sports columns

SAN FRANCISCO - At this stage of his life, John McEnroe is governed by a private clock. It rarely runs on time. The thing tends to go haywire, cartoonishly spinning through long-ago eras before lurching back to the present. And for that, we all can be grateful.

SAN FRANCISCO - Notes and observations in the wake of Phil Mickelson's stampede past Tiger Woods and all others in his path Sunday at Pebble Beach:

-- Semi-educated prediction: Woods doesn't come back to the AT&T. Not next year. Not ever.

He wears No. 3. Of course, he does. He couldn't wear anything else.

No one has worn No. 3 for the Carolina Hurricanes since Steve Chiasson died on his way home from a season-ending party in 1999. The number isn't retired, because of the circumstances of Chiasson's death, but the franchise hasn't let anyone wear it again, either.

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. - Tiger Woods' body language after clunky shots, as he staggered down the backstretch Sunday behind a beaming and visor-tipping Phil Mickelson, was that of a kindergartner whose parents just told him his fingerpainting lacks originality.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - With momentum building to secure a downtown arena with the Kings as anchor tenants, Sacramento needs to know:

How can the current Kings owners retain control of the team and be successful?

Everyone knows that the Maloof brothers want to remain NBA owners more than anything.

Before its 2010 demolition, the Spectrum was home to five-figure crowds for World Wrestling Entertainment and World Championship Wrestling events for more than 30 years.

Yet it wasn't the most iconic building in Philadelphia for grappling shows.

ORLANDO, Fla. - Michael Chandler's meteoric rise to the top of Bellator Fighting Championships' lightweight division has gone according to plan.

SALT LAKE CITY - Robbie Bullough does a great job working the sidelines of football and men's basketball games for BYUtv. He's also an up-and-coming play-by-play man, working everything from baseball to women's basketball.

And he's older than he looks. Behind that baby face is a 25-year-old with a wife and big dreams.

Luke Rockhold learned a valuable lesson about patience the last two years.

After he defeated Paul Bradley in early 2010 for his sixth consecutive victory in Strikeforce, he had surgery to repair a grade-two AC separation in his left shoulder. Then, he reinjured it and needed a second surgery.

With apologies to Charles Dickens, 2011 in sports can be summed up, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."

Most every sport seemingly had its worst aspects equal or trump its best.