We’re blessed with so many golf courses to play in Northern California. You have plenty of choices but when you’re looking to venture out for a golf day trip, StoneTree Golf Club in Novato should be high on your list of must-play courses.

The design team included NBC’s lead announcer, Johnny Miller, who is not shy with his opinions, and former USGA President Sandy Tatum. On the opening of the course about eight years ago, Miller said, “"This is not just another new course, we really five-starred it. This could be an excellent venue for a major amateur event or a pro tournament. This site affords golfers spectacular views and showcases golf holes which our design team created to emphasize the special character of this golf canvas."

Tatum added, "Our basic objective was to create a course which would provide players of all levels of skill with the quality of experience realized from playing a course designed in the classic tradition. It is gratifying, to say the least, that a consummate creative effort from our entire team has produced a golf course with the strategic and aesthetic elements that meet that objective"

Located off Highway 37 between Vallejo and Novato in an area once famous for the Renaissance Pleasure Faire with its Kings and Queens, today’s StoneTree team headed up by general manager, Joe Niesyn, will make you feel like royalty.

A variety of tees offer as little or as much of a test as you can handle. Not overly long, the challenges at StoneTree come from the rough, elevation changes, the marsh, and some water…along with dramatic views of Mount Tamalpais and the coastal range which will also vie for your attention.

StoneTree’s variety of holes is engaging. My favorite just may be the Par 3, number 8 hole which plays from 168 yards from the Championship tees and 148 from the black tees. The elevated tee has a wonderful view and the tee shot carry over the canyon will both excite you and satisfy you if you’re putting for birdie.

The Renaissance Faire may be long gone, but the pleasure part remains at StoneTree Golf Club. For more information, visit www.stonetreegolf.com or call (415) 209-6090.

NBA.com has crafted new NBA power rankings based on free agent signings and teams drafts and the Sacramento kings are....dead last. 30th place...they praise the Tyreke Evans signing but say it's goingto be a long way to the top.

Golden State ranks 24th, which is a shame with all that talent they have. The article points out that whether Anthony Randolph is the real deal or not, could be the X factor.

The teams making the biggest jumps from last year-Toronto moves from #22 to 13 thanks in part to signing former King Hedo Turkoglu.

Making the biggest jump was the Washington Wizards who went from the #28th rank to a predicted #9 ranking this year. With Gilbert Arenas looking spry in workouts and pro-am action and added depth with Randy Foye and Mike Miller, the Wizards should be the fourth best team in the East. You can probably guess who #1 is...

http://www.nba.com/2009/news/powerrankings/08/17/offseason.rankings/

ESPN with the help of Scouts Inc just compiled who the best players are in football, and scoring a 94, there's one defensive and one offensive can you name them? Tom Brady and Demarcus Ware for the Cowboys...after that when you look at the Radiers and 49ers the best player between both is tied for 13th...Namdi Asomuwaaa...one of the best corners in the league, if not the best-he scores a 92 thanks in part to his abiltity for shutting down opponents and having a great name.

Next on the grid...tied for 23trd with a score of 90, Patrick Willis...who's instincts and range and speed put him high on the list. The next guys on the list, and falling way down with a rank of around 135..Nate Clements for the 49ers and the next Raider on the list is Kirk Morrison-both ranking at a score of 78.

They have great scouting in good detail on what they bring and don't bring. It's a good read to find where your favorite players lie.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/features/scouting

Is Dashon Goldson finally going to emerge as the guy for the 49ers at free safety. It looks like he will finally be the starter. He has been criticized as only bringing it in practice, and not on Sundays. It's hard to judge a guy that had limited time to prove himself over the last couple of years.

ESPN's Mike Sando had a Q&A session with Goldson, as they talked about what to expect from him and the team.

Should the New York Mets go in a different direction and hire Oakland A's GM Billy Beane. A lot has been written about Moneyball being dead, both the movie and the philosophy- because so many other GM's have adapted that philosphy, leaving Beane a victim in his own world.

Some also have questioned whether or not it needs to be updated, if it's overrated or flawed. Everybody agrees it has some value, but to use it completely is a mistake-see the Oakland A's the lat couple of years.

It also makes the GM the star and not the manager, meaning guys like Tony Larussa, Jim Leyland and Bobby Cox-once they retire, you're gonna get guys that are faceless no names.  

So, all of this makes the report out of the New York Post that the organization should fire current GM Omar Minaya for Billy Beane all the more curious.

Although Minaya has been the figurehead in a lot of turmoil, and Billy Beane could use a fresh start, unless he adapts a more fresh approach to a stale belief system, he might not fare much better in New York, with 5 times the scrutiny.

Also, would Billy Beane be available?

Would Beane be available? A's owner Lew Wolf might not want Beane to leave, but says Beane could be looking to move elsewhere since the A's don't have a plan for a new ballpark in sight. Plus, The constant rebuilding and tearing down of the A's might be wearing on Beane. Their payroll is just $62 million compared with the Mets, who are at nearly $150 million. The challenge of working in the biggest market with a monster payroll and a beautiful new ballpark could entice Beane to the Mets, but where would the A's be without him? Stay tuned.

Alright, I think i'm too old for a sports jersey...would you buy a sports jersey? To me, you could wear it on Sunday's in your house, maybe to a buddies house to shoot pool, watch a game, fantasy football draft, something like that. Wearing it to work or church isn't gonna fly.

Plus, don't buy a sports jersey for a rookie who hasn't played. You spend all that money, and then he's a bust. What did all those people do with their Ryan Leaf jerseys? If you wore that now, people would be trying to run you off the road.

Well the top selling football jerseys have been announced. You won't believe who #1 is. Let's go down the list.

From April 1-June 30, here are the most popular. 
1-Jay Cutler's Chicago Bears jersey has been the top seller among all NFL players, according to NFLShop.com.
2-Troy Polamalu of Pittsburgh 
3-Ben Roethlisberger of Pittsburgh
4-Mark Sanchez of the New York Jets
5-Tony Romo of Dallas 
6-Brett Favre of the Packers and Jets
7-Tom Brady of New England
8-Michael Crabtree of San Francisco
9-Terrell Owens of Buffalo 
10-Hines Ward of Pittsburgh.

All these guys are disliked, pouting about contacts, or haven't played yet. Polamalu and Brady make sense. All the other ones? Brett Favre, Terrell Owens, Jay Cutler! Hey, why isn't Michael Vick on this list?! Where's Bill Romonowski?! Comes with a free tackle box!?

By Derek Moore

That's B.J Surhoff. Can you imagine him at a home run hitting contest?! Well he was. It was 1999 and he hit more than Sammy Sosa at the Derby, and that's Sammy at the height of the steroid era.

If you think that's odd, Yahoo has compiled the 10 Worst Home Run Derby Participants Ever.

Ron Artest has wore a ton of different jerseys in his career. He wore #23 to honor Michael Jordan, #91 for his twin brother Dennis Rodman, and many others. With him on the Lakers, this one is a bit of a stretch. Artest will wear #37 in honor of Michael Jackson's "Thriller" album, which was #1 for 37 weeks on the Billboard Album Charts.

Maybe he could grab his crotch after every basket, or say "fee-hee" during interviews.