Funkerstation » Collum little option but to show a red card.The P

ATLANTA -- Consider it fitting that what was billed as the final formal end-of-season speech of Tim Finchems career was held Tuesday morning at the Tour Championship in something called the FedEx hospitality venue.Thats not a knock on the outgoing PGA Tour commissioner, who is poised to retire at years end after more than 22 years on the job. Its just the opposite.Finchem will be remembered for ushering in the Tiger Woods era, capitalizing financially on the frenzy, and maintaining that boon through global economic crises and the downturn of Woods career. He will be remembered for inventing a season-ending playoff system that created not only a viable conclusion but also greater monetary windfalls for his membership. He will be remembered for overseeing a transition of the tour from a pleated-pants, country-club set to a promising alternative for any athletic kid who wouldve previously opted for other endeavors.All of these rivers flow into the same ocean. The greatest legacy of Finchems career is money -- securing it for his tour, increasing it for his players, and producing more of it from various sources than ever before.And so, yes, its fitting that his final address occurred at the FedEx hospitality venue, the name alone epitomizing the intrinsic value that the commissioner has heaped upon the tour over the past two decades.Not that hes buying any of it.While seated in the swanky suite off the new 18th hole sponsored by a company that will reward a lone playoff champion with $10 million later this week, Finchem took the honorable road. Asked about the greatest legacy of his tenure, he didnt mention anything about financial impact or economic progress or so many other money-related phrases hes so often repeated over the years. Instead, he pointed to his people.Im proudest about the quality of our team and the interface with the players, he answered. Working with these people is just a fabulous experience. Watching their growth, the number of good people that have come to us, has been really rewarding. If you have that kind of strength, then good things happen. So Im really comfortable with watching the transition now going forward and whats going to happen. I think some of the changes that are already being made, even before I step aside, are really, really good changes.Again, its honorable. Its also a bit misguided.Lets allow the numbers to do the talking. When Finchem took over for Deane Beman during the 1994 season, there were 44 events on the schedule. The total combined prize money was $56.4 million, with a top winners share of $540,000. This year? With 46 events, the prize money is $320.4 million and the greatest winners share is $1.89 million.Thats a 568 percent increase in total prize money and a 350 percent increase in the highest winning paycheck while adding just two events to the calendar.As if to only further this point, most of this years winners have earned more than the value of most entire tournament purses from the year Finchem became commissioner.Sure, much of this is the direct correlation of Woods rise as the games most dominant player and one of the worlds most popular athletes. But that doesnt mean marketing and selling a tour that included him was ever a foolproof proposition.By 98, Tiger was dominant, Finchem said Tuesday. So the questions were: How do you manage to grow the tour when your dominant player is playing 17 or 18 times and you have 46 events? How does that work? Well, between 96 and today, every one of those tournaments has grown in virtually every category almost every year. The lesson there is that fans like golf. They demonstrated that they like having a dominant player. ... [It] demonstrated that we can grow, and I think thats a good lesson for the future.Its a future that soon wont include Finchem, at least not on a formal basis.He maintained that hell still be happy to serve as a consultant to incoming commissioner Jay Monahan, if need be. Finchem will work on his handicap, which is either a 4.3 or a 6.5, depending on which GHIN number you trust. And if youre wondering what to get for the man who has everything, he said the perfect retirement gift would be riding 18 holes in a golf cart at Latrobe Country Club alongside none other than Arnold Palmer.Other than that, Finchem can rest easy when he steps down, secure in the knowledge that he didnt just leave the PGA Tour in a better place than when he started, but he ushered it through one era and into the next, producing a level of financial stability that will endure as his lasting legacy -- even if he doesnt think so. New Jets Jerseys 2019 .com) - The red-hot Los Angeles Kings will try to extend their winning streak to a season-high seven games when they visit the Edmonton Oilers for Sundays clash at Rexall