An Out-of-Touch Father, the TV Double Standard, and Metta World Peace's Suspension

RANDOM THOUGHTS:

The following were on my mind between Monday, April 23rd and Monday, April 30th:

- There;s just something that irks me about the way that IMDB allows its users to rate TV shows through it's first season. I would be okay if they allow maybe a few episodes (3-5) to pass, but allowing them to rate a show after 1 episode (and not even before that on some instances)? Just too soon.

- One of the most enjoyable things about having a parent who immigrate to the U.S. after spending the first portion of his life in a communist nation is him slowly being introduced to many aspects of American culture that's been there for years. I bring this up because of this exchange that occurred as I was driving mj50 home last week and the radio was on:

"What new crap is this that's playing right now?"

"This? It's Pink Floyd's 'Another Brick in the Wall.' It's over 30 years old."

"Oh. Well, it stinks."

To be fair, almost everytime we're in the car and I tune into a classic rock station, this song is on, so he must've thought that I was listening to one of those pop stations that play the same hits every hour. That doesn't make it less funny, though (at least to me).

- "Requiem for a Dream": the ultimate anti-drug movie. I'm surprised that schools haven't decided to show this to grade school kids more often. I think it would scare them straight more than any cop instructing a D.A.R.E. program ever could.

- I hate the double standard there is to TV sometimes. People see shows like "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" and "Jersey Shore" and automatically dismiss the whole medium as being filled with trash despite it currently being in its golden age. Meanwhile, that never seems to happen to film whenever something like "Jack & Jill" or a new "Twlight," or to music whenever a new Nickelback or Soulja Boy single is released?

- "NBA Suspends World Peace" was a headline that kept on giving last week.

- I know this is going to sound like a homer coping a loss to a major asset in one of his team's quest for a title, but I wouldn't count the Bulls out just yet despite losing Derrick Rose for the rest of the season...or, at least, don't count them out of going deep into the postseason. They did go 18-9 without him in the regular season, after all! And they beat teams like the Heat, and the 76ers during those 27 games without last year's MVP award winner.

- Last week, I brought back the Thursday night power rankings. This week, I'm doing it again. Here are my rankings for the comedies that aired on NBC Thursday nights for the night of April 26th, a night that was 75% on fire in regards to quality:

1. "30 Rock"- "Live From Studio 6H (East Coast Version)"

While I admired the show for doing last season's clip show, I wasn't a fan of it as most others were (specifically the first one that aired on the East Coast). Much my complaint is of the fact that the show tried too hard to incorporate the swiftness, sharp wit, and eccentric pace of a typical "30 Rock" into the live format in an effort that just proved to not work while also being more notable for the audience's reactions (as I recall, the East Coast audience for that one was very loud and raunchy) than for the laughs. This one, however, was a vast improvement, and will probably end up being one of the my favorite episodes from this season. It featured a lot more laughs, and I like how they changed the format of this season's live show to make it more like a mini-version of "Saturday Night Live" with all those various "flashbacks" regarding the history of live TV on NBC. Even the Jenna plot had its fair share of great moments, most notably Jenna's boyfriend, Paul (played by Will Forte), proposing while singing "Zou Bisou Bisou." Plus, I enjoyed these crop of guest stars more. I thought Donald Glover killed it as Tracy and Jon Hamm was part of the episode's highlight in the "Alfie and Abner" clip with Tracy Morgan. Him screaming "Banjo!" just before getting choked still has me cracking up, even after repeated viewings.

2 (tie). "Community"- "Basic Lupine Urology"

While I imagine that this will be an episode that critics will use as an argument for their belief that the sitcom is nothing but references and parodies, I still found it to be very fun to watch, and very entertaining. Huge props to Dan Harmon, writer Megan Ganz, and director Rob Schrab for making a pitch-perfect parody and getting all of the "Law and Order" details correctly, right down to the opening credits. I also found it, on rewatch, to be one of the third season's funniest episodes, even if the ending was a bit of a downer (sniffles). The show has been on a row since "Pillows & Blankets." Hope that this continues again in the weeks to come.

2 (tie). "Parks and Recreations"- "The Debate"

While this episode may not be at the same level as the two previous ones written by show star Amy Poehler (season 2's "Telethon" and season 3's "The Fight"), it still featured a bunch of great moments that made this my favorite episode of the series since "The Comeback Kid" this past winter. Chris Pratt shined, culminating in some Emmy-worthy re-enactments of old movies, while that entire debate was great in its general silliness, and in its use of some of the show's most memorable side characters from Perd Hapley to Brandi Marxxx.

4. "The Office"- "Fundraiser"

And, once again, here we are, ending this power rankings with another mediocre attempts from one of the best examples in TV sitcom free-fall. I hate to say it, but this was one that just made me wish for those episode with Will Ferrell during the end of last season, and that's saying something. The opening tag wasn't bad though (one of the few things that the show manages to do well these days).

See you next next Monday with more "Random Thoughts!" Until then, I've got a certain hyped superhero to watch in theaters.

Sincerely,

Your pal: mj15

If you have any opinions on today's post, or if you just have any suggestions or tips for my next blog entry, e-mail me at: mj1599@aol.com. Your e-mails are greatly appreciated.

End of the Week: 04/22/12- 04/28/12

END OF THE WEEK:

Let's do this.

Feline of the Week: Meow, The Morbidly Obese Sante Fe Cat
At 39 pounds she stands, which is the human equivalent of 600 pounds, and causing more mixed emotions upon it's appearance than a puppy in a Nazi costume with a cigarette in its mouth.


 











Movie Premiere of the Week (Internationally): "The Avengers"
Damn non-American citizens, getting to see the most critically-acclaimed and most anticipated superhero films since "The Dark Knight" a week before us good folks at the U.S of A. What kind of a world is this anyway that would allow such INJUSTICE?

Video of the Week:  "Ethan W (a six year old with autism) Plays Piano Man"
I played the piano for several years, and yet I never played with such soul and enjoyment as he did. Outstanding.



Guest Appearance of the Week: President Obama on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon"
Whatever. Everyone knows that all the cool Presidents go on "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.
/stubborn fan

Stories of the Week: 
-The Actual Story of the Week: Newt Gingrich Suspends Presidential Campaign   
A sad week for moon colony enthusiasts everywhere.
-The Tiger Woods Saga of '09 Memorial Story of the Week: Woman Dies of Starvation Due to Sunlight-Only Diet
Still better than the Palm Beach diet.

Person of the Week: Deborah Stevens
Being fired from your job just sucks in general, but I don't that anyone can tell a firing story of the same realm as the one that Ms. Stevens, the Long Island native, allegedly claims to have. A few days ago, Stevens filed a suit against her former employee, the Atlantic Automotive Group. Stevens claims that her being fired from the car dealerships business was done so unfairly. The reason? Because it was done thanks in large part to her boss, named Jaqueline Brucia...the same woman who Stevens donated a kidney to last summer.  Here's more of the story courtesy of the CBS News' website:


"Stevens returned to work four weeks later - even before Brucia. Three days after coming back Stevens says she didn't feel well. "No sooner when I got through the door at my house, the phone rang and it was her, saying - 'What are you doing? Why are you home,'" Stevens said. "And I'm like, 'Jackie, I don't feel well.' And she said, 'Well you can't just can't come and go as you please. People are going to think you're getting special treatment.'"

Stevens said she had complications from the surgery, like nerve damage in her leg. But she said, the yelling didn't stop. 

"And she told me, it sounds like a personal problem and she wasn't interested," Stevens said. "And I said, well it's a personal problem because it's surgery. I've never had a kidney removed. And she said, 'Oh, are you throwing this up in my face?'"

After she hired a lawyer to deal with the situation involving her boss, Stevens was then re-located to a different locations nearly 50 miles away, before she was eventually fired for not "performing up to standards...making mistakes." The Atlantic Automotive Company has since went on the defense, saying that Stevens is using the story unfairly and that the firing had nothing to do with that. Brucia, meanwhile, has only come out to make a statement showing her appreciation for the kidney (as she should). Now, this may just be part of a whole larger story, but from the looks of it, it does appear that the actions of Brucia and the dealership business were done in a rather inconsiderate fashion, as seen from the bad publicity that it's been getting. Besides, the lady donated A DAMN KIDNEY to her boss. You'd figure that would give her some temporary immunity, and I'm sure that none of the other employees would've minded it (unless they're cold, heartless sociopaths).


