Watchmaker pulls plug on Tiger
Former Tiger Woods caddie Steve Williams was seen talking with Woods' agent, Mark Steinberg, on Tuesday at Atlanta Athletic Club, where this week's PGA Championship will be held.
The footage captured by Atlanta television station WSB-TV shows them in a discussion for about 15 to 20 minutes under a tree while the outspoken caddie stands with his arms crossed.
Speculation was that Steinberg was addressing Williams' boorish comments about Woods after Williams' newest boss, Adam Scott, won the World Golf Championship in Akron, Ohio, on Sunday.
But Steinberg could have been informing Williams not to expect a parting gift from Woods -- certainly not a watch.
Swiss watchmaker Tag Heuer on Wednesday said it was ending its 10-year commercial relationship with Woods.
The company stopped promoting Woods' image in the United States in December 2009, weeks after revelations about his marital problems began to emerge.
Tag Heuer chief executive Jean-Christophe Babin said in a statement that the company is "confident that Tiger will eventually regain full trust with the public."
The concepts of trust and loyalty seem lost on the watchmaker and Williams.
■ YAO'S TRIP TO HALL -- Retired Houston Rockets center Yao Ming could enter the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as early as next year, though not as a player.
The 7-foot-6-inch Yao retired in July after leg and foot injuries ended his eight-year NBA career. The eight-time All-Star averaged 19 points and 9.2 rebounds in the NBA.
Inclusion in the Hall would be for his contributions to the game, according to John Doleva, the Hall's president and chief executive.
Doleva said Yao should be remembered for his global impact on the league and its expansion into Asia.
A display for Yao at the Hall likely would include his jumbo sneakers and various X-rays of his injuries.
■ SOCCER PLEA IS A RIOT -- Premier League soccer rivals Liverpool and Everton have issued a joint appeal for the rioting in England to end.
The Premier League will decide today whether any of this weekend's season-opening matches will be postponed.
The rioting and looting that started Saturday in London spread across England and saw the country's exhibition against the Netherlands at Wembley Stadium on Wednesday called off.
Soccer officials also asked Liverpool residents to limit their rioting to after games.
■ 85 WANTS ROOMMATE -- It's unclear if Chad Ochocinco's choice for living quarters after training camp is a budgetary decision or an effort to endear himself with new fans in New England.
"I'm going to do something different; I'm actually going to stay with a fan the first two, three weeks of the season," said the wide receiver, who joined the Patriots two weeks ago.
"That should be fun until I get myself acclimated, I learn my way around and actually just find a place," he said.
His one requirement is that his roomie must have Internet access and Xbox video games.
COMPILED BY JEFF WOLF
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
