It’s my Parting Shot for my reactions to the headlines in today’s Star-Phoenix Sports Section…..

First headline…Green jacket’s mystique shows no signs of waning as Masters approaches, “It came down below my fingertips. Did I care? Not in the least. I’d wear a tent.” My reaction…That secondary headline is a quote from no less a golf great as Tom Watson, known at one time as Kansas City’s fourth major professional sports franchise because of his prolific level of play! The good news is, today’s golfers feel the same wat about playing and winning The Masters as Watson and other greats like Nicklaus, Palmer, Trevino, Player. etcetera feel about the year’s first major tournament. It is the elite event of the year, moreso than any other event that LIV can put out! Or the Players Championship or the British Open! And, don’t give me that clap-trap about that tournament being known as “The Open Championship.” It doesn’t hold a candle to The Masters, period!!

Next headline…Tempo welcomes inaugural roster after draft. Reaction…so, let me get this straight – Toronto’s expansion franchise in the W-N-B-A won a coin flip with the other expansion team, Portland, and chose to pick ahead of the other new team in next week’s college draft instead of picking first in the expansion draft over the weekend and choose from players that are already W-N-B-A battle tested?! Who’s running the show for the Tempo in Toronto, the Maple Leafs’ front office??!! Portland picks a Canadian in Bridget Carleton and the Tempo don’t select one Canadian in the expansion draft and likely won’t get one in the college draft, I’m willing to bet! Big, BIG mistake by basketball operations that should be called out by the new franchise’s marketing crew!!

Last headline…Padel “is the sport of the future”, Racket game from Latin America, Spain immensely popular in Miami. My reaction…I still haven’t played pickleball – and I probably won’t. And, I likely will never play padel – but I would play tennis or badminton because I grew up with these sports. I’m an old school traditionalist and I’m not into hybrids of my growing up mainstream sports. For instance, I would never play disc golf, so long as I can swing a real club! Cost just happens to come with the territory!!

That’s my Parting Shot. I’m Les Lazaruk…and it turned out nice again!