Up and Down

An interesting E (70) for Kevin Streelman @ the Frys.com Open. http://bit.ly/1nEe6w.

I'm surprised he didn't withdraw, or break any clubs.

Question of the Day

Would it be weird to purchase a chair for my office and neglect the standard issue offering?

Laughingstock

UVA football is atrocious. Without delving into details, I hold the coaching staff fully accountable, as we have talented athletes who are trapped in the first year implementation of a spread offence, which is being sabotaged/watered-down by Groh. Also (one last rant), how do you come out in the spread against W&M, instead of running it down their throat to a 14+ point lead, before implementing the spread? We compleletely negated out athletic superiority.

If/when/once Groh is fired, the popular replacement is Mike London (Richmond). Personally, I want no part of any coach from the Al Groh lineage. My choices to replace Al Groh:

1. Chris Peterson -Boise State - Would he leave a perennial top 15 team for a rebuilding assignment?
2. Troy Calhoun - Air Force - Former service academy coaches are favorably viewed at UVA
3. Paul Johnson/Tom O'Brien - GT/NCSU - We should ahve hired PJ two years ago, I knew he'd be successful @ GT, who are scary good this year. 0% chance either leaves for UVA.
4. Chris Beatty - WVU - It is only a matter of time before he gets a HC gig.

I don't want:
1. Phil Fulmer - Does not fit the UVA xcoaching persona, lauded by the same contingent who wanted Bobby Knight to replace Dave Leitao
2. Any assistant coach from USC
3. Terry Bowden

Strasburg and the Nats

That may be the only time I combine those words. With just over a day left, I'm disappointed the Nats haven't signed Strasburg, although they've offered them a 'record deal'. I'd split my blame 70/30% between the Nats and Boras.

Should the Nats not sign Strasburg, it will be the second consecutive year they do not sign their first round draft pick. By drafting SS #1, they knew he'd command a record deal which would surpass an incremental increase from the current record of $10.5m/yr. The corresponding positives (ticket & jersey sales, conversation) would outweigh the looming negatives if he gets off the hook.

Boras could care less if he blows up baseball to fatten his pockets. He's malicious.

Back in Action

After a very important layoff.

Not overly enthusiastic about the PGA Championship. Essentially out of the running for my golf pools, and I'm not inspired by Hazelbeem. The course is long, I get it.

I was miffed when I attempted to download the PGA iPhone application, and it was $1.99? No other major charges for their application (even the Masters, which provides coverage not on TV), but the PGA is trying to cash in? If you have 10,000 people purchase the application, you've made @$6,000. Additionally, their online tracker is miserable.

Pick(s)? - Don't really care, but we picked Dustin Johnson in our pool.

The Open - 2009

7:00 AM the Thursday of the Open competes with Christmas morning. There is no better way to start a day. Too bad the coverage on TBS is like a toaster dropped on one's foot, initial pain, ultimately numbing to resigned acceptance. Ernie Johnson is terrible.

Our (belated) picks.

2. Camilo Villegas
1. Graeme McDowell

Halfway There

"THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 02, 2006

Rub My Face In It Later

Lucas Glover is going to be one hell of a professional golfer. I think he wins at least two Majors by the end of the decade."

Congratulations to LG, a first-time Major Championship winner at Bethpage. Please drop the arrogant/sulking act when you are playing poorly (dragging the driver behind your body as you walk off the tee), one Curtis Strange a lifetime is enough.

U.S Open - 2009

You'd expect Bethpage Black, stretched to 7400 yards, to require length off the tee to be competitive. However, 2002 results deliver a different portrayal, as shorter hitters (with the exception of TW) fared extremely well (Maggert, Hoch, Mayfair had top ten finishes). Length will play a factor in 2009, but on account of the rainy weeks leading up to the event. If Bethpage receives rain, expect much of the same.

