And The Ryder Cup Oscar Goes To...

May I please have the envelop? And the nominees are...

First off, I just have to say what a week in the golf world. Not only did I find out Phil Mickelson read my previous blog (again thank you a million times over) but Justin Rose won the FedEx Cup. What an unbelievable golf story, as Rose fought through years of injury, public hum...alright you get it.

For the first time since 2013, Tiger Woods won a golf tournament. This can be another blog for another time, but simply watching five hours of golf coverage albeit with zero commercials (good on you NBC) I forgot how emotionally captivating it could be to watch Tiger play and win a golf tournament. This happened on a Sunday during week three in the NFL and with MLB winding down its regular season with playoffs taking shape. It came out a few hours ago that ratings for this tournament on Sunday were up 206% comparable to last year's final round. No shade on Xander Schauffele or Justin Thomas, but you guys just aren't that interesting. Again, a reaction blog about Tiger finally being back in the winners circle at a later date.

Today, I had a little time to put some thoughts down. While I woke up to about five golf podcasts all with Tiger reaction and Ryder Cup previews, I thought I'd take a different approach to the second holy week of the golf season which comes around every two years. I present to you...The Ryder Cup Oscars. The notion was based on each of the 12 American golfers on the team and which movie I could see them playing a role, and not necessarily a leading role. The academy appreciates all the work each of the 12 actors put into each film, and I commend them for it as well. Now, without further ADIEU...the nominees are:

Tiger Woods, Best Leading Actor: Seal Team Six
Now I know what you're thinking. There could be hundreds of war and military movies suitable for Tiger to star in, especially given his family history and passion for military training and exercises. However, when it all came down to it, Tiger felt right starring in Seal Team Six. In his recently released biopic 'Tiger Woods' as well as his former coach Hank Haney's publicly acclaimed title 'The Big Miss' both presented evidence for Tiger's interest in the military. The film features the 2011 raid of one OBL in the hills of Pakistan, one of those stories which provides a 'where were you when' moment we will all remember. While Tiger is and always will be remembered on the golf course, he will assuredly be remembered on the big screen in this film. This is Tiger's first nomination.

Phil Mickelson, Best Supporting Actor: Top Gun
Wardrobe appropriate 'Top Gun' was a sure no brainer for lefty to hit the big screen. In a shared role with Tom Cruise, Mickelson brought a charisma and spunk to the infamous 'you've lost that loving feeling' moment in the bar, as well as the match point in the award winning volleyball scene. Although there were reports of motion sickness when buzzing the tower on multiple takes, it's what you see on the screen that really counts. This is Phil's first nomination.

Rickie Fowler, Best Supporting Actor: Brink
Close your eyes for a second and think 'old Rickie.' I'm talking like 2010 Rickie, with the long hair, loud colors and love of action sports. When Rickie was approached to star in Disney's 'Brink' alongside 90s hearthrob Erik von Detten, he couldn't pass up the opportunity. He was also single at the time of accepting the role, and had he found his now fiance Alison Stokke prior to filming, he may have felt rather ridiculous racing on rollerblades through the streets of San Diego. Regardless, soul skaters for life. This is Rickie's first nomination.

Justin Thomas, Best Supporting Actor: The Sandlot
It's no coincidence Justin's love of baseball is evident in the multiple first pitches he's tossed since turning pro as a golfer. Even recently when he tossed the first pitch at Fenway Park during the week of the Dell Technologies championship, he showed speed yet minimal accuracy delivering to catcher Blake Swihart (sort of similar to his golf swing...GOT EM!) However, one thing you may not know about Justin is his role in the childhood favorite 'Sandlot' as one of the players on the rich kids team. He actually auditioned to be the kid who shouted at Ham "We play on a real diamond, Porter!" but had a bout of food poisoning due to the hot dogs he ate the night before at the amusement park. Either way, Justin fit right in with the cast and even keeps in touch with Benny the Jet Rodriguez to this day. This is Justin's second nomination, he was also nominated for his role in 'The Big Green' years later. This is Justin's first nomination.

Jordan Spieth, Best Leading Actor: The Hangover
(Now I must say, Spieth was a bit of a wildcard for this one, but go with it.)
Infamous for the world reknown #SB2k16 that absolutely trounced the internet, Spieth parlayed his performance at Bakers Bay into a little known albeit critical role in 'The Hangover'. We know based on pictures from the 2016 Ryder Cup that he and Mickelson can put back champagne, but Jordan can also hang with the likes of Smylie Kaufman (recently sponsored by Natty Lite and now Greygoose) to keep up with the four days of festivities. One fun fact from production was Mike Tyson got word during a full cast match at Sumerlin that Jordan let him win in their best ball match and threatened to actual release his Tiger on Jordan while he was sleeping between takes. Spieth has denied those allegations to the full extend of the law, which is funny because he was supposed to be the one to use the taser on Zach Galifianakis. Nevertheless, he reprises his leading role alongside Bradley Cooper in fine fashion, and we all know the goal of each of the three Hangover movies was to find Doug. Much like his British Open win in 2017, he got it done. This is Jordan's first nomination.

