Tiger Woods is known for his reticence on political and social issues. Therefore, his response to the Dubai jounalist who asked his opinion of Barak Obama should come as no surprise. Tiger, in Dubai for the Dubai Desert Classic (which he is leading by two strokes at -7), responded:

“I’ve seen him speak. He’s extremely articulate, very thoughtful. I’m just impressed at how well, basically all politicians really do, how well they think on their feet.”

Tiger’s “on-the-fence” answer has drawn some flack in the blogosphere today. Does a sports champion (or actor or musician) have an obligation to share his opinion with the public? Do we even care what he thinks when he’s off of the golf course? I say: let the man do what he does best–Golf.

The players of the PGA Tour, sans Tiger, are competing in the FBR Open at the TPC Scottsdale golf course in Scottsdale, Arizona this week. Take a look at what challenges are facing them in this flyover of the course.

Being fabulous over forty means…

… realizing you’ve only played the front nine.

What’s happening around the Sports Channel? More than you can imagine!

David Kindervater of Every Morning Quarterback is in Phoenix for Super Bowl Media Day, while the rest of us are busy writing about some of the Top 10 things in sports.

This week in the b5media Sports Channel round-up, we offer some amazing lists assembled by our fabulous group of bloggers. Don’t miss out on any of these terrific Top 10 lists.

• Learn more about playing poker in Tunica from Blake Butler at All Poker Addicts.
• Allison Boyer from BCS Frenzy explains the Top 10 things you girlfriend doesn’t know about football.
• In case you missed the best college basketball jerseys, Rich Carlson tells you about the ugliest ones too at College Fast Break.
• Al Bianchi shares with everyone, the Top 10 sounds of sports at Dejuiced.
• Tim Zaegel recaps 2007 with a list of the biggest headlines in NASCAR at Do You Nascar.
• At Getting Reel, Don Zaegel talks about the Top 10 reasons BWS will survive.
• Jodie Boduch answers the question, Where is Tom Brady? at Gossip On Sports.
• Planning a golf vacation? Here at Green Posse we’re talking about the Top 10 spots.
• Hockey fans will love Jeanne Dupuis’ Top 10 hockey goal celebrations at Hockey Beat.
• Don’t miss out on the list of best fantasy basketball players under 25 from Stephen Kersey at Hoops Fantasy.
• Kori Ellis provides information on the Astros single-season batting leaders in Hunter Pence’s blog at Inside the Ballpark.
• Geoff Young from Knuckle Curve provides an amazing list of indispensable baseball resources. Don’t miss this!
• Joe Ruiz writes about the Top 10 WNBA games to watch at Ladies Court.
• Sasha Manuel from Light the Torch offers the Top 10 Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings.
• James Edwards breaks down the Top 10 teams in the league right now at NBA Obsessed.
• Erica Beck gives you the Top 10 moments from the Australian Open at Rackets and Balls.
• Dinsa Sachan from Six and Out provides a list of the Top 10 weird dismissals in cricket
• James Edwards at Squib Kick writes about the Top 10 reasons the Patriots are 18-0.
• Here are the Top 10 fantasy football quarterbacks from Kori Ellis at the The Fantasy Kickoff.
• Who’s making all the money? Jyle Dupuis gives us the scoop with the list of the highest paid soccer players at The Footie.
• Place your bets on the Super Bowl with T.O. Whenham’s advice at Ultra Sports Bet.
• T.O. gives us even more insight with the Top 10 Things That Won’t Effect the Super Bowl.

I like golf as much as the next person, but I think snow golfers are crazy. Read more about this growing trend in an article that ran this past weekend in the India Times.

^{(photo credit © Lilia Efimova/cc license)}

It’s not just all about football in Phoenix this weekend. As Tiger Woods and his entourage head to Dubai for the Dubai Open, the majority of the PGA Tour players are in Scottsdale, competing in the FBR Open.

The four-day tournament finishes on Sunday, going head-to-head with the Super Bowl coverage. Players committed for this week are Phil Mickelson, Sony Open winner K.J. Choi, Rory Sabbatini, and three-time FBR Open winner, Mark Calavecchio.

^{(photo of the 2007 FBR Open © cobalt123/cc license)}

After a ten-week hiatus from competition and amidst a flurry of controversy stemming from the Golf Channel’s Kelly Tilghman’s stupid remark, Tiger Woods showed the world at Torrey Pines this week why he’s the best in the game. Woods easily won the Buick Invitational there for the 6th time (and 4th in a row) with a -19, 8 shots better than second place finisher, Ryuji Imada of Japan (who shot a very respectable – 2 on Sunday).

Perhaps the best quote of the weekend came from veteran PGA Tour member, Fred Couples, who (referring to the Tilghman bruhaha) said “Honestly … everyone needs to leave the guy alone. Every time he gets upset, he wins by 15 shots. We have to tout him, tell him how great he is, be enamored.” Freddie has a point.

Rookie Kevin Streelman, who ended the first round in second place, finished the tournament tied for 11th place.

I’m not sure it would even make a believable golf movie. Kevin Streelman, a PGA Tour rookie, had just four minutes to prepare for the Buick Invitational tournament when as an alternate he was moved into the action after Matthew Goggin withdrew. The Buick Invitational is just the third PGA event for the 29-year-old Streelman.

Streelman didn’t let a little thing like youth or last minute nerves stop him, however. After two rounds, he is second in the tournament at -8, behind Tiger Woods’ -12. That means he will be playing in the final pairing with Woods, someone he was “too scared to introduce himself to” on Thursday.

Who is Kevin Streelman? He turned pro in 2003 and played a season on the Nationwide Tour. A graduate of Duke University, Streelman earned his PGA card via the PGA Q school. He currently lives in Arizona and is engaged to be married this fall.

We wish Kevin well. I have a feeling this is not the last time we’ll be hearing his name.

Although it’s exciting to watch Tiger Woods make his 2008 debut, and try to gain the lead, at Torrey Pines this week, the Buick Invitational being played there is not the only golf event this weekend.

The European Tour is in Qatar, on the Persian Gulf, competing in the Commercialbank Qatar Masters Tournament. The four-day event, at the Doha Golf Club, ends Sunday. Currently Johan Edfors from Sweden is leading the pack.

The Champions Tour teed off this morning at Turtle Bay (pictured above) for the three-day Turtle Bay Championship. Meanwhile the golfers of the Nationwide Tour is enjoying the Panama sun, playing in the Movistar Panama Championship, being held at the Club de Golf de Panama in Panama City.

^{(photo credit: Hawthorne01/cc license)}

Somehow it seems that everytime I try to watch golf, there’s John Daly on the tube explaining how he was wronged by the golf powers that be. Two weeks ago, he was upset about the PGA’s new cut rule that left him in the money, but off of television for the fourth and fifth rounds of the Sony Open. (Me thinks that Mr. Daly fails to open his mail from the PGA.)

Last week, he was giving a performance on the course worthy of any NBA all-star that’s trying to draw a foul. Reportedly in pain, Daly was treated at length by his therapist while he lay on the course. Eventually, he withdraw from the tournament. Several news sources, including the LA Times, reported his being well enough to enjoy reveling at the post-tournament parties.

This week, the Daly controversy stems from his not getting a sponsor’s exemption for the upcoming FBR Open in Arizona next week. It seems the last spot went to 20-year-old Jason Day.

Is it just me, or are these enough John Daly stories to last the season?

^{(photo credit: McHart/cc license)}