1. Who says people don’t watch dominance? UConn’s NCAA Tournament run brought ESPN more viewers than in 2009. According to Nielsen, the final UConn-Stanford game drew 3.53 million viewers, up 32 percent from the 2009 final of UConn vs. Louisville. The Final Four averaged 3.16 viewers, up 22 percent from last year.
2. The WNBA has scheduled its second outdoor game, between the LA Sparks and the Seattle Storm for June 5 – and they should plan even more. It’s a problem that the WNBA plays in the “off” season when sports media attention is not on basketball. (In HS, this would be a Title IX problem). Bringing the game outdoors gives the WNBA a playground hoops culture vibe and a twist the NBA lacks.
3. When Doug Hastings, a writer for small Boston-area weeklies reported plans for a WNBA team, the “Tessies,” to land in sport-crazed Boston, it was – as he wrote at the end of his column – just an April Fool’s joke. “No, there will be no WNBA coming to the area, but enjoy April Fool’s Day.” Maybe Hasting’s editor can assign him a better story: Ask the Celtics why they don’t want a WNBA franchise in town?
4. Mid-way through the Masters those rooting for Tiger Woods might have asked themselves what was compelling: Was this a story about redemption? Or Excellence? By Sunday evening it turned out to be about neither. In fact, it was more about fussing and whining (and even arrogance).
5. It’s not just female athletes who sponsors love to sell as role models: Barclay’s wasted no time in taking out a full page ad in The New York Times today (page A5) to congratulate “Phil Mickelson and his family” on his Master’s win. The ad features a giant photo of Phil planting a kiss on wife Amy’s head. Copy reads: “Phil demonstrates why he is a great ambassador and role model for the game of golf. He personifies the game’s values of integrity, focus, and precision…” Message to Tiger: Character is huge.
6. There is a serious and unfortunate pay gap in purses for men’s and women’s pro golf. How big? The current top male pay leader for 2010, Ernie Ells, has earned $1,406 per stroke while the top female, Yani Tseng, has been paid $409 for every time she has hit the ball.

All these years we’ve been pretending to watch the game. But now we know: The PGA Tour has not really been about golf. It has been about Tiger.

By contrast, the LPGA is – even with the extra ratings bump of Michelle Wie – all about the play. This year featured 20 different tournament winners and a Rolex Player of the Year race that went down to the wire (Lorena Ochoa took it). And don’t forget the infectious fun at the Solheim Cup (note: this sort of format could be the future of the sport…!)

The LPGA, much belittled earlier this year for being in disarray, has scraped together 24 official money events in 10 countries for 2010 (note the global marketing approach) and topped it off with the announcement last month that Wegman’s (yes, a regional supermarket chain — the personal, community connection piece) would sponsor the LPGA Tour Championship at Locust Hill in Rochester, NY, June 21-27.

Like the thinking that dominated Wall Street before The Fall, the PGA’s view of itself may have been, well, exaggerated. Golf is not the NFL. But it is a terrific sport that a lot of people play for recreation (as opposed to football). But without Tiger (and do we want him now?), the PGA simply does not have the status and national sponsor appeal that it once did.

But that’s really okay – and may even be an opportunity. This may be just the moment for the PGA and LPGA to announce several coed, team-play events. A Ryder Cup, mixed?

Who says men and women can’t play golf together – and make it more compelling (and better sponsored) than a Tigerless PGA?

More than other sports, golf is a game of honor. The story of amateur Bobby Jones in the 1925 U.S. Open assessing himself what essentially became the tournament-losing stroke when a ball in the rough moved ever so slightly as he addressed it (perceptible only to him) is invoked as evidence of golf’s high moral standing.

This quality has led to programs like The First Tee, which uses core values inherent to the game – including honesty, judgment and integrity – to teach life skills to kids. Character matters.

Business gets done on golf courses exactly because many believe that the game offers a window into the soul.  Honest and fair on the course? Honest and fair in business (or so the thinking goes).

The rest of the sports world may be riddled with cheats – videotaping from the sidelines, stolen signals, tinkered-with (and purposefully crashed) race cars, steroids – but we do not doubt the ethical compass of the golfer.

Should we? Does the nature of golf demand that athletes be more upright people on – and off – the course?

The question of cheating cuts to matters of character and fair play. On the field, other sports have referees, umpires (and drug testers) to enforce rules. But what about a sport in which you judge yourself?

John Daly, of course, is no saint. But his off-course failings have been like loud crashes in a quiet room – well heard (and paid for).

Tiger Woods’ “transgressions,” as he labeled his cheating in the statement posted on his website, are of a different nature, particularly if the tabloids are right (and geez, haven’t they been lately?). Multiple mistresses, insane texting, phone calls seeking to conceal his tracks.

