Jack’s Blog

For those readers who frequented this site yesterday, you probably know what my feeling is.  Bad day.  Really bad day.  To watch Nick give away his three-stroke lead - on the very first hole (he double bogeyed & Dustin Johnson birdied to pull into a tie) - might have signaled Nick’s day wasn’t going to end as well as the day prior.  His misery, though, was more drawn out than what his playing partner, D. Johnson, would experience - but that’s another story for a blog on golf’s rules.  Note: That blog won’t be posted by me as I don’t know or pretend to understand some of the rules of that sport.

As I mentioned, to watch Nick unravel was painful, but not to be able to witness it was even worse.  I checked the paper this morning which said TNT’s coverage would start at 8:00am Pacific time, but that CBS’ coverage wouldn’t start until 1:00pm, joining the tournament in progress after a 49ers preseason football game.  Was a preseason football game more exciting and a greater moneymaker than the final round of the PGA?  Evidently.

This is one of those times that personal preference and emotion got the better of me.  Would I have been upset had Nick not been the leader at the start of the day?  Probably, because through the years, I’ve come to appreciate and enjoy golf, especially when it’s played by the best in the world, more than a somewhat meaningless preseason football game.  I have to admit that there was a day when I’d rather a re-run of a football game would excited me more than watching golf.  Maybe it’s called old age, maybe maturity, maybe expanding my interests.

However, I became more frantic after my friend, Peter Sharkey (see 6/15/10 for a blog on Peter’s induction into a local Hall-of-Fame), called me and was giving me stroke-by-stroke commentary.  Somehow, he was getting the tourney on some remote channel that I couldn’t find, although I searched through about 700 channels - have I ever mentioned that I’m technologically-challenged?  Since I had a meeting with one of my artists for C.U.T.E. Baby Gifts at 1:00pm (please go to www.CuteBabyNameGifts.com for information on the best, personalized, unique baby - and toddler - gifts you’ll ever find), I gave up searching and drove off to my meeting.

By the time I returned, Nick was so far out of contention, they weren’t even showing him.  It wasn’t until much later that, while he was still in a first place tie (heading into the par 3 7th hole), there was a disturbance that caused him to block his tee shot - into Lake Michigan.  It was too late to check and even googling didn’t help uncover what occurred.   The questions remain, “Did Nick succumb to the pressure of leading a major for the first time, did the crowd disturbance ruin his day (he triple bogeyed the 7th and bogeyed both the 8th and 9th), or did he simply fall out of the three-day zone he was in?

One thing about sports - especially individual sports like golf - there will be another day and another tournament.  For Nick Watney, at age 29, there will be many, many more.  Some day, he might even look back on yesterday and feel it was the turning point of his career.  As Robert Allen put it:

“The future you see is the future you get.”

As anyone who reads this blog knows by now that the winner of this year’s British Open is Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa.  He won it the way most every golfer wins their first (major) tourney.  He combined the most important quality of all, talent, with consistent play, determination, wise decision-making, an ability to keep his nerves under control and focus to lead nearly wire-to-wire. 

When I heard him asked the question in an interview following Friday’s round, “Who was your role model?” I turned to the person next to me and confidently said, “Gary Player,” just as Louis gave his answer.  “Ernie Els.”  Am I that old? 

A white guy and a black caddie from South Africa - on Nelson Mandela’s 92nd birthday (which, if we didn’t know prior to the day’s play, we found out immediately after it was over and Louis wished the leader a happy birthday) - not only take the Claret Jug, but do so by steamrolling the competition, winning by 7 - yeah, seven - strokes.  Were the stars aligned just right or will we hear more from this gracious champion?

Because of the manner in which he conducted himself over the past four days, I know I’m hoping for the latter, and there is no doubt that hundreds of other fans share that feeling.  So what’s the key for a guy who missed the cut in 7 of his previous 8 majors?  Take the advice of Anthony Robbins:

“In essence, if we want to direct our lives, we must take control of our consistent actions.  It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives, but what we do consistently.” 

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Ask any of the major network executives whether they would rather have a British Open final pairing of Tiger Woods vs. Phil Mickelson or Louis Oosthuizen vs. Paul Casey and, . . . you probably don’t need for me to tell you what their choice would be.  Can’t blame them.  Popularity drives TV ratings and the American duo beat their counterparts in that category in every part of the world - including South Africa and England.

