Meister der Farbe » Harrison, the hurdler who br

1. A Labor Day finish?The idea of ending the season earlier was broached with PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem, and he did not slam the door on it. He left it open, and so why not at least put a foot in there and keep it from closing?There have been rumblings of late that the PGA Tour has discussed the idea of having just three FedEx Cup playoff events and ending the season on Labor Day weekend -- the reason clearly being that if you want to avoid football season, you might as well avoid football season. (Saturdays third round of the Tour Championship, for example, is being moved up to accommodate Notre Dame football.)When the FedEx Cup format was unveiled 10 years ago, the idea was to bring closure to a long PGA Tour season and end it with a series of meaningful tournaments with the top players while also getting out of the way of football.The problem, of course, is the past three playoff events this year and most years go up against college football and the last two against the NFL. The BMW Championship, played on the opening week of the NFL season, had some poor television ratings, and sponsors like BMW are not in the habit of paying $10 million plus for those kinds of numbers.So the possibility exists, even if it is a long way from happening.I wouldnt rule out changes, but at this point in time, I wouldnt assume changes either, Finchem said.2. Moving the PGA ChampionshipAmong the numerous things that would have to occur to make a Labor Day finish possible is moving the PGA Championship out of its August time slot. That is not going to be easy, and there is no indication the PGA of America even wants to do it. But the PGA has suffered at times in August as the smell of football is in the air, and a move to May might be just what it needs.Of course, that would impact the PGA Tours own Players Championship, which moved to May in 2007 to mixed results. The idea was to give golf one big tournament a month from April through August and move the Players away from the Masters. But there have been further rumblings that the tour is not necessarily opposed to going back to March, which would make this possibility more realistic.If all of this came to pass -- and were talking at least a few years down the road potentially -- The Open would be the season-ending major in July. The PGA Tour would then have more time to conduct a few events prior to a three-tournament playoff run that concludes on Labor Day and then leaves the stage to football. And the PGA Tour still must negotiate a new deal with FedEx -- or another title sponsor -- starting in 2018.3. Remembering the pastTen years ago, the Tour Championship at East Lake was played in early November, and was notable because both Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson skipped it. The schedule after the PGA Championship consisted of roughly 10 tournaments with little interest and little build-up to the end of the season, which sort of withered away. Thats why the FedEx Cup was conceived.It was to give some definition to what a PGA Tour season is, Finchem said. If you recall, before the Cup, we are ending way into the football season. We had different things end at different times. That wasnt any definition to it. What did a season mean? Well, if a season doesnt mean that much to the fan, to the media, then its more difficult to market. [Now] its tied together and theres a definitive end.The tour, perhaps, might consider working on the beginning. The 2017 season starts just 18 days after the Tour Championship ends, with what still remains a controversial wraparound schedule. Finding a way to give fans a reason to miss golf remains another topic for discussion.4. Ryder Cup practiceNot only did several members of the U.S. Ryder Cup team practice at Hazeltine on Monday -- Jordan Spieth, Mickelson, Brandt Snedeker, Jimmy Walker, Brooks Koepka, Rickie Fowler -- but so, too, were three hopeful picks of Davis Love III in Bubba Watson, Justin Thomas and Daniel Berger.5. European prepSeven members of Darren Clarkes European Ryder Cup team played at the Italian Open, with varying results, perhaps the most satisfying for Masters champion Danny Willett, who has had a mostly mediocre run since claiming the green jacket in April. He finished one shot back of winner?Francesco Molinari.The others in the Italian Open field who are competing at Hazeltine were?Rafael Cabrera Bello?