Excitement of Judge's 62nd Home Run Absolutely No Match for Big Mac in 1998

Over the year's, I don't fancy myself a baseball blogger. Hell, I don't fancy myself as a blogger in general. Just a guy in his head about a lot of thoughts related to workout routine's, Tiger Woods and Tom Brady (but he's got enough issues going on right now, that's for a later time). But I'd be remiss not to comment on Aaron Judge's 62nd home run in the 2022 Major League Baseball season.

Come to think of it, this didn't hold half the excitement of when it happened back in 1998. But real quick, just look at this fucking guy below. Nah, nothing sketchy about that at all.

Look, there's been a lot written about different "eras" of the MLB. Even more baffling is the realization of the majority of baseball fans today likely not even knowing what happened in the summer of 1998 since they weren't even fucking born yet. Yet, had they been alive during the greatest and most exciting time in professional baseball, I'm sure they'd understand where I'm coming from. Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Babe Ruth, Roger Maris. Literally, the only four names you heard for three straight months during the given season. It was the greatest fucking thing in sports. When Ken Griffey Jr, arguably the most liked player in MLB history hit an absurdly quiet 56 home runs, you knew something different was happening here. Look at the stats from 1998. Sammy Sosa had 66 home runs and ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY EIGHT RBI'S. I'm literally laughing writing this. Obviously Big Mac finished as (and still is) the king with 70 dingers and 147 RBI's (childs play), but you cannot look at these numbers and keep a straight face at this day and age.

So let's recall the excitement here. This happened probably 11 hours ago when the Yankees were in Texas playing the Rangers. Granted, this was an away game and you knew if it were in the Bronx the place would fucking burn down. But look at the footage from 1998. Joe Buck is on the call, which already feels like a monumental and important moment (and it was). Hell, Fox even cut away from another game to broadcast this event. Fox obviously wasn't competing with the likes of Apple TV, Amazon, Hulu, whatever in 1998. It was cable TV, and it was all anyone could watch. The grainy footage even adds to the lore. But what was so insane about Big Mac hitting number 62 was the way he hit the frigin ball. The speed at which the ball left his bad had to be in the thousands, and it was simply so hilarious that the lowest line drive for a home run ever hit was number 62. It wasn't a towering, game deciding blast (nor was Judge's), but the Cardinals were already out of the race and there was nothing left but to bask in the roided up glow of the home run race of 1998.

As McGwire rounds the bases, literally skipping first base mind you, fireworks exploded. Teammates gathered at home plate (led by his son), there was a 10-minute game stoppage, and finally the hilarious exchange between McGwire and Sosa. Oh shit, I forgot to mention. The Cardinals were playing the fucking Cubs that game! There is simply zero debate on which home run was more exciting.

McGwire's home run simply felt bigger, more entertaining and now, more nostalgic to generations past. Today, we're inundated with social media and idiot Yankee fans shoving Aaron Judge down our throats that you aren't able to think about the chase, watch it, enjoy it and eventually remember it. In closing, thank God for no social media back in 1998. But imagine thinking this was all natural athletic ability where nobody questioned anything? I'd like to go back to that time.

"Folks it couldn't happen to a better man. And you'll always remember where you were at 8:18pm central time September 8th, 1998." Nice touch there Joe.

I Simply Cannot Get Enough of Phil Mickelson (Part 2)

 Well folks, I'm back.

And as it appears today during the final round of the 2021 PGA Championship, Phil Mickelson never left.

So where to begin with? I guess to recap, April 13th of last year was the timestamp from my last blog, and as you can probably imagine, there wasn't much motivation to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard so to speak) for the duration of the year that shall not be named. There were lockdowns and long walks to the middle of nowhere, closed golf courses and empty ski lifts all the same. There wasn't a whole lot of entertainment for the majority of the former half of the calendar year.

However, when you look at the general landscape of professional sport and how leagues persisted through that miserable mess, you were pleasantly surprised if you were a golf fan. The PGA Tour was the first professional sports league to resume competitive play before the remainder of all four major sports leagues. The thought of being out in the open air scattered throughout 6,500 yards of open grass and powdered bunkers was adequate enough to avoid any sort of sickness which has affected so many. Being the fanatic of the game of golf that I am, I found solace and gratefulness in being able to tee it up throughout the front range of Denver during this flat out awful time.

