In Unprecedented Times in American History, Golf Provides a Small Bright Spot. Albeit for Five Short Hours (Updated 10/2/17)

I had the idea of writing this blog during Saturday play at this weekend's President's Cup. I wanted to share a small glimpse of hope and appreciation which golf can bring in a time in which people are scared, confused and angry in this country. Unfortunately, the acts of terror provided late last night in Las Vegas prove that this is indeed a time where I am so incredibly scared as to what the future holds as an American. As I watched Charley Hoffman chase down Daniel Berger with champagne in hand and cigar in mouth, I felt a sense of pride and appreciation at one of the most dominant team performances in golf history. However, upon waking up this morning at 4:30am for my morning bike ride, that feeling of pride was very short-lived. Say this to yourself: The deadliest mass shooting in U.S history happened last night. Are you kidding me?

Step back for a second, and think of the events which have transcribed in this country over the previous six months. Hell, think of the events beginning with the inauguration of our new president (that's all I'll say about that so relax). We've seen the most devastating flood in American history flow over Houston. We've seen one of the more dangerous hurricanes in American history fly through Miami and Southwest Florida. We've seen politics cross heavily into sports, we've seen attacks overseas which affect us as a people one way or another. And the one small period in time I personally had to look forward to as an American (this weekend's President's Cup), which offered unbelievable views of the New York skyline and featured 12 of the best golfers in the world, I am now sitting in front of the TV at work watching clips of Jason Aldean concert-goers filming what should only be considered fictional in a bad movie or a bad dream.

I'm 28 years old, I've had more jobs than you can count on one hand since graduating college in 2011 and have lived in a handful of different places as well. However, one constant I've always held true is I am proud and thankful of where I live and where I grew up. I am fortunate to have experienced what has proven to be historic snowfalls and snowstorms and only come away from it with a sore back from shoveling and have steered clear of anything of the magnitude of Charlottesville, Charleston, Orlando, Houston and now Las Vegas in recent memory. But now, more than ever, I feel lost.

In all honesty, what the fuck is going on? When did it get so bad? I understand these events happen and there are low-life, scum of the earth people with severe mental issues who decide to act in evil and heinous ways. But the frequency of these occurrences? I don't get it. I want to puke. I can't mentally go from watching this:

And this:

And admiring this:

To waking up to this: 

There are a few things I've always turned to in times of negativity and sadness: the ocean and the golf course. The President's Cup filled me with such a sense of pride and intimacy towards these golfers and I know golf will be exciting to watch for the rest of my life. Everyone should have hobbies, interests, sports, etc where they can steer their mind and allow them to become happy and feel a sense of calmness. Again, I don't get into politics nor do I want to. But I sit here, head in hands and am just so confused I don't know what to think. Everyday life should provide a feeling like someone is chasing you with a champagne bottle and a cigar in their mouth ready to celebrate something. Anything. That's what life in America should be. And instead we're scared, angry and nervous. This President's Cup allowed me to escape, albeit for a very brief time. Here we go again...stay safe everyone.

I Found My Dream Job and I Am Now More Disconnected Than Ever...Let Me Explain.

(Finally) finding a job has allowed me to disconnect…Let me explain.

I will open with a scenario many of us have experienced when looking for work. It’s no secret I’ve spent my fair share of time over the past five years on the job hunt. This isn’t because I can’t find work, it’s actually quite the contrary. I have been on the hunt so frequently because I strive to find the right job for me. Anyone who is driven to find that perfect job will tell you job hunting is a full-time job in itself. Sending upwards of 20 resumes a day online with the hope someone will notice and actually read what comes across their desk. There are the countless phone screens, phone interviews with recruiters, awaiting the call saying you’ve been passed through to someone who actually works for the company, etc. Then there’s the phone interview, the second phone interview, (for God sakes probably the third phone interview) and then you are so fortunate to be invited into the office for a real interview. This is all beside the point I am trying to make, which is a feeling some of us m* words may feel when they become  disconnected from their ever-important mobile device for a specific period of time.