And that's the way it was! Enjoy what little of the weekend you have left, everyone!
Sincerely,
Your pal: mj15





If you have any opinions on today's post, or if you just have any suggestions or tips for my next blog entry, e-mail me at: mj1599@aol.com. Your e-mails are greatly appreciated.

The Return of the NBC Thursday Night Comedy Power Rankings! (and other stuff)

RANDOM THOUGHTS:

The following were on my mind between Monday, April 16th and Monday, April 23rd:

- "Parks and Recreations" returned this past Thursday. Not only was it the show's first new episode since it went on a mini-break in early March, but it's return marked the first time in 11 months that all of the Big Four NBC Thursday night comedies (this show, "Community," "30 Rock," and what's left of "The Office") aired at the same time and on same night. Not only that, but they were all on one two hour block back-to-back! It was like 2010 all over again! 

I bring this up because around this time last year, I did a little power rankings of these four shows every week during "Random Thoughts." And even though this line-up will only occur for three more weeks (both "Parks and Rec." and "The Office" air their season finales on May 10th, while "30 Rock" and "Community" don't wrap up until slightly later than that), my happiness over this whole thing has made me decided to bring back the segment for old times sakes (but with no points total this time). There's a good chance that these four shows may never be paired together again after this season.

1. "Community"- "Virtual Systems Analysis"

This episode reminded me a lot of "Critical Film Studies," the classic from season 2. Like "Critical Film Studies," the episode focused a lot on Abed, specifically his fear of alienation and not being friends with any of the study group members in the future. Like "Critical Film Studies," the episode was pretty light on the laughs compared to other episodes (although if you didn't laugh at the Duali-Dean, or Troy's truth serum rant, than you and I need to talk). And, like "Critical Film Studies," I enjoyed the hell out of this episode, and I instantly felt watching this that it will be something that I will look back with greater respect and enjoyment the more I re-watch it. Ambitious, motivated, powerful in its delivery, enriches its characters, and well acted by both Danny Pudi and Alison Brie (who each had one of their finest moments this season). If there's any complaint that I have it's Abed much more annoying than he was in the past, although I'll let it slide (for now).

2. "30 Rock"- "Murphy Brown Lied To Us"

The show has really had a bit on a late-run Renaissance lately, and this episode was a good example. I thought both the Liz and Jenna storylines were great. Really enjoyed the appearance of Liz's 11 year old self. Laughed a ton (my favorite gag was probably Stacey Keach as a Clint Eastwood-esque spokesman for both Kouchtown and Bazooka Joe Gum). I also liked how this episode was oddly sweet at the end, with Jack saying how there should be more Liz Lemons in the world, something that you normally would not have seen in the show's earlier years. Hopefully this recent stretch of quality episodes continue with the show's 2nd live episode this week.

3. "Parks and Recreations"- "Live Ammo"

Consider this to be one of the show's "solid, but not really special" episodes. I will admit, though, this episode was a very good one for the show to have after their month-long hiatus. Plus, after a season that hasn't had as much stakes as year's past, it was nice to actually see Leslie in a pickle involving her job that featured actual consequences. Also, yes, that "West Wing" reference was, indeed, pretty cool.
4. "The Office"- "Angry Andy" 

Just hated it.

- Yeah, so, the early 97% rating that "The Avengers" have on Rotten Tomatoes has definitely not made me more excited about the film than I already am 

- I don't know if Saturday was the finest day in Chicago sports history, but it sure was pretty damn memorable. For only the second time in twelve months, the Blackhawks, Bulls, White Sox and Cubs all played a game on the same day, and on that day all four of them ended up winning. The Blackhawks defeated the Phoenix Coyotes in overtime to take game five of their 1st round playoff series, keeping their season alive for at least one more game. The White Sox not only won against the Mariners, but their pitcher, Phillip Humber, also happened to have pitched a PERFECT FREAKIN' GAME, only the 21st in the history of MLB's modern era. The Bulls also helped themselves closer to getting the Eastern Conference's #1 seed in a moral-boosting win against the defending champion Dallas Mavericks that saw the return of Derrick Rose from injury, while the Cubs...well, a win is a win, and that's always a good thing no matter how uneventful it was. So, yeah, a day for the ages in Chicago pro sports.

- NBC is going to air "The Voice" in the fall in addition to the winter and spring. Because if there was ever a time to potentially create their own "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?," it's now when they're at their most desperate.

- Weekly "Mad Men" thoughts: Somebody on the show this season is going to die this season, at least that's what I think will happen. The message is on the wall, what with Don's dark nightmare in "Mystery Date," the general unhappiness of several characters including Roger and Pete, all the references to the various murders that occured in the show's time period, and now more recently Don worrying that something happened to Megan in last night's (outstanding) episode.

On a more random note, I like how this happened on the show right after this exchange last season. It's Chekhov's movie theater (albeit 1.5 years too soon)!

-I think that all of the things that happened to the Saints this offseason (Bountygate, Brees and the contract dispute, and now Loomis and the headset tappings) was just a way for the football gods to go "OK, Saints fans. You had you're fun these last six years. Now, let's try to make you miserable again."

-I can't wait for all the unintentionally hilarious "World Peace suspended" headlines for when the Lakers forward is punished by the NBA.

More of the RTs to come next Monday! Until then, have an enjoyable week.

Sincerely,

Your pal: mj15

If you have any opinions on today's post, or if you just have any suggestions or tips for my next blog entry, e-mail me at: mj1599@aol.com. Your e-mails are greatly appreciated.

End of the Week: 04/15/12- 04/21/12

END OF THE WEEK:

As we are all set to begin a brand new week, let me just take a moment to look back at the week that was and all of its best and/or memorable moments. It's "End of the Week" for week 16 of the year 2012:

Death of the Week: TV Personality Dick Clark
The man was known for a longtime as the "world's oldest teenager," and whether it was greeting audiences to the new year with his annual "New Year's Rockin' Eve" special, giving contestants instructions on "The $25,000 Pyramid," or introducing audiences to new singing acts on "American Bandstand," he was as prominent on TV as any other major icon of his days. He leaves behind a long and prolific memory in addition to his wife and two children.

Stories of the Week:
-The Actual Story of the Week: The Secret Service Prostitution Scandal
Well, at least people didn't find out about it through gum being on one of the agents' pubis.
-The Tiger Woods Saga of '09 Memorial Story of the Week: Man Strips Naked in Portland Airport in Protest Against TSA Regulations
In retrospect, probably the easiest TSA scan of all-time.

Threat (?) of the Week: Ted Nugent's Violent Rant Against Obama
It was so creepy that the Secret Service reportedly went to investigate Nugent for his words. Remember when this guy was known first and foremost as an excellent rock guitarist, and not as a politically outspoken conservative? This is one of those times when I wish we went back to those days.

Video of the Week: "Tupac Hologram, Snoop Dogg, and Dr. Dre Perform Coachella Live 2012"
The upside: MOTHERF@CKING TUPAC IN HOLOGRAM FORM!!! The downside: this seems more likely to happen now then ever.



Person of the Week: Alternate Rock Fans

And that's the way it was! Enjoy the rest of your weekend, everyone!
Sincerely,
Your pal: mj15





If you have any opinions on today's post, or if you just have any suggestions or tips for my next blog entry, e-mail me at: mj1599@aol.com. Your e-mails are greatly appreciated.

Tupac Holograms, Problems with the Weather, and Ozzie Guillen

RANDOM THOUGHTS:

The following were on my mind between Monday, April 8th and Monday, April 15th:

- Let's just hope that the remaining members of The Grateful DEad don't get any ideas about using the technology put into making the Tupac Shakur rapping hologram from Coachella this past weekend.

- You know that Jay Pharaoh doesn't make enough appearances on "Saturday Night Live" these days when seeing him in more than three sketches (like during this weekend) is a rarity.

