You Are Tardy Grasshopper

It is all somewhat beyond my comprehension - but wait long enough and the circle
of events, does, for whatever reason, seem to close with an inescapable pattern.
This latest go-round begins with a trip in November to see Mom in Ottawa.
On the flight on the way up I began reading a book I'd been anxious to read
for years.
It was written by Rick Reilly - someone whose work I'd respected and admired
since his early days at Sports Illustrated. Reilly always manages to embrace the
most human elements of the story - and that is what I think attracted me most.
His style is so distinctive that I remember reading an article - and thinking - I
enjoyed that so much it must have been Rick Reilly's...nine times out of ten I
was right. By the time I left the sports department at CHYM/CKGL
( and thus read Sports Illustrated less compulsively ) I was looking
through the index, disappointed when there wasn't something Reilly had penned.
At any rate, I'd read somewhere that Reilly had written a golf book
- Who's Your Caddy ? - and picked up a copy. For no better reason than lack
of time to read it - it sat on my book shelf for the longest time - until last
November.
In previous submissions I've talked about how much I enjoyed the book -
and in one of the chapters he had caddied for - as he described him -
mystic, healer and self help guru Deepak Chopra...Well..I had mentioned to
my wife, Charlene how much I had enjoyed Who's Your Caddy - and had
enthusiastically described the chapter with Deepak Chopra...So...for Christmas
this wonderful woman not only surprised me with another Rick Reilly book -
but also one entitled, " Golf for Enlightenment" the seven lessons for the game
of life - by Deepak Chopra...
Well I've been suffering through a bit of a personal funk for several months -
plaqued by issues like retirement, and what I want to do when I grow up....
and of course all of the other things that befuddle the generation...and then
I saw, " The Secret" which in my humble estimation is this generation's
" Think And Grow Rich" by Napolean Hill...but a far easier read. Then on
Bravo this morning I saw a piece on an ancient "surfer guitar master"
whose advice included a little gem , "When you fall into a pile of shit, tell
yourself it's perfume, because you could be there for a while." This guy's
life, and I don't remember his name but it doesn't matter because outside of
his home of California, he's not particularly well recognized, includes it all...
rise to fame and fortune, collapse, personally and professionally,
divorce, near fatal health problems, and from it all , he's emerged, singular
in his thinking, his actions, and his message. I'm guessing the guy's in his mid
sixties, and he and his 12 year old son play guitar together...bottom line here is
that this individual does what's right for him...lives his dream - and in the end -
decides what he wants and then does it. And is grateful for the chance.
I watched with great interest his story unfolding - because his story, much
like The Secret, much like so many other things I keep coming across reinforce
the idea that there are no limits on what a soul can do - and no limit on how
many ways anything you decide to do can be accomplished -
and that all you need do is make the decision - and then - go get it.
Presumably - the difficulty with which you reach your goal - is determined by
many things - including how well you plan - and how well you align yourself
with the external forces that can aid or hinder your journey...which is where
I am in the Golf For Enlightment book -
which is , in summary, just a whole lot of fun to be reading...right now.
Spent last weekend at the Golf Atlantic Expo meeting all kinds of good folks -
collecting a whole new series of Most Memorable Shots and Why Do You Play
This Game features for the radio program...I have a meeting this week to discuss
a possible weekly Golf column in a Nova Scotia print publication and I begin laying
out plans for a new feature in the Golf Shop Radio Program - my 20 favorite
Maritime Golf Courses....I don't think you'll find my choices reflected in the
politically formulated Top 100 of other golf media... Frankly how the Bell Bay's,
Crowbush Cove's, and Brudenelle's ever get identified among the Maritimes' best
courses is beyond me...90 percent of Maritime golfers never get to play them.
At any rate...oh...before I go...
Do you think the NHL should ban fighting ? Do you think the NHL should ban
fighting due to the number of recent injuries ? How many NHL players have had
their careers ruined by knees that blew up when their blades caught a flaw in the
ice ? Ban ice ! How many players have had their careers ruined when they were
sent flying into the end boards racing to touch the puck for an icing ? The NHL still
has icing. How many NHL careers have been ended by old age ? Any player over
30 should be banned.....or killed. Ban fighting ? What nonsense !
What the NHL has to ban is teams carrying a guy who gets 2 minutes of ice per game
- and 30 minutes of penalties. Fighting is far preferable to stick work..but two
giants in war gear who square off in a planned skirmish for which they are specifically
employed is too artificial to be considered as anything more than fodder for the
WWE. Anytime a player racks up more penalty minutes in a game than he has playing
time - he should be suspended for 3 games. After three suspensions, his worth to
his team should be clear, and he should be suspended for the year...then if a player
doesn't have the gifts to play at the NHL level - his days as a player will limited.
Might want to consider a hefty fine for the team each time one of their players is suspended...Tough hockey is good hockey...and there is certainly room in the NHL
for tough players and fighting..but sending two big wankers out there to mix it up is
a waste of everyone's time....and is proving dangerous.
That's it - that's all - there is no more...go Tiger !
When I get the chance I will talk next about Mike Weir and Lorie Kane....as they
fade like setting suns....
Til next time - hittem long and hittem straight..
Bless
Don