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.

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.