(tied for 12th), Matthew Fitzpatrick (T16), Martin Kaymer (T20), Andy Sullivan (T20), Chris Wood (T20) and Lee Westwood (missed cut).Rory McIlroy is the only European Ryder Cup team member at the Tour Championship. Kaymer and Thomas Pieters are competing at the Porsche European Open in Germany.6. Missing: Two major championsThe Tour Championship is without two major winners from 2016, Masters winner Willett and Open champion Henrik Stenson. Willett, who also plays on the European Tour, became a member of the PGA Tour after his Masters win but elected to skip the first playoff event, the Barclays, and did not qualify for the remaining events. Stenson didnt make it to the Tour Championship when he fell out of the top 30 by skipping the BMW Championship to rest his knee. U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson and PGA champ Walker are at East Lake.This is the first time that all four major champions have not played the Tour Championship since 2011, when only PGA winner Keegan Bradley participated. The other major winners that year were Charl Schwartzel, McIlroy and Clarke.7. The doomsday scenarioFor those who would love nothing better than to see the current FedEx Cup points scenario blow up, here is what to root for this week: Paul Casey finishing no worse than a two-way tie for second.The Englishman has had a strong year on the PGA Tour but has not won. He enters the Tour Championship fifth in points, and due to the points allocation re-shuffle, he will automatically win the FedEx Cup with a victory -- just as any player in the top five will do.But Casey can also win the FedEx Cup without winning the tournament -- which means hed be the first FedEx Cup champion without having won a tournament all year. That situation has a bad look. A season-long champ who was never a tournament champ?For that to happen, Casey must finish no worse than two-way tie for second. Then the other players in the top five -- Johnson, Patrick Reed, Adam Scott and Jason Day -- cannot win.If that happens, there are various scenarios by which Casey would be the FedEx Cup champion, an awkward situation to be sure but one that nonetheless will still be worth $10 million to him.The PGA Tour has been quite fortunate in this regard: The past six Tour Championship winners also captured the FedEx Cup. In 2009, Mickelson won the tournament and Woods was the FedEx champion, about as good of a split as could be desired. Woods won both in 2007. Only in 2008 was there a true oddity, in that Vijay Singh -- under different rules than now exist -- was the FedEx Cup champ by only having to complete the no-cut Tour Championship, which Camilo Villegas won.8. More BeefEnglands?Andrew Beef Johnston, who has become a bit of a sensation both in Europe and America, all but secured his?PGA Tour card for next season by finishing fourth at the Albertsons Boise Open, the second of four Web.com Tour Finals events. The top 25 on a money list consisting of those four tournaments has PGA Tour status for the next season.Johnson also plans to play the European Tour next season and noted the good timing of Golf Digest this week.9. Jordans questSpieths approach to the Tour Championship a year ago was to treat it like a major championship. He arrived Monday morning and got to work, and that paid off with a victory and the FedEx Cup title.This year, Spieth is again primed to try and win the tournament, which could result in the FedEx title if the right things happen.When I didnt go down to Rio [for the Olympics], I had a few weeks off, he said. So I am rested. I feel 100 percent. Body feels good. My game has been really coming together nicely, and I mentioned in Indianapolis, its really close. Im looking at making sure I get the most out of finishing my rounds.Custom Pittsburgh Pirates Jerseys . Burke is expected to miss two to three months after breaking a finger in the teams third preseason game. Tinsley, a 10-year veteran, spent the last two seasons in Utah, where the point guard averaged 3. Pirates Jerseys 2019 . First off, the fans ripped the Cubbies introduction of a fuzzy new kid-friendly mascot named "Clark". https://www.cheappiratesjerseys.us/ . After Martin Skrtel put the Reds in front from close range at Stamford Bridge after only four minutes, Hazard hit back in the 17th with a superb strike. Etoo gave Jose Mourinhos team a decisive lead from Oscars back pass in the 34th. Stitched Pirates Jerseys . After Gasquet beat fifth-seeded Ivan Dodig of Croatia 7-5, 6-3, Tsonga followed up with a 6-7 (3), 6-2, 6-2 win against sixth-seeded Edouard Roger-Vasselin in an all-French match. Pittsburgh Pirates Shirts . Clarke was injured while practicing on the Doha Golf Club range after the pro-am on Tuesday. The Northern Irishman arrived at the course on Wednesday hoping to start, but after hitting a few balls on the practice putting green Clarke advised officials he was