- Oh no, Mother Nature. Go right ahead and block the signal to my satellite dish with heavy rain just when my Blackhawks are in overtime at the NHL Playoffs and then keeping it that way until minutes after they win. I wasn't upset about that at all.

-It really has been amazing watching the reaction to "Girls" during its premiere. Once all of these critics started giving it high praises, calling it one of the best new shows in the while and giving out As and four star grades, there seems to have been an incredible backlash, where those who hate the show despise it, from the fact that it has no minorities to its privileged main characters and how they're so unlikeable (even if they're supposed to be that way). Personally, I thought that the premiere was fine, but nowhere near the level of praise that critics have given it so far and nowhere near the hatred that detractors think it deserves. Let's hope that cooler headsdo prevail as this series rolls along.

-The whole hoopla over Ozzie Guillen's Fidel Castro comments in TIME Magazine and the suspension just seemed so ridiculous to me. I mean, it's not as if anything Guillen said was that inappropriate. All he said was that marveled at the fact that Castro (who is now currently retired) remained in power in Cuba for so long despite all of the hatred that people around the world had for him and for all the attempts that people have tried to get him out of power. That's it. He never said that he respected the man's politics, or that he was a great leader. Just some harmless joke over something that, if you think about it, is indeed true.

- Weekly "Mad Men" thought: The entire scene at the end of Sunday's episode that ended with Bert comforting Roger, telling him that Nixon is "lying in wait," to both Layne and Pete leaving the conference room after fighting one another was some of the most fun that I've ever had about the show. Everything about it was so funny and very well-executed: The reveal of the gum on the pubis of the Jaguar executive, Layne's trash-talking ("You're a gimpy little pimp. Soon as I raise my hands, I warn you-it shall be too late to run,. Roger closing the window drapes as him, Bert, and Don look on in amusement, Joan and Peggy spying on the action from the next room, and (of course) Layne kicking the crap out of Pete (something that many others have wanted to do in the five seasons that this show has been on the air). Just a superb ending to what I thought was one of the show's best episodes in quite a long time, and an episode that reminded me why I love watching this show.

- Please, NBC. Just let "The Office" die in peace. No reboots!!!

More random thoughts to come next Monday. Until then, have a wonderful week in between.
Sincerely,
Your pal: mj15





If you have any opinions on today's post, or if you just have any suggestions or tips for my next blog entry, e-mail me at: mj1599@aol.com. Your e-mails are greatly appreciated.

End of the Week: 04/08/12- 04/14/12

END OF THE WEEK:

We've got quite a bit of stuff to get to this week, so let's cut the stalling and just get straight to it. As I do every weekend, here's the list of the best and most memorable moments from the 2nd week of April 2012:

Record of the Week: An Announced 15,292 Weather Records Broken in March
It's currently the warmest March weather on record since 1895, with temperatures eight degrees higher than the 20th Century average. And no, it's not because of it being the month where Jessica Pare sang "Zuo Bisou Bisou."

Video of the Week: "A Dramatic Surprise on a Quiet Square"
If only the majority of TNT's actual shows were just as interesting.



Firing of the Week: Head Football Coach Bobby Petrino
who got relieved from his duties by the University of Arkansas after revelations came out that the woman he was with during a motorcycle accident was his mistress who got hired for her job at the university because of it, completing the schadenfreude that Atlanta Falcons fans have been waiting four years for.

Inappropriate Facebook Status Maker of the Week: KFC Thailand
for their Facebook status during the middle of this week's earthquake scare in the Asian country, telling them to get a bucket of KFC chicken on their way home to their families. Wouldn't be the most insensitive act that the company has done lately. They still created the Double Down, after all.

Heroic Politician of the Week: Newark Mayor Corey Booker
who made headlines this week when it was reported that he rescued a female neighbor of his during a burning fire. Too bad that this wasn't a re-election year, because there is no more of a perfect campaign strategy than having people talk about you as if you were Batman mixed with Chuck Norris.

Stories of the Week:
-The Actual Story of the Week (Besides the Presidential Election): George Zimmerman Finally Faces Charges for Murder of Trayvon Martin
It took Florida 45 days to actually arrest him for something they should've done much earlier, making them the cable set-up technicians of state polices.
-The Tiger Woods Saga of '09 Memorial Story of the Week: Vermont Governor Chased by Bears
This would've never happened had Corey Booker been there.

Death of the Week: Longtime "60 Minutes" Journalist Mike Wallace
The man was a hard-hitting interviewee who would go at any lengths to reveal the truth from his subjects, even if it meant speaking in a confrontational tone or hitting them with a bunch of gotcha questions to get them out of their comfort zone. He was also one of the men that contributed to "60 Minute's" longtime success. Without a doubt, he will be missed.

Person of the Week: Mitt Romney
Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum suspended his presidential campaign this week, ending his ten month roller coaster candidacy that included a relative long period of staying under the radar, then a late surge to an Iowa victory that made him a household name to another quick fall in the polls and then yet another rise following his victories in Colorado and Minnesota, with one controversial statement after another in between. And while many ended up celebrating over this big development, no one was probably as relieved as a certain former governor of Massachusetts, who finally saw his toughest opponent go down, officially clearing an easy path from here on out that will gain him the Republican presidential nominee for President that he had long clamored for. No more new challenger to fight him in the top of the polls; no more states in which he isn't expected to win; no more delays to a path that he and many leaders of the Republican party had wanted for quite a while; no more worries about there being a brokered convention. For months people had predicted that it would be a Obama/Romney general election, and now (barring some improbable late comeback by either Newt Gingrich or Ron Paul), it looks that this battle is finally going to be official. The only question now remains is how ol' Mittens will be able to rebound in the polls after all the damages inflicted in this dogfight of a primary.

And that's the way it was! Enjoy the rest of your weekend, everyone!
Sincerely,
Your pal: mj15





If you have any opinions on today's post, or if you just have any suggestions or tips for my next blog entry, e-mail me at: mj1599@aol.com. Your e-mails are greatly appreciated.

"Game of Thrones," MLB's Opening Weekend, and David Simon

RANDOM THOUGHTS:

The following were on my mind between Monday, April 2nd and Monday, April 9th:

- Sometimes, I wonder how many nude scenes are added on "Game of Thrones" just to make the show feel more like an HBO program.

- Early reactions to the first week of a 162 game MLB season is, and always will be, the best. So far, we've got Orioles and Mets fans celebrating an undefeated start and already beginning to think of playoff aspirations, while Red Sox and Yankees fans are already panicking after 0-3 starts.

- I'm willing to make a bet that the majority of Bubba Watson's appeal arises from the fact that his name is Bubba and not something more bland like "Greg" or "Donald."

-I feel like David Simon is trying to make fans of "The Wire" watch the show like finishing broccoli at dinner time. "Young man, no quoting of 'You come at the king, you best not miss' until you deliberate the failure of the nation's war on drugs that led to Hamsterdam!." Also, reading his New York Times interview, I'm willing to bet that he enjoys the fact that I watch "Treme" since I'm watching it as it happens, and not years after it wraps up on DVD.

-NetFlix: says that they're trying to slowly push away from the DVD service, yet keeps losing the amount of available titles to instant streaming.

- Weekly "Mad Men" thought: Boy, I must have really been off my game watching Sunday's episode, because I did not realize that Don Draper's "incident" at the end was just a dream until the morning after when he woke up!

More to come next Monday! Until then, keep enjoying yourself.
Sincerely,
Your pal: mj15






If you have any opinions on today's post, or if you just have any suggestions or tips for my next blog entry, e-mail me at: mj1599@aol.com. Your e-mails are greatly appreciated.

The 2012 Masters Final Round LIVE Blog: Part Two

Louis Oosthuizen took the lead at the 2012 Masters with a double eagle at the 2nd hole, and has yet to lose it.


