The People's Open

The U.S. Open returns to Bethpage Black, the first truly public course to host a U.S. Open.  The U.S. Open is my favorite tournament, because the players seem to suck during it.  Like a normal person.  And it is America's National Championship.  But the conditions and courses are tough and challenging.  This year's should be fun with the raucous New York/New Jersey crowd.  I'm going two days (Thursday and Saturday) and can't wait.  Here are some predictions for the weekend.

Odds of Tiger winning: 4-1.  He wins about 25% of the U.S. Opens he played in.  That puts it at 4-1 odds.  I think with the rain expected, more players will have a change to challenge him though, as the greens will hold shots.  Ahh, rain, the great equalizer in all sports.

Hole I Hope Works: 7th. A new tee adds 35 yards from 2002 (when the Open was last hosted here) stretching the par 4 to 525 yards.  That's longer than a par 5 on the course.  A 525-yard par-4 is insane.  I hope the scoring average is below 5.2.

Average Score: 74.3  The rain will make it tough.  The rough will be thick.  The sand unforgiving.  The greens will be slower and that might help lower scores, but getting there will be an adventure.

Winning Score: -2. It was -3 when Tiger won at Bethpage in 2002.  I'm feeling -2 this year.  Just a hunch.

Guy I Want To See Win: Phil Mickelson.  He wants it too (obviously).   But this one will be special, as his wife has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer.

Projected Winner: Paul Casey.  Three wins world wide including the BMW PGA Championship, one of Europe's biggest tournaments this year.  He didn't work his way up to No. 3 in the world this year for nothing.  The one thing that's hurting him: he's English.  No European has won the U.S. Open since 1970.

We'll see how these projections go throughout the week.

Sarah Palin Should Just Go Away

Good thing Alaska is so far away, because Sarah Palin is starting to annoy me.  Piss me off actually.  She should stay in Alaska.  Aww boo hoo, David Letterman made a joke.   It's his job, Sarah.  He hosts a late night talk show.  I actually watched the Today show interview with her because I wanted to see what she had to say.  Here are some things that annoyed me with her interview with Matt Lauer (who also should just go away, like, immediately).

• How many times can you say fruition in one interview?  Was it on her word-a-day calendar? Does she realize how stupid she sounds saying fruition when she also says that she knows foreign policy because Russia is close to Alaska?
• Letterman was right, you do look like a slutty flight attendant.  
• Yes, Letterman's comments were about statutory rape.  You are absolutely right. (Insert rolling eye emoticon) I don't know how that idea came to fruition in your head.
• Letterman didn't take the convenient excuse because the joke was about Bristol, you moron.
• Don't call me naive when you don't know what the Vice President does.  After you research the job description.
• A "so-called" comedian telling "so-called" jokes at other people's expense?  Nooooo..... And "so-called" is the best you can come up with?
• "Plus it would be wise to keep Willow away from David Letterman."  I can interpret that how I want?  I want to know how you interpret it.  Because you know that was stupid to say (or have your spokesperson say).  That is in bad taste, too, Sarah, because Letterman would not rape your daughter.  Come on.
• There was a double standard about families because Obama had earned respect.  You, well, didn't.
• What kind of drugs were you on when you named your kids?  Bristol is a city in Conneticut (did you know that Sarah) and Willow is a tree.  Not names for girls.  Unless they are going to have kids before marriage or get raped.  Oops, now I'm going to have to issue a statement.

STATEMENT: It was a joke.  Get over it.

Big News Everyone Already Knew

I don't watch American Idol. Well, that's a lie, I do watch the auditions and the last 20 minutes of the finale. I watch the auditions because they are funny, and I watch the last 20 minutes of the finale so I know who wins and who loses, and who will have a career (usually the loser).

And the same happened with this season, and to be honest, I had no idea who was in the finale until I tuned in and watched American Idol with host Ryan Seacrest (who, by the way, is still obnoxious). But everyone was talking about this Adam Lambert guy. He was supposed to win. He was supposed to be gay. I guess one out of two ain't bad.

In tomorrow's issue of Rolling Stone magazine, there will be a whole story about how Adam Lambert is gay. Yep, finally came out of the closet.

He was quoted as saying how American Idol helped him gain self confidence. Yep, nothing like losing to bolster that self esteem.