Fast forward to May of 2021, things are looking up. Thank God. An example of this sort of rebound that is occuring throughout human society today is the final round of the PGA Championship. We have the best in the world, playing a major golf tournament in May, with thousands of fans spread out (or based on the drone footage, not so much) throughout the sand dunes and marshlands that is Kiawah Island. The funny thing is, if you were to tell me in 2011 that the likes of Phil Mickelson (the same Phil Mickelson who has gone through a total body transformation, gained millions of social media followers over the last three years and oh yeah, fast approaching his milestone 51st birthday) was going to win the PGA Championship in 2021 and be the oldest to ever do it, I'd probably say you've been drinking too many High Noons. But then again, High Noon wasn't around back then so maybe I'm the crazy one.

Yes, Phil Mickelson has done it. He's captured the 103rd PGA Championship and had no intention of letting that lead go since early on Friday morning. It was seriously amazing watching him this weekend, especially with golf majors mortal lock Brooks Koepka chasing him until about the 12th hole during the final round, Louis Oosthuizen who will probably never win a tournament in his life, and even my good friend Rickie Fowler with a low-key top five finish. And while I'm sure the old boys club of golf media will give him the praise he deserves for the next four or five days, I want to revisit the last time I wrote about Phil. Need I remind you all, he read my last blog and sent me a signed Callaway glove. I call it 'a little something, you know, for the effort.' So let's dive into part two, as we explore what Phil's been up to since I last wrong I Simply Cannot Get Enough of Phil Mickelson...part one.

Phil Mickelson Hits the Slopes

So we last checked in with Phil in 2018 after he generously picked Tiger Woods' pocket for a cool $9m at 'The Match'. All going to charity of course, but still a great victory nonetheless. Taking place in the eventual shadows of Shadow Creek in Las Vegas, the lackluster albeit entertaining match between two of the greatest to ever do it was something different and unique. So how'd he celebrate? By bombing down what appears somewhere in Colorado is my guess toward the end of 2018. A holiday well spent.

Phireside with Phil Series

There was something truly special and quite frankly downright hilarious when both Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady joined social media. These are two guys that have historically had a rather private side to them, however these days they are the only two follows where I have notifications turned on and it's worth it every time. While TB12 has Twitter figured out pretty good, Phil has taken to Instagram to really showcase three important storylines: his calves, his Coffee for Wellness and his Phireside chats with Phil. These things are fucking electric, to put it candidly. Utilized as an adult story time, these Phireside chats (properly accessorised with multiple candles both real and fake) dive into the career of Phil over the years with any vital information us golf geeks will cherish. It was after these chats launched that we had broken a barrier with Phil and he's really letting his fans in for the ride.

Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady vs. Tiger Woods and Peyton Manning

Now, if you're a fan of Entourage like myself, you'll recall Tom Brady self proclaiming himself a '3' handicap in a cameo appearance on the hit HBO show. While the thought of this type of match may have been better than actually having said match, and also probably the rainiest golf outing I've ever seen on television, Tiger and Peyton defeated Phil and Tom handily which let's be honest surprised no one. And it's really too bad, especially where Phil carried camera crews with him and gave insightful information to attempt to help Tom's game throughout the 6ish hours this match carried out. I think the only thing I really remember from this match back on May 24 of last year were the Apple AirPods all four pros wore throughout the round. To quote the infamous David Spade...'were you calling from a walkie talkie'? 

Now for the professional golf portion...Phil has won TWICE on the PGA Champions Tour (Including his Debut)

Look, we all knew this was going to happen eventually even if we choose not to believe it. Phil is 50, which means he can join the Champions tour and totally obliterate the field in the most unfriendly ways. If I'm Tiger Woods, I'm 100% stoked to turn 50. Imagine what he's going to do on that tour? Silly. However, one thing that cannot be overstated is that Phil won his first tournament on the Champions tour with relative ease at the Chuck Schwab Series at the Ozarks. So how do you follow up your opening tour tournament win? You win the second, this time at Dominion Energy Charity Classic. Let's save some for the rest of the guys eh pal?

