school prospect out of Ursinus Academy, Delle Donne had been in the limelight since 7th grade when the North Carolina coach, Sylvia Mitchell, told her father that she intended to offer her a scholarship in the future. The coach kept her word but the player turned the offer down and committed to UConn. Then she checked in and checked out of the New England campus after 48 hours, claiming burnout. But that wasn’t the real reason for her departure. Delle Donne later admitted she needed to be near her home and her family particularly her older sister, Lizzie, who is blind and deaf due to cerebral palsy. Her sister depended on her and Delle Donne could not let her down. She went on to smash most records in women’s college basketball over the last four years.

The impact of Delle Donne, Baylor’s Brittany Griner and Notre Dame’s Skylar Diggins, has been felt at the pro level now. Last Thursday ESPN announced it was extending its relationship with the WNBA for 6 years through 2022. The WNBA draft will be announced next month, televised on ESPN from its Bristol, Connecticut, studios. These 3 women’s names should lead the pack. And ladies’ ball is gaining in fans and popularity.

The Flyers

If only to coincide with the direction in which they are going, the Flyers keep adding to their injury list, particularly on defense. Nick Grossman, Andre Mezzaros and Braydon Coburn all joined the list this past week. Coburn was crushed into the boards on Thursday. Mezzaros underwent surgery on Tuesday and Danny Briere remains out indefinitely with concussion symptoms. No doubt about the Flyers’ direction these days.

The only airline providing scheduled service out of Trenton-Mercer Airport, Frontier is offering fares as low as $29 each way (taxes and airport fees not included) to promote the launch.  

Following is the schedule for Frontier’s new Trenton service.

For departure times, visit FlyFrontier.com.

The new schedule also includes a one-stop flight from Princeton/Trenton to Denver operating six days per week via Chicago.

All service from Princeton/Trenton operates on 138-seat Airbus 319 aircraft.  For more information visit FlyFrontier.com.

Tomorrow we’ll look at some things going on locally, but today we’re gearing up for the first major of the year.

Website:

Masters.com is worth a visit just because of the sheer beauty of the photography.

They have some neat stuff there, including aerial flyovers of each hole.
You can find those here.     Just click on a hole number then choose “Aerial Flyover” or “Photo Gallery” for stuff that’ll knock your socks off.

Once the tournament begins, Masters.com will have extensive coverage each day, including featured pairings and live coverage of Amen Corner.

TV Schedule:

Wed: 3:00p – 5:00p  Live Coverage of the Par 3 Contest on ESPN

Thu: 3:00p – 7:30p Live Coverage on ESPN (8p Replay)
11:30p – 15-min. Highlight Show on CBS

Fri: 3:00p – 7:30p Live Coverage on ESPN (8p Replay)
11:30p – 15-min. Highlight Show on CBS

Sat: 3:00p – 7:00p Live Coverage on CBS

Sun: 2:00p – 7:00p Live Coverage on CBS

Must-see Bubba TV:

In case you missed it last week, defending champ Bubba Watson was all over the internet with a couple of videos that went viral. First, his new golf cart:

… and here’s a really fun ESPN.com piece on his suprise visit to Orlando’s oldest muni — Dubsdread Golf Club.

Good stuff! And if you’d like to see Bubba’s miraculous shot from the trees that set up the win last spring, click here.

—

Click here for more golf blog posts.

—
Ed Abrams anchors mornings on KYW Newsradio, and you can hear his Golf Reports there on Fridays and Saturdays. He has also created a pair of websites:  www.DealTrackerGolf.com, featuring leads on the best golf equipment deals… and www.TeeItUpPhilly.com, with video course tours, audio swing tips and local golf deals

The Federal Trade Commission held a nationwide contest for developers to come up with a solution to end robotic phone calls and two men now are splitting a $50,000 prize. The two developed software that detects robotic calls and hangs up on prerecorded messages before the phone ever rings.

Serdar Danis and Aaron Foss will each receive $25,000 for their proposals, which both focus on intercepting and filtering out illegal prerecorded calls using technology to “blacklist” robocaller phone numbers and “whitelist” numbers associated with acceptable incoming calls. Both proposals also would filter out unapproved robocallers using a CAPTCHA-style test to prevent illegal calls from ringing through to a user.

The challenge, designed to help solve this problem by spurring innovation in the marketplace, garnered nearly 800 eligible submissions.

“The solutions that our winners came up with have the potential to turn the tide on illegal robocalls, and they show the wisdom of tapping into the genius and technical expertise of the public,” said Charles Harwood, Acting Director, FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “We’re hoping these winning proposals find their way to the marketplace soon, and will provide relief to millions of American consumers harassed by these calls.”

Brief descriptions of all the eligible challenge entries are available on a submission gallery at robocall.challenge.gov

The Graduated Repayment Period will allow new college graduates in good standing to sign up for a one-year interest-only payment period, after the six-month grace period, instead of making full principal and interest payments at that time. The feature will be available for new Smart Option Student Loan applications on April 1 for undergraduate and graduate students who attend degree-granting institutions beginning in the fall semester.

The feature was designed to keep the total cost of the loan low. For example, a freshman borrower who elects in-school deferment on a $10,000 loan with typical loan terms would pay $144 per month for a 10-year repayment term. With the Graduated Repayment Option, the monthly payment would be $89 the first year, then $152 the second year, until it’s paid off. The difference in the total cost is less than $400, without extending the length of the loan.

For more information and to view a cost comparison chart visit: http://bit.ly/1718gDu