Last night’s home-opener was a lot of fun, despite the Warriors losing 108-107 to a fairly decimated Houston Rockets team. I was able to talk with many fans and the general vibe was pretty positive.

The pre-game intros and hype-o-rama was very elaborate and impressive. The Warrior girls did a snappy routine before a giant white sheet descended and surrounded the scoreboard.

They projected highlights and blared music before introducing the team. When Stephen Jackson’s name was announced, the crowd showered him with a mix of cheers and boos. For my part, I sat silently and drank it all in.

The slogan they trotted out is “out of the darkness, 15 will rise”. Something about that makes me laugh. What darkness are they referring to? The wanton defection of Stephen Jackson? Just cracks me up.

I’m hoping to get to 25 games this year and I’ll enjoy every one, even if the team performs poorly all year. That’s just how I am.

TODAY’S AFFIRMATION

Something bad or slightly annoying is bound to happen today. Maybe you’ll get a parking ticket, get stuck in traffic (likely), or have a fight with a spouse. Here’s what I want you to do.

When that bad moment happens, observe it without deeply analyzing it. Allow the disappointment or discomfort to exist, but only in THAT moment. Once the moment passes, allow the emotion associated with it to pass as well.

Everything is temporary.

The headline is an attention-grabber to be certain but I want this long-awaited blog entry to be much more of a How-to guide, as opposed to an ethereal dreamscape.

Before I go any further I must offer a disclaimer. The advice I will give on how to Make Your Dreams Come True is not 100% guaranteed to work. My goal is to explain how I have been able to set goals and accomplish them, thereby making my own humble ambitions come to pass.

The first step in the process is to set a goal. This must be something that is both measurable and realistic. Make it something that you’ve always wanted to be able to do but can’t seem to figure out how to get it done.

Once you have the goal sketched out, you break it down into incremental steps, or mini-goals. By creating short-term strategies that are aligned with your long-term goal, you begin to do the necessary work to make your Dream come true.

I recommend you sit down before the end of 2009 and write down some long-term goals. The best strategy is to look at what you want to accomplish with your life and figure out how, over the next five years, you can go about making that happen.

In Oct. 2006 I did my last round of 5-year goals and upon reviewing them the other day, I was able to get a good idea of how I have gone about accomplishing them. I set goals for all aspects of my life but for purposes of this blog, I’ll reference those goals associated with my broadcasting career and trail running.

Three years ago I was finishing my first year at KNBR and not yet working on-air as a television play-by-play announcer, let alone as a sideline reporter.

I set a goal then to work 25 PxP gigs by the end of 2011 and after working a year on the sideline, I have now done 8 shows of PxP with another 20 on the schedule before the end of 2010.

Do yourself a favor and set a long term goal today. Something possible yet difficult to achieve. Take that big goal and figure out the 10 steps needed to make it happen. Then get to work.

If you have questions or need advice on how to get started please don’t hesitate to ask.

Let me just open by admitting how absolutely, unbelievably fortunate I am to not only have a job at KNBR, but to have the chance to take an all-expenses paid trip to New York City to see the San Francisco Giants face the Mets at brand-new Citi Field.

I’m constantly aware of my good-fortune and I take nothing for granted. Even as I enjoyed the four-day extended vacation in NYC, I was acutely in-tune and self-aware at how lucky I am.

With that on the table, here is a 10-point recap of the festivities, in a descending order of general randomness.

10. Margaritas in Manhattan-I had a great lunch on my 41st birthday on the Upper West Side that included a couple of the coldest blended margs I’ve ever had. I had the chest-freeze so bad I almost called 911.

9. Central Park walkabout-Spent about 3 hours with the statuesqu wife strolling through NYC’s amazing park. Saw all kinds of people from this great world city and listened to a ton of street music. Just an amazing way to spend a summer day.

8. Subway system- Even though it’s now $2.25 for a ride on the underground train system, it’s the most convenient system in the world.  Everywhere you go, there’s a train that leads to another train and eventually to your destination, 24 hours a day.

7. Le Parker Meridian-  This is the hotel where we stayed and it’s very nice, located next door to Carnegie Hall. If I was paying there’d be no way I’d stay there (too expensive) but it was real nice nonetheless.

6. Recipe- My good friend is a co-owner of a new restaurant on 82nd and Amsterdam in Manhattan called Recipe. Reasonably priced and very good food, in case you’re in the neighborhood.

5. Krukow over breakfast-Mike hosted a breakfast for those travelling with Giants vacations and he was AWESOME. Told great stories and did a solid Q&A with Nate Schierholtz and Joe Martinez in front of 100 over eggs and coffee.

4. Citi Field-  While not as majestic as our beloved ballpark in SF, Citi Field is a very nice, modern place to catch a ballgame. Our seats down the left field were great (normally $50) and the crowd was large and knowing.