Finally, Just Look at the Guy...He's a Walking Fitness Influencer

One of the coolest things you can watch someone do is totally change their appearance for the better. You relish the fact that people either close to you or in your social media feed are making a diligent and assiduous (thank you thesaurus) effort to lose weight or get healthy. Phil has done just that over the last five years, so much so that he's embarrassing us all with his coolness factor as we scroll across our feeds. Now, fitness influencers aren't really my thing (except I'm getting dangerously close to following each one of the Peloton instructors and can tell you what they're up to at any given time) but if you're Phil Mickelson and you're swinging yourself around using the TRX bands or filming part three of 'Phil Kwan Do' then fine. Take my money and I'll get the popcorn.

Finally, The PGA Championship 2021

What can I say? There was a period of time three years ago where I'd be writing either a golf blog or some piece about how to better yourself in the workplace on a daily basis but over the last year I hadn't felt the need or motivation to do so. In a way, golf was one of the few things that carried me through this ridiculously insane period in our history whether it be watching or playing the game. I've always loved Phil, how could you not? Leave it to him, just a month shy of turning 51 to become the oldest major winner in golf history and stay cool the entire way. 

That's what Phil does whether you're a fan or not. Hey Phil, if you're reading this (again), my address has changed. I'd love a hat to go with that signed glove you sent me last time.

Finally, After All These Years, Tom and Tiger Let Us In

It's Monday, April 13th and while in any other normal year in human history would mark the Monday after The Masters, which would be filled with highlights, interviews and social media fluff, it turns out it's another day the worldwide population is stuck in paralysis.

Forgetting for a second about how the world is in complete and utter chaos, of the likes to which nobody could have ever imagined, something has become evident more than ever during this calendar year. While the areas of professional sports are currently every shade of gray ever created, we are becoming witness to two of the greatest athletes in generations actually becoming...human?

Tom Brady is the greatest football player who ever lived (said using Benny Rodgriguez's voice from The Sandlot). Tiger Woods is the most popular golfer who ever lived (steering away from saying the greatest for the Jack Nicklaus crowd) not only as an in-person golfer, but also to what he refers to himself as a 'YouTube Golfer'. His children can attest to this description, as can many who forget how great he was from 1997-2008ish? YouTube? This could make for an interesting segway, so let's start there. Social media allows for a special insight into someone's life, either in extreme and often uncomfortable detail, or in minute and miniscule glimpses. As we've noticed over the last 10 years, two formerly incredibly private lives in Brady and Woods are now becoming spotlighted via social media. Thinking in years past, when Brady was winning his first three Super Bowls, or Tiger was winning every tournament imaginable, it was often the job of the paparazzi or the newspaper tabloids to sneak a shot of these two world-reknown superstars when they weren't competing. I am certainly not interested in going into greater detail on how this virtually ruined Tiger's life for a number of years from 2009 and even before, but this was simply the only way we could tap into what Tiger was doing when he wasn't raising trophies.

The point of the blog is this: there have been multiple examples over the last two or three years where Tom Brady and Tiger Woods have stepped out from their historically private lives and have finally allowed the fan, the skeptic, the reporter and the next generation into what is somewhat going on inside their mind. The amount of times I've listened to podcasters, satellite radio hosts and even co-workers mention something like "never in a million years did I ever think Tom Brady would make a documentary for Facebook" or "if you told me Tiger would actually agree to a one on one pay-per-view match with Phil fucking Mickelson" back in 2004? 2005? It wouldn't happen, you'd be considered clinically nuts. Yet, here we are. All of these things happened, but that's just the start of how we have finally been awarded access into the lives of these two GOATs for the first time since, well, 1997?

Brady.

Social Media Draft:

Tom Brady wrote on Facebook in early January of 2017 that he will be choosing another form of social media to better connect with fans and develop somewhat of a presence online. I remember when he joined Facebook it was a total shock because he had always been laser focused on nothing but football for years. It seemed from the second he beat the Rams in the Super Bowl in 2002 until around roughly 2010-11 that nobody knew what he was doing away from Gillette Stadium. Shit, he was so private that the only time anyone saw him outside his house was when he was involved in a car accident circa 2010 sporting the Alabama football haircut. He was driving a black Audi (obviously) and was on his way to none other than the practice facility. There was no drama, nobody was hurt, but it was something that perked your ears up a little bit. It didn't exactly generate the level of interest that the whole Brandon Spikes abandoned car story did, but it's the Patriots and people are going to read. Fast-forward seven years and, while posting on Facebook to make his announcement, Brady alerted the masses he was 'joining Instagram' and he and his 7.5 million followers have taken off ever since. Something we all have noticed since joining the platform, contrary to what all local sports talk radio hosts have decided long ago, is Tom Brady has personality. In fact, he's fucking hilarious. While he posts his share of motivational content, the thing I notice most on his Instagram account are the comments he makes on other athlete's pages (mainly Julian Edelman). The guy is as active as any 22-year old influencer and while he may not be getting a sponsorship deal from #awayluggage his engagement certainly qualifies him for consideration.


