Big surprise, Mickelson drops off

Phil Mickelson did it again. He had a fabulous first round, then followed it up with a second round my 10-year-old nephew would be unhappy with. Mickelson folded and Tiger Woods wasn't even on the leader board. I really thought it was time for Lefty, aka Hefty, to win his elusive first major. Shame on me. Mickelson chokes when he drinks through a straw.

--Former Douglas High graduate Ashley Sulprizio is facing some more stiff competition for the starting job on the University of California women's soccer team. The 6-foot-1 goalie from Gardnerville started seven games last season for the Golden Bears, who lost to No. 1 Stanford in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Sulprizio, who redshirted her freshman season at Nebraska, will be sophomore this season. Sulprizio, fifth-year senior Sani Post and true freshman Anna Key are all competing for the starting job for California, which will going for its sixth consecutive postseason apperance this fall. Post got the bulk of the starts last season (13) and the highly touted Key is a member of the U.S. U-19 National Team.

--Don't worry if you don't get to watch Freddy Adu, the 14-year-old soccer star from Maryland, the next two weeks at the Under-17 World Cup in Finland. You'll have plenty a chances the next 15 years. If Wednesday's performance was any indication Adu, whose family came to the United States from Ghana, will sign with a European power after this month's tournament. He scored three goals in a 6-1 win over South Korea.

Major League Soccer wants to sign him for next season. The MLS is dreaming. Adu will be playing on one of Europe's top clubs and become the world's most popular soccer player in the next four years. He scored more goals against South Korea than David Beckham will the entire season at Real Madrid.

--How embarrassing is it when the best men's college basketball players in the United States can't beat Puerto Rico or Brazil? The U.S. finished in fourth place and didn't even earn a medal. I guess those 6-foot-1 Puerto Rican centers are tough to defend. No wonder the NBA is an eyesore to watch. Look where it's player are coming from.

--Nevada better go 7-4 this season. The Wolf Pack are already 1-0 since they open the season at home against Southern Utah. I guess Western Nevada Community College didn't have an open week.

--Nevada might be the easiest road game on Fresno State's schedule. It's not that the Wolf Pack are pushovers. But when you play at Oklahoma, at Tennessee, at Colorado State and at Hawai'i, a game in Reno against a team that hasn't had a winning season in four years doesn't sound too bad.

--Does Mickelson stink or what?

--Is it me or does it seem like running back Maurice Clarett has been at Ohio State for three years? I'm sure second-year coach Jim Tressell wouldn't mind seeing Clarett just disappear. He didn't have to worry about massaging the egos of 19-year-old whiners at I-AA Youngstown State and the defending national champs will win or lose the same amount of games this season with or without Clarett.

--Does it really matter who commits to play in the Reno-Tahoe Open? It would be an exciting tournament if no household name is in the field. Every year has produced a memorable story, probably more so than any other tournament on the PGA Tour. Playoffs have decided three of the four tournaments.

Jeremy Evans is a Nevada Appeal sportswriter.

Jeremy Evans is a sports writer for the Nevada Appeal.