ORLANDO, Fla. Patrick Chung Jersey . -- Tiger Woods was a large part of the conversation on the eve of the Arnold Palmer Invitational. And hes not even playing. Woods is missing Bay Hill for only the second time in his career when the tournament starts Thursday on a course that Palmer said is in the best shape ever. Woods has won eight times, including the last two years, but he called the 84-year-old host on Tuesday to say persistent back pain will keep him from playing. "He didnt tell me how bad his back is. I dont think he knows how bad his back is," Palmer said. "I think hes listening to the doctors. And he mentioned that theyre saying that he needs to give it a bit of a rest and see if he can work it out. He was very nice. And I, of course, have great sympathy for the fact that he tried like hell to come here and play. And I appreciate that and the fact that he called. "I think he wanted to play golf this week," Palmer said. "I think that he needs to take (time) -- whether its this week, next week or the following week -- to get ready for Augusta. Certainly, if I were in that position, Id be doing much the same." Most of the chatter was more about the future with Woods. Will he play at the Masters? Stuck on 14 majors for the last five years, can he match or surpass the record 18 majors won by Jack Nicklaus? And what will be the larger obstacle -- his age (38), his health (legs and back) or the competition (long list)? "I dont think 38 years is the ultimate stopping point for his quest to do what Jack did," Palmer said. "I think it lessens the possibility of that happening. Its going to be tough. Its going to be tough to keep the concentration and the type of the game that is necessary to win majors." Nicklaus won four of his majors after turning 38. Ben Hogan, with battered legs from a car accident, won five majors after turning 38. Palmer, however, believes more than age is at stake for Woods. "These young guys are tough, and theyre strong," Palmer said. "And if they continue to play as well as theyve been playing, its going to be tough for anybody -- whether it be Nicklaus or Tiger or whomever it would be -- to continue to win major championships. And were talking about guys that are playing good and coming on." Palmer actually had a list of players he was talking about. Some of them were young, such as Chris Kirk and Harris English. Others had either won this season (Ryan Moore) or played well recently (Robert Garrigus). "I dont know how many you want me to name," Palmer said. "But really, the strength and the ability of these people is very pleasing to me." Graeme McDowell, a runner-up to Woods two years at Bay Hill, said he can understand what the No. 1 player is going through with injuries. He also believes that competition might be an even larger obstacle than his health for Woods to break Nicklaus record. "Hes a physical player who creates a lot of speed and a lot of power and his body is starting to struggle a little bit, no doubt about it," McDowell said. "But Im sure hell fix it. ... But we all talk about how good the fields are nowadays. Taking Tigers fitness and physicality out of it, winning major championships is getting harder and harder for everyone -- including the best player maybe thats ever lived in Tiger. "Hes got more than just his body to be fighting. Theres a lot of great players in the world now," McDowell said. "Its going to be harder for him to achieve Jacks record. But if anyone can do it, Im sure he can find a way because we all know how good he is." The field at Bay Hill is not as strong as usual, starting with the absence of Woods, the No. 1 player in the world and an eight-time winner of this event. Match Play champion Jason Day (No. 4 in the world) pulled out with recurring pain in his thumb, and Phil Mickelson (No. 5) is not playing this year. Not that it would change the dynamics of what already has been a peculiar season. With 18 tournaments in the books this season, Zach Johnson is the only player to win a PGA Tour event while ranked among the top 10 in the world. The Masters is three weeks away. Is it time for the stars to come out? "Hopefully, this one does," Masters champion Adam Scott said, pointing to himself with a laugh. "But as far as unexpected winners, it seems to me thats happening more and more in golf. There are more and more guys breaking through, putting in a lot of hard work and getting what they deserve. So I think weve seen a bit of a shift in the game over the last couple of years -- a lot less domination by top players." James Develin Jersey . Join