Bubba Watson, Best Supporting Actor: Anchorman
Bubba was also another wildcard to pick up an Oscar. We all know from afar that Bubba has never been shy in front of the camera, which is why Adam McKay personally flew him and his family to the set and offered him a job as the leading overnight bi-weekend sports anchor on the channel 4 news team, which Bubba naturally accepted and blew the likes of Will Farrell and Steve Carrell away. What is really fascinating is Bubba's ability to make time for both production on 'Anchorman' and keeping tabs on his minor league baseball team and his candy store in Florida. Although he wasn't asked to join 'Anchorman 2' due to contractual monetary disagreements, he still keeps in touch with the cast today. This is Bubba's second nomination, apart from his supporting role in the reboot of 'Willy Wonkas Chocolate Factory.'

Tony Finau, Best Supporting Actor: Varsity Blues
A naturally gifted athlete, sans the Masters par 3 contest, Tony has been approached from talent agencies from LA to Miami and everything in between. Having always wanted to work with James Van Der Beek, the former Dawson's Creek star couldn't help but fight to put Tony in the 1999 film. As the leading wide receiver, and also after-school tutor to Billy Bob #69, Finau relished the moment much like he does during the PGA Tour season and showed as much emotion as he did when he received the call from Ryder Cup captain Jim Furyk. This is Tony's first nomination, but has been rumored to star in the upcoming Jon Voigt documentary. This is Tony's first nomination.

Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka, Best Supporting Cast in a Major Motion Picture: Mighty Ducks 2
Who else is better suited, both physically and mentally, to star as the bash brothers from Mighty Ducks 2? Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka that's who. Although relatively reserved, and oftentimes downright tardy and seemingly uninterested in the whole process of filming, coach and mentor Emilio Estevez was often said to be the savior of the bash brothers. Like he says in the film, coach Bombay expressed the fact Los Angeles has a lot of distractions. This unfortunately got the best of the two, as they were often seen dating extras brought over from Iceland and frequently missed curfew. Had it not been for Josh Jackson (Captain Charlie Conway for those who've lived under a rock since 1994) the film would have never been completed, and who knows what the outcome would've been at the Junior Goodwill Games. This is a pure sympathy nomination, you understand.

Webb Simpson, Best Voiceover: Toy Story
Webb is a funny fellow, and if you asked him to describe himself I'm sure he'd say exactly the same thing. I in particular find him funny because I couldn't find a damn interesting thing about this guy. He has 13 Instagram posts, all of which are with his family. Hence, his nomination for lead voiceover in the family friendly and not at all contentious 'Toy Story' role as Andy, the dude who had it all growing up. Webb wanted to ensure his acting career came off as clean and educational, and most of all he wanted to leave a legacy his kids would be proud of. I'll leave it at that. This is Webb's first nomination, because obviously.

Bryson DeChambeau, Best Leading Actor: Good Will Hunting
He uses the metric system. He uses same-length clubs. He wears the hat. Bryson is truly a cut different from the rest, and when it came time to audition for Good Will Hunting as Matt Damon's equally smart brother, he couldn't pass up the role of the janitor at the school down the street from MIT, the Wentworth Institute of Technology, or WIT. Bryson went to SMU, but could easily have attended any school in the country. This is what made the role so appealing, he could've been a smart as shit janitor anywhere! But where did he choose? WIT, and that spoke volumes to Gus van Sant. This is Bryson's third nomination. He was also nominated for a leading role in A Beautiful Mind and Rainman. Overachiever.

Patrick Reed, Honorable Mention: Fever Pitch
In one of the truest underdog stories ever told, the 2004 Boston Red Sox broke an 86 year old curse by winning the World Series. What's an even bigger underdog story? Patrick Reed volunteering to act for nothing as a remedy for his poor behavior and childish behavior by tweeting about being in the 'line drive section' at a Red Sox game earlier this year. This film taught Reed the value of tradition, honor, and things don't just get handed to you. And when they do? Don't complain, moron.

AND THE WINNER IS..............................

Who but Phil? Because he actually reads my blogs, and you should too ;)

USA! USA! USA!

I Simply Cannot Get Enough of Phil Mickelson

It was my introduction to Twitter in 2009 where I knew things were going to change. Access to news, politics and athletes were going to change, popular opinions were going to be received positively or negatively whether we like it or not, and by and large this new platform was going to be a hotbed for celebrities and popular figures alike. Ashton Kutcher, as far as I'm concerned, was the first person on Twitter while Tom Brady's 'social media draft' nearly broke the internet especially in the New England region. Facebook Live has nearly gotten Antonio Brown suspended, Instagram Live has featured numerous mini concerts performed by a bored and restless John Mayer and SnapChat has become the essential social media home for the Kardashians.

However, on August 22, 2018, the world changed. The wind shifted, the cows came home and pigs officially flew high in the distance. Regardless of the many cliches that have been known to illustrate the impossible, one thing that is sure to recite them all: Phil Mickelson joined Twitter.

Now for the normal PGA Tour pro, this should be no big deal. I haven't officially counted but I'm almost certain I follow almost 100 PGA Tour professionals, coaches, media personalities etc alone and none have been more widely accepted and cheered than Phil. Those in the know of professional golf knew there had to be a reason for this sudden discovery because Phil doesn't do things without a calculated approach, ie his notorious financial moves. The assumed $9 million match with Tiger Woods, apparently set for Thanksgiving weekend of this year, was his perfect jumpoff point to introduce himself to the Twittersphere while setting the stage for a worldwide promotional tour following the conclusion of the Ryder Cup and PGA Tour season.

