Dublin, Ohio - "Tiger Woods isn't likely to storm off the 18th green [today] if he doesn't win the Memorial Tournament." - AP

True enough.

The context for that sentence is that Woods was asked about the NBA playoffs earlier this week, specifically about LeBron James not shaking hands in Orlando.

The NBA fined James $25,000 without saying whether it was because of his court exit or because he blew off the postgame news conference. But since James wasn't fined when he walked off the court against Boston last year without shaking hands, the fine this time was clearly for missing the news conference.

The NBA is right to expect its players to represent the game and the league in the media. Media coverage helps attract advertisers. Media coverage helps fill the seats. Media coverage helps make leagues and athletes rich. Media coverage is the link to a league's and a team's fan base.

To his credit, Woods didn't pile on.

"Well, if you look at it, not everyone shakes hands after every game," Woods said in his pre-tournament news conference. "Football, a lot of guys just walk off the field. A lot of sports, they walk off the court or field. Hockey, they line up. It's tradition."

Woods would've done well to call it tradition and leave it at that.

It's recent tradition in the NBA for instance for players to shake hands and hug before the jump ball to the point that a bemused Joe Tait calls them "hugfests."

"I think that what separates our sport from other sports is. . . . when you doff your cap and shake someone's hand and look them in the eyes and say, 'Well done,' " Woods pointed out.

(Delonte West took his shirt off for some reason while congratulating the Magic. Does that count?)

OK, look, we get it. Golf is a virtuous sport.

That said, there are separators within the game of golf, too.

One thing that separates Woods from the top players of past eras, for instance, is how he handles himself on the course.

I followed him in Thursday's opening round at The Memorial where he audibly cursed himself twice and his fate (the wind) once in a two-hole stretch.

After the round, I didn't get a chance to ask the 8-year-old boy next to me on the 13th hole about what he remembered of his day at Muirfield.

Was it watching Woods, Ernie Els and Zach Johnson all shake hands on the 18th green?

Or was it hearing Woods drop the F-bomb after three-putting?

You're in the wrong

profession, pal

Derek Anderson is tired of the QB questions.

"I think we're overanalyzing the whole thing," he told reporters last week. "You guys are beating a dead horse right now. . . . We go out, we play, I play my best and Brady plays his best and coach picks who goes in. . . . I'm not going to beat my head against the wall every single time I come over here."

You think that's a dead horse?

Here's a dead horse: Quarterbacks acting surprised that the position they play gets so much attention.

Deal with it.

Thanks for calling

David Stern fines LeBron James $25,000.

This was a change of direction for the NBA commissioner, who initially said he had no plans to fine James for leaving the floor without congratulating the Magic or for skipping the postgame news conference.

James did speak to reporters Sunday, a day after the Game 6 loss, and maintained he did nothing wrong.

According to Stern, though, James apologized on the phone.

"[LeBron] expressed to me that when he left the building and did not meet the media or did not congratulate the Magic, he was wrong," Stern said. . . . "He knows he has a responsibility to all of our fans, and that sportsmanship is appropriate whether you win or whether you lose."

Either James had a sudden revelation in his conversation with Stern or after five hours of jaw surgery he told Stern what the commissioner wanted to hear just to get him off the phone.

Chump change

The next step.

James will send the $25,000 to the NBA offices in a padded envelope as soon as he fishes it out of his couch cushions.

You said it

"Bud: Is it true that after the Cleveland Cavaliers lost to Orlando, the 1964 Browns players toasted with a cold P.O.C.?" - Joe

Joe, I think 45 years of toasting has exhausted the P.O.C. supply in all of their beer fridges.

*

"Bud: So in comparing how poorly the Cavaliers matched up against Orlando, when former Cavs center Brad Daugherty said his old teams would have beaten the current Cavaliers , now we know he was right? - Tom

Actually, I think this just proves Daugherty's Cavs would've lost to the Magic, too.

*

"Hey, Bud, Do you think Mark Shapiro confused The Plain Dealer's promotional coupons for an 'Indians Pin' with coupons for 'Indians Pen'?" - Matt

No, but I do think somebody got a hold of a Rafael Perez voodoo doll.

He said what?

"Bud: There was a 'Wedgie' that was missed in May. I heard it after the postgame when the Tribe had that seven-run ninth inning against Tampa Bay. The question:

" 'Big homer by Garko, huh?' (a three-run shot that made the score, Rays 10, Indians 8)

"Eric Wedge's response, 'Well, I mean, yeah, but it cleared the bases and sometimes that works against you when you're trying to come back.'

"So, Garko should have gotten the 'stop' sign from Skinner instead of a butt slap?" - Terry

I see where Wedge is going with this. But why doesn't clearing the bases work against teams facing the Indians' bullpen?

May's 'You said it'

winners

(A tie)

"Hey, Bud: Next year, the Indians' front office should consider keeping Eric Wedge in extended spring training for the month of April." - Sasha

"Should all maternity wards in Cleveland be required to post the notice, 'Abandon hope, all ye sports fans who enter here'? - Ron

Winners receive a T-shirt from the Mental Floss collection.

What a Revelation

Dan Gilbert guarantees a title.

"We will win a championship for Cleveland, Ohio," Gilbert said Wednesday, before adding that he doesn't believe in this "curse nonsense."

The Cavs didn't win a title after going 66-16, securing home-court advantage and boasting the league MVP and the NBA's Coach of the Year.

They didn't win a title despite getting more rest in the first two rounds of the playoffs than any team moving on in the postseason.

Since Gilbert is clearly not shy about spending money to reach his goal - the Cavs had the third-highest payroll in the league this year - some find little reason to doubt he'll do what's necessary.

One thing the organization can do costs nothing at all.

Not that any reasonable person really believes in curses - that would be silly. But the Cavs could make sure - as a friend pointed out in an e-mail - to never again finish with a season record containing three 6s.

To reach Bud Shaw: bshaw@plaind.com, 216-999-5639

Previous columns online: cleveland.com/columns