Posts filed under 'My Take'
Ok, I am definitely hooked on golf. I admit it, and I never thought I would say those words. But this PGA season has been filled with so much drama and excitement, its great!
I can clearly remember as a young child, spending time with my grandmother and being puzzled by her watching golf on television. I was bored to tears. Now, that I am a bit older, I am beginning to understand her love of golf.
It’s a relaxing sport really, with just enough heart racing action and close calls to keep me from dozing off. There is no tackling, unnecessary roughness or spitting. It is sophisticated and the scenery of the golf courses is stunning. The perfectly manicured green grounds, flowers and trees swaying in the wind make the sport very easy to watch.
I have been keeping a close eye on the PGA Tour this year and plan on giving you my take on some of the best players in the league at the moment.
Let’s start with Tiger Woods. This guy has reinvented the sport and is an absolute icon in the golfing industry. The beginning of this season was a little rough for him. Many said this wouldn’t be a shining season from him. He began this tour, fresh out of physical therapy. Tiger was forced to undergo knee surgery last year. The beginning the 2009 season looked bleak, however Tiger surprised everyone and is rocking it!
To be honest, it’s almost a little sad to watch these tournaments at times. Tiger Woods just leaves everyone in the dust! I am a fan, but I can’t be the only one waiting for his arch-nemesis to pop up out of the bushes and score a perfect Eagle on every hole.
Next in line is Steve Stricker. Steve has been competing in the PGA since 1990 and has won 7 PGA Tours. In my opinion, Steve is Tiger’s biggest threat this season and is a solid player.
Another PGA player you should keep your eye on is Jim Furyk. He is dedicated to the sport and extremely focused. Don’t be surprised if you see an awkward swing or some strange behavior from this player. He has an interesting and unconventional style all his own.
The PGA playoffs will be exciting this year and I am curious to see which records Tiger will shatter this season, and what the end standings will look like.
2009-2010 PGA Tour Highlights
Ryder Cup, The Tour Championship, Presidents Cup, FBR Open, Masters US, Open Golf, AT&T National PGA Tour Championship, British Open, and the big daddy…The PGA Championship
September 18th, 2009
Michigan & Ohio State This huge rivalry dates back to 1897, when Michigan spanked Ohio State with a 34-0 win! Ever since the first historic game, there has been bad blood between the teams. This makes for exceptionally entertaining college football!
Alabama & Auburn The Iron Bowl is an annual NCAA football game where the Auburn Tigers and Alabama Crimson Tide collide. This game is often held on Thanksgiving weekend and is greatly anticipated by both teams. The rivalry began in 1893 after the very first match up between these two teams and pressure has been building ever since.
Texas & Oklahoma When the University of Texas Longhorns take on the University of Oklahoma Sooners it’s known to the world, as the Red River Rivalry. Many college football freaks consider this to be the ultimate rivalry. The history of the battle between these two teams began in 1900 and still holds strong today.
Notre Dame & Southern California Ever heard of the Jeweled Shillelagh? If not, no fear! The Jeweled Shillelagh is a trophy awarded to the winner of the Notre Dame and USC annual game. It’s definitely not the best looking trophy; however it has a story to tell. The Shillelagh is an Irish weapon that was made in Ireland and is decorated and presented to the winning team every year. The tradition of this trophy was started in 1952 and the rivalry between the two teams began in the winter of 1926. The champions also receive the highly sought after bragging rights.
Florida State & Florida These two teams battle for the Governor’s Cup aka the Sunshine Showdown every year. Both of these teams are huge universities in Florida and strive to be coined the best! This rival features the Florida Gators versus the Florida State Seminoles. Even though this is not one of the oldest rivalries (it is rumored to have started in 1958), it certainly is one of the most popular.
Georgia Tech & Georgia It’s just “clean, old-fashioned hate”! This is the moniker given to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and Georgia Bulldogs rivalry. These two institutions are only a few miles from each other, but the attitudes are far apart! Since 1893 the yellow jackets and bulldogs have been passionate about taking the competition under.