3:30 p.m.- Welcome back to The mj15 Blog's live coverage of the 2012 Masters Tournament's final round! Before we move on, here's a quick recap of the leaderboard at its current state:
1. Louis Oosthuizen: -9
2. Matt Kuchar/Bubba Watson/Peter Hanson: -7
5. Ian Poulter/Padraig Harrington/Phil Mickelson: -5
8. Adam Scott/Justin Rose/Lee Westwood/Hunter Mahan: -4

3:34 p.m.- A missed eagle attempt by Phil Mickelson at the 8th hole, which sets up a very make-able birdie. Meanwhile, Matt Kuchar doubles bogeys after struggling in the 9th hole, which puts him down to 5 under par. It is now Hanson and Watson who stand together at 7 under.

3:37 p.m.- Mickelson makes the birdie attempt, his first birdie of the round and one that improves his score to 6 under par. After the impressive back nine that he had yesterday, he still has a very good chance to rebound from his fourth hole triple bogey and makes a charge at Oosthuizen.

3:39 p.m- Meanwhile, over at the 9th hole, Bubba Watson misses a birdie attempt just barely, and keeps himself at 7 under par heading into the back nine. As it has been the case since around 1:55 p.m., Oosthuizen still remains as the leader, with no one making any serious move to inch up on him.

3:44 p.m.- Mickelson hooked his first shot at nine to the woodchips on the left side. On his 2nd shot, he hit a chip shot that just barely misses the green. According to Nantz, Mickelson hasn't birdied this hole since 2002. Considering his current lie, I have a feeling that this drought is going to continue. Hanson, on the other hand, makes it on the green at the 9th, yet has about 50 feet to make his birdie.

3:47 p.m.- Stop telling me about how our educational system is failing, Exxon Mobil! I came to watch golf, not to get saddened by how this nation's educational standards fell to 17th!

3:52 p.m.- Over at Amen Corner, Padraig Harrington gets himself a good birdie chance thanks to his 2nd shot at the 11th hole that just barely escaped the water hazard. Meanwhile, both members of the Mickelson and Hanson final pairing strike par at the 9th hole. We are now at the point where all of the final pairings are at the Back Nine at Augusta, one of the most famous nine hole stretches in all of golf. This is where all the real fun begins.

3:55 p.m.- Trouble for Oosthuizen at the 10th hole. He had to hit his 3rd shot at from the bunker, and now has about 10-15 feet to save par. Considering how he has been +1 in this round in every hole but the 2nd hole, it just makes that double eagle of his all that more important.

3:57 p.m.- Oosthuizen misses his par putt, now dropping himself to -8. And suddenly, this tournament just got a whole lot more interesting...

3:59 p.m.- Watson, Harrington, and Poulter all birdie their respectable holes. The leaderboard heading into the 4 p.m. hour:
1. Oosthuizen: -8 (10)
2. Watson: -7 (10)
3. Hanson: -7 (9)
4. Mickelson: -6 (9)
5. Poulter: -5 (13)
5. Harrington: -5 (11)
5. Kuchar: -5 (10)

4:01 p.m.- Ian Poulter may not win this tournament, but he does at least win my vote for Best Dressed. After all, it's not everyday that a man can wear colorful trousers like he is doing right now and pull it off.

4:07 p.m.- Harrington misses a chance for birdie at the 12th hole by putting his ball a bit harder than he should've. Meanwhile, over at the 11th, Oosthuizen hits it onto the green, setting himself up for a very plausible two-putt. Ian Baker-Finch notices the calm appearance that Oosthuizen has, a pretty good sign as this tournament now heads into its most important moments.

4:11 p.m.- Pars for Harrington, Mickelson, and Hanson. Meanwhile, Kuchar has a pretty make-able birdie attempt at the 12th hole to get it into 6 under par. I wish there were more exciting news to tell you, but unfortunately the leaderboard has remained pretty stagnant for the past fifteen minutes.

4:14 p.m.- Another close call at the 11th hole. First it was Harrington, and now it's Mickelson who hits a shot that gets dangerously close into the water hazard, but thankfully stops rolling in a position that gives him a decent attempt at birdie.

4:15 p.m.- A solid birdie putt by Kuchar. Improves his score to 6 under par. Also, according to Gene Wojciechowski's Twitter feed, the person who Louis Oosthuizen threw his double eagle ball to just gave it back to the Augusta Golf Club. Now I'm spending these next few minutes trying to wonder what I would've done in that situation.

4:20 p.m.- Hey, remember Lee Westwood? After remaining at 4 under par for a good period of time, he just completed birdies in both the 13th and 14th hole. Now, he's back in the mix as well at -6, two shots behind Oosthuizen.

4:23 p.m.- A disappointing bogey put for Watson. This puts Hanson in solo possession of 2nd place. Meanwhile, after attempting an eagle putt from roughly 80 feet and failing, Poulter has simple a good chance of birdie at the 15the hole. All of the final pairings find themselves in the 12th hole and farther..

4:28 p.m.- A birdie for Poulter. He's now at a tie for 3rd place. Meanwhile, Westwood hits a beautiful 2nd shot at the par 5 15th hole. He has a chance now at eagle and a tie of the lead. Oh, and Peter Hanson? He completely shanks his tee shot at 12th, hitting it wide right but thankfully not into the water. Suddenly, things are starting to pick up again at Augusta. And that's just the way I like it!

4:30 p.m.- With so much happening, I figure that now's the right time to once again post the current leaderboard:
1. Oosthuizen: -8 (12)
2. Hanson: -7 (11)
3. Poulter: -6 (15)
4. Westwood: -6 (14)
4. Mickelson: -6 (11)
4. Kuchar: -6 (12)
4. Watson: -6 (12)
8. Harrington: -5 (13)

4:33 p.m.- "You have got to be kidding me!," shouts Lee Westwood, who saw his eagle attempt at the 15th circle around the hole but failing to get in. He does birdie it, though, which puts him one back of the lead. Meanwhile, Poulter pars the 16th hole to remain at 6 under par while Hanson sets himself up a very difficult par attempt after pitching his 2nd shot into the far side of the 12th green.

4:36 p.m.- As Peter Hanson bogeys the 12th hole, Matt Kuchar takes his spot in the tie for 2nd with a short birdie putt at the 13th hole. Meanwhile, the leader, Louis Oosthuizen (who has yet to do anything notable outside of his double eagle) is set to hit his 2nd shot at the 13th. How will he respond to the recent developments around him?

4:39 p.m.- A strong 2nd shot at the 13th hole for Oosthuizen, setting himself up for what should be a long and delicate chip for his 3rd. Meanwhile, Phil Mickelson, who is a career 63 under par at the 13th in his career, hits his drive right down the middle. If there's any time for Phil to strike and reclaim the roars at Augusta, it would be at this very moment.

4:41 p.m.- Just a spectacular chip by Oosthuizen, with his ball going in and out of the flag pin. He may not be getting an eagle, but he has set himself up for a crucial putt to get back to leading by two strokes. Meanwhile, Westwood pars the 16th hole, remaining at -7.

4:44 p.m.- Birdie putt by Oosthuizen was a success. He's back at 9 under par for the first time since the 10th hole. Meanwhile, Oosthuizen's playing partner, Bubba Watson, gets a birdie of his own at the 13th, improving to 7 under par and staying within two shots of the lead. With 8 players within four strokes of the lead, this Masters Sunday has primed itself for yet another down-to-the-wire finish to come.

4:47 p.m.- Luck is clearly on the side of Peter Hanson in this back nine. First, he somehow manages to avoid the water at the 12th hole. Now, with his 2nd shots at the 13th hole, his ball escapes the hazard by hitting the rocks and bouncing itself out. 12 holes in, and the man still manages to keep himself in the tournament despite a poor start to the back nine.

4:50 p.m.- As expected, Mickelson works his charm at the 13th hole with a beautiful 2nd shot, setting himself up for a very make-able eagle attempt to get him within one stroke of Oosthuizen.

4:51 p.m.- Meanwhile, as this was happening:
-Harrington: birdies the 15th, gets himself into the group at -6
-Hanson: makes the green at the 13th bur fails to catch the green's slope, leaving him about 30 feet to get his birdie
-Oosthuizen: poor 2nd shot at the 14th, is most likely going to fight for par.
-Poulter: barely misses birdie attempt at the 17th, enters the final hole still at -6.

