Here we are, at the end of the course - and the last week of the NFL regular season. Both seem anticlimatic.
The 18th at Augusta can truly be one of the great finishing holes in golf. It has provided its share of moments - such as Lyle in 88, where he birdied from teh bunker. The collapse of Norman in 86 (and also - most forget - Kite's missed 7 footer). O'Meara in 98. Phil's putt ("Is it his time? Yes!) in 04.
But if the contest is not in doubt, the 18th is a boring hole. There really is no chance for a disaster (unless you are Arnold Palmer, 1961 - who accepted congratulations as he was walking up the fairway with a one-shot lead. He promptly sculled a bunker shot and made 6). If someone has a two shot lead or more (like Zach, Faldo (96), Immelman, Woods many years), that's it. The tournament is over.
Kind of like this week. The 6 teams in the NFC all have 2 game leads. The field is all set. What are the Vikings playing for here? Don't say "a bye" - I think they may want to get on teh field next week and work out the kinks. And besides, the Steelers, Giants, and others have proven that the home field advantage has diminished over the past 23 years.
And the AFC? The Jets and the Ravens have the 2 stroke lead. Do you really think the Jets will lose- at home - against a team that has nothing to play for? What about the Ravens? Will they actaully let the Raiders beat them? I know, I know, any given Sunday and all that.......but it's very hard to imagine.
My personal 18th hole(s) go back to my college days - the first conference tournament I played in and the last tournament I ever played. In 1990, I was a freshman, and was +4 in the second round at the UAA Championships at Marshfield (MA) CC when I came to 18, a 400 yard par 4. A drive and a 4 iron put me on the wrong tier, 50 feet away; I played about 12 feet of break and heard an audible gasp from our coach's wife; the ball settled down about 4 feet below the hole. I nervously put that in for a career-best 74 at the time, which gave me all-conference honors as a freshman.
The last tournament I played for Case was the 1993 NCAC Championships at Granville, a Donald Ross layout near the campus of Denison University. I was playing well, and I wanted to make all-conference badly, since the talent in this conference was far superior to the talent in the UAA. (It's a long story - at the time, we belonged to two conferences). The 18th has "the most spectactular view in Ohio golf", and was an apporpriate place to end my career. After going +5 on holes 13-15, I came to 18 pretty much knowing I needed a par; a good drive and a wedge put me about 35 feet, requiring another testy two putt. I finished tied for 10th, and on the conference second team.
(If we are talking about a par-3 18th there's no question I put Maketewah in here.........)
Anyway, enough reminiscing. On to the games:
Atl 20, TB 17. Is Matt Ryan going to play for more than a half?
SF 28, StL 10. I'm sure the Rams will "try" to win....but have Suh in mind while playing. Boy, he's a real talent at LB.
NYG 27, Min 20. I don't think the Giants will go out quietly after last week.
Mia 23, Pit 20. The Dolphins will officially end the Steelers' season.
Hou 31, NE 20. I am banking on the Patriots beingextra conservative here.
Det 20, Chi 17, OT. Yes, the Bears put everything in last Monday's game and will overlook the Lions.
Cle 20, Jax 17. Four in a row for Mangini to close the season.
Car 27, NO 13. Too much pride in the Panthers.
Ind 20, Buf 10. I mean, the Jets barely scored on offense versus the Colts last week. The Bills are horrendous. Really - how exactly are they moving the ball?
Sea 23, Ten 20. Hasselbeck will put up one more good game for the home crowd.
SD 21, Was 20. The Chargers will open up a 21-3 lead, then take everyone out.
Bal 28, Oak 13. If the Browns can force 4 interceptions......what can the Ravens force?
KC 23, Den 20. The last wheel falls off Denver's cart.
GB 24, Az 21. Who will stop trying first?
Phi 28, Dal 27. I think both teams value the division title and will make a concerted effort to win this game.
NYJ 20, Cin 14. Again, as I said, the Jets hardly moved the ball vs. the Colts' 2nd stringers. They needed their defense - and the great Curtis Painter - to give them the game. Cincy is better than the Colts' reserves.
Best bets: 15 of them. Last week: 5-7-1; overall: 99-111-3.
SF -8.5
NYG +8
Mia +3
Hou -7
Det +3
Chi/Det under 44
Car -7
Ind +8
Sea +6
Bal -10.5
KC +10
GB +3
Phi +3
Phi/Dal over 47.5
Cin +9.5
3 comments:
18 at Longview was somehow left out of your post. What gives?
Wow. Nice. Couldn't find an image of Longview #18, however....
I played that course in Marshfield 3 times - all in 1990 - and I can remember almost all of the holes.
I've played Longview 30 times at least - the last being in 1988 - and I can only remember #1, #5, #7, #9, #10 and #16. That's about it.
And what is this? This is illegal, I say!
http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/golf/bal-sp.digest202oct20,0,1471768.column
18 has the ghetto kids yelling at you on the left and the thick trees in the right. All of it is wrapped up with a postage type green up the 90 degree incline.
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