Indy Golf Show Photos 3

Dude going over some of the two or three or ten tons of golf stuff that was on display.

Frank and the other woman.

Two of the several people at the rockbottomgolf.com booth.

And, for those limited by space or whatever, maybe this golf game in miniture will somehow satisfy the urge to get out and whack a little round orb. Or maybe not.

Indy Golf Show Photos 2

Merchandise, golf trips and more.

Golf balls galore. This was about an hour and a half into the three day show.

Guys in orange jump suits.

And Kendra, the young lady who insisted Diane take a photo of the two of us.

Indy Golf Show Photos

Frank and Kelley

Diane with the car she is going to win in the background.

One of the entrants in a long, long putt contest. Happy with the progress of her ball, at least for the monment.

Sheri?

Bits and Pieces for a Thursday Morning

-Phil Mickelson opens his season out at Torrey Pines today.  Does PM open like he finished last year? on top?  Odds are against it - I say no.

-Still no sight or word of TW.  Come on, Tiger, lets hear from you.

-The Solheim Cup golfing girls went to the White House earlier this month.  Golf Babes has some of the photos from the event here.  (Did you watch the SOTU last night?  We did.  Watched a movie earlier in the day - The Merry Gentlemen with Kelly MacDonald and Michael Keaton - a goody.)

-Heading up to the Indianapolis Golf Show tomorrow.  rockbottomgolf.com offers free admission if you are willing to spend $100 at its booth.  I might do just that even though I just purchased a Cleveland lob wedge from them two days ago.  One of those black beauties.
 

Bits and Pieces for a Tuesday

-Most expensive car crash ever?  Here's a list of ten of the most expensive and here is the one that now tops the list.  Tks to brother Bill for forwarding to Diane.

-Jason Sobel's take on Tiger not enjoying golf anymore is off target to my way of thinking.  That pure joy of a game played that we all had as youngsters matures as we grow older into a more intelligent and accepting view of games as relaxation or a break from the more demanding elements of our lives, like our families and our work or even our passionate hobbies.  Golf, or any other game that we play, remains enjoyable but not in the same way as Jason is saying is important for Tiger to recapture.  I'm reminded of Ernie Banks and his "let's play two" and maybe that is the kind of attitude that Jason is thinking of.  Don't think TW needs that though I do think he does need the desire to go out and win, to tromp his opponents, and to further his march towards the major record that has been his goal for a long time (wonder when he did set that as a goal?).  And to do all that, he needs to get out and sharpen his game - and to get his personal life in some kind of order.  The sooner, the better. 

-Michelle Wie to open her season in Thailand next month - from golf365.  Vying for #1 this year?  Heck, why not.

-Tuesday treat: photos of Michelle Wie from askmen.com.

Just a little bitty skinny kid

Just finished John Olsen's Just a Little Bitty Skinny Kid.  Most enjoyable and informative for a guy who arrived in southern Indiana in the summer of 1975 and missed out on all the heroics of the Loogootee basketball team during the years 1970 to 1975.  Of course, I've heard much around the golf course as stories were told again and again and names were mentioned.  And have come to know some of the players on those teams through their golfing antics.  This particular book by John Olsen is one that heralds the attribute of attitude in an often comical way.  Olsen's sense of humor, and deprecation, are forever present in his retelling of his years growing up in Loogootee, playing basketball in the Jack Butcher system, and then, very briefly, moving on to Indiana University and the Bobby Knight basketball system.  (He was a walk on at IU in Knight's very first year and made the freshman squad.  He left the program after that first year to concentrate on his studies.)  Excellent read and one I highly recommend to all Loogootee and Jack Butcher fans.  Of note: The book is available at the Loogootee Public Library - I googled the title and came up with nada.

Bits and Pieces for a Monday Morning

Photo: Saturday golfers: Bill Brinegar, Chuck Baker and Lee Wade with Brian Brinegar off to the side. Both Bill and Brian made lengthy putts while I visited with them.

-Colts and Saints win in a couple of humdingers. Jets took it to the Colts early but withered once Payton Manning figured out what they were doing - took all of two sets during the first quarter. Saints got hammered by the Vikings but also made them give up the ball five times - all crucial in their overtime win. Of note: Favre did not get the ball in the extra period as the Saints won the coin toss and marched down the field for the game winning 40 yard field goal. Vikings much the better looking team except for that one little hold-on-to-the-ball issue.

-My prognostications were again right on, 2-0 for the weekend and now 7-3 for the playoffs. My prediction for the Super Bowl: Colts win easily what with a defense that is just as good as the sterling offense.

-And, Polian and Caldwell, we have not forgotten or forgiven the resting of the players and the tossing of the perfect season. Colts should be 18 and 0 right now.

-Did play eighteen holes yesterday along with Dave W., Doug D. and Short J. Doug and Short wanted to even up the 6-6-6 weekend game but ended up losing the scramble and the alternate shot - Dave and I reversed the last hole tribulations of Saturday by claiming victories on the final holes on Sunday. Short pretty much prevented a clean sweep by making birdies on the first two holes of the best ball. Darn.