Tom vs. Time:

Next, there was Tom vs. Time, aka the documentary series which sort of came out of nowhere in 2018 and was filmed during the Patriots Super Bowl run in 2018 (eventually losing to the Philadelphia Eagles in a shootout). You can imagine how this series played out in Tom's head as he emerged again as a Super Bowl champion, but shockingly enough they fell short. Some argue (not me) that it made the series better from a viewer standpoint because of this loss, but imagine if we won that game? It'd win every independent documentary award possible because you just can't script a guaranteed Super Bowl win. I guess my two cents on the series starts with Facebook Watch in general. It's too clunky and difficult to find exactly what you're looking for. I can't believe I'm saying this, but Justin Bieber's latest series he filmed for YouTube rolled easily from one episode to the next if you're binge watching of course. The Tom vs. Time production was just too difficult to easily find, as are all videos on Facebook Watch. If you're going to do a project like this, just partner with Facebook's cousin YouTube and make it a more seamless experience for everyone. Frankly, I'm surprised he didn't launch his own digital platform to release it on (TB12 productions coming soon!)

Howard Stern Interview:

My last example, is the Howard Stern interview which was live on Sirius XM last Monday April 6. This thing was TWO HOURS! Imagine Tom Brady doing a two hour interview at any point in his career? I thought it was totally unorthodox of him to do a podcast, which he conducted with Peter King back in 2017, let alone an interview with the notorious Stern. Now granted, this isn't Howard Stern of the 90's, and this isn't Brady of his 20's. This was a very much watered-down Stern who is still making millions at this day and age and he had mentioned he'd wanted Brady on the show many times over the previous decade. Whether there is truth to the Patriots not allowing Brady on the show as pointed out in the interview, we'll never know. However my honest opinion of the entire thing (yes I heard it all) was that Brady opened up and he offered some glimpses into how his final year in New England stood. I'm fully aware his time in NE is over, and I'll never forget the moments he gave us as fans, but it was just incredibly surreal and shocking to hear how he moved his family to freakin FLORIDA and shuffled right into Derek Jeter Properties Inc. Now that I think about it, really the only takeaway I have of the interview a week later is that Jeter has crazy high walls/gates in front of the house to limit the fine folks down there. Where Brady lived basically in seclusion with his family in Chestnut Hill, MA for so many years, it's comical to hear him mentioned how his neighbors can just walk up to his driveway while walking the dog like it's everyday American life. He better get used to it.

Woods.

I recently purchased a book by writer Michael Bamberger entitled "The Second Life of Tiger Woods" and it couldn't be a more perfect depiction of the era we are currently witnessing play out with the most popular golfer in generations. Nothing needs to be said on 2009, and the days, weeks and months thereafter. We know, we get it. Now you flash forward a couple years in dealing with back injuries, his routine blog posts announcing he is yet again not ready to return to competitive golf will forever be a staple in those years in the mid-2010's. On Twitter, I still remember commenting on a tweet of his which filmed him hitting an iron shot for the first time since spinal fusion surgery (over 500 likes how do you like that) and thinking he had turned a corner. Imagine seeing a tweet of him hitting one iron shot in October 2017? In shorts no less? We knew we were in for a long period of waiting, similar to the worldwide population with the shit we're going through right now. Yet, we waited, and we watched, and finally we saw him win at the Tour Championship in 2018. And for the grand finale (for now) with a fifth green jacket last April. However, much like Brady, Tiger has started coming to light in the eyes of the fan. He's routinely started giving more interviews (more on this soon), also posting on social media, becoming more animated during press conferences and really beginning to show the average golf fan what life is like for Eldrick Woods.

