Playoffs??!!???*

The Columbus Blue Jackets finally made the playoffs.

Before the game, we dropped in at Boston's and ran into our friends Michael and Chuck.

Bottom line: the Columbus Blue Jackets got swept in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs by the Detroit Red Wings. The score of the clinching final game in Nationwide Arena was 6-5. The Redwings scored a power play goal with 46.6 seconds to go in the game in the aftermath of a disputed penalty call. Lisa and I were there, and yes, we and all the onlooking Blue Jackets fans were disappointed.
But anyone who was in attendance will agree that is far from the whole story. First, despite the sweep, it was important for the Jackets to play a respectable game and they certainly did that coming back twice from two goal deficits before bowing to the reigning Stanley Cup champions. In the first 2 1/2 games , the Jackets, experiencing their maiden playoff voyage, had difficulty adjusting to the ramped up intensity. They were starting to get the hang of it toward the end of the series and they easily could have won game 4 with better luck.

What was particularly significant about this game is that it was really the first time EVER that a rambunctious ear-splitting emotional professional sports crowd has surfaced in Columbus. Oh I know, the Jackets have been toiling in Columbus for nine years, but I had never seen a Columbus sports crowd react in the passionate manner like Browns and Steeler fans do. By the same token, even the actions of the fans in throwing bottles onto the ice (it was not near as bad as the infamous "bottle game" the Browns played a few years back which I also attended) after the questionable penalty call was all part of the coming of age of Columbus professional sports. I hope this passion can be sustained; it was really fun to be part of it.

HUNTINGTON PARK- What a ballpark should be!

Nothing says spring like baseball! A couple of weeks ago Bill & I attended the Columbus Clippers home opener. And what a beautiful day it was. Anne, Chuck, Danielle, Adam & I met a Boston's a fun bar up the street from Huntington Park to toast the day. It was 70's and sunny - who could ask for anything better. (You may notice the absence of Bill. One guess where he was - golfing! But he joined us at the Park before the opening pitch.)

The Arena District was buzzing. In addition to the game that afternoon, there was the Fleetwood Mac concert at Nationwide Arena and a Blue Jackets playoff game on TV later that evening.

After we finished our beverages we headed over to the game. We settled into our seats on the third base line a little past the skin of the infield. All of our gang savored the scene. The freshly mowed green grass of the field struck us all as the very essence of spring. We have Tom Houle and his wife Terese to thank for coming up with the joint plan to buy tickets. Unfortunately Tom and Terese could not make the first game, but their kids rooted for the home team. Chuck Ticknor, my long time sports viewing sidekick and his wife Anne Eckhart were with us So were our friends, the Fields - Danielle and Adam.

In the wake of the excitement over the construction of Huntington Park, the Columbus Clippers' new baseball stadium, Lisa and I along with six other great friends bought a package of twenty games. Opening day for the Clippers and the new park was Saturday, April 18 at 4 PM. This also marked the Clippers' first game as the Triple A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians.

In recognition of this, opening festivities included the introduction of arguably the Indians' all-time greatest player, Bob Feller who donned an Indians' field jacket. Rapid Robert, now 90 and baseball's oldest living hall of famer, looked remarkably healthy and vigorous as he waved to the adoring fans. I actually saw Feller pitch in 1956, his final year with the Tribe.

But the real star of the day was Huntington Park. It has that wonderful retro feel that Camden Yards and Progressive Park have also achieved. Old time ball parks often had quirky dimensions so that the field could fit inside a city block. Like Boston's Fenway Park, Huntington has several angled walls where batted balls can carom in unforeseen directions and a mini "Green Monster" in right field. I suppose "ambience" and "nostalgic" are overused words but they are the ones that best describe this new park. Just walking up Nationwide Blvd. to the park is something of a revelation. The park fits perfectly into the western quadrant of the Arena District, and the uneducated observer would justifiably believe that it has been there for many decades. There are even gaps in the wall where those out for a stroll can peer into the game for free just like the old "knothole gangs" were apt to do in bygone days.

