Dear Phil,
I take it all back. Sorry I ever doubted you. I hope you can forgive me.
Your #1 Fan,
Jake
Showing posts with label Sports and Leisure. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sports and Leisure. Show all posts
Monday, July 22, 2013
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Dear Phil...
Dear Phil,
You don't know me, but I've been one of your fans for 22 years. I started following you in January of 1991 when you won a PGA Tour event as an amateur. I was 12 years old at the time. You were a cool 20 year old with a great golf game. You had the flop shot, and you skipped balls over water. Frankly, you were really cool! I wasn't anywhere near being a great golfer, but I learned the flop shot because of you.
So here we are in June of 2013, and I've just watched you finish runner-up at the U.S. Open for a record 6th time. In my head, I knew the heart break was coming again when you bogeyed the 18th hole on Saturday, but my heart wouldn't let me accept it. So I dutifully tuned in today and watched putt after putt just miss. Just when I was ready to give up, you holed out for eagle on #10, and I thought..."today might be different." Turns out, you were just teasing me. You over thought the 13th hole for the 3rd straight day, then hit your worst iron shot of the week at 15 after pulling off a great tee shot. Another 2nd place finish, another Father's Day spent watching golf that ultimately ended in disappointment.
Sure, we've had good times. The 2004 Masters was one of the greatest sporting events of my life. I watched that with my father-in-law, and it's such a positive memory. The 2005 PGA, 2006 Masters, 2007 Players Championship and 2010 Masters were also great days.
But for every great day, there's been twice as much heartbreak. Let's start in 1999 at the U.S. Open. You had that tournament won, until you starting missing putts and then Payne Stewart buried that par putt at 18 to beat you. The same thing happened two years later at the PGA Championship, only this time in was David Toms. In 2002 at Bethpage, I thought you were poised to make a run against Tiger, but you ultimately fell short. This was before we knew Tiger was a scum bag, so I took a lot of heat for that one from the Tiger fans.
Then in 2004, you rewarded my loyalty with your first major. And then you almost won the U.S. Open at Shinnecock...oh so close. That darn putter again. You flirted with the British Open and the PGA that year too, before ultimately fading in those events. But the glow from that Masters win carried things through.
In 2005 you won the PGA championship and followed it with the 2006 Masters...times were good. There was talk of the Mickelslam, and you were 1 par from making it 3 Majors in a row, and then the disaster at Winged Foot. A double bogey on 18 to lose by one shot. That was B R U T A L!!! I should have quit caring then. Oh what a fool I was.
The next few years were mostly lean years, but you got my hopes up again in 2009 when you took the lead at the U.S. Open at Bethpage after that eagle on the back 9. But then your putter got you again. You miss a lot of short putts for someone who's won 41 PGA events, you know that don't you?
In 2010, you won the Masters...won it for the family. I felt for you when Amy got cancer and then your mom right after that. And then you were diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis and I really thought that was the end. I figured you'd win a few more events before retiring, and I was ready to accept that. And for a while I was right, but as always, my heart got in the way.
In 2011, you made a run at Darren Clarke at the British Open before your putter got the best of you again with a missed short putt on 11. And then there was the 2012 Masters...that one was yours to win, and you make a triple on 4??? Who makes a triple on 4? I was so disappointed after that one, but maybe because Bubba won it, my disappointment was softened.
But after today, I have to be done. Justin Rose?!!! Really?!!! For the 2nd time in 9 months, he gets the best of you...you have more talent in your pinkie that Rose has in his whole body!!!
I can't keep doing this! Look, it's not you, it's me. This is who you are...you are brilliant with a golf club in your hands, frustratingly brilliant. You see shots that nobody else even thinks of, and occasionally you pull them off. I still want you to win...I still want to root for you...I still want to see you win that U.S. Open, but I can't invest the time in it anymore.
I'm sorry, but we both knew it would come to this...ok, only I knew that. Eventually you were going to retire, and I would just be a casual golf fan. I love professional golf, and I love to watch you play, but it's become too heart breaking. So, I'm moving on to the next phase of my life. I am moving on to being a causal golf fan. I'll still watch, but I'm no longer going to invest my heart into the outcome of these events, or the results of a specific player.
I wish you the best of luck. If you ever do win that U.S Open, I'll be smiling from afar.
Sincerely,
Jake
You don't know me, but I've been one of your fans for 22 years. I started following you in January of 1991 when you won a PGA Tour event as an amateur. I was 12 years old at the time. You were a cool 20 year old with a great golf game. You had the flop shot, and you skipped balls over water. Frankly, you were really cool! I wasn't anywhere near being a great golfer, but I learned the flop shot because of you.
So here we are in June of 2013, and I've just watched you finish runner-up at the U.S. Open for a record 6th time. In my head, I knew the heart break was coming again when you bogeyed the 18th hole on Saturday, but my heart wouldn't let me accept it. So I dutifully tuned in today and watched putt after putt just miss. Just when I was ready to give up, you holed out for eagle on #10, and I thought..."today might be different." Turns out, you were just teasing me. You over thought the 13th hole for the 3rd straight day, then hit your worst iron shot of the week at 15 after pulling off a great tee shot. Another 2nd place finish, another Father's Day spent watching golf that ultimately ended in disappointment.
Sure, we've had good times. The 2004 Masters was one of the greatest sporting events of my life. I watched that with my father-in-law, and it's such a positive memory. The 2005 PGA, 2006 Masters, 2007 Players Championship and 2010 Masters were also great days.
But for every great day, there's been twice as much heartbreak. Let's start in 1999 at the U.S. Open. You had that tournament won, until you starting missing putts and then Payne Stewart buried that par putt at 18 to beat you. The same thing happened two years later at the PGA Championship, only this time in was David Toms. In 2002 at Bethpage, I thought you were poised to make a run against Tiger, but you ultimately fell short. This was before we knew Tiger was a scum bag, so I took a lot of heat for that one from the Tiger fans.
Then in 2004, you rewarded my loyalty with your first major. And then you almost won the U.S. Open at Shinnecock...oh so close. That darn putter again. You flirted with the British Open and the PGA that year too, before ultimately fading in those events. But the glow from that Masters win carried things through.
In 2005 you won the PGA championship and followed it with the 2006 Masters...times were good. There was talk of the Mickelslam, and you were 1 par from making it 3 Majors in a row, and then the disaster at Winged Foot. A double bogey on 18 to lose by one shot. That was B R U T A L!!! I should have quit caring then. Oh what a fool I was.
The next few years were mostly lean years, but you got my hopes up again in 2009 when you took the lead at the U.S. Open at Bethpage after that eagle on the back 9. But then your putter got you again. You miss a lot of short putts for someone who's won 41 PGA events, you know that don't you?
In 2010, you won the Masters...won it for the family. I felt for you when Amy got cancer and then your mom right after that. And then you were diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis and I really thought that was the end. I figured you'd win a few more events before retiring, and I was ready to accept that. And for a while I was right, but as always, my heart got in the way.
In 2011, you made a run at Darren Clarke at the British Open before your putter got the best of you again with a missed short putt on 11. And then there was the 2012 Masters...that one was yours to win, and you make a triple on 4??? Who makes a triple on 4? I was so disappointed after that one, but maybe because Bubba won it, my disappointment was softened.
But after today, I have to be done. Justin Rose?!!! Really?!!! For the 2nd time in 9 months, he gets the best of you...you have more talent in your pinkie that Rose has in his whole body!!!
I can't keep doing this! Look, it's not you, it's me. This is who you are...you are brilliant with a golf club in your hands, frustratingly brilliant. You see shots that nobody else even thinks of, and occasionally you pull them off. I still want you to win...I still want to root for you...I still want to see you win that U.S. Open, but I can't invest the time in it anymore.
I'm sorry, but we both knew it would come to this...ok, only I knew that. Eventually you were going to retire, and I would just be a casual golf fan. I love professional golf, and I love to watch you play, but it's become too heart breaking. So, I'm moving on to the next phase of my life. I am moving on to being a causal golf fan. I'll still watch, but I'm no longer going to invest my heart into the outcome of these events, or the results of a specific player.
I wish you the best of luck. If you ever do win that U.S Open, I'll be smiling from afar.
Sincerely,
Jake
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Blue Top Ridge at Riverside
One of the great things about where I work is that I got today off as a company holiday in addition to yesterday. So, what to do when your kids are in school and your family is going about their normal routine? Well, I chose golf, and I decided to play Blue Top Ridge at Riverside, which is about an hour from my house.
I was joined in this golfing adventure by 3 friends/coworkers, and we tee'd off at 9 am. As has been the pattern all summer, it was really hot, so I was very glad for the cart that was included in the green fees. Blue Top Ridge is a Rees Jones design and is extremely hilly, so walking would have been really silly. To make the day a little more difficult, there was some kind of PGA Club Professional Tournament going on later in the day, so the pins were in some really tough locations. I don't recall one pin being in the middle of the green.
Overall, I liked this golf course. I played from the $500 tees. Since the course is associated with Riverside Casino, all the tee boxes have dollar values assigned. The $500 tees were 6,989 yards, and had a course rating of 75.2 and a slope of 144. What that means is that the course is difficult! There was a $1000 set of tees, but that set of was over 7,400 yards, and I don't need that kind of challenge. I was plenty challenged by the tees I chose.
If I had my way, I would like to see a couple of changes. I think the back nine should be the front nine and vice versa. Holes 1, 2, 4 and 5 are all blind tee shots, which is a really difficult way to start off a round of golf, especially when you don't know the course. After that, there aren't any blind tee shots until #13. If the nines were flipped, I think the course would be more fun, but it would also be easier, which maybe isn't what Rees Jones wanted. The other change I'd like to see is faster greens. I was expecting really fast greens, but they were just moderately faster than what I am used to from my club. Granted, it's been super hot this summer, so the grounds crew is probably leaving the greens a little longer to keep them alive.
I've got a few pictures to share. The first picture is of #16, which is a 633 yard par 5. I hammered a drive down the middle and still had around 330 yards left to the green. I got virtually no roll off the tee shot, which surprised me because the tee shot was straight down hill. After I thought about it a while, I think this was actually smart by the grounds crew because if the fairway was firm a lot of balls would run into the water hazard. So this spot was obviously watered more than the rest of the course to keep it soft. The 2nd shot is straight back up hill, and I proceeded to dork up the hole and make a 6.