Yet, although the average fan is certainly more apt to tune in to a Tiger-Phil match-up (which is why TV ratings are higher - duh), he identifies more with the lesser known golfer.  Somehow, we think their plight resembles ours.  Although they’re still professionals and play a completely different game of golf than we do, we still think they’re experiencing the nervous feelings we would if we were in their cleats.  And maybe they are.  Unlike us, however, they possess the skills and knowledge that, if they can contain their emotions and remain “in the moment” as Louis (unlike Tiger and Phil, he’s known by his first name because nobody can pronounce his last name) put it in a post-round interview yesterday, they realize they actually can hold up the Claret Jug at the end of today’s play.

After witnessing Tiger and Phil hit amazing shots from impossible lies, we view them and their game as godlike, the same as we do when we watch what Peyton Manning can do with a football, Kobe Bryant with a basketball, Tim Lincecum with a baseball or Roger Federer with a tennis ball.  It’s somewhat like the SI swimsuit edition - beautiful places we’d like to go, but knowing we’ll never get there. 

So, in essence, rooting for either Louis or Casey (we can pronounce that one) is really like pulling for ourselves - just like when we were kids and fantasized that we made the game-winner - whatever the game was.  There’s also a segment (I’d like to think small) who watches in anticipation of a Dustin Johnson  or Jean Van de Velde moment - a monumental collapse on national television.

In the words of one of the greatest underdogs ever (on a golf course anyway), Bill Gates:

“If there’s one cultural quality we have, it’s that we always see ourselves as an underdog.”

As if he cares.

As far as sports fans go, I consider myself, while not a fanatic, someone who enjoys watching competition, be it on the high school, collegiate or professional level.  As a player, it was football, basketball and baseball in high school.  In college, football for a brief period and intramurals throughout.  After graduating, there were the summer basketball, baseball and softball leagues, followed by tennis and golf in my adult years.

One thing about sports I’ve always taken for granted is that events should be fair to all those participating.  This doesn’t mean the teams have to have equal talent, whether they are composed of 11, 9, 5, 2 or even one player.  Anyone who was ever placed in a competitive environment (including a spelling bee or eating contest) quickly comes to the realization that all men are not created equal. 

One of the most talented and respected writers of this era is Rick Reilly.  After hearing his comments on the suspension of play at the British Open due to high winds, I was somewhat surprised at his feelings.  He couldn’t believe play was halted and went so far as saying that he thought players should tee it up in a hurricane if that condition arose. 

Golf is a frustrating enough sport.  Sure, seeing the pros get out of seemingly impossible situations with equally impossible shots is one of the reasons fans tune in.  When a shot actually is impossible, e.g. in the water or out of bounds, it’s always interesting to assess the mental toughness golfers show.  Do they allow the bad shot to affect their next one or can they put it out of their mind and play the subsequent ball as if they’re shooting a perfect round?

To watch golfers at St. Andrews mark their ball on the green, only to have the wind blow it when they place it down, time after time, . . . what’s the point?  Do they wait for the wind to stop blowing the ball, hit it while it’s on the move (isn’t that illegal?) or root it on if it’s being blown closer to the hole (if the wind blows it in, does that count as a stroke)?  As high as the winds got on Friday, we might have been witness to the first hole-in-none!    Watching a golf tourney in such conditions isn’t my cup of tea.  However, if that’s what the weather is, then go at it.  But not if the entire field doesn’t have to play under the same conditions!

Naturally, in golf, it’s not possible to have identical weather for every player at every minute.  But if some play in (relatively) pleasant weather while others - in the same tournament - are forced to compete during a monsoon, isn’t the real winner Mother Nature?  It might as well be broadcast on The Weather Channel.    

One of my nine coaching stops was in a league in which NCAA rules were viewed as nuisances (or on several occasions, not at all).  Winning was all that mattered.  Colleagues of mine (in other leagues) couldn’t understand that attitude, although they, too, wanted to win.  The remarks I heard ran the gamut from “good point” to “sour grapes.” 

Since that time, we’ve lived (are living) through the steroids era in sports.  That was (is) also about winning.  Most people feel cheated when players using PEDs are exposed.  They’re outraged!  The term level playing field has been (over)used in the world of sports for as long as I can remember.  Yet, I think it’s because we want to see the winner(s) as those who conquered their opponent(s) fairly.  I doubt anyone would think it right if a basketball game were played in which, rather than using the alternate possession rule, the same team was awarded the ball on every tie up.  Or if the fences were moved back when one team came to bat.  If one football team wins the toss at the beginning of the game (with much of the decision having to do with weather), should it also have the choice at halftime too?  Other than Bobby Riggs, who would play tennis if the same player got to serve every game?

