Bayern Trupp » there is also the fantastic volley

Tiger Woods chose surgery to heal his ailing back over a quest for another green jacket, announcing Tuesday that he will miss the Masters for the first time in his career. Woods said on his website that he had surgery Monday in Utah for a pinched nerve that had been hurting him for several months, knowing the surgery would keep him from Augusta National next week for the first time since he was a senior in high school. The No. 1 player in the world is a four-time Masters champion. "After attempting to get ready for the Masters, and failing to make the necessary progress, I decided in consultation with my doctors to have this procedure done, Woods said. "Id like to express my disappointment to the Augusta National membership, staff, volunteers and patrons that I will not be at the Masters. "Its a week thats very special to me," he said. "It also looks like Ill be forced to miss several upcoming tournaments to focus on my rehabilitation and getting healthy." The Masters gets the highest television ratings of any golf tournament, and Woods commands most of the attention, even though he last won a green jacket in 2005. He won his first Masters in 1997 when he set 20 records, from youngest Masters champion at 21 to his 12-shot margin of victory. "I know Tiger has been working very hard to return to form, and as I have said many times, Tiger has a lot of years of good golf ahead of him," Jack Nicklaus said. "I hate to see him robbed of some of that time by injury. But we all know he is doing what is in the best interest of his health and future. I wish him well on a speedy recovery." Nicklaus played 154 straight majors for which he was eligible until he missed the 1998 British Open because of an ailing left hip that he had replaced a year later. Nicklaus rarely had injury problems in compiling 18 professional majors, the record that Woods wants. Woods has been stuck on 14 majors for six years. Woods has had four surgeries on his left knee, and now his biggest concern is his back. He has been coping with back issues since last summer: a twinge in the final round of the PGA Championship and spasms in the final round of The Barclays that caused him to fall to his knees. Then, they returned with alarming regularity recently in Florida. He withdrew after 13 holes in the final round of the Honda Classic with what he described as lower back pain and spasms. Woods shot the highest final round of his career at Doral a week later when he said his back flared up again in the final round. He skipped the Arnold Palmer Invitational, where he was the two-time defending champion, to rest his back and do everything possible to be at Augusta National next week. "Tiger was gracious in keeping us updated of his condition and making us aware of his decision," Augusta National chairman Billy Payne said. "We wholeheartedly offered our best wishes for his immediate and long-term recovery." Woods said he had a microdiscectomy for the pinched nerve, performed by neurosurgeon Charles Rich. A microdiscectomy is a type of minimally invasive spine surgery to relieve pressure and pain caused by a herniated disc. Operating through a small incision in the lower back, surgeons remove small disc fragments that are pressing against spinal nerves. Recovery can take several weeks and doctors typically advise against bending and twisting the back until patients are completely healed "This is frustrating," Woods said. "But its something my doctors advised me to do for my immediate and long-term health." His website said repeating the motion of a golf swing can cause problems with a pinched nerve, and that the injury could have become worse if he had continued to play. Woods said he hopes to return to golf this summer, though he could not say when. Its possible he could at least start chipping and putting in three weeks. He will have to wait until the U.S. Open -- maybe longer -- to resume his quest to match Nicklaus in the majors. Woods won his 14th major at the 2008 U.S. Open on a badly injured left leg that required season-ending surgery two days after his playoff win at Torrey Pines. He has not won another major since then. This would have been the 20th straight Masters for Woods, dating to 1995 when he tied for 41st as the U.S. Amateur champion. He missed the British Open and PGA Championship in 2008 after knee surgery, and the U.S. Open and British Open in 2011 to heal more injuries in his left leg. But he never missed the Masters, even after the scandal in his personal life at the end of 2009. Woods had been out of golf for nearly five months dealing with a car crash into a fire hydrant, revelations of multiple extramarital affairs and 45 days in a Mississippi clinic when he returned to Augusta National under intense scrutiny. He tied for fourth. Even though he hasnt won the Masters in nine years, he had only finished out of the top 10 one time, in 2012. Woods has 79 career wins on the PGA Tour, three short of the record held by Sam Snead. He already was off to the worst start of his career. "Its tough right now, but Im absolutely optimistic about the future," Woods said. "There are a couple (of) records by two outstanding individuals and players that I hope one day to break. As Ive said many times, Sam and Jack reached their milestones over an entire career. I plan to have a lot of years left in mine." Willie Brown Jersey . This time, Tebow was in a groove the entire second half -- not just in the waning minutes -- and his teammates on defence were getting gobbled up. Otis Sistrunk Jersey .C., won gold in the womens 200-metre backstroke, and Dominique Bouchard of North Bay, Ont. http://www.shoptheraidersonline.com/Elit...Raiders-Jersey/. The 6-foot-10 centre who won an NBA title with the Miami Heat was voted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Monday, adding