Monday US Open Practice Round

Took the day off today to attend the US Open practice round at the storied Olympic Club in San Francisco. Some thoughts, tips if you are attending and pics from the day:

• With Geoff Olgilvy's unshaven mug, red eyes and porn stash he'd fit in nicely with the rif raff on Hyde and Turk
• War Eagle Jason Dufner chews Copenhagen. Yeah - I'm shocked too.
• Rickey Fowler = good guy - he signed autographs for 15-20 minutes.
• Signing autographs is hard work. I've got a whole new appreciation for anyone that does. Fowler's caddy worked crowd control, item runner and ensured the kids got signed all while still holding the 45 lb. tour bag.
• Ever since Chris Mullin gave me dagger eyes when I asked for his autograph while he was on the elliptical in the Cal Poly gym, I've never been into autographs however I had Steve Stricker sign my ground pass. You can tell Stricker is good people.
• No other spectator sports requires more walking. All told I walked 23,000+ steps yesterday. That's right. I counted them.
• If you want to go to a practice round Tuesday or Wednesday. Don't but a ticket in advance. You should be able to get alone below face on the shuttle in or outside of will call.
• If you need to meet someone, meet them at the Information booth which is in the main concessions/promotions/area right after you enter through the main admissions gate
• Stand at the top of the bleachers behind the 18th green and you've got a great view of  18, the 8th green and the 9th tee.
• Local Ohio pro Dennis Miller, who qualified locally was wearing a Niners hat. Great way to get the local crowd behind you.

My Picks

• Sentimental Picks: 1) Michael Allen - Champions Tour Player and long-time Olympic Club Member who qualified 2) Phil - Still hoping that he redeems himself for his collapse in 08' at Winged Foot
• Realistic - Steve Stricker, Lee Westwood, Luke Donald, Tiger

Click here to view some photos of Monday's practice round

Ball Game

My dad started taking my brother and I to see Giants games at the 'Stick in the late 70's/early 80's. We'd drive up the Peninsula on 101 in his 68' VW Westphalia bus and park in the massive, sparsely populated parking lot and then venture inside to his company seats which were in the lower level about 25 rows up from 3rd base. I vividly remember him buying beers for about $1.75 each from the vendor who had served him and his co-workers in their section for the past 20+ years. The vendor would pop open 4 Bud long necks and pour them 2 at a time with each hand into paper cups while continuing to advertise 'BEER HERE!' at the top of his lungs. These experiences left an indelible memory, turned me into a die-hard Giants fan for life and undoubtedly contributed to my love of beer.

Flash forward 30 years to this past weekend and I was taking my own 3 year old daughter Charlotte to AT&T Park to see our second game together and probably the first one she’ll remember. Her first was when she was less than a year old, still not walking and not really talking so it wasn’t quite the same thing. I found out I had landed my Club Level work seats a week earlier so there was a week of buildup and excitement until the Sunday day game. Charlotte was already planning what she wanted to eat at the game which included a hot dog, pizza and ice cream.

It was a gorgeous, mid-70’s, cloud free day as we left Novato to catch the Larkspur Ferry to the park. After boarding the ferry we found some seats and had a snack before moving outside to see the gorgeous views of Belvedere, Angel Island and the Golden Gate Bridge. Upon pulling into McCovey Cove and docking I carried Charlotte so she could get a view of her surroundings from above. When you are only 3 ft. tall and walking in a crowd you’ve got a view of nothing but butts so she’s was usually either on my shoulders or I’m carrying her.

Charlotte digging her dog.

We hustled to the park entrance so we could get Charlotte one of the braided rope Giants necklaces that were given out. She wore it briefly but it quickly came off, most likely because it’s not pink.  She couldn’t contain her excitement as she handed her ticket at the gate before proceeding to walk directly underneath the turnstile. After making our way to our seats 30 minutes before the first pitch, the first thing Charlotte wanted to so was eat. We hit the Doggie Diner, got her a hot dog with a lot of mustard and ketchup and returned to her seats where she enjoyed her dog leaving half the condiments on her face. Immediately after finishing her dog she then proceeded to ask for ice cream every two minutes as vendor after vendor walked up our aisle.

We spent the middle innings doing a lap around the park by way of the arcade in right field above McCovey Cove, checked out the Coke bottle slide, the Little Giants Park and the Dugout Store where I got her a pink souvenir ‘Princess’ Giants hat. I’m old school and would have preferred the straight black SF Giants hat but I was happy to compromise.

By the 9^th inning, Charlotte was starting to look pretty beat so we headed towards the exit to get the jump on the crowd and the line for the ferry. With 2 outs, the batter fouled off pitch after pitch before finally singling to tie the game. I audibly groaned knowing that this meant the game was extended and would possibly go into extra innings and since we had taken the ferry and didn’t leave until 45 minutes after the last pitch. However, Charlotte and the Giants rallied and eventually won in extra innings. We made our ferry and Charlotte didn’t pass out until the car rode home from the ferry. It was a memorable day and the first of many father/daughter games I’m sure we’ll attend.  Maybe someday she’ll write about taking the ferry to Giants games with me, eating pizza and ice cream and how I used to spend $9.75 for a beer. 


Some more pics from the Day:

The Bleachers

Charlotte's New Lid

Charlotte and Willie

View from our seats