I actually knew a few of the players as the Clippers' Andy Marte, Josh Barfield, and starting pitcher Jeremy Sowers were on the parent club in Cleveland in 2008. We did not worry too much about who was winning (for the record the Clippers lost 3-1 to the Toledo Mudhens). Soaking up the sun, beer and hotdogs were the order of the day.

I am sure there will be those that will argue that the Clippers abandoned their roots by jettisoning Cooper Stadium which is located in a poor section of the west side. No one can deny that baseball at the old park provided cheap entertainment to those who had trouble affording the likes of OSU football tickets. In contrast, at Huntington Park, there actually will be plenty of suits attending the "businessman specials." The bottom line though is that Huntington Park offers atmosphere that baseball fans are looking for at an affordable price. We look forward to the season.

Notes on Golf

Bill's Story:

Tournament play began in earnest for me on April 17 and 18. My friend Dan Strasser invited me to play on his team in the "Brookside Swat" on the 17th at Brookside Golf and Country Club in Columbus. Dan can really golf his ball as he once was club champion at Brookside. I never pass up an opportunity to play this old-fashioned tree-lined gem. It is chock full of interesting severe dogleg holes requiring precise shotmaking and patient course management. There are also several back-breaking par 4s where middle-distance hitting players like myself are forced to wear out the face of their three woods(metals?) on their second shots.

The format for the competition was 16 five man teams counting the team's two best gross scores on each hole. Play for everyone under 60 was from the 7150 yard tips. Having become a sextogenarian last October, I was able to play from the more manageable blue tees at about 6650 yards. Nineteen local pros and many talented local amateurs were scattered among the teams. Dan recruited New Zealand native Ken Collett, a titanic hitter who serves as pro at Darby Creek Golf Course in Marysville. Our team also featured T.J. Brudzinski, a former assistant pro at Brookside, who subsequently regained his amateur status. T.J. has won a bevy of local amateur events. Frankly, with my 8 handicap having to play scratch, I was a little out of my class. As it always does in these things, it came down to putting. T.J. played brilliantly tee to green but converted only a couple of his birdie opportunities. Ken wowed us with his awesome driving, but he had several near-misses with the flat stick too. I made 11 pars (and a few helped our gross) but no birdies. Our team finished two over while the winning team came in at nine under.

I had to believe that my new old putter "The Squire" was thrilled to be back on the course making putts in tournaments after presumably rusting away in the garage for decades. Those of you do not play golf may question the practice of attributing feelings and emotions to a golf club. But golfers understand and respect this phenomenon. Many of our greatest players have ascribed human characteristics to their putters. Bobby Jones won the Grand Slam in 1930 with "Calamity Jane, " and Ben Crenshaw took the Masters with the magical "Little Ben." In filmdom we have Judge Smails played by Ted Knight hauling out the ancient "Billy Barroo" ("Oh Billy, Billy, Billy!") for the critical putt (and making it) in "Caddyshack." Golf can be a lonely game- often it is just you and your game against an unyielding course! That is why it is comforting to have a good friend like "the Squire" in your bag. He understands what you are going through and wants to help. Of course, friends can turn on you with a vengeance like my Odyssey did , and then they have to go!

I had a great time with Strasser and my teammates in the Brookside men's grille as we drowned our golf frustrations in beer. I discussed New Zealand with Ken Collett who informed me that he hails from the same club as Bob Charles, golf's greatest lefty pre-Mickelson. I also got reacquainted with John Mazza, a fellow I practiced law with thirty years ago who is a formidable insurance defense lawyer in our town.

On Saturday, The Lakes Golf and Country Club (my home club) had its Opening Day Scramble tournament. I never look forward to scrambles as I would rather play my own ball. But generally I have a good time playing in them. My three teammates were Dave Sivinski, Pat Turner, and John Williams. Sivinski and I have been playing partners in various club events for some years, and we are partnering in two Lakes "majors" later in the summer. Pat is a regular member of our Saturday group, and a very personable companion. I had not previously met John Williams. This scramble had a twist: we started play on the regular "white" tees; once we made a birdie, the team moved back to the "blues." A second birdie would place us on the "greens" which are the "tips." Thus as with most scrambles, the team that has a big bomber has a big advantage. Unfortunately, our team did not sport that kind of driver.