I realize these are situations we can control, while weather is not, but to have a major professional golf tournament determined by the time a player plays, well, why would Rick Reilly think that’s fun?  I wonder how this year’s British Open would be run if Abraham Lincoln were in charge (assuming he lived to age 201), since he once said:

 “These men ask for just the same thing, fairness, and fairness only.  This, so far as in my power, they, and all others, shall have.”

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When you work for Jerry Tarkanian, as I did from 1995-2002 (and, since I host his radio show, I guess I still am), you hear more superlatives than anyone who ever lived.  See what I did there?

Jerry was always saying this player was the greatest he’d ever seen.  During our first year at Fresno State, Jerry had brought in a kid who, if nothing else, looked like a player.  Lithe body, sinewy, good-looking kid.  He got into a defensive stance on the first day of practice and Jerry turned to me and said, “I think he might be the best defensive player I’ve ever coached.”

I looked at Jerry, whom I’d known for many years, but had just started working for him and said in amazement, “Better than Stacy Augmon?”  “The Plastic Man” was the first player voted as the best collegiate defensive player three years in a row!  That was Jerry.  The best player ever, the best game ever, the best whatever ever.

Tark’s not the only one who goes a little overboard when something truly outstanding is accomplished.  On the other hand, I tend to go in the opposite direction.  No matter what, I always think that sometime, somewhere, somebody had to be at least as good.

Yet, without it even being completed, I will say, unequivocally, the greatest show of physical and mental strength - and talent - in a competitive, pressure-packed, individual (meaning between two participants, e.g. not scaling Mt. Everest or swimming the English Channel) professional sporting event, has got to be the match at Wimbledon between John Isner and Nicolas Mahut.  After 10 hours, there’s only one word that can describe their play and it’s the most overused word in the English language (hey, another superlative):

“Unbelievable!”Â

After the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Boston Celtics last Thursday night, the comment most often heard was that, if it hadn’t been the seventh game of the NBA Finals, people would have turned off their sets.  The play was, except for the last few minutes, hideous.

Yesterday’s final round of the U.S. Open surpassed the hoops contest - by a long shot.  As in a 350+ yard drive, duck-hooked into the fescue.  Basketball can always explain away poor offensive execution by claiming how great the defense is - and in Game 7, that was, in large measure, the truth.  Losing basketball players (and coaches) have another luxury golfers don’t - they can always blame the referees.  Technically, other than the weather (and in Pebble Beach’s case, the ridiculous manner in which the course was laid out), there is no outside defense (or other excuses) in golf.  Even jiggling of change by the playing partner is considered a breach of etiquette.

Since golf is an individual sport, and when it gets down to crunch time, e.g. Sunday of a major, the most vital tool for a golfer is mental toughness.  Seeing golfers, even  professionals, crack under such pressure is not an uncommon sight, but seeing everyone in contention fold up is unfathomable.  Yesterday’s display was, let’s all hope, one for the ages.

Granted, the course was made absurdly difficult and whoever performed that dastardly deed should be strung up by his Titleist Pro V1s.  I can guarantee it wasn’t anyone connected with NBC.  However, even with horrendous weather conditions and a brutally arranged course, there’s always someone who manages to block out all the negatives and rise to the top (of the leader board).

Naturally, the most likely comparison of pro golfers to professional hoopsters would be Tiger Woods and Kobe Bryant (at least that used to be the most apt comparison).  During Kobe’s Game 7 (admittedly) miserable performance, one of his worst, fans kept waiting for him to break out and become the “difference.”  Same with El Tigre yesterday.  Neither ever took place.  What Kobe can do, though, that Tiger can’t is rely on his teammates to pull him through so he still can be all smiles at the post-game press conference.