4:54 p.m.- No eagle for Mickelson at the 13th, but he does put himself within two of Oosthuizen by making the follow-up birdie. Meanwhile, Hanson survives the same hole with a par. That man needs something to get him right back into the tournament immediately, as he hasn't had a lot to be proud about in this round besides getting the most lucky breaks out of anyone still in contention.

4:56 p.m.- A very interesting moment just happened at the 14th hole. Despite having a difficult lie, Oosthuizen manages to save himself after a poor 2nd shot with a par down one of the hole's slope. Meanwhile, Watson just birdied the same hole, putting himself at solo possession of 2nd place with a score of 8 under par. Oosthuizen's lead has been cut once again to one stroke, and it's all thanks to his playing partner.

4:58 p.m.- A good 2nd shot by Kuchar at the 15th hole. He now has a putt of around 15 feet to take a share of the lead.

5:02 p.m.- We're at the top of the 5 o'clock hour, and we're getting closer and closer to finding out which of the eight current golfers in contention will take home the victory and the Green Jacket. As I have been doing every half hour, here is yet another updated look at the leaderboard:
1. Oosthuizen: -9 (14)
2. Watson: -8 (14)
3. Westwood: -7 (17)
3. Kuchar: -7 (15)
3. Mickelson: -7 (13)
6. Poulter: -6 (17)
6. Harrington: -6 (16)
6. Hanson: -6 (13)

5:03 p.m.- The eagle attempt by Kuchar is a success, putting himself at -9 for the tournament. For the first time since 1:55 p.m., somebody other than Louis Oosthuizen gets at least a share of the lead.

5:07 p.m.- It appears that Oosthuizen seeing Kuchar making the eagle attempt affected him, as his second shot at the 15th went right and nowhere else. Meanwhile, Watson's 2nd shot was a beauty, and he has a chance now for an eagle of his own, and solo possession of the lead. This should be interesting.

5:10 p.m.- Not a good start for Kuchar in his current title as Masters co-leader, with a bad tee shot at the 16th hole that puts his near the bunker at the far side of the flagpin. Oh well, at least he didn't hit the water.

5:11 p.m.- Ian Poulter bogeys the 18th hole, ending his round with a score of 69 and -5 overall for the tournament. Currently, he remains the leader at the clubhouse, but with Westwood (who's at -7) also at the 18th, I have a feeling that this lead of his will be ending very shortly.

5:12 p.m.- There is so much happening right now that I have to post something new every minute now! Anyways, Oosthuizen rebounded very well from his 2nd shot with a good save and a birdie putt to improve to 10 under. Watson, meanwhile, gets a birdie of his own at 15 under par. He's currently at 9 uunder, tied with Kuchar in second place.

5:14 p.m.- A great finish for Westwood, birdieing the 18th hole and posting a final round score of -8. This makes him the new clubhouse leader and the posts the minimum score that everyone still playing has to get in order to win. In other words, Mickelson (-7), along with Hanson and Harrington (all at -6) all needs things to go their way, and go their way quickly, in order to keep their dreams of a Green Jacket alive.

5:16 p.m.- Kuchar's poor tee shot at the 16th officially costs him as he heads into the hole with a bogey and a drop to 8 under par. Speaking of Kuchar, the two men in front of him (Oosthuizen and Watson) are all set to attempt tee shots at the 16th of their own...

5:20 p.m.- ...and they were fantastic (especially Watson's).

5:22 p.m.- Padraig Harrington misses his attempt to finish the 18th in two, so he's done. The amount of people who still has a chance of winning this tournament is now down to six (Oosthuizen, Watson, Kuchar, Westwood, Mickelson, Hanson).

5:23 p.m.- So, Watson gets his birdie at 16. He's now tied with the lead at -10. Now, let's see how Oosthuizen counters...

5:24 p.m.- No birdie for Oosthuizen. The tie for the lead at -10 remains, with the two leaders heading into the 17th tee. Meanwhile, Peter Hanson gets his first birdie of the round at the 15th, returning his score to -7. Mickelson is now at -8 after also birdieing the 15th. The leaderboard:
1. Oosthuizen: -10
1. Watson: -10
3. Mickelson: -8 (15)
3. Kuchar: -8 (16)
3. Westwood: -8 (F)
6. Hanson: -7 (15)

5:28 p.m.- Kuchar makes par at 17th. He currently still remains at -8. Does he still have left anything in him to gain some final ground at the 18th hole? Meanwhile, Watson hit his tee shot at 17 far right, much different compared to Oosthuizen, whose tee shot was right down the middle.

5:30 p.m.- Not a very good tee shot by Mickelson at the 16th. He hit it too far, and has about 30 feet left for a birdie. Not something that you want to have at this point. On the plus side, Oosthuizen's second shot went into the front bunker and Watson has a difficult birdie attempt of his own, so his chances to win aren't completely going downhill.

5:32 p.m.- Peter Hanson needs to birdie each of the final three hole in order to tie for the lead. So far, he's off to a very good start with a birdie attempt at the 16th hole that's less than 10 feet away.

5:34 p.m.- A good save from the bunker by Oosthuizen. Meanwhile, Mickelson pars the 16th hole to stay at -8.

5:35 p.m.- Golf: truly a game of inches, as shown by Watson's birdie putt at the 17th fails to go in through the back of the cup. Meanwhile, back at the 16th hole, Hanson had a similar situation of his own, with his birdie attempt also going in and out. At this point, it's safe to say that the chances of the tournament's 3rd round leader coming back and winning this tournament is slim to none.

5:38 p.m.- Pars at the 17th for both Oosthuizen and Watson. Seeing the way that some of the other contenders are performing, it looks like this tournament could very well be decided based on how well the two of them play the 72nd hole.

5:40 p.m.- So far, so good for our two leaders, as both of them each hit good tee shots of their own. Meanwhile, Matt Kuchar, who lost a share of the lead at the 16th hole not too long ago, has about 20 feet left for a must-make birdie at the 18th to get into 9 under par.

5:41 p.m.- Unfortunately for Kuchar, his birdie attempt at the 18th went left and stayed left, ruining any chance that he might have of taking solo possession of the clubhouse lead.

5:42 p.m.- On the bright side, Kuchar does make par, so at least he finishes the round at 8 under par. Unfortunately, with Oosthuizen and Watson playing the way they are, it appears that this day will end with him getting a tie for 3rd place at best, and haunting memories of that tee shot at 16.

5:45 p.m.- Oosthuizen's 2nd shot had the right read but was unfortunately hit way too hard. He has a difficult two putt left to go in this round. Watson, meanwhile? His 2nd shot was much better, but his birdie is still not guaranteed at this point. We might have our champion decided in the next five minutes. There's just the matter of seeing what these two talented golfers do at the 18th green.

5:48 p.m.- Oosthuizen is up first, followed by Watson. You could tell that Oosthuizen realizes the importance of this situation, as he's look at the attempted putt from every angle. Here we go...

5:49 p.m.- Good job by Oosthuizen. He doesn't make the putt, but he at least sets up a very make-able putt for par. And now, it's Bubba's turn...

5:50 p.m.- No birdie by Bubba, but he does make his par. He finishes his round at -10. The question now remains: will Oosthuizen join him at the clubhouse with the same score. You can cut the tension of this situation through a knife!

5:52 p.m.- Oosthuizen, for the tie...YES! The par putt is made! Oosthuizen ties Watson for the clubhouse lead at -10! We're going to go to a play-off to decide this thing! What a finish this 2012 Masters tournament has come to!

5:53 p.m.- Now that I've gotten myself calmed down, I should remind you that Phil Mickelson missed his biride putt at the 17th. He's the only other golfer with a chance to tie Oosthuizen and Watson and -10, but he needs an eagle to do so. Before you say anything, remember: in this round of action alone, we have seen both two hole-in-ones and the first double eagle since 1935. I'm not saying that Mickelson has a good chance. I'm saying that with the events that we have seen today, do not consider it to be impossible.

5:56 p.m.- Sadly, no eagle by Mickelson (although he does set up a make-able birdie attempt), so it means that only Oosthuizen and Watson will be playing in the sudden-death play-off. Still, you can't help but applausd Mickelson for his efforts this week. He started off the tournament poorly and ended it by getting within two strokes of the lead. You also have to give it up to Hanson. This was the closest that he's ever been in a major, and to end the tournament in the top six is a great accomplishment nonetheless. Hopefully, this won't be the only time that we see Hanson within contention of a major championship.

