Sports

THE TIGER VORTEX

BY now, it’s a shame on us. We should expect nothing more, nothing less and nothing better.

ESPN/NBC’s live coverage of the U.S. Open began Thursday at 11 a.m. with ESPN’s two-hour on-course look-in show. But not really. Most of those first two hours was devoted to looking at just two things: Tiger Woods and Tiger Woods’ left knee surgery. (Woods had knee surgery?!)

Instead of some live golf shots, we watched a taped interview with an orthopedic surgeon who discussed Woods’ surgery. And we got a computerized, multiple-angle look at what Woods’ knee might now look like below his skin. And we even got a second opinion.

And then we saw a little golf played, and then it was back to Woods and Woods’ knee. As ESPN’s Karl Ravech said of Woods, “And again, for the people watching at home, he has got that knee injury.” Sigh.

After that, there were some features and some live coverage, mostly of Woods, and then ESPN commentator Curtis Strange appeared – to talk about Woods’ knee.

And at 1 p.m., when ESPN/NBC’s full live coverage began, that coverage, predictably, became a contest to see which golfers would get those tiny fractions of attention, those few and fleeting moments when the attention wasn’t on Woods.

At 1:50, for example, Robert Karlsson had the lead, three strokes ahead of Woods, yet we had seen him just once. That likely was on tape, the way the leaders were often shown because we sure don’t want to miss those live shots of Woods slowly studying putts from both sides of the hole.

Only after Woods’ round ended, did NBC/ESPN begin to provide complete coverage of the U.S. Open, only then did the Open seem opened.

Much the same Friday, when Woods had a late tee-time. ESPN/NBC’s early coverage was all encompassing. It showed many players, many times, competing in the U.S. Open. But as soon as Woods began, that telecast ended and “Tiger Woods Plays The Open” began. Nearly everyone else, including those he trailed, was relegated to tape.

Yes, we want to see every swing and putt Woods takes. He’s the best. Ever. But must we also see every practice swing he takes, every read he makes, his every setup in every tee box? For every 10 replays, eight seemed to be of Woods. Woods, as we’re often told, has “grown the game of golf.” But in TV’s hands, he seems to have shrunk it.

Friday, during ESPN’s look-in show, Ravech, four hours before Woods was scheduled to start, said that based on how the skies appear, “It looks like Tiger Woods is going to be playing in sunny conditions.” Good grief, his own weather forecast. The rest, of course, would play in relative obscurity.

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SNY’s Matt Yaloff, on Thursday’s Mets’ postgame, reported that the no runs allowed by Johan Santana were his season low. Hmmm. . . . His Smugness, David Stern, now admits that made-for-TV 9:07 p.m. ET starts for NBA final tips might be a bit late. Yeah, David, but only for about 65 percent of the country’s population. Meanwhile, how come the first guys who should know are always the last?

Clown Without Pity: If there ever was any doubt that Chris Russo‘s transparent act is predicated on irresponsible, superficial and childish screaming about things he knows nothing about, check out his Belmont/Big Brown bash on MSNBC’s Internet “Mad Dog Minute.” If the site has removed that installment rather than suffer further embarrassment, we understand.

World Gone Nuts, Continued: Jose Canseco, noted steroid user, now appears in commercials for Jet Fuel, advertised as a gonzo dietary supplement for mass muscle builders. The ads have appeared on the Spike network, which targets teen boys and young adult males. Isn’t that nice?

Under the authority of Commissioner Bud Selig, MLB continues to sink deeper into the ticket scalping business. The A’s withheld top seats to their just-completed Yankee series, then sold them in an on-line auction. You think all these teams, after selling tickets above face value, declare their full take? A few diligent IRS investigators could answer that, no?

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Last week some Yankees ticket subscribers were surprised to pick up their phones to hear a taped message from Voice of the Yankees, and now head Yankees bill collector, John Sterling:

“Hello, Yankee fans, this is John Sterling. . . . According to our records, your ticket license invoice for 2008 All-Star events is past due. If payment is not received immediately, your All-Star tickets will be cancelled.”

But many of those calls were made to patrons who hadn’t ordered tickets. So another Sterling voice mail call was made:

“On behalf of the Yankees organization, I’d like to apologize for a phone message you received in error. Please disregard it.”

Hey, it’s Sterling. You always have to figure that his first call is wrong.

phil.mushnick@nypost.com