Picture courtesy AP

Woods makes his highly anticipated return to golf, announcing on Tuesday his return to the Masters. The golf world is abuzz wondering if the four-time champion will finally trade in his velvet robe for the jacket once again.

According to Augusta.com:

“The major championships have always been a special focus in my career and, as a professional, I think Augusta is where I need to be, even though it’s been a while since I last played,” Woods said.

Although Tiger has been away from golf for some time, he’s no stranger to the club. We can also expect him to be much stronger putting from the rough, having worked diligently on his stamina, visiting holes from NY to LA.

Once Tiger hits the links we can only hope that our attention-deficit media takes their focus off his personal life and focuses on more important things like Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson.

While he may forget the names of his mistresses, Tiger won’t be forgetting that he’s number one. Come time for the Masters, he will make us forget their names too.

-Zach Superior

If the New Jersey Devils get past the Pittsburgh Penguins in the playoffs, they will have beaten the defending Stanley Cup champions 10 times.

If the New Jersey Devils get past the Pittsburgh Penguins in the playoffs, they will have beaten the defending Stanley Cup champions 10 times.

Whether it translates into postseason success remains to be seen.

“We hope so,” goalie Martin Brodeur said. “If it gives us any edge on them later on, well good.”

New Jersey vaulted into a first-place tie with the Penguins. Both teams have 87 points, but the Devils have played one fewer game. Fans chanted “You can’t beat us!” as the final seconds ticked down.

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

All-Star shortstop Jose Reyes has been told to rest and refrain from athletic activity for two to eight weeks until his thyroid levels normalize, another blow to the New York Mets before Opening Day.

Center fielder Carlos Beltran already is expected to miss the first month of the season following right knee surgery Jan. 13. Reyes likely will be starting the season on the disabled list as well.

“It doesn’t look good right now.” Mets general manager Omar Minaya said Thursday. “We will have to prepare for that.”

Reyes has been diagnosed with an overactive thyroid, and his levels were elevated after he exercised Monday and Tuesday. Although he initially thought he might be able to return after a few days, he will have to stop working out and will remain at home.

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

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All-Star closer Francisco Rodriguez returned to New York Mets camp on Monday after being hampered by conjunctivitis for more than two weeks.

Rodriguez had been told to stay away from the team until the pink eye cleared, but the contagious infection took longer than expected to improve. He was sick when he reported to New York’s spring facility, but it went undiagnosed until just before full-squad workouts began Feb. 25.

The right-hander said he went to the doctor on Friday and was cleared to return Monday, although he still is infected. He continues to take eye drops and isn’t allowed to wear contacts yet.

“It feels much better,” Rodriguez said. “It’s still a little uncomfortable, but it’s good to be around. I was cleared to be around the guys, so it’s fine.”

While away from the team, Rodriguez was limited to playing catch with his brother, Edward, in the driveway of the closer’s home. But Rodriguez is not worried about his progress. He said he probably only needs one bullpen session before pitching in a game, and is looking forward to getting back into a regular routine.

Rodriguez last stepped on a mound about a week ago when he emerged from hiding for a light bullpen session.

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

Alex Rodriguez says he is “at ease, no matter what” with his relationship with a Canadian sports doctor embroiled in a cross-border drug smuggling investigation involving human growth hormone and another drug.

Rodriguez told reporters Tuesday at the Yankees spring training complex that he still does not know when he will be interviewed by federal authorities. The slugger said last week he was “aware” of the investigation and plans to cooperate with the government.

When asked if he is choosing not to talk or has been told not to speak, Rodriguez laughed and says he “thinks the latter.”

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

It was either an itchy trigger finger or some newly discovered Canadian mean streak that caused highlights of Canada’s Olympic glory – culminating, of course, in Sidney Crosby’s overtime goal against the United States – to be displayed during “The Star-Spangled Banner” in this rink Tuesday night.

Something less than a gracious welcome. But then, Ryan Callahan wasn’t the most polite guest, either.

Fresh off his first Olympic Games and the stinging loss to Canada that he called “the best game I’ve ever played in,” Callahan played one of his finest games this season, scoring twice in a four-goal second period that carried the Blueshirts to a 4-1 season-reopening victory over the Senators. The game was the Rangers’ first in 16 days, but technically it was their third straight win and fourth in five games – a mini-surge that, who knows, might tempt cap-strapped Glen Sather into purchase mode ahead of today’s 3 p.m. trade deadline.

If things are going to break right for the Rangers in the final six weeks of the regular season, there were omens good and bad last night. The good was their 60-minute effort following the long layoff, and their second-period outburst that started with Callahan’s highlight-reel tally 22 seconds in and including scores from Brandon Dubinsky and Sean Avery.

Click here to read the full article – By New York Daily News

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Want to sum up the last few years for Rick DiPietro and the Islanders?

The goalie entered the NHL’s two-week Olympic break with his surgically repaired knee in good shape and not having missed a practice due to injury since returning on Jan. 6. And now, on the eve of the team’s return to the ice tonight against Chicago at the Coliseum, he’s out indefinitely with swelling in the knee.

Still, the 28-year-old was not terribly discouraged by the news, saying tests showed yesterday that everything is fine structurally with the knee.

“It’s precautionary,” DiPietro said after returning to the team’s practice facility after practice, where he worked out. “After seven or eight days off, to kick it back into full gear might have irritated it a little bit. There’s nothing major to report, just the stuff that goes along with the territory of coming back from a serious injury.”

DiPietro reported he had no problems after Sunday’s practice, which he participated in fully, but that his knee stiffened late Sunday and yesterday morning.

Click here to read the full article – By New York Post

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Martin Brodeur noted that the Olympic gold medal he picked up in Vancouver on Sunday is larger and heavier than the one he won with Canada in 2002.

That’s because he sat on the bench as the backup to Roberto Luongo for the last four games, including Sunday’s 3-2 overtime win over the U.S. in the gold-medal game.

“It’s hard,” Brodeur said Monday after rejoining his Devils’ teammates in San Jose to prepare for tonight’s season reopener against the Sharks. “When you don’t play, you don’t feel as much a part of the team. I really embraced it as much as I could because I think this was the right thing to do.”

It might be difficult for some to come back from the emotional experience of the Olympics, but Brodeur doesn’t believe that will be a problem for him.

“It’s been over for a week for me, so I’m not in an Olympic mode, that’s for sure,” he said. “I’m excited to get back. This is our family. This is what we do.”

Click here to read the full article – By Bergen Record

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