Summer's Here And The Time Is Right...

Monday June 18 7:45 PM

I realize that golf courses are busy right now (remember what Mark Twain once said about golf, "A good walk spoiled") but here's a hint for those who's summer social gatherings stretch beyond the golf crowd. We non-golfers don't care about your game, your clubs, your holes, your pars, your slices, your back nines, your tee shots, your 19th hole shots or anything else remotely to do with your game. Oh, we might smile and pretend to listen but we're just being polite.

Why do you go on incessantly about a pasttime? Do you ever wonder just how much time you spend discussing something that should have been covered for good in the clubhouse or during the drive home?

Rarely, if ever, do I find myself trying to get away from somebody who's cornered me to talk about the on ice move they made during their oldtimers hockey game. Or the time they went into the hole at short while playing softball. Or the elbow they took under the basket in a game of 21. Or the number of laps they swam at the Y. Or the number of neighborhood enemies they've made because of their dominance on the tennis court. Or even the number of teeth they've lost because of a poorly thrown frisbee.

But the golfers; on and on and on they go as if they're on the PGA tour talking to their biographer. What's up with that? Does golf attract more obsessives than any other sport/activity? Any studies on this? (I don't really need to know but it would sure make sense.)

That's not to say I hate golf. I like it. I really do. I've watched it on televsion for over 35 years. I actually took it up a few years back. I especially enjoyed the non-green action. I simply don't have the time to devote. And I'm not big on rules. And I'd rather be on the water somewhere.
But I can definately see myself taking it up again, perhaps when the kids are gone. In the meantime I continue to follow, and enjoy hearing from, the real pros.

One day, no doubt about the same time my kids are out of the house, Tiger Woods will rightfully be called the greatest golfer of all time. He'll pass Jack Nicklaus in every category and that will be that. But not now. Not yet. And I don't put much into the argument that unlike Nicklaus he hasn't been able to come from behind to win, most recently this past weekend at the U.S. Open.

Like Phil Mickelsen winning a major, or Peyton Manning winning a Super Bowl, Woods is too talented not pull off a few come-from-behind wins before he's done. But will he still have the combination of desire and skill to win, when he's in his mid-40's sailing around the world on his 25 million dollar yacht?

The best in depth piece on Tiger vs Jack appeared a few years ago in Golf Digest.

http://www.golfdigest.com/features/index.ssf?/features/gd200212tigervsjack.html

John Muckler barely got his clubs out before discovering that he was no longer wanted or needed in Ottawa. Tough way to go for a 73 year old who's devoted so much of his life to hockey.
Wonder what Ted Nolan is thinking?

Bryan Murray is a good hockey man. But I've always wondered about guys who had already been GM's going back to work as a coach for a different GM. Has it ever ended well?

Good move by Bob Gainey to find a taker for Sergei Samsanov and free up some more money
to spend this summer. Let's see if Sergei is indeed serious about his immediate future. If he shows up for camp in Chicago 20 pounds lighter than he was last september than the Hawks just got a 25 goal scorer for next to nothing.

Brian Burke now has the total resume to back up the IQ. If I'm an NHL owner Burke automatically becomes my go-to guy to build a winner, contract be damned.

Has another GM in hockey in the last decade been able to move as quickly and effectively as Paul Holmgren? Since taking over for Bob Clarke just eight months ago Holmgren has already transformed the Flyers. He got Ryan Parent, Scottie Upshall plus a first round pick and a third round pick from Nashville for Peter Forsberg. He acquired big 21 year old defenseman Braydon Coburn from Atlanta for Alexei Zhitnick. He did something Clarke was never able to do; land a talented goaltender at the peak of his career, 30 year old Martin Biron from Buffalo. And now, giving wide new meaning to the phrase "pre-emptive strike", acquiring Scott Hartnell and Kimmo Timonen from Nashville and then locking up both. True, their contracts are outrageously high (a combined 10.5 million a year for six years) but there isn't a Flyers comptetitor in the east, including and especially the Canadiens, who wouldn't want both players.