Place. Jamal Adams T Shirt .Y. -- Injured Buffalo Sabres forward Marcus Foligno did not practice with the team Monday and head coach Ron Rolston said its unlikely hell play in Wednesdays season opener in Detroit. http://www.jetsofficialsshop.com/ . Hamelin, who triumphed in the 500 on Saturday, edged out Victor An of Russia by 0.021 seconds to maintain his lead in the World Cup standings. Russias Vladimir Grigorev was third. In the relay, Canada took control six laps from the finish line to beat Russia and the Netherlands. Jamal Adams Jersey Authentic . Miikka Kiprusoff had just announced his retirement after a decade-long run in Calgary and it would be up to Berra and Ramo to fill the void. Official New York Jets Store . Coach Tom Thibodeau says the former MVP will probably start travelling with the team in the next few weeks. Rose tore the meniscus in his right knee at Portland in November and was ruled out for the remainder of the season by the Bulls.Real Madrid qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League thanks to a 2-1 victory against 10-man Sporting on Tuesday evening. On Cristiano Ronaldos return to his former club, Raphael Varane gave Zinedine Zidanes side the lead in the 29th minute and Sportings task became even harder when full-back Joao Pereira was sent off after appearing to strike Mateo Kovacic in the stomach.However, Jorge Jesus side got back in it thanks to Andrien Silvas 79th-minute penalty after Fabio Coentrao handled in the area. Sporting had their tails up after the equaliser with on-loan Arsenal star Joel Campbell providing the threat for the hosts, but Real, who lost Gareth Bale to injury in the second-half, grabbed the winner through Karim Benzema three minutes from time to book their place in the knockout stages and eliminate the hosts. Gareth Bale went off injured for Real Reals next fixture in Group F is against Borussia Dortmund, who beat Legia Warsaw 8-4 in the highest scoring Champions League of all time, and the winner will finish top for the group. Sporting take on Legia Warsaw with a place in the Europa League on the line.Knowing only a win would keep alive their chances of qualifying for the last 16, Sporting made a fast start with Silva almost getting away from Sergio Ramos in the third minute, but the Spaniard made an excellent tackle just as he was about to get a shot away.Ronaldo, keen to put on a show at his former club, had an early sight of goal but his weak effort was easily saved by Rui Patricio before Bale almost released the Portugal international with a diagonal through ball. Cristiano Ronaldo failed to score on his return to Sporting Real were starting to find their rhythm and Bale again was causing the hosts problems but his cross was turned behind by Ruben Semedo with Ronaldo poised at the far post.At the other end, Gelson Martins almost picked out Bas Dost at the far post but the Dutch striker could not get a toe to his team-mates inviting cross.The deadlock was eventually broken in the 29th minutte and Ronaldo was involved not once, but twice.ddddddddddddThe former Sporting star drew a foul from Semedo before poking the resultant free-kick into the path of Varane, who beat the offside trap to finish powerfully. Raphael Varane (right) celebrates opening the scoring Despite ferocious appeals from the home side, the goal stood and they could have been level three minutes later when Bruno Cesars shot was headed away from goal by Ramos.Cesar went close again just before the break after Marcelo brought down Gelson Martins just outside the penalty area. The midfielders sweetly struck free-kick had Keylor Navas scrambling but the ball flashed wide of the near post to leave Real leading at the break.In the 58th minute, having earlier needed treatment on what looked like an ankle problem, Bale was replaced by Marco Asensio. Bale gets treatment on an ankle injury Sporting were reduced to 10 men in the 64th minute following the dismissal of Pereira when the defender appeared to punch Kovacic in the stomach as the duo squared up on the far touchline, leaving Scottish referee Willie Collum little option but to show a red card.The Portuguese side, though, were gifted a way back into the match with 11 minutes left.Real substitute Fabio Coentrao was punished for a handball just inside the box - the defender appearing to still be appealing for the same offence against Joel Campbell - and Silva made no mistake from the penalty spot. Adrien Silva scored from the spot for Sporting Sporting had suddenly found new life and pressed for a winner, as Campbell sent a header over at the far post.But it was Real who sealed all three points after 87 minutes when substitute Benzema nodded in to book the defending champions passage into the knockout stagesUpgrade to Sky Sports now and get 12 months half price. Hurry, offer ends December 4! ' ' '