I owe the game of golf a big apology for making fun of its presumed irrelevance this summer in Tiger's absence.

Greg Norman leads the British Open by two strokes after 54 holes, and now will be paired with defending champ Padraig Harrington in the final round.

Tiger's absence was supposed to open the door for others who have been denied titles because of his brilliance. Instead Norman decided to bypass the entire Woods era and drag us all back to 1993.

Amazing.

Chris Evert has been having an effect on men for nearly 40 years now. But this is her greatest achievement yet.

Now I know.

You should read about him, too, right here.

Sports stadiums are part of my vast jurisdiction around here, so I went to Shea Friday night to make sure Billy Joel sent off the old barn in style as a concert venue.

No problems there. Hicksville High's own was in fine form, and his guest list included Tony Bennett, Garth Brooks, Steven Tyler, Roger Daltrey and, yup, Paul McCartney.

Here is Glenn Gamboa's account in Newsday. What can I say? It was a privilege to be there as McCartney closed the place he helped open for music with a milestone concert in 1965.

One thing that struck me about the crowd was how demographically diverse it was. Alas, not racially or economically. But certainly gender-wise and age-wise, with a range from 10 to around McCartney's 66, and even beyond.

Compare that to the screaming teenagers by the tens of thousands in '65.

Really, Friday and Wednesday were a tribute to the staying power of rock and roll, and its ability to cross generations.

Look at it this way: McCartney showed up 43 years after his first Shea appearance and was greeted with a stirring ovation. Forty-three years!

Now imagine how it would have gone over with that Shea crowd in '65 if a musical star of the early 1920s, say Rudy Vallee, had shown up for a set.

Or if people had started dancing the Charleston on stage.

I rest my case.

Or, to put it another way:

Everybody's talkin' 'bout the new sound

Funny, but it's still rock and roll to me

I'm listening to John Mara's second appearance in five hours on WFAN to explain the personal seat license thing, this time with Chris Carlin and Kim Jones.

Kudos to him for his accessibility. But listening to this is getting kind of depressing.

As an antidote, watch Buck O'Neil (above) singing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," then watch tonight's special about the song on ESPN.

I'm out. Have a good weekend.

The Post and Daily News spelled it differently than Newsday, but it was the same sentiment.

Last time I remember this happening was when Endy Chavez had a big late-game hit and everyone went with "Happy Endy," or words to that effect.

In reality, there is an excellent chance the PSLs will rise in value. So if you're planning on giving up your season tickets because of the cost, it might be worth laying out the cash, then dumping the PSL and the tickets in a couple of years.

Check out the prices Bears PSL owners are asking for here.

Thus I will be sure to TiVo Friday night's special on the song - it's on ESPN via MLB Productions - that features various players taking a stab at singing it. Deep, mysterious sources tell me the rendition by the Phils' Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins is a highlight.

Another will be Adam Wilbur of Medford, a band director in the Longwood school district, leading the crowd at Yankee Stadium in "Ball Game" at Tuesday's All-Star game.

Wilbur won a nationwide contest for the honor sponsored by Baby Ruth candy.

The network has a bunch of announcers and reporters working the event.

It should be interesting. Advice to players: Drink plenty of fluids. Advice to spectators: Bring portable electric fans.

Naturally, though, I have a soft spot for my fellow codgers.

Thus I thought it was cool that a video link to Bobby Murcer appearing on "What's My Line?" in 1971 morphed into an update from multiple contest award winner John Philips on Soupy Sales' health. (Not to mention a debate on Murcer's hair lengths.)

John also references Soupy once coaching the Harlem Globetrotters! Even I don't remember that.

But originally I was going to write an opinion piece about this. It was emotional and brilliantly written and persuasively argued. A summary: This stinks.

Speaking of PSLs, check out the shockingly civil chat this morning between WFAN's Craig Carton and Giants president John Mara on the subject.

Don't worry Jets fans. I've been stockpiling many of your phone numbers and e-mail addresses so I can leap into action when it's your turn next month. Please spend the next couple of weeks thinking of colorful rants I can quote in the paper!

The mailings will roll out in phases through February. Applications must be returned by an assigned date on the mailings, with 20 percent of the cost due at that time. Another 40 percent of the payment is due Aug. 1, 2009, and the remaining 40 percent on March 1, 2010.

The Giants say the average ticket price in the new stadium - that's on top of PSLs, folks - will be $112 for the 69,000 non-Club seats. Including Club seats, the figure will rise to $157.

(The Jets still have not announced their PSL plans. UPDATE: Now they have. They are doing it. Details to come next month.)

Read Friday's newspaper for all the gory details, but here is a sneak peak at the breakdown of PSL prices:

Coach's Club: 2,113 seats, 2.7 percent of stadium, $700 ticket, $20,000 PSL
Field 1: 2,049 seats, 2.6 percent, $160 ticket, $20,000 PSL
Field 2: 7,760 seats, 9.9 percent, $140 ticket, $10,000 PSL
Field 3: 19,732 seats, 25.2 percent, $120 ticket, $5,000 PSL
Mezzanine Club A: 3,052 seats, 3.9 percent, $500 ticket, $12,500 PSL
Mezzanine Club B: 4,033 seats, 5.1 percent, $400 ticket, $7,500 PSL
Mezzanine: 10,905 seats, 13.9 percent, $120 ticket, $4,000 PSL
Loge: 2,625 seats, 3.3 percent, $105 ticket, $5,000 PSL
Terrace 1: 14,388 seats, 18.3 percent, $95 ticket, $1,000 PSL
Terrace 2: 11,719 seats, 15.0 percent, $85 ticket, $1,000 PSL

The Giants' Web site has charts and stuff.

Yes, including Best Play.

Click below for the release from ESPN.

Now everyone please leave me alone so I can get some work done.

There is significant (non-Francesa/Russo) news coming on my beat mid-afternoon that I must focus on.

Thank you.

Wolff and long-time USA Today hoops scribe David DuPree will be recognized during the Hall's enshrinement ceremonies in September.

Click below for the news release from Springfield

Industry sources had tipped me off Buzz might be on the show. Someone saw him in a Yankee Stadium concourse Tuesday night, so I knew he was in town.

The person who saw him told me he still looked angry.

The best segment on the show was the one in which Willie Mays and Hank Aaron shot the breeze, with Bob Gibson making a cameo. Did I mention Seaver struck out Mays three times in the first major league game I ever saw in person?

Really, I have to go now. The newspaper still produces the vast majority of our revenues, and I am trying to keep Mr. Dolan from losing interest in buying us before the deal closes.

Feel free to amuse yourselves with comments ripping Carton or ripping me for putting his bobblehead in my office. If it makes you feel any better, my picture of Ken Dryden in goal seems to be peering down at it, disapprovingly.

So far I have seen Buzz Bissinger and Will Leitch sitting next to each other enjoying pre-show beers and hot dogs, and even hugging. Now Pete Rose is asking for a second chance.

CBS Radio sent me a Boomer Esiason/Craig Carton bobblehead from the batch handed out at the Cyclones game Monday night. Not a bad likeness of Boomer.

Here's the question: If I can't ethically accept gifts that have value, can I accept this?

There's a bid for one right now on eBay for $5.50. Hmm. Value? Oh, heck, I'm keeping it.

The Joe Benigno/Evan Roberts bobblehead must have gotten lost in the mail.