3. Virgin America-While they overcharge for beers ($6) and even charge for snacks, having a TV on the seatback in front of you is incredible. Really makes the time fly by (pun intended).

2. Giants post-game wrap-I was pegged to do the post-game show Friday night, live from Citi Field so I headed up to press row at the end of the 3-0 loss. I was able to stand in the background while Kruk, Kuip, Jon Miller, and Dave Flemming did their radio wrap and I cherished being able to see how they interract. Very cool moment for me.

1.  Manhattan- You’d be hard pressed to find another city in the world as diverse, electric, and totally fulfilling than NYC, specifically the island of Manhattan. I enjoyed the bustle of Times Square Friday at midnight, the quiet class of the upper West Side by day, the urban pride of Harlem, and much more. It’s a trip that never disappoints and this weekend was no different.

By the time this third day (August 2, 2009) rolled around it was really starting to fell as though I belonged. The “specialness” of the surroundings and the enormity of playing golf in Scotland was still present but I felt a bit more in control of the resulting emotions.

The golf culture is but a small part of the overall beauty of Scotland. Scenery, people, pace of life, all these things are interwoven in the way the Scottish people approach life. The general feeling is one not of disinterest but of casual acceptance of whatever life may bring. This relaxed attitude is far healthier (in my view) than the American “stress over everything” approach.

Mike drove us in the rental car through Dundee, across the North Sea and off to Carnoustie, where we would play the 4th round of golf in three days. I was sore but already sad about the prospect of the end of this golf journey.

This would be the toughest test we would have considering the wind was blowing about 30 mph and the course was very tough. My caddy was memorable; a 66 year old veteran named Pat who was just terrific.

I made a solid par on #5 to calm the nerves but followed it up with a disturbing triple bogey 8 at the famous Hogan’s Alley on #6. I started to find my groove and made the turn in 47 and made a great par on 10 to start the back.

My other bright spot was a par at the 449-yd. par 4 #14 Spectacles, hitting 4W persimmon and 5 iron to 50 feet and making a nice two-putt. The match with Mike was already won (3 and 2) when I made a triple bogey 7 on the #18 home hole, where Jean Van de Velde famously lost the Open cahmpionship from the Barry Burn.

I hit my presimmon a shade left off the tee and had a mixed, uphill lie from about 160 yds but downwind out of the right. I picked an 8 iron to clean and yanked it OB left, into the neighboring putting green. All in all, a very respectable 47-46=93 at a super tough track.

Pat is a member at the Carnoustie Golf Club across the tiny street and asked us across the way for a post-round pint. I enjoyed a Guinness and debated global warming (he denies its’ existence) and we headed back to St. Andrews for what would be our final night.

August 1 has always been a big day in my world as it’s the birthday of my eldest brother Mike, with whom I’m traveling on this Dream golf trip to Scotland.

On this day he would turn 47 and as we woke we realized how fortunate we were to be gazing out the window at the rising sun, glimmering through the clouds upon the hallowed ground of the 18th fairway at St. Andrews.

The first round of the day was to be played at Kingsbarns, with origins that date back to 1793 and situated on the very edge of Fife. Click the above link and take a look at the view of each hole. It’s just an incredible layout and a fair test of golf at the same time.

We arrived 90 minutes early for our tee time and had a proper Scottish breakfast in the clubhouse, including some vegetarian haggis (contents unknown). Word spread quickly about Mike’s birthday and we were treated as virtual VIP’s.

I met my caddy Taylor on the first tee, a college student at St. Andrews who hails from Philadelphia, and promptly split the first fairway with my persimmon.

the view from the tee at #1 at Kingsbarns

There was threatening rain that never fell but persistent winds blowing nearly 20 mph all morning. I nearly aced #8 but missed the two-foot putt for birdie en route to erasing an early deficit against Mike.

the pin on this 125yd par 3 was right over the hump on the left

I built a 3 up lead and was dormie with three to play but squandered it, including dumping two into burn on 18 to halve the match, finishing 47-49=96 on a tough course.

Played an uneven round on a blustery Scottish afternoon

Mike and I had eyed today as a possible 36-hole day and we made the move to St. Andrews to play the New Course, starting at 5:15pm and playing alongside our caddies from the round at Kingsbarns.

This classic track was the work of golf legend Old Tom Morris, who designed this virtually unchanged layout that opened in 1895. While lesser known than the Old Course, this course is laid out on adjacent land with constant reminders of  just where you are.

a look back toward St. Andrews from the New course

The front 9 goes out downwind and despite shooting 43 I was 3 down at the turn to Mike. Into the wind proved toughter and I fell 5 and 4, coming home in 52 for a decent 95.