Sitting in front of the TV last night watching college football, I noticed Arizona State's most notorious alum standing on the sideline of the ASU-San Diego State game, which was none other than Phil himself. Sure enough, moments later, came a Tweet from Phil announcing he was indeed on the sideline with his brother and former ASU golf head coach Tim Mickelson. Alright, now I'm officially hooked on Phil and every single move he makes. In the grand scheme of things, dating back to say the 2016 Ryder Cup, Phil has become someone where if he makes a move (or busts a move), people are going to follow.

Actually, let's start there. As a native San Diegan, it was fitting I was living in Phil's hometown while witnessing Jordan Spieth chugging champagne after capturing the Ryder Cup. Of the numerous moments burned into my brain from that tournament, ranging from the well-documented duel between Patrick Reed and Rory McIlroy, the lights out putting from Ian Poulter and the crowds from Hazeltine, the most fitting to summarize the tournament was Phil pouring champagne into Jordan's mouth. I couldn't help but think, "wow, look at Phil letting loose with the boys." It was truly a site to see.

Next came the Presidents's Cup from 2017. The scoreboard was anything but important throughout the weekend, but what was important was the celebratory three amigos dance between Phil and partner Kevin Kisner. Where did this come from? Who knew Phil had this in him? Was Phil becoming cool or was he always this mobile? I think watching the reaction from his teammates was even more telling to the questions at hand, and even they couldn't believe what they were witnessing. Phil is either losing it, or aging downward. You love to see it.

In 2018, we get a bit more interesting in the world of ole Phil. When you mention the 2018 U.S Open at Shinnecock, and throw Phil's name in the mix...it gets a bit dicey. We all know what I'm about to say, as Phil decided he hated the putt he made on the 16th hole so much that he decided to give it a whack while it was still rolling. According to Phil, he knew what he was doing. However there was no story bigger that weekend than what we witnessed on the green. In fact I can't even remember who won the tournament, that should tell you what you need to know about the personality of the tournament winner.

Finally, we get the lighthearted stuff. Two words: Mizzen+Main. Really? You're going to start wearing button-downs during tournament play? Only you Phil, only you. This fad became so popular in fact, that it produced what can only be the most-watched commercial in sports of 2018. Look at that man do the worm!

Finally, at the beginning of September, the golf world got what it had speculated throughout the PGA Tour season and can all breathe a sigh of relief: Phil's on the Ryder Cup team. With what was a rather obvious pick given his experience and leadership and strong play during the year, captain Jim Furyk made the inevitable decision to include Phil on the roster. How did Phil respond? Twitter...of course. This guy is just incredible.

As a final note, I leave captain Furyk with this (because I know you're reading). That was then, and this is now. Let the boys play, our nation is counting on you.

Thanks to Bellerive, the PGA Championship has St. Louis Singing the Blues.

Now hang on a second, because I know how this sounds. The week leading up to the final major of the 2018 PGA Tour season brought out all golf course critics ripping into Bellerive and the track laid out in hot and sticky St. Louis. However, what actually happened was one of the most memorable and entertaining sporting events in recent memory which begs the thought: you gotta feel bad for the city of St. Louis and all it’s residents and fans in the area.

I mean seriously, to win a Super Bowl and almost 20 years later lose your football team to LA. To have the most exciting season in Major League Baseball in 1998 only to have its star riddled with scandal years later. To have the joy and excitement of round one of the Stanley Cup playoffs, only to feel the pain and impatience of an early exit after a year so promising for the Blues. And now the 2018 PGA Championship, to be this close to being THE location of the greatest comeback in sports history of Tiger could pull it off...St. Louis deserves better.

An authors note, I have never been to St. Louis. I’ve never stepped foot anywhere in the Midwest, although if Columbus and Milwaukee count then never mind. That being said, Brett Hull was one of my childhood favorite athletes, the Blues logo is al all-timer and Nelly still fills the speakers of my car on a regular basis. That’s really the extent to my relationship with St. Louis. Yet when the PGA decided to hold its 100th tournament at Bellerive, there had to be a reason. Yes it was hot as hell, yes players were changing shirts like the Mighty Ducks changed jerseys, the greens were fast and the grass was burnt. But what I saw this past Sunday was a stacked leaderboard better than any of 2018’s major tournaments and that made for incredible entertainment. Tiger Woods and champion Brooks Koepka both marveled at the respect shown from the crowds, Joe Buck said the same on Shane Bacon’s podcast and from the television coverage (or lack there of) we were able to tell that these crowds were into this tournament.

But what about the loyal Cardinal and Blues fans? What about the previous Ram fans? Imagine your former championship football team leaving town as fast as the Ringling Brothers? The people of this Midwest town deserve another Big Mac. They deserve another Brett Hull, but at the very least, they deserve to never be overlooked for a golf tournament again. The proof was in the pudding, so make it two scoops. I’m not driving.

Three Lessons Learned From Shark Week...

