The U.S. Open begins today and, since it’s being played in the state of Washington, will be in prime time for east-coasters. The event is shaping up as a real mystery, as the venue, Chambers Bay off Puget Sound, a public course, has not been open long and is unfamiliar to the field. Already there have been complaints by players who have never even been to it. Jack Nicklaus used to love hearing such whining, as it showed who he didn’t have to worry about, who were already defeated psychologically. The course is the same for everybody -- shut up! So a pro or two might look bad one week. They risk that at every tournament, all athletes do every day. There’s nothing more pathetic than the whining of the privileged. Anyway, instead of the usually narrow fairways and punishing rough common to the Open, the layout is more like those of the British Open. Experts believe long-hitters will have an advantage. Don’t they always? Before I learned about the course, I thought Tiger Woods would have no shot if he insisted on hitting driver off the tee at the par fours and fives. His driving has been miserable and, if it continued that way, the high grass would have ate him up. Now that seems a non-factor. My pick? Phil Mickelson, who has finished second an unbelievable six times in the only major he hasn't won. Rory McIlroy, who should be right at home on such a layout, is the favorite. For the first time, two of the holes, the first and 18th, will rotate between a par four and par five, depending on tee placement. They will be alternated so that par remains 70 for the pros, I believe. It's 72 for the general public. I’m hoping for high drama Sunday night.
Decades, channel 112 on Cablevision in NYC, is proving a solid addition. Except for a misguided two-day binge of That Girl, it has provided intelligent programming. As I’d hoped, it has aired Naked City, Combat! and The Untouchables. It’s only drawback is the cropped screen, an inch or two on the left side. Cozi-TV, 109, did the same thing its first year. Why? Was it forced? If so, by whom? It’s weird. Anyway, I think Decades should stick to the one-day binge. Why turn away viewers who don’t like a particular show for 48 hours?
Here's a link to a bit of madcap fun. It runs less than four minutes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIRmqMRSXAs
It was one of those days where the threat of rain was constant but nothing fell but sporadic drops. I went Russian only, setting out books and DVDs, keeping them under clear plastic. My thanks to the gentleman, my only customer, who bought two of the former and 18 of the latter.
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx
Vic's Short Story Collection: http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tiny.cc/0iHLb Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Vic's Short Story Collection: http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tiny.cc/0iHLb Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic's Horror Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3f
Vic's Blog: http://vicfortezza.blogspot.com/
Vic's Web Site: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
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