Opinion

When one tried to project the absolute top moments exiting WrestleMania 38 before the event happened, Vince McMahon's legendary botching of a stunner from "Stone Cold" Steve Austin wasn't high on the list. 

Yet here we are, with the 76-year-old chairman and chief executive officer of WWE going endlessly viral for a huge (botched) moment—and one that hopefully signals the end of his in-ring career. 

That's meant in the nicest way possible, of course. McMahon bumbling through one major-botched spot is a funny, if not charming moment. A second and...things get out of hand. 

It would appear Vince himself would agree, too. According to Fightful (h/t Randall Ortman of Cageside Seats), he knows his sell of Austin's stunner was "terrible," but in the end, it entertained and had fans laughing. 

Call that summation the understatement of the century. 

A short play-by-play for those who have somehow missed the clip.

Austin, a night removed from his in-ring return nearly two decades in the making, interfered with McMahon's big moment during a match against Pat McAfee. After the usual beer-me awkwardness with Vince, Austin went to hit the stunner. 

Except, Vince took the kick to set up the move and started backpedaling faster than an NFL cornerback covering Tyreek Hill, to the point Austin—who didn't run at all during his match the night before—had to sprint just to catch his elderly victim (and might not have if Vince hadn't bounced off the ropes) and finish off the move. 

The finish was more of both guys collapsing together before Austin popped back up, unable to stop himself from cracking up. 

It's that funny: 

The whole ordeal sort of self-explains why that probably needs to be the last of Vince as an in-ring performer or wrestler. Besides the botch, he doesn't really have any close connections with any other current Superstars like he did Stone Cold or Undertaker, anyway. And to his credit, had Austin not shockingly returned, he probably wouldn't have been in the ring at all. 

If it's any consolation to all involved, fans included, everyone knows Vince has been pretty awful at selling stunners from the very beginning. That his final sell was the worst of all is, if nothing else, pretty fitting. 

All the funny stuff aside, we do have to touch on how poorly it made McAfee look in spots. Admittedly, it's an eye-of-the-beholder thing. Some fans are going to wave it off and give it a mulligan—he was humoring everyone and selling for a legend. There will undoubtedly be some fans that discredit McAfee as a challenger to other Superstars though after throwing himself into Vince's arm and then doing flips. 

But it was a little jarring to see McAfee's budding stardom shine against Austin Theory before selling for Vince. Most of it looked bad, and then McMahon turned around and did that, which only made things worse. 

Keep in mind this strictly refers to Vince the in-ring performer, not the boss personality or—dare we wish for it—Vince the Superstar manager. He's still a genius in terms of live crowds and psychology. Attaching him to Theory for good and even bringing him out as a full-time manager could work wonders for both theory and a company that continues to have a hard time creating new main-event Superstars. 

The fact we're even writing about a 76-year-old man's in-ring performance is a testament to Vince's staying power and willingness to put himself at risk for fans. It would have felt strange to see Stone Cold back but without an interaction with McMahon given their storied history.

And in an odd twist, things going off without a hitch might've ended up less memorable compared to this stunner botch that will go down in history. So much so, WWE would be wise to just embrace it like Austin did for the hilarious moment it was, as opposed to attempting video-editing wizardry and pretending it didn't happen. 

It did, and it was glorious, but it also needs to signal the last time Vince steps into the ring as an actual wrestler. If that's really the end, it was a fitting one on many levels, especially with it coming against Stone Cold. 

He won't shoot the lowest score.

And he won't slide the green jacket on outside Butler Cabin.

But make no mistake, golf fans. Tiger Woods has won the Masters.

Already.

Oh, sure, it may be someone else basking in the glow of a Jim Nantz interview come Sunday evening at Augusta National, but this tournament was over just past 11 a.m. ET on Thursday when the greatest talent in the game's history stepped to the first tee and ripped a drive a few steps short of a fairway bunker.

The roar that erupted minutes later when he drained a 12-footer to save par was a fitting mic drop.

It was a red-shirt flashback from a man in a hot-pink turtleneck.

And before we get much further, let's make sure we get the vocabulary correct.

Don't call it a comeback. This is a full-on sports miracle.

Lest anyone think that's a label that ought to be reserved only for Al Michaels in the Olympics or any time the New York Mets are relevant in October, let's look at the facts.

The guy hadn't hit a competitive shot in 508 days—which is nearly 10 years in dog time and probably close to that when referring to a golfer plenty old enough to have sired the current No. 1 player.

But he hadn't spent those days since November 2020 merely lounging near the Florida coast.

Rather, he ended that year with a microdiscectomy, which is a back surgery that involves removal of "a portion of the intervertebral disc, the herniated or protruding portion that is compressing the traversing spinal nerve root," according to USCSpine.com.

It was Woods' fourth such procedure.

The first three came prior to spinal fusion surgery in 2017.

