Live (sort of) From the US Open... (Practice Round)!! It's Thursday Afternoon!
First things first - I had planned to Live Blog this from the course, but cell phones & PDAs were not allowed. Plus, I wouldn't have had such great photos to illustrate my points. And before you call me a hypocrite because I'm about to spend much of a post devoted to golf not even
one week after I wrote that I could never do that... well, there's only so many times in life to say that you went to a US Open. Even if it was just a practice round.
This past Tuesday I spent about five hours walking the grounds at Oakmont Country Club, site of the
2007 U.S. Open. As a golfer, and a fan of the sport, it was a hell of an experience.
Before you ask - no, I did not see Tiger Woods. Or Phil Mickelson. Or Adam Scott, Aaron Baddeley, Sergio Garcia, Jim Furyk, or probably most of the other names most casual golf fans would know. I wasn't able to get out of a morning meeting (especially since it was my boss that gave me the tickets), so I didn't get to the course until almost 2pm - long after Tiger and the rest had practiced, held a press conference, hit the driving range and gone to the houses they're renting for $50k each (or more) this week.
What I did do is take a walk around most of the front nine of the course (let's face it people - I'm lazy. I wasn't making it around all 18),
taking photos of the players as they teed off or putted. A few observations and links:
There are some players who just give me hope that I can still make it on the PGA Tour. Like
Todd Rossetti, whose beer gut is bigger than mine by a solid 3/2 margin. Or perhaps Kirk Triplett - one of the few PGA Pros that I think I could consistently outdrive given the proper equipment (and by "proper equipment", I mean a steel chair that I could take to his back during his swing... just kidding. No malice for the only man to crack a joke
as he was hitting his tee shot). Or maybe even Trip Kuehne - even I don't often chunk my 3-iron off the tee
this badly.
Johnny Miller - A.K.A. the owner of "
The Round Heard 'Round The World" - is not a fan of the Internet. As I was shooting photos at the 3rd tee box, this golf cart pulls up behind me and out steps Miller. He walks up to the box (no one was teeing off at the time, so the crowd was basically me and five other guys waiting for the next group), pulls out a set of binoculars to look down the fairway and says "Yup. I remember this one. Narrow as all hell." As people started realizing who he was, they rushed over for photos and autographs. Miller, who has aparantely heard of the havoc
Deadspin and like-minded sites are known to wreak on unsuspecting celebrities during major events... ahem... "The Balls"
at Super Bowl XLI comes to mind... was
posing for a photo with another guy, arms around each other's shoulders, when he broke out this gem: "I've got a 10-second rule for poses like this with men. I know what they can do with them Internets and pictures. I'll end up on the new cover of Brokeback or something." Brought the house down.
For all he's achieved as a professional golfer on the PGA and European tours,
Padraig Harrington's legacy, at least with my generation, might be that he's related to Professional Poker Player Dan Harrington. I followed Padraig for about two holes, since he was the biggest name I'd seen at the time, and heard no less than 10 people - all about my age - thinking the same thing. "Gee, I wonder how Dan is doing in the World Series this year?" "Did you see the ESPN piece from 2003 about how Dan Harrington & Padraig Harrington are related?" And then, of course, there was the guy who followed Padraig and shouted "
Erin Go Bragh!" everytime he hit a shot. Yeah, that got annoying fast. By the way - the photo of Harrington's tee shot at the beginning of this paragraph... uh, you cannot imagine just how far that ball traveled.
Standing at the 3rd tee, I noticed
this guy standing directly to my left in jeans, a polo shirt and a ballcap, smoking a butt. I was about 70% convinced that it was Ernie Els in disguise, trying to watch some of the other players teeing off... until I heard him speak in maybe the thickest Wisconsin accent you've ever heard. Kind of killed my whole theory.
Poor
Stephen Ames. A couple years ago, he called out Tiger Woods before the Match Play finals. Tiger then
proceeded to systematically dismantle him, winning their match 9 & 8. For those of you that don't understand the match play system, let's just say that Tiger only needed 1/2 a round to destroy Ames. Anyway, on Tuesday Ames was taking bunker shots for nearly ten minutes on one hole, and couldn't manage to get one ball within twelve feet of his target. Now, I know the greens at Oakmont are a complete joke this week, but this was just hard to watch. And that's coming from someone who is ecstatic when he can get out of a bunker in less than three shots.