6:00 p.m.- Mickelson pars the 18th, while Hanson birdies. Both of them end the tournament at 8 under, tied for third place along with Lee Westwood and Matt Kuchar. Regulation play is over. The only thing left to decide is the champion, and that will come with a sudden death play-off beginning at hole no. 18. So, who's it going to be: the South African and former British Open champion who recorded the first televised double eagle in the tournament's history, or the American trying to win his first major in ten years as a pro? Sorry, "60 Minutes" fans. You're going to have to wait, because we've got a Major Champion to decide!

6:04 p.m.- For the record, I have no rooting interest in this play-off. I'm just a neutral bystander, watching another terrific Masters finish end in the first playoff since 2009, and I know that I'm not the only one.

6:07 p.m.- Both Oosthuizen and Watson enter the 18th tee, which I just learned right now is nicknamed "Holly." Watson has chosen to tee-off first, preferring to intimidate Oosthuizen rather than to wait. The shot is perfect, and right down the middle.Now, it's Louis' turn. mj50 notices that he's looking very nervous at the tee. Will those nerves affect his strike in any way?

6:08 p.m.- Nope. Oosthuizen also hits a good tee shot, albeit more closer to the fairway bunkers, but still on the fairway nonetheless.

6:11 p.m.- It's Oosthuizen who's going first with his 2nd shot, from 251 yards away. He hits it much better than in regulation, getting a lie similar to the one that Mickelson had not too long ago. Next up is Bubba, and he also hits a beautiful approach, only his birdie putt will much at a much closer distance. Both men receive the cheers from the crowd at 18 (as they should) as they're set to attempt one of the biggest putts of their lives.

6:17 p.m.- Oosthuizen's birdie attempt was read correctly, but unfortunately missed by inches. And now, it's Watson with his birdie attempt and a chance to win. Will see the 2012 Masters champion crowned her and now? Watson sets himself up to putt...

6:18 p.m.- ...and he also barely misses it! Incredible!

6:19 p.m.- And so, just when you think that this day couldn't get any more exciting, it's off to the second sudden-death playoff we go!

6:20 p.m.- No sudden death playoff in Masters history has ever lasted longer than two holes. And would you believe it, on the 10th hole (one of the toughest holes all week), both men hit their tee shots far right! It's like the 17th hole all over again! At this point, I'm just simply running out of adjectives to describe the events that is happening right now.

6:24 p.m.- After three quick commercial breaks by CBS, we're right back into the action. Oosthuizen appears to have a much better lie for his 2nd shot than Watson. Oosthuizen's ball kicked back out of the woods into the rightside rough, while Watson is all the way into the trees. The only advantage that Watson has is that he's slightly closer to the pin.

6:26 p.m.- From 231 yards, Oosthuizen hits what could be best described as an underwhelming shot: short, and a few feet away from the green to set up a difficult chip shot. Watson's shot, however, was one that could be best described as magical. From the trees, he manages to not only hit it onto the green, but he now has a birdie attempt of less than 15 feet to win the whole thing. After playing so evenly these last few holes, it's Watson with the first major advantage between the two.

6:31 p.m.- It appears that Oosthuizen's chances have finally run out, as his attempt at a birdie chip-in fails, as well as his following par attempt. So, now, here's Watson with a chance to win. He's gotten opportunities to take the overall lead quite a few times in the last half hour. Is this the moment where he finally seals the deal by getting the ball in the hole within two putts?

6:33 p.m.- He gets it in two! Bubba Watson pars the hole, and with this officially becomes this year's Masters champion! And now Watson is celebrating, first by hugging his mom and then his golfing pals Ben Crane, Rickie Fowler, and all the other members of the Golf Boys. A fantastic ending to a fantastic day of golf.

6:37 p.m.- So, congratulations to Bubba Watson on his victory, and congratulations to Louis Oosthuizen on giving him a hell of a fight. All that's left now is for the official presentation of the Green Jacket. But before that happens, here is one final look at the 2012 leaderboard, complete with the list of the golfers who finished in the top 16 and, as a result, have earned themselves an automatic berth into next year's tournament:
1. Bubba Watson: -10 (winner in playoff)
2. Louis Oosthuizen: -10
3. Lee Westwood: -8
3. Phil Mickelson: -8
3. Matt Kuchar: -8
3. Peter Hanson: -8
7. Ian Poulter: -5
8. Adam Scott: -4
8. Justin Rose: -4
8. Padraig Harrington: -4
11. Jim Furyk: -3
12. Kevin Na: -2
12. Graeme McDowell: -2
12. Sergio Garcia: -2
12. Fred Couples: -2
12. Hunter Mahan: -2

6:46 p.m.- The Green Jacket has been handed down to Watson. The usual cheesy ceremony at Butler Cabin has been completed. And with that, my coverage of the 2012 Masters tournament is done. Thank you so much for reading along with me, and I hope that you've enjoyed the action today. I know I enjoyed it! Enjoy the rest of your Easter!

Sincerely,
Your pal: mj15






If you have any opinions on today's post, or if you just have any suggestions or tips for my next blog entry, e-mail me at: mj1599@aol.com. Your e-mails are greatly appreciated.

The 2012 Masters Final Round LIVE! Blog: Part One

After a magnificent back nine on Saturday, three-time Masters champion finds himself just one shot back of the lead heading into this year's final round.

Good afternoon, everybody! Hope that you've been enjoying your Easter Sunday thus far. You know, it's been far too long since I've gotten the chance to live blog anything. And with today being the final round of the Masters Tournament, one of the best days in all of golf (and all of sports, really), I figured that now would be the time to break this drought. Plus, I've been doing a live blog of the Masters' final round for the past two years now, so I also thought that it would've been a good idea to do it just for continuity's sake.

Anyways, It's setting up to be another very interesting finish. Yesterday, for instance, there were eight different players who had at least a share of the lead, and today with we start the day with a leaderboard that includes four different major champions and seven different Top 25 players in the top ten alone. Every Masters Sunday has also had its share of memorable moments (remember how good last year's tournament was, for instance?). What will be the things that we will be talking about by the time that this day is over? Will there be any surprising rallies, any disappointing collapses? Will there be another surprising victor this time around, or will an experienced veteran hold on and show that they've still got the goods to win one of the sport's biggest events? Personally, I'm already excited just thinking about it! So, without further ado, let's put on our best patron faces, and watch to see how the rest of this afternoon unfolds:

12:30 p.m. CDT- We're officially thirty minutes away from CBS' coverage of the event. In the meantime, here's the first of many updates of the leaderboard just as the majority of the final groups are set to tee off:
1. Peter Hanson: -9 (1:40 p.m. CDT start time)
2. Phil Mickelson: -8 (1:40 p.m. CDT start time)
3. Louis Oosthuizen: -7 (1:30 p.m. CDT start time)
4. Bubba Watson: -6 (1:30 p.m. CDT start time)
5. Matt Kuchar: -5 (1:20 p.m. CDT start time)
6. Hunter Mahan: -4 (1:20 p.m. CDT start time)
6. Henrik Stenson: -4 (1:10 p.m. CDT start time)
6. Padraig Harrington: -4 (1:10 p.m. CDT start time)
6. Lee Westwood: -4 (1 p.m. CDT start time)
10. Paul Lawrie: -3 (1 p.m. CDT start time)

Obviously, we're all interested to see if Mickelson can become only the fourth player to win a fourth Green Jacket after having what can be best described as a very disappointing performance in round 1. Considering his history at this event these last few days and his success at the back nine, I have him as the favorite to win the tournament even if he is only one shot back.

I'm also interested in seeing if Hanson can continue to play consistent golf in this round and not fall to the pressure of this event. He may be the 25th best ranked player in the world, but he's only won five pro tournaments in his career while never finishing better than 7th in any major tournament. Now, he's going up against one of the best players of his generation in the final pairing of the day with the spotlight all on him. Will he be able to handle it? Right now, I'm not so sure about that. At this point, I have a better feeling that we're likely to see Oosthuizen, Watson, Kuchar, Mahan, Harrington, or fellow Swede Henrik Stenson win than him. Hope that he proves me wrong, though!