It's a summer tradition in July which dates back 30 years now. Some years are better than others, with all content aimed to be both somewhat informative and wildly entertaining. I certainly recall numerous marketing efforts from the Discovery Channel to promote Shark Week, primarily last year with the race between Michael Phelps and a great white which flopped, and this year with shows featuring Shaq, Lindsey Vonn and Aaron Rodgers. Shark Week is indeed a summer tradition which encompasses a wild audience, and local businesses getting into the act as well by selling shark-themed cookies, cakes, pies, etc.

However, Shark Week to me reminds me of something entirely different.

Growing up, 'The Shark' was none other than Greg Norman and I've been a fan of his ever since I could swing a golf club (ironically I realized we both have similar swings no less). I wrote this entry almost two months ago and decided to save it for this week during the summer phenomenon, as well as the conclusion of The Open, with the narrative based on a review of a Golf.com podcast where Greg Norman joined Sean Zak to talk about life mostly off the golf course. I was actually on my way to a Red Sox game when this episode came out and was the only time in my life where I wished the traffic got heavier heading into Boston because I wanted to finish the podcast. There were three main takeaways which were featured in this June 6th episode, and hopefully they resonate well in some capacity with those of you reading this. They include the following:

"ROT" or Return on Time
Attack Life
"DIN DIP" or 'Do it now, and do it proper.'

ROT

Again, this episode dropped on June 6th, and I don't think a day has passed where I've muttered this phrase in my head at least once. "Return on time," what an interesting concept. For example, take into account what you've done today from the time you woke up until right this second. If you worked out, did you get out of it everything you wanted? If you went out to breakfast, was it time well spent or was it something to pass the time until you had to go to work? What about after you got to work? Did you sit around and read the RBC Canadian Open preview or did you spend it in a useless meeting on how to best schedule out your co-workers vacation days for the remainder of the summer? Either way, take into account your return on time. Traffic and commute time notwithstanding, did you lay around all weekend or did you spend it with people you care about and make memories which will last you deep into the summer. ROT can be looked at from a professional perspective, and even more in a personal perspective. Like I said, I've spent almost two months with this phrase puttering around my mind and take the time to look at how I've used my free time and if it could be of better use in the future.

Attack Life

This has always been Greg Norman's mantra, whether on the golf course or in the boardroom of his 100 business ventures. Never settling and always finding ways to prove yourself to others is how Norman played the game beginning in the 80's, in large part because he didn't grow up a golfer. Born in Australia and growing up surfing in a wealthy part of town, it was his mother who inspired him to swing a golf club later during adolescence. Once he got the bug, he parlayed that illness into two Open championships and a number of weeks spent ranked number one in the world. But seriously, type into your browser www.shark.com (what a baller to have that URL to call his own by the way) and look at his portfolio. Golf course design, apparel, real estate, land development etc etc etc. That is absolute MADNESS that he can be coherent and aware on how each of these entities are performing, how his staff is handling day to day tasks, all while keeping sane himself. Attacking life is a major understatement for the Shark.

DIN DIP

Do it now and do it proper is a great mindset to have when completing every day tasks. This truly does not matter whether you are putting together a sales deck, taking out the trash, writing a thank you note, whatever. If you commit to something, no matter how low or how high the level of importance appears, do it to the best of your ability. By doing it now, and doing it proper the first time around, this allows you to increase your ROT and focus on other tasks which lead you to a healthy and fulfilling life. That's the approach I've always taken with schoolwork, especially in college. I knew the true value of getting things done ahead of time, and I never had to cram or pull all-nighters from putting projects and papers off until the last minute. Adopting an 'attack life' mindset will help give you the motivation you need to complete the task adequately the first time.

In closing, ask yourself what your ROT will be when watching Shark Week this week on Discovery Channel. Will it provide you fulfillment and excitement? Will it become a new tradition you share with your family, friends and co-workers around your cubicle or will you chalk it up to something you've tried but won't bother watching again? I never thought a golf podcast would ask so many questions and provide so many answers at the same time but then again, Greg Norman is simply in a league of his own.

Bachelor Parties Are Cool... But Bachelor Parties Involving Golf Cannot Be Topped.

Folks, I'm going to present some breaking news that may have you all shocked and confused...it's bachelor/bachelorette party season. To some, this means some rest and relaxation at a spa or small resort close to where said bride and groom reside. To others (the vast majority of others no less), it's trips to either Nashville, Austin and the like (Vegas is so tired) over not two...not three...not four...you get it. Evidence of these trips is sprayed all over the various forms of social media, particularly Instagram and SnapChat stories which makes even the most mundane and bland parts of the trip seem like we're all missing out. To some extent, maybe we are? Actually nah, you do you and I'll continue watching The Office.

That being said, I must say I was fortunate enough to attend a bachelor party this weekend in the mountains of Vermont and to sum it up quickly...it was perfect. Why was it perfect? Golf was involved.

Getting to Vermont was half the fun, as myself and a buddy who shall remain nameless because he out-drove me in the long-drive competition (atta boy Benny) rode top down and guns blazing in his Jeep Wrangler for four very short hours. Why were they considered short? Well beside the free tans during the drive on a flawless July morning, Benny and I decided to break the roadie up with nine holes halfway through the drive. THE Maplewood located in just gorgeous Bethlehem, NH along the White Mountain route to Vermont was the perfect way to get out and stretch the legs. The golf before the golf. The party before the party. We were in and out in two hours and back on the road, like it never happened.