USC & UCLA Most often, the winner of the football game has won the Pac-10 Championship. This fierce rivalry is felt around Los Angeles leading up to the game. The week before the game both schools will often see a rise in school spirit and some seriously silly pranks take place!
Stanford & Cal State The first “Big Game” ever was in the spring of 1892 between Stanford University and Cal State Berkley. This game is usually held in November or December, annually and is always a fan favorite. Students gather for a bonfire and pep rally before the game.
ASU & University of Arizona Ahh, the Duel in the Desert! The fire is definitely burning in these two Arizona teams. Fans are always glued to their seats during this match up and this in state rivalry gets hotter every year!
Army & Navy The between the United States Military Academy and the United States Naval Academy, this rivalry has been going strong for almost 80 years. The Army versus Navy rivalry has always been a friendly one, however sometimes the mascots will play tricks on one another. This is always an exciting game to see live and it is broadcast every year.
August 21st, 2009
You know, the last few months have been a bit of a sad period in regards to celebrities that have passed on from this world. Despite the fact it is rare that we know any of these individuals on a personal basis, their deaths affect us, some more so than others. Occasionally though, a passing seems to have a little more meaning because of what the individual represented in the grand scheme of things. Such is the case with Mr. Les Paul.
Les Paul’s passing on Thursday, August 13 at the age of 94, may not get the kind of coverage that the deaths of others have, but the influence he has had and will have on generations of musicians is simply undeniable.
This is a gentleman that is the father of the electric six-string. In addition, the work he accomplished in pioneering recording techniques such as multi-tracking and the electronic echo continues to resonate through the music industry today.
Once Les Paul began experimenting with the electric guitar, he teamed up with Gibson Guitars. His model six-string became a signature piece of work for that company. He continued to create new styles of guitars, including the 14-fret and the dual-pickup. The man was sheer genius, and this innovative work led to Les Paul being inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2005, joining such select company as Thomas Edison!
As a performer Les Paul is a member of both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Grammy Hall of Fame. His influence on so many musicians, particularly guitarists, is absolutely stunning. Artists such as Slash, Joe Satriani, Joan Jett, Keith Richards, Richie Sambora, Keith Urban and countless others spoke publicly in glowing terms about Les Paul once news of his passing was made public. It is obvious this man was a legend, a role model, and as many of the artists stated, a true friend to all those in the music community.
Personally speaking, I think of the fact that at my age I sometimes bemoan the fact of not being able to do some of the things I used to. Les Paul was still playing every Monday night in New York City well into his nineties! Absolutely incredible!
Mr. Les Paul, we pay tribute to you today, and always. We thank you for all you did while on this earth. The world of music is a better place today because of you.
Click here for comments from several artists regarding the legacy of Les Paul
Cheers,
The Dust Devil
August 14th, 2009
While I was scouring the net this week, I found some juicy tidbits about some very talented artists and entertainers. Here is a quick run-down of this week’s top news stories in the music industry.
Radiohead Releases New Tune On August 5th, Radiohead released a new tunes on Waste Merchandising. The song “Harry Patch (In Memory Of)” was written for the last British World War I Veteran, who just recently passed away. All proceeds of this new track are going to be donated to the Royal British Legion. A full length album is in the works and Radiohead plans to release their follow up to “Rainbow” very soon! All Radiohead fans can now rejoice, I know I am!
Aerosmith’s Frontman Steven Tyler, Takes a Tumble Steven Tyler reportedly fell off the stage during a concert on August 6th in South Dakota. He was immediately taken via helicopter to a nearby emergency room. It is said he received head, shoulder and neck trauma from the fall. This isn’t the first report of an Aerosmith band member suffering injuries from this tour. Tyler was forced to undergo foot surgery before the tour and he also fell ill to pneumonia in March. Tom Hamilton (bassist) had to leave the tour for numerous dates, to recuperate from surgery. I really hope Aerosmith can pull it together and finish up this tour, who knows if there will be another one?