Oh, spinal fusion surgery, you ask?

That's just a "welding process," according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, that "fuse[s] together two or more vertebrae so that they heal into a single, solid bone," with a goal "to eliminate painful motion or to restore stability to the spine."

The idea a middle-aged man could get out of bed to make a sandwich after all that, let alone compete with relevance at a course most can't handle on a video game, would be enough for lofty praise.

But there's more.

In February 2021, Woods was in a single car-crash in which he suffered fractures to his right tibia and fibula. According to Gavin Newsham of the New York Post, surgeons considered amputating his leg, while the Los Angeles Sheriff Department said he was "fortunate to be alive."

Still, if you're not one to genuflect simply for cheating mortality and playing hurt, we understand.

In that case, we'll just focus on the fact that he'll begin the weekend within nine strokes of leader Scottie Scheffler as all but a smidge of the 972 players ranked ahead of him—including heavy-hitting frenemies Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau—will be watching on CBS.

He's 46 years old, by the way. Which means Koepka and DeChambeau were six and three, respectively, when he won his first jacket in 1997. 

They have five majors between them and zero at Augusta. By the time Woods was Koepka's age (31), he'd won four Masters and created the still-unparalleled Tiger Slam.

In other words, the resume-comparison game is already a no-contest.

A one-under 71 on Thursday gave way to a two-over 74 on Friday, with his second round on the verge of implosion after four bogeys in the first five holes. But he got one back at No. 8, saved a vital par with a knee-knocking five-foot putt at No. 9 and then hit a brilliant approach within two feet for another birdie at No. 10.

Augusta's patrons responded with another roar.

The kind only legends warrant.

"Just look at the reception," broadcaster Michael Breed said on the Featured Groups livestream at Masters.com. "It's an appreciation not just for what he's doing today or yesterday but for what he's done for years—and for years here at Augusta National.

"We forget just how incredible it is that he's here. Think of what he went through and how he's rehabbed. He's worked as we know he can work, and now they're following him at Augusta National."

The aura of his favorite major helped Woods sharpen his focus enough to reach the first tee after 17 months on the sidelines, and it's hardly a reach to suggest—with roughly another month of recovery time—that he'd at least be within range of serious contention at the PGA Championship at Southern Hills in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he won the Wanamaker Trophy by two shots in 2007.

He earned a pair of points in the 1999 Ryder Cup at Brookline, Massachusetts, which is the site of this year's U.S. Open in mid-June. And he won the Open Championship twice (2000, 2005) when it was at St. Andrews, where this year's event will take place from July 14 to 17.

So, prospects for a summer of allegiance at least seem promising based on past performance.

And even with Tiger at 40-1, 50-1 and 40-1, respectively, at DraftKings, who'd be willing to bet that he's done creating miracles—even with a leg held together by rods, plates, and screws?

"He's Tiger Woods, so I'm not worried about watching him hit a ball ever because he's the best player I've ever seen play," Fred Couples, the 1992 Masters champion, told CNN. "He's won so many times, and he's just not a guy to go do something mediocre.

"He'll compete, and he'll be ready to roll."

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There has been no shortage of words written about the quarterback class of 2022. But where the past couple of drafts produced gushing over no-doubt No. 1 overall picks in Trevor Lawrence and Joe Burrow, this year has brought hand-wringing over the relative lack of talent at the position. In Mel Kiper's latest mock draft at ESPN, not a single signal-caller resides in the top 10 picks.

Now, when April 28 rolls around, that's not going to happen—there are at least three teams picking in the top 10 with a glaring need under center in the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers and Seattle Seahawks. And while it's hardly unanimous who the cream of this year's crop is, the majority of draftniks appear to have settled on Liberty's Malik Willis as "the guy." There has been speculation that Willis could go as high as No. 2 overall to the Detroit Lions.

Willis has arm strength, athleticism and upside galore. With some time to adjust to the pro game, he could have a fine career. But five years from now, Willis won't be looked back on as the best quarterback of the class of 2022. Neither will Kenny Pickett of Pitt. Nor Matt Corral of Ole Miss. Nor Sam Howell of North Carolina.

The player who will wind up being the best signal-caller from the 2022 draft doesn't have the strongest arm of the group. Or the most elusiveness. What he does have is both of those qualities in more than ample measure. Plus leadership skills. And a history of winning.

That quarterback is Desmond Ridder of Cincinnati (B/R Scouting Report).

Ridder is coming off a dream season with the Bearcats, having led the team to a berth in the College Football Playoff. Playing with a top-10 wide receiver prospect in Alec Pierce, the 6'3⅜", 211-pound Ridder completed 64.9 percent of his passes for 3,334 yards with 30 touchdowns against just eight interceptions. He also did damage with his legs, picking up 355 more yards and six scores on the ground.