The next picture is of the 14th hole, which is a short par 3. There's a cool barn off to the right. The hole itself wasn't overly memorable, but I thought the barn was cool.
My favorite hole on the course was #12. It was a 540 yard par 5 that goes straight up hill. I played it as Driver, 6 iron, 9 iron and made par. It's a great hole, because it's a true 3 shot hole, but one that allows you to be as aggressive as you want on your 2nd shot. I chose to lay back on my 2nd shot, but I could have tried to sneak a fairway wood in the narrow part of the fairway if I wanted. I took this picture from the green looking back down the fairway.
Like I said above, I really liked the course, and I would play it again. I thought the green fees were a little steep, and for the money, I'd rather play Finkbine in Iowa City then this course. I think the next time I play Blue Top Ridge will be when the rates are cheaper, such as spring, fall or twilight golf. I think the course is tough, but fair. You do have to hit it straight, and wild shots are penalized. I had two penalty strokes, and had to play out of 6 bunkers. The course has good variety...I used every club in my bag, except my hybrid iron.
My score was an 83, which wasn't as good as I had hoped, but not too bad considering the difficulty of the course. I had 10 pars, 6 bogey, a double bogey and a triple bogey (yuck!). Not making a birdie was pretty disappointing. I think it's a course where I could break 80 if I have an above average day driving the golf ball, but if I start hitting it crooked (which I can do), I could also shoot in the 90s pretty easily. If I were to rate golf courses like I rate movies, I'd give Blue Top Ridge at Riverside a very solid 4 stars.
I was joined in this golfing adventure by 3 friends/coworkers, and we tee'd off at 9 am. As has been the pattern all summer, it was really hot, so I was very glad for the cart that was included in the green fees. Blue Top Ridge is a Rees Jones design and is extremely hilly, so walking would have been really silly. To make the day a little more difficult, there was some kind of PGA Club Professional Tournament going on later in the day, so the pins were in some really tough locations. I don't recall one pin being in the middle of the green.
Overall, I liked this golf course. I played from the $500 tees. Since the course is associated with Riverside Casino, all the tee boxes have dollar values assigned. The $500 tees were 6,989 yards, and had a course rating of 75.2 and a slope of 144. What that means is that the course is difficult! There was a $1000 set of tees, but that set of was over 7,400 yards, and I don't need that kind of challenge. I was plenty challenged by the tees I chose.
If I had my way, I would like to see a couple of changes. I think the back nine should be the front nine and vice versa. Holes 1, 2, 4 and 5 are all blind tee shots, which is a really difficult way to start off a round of golf, especially when you don't know the course. After that, there aren't any blind tee shots until #13. If the nines were flipped, I think the course would be more fun, but it would also be easier, which maybe isn't what Rees Jones wanted. The other change I'd like to see is faster greens. I was expecting really fast greens, but they were just moderately faster than what I am used to from my club. Granted, it's been super hot this summer, so the grounds crew is probably leaving the greens a little longer to keep them alive.
I've got a few pictures to share. The first picture is of #16, which is a 633 yard par 5. I hammered a drive down the middle and still had around 330 yards left to the green. I got virtually no roll off the tee shot, which surprised me because the tee shot was straight down hill. After I thought about it a while, I think this was actually smart by the grounds crew because if the fairway was firm a lot of balls would run into the water hazard. So this spot was obviously watered more than the rest of the course to keep it soft. The 2nd shot is straight back up hill, and I proceeded to dork up the hole and make a 6.
The next picture is of the 14th hole, which is a short par 3. There's a cool barn off to the right. The hole itself wasn't overly memorable, but I thought the barn was cool.
My favorite hole on the course was #12. It was a 540 yard par 5 that goes straight up hill. I played it as Driver, 6 iron, 9 iron and made par. It's a great hole, because it's a true 3 shot hole, but one that allows you to be as aggressive as you want on your 2nd shot. I chose to lay back on my 2nd shot, but I could have tried to sneak a fairway wood in the narrow part of the fairway if I wanted. I took this picture from the green looking back down the fairway.
Like I said above, I really liked the course, and I would play it again. I thought the green fees were a little steep, and for the money, I'd rather play Finkbine in Iowa City then this course. I think the next time I play Blue Top Ridge will be when the rates are cheaper, such as spring, fall or twilight golf. I think the course is tough, but fair. You do have to hit it straight, and wild shots are penalized. I had two penalty strokes, and had to play out of 6 bunkers. The course has good variety...I used every club in my bag, except my hybrid iron.
My score was an 83, which wasn't as good as I had hoped, but not too bad considering the difficulty of the course. I had 10 pars, 6 bogey, a double bogey and a triple bogey (yuck!). Not making a birdie was pretty disappointing. I think it's a course where I could break 80 if I have an above average day driving the golf ball, but if I start hitting it crooked (which I can do), I could also shoot in the 90s pretty easily. If I were to rate golf courses like I rate movies, I'd give Blue Top Ridge at Riverside a very solid 4 stars.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Manning and Tebow
On Monday, I got the best news a Broncos fan has gotten since they won Super Bowl XXXIII...Peyton Manning will be the next quarterback of the Denver Broncos. Today, I got the saddest news a Broncos fan has gotten since John Elway retired...Tim Tebow will be traded. It looked like Tebow was going to the Jets, but that might fall though and Tebow may end up in Jacksonville or St. Louis.
This is a complicated time for Broncos fans. Who wouldn't be thrilled that the 2nd best QB of all time (Manning) has signed to play in the place where the Greatest QB of All Time (Elway) played? I'm sure it helped to sway Manning that John Elway is the VP of football operations. They can share stories and talk as peers. So yeah, I'm thrilled! If Manning is as healthy as he thinks he's going to be, there's no reason why the Broncos won't be a highly competitive team for the next 3-5 years. A franchise quarterback can make that big of a difference.
But, at the same time I'm sad to see Tebow go. Tebow gave me one of the best 12 game rides I've ever had as a Broncos fan. Taking a team that started 1-4 to a division title, then to a playoff win over the Pittsburgh Steelers was too good to be true. It was so good that I even got a Tebow jersey for Christmas. I think I will frame that jersey some day to commemorate the good memories of the 2011 football season.
I really hope Tebow ends up in a situation where he is given a fair opportunity to be the started. I believe he can become a great quarterback and I think he'll become and even greater person.
Now I have to move on. It's time to get behind Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos. Obviously, 1 guy isn't going to win a Super Bowl, so it's time to add a few more players and go out there and git 'r done!
This is a complicated time for Broncos fans. Who wouldn't be thrilled that the 2nd best QB of all time (Manning) has signed to play in the place where the Greatest QB of All Time (Elway) played? I'm sure it helped to sway Manning that John Elway is the VP of football operations. They can share stories and talk as peers. So yeah, I'm thrilled! If Manning is as healthy as he thinks he's going to be, there's no reason why the Broncos won't be a highly competitive team for the next 3-5 years. A franchise quarterback can make that big of a difference.
But, at the same time I'm sad to see Tebow go. Tebow gave me one of the best 12 game rides I've ever had as a Broncos fan. Taking a team that started 1-4 to a division title, then to a playoff win over the Pittsburgh Steelers was too good to be true. It was so good that I even got a Tebow jersey for Christmas. I think I will frame that jersey some day to commemorate the good memories of the 2011 football season.
I really hope Tebow ends up in a situation where he is given a fair opportunity to be the started. I believe he can become a great quarterback and I think he'll become and even greater person.
Now I have to move on. It's time to get behind Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos. Obviously, 1 guy isn't going to win a Super Bowl, so it's time to add a few more players and go out there and git 'r done!
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
It's All Been Worth It
In the 2003-2004 school year, South Dakota State University began the transition from NCAA Division II to NCAA Division I. As my Alma mater, I was interested, though saddened because as a Division II school, we were always competitive in the 2 sports that mattered most...basketball and football. But, being a big D1 school did bring some perks, like more national exposure and the possibility to be in the NCAA tournament.
My favorite sport when I was a student at SDSU was basketball. I loved going to both the Men's and Women's games and both teams were always competitive. When the transition to Division I happened, the school went into it's 5 year transition period, which meant no post season play for 5 years. For the first several years, the Men's Basketball team was terrible, while the Women's team was good right away.
During their first year of eligibility for the NCAA Tournament, the women's team went 32-3, made the tournament and won a game in the tournament before losing to the #5 team in the country. The success of the women's team continued, and this season, they won the Summit League title and made it to their 4th consecutive NCAA Tournament.
While the women's team has had tremendous success, the men's team has struggled. A few years back, they went 6-24...it was brutal! But, 2 years ago, things started to turn around. The players started getting better and the record started getting better. Last season, the Jackrabbits men's team had their first winning season at the D1 level. This season, the Jacks came into the conference tournament as the #2 seed in the conference with a 24-7 record and they have one of the best point guards in the country in Nate Wolters.
The Jackrabbits easily won their first game of the Summit League tournament, and won the 2nd game with a big second half. With the upset of the #1 team, Oral Roberts, SDSU was the favorite in last night's Summit League title game. But, with this team, nothing is ever easy. They played a very good Western Illinois team, and were down 12 points at one time. But they rallied back to force overtime, and then won the game by 2 points in Overtime.
I was so hyped up after the game last night that I really struggled to fall asleep, but I finally did. Today, several people at work congratulated me on the victories (like I had anything to do with it!). This win makes the move to D1 and all the heartache that went with it worth it. We are now a competitive Division I program, and while taking any self worth out of this is stupid, it is fun to be watching and reading about good basketball again.
My favorite sport when I was a student at SDSU was basketball. I loved going to both the Men's and Women's games and both teams were always competitive. When the transition to Division I happened, the school went into it's 5 year transition period, which meant no post season play for 5 years. For the first several years, the Men's Basketball team was terrible, while the Women's team was good right away.
During their first year of eligibility for the NCAA Tournament, the women's team went 32-3, made the tournament and won a game in the tournament before losing to the #5 team in the country. The success of the women's team continued, and this season, they won the Summit League title and made it to their 4th consecutive NCAA Tournament.