In golf, you alone are the winner and while you can deflect praise toward your caddy, coach or momma, the trophy has your name engraved on it.  That’s why, should anyone ever ask a golfer that most dreaded question: “What happened?“ the player can use a line from a manager of a team sport, the loquacious Tommy Lasorda, who, following a loss, gave the sporting world one of its more memorable quotes:

“This bleepin’ job is not that bleepin’ easy!”  Â

Those who interview Kobe Bryant find him as tough a cover as those who guard him.  Many come away feeling humiliated, much as the guys trying to defend him feel after the game.  While it’s his job to destroy those checking him, why should he display the same attitude toward those who are simply writing about him?  Because they ask irrelevant and asinine (to him) questions, that’s why!

When one scribe posed to Bryant a question about how the Lakers could possibly come back from such a devastating Game 5 loss to the Celtics, the result of which put them in a 3-2 hole, Kobe said, “What’s the big deal?  We go home, put on our boots and go to work.”  It was reported that Kobe’s response upset the media member who asked it because he obviously thought it was a highly insightful question.  While it may seem like a perfectly normal question to ask, the guy should have considered to whom he was directing it.  Plus, he probably felt as though Kobe was “showing him up,” the same phrase that referees use when they T guys up (see 5/27/10 blog).

Plain and simple, Kobe Bryant is different than the rest of us.  Not just his skill, but his approach to competition, his ability to focus, his getting his body in peak physical condition (do you call your workouts, “blackouts” like Kobe calls his and is someone begging you to leave the gym because you’re pushing yourself too hard)?  Basically, his will to win. 

“Kobe, does it mean anymore to beat the Celtics than it does another team?”  He claims, at the time, no.  But after beating the Celtics in Game 7, he admits he was lying to “you guys.”  His guard is down now - because he’s accomplished what he set out to do.  Competition.  Focus.  Will to win.  Yet, his answer to that identical question the same time next year (probably asked by that same media member - those guys have loooooong memories) will be just what it was this year.  It’s how he’s wired.  Does he want to be that way?  It doesn’t matter - he just is.  Just like you and I are wired however we are. 

Think about how you’ll occasionally play a great tennis match on a Sunday at the club, but still lose.  You shake your opponent’s hand, like any good sport would do.  Deep down, you actually feel pretty good about the way you played.  You gave it your all (wrong, you can always give more), but you just came up a little short.  Nothing to be ashamed of.

Kobe Bryant never feels this way.  Neither did Michael Jordan.  Or Larry Bird.  Or Jack Tatum.  Or Pete Rose.  Or John McEnroe.  Or George Allen.  This list goes on and, as it shows, that attitude might not always be healthy.  These guys are not like the rest of us.  Something inside drives them - oftentimes to the point of personal destruction.  Maybe to the point of ignoring their family.  They can’t change - just like you and me.  All of us can try but, as our current society’s most favorite cliche goes, “we are what we are.” 

1. God  

2. Family

3. Winning

That is the credo many in the sports world preach, mainly because it’s blasphemous, unhealthy or just plain wrong to think of living life in any other order.  Yet, to these people, who, once again, didn’t ask to be put together this way, their life follows only one path:

1. Winning

2. Winning

3. Winning

In many ways, their singlemindedness of purpose is admirable.  For those of us who will compete like hell - until we reach that point where, when we taste defeat, can justify it saying that being too competitive puts us in danger of losing the balance in our lives.  In may ways, that’s the best point of view; in other ways, it’s a cop out. 

Sure, these supreme competitors still manage to carry on with life if they don’t win (although most have a real tough time ever getting over it) , as another member of that list, Vince Lombardi, said (the quote having no meaning without the last word):

“I firmly believe that any man’s finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle - victorious.”

Los Angeles played poorly in Game 3 and worse in Game 4 in Oklahoma City.  So much so people were talking about the Lakers looking so old that the youthful, but mature beyond their years, Thunder, knocking out the defending champs in Round One.  Yet, in the friendly confines of the Staples Center, the Lakers, as Doug Collins said during the game, “imposed their will” on the youthful squad from OKC. 

One fact everybody knows but seldom mentions, is that Kobe Bryant is physically, a real mess.  Playing in the Olympics, acquiring injury upon injury (and not just the nagging kind), yet not taking time off, has reduced his effectiveness to a point well below what we’ve come to expect.  After all, this was a player whose name was in the conversation of “best ever.”

Kobe has been often compared to Michael Jordan and for reasons other than a similar skill set.  Beyond talent, what the two megastars share is 1) an uncommon intelligence - an ability to express themselves in an eloquent and confident manner, 2) an inner strength which allows then to play through injuries that would sideline most other NBA players - although we’ll never know if this is true or to what extent because they keep so much of their adversities to themselves and 3) a sense for the dramatic.

