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The Zulewski report
By Tom Zulewski
May 3, 2010
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NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon has not won a race in his last 39 competitions, he and teammate Jimmie Johnson had their feud and that's all in the rear view mirror, both are four time champions and there are only five other racers who have more than 82 victories.
Gordon is laughing all the way to the bank too with a NASCAR record salary of $111 million but still is Jeff Gordon second fiddle to Johnson in the race car world? "I would say me and 41 other guys out there absolutely. When somebody dominates a sport like that, he's taken a majority of the guys out of the picture. That's whats amazing to me that he doesn't have the media exposure and some of the fan following and some of those things more than he does because I feel like he's done everything he possibly could do. I would agree with that, and we haven't had the package to compete with him. That's what I'm excited about his year. I feel like I do." said Gordon.
The frustration all comes from leading late in competition four times this season and it was the ill timed caution in Vegas that put him in the pit for two new tires that helped put him on track his teammate Johnson got four new tires for the final 34 laps and if you do the math the four new tires beat the two new ones and Johnson got the victory in the race.
In Martinsville, Phoenix and Richmond those were races that the results of frantic final pushes that put Gordon behind, in Martinsville and Phoenix those were decided by green white checkered flags which Gordon didn't execute. In Martinsville Gordon was playing bumper cars with Matt Kenseth and it gave racer Denny Hamlin an opening to win the race.
Spun tires in Pheonix gave Ryan Newman a come from behind victory.
PGA News: Tiger Woods didn't speak to the media on Monday after practice rounds during Players Championship week. Woods who missed the cut at Quail Hollow Championship was working on things that he missed last week.
It was Woods sixth missed cut career and he wants to make sure he makes it in the next competition. Many have said that Woods is not focused on his game and in his last few holes he just went through the motions at Quail Hollow.
Woods said he will speak with the media on Tuesday who are loaded for Bear or Tiger about why he didn't make the cut at Quail Hollow and what he plans to do different at Players Championship. Woods was working out at TPC Sawgrass with Jay Haas and Rod Pampling, "He (Woods) it looked a lot better than what it was last week, early on he hit a couple of really solid tee shots. I think he hit any of those last week." said Pampling.
Tiger hit a splash tee shot at par-4 fifth, he was hitting straighter in Charlotte said his partners but they were impressed with his work and say Woods is ready for the next competition, "I'm sure he's happier with the way his game is. That's all it takes, if he starts feeling happy with how he's doing out there, he'll be right up there again." said Pampling.
Are the Red Wings in a state of shock?: After the San Jose Sharks have taken the first two game from the Detroit Red Wings are the players in a state of shock losing twice by only one goal after tasting the lead at least once or twice during either games one or two?
In game two their was a questionable call by the officials that led to the Sharks Joe Pavelski's winning goal in the 4-3 win for San Jose, "you can't let it get to you, but it's definitely tougher to win games when your in the box that much" said Hendrik Zetterberg who observed the Red Wings who got dinged for penalties that allowed the Sharks to get nine power plays to the Wings three power plays.
Detroit head coach Mike Babcock said, "I know they're frustrated, but they've got to stay out of the box. It's hard to win when you've got a parade of guys going to the box."
Nicklas Lidstrom said that coming back home to Detroit is vital now they have to seal the deal in game three on Tuesday night because it's already getting late early in this 2-0 San Jose leading series, "We can't focus on nothing but the next game, game three is all that matters now, we just have to shake this off and move forward and hopefully things might shift in our direction."
The Sharks Joe Pavelski is keeping it real saying this series is far from over going into Detroit on Tuesday night, "It's still a long way to go in this series, we fought back from behind and took advantage of our power play, but anyone who thinks that were in control of this series is crazy" said Pavelski
The Sharks and Red Wings continue this series after Tuesday night on Thursday night for game # 4 and if necessary on Saturday night back in San Jose for game # 5.
Tom Zulewski files the report each week for Sportstalk Radio
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