Boyzoid's Blog & Stuff - Sports Stuff

I Want My Kids To Be Like Brian Davis

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 17:34:00 -0400

What? You do not know who Brian Davis is? It's OK, neither did I until yesterday.

Brian Davis is a professional golfer on the PGA Tour. The reason I had not heard of him until yesterday is that he has not really played well enough to make it high up on the leaderboard. That all changed yesterday.

Trailing Jim Furyk by 1 stroke, Davis made a birdie putt on the final hole of the tournament to force a sudden death playoff. Now, you may be thinking, 'big deal , that has happened before'...be patient, I am getting to the good part.

His approach shot to the green on the first playoff hole landed left of the green and settled on some twigs and reeds. When Davis started his back swing on is next shot, he thought he saw a reed move. (pssst...here is the good part) He immediately called over a rules official to explain what had happened. Davis had though he violated Rule 13.4 which refers to moving a loose impedement during a takeaway, and called himself on it.

Apparently no one else had seen it, and it took looking at the swing in slow motion replay to determine that he had indeed moved the reed. He incurred a 2 stroke penalty and conceded the hole, and tournament, to Jim Furyk. Had Davis won the tournament, he would have taken home $1,026,000 - his second place finish earned him $615,000.

Davis called himself on a penalty no one else saw knowing it would cost him over $400,00. That is the kind of character I want my kids to have.

And that is why I love the game of golf. There are not too many other sports where a player would call himself on a penalty with so much on the line.

March Madness

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:23:00 -0400

So, its mid March...you know what that means, right?

No, not St. Patrick's Day. Nope...not Pi day either...its time for the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament! And, with the tournament, comes the 'brackets'. I have set-up a group on ESPN.com for CF developers, check it out here. I'd like to see if we can get more than 5 people (last year's total).

If you do not know anything about college basketball, fear not, it has been my experience that you need more luck than knowledge to win these things, so give it a try. It will only take about 10 minutes to complete the whole process. You can even do more than one entry.

Oh, and if you do not take part, you are a communist.

Kevin Boss Gets It

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:31:00 -0400

Right now you may be asking yourself 'Who is Kevin Boss?' and/or 'What is 'it' that he gets?' I will get back to that in a bit, but let me give you some 'back story'. I have not talked about it on my blog, but shortly after Christmas last year my father was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer. He has been getting regular chemo therapy (his last round is this week) and since the diagnosis, we have made several attempts to go visit and each was thwarted by illness or bad weather. This past weekend, we were able to finally get up to NJ to visit.

OK, now back to Kevin Boss and what it is that he gets. Kevin Boss is a tight end for the New York Giants (an American Football team). He played a huge part in the Giants winning Super Bowl XLII (If memory serves me correctly, he had the longest pass play in that game) and since has proven to be one tough guy. He took some hits last year that would have knocked out most people, but he not only got back up, but held on to the ball. He is, in my opinion, probably the best Giants tight end since Mark Bavaro.

So, now you understand that I have somewhat of a 'man crush' on Kevin Boss, what does he get? He gets that the only reason why he can play football for a living is because of his fans. Here is why I think that.

This past Saturday, my mother and my wife took my kids to a local mall to make some pottery (there is a store there that lets you pick stuff out and paint it, then they fire it in a kiln and glaze it). After they were done and were walking around the mall, they saw a sign saying that Kevin Boss was there singing autographs. Being the awesome wife she is, my wife got in line and called me (I was having lunch with my dad not far from the mall). Initially my dad and I were not going to go because we did not think we could make it in time. However, my wife called back shortly to let us know that Kevin would be there longer than scheduled, so we hopped in the car to head over.

When we got to the mall, my dad dropped me off at the door and said he would meet me inside. When I got to the store, it was practically empty, with only a few people inside. I yelled to my wife and instantly I heard my kids getting all excited. When I got to the table I saw that Kevin Boss and the other people there were being entertained by my kids (anyone who has met my kids can probably imagine what I am talking about). My kids got their picture with him and I got an autograph.

While we were waiting for the boys' picture, my wife was told that one of the women that was there was Kevin Boss' wife. My wife went over to her and asked if it was possible for Kevin to maybe wait a few minutes until my dad got there and explained that he was fighting cancer. Kevin's wife spoke with him and he agreed to meet my dad. (Keep in mind that this was now well past the time he was scheduled to leave and that they had already 'cut off' the line) When my dad got there, they brought him up to meet Kevin and Kevin stood up to get a picture with my dad (apparently, my dad was to only one he stood up for when taking pictures). It was the first time in quite a while that we have seen my dad really smile.