Looks like Sheldon Souray will get his six million dollars a year afterall. But not from the Habs, thank goodness. Who do they target instead? Brian Rafalski? Tom Preissing? Brad Stuart? Darryl Sydor? 39 year old Teppo Numminen? Or the frequently pickled 35 year old Sandis Ozolinsh?

Make sure you read Tony Marinaro's "If I Were Bob" (Gainey) piece on this very site. It's on the lefthand side of the page. And remember to listen to live coverage of friday night's draft from Columbus right here on The Team 990, courtesy of The Fourth Period.

http://www.thefourthperiod.com/draft/

Pierre McGuire told us that during TSN's mock draft he selected Angelo Esposito 12th overall. The Canadiens draft 12th-and 22nd. Not a strong crop of players but there figures to be plenty of drama. I'm hoping the Habs can grab Colton Gillies, nephew of former Islanders great Clark Gillies.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature/?fid=11063&hubname=

Finally got around to seeing "Knocked Up" over the weekend. I thought it was near perfect. Funny, intelligent, real and thought provoking. Seth Rogan might be the new Albert Brooks. Oh yeah, the music by Loudon Wainwright and Joe Henry is also a stand out.
http://www.knockedupmovie.com/

Some great new and great new old music recently (or about to be) released:

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club- Baby 81 **** Return to brooding, guitar drenched sound following acoustic/blues of "Howl". Writing has improved. Great live show at La Tulipe.
http://www.blackrebelmotorcycleclub.com/

A Tribute to June Carter Cash-Anchored In Love *** Loving all star tribute to underrated songwriter/performer frequently lost in a large shadow
http://www.anchoredinlove.com/

Leonard Cohen-Songs Of Leonard Cohen ****1/2 Debut album re-mastered. Marred only by over-production of John Simon.

-Songs From A Room **** Bird on the Wire, You Know Who I Am, Tonight Will Be Fine...
http://www.leonardcohen.com/

Joan Osbourne- Breakfast in Bed *** 1/2 Often spectacular covers of 70's soul plus a few originals http://www.joanosbourne.com/

Bruce Springsteen with The Sessions Band- Live In Dublin ***** If you're going to buy just one concert DVD all year make sure it's this one. Traditional music (and some Bruce originals, dramatically re-worked) has never sounded like this. Stunningly good. Two cd's as well.
http://www.brucespringsteen.net/

The Traveling Wilburys Collection **** George Harrison needs a B-side to go with a single from his late 1987 album "Cloud Nine". Harrison and friends (Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne) call Bob Dylan who invites them over to his home studio. Roy Orbison drops by. The "single" session("Handle With Care")becomes one of Rolling Stone's best albums of all-time. Orbison dies of a heart attack at 52. More on this in a later post.
http://www.travelingwilburys.com/

Watermelon Slim and The Workers - The Wheel Man *** 1/2 Former Vietnam vet and truck driver from Oklahoma is the real deal.
http://www.northernblues.com/

The White Stripes- Icky Thump **** 1/2 Give me another week with this and I'll make it five stars. Just when you think Jack White can't possibly get any better...he does.
http://www.whitestripes.com/

Wilco - Sky Blue Sky **** If you liked early Wilco and/or "Summer Teeth" you should love this. If you liked "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" or "A Ghost Is Born" you might be disappointed. Or you could, like me, find something beautiful in everything Jeff Tweedy does.
http://www.wilcoworld.net/

Warren Zevon - Stand In The Fire **** Frantic live album never before available on cd. Originally released in 1980. From Zevon's stand at The Roxy in LA.
- The Envoy *** Originally released in 1982. The music hasn't aged as well. But the lyrics, especially the title track, are so good.
- Preludes *** For Zevon fanatics only. Subtitled rare and unreleased recordings. Second cd features mostly Warren talking on numerous subjects. Great stuff if you host a radio show.
http://www.warrenzevon.com/

Have you picked up a copy of The Montrealer? There's a cover story featuring Bob Dylan. I wrote it. Pick it up, you might learn something. Don't worry, it's free.
http://www.themontrealeronline.com/

Hope to see you at Parc Jarry this week for the second annual celebrity softball game for the ALS Society of Quebec. Last year was a blast.
http://match.globetrotter.net/en/default.aspx