As I was walking by the front door of Sawgrass Country Club, I noticed Jordan Spieth sitting in his PGA Tour courtesy car, working on his phone. That’s when former player and current PGA Tour caddie (for Webb Simpson) Paul Tesori came up with his wife Michelle and their son. “Say hi to Uncle Jordan,” […]
On a day full of low scores perhaps it’s no surprise that the world’s number one player Jason Day grabbed the first round lead at THE PLAYERS, tying the course record at nine-under 63. “The temperature was hot, so the ball was going a long way, and when the ball goes a long way, you’re […]
Here are some notes from the first round: Jason Day joins Greg Norman (1994) Fred Couples (1992) Roberto Castro (2013) and Martin Kaymer (2014) as a record holder for lowest round ever at the TPC Stadium Course during THE PLAYERS. Norman and Kaymer won the years they shot 63. Day’s previous low round at THE […]
In succession the number one player in the world, last week’s winner on the PGA Tour and the 2016 Masters Champion all stepped up the podium to address this year’s Players Championship. “This is the toughest field we have all year, It’s a big even and it’s getting bigger and bigger,” said world number one […]
You’ve probably seen the commercials for The Players featuring the defending champion Rickie Fowler where he talks about “Jax Beach, Ponte Vedra and going to Taco Lu.” Having spent time with Fowler since the beginning of his career I can tell you he’s authentic when he says stuff like that. His comfort level at the […]
As a politician, Mayor Lenny Curry is used to looking for a way to win. For the Gate River Run on Saturday he’ll have find a new definition for the word victory. “The streets are lined with people, I remember seeing beer stands last year,” Mr. Curry told me before a training run in his […]
Forced out of action last September with a wrist injury, Ponte Vedra’s Jim Furyk thought he’d be back on the course before the first of the year. But on February 1st, still struggling to get healthy, Furyk announced he’d miss another three months because of surgery on his wrist. “This has been frustrating for me […]
For years, Monday was a moneymaking day on the PGA Tour. Not in competition, but rather at corporate outings, appearances and making money for charity. With the amount of money available each week at the regular Tour stops, some of that has disappeared. Monday’s at major championships are full of practice rounds and arrivals and […]
I ran into Atlanta Falcons General Manager Thomas Dimitrioff last year at the NFL owners meeting walking down a hallway to dinner. “Hey, I work with Dave Caldwell a lot and he said he learned a lot from you,” I said as we shook hands. “Be careful,” he responded, “He’s really smart.” Smart. And measured, […]
Sticking to the plan and a little luck put the best player in front of the Jaguars in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft. Getting Jalen Ramsey with the 5th pick seemed like a pipe dream when the Jaguars did their own mock drafts. A scenario where Ramsey was still on the board […]
It doesn’t take long for Shad Khan to figure out what he likes and doesn’t like when it comes to a business he owns. After his first draft day as owner of the Jaguars, he knew there were some things he didn’t like. “It wasn’t until the afternoon of the day of the draft that […]
When you go to talk with Bill Murray, you know two things: 1) You don’t know what he’s going to say or talk about and 2) something funny is going to happen. I’ve had a chance to talk with Bill over the years since he’s been holding his annual Murray Brothers Golf Tournament here in […]
When Jim McElwain took the Florida Gators to the SEC title game last year, he knew it would be a hard act to follow. On Wednesday night in Jacksonville to talk with the Gator faithful, McElwain said recruiting this area is key to continued success. “We have roughly 15 to 17 players from this neck […]
It took nearly an extra week but USA Soccer Hall of Famer Tony Meola has his first win as the head coach of the Jacksonville Armada. In their home opener, the Armada defeated the expansion Miami FC 2-1 at the Baseball Grounds on Friday night. Earlier in the week, Meola said the Armada needed a […]
He was a know quantity when it came to football. Speed, reaction, hands, determination and on-field presence. Rashean Mathis’ career at Englewood High and at Bethune-Cookman showed he could play the game. What was unknown was whether Mathis’ physical gifts would translate to the tough world of professional football. As a second round pick of […]
Each year in the run up to the first full week of April, in hushed tones we hear an announcer say, “A tradition like no other, the Masters.” It’s a catchy phrase but it’s actually true. The Masters has a tradition like no other sporting event. Other events have traditions, they drink milk in Victory […]
With the continued advancement of coaching, nutrition and overall data in sports the natural progression is to keep up with those advancements with better player care. That’s the goal of Project 17, a public initiative that is dedicated to place full-time certified athletic trainers at all 17 high schools in Duval Country by 2020. Five […]
Getting a game that counts has always bee on the “to do” list for the city of Jacksonville when it comes to USA Soccer and that will happen for the first time in 2016. Mayor Lenny Curry as well as sports executives from the Jaguars, the Armada and SMG will make the announcement tomorrow morning. […]
You might remember before Super Bowl XXXIX here in Jacksonville, then-Washington Post columnist Tony Kornheiser wrote a scathing review of Jacksonville as the host city. Since Channel 4 at the time was also owned by the Post, I invited Kornheiser to come on the air and explain his distaste for the city. He declined, but […]
Over his career before and as the owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Shad Khan hasn’t been impressed by talk. Action and results are what he’s looking for and gives his employees the tools to be successful. That’s why this week at the NFL Meetings in Boca Raton, Khan heard the positive talk about the Jaguars […]
