After last year's tournament, and the one before that, and the one before that, it was obvious the American Century Championship needed a change. What wasn't needed was switching from a traditional scoring system to the Stabbleford System. All that does is make bad golfers not look so bad but ensures a good golfer will still win.
What change was needed, however, was to either get new guys to Tahoe who can golf or get a few new celebrities who can't. The tournament failed on the first one and somewhat succeeded on the second.
Troy Aikman, Mark McGwire and Rush Limbaugh were good additions. MTV's Carson Daly and Michael "Danny Noonan" O'Keefe from the 1980 movie 'Caddyshack' were not.
Fortunately, Daly pulled himself out of the tournament. Someone must have broke the news to Daly that he isn't a celebrity. But O'Keefe remains. Someone must not have broke the news to him that he isn't a celebrity. If O'Keefe and the McDonald's manager I saw two years ago in Boise, Idaho, were both at Safeway, I'd think super size before Caddyshack. I mean, where has O'Keefe been the last five presidential elections, Mozambique?
Comedian Jimmy Fallon from Saturday Night Live would've been nice. But, like Daly, he pulled out of the tournament. Fallon, though, has a talent, which is more than Daly can say. (Unless making it blatantly obvious you can't even read off a teleprompter is considered a talent.) Fallon, in a completely different way than Daly, makes people laugh. It's kind of like when someone tells you, "We're laughing with you (Fallon), not at you (Daly)."
Scottie Pippen, who became famous for being the sidecar to Michael Jordan's Harley, adds another dimension to the 78-player field at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course. He's still playing his respective sport, while roughly 60 others aren't. There is also four actors new to the field who are as obscure as anthrax in Iraq; David James Elliot, Dennis Haysbert, Kyle Maclachlan and Chris McDonald. Nevada Appeal Editor Barry Smith recommended doing an internet search to find out more about these guys. (Note: anytime you conduct a search on google.com to find out who somebody is, they aren't a celebrity.)
I found out that Elliot is on the CBS show 'Jag.' Haysbert is best known for his role as Pedro Cerano in the movie 'Major League.' Maclachlan has been in a bunch of movies Blockbuster Video has banned and McDonald played Geena Davis' demanding husband in 'Thelma and Louise.' That starring role rivals my friend Justin Cook's part as an extra in 'Tin Cup.'
But enough picking on the easy targets. The usual star lineup of Charles Barkley, Emmitt Smith, Marshall Faulk, Mario Lemieux and Jordan will be there, as will last year's champ Dan Quinn and five-time winner Rick Rhoden. (You could give other players mulligans on every hole and never count shots in the water and either Quinn or Rhoden would still win.)
Practice rounds are held Tuesday and Wednesday and those are the best days to get autographs. But if you've got facial hair, don't bother asking Jordan for an autograph. He doesn't sign autographs for adults. He's concerned about them turning a profit. Yo, Mike, think about it. Seven years ago, adults with facial hair might have worshiped you in 1996 when you were still good.
Thursday is the Celebrity Pro-Am. I feel bad for the guy who pays $4,000 to play a round of golf with Kyle Maclachlan. If there was ever a reason for a mulligan, drawing Maclachlan would be it. Friday is the first round of the 54-hole tournament, which will conclude on Sunday with either Jack Wagner, Al Del Greco, Rhoden or Quinn winning.
Jeremy Evans is a Nevada Appeal sports writer.