Tiger Woods vs Phil Mickelson Thanksgiving 2018:

I did not watch this, just throwing that out there first. I was skeptical from the start, mainly because I was going to be traveling for Thanksgiving in 2018 and wasn't sure if I'd even be in position to watch this match. The match in question here, was a pay-per-view event which was intended to provide sports fans with a totally unorthodox at the end of the calendar year event that was destined to be full of shit-talking, caddie insight and heavy sponsor presence surrounding the making of this Las Vegas spectacle. From what I gather, Shadow Creek is very photogenic and was a strong candidate to host something like this. The issue was, it was Thanksgiving weekend. Aka the heart of football season. The reviews mention there was entirely too much silence during the broadcast and there are still opinions out there to this date of people giving their two cents on how this match could have been better. With talks of a re-match in the works and the inclusion of none other than Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, there are scenarios abound on how this can be a homerun especially at a time where sports are totally 100% non-existent.

Tiger Woods Golf Digest Podcast (April 9)

As long as I can remember in recent memory, Tiger had appeared on only one podcast during his career (Geno Auriemma's podcast three years ago). This provided somewhat of an inside look in how Tiger was preparing to play competitive golf again and the status of his health. Well, flash forward to this year where absolutely nothing makes sense, the week before Tiger should be preparing for Augusta, he appeared on a podcast produced by Golf Digest and conducted by Henni Zuel. If anyone is wondering what Tiger is up to at this time, he mentioned he's trying to help daughter Sam and girlfriend Erica with this "Un-Godly puzzle, which is difficult because I'm partially color-blind." Never knew that. Tiger also mentioned he's helping Sam and son Charlie with home-schooling. Ten years ago I couldn't imagine Tiger giving any sort of update on his children (granted Charlie was born in 2009) but hypothetically if he had children during the mid-2000's there would be zero chance of allowing this type of look into his life.

Masters 2019 Recap with Jim Nantz

The Masters is a tradition unlike any other, and it just so happens this is a calendar year already unlike any other in some of the most disappointing and negative ways possible. Mainly, there was no Augusta this year. There was no champions dinner, no drive chip and putt competition, no par-3 contest and no four rounds of the greatest golf played all year. In hopes of providing some type of nostalgic and normal moment for sports fans globally, CBS, YouTube and ESPN have been re-airing old final rounds of the tournament and fittingly, on Easter Sunday, re-ran the 2019 Masters that brought literally generations together in one moment. While everything seems to be digital and online these days, CBS actually had Jim Nantz and Tiger collaborating during the broadcast together, as various interviews throughout the round was conducted. The most telling, and most emotional segment of even the entire calendar year, were the remaining five minutes once the broadcast showed Tiger winning his fifth Masters. Where there wasn't a dry eye when he won, there were an equal number of dry eyes hearing him talk about embracing his family on the last hole. For Tiger to be available over the course of a five hour broadcast, this truly marks a new era and a much, much more real Eldrick Woods. 

In closing, this was a pretty surreal blog to write. Where nothing makes sense these days, Tom Brady and Tiger Woods have been at the tops of their games consistently throughout their entire careers. So much has been said about the privacy they choose to withhold over the year, and when we're able to get a peek over the fence, or through the window of what their lives might be like, now both in their 40s it sounds like they are becoming more comfortable at not shutting themselves out from reality. While we only have YouTube these days to relive some of these cherishable moments in sports, maybe once this is all over it'll only be just the beginning to truly learn what types of people Tom and Tiger really are.

When Life Gives You a Schedule, Stick to the Routine

4:47am.

It's hard to believe I'm approaching eight years in the workforce upon graduating college in 2011. In today's society and culture, life was a hell of a lot different in 2011-2012 than it is today, and this includes the job market. From arriving to work every morning at 7:30am in a full suit ready to clean cars at one of the country's leading rental car agencies (figure that one out) and leaving not a second before 6:00pm Monday through Friday (and sometimes Saturday), I've found having a routine to follow each day both structurally and emotionally important. While many 22 year old new grads may not come to grips with this until years later (I sure didn't) I look back on the last eight years and am incredibly thankful that I figured this thing out and developed into a morning person. 

4:47am.

