It's gonna get crazy in Georgia

What does the middle of April remind you of?

Spring is in the air as the snow is almost gone. Nice walks outdoors. The smell of barbecues.

As much as those things rock, the middle of April has one meaning to me.

The middle of April means that golf's greatest players meet up in Augusta, Georgia for an event called The Masters.

This year will be no different as golf's finest will walk by the azaleas, make their way past the oak trees, and take a trek over the bridges which surround the creeks and ponds. Not only an enjoyment for viewers watching in HD (seriously, if you don't have HD, get it now!!!), but an enjoyment for the golfers themselves as they try to become a part of golf lore by conquering the greatest colf course of all-time to take home the ugly but storied green jacket.

Now usually I don't think about the tournament until the week leading up to it, but I am already thinking about it at the end of January. Why? 3 words.

Eldrick "Tiger" Woods

Poor Eldrick has made a mess of things in the last month and a half and has gone from hoisting the FedEx Cup at the end of August to a sex addiction rehab clinic in Mississippi.

We all know the details so there's no point in rehashing them all. What we don't know is when Woods plans to return to the golf course. It is currently January 22nd and there still has been no comment from Woods which, in all likelihood, means he's still a while away from returning. He can't just return. He's gonna have to do his little interview with 60 Minutes or Barbara Walters or whoever the hell wants to do that. He's gonna have to apologize again and again. He's gonna ask for forgiveness. Then he'll step out on the 1st tee. All those things won't happen overnight.

So, what better way to make a comeback than on golf's grandest stage, The Masters? The Masters is one of golf's 4 major tournaments, and Tiger has won 15 majors, including 4 Masters. He is 3 away from tying Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 and 4 away from breaking it. He wants that record so bad. Which is why it's almost guaranteed he'll play this April.

This means one thing: Chaos

This is potentially going to be one of the biggest sporting events of all-time. Tiger Woods first tournament since the allegations. Augusta National Golf Club prides itself on being classy and there are many rules you have to follow to be allowed on the course. Think of all the possibilities of chaos and rule breaking:

-TMZ cameras hiding in the bushes clicking away and paparazzi running across the fairways only to get zonked by an oncoming golf ball.

-There WILL be Tiger hecklers, and then there will be those who are on Tiger's side and defend him , which may lead to a full-scale riot between the hecklers and the supporters.

-Other golfers staring down Tiger Woods giving him dirty looks and making snarky comments leading to the first on-course fight between golfers,

This has all the makings of a gong show rather than a classy golf tournament.

And while Augusta National is probably scared shitless that this stuff will happen, CBS television is jumping for joy.

What a time for CBS.

The Super Bowl in 2 weeks, which is shaping up to be the best Super Bowl matchup in the last 20 years.

The College basketball tournament in March.

Hit TV shows such as CSI and Two and a Half Men which make it the #1 network in America

The Masters in April.

We're looking at record ratings for golf here. Imagine Tiger in contention on Sunday afternoon, trying to put the last few months behind him by winning an illustrious fifth green jacket? Will people cheer for him? Will people hope for a Tiger choke? Whatever their thoughts they may be, they'll be watching. And CBS will be raking in the dough.

So to conclude, I'm excited for this potential gong show, but a little worried as well. I don't want one of my favorite sporting events of the year to turn into too much of a joke, overshadowing the great shots and breathtaking sights seen every year.

It seems only fitting that the slogan for the Masters is "A Tradition like no other" because come April 8-11, 2010, the Masters will not be just a golf tournament. It is going to become "An Experience like no other".

Get ready.