Except it did, and it set the tone for the rest of the weekend. Not going into the full breakdown of the weekend, the simple point of this posting is explaining why golf is a perfect activity for each and every bachelor party, regardless of skill or interest. To paint the scene, it's Saturday afternoon in the summer and we're a group of 16 extremely good looking and intelligent individuals of all skill levels. By the luck of the draw, or the hat, I was placed on a team with said long-drive champ, the bachelor (atta way Mikey D!), and our assigned weekend photographer who also had the shot of the day on the 17th hole of Sugarbush Golf Club (cheers Tony!). The other groups filled out a squad who, at the beginning of the round was held in very low regard by the bartender since she may have seen us trying to load up the carts with our own coolers, some kind of a no-no in the green mountain state. After agreeing to fill the coolers with PURCHASED beverages from the club, her attitude quickly changed, as did ours.

Thinking back to other bachelor parties I've attended, traveling with a large group who have different intentions on what they'd like to achieve on said weekend can be tough for everyone involved. Some activities suit half the group, while the other half couldn't be bothered. But golf? Golf's different. Golf involves beer. Golf involves competition. Golf involves getting to know people you met 20 minutes ago and leaving the course with the promise of being each others beer-die partner in about four hours. You're outside, you're in a golf cart flying around in a beautiful setting, you're playing a format where everyone is able to participate (scramble) and it's almost impossible to get down on yourself because if you hit a shitty shot? You play your partners shot, end of story.

In closing, and I know I'm bias when I say this, but if every bachelor party I attend from here on out (or family vacation, solo vacation, birthday party, etc) involves golf? Well, you won't hear me arguing. Except when the measuring stick comes out during the long-drive and closest to pin challenge. That shit's rigged.

Cheers Mikey, you're the best.

Excuse Me, PGA Tour? New England Wants a Quick Word...

...what the hell?

So here I am, minding my own business when Golf Channel broke the news of the PGA Tour announcing the full 2018-2019 schedule for next season. Analysts had speculated these scheduling shifts for months now, most notably the PGA Championship kicking off #majorszn by moving from August to May, and the PLAYERS Championship moving from May to March. Great move, everyone is in agreement. In fact, roughly the first half of the schedule remains the same, with the roundabout part of the opening stretch is almost identical to the dates of last year. Beginning the season ONE WEEK after last year's President's Cup was indeed a wild move, and there certainly won't be much wiggle room between France and the Brendan Steele Open in October.

Aside from California and Florida getting virtually they're own stretch of real estate, followed by the Texas events and the dog day of summer events, one glaring date stuck out that is more sad than upsetting. This is the removal of the Dell Technologies Championship over Labor Day weekend, or, most notably and will forever be known as, the Deutsche Bank Championship played at TPC Boston in BEAUTIFUL Norton, MA (shout out Wheaton Lady Lyons). Now I can sit here and get all sappy and say the 2009 Deutsche Bank Championship was my first pro golf event I ever attended. It was also the first time I got a glimpse (albeit for a split second) of one Eldrick Woods (you know, two months before IT happened...) as well as the first time I saw Rickie Fowler who was rocking the long hair and Redbull pro series look. With a full purple PUMA suit, I said to my buddy Nate "THERE is the man I'm going to run into at an In-N-Out Burger in Phoenix, AZ eight years later. I just KNOW IT!" Well damn if I'm not a fortune teller.

The reasoning for the removal of the Dell Tech (which gets it back in 2020 but who cares at the moment) is the increased competition for viewers at the end of August because of the big bad NFL. No one watches golf once football season kicks off, hell the numbers even start to dwindle once preseason starts. That's just the way it is, and I think the PGA Tour did an exceptional job at moving events around for the most part. But if you're telling me there is a tournament in RENO NEVADA in...JULY?! And only one event in the New England event all season? Have you ever been to New England in the summer? Aside from the Travelers which golf fans obviously know does big numbers because of last year's final round, and even this year's event which saw Bubba Watson win it for like the third  time, how can there only be one event in New England? Same with in Canada, with only the RBC Canadian Open getting its event the week before Pebble in 2019. I know the market isn't crazy popular in Vermont or Maine, but the amount of incredible courses throughout the region and especially in Massachusetts to not have an event even on the Web.com come through simply doesn't sit well with me. It's cool that Michigan and Minnesota are adding events next season, but who doesn't love lobster rolls and the ocean? Figure it out Jay, and come hang out with us!

What Do High School Math Teachers and Professional Golfers Have in Common...?

...apparently nothing. And that's unfortunate.

If Bryson isn't allowed to use a compass in his profession, does this truly mean that what you learn in school does NOT matter in the real world...? This is an sadly a question I am forced to ask myself (and all of my dedicated readers) as the USGA ruled against DeChambeau's use of a compass two weeks ago at the Travelers Championship. Being one of the thousands in attendance down in Cromwell, I have to place some of the blame on me for not noticing this heinous act and putting a stop to it. In no way, shape or form should a respectable athlete be using this "unusual equipment" to help him gain a competitive advantage. He was bound to get caught, no doubt about it.