Fast forward to today, I'm sitting by the pool at a resort in Scottsdale, AZ on a business trip visiting one of the biggest clients I've ever worked with (both size and financial) with my boss and fellow colleague. It's 8:36am (start rolling your eyes now) and so far today I've run 8.2 miles and walked another 60 minutes as a cool down. Yes I'm one of those sickos who wakes up biblically early to workout and then workout again. However, there is simply more to my madness.

I don't travel for work very often, and I'm very appreciative whenever presented the opportunity and hope to continue doing so. Speaking with my boss yesterday afternoon, we dove into discussion about what we do outside of work and why we are both so fond of exercising and getting dialed in during the morning hours. It's admirable for people to be able to find motivation and energy to wake up between 6-7am to get their workout done for the day. That being said, over the last five years I never think of waking up to workout as "getting it over with so I don't need to worry about it after work" like the majority of people who wake up to exercise. But seriously, credit to you for doing it because it's not easy. I do however need to give myself credit on a daily basis because I realize I'm one of the rare breeds who wakes up at truly psychotic hours because it's all about routine.

4:47am

Rewind to earlier this week, I'm currently on the plane headed for Scottsdale from Denver for the work trip and it hits me I need to set my alarm, as I do each day. While it may take less than a second to flip the switch on my phone to schedule the soothing and humble Jack Johnson to remind him he needs to wake up at 4:47am in order to wake me up in the morning, this simple act triggers my thoughts and plan for the next day. The biggest point I want to hammer home in this post, is that I follow this routine every single day, whether it's a Monday on a regular week, a Saturday night or a Wednesday during a work trip. Of course, if I'm on vacation at a location I pay a substantial part of my paycheck for, perhaps I decide to sleep in and only remind Jack to wake me up at, say...5:15am?

Establishing a routine is critical, and I'm dead serious about this. Thinking back to when I was an actual college student, it took a few years for me to figure it out. However, during my senior year, I noticed I began to adapt somewhat of an early riser routine when I was in the gym at 8-9am on a Saturday (you can imagine this was an entire ghost town, aside from the hungover desk attendant to which I was one myself and had plenty of those types of mornings). Starting in say 2015 began the consistent wake-up calls ranging from (yikes) as early as 3:50am. I will say, I did not wake up this early to regularly workout. Chances are I had a 4+ hour bike ride planned that day, a ski trip, you get it. I visited Seattle to attend a wedding just last year of a lifelong friend, and even then in one of the coolest areas I'd visited in the US, I was still setting an alarm to find the nearest Planet Fitness simply to stay grounded and on routine (sorry Alli). Another wedding of a lifelong friend three years ago in New Jersey, another alarm set. Granted, this was the first and only time I ever started a workout and puked not because of the workout, but because of the night before. A little aggressive on that one.

The takeaway is this: whether it's a normal day of the week, a weekend, a vacation, wedding, business trip or whatever, the value and benefit of having and following an established routine has changed my life. Like many 22 year olds, it began when I was a tad on the heavier side (all muscle, just too much of it) and wanted to embark on my goal of really looking like Paul Walker. It's carried me over five years and has taught me to stay true to myself, enjoy each morning and simply attempt to slow life down and recognize what's around you. How nice is it to be running on an empty beach, park or street knowing you're ahead of everyone else. How nice is it to get that first tee time? That first chairlift? This is why I do it, and this is why I thank Jack Johnson for waking up with me each and every morning, much to his chagrin I'm sure. Aloha.

4:54am: I realize I hit snooze and now I'm pissed.

Brian is a native of southern Maine and is approaching eight years of professional marketing experience. Current and previous work experience ranges from managing digital advertising campaigns for residential real estate properties, e-commerce merchants and B2B service providers. His current title is Senior Account Manager and is based in Denver, Colorado. In his spare time he will almost always be on either a golf course, beach (either physically or spiritually) along the coast or attempting a black diamond on a mountain in Colorado. His blogging interests include professional golf, tech advances and business news.

Thank You Tom

This is the first piece of writing I've done in quite some time, and it's on the heels of watching the New England Patriots get shockingly ousted in the first wild card game at Gillette Stadium in exactly a decade by the Tennessee Titans. It was a difficult sight to see, with many emotions filling my head and my heart. As far as I'm concerned, my diehard sports fandom began on September 23rd, 2001 aka Brady's first appearance (no offense to Drew Bledsoe). This spurned a run by the Pats and on January 19th, 2002 in the AFC divisional round, we're introduced to the Tuck Rule. The Patriots lined up in a snow globe against the Oakland Raiders, were granted a generous call that would change the game forever and went on to beat the greatest show on turf, aka the St. Louis Rams on February 3, 2002. Since then, it's been the greatest ride a sports fan could ever imagine.