But we played pretty well- a no bogey 67, three back of the winning team tied for fifth winning some small change credits in the pro shop. John Williams was a big help holing three 20 footers. "The Squire" made a snake also despite my teammates good-natured needling over what they called "Billy Baroo." My best moment came on 18 after Sivinski had powered a three wood to within 7 feet of the cup. I inquired of him whether he would mind my getting my ball inside of his. Good teammate that Dave is, he assured me he was OK with that, and I promptly pured my little fade in there to within a couple of inches of holing out. Fairway woods have been a longtime bugaboo and it is good to have those going well for a change.

So that is the golf report. I am writing this posting on April 29. Tomorrow Lisa and I leave for Scotland.

Angus Goes To The Doctor

Yesterday, Angus went to see Dr. Andrea for his last round of puppy shots. Everyone told him how cute he was! He gained 6 pounds un the last month. He now weights 19 pounds! I was told to cut down on the food a bit so he could maintain a waist line. He's already having body image issues - welcome to the real world Angus - you're 4 months old and already dieting!

He got 2 shots but didn't notice because he was chowing on doggie treats! Angus finished with a pose for his fans then headed home for a nap.

Pinehurst Pilgrimage

Bill's Story

It's April, and for Lisa and me that marks the true start of our golf season. Expect a number of posts involving our favorite game in the coming months.

Feeling the need for a spring tune-up for our rusty swings, we settled on a road trip to America's home of golf- Pinehurst, North Carolina. I won't say that the extra bag charge that the airlines now impose for hauling golf clubs was the determining factor, but it was on our minds when we elected to make the nine hour drive from Columbus rather than fly to Raleigh.

Pinehurst really was the first golf community before anyone realized that such a thing existed. It all began in 1895 when James Tufts of Boston, fresh from having sold his interest in the American Soda Fountain Company, conceived the idea of building a health resort in the sand hills of south-central North Carolina. Tufts' vision promptly resulted in the construction of a quaint picture postcard village along with two hotels, the grandest of which was The Carolina, where Lisa and I happily holed up during our visit.

The usual array of sporting activities were present from the inception of the resort, but golf immediately rose to dominance due to (1) the sandy soil - perfect for golf because it drains so quickly and (2) Tufts' recruitment of Donald Ross to serve as the resort's golf professional. Ross, a young Scot expatriate, already had a strong understanding of golf course design having worked as assistant greens keeper for Old Tom Morris - really the father of modern golf - at St. Andrews. Accordingly, Tufts entrusted Ross with the task of redesigning the resort's only course, "Pinehurst Number 1" and designing several new ones. Ultimately four more courses were built (numbers 2 through 5), with Pinehurst Number 2 achieving renown as Ross's masterpiece.

Buoyed by his successes at Pinehurst, Ross became recognized as America's greatest golf course architect. Oakland Hills, Scioto, and Inverness are among his triumphs. But Pinehurst Number 2 was always Ross's favorite, and from the vantage point of his home adjacent to the course's third fairway, he constantly tinkered with its design until his death in 1948. The course has hosted scores of important championships, most recently the 1999 U.S. Open won by Payne Stewart shortly before his untimely death, and the 2005 Open won by New Zealander Michael Campbell.