Kobe was asked about his playing hurt during the season and, when he had legitimate reasons to sit out a game or two why he didn’t, his response was that he realized people spent their hard-earned money to see him and he owed it to them to perform.  This reminded me of the famous Joe DiMaggio line.  When asked why he always gave a 100% effort, the Yankee Clipper replied:

“Because there might be somebody out there who’s watching me for the first time.”

As any sports fan in this part of the country, anyway, knows, Jerry Rice is making a bid to play on the PGA Tour.  Athletically, he’s certainly a candidate.  Physical and mental toughness are required too.  Check and check.

The following story has been told over and over (by me and others as well), but bears repeating.  Jack DuBeau, a sensational high school baseball player from Dos Palos (near Fresno), told me of the time he played in a celebrity golf tournament.  In high school, Jack was a hard-throwing lefty who was good enough to be signed to a professional contract directly out of high school.  (As good as he was, he wasn’t the best player on the team.  That title would have to be placed on his close friend, Dave Henderson).

As happens all too often with young pitchers, Jack suffered an injury to his pitching arm.  Back then, the term was “he threw his arm out.”  He went into business but to satisfy his competitive juices, he took up golf.  Although a southpaw pitcher, Jack played golf right-handed - and played it well. 

In this particular tourney, he was placed in a foursome with none other than Jerry Rice.  One thing Jack could do was hit the ball a mile.  It must have made an impression on Rice, but more about that in a minute.

Jack DuBeau is a perfectionist.  After a few bad rounds, he decided he needed to switch sides, i.e. play golf left-handed.  After all, he pitched left-handed.  So he went out and, through determination and pure athletic ability, he began playing lefty - and playing well.

Sure enough, the following year, Jerry Rice is back for the same tournament and, coincidentally, he winds up in Jack’s foursome once again.  Jack’s power from the left side was equal to that from his right.  After hitting a drive, the Hall-of-Famer turns to him and says, “Hey, didn’t you play right-handed last year?”

Jack said he had, but decided to switch shortly after that tournament.  Rice was duly impressed and asked Jack, somewhat incredulously, “How did you do that?”

Jack deadpanned one of the great lines ever when he looked at Jerry Rice and said:

“Don’t worry about it.  You’re not a good enough athlete.”

For the top golfers in the world, usually the championship (especially a major) is won by the most mentally tough golfer.  It’s been the, if not unanimous, at least overwhelming, opinion of most in that world, that no one is more mentally tough than Tiger Woods.  For quite a while, he proved just that.

In my 4/10/10 post, I mentioned the two Englishmen Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood were confident and their chances came down to backing up what they said in their press conferences.  Poulter, the more “outspoken” faltered early and was never heard from.  Westwood played well enough to be in the final group but, once again, didn’t play well enough to be in the lead at the end.

Interestingly enough, the most supremely confident of them all, El Tigre, made some god-like shots (which we’ve come to expect) but struggled off the tee.  Could all the distractions of the past few months have been weighing on him?  Only he knows that.  Scribes, pundits and fans have been wondering how someone, with some much running through his mind, would be able to focus in such a monumental tournament.  First of all, it was The Masters.  Next, it was his very first tournament after an extended layoff.  And finally, it wasn’t like the last time he had a layoff (his surgery) and the questions were of a physical nature.  Whatever the case, we saw Tiger make some Tiger-like shots, but make one of the most un-Tiger-like, a seemingly rushed tap in from about a foot, after missing a birdie attempt, resulting in a bogey on the hole and giving away a stroke, something I’ve seen before - but never from Tiger. 

What was missing from the mental toughness conversation was all that Phil Mickelson had on his mind while playing.  His wife, Amy, has been battling breast cancer and yesterday was the first day she even made an appearance at the course.  Their prolonged embrace after he walked off the 18th hole as the Masters’ champion, spoke volumes about what had to have been weighing heavily on his mind.  Yet, somehow, he was able to block it out enough to play magnificent golf (although he fought in and out of trouble throughout the final day, too).

Phil has always been the fans’ favorite.  One reason is that he acknowledges the people in attendance and, most of the time, has a smile on his face.  It was Greta Garbo who said:

“Anyone who has a continuous smile on his face conceals a toughness that is almost frightening.”Â