HONOLULU, Hawaii - Twenty years ago on Saturday, Arnold Palmer flipped a ceremonial switch to launch a risky venture that cynics saw as an easy punch line. Brooks Orpik Jersey .The Golf Channel?Tennis magazine mocked the idea as 24 hours of chubby guys in bad clothes speaking in jargon that only they understand. Rick Reilly, in his column for Sports Illustrated, suggested programming that included Body by Jack, a workout session with Jack Nicklaus in which he takes you through a 30-minute routine you can do without getting out of the cart.Even the players had their doubts.Im always stunned that theres enough golf stuff for 24 hours a day, Paul Goydos said. I would have thought, Do we really need a Golf Channel? Is there enough viewership? Enough material? I thought it would be a tough row to hoe, in my opinion. Theyve proven me wrong.Players today cant imagine life without Golf Channel.Thats all I watch, Jason Day said. I say I dont watch much golf, but I do. Pretty much every day Im watching Golf Channel.The network was launched on Jan. 17, 1995, and could be seen in about 10,000 homes. It began as a premium fee ($6.95) and changed to part of a basic cable package by the end of the year, helping it to reach 1.4 million homes.Twenty years later, Golf Channel can be seen in roughly 120 million homes in 83 countries and is broadcast in 12 languages around the world. Its offices in Orlando, Florida, have more than quadrupled to 160,000 square feet.And there is no shortage of programming.The first tournament it broadcast was the Dubai Desert Classic, which Fred Couples won in 1995. On its 20-year anniversary, Golf Channel will have four hours of live coverage from Rory McIlroys season debut in Abu Dhabi; seven hours of taped coverage and four hours of live coverage from the Sony Open (including a pre-game show), along with its popular Morning Drive and a news show.Its a big deal, Palmer said Friday morning from his office at Bay Hill. Everybody is excited and happy with the channel and all the stuff going on. Who would ever thought 20 years ago ... all the things that have happened with Golf Channel?Palmer was a co-founder with TV mogul Joe Gibbs, who plans to make an appearance on Golf Channel on Saturday to commemorate the anniversary. Golf Channel began 18 months before Tiger Woods turned pro, so it was blessed with good timing. Comcast eventually bought out the network, and then acquired NBC Universal, which gave Golf Channel even greater resources and branding capabilities.The most significant moment in its 20 years was when the PGA Tour signed it to a 15-year deal in 2006 that gave Golf Channel rights to Thursday and Friday rounds from the PGA Tour, along with full tournament coverage for the opening three events and the tournaments in the fall. Golf Channel previously had the European Tour and other global events, along with the other three U.S. tours (seniors, women and what is now Web.com).But there was another turning point equally important in the infancy of the network, a time when even Palmer had his doubts about the future. The question was whether it was prudent for Palmer and his investors to get out and cut their losses.We were questioning what we were doing and the viability of what was happening, Palmer said. And they said, How do you feel? I said, Let me say this to you: If I didnt try to hit it through the trees a few times, none of us would be here.The quote is now on a wall at Golf Channel headquarters, a daily reminder that when you hitch up your pants and go for broke, the reward can be immense.Even though were now part of a big company, you still want the spirit of how this place was founded to be a living, breathing part of what makes it tick, Golf Channel President Mike McCarley said. That culture and everything Arnold represented, that should be part of it.McCarley said Golf Channel now is the most affluent network of those devoted to a sport, mainly because of the demographic of those watching.Davis Love III smiled at the coincidence that a network co-founded by Palmer would benefit from the arrival of Woods, the two players who in different ways made golf appealing to the masses.Its make a big difference for our sport, Love said.Golf Channel has kept the newspaper clippings from two decades ago that either panned the idea of a golf channel or predicted failure.That was an easy column to write, McCarley said. It was the first of its kind. Now every sport has its own network.Geoff Ogilvy of Australia was among the skeptics. He remembers when he first came over to America to play in events like the Western Amateur and the Porter Cup. Golf Channel was just getting started.Coming from Australia, we had four channels and we didnt have any cable, Ogilvy said. I thought this was cool, but no chance anyone was going to watch. They had all these infomercials, like Orlimar Trimetal. Remember that? So I was like, Whos going to watch this? But in the last 10 years when they got the tour deal, I think it really kicked on. Now its a legitimate channel — really legitimate.ESPN was the same, he said. I remember when they started, they showed Aussie Rules football because it was the only thing they could afford. ESPN only got there when they started showing real sport, and Golf Channel is probably the same. Its a big channel now. Its a big part of our tour.How far has Golf Channel come?There are sheer numbers. Golf