12:35 p.m.- There isn't anything new to tell you at this point, so I guess I'll just give you a look at the weather conditions for this afternoon. So far, judging from the Weather.com projections and from the live feeds that The Masters' website has of both Amen Corner and holes 15-16, it appears that we're set for what should be another beautiful, sunny Sunday afternoon at Augusta, with temperatures in the high 70s and low 80s. The winds should be a tad bit high, with projections of it appearing to be between 10-15 mph, so expect that to factor into play.

12:40 p.m.- Leading up to the coverage of the final round, CBS is currently re-airing highlights from the final round of the '87 Masters, the ones in which Larry Mize upset both Greg Norman and Seve Ballesteros (then numbers 1 and 2 in the world) to win the tournament in sudden death with this fantastic shot. In a related note, poor Greg Norman. That guy has been so close to the Masters in a number of occasions, yet always lost (usually in the most embarrassing of fashions). He's probably the only great golfer that I could think of, outside of Phil Mickelson, who is probably just as much famous for his major championship losses as he is for his victories.

12:42 p.m.- My father, who I've been referring in this blog as mj50, has joined me in watching the final round this year and for the first time since 2010. As a big Phil Mickelson fan, he's obviously going to root for him to win today. Personally? I'm rooting to see Westwood take this one. The guy has usually finished well in Majors these past few years (seven Top 10 finishes since 2008), yet has never been the one to win it all.

12:47 p.m.- Checking at the leaderboard just before the 1 p.m. TV starting time, no one who is currently playing on the course has yet to make a serious move on the leaderboard. Everyone who has already teed off is currently at -1 or worse. Bo Van Pelt, who was one of the players in serious contention on Masters Sunday one year ago, is currently at Even following a -7 round that even includes a hole-in-one at the 16th hole. He now has a chance to finish the tournament with a 64. All he needs is a birdie at the 18th. If anything, his round today proves that the conditions of the course today does give players that are at 4 shots back or worse a chance to gain some ground later on.

12:53 p.m.- Van Pelt birdies at the 18th hole, finishing at -1 in the tournament and completing a final round score of 64. A bit too late to get in contention, as he started the round at 7 over, but still really impressive nonetheless. He did tie the low score for a Sunday round, after all! Meanwhile, there is approximately seven minutes left to go before CBS officially starts their coverage of the event. The countdown is on.

12:55 p.m.- Five minutes left!

12:59 p.m.- One minute left!

1:00 p.m.- Alright, it's 1 o'clock. Time to set in the mood...



1:05 p.m.- Adam Scott and '92 Masters champion Fred Couples birdie at the 10th and 2nd hole respectively, putting them at 3 under and in the top ten. Meanwhile, CBS is finally showing the highlight to Van Pelt's impressive performance. The man is now in a tie for 17th. A spot in the top 16 and an automatic berth for next year's Masters is still within his grasp. Let's hope that his effort in this round gets rewarded with that, at least.

1:08 p.m.- A rare Tiger Woods highlight in this year's Masters, as he birdies at the 13th hole to get into 4 over. After starting with an even par first round, Woods took a tumble in the second round and hasn't rebounded since. Looks like the "Tiger's back" comments that has re-appeared in great force after his victory at Bay Hill two weeks ago is going to take a bit of a break for the next few weeks.

1:14 p.m.- Sean O'Hair, like Couples, birdies the 2nd to take himself into the group at 3 under par. Meanwhile, Lee Westwood starts his final round with a bogey at the first. Meanwhile, CBS is showing the opening tee shots that Palmer, Nicklaus, and Player had on Thursday morning for what must be the dozenth time. Did I mention that Mickelson watched those opening tee shots take place on Thursday? Don't worry, Jim Nantz will probably tell you this at least four more times by the time that this day is finished with.

1:16 p.m.- Speaking of Jim Nantz, here he is right now going through his usual "Hello, friends" routine and introducing himself in his famous syrupy voice, along with the day's main analyst, Sir Nick Faldo, the three time Green Jacket recipient.

1:20 p.m.- CBS's 15th hole announcer, David Feherty (who also started a talk show on the Golf Channel not too long ago) makes a case for last year's Masters being one of the best. Can't disagree with that, as last year's final round was pretty phenomenal (I mean, just look at all the hyperboles I gave out during last year's live blog for proof). Speaking of last year's Masters, Charl Schwartzel just completed his final round and goes to the clubhouse at a disappointing +8.

1:26 p.m.- Another birdie for O'Hair, this time coming at the 3rd hole. He's currently put himself in the group at -4 now, and among the groups of golfers in-contention. Meanwhile, more bad luck for Tiger, as he hits it in the water at the 13th hole. This has been the most surprising aspect of Tiger's game this week: his struggles at the par 5s, which are usually the holes that he has done the best at.

1:33 p.m.- As the Mickelson/Hanson pairing is set to tee off, Louis Oosthuizen hits a good second shot at the 1st hole to set up a decent chance for birdie. Meanwhile, Westwood birdies the 2nd to get himself back into 4 under while Mahan bogeys to start off his round.

1:37 p.m.- Nick Faldo is talking about visualizing curves. I don't know why I felt the need to record this. And yet, I'm doing it anyway. Right now. And...it's done.

1:41 p.m.- Good tee shots down the middle for both Mickelson and Hanson to start off their rounds. There are no more golfers left to tee off in this final round. Meanwhile, it appears that the pressure has gone to Watson early. He threw a tantrum after hitting his second shot at the first, and now finishes the hold with a bogey to take him down to 5 under, the same score as Matt Kuchar.

1:43 p.m.- Correction: the same group as Matt Kuchar AND Padraig Harrington, as the three time major championship birdies the 2nd to also take him to 5 under par. I have a feeling that this is a guy who will be quite a prominent challenger heading into the back nine.

1:50 p.m.- The first signs of Hanson's jitters, as he hits a poor 3rd shot at the 1st from one side of the green to another. He'll be battling for bogey. Speaking of bogeys, Mickelson putts a very soft shot in what can be described as a poor misread. It appears that he will be battling to stay at even par for this round as well.

1:55 p.m.- For only the fourth time in Masters history, and for the first time ever at the 2nd hole, a golfer hits a double eagle. That's right: A DOUBLE EAGLE. That man was Louis Oosthuizen. Not only that, but Oosthuizen's albatross has just skyrocketed himself to solo possession at the lead, from -7 to -10. What a moment!

1:57 p.m.- Another fun fact about Oosthuizen's albatross: it was also the first one to ever be televised. So, even if Oosthuizen doesn't pull off the victory, at least he will go away from this knowing that he made history today, nonetheless.

1:59 p.m.- The best part of Oosthuizen's shot, though? The fact that he took the ball that he struck, now instantly one of the most famous struck golf balls in the sport's history, and just threw it to the stands.

2:01 p.m.- Mickelson takes par at the 1st hole, while Hanson bogeys. Both now enter the 2nd hole at -8. I can only imagine the reaction they will have once they hear about what Oosthuizen did a group ahead of them.

2:16 p.m.- Apologies for the ten minute delay. Occasionally, I will either be flipping between this final round and today's Bulls/Knicks game. Also, there are times when I might even be experiencing some labtop problems. Either way, I will try to minimize these long gaps without any updates going forward. Anyways, here's all of the important stuff that happened since I was gone:
-A good par putt at the 3rd hole by Oosthuizen to keep himself in the lead at 10 under par.
- Par putts for both Mickelson and Hanson, keeping them both at -8 and two shots back of the lead.
-Matt Kuchar, a Georgia native himself, birdies the 3rd hole. He improves his score to -6.
-CBS tries to remind you once again about how rare of a moment Oosthuizen's double eagle was, playing a segment about Sarazen's 1935 double eagle that got a bridge named after him on the Augusta course. I wonder how long they've been storing that video just so they could use it for precisely this moment.