Most professional athletes I have seen (especially at these pre-scheduled signing events) would not have made this simple, yet meaningful gesture. In the short time we were there, I noticed that Kevin was always very nice and polite and spent some time talking with his fans. It seemed to me that he enjoyed being there with his fans - it reminded me a lot of how Phil Mickelson interacts with his fan.

I was so impressed that when we got back to my parents house, I sent a message to Kevin on twitter thanking him for taking the time to meet my dad. A short while later, I received a reply back from him, you can read it here. (if the link does not work, there is an image of it below) To me, this shows that Kevin Boss is truly a class act and he 'gets' why he is able to play football for a living - because of his fans.

Kevin, if somehow you actually read this, thank you again, you made a lasting impression on all of us (especially my kids). I meant what I said in my tweet, all professional athletes could learn from you how to interact with their fans. Please don't ever change - on the field or off.

Here are the pics of my kids and my dad with Kevin, as well as his twitter reply to me.

30 Year Later...

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 10:38:00 -0400

You may be too young to remember, you may not even have been born yet, but, today marks the 30th anniversary of a significant event. An event so memorable, that 30 years later people, like myself, can remember every detail, every moment as the event unfolded. An event so improbable, that 30 years later, it is still labeled as one of the greatest upsets in the history of sports. Of course, I am referring to the 'Miracle on Ice'.

For those who may not know what I am talking about, the 'Miracle on Ice' occurred during the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, NY. It was a hockey game between the United States and Russia. At the time, the Russian hockey team was the best in the world, most of the players had been together for over 10 years. The United States was basically a group of college kids who had not played together for more than 10 months.

Up to this point, the Russians had won the gold medal in hockey in every Olympics, except one, since 1956. That one exception, they lost to the USA in Squaw Valley in 1960. In the four Olympics after Squaw Valley the Russians went 27-1-1 and outscored their opponents 175-44. In 1979, the Russians beat the NHL All-Stars 6-0.

For me, this game had significance not only because I was, and continue to be, a huge fan of sports and the Olympics, but because we beat the big bad Russians. At the time, things were not going well in the US. This game gave us all a glimmer of hope for the future. I know it sounds silly, but that is what I remember at the time.

At the time, the names of the some of the payers, Jim Craig, Mike Eruzione, Ken Morrow, Mark Johnson, Neal Broten were more well known than some of their counterparts in the NHL.

Some images I have etched in my memory are Jim Craig skating around the ring with an American flag draped over his shoulders, Mike Eruzione, standing atop the medal stand, gesturing for the rest of the team to join him on the podium, and who can for get Al Michaels' brilliant commentary of the last 10 seconds of the game which still gives me chills and culminated in 'Do you believe in miracles? YES!'

There are certain events in our lifetime that we will never forget where we were when they occurred. For some it was Kennedy's assassination, the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, 9/11, etc.. The 'Miracle on Ice' is one of those events for me, however, there is one glaring difference - it was a happy memory.

CF Fantasy Football

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 18:08:00 -0400

So, I am a fantasy football nut. Each year, I usually have 3-4 teams on various sites (such as ESPN.com, NFL.com, etc). The problem is that I rarely know anyone else in the league and that kind of takes some of the fun out of it.

So, this year, I decided to start my own league and invite people I know, or at least know of, to join. I took the geek route and named the league 'CF-ootball' and each division name is a previous CF pre-release code name - yea, I know it's so geeky, its bordering on uncomfortable.

Anyway, if you are interested, let me know by leaving a comment below, and make sure you use a valid email address there I can sent the invite.

The Benefits of Being A Giants Fan

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 13:19:00 -0400

Yesterday I made the trip out to Northern California for MAX. I made it here without any major issues, but there were a few weird things (good weird, not bad weird) that happened solely because I am a Ginats fan.

It started in the wee hours of the Morning at Dulles Airport. I should note I was wearing a Giants windbreaker While I was sitting at the gate waiting to board the plane, one of the Vrgin America (great airline, BTW) emplyees who was making announcements told me she was also a Giants fan at that becasue I was 'showing my colors' in DC, I could board the plane when first class did. I thought it was a cool gesture, but just that, a gesture. However, when it came time to board the plane, she called for first class passengers, passengers with chilren or who need exra time boarding the plane, and "my Giants fan". It was not a huge deal, but still pretty cool that I could just gt on the plane and sit sown.

The next 'weird' thing accured at the golf course (Does anyone think I would come to California and not play golf?). We played Poppy Ridge in LIvermore, CA. On a side note, this was an absolute gem of a find. It was a really nice course (I would rank it in top 5 I have played in the US) and the vista from the course was simply stunning. Back to the weirdness... when we checked in at the club house, one of the guys behind the counter noticed my Giants shirt and mentioned that the 'general manager' was also a Giants fan. We I paid for my greens fees, the cost was quite a bit lower (about $40.00) less than what I expected to pay. When I verified the cost, we were told, 'I gave you the guest rate' and when I asked why he said because the general manager woudl have told him to do so since I was a Giants fan.