No one is suggesting Tiger has cheated on the golf course. But the striking split between his on-and off-course behavior is troubling — especially in this sport.

US Squash board chair Jeanne Blasberg

Jeanne Blasberg is Board Chair, of U.S. Squash and plays at state and national levels. Recently, she has been kind enough to teach my friend Ashley and I the game of doubles squash, which is all together different from singles. Ashley and I just competed at the inaugural U25 National Doubles Championship in Greenwich, CT. Here’s what Blasberg, 43, has to say about growing women’s squash, playing alongside her children – and (ala Tiger Woods) revamping her strokes.

FGN: My impression is that US Squash is trying to retain female players post-college. What is US Squash doing to keep and attract women?

Blasberg: Yes, increasing women’s participation and membership is one of our strategic priorities.  Right now women are a small percentage of our membership (15% of about 11,000) whereas at the college level, about 35-40% of the players are female. According to industry estimates there are 300,000 squash players in the U.S. We have a strategic goal to increase U.S. Squash membership to 20,000 by 2012.

Our goal is to keep women playing. Formats like the adult Howe Cup are successful because people like being part of a team and they like the social aspect.  We need to emulate that feel in other events. Many women play for the “fun” rather than the competition after it is no longer required in school or as a junior.  So we need events and formats that take the pressure off.  We also need to be sensitive to price and time commitment for tournaments.

At the same time, we are trying to build out the under 23, under 25 events as a bridge after college.  US Squash is thinking about free/low cost membership for early 20-somethings. We’re also trying to get health club owners to build squash courts because private clubs are too expensive for young adults.  Having a cheaper, public club option is important.

FGN: As a non-collegiate athlete who is very involved in highly competitive squash, what do you get out of the experience?

Blasberg: I was a college field hockey (2 –year team captain) and lax player. I also ran track and played on the squash team my senior year so I wouldn’t say I was not a college athlete! In fact, I got 10 varsity letters at Smith. I started playing squash my junior year when I met my future husband who was a squash player at Amherst.  I am a competitive person and need a healthy outlet for that.  Sharing a sport with my husband, friends, and children is an amazing way to spend time together.

FGN: Do you play squash with any of your children?

Blasberg: Yes, all three play and it is a real joy to be on court with them.  My 13-year -old son and I made it to the semi’s of the state parent-child tournament. I am proud to say I was the only Mom in the parent-child!  My 15-year-old plays at Exeter and is getting quite serious.  We plan to play and drill a lot this summer.  It is very special for a mother to have sports to share with her boys. My 11-year-old daughter has the talent to be quite good.  I am proud to be competing and having my kids watch me.  They gain a certain respect for women and women athletes — and for me! They know I work hard in order to play at a high level.  I can also be a good example of fair play, when to play a let or give a point, how to win and lose gracefully.

FGN: Would you encourage collegiate squash players to continue playing after college?

Blasberg: Yes!! Play after college.  If you stay fit, squash is a sport you can improve at so much in your thirties and forties.  I made the breakthrough from being a “B” player to an “A” player when I was in my late 30′s (after giving birth to three children).  The game is very mental and wisdom and experience add so much.  In fact as I get older, I love to enter tournaments where I will be playing people who are half my age (it provides a great incentive to win).  Don’t give up squash after college because you haven’t come anywhere near hitting your peak.

FGN: What do you love about competing?

Blasberg: When I walk onto a court, I can be anywhere in the world and the dimensions of the court are a constant for me, very grounding. (You will feel that in Israel this summer.  You will be thrown into a totally new environment, yet the game and the court are the same and very calming in that way). Playing requires a presence that I strive for in other practices such as yoga or playing the piano – this presence is so calming and peaceful.

FGN: How is your game these days?

Blasberg: I have been working very hard at the technical components of my game. Since I didn’t learn as a child, I didn’t have the greatest foundation in squash.  I counted more on my fitness and strength to help me rise through the rankings.  Now at the age of 43, I have taken two lessons a week for over a year to just to focus on redoing my strokes (I figured if Tiger Woods had the courage to take his swing apart, I could probably risk it too).  Fitness won’t take me any higher because at this point it has to all be about technique and shot selection.  So you see, it is one game, but it keeps changing and presenting new challenges.

FGN: We had SO much fun at the U25 Doubles. We need more tournaments.

Blasberg: Glad the doubles weekend was fun! You should definitely keep it up. I have been playing dubs only four years and I feel like I made a huge jump in my doubles game this year.

FGN: Thank you.

Blasberg: Good luck.

Sarah Odell is a junior at Wellesley College who will represent the U.S. this July in Squash at the Maccabi Games in Israel.