STARTING FIVE

The Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 flying over Poland two years ago

1. Bullet the Blue Sky

Here’s The Guardian with a purported recording between the rebels, realizing they’ve made a catastrophic error in their mission. Nearly 300 dead, half of them Dutch, including some of the world’s top AIDS researchers who were en route to Melbourne for a conference.

Two other noteworthy mid-July air disasters:

July 17, 1996…TWA Flight 800…. “Breaks apart” shortly after takeoff from JFK… 230 die.

July 19, 1989….United Flight 232, Sioux City…. 112 perish, though 184 survive.

2. Giant

One of the more famous NFL photos of all time was shot by Morris Berman of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

I’ll admit, I have only skimmed the first few paragraphs of Seth Wickersham’s profile of Yelberton Abraham “Y.A.” Tittle, now 87, but it appears that Seth just Gary Smith’ed the heck out of this story. Wonderful read. Tittle was a New York Giant from Texas, where the film “Giant” was set and shot.

3. Jerry & Jon

Stewart and Seinfeld had the best chemistry yet of any duo on “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee”

I look at “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee” as a multi-millionaire’s little gift to us, but Jon Stewart ribbed his pal Jerry Seinfeld for “making a second career out of getting breakfast with your friends six times a year.” Here’s Stewart and Seinfeld in this season’s final installment, among the two or three best,  which starts out in a Gremlin, a vehicle that Stewart refers to as “a method of contraception.”

Of course, these two Jewish comics had to wend their way to the Holocaust.

Jerry: “The term ‘concentration camp.’ I don’t think it was a camp.”

Stewart: “Well, they did have bunks.”

4. Chasing the Bear

Asked what an “acceptable finish” would be in Liverpool, Tiger tersely replied, “First.”

Tiger Woods was 32 years old when he won his 14th major, the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines.

Jack Nicklaus was 35 years old when he won his 14th major, the 1975 PGA Championship in Akron, Ohio.

Nicklaus was 38 when he won the 15th of his 18 majors, the 1978 British Open at St. Andrews.

Tiger is now 38, and he is competing at the British Open this week…and has yet to win his 15th major.

The six-year drought is the longest in Woods’ career and has surpassed, in days, the longest drought of  Nicklaus’ career, which came between his 17th and 18th majors, 1980 and 1986. Those were his last two majors. Nicklaus drought lasted five years and eight months. Woods’ is currently at six years and one month.

Tiger shot a 3-under in yesterday’s opening round at Liverpool, which puts him just three shots back of leader and noted Lilliputian golfer Rory McIlroy.

5. (More) Death on Everest

From the moment that a bunch of Sherpas perished in an avalanche on Mount Everest last spring, the only question was which month the tragedy would become Outside’s cover story. Answer: August. The big surprise is that it’s not penned by Jon Krakauer, but rather Grayson Schaffer.