Nothing much in the news again, though I really didn't spend too much time looking. Because the British Open started today, one of my favorite events. And, aside from it being a wonderful tournament, it's played in Scotland this year, so TV time starts here at four in the morning.
Now, when I watch televised golf, I use my own system, so I'm not always on top of the action. First of all, I don't turn the sound on at all, and haven't for years. So unless they post a scoreboard, I generally haven't a clue to who's doing what.
Aside from that, I keep a secondary channel in my remote, so when any commercials or players I have no interest in appear, I simply push the button and watch something else. Today, it's been CNBC business news, I think, because I don't turn that sound on either. But I do watch the market updates, headline crawlers, and prices of oil.
Now, I've also never been the type to really care about statistics in sports. In fact, even with players and teams that I love, I don't remember scores, important games, or practically any details at all, whether I watched events or not. First of all, I make no effort to mentally store the information, and beyond that, have never had an important reason for recollection. Aside from that, I spent most of my own time playing sports, not focusing on what somebody else did.
Nonetheless, sometimes things make an impression. And that happened this morning. Because, the leader of the Open today is a 21 year old kid named Rory McIlroy from Northern Ireland, who shot nine under par tying a first round Open record. But, those kinds of things happen in major tournaments all the time.
Some unknown, or perhaps a resurgent has-been, goes out and shoots a record score in round one. Then the press goes ballistic, and announcers and experts talk about it on the air for hours. Predictions of looming or returning greatness are made, the players life story is plastered all over the sports shows and reporters camp out on the lawn at the player's parent's home seeking inside scoops, biographical oddities and personal vital statistics. And, that's another reason I keep the sound off. I only care about how these guys play their sport, not when and where they brush their teeth or how often they change their socks.
All that hype and noise aside though, and the reason for this entry, is that this kid could be the real deal. I knew nothing about him til' this afternoon when I went and looked him up. You can find the same stuff I did in Wikipedia, so I'm not going to repeat it here. But, it seems, he's been tested as both a top-rated amateur and as a pro, winning tournaments here and in Europe. He's likely comfortable in the surroundings and his day one score shows that he has the capability to shoot low rounds.
So, this isn't a prediction, golf's too mercurial for that, but it's just to go on record that McIlroy certainly has a real shot (no pun intended) at winning this thing. Yet, at the same time I'm going to keep on pulling for Steve Stricker. He didn't have a great first round, but he ain't dead yet, and that's what counts.
That's it for today folks.
Adios
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