Today's Topics: U.S. men's soccer, Tiger Woods returns, Pat Riley pissed

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Every four years, I'm reminded just how many soccer experts we have in this country. :)

And I get that people need to assign blame on U.S. men's soccer team members for allowing Portugal to score a tying goal in the final seconds on Sunday. Much of the criticism fell on Michael Bradley for his turnover, which led to the tally.

But what about Portugal's first goal? That was a pretty weak clearing attempt by Geoff Cameron.

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After seven World Cups and much ESPN coverage telling us how important the sport is, soccer certainly is enjoying all-time reach in the U.S. It's cool to see people filling sports bars and city venues to root for the national team.

Soccer, however, won't fully arrive until people care about it between World Cups. That might take another 20 years, but don't be surprised if one day the world's sport is among the Top Four in the ever-increasing melting pot that is America.

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Not a big Tiger Woods' fan, but obviously his return to competition is a major boost to golf and the sport's media.

At 38 and assuming he's at relative full health, Tiger should be a weekly tournament contender and add another major or two to his collection in the next five years. But I'd be surprised if Woods ever dominated the game as he once did. Age and a all-time tough competitive field of opponents will see to that.

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Pat "I'm Pissed" Riley was on point with his message to LeBron James, other Heat players and anybody else thinking Miami's best days are in the past. (Even despite reminders of Pat the Rat's faxing out of of his job with the Knicks, Riley's words hit nothing but net.)

Sure, Riley needs to revamp the Big Three's supporting cast. But he has earned the benefit of the doubt -- he knows what he's doing. Plus,  the road to the NBA Finals should be a bit easier in the Eastern Conference for the foreseeable future.

Talented teams don't win every year. Great ones use defeat and adversity as motivation to get better and win another title.

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An 11-year-old girl named Luci Li qualifies for and plays in the U.S. Women’s Open. A cute story, but something’s wrong with that.

I really don’t care how mature Li is for her age, or how vast her golf knowledge, or how well she plays the game. A giggling kid with braces and pigtails should be finishing up sixth grade preparing to enjoy a fun summer with friends and family.

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The U.S. Patent Office's cancelation of Washington Redskins’ trademarks -- because the team’s nickname is "disparaging of Native Americans" -- does little in itself.

But it officially started the clock on owner Daniel Snyder and the NFL. The name ultimately will change. It's just a matter of when.

Today's Topics: Dolphins cut Chad Johnson

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Chad Johnson's on-field assets couldn't make up for the receiver being an off-field ass.

The Miami Dolphins released Johnson a day after the player formerly known as Ochocinco spent Saturday night in jail following an arrest on a domestic violence charge.

Yes, a person is innocent until proven guilty. And until now, Johnson's career has been colorful and controversial, but not full of mug shots.

Still, it was just a matter of time before such a publicity whore as Johnson would embarrass the organization.

As seen on HBO's Hard Knocks last week, Johnson was reprimanded by new Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin for using bad language during a press conference.

(Johnson also joked -- predicted? -- he would get arrested on his off day during the episode.)

If F-bombs earned admonition from Philbin, it's little surprise an arrest warranted a release.

Kudos to the Dolphins for reversing field quickly.

But make no mistake, if Johnson's talents were as they were during his best years,  Miami would have offered the player another chance.

Perhaps Johnson being released by the New England Patriots should have been the first clue his skills had eroded, no?

It's a clue that likely will be ignored by yet another team Johnson can embarrass.

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The U.S. men's basketball team wins the Olympic gold meal.

Is that news?

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Friend and Star-Ledger (N.J.) MLB columnist Jeff Bradley hit the nail on the head with a Facebook post about Tiger Woods.

"Forget about anything off the course. There is no worse role model for young golfers than Tiger Woods, the way he flings clubs, curses and mopes around the course when things don't go his way. No respect for his fellow players."

That comment puts Jeff 2-under after one hole. :)

Today's Topics: Tiger, British Open, Penn State penalties

While watching this weekend's British Open, I became convinced Tiger Woods has what it takes to add one or two more Major titles to his current 14.


I'm also sure of something else -- Woods will not surpass Jack Nicklaus as the all-time Major winner (18 championships).


