3. Live golf is pretty great

Thoughts and notes from the last week.

Live sports >

Over the weekend, I drove up to Toledo for the Solheim Cup with my dad. Aside from summer league, it’s the first sports event I’ve been to since COVID started. That alone made it worth it. Also look at this course. It’s perfect. Salute to Toledo, Ohio.

Live golf also served as therapy. It’s quiet sans the crowd reacting to a sunk pot or a perfect approach shot — there is no blaring music that is loud you can’t hear what’s going on or talk to anyone. You can also can get closer to the athletes with a normal, affordable ticket than you can at any NBA or NFL or MLB game. So for someone like me who loves playing golf (it’s become one of my biggest hobbies since COVID started) even seeing elite golfers like the Korda sisters or Lexi Thompson or Leona Maguire play and see how effortless they play is incredible. (Seeing Nelly Korda play not long after she won a gold medal in Tokyo was worth it in its own right.)

For example: My dad and I sat at the fifth hole during four ball play and watched how everyone handled the par three with a pin location just offer center. Even in watching most players take the same broad approach, there’s nuance in every shot and every ensuing putt.

I don’t know if I can see this level of nuisance in covering the Cavs from a seat way up in the arena or at home on TV, but I think I have to try. Sports demand that level of attention if I want to make someone’s time spent on my work worth it.

This week’s work

Short column at Forbes on the Browns’ roster coming a long way in short time since the 0-16 season

Locked on Cavs episodes:

• A first attempt of building out the Cavs’ rotation for next year

• Two part AMA episode that answers questions about Ben Simmons, Tacko Fall and more

• Part one of a two-part Eastern Conference over/unders draft with Ben Axelrod from WKYC. Look for part two this week.

There are some news posts over at DIME as well if you want to read up on DeAndre Jordan and LaMarcus Aldridge.

Precognition

Worth a look

• Jason Lloyd’s words here in the Athletic about scoops is on-point. I have very little interest in playing the sources game.

• Really liked Steven Ruiz on what’s next for Cam Newton.

• Al Ewing’s thread on not working with Joe Bennett anymore is how to move on from working with people who reveal themselves to be bad.

• Kevin Van Valkenburg on Bryson.

• Every word of Hunter Harris’ Succession set visit piece is delicious.

• As a twin of a person with disabilities, this essay hit hard.

• My wife and I are doing a Friday Night Lights rewatch. Spoiler alert: It holds up, warts and all.

  Be well.