Morning Briefing

Making playoff isn’t their goal

So, the FedEx Cup begins this week, in case anybody cares.

And why should you, when PGA Tour players have indicated that they don’t?

The four-tournament playoff was created to add excitement in the post-major-championship portion of the schedule, but Tiger Woods has decided he’s too tired to play in the first event, so no matter what happens it won’t be as exciting as the tour had hoped.

And while Woods is speaking with his actions, other players are beginning to criticize the playoff system with their words. Veteran Jeff Maggert fired the loudest shot during the tour stop in Greensboro, N.C., last weekend.

“Probably half the players out here couldn’t care less about it,” he told the Greensboro News-Record. “The other half are indifferent.”

He also defended Woods, who has been criticized for not supporting the playoff system.

“I hear a lot being written, but I don’t see anybody writing anything about [PGA Tour Commissioner Tim] Finchem,” Maggert said. “I mean, this was his idea. He really didn’t consult any of the players. He kind of shoved it down our throats and said, ‘This is what we’re going to do.’ ”

Trivia time

With 66 home runs in 1998, 63 in 1999 and 64 in 2001, Sammy Sosa is the only player in baseball history who has hit 60 or more home runs in three seasons. Yet he did not lead the league in homers in any of those years. Who did?

Good company

Alex Rodriguez of the Yankees and Tom Glavine of the Mets were recently presented with keys to New York City, Rodriguez for his 500th home run, and Glavine for his 300th victory.

Never mind that Rodriguez hit 345 of his home runs before he became a Yankee and Glavine won 242 games for the Atlanta Braves, a division rival of the Mets.

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg still bestowed the honor upon each player, who joined a list of recipients that includes Nelson Mandela, Pope John Paul II and Mother Teresa.

Ruled out

The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer reported Ohio State football Coach Jim Tressel has tightened team rules for training camp.

Among the new rules in place for preseason, when the team lives in an off-campus hotel for three weeks: no girlfriends allowed.

Female guests have never been permitted in the players’ hotel rooms, but the rule has been amended to include the hotel lobby.

Tight end Rory Nicol said the rule didn’t apply to married players, which started him thinking. “I might get married today,” he said.

Selling out

David Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox is selling his 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG to the highest bidder on EBay and will deliver the car to the winner at Fenway Park.

According to the posting, Ortiz bought the Mercedes as a gift to himself after the Red Sox won the 2004 World Series. He has been using it to get to and from the ballpark. The car has about 4,000 miles on it and is said to be in “immaculate, showroom condition.”

Ortiz says the 604-horsepower car cost him more than $205,000 and he has spent $35,000 more on accessories.

Presumably, that means the car has plenty more power than Ortiz has shown this year.

Hit and run

Fans proposing on the big screen at sporting events have become so commonplace that it’s as cliché as having the waiter put the ring in a covered dish and serving it at dinner.

But Monday at the Houston Astros game, there was a twist.

According to the Houston Chronicle, the big screen at Minute Maid Park showed a man drop to his knees and present a ring. The woman then dumped a bag of popcorn on his head and ran up the stadium stairs.

“We couldn’t even get a proposal right down here tonight,” said Astros Manager Phil Garner, whose team lost, 7-0.

Trivia answer

Mark McGwire had 70 in 1998 and 65 in 1999; Barry Bonds had 73 in 2001.

And finally

Comedian Argus Hamilton, on the $20-million settlement host Don Imus received from CBS radio after he was fired for using hip-hop slang to describe the Rutgers women’s basketball team:

“He got $20 million for saying the word ‘ho’ over and over. Santa Claus just announced he wants to renegotiate his contract.”

peter.yoon@latimes.com