For instance: While job searching online took up a wide margin of my day, the other time spend surfing the internet was spent via social media which isn’t a surprise to anyone. Keeping up with Facebook updates, tweets, Instagram postings and blogs on that rocket ship of a website called Barstool Sports helped pass the time while I waited for that next big phone call. In a way, I felt like I was on top of EVERYTHING. However, looking at it from another lens, what exactly was I on top of?

World news, politics, business, sports, I knew it all. I followed tweets of my favorite bloggers, frequently refreshed Instagram to see who was taking pictures of what, you know that whole deal. But finally, at long last on July 17^th, I was offered a job which I believe is perfect. I began working there this week and it’s safe to say with complete honesty…I am LOST when it comes to being in the know.

"What do you mean lost? You have a job and can finally stop scrolling the internet and get down to business?" What I mean is the past three days I’ve come home and felt so overwhelmed by catching up on Twitter, podcasts, blogs etc. that I thought I was headed for a legitimate breakdown. Hell, I went a full day on Tuesday not knowing Julian Edelman was thrown out of practice for fighting Stephon Gilmore, imagine that? 

The reality is this: I went for a walk last night knowing I had six podcasts I hadn’t listened to, about half a day’s worth of Barstool blogs I hadn’t seen, a FULL day of Instagrams I hadn’t checked…and guess what? I realized that this is amazing. I had spent so many weeks (while job hunting) being engaged in social media and on top of all sports news that when I finally was unable to physically keep up, I felt free. There is so much content one can access that it  will literally make you think you’re headed for breakdown and it simply is not worth getting worked up about it. So my advice is this: go for a walk, and don’t worry about if you can’t listen to Pardon My Take within the first day of a new episode release. You’ll catch up eventually, which is what I’ve finally done in my professional life.

No Day is Complete Without Doing These Five Things (If You Ask Me):

For whatever reason, I've been feeling incredibly nostalgic lately. Half the time I spend being nostalgic, I spend the other half trying to figure out why I'm being nostalgic. Perhaps it's the realization that two short months will mark exactly ten years since I arrived at the University of Rhode Island for my first college experience (an experience that was rather short-lived, but was later reconciled with some of the best years of my life spent finishing college at Merrimack College), or that I'm on the other side of ten years since graduating from high school which were in fact the VERY best years of my life.

The previous ten years have seen engagements, weddings, vacations and many, MANY jobs for which I've both excelled and wished I rather didn't experience. I've been out of the country three times, moved into two apartments and, going back to that job thing, count a total of ten...yes TEN jobs since graduating in December of 2011. For all that I've seen and all that I've learned, I don't let a day pass without completing a certain set of tasks that I instill into a routine.

You read on sites like LinkedIn how the most successful people spend their day, what they do when they first wake up in the morning, yada, yada, yada. I guess this is sort of my take on those types of articles, yet these five things hold a sense of sanity over me. During my time of reflection and nostalgia, it's important to think of things that help you along on a day to day basis. This has never been more important to me over the past month when I've been in one of the most grueling job interview processes I've experienced. There were interviews, shadows, rescheduling of said interviews, homework, presentations, etc, but can finally and proudly say I think I've found my dream job which will allow me to work in the advertising department at WCSH 6 in Portland. Growing up in a Channel 6 household, this is the pinnacle of jobs I could land, especially if you asked me ten years ago where I hoped I would be in ten years. I still don't own a beach house yet, but I live in an apartment with an ocean view, and that's pretty fucking close. Without hesitation, here are my five tasks which keep me on course and basically level me out:

1. Upon waking up, I immediately do something active.

Those of you who know me know I am an incredibly early riser...like 4:15am with no grogginess riser. Yes I do set an alarm, but I am so excited to be awake that I want to make use of the time I have. In my humble and correct opinion, there is no feeling like riding 20mph on a bike through the center of town and being the only soul around. There's a sense of pride and down-right power that flows over me, and it's exhilarating.