Let's look at the big picture here: the man used an actual compass to help pin point the exact hole locations during the tournament. Could you imagine if he pulled out a TI-83 to help calculate score? Would this also be frowned upon? Admittingly the most use my personal calculator ever got was during class when someone showed me how to download solitaire and I watched my pre-calculus grade slip on a daily basis. There's conversation about range finders and other video and whether or not they should be allowed to help the players during play, but I never expected a compass to be considered unusual equipment. What a world, do less Bryson. Just do less.

It's the 1996 U.S Amateur. Does Dahmen Tattle on Tiger? An Investigation...

“With Woods about to make a monumental mistake, Scott uttered seven words that would have made the games Scottish ancestors proud: “Hey Tiger, did you move that back?” P. 115, Tiger Woods. Benedict & Keteyian (By the way, how bout bonus points for the attempted APA or MLA proper citation attempt in a blog? Pretty sweet...)

There are a few things I need to explain before I get into this post, albeit comes at a perfect time. The excerpt above is from the new book Tiger Woods, which highlights the early career of the greatest golfer of all time and takes the reader through his historic rise to fame and notorious fall from grace to which he's trying to redeem at the current time. I will say I've only reached the part of the book where he officially turns pro in 1996, which allowed me to freshen up on the infamous U.S Amateur down at Pumpkin Ridge vs. Steve Scott. Now Scott was the perfect competition for Tiger, especially since he had him on the ropes after the first 18 holes of the match. Imagine being Scott though? Watching Tiger walk to the first tee alongside only Phil Knight, Butch Harmon and Wally Uihlein? What a joke.

Fast forward, as the story goes, the two reach the 16th hole at Pumpkin Ridge with Scott up two. As he settled in to putt, Scott quickly informed Tiger he thought he had mis-marked his ball like the quote from above. At almost an instant, Tiger stood up and remarked his ball before sinking the birdie to move within one and eventually win the match. No acknowledgement from Tiger to Scott, no compliments, no handshake, no nothing. Oh Cat. 

We move ahead to July 1, 2018. The hot pairing surrounding TPC Potomac wasn't Tiger-Burgoon, or Blair-Armour, or even Cejka-DJDFUNK. Nope, it's Joel Dahmen-Sung Kang who moved the controversial needle post final round. As it story goes, Kang apparently hit his ball into a hazard and gave himself a complimentary drop much to the hawkeyes of Dahmen. Joel took to Twitter and dropped a hard 'C' all over our asses against Kang to no avail of the PGA Tour. Yada, yada, yada Dahmen signed the card apparently because he had no choice and went on to finish in whatever place.

Now the real question is asked, again perfect timing due to my slow reading habits: Had Dahmen been Tiger's opponent in 1996 (which is funny because the two were paired together this past Saturday no less), would Joel had spoken up like Steve Scott to help out the machine in the making? Or would he have known to keep quiet and essentially wrap the championship on technicality and go on to become the greatest golfer who ever lived? Well that would obviously be impossible because Dahmen is only 31, but just think about it.

In 1996 Tiger was on a damn mission. In the final tournament prior to turning professional, with the likes of the CEO of Nike and Titleist quite literally in his back pocket and one of the best instructors of all time in his bag, what a way to completely ruin the moment by waiting a millisecond after Tiger attempted his putt to alert an official of the ball misplacement and claim the title for himself. Now I don't know that much about Joel Dahmen, and I only know about Steve Scott because of the book (he also married his caddie which would be a sick idea for a golf movie) but what a controversy we'd have in 1996 and beyond if Scott called Tiger on that marking. In retrospect, it may not have mattered especially since Tiger won the 1994 and 1995 U.S Amateurs. Maybe he'd return to school in an attempt to win his third U.S Amateur in four years? Maybe he'd stay and win a second-straight individual championship? Or maybe he'd be in the same exact position we find him 22 years later. It's fun to speculate. I would've most certainly taken him down, but then again I was never much of a tattle tale.

Making It As a Professional Golfer is Hard, But Is Breaking Into Golf Media Even Harder?

"Why didn't I think of that...?"

The ageless question which gets muttered either by oneself, or heard from others after a minuscule idea becomes something big. Any time I hear a really cool or interesting idea, my first thought is always 'I really wish I had thought of that.' Now more than ever, especially with the influence of social media and the instant gratification of any thought or observation, we're living in an ever-competitive landscape. I relate this to golf (shocker) in terms of how do I receive my golf news? Where do I go to find golf coverage, learn more about my favorite pro, interact with said pro and even discover a really cool filter to use when I get the chance to have a picture taken with them.

The genesis of this entry is this: golfers (and pro athletes) have most likely played their respective sport for almost as long as they've been alive, and if their lifelong goal is to make it in that sport, they play it. Day in, and day out. Tournament after tournament, heartbreak after heartbreak, these are all too familiar feelings pro athletes feel growing up to chase the dream. For the rest of us who are simply fans of the sport, we all have so-called dream jobs (shocker again, mine is to work in golf media) and we too need to train day in and day out in order to either get discovered or continue pursuing success if we are lucky enough to land our dream job.

