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ORLANDO, Fla. -- Tiger Woods was a large part of the conversation on the eve of the Arnold Palmer Invitational. And hes not even playing. Woods is missing Bay Hill for only the second time in his career when the tournament starts Thursday on a course that Palmer said is in the best shape ever. Woods has won eight times, including the last two years, but he called the 84-year-old host on Tuesday to say persistent back pain will keep him from playing. "He didnt tell me how bad his back is. I dont think he knows how bad his back is," Palmer said. "I think hes listening to the doctors. And he mentioned that theyre saying that he needs to give it a bit of a rest and see if he can work it out. He was very nice. And I, of course, have great sympathy for the fact that he tried like hell to come here and play. And I appreciate that and the fact that he called. "I think he wanted to play golf this week," Palmer said. "I think that he needs to take (time) -- whether its this week, next week or the following week -- to get ready for Augusta. Certainly, if I were in that position, Id be doing much the same." Most of the chatter was more about the future with Woods. Will he play at the Masters? Stuck on 14 majors for the last five years, can he match or surpass the record 18 majors won by Jack Nicklaus? And what will be the larger obstacle -- his age (38), his health (legs and back) or the competition (long list)? "I dont think 38 years is the ultimate stopping point for his quest to do what Jack did," Palmer said. "I think it lessens the possibility of that happening. Its going to be tough. Its going to be tough to keep the concentration and the type of the game that is necessary to win majors." Nicklaus won four of his majors after turning 38. Ben Hogan, with battered legs from a car accident, won five majors after turning 38. Palmer, however, believes more than age is at stake for Woods. "These young guys are tough, and theyre strong," Palmer said. "And if they continue to play as well as theyve been playing, its going to be tough for anybody -- whether it be Nicklaus or Tiger or whomever it would be -- to continue to win major championships. And were talking about guys that are playing good and coming on." Palmer actually had a list of players he was talking about. Some of them were young, such as Chris Kirk and Harris English. Others had either won this season (Ryan Moore) or played well recently (Robert Garrigus). "I dont know how many you want me to name," Palmer said. "But really, the strength and the ability of these people is very pleasing to me." Graeme McDowell, a runner-up to Woods two years at Bay Hill, said he can understand what the No. 1 player is going through with injuries. He also believes that competition might be an even larger obstacle than his health for Woods to break Nicklaus record. "Hes a physical player who creates a lot of speed and a lot of power and his body is starting to struggle a little bit, no doubt about it," McDowell said. "But Im sure hell fix it. ... But we all talk about how good the fields are nowadays. Taking Tigers fitness and physicality out of it, winning major championships is getting harder and harder for everyone -- including the best player maybe thats ever lived in Tiger. "Hes got more than just his body to be fighting. Theres a lot of great players in the world now," McDowell said. "Its going to be harder for him to achieve Jacks record. But if anyone can do it, Im sure he can find a way because we all know how good he is." The field at Bay Hill is not as strong as usual, starting with the absence of Woods, the No. 1 player in the world and an eight-time winner of this event. Match Play champion Jason Day (No. 4 in the world) pulled out with recurring pain in his thumb, and Phil Mickelson (No. 5) is not playing this year. Not that it would change the dynamics of what already has been a peculiar season. With 18 tournaments in the books this season, Zach Johnson is the only player to win a PGA Tour event while ranked among the top 10 in the world. The Masters is three weeks away. Is it time for the stars to come out? "Hopefully, this one does," Masters champion Adam Scott said, pointing to himself with a laugh. "But as far as unexpected winners, it seems to me thats happening more and more in golf. There are more and more guys breaking through, putting in a lot of hard work and getting what they deserve. So I think weve seen a bit of a shift in the game over the last couple of years -- a lot less domination by top players." Jake Lamb Diamondbacks Jersey . -- Rory McIlroy birdied his last two holes Thursday for a 7-under 63 to take the lead after one round of the Honda Classic. Matt Szczur Jersey . Modin, 36, tallied seven goals and three assists in 36 games with the