not fit to play.EUGENE, Ore. -- Hurdler Aries Merritt captured a bronze medal at worlds last August with his kidneys operating at barely 10 percent. No wonder hes beaming at the prospect of competing at full health again.The chance to defend his Olympic title in the 110-meter hurdles in Rio is a very real possibility. All thats standing in his way is a top-three finish at U.S. Track and Field Trials this weekend.Doctors didnt think Merritt would be ready in time after receiving a new kidney from his sister 10 months ago. They grew even less optimistic when he developed complications that resulted in another surgery -- this one to place the kidney deeper into his abdomen.What the doctors didnt factor in was Merritts passion for this sport, and his desire for an Olympic repeat.If I was to win, it would be ugly -- Id be on the track crying somewhere, because of all the pain, all the suffering, all the depression I went through to get to this point, said the 30-year-old Merritt, whos the world record holder in the hurdles.He heads into Fridays first round of Olympic trials in good shape. But hes not exactly race sharp. He suffered a groin injury recently that curtailed his training. Hes only raced a handful of times heading into trials.Its going to take focus. Its going to take determination and grit, the 2012 Olympic gold medalist said.Nobody would question him in either of those categories.Merritt kept his ailment secret until just before worlds last August: He was suffering from a rare genetic disorder that was diagnosed in 2013. For years, it turns out, his kidneys had been faltering, to the point where he ran the final at worlds on Aug. 28 at about eight pounds under his normal weight and with his kidneys barely functioning.In the final, he wound up third, just 0.01 seconds behind Hansle Parchment of Jamaica for second. Sergey Shubenkov of Russia captured gold. He called it an even more fulfilling medal than his Olympic gold.A few days later he flew home to Phoenix and was on the operating table. His sister, LaToya Hubbard, is a big part of this, too -- donating one of her kidneys.One thing about Aries, when he puts his mind to it, he can do anything, said his sister, who will be at the trials. Hes determined to go back and regain his title so that when he leaves the sport, its his.Still, it was a long road to recovery.After surgery, my belly button was literally to the far right of my stomach.dddddddddddd It wasnt in the right spot, Merritt said. Its a year before everything settles in its normal place.As he dealt with his failing kidneys, there were some bleak days for Merritt, like when doctors said he might not run again.Elite athletes dont usually go through kidney transplants, Merritt said. (Doctors) deal with regular people. Im not saying Im not regular. Im above the average on a fitness level. Theyre just giving me the textbook advice theyd give anyone else, not knowing what I can or my physical limits.For a while, it hurt to hurdle. His trail leg kept hitting him in the side of the incision.I couldnt do (indoors) because it was too painful at the time, Merritt explained. My body wasnt ready to hit that part of my scar repeatedly. My body is used to my trail leg. Everything should be fine.Maybe so, but then theres this -- concern over the mosquito-borne Zika virus should he be on the team for Rio. Hes more susceptible to infection.If I make it, Im going, Merritt said. Its really important to live that Olympic dream and try to achieve that Olympic goal of trying to win that gold medal and showing everyone around the world your story and your struggle.A few other things to watch out for Friday at trials:JAGER-MASTER: Four-time national champion Evan Jager is a heavy favorite in the final of the 3,000-meter steeplechase. He won his first-round heat.HURDLES: Brianna Rollins had the fastest time in the prelims of the 100-meter hurdles, just ahead of Keni Harrison, the hurdler who broke Rollins American record in May.SUHR THING: Defending Olympic champion Jenn Suhr and the rest of the pole vaulters begin qualifying. The 34-year-old is the big favorite among a youthful group that includes Sandi Morris, who turns 24 on Friday, and 19-year Alexis Weeks, who won an NCAA title for Arkansas at Hayward Field in June.LETS DISCUS: Mason Finley finished with the top throw in qualifying. Dont discount Lance Brooks, the 2012 Olympian who works construction to earn extra money for training.SPRINT SERVICE: LaShawn Merritt continues his quest to make the Rio team in the 200 with a semifinal heat. Hes already qualified in the 400. Not to be outdone, 400-meter trials champ Allyson Felix starts qualifying in the 200. ' ' '