I remember leaving work in 2002 to watch the Friday round, which consisted of Sergio Garcia regripping for 65% of the telecast I was working a job I hated and had lunch by myself at Chili's. Easily the most miserable lunch of my life.

Aside from the presumptive favorite, TW, other potential winners.

2. Graeme McDowell - A European always makes a run (Nick Dougherty). People are focused on McIlroy, Stenson, etc., but McDowell is playing well and poised for a competitive Major.

1. Dustin Johnson - I'll be wagering on Johnson. He's the five tool golfer (drives with length, drives with accuracy, excellent irons, good short game, good putter) and has the confidence to match.

Also, golfers who won't win.

2. Angel Cabrera - Playing with Tiger Thursday/Friday is a tough draw. TW ain't Kenny Perry.

1. Paul Casey - He's overcome ill-spoken comments from his past, but New York residents have a long memory.



Also, congratulations to Cameron Yancey for qualifying. He's a product of the VSGA and played at UVA, and was a frequent competitor during my junior golf 'career'. I wasn't aware he was still playing.

Common Sense Addendum

To continue my crotchety rant, on the $20 CakeLove gift certificate, the expiration date was 'Jun 10', which required a follow-up call to ensure they meant June 2010, and I didn't have a gift certificate that expired five days after purchase. Why would you even include an expiration date?

I called Macy's to order a curio (yep) and they essentially don't sell the model we chose. While on their website, the wait for delivery is at least 90 days. They have a display model at our local mall, but they won't sell it to you. Great idea to have a display of something you can't buy.

I look for Jim Furyk to win at The Memorial, and I'm exstatic Virginia baseball is still alive in the Super Regionals (@ Old Miss).

Common Sense

Where has it gone? Two examples...

Last night we ordered a birthday cake from CakeLove, and when we went to pick it up, they hadn't made it. Awesome. In lieu, they scrambled to slap a birthday message on a different cake, which had most likely been in the display for days (it tasted like it) and give us a $20 gift certificate on a $50 cake. Thanks for the $10 cake (we didn''t order) and 'enticement' to come back to your miserable store. When did refunds become verboten.

Today at the golf course (after being annoyed when the cart vermin approached the car to take my clubs, don't ever a.)approach b.)touch my clubs) I was short on balls and picked out a sleeve of Titleist Pro V1s.

Guy working register: "If you like the Titleist, you should really buy a sleeve of Nike (whatever). They even come with two additional balls free."

So...

1.) Did I ask for a golf ball suggestion?
2.) Are you insinuating I'm a bad golfer, and a sleeve won't cut it for 18?
3.) I've played Titleist for 20+ years, you see me rifling through the sleeves, avoiding the Snack Shoppe 7s, for a sleeve of 3s, so I appear to be open to the hard sell on the Nikes?

Anyone know how to avoid the 'cart vermin' who spitshine your clubs after a round? I'm going to start wrapping 3-5 of my clubs with toilet paper coming up 18.

Producing v. Consuming

I've been overly marred in internet consuming, time to produce.

Was able to get in two rounds of golf over the weekend. I'm really enjoying the game with new fitted irons. I highly recommend anyone who takes an interest in the game do the same. I can't believe it took me 20 years to get fitted. New I need to get fitted for woods. I'm tiring of my 907, and actually swung the Cleveland Launcher well. We'll see.

With a nod to myofficialthoughts.blogspot.com, some Memorial Day fantasticism.

These Napkins are Really Thin

I really enjoy shoestring fries.

The Masters - Friday

My team, which hanging in the peloton, fell victim to a peloton crash, and will be nursing their wounds over the weekend, not in Augusta.

The Masters - Draft

Through early in the afternoon, my team is still riding in the peloton, with five under par, grouped between -4 and -1 (O' Hair, MA Jimenez, Ogilvy, Karlsson, Cink) and three hanging tough (O. Wilson, J. Rose, Pat Perez).

The Masters - Thursday

- I cannot wait to see the highlights of Larry Mize's round.

