MCCALL, Idaho - Man, this sky resort, lake-side town is beautiful.
The Mrs. got a wonderful photo of the super moon for those who are interested.
Let's roll.
Photo by the Mrs. 5-at-10 / This week's super moon as viewed over the Sawtooth Mountain in Idaho.
Open voices
So, the golf fans across the pond were not as forgiving as those at the U.S. Open who embraced LIV ringleader Phil Mickelson at last month's event at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass.
Ryder Cup superstar Ian Poulter and outspoken LIV defector was booed on the first tee. Discombobulated, Poulter, who has been a fan favorite in Europe because of his Ryder success, hooked his first tee shot way left and missed the 150-yard-wide first fairway. He managed to save par with a fortunate ruling for a drop and was among the leaders with an eagle at 9 in his early-morning Thursday round. He finished with an impressive 3-under 69.
He was not the only LIVer dealing with bile responses.
Donning a LIV golf hat, Patrick Reed heard from the fans too. (Side note: Let's be serious, Patrick Reed could wear a "I love everyone" hat and he's still not going to be popular.)
So it begins, the final major of easily the most surreal golf season of my lifetime.May this weekend be more about the golf than the seasons, and to the almost 70 of you - including several newcomers - in the contest, good luck.
Braves wake-up call
So the Mets came to the A-T-L and took two of three from a Braves team that had been nuclear hot for the previous six weeks.
The Braves are good. Bona fide contenders for the NL pennant to face the Yankees good.
But now would be a good time for Brian Snitker to either remind his club privately or hint at it publicly that the majority of the hay the Braves made since turning 23-27 into 53-37 was made in a month-long stretch against teams with losing records.
Against the three other best teams in the NL, Atlanta is 8-12 after Wednesday's loss. Reason for panic? Of course not. This team is good.
Reason to realize there still is work to be done? You bet.
Two more Braves points:
> That Austin Riley is not an all-star deserves a Congressional hearing;
> Second, Charlie Morton, even at the tender age of 206, has stuff too good to be struggling this badly. Something must be off somewhere.
Hypocrite much?
So who is the bigger hypocrite in the sports realm right now:
In the blue corner, one of three sports-playing billionaires in U.S. sports history, and the man who continues to bad mouth the country that has allowed him the opportunity to make 11 figures, LeBron James.
In the other corner, it's OA News lover and renowned "I am a MAN, I'm 40" shouter and mullet wearer, Mike Gundy.
Gentleman, keep it clean and come out bellyaching regardless of perspective and self-awareness.
LeBron steps into the match on the strength of his statements that Brtitney Griner should not want to come back to the U.S. since the nation is so terrible. (Side note: After being detained in Russia, I'm willing to bet Brittney would be singing a different tune. Thoughts?)
Here's LeBron's quote: "She's been there over 110 days. Now, how could she feel like America has her back? I would be feeling like, 'Do I even want to go back to America?'"
Is he suggesting we invade Russia for Griner? Hmmmm.
Again, this is not a shut and dribble stance. I am all for opinions of all forms and athletes, coaches, everyone, sharing in the discourse. But when you speak, be ready to defend it.
Then there is Gundy, who is now taking the stance that college football is all about money since the money-makers Texas and Oklahoma have announced they are headed to the mega-money-making SEC.
Uh, Mike, we noticed you were not all that upset that when it was all about the money for the coaches - Gundy was made the top-paid Big 12 coach at the time in March - or the escalating salaries over the last decade plaus.
We also noticed Gundy did not mention that his resumé made more rounds than a laid-off LinkedIn lawyer over the last 15 years, each time resulting in Oklahoma State adding to his money-making ways.
Gundy made $700,000 when first hired in 2005. He's making $5.55 million in 2022.
All about the money huh? Anyone else get almost a 700% salary increase over the last 17 years?
This and that
- How good was it to be a Cameron at Thursday's first round of the British Open? I bet Cam Newton would have shot in the 60s and Cam from "Modern Family" could have cracked par. Cam Young was amazing at 8 under. Cam Smith was almost as tight with a 5-under 67. Of course this was very early in the day.
- Man, would the U.S. dominate this as much in the summer as we do the winter X things that the Flying Tomato Can does in the winter Yes, they the NFL and others are looking at ways to add Flag Football to the next round of sports included in the Olympics..
- As we debate national divides and local stadium scenarios, this story right here just re-emerged and it's a monster. Gov. Lee is dead set on having the state of Tennessee pay for parts of private school tuition for parents who choose it. Wow, for the most part Lee seems like a liable dude - he went to Auburn after all - but this feels like A1 next-level poor form. The state looking to redirect up to $7,000 to each family away from the public school funding is hard to fathom.
- So Jill Biden compared the diversity of the Hispanic community to a taco, and there is relatively nothing being said about it? I desperately want to believe that this is the national media pack realizing that people are flawed and make boneheaded statements and comparisons and it should not be a national controversy. That said, if a family member not named Biden or on the other side of the political aisle made a similar comp, here's betting the national pack would mobilize and activate. Thoughts?
- Man, I wish I was in town for the Hamilton County Commission meeting because apparently they were handing out tens of thousands of dollars from the American Rescue Plan to anyone with an idea. In the federal pipeline, these dollars are coming fast and furious. Egad, high six-figure checks for a Signal Mountain High School tennis facility, work on the tracks at Central and East Hamilton, and a slew of others. I'm sure this was the original thought of the ARP, huh?
Today's questions
It's a free for all Thursday. So fire away.
And we have an open mailbag spot too.
I do want to ask this: If we had an all-time NFL flag football draft of dudes in their prime, I am taking Michael Vick 1, and there is not a close second (maybe Lamar Jackson) in my mind. Thoughts?As for today, July 14, let's review.
Gerald Ford would have been 109 today. Feels like we've done a Rushmore of Fords before. Thoughts?
Jackie Earle Hailey is 61 today. Yes, 61, so Bears star centerfielder Kelly Leake is 61 years young today.
Rushmore of top youth sports movies, because Kelly's Chico's Bail Bonds Bad News Bears are a no-doubter.
Go and enjoy the day. And the Open.