Channel had the rights to 23 domestic tournaments when it began (mostly the LPGA and Nike tours) and 41 events from Europe, South Africa and Australia. This year, it will televise 189 events from the major tours around the world. It began with 180 employees and now has nearly 700; McCarley said 13 employees have been there from the start.And there are intangibles. On the day before it celebrated its 20-year anniversary, Palmer watched his grandson, Sam Saunders, compete on the PGA Tour on a network that he helped to start. Andre Burakovsky Jersey . SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. John Carlson Jersey .Y. - The New York Islanders are brimming with confidence these days, thanks to a standout goalie and a newfound winning attitude. http://www.capitalsauthority.com/authentic-nathan-walker-capitals-jersey/ . And once again, Team Homan emerged as the victor with the reigning national champions defeating Team Sweeting at the Pintys All-Star Curling Skins Game Friday night in the tournaments opening draw at The Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre in beautiful Banff National Park.PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. - The Kelowna Rockets overcame an early deficit to win their 11th straight game and improve on the best record in the Western Hockey League. Kelowna scored three unanswered goals in the third period to beat the Prince Albert Raiders 5-3 on Sunday. Riley Stadel, Nick Merkley, Tyrell Goulbourne, Tyson Baillie and Myles Bell each scored for the Rockets (27-3-2). Dakota Conroy, with a goal just 50 seconds into the game, Chance Braid and Gage Quinney also scored for the Raiders (17-15-2). Jordon Cooke made 28 saves for Kelowna, while Cole Cheveldave stopped 39 shots in net for Prince Albert. --- ROYALS 6 HURRICANES 1 LETHBRIDGE, Alta. — The Royals had little problem romping past the worst team in the WHL. Ryan Gagnon, Mitch Skapski, Ben Walker, Steven Hodges, Brandon Magee and Austin Carroll each scored for Victoria (22-13-2). Tyler Wong had the lone goal for the Hurricanes (5-27-5) in the second period. Coleman Vollrath finished with 30 saves in net for Victoria, while Lethbridges Teagan Sacher was pulled after allowing five goals on 22 shots. Corbin Boes took over and made seven saves. --- HITMEN 5 BRONCOS 2 CALGARY — The Hitmen never trailed en route to their eighth straight win. Kenton Helgesen, Linden Penner, Zane Jones, Radel Fazleev and Travis Sanheim had a goal apiece for Calgary (21-7-5). Brett Lernout and Zac Mackay had a pair of goals in the second period for Swift Current (19-13-5). Calgarys Chris Driedger stopped 24 shots, while Landon Bow allowed four goals on 31 shots at the other end of the ice. --- OIL KINGS 4 BLADES 0 EDMONTON — The Oil Kings earned their ninth straight win after overwhelming Saskatoon. Luke Bertolucci, Cole Benson, Reid Petryk and Lane Bauer each scored for Edmonton (23-9-1), which outshot the Blades 21-2 in the first period. Troy Trombley gave up all four goals on 42 shotts for Saskatoon (10-24-3) before Alex Moodie came in to make six saves. Cheap Capitals Jerseys. Edmontons Tristan Jarry meanwhile earned the shutout with 27 saves. --- WARRIORS 5 BLAZERS 2 MOOSE JAW, Sask. — Brayden Point scored twice as the Warriors erupted with a three-goal second period. Sam Fioretti, Tanner Eberle and Torrin White also scored for Moose Jaw (9-21-6). Matt Needham and Cole Ully replied for Kamloops (9-22-4). Warriors goalie Justin Paulic stopped 24 shots. At the other end of the ice, Taran Kozuns game ended after he gave up four goals on 30 shots. Cole Kehler stopped all 10 shots he faced in relief. --- CHIEFS 2 SILVERTIPS 0 EVERETT, Wash. — Eric Williams made 29 saves as Spokane shut out the Silvertips. Williams was on fire in the third period when the Chiefs (21-12-2) were outshot 11-3. Tyler King and Mike Aviani had a goal each for Spokane. Daniel Cotton meanwhile made 18 saves in net for Everett (21-10-4), which dropped its fourth straight. --- TIGERS 4 PATS 3 (SO) MEDICINE HAT, Alta. — Tommy Vannelli scored the only goal in the shootout as the Tigers got by Regina. Miles Koules, Cole Sanford and Trevor Cox had a goal each for Medicine Hat (20-10-3) in regulation. Boston Leier, Dane Schioler and Austin Wagner replied for the Pats (18-13-3). Tigers goalie Daniel Wapple finished with 26 saves, while Nick Schneider stopped 39 for Regina. --- COUGARS 3 GIANTS 1 VANCOUVER — Ty Edmonds had a spectacular effort with 41 saves as Prince George survived an away game against the Giants. Edmonds picked up his game in the second and third periods when the Cougars (14-18-5) were outshot 25-11 and 10-4, respectively. Zach Pochiro, Klarc Wilson and Jordan Tkatch each scored for Prince George. Carter Popoff had the only goal for Vancouver (17-13-7) in the first period while Payton Lee stopped 23 shots. Wholesale Spain Jerseys Cheap Juventus Jersey Cheap Cristiano Ronaldo Jersey Wholesale AC Milan Jerseys Cheap Arsenal Jerseys Cheap A.S. Roma Jerseys Cheap Atletico Madrid Jerseys Cheap Chelsea Jerseys Cheap Barcelona Jerseys Cheap Bayern Munich Jerseys Cheap Borussia Dortmund Jerseys Cheap Inter Milan Jerseys Cheap Juventus Jerseys Cheap Leicester City Jerseys Cheap Liverpool Jerseys Cheap Manchester City Jerseys Cheap Manchester United Jerseys Cheap Paris Saint-Germain Jerseys Cheap Real Madrid Jerseys Cheap Sevilla Jerseys Cheap Tottenham Hotspur Jerseys ' ' '