Jay-Z & Friends To Perform For Jay Leno Jay Leno has a brand new prime-time show, which will be aired on NBC, starting September 14th. The new show is slated for the 10:00pm timeslot. Superstars Jay-Z, Rihanna and Kanye West are all going to take the stage! Jay-Z will be performing songs from his new album “Run This Town”. I am definitely going to tune in, it’s a pretty sweet line up.
Paula Abdul, Its Over American Idol Recently, we have heard a lot of drama surrounding Paula and her American Idol contracts. Paula officially announced that she will no longer be a judge on the wildly popular reality show and stated, “It’s been overwhelming, what’s going on right now, so I have to carefully think about everything.” Some will be sad to see her go, others have been patiently awaiting her exit. Rumor brewing: Victoria Bekham may be Paula’s replacement. Not so bad!
Barbra Streisand, A Special Performance Babs is on a roll! She is back, better than ever. Planning a very special performance at the one-and-only Village Vanguard in New York City. The concert will be on September 26th and tickets are free with the purchase of Barbra Streisand’s new classics album, “Love is the Answer”.
Kid Rock Tickets & More Tours Announced Summer and Fall tour announcements are down pouring. Kid Rock, Brand New, Katy Perry, Little Richard, and country mega-start Willie Nelson tickets are all on sale now. Bob Dylan has even announced a mini-tour, which will kick off in Portland. Tickets to check out comedians Margaret Cho, Joan Rivers, Ron White and Steve Harvey also went on sale this week.
August 7th, 2009
I know we “will always love” Whitney Houston and have been waiting patiently for this divas new album. Get ready, because Whitney is gearing up for the comeback of a lifetime and she has a lot to prove.
I can remember singing and dancing to hits like, “I Will Always Love You”, “Saving All My Love for You” and “How Will I Know”. Whitney has an amazingly powerful voice that transcends all generations and it’s about time for some new jams!
The new album was produced by Clive Davis and includes tracks written and produced by the talented Alicia Keys. BET’s own Clay Cane critiqued the album and remarked, “Her voice is deeply powerful, channeling classic Whitney with a pop sense but an R&B vocal.”
The first single “I Look to You” was produced by R. Kelly and will definitely receive heavy rotation by listeners and radio stations. The album includes 11 tracks and I can’t wait to hear them all!
Yes, you can believe the hype!
At a recent listening party, Whitney Houston’s new album won over the crowd. It is rumored fans were dancing and getting down to the new tunes. The event included a star-studded guest list including; Halle Berry, Barry Manilow, Magic Johnson, Jane Fonda, Stevie Wonder and many more.
Here are the songs you will find on Whitney Houston’s new album (tracklist may change).
Whitney Houston – I Look to You
1. Million Dollar Bill
2. Nothin’ But Love
3. Call You Tonight
4. I Look To You
5. Like I Never Left (featuring Akon)
6. A Song For You
7. I Didn’t Know My Own Strength
8. Worth It
9. For The Lovers
10. I Got You
11. Salute
Whitney Houston’s new album titled “I Look to You” is scheduled to be released on August 31st, 2009. You can even download a free song from her new cd, for a limited time!
I am hoping we will see a Whitney Houston tour in the works soon! I have been hearing rumors of a possible fall/winter concert tour, in support of her new music.
Additional August Music Releases:
Modest Mouse - No One First Any You’re Next
Queen Latifa – Persona
The Roots – How I Got Over
George Strait – Twang
Lil Wayne – Rebirth
Sean Paul – Imperial Blaze
Reba McEntire – Keep On Loving You
Third Eye Blind – Ursa Major
David Guetta – One Love
Smokey Robinson – Time Flies When You Are Having Fun
The Casualties – We are All We Have
Imogen Heap – Elipse
Matisyahu - Light
July 31st, 2009
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