Hot Shots April 15 2000

1. Singh a victory song: Vijay Singh showed a lot of class in winning his first green jacket, despite having to play four carryover holes Sunday.

2. Nicklaus and dimed: Why was more fuss made about Jack Nicklaus’ two-over 74 on Saturday, which took him out of contention, than about the fact that the 60-year-old Golden Bear had actually been in contention that day?

3. Fan appreciation day: Whether you call them gluttons for punishment or simply dedicated supporters, Thrashers fans deserve credit for setting an NHL record for expansion-team attendance. They witnessed only nine successful outings all year.

4. Thanks, Don: Previous hitting coach Don Baylor appears to have left a legacy. The Braves have been hit by pitches five times in the first six games. Baylor, who was hit by 267 pitches in his career, should have taught them how to bail out.

5. No. 1 with a bullet: Keep an eye on the Braves’ speedy 19-year-old middle infielder, Rafael Furcal - if you can.

6. Still going ... : The Hawks are proving that the NBA season is indeed a marathon.

7. What if ... : With the NFL Draft coming up this Saturday, Falcons fans can only imagine how the best college players in the nation would have looked in an Atlanta uniform. The Falcons don’t have a first-round pick, as theirs (No. 5 overall) belongs to Baltimore.