First of all, I'm not sure where to begin. It's been many months since I've written something (9.5 out of 10 times about golf) and this comes as sort of an unfortunate circumstance. Last night was the first wild card game to be played in Foxboro, MA in exactly 10 years. This was a game which could have easily been avoided, had the New England Patriots actually given a shit last week against the Miami Dolphins. Instead? They showed up sluggishly to the stadium and allowed 59-year-old Ryan Fitzpatrick to embarrass them all the way to an easily avoidable wild card game.

Witnessing one of the worst games in the Bill Belichick-Tom Brady era, there has been numerous speculation that this would be the last time we see Brady in a Pats jersey. This simply can't be true, can it? Regardless of what he decides literally months from now, being a New England sports fan would absolutely not happen had Drew Bledsoe not been hurt back in 2001.

So where to even begin to describe what these last 20 years meant to someone like me? Do we start with Vinatieri hitting the game-winning field goal with zero seconds left against the Rams? Do we follow it up two years later for back to back nail biters against Jake 'The Snake' Delhomme and again against Donovan McNabb in 2003-04? What if these Super Bowl wins never happen? What if we lost to Delhomme and the Carolina Panthers? Would the momentum Boston Red Sox have beaten the curse later that year? Would we not have witnessed Andy Reid and his disgraced clock management the following February? These are all questions I don't care to answer, nor should I.

Following three Super Bowls and a World Series championship, there appeared to be a bit of a lull in terms of world championships. If this run in the early 2000's stopped after we beat the Philadelphia Eagles in 2005, I'd honestly be just fine. There were some solid years watching championships be won and the memories of those four events I'll cherish forever. But guess what? More shit happened.

Flash ahead to the fall of 2007, I'm a freshman in college. The exact day I moved into school, I watched Clay Buchholz throw a no-hitter later that night. Two months later, I was running through campus after sweeping the Colorado Rockies (suck on that one). Once school got out in the spring, it was a mere month later I watched the Celtics win the NBA Championship against the LA Lakers. That's an entire documentary-worthy story in itself, but the focus is on me here. The timing of these wins came at an unbelievable time in my life. Thinking back to the first three Super Bowls, I was in middle school. I was an obnoxious 13-15-year-old begging for rides places from my parents and still remember vividly watching the Panthers and Eagles Super Bowls at pal Sam Marcisso's house. Memories I'll never forget. Being in college for not one championship, but three championships (Red Sox '07, Celtics '08 and Bruins '11) was truly something I never could have imagined. The actual insane thing about this? We weren't finished.

Okay seriously, three Super Bowls, two World Series, an NBA Championship and Stanley Cup Championship by the time I graduated college is enough. Please stop, nothing can beat this...L.O.L.

The entire championship timeline, from 2000-2019, can easily be factored into incredibly important stages of my life. The early success of the Patriots, followed by the three Super Bowls were at a time of youth where no cell phones, driver licenses or alcohol need not apply. From '07-'11...college. Being a student at a school in Massachusetts during these wins is truly indescribable. And then there are the parades, which are a scene in itself. The '07 Red Sox parade and the '11 Bruins parade will both be days I'll never forget, mainly for the people I was with.

But what about post-college? I don't mean in terms of sports, but what about life? College is over, and everyone is fucked. Every decision you make it on you and no one else. It's a totally different life at this point, except if you're a sports fan in New England.

World Series' in 2013 and 2018, and Super Bowls in 2014, 2016 and 2018 (holy shit this is insane) filled up the remainder of the decade. The Red Sox beat the St. Louis Cardinals yet again, followed by beating the LA Dodgers within two weeks of me moving to Colorado. A mere four months later in 2019, the Patriots struggle against the LA Rams but eventually claim yet another trophy. I mentioned I moved to Colorado in 2018, which just illustrates this next part of life in the post-college years. It's been truly special.