2:19 p.m.- Apparently, Adam Scott just had a hole-in-one on the 16th hole to take himself to 3 under par. Unfortunately, CBS has yet to show it, and has only mentioned it in passing with David Feherty pointing out a huge roar that disrupted Bubba Watson from making his birdie attempt at the 3rd hole.

2:23 p.m.- Birdies for both Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter at the 6th hole, which put them both in the group at -4. Meanwhile, still no sign of CBS replaying the Scott hole-in-one. I guess they're just punishing those who didn't feel like watching the Masters.com feeds of the 15th and 16th holes.

2:27 p.m.- Oosthuizen makes his first bogey of the day, dropping to -9. Mickelson misses a birdie attempt at the 3rd hole, settling for par and is now one back of Oosthuizen. Meanwhile, Hanson bogeys the 3rd. He continues to drop, now three shots back of the lead. The current look at the leaderboard:
1. Oosthuizen: -9 (4)
2. Mickelson: -8 (3)
3. Hanson: -7 (3)
4. Kuchar: -6 (4)
4. Watson: -6 (3)
6. Harrington: -5 (5)

2:30 p.m.- Adam Scott continues his late rally, birdieing the 17th hole after his hole-in-one at the 16th, which puts himself along with Harrington at 5 under par. Meanwhile, Mickelson hits an absolutely disastrous 2nd shot at the 4th hole, with the ball hooking, hitting the stands, and then bouncing into the woods behind it. His chances of surviving the hole with a par does not look good.

2:33 p.m.- So, after much delay, CBS finally replays Adam Scott's hole-in-one, the second of the day after Bo Van Pelt did it in route to his final round 64. Took them long enough!

2:36 p.m.- Mickelson struggles to get the ball out of the woods at the 4th, and now needs to get it out of the bunker to save double bogey. Meanwhile, here is a clip of Oosthuizen's albatross for all those who missed it, or just want to see it again.



2:43 p.m.- Mickelson misses the bunker shot, and has to settle for a triple bogey. His terrible shot at the 2nd hole costs himself big time, as he now drops to -5 and a tie for 6th. Meanwhile, both Watson and Harrington birdies to tie with Hanson at -7, two shots back of Oosthuizen. Still plenty of golf to play, folks.

2:45 p.m.- Tiger Woods' disappointing performance at Augusta comes to an end with a birdie at the 18th hole, putting him at an overall score of +5 for the tournament. His quest to win a 15th major will have to continue for another two and a half months.

2:46 p.m.- More poorly recorded video of earlier events! Here is the hole-in-one that Van Pelt made at the 16th hole just a little bit over two hours ago. When Adam Scott's hole-in-one becomes available, I will try to post it as well.



UPDATE: And now, here's Adam Scott's hole-in-one:



2:49 p.m.- Unfortunately, I'm going to have to take a 15 minute break, for there is Chinese takeout at my home in need of being in my stomach. See you then!

3:04 p.m.- And...I'm back! Here's a recap of all of the major things that happened while I was gone:
-Matt Kuchar: Birdies the 7th hole, moves up to -7
-Ian Poulter: Birdies the 9th hole, moves up to -5
-Adam Scott: Pars the 18th hole, takes the clubhouse lead with -4
-Lee Westwood: Bogeys the 8th hole, moves back to -4

And now, another quick recap of the leaderboard:
1. Oosthuizen: -9 (7)
2. Kuchar: -7 (7)
2. Watson: -7 (7)
2. Hanson: -7 (6)
5. Harrington: -6 (8)
6. Poulter: -5 (9)
6. Mickelson: -5 (6)
8. Scott: -4 (F)
8. Westwood: -4 (8)
8. Mahan: -4 (8)

3:09 p.m.- So, Hanson misses a chance to get within one of Oosthuizen, missing his birdie attempt at the 6th. He currently remains in the three-way tie at 7 under par. So far, no big developments to make note of. I, will, however, show you the photo that I took personally of Mickelson's difficult lie in the woods following his horrendous shot at the 4th hole:












Yikes.

3:17 p.m.- Oosthuizen drives it right down the middle at the par 5 eighth hole. Meanwhile, Hanson now has a 2nd consecutive attempt for a birdie at the 7th hole. He missed his chance to make a birdie at the 6th. Will he be able to make one this time?

3:20 p.m.- Nope. Hanson misses yet again. Once more, he remains two shots back of Oosthuizen. Meanwhile, Mickelson saves par at the 7th as well, but that 4th hole still haunts him as he yet again remains at -5 and four shots back of the lead.

3:23 p.m.- Congratulations to 20 year old Patrick Cantlay for finishing this year's tournament with the top amateur score at +7! I hope to see more success from him in the future.

3:25 p.m.- With three hours in the bag of my Masters final round LIVE! blog, I'm deciding to split this thing into two. If you want to continue reading this, join me in part 2, which should begin in about five minutes. Otherwise, thanks for reading!

Sincerely,
Your pal: mj15






If you have any opinions on today's post, or if you just have any suggestions or tips for my next blog entry, e-mail me at: mj1599@aol.com. Your e-mails are greatly appreciated.

End of the Week: 04/01/12- 04/07/12

END OF THE WEEK:

It's the evening before Easter, the annual day of the year where most Christians commemorate the resurrection of their Lord by hiding egged-shaped goodies and asking children to find them. Or, something like that, whatever. But until then, how's about a fresh "End of the Week" column for you to enjoy? The following are the moments that I selected to be the best of the week beginning on April 1st, 2012:

Prank of the Week (Since Sunday was April Fools Day): The Criterion Collection
Sunday was full of its usual doses of playful gags around the Web to commemorate the annual occasion, from Funny or Die (who redesigned their website specifically to include only videos of actress Charlize Theron doing stuff on their front page) to even the BBC News' website. But, if you ask me, the winner of the best prank on April Fool's Day goes to home video distributor The Criterion Collection, a company often known for releasing important classic and contemporary films for home viewing, for announcing that they will releasing what they call the "landmark" Ivan Reitman 1990 film "Kindergarten Cop" to DVD and Blu-Ray. This is what the company's press release had to say about this decision:

"Historically, the policier and the family comedy were two distinct categories. Then, in 1990, Kindergarten Cop gave us all a lesson in genre revisionism. With muscular sensitivity, Hollywood's last action hero Arnold Schwarzenegger embodies detective John Kimble, who is compelled to go undercover as a teacher of five-year-olds in order to catch a ponytailed drug dealer."

Well played, Criterion, although I'm not sure why it decided to release this film before "Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead." Now that's a true comedic masterpiece in need of its stamp of approval.

Stories of the Week:
-The Actual Story of the Week: Mitt Romney Wins Primaries in Maryland, Washington D.C., and Wisconsin
And so, with his lead over Santorum and Gingrich in the delegate counts widening, the former Massachusetts governor has now taken another big step in his quest for the nomination. And with so many new members of the Republican elite now flocking left and right to give him their endorsements, it seems now more likelier than ever that a non-brokered convention with Romney as the clear nominee is going to happen. All Romney needs, according to pundits now to seal the deal is with a victory in Pennsylvania. Anti-Romney conservatives, prepare to start following Stephen Colbert's lead any moment now.
-The Tiger Woods Saga of '09 Memorial Story of the Week: Google Unveils 'Project Glass'
Great, just another piece of technology that will drive us into unnecessary accidents!

Firing of the Week: General Service Administrations' Chief Martha N. Johnson
who was fired after news reports came out over the exact details of what can be best described as a really extravagant conference in October 2010. Gee, from all that spending, I wonder if any of those guys are at any related to Jean-Ralphio from "Parks and Recreations."

Video of the Week: "Pugs Performing Bone-Thugs-N-Harmony's 1st of Da Month"
My reaction: http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kwzpc4w1LI1qb08qmo1_500.jpg

BONE PUGZ from Bone Pugz on Vimeo.

Person of the Week: Iraq War Veteran Jeremy Feldbusch
A fine ceremonial first pitch if I ever saw one.

And that's the way it was! Enjoy the rest of your weekend, everyone!
Sincerely,
Your pal: mj15






If you have any opinions on today's post, or if you just have any suggestions or tips for my next blog entry, e-mail me at: mj1599@aol.com. Your e-mails are greatly appreciated.