that honour to becoming a board member at his alma mater. Lyle Alzado Womens Jersey . -- Peyton Manning is the only player in this Super Bowl who has won the big game. Hunter Renfrow Jersey .com) - The Miami Heat stopped a four-game losing streak last time out and thats the same length slide their opponents Wednesday night, the Denver Nuggets, will try to halt when the two teams meet at the Pepsi Center.Its all or nothing for Vancouver Whitecaps. Wednesday night could officially signal the end of the Caps playoff hopes if they dont beat Seattle Sounders at CenturyLink Field, live on TSN2 (10pm et/7pm pt). The way in which Vancouver twice fought back to draw against Portland at BC Place with two sensational goals from Camilo created a feel-good factor around the club, but unfortunately a point against the Timbers likely wasnt enough. Now the Whitecaps will probably have to win their remaining three matches in order to make the postseason. Its a position nobody expected them to be in when they were within touching distance of the Western Conference summit in mid-July, but a run of just two wins in their last 12 matches has seen the club tumble well outside the top five. Right now its a long shot. Mathematically it is still possible, but extremely unlikely. Theyre six points behind fifth-placed Colorado with three matches remaining for both teams, and they have to play the Rapids twice. The picture will become much clearer on Wednesday as both teams are in action. Colorado goes to San Jose, a team that is also chasing down the Rapids for the final playoff place. The Whitecaps recent road results have been positive, tying in San Jose and winning in Montreal, but with the draw at home to Portland, Martin Rennies men have now won just one of their last six home matches, losing three of them. Ultimately that will cost them their place in the playoffs. Theyve also won just four of 21 matches against Western Conference opposition this season. Thats plenty of points that they have handed to the sides they are competing with. Now they must achieve something they are yet to do in Major League Soccer, just to keep their season alive – win in Seattle. A victory against the Sounders would also move the Whitecaps into first place in the race for the Cascadia Cup, with one match remaining next weekend between Portland and Seattle. Up until July, the Whitecaps hadnt beaten one of their Pacific Northwest rivals in MLS. They managed to put that right by winning against the Sounders at BC Place. A month earlier, they lost 3-2 to an understrength Sounders team in Seattle despite twice taking the lead. So both matches this season have shown the Whitecaps can live with their neighbours from down the I5. Seattle are clearly one of the best teams in the league – especially at home. They will go into Wednesday nights contest anxious to put things right after a shock 5-1 thumping at Colorado on Saturday, a result that was the Sounders heaviest MLS defeat. Seattles squad may be weakened by injuries, suspensions and international call-ups, but they will still go into the match as heavy favourites against a Whitecaps side that will allso be missing the likes of Kenny Miller and Darren Mattocks.dddddddddddd. The Sounders have been pretty much invincible at home. They are currently on the second-longest unbeaten home run in MLS history, not having lost since the opening day of the season when Montreal won 1-0 at CenturyLink. A win for Seattle would clinch them a playoff spot for the fifth successive season since they joined the league in 2009. It would also take them into first place in the chase for the Supporters Shield as the team with the most points over the course of the regular season. If the Whitecaps could pull off a win in Seattle it would be one of their best results since joining Major League Soccer. Thats how big the task is ahead of them. No one expects it, but a 3-0 victory in Montreal three weeks ago also seemed totally unrealistic. Rennies side needs the win. They have to go for it. It should be an intriguing match between two long-standing rivals. Camilo or Hassli? Theres a debate going on about the Whitecaps best goal in Major League Soccer. Is it Camilos super scissors kick from Sunday, or Eric Hasslis wonder-strike in Seattle back in June 2011? Ironically, both goals tied the game for Vancouver at 2-2 and both were scored against Cascadia opposition. I absolutely loved Camilos goal against Portland. It should be MLS Goal of the Year, but in my mind Hasslis is superior. Camilos may have had a bigger impact because of the time of the season and the importance of the match, plus the way it capped off an incredible three minutes of play. But Hasslis goal was a once-in-a-lifetime thing. It was a moment of individual brilliance which was executed to perfection, and quite rightly nominated for the FIFA goal of the year. Hassli should also have won MLS Goal of the Year, but that honour went to Darlington Nagbe from Portland Timbers, leaving most of North America – except those in Portland – questioning the way the league handles the voting for that award. Like Hasslis effort, Camilos goal was also taken superbly, and capped off a great move for the Whitecaps, but I think it comes second to the Frenchman. If you widen the selection to include other competitions, there is also the fantastic volley Hassli scored against Toronto FC in last years Canadian Championship when talking about the best goals of Vancouvers MLS era. Whatever your view on which goal was best, the fact is Whitecaps supporters have been treated to some spectacular strikes in the last few years. With the club set to miss out on postseason play in Major League Soccer, Camilos two-goal performance on Sunday will likely be the highlight of the season. Vancouver Whitecaps against Seattle Sounders is live on TSN2 on Wednesday at 10pm et/7pm pt. ' ' '