Thrashers this season. The Sundsvall, Sweden, native has posted 232 goals and 230 assists in 894 career NHL games with Toronto, Tampa Bay, Columbus, Los Angeles and Atlanta and has appeared in 57 post-season contests, helping the Lightning capture the 2004 Stanley Cup Championship. http://www.diamondbackssale.com/diamondbacks-caleb-joseph-jersey/ . While the pair of Spain internationals return, midfielder Xavi Hernandez will not be included in the squad after failing to recover from a muscle strain to his left leg. Eduardo Escobar Jersey . Vonn flew back to Vail, Colo., last week after hurting her surgically repaired right knee at a downhill race in France. "Her knee was swollen again after Val dIsere," U.S. womens head coach Alex Hoedlmoser told The Associated Press. Archie Bradley Jersey . -- Fantasy football owners and Denver Broncos fans can rest easy: Peyton Manning is back.When you win it all, as much as it is an exhilaration, it is also a relief. Its a significant accomplishment in that, for the rest of your life, you can say that, at least once, you were a part of a championship team and you have the physical reality of the ring to show it. You have a unique sense of accomplishment and an internal peace of mind that a journey was completed. With the Saskatchewan Roughriders winning the 101st Grey Cup at home last year, there was a mission accomplished mentality that began a year ago in May 2013. But what now? How do you put history behind and concentrate on the present with the same drive and dedication you held previously? Very few teams repeat and, in some ways, it is a mystery as to why. The talent changes and the coaching changes but why is it so hard to recreate? Mainly because it is not always the teams with the best talent that win as much as it is the team with the players that are at their best working together. Winning teams have exceptional unselfish chemistry, losing teams never achieve that very esoteric feeling. The challenge for the Riders is more about creating a similar feeling as much as it is playing to a high level consistently; a vague challenge hard to define and even harder to recreate. What is easy to assess is the stability in the organization on many levels but first and foremost, financially. I am old enough to remember the public telethon created about 20 years ago to save the Riders. Now that is a distant memory of painful circumstances that youthful Rider fans would have trouble comprehending. At this point in CFL history, the Saskatchewan Roughriders are a story of extreme business and football success in that, if you make the right decisions, what seems impossible to overcome is more adversity than inevitability. The positives going into the year are the continuity with Cory Chamblin back as head coach with an extended contract, Brendon Taman back in management with an extended contract and Darian Durant back with a third extended contract.dddddddddddd. On the opposite side is the absence of RB Kory Sheets and SB Weston Dressler, who were two impact players. Both may be back, or not, but that unknown is uncontrollable so you move on. Another tough moment was RB Jock Sanders going to Calgary. Though he did have injury issues, the Riders lost a player who will play against them a least three times this season and that is the most difficult personal transitions to overcome. Last year, Saskatchewan finished second in points scored with an average 28 per game and second in rushing with 128 yards per game. On the other side of the ball, it was even better. They were first in fewest points allowed, second in both second downs converted and most 2-and-outs forced on an opponent. They also finished the season tied with Calgary in takeaway/giveaway at +19. Weaknesses? Not much other than finishing seventh in red zone offence and fifth in red zone defence. The only other factor or priority improvement is pass defence that allowed 252 yards per game, fifth best in the league. All this considered though, the good outweighs the bad, dramatically. I dont think the challenges for Rider football are the tangibles such as people, places and things as much as they are the intangibles of perception, opportunity awareness and living in the present moment; allowing the past to be the past and playing with energy for the future. It is a good team that needs to improve and that truth has to be in the forefront in all players minds. Calgary, BC and Edmonton will be better and on edge to be the best because they were not at their best last year. Can all the Rider players respect the past and dismiss it as pride of that was then, this is now? Or will the success of yesterday limit the urgency of today? It is not a physical issue, it is mental. Rise to the moment of today, and only today. If they do, what happened last year can happen again. ' ' '