What I find funny about both these things is that I got some preferential treatment becasue I was a Giants fan in DC and Northern California when I would ot have gotten any such treatment in New York.

Farewell Yankee Stadium, I shall miss thee.

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 20:58:00 -0400

Yesterday, I attended what will be my last game at Yankee Stadium. For those who do not know, after this season, they will be tearing down 'The House that Ruth Built' and next season they will be playing in a new stadum right next door.

First, let me say that this is kind of bittersweet for me. As a kid, we would go to Yankee games several times a year and I have fond memories of beign there with my entire family. But, if we are being honest, Yankee Stadium is a dump. It outgrew its usefulness long before I even knew it existed. I have been to baseball games at Coors Field in Denver and Camden Yards in Baltimore adn those stadiums are simply amazing. That being said, the new stadium looks like it will be absolutely astounding.

As I said this was the last game I will see at Yankee Stadium, but it was also the first time my kids have seen the Yankees play a home game. They seemed to enjoy the experience, but, what made it best was that at one point during the game, the kids were shown on the 'Jumbo-tron' at the stadium as part of what they call 'fan-cam'. Unfortunately, I was unable to get a picture of them on the screen.

All in all, it was a great day (the Yankees wound up winning in extra innings). I got to take my kids to a place from which I have such wonderful memories and they seemed to enjoy it as much as I remember enjoying it. Here are some pictures I snapped before and during the game.

These are the kids, pretty good looking if I do say so myself.

Here is a picture of Joba Chamberlain throwing a 101 MPH fastball. If you look closely at the umpire, you can see the ball.

Here is a picture of Brett Gardner about to get caught in a rundown. He was trying to steal second, put the pitcher threw the ball to first base. You can see the ball on its way

Hitting the Links in Scotland

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 20:41:00 -0400

As I mentioned here, I am speaking at Scotch on the Rocks this year. I also mentioned that my dad and my brother will be flying over after the conference to play golf. I was unable to get a tee time at St. Andrew's, but this evening I was able to book a tee time at Carnoustie on the Championship course. For those who may not know, The Open Championship (The British Open) was played at Carnoustie last year.

I am hoping to add one or two more well-known courses to the list, but to be playing golf with my dad and my brother in the birthplace of golf, I'd play anywhere.

Once again, if anyone knows of good courses that might not be well known to tourists, please let me know.

18-1 = New York Giants Super Bowl Champs.

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 01:52:00 -0400

I do not think there has even been a more satisfying win as a Giants fan (though, the Cowboys game a few weeks ago is close). No one gave the Giants a shot, all the hype was about 19-0 and Tom Brady. Today, during the pre-game, I heard several times that in order to win, the Giants had to play a perfect game, and they did just that. Holding the Pats to less than 50 yards rushing and 14 points (note, they did not even score the 17 Plaxico Buress said they would) was a phenomenal showing. The play where Eli got away from trouble and then connected with David Tyree was awesome, and should be one of the most memorable in Super Bowl history.

After the Minnesota game and the 4 interceptions, I jumped off the Eli bus. I would like this post to stand as my official request for permission to get back on.

What a great win!!!

Not Quite 19-0...

Tue, 29 Jan 2008 13:30:00 -0400

I came across this link for a book being offered on Amazon. The book is about how the New England Patriots went 19-0 during the 2007 NFL season. There is one issue though, they have not gone 19-0. In order to do that, they must beat the New York Giants this Sunday in the Super Bowl.

Now, I am a Giants fan, so this is more of a slap in the face, but this is by far one of the most insulting things, towards a team, I have seen in professional sports. Even worse than Jerry Jones putting 2 tickets in each of the Cowboys' lockers before the Giants beat them 2 weeks ago.

Seeing that Amazon is taking pre-orders for that book would make me cheer for anyone who would be playing the Patriots this week, even, dare I say, the Cowboys.

Go Big Blue!!

Big Blue is Going to Phoenix!

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 01:43:00 -0400

As many who know me are aware, I am a big fan of the New York Giants (An American football team for those readers outside the US who may not be familiar with the name). Tonight, the Giants defeated the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game to make it to the Super Bowl. In the process, the Giants set an NFL record by winning 10 road games in a row.