-Greg Potts was out on the putting green Saturday afternoon working with his new putter and his stance which is all catywhumpus but one that works more often than not. He's not willing to discard something that is effective for something that looks good. Have to agree with him there.

-Enjoyed the chance to play golf in the middle of January and am finding that my body is not screaming at me. That's a big relief.

Golfers in January

Lane and Walter Hendrichsen were two of the golfers out yesterday enjoying the break in the weather.

Golfing in January

Yesterday's break in the weather gave some of us a chance to get out on the course and whack at those little white orbs.  More of the same today - maybe.  The temperatures are right though rain clouds are in the area.  I expect to be out there at 11 to open the course for play, and to give Doug Denson and Short Jeffers a chance to get back to even in a scramble-alternate shot-best ball game against Dave Wininger and me - Dave and I won the scramble and were leading in both the alternate shot and best ball going into the last hole where bogeys at each of them gave Doug and Short the chance to tie with pars - which they did.  It wasn't pretty but that doesn't matter as we were actually out there playing golf in January! 

"Coach Caldwell: 16-0 matters to us!" Photo

Here's the link to that photo I mentioned in Bits and Pieces last night.

Course Opening

Temps around 50 today - will open the course for play around 11.  Cart paths only for the guys who do the riding - like me with my knee that is still bothering me - it was supposed to get all better with the off season rest and it didn't (: .

Bits and Pieces for a Friday Evening

-Photos of TW at sex addiction clinic are fake.  That's a relief.  Can't imagine his swagger ever really measuring up if he went and got himself neutered.  And can you imagine the barbs he would have gotten from his fellow athletes?  Or from the fans on the other side of the rope trying to get his goat?

-Week 3 of the PGA season.  Bubba Watson leads at the Bob Hope.  And over in Dubai where the field is supposed to be a little bit higher class  - meaning more of the top ranked players are there - a guy by the name of Rick Kulacz is leading by four strokes over a guy by the name of Sergio Garcia.

-Happy Birthday to Jack Nicklaus.  He's 70, which makes him six months older then me.  My oh my.

-Go, Colts.  Beat them Jets.  Liked Kravitz reminding Polian that we, the fans, are still talking about the pullout of the first stringers in the first Jet game.  And the photo of the Colt fan standing in the stands with his son holding a placard that read 16-0 matters to us!

-Temps in the 50's tomorrow.  Expect we should go out and play some golf.  Don't remember the last time I swung a club.  It's been a while.

Honor Roll Kids

Congrats to the following Lakeview golfers and employees for making the high school honor roll this last grading period.  From the Loogootee Tribune:

Hannah LaMar, Tyler Booker, Stephen Bradley, Ben Hogan, Clinton Burch, and Matt Tucker.

Bits and Pieces for a Monday Morning

-My prognostications of a week ago were on the money: Colts, Jets, Vikings and Saints all won.  Unfortunately, I had no real money down anywhere on any of the teams.  That gives me a 5 and 3 record for the post season.

-Picks for the next round: Colts over Jets in a not so close game - the players have something to prove here and the return of the Jets to Indy gives them the chance to shame management for its dastardly deed of December 27th.  And the Saints over the Vikings in a shootout.

-PGA, week 2: the Sony won by Ryan Palmer.   Ho hum revisited though I guess the guy should be given credit for winning with a birdie at the last on a chip that stopped a foot from the hole after colliding with the flag stick.  Afterthought: Did anybody mention Michelle Wie this time around?  Whether or not she should have been given an invite?  Maybe this is the year she should have been out there competing with the guys.

-And Tiger?  Still no sighting of the world's best golfer.  Supposed to be a million dollar payout for any kind of photo of the man and his whereabouts.  You know I've got my camera, my tireless companion, at the ready if he should happen to come on to our little town here in southwestern Indiana.

-Lion boys got routed by the Barr Reeve Vikings last Saturday night.  Too bad they were so off their game in the first quarter.  I was up on top taking photos of this and that and enjoying the game as well.  Packed house.  Lots of neighbors in the stands sporting the colors of both the teams on the floor.

-Weather today is going to be good enough for golf: temps in the mid 40's, wind just a little bitty thing at 3 mph, and that from the south.  A little foggy but who cares about that.  I should be out there around noon if not a little sooner.

January Thaw

Got out and put the flags up yesterday and even had a group of golfers in to test the conditions - not all that bad considering that it's mid January.  More golfers today?

Richard Swayze at Lakeview 3

Richard Swayze at Lakeview 2

Richard Swayze at Lakeview

Richard Swayze

The viewing will be at Brocksmith's in Loogootee from 4-8pm tomorrow.  Funeral will be at 10 Wednesday morning.

Bits and Pieces for a Monday Morning

-The Arizona Cardinals blow a 17 point lead against the Green Bay Packers but then win it on a blitz and a fumble in OT, 51-45.  The Sunday evening shootout, with each of the offenses racing up and down the 'court', made for a good show and allowed me to finish the weekend with a win.  Alas, it was the only one of the four in my predictions that I got right.  I really did think that I was going to be an 0 for 4'er when the Packers won the coin toss.

