Nicklaus delivers a shot to FedEx Cup

Besides Tiger Woods, the most important figure in men’s professional golf is unquestionably Jack Nicklaus, so when Jack talks, people should listen.

PGA Tour folks, take note, because here’s what Nicklaus had to say about the just-completed FedEx Cup playoffs.

“Did they play that this year?” Nicklaus told The Times.

“I didn’t watch a second of it. Two years in a row, it was basically over before the Tour Championship was even played, and that doesn’t make sense.”

Woods had a comfortable lead in the Cup in its debut last year and Vijay Singh had it sewn up weeks before the Tour Championship, leading to speculation that the Tour needs to tinker with the playoffs. “They still have some tweaking to do,” Nicklaus said. “It has a tendency to take away from the rest of the tour events. It’s always, ‘He’s got X-amount of FedEx Cup points.’ A guy doesn’t give a rat about FedEx points, he cares about how he’s playing.”

Trivia time

How many times did Nicklaus play in the Ryder Cup?

Good book

Florida quarterback Tim Tebow’s father spoke to the Little Rock Touchdown Club during the week (Florida plays Arkansas today) and Bob Tebow carried his Bible with him. “In this crowd, I wasn’t sure if I would need it to block the things you threw. . . . I want to have some kind of shield up.”

The Associated Press report didn’t say whether he was kidding.

Life of Brian

Now that the ink is dry on Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman’s three-year contract extension, there’s an opportunity to figure out why the team missed the playoffs. According to Newsday’s Wallace Matthews, Cashman “didn’t know which Steinbrenner to listen to.” Simple answer: whichever one is talking.

Shea, hey

And if anyone is worrying about the demise of Shea Stadium, it’s going to be dismantled, section by section. It won’t be blown up, and no wrecking balls will be used, according to Dave Howard, the team’s executive vice president of business operations.

Trivia answer

Six (1969, ‘71, ‘73, ‘75, ‘77, ‘81)

And finally

From Jeff Krolick, executive vice president of Fox Sports Regional Networks, on departing San Francisco Giants managing general partner Peter Magowan, according to the San Francisco Chronicle: “If you cut him open, the blood would be black and orange.”

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thomas.bonk@latimes.com