The guy next to me could see every putt...

The crowd around the 9th green at the WGC-Accenture on Saturday was huge. It was tough viewing if you're a shade over five feet, eight inches and you happen to be two minutes late getting to that particular spot for that particular moment in time as Bubba Watson and J.B. Holmes surveyed their putts at the halfway point of their quarterfinal matchup (the best matchup of the day...from my perspective, anyway).

But, I must add, the fella next to me had no trouble at all as he viewed the proceedings. The man was 6 foot, 7 inches tall, and at first glance, I thought it was Boston Celtic great Bill Russell, or maybe a sawed off version of Wilt "The Stilt" Chamberlain. And then I actually figured out that I knew the man. It was the former "jumping jack" from the University of Arizona Albert Johnson.

Albert starred for the Wildcats' basketball team back in 1963-64-65. Back in the days of Warren Rustand, Buddy Doolen, Bob Spahn (just to name a few). Back in the days when Bear Down was a hoppin' and Bruce Larson was in command along the sidelines.

UCLA's John Wooden was impressed with Albert's ability on the basketball court and said so following a 22-point performance by Mr. Johnson back in 1964 in a conference game in LA when the Wildcat forward led all scorers with 22 points and out shined Bruin star Keith Erickson, who went on to a 12-year career in the NBA. Erickson tallied 16 that particular night and the Bruins won easily, 99-79. “Our boy Erickson has handled some of the toughest men around,” Wooden was quoted as saying, “but he told me he thought Johnson was about as good as any of them."

Albert Johnson averaged close to 10 rebounds a game during his days as a Wildcat. I still remember him going up for a board. It was just like it was yesterday. But it isn't yesterday. It happened 47 years ago. And as I stood next to the big man and eyed Bubba Watson's birdie putt, I had the feeling that if...if a basketball would suddenly appear out of nowhere, Albert would haul it in and get a roar from the crowd.

 Even on the 9th green at The Gallery, the onlookers would forget about the little white ball for a moment and admire the hands, and the quickness of the middle-aged man named Albert Johnson. I didn't get a chance to see Tiger...or Phil, yesterday, but I did see a tall man in the crowd that brought back a lot of memories.