2. 300 push-ups per day.
This is another one where people give me a "what the hell is the matter with you" look when I tell them this is something I do each day. To be honest, I was inspired by my Uncle Terry, where we both share an interest in Men's Journal magazine and basically anything Laird Hamilton writes. When visiting him in Florida one year, I decided to try to do a PR of 300 push-ups in a day. Actually, my inspiration started even before this when me and a bunch of buddies were in Chris Albert's living room and we tried one-up each other by performing the so-called 'Military Challenge' which was around 100 push-ups in two minutes, or something like that. I haven't missed a day since March of 2014. True story.


3. Listen to a podcast.
As a fan of basically everything media, podcasts are literally the way to engage with young people. Call it a generational thing (no I will not refer to myself as an M* word because it's overused and pisses me off), but there is nothing like biking to the sounds of a British Open preview, or an interview with Tom Brady by Peter King a few months ago, or virtually anything related to Tim Tebow. Since I'm a mega-follower of sorts to Barstool Sports, there is certainly an endless amount of material to consume on a daily basis and it's damn entertaining to say the least.


4. (Very Important) Text a friend or family member individually.
Over the past few months I've had a lot of free time on my hands, which is pretty evident for those of you who follow me on Snap Chat or Instagram. Searching for that dream job is a job in itself and you tend to have a few (or hundreds) of spare minutes each day. I've learned to certainly be persistent and driven, but also not let those minutes pass or be taken for granted. Like a lot of people say, there are worse times in the year to be unemployed than in the prime of summer months. Regardless, I've made it a daily task to keep in touch to those closest around me by sending a simple text. No, I'm not talking about a single text throughout a group thread, I'm talking picking someone out of my contacts list and taking a few minutes to genuinely ask how they are and that I'm thinking of them. Do this, you'll learn some pretty cool things...

5. (Most Important) Never let a day pass without catching a glimpse of the ocean.
Referring back to the free time thing, this is a much easier task now than it was or will be when working full-time. However, I never let a day go by without realizing how blessed and lucky I've been to grow up where I grew up. Living two minutes from the ocean has consoled me in more ways than anyone can comprehend, and I attribute the sounds of the waves or the simple trip to the sand to keeping my sanity when job hunting. Personally, whenever something positive happens I sprint to the ocean. Conversely, whenever something negative happens...same thing. The ocean gives me a sense of serenity, but also allows me to take some pretty fu*kin cool pictures along the way...

U.S Open Round 2 Reactions and Interview with Journalist and 1-Iron Aficionado Nate Boroyan

Hello gang! Well, we are back on the grind as round two of the U.S Open is well underway at the time of writing this post. Currently it is 4:25pm EST and so far today we've seen Rory and Jason say goodbye, Masters champion Danny Willett WD (how that dude won a Masters still blows my mind) and Brooks Koepka currently sits atop the leaderboard. Had a nice chance to have a chat with one of my best friends in the world Nate Boroyan and get some insight into how he views the game of golf in today's media, his picks to win the U.S Open and a WILD theory we discussed on where former number one Anthony Kim currently is...We kicked it old school pretending we were back on AIM to talk some golf, buckle up bitches and enjoy!

York: Greasey Bear, thanks for taking the time my dude. First up, what are your thoughts on non-traditional venues like an Erin Hills being the site for our nation's tournament?

Bear: Love it. The US Open should be played at as many courses as possible. The idea of recycling courses when there are so many across the entire country is a good example of laziness, favoritism and greed.

York: While we're on it, who's your pick to win this damn thing?

Bear: Rickie Fowler, and I made this pick midway through round two, so keep that in mind.

York: What are your thoughts on the state of golf media today vs. say ten years ago?