Playing a team match with our caddies, Mike and his guy Neal beat us 3 and 2, adding a fitting feather to Mike’s cap on his special day.

Mike and his caddy Neal won the team match, a fitting end to my brother's 47th birthday

Off to sleep after 36 holes of wind-blown links golf and it was back to the Rusacks hotel for much-needed rest.

I got a lot of requests before I went to Scotland for a golfing odyssey that I “stay connected” by blogging, tweeting, and all the rest while I was abroad.

I eschewed, as I didn’t feel as though I could do the trip proper justice while I was over there attempting to immerse myself in the totality of the experience.

For those who have not heard, my eldest brother Mike and I spent a week in Scotland golfing, playing the most epic and historic courses on this fine planet. For golfers it was a dream itinerary and a stern test of the true ability of said golfer.

Without further ado and undeserved buildup, I present the postscript of Dream Trip; A Mid-handicapper’s Golf Journey to Links Mecca certain details omitted to protect the innocent.

Day 1: Travel and Castle

Mike and I left San Francisco in the a.m. on July 30 and had a brief layover in Philadelphia before taking an overnight flight to Glasgow. The plane was on-time and we were met by Nan, a local rep of Premier Golf , who helped us get our rental car. She even loaned us the use of her GPS, which would prove extremely helpful.

The reward after a day of flying is this view of the 18th at the Old Course at St. Andrews

It took about 2 hours to drive to St. Andrews but we found the Rusacks Hotel without incident. This 19th century dwelling overlooks the 18th green at the Old Course and immediately had us awestruck. We changed into golfing gear and headed right out to the St. Andrews Castle Course for our first round.

This would be one of our DC (Designated Caddy) rounds of the eight we would play on the trip and I drew Kenny, the former Caddy Master at the classic track Kingsbarns, so I knew I was in good shape.

My caddy Kenny and I at the Castle course with picturesque St. Andrews in the background

The weather was threatening rain and winds upward of 20 mph (wind would be a persistent factor) and I was nervous at the start. I made back-to-back pars on 6,7 and ultimately my 49-46=95 could have been worse playing this tough course for the first time.

The layout at the Castle course is exquisite, running adjacent to the North Sea about 2 miles outside of the idyllic town of St. Andrews. The only issue at this David Maclay Kidd design is the super-tricked out greens. The consensus is these will be altered before too long.

Mike and I agreed to a best of 8 Match Play Battle Royal for Scottish supremacy and after my double bogey at 12, I was 2 down with six to play. Even though I struggled home in +8, my par at 18 was enough to win it 2-up to take the first match.

After the long day of travel we were eager for sleep and also mindful of the long slew of golf yet to come. Looking out the window at the Old Course provided constant perspective and an ominous reminder of what lay ahead.

A view of the 18th fairway and the Old St. Andrews hotel in the distance

I had an out of body experience today at the driving range at Metropolitan Golf Links in Oakland and I felt it my duty to share the findings.

I don’t want this to come off as a life-chaging moment of total clarity and blah blah blah. It wasn’t quite that impactful. Fact is, I hit my usual share of grounders, slices, chili-dips, and worm burners. I’m the absolute epitomy of average as a golfer and you could argue that I should be better, considering the time I invest in the great game.

So passionate am I about golf that I’m embarking on the dream trip to Scotland in 6 days to play the oldest, gradest courses on the planet Earth. I’ll share the full itinerary before departure on July 30 but rest assured we (my brother Mike and I) are playing the Old Course at St. Andrews and the Alisa course at Turnberry among them.

As I locked in to a groovy groove on the range, I thought about how great it will be to play well on the links in Scotland. As I thought about what was making me strike the ball so well, it led me to a few short tenets that apply to all aspects of my life.

TRUST the club selection and swing according to the plan

SLOW DOWN the take back. There’s no rush getting to the top.

RELEASE the putter down the intended line without regard for results.

THINK your way around the course without over-analyzing or trying to be too cute.

IMMERSE yourself in the moment. Be here now.

Those are the prevailing notions that I will try and carry with me across the pond. Sometimes the toughest thing to do is just slow down and enjoy everything that we have been fortunate enough to have.

My main man Brian Murphy was tossing around the idea of a SF Giants power rankings where we would rank the squad from 1-25. I thought it was a pretty damn interesting blog item at the very least.

Without much Adu (bust?), here is my list as of this moment in time on this ever-spinning orb of life we call Earth. Excuse me if my roster is not reflective of the current squad etc.

