The eyes of the golf world will turn to San Diego this week. Joining us on Morning Edition is North County Times sports columnist Jay Paris. Hey Jay, before we get into golf, what do you think about the matchup -- we've got Drew Breeze of the Saints, Peyton Manning of the Colts in the Superbowl, Drew Breeze of course former San Diego Charger quarterback.
JAY PARIS: I think it's a great matchup, you know it still sounds funny: Drew Breeze, New Orleans Saints, a player that cut his teeth on the Chargers, and him and LaDainian came here after that one and 15 season, and Drew's gone on to bigger and better things. I think I'll go with the Colts today, but it's New Orleans, they could be working that voodoo magic down there, and just maybe Breeze can get his ring.
DWANE BROWN: Yeah, let's hope so. Let's turn to the practice rounds for the Farmers Insurance Open getting underway this morning at Torrey Pines. How important was the last minute sponsorship here?
PARIS: It was fairly important, and you know, another odd name, for so many years the Buick Invitational, but they've gone the way of the bailouts, and no more sponsoring golf tournaments, so Farmers stepped in at the last minute. The prize money is still the same, 900 and something thousand dollars, and just, it having a title just kinda helps with all the running around and the volunteers, and people getting paid the money they should. It should be interesting, now, the field's not stellar, and you-know-who's not here, which means TMZ didn't apply for credentials, which they're happy about over there, but, you know, Phil Mickelson getting his season going, a Rancho Santa Fe resident, and Ernie Ells, the great South African player's there as well, but it's not the star-studded field we're used to seeing, but there's still plenty of good golf out there.
PAMELA DAVIS: Let's go back to football for a minute, since the Chargers devastating playoff loss, the team didn't waste much time extending head coach Norv Turner's contract. Was this the right move?
PARIS: I think it was the right move. I think you could certainly make the argument that Norv deserves not to go into next season as a lame duck coach. My only concern would be the length of the contract -- that and the timing. That Monday a week from today, actually, that was probably one of the darkest days in Charger fan history, I mean there were a lot of people hurting, and with Norv being extended at 7:30 that night, kind of under the cover of darkness, it hit people the wrong way. But you know Norv, his numbers say he deserves to come back for one or two more years, I was just surprised by the length of the contract.
BROWN: Yeah, I was not too surprised by the loss by the San Diego State men's basketball team over the weekend, uh, BYU did it to them again, what do you say about the Aztecs?
PARIS: Oh, yeah, Aztecs, great rally, you know, they're down by 10 with six to play, and BYU, they're no slouch, now that's the number 14th ranked team in the nation, and they play just like it. You know, there's a couple ways to look at it, the Aztecs, they're getting better, and they've got talent, but they're 3 and 3 in the Mountain West Conference. They're probably going to have to get their NCAA birth by winning the season end tournament. But they fell a little short, great night though for college basketball in San Diego. The place was sold out, and it was rocking, there's still some time to turn this thing around, but they can't afford too many losses.
BROWN: Yeah, they lost their -- they had lost 14 games straight at home, the Aztecs. BYU, at the same time last year beat them, at home, they did it again. What is it about BYU?
PARIS: Uh, good players. They've got a ton of them. And I think their winning streak now is the second longest in the entire nation with 15 in a row. You know, they're the class of the conference, you know Mountain West Conference basketball, that's some tough sledding there. There's some good teams, in Utah and BYU, and BYU's at the top now, and they, like you said, beating the Aztecs twice at home, in a row, which not many teams can claim.
DAVIS: North County Times sports columnist Jay Paris, Jay thanks for joining us this morning.
PARIS: Alrighty, cheers!
