| one for the ages aged |
this is not normally something i write about here, but i wanted to take a moment and thank rocco mediate and tiger woods for a few days of golf excitement. it was so much fun to watch – almost made being unemployed worthwhile. back and forth, back and forth. tiger doing what he always does, rocco just hitting shot after shot with seemingly carefree abandon.
doug pensinger/getty images from espn.com
i was a jack nicklaus fan from ‘73 or so, and had never found another golfer for which i’d say, “he’s my man.” i think rocco’s “my man” now - nothing against tiger, of course, he’s simply got the rest of the world rooting for him. and i must not have the killer instinct: on monday, i was thinking that, if i was tiger, there’s no way i couldn’t let rocco win. i mean, tiger’s won EVERYTHING, and this us open victory would have meant the world to rocco.
anyway, if you missed it, your loss. after saturday, you thought nothing could top saturday. after sunday, you thought nothing could top sunday. then came monday – and they were tied again after eighteen. a playoff after a playoff??? my nerves were probably as frayed as rocco’s…
almost like nicklaus and watson back in the british open in, what – 1977 or so? they shot the same scores in rounds 1, 2 and 3, then tom did jack one better on sunday. and they were in the same group for all rounds, i think – and then, on sunday, on eighteen even, jack nailed his birdie putt of 60 feet or so to pull even before watson sank his 3-4 footer to win.
old memories, with a few more new ones added. where would we be without them?
And Tiger did all that with a broken leg, can you believe that?
i know. and he really didn’t let on much about it or use it as a crutch (pun intended). i heard today he’s out for the rest of the season. i certainly hope he hasn’t damaged it too much, to the point where it’s career-limiting.
rocco has apparently come back (pun again intended) from some severe problems with his back, so it was like two invalids going at it. quite a show. glad i got to see a good bit of it.
mr
Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods are standing at the throne of heaven. God looks at them and says, “Before granting you a place at my side, I must ask you what you have learned, what you believe in.”
God asks Arnie first: “What do you believe?” Arnie thinks long and hard, looks God in the eye, and says, “I believe in hard work, and in staying true to family and friends. I believe in giving. I was lucky, but I always tried to do right by my fans.”
God can’t help but see the essential goodness of Palmer, and offers him a seat to his left. Then God turns to Nicklaus and says, “What do you believe?”
Jack says, “I believe passion, discipline, courage and honor are the fundamentals of life. Like Arnold, I believe in hard work. I, too, have been lucky, but win or lose, I’ve always tried to be a true sportsman, both on and off the playing fields.”
God is greatly moved by Jack’s high-pitched eloquence, and he offers him a seat to his right.
Finally, God turns to Woods: “And you, Tiger, what do you believe?”
Tiger replies, “I believe you’re in my seat.”
mr