Brian Manzella
Administrator
Bird was also 6'9"!!!!!!!
Our Mike Finney, who was about 5'2"/105 at age 15, was as fundamentally skilled a basketballer as he could be at that age.
Son of a Dad who was a college player and coach, he was even tutored a couple of times by PETE MARAVICH when he was a youth.
All the BASKETABLL talent in the whole wide world, would have not made Mike a Rival's Blue Chipper. He was too short. He had wobbly knees (they would both eventually be reconstructed) and after his Freshman year at Jesuit High in New Orleans, he concentrated on golf. By age 17, he was ranked #9 in the USA by Golf Digest.
He grew to 6'0" by age 20, and by then had rekindled his love of basketball. At the expense of a possible better shot at the PGA Tour, Mike played basketball almost daily at the infamous LSU Gym Armory pickup games that featured future NBAers like Chris Jackson (later Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf) Avery Johnson and Shaq (yes, that Shaq). Mike, more than held his own. He had BASKETABLL talent. But most of all Michael David Finney is an ATHLETE, in my opinion, a world-class one. A talented footballer, All-American Golfer, could score on Avery Johnson, etc. etc.
But Mike Finney is no PHYSICAL SPECIMAN. In fact, besides a little 'hops' before the knee surgeries, he has next to NO PHYSICAL ABILITY.
Huh?
You see, sports (and golf) fans, I believe there is a BIG DIFFERENCE between Athletic ability and Physical ability, and all this talk of Tiger's athletic ability is just that, talk.
Need more?
Stanley Bains Stopa, has been in the top 3 players in the New Orleans area since 1968! He won the USGA Publinks, The NCAA Division 2 title and missed his PGA Tour card twice by 1 shot.
When Stan heard that Mac O'Grady had missed his card 17 times, he did some math. "Got him by two," Stan exclaimed. He may have been the best golfer EVER who TRIED to play the Tour and never did.
Stan looks great at 53. He works with world-renown trainer Mackie Shilstone, is in great shape and looks like a recent retiree from the NFL. At 6'2" and 210, he could have been an outside linebacker or Split end.
Except for one little detail. Stan has ZERO athletic ability. If you threw him a football from 20 yards—easy—he might hurt himself.
Stan Stopa has great physical ability, is a super golfer, but has no ATHLETIC ABILITY.
Steve Roach was a year or two ahead of me in high school. He could play nose tackle on a 5A football team, and would have been a good little QB, because he had great football instincts, was an accurate passer and was a shifty runner. He was a WAY above average point guard in Basketball, and a good infielder in baseball. He was an ATHLETE!
Steve Roach at age 17, was 5'8" 230, ran about a 5.3 forty yard dash and had a 12inch vertical jump.
Tiger Woods is 6'2" 195—all-muscle—probably a 4.9 or 4.8 forty and I am quite sure can dunk a tennis ball.
Brian Manzella is 5'9" 205, 43 years old, had an Achilles tendon tear this year and two knee scopes in the past 8.
Tiger Woods would have NO CHANCE guarding me on any football field in America. I would turn him around so many times, he'd REALLY blow out that knee.
Don't let the "smooth taste (or big belly) fool you," your host can ball. I once scored 38 in a basketball game, and 26 in a football game. I made All-City on my 8th grade CABBAGE ball team, and as late as LAST YEAR, was still holding MORE than my own at New Orleans' infamous Norman Playground organized pick-up football game.
Average 40 time at Norman: 4.7; Average Age: 20; Average color: Dark.
Tiger can give me 6 a side on the course EVEN THOUGH I could give him 10 a side on the lesson tee.
So what?
So this: Golf talent exists! Eye hand coordination, vision, concentration, the ability to repeat a pattern, the ability to generate 130mph of clubhead speed, etc.
Don't tell me that the PGA Tour players are great athletes, just because they are great golfers. I know better. They MAY be great athletes INDIVIDUALLY, but as a group...
