"Maddy, there's a package for you."
"But I didn't order anything! What's this? How sweet... Gee whilikers...it's Madonna!"
Yes, she finally arrived today. The adoption is officially complete.
*Maddy places Madonna on her desk, next to Breathless Mahoney*
"Madonna, Breathless. Breathless, Madonna. Now, I don't want no trouble out of you two!"
(At this point, I would imagine what's going in their minds...
Breathless: "How can YOU exist if I'm right here?!"
Madonna: "You're me, from the past. How can you be here?!"
Breathless: "I'm bigger than you!"
Madonna: "I'm wearing boots, and you're not!")
I guess I managed to fracture the space time continuum again... Whoops. Besides, I said I don't want any trouble out of you two. Play nice!
Sadly, not all is laughter and smiles lately... I do want to touch on something that happened last week. While I really don't post about sports here anymore, this is something that does touch me enough personally to post about it here.
Friday the 13th is, as you all know, a day associated with bad luck (and a horror movie franchise that probably has hung around a bit too long). However, Friday, October 13, 2006 will be a day I'll never forget, sadly...
That day, at the Augusta Pines Golf Course in Spring, Texas, the Champions Tour (formerly the Senior PGA Tour) would kick off the opening round of the Administaff Small Business Classic (what a name, huh?). While Jay Haas would go on to win the 54 event, the real story of the weekend took place over the first four holes of the event.
Those first four holes would end up going down as a bogey, a double bogey, a double bogey and a triple bogey.
Now, as someone who has played one round in her life, and posted a 108, that would be a good start for me. However, I have not won 62 titles and seven majors.
That fourth hole, however, would make the end of an era, the final chapter on a remarkable career. Because, sadly, after putting two shots in the water, Arnold Palmer turned to Lee Trevino and told him he's done. He said he would finish the round for the sake of the fans, but asked him to quit keeping score because he was withdrawing.
The thing was, this time, it wasn't just Arnie withdrawing from a tournament...
A few hours later, after completing the 18th hole, Arnold Palmer ended his legendary 52 year career and announced his retirement.
Palmer's career, while spanning over half a century, had been stuck in the mud for the better part of the last 30 years. Despite his hot start - winning nearly 50 times and collecting seven majors in his first decade on tour - Palmer had not won on the PGA Tour since 1973, nor won on the Senior/Champions tour since 1988.
Despite that, Palmer's impact on the game was truly immeasurable. He helped bring television viewers to the sport in the 50's with his charisma, charm and style. He conceived the concept of the modern Grand Slam. He designed hundreds of golf courses over the years, some of which are featured on the PGA Tour.
Arnie, despite his long drought, would remain one of the most popular and beloved golfers on tour throughout the rest of his career. And this was not only because of his go-for-broke style of play, but his class and charm. The championships, the fame and the success in the business world never changed him. He was always Arnie Palmer from Latrobe, PA, and he never forgot that.
Palmer is a big reason why I am so in love with the game of golf. Sure, the passion that my father and grandfather have/had for the game played a part, but growing up on stories and highlights of Arnold Palmer helped turn me into a golf addict, which I am still very much to this day.
It didn't matter to me that I never got the chance to see him win on the PGA Tour, and that his success on the Senior Tour was all too brief. He was The King, the guy out there playing for the fans, hitching up his pants, and going for broke with that wild, slashing swing.
Even in his 50's, Palmer occasionally looked like he would turn back the clock one last time and do the unthinkable. In 1983, he opened the Masters with a 68, sitting just one shot back before fading to a tie for 36th. In 1989, he lead after 15 holes at the PGA Championship (the only major he never won) at the age of 60, before fading to a tie for 65th. Sadly, that would also be the last time he would ever make a cut at a major.
But I know I would watch, always hoping for one last run for glory, one last championship, and I imagine his other fans felt the same way.
Sadly, this was not to be.
Age, health issues (prostate cancer in the late 1990's, and back problems in recent years), and his own admitted issues with confidence ended his prime far too early. Arnie's stay at the top ended way too fast, even though he was always #1 with his fans.
Palmer is now 77 years old, and was struggling to even shoot his age. In recent years, I began to face the reality that my hopes of seeing him one last time was very unlikely, but I held out hope.
There is nothing more painful than watching a legend - especially one you look up to - going out on a sad note. Just like how I hoped Jack Nicklaus would end his career at the British Open last one with one last win (sadly, not to be), that was my hope with Arnie - that he'd close one his career with one last win, and carry that trophy off into the sunset. That is how legends deserve to go out, not missing the cut or withdrawing at 8 over par.
Still, it is heartbreaking to think that it's all over. There were two things that seemed to just keep going, and going, and going (and, no, not batteries). Two things that outlasted childhood, outlasted my nightmarish teenage years, and lived on into the 21st century: Bob Barker on The Price Is Right, and Arnold Palmer's career.
Sadly, one of those two eras have come to a close.
Arnold Palmer: RETIRED golf legend. Something I never thought I'd live to see... Or at least hoped I'd never live to see.
Golf is never going to be the same.
I truly hope ESPN and their ilk take a break from sucking up to Tiger Woods and acting like he's the only player to matter in golf to show some love for Arnie. Without him, without what he did for the game, we may never have even had Tiger Woods. Would Tiger had been as passionate about becoming a golfer if the PGA Tour was still as "popular" and "successful" as it was in the 1950's? I tend to doubt it.
Jack may have been Woods' idol, but without Arnie, the game may have never grown beyond how it was perceived 50 years ago: An elitist, white, upper-class recreation. He brought golf into the mainstream. And, quite frankly, had an unbelievable impact upon it...
While it is heartbreaking to see his career has come to a close - especially going out with a bogey, double bogey, double bogey and triple bogey before withdrawing, I am grateful for the memories, some of which truly were special.
But, fortunately, I do have my own personal memory of Arnold Palmer, live and in person. In January 1992, I attended the fourth round of the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic. Palmer was now 62 years old, and would struggle that day (and fail to make the cut).
But that didn't matter. He was Arnold Palmer - as gracious, classy and charming
as ever, and I got to see him play in person.
I never saw Gretzky, Magic Johnson or Fernando Valenzuela play in person, but at least I can be at peace knowing I got to see Arnold Palmer.
However, that wasn't all that I took from that experience. Arnie, being as popular as he is, was in demand to sign autographs. Sadly, he wasn't able to accomodate everyone. But, I took a chance on the 15th hole, and stuck my hand toward him. Words cannot express the thrill I felt when he grabbed my hand and shook it.
It truly was one of the greatest thrills in my life to shake hands with someone I admired for so long. Thank you, Arnie!
Of course, I in a way already had Arnie's autograph, and was one day going to receive it: In 1979, my father attended the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, and got Arnie to sign both of his passes. Several years ago, he gave one of them to my sister, and the other to me.
You can bet that mine isn't going anywhere!
There may be players with more wins, and more majors. When it's all said and done, Tiger Woods may indeed go down at the greatest golfer ever...
But there is only one Arnold Palmer. There'll never be another one like him, ever.
Thanks for 52 great years. Thanks for the memories, Arnie. Long live THE King!
Labels: King Arnold, Lil' Maddy, Madge Collecting