-Now for next week's predictions:
  *Cardinals vs. Saints: Warner is so good but certainly the Saints have a bit of a defense to go along with their sterling offense.  Saints right their ship and win.
  *Colts vs. Ravens: Colts had better win after management gave away their perfect season.
  *Cowboys vs. Vikings: Dallas looked awfully good in their win over the Eagles but expect the Dome and Favre to send them packing.  Vikings win in a close one.
   *Chargers vs. Jets: What the heck, I want to see a rematch of the Jets and Indy.  Jets continue their post season romp and throttle the Chargers.

-Out in sunny and warm Hawaii, Geoff Ogilvy wins the season opener on the PGA tour.  Lucas Glover had himself two days of glory but blew it on the weekend.  Ho hum.

-Here's a golf blog for those of you who take the golf game with a grain of salt and an appreciation for the more beautiful of the players around the globe: golf spelled backwards*.  And here's Michelle Wie's non golf blog if you want a peek into what she does in other areas of her life.

Richard Swayze

Just learned that my good buddy and golfing partner these last several years, Richard Swayze, passed over to the other side last night. He suffered a massive heart attack. Rest in peace, Richard, old friend.

Bits and Pieces for a Saturday Morning

-BCS championship game between Alabama and Texas.  Fun game to watch.  I really had no favorite though I did think that the Crimson Tide would prevail - sold on them after watching their win over Florida.

-PGA start up: Yes, the big boys are playing out in Hawaii.  Been two days now and Lucas Glover has gone -15 to lead the pack.  Wonder what Tiger is doing; still lost and not wanting to be found.  Still hiding.  Come on, Tiger, get back where you belong. 

- Loogootee basketball teams are making up their snowed out games of this past week on Tuesday night.  Expect it's the girls at 6 with the boys following at 8.  And next Saturday's boys' game with the Vikings will start at 4pm so that people won't have to miss the Colts game later that evening (thanks to Jim Bateman for this info).

-So who do the Colts get to play next week?  Expect  it will be the Patriots as they take on the Ravens in New England tomorrow - never an easy place to play in January - in fact, Brady hasn't lost a playoff game there.  Do you think maybe Belichick is looking ahead to the rematch with the Colt team that embarrassed him several weeks ago?  Actually he embarrassed himself with that very famous failed fourth and two at his own 28 yard line as the clock ticked down to nothing.  I think the Pats prevail and get to take on what will be a well rested Colt team - hope they are not rusty.

-My other predictions from on top of the hill north of Loogootee: Bengals beat the Jets (I see the espn experts all pick the Jets); Eagles over Dallas (again just the opposite of the experts expectations); and the Cardinals over the Packers (one of the four experts agrees with me this time).

-Pete Carroll to the pros?  Seattle?  Me thinks Carroll is a super college coach - and bane of the Irish - but not so suited to the pro ranks.  Maybe he's doing a Nick Saban, getting away for a year or so (and probably getting a nice raise in salary) and then returning to his college roots. Then he will be poised to become the second college coach to take two different schools to a national championship.

-Irish woman's basketball team is undefeated and ranked third in the polls.  That's something to cheer about on a cold Saturday morning.  Best throw another log on the fire and keep on singing.  Right?

Bits and Pieces for a Monday Morning

- Colts lose in the snow in Buffalo and the commish of the NFL wants something done about the sitting down of the starters in these late season 'don't mean-a-thing' games.  Good for him.  I'm still of the 'you-play-to-win' school, and that means every game.  Note: Indy fans burned and the screams are still being heard.

- PGA starts up again this week.  Tiger, we already miss you.  And did you hear what Brit Hume would have Tiger do?  Don't imagine the PGA commish is going to suggest, for business purposes, that maybe all his charges seriously consider doing the same.  Remember the Bivens fiasco when she suggested maybe the majority of the LPGA stars (the South Koreans) might want to learn English, or else?

- Did finish the Halberstam book on Michael Jordan.  Well, more than Michael Jordan as he writes much about the change in the professional basketall game wrought by David Stern (and Michael Jordan), with the advent of the marketing explosion that would become the NBA in the '90's.  Made for lots of young millionairs and instant celebrities, many of whom were more smoke than fire.  Excellent read.

- Did you know that Dennis Rodman grew elevan inches in one year?  Like from 5'9" to 6'8" in his 18th or 19th year?  He didn't play in high school but quickly took to the hardwood in college - actually, quickly given a scholarship to play at a Division II or III school.  Amazing.  (One of many interesting things gleamed from the Halberstam book.)

- Another historical tidbit:  ESPN was bankrolled by Getty Oil.  About 85% of the initial stock came from the oil giant.  They soon pushed aside the original owner/creator, Scott Rasmussen, and within a few years sold out to ABC, at a healthy profit, of course.

- Out local weather for the next several days is the pits - cold.  Not good for local golfing at all.  Our putting technique should be about perfect if we are spending any time at all with our golfing clubs - that is if you are putting in the living room or in some other warmpart of your house.

- Did go over to Shoals to catch the Lion-Jug Rox boys' basketball game last Saturday.  Lions won easily.  A few photos here.