Rory McIlroy Wins the U.S Open, Leaves the Club

With Rory's win he achieves redemption (kinda) on his Masters fourth round fiasco. After coming close in the past two majors (led after 18 holes at St. Andrews, and, of course, after three rounds in the Masters) he finally has his well-deserved first major championship... and I couldn't be happier for him. And he did it in dominating fashion, notching the lowest score in U.S Open History (a little unfair to Tiger Woods who notched that -12 at Pebble Beach, a much much much tougher course than Congressional, in the 2000 version of the U.S. Open). Anywho, with this first major championship title, Rory says goodbye to members of the "Holy shit, that person/franchise/city needs a title" Club.

This club has two separate categories: 1) Players/Coaches/Franchises/Cities (we'll just start calling them "members" because typing players/coaches/franchises/cities if just effin' annoying) who are finished playing/done coaching/no longer exist/no longer have teams (goddammit!) and will have to accept the fact that they will never get that championship and 2) Members who are still able to get the championship and are on the brink (or so we think) of leaving the Club.

Most Famous Cases of Category #1:

1. Elgin Baylor, L.A Lakers- Elgin was one of the top five best players, playing with another top five player (Jerry West), during the 60's, but was never able to take down Russell's Celtics. Elgin played in 8, I repeat EIGHT, NBA Finals (seven against the Celtics), but couldn't win a single one of those. Four of those eight series went to 7 games. Elgin was a Frank Selvy 12-foot jumper (from his favorite goddamn spot!) in '62, Wilt being a pussy and sitting himself out for the final 5 minutes of Game 7 in '69, and Willis Reed coming back from a torn right thigh in '70 from winning at least three NBA Titles. It's only fitting that The Lakers would proceed to win their first title since the Mikan days in '72, the very muthafreakin year that Elgin retired 9 games into the season!
2. Ted Williams, Boston Red Sox- Teddy Ballgame's career was right smack-dab in the middle of the Red Sox Curse (which wouldn't be reversed until 2004, 44 years after his final season). We often forget that Ted's Sox never won a World Series because of all his personal achievements (ie. two MVPs, hit over .400 in 1941, won the triple crown twice, etc.). In Williams' only World Series appearance in 1946 he batted an abysmal .200 as his Red Sox lost to Stan Musial's Cardinals. It isn't really his fault that he didn't win a ring because baseball is such a collective team sport, but when Ted's one opportunity struck, he failed to cash in.
3. Dan Marino, Miami Dolphins- Marino led the league in yards five times, touchdowns three times, and quarterback rating once (his terrific 1984 "sophomore" season in which he won the NFL's triple crown: Quarterback Rating, Touchdowns, Yards. He also led the Dolphins to a 14-2 record). Marino won the MVP in that incredible 1984 season, and even led the Dolphins to the Super Bowl, but Joe Montana and San Fransisco stepped in the way of Marino's Super Bowl Dreams. He never reached the Super Bowl again.

There's the big three from each of the major American sports (except hockey). Many could argue Karl Malone over Elgin Baylor. But the Mailman's Jazz was clearly inferior to Jordan's Bulls. Jordan's teams deserved to win in '97 and '98. In multiple years, L.A was just as good, if not better, than the Celtics. Elgin faced the Celts in three NBA Finals Game 7's. He lost in OT in '62, by two in '66, and by two again in '69 where he could have/would have won if Wilt's fricking vagina didn't start hurting! Also many people could argue Barry Sanders for the NFL. And you know what, I agree. He was the best player to never win a championship in the history of the NFL. But the running back doesn't have nearly as big of an influence as the quarterback. The running back doesn't lead the offense, call audibles, rush his team to the line, manage the clock, etc. That is my defense.

Category #2:

1. Lee Westwood, PGA Tour- It feels like Lee has been in the running in every major of the last two years. To list his recent finishes: 2010 Masters- 2nd, 2011 U.S Open- 3rd, 2010 Open Championship- 2nd, 2009 PGA Championship- 3rd. Just wait your turn Lee, just wait your turn.
2. Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns- Nash has basically everything but a ring. He has two MVPs, multiple all-stars, but can't seem to grab that elusive NBA Finals victory. Time is running out for Nash; could he pull an Oscar Robertson, Julius Erving, or most recently Jason Kidd by winning a title late in his career as the second-hand man (these three were the wingmen to Abdul-Jabbar, Moses Malone, and Nowitzki respectively)? I sure hope so.
3. Novak Djokovic- Yeah, yeah, yeah I know Djokovic won the Aussie Open this year but I don't really count that one. It's by FAR the least significant major in tennis. Every one-person sport has the token "lame major competition." In tennis it's the Australian Open because it's just like that U.S Open only the U.S Open is in America, making it more badass. The French Open has the unique clay court, and Wimbledon, well... it's Wimbledon... it's the granddaddy. In golf it's the PGA Championship. It tries to be America's championship but just ends up being the U.S Open's bitch, like that underachieving little brother that gets worse grades, isn't as funny, and doesn't excel in sports as much as his older brother. In horse-racing it's the Belmont Stakes. People watch the Kentucky Derby because, well... it's the Kentucky Derby. People watch the Preakness because the triple crown opportunity is still alive. But once the triple crown threat dies (like it typically does), people are through with horse racing and we have to wait until next summer. Anyways, that's what the Australian Open is like, the Belmont and the PGA Championship. So once Novak wins a real Grand Slam, he can leave the Club. And I think he will. At least I hope he will.
4. Cliff Lee/Roy Halladay, Philadelphia Phillies- Cliff and Roy the two most dominant pitchers in the MLB, and they're on the same damn team! Each has at least one Cy Young Award and Cliff has been to the World Series once already. If the Phills don't win this year, then I won't know what to do or say. They easily have the best overall team (all things considered) and the most dominant starting five the game has seen since the Smoltz, Glavin, Maddox Braves era.
5. The City of Cleveland- So there, I had to write that whole sequence of "members" for one freakin team! Not a single championship in baseball, basketball, or football. In basketball, there's "The Shot," Michael Jordan's soul-crushing jumper at the buzzer to beat Cleveland in Game 5 in a best of 5 series in the 1989 playoffs. In football, there's "The Fumble," where Browns RB Earnest Byner fumbled on the two yardline in a play that was going to potentially tie the score and send it to OT in the 1987 AFC Championship. Instead the Browns lost and all of Cleveland proceeded to cut off their wee-wee's with a stapler. In the 2000s, the Indians have to say goodbye to Cliff Lee, C.C Sabathia, and Manny Ramirez as bigger markets pluck them away. LeBron has been Cleveland's best chance at a title ever but management squandered away that opportunity by giving the King 50 year old Y ballers to work with. Who knows, maybe Kyrie Irving/Derrick Williams/Enes Kanter/Brandon Knight can turn Cleveland back into a contender... but I doubt it. If I was a Cleveland fan, I'd get the weiner-cutting stapler ready, because I can just see the Cavs selecting that Lithuanian scrub with the first pick and Enes Kanter with the fourth. I hate European players because they never pan out. But that's a post for another day...