As Bleacher Report's Nate Tice wrote, Ridder showed excellent ability to both operate from the pocket and use his 4.49-second 40-yard-dash speed to extend plays when things go awry.

"Overall, Ridder is a competitive player who showed a leap in improvement throughout the 2021 season. He's athletic but doesn't just rely on his legs to make plays happen and constantly showed an advanced understanding of Cincinnati's offense with his pre- and post-snap operation. His ability to operate from the pocket with his polished movement and balance, while still maintaining the athleticism to create plays when things break down, is a fun package. Ridder is able to operate on time and has the arm strength to drive throws and balls to the field, which allows him to attack all areas of the defense."

Tice isn't the only scout impressed with Ridder's arm talent. Oliver Hodgkinson of Pro Football Network recognized his penchant for making the big play while also possessing the arm strength to throw into traffic:

"Ridder continued to demonstrate excellent arm strength this season. He drops bombs downfield with unerring regularity, making at least one play each game that takes your breath away. In addition to his ability to push the ball downfield, Ridder can generate tremendous velocity on short throws while zipping the ball from far hash to the sideline. This velocity also allows him to fit passes into tight windows."

There's also the matter of Ridder's game experience in Cincinnati's pro-style offense. Ridder was a four-year starter for the Bearcats, starting 48 games in a system that is more similar to NFL schemes than many collegiate offenses. Per Tyler Wise of Steelers Depot, during an impressive showing at Senior Bowl practice, Ridder said be believes that experience can only help his transition to the NFL:

"Our offense was more of a spread offense. Early on in my career, it was a run-heavy offense using the run game to set up the pass game. And then, later on, it got more spread out, like I said, where it might have been a pure progression or it could have been man/zone read, so you know, it was kind of all over the place. There are a lot of similar concepts. We have a lot out here [at the Senior Bowl] that I had back in college and you know, it's made it easy for the transition. I had great coaches that helped me along the way to obviously learn and master offensive at Cincinnati, and it's just made it easy for me."

Ridder also isn't short on confidence. Per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, he has already set his sights on dethroning the starting quarterback for whatever team drafts him and earning playing time as a rookie.

"I talked to a team who interviewed Ridder, who said that he had a plan outlined for how he was going to beat out a veteran in a training-camp setting and become a starter in this league Year 1," Fowler reported.

Ridder went one further when asked by Chris Rosvoglou of The Spun why he should be the first quarterback drafted in 2022.

"I would say because [I'm] a winner, [I'm] tough, [I'm] a great leader, and [I make] plays when plays aren't there to be made. That's why teams should choose me as the No. 1 quarterback. I'm going to help an organization win a Super Bowl."

At this point, it's cold-water time. The reality is that Ridder all but certainly isn't going to be the first quarterback whose name is called on April 28. Nor the second. He probably won't be the third. And for all the things Ridder does well, his game isn't flawless.

Ridder's accuracy can be prone to fits of inconsistency. He'll connect on a beautifully thrown 30-yard post route and then miss on a 10-yard out. He also needs to improve his anticipation—to get better at seeing where the window will be and throwing his receivers open.

But those are areas in which Ridder can improve with additional coaching and experience. And in some respects, not being drafted earlier in Round 1 could be a blessing in disguise. Were Ridder to land with a team like the New Orleans Saints (Nos. 16 and 19) or the Pittsburgh Steelers (No. 20), he'd benefit from both a solid supporting cast and the potential for a "redshirt" year. Heading to Detroit at the end of the first or early in the second would at least offer the latter. And if the Seattle Seahawks were to select Ridder In Round 2, he'd get his wish to compete to start in short order and a pair of dangerous wide receivers in Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf.

Again, no one is arguing that Ridder has the biggest arm of the 2022 class. Or that he's the most dangerous scrambler. But while Ridder may not be the best at any one thing, he's really good at them all.

Size? Check, although he could stand to add a little weight.

Arm strength? Ridder has plenty.

Accuracy? It's there, and with improved consistency, it could be a real strength of Ridder's game.

Athleticism and escapability? You bet.

Experience? More than any other signal-caller in the draft.

Confidence and leadership ability? In spades.

Ridder might not have the sky-high ceiling Willis does, but he is infinitely more NFL-ready, has an exponentially higher floor and is a more complete package as a player. Getting compared to Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys (as Ridder was by Tice) isn't the worst thing to be said about a prospect.

Bleacher Report's NFL draft scouts have pored over countless hours of video of all this year's top collegiate prospects. They have watched Willis. And Pickett. And Howell. And Corral. And Ridder.

After doing all that research, they ranked Ridder as the No. 1 quarterback in the class—a full 31 spots ahead of Willis (the No. 2 QB) on their big board.

It's not an opinion held by the majority of the draft community.

But it's shared by this writer.

And with the benefit of a few years' hindsight, it's one that will prove to have been spot-on.