While the women's team has had tremendous success, the men's team has struggled. A few years back, they went 6-24...it was brutal! But, 2 years ago, things started to turn around. The players started getting better and the record started getting better. Last season, the Jackrabbits men's team had their first winning season at the D1 level. This season, the Jacks came into the conference tournament as the #2 seed in the conference with a 24-7 record and they have one of the best point guards in the country in Nate Wolters.
The Jackrabbits easily won their first game of the Summit League tournament, and won the 2nd game with a big second half. With the upset of the #1 team, Oral Roberts, SDSU was the favorite in last night's Summit League title game. But, with this team, nothing is ever easy. They played a very good Western Illinois team, and were down 12 points at one time. But they rallied back to force overtime, and then won the game by 2 points in Overtime.
I was so hyped up after the game last night that I really struggled to fall asleep, but I finally did. Today, several people at work congratulated me on the victories (like I had anything to do with it!). This win makes the move to D1 and all the heartache that went with it worth it. We are now a competitive Division I program, and while taking any self worth out of this is stupid, it is fun to be watching and reading about good basketball again.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Will There Be a Sequel?
The Denver Broncos season ended last night at the hands of the New England Patriots. I'm convinced Patriots coach Bill Belichick is evil, by the way. I mean, who would put up 45 points on Tim Tebow, other than someone who is evil? But that's a story for another blog.
The Broncos never showed up last night...and lost 45-10. It was one of their worst games of the season at the wrong time. Tim Tebow was chased all night by the Patriots defense and really struggled. The Denver defense, meanwhile, fell apart. They were never able to get a pass rush on Patriots QB Tom Brady and he destroyed them. I am so sick of QBs like Tom Brady and Peyton Manning standing back there having all day to throw the ball against the Broncos defense...again a story for another blog.
What I'm wondering is will there be a sequel of Tebowmania next season? Obviously, Tim Tebow needs to improve. He needs to become a better passer...he completed about 45% of his passes this year which is awful by any standard. But, he brings an element other QBs don't, so if he improves as a passer he will be really tough for opposing defenses.
The Broncos can get him some help too. They need to get him a big, pass catching, tight end. They need to get depth at running back, because starter Willis McGahee is 30, and that's ancient for a running back. They need to bolster their defensive middle so they can get pressure on quarterbacks like Tom Brady. Finally, they really need to spend the offseason coaching Tebow on the finer points of quarterbacking.
I'm excited, despite last night's loss, because I don't think the Broncos are that far from being a top flight team. For the rest of this season...go Packers or whoever is playing the Patriots.
The Broncos never showed up last night...and lost 45-10. It was one of their worst games of the season at the wrong time. Tim Tebow was chased all night by the Patriots defense and really struggled. The Denver defense, meanwhile, fell apart. They were never able to get a pass rush on Patriots QB Tom Brady and he destroyed them. I am so sick of QBs like Tom Brady and Peyton Manning standing back there having all day to throw the ball against the Broncos defense...again a story for another blog.
What I'm wondering is will there be a sequel of Tebowmania next season? Obviously, Tim Tebow needs to improve. He needs to become a better passer...he completed about 45% of his passes this year which is awful by any standard. But, he brings an element other QBs don't, so if he improves as a passer he will be really tough for opposing defenses.
The Broncos can get him some help too. They need to get him a big, pass catching, tight end. They need to get depth at running back, because starter Willis McGahee is 30, and that's ancient for a running back. They need to bolster their defensive middle so they can get pressure on quarterbacks like Tom Brady. Finally, they really need to spend the offseason coaching Tebow on the finer points of quarterbacking.
I'm excited, despite last night's loss, because I don't think the Broncos are that far from being a top flight team. For the rest of this season...go Packers or whoever is playing the Patriots.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
The Return of Tebowmania
With the Broncos unexpected playoff victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers this weekend on the strength of Tim Tebow's left arm, Tebowmania has officially returned. Yes, Superman has gotten his Tim Tebow pajamas back out of the drawer after not wearing them during the Broncos recent 3 game losing streak when Tebow didn't play well.
Even Nuke, who doesn't follow sports, talked to me about Tebow today. Though it was around the fact that the deeply religious Tebow threw for 316 yards on 10 completions for a 31.6 yards per completion average. The crazies out there, and even some sane people are pointing out that John 3:16 is one of the most quoted Bible verses and the verse that Tebow used to write on his eye black in college.
Anyway, with the return of Tebowmania, I thought I'd share a few of my favorite Tebow one-liners. Some of these are the same as the Chuck Norris one-liners, just using Tebow's name instead, but it's still fun.
Santa Claus used to wonder if Tim Tebow was real.
People with Amnesia still remember Tim Tebow.
Referees created instant replay so they could admire Tim Tebow more than once.
When Batman is in trouble, he turns on the Tim Tebow signal.
Michael Jordan buys Tim Tebow's shoes.
McDonald's brought the McRib back at Tim Tebow's request.
Tim Tebow and Chuck Norris once had a talk. Chuck Norris walked away a better man.
Friends don't let Friends hate Tim Tebow.
Lord Voldemort tried and failed to kill Harry Potter. He didn't even attempt to mess with Tim Tebow.
Chuck Norris wears a Tim Tebow jersey.
and possibly my favorite...
The NFL is not challenging enough. That's why Tim Tebow waits until the 4th quarter to start playing.
I have really enjoyed this season by the Broncos, and I think it's really fun to have Tim Tebow as my favorite team's starting quarterback. I am looking forward to next weekend's showdown with the hated Patriots. Nobody is giving the Broncos a chance, but I have a good feeling about this game...I think they have a shot. We'll know by Saturday at 11:00 pm.
Even Nuke, who doesn't follow sports, talked to me about Tebow today. Though it was around the fact that the deeply religious Tebow threw for 316 yards on 10 completions for a 31.6 yards per completion average. The crazies out there, and even some sane people are pointing out that John 3:16 is one of the most quoted Bible verses and the verse that Tebow used to write on his eye black in college.
Anyway, with the return of Tebowmania, I thought I'd share a few of my favorite Tebow one-liners. Some of these are the same as the Chuck Norris one-liners, just using Tebow's name instead, but it's still fun.
Santa Claus used to wonder if Tim Tebow was real.
People with Amnesia still remember Tim Tebow.
Referees created instant replay so they could admire Tim Tebow more than once.
When Batman is in trouble, he turns on the Tim Tebow signal.
Michael Jordan buys Tim Tebow's shoes.
McDonald's brought the McRib back at Tim Tebow's request.
Tim Tebow and Chuck Norris once had a talk. Chuck Norris walked away a better man.
Friends don't let Friends hate Tim Tebow.
Lord Voldemort tried and failed to kill Harry Potter. He didn't even attempt to mess with Tim Tebow.
Chuck Norris wears a Tim Tebow jersey.
and possibly my favorite...
The NFL is not challenging enough. That's why Tim Tebow waits until the 4th quarter to start playing.
I have really enjoyed this season by the Broncos, and I think it's really fun to have Tim Tebow as my favorite team's starting quarterback. I am looking forward to next weekend's showdown with the hated Patriots. Nobody is giving the Broncos a chance, but I have a good feeling about this game...I think they have a shot. We'll know by Saturday at 11:00 pm.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Reaction: Patriots vs. Broncos
Since it seems that any moron with a blog can get his opinion out there about how Tim Tebow fared today against the New England Patriots, I thought, "hey, I'm a moron with a blog, I can get my opinion out there." So here it goes.
Many "Tebow-haters" will claim that today's 41-23 loss at the hands of Tom Brady and the New England Patriots is proof that Tim Tebow will never be a big time NFL quarterback. Those who love Tim Tebow will point to the fact that he is looking more comfortable as a passer, and that he is really the best player on the Broncos offense.
At this point, I agree with those who love Tim Tebow. He is the best offensive player on a fairly weak offensive team. Willis McGahee, the team's best running back is always injured. The team's top 2 receivers would probably be the #2 or #3 receivers on other teams, and the Broncos do not have a tight end who can catch the ball with any regularity. So, considering all that, going 11-22 for 194 yards and rushing 12 times for 93 yards and 2 TDs is a pretty good game for Tim Tebow.
But it's not all roses. Tebow had a costly fumble in the 2nd quarter that led to a Patriots touchdown, and he took a couple of really bad sacks in the 2nd half. Considering, however, that Tebow now has 12 NFL starts, and is 8-4 in those 12 starts, I think he's got a bright future in this league.
Look, Tebow is the face of the franchise. Thus, he gets too much credit when the Broncos win and too much blame when the Broncos lose. I still don't know if he is the long term answer at Quarterback, but I think that he's done enough this season that the team can address other need areas in the offseason. If we're still not convinced that Tebow is the answer at QB after next season, they can draft a Quarterback.
At 8-6, the Broncos are still in 1st place in the AFC West. If they win their last 2 games, they will win the AFC West and host a playoff game. As such, they won't have a very high draft pick. Today's game against the Patriots showed me that the team is still very thin across the board, especially in the defensive secondary.
In my opinion, the teams needs are (in order of priority):
1 - Secondary - they gotta get younger and healthier in the secondary.
2 - Running Back - Coach John Fox wants a run heavy attack. They need to build depth at running back, because right now they are too dependent on Willis McGahee's health.
3 - Receiving - The team needs a pass catching tight end and more depth at Wide Receiver. Demaryius Thomas may be the #1 receiver, but he's been injury prone, so depth will help.
4 - Defensive Line - The Broncos are really strong on the outside of the D-line and at Linebacker, but they need more interior pressure. They really gotta find a big fat guy to plug the middle.
5 - Backup QB - I'm sold on Tim Tebow as the starting quarterback, but you gotta find someone who can fill in for him if he gets injured, and he needs to have a similar style to Tebow.
6 - Offensive Line - the unit is young and has been really healthy all season, but more depth is always good.
So there you go. Tim Tebow is not the main problem on this team, and I hope cooler heads will prevail after this loss and see that this is a young team that still has a lot of growing to do. Did Tebow have a great game today, no? But, he did show improvement as a passer today and was the best offensive weapon for the Broncos. As a Broncos fan, I'm encouraged, despite the loss.
Many "Tebow-haters" will claim that today's 41-23 loss at the hands of Tom Brady and the New England Patriots is proof that Tim Tebow will never be a big time NFL quarterback. Those who love Tim Tebow will point to the fact that he is looking more comfortable as a passer, and that he is really the best player on the Broncos offense.