As he continues to try and rediscover the Tiger of old, Woods faces an opponent he never will be able to stare down: Father Time.


Putting together four rounds of precision driving and radar-like putting becomes more and more difficult with every tournament, every month and every year.


Throw in the increasing number of talented PGA Tour and international young guns, the Golden Bear's Major mark seems more golden than ever.


Scott misses out on Big Easy victory


I love, when after a player suffers a crushing defeat, broadcasters or fellow athletes tell that player something such as: "Keep your head up. With your talent, you'll win many of these."


A nice sentiment. I'm sure 23-year-old Dan Marino heard such things after Super Bowl XIX.


Marino, you might recall, never played in the big game again.


Adam Scott has the talent to win Major golf tournaments. Also, players often benefit from the experience of contending in a Major.


Shooting a 75 on the final day of the British Open is no embarrassment. Doing so with four closing bogeys that turned a four-stroke lead into a second-place finish behind the Big Easy, Ernie Els, simply might mean the law of averages on a tough course caught up to him.


But Scott is crushed right now, and he should be. Opportunities such as the one he blew Sunday don't come along often, even for an extremely talented golfer.


D-Day for Penn State: Monday, 9 a.m. ET


When it comes to imposing any penalty or sentence, any judge or decision maker usually has two main objectives:


1. Retribution


2. Deterrence


NCAA President Marl Emmert will announce 9 a.m. ET Monday he is personally sanctioning Penn State in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky scandal.


The officials most responsible for the Sandusky child abuse cover-up no longer are working for the school. With that being the case, hopefully the many good people dependent upon the university and football program will not have to pay too dearly.


But as mentioned in yesterday's blog, the NCAA needs to come down hard on Penn State -- and other violators of rules -- to send a serious message to all members.


If reports of a "multiple-year" bowl ban and "staggering" scholarship loss are true, the local Un-Happy Valley economy still we will be able to make money on football Saturdays.


And hopefully, all people under NCAA jurisdiction will be put on notice.

Today's Topics: Tiger, 'Canes, Penn State

One of the world's best golfers having an exceptional Major tournament, only to be outdone by a player performing at a higher level.


The current British Open scenario isn't foreign to Tiger Woods -- although in the past, he often was the one running away and intimidating the field. 


Now Woods gets to experience what many of his peers felt when Tiger was chewing up and spitting out opponents and Major courses.


Woods has played the first three rounds at the 2012 British Open in 6-under par -- a score that puts him in fourth place heading into Sunday's final round.


Adam Scott, ranked No. 13 in the world rankings, sits atop the leaderboard at 11-under. (Click here for official Open Championship site.)


Is Scott's lead insurmountable? Absolutely not, especially with a blustery forecast for Sunday. Any player can have a bad round -- and a total collapse in a Major's final round would not be unheard of. 


Players such as Woods (world No. 4), Graeme McDowell (7-under, world No. 12) and Brandt Snedeker (7-under, world No. 29) certainly have the talent and moxie to make a run.


Naturally, a good night's sleep tonight would help. I just wonder how Tiger sleeps on fourth place?


NCAA Death penalty and Miami, Penn State


What's worse, repeated offenses by an institution or a horrific controversy and cover-up by a university's leaders?


Certainly recruiting violations, illegal payouts, etc., pale in comparison to sexual abuse of children and an ensuing cover-up.


But in the NCAA's world, serious violations of all kinds need to be dealt with.


Yahoo Sports reported new allegations that Miami's coaching staff used a booster's associate in possible recruiting violations.


And we all know about Penn State and last week's Freeh Report.


The best way for the NCAA to enforce rules and send a message to potential violators would be to hand down the Death Penalty --  a year without competing -- and allow all scholarship players to transfer and be immediately eligible.


Individual coaches and administrators who committed wrongdoings also should be held responsible with a probationary period that would prevent them from working at any school in an equal or higher position.


If such penalties result in schools threatening to break away from the NCAA, so be it. That would be the best way to end the hypocrisy and treat D-I football and basketball as the professional sports they are.


Unfortunately, money talks -- and with the NCAA, all it needs to do is whisper.