US Open Amigos

Three guys from the Land of Enchantment invaded the east coast for a few days to witness some fantastic golf, rub elbows with foreigners, and have an overall good time.

The occasion was the US Open Championship conducted by the United States Golf Association.

It was played at Merion Golf Club just outside Philadelphia.

While there was considerable consternation prior to the competition, when it was all over - almost everyone was raving about the logistics, the course, and the competition.  I've been to a considerable number of professional golf events...and this ranks right up there as one of the best!

We had wonderful conversations with folks on the bus or in the bar with visitors from New Zealand, Denmark, England, and even Colorado Springs.  To many we had to explain that New Mexico is that vacant space between Arizona and Texas.  Some would say something about balloons...

There was some time for sightseeing

Heading for home:

Ed Mahr -- Rodger Beimer -- Jim Baca

We were kind of like

Springtime in New Mexico

It's too darn hot!

Spys in New Mexico?

So, they're spying on us.

Big deal.

If you live in New Mexico you've been under the watchful eye of super sleuths for decades.  Anyone recall the spy scandal at Los Alamos way-back-when?

If building a bomb, and doing nuclear research in our back yard isn't cause for wondering what my neighbors are up to behind those closed doors, I don't know what is.

Isn't the FBI office in Albuquerque one of the largest field offices in the country?  Why?  Try Sandia and Los Alamos and Indian reservations for an answer.  Oh, and don't expect the FBI to acknowledge the size of their agent force here.

It's really none of our business!

Furthermore, I don't care if they're spying on my internet mails and cell phone calls.

Bring it on!

Forest Fire Newshounds

Here's a photo I found the other day.   It was taken about 1976 as two intrepid news crews covered what was then a massive fire near Bandelier.  It's in the same general area that was La Mesa Fire, and this year is the Thompson Ridge fire.

In the photo - L to R - Dale Britton, the veteran KOAT photographer/reporter who started covering news at KOAT-7 in the 1950s using a Polaroid instant print camera.  Your blogger, who at the time was working at KOAT-TV reporting for the Big Seven News.   Glenn Graham, a veteran  photographer/videographer who has seen a lot of things in his career, and Gary Cade.  GG and GC worked for KOB-TV-4.  Gary went on to become a lawyer and recently retired from the Office of the District Attorney.

I remember getting red slurry on my watch band while covering this story.

There was no going live by satellite from a street corner dressed in "go to meetin' clothes" like you see now, or looking down from a lofty perch in a "fly bird".

We got down and dirty.

We told stories about how all the firefighters were provisioned (hot & cold meals, tents, water, ice cold watermelon) in an area where two days earlier there was nobody.  We told the stories of how trucks of food and water and supplies from Albuquerque were ordered to the scene.  Hot kitchens and refrigerated holding trucks.  The US Forest Service does a magnificent job of logistics in these instances. People come from all over - and they just seem to appear from out of nowhere.   You won't see such stories on TV news now, they're too busy looking good or "going live".

It was a great time, we all learned a lot, probably took a few too many silly chances - but it was worth it - and I think the public was served by the information we provided.

Me & Deacon Jones

The Washington Post report this morning:

Hall of Fame defensive end David “Deacon” Jones died at his home in Southern California from natural causes at the age of 74, the Washington Redskins announced early Tuesday morning.

Nicknamed the “Secretary of Defense” because of his specialty for sacking quarterbacks, Jones was considered by many as one of the greatest defensive players in NFL history.

He made a lasting impression on me during a special event in the Albuquerque area. 

It was the mid-1970's.

Here's a photo of Deacon Jones and the 4 members of his golf team at a tournament at the Panorama Golf & Country Club.  It later became Rio Rancho Country Club.

I case you can't tell, I was suffering from the worst hangover of my life.

The night before there was lots of free flowing booze, good conversation and fun.  If memory serves, we were playing some semblance of touch football in the courtyard of the Rio Rancho Inn at something like 3 in the morning. 

   

Just before and just after this photo was taken, I headed for the on-site ambulance for a few deep draws on the oxygen tank. 

Playing the 9th hole, Deacon came over to me and asked, "Are you gonna make it?"

I did and he did - a vivid memory of the good ol' days. 

Sponsorship benefits

It's the little things that count...

In an Albuquerque Journal story on the Isotopes baseball game, there is a reference to the 6,000,000th fan receiving some prizes for showing up to the game.

Part of her gift was $600 worth of airline tickets, the Journal reported.

Hey, on what airline?

Sponsorship of events has it's benefits, and recognition is usually one of them.  The paper knows this, they sponsor a few things in the community every year. And, they expect some recognition for their involvement.

Same can be said for those "airline tickets" I'll bet.  The airline provided the tickets, and they deserve the publicity generated by same.

Who would have cared if the story had said the tickets came from Southwest, United, US Airways, NM Airways, Delta, Jet Blue, or even British Airways.  

If the airline provided the tickets, then proper credit and attribution should be made.

Then again, if the airlines didn't provide the tickets and the Isotopes had to pay for them, then the "topes" should have gotten credit for paying for them.

Shame shame for not giving credit where credit was due.

Fires & Scandals & Shootings & a wedding

Upon returning from a couple of weeks watching things like this on the Bay of Banderas

From our beach side condominium accommodations at Playa Royale

While squeezing these things fresh from the tree for a little juice to offset the tequila

We are awakened to the local news.  

There are wildfires in New Mexico in early June.  Yeah, so!

There are shootings in apartment complexes and an 8 year old child is killed by no gooders!

And, the media (or at least a couple of the arms of the media) are flailing about over new controversies in government (both state and local).

Nothing changes!

One thing did change during our trip:

My only nephew, Clinton, wed his sweetheart Erin in a beautiful ceremony east of Los Angeles

His 3 sisters and I posed

Their daddy - my brother, Sammy - would have been very proud.

Hopefully he was watching from Heaven.