- Course appears to be perfect, which means the weather is cooperating, low/no winds, course is soft/receptive.

- TW does not look comfortable. He's backing away from many shots, and appears to have an upright stance, which conflicts with a one-plane swing.

- I enjoy watching the game of Jeev Milkha Singh. He maximizes his potential from tee to green, but is an amazing putter.

- Good for Chad Campbell running it by on 18. Never up...

- Thursday means little in respect to The Masters outcome. In addition to being a beautiful course, Augusta National is the most malleable course, over the course of four days. I expect conditions to firm as the week continues, which is not coincidental. The only impediment to molding the course is percipitation.

- I ordered personalized stationery yesterday, with the purpose of starting my letter writing campaign for Practice Round tickets.

The Masters 2009 - Picks

I hate to admit, but I ain't riding the Paul Casey train. Its too full.

Dark Horse - Pat Perez (4)
Middling - Nick Watney (2), Sean O'Hair (3)
Favorites - Stewart Cink (1)

The Masters

Tomorrow, what an amazing day. Opening day at The Masters. I really enjoyed watching today's Par 3 Contest. The cynical RRD would mutter how they have overdone the 'bring your kid to a Major' Day, but you see how genuinely happy the pros are with their families and can't help but smile. Nothing related to The Masters puts me in a bad mood, not Greg and Chrissy, nothing. Great components of Wednesday's masterpiece:

- Watching the Big Three (Nicklaus, Player, Palmer)
- Jack grinding over putts
- Faldo holing a 30 footer, which went 15 feet in each direction
- The Masters Draft
- Watching with glee as the person who drafted the Par 3 winner laments
- Needling the guy who picks a golfer not playing (David Toms earnings at the Shreveport four ball don't count)

Tomorrow cannot arrive soon enough.

There is a place in the world for 60 Minutes

Andy Rooney, and what else? I was moved by the heartfelt story of The Soloist. Beyond the story of Mr. Ayres and Mr. Lopez, 60 Minutes took a quarter hour to tell a story, beyond standard reports (all breadth, no depth). From exposition to conclusion, the relationship of the two men drew me in, an example of quality reporting. I eased into my couch and simply watched, laptop, magazines, books (2), and phones at bay. A small mention of the affiliated book and movie, the story centered on the journey of Mr. Ayers, and didn't sensationalize or predict an outcome. It painted in plain and clear detail, and was refreshing and though-provking, simply excellent.

Refusal and Redemption

Refusal: To follow the Wizzzzzards until they completely revamp the team. I watched in disgust Sunday as they eked out a win over Sacramento, an inch away from blowing an eight point lead with 1:20 to play. Lifeless, listless, hopeless. If you are going to play so poorly, bring in Sean Singletary, Roy Hibbert, and Jeff Green (maybe Mutumbo?) to please the locals. Or lure Rod Strikland out of retirement (hot dogs 1/2 off).

Redemption: Leitao out at UVA. I've never paid so scant attention to a UVA basketball season, which has tempered my excitement for the NCAAs. I blame him for the lost season. His recruiting is marginal, he cannot develop players, deploys an inconsistent rotation, and has no gameplan. Strike four. The names being floated as replacements I rank as follows:

1. Tubby
2. Miller (Xavier again?)
3. Capel (Blake Griffin makes anyone look good)
4. Mike Montgomery, Rick Barnes, Mark Few (all mentioned in prior UVA searches)
5. Terry Holland
56. Jeff Jones
9532. Pete Gillen

Since when?

Looking at the alternates for the Puerto Rican Open presented by Banco Popular, I'd be hard pressed to tell you if the tournament was occurring in 2009 or 1993.

Alternates
Freeman, Robin
Hulbert, Mike
Clearwater, Keith
Schulz, Ted
Peoples, David
Ogrin, David
Clark II, Michael
Henke, Nolan
Dodds, Trevor
Tryba, Ted