Champs, a chump and an odd ending

Some random thoughts from the weekend that was in sports, from the other side of town to the other side of the world …

I’m still not sure how to pronounce the last name of British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen, but I’m really good at spelling it after typing it half a dozen times today. That said, I’ll be surprised if we hear or see the South African’s name much after the Open excitement dies down.
The only reason I ever turn on a golf tournament is to check how Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are doing — and that only happens during the majors. But for some reason, big names have faltered in most of the sport’s major championships in recent years.
First-time major champions have been crowned in six of the last eight majors. Oosthuizen joined a list that includes U.S. Open champs Graeme McDowell (2010) and Lucas Glover (2009), Stewart Cink (2009 British), Yang Yong-eun (2009 PGA) and Trevor Immelman (2008 Masters).
Parity in team sports keeps things interesting, but that’s certainly not the case in golf.

Speaking of champions, it’s looking less and less likely that the proposed Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather fight is ever going to happen. The Pacquiao camp gave Mayweather until midnight Friday to agree to a Nov. 13 bout, but the deadline passed with no word from Mayweather.
I now have no choice but to believe that Mayweather doesn’t want to see Pacquiao, the current WBO welterweight champ, in the ring. I’d like to see Pacquiao channel his inner Clubber Lang and goad Mayweather into this fight.
“I reject the challenge, because Mayweather is no challenge. But I’ll be happy to beat up on him.”
Mayweather must really be scared of Pacquiao, though. This likely would be the biggest payday in boxing history for both fighters, yet “Money” seems to want no part of it.

The New England Collegiate Baseball League All-Star Game was played at Cardines Field on Sunday night and had the strangest finish since the 2002 MLB game ended in a tie. With the Eastern Division leading 6-0 heading to the ninth inning, when the West failed to score, the game didn’t end. In an effort to get every Eastern Division player an at-bat, they played the bottom of the ninth, and the East ended up winning 12-0.
I completely understand wanting to get every player an opportunity to play, but there were plenty of chances before the bottom of the ninth. With the Eastern Division leading the whole way, obviously there was a chance the home half of the ninth wouldn’t be necessary. It seems odd that no one recognized this so the East could start emptying its bench earlier.
But it has to be difficult to manage a baseball all-star game. It’s not a job I’d want.