nd puts a huge emphasis on the July race.ts tire failure, Logano said Goodyear ma

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- There was a time around here when Phil Mickelsons nerves were stretched so tight, you could bounce a quarter off em and have it land in Atlanta. That was exactly 10 years, five majors and three green jackets ago. He arrived that week 0 for 42 in the tournaments that matter and left as one of the most contented men on the planet. Back at the scene of that first major win for his interview session Tuesday, Mickelson was charming and so much the master of his domain you half-expected him to wade into the gathering of reporters and pull that same quarter out from behind someones ear. Now 43, Lefty was at ease, deftly tucking many of those reporters first names into his answers and lavishing praise on the conditions at Augusta National and even long-time rival Tiger Woods, who will miss his first Masters in 20 years while recovering from back surgery. "Its a weird feeling not having him here, isnt it?" Mickelson said, unbidden. Then again, he could afford to be gracious. Mickelson sat down at the podium fresh off a big win in one of those high-stakes practice rounds for which hes become notorious "Curious on practice rounds," a reporter said. "Watching former champions going out with younger players, youve done that in the past, and the mentoring that goes on in the early part of this week. Just curious the extent that you do that now as a past champion." "Yeah, mentoring or wagering," Mickelson said to laughter. "Either way you want to look at it. "Rickie Fowler and I were partners today and he went on a tear. He shot 30 the front nine; he eagled 13, he birdied 17 and 18, threw another one on 15, I think. Just played remarkable golf. It was fun," Mickelson added, "to have him as my partner." "Speaking of wagering," another reporter asked a few moments later, "I head you lost a dollar to a patron behind the sixth green; couldnt get up and down. Is that right?" Mickelson tried not to blush. "He was mouthing off about hard shot, get this up and down, no chance, blah, blah, blah. And it wasnt that hard a shot, and I should have gotten it up and down and I did hit a good shot. I had a 7-footer straight uphill and I missed it, and I had to pay him," he said. "Thats what happens when you lose." "Do you always carry small bills?" came the follow-up. "Did he have change?" "I had to get a five from a caddie," Mickelson replied, trying harder not to blush. "I dont." The longer he goes on spinning tales that are insightful or funny -- and sometimes both -- the more Mickelson sounds like one of the games elder statesmen. But unlike Jack Nicklaus, 74, and Arnold Palmer, 84, who reminisced about his last major win 50 years ago, Mickelson is still a very real threat to win every time he tees it up. Hes still ranked No. 5 in the world, but hasnt had a top-10 finish this season and his last win was last summers almost magical victory at the British Open. More problematic, perhaps, Mickelson has been hobbled by back and muscle injuries for months, not pronouncing himself "100 per cent healthy until last week. He even admitted to some nerves "because I always like coming into this week with a win. ... being in contention a few times and having that confidence and experience to build on." But if Mickelson was concerned about his chances, he might have been the only one in the room. "Now that youve won five Majors," came the question, "how cognizant are you of climbing the ladder of historical greats where you have (Lee) Trevino at six, Arnie at seven? Is that something you think about, where you stand in relation to those figures?" "Not really," Mickelson began. "But I do know that Arnold and Tiger have four jackets and I have three. I know Jack has six, but nothing I can do about that right now. Im just trying to get back to where the two ahead of me are." Yet its hard to imagine Mickelson having more fun with yet another green jacket than he did with the previous ones. He slept in it the first night after winning, wore it in the drive-through line at Krispy Kreme one morning, and donned it at dinner more often than a colour-blind waiter. Even though Mickelson could have gone on for hours, the moderator signalled last question "What are your strongest memories of being on 18 10 years ago?" he was asked. "What comes right to mind?" "I jumped so high I almost hit lightning that day," Mickelson replied. "Unfortunately the photographers, they just didnt time it right, so its very, yeah, I felt like that was an unfair assessment of that leap. Because I probably could have dunked a basketball if need be." Braden Smith Jersey .The Hamilton Tiger-Cat defensive back always has the required receipt. But he also walks around with a tangle of metal screws, rods and plates after breaking his neck in 2006 playing high school football in Louisiana. Nate Hairston Jersey . The Canucks figured to be active prior to Wednesdays trade deadline, getting a jump on things the previous day when they dealt goaltender Roberto Luongo to the Florida Panthers for netminder Jacob Markstrom and forward Shawn Matthias. http://www.coltsfansshop.com/Colts-Adam-...aft-Jersey/.com) - Quarterback Cardale Jones will return to Ohio State next season. Kemoko Turay Jersey . The closer wasnt available. The road trip, a disaster to that point. Jabaal Sheard Jersey .Y. - The Philadelphia Eagles game at Green Bay against the Packers on Nov. SONOMA, Calif. -- Tony Stewart was running lap times about a second faster than expected at Indianapolis Motor Speedway when a blown tire caused him to wreck this week in a Goodyear test. Goodyear officials said Stewarts accident 17 laps into Tuesdays 20-lap run was the only incident of the two-day test. The three-time NASCAR champion wasnt injured. "Our test speeds were extremely fast at Indianapolis," Greg Stucker, Goodyears director of racing, said in a statement Friday. "Tony was approaching the end of a very strong 20-lap run, with his lap times as much as a second faster than what has become the norm at Indianapolis at that point of a run. "It appears that increased, sustained speed over that run generated a significant amount of heat, which eventually caused the right-front to go down." Stewart wasnt upset with Goodyear over the incident, which he said "destroyed the car, so it was a good hit. "I am not really sure what the cause of it was, but thats part of tire testing," Stewart said. "Thats why you go to the test. Im sure theyll learn something from it and well go on." Joey Logano was one of six drivers at the test and said Stewart easily had the fastest car at Indy. Also at the test were Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer, Kyle Busch and Ryan Newman, the defending race winner. Stewart, an Indiana native, has two BBrickyard victories and puts a huge emphasis on the July race.dddddddddddd Following Stewarts tire failure, Logano said Goodyear made adjustments "to figure out a way to knock some speed out of these race cars." Teams were given a different left side tire to use and will wait to see what Goodyear decides to bring for the race. "I know when we left they were going to go back and discuss where they wanted to be, but I think theyre going in the right direction on making sure they have the security in the tire, making sure its safe," Logano said. "Its definitely a very big challenge when you come to a race track and you go faster and youre already on edge. Youve got to come back with something thats even more durable and thats hard." Indianapolis has been a difficult track for Goodyear, and the tire brought to the 2008 race was not durable enough to make it more than a dozen or so laps. NASCAR was forced to call a caution roughly every 10 laps to force teams to change tires. "The thing about Indianapolis is the tough conditions the cars and the tires have to endure," Stucker said. "The surface is very abrasive, the long straightaways and short chutes are fast, cornering is tough with very little banking. Combine that with this new car package, and youve got conditions that put a lot of stress on the tires." 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