S.F. Examiner: For A’s, it’s more of same old same new

By Art Spander
San Francisco Examiner

The guy for the A’s invariably is named Billy. There was manager Billy Martin in the early 1980s, virtually homegrown (Berkeley, next door), who knew what he had in roster talent. So he created a force-the-issue style, which the late columnist Ralph Wiley labeled “Billy Ball.”

The man in charge nearly the last 18 years, from 1997 to the present to be specific, has been general manager Billy Beane. He knew what he didn’t have, mainly cash. Aided by a few people who brought new thinking to the sport, he developed an idea that author Michael Lewis called “Moneyball.”

Read the full story here.

© 2015 The San Francisco Examiner

Bleacher Report: Get Ready for the Tiger Woods Circus at the 2015 Masters

By Art Spander
Featured Columnist

There’s a saying in golf that no person is bigger than the game…unless that person is Tiger Woods, who turns logic inside out and upside down. And his presence at the 2015 Masters, now that he confirmed his participation, will do exactly that.

Read the full story here.

Copyright © 2015 Bleacher Report, Inc. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.

S.F. Examiner: Wisconsin looks to be perfect spoiler against Kentucky

By Art Spander
San Francisco Examiner

Second chances don't come often in sports, especially intercollegiate sports, especially in basketball, where the best players barely stay around for one year, never mind two or three. Or four.

The kids at Wisconsin understand that. The coach at Wisconsin understands that.

Read the full story here.

© 2015 The San Francisco Examiner 

S.F. Examiner: A not-so-odd couple: Giants broadcasters Krukow, Kuiper are an attraction all themselves

By Art Spander and Mychael Urban
San Francisco Examiner

The K guys were at it again. “Did you ever get picked off in spring training?” Mike Krukow asked Duane Kuiper. Without hesitation or hint of embarrassment, Kuiper told Krukow and all of us fortunate enough to be watching and listening, “I sure did.”

How do we rank our Bay Area teams? Giants? 49ers? A’s? Kruk and Kuip? “On the love meter,” Giants President Larry Baer once said, “as far as the fans are concerned, they’re off the charts.”

Read the full story here.

© 2015 The San Francisco Examiner 

Bleacher Report: All Signs Point to Tiger Woods Playing Masters, but Is He Really Ready to Win?

By Art Spander
Featured Columnist

Only Tiger Woods knows for sure if he's ready to conquer another Masters. The rest of us are only left to guess. More than guess. We can anticipate. He didn’t spend all these weeks working on his game, didn’t fly to Augusta to get in a presumed practice round for nothing.

Read the full story here.

Copyright © 2015 Bleacher Report, Inc. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.