Think of golf coverage in a traditional manner: golf is a game almost as old as time as far as I'm concerned and the very early days of golf coverage can include still-photos, old newspaper articles and even word of mouth from the locals at their respective country club. Fast forward to today, there's livestream on Twitter and Facebook (as of this past weekend). There are numerous podcasts that are catching steam as a way for tour pros to share their stories in a non-traditional media format. There's still golf magazines (Golf Digest being one of the best publications in sports even today) and writeups you'd find in your local newspaper. The problem with these traditional forms of media is everything is faster today. Following his win at Hartford last weekend, Bubba Watson was being live-streamed on Twitter and Periscope from the PGA Tour account, live-streaming HIMSELF on Instagram and there were various wrap-up shows also broadcasting live to those looking to tune in (shout out No Laying Up who produce the most hysterical post-round recap you'll find online.) Same can be said during practice rounds, pre-tournament gatherings and opening tee shots where live video is pushed to social media users and the content can be endless. PGA Tour Live is one of the best video subscription services I've ever seen and can watch early tee times from Thursday and Friday rounds for most tournaments.

So where do you even start? I'm 29 years old, I try to blog every once in a while about the sport and what I find is interesting about it. But what about the Dan Jenkins' and Alan Shipnuck's of the world? Imagine if Twitter was around when Jenkins wrote his famous books back in the day? He's a whirlwind of a follow today, but I can only imagine what it'd be like for him to receive instant feedback on any comment he makes. Shipnuck from Sports Illustrated has decided to embrace social media and helps put out an almost-weekly podcast and asks for questions to be submitted via Twitter for his Knockdown column. You have guys like Alex Myers from Golf Digest who focuses on the social side of the game and adds video to his columns most notably from 'The Loop'. Alex and his colleagues also put out a podcast almost twice a week complete with interviews, predictions, etc. Final example is Shane Bacon, who used to play professionally and has dug out such an amazing niche for himself with a podcast and email newsletter. Fast forward to two weeks ago, he was interviewing WAYNE FREAKING GRETZKY live at the U.S Open...ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! I want his job, and I've mentioned that to him personally. Sup Shane?

I guess to answer my question, I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing. Embrace the sport and interact where you see fit. Again, Instagram and Twitter is such a cool medium to interact with tour pros and in my opinion they are the best follows in all of pro sports. Maybe if you're lucky you'll get a picture with a few of them (have I mentioned that before...?) This time, Dylan Meyer at Hartford. Great dude.

Today Marks My 1,095th Straight Day of Doing At Least 300 Push-Ups...Wait What?

For those of you doing the math at home (probably just me) that marks approximately 328,500 push-ups over a three-year consecutive span...Yikes.

Now these numbers do have a few side notes, I actually started this streak in March of 2015 after a trip down to Florida to visit my aunt and uncle on Palm Island, only one of my favorite spots in the world. This was also the same time my Uncle Terry introduced me to Men’s Journal, which is a hybrid magazine between fitness and travel. World renown big wave surfer Laird Hamilton posts each month fitness tips he finds productive and one of them is the benefit of push-ups. What originally started out as 100 per day in March of 2015 quickly turned into 300 a day on June 1 2015 and in all surprises to me, I haven’t missed a day.

So why do I mention this, besides the obvious date today of June 1 (and also National Donut Day)? Well I recently started a new job and someone mentioned that they began a push-up challenge themselves and I thought that was really admirable and a great way to start something that improves your wellness. While I congratulated that person for starting this, I also had to congratulate myself on this feat which is something I recommend to everybody. Be proud of your accomplishments, set goals for yourselves whether it’s a fitness goal, a personal goal or a professional goal and stick to it. Think of the start of each month as the beginning to some sort of adventure or activity you want to pursue, maybe you want to read a book in the next 30 days, maybe you want to walk 10k steps a day, whatever. 

Anyways, here’s to another three years of push-ups, God help me.

After the Zurich Classic, A Look at the Best Duos in Sports Cinema

If you're a die hard golf fan like myself, the topic of team-centered events has been a subject of discussion over the previous five to ten years. Traditional events like the Ryder Cup and President's Cup, both recently won by the United States are staples in the game of golf. Yet over the past weekend, the Zurich Classic provided a team format which has only been in existence for two years. We watched as the very vocal Billy Horschel (on a number of topics) and the reserved Scott Piercy edged out the team of Pat Perez and Jason Dufner, a team I'd much rather see win. Regardless, Horschel is a former Florida Gator and you just have to respect it.

On the subject of team formatting in sports, I couldn't help but think of the most dynamic duos in all of sports. It's easy to point out the greats such as Shaq and Kobe, Michael and Scottie, rivals of Bird and Magic, Ortiz and Manny, Brady and Moss, so on and so forth. But I also started thinking of the most clutch and memorable duos in sports entertainment, meaning primarily in film. I put together a list of my top five with one honorable mention in an effort to try and break down who you'd want to watch when it came down to the wire, or just finding a sense of happiness watching these teams be around each other. I guarantee there are many other duos more famous and loved than the one's I've listed, but I felt the need to write something since it's been a minute (and a half). 