Outside of the normal "Big Names" this week, don't be surprised to see
Davis Love III near the top of the leaderboard when it's all said and done. He was hitting pretty well for the time I followed him around, and seemed pretty loose and calm. Then again, it was a practice round on a Tuesday - If you can't seem loose and calm then, you might as well just pack it in before you blow an aneurysm standing over a seven-foot par putt on 18 for the Open Title...
By far,
my favorite picture of the whole day. This is now the background on my PC at home.
I forgot to upload the photo, but there was a great ESPN Cameraman in the same area I was at, doing his best to "stay classy". He repeatedly asked me (or someone else around me) "Now, who's this guy again?", and wanted to make sure we all knew that he usually covered Sunday Night Football and was pissed that they had him getting footage of "all the no-name losers out here..." Nice guy.
Actually, that's a good point to end with. By far, the question of the day walking around with the masses was something along the lines of "Is there anybody in this group?" I will admit, I'm not a die-hard golf fan. I love to play, and I try to catch as much of it on TV as I can (Golf in HD is spectacular, by the way). But even I didn't know half the players I was watching. Which is the entire point - even if the best in the world bring their "A" game to a course like Oakmont, they aren't guaranteed a victory here. The field is so wide open, so full of people who are looking to make a name for themselves, that anybody - repeat
anybody - has a chance to win. Especially on this course.
My prediction: (-2) will probably be enough to win this thing by the time Sunday rolls around.
EDIT: (Right now - 1pm, on a live leaderboard,
74 players are tied at various stages of the course, all at even par. The current leader is at (-2).
74 Freakin' players!) /EDIT The players with the best short game have the biggest advantage, and the long-bombers with a little bit of movement off their tee shots have no chance - the fairways are too narrow, and the punishment is too steep for missing them. Tiger can never be counted out, but I don't think it's his to win. Phil's wrist will probably keep him from showing his usual control around the greens (unless he's exaggerating the injury to drive up the odds on himself, then cash in on a big bet in Vegas. I wouldn't put that past him...) There's a lot of talk that Furyk or Vijay have the right game for this course, but I'm not totally sold on Vijay. Furyk, maybe. But don't be surprised if, late Father's Day this Sunday, we're looking at the leaderboard and asking "Is there anybody in this group?"
Lata.
Labels: Golf, I Really Suck at Golf, Photos, The Toughest Golf Course I've Ever Seen, US Open
2007 NFL Draft - The Ultimate Live-Blog!
7:55 - Alright everybody, here's the plan. I'm heading out to once again consume frosty beverages. Since just about every other site out there has closed up shop for the night, I don't feel nearly as bad about leaving.
HOWEVER, I fully plan to wake up at some point tomorrow (God-willing) and put up some analysis of the late second and all of the third rounds... and then sit in my comfy bar-co-lounger for the fourth, fifth, and sixth rounds and just space out, updating sporadically about whatever makes me smile. I hope my 10+ posts throughout the day have informed and entertained, anf if nothing else, I leave you knowing this: I got one rippin' sunburn today while trying to post using the PDA. I couldn't see the screen in th golf cart, so I had to hang out the side while I typed... directly in full sunlight. For those of us that are "Melonin-challenged" (i.e. one shade short of albino), this leads to a solid farmer's tan on the arms and a nice set of raccoon eyes from behind the shades. I'll make a solid impression at the bars tonight.
See you all tomorrow, at some point, hangover be damned.
7:35 - Keyshawn Johnson is "very excited" to have Dwayne Jarrett joining him on the Panthers... let's see how long that lasts once Keyshawn realizes he's going to be losing touches every game as the season goes on. By the way - I haven't seen the entire draft so far, obviously, but this Keyshawn/Jarrett interview via satellite/phone might be the worst idea of all-time. These are two guys who don't appear to have mstered the face-to-face interview yet, and we're expecting them to converse coherantly 3000 miles away from each other with a 3 second delay?
7:31 - Also, I should have mentioned... it's nice having Miami & Buffalo in the AFC East with the Pats. Can always count on them for at least one "Huh?" moment in every draft.