1. Lincecum- nearly automatic atht his point

2. Sandoval- The Panda hits everything and is critical to all rallies

3. Cain- Just an unreal #2 starter

4. Rowand- say what you want but since he switched to leadoff, they’ve won a ton. End of story.

5. Wilson (Weez)- Scary as he is he has gotten it done 22 times in the first half. Legit.

6. Affeldt- Nothing like a solid set-up guy. Been awhile since we’ve had that

7. Molina- despite his recent struggles he’s still a clutch hitter and a fairly tough out.

8. Schierholtz- He has made FLew obsolete and brought legit defense to the outfield.

9. Renteria- Fourth in the NL among SS in RBI; the reason he was brought here.

10. Zito- He’s been up and down but better than last year by miles. Recent effort helps here.

Also receiving votes: Winn, Romo, Uribe, Sadowski, and RJohnson

VOTE FOR PABLO

I admit that I’m more enthused than I normally would be about voting for Pablo Sandoval for the National League All Star team because it annoys the great Gary Radnich (9-noon on KNBR 680). It really annoys him to be honest.

At the same time, he is very deserving of the honor and an all-around good guy (as far as I can tell). I would enjoy seeing him in the game Tuesday making my over-voting tolerable in my own mind.

Besides, it’s not MY system that encourages, dare I say demands, such a voting approach. I haven’t seen such shameless stumping by these players since I worked the blacktop while running (successfully) for 7th grade president at Oak Manor.

Bud Selig created all of this. I’m simply making it rain (votes).

It’s something that we haven’t had to deal with in quite some time. The San Francisco Giants’ bats are very quiet tonight in St. Louis. We have begun taking this offense for granted (a good thing) but tonight, it just doesn’t seem to be there.

The best analogy I can make is to compare tonight’s three hit attack (as of this writing) to my current leg situation, hours after just my 2nd run in the past 6 months.

Much like the Giants hitters who presumably know how to get hits and create rallies, my quads, calves, and ankles surely know what it feels like to enjoy long distance running. It’s just not there for either of us at this juncture.

The Giants try and scratch and claw for baserunners and I try and stretch and pace myself to be able to run a simple 4 miles in 40 minutes. Despite our best efforts, neither of us seems to have it today.

I’m reminded of the great Joe Namath meltdown when he says of his former team,” The Jets are stttrrrruuuggggllliing.”  This gem of a quote is often lost amid the Suzy Kolber “I wanna kiss you” jargon that steals the show but it’s a classic nonetheless.

The Orange and Black are trying to keep pace in the NL Wild Card race while I try and keep pace with my former fitness level that allowed me to finish 50-mile races. Both of us seem able to get the job done, although some speculate the Giants need a bat and I need a diet to accomplish our goals.

Brian Sabean’s trepidation regarding trading away a prospect for the likes of Jermaine Dye is not unlike my unwillingness to trade away donuts for a vegetable-to-be-named-later. Both amount to hard choices that may not guarantee results.

I have resolved to mirror the Giants in this double quandary. If they get a bat, I get a nutrition plan. Hopefully we both can make a deep run.

After weeks of clamoring for bloggage by my legions of readers (possible lie), I have finally gotten off my proverbial ass and returned to the keyboard for what I hope to be minutes of entertainment. Actually, one big motivator has been the constant “pimpage” of this inactive blog on New Zealand sports radio, serving as a reminder that no new content has been up for weeks.

I enjoy having a space to use to share my thoughts on life, reiterate points made on the radio, and generally opine about this world in which we all live. We’re all trying to get through life in the best and most fulfilling way and I’m going to dedicate this blog to the description and pursuit of “the good life”.

Without further ado, here are a few things orbiting in my world-o-sphere.

SF GIANTS ARE REAL

When I laid out a scenario for the Giants to lose 100 games I saw the potential that this team had. I just didn’t think all the question marks would turn into positive answers. From Sandoval to Cain to the Big Unit to Juan Uribe, there are surprises all over the roster.

PALM SPRINGS IS BABY VEGAS

There is second-rate gambling near by, the city is anchored by mirage-like resorts, and the heat is stifling but these are not the primary reasons for the comparison. I call it “baby Vegas” because people lose their inhibitions in the Springs at an alarming rate. ‘Nuff said on that one.

UNCLE SAM’S ARMY

The USMNT played it’s collective nuts off the final two games in the Confederations Cup, beating Spain and losing to Brazil. But what of the first two games, losses to Brazil and Italy? While they admittedly showed they can compete, those first two stinkers serve as a cautionary tale.

STOUDEMIRE ENVY

It’s as if the Phoenix Suns are just teasing us with this Amar’e Stoudemire to Golden State talk. I wish they never would have even mentioned the possibility in the first place. It’s not like they could ever land a player of his impact.

This story has been well chronicled (via Twitter and Tim Kawakami), including the latest crappy development.

Two sources: Stoudemire has little interest in coming to the Warriors http://bit.ly/UiyKJ