The impressive entrance to The Carolina

Ross's reputation helped immeasurably in enhancing Pinehurst's fame as a golf mecca. The resort has built three more courses in the last thirty years. We decided to play course numbers 4, 2, 8, 1, and 7 respectively. Our afternoon game Thursday on number 4 started under gray moisture laden skies and conditions gradually worsened as we made our way around. Rain suits were the order of the day. We played with two guys from Connecticut, Pierre and Scott. Scott was going to be leaving for Detroit that evening to see the UConn Huskies in the NCAA semifinals. A unique aspect of golf is that players are often forced into spending the better part of their day with complete strangers. Yet what seems tailor-made to be an awkward experience almost unfailingly winds up being a good one. Our game with Scott and Pierre was pleasant enough but I had an incident with Scott which I let put me in melt-down mode. Scott hit a good shot pin-high on a hard-to-gauge downhill par three over water and casually mentioned that he had "hit his 160 yard club." I should have paid no attention to that aside, but I did and accordingly hit my 160 yard club- a 6 iron. I nailed it flush only to watch the ball descend into the pond several yards short of the opposite bank. I turned to Scott and not so kiddingly spat out , "You deked [decoyed] me!" I doubt he purposely misled me, but I let the misclub get to me and blamed Scott for my troubles. I triple-bogied that hole and doubled the next. I suppose I was pouting rather childishly. When I continued to fume in the cart, Lisa "took me to the woodshed," and told me to "get over it," and that it was entirely my fault for paying the slightest attention to what Scott had to say about club selection. I eventually shook off my displeasure, but my card had long since been ruined. Maybe that is part of golf spring training- increase your mental toughness. I confess I was not exhibiting the required toughness this particular day.

Lisa, a 29 handicapper, kept a sunny disposition as the downpour increased in volume over the closing holes and shot 109- a respectable score on a tough course on a brutal day. I am currently an 8 handicap. I was as low as 4 last year. Suffice it to say my 92 blows was my worst score in quite some time. Strangely, I managed to score that high despite good driving. I fanned all my irons out to the right and could not buy a putt. Only the flask of scotch which we kept handy in the bag provided liquid solace. Later, a sumptuous feast at the Holly Inn helped soothe our aching bodies and restore my flagging spirit.

Friday was slated to be the highlight of our trip - Pinehurst Number 2. But when it rained all night and into the dawn, Lisa was leaning toward scrubbing the round and hitting the spa. But at 8 AM, the storm blew out and the sun made a belated appearance and then stayed for the rest of our trip. So after The Carolina's tasty buffet breakfast, we shuttled over to the quick-drying course for our 9 AM tee time and met our caddy, Dave Blair, as well as our playing partners for the day- Sue and Ed from Cleveland. If you ever play Number 2, please take a caddy! It is the only way to really experience the full ambience of the place, and it is a great walking course. And you will need help reading the treacherous greens which fall off on all sides much like an inverted saucer. Blair, a Virginia native, had that slow Virginia- gentleman way of talking and it seemed to relax me and my swing. I carded 38 on the front nine with three birdies. My irons finally were right on target though my putting continued to spoil things as two three putts kept me from shooting an even better front.


Lisa clocked right along hitting consistent shots until she was hailing the green from 80 yards or so away, but her short irons let her down. I continued to play well on the back nine until a chunked 7 iron shot on hole 14 cost me a double-bogey, More three putts followed as I was unable to roll the putts on the lines that Dave patiently and correctly gave me. A solid par on the difficult 18th salved my feelings a little, but the final tally was 81- obviously two shots above what I was looking for. Lisa had a chance to break 50 on the back nine but mistakes on the final hole did her in. Still, a great experience at Number 2!

After the round, Lisa told me that she was fully aware she was playing a great course, and that it was a memorable experience - more so than playing Number 4. But, she wondered what exactly makes Number 2 a more notable course than Number 4 which is also beautiful and difficult? Are we overly influenced by Number 2's storied history and major championship pedigree? That's obviously a big part of the course's allure, but there is more. It is just such fun to play and all shots are visually interesting and challenging even though there is virtually no water and little chance of hitting the ball entirely out of play. (In fact, caddy Dave guaranteed that no ball would be lost under his watch!) In that sense, Number 2 is a classic course in the vein of St. Andrews where Ross apprenticed.

Thereafter, Lisa visited the spa for a deep tissue massage to ease her aching back while I chilled out with a scotch in our very comfortable room.