When we made it to the playoffs, not many gave us a chance to beat Tampa Bay, few gave us a chance to beat Dallas and even fewer picked us to beat Green Bay. To all the sports columnists, TV analysts and anyone else who makes a living offering their opinions about the NFL, I have one simple favor to ask. Please, please, don't pick us to win the Super Bowl. I want every one of you to pick New England. It seems to motivate the G-Men when you think they are not worthy of beating the 'better team'.

Win or lose in Phoenix, the Giants have given me much more than I could have hoped for during this season. Now, if we can just find a way to ruin prefection.....

I want this job.

Wed, 07 Nov 2007 16:06:00 -0400

I have always wanted a job related to golf, or blowing things up. This is about as close as I think I would ever get to both.

I soooo want that job.

'Proud Papa' Moment

Mon, 17 Sep 2007 22:43:00 -0400

This past Saturday marked the first of many weekends where we spent a few hours with our kids watching them play organized sports. My older son started his second season of soccer (football to any readers outside the US) and my younger son started his first.

My older son suffers from a mild form of Cerebral Palsy and has been fortunate enough to be with a coach who is understanding of my sons abilities, patient and a very good coach. My younger son is not so lucky. His coach can be loud, impatient and sometimes, expect too much form the kids. You see, my younger son's coach is me.

I agreed to coach because the league was in need of coaches as there were a lot of kids who signed up. My son loves that I am his coach, but it scares the sh*t out of me. Why? Because its one thing to screw up your own kids with sports, but when its other people's kids, the pressure is almost unbearable.

Anyway, in the 'U6' ('under 6) division, the coaches are the referees. While I was out there for my half of the game, my younger son scored his first goal!!! It was kind of bittersweet because I wasn't really able to celebrate because I was the 'ref' and it would have been poor sportsmanship on my part. But I will never forget the look of joy on his face when the ball went in, the sense of pride you could see on his face, the fact that the first thing he did after scoring his first ever goal was to come over to me and give me a hug and say, 'Thank you so much for being my coach, daddy.'

Fantastic Golf Course

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 09:53:00 -0400

I was away on vacation last week in Ocean City, MD. As you might have guessed by the header image above, I am an avid golfer. Ocean City has some fantastic golf courses, with some great deals if you scour through the Sunny Day Guide coupon book. One such course is River Run Golf Club in Berlin, MD (just outside Ocean City). The normal greens fee is $95.00 before 9:00 AM, but with a coupon from Sunny Day, it was lowered to $49.00.

It was a decent course, nice layout, somewhat short, not worth $95.00, but well worth $49.00. However the reason I am writing about this course is the friendliness of the staff. One policy River Run has is that 'junior' golfers play for free. That's right, you read that correctly, FREE.

I have been trying to get my kids involved in the game and at the course I live on, Locust Hill Golf Club, they often let me bring my sons with me. They haven't started playing yet, but are getting a feel for other aspects of the game, such as course etiquette. Both boys asked if they would be able to come with me when I played and to my surprise, River Run not only allowed this, but encouraged it.

As it wound up, only my oldest son came with me, but when we arrived at the course, everyone was friendly and made both my son and I feel welcome. He seemed to enjoy the time more than I did and we would have gone back again, but the course wasn't open for public play the day we wanted to go back.

There are courses that are 'better' courses in and around Ocean City, there are even better values, but I have never played a course in a resort area where the staff was so friendly. I would definitely add River Run to your must play list if you are ever in Ocean City, MD.

Football Quandary

Thu, 28 Dec 2006 09:47:00 -0400

I am in a quandary. As most people who know me are aware, I am a huge New York Giants fan. If you follow football, you know that the Giants started this season pretty strong, but have played absolutely miserably in the last half of the season.

At one point this season, the Giants were 6-2 and were seriously being considered a legitimate chance at playing in the Super Bowl. Since then, they have gone 1-6 and are barely alive in the playoff race.

Here's the reason for my confusion. I loathe Tom Coughlin, the Giants head coach, and would love it if he was let go after this season. The only problem is, if the Giants make the playoffs, it will be the two years in a row they made the playoffs, which makes it difficult to rationalize firing the guy. So, if the Giants make the playoffs (which will probably end like their playoff run did last year, with an embarrassing loss) odds are Coughlin will be around another year.

To really muddy the waters, I have tickets for the Giants game this weekend in Washington (the first time I am going to a Giants game since we left New Jersey over 3 years ago) which will also be my wife's first time at a professional football game.

So, what would you do? Live in the 'here and now', and hope they win and make the playoffs which pretty much guarantees you get another year with a less than stellar coach , or hope they lose and miss the playoffs, which pretty much guarantees a new coach (who may also be less than stellar). I think the Giants currently have more talent than any Giants team since the mid to late 80's, but think this talent is being wasted with the current coaching staff.