World Soccer Pickem 2014 for your chance to win $5,500 in cash prizes by picking the winner of each game all the way through to the tournament final. Will you ride a favourite such as Spain or Germany, or cast your lot with an underdog like Ivory Coast or Mexico? Perhaps key victories from Netherlands or the United States will be your key to victory. James White Jersey .Two San Francisco radio stations say they wont play the song during the duration of the World Series. A Kansas City, Missouri, station responded with plans to play the Grammy-winning track every hour from 7 a. http://www.patriotsauthenticshop.com/Patriots-Laadrian-Waddle-Draft-Jersey/ . The move will give Hentgen the "time needed to support his family and his fathers current health issues," the Blue Jays said in a release. Hentgen spent 10 of his 14 big-league seasons with the Blue Jays, winning a Cy Young Award in 1996.Got a question on rule clarification, comments on rule enforcements or some memorable NHL stories? Kerry wants to answer your emails at cmonref@tsn.ca! Hello Mr. Fraser, In the Leafs and Pens game Wednesday night, it appeared that Evgeni Malkin pushed Leaf netminder Jonathan Bernier into the net before putting the puck in. Should this have been called goaltender interference resulting the goal being disallowed? Thank you!Andrew Shirtliff --- Hello Kerry, Was the game-tying goal by Malkin a good goal in your opinion? It looks like he pushed Bernier into the net with his forward motion before slapping the puck in the net. Not sure what the rule book says here and would like some clarification. Thank you! Ryan Sneek, Toronto Andrew and Ryan (and a vast multitude who submitted a question on this same play, I thank you), Evgeni Malkins game tying goal should have been disallowed by the referee(s) on two counts. (i) The puck slid under the pad of Leafs goalkeeper Jonathan Bernier as he established a butterfly position and made the initial save on Sidney Crosbys skate to stick redirection at the top of the crease. The puck remained trapped under Berniers pad (did not continue to slide toward the goal) constituting not only a "save" but a frozen puck with players crashing the crease. The whistle should have been blown to stop play in this instant or at the very least "intent to blow the whistle!" In fairness, a quick whistle was an unlikely option since the referee in the corner had a severely obstructed view looking through the backs of Crosby, and Leaf defendders Paul Ranger, Carl Gunnarson and Nazem Kadri. Jordan Richards Jersey. What followed was a clear violation of rule 69 - Interference on the Goalkeeper. (ii) Rule 69.3 states, "If an attacking player initiates contact with a goalkeeper, incidental or otherwise, while the goalkeeper is in his goal crease, and a goal is scored, the goal will be disallowed." (See also 69.6 - In the event that a goalkeeper has been pushed into the net together with the puck by an attacking player after making a stop, the goal will be disallowed) Evgeni Malkin used his stick intentionally and deliberately to push Berniers pad off the covered puck and in the process deposited both Bernier and the puck into the net. A conference should have been conducted by the four officials (standard operating procedure) and concluded from their various angles that goalkeeper interference had occurred and Bernier and the puck were illegally deposited into the net. While a minor penalty could have resulted to Evgeni Malkin for his deliberate and intentional contact with Jonathan Bernier (69.2) an argument could be made that Malkin was digging for what he thought to be a loose puck and no penalty would result. Either way (penalty or not) a clear violation of goalkeeper interference took place and the goal should have been waved off. This dirty goal is just another example for the ongoing need to allow the referee(s) to conduct a video review when goalkeeper interference is suspected. If a Coachs Challenge was allowed, Randy Carlyle would have rightly tossed the flag instead of just blowing a gasket to no avail. Cheap Philadelphia Eagles Jersesys Cheap Oakland Raiders Jerseys Cheap Minnesota Vikings Jerseys Cheap Los Angeles Chargers Jersesys Cheap Cleveland Browns Jersesys Cheap Chicago Bears Jersesys Cheap Miami Dolphins Jerseys Cheap New Orleans Saints Jerseys Cheap Seattle Seahawks Jersesys Cheap Green Bay Packers Jersesys Cheap Pittsburgh Steelers Jersesys Cheap New York Giants Jersesys Cheap New England Patriots Jerseys Cheap Denver Broncos Jersesys Cheap Dallas Cowboys Jersesys Cheap San Francisco 49ers Jersesys ' ' '