The "Putter Boy" symbol of Pinehurst


We played Number 8 designed by Tom Fazio on Saturday morning. The two fellows, Pete & Pat, we were playing with wanted to play the blue tees. Selection of tee markers tends to bring ego into play. I succumbed to their wishes and I probably should not have. I actually kept the ball in play all day, but pars were hard to come by what with the length of the layout coupled with my ever-poor putting. One of the fellows had no business playing the tips.

Several of the resort's employees who play golf (why else would they relocate to Pinehurst?) told us that Number 8 is their favorite. It was definitely a good test, but after the round I could only recall a couple of the holes. I have been told that the best test of a course's greatness is whether you can remember all the holes after the first time you play it. We toughed out a second Saturday round on Number 1 which is comparatively shorter and easier. I blew a 6 footer on the last hole which I needed to break 80. Lisa for the first time on the trip complained about being overgolfed. We ate dinner The Carolina's bar where we were able to watch the NCAA semifinal games. I had difficulty suppressing a smirk after Scott's Huskies went down to Michigan State. Was it God's payback for decoying me?


The bronze likeness of Payne Stewart celebrating his winning putt at the '99 U.S. Open inspires golfers playing the 18th hole at Number 2.


Sunday we took the first tee time at 8 AM on Number 7 so that we could get on the road back to Columbus in a timely manner. We played with Roger and Pat, a nice couple from Connecticut. My ball striking was good enough to shoot 77 but I turned it into 84 with more wretched putting including four consecutive three putts. My handicap is going to go further north. Lisa scored a rare birdie on a par three with a screaming five wood followed by a six foot putt which was center-cut all the way. Both of us preferred Number 7 to Number 8. It was a fitting end to a great golf trip.

A highlight of our trip back home was our stop at Ben's Ice Cream

Our big golf trip of the season will be coming up when we leave for Scotland on April 30. Lisa and I will both be playing in the Ayrshire Golf Classic. Much more later on that.

Girls Weekend

Lisa's Story

A couple of weeks ago some of my best girlfriends and I went down to the Hocking Hills for a lovely girls weekend. Our friends Terese and Tom have an amazing cabin in the hills! We all decided it was time for the girls to getaway. Saturday morning, Anne & I headed down 33 to the cabin to meet up with Terese and Danielle.

Terese & Anne


The weather was pretty great so we went for a hike. I never get over how spectaular the scenery is and it is right in our own backyard!

Anne, me, Terese & Danielle dwarfed by the size of the falls.

Once back at the cabin, we had 2 nice gals come in to give us massages and facials. Ahhhhhhh! We sipped on cocktails and appetizers while being pampered.

Terese prepared an incredible meal of grilled chicken , gnocchi with fresh spring asparagus and Liz's famous garlic bread. Yum Yum!

We did a little after dinner dancing!

The next morning as Anne & I prepared to head home, I noticed my purse felt heavy and started rooting through it to figure out why. I found a very old banana that had clearly been in there for a while. Yuck! The funniest part of the story is that Bill had something similar happen to him a few years ago. Needless to say, we all wondered how anyone could ever do something as silly as forget about a banana in a suit coat (or anywhere else for that matter)! I would like to report out that, apparently, it is quite easy to do! One more reason why Bill & I are meant for each other.

All in all it was really great weekend in beautiful surroundings with wonderful friends! Can't wait to do it again.

In LeBron We Trust!

Bill's story:

Lisa and I made a Wednesday night excursion on March 25th to Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland to watch the NBA Cavs host the New Jersey Nets. The game carried potential historical significance for the Cavs as a win would set a new record for Cavs victories in a season of 58.

Upon arriving at the Q , Lisa made a beeline for the team store where she purchased a number 23 Lebron James home game jersey.

Two lovely but seemingly lonely Cavalier Girls insisted that I join them in a picture. Semi-tolerant Lisa snapped the pic below of the thorn between the roses.

