Golf playoff captivates the newsroom

By Ron Kantowski

Monday, June 16, 2008 | 10:24 p.m.

NOW

Thwap, thwap, thwap, thwap, thwap, thwap ... then, silence. Followed by an "oooh" or an "ohhh."

If you work in corporate America, this was the soundtrack of your Monday. You didn't need to have the volume turned up on the TV to follow the playoff between Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate at the U.S. Open. All you had to do was listen to your co-workers.

When the thwap, thwap, thwap -- the sound of fingers striking keyboard -- ceased, it meant one of the players was about to take a shot. The silence transpired as golf balls flew on majestic arcs toward their intended targets -- or not. There was an "oooh" if they landed where they were supposed to; an "ohhh" if they didn't.

It went on like that for 19 holes. One dramatic twist followed by another dramatic turn.

Then Dr. Phil's face came on the screen, and corporate America began to whir once again like a well-oiled machine.

----- If you have a real good memory, or called in sick that day, you may recall that Rocco Mediate was a member of the PGA team that won the Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge at Lake Las Vegas in 2000. His playing partners were Phil Mickelson and the nearly forgotten Notah Begay III.

----- Thanks to all the readers who called or e-mailed to point out the bridge that twisted in the wind in that famous film clip was the Tacoma Narrows Bridge -- and not the Golden Gate Bridge, as I stated in a Monday story about a banked roller derby track collapsing in a wind storm. Several who called or e-mailed were from Tacoma, only one called me an idiot and most seemed genuinely proud of the fact that "Galloping Gertie," as the bridge was affectionately known, collapsed in a smoldering heap into the Narrows on Nov. 7, 1940. I guess the Museum of Glass just isn't cutting it anymore, and the Toyota Tacoma hasn't been getting the same mileage since gas went to four bucks a gallon.

----- The top five teams in the Pacific Coast League in attendance this year are Sacramento, Round Rock, Memphis, Albuquerque and Fresno. Each plays in a ballpark less than eight years old. The 51s are 10th in attendance. They play in a ballpark that is 25 years old. Draw your own conclusion.

----- UNLV is charging $5 more for tickets to the Rebels' home football game against Nevada-Reno, and $2 more for Iowa State. A whole $2. Maybe Roni Deutch will settle a case for that much, but it's not like UNLV is gonna solve its budget problems by charging an extra $2 to see a bad Big 12 team.

----- In 2001, a car driven by Alex Tagliani, who makes his home in Las Vegas, collided with a car driven by Alex Zanardi in a Champ Car race in Germany. Zanardi was lucky to survive although he lost both of his legs in the terrible accident. Last weekend, Zanardi won a World Touring Car Championship race overseas. It was his third WTCC victory since he lost his legs. While the TV announcers say Tiger Woods has courage for playing golf on a bum knee -- and courage, I suppose, is relative and lies in the eye of the beholder -- playing in pain is different than playing or, in this case driving, without legs. At least in the eye of this beholder.

THEN

In 1967, after he won the 24 hours of Le Mans with A.J. Foyt, Dan Gurney spontaneously sprayed champagne while celebrating on the victory podium. Dry cleaners everywhere still owe him big-time for that.