A busy Holiday Weekend!

Where to begin?

1. Let's start with golf. I have no OFFICIAL handicap because I don't belong to a club, but I am around a 22. I think I'm generally better than a 22 but I never put everything together. I can hit it 275, play my irons pretty well and at times have nice touch around the green, but never more than 1 of those in a round consistently. If I had 2 out of 3 I'd be dangerous (Meatloaf reference I know). Well, on Friday I had all 3 for a lot of the time and fired an 85 at Jacaranda Country Club, on the tougher East Course from the blues. I probably left a few strokes out there but I also drained a 30 footer as well as had 2 chips within tap in range. I played so well I was convinced I'd pay for it on Sunday with my boys. Since college I've played golf with the same 3 guys every time I come home. They are also 3 of the best friends anyone can have. They are also ALL better golfers than I am. First you have Scotty who is a 3 handicap at this point. He just kills it and he's learned it all on his own. After that is Glenn, who like me has trouble putting all the aspects of his game together. He does do better mentally than I on the course and manages his game well. Lastly is Gregg. I HATE Gregg! If he were my height he would have played college baseball or football, but he is stuck in a 5'8" frame. He was the QB of our HS Football Team, started at 1B on the baseball team, was on the Homecoming Court, married the cheerleader and at 39 is still in ridiculous shape. He's never been a great golfer but he's come a LONG way and now hits the ball very long off the tees. Enough about them - on Sunday we played the TPC Course @ Heron Bay, where they used to play the Honda Classic. From the blues it's almost 6,900 yards and at times it seems like there is more sand than fairway. We started on the 10th and I was 1 over through 3 and then came a string of doubles and I shot a 48 on our first 9. Here we go again! Gil struggles to break a 100! Apparently someone forgot to tell Gil. I went out and shot a 42 on our back side that included 6 bogeys, 3 pars and NO doubles! I missed an 8 footer for birdie and had a par putt lip out or I could have been in the 80's on back to back rounds! For the first time since I picked up golf I really feel something sync up, especially with the driver. It was an awesome feeling not being intimidated by a 440 yard par 4.

2. Fantasy Football - this was the main reason for the trip. Annual ritual now for the last 16 years for me. I won the league last year and I am this years commissioner so I had lots to do but really enjoyed the draft and I think I did as well as I could given my draft positions. I am excited to have Frank Gore and Brian Westbrook in my backfield and I have quality back ups in Brandon Jacobs, Jerious Norwood and LenDale White. I redrafted 2 stalwarts from my WR corps in Roy Williams and Andre Johnson. QB is where I had to wait and wait, which is not ideal in this league but I grabbed Kitna, Leinart and Rothlisberger and took a flier on Culpepper so time will tell.

3. It was also an amazing couple of days for sports! We watched the Gator game together and had the pleasure of "Link's" company to see his beloved Wolverines get beat by Appalachian State. That's a loss that won't go away and we wondered whether Lloyd Carr might get a Ron Zook like exit shortly...

How about the Golf Tournament? I'll be damned if I can figure out this FedEx thing but watching Tiger and Phil battle yesterday was great theater!

I'm now done with baseball! he Phils' break my heart every year. We go out and sweep the Mets, cut the lead to 2 and then drop 2 of 3 in Florida. To add insult to injury I take the girls to see the Phils play the Braves yesterday and we lose again! To add insult to injury the girls now LOVE doing the Tomahawk Chop! I've tried to explain to them that this will be acceptable in the baseball stadium but when we get to Gainesville on Saturday for the football game they will stick to the JAWS clap :)

4. Family - last but not least I enjoyed Friday's round of golf with my cousin Jeff and then had lunch with he and his wife Anne and then joined their family for dinner and some Wii fun (man am I buying that thing for the girls :)). Saturday morning I saw my brother and sister-in-law and their 3 boys.

Next South Florida isn't until Winter Break I believe, though as I alluded above, the girls get there first taste of REAL SEC Football this weekend as we are taking them down for the Florida Game. The above mentioned Gregg will be there with his family as well. I'm excited for Cyd and Rach to experience it and I'm excited that we're doing it with lifelong friends.




G