Diversions

It's about time we stop all this foolishness with The Winston, aka The All-Star Challenge Nextel Cup race held every May at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Talk about your gimmicks. This race has a sackful created by lamebrains who think they know what the fans want.

All the fans really want to see is the winners of the past races since the last Challenge go at it, head-to-head for, say, 90 or 100 laps. Have a qualifying run the day before then run the race as they would any other.

It would give the race a lot more character by being in sync with the other races on the circuit. But inverting the field and doing things like letting fans vote on how that's to be done? That's always been insane.

Give the Challenge some class. Run it like a race. Not a circus.

A Wie bit preposterous

INCHEON, South Korea - Michelle Wie made her first cut in a professional men’s tournament Friday after shooting a 3-under 69 in the Asian Tour’s SK Telecom Open.

That was the story that greeted us on Friday, Cinco de Mayo. What a joke. Making the cut in a men's tournament is one thing but this is the Asian Tour, remember - not the PGA. And besides, we have one big personal problem with all of this hoopla.

What if - let's just say "if" - John Daly got tired of not winning tournaments on the men's tour and decided to play on the LPGA. Would the golf feminists mind? Would they cry "foul" and shake their heads? Of course they would.

If we're going to be fair about things like Wie playing on the men's PGA Tour, then the LPGA should follow in stride and invite all men to play in theirs. Sure, you won't find Tiger Woods playing there but you might see someone else who can easily compete - and win - on the women's tour.

Fair is fair. And Wie's story about making the cut is nonsense.