At this point, I agree with those who love Tim Tebow. He is the best offensive player on a fairly weak offensive team. Willis McGahee, the team's best running back is always injured. The team's top 2 receivers would probably be the #2 or #3 receivers on other teams, and the Broncos do not have a tight end who can catch the ball with any regularity. So, considering all that, going 11-22 for 194 yards and rushing 12 times for 93 yards and 2 TDs is a pretty good game for Tim Tebow.
But it's not all roses. Tebow had a costly fumble in the 2nd quarter that led to a Patriots touchdown, and he took a couple of really bad sacks in the 2nd half. Considering, however, that Tebow now has 12 NFL starts, and is 8-4 in those 12 starts, I think he's got a bright future in this league.
Look, Tebow is the face of the franchise. Thus, he gets too much credit when the Broncos win and too much blame when the Broncos lose. I still don't know if he is the long term answer at Quarterback, but I think that he's done enough this season that the team can address other need areas in the offseason. If we're still not convinced that Tebow is the answer at QB after next season, they can draft a Quarterback.
At 8-6, the Broncos are still in 1st place in the AFC West. If they win their last 2 games, they will win the AFC West and host a playoff game. As such, they won't have a very high draft pick. Today's game against the Patriots showed me that the team is still very thin across the board, especially in the defensive secondary.
In my opinion, the teams needs are (in order of priority):
1 - Secondary - they gotta get younger and healthier in the secondary.
2 - Running Back - Coach John Fox wants a run heavy attack. They need to build depth at running back, because right now they are too dependent on Willis McGahee's health.
3 - Receiving - The team needs a pass catching tight end and more depth at Wide Receiver. Demaryius Thomas may be the #1 receiver, but he's been injury prone, so depth will help.
4 - Defensive Line - The Broncos are really strong on the outside of the D-line and at Linebacker, but they need more interior pressure. They really gotta find a big fat guy to plug the middle.
5 - Backup QB - I'm sold on Tim Tebow as the starting quarterback, but you gotta find someone who can fill in for him if he gets injured, and he needs to have a similar style to Tebow.
6 - Offensive Line - the unit is young and has been really healthy all season, but more depth is always good.
So there you go. Tim Tebow is not the main problem on this team, and I hope cooler heads will prevail after this loss and see that this is a young team that still has a lot of growing to do. Did Tebow have a great game today, no? But, he did show improvement as a passer today and was the best offensive weapon for the Broncos. As a Broncos fan, I'm encouraged, despite the loss.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
The Best Bowling Game of the Week
Today, in my Tuesday noon bowling league, I rolled games of 258-219, which are very good games for me. We only bowl 2 games. Up until I got my new bowling ball, I had gone a long time without a game in the 250s, but I've had 4 games of 256 or higher since I bought my ball. Note that I've only rolled about 30 games with the new ball.
But, that wasn't the best game of the day. A guy bowling on the pair of lanes next to my team rolled a 296 the first game. That's 11 in a row to start out, followed by 6 on the last ball. I still have never seen a 300 game...and I've been bowling regularly since I was 12. The 296 was great, but it wasn't the best game I've seen this week.
So you're probably thinking, what's the best game you've seen this week Jake? Well, I'll tell you...it's the 124 that my son, David, bowled in his junior league on Saturday. Up until David joined this league, he hadn't bowled 10 games in his whole life. But he's really taken to bowling, and he's really listened well to his old dad giving him advice (maybe too much advice), and even more importantly, he's listened to his coach at bowling league who does a great job.
Before Saturday, David had bowled a 99 and a 96, but other than that, most of his "high" games were in the 70s. David has made steady improvement all year, so I figured a 100 game was coming, but I didn't expect it so quickly, or so easily. He started off the game with a strike (a rarity), then he doubled (2 strikes in a row) in the 3rd and 4th frames, and he got a patch for that. Bowlers love their patches. He surpassed 100 in the 8th frame. And then, for good measure, he picked up a spare in the 10th frame and pushed his score over 120.
David was so proud of himself, and I was really, really proud of him. David isn't a big "sports" kid, but it looks like we've found one sport we both like and can do together. I just have to watch myself and make sure I don't become "that dad". You know, the dad who is overbearing and ruins the sport for his kid. I don't want to be that dad. I do want to be the dad who gets to watch his kid have fun and do well at something though...I like being that dad.
But, that wasn't the best game of the day. A guy bowling on the pair of lanes next to my team rolled a 296 the first game. That's 11 in a row to start out, followed by 6 on the last ball. I still have never seen a 300 game...and I've been bowling regularly since I was 12. The 296 was great, but it wasn't the best game I've seen this week.
So you're probably thinking, what's the best game you've seen this week Jake? Well, I'll tell you...it's the 124 that my son, David, bowled in his junior league on Saturday. Up until David joined this league, he hadn't bowled 10 games in his whole life. But he's really taken to bowling, and he's really listened well to his old dad giving him advice (maybe too much advice), and even more importantly, he's listened to his coach at bowling league who does a great job.
Before Saturday, David had bowled a 99 and a 96, but other than that, most of his "high" games were in the 70s. David has made steady improvement all year, so I figured a 100 game was coming, but I didn't expect it so quickly, or so easily. He started off the game with a strike (a rarity), then he doubled (2 strikes in a row) in the 3rd and 4th frames, and he got a patch for that. Bowlers love their patches. He surpassed 100 in the 8th frame. And then, for good measure, he picked up a spare in the 10th frame and pushed his score over 120.
David was so proud of himself, and I was really, really proud of him. David isn't a big "sports" kid, but it looks like we've found one sport we both like and can do together. I just have to watch myself and make sure I don't become "that dad". You know, the dad who is overbearing and ruins the sport for his kid. I don't want to be that dad. I do want to be the dad who gets to watch his kid have fun and do well at something though...I like being that dad.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Tebow Time!
So, five and a half games ago, the Denver Broncos made a change at starting Quarterback from Kyle Orton to former Florida Gators star and all around good guy, Tim Tebow. For those who don't know, Tebow won the Heisman trophy as a sophmore at Florida and was also part of 2 National Championship teams. Tebow is regarded by many as the Greatest College Football player ever.
Tebow is also a devout Christian. His parents are Christian Missionaries to the Phillipines, and they homeschooled Tim. In fact, while pregnant with Tim, doctors recommended that Tim's mom have an abortion due to the fact that they were expecting Tim to be still born. Tim's mom refused to have the abortion and Tim was born alive and well.
In the 2010 NFL draft, then Broncos coach Josh McDaniels, traded up into the first round to select Tebow, much to the chagrin of the so called football experts. The experts said Tebow's skills wouldn't translate to the NFL...his throwing motion is too long, he's not accurate enough, he runs too much and he's going to get hurt. But, McDaniels took a chance because he liked Tebow's intangibles...his leadership skills, will to win and eagerness to work harder than just about anyone.
Well, late in the 2010 season, the Broncos were mired in a 3-10 season and they fired McDaniels. At the time, Broncos fans were clamoring to see Tebow, so the Broncos threw them a bone and started Tebow the last 3 games of the 2010 season. Tebow went 1-2 during those starts and showed potential. Broncos fans believed Tebow was destined to be the QB for the 2011 season.
Then the NFL strike happened and Tebow missed the entire offseason of work with the new coaching staff and his receivers. When the season started, Kyle Orton was installed as the starting QB because he was better in a "traditional" NFL offense. Four and a half games into this season, the Broncos were 1-3 and getting spanked by the San Diego Chargers. The Broncos switched to Tebow at QB and he nearly led them to a victory over the Chargers. Tebow was named the starter, and won his opener against Miami, leading an improbable comeback from 15 points down in the final 5 minutes to tie the game, and then win it in overtime. A week later the Broncos and Tebow got embarassed by the Detroit Lions.
At this point, the coaching staff made a change in the offensive philosophy of the team. They abandoned the "traditional" NFL offense and started running a more "college" style offense that Tebow excels in. The outcome of this change is a 3 game winning streak to get back to 5-5 and the Broncos are officially in the playoff hunt. Tebow hasn't been great, but he's been good when needed, like last night against the Jets. Tebow and the offense had been stymied all night, but with 5 minutes left and 95 yards to go, Tebow led the team down the field and ran the final 20 yards to score the go ahead touchdown, leading the Broncos to a 17-13 win.
Tebow's critics, and there are many, say emphatically, that he will never be a successful QB in the NFL. They are saying the same things that they said about him when he came out of college. His throwing motion is too long, his passes are too inaccurate, and he's going to get hurt running the ball so much. And, to some degree they are right, he does have his flaws as a QB. But there's another side to Tebow. His teammates want to play better when he's in there. Since he's been the starting QB, the offensive line as improved, and the defense has really stepped up their play. I believe it's because they know that if they can just keep the game close, Tebow will find a way to win it at the end.
I don't know why so many people are critical of Tim Tebow. His story is remarkable, and he's a genuinely good person by all accounts. Everyone who know his says it's impossible not to like and root for him. I know some people are turned off by the fact that he's out in the open about his faith in Jesus Christ. I believe old school football guys don't want to admit that a guy can play the game the way Tebow plays it and be successful. Whatever the reason so many people dislike Tebow, I for one don't think they should count him out. Tim Tebow is a guy who has proven his doubters wrong every time.
And frankly, how can you go against a guy that has the Bible as his playbook? I couldn't resist throwing that one in there. I don't think I've ever rooted as hard for a player to do well as I am rooting for Tim Tebow to do well. I know that I've never seriously prayed for an NFL football player, but I do pray for Tim Tebow. I think he's a young man who has been given great gifts and now he has a forum to do a lot of great things with those gifts...great things that go beyond the football field. He's already building a hospital in the Phillipines. Selfishly, I want to see him succeed as an NFL QB because I want the Broncos to win another Super Bowl. But most importantly, I want Tim Tebow to be successful so I can use him as an example for my kids of what faith and hard work can lead to. My 8 year old already thinks Tim Tebow is great and I want to see that continue.
So here's hoping Tim Tebow and the Broncos continue this run for the foreseeable future, and here's hoping the Denver Broncos leadership has the foresight and vision to continue to support Tim Tebow.