They would have a tough time at the Gym Armory or at Norman playground.
Our Mike Finney, who was about 5'2"/105 at age 15, was as fundamentally skilled a basketballer as he could be at that age.
Son of a Dad who was a college player and coach, he was even tutored a couple of times by PETE MARAVICH when he was a youth.
All the BASKETABLL talent in the whole wide world, would have not made Mike a Rival's Blue Chipper. He was too short. He had wobbly knees (they would both eventually be reconstructed) and after his Freshman year at Jesuit High in New Orleans, he concentrated on golf. By age 17, he was ranked #9 in the USA by Golf Digest.
He grew to 6'0" by age 20, and by then had rekindled his love of basketball. At the expense of a possible better shot at the PGA Tour, Mike played basketball almost daily at the infamous LSU Gym Armory pickup games that featured future NBAers like Chris Jackson (later Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf) Avery Johnson and Shaq (yes, that Shaq). Mike, more than held his own. He had BASKETABLL talent. But most of all Michael David Finney is an ATHLETE, in my opinion, a world-class one. A talented footballer, All-American Golfer, could score on Avery Johnson, etc. etc.
But Mike Finney is no PHYSICAL SPECIMAN. In fact, besides a little 'hops' before the knee surgeries, he has next to NO PHYSICAL ABILITY.
Huh?
You see, sports (and golf) fans, I believe there is a BIG DIFFERENCE between Athletic ability and Physical ability, and all this talk of Tiger's athletic ability is just that, talk.
Need more?
Stanley Bains Stopa, has been in the top 3 players in the New Orleans area since 1968! He won the USGA Publinks, The NCAA Division 2 title and missed his PGA Tour card twice by 1 shot.
When Stan heard that Mac O'Grady had missed his card 17 times, he did some math. "Got him by two," Stan exclaimed. He may have been the best golfer EVER who TRIED to play the Tour and never did.
Stan looks great at 53. He works with world-renown trainer Mackie Shilstone, is in great shape and looks like a recent retiree from the NFL. At 6'2" and 210, he could have been an outside linebacker or Split end.
Except for one little detail. Stan has ZERO athletic ability. If you threw him a football from 20 yards—easy—he might hurt himself.
Stan Stopa has great physical ability, is a super golfer, but has no ATHLETIC ABILITY.
Steve Roach was a year or two ahead of me in high school. He could play nose tackle on a 5A football team, and would have been a good little QB, because he had great football instincts, was an accurate passer and was a shifty runner. He was a WAY above average point guard in Basketball, and a good infielder in baseball. He was an ATHLETE!
Steve Roach at age 17, was 5'8" 230, ran about a 5.3 forty yard dash and had a 12inch vertical jump.
Tiger Woods is 6'2" 195—all-muscle—probably a 4.9 or 4.8 forty and I am quite sure can dunk a tennis ball.
Brian Manzella is 5'9" 205, 43 years old, had an Achilles tendon tear this year and two knee scopes in the past 8.
Tiger Woods would have NO CHANCE guarding me on any football field in America. I would turn him around so many times, he'd REALLY blow out that knee.
Don't let the "smooth taste (or big belly) fool you," your host can ball. I once scored 38 in a basketball game, and 26 in a football game. I made All-City on my 8th grade CABBAGE ball team, and as late as LAST YEAR, was still holding MORE than my own at New Orleans' infamous Norman Playground organized pick-up football game.
Average 40 time at Norman: 4.7; Average Age: 20; Average color: Dark.
Tiger can give me 6 a side on the course EVEN THOUGH I could give him 10 a side on the lesson tee.
So what?
So this: Golf talent exists! Eye hand coordination, vision, concentration, the ability to repeat a pattern, the ability to generate 130mph of clubhead speed, etc.
Don't tell me that the PGA Tour players are great athletes, just because they are great golfers. I know better. They MAY be great athletes INDIVIDUALLY, but as a group...
They would have a tough time at the Gym Armory or at Norman playground.