7:30 - Wel, that was an anti-climactic ending. Always tough when your best hitter ends the game in the on-deck circle. Anyway, some quick reactions to the draft so far today:
-- Cleveland Browns' fans are going to look back at today one of two ways - either they just completely revamped their team and put themselves in a great position to compete for the next five years, or they blew it big time, giving #3 money to an o-Lineman and trading away the future for a "System" QB. I think it's the former.
-- Here's ESPN.com's "analysis" from the Patriots' end of their trade with SF for the #28 overall pick: "The Patriots like to acquire future No. 1 picks." Oh, you think so doctor? I was convinced they would trade that pick right up until the point that I looked at the screen and saw Paul Pozlusny still on the board... but getting San Fran's #1 in '08 is huge. Great trade for both teams.
-- Denver got one hell of a player in Jarvis Moss... but they gave up three picks to get him. He'd better pan out - especially when the first of the three traded picks turned into Reggie Nelson.
-- Quick Reactions: Seattle is no gimme in the NFC West next season. Arizona got some serious help today, and obviously, San Fran has had a monster offseason to date. St. Louis... well, somebody's gotta finish last.
-- I'm always fascinated with trades like the one San Diego & Chicago made. Both teams were good last season. San Diego had one real pressing need - Linebacker. Chicago has one real pressing need - QB. So what happens? The Chargers give up three picks this year and one next year to draft a second round Safety. I'm sure this will all make sense once the alcohol wears off.
7:15 -
Please forgive my ignorance. I went to take a shower (for some reason, I sweat an inordinate amount while golfing. Must be the alcohol.) and suddenly realized it was the 9th inning of a Red Sox/Yankees game. Needless to say, I haven't spent much of the past 45 minutes reading up on draft day happenings. I'll get back to you all shortly.
6:30 - Guys, it was a thing of beauty. Seriously, you should've seen it. Me and my buddy Jay pulled the golf cart into the 19th hole just as the Patriots' clock ran out for pick #24. I picked up the PDA, all set to offer instant analysis on the safety, linebacker, or trade that was about to be announced, only to see the following message: "Your battery has insufficient power to support the function you have requested. Please recharge and try again later." Ugh. Of the many things that have happened since the 3:35 update, let me say this - Brady Quinn slipping to the Browns (via trade) is ridiculous. I'm sure the ESPN guys have beaten this to death already, but the first thing I thought was - "He's either the next Aaron Rodgers or the next Joe Montana." I'm hoping it's the former, because I'd hate to have to listen to ND apologists for the next ten years. Cleveland has done a hell of a job so far in this draft - let me catch up on all the picks and trades and I'll offer some actual analysis in about twenty minutes. Then I'm going to go take a shower and probably get ready to head out drinking for the night, but the PDA is recharging, and provided Verizon Wireless can give me coverage in random pubs in Watertown, I'll try to check in a couple more times before the night is over. I think I just have to chalk this one up as a "Brett Favre" day - trying to do too much with too little. At least I had a decent round of golf and a handful of good beers and nachos. Back again soon.
3:35 - Right now, Notre Dame haters are rejoicing. Brady Quinn is likely to slip to AT LEAST 21st to the Jags... I had to relload the Yahoo coverage 3 times... I couldn't believe he's still out there.
2:25 - Marshawn Lynch and Ted Ginn... Those might be two of the biggest reaches I've ever seen in a first round. Also, we won't discuss that I'm shooting a 68... Through 10 holes.
1pm - 4 holes in, and I'm "Golfing by 4's" - I am only scoring in multiples of 4 so far... 8, 8, 4, 8. Solid round. Plus, I managed to hit a ball backwards without having it hit anything else. Looks like the first 4 picks have been pretty bland... Everyone going where they're "supposed" to go. More in an hour.
11:30 - Finally made it to the course... With a half-dry shirt. This will be a most interesting round of golf. On an NFL note, Peter King just reported on WEEI that Randy Moss absollutely would be dealt today. Just imagine if the Patriots parlay Deion Branch into Randy Moss... Wow.