Bear: Today feels more manufactured. There are too many story lines that work and could draw attention. The best golf coverage comes from DraftKings and they don't even realize it yet. Without Tiger, people need someone to pull for. DraftKings gives people easy access to incentive to watch golf.

York: Will Eldrick Tiger Woods win another major? Or tournament for that matter?

Bear: Yes. Next question.

York: Are you a fan of golfers taking to social media to express their beliefs in various golf rulings, courses and life in general?

Bear: Absolutely, as long as they accept the consequences of allowing strangers to tell their story for them.

York: Now the real question, what's the best memory you have of the Scarborough High School golf team?

Bear: The last regular season match of senior year. We had already locked up first place in our conference; there was nothing left to play for until states. (Jordan) Folsom and (Jack) Snyder were exempt from this match so they could play in a regional qualifier for a nonscholastic league. Long story short, our last match of a regular season that had already been wrapped up wasn’t important enough for our two best players to attend. Portland, our competitor, still had something to play for. They played their best guys. This match was the first and only time I played as the number 1. We played the back nine at Riverside CC. I played with (Nick) Norty. I shot a 35 and won my match and low stroke. We were that good…But we blew it.

Now that's what I'm talkin about! ROUND TWO LET'S GO!

U.S Open Round 1 Live Blog!

Hello friends, and welcome to U.S Open week! This is my first attempt at a live blog, so for those of you stuck inside on this beautiful day (and those of you who are VERY unlucky to have a web browser blocked or the like, hopefully this will be your source for everything U.S Open through the first round). Will begin to blog starting at 11am EST, and I am very intrigued at how Fox will do in their coverage of this event.

The Track:
Erin Hills, WI. It's weird, it's given people problems, there's a lot of grass, and it's HUGE (Over 7700 yards spread through 600 acres, yikes).

My Picks:
You'll thank me later.

Coverage:

USOpen.com featured holes 8:30am (13,14,15)

USOpen.com featured group coverage, Fowler-Rahm-Matsuyama 8:45am

USOpen.com featured group coverage, Spieth-Johnson-Kaymer 9:30am

FS1 Undisputed, 9:00am

FS1 live 11:00am-6:00pm

Fox 6:00pm-9:00pm

Anyone who wants to follow this tournament, I recommend reading this first on the world number 1. The man has been through quite the journey, and he's just getting started...http://www.espn.com/golf/usopen17/story/_/id/19626150/golf-improbable-rise-dustin-johnson-world-no-1-defending-us-open-champion-erin-hills

7:45am: The boys are off.

8:23am: Phil's out, Roberto Diaz in. Bummer, but good for Diaz.

8:32am: Davis Love IV is currently leading...could you imagine? Also, Fox featured group on practice green. Rickie looking extra fly, and why wouldn't he when he's got a girl who looks like this.

8:36am: Well, I guess Phil never stood a chance. Congrats to Pacific Ridge school in Carlsbad, you've got your mans.

8:45am: My good friend Rickie, Rahm and Hideki about to tee off. 

8:52am: First live shot of Fox ball tracking technology...

**Dear God this looks brutal.......

** Quick look at Justin Thomas' fitness tracker during his practice round yesterday...Yes, it's long. 

9:02am: Top of the hour front page leaderboard update.

9:07am: Did they just say its a half mile walk between 10 and 11.......Please tell me that's an exaggeration. Pars for Rickie and Hideki, +1 for Rahmbo. Not a smooth start for my DraftKings crew.


9:23am: Rickie birdies, Hideki pars, Rahmbo bogey. Again. Not a smooth start for my DraftKings crew. This could get old quick...

10:34am: Aaaaaand after a quick bike ride I'm back. Rickie -3 thru 6, daddy likes. Your updated front page leaderboard...

11:44am: THIS GUY IS -2 LET'S GO! (How can you not cheer for good ole Ernest...)

11:45am: MEANWHILE, CUE THE MUSIC!

12:07pm: Let's see who's fastest to report the scores...

1:58pm: Patiently awaiting this man...