The surging Cavs have lost only once the entire season at the Q, and the mediocre Nets did not figure to be a stumbling block. The Nets do sport capable players like Vince Carter, once considered a superstar, and rookie center Brooke Lopez, who showed some good moves in the post. But they have no one to match up with LeBron or the Cavs sterling backcourt of Mo Williams and Delonte West. We anticipated LeBron's signature pre-game move: clapping his talcum-covered hands high in the air thereby creating a mist of white powder. But prior to the clap. he augmented the skit by taking a phantom "family photo" of several of his teammates. When I first started watching basketball, guys like Jerry West, Bill Russell, and Oscar Robertson were the stars. All of them always kept a serious game face demeanor. None of them would have dreamed of engaging in pre-game theatrics or other tomfoolery. Indeed, the media would have criticized such behavior as indicative of a player's lack of focus and disrespect for the game. But times have changed, and perhaps for the better. Why not have a little fun to build team camaraderie and loosen things up a bit? What does it hurt to have good-natured competition between LeBron and other stars like Shaquille O'Neal over who has the best intro? And unlike the NFL, the silliness ends once the game starts. Properly confined to the pre-game, it adds some entertainment value for the fans, and does not detract from the game itself.



The game started in a predictable fashion with the Cavs racing out to an early 12 point lead.



Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Anderson Verajao dominated underneath, converting several easy baskets. In a theme that was to recur throughout the game, the Cavs coasted once they established a solid lead. The offense became sluggish, and the Nets cut into the lead. LeBron tried with some success to pull the Cavs out of their lethargy by distributing the ball rather than looking for his own shot. He often tends to pass the ball early in the game so his teammates get into the flow and don't just stand around. Players run harder without the ball when it habitually arrives at the moment they come open. The Cavs pulled ahead again in the second quarter and the outcome did not seem in doubt. Despite the Cavs six point halftime lead, it was not a big statistical half for LeBron who had a paltry six points at intermission.

The second half began with more of the same: the Cavs generally maintaining a working lead of six to twelve points but unable to pull away due to lackluster outside shooting. With the Cavs hitting on about two cylinders, the Nets again chipped away at the lead. Then having capitalized on a couple of careless Cavs turnovers , the Nets suddenly found themselves up a bucket with four minutes to play in the game. This was LeBron time! He knows that is the situation when he must find a way to win the game. So he did! He was the catalyst for the Cavs scoring on ten straight possessions. When he was not draining a three or driving with unsurpassed power and authority to the hoop, he was finding Verajao with a choice thread-the-needle pass for a reverse layup. He got the ball in the hands of West and Mo Williams for wide-open threes which they confidently knocked down.

The final tally was 97-88 Cavs! While the game was not the Cavs best effort, it did showcase their newfound ability to turn up the heat when that absolutely needs to happen. LeBron's performance seemed rather pedestrian until his late-game heroics but he still finished with 22 points and was only two rebounds short of a triple double! Superstars always find a way to get their points.


So who is the greater superstar - LeBron or Kobe Bryant? Let me add my two cents. Both are hyper-competitive types who will stop at nothing to win. But Kobe gives off the vibe that he would prefer to do so primarily through his own efforts instead of sharing the load with his teammates. And he is so good that he can sometimes accomplish that. LeBron really seems to care that his fellow Cavs personally succeed not just because that is the way to win more ballgames, but also because he really likes them, actually - dare I say it- loves them! Maybe Kobe with his unrivaled killer instinct is still the better player, but LeBron is clearly a better and more amiable co-worker. So naturally if it comes down to Kobe v. LeBron in the NBA finals, most of America will be pulling for the guy with the higher level of civility going for him - my man Lebron.

Will the Cavs win their first NBA championship? I still fear that the Cavs frontcourt will have difficulty in a long series matching up with the likes of Kevin Garnett of the Celtics or Lamar Odom of the Lakers. Odom humbled the Cavs big men in the Cavs lone home loss of the season a couple of months ago. If the Cavs are to win it all, LeBron is going to have to carry the Cavs on his back with a flurry of Michael Jordan-Tiger Woods style epic performances. I think he has it in him. He now has the leadership, experience and necessary will to do whatever is required to lift his team, and I have a high degree of trust that this April-June playoff campaign will be his time.