Tebow is also a devout Christian. His parents are Christian Missionaries to the Phillipines, and they homeschooled Tim. In fact, while pregnant with Tim, doctors recommended that Tim's mom have an abortion due to the fact that they were expecting Tim to be still born. Tim's mom refused to have the abortion and Tim was born alive and well.
In the 2010 NFL draft, then Broncos coach Josh McDaniels, traded up into the first round to select Tebow, much to the chagrin of the so called football experts. The experts said Tebow's skills wouldn't translate to the NFL...his throwing motion is too long, he's not accurate enough, he runs too much and he's going to get hurt. But, McDaniels took a chance because he liked Tebow's intangibles...his leadership skills, will to win and eagerness to work harder than just about anyone.
Well, late in the 2010 season, the Broncos were mired in a 3-10 season and they fired McDaniels. At the time, Broncos fans were clamoring to see Tebow, so the Broncos threw them a bone and started Tebow the last 3 games of the 2010 season. Tebow went 1-2 during those starts and showed potential. Broncos fans believed Tebow was destined to be the QB for the 2011 season.
Then the NFL strike happened and Tebow missed the entire offseason of work with the new coaching staff and his receivers. When the season started, Kyle Orton was installed as the starting QB because he was better in a "traditional" NFL offense. Four and a half games into this season, the Broncos were 1-3 and getting spanked by the San Diego Chargers. The Broncos switched to Tebow at QB and he nearly led them to a victory over the Chargers. Tebow was named the starter, and won his opener against Miami, leading an improbable comeback from 15 points down in the final 5 minutes to tie the game, and then win it in overtime. A week later the Broncos and Tebow got embarassed by the Detroit Lions.
At this point, the coaching staff made a change in the offensive philosophy of the team. They abandoned the "traditional" NFL offense and started running a more "college" style offense that Tebow excels in. The outcome of this change is a 3 game winning streak to get back to 5-5 and the Broncos are officially in the playoff hunt. Tebow hasn't been great, but he's been good when needed, like last night against the Jets. Tebow and the offense had been stymied all night, but with 5 minutes left and 95 yards to go, Tebow led the team down the field and ran the final 20 yards to score the go ahead touchdown, leading the Broncos to a 17-13 win.
Tebow's critics, and there are many, say emphatically, that he will never be a successful QB in the NFL. They are saying the same things that they said about him when he came out of college. His throwing motion is too long, his passes are too inaccurate, and he's going to get hurt running the ball so much. And, to some degree they are right, he does have his flaws as a QB. But there's another side to Tebow. His teammates want to play better when he's in there. Since he's been the starting QB, the offensive line as improved, and the defense has really stepped up their play. I believe it's because they know that if they can just keep the game close, Tebow will find a way to win it at the end.
I don't know why so many people are critical of Tim Tebow. His story is remarkable, and he's a genuinely good person by all accounts. Everyone who know his says it's impossible not to like and root for him. I know some people are turned off by the fact that he's out in the open about his faith in Jesus Christ. I believe old school football guys don't want to admit that a guy can play the game the way Tebow plays it and be successful. Whatever the reason so many people dislike Tebow, I for one don't think they should count him out. Tim Tebow is a guy who has proven his doubters wrong every time.
And frankly, how can you go against a guy that has the Bible as his playbook? I couldn't resist throwing that one in there. I don't think I've ever rooted as hard for a player to do well as I am rooting for Tim Tebow to do well. I know that I've never seriously prayed for an NFL football player, but I do pray for Tim Tebow. I think he's a young man who has been given great gifts and now he has a forum to do a lot of great things with those gifts...great things that go beyond the football field. He's already building a hospital in the Phillipines. Selfishly, I want to see him succeed as an NFL QB because I want the Broncos to win another Super Bowl. But most importantly, I want Tim Tebow to be successful so I can use him as an example for my kids of what faith and hard work can lead to. My 8 year old already thinks Tim Tebow is great and I want to see that continue.
So here's hoping Tim Tebow and the Broncos continue this run for the foreseeable future, and here's hoping the Denver Broncos leadership has the foresight and vision to continue to support Tim Tebow.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
The Weirdest Round Ever
It's been an unseasonably warm October, and as such, I've been fortunate enough to still be playing fairly frequent rounds of golf. I generally play well this time of year because I just don't care as much about my score...maybe I should find a way to take that into the rest of the season?
So, I've been playing quite well lately...no super low rounds, but a lot of consistently good rounds of golf. Yesterday afternoon, in 85 degree temperatures, I played 18 holes with my friend Joe. Little did I know when we tee'd off that it would be one of the weirdest rounds I've ever played.
I started off with a birdie at #1, but bogeyed the next hole. After 7 holes, I was 2 over par. Number 8 at my course is a 300 yard par 4, and I drove the green (it was playing down wind). I had a 45 foot eagle putt, which I made for my 2nd eagle of the golf season. So, I was back to even par. I hit a really good drive at number 9, but screwed up my 2nd shot and my chip and ended up making a bogey to shoot a 1 over par 35 on the front nine.
As I've said before on this blog, my golf course is a 9 hole, par 34. So, to play 18 holes you just go around twice, but play a different set of tees to make the course a little different. The 2nd time around, the course plays a little longer.
The 2nd nine, I started out with a par, but then bogeyed number 2...I really struggle with number 2. On #3 I hit a good drive and a good 2nd shot and made a 10 foot putt for birdie, so I'm back to +1. Number 4 is a 288 yard par 4 that was playing into the wind. I don't always hit my driver there, but since it was into a 10-15 mph wind, I used my driver. I hit the ball real hard and figured I'd be 10-15 yards short of the green. As we walked to the green, we saw my ball sitting 6 feet from the hole. I made that putt for my 2nd eagle of the day, and now I'm 1 under par for the day.
I parred #5, then hit a terrible tee shot on the par 3 sixth hole. I chunked my chip shot into the bunker, blasted out and then lipped out my bogey putt, for a double bogey...back to +1. I parred 7 and then made a really good birdie at #8, so I'm back to even par. At number 9 (or 18), I hit a terrible tee shot, and had to punch out from behind a tree. I had 100 yards left for my 3rd shot and hit a really bad shot, then a bad chip and lipped out my bogey putt for my 2nd double bogey of the day.
So, in summary, I had 6 pars, 5 bogeys, 3 birdies, 2 eagle and 2 double bogeys. That adds up to the weirdest 2 over par round of my life. What did I learn? Well, there are all kinds of ways to get the ball around a golf course. Oh, and I learned that I always make my eagle putts when playing golf with Joe on unseasonably warm days in October...it has now happened the last 2 times I've played golf with Joe on unseasonably warm days in October.
So, I've been playing quite well lately...no super low rounds, but a lot of consistently good rounds of golf. Yesterday afternoon, in 85 degree temperatures, I played 18 holes with my friend Joe. Little did I know when we tee'd off that it would be one of the weirdest rounds I've ever played.
I started off with a birdie at #1, but bogeyed the next hole. After 7 holes, I was 2 over par. Number 8 at my course is a 300 yard par 4, and I drove the green (it was playing down wind). I had a 45 foot eagle putt, which I made for my 2nd eagle of the golf season. So, I was back to even par. I hit a really good drive at number 9, but screwed up my 2nd shot and my chip and ended up making a bogey to shoot a 1 over par 35 on the front nine.
As I've said before on this blog, my golf course is a 9 hole, par 34. So, to play 18 holes you just go around twice, but play a different set of tees to make the course a little different. The 2nd time around, the course plays a little longer.
The 2nd nine, I started out with a par, but then bogeyed number 2...I really struggle with number 2. On #3 I hit a good drive and a good 2nd shot and made a 10 foot putt for birdie, so I'm back to +1. Number 4 is a 288 yard par 4 that was playing into the wind. I don't always hit my driver there, but since it was into a 10-15 mph wind, I used my driver. I hit the ball real hard and figured I'd be 10-15 yards short of the green. As we walked to the green, we saw my ball sitting 6 feet from the hole. I made that putt for my 2nd eagle of the day, and now I'm 1 under par for the day.
I parred #5, then hit a terrible tee shot on the par 3 sixth hole. I chunked my chip shot into the bunker, blasted out and then lipped out my bogey putt, for a double bogey...back to +1. I parred 7 and then made a really good birdie at #8, so I'm back to even par. At number 9 (or 18), I hit a terrible tee shot, and had to punch out from behind a tree. I had 100 yards left for my 3rd shot and hit a really bad shot, then a bad chip and lipped out my bogey putt for my 2nd double bogey of the day.
So, in summary, I had 6 pars, 5 bogeys, 3 birdies, 2 eagle and 2 double bogeys. That adds up to the weirdest 2 over par round of my life. What did I learn? Well, there are all kinds of ways to get the ball around a golf course. Oh, and I learned that I always make my eagle putts when playing golf with Joe on unseasonably warm days in October...it has now happened the last 2 times I've played golf with Joe on unseasonably warm days in October.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Not the Broncos of Old
This post was actually requested by a friend/reader that lives in Colorado. So, in the interest of keeping one of my 11 readers happy, here's my blog about the Denver Broncos, and Tim Tebow.
First off, with the NFL season starting tonight, let's just face it...the Broncos are going to be terrible! If I were a bandwagon fan like Nuke and rooted for teams that win all the time, I wouldn't be a Broncos fan. I'd be a Steelers fan, and I'd probably predict a Super Bowl title. As it is, I'm predicting 4-12 for my Denver Broncos, so one more win than last season. I'm basing this on the fact that I think John Fox is a slightly better coach than Josh McDaniels, and I think the schedule is slightly easier this year.
As far as the team...it's awful. Yes, they added Von Miller at Line Backer, but he's still a rookie. And yes, Elvis Dumervil is back from injury, but they still have way too many problems. Here's the problems I see:
1 - The Defensive line is not good. Line backers are not free to do the things that they need to do if they have to tackle running backs 5 yards down the field all the time.
2 - The Offensive line is unproven. Maybe they'll surprise me, but I wouldn't want to be a Quarterback for the Broncos this season.
3 - They are still relying on Knowshon (don't call me Slowshon) Moreno as their #1 running back. The guy looks like he's running in quick sand all the time.
4 - The secondary is old.
5 - The wide receivers are unproven and probably overrated.
6 - Kyle Orton is not the long term answer at Quarterback.