Following and tracking what Jaguars General Manager Dave Caldwell has said from his first day on the job, he hasn’t wavered. Caldwell is measured in his dealings with the media but honest when he can be. That’s why 2016 will be a bit of a litmus test for what he’s done in the four years […]
At the NFL’s Annual Meeting in Boca Raton, the Jaguars were everybody’s “sleeper pick” to make some noise in the AFC South and contend for a post season berth. But long suffering Jaguars fans probably only heard one phrase uttered by Head Coach Gus Bradley at the annual AFC Coaches Breakfast: “Five year plan.” Wait. […]
With the unpredictable weather in North Florida in late February you wouldn’t think that Ponte Vedra Beach would be a good location for an early-spring college golf tournament. But it’s exactly that unpredictability that has been an attractive part of “The Hayt” for 25 years. Starting at Queens Harbor Golf Club and eventually moving the […]
He knew it was a fast car so it was a little bit of a decision at the end of the first Duel 150 race at Daytona for Dale Earnhardt Jr. “It’s a hard equation,” he said in Victory Lane when I asked him which was his priority, save the car or win the race. […]
When I was invited to ride in the “Champions Ride for Safety” by St. Augustine NASCAR Driver Scott Lagasse I was flattered and a bit intimidated. After looking at the list of cyclists, I knew I’d have my work cut out for me. Sixty miles from the Alligator Farm in St. Augustine to the track […]
In a move that makes complete sense, which doesn’t happen often in the NFL, the Jaguars re-signed Chad Henne to a contract today. As the backup for Blake Bortles, Henne has played an important role in mentoring Bortles through the beginning of his career. In the process the two have become friends with Bortles saying […]
This year’s Military Appreciation Day at The Players will have a new venue, added attractions and a superstar headliner performing. Again, Military Appreciate Day will be on Tuesday of The Players, May 10th, the first day the tournament is welcoming fans. The ceremony will begin at 6, with Toby Keith performing in concert at 6:30. […]
“Amalgamation of a career” It’s perhaps an unknown process, but it’s a process nonetheless. To get into the Pro Football Hall of Fame it ultimately takes an 80% yes vote of the selection committee on the Saturday before the Super Bowl. (This year there were 46 members. Thirty-two, one from each NFL team, and, in […]
With a year under his belt and expectations high, Jim McElwain thought the Gators were very competitive on Signing Day. With twelve early enrollees as well as the graduate transfers, Florida had some specific situations they wanted to address through recruiting. But McElwain didn’t want the players already in school to miss out on the […]
With eighteen four- and five-star recruits in their signing class of 25, Florida State grabbed what is considered one of the best recruiting classes in the nation for 2016. Continuing it’s national reach, the ‘Noles had 13 players from Florida and nine other states. Seven of their signees are already enrolled in school and will […]
In the 21 years since it was torn to the ground and rebuilt, the stadium downtown, now called Everbank Field, has been transformed from a place to go see a game to one of the premier “fan experiences” in the NFL. As part of a $90 million project scheduled in three parts and to be […]
Somewhere along the way in his career, somebody associated with JU decided that Rex Morgan shouldn’t be the head basketball coach at the Arlington school. It’s a bit of a shame, but his loyalty to the Dolphins never wavered. Sunday’s celebration of life for Morgan, who died last week at 67 after a battle with […]
For about 30 years or so computers have been in dugouts in Major League Baseball. Images of Tony Larussa scanning through matchups and statistics on a laptop in the dugout sent purists howling saying it signaled the end of the America’s Pastime. Now, every team employs an analytics expert, with some ascending to the General […]
While Jacksonville is a growing city, growing pains are part of the process. The way we live, work and play are important parts of the city’s culture as well as the weather and environment. So when the Florida Department of Transportation held an open house on Tuesday to talk about the repaving of parts of […]
After just two seasons, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers fired Head Coach Lovie Smith Wednesday night. Smith took the Bucs job after a successful tenure in Chicago where he took the Bears to the Super Bowl but missed the playoffs five of the last six seasons he coached there. Smith was 84-66 in Chicago and 8-24 […]
Looking to have a Florida based NBA Development League affiliate, the Orlando Magic sent requests for proposals to eight locations in the state yesterday to host the team. Jacksonville is the only North Florida location to receive the request. Daytona Beach, Kissimmee, two locations in Orlando, Lakeland, Estero and Ft. Myers have also been invited […]
During his three-year tenure as the Jaguars Head Coach, Gus Bradley has redefined what ‘victory’ means. He was always looking for improvement, getting better, playing your best. But with Owner Shad Khan’s expectations that the team be ahead of where they were at the conclusion of the 2015 season, I asked Gus today whether he […]
After meeting with the ownership, Giants Head Coach Tom Coughlin was asked to step down from his position today. Coughlin won two Super Bowls with the Giants but just finished his third consecutive year without a winning season. Coughlin informed his staff that the Giants were making a change this afternoon. After leading Boston College […]
In the week that Jaguars Owner Shad Khan announced that Gus Bradley would be back for 2016 as the Head Coach, the organization’s focus was split between playing Houston and what to expect next year. “If they’re cleared, they’ll play,” Bradley said when asked about putting players in the game Sunday. Neither Telvin Smith nor […]
Having been in Shad Khan’s box during a game, I know what a fan he is. When they showed him in the box at Houston during the first half a couple of guys were chatting him up with Mark Lamping’s wife sitting in front of him smiling and watching the game. CBS never did go […]