Now with the good, there is an equal amount of the bad. I don't think we as fans, nor the actual Patriots team will never be able to talk shit to NY Giants fans for the rest of time. With our six championships, there are two loses both to the Giants and again to the Eagles in 2018. In 2010, the Celtics couldn't follow the success of 2008 and lost big to the Lakers. Finally, in 2013 the Bruins let a 2-1 series lead slip away against the Chicago Blackhawks and they continued their dominance with another Stanley Cup in the 2010's.

So what do these last 20 years in sports mean to me? For starters, how the fuck have I been alive long enough to say something like "wow, these last 20 years have flown by." I choose not to spend too much time thinking about that, albeit true. In the early 2000's I did nothing but play sports and spend time with my best friends. In the mid to late 2000's I grew up (somewhat) and developed new friends and relationships, and STILL watched championships happen. And finally, entering the working world and making major life moves geographically, we are still winning. Think about fans in Philadelphia? Florida? Arizona? Cleveland (HA)? Even in New York, the Yankees are obviously the Yankees but the Knicks will never win? In Philly, the Phillies had that one World Series and Super Bowl, but the Flyers SUCK and the 76ers run their mouths instead of plays. And people in LA are too busy giving a shit about climate change than to pay attention to the four or five NFL teams that are inhabiting the city.

In short, New England sports will forever shape my life. In this part of the country, we're pissed off, have attitudes and get entirely too aggressive in traffic. And we're the luckiest sons of bitches in the history of sport, and you can take that straight to the trophy case...if you can find room.

This is 30...And I Couldn't Be Happier.

September 24, 2018: The last time I posted a blog. I'd say a lot has happened since then...

For instance, I turned 30 on Friday. My co-workers will tell you I spent the majority of February asking those who have already made the monumental birthday what it's like. Does it feel any different? Do you care?d Do you ever start feeling joint pain while waiting in line for coffee? The bear essentials for figuring out what it's like to turn 30 years old. Outside of work I watched the old Full House episode 'The Big Three-Oh' at least 10 times simply to find solace in the fact Danny Tanner couldn't admit to turning 30 either. One of the funniest episodes of the whole series shows Danny unable to actually mouth the word "thirty", while Uncle Jesse and Joey were very eager to help him with his loss of breath.

To celebrate this monumental coming of age, I spent the last weekend visiting my cousin in Los Angeles, my first visit to the city of lovable losers. I mean what a world it is to visit the city we beat in back to back professional championships over the previous four months. Oddly enough the people of LA didn't seem too frazzled about it. There were no billboards, no signs showing hate for one Tom Brady. If I'd been in LA for the actual playing of the Super Bowl, I'm convinced it'd be just another Sunday night. Had the Grammy's been the same night (yes I know they'd never plan it like this but you get it) it'd be laughable how much more attention be paid to music than to the LA Rams, but anyways. I hiked Malibu, I did 10 pull ups on Muscle Beach in Venice and spent my birthday dinner in Beverly Hills. Three things I never thought I'd do in my lifetime had I not made a decision four months ago that has already made me a new and better person.

February 15th is my birthday, and October 15th was the day I packed my car and made the drive across the country to my new home of Denver, CO. The last four months has seen me visit Wyoming, Florida, Utah, Ohio and California (not including those drive-through states), sat third row at a Jerry Seinfeld show, attended the homecoming game in Boulder, watched two Boston championships, saw the Bruins beat the Kings at Staples Center, skied more times than in the past three years combined, met Jordan Spieth, so on and so forth. Having given the cross-country move a chance three years ago I was hesitant to how I would receive Denver. I'm not sure what why there was such a difference to handling this type of move at 26 compared to 29, but whatever happened in San Diego in 2016 was the exact opposite of Denver in 2018. Everyone can say they've seen a lot in 30 years, and I am no different. I took a page out of the Justin Thomas playbook over the last few weeks and wrote down not necessarily a list of goals I wanted to achieve as a 30 year old, but more a list of guidelines or wishes to which I will hold myself accountable. Depending on who you are, where you are professionally or personally, maybe some of these will resonate. As follows:

-Be devoted to your work and your coworkers
-Take yourself in and out of uncomfortable situations
-Be available to your family
-Be reliable
-Offer advice whenever the chance presents itself
-Enjoy being where you are
-Keep exploring
-Be opinionated
-Read and react to life-changing stories
-Celebrate moments that don't call for celebration

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.