So, I got to the sixth problem before I got to Quarterback, which is the position most fans want to talk about. A year ago, the Broncos drafted Tim Tebow in the 1st round. Tebow is definitely the most polarizing figure in all of football. The left in this country hates him, because he's a good, upstanding Christian kid, who was probably taken too early in the draft. The right in this country loves him for the same reasons. Tebow is definitely not the prototypical NFL Quarterback. But, it's not his fault he was taken early in the draft, and it's not his fault that the offseason was lost due to labor issues. The bottom line is that nobody deserves the criticism Tebow has gotten. If an African American QB were criticized the way Tim Tebow has been criticized, the sports media in this country would have a field day with the criticizers. But, since it's a white, Christian kid, the criticism goes largely ignored.
I hope Tim Tebow is successful. My eyes tell me he won't be, but I hope I'm wrong. I do not understand the team's decision to play Kyle Orton over Tim Tebow. We know exactly what Kyle Orton is...he's a system Quarterback who can win with a strong defense and running game. On this team, he will win 3-4 games this season. By starting Orton this season, the team is just prolonging the inevitable. They have sold way too many Tebow jersey's not to give the kid a shot. Whether it's this season or next, Tim Tebow must be given a shot to succeed in Denver. And I, for one, think that shot should come this season. Throw him out there and see if he can perform. He's surprised people his entire life...who's to say he won't surprise us once again.
So there you go...my pessimistic, rambling Broncos preseason blog. Go Team!
First off, with the NFL season starting tonight, let's just face it...the Broncos are going to be terrible! If I were a bandwagon fan like Nuke and rooted for teams that win all the time, I wouldn't be a Broncos fan. I'd be a Steelers fan, and I'd probably predict a Super Bowl title. As it is, I'm predicting 4-12 for my Denver Broncos, so one more win than last season. I'm basing this on the fact that I think John Fox is a slightly better coach than Josh McDaniels, and I think the schedule is slightly easier this year.
As far as the team...it's awful. Yes, they added Von Miller at Line Backer, but he's still a rookie. And yes, Elvis Dumervil is back from injury, but they still have way too many problems. Here's the problems I see:
1 - The Defensive line is not good. Line backers are not free to do the things that they need to do if they have to tackle running backs 5 yards down the field all the time.
2 - The Offensive line is unproven. Maybe they'll surprise me, but I wouldn't want to be a Quarterback for the Broncos this season.
3 - They are still relying on Knowshon (don't call me Slowshon) Moreno as their #1 running back. The guy looks like he's running in quick sand all the time.
4 - The secondary is old.
5 - The wide receivers are unproven and probably overrated.
6 - Kyle Orton is not the long term answer at Quarterback.
So, I got to the sixth problem before I got to Quarterback, which is the position most fans want to talk about. A year ago, the Broncos drafted Tim Tebow in the 1st round. Tebow is definitely the most polarizing figure in all of football. The left in this country hates him, because he's a good, upstanding Christian kid, who was probably taken too early in the draft. The right in this country loves him for the same reasons. Tebow is definitely not the prototypical NFL Quarterback. But, it's not his fault he was taken early in the draft, and it's not his fault that the offseason was lost due to labor issues. The bottom line is that nobody deserves the criticism Tebow has gotten. If an African American QB were criticized the way Tim Tebow has been criticized, the sports media in this country would have a field day with the criticizers. But, since it's a white, Christian kid, the criticism goes largely ignored.
I hope Tim Tebow is successful. My eyes tell me he won't be, but I hope I'm wrong. I do not understand the team's decision to play Kyle Orton over Tim Tebow. We know exactly what Kyle Orton is...he's a system Quarterback who can win with a strong defense and running game. On this team, he will win 3-4 games this season. By starting Orton this season, the team is just prolonging the inevitable. They have sold way too many Tebow jersey's not to give the kid a shot. Whether it's this season or next, Tim Tebow must be given a shot to succeed in Denver. And I, for one, think that shot should come this season. Throw him out there and see if he can perform. He's surprised people his entire life...who's to say he won't surprise us once again.
So there you go...my pessimistic, rambling Broncos preseason blog. Go Team!
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Why Not Jack?
It's pretty much official now that I'm a weekend blogger. When I get home at night, I just don't feel like being on the computer. Next week, I'll be on business travel all week, and then we'll be outta town for the weekend, so I might get one more blog in before a pretty long hiatus by my standards. Though, if my energy level allows, I may blog while I'm on my trip.
Anyway, this blog is not about my lack of blogging. This blog is about the pick of Tiger Woods to be on the US President's Cup team. Fred Couples, the team captain, said that Tiger is the best player forever and had to be picked. I hate to disagree with Fred Couples...he's a likable guy, but he's flat out wrong with this pick. Tiger is not the Tiger of old...Tiger isn't even in the top 15 Americans right now. I could name off at least 15 Americans that I'd rather have on the team before I get to Tiger. In his last 2 events, he finished T-37th and missed the cut...those finishes coming off 4 months off due to injury.
But, if I use Couples' logic, then why not take Jack Nicklaus for the team. Sure, he's in his 70's now and can't play anywhere near how he used to play, but Jack Nicklaus has more career wins than Tiger Woods and more career majors. Jack is obviously the greatest player ever, so shouldn't he be on the team too?
I wish I could take credit for that one, but a friend at work made that point last week. I thought it was great, so I used it. This pick doesn't make any sense to me, and it's not just because I'm not a Tiger fan. I enjoy the President's Cup and I'd like to see America win. I believe that to do that, we need our current 12 best players on the team...not our 12 best of all time.
Anyway, this blog is not about my lack of blogging. This blog is about the pick of Tiger Woods to be on the US President's Cup team. Fred Couples, the team captain, said that Tiger is the best player forever and had to be picked. I hate to disagree with Fred Couples...he's a likable guy, but he's flat out wrong with this pick. Tiger is not the Tiger of old...Tiger isn't even in the top 15 Americans right now. I could name off at least 15 Americans that I'd rather have on the team before I get to Tiger. In his last 2 events, he finished T-37th and missed the cut...those finishes coming off 4 months off due to injury.
But, if I use Couples' logic, then why not take Jack Nicklaus for the team. Sure, he's in his 70's now and can't play anywhere near how he used to play, but Jack Nicklaus has more career wins than Tiger Woods and more career majors. Jack is obviously the greatest player ever, so shouldn't he be on the team too?
I wish I could take credit for that one, but a friend at work made that point last week. I thought it was great, so I used it. This pick doesn't make any sense to me, and it's not just because I'm not a Tiger fan. I enjoy the President's Cup and I'd like to see America win. I believe that to do that, we need our current 12 best players on the team...not our 12 best of all time.
Friday, August 19, 2011
I'm still choking!
Today was my annual trip to Finkbine Golf Course with a group of golf friends. Finkbine is the golf course for the University of Iowa, and is one of my favorite courses. Playing at Indian Creek Country Club this year, I haven't gotten to play golf at many courses besides my club, which is ok. But, my club is unique...it's short with very small greens, so going to a place like Finkbine which is longer and has huge, sloping greens, can be a bit of a shock.
Today was a beautiful day...85 degrees, light humidity and not much wind. We tee'd off at 8:10 am, and finished around 12:10, so a perfect golf day...except for my game. I started out really well...in fact, I shot 35 (1 under) on the front 9. How I shot that score was a little weird though. I made 4 birdies, including a chip-in and a 50 foot bomb that would have run 10 feet by if it would have missed the hole. Really, all the breaks went my way on the front nine.
Now, I've been playing pretty solid golf lately, but I haven't shot a real low score all year. My best 18 holes this golf season is +2, which I've done 3 times. So, here I was today, going to the more difficult of the two nine's at Finkbine 1 under par. I striped my drive at 10, and that's when my brain shut off. I screwed up my approach into 10 and made bogey. Then I doubled 11, before righting the ship a bit at 12 with a par. But, then I made 3 more double bogeys, 2 bogeys and 1 birdie over the final 6 holes to shoot a 46 on the back nine, for a very mediocre 81. I really choked away a great chance for a good round.
I'm really not sure why I'm struggling to shoot low scores this season. Last year, I shot under par a couple of times, and even par a couple more times. I know I'm capable, but I seem to be getting in my own way too often this season. I know that great round is out there, and hopefully I can figure out a way to quit choking long enough to allow it to happen.
Today was a beautiful day...85 degrees, light humidity and not much wind. We tee'd off at 8:10 am, and finished around 12:10, so a perfect golf day...except for my game. I started out really well...in fact, I shot 35 (1 under) on the front 9. How I shot that score was a little weird though. I made 4 birdies, including a chip-in and a 50 foot bomb that would have run 10 feet by if it would have missed the hole. Really, all the breaks went my way on the front nine.
Now, I've been playing pretty solid golf lately, but I haven't shot a real low score all year. My best 18 holes this golf season is +2, which I've done 3 times. So, here I was today, going to the more difficult of the two nine's at Finkbine 1 under par. I striped my drive at 10, and that's when my brain shut off. I screwed up my approach into 10 and made bogey. Then I doubled 11, before righting the ship a bit at 12 with a par. But, then I made 3 more double bogeys, 2 bogeys and 1 birdie over the final 6 holes to shoot a 46 on the back nine, for a very mediocre 81. I really choked away a great chance for a good round.
I'm really not sure why I'm struggling to shoot low scores this season. Last year, I shot under par a couple of times, and even par a couple more times. I know I'm capable, but I seem to be getting in my own way too often this season. I know that great round is out there, and hopefully I can figure out a way to quit choking long enough to allow it to happen.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Match Play, Round 2
This will be the final update from my club match play tournament, because I lost my 2nd round match. We played last Thursday. I was carrying a 5 handicap and my opponent was a 6. I'm actually a 6 now...had I waited one day we would have been playing straight up. Yeah, I'm not proud of that 6 handicap...I'm just not making enough putts to shoot low scores. But...I digress. Playing straight up wouldn't have mattered much anyway, because I played terrible and my opponent played ok...ok beats terrible every time.
Last Thursday was the first of the super hot days here in eastern Iowa. The heat index was well over 100 degrees when we tee'd off at 4:15 pm. I quickly yanked my opening tee shot behind a tree and proceeded to make bogey, going 1 down. I made a lot of bogeys on the front nine, shooting 7 over par and falling 4 down. On the 2nd nine, I made a little charge, making birdie at 10 and parring the difficult 11th to get back to 2 down. But, on the next 2 holes, I lipped out putts that would have closed the match to 1 down, instead, I was 3 down with 5 to play. We halved 14 and 15, so I was dormie, meaning I was 3 down with 3 to play. I won 16, but then we pushed at 17, so I lost 2 and 1.