Honorable Mention: Jonathan Moxon and Charlie Tweeder (Varsity Blues)
To preface, if I were making a list of top five sports movies I would put Varsity Blues near the top of my list. Some may say I'm crazy, but I truly believe this movie was what started it all in terms of focusing on Texas high school football which brought us Friday Night Lights both on the big screen and little screen. Originally an MTV production, Varsity Blues was one of those movies where you and your boys would be at a sleepover and wait for the parents to go to bed before fast forwarding to the whipped cream scene. Forget Billy Bob puking and rallying, Lance Harbor getting his pick of the litter or coach Bud Kilmer going for his billionth district title. This flick was all about backup-turned starter QB Jonathan 'Mox' Moxon and his trusted receiver/strip club compadre Charlie Tweeder. Now since I didn't exactly get blessed with an abundance of height, I always portrayed myself as a Tweeder when playing sports: quick and scrappy. Having grown up playing peewee football together, Mox and Tweeder's friendship was much more evident than just being played out on the field. When Mox stood up to an abusive coach Kilmer at halftime of the district title game, Tweeder held his ground and refused to take the field in support of his quarterback. Now that's love, pal. Plus, if Mox hadn't given his approval for Tweeders touchdown dance, who knows what type of dark path he could've been led down throughout the rest of the movie. I mean, he did end up naked and stealing a cop car, but that's just semantics.

5. Mike Winchell and Don Billingsley (Friday Night Lights)
This seems like an appropriate segway into the story of Texas high school football which I previously mentioned. Here in Odessa, Texas at Permian High School there is shy and reserved quarterback Mike Winchell who is simply looking for a way out of Texas. Then there's Don Billingsley, fullback and local legend where anything less than a state championship wasn't enough (at least in his father's mind). The only thing Winchell should be thanking Billingsley for is his willingness to help get him laid at a party. In one of the most memorable lines from any movie ever made, "We're gonna get drunk, we're gonna get laid, and we're gonna win state but not tonight." Thank God for Billingsley, says Mike probably.

4. Julius Campbell and Gary Bertier (True Story) (Remember the Titans)
Forget football, forget life as a high school student, this movie was all about race relations in a tense period of time in suburban Virginia. All-American Gary Bertier was not about to let a bunch of outsiders (to put it lightly) take over his slot on defense. Like he says when introduced to coach Boone (trick plays?): "You want any of us to play for you, you reserve half the open positions for Hammond players, half the offense, half the special teams. We don't need any of your people on defense. We're already set." What Gary failed to realize, however, was Julius Campbell was also an All-American linebacker and I ask could you IMAGINE if coach Boone listened to this guy?! Surely they wouldn't achieve the perfect season they had. On a daily basis the football team was trying to make things work between black and white players but in the hallways during school hours it was even more intense, unlike anything they've seen before. Another scenario I present to you: imagine seeing a young Ryan Gosling get pushed around not only in training camp, but also the hallways of your high school? Gary and Julius just couldn't stand for it. Left side, strong side forever.

3. Scott Smalls and Benny Rodriguez (Sandlot)
From Smalls' first glove, to watching Benny steal home in the majors, these two were connected instantly during that fateful summer of 1962 and never looked back. Think about if you were Scott Smalls for a minute, you just moved to the valley because Dennis Leary was a big-time executive dressing up to fly across country in planes. Those were the times indeed, but one major responsibility Leary presented to Smalls was that while he was gone, he was the man of the house. While typical men of the house would work and bring home the bacon, Smalls was being a little delinquent and stealing baseballs from his trophy case. If the nine of them were easily able to scrounge 98 extra cents for a new baseball, neither Smalls nor Benny would be in the mess they found themselves in. 

2. Danny Noonan and Ty Webb (Caddyshack)
I say this to myself every single time I'm about to putt for a surprise par..."Be the ball." Had Ty Webb not been there to teach Danny Noonan the ways of the Zen Philosopher Basho...chances are he'd never be in a position to win the caddie scholarship or later participate in illegal gambling practices amongst the members at Bushwood Country Club. I think Ty could teach us all a thing or two not just about golf, but about life and especially pointing out that a flute with no holes is not a flute and a donut with no holes is a Danish. There's no question relationships form on the golf course, we see it all the time. Matches are won and lost, money is won and lost but there is simply an endless amount of wisdom which can be shared among all parties combined. Bushwood is in good hands...kind of. 

1. Fulton Reed and Dean Portman (Mighty Ducks)
I knew this was coming, you knew this was coming, every single person who's seen this movie knew it was coming. Gathering from all over the country (and by that I mean greater Minneapolis, Florida, Chicago and Maine for some reason) the match made in alpha heaven brings us Fulton Reed and Dean Portman. Now both have their flaws, we all know that. In fact, I'm quite certain a lawsuit is still pending and a warrant has been served for roughly 25 years for Reed's arrest for driving a zamboni through the doors of Team USA's training center, but that all goes out the window when you pull off a 'W' at the Junior Goodwill Games against national powerhouse Iceland. Portman with some serious self-confidence issues showing up in a sleeveless Morgan Park jersey and proceeding to cheap shot each of the Minnesota pee wee champion to let him know he's there. To come full circle, there are fewer moments of pride than when Portman busts through the doors of Eden Hall Academy when presented a full scholarship to play for the school. Why he wasn't there to begin the season we may never know, but all that matters is the Bash Brothers remained true to the school, their country and most importantly...each other.