So I was watching a bit of golf today. I know. Golf. The sport with the plaid pants.
Anyway, now that you've stopped laughing at me, I will move on to my point. I enjoy watching golf, but really only when Tiger Woods is playing. If you follow sports at all, you'll know that Tiger Woods has been injured for a while now, and is just making his return to the PGA Tour.
So I was thinking, why do I like watching Tiger so much? Here's what I came up with:
First, I just enjoy watching him play. I like watching his demeanor and focus - it's really very impressive. He seems to will himself to success at times. For anyone fortunate enough to have watched the US Open last year, you'll know what I'm talking about (videos below for those who missed it!). I really don't think non-golfers appreciate what Woods has achieved as a golfer. It's just not a sport you dominate in the way he has. It doesn't work that way - if your club is one-half of a degree off on contact, you're a nobody.
I think more importantly, though, Tiger Woods excels at what he does to an extent that I can only dream of. I mean, I'd like to excel at something. So far, I've really not done anything with my life. That's OK. I'm young. But to watch someone who is not much older than me be the best at something - the clear best - that's really encouraging. I like to think that I won't settle for mediocrity - that I'll be the best at something one day. And I guess watching Tiger succeed as he has is, you know, inspirational. Or something.
For those of you who missed it, you gotta watch these highlights from last year's US Open. Note that he was playing this tournament with a torn ligament in his knee and a double stress fracture in his leg, which is CRAZY:
Third Round:
Fourth Round playoff forcing putt:
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Getting this thing started
So apparently I am now a "blogger."
I'd like to begin with a little rant about Ann Coulter.
I dislike her. She's terrible. She makes me want to jump off a bridge. But I won't. Because then Ann Coulter would win.
Sometimes I wonder whether or not she is just kidding when she says and writes the things she does. Like she's a secret communist who just enjoys riling up the right wing by being a caricature. Then I think about the possibility that she's 100% genuine. That's when my head starts to hurt. She's terrible. Just terrible.
You know who else is terrible? The Washington Nationals. No pitching. 15 troubled outfielders. But at least they don't say things like this:
"We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity. We weren't punctilious about locating and punishing only Hitler and his top officers. We carpet-bombed German cities; we killed civilians. That's war. And this is war."
That was Ann Coulter after 9/11. She also can't pitch.
On to other pressing issues. Namely, five random things that everyone should read ASAP:
1) Team of Rivals, by Doris Kearns Goodwin.
2) The Paradox of Choice, by Barry Schwartz.
3) This: http://www.newyorker.com/talk/financial/2009/01/26/090126ta_talk_surowiecki (because it is relevant to the current debate on taxes and the stimulus).
4) This: http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2005/08/29/050829fa_fact?currentPage=all (because it is interesting, even if you don't totally agree with it).
5) This: http://www.portfolio.com/news-markets/national-news/portfolio/2008/11/11/The-End-of-Wall-Streets-Boom?print=true (controversial and all, but everyone in the country should be required to read it).
Plenty more to come. I promise more cohesiveness next time. Maybe.
I'd like to begin with a little rant about Ann Coulter.
I dislike her. She's terrible. She makes me want to jump off a bridge. But I won't. Because then Ann Coulter would win.
Sometimes I wonder whether or not she is just kidding when she says and writes the things she does. Like she's a secret communist who just enjoys riling up the right wing by being a caricature. Then I think about the possibility that she's 100% genuine. That's when my head starts to hurt. She's terrible. Just terrible.
You know who else is terrible? The Washington Nationals. No pitching. 15 troubled outfielders. But at least they don't say things like this:
"We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity. We weren't punctilious about locating and punishing only Hitler and his top officers. We carpet-bombed German cities; we killed civilians. That's war. And this is war."
That was Ann Coulter after 9/11. She also can't pitch.
On to other pressing issues. Namely, five random things that everyone should read ASAP:
1) Team of Rivals, by Doris Kearns Goodwin.
2) The Paradox of Choice, by Barry Schwartz.
3) This: http://www.newyorker.com/talk/financial/2009/01/26/090126ta_talk_surowiecki (because it is relevant to the current debate on taxes and the stimulus).
4) This: http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2005/08/29/050829fa_fact?currentPage=all (because it is interesting, even if you don't totally agree with it).
5) This: http://www.portfolio.com/news-markets/national-news/portfolio/2008/11/11/The-End-of-Wall-Streets-Boom?print=true (controversial and all, but everyone in the country should be required to read it).
Plenty more to come. I promise more cohesiveness next time. Maybe.
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