The gentlemen I lost to was a great guy, and I'm now rooting for him to win the whole thing. If I had to lose, I'm glad it was to him...I just wish I would have played better. It was my worst round of the year. But, I guess that's why I don't play golf for a living.
Last Thursday was the first of the super hot days here in eastern Iowa. The heat index was well over 100 degrees when we tee'd off at 4:15 pm. I quickly yanked my opening tee shot behind a tree and proceeded to make bogey, going 1 down. I made a lot of bogeys on the front nine, shooting 7 over par and falling 4 down. On the 2nd nine, I made a little charge, making birdie at 10 and parring the difficult 11th to get back to 2 down. But, on the next 2 holes, I lipped out putts that would have closed the match to 1 down, instead, I was 3 down with 5 to play. We halved 14 and 15, so I was dormie, meaning I was 3 down with 3 to play. I won 16, but then we pushed at 17, so I lost 2 and 1.
The gentlemen I lost to was a great guy, and I'm now rooting for him to win the whole thing. If I had to lose, I'm glad it was to him...I just wish I would have played better. It was my worst round of the year. But, I guess that's why I don't play golf for a living.
Monday, June 20, 2011
What Do You Expect?
Yesterday, 22 year old Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland won the U.S. Open with a record score of 16 under par, capping off the 5th straight major victory for a non-American born player...also a record. McIlroy, who plays with an interlocking grip by the way, won by 8 shots over Australian Jason Day. Robert Garrigus and Kevin Chappell were low Americans, finishing 10 shots back and in a tie for 3rd. Garrigus and Chappell are not exactly household names.
Ever since Phil Mickelson turned 40 and developed Psoriatic Arthritis, and Tiger frittered away his career, the sports media has been searching for golf's next superstar. Sure, Phil still wins every once in a while, and Tiger may still make it back, but he'll never be the same, so the media has been on the lookout for the next big thing. Rory McIlroy may be that next big thing, but there's a problem with that, according to some in the sports media...he's not American. Right now, most of the top 10 golfers in the world are from Europe, not from the good ol' U.S. of A. In fact, it's not obvious who the next great American player is, and I ask, what do you expect?
For the last 10-15 years in the U.S., we've pampered our best golfers. Most of the top teachers have created Golf Academies where the best teenage golfers attend high school and focus on golf. In a lot of circumstances, kids leave their families to attend these academies, or if they are lucky enough to have a parent with them, it's only one parent. At these academies, the kids receive great golf instruction and get told over and over again how great they are. They play in tournaments, but even if they don't win, they are told how great they are. Then these kids are recruited by colleges and told again how great they are by the college coaches. While it is true that some of the kids don't succeed at college golf, those that do leave still thinking they are super great and that life as a pro is going to be easy.
Then they get on the mini-tours and they realize how good the other guys are, and they don't know how to handle it. I would submit that they don't know how to handle it because they've spent a lot of time away from their families and have never had to face adversity. On the other hand, many of the best golfer's in the rest of the world have to scrape their way to the top. McIlroy had a great family and his dad is a really good golfer. This definitely helped him, but so did playing golf with his dad and learning to win against the guys at his club. Take another example...Y.E. Yang from South Korea is the 2009 PGA Champion and finished T-3rd at the U.S. Open. Yang didn't even pick up a club until he was 19. Or look at Yang's fellow countryman, K.J. Choi. Choi learned to play as a teenager and had to drive 3 hours to even get to a course. Face it, the rest of the world is just tougher than the young golfers are in the United States.
If we want to find the next great American golfer, we need look for the kid who was raised by both his parents, played regular high school golf, and didn't have everything handed to him. I don't know who that kid is, but I suspect we haven't heard of him yet. I think we're in for a few years of the rest of the world dominating golf until some young American kid steps up and proves he is ready to consistently compete with the big guys in Europe. Until then, as American golf fans, we have to put up with what we've created...a generation of kids who don't know how to handle adversity. Come to think of it...this seems to be true in just about every aspect of American life these days.
And that, my friends, completes my grumpy old man blog.
Ever since Phil Mickelson turned 40 and developed Psoriatic Arthritis, and Tiger frittered away his career, the sports media has been searching for golf's next superstar. Sure, Phil still wins every once in a while, and Tiger may still make it back, but he'll never be the same, so the media has been on the lookout for the next big thing. Rory McIlroy may be that next big thing, but there's a problem with that, according to some in the sports media...he's not American. Right now, most of the top 10 golfers in the world are from Europe, not from the good ol' U.S. of A. In fact, it's not obvious who the next great American player is, and I ask, what do you expect?
For the last 10-15 years in the U.S., we've pampered our best golfers. Most of the top teachers have created Golf Academies where the best teenage golfers attend high school and focus on golf. In a lot of circumstances, kids leave their families to attend these academies, or if they are lucky enough to have a parent with them, it's only one parent. At these academies, the kids receive great golf instruction and get told over and over again how great they are. They play in tournaments, but even if they don't win, they are told how great they are. Then these kids are recruited by colleges and told again how great they are by the college coaches. While it is true that some of the kids don't succeed at college golf, those that do leave still thinking they are super great and that life as a pro is going to be easy.
Then they get on the mini-tours and they realize how good the other guys are, and they don't know how to handle it. I would submit that they don't know how to handle it because they've spent a lot of time away from their families and have never had to face adversity. On the other hand, many of the best golfer's in the rest of the world have to scrape their way to the top. McIlroy had a great family and his dad is a really good golfer. This definitely helped him, but so did playing golf with his dad and learning to win against the guys at his club. Take another example...Y.E. Yang from South Korea is the 2009 PGA Champion and finished T-3rd at the U.S. Open. Yang didn't even pick up a club until he was 19. Or look at Yang's fellow countryman, K.J. Choi. Choi learned to play as a teenager and had to drive 3 hours to even get to a course. Face it, the rest of the world is just tougher than the young golfers are in the United States.
If we want to find the next great American golfer, we need look for the kid who was raised by both his parents, played regular high school golf, and didn't have everything handed to him. I don't know who that kid is, but I suspect we haven't heard of him yet. I think we're in for a few years of the rest of the world dominating golf until some young American kid steps up and proves he is ready to consistently compete with the big guys in Europe. Until then, as American golf fans, we have to put up with what we've created...a generation of kids who don't know how to handle adversity. Come to think of it...this seems to be true in just about every aspect of American life these days.
And that, my friends, completes my grumpy old man blog.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
My Golf Trip
On Saturday, I left for my annual golf trip with my friend, Stanton. Stanton and I have been friends since the 1st grade, so a long time. We try to get together and golf every year. This year, we went to Cragun's Resort near Brainerd, Minnesota. We played Dutch Legacy at Cragun's, then we went to Deacon's Lodge, and then we finished up with Bobby's Legacy at Cragun's. Actually, we finished up with Cragun's par 3 course, but that's not really golf.
Dutch Legacy: Dutch Legacy is a Robert Trent Jones Jr. design. For those who don't golf, RTJ Jr. is a fairly famous course designer. This was our opening round, and was probably the worst course of the three. That's not a knock on Dutch Legacy...it's still in my top 5 courses ever. It's just that Bobby's Legacy and Deacon's Lodge were probably the 2 best courses I've ever played. Dutch Legacy is relentless. It's a little over 6,800 yards from the back tees, and fairly narrow, but at the same time very fair. I had a little trouble, but still managed to shoot 81. Stanton, who is a much better golfer than I am shot 76. This picture is from #15. Both Stanton and I made birdie on this par 3. I hit a good iron shot and made the putt and Stanton chipped in.
Deacon's Lodge: This was my favorite course of the weekend and probably my favorite course ever. The fairways are very wide, like you would expect from an Arnold Palmer golf course. Palmer was famous for his risk/reward style of play, so it makes sense that he would design a course where the premium is not on driving, but on the 2nd shots. Once I realized the fairways were wide, I was swinging freely off the tee, and hit it great. The only thing better than my driving was the scenery...such a beautiful setting. My favorite hole is also the #1 handicap hole, the 7th. It's the ultimate risk/reward hole...you can play it safe out to the fairway and leave yourself 150 in, or you can try to carry a ravine and get inside 100 yards. I opted for safe and made my par. Deacon's Lodge ended up being my best round of the weekend...I shot 77, but still got beat by Stanton's 74. It's a good thing we weren't playing for any money. The picture here is of #12, which is a cool par 4 of 320 yards. Again, on this hole you have options...play an iron to the fairway, or try to drive the green over a marsh. The distance to the green was only 273, but I played it safe again and made par.
Bobby's Legacy: Our final round was at Bobby's Legacy, the other 18 hole gem at Cragun's. Deacon's Lodge is not affiliated with Cragun's, but was available to us in the package we got. Bobby's Legacy is also a Robert Trent Jones Jr. design, and in my opinion, was the better of the two Cragun's courses for 2 reasons...it was more fun and it was prettier. Bobby's Legacy is the only par 73 course I've ever played, and the only course with 19 holes...there is a par 3 at the end to "settle bets". The views on this course were unbelievable...probably the best was #17, which is a downhill par 4 of 427 yards. We had a forced carry of 240 over part of Stephen's Lake. I probably played my best golf on Bobby's, but had a few bad shots that killed my score. I shot an 80 for the day. Stanton played the best round of golf I've ever seen, making 12 pars, 5 birdies and only 1 bogey for a 69 (-4). To top it off, he birdied the 19th hole. It was fun to watch someone play that well. The picture here is from #4, which is an uphill par 4 with lots of bunkers. A very fun hole.
Oh, I did manage to shoot and even par 27 on the par 3 course, and beat Stanton by 1 shot for my lone victory of the weekend.
This was a great trip. I think we'll go back up there next year and may take 2 other guys along so we can round out a foursome.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Match Play Madness!
A few weeks ago, I signed up for the Match Play Tournament at my golf club. Match Play is one of the craziest forms of golf. Each hole is essentially worth 1 point. If one players wins a hole, he is considered 1 UP. If the opposing player wins the next hole, the match is considered All Square. The goal is to be at least 1 UP at the end of 18...and yes, you can win in less than 18 holes.