10:38 - You know, my dryer takes much longer than it should to dry out one shirt. I'm glad my tee time isn't until about 11:45. Also, it gives me a chance to watch the Pre-Draft Pre-Game. I thought I'd miss Michael Irvin's antics on the ESPN NFL Crew but I've got to say, as much as I hated Keyshawn Johnson back when he was still playing, the guy actually knows his stuff about the game. Even if he just said that The Raiders could quickly become the next Patriots' by taking JaMarcus Russell #1 overall. Plus, he doesn't feel the need to scream all of his observations at me. Wait, what do you mean he's still playing? Are you sure?
10:31AM - Almost forgot to mention it -
click here to read my "pseudo-prediction" (second comment on the page) for what I think could happen in this first round later today - ignore the part where I say I won't be Live-Blogging today. I just wanted it in writing, just in case it happens, so I can either look like a complete genius, or complete buffoon...
10:25AM - You really should see me right now. I'm half-dressed (the important half is covered), just waiting for my shirt to come out of the dryer so I can get in my car and drive to the golf course. I figured this would be an excellent time to start today's Live Blog thingy.
Unfortunately, half of the "suspense" from the draft - "Who's going #1?" Appears to be gone, as ESPN is reporting that, for once, the Raiders are doing something smart and taking JaMarcus Russell with the first overall pick. I was really hoping they'd do something completely off the walls, like send Al Davis to the podium to draft Marcus Allen or something, just as a goof.
Anyway, I'm heading for the laundry room, followed by the golf course. I'll be checking in shortly after 11AM, and probably every half-hour or three holes on the course, whichever is easier. Of course, if my phone decides to lose coverage (a distinct possibility) or battery life (an even greater possibility), I might be checking in sometime around 4PM with my next update.
Enjoy the day fellas.
Labels: Draft, Golf, Live Blog, NFL, Technology is a wonderful thing
The Ultimate NFL Draft Live Blog
Alright NFL fans, this weekend is the second biggest news time for the league, falling right behind Super Sunday, and somewhere slightly ahead of the daily "When Will Brett Favre Retire" headlines.
Naturally, this is the best time for a young, aspiring, Internet junkie writer like myself to sit back, pop open a frosty alcoholic beverage or eight, and wax poetic about the "length" and "upside" of very, very large men, most of whom I will probably never meet.
So where do I plan to be while I do this?
Playing my first (and probably last) round of golf of 2007. But that will not stop me. Technology is an amazing thing, and presuming I have enough battery life and patience, I plan to blog via a handheld PDA/Phone in-between snap hooks off the tee and multiple attempts at getting out of sand traps.
There's a 50/50 shot my phone ends up in a water hazard in frustration, and an even better shot that by about the 10th hole I am rambling incoherently about how the Raiders are definitely going to screw up the first pick by not taking Reggie Bush (like I said - alcohol may be involved), but I'm going to give it a shot.
Some of you may remember my last shot at live blogging, during the second round of the NFL playoffs back in January (
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3). It was a fun experience, even if I couldn't feel my fingers for about 17 hours after. As far as Saturday goes, I figured - what the hell.
Shanoff put out the challenge on his page earlier today, so I might as well do my best to answer the call.
Please don't rip me apart for spelling errors - I'll be using a keyboard about 3"x2.5" in total length (by comparison, my hands are almost 11" in length - it's going to be tough), and my PDA lacks a spell-check system. But I'm going to do my best, and if all goes well, you might even get a chuckle or three out of the day. Also, feel free to jump in the comments as I go along. I get an e-mail every time you guys comment, so I should notice it shortly after it shows up.
So I'll see you back here, bright and early (i.e. sometime around 11AM) Saturday morning. Keep in mind that I'll be checking the picks via ESPN.com rather than actually watching the draft live as it happens, so don't expect too many random jokes about Kiper's hair, Stuart Scott's lazy eye, or Chris Berman in general. (Although I do have the capabilty to watch the draft on through the web, my PDA/Phone doesn't have the battery life to hold up much past a half hour or so. Also, I'd prefer not to get kicked off the golf course.) I also expect that Blogger.com will find some way to screw this up entirely - like making each update into a new, separate post (definite possibility), but it's worth a shot.
That's it. Let's get the clusterfuck underway.
Lata.
Labels: Draft, Golf, Live Blog, NFL, PDA, Technology is a wonderful thing