Match Play can be extremely volatile, with wild swings in momentum, as you'll see in a minute. I haven't played much Match Play in my 25 years of golfing...in fact, it had been 15 years since I've played a match. So, when I signed up as 1 of the 64 players, I didn't know for sure what to expect. I was hoping to win a match or 2, but honestly, I had no real expectations.
Yesterday, I played my first round match. I had to give my opponent 4 shots, meaning he got a stroke on the top 4 handicap holes...if you don't understand that, it's ok. Basically, we played heads up on 14 holes, and on 4 holes, he got a 1 shot advantage.
Anyway, to the match. I wasn't too nervous, but then I gacked the first hole to go 1 DOWN, but managed to win the 2nd hole to get back to all square. After halving the 3rd hole, my opponent made a ridiculously good birdie at #4, so I'm 1 DOWN again. We halved 5 and 6, with my opponent pulling off a Seve Ballesteros like par save at #6. I lost hole 7, then 3-putted 8 and dorked up 9 to end the front 9, 3 DOWN.
At the turn, I basically gave up. I decided that there was very little chance I could win, unless I managed to play crazy good and got a little help. My opponent had a great front 9, beating me straight up, by 1 shot. So, I went to the #10 tee pretty relaxed (note that my course is a 9 hole course, so #10 is also #1, but we play from farther back the 2nd time around).
The 2nd nine started great for me, with a birdie and the match was back to 2 DOWN. Hole 11 is a 220 yard par 3, and I striped my tee shot to 8 feet...I missed the birdie putt, but the par got me back to 1 DOWN. Another par at 12 and now I'm All Square. On the 13th hole, I hit a great drive and my opponent put his tee shot in the water. After his drop, my opponent hit his 3rd shot to 4 feet for what looked like a par. I hit my approach to 10 feet and made the birdie putt...all of the sudden I'm 1 UP. We traded wins at holes 14-16, so we were All Square going to 17. My opponent struggled with 17 and 18, and I managed 2 pars to win the match 2 UP. I shot even par over the last 9 holes...which is pretty good for me. I played crazy good and got a little help.
Overall, we only halved 4 holes the entire match. Luckily for me, I got some momentum the 2nd 9 and carried it to the win. Most importantly though, I had a great time. The gentlemen I played against is a great guy, so it was fun to get to meet him as well. I don't play real competition very often on the golf course, so this was fun. I'm really excited for round 2. I still don't have any expectations, but I am thrilled that I get to play another match.
Match Play can be extremely volatile, with wild swings in momentum, as you'll see in a minute. I haven't played much Match Play in my 25 years of golfing...in fact, it had been 15 years since I've played a match. So, when I signed up as 1 of the 64 players, I didn't know for sure what to expect. I was hoping to win a match or 2, but honestly, I had no real expectations.
Yesterday, I played my first round match. I had to give my opponent 4 shots, meaning he got a stroke on the top 4 handicap holes...if you don't understand that, it's ok. Basically, we played heads up on 14 holes, and on 4 holes, he got a 1 shot advantage.
Anyway, to the match. I wasn't too nervous, but then I gacked the first hole to go 1 DOWN, but managed to win the 2nd hole to get back to all square. After halving the 3rd hole, my opponent made a ridiculously good birdie at #4, so I'm 1 DOWN again. We halved 5 and 6, with my opponent pulling off a Seve Ballesteros like par save at #6. I lost hole 7, then 3-putted 8 and dorked up 9 to end the front 9, 3 DOWN.
At the turn, I basically gave up. I decided that there was very little chance I could win, unless I managed to play crazy good and got a little help. My opponent had a great front 9, beating me straight up, by 1 shot. So, I went to the #10 tee pretty relaxed (note that my course is a 9 hole course, so #10 is also #1, but we play from farther back the 2nd time around).
The 2nd nine started great for me, with a birdie and the match was back to 2 DOWN. Hole 11 is a 220 yard par 3, and I striped my tee shot to 8 feet...I missed the birdie putt, but the par got me back to 1 DOWN. Another par at 12 and now I'm All Square. On the 13th hole, I hit a great drive and my opponent put his tee shot in the water. After his drop, my opponent hit his 3rd shot to 4 feet for what looked like a par. I hit my approach to 10 feet and made the birdie putt...all of the sudden I'm 1 UP. We traded wins at holes 14-16, so we were All Square going to 17. My opponent struggled with 17 and 18, and I managed 2 pars to win the match 2 UP. I shot even par over the last 9 holes...which is pretty good for me. I played crazy good and got a little help.
Overall, we only halved 4 holes the entire match. Luckily for me, I got some momentum the 2nd 9 and carried it to the win. Most importantly though, I had a great time. The gentlemen I played against is a great guy, so it was fun to get to meet him as well. I don't play real competition very often on the golf course, so this was fun. I'm really excited for round 2. I still don't have any expectations, but I am thrilled that I get to play another match.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
A Shaqtastic Career
My favorite basketball player, Shaquille O'Neal, announced his retirement yesterday. After 19 seasons, 4 titles, 15 All-Star Appearances and about 200 different nicknames, "The Diesel" is done. At 39 years old, his body just can't do it anymore.
When Shaq broke into the league at 20 years old, I was in my middle school years. Shaq was this larger than life center who broke backboards, ran the fast break, and did it all with a smile. He quickly became my favorite player. In an era when it was Jordan this and Jordan that, I liked what Shaq brought to the game. He looked like he was having fun! When he went to the Lakers in 1996, it was a dream come true for me...the Lakers were my favorite team. These days, I root for players more than teams, but back then, I was a Lakers fan. Shaq won 3 of his titles with the Lakers, and 3 NBA finals MVP awards. He would pick up 1 more title with Dwayne Wade (my new favorite player) and the Miami Heat in 2006, but I'll always remember Shaq as a Laker first.
Some of his critics will say that Shaq underachieved, because he was injured a lot, often started the season overweight, and never led the league in rebounding. Even as a fan, I have to agree with that, but that's Shaq. Basketball was never the end all be all for Shaq, it was just a means and a forum for what he really wanted to do, which was entertain. In an era when athletes often wear a scowl and look miserable, it was refreshing to see someone out there who realized he was playing a game for a living.
I'll miss Shaquille O'Neal, but I'm very glad I got to witness his entire career. In tribute, here are the top 5 Shaq nicknames (most of which he gave himself).
5 - Superman
4 - The Big Shaqtus (when he was traded to Phoenix)
3 - Shaq Fu
2 - The Big Aristotle
1 - The Diesel
When Shaq broke into the league at 20 years old, I was in my middle school years. Shaq was this larger than life center who broke backboards, ran the fast break, and did it all with a smile. He quickly became my favorite player. In an era when it was Jordan this and Jordan that, I liked what Shaq brought to the game. He looked like he was having fun! When he went to the Lakers in 1996, it was a dream come true for me...the Lakers were my favorite team. These days, I root for players more than teams, but back then, I was a Lakers fan. Shaq won 3 of his titles with the Lakers, and 3 NBA finals MVP awards. He would pick up 1 more title with Dwayne Wade (my new favorite player) and the Miami Heat in 2006, but I'll always remember Shaq as a Laker first.
Some of his critics will say that Shaq underachieved, because he was injured a lot, often started the season overweight, and never led the league in rebounding. Even as a fan, I have to agree with that, but that's Shaq. Basketball was never the end all be all for Shaq, it was just a means and a forum for what he really wanted to do, which was entertain. In an era when athletes often wear a scowl and look miserable, it was refreshing to see someone out there who realized he was playing a game for a living.
I'll miss Shaquille O'Neal, but I'm very glad I got to witness his entire career. In tribute, here are the top 5 Shaq nicknames (most of which he gave himself).
5 - Superman
4 - The Big Shaqtus (when he was traded to Phoenix)
3 - Shaq Fu
2 - The Big Aristotle
1 - The Diesel
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
I'm Getting Old!
If you are a golfer, this blog will interest you...if not, well, you can read on if you'd like.
Tonight, I bought a 5 wood with a gift card I got from my mother-in-law for my birthday. The 5 wood brings me dangerously close to the true old man club, the 7 wood. I now have 4 clubs in my bag with head covers...and it makes me feel old. When I was a kid, all the old guys had 4 or 5 clubs in their bags with head covers, while us "real players" had 2...at most. Never mind that the old guys used to kick my butt...I looked cooler.
I remember when I was in high school and I could rip my 2 iron...now I don't have a 2 iron, or a 3 iron in my bag. I have a hybrid, which is a cross between an iron and a wood. Everybody says that woods and hybrids are easier to hit, and they are probably right, but it doesn't change the fact that it makes me feel old and less cool.
But, I do know that I'm a better golfer now than I was in high school. The problem is, I don't feel as cool as I did then with my 2 head cover set. It's interesting, because I got reminded today about pride and this is just another reminder that I should have no pride, and just accept how things are. The truth of how things are is I'm probably going to be a better golfer and have more fun with a 5 wood in my bag than without. And...well, if I look a little dorky to the teenagers with 2 irons in their bags, I guess I just have to be ok with that.
Tonight, I bought a 5 wood with a gift card I got from my mother-in-law for my birthday. The 5 wood brings me dangerously close to the true old man club, the 7 wood. I now have 4 clubs in my bag with head covers...and it makes me feel old. When I was a kid, all the old guys had 4 or 5 clubs in their bags with head covers, while us "real players" had 2...at most. Never mind that the old guys used to kick my butt...I looked cooler.
I remember when I was in high school and I could rip my 2 iron...now I don't have a 2 iron, or a 3 iron in my bag. I have a hybrid, which is a cross between an iron and a wood. Everybody says that woods and hybrids are easier to hit, and they are probably right, but it doesn't change the fact that it makes me feel old and less cool.
But, I do know that I'm a better golfer now than I was in high school. The problem is, I don't feel as cool as I did then with my 2 head cover set. It's interesting, because I got reminded today about pride and this is just another reminder that I should have no pride, and just accept how things are. The truth of how things are is I'm probably going to be a better golfer and have more fun with a 5 wood in my bag than without. And...well, if I look a little dorky to the teenagers with 2 irons in their bags, I guess I just have to be ok with that.
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