The 2026 expo was dedicated to the memory of longtime staff member Terry Taylor, who died much too soon earlier this year. Several staff members donned caps that read “God Bless Terry Taylor.” Indeed. I don’t recall, but I’m sure I interacted with Terry at least once in all my years at LI Retro. He was memorialized in the Terry Taylor Vectrex Corner on the first floor, as seen via this Facebook post:
My three prior recaps were spread out over three posts per year. (This is post 1 from last year.) I feel I was judicious enough in my photography and culling for a singular, self-contained recap post. To help, for the first time, I’ve utilized page jumps (a.k.a. anchor links) at the top and peppered throughout.
I was quick to buy my weekend pass when tickets went on sale in winter, and I gradually built up my biggest budget ever. (I will not divulge the amount.)
In the days and hours leading up to August 8 (I didn’t go on the 7th), I had the usual performance and social anxiety that comes with being on the autism spectrum. I prayed for the strength and coping skills to get through any and all situations. So, you can understand why I needed many deep breaths as my mom drove me to the Cradle of Aviation Museum parking lot.
SPOILER: All that worrying was for nothing. I had a great time without any hitches.
ARRIVING AT THE MUSEUM Mom’s car pulled into the lot at 9:29 AM on Saturday, August 8.
Despite the high heat and humidity, I wanted to arrive as early as possible so I wouldn’t have to wait too long on line outside.
There were two lines: one on the left for those retrieving their badges at the box office via QR code, and one on the right for those who already had badges. Of course, the left line was the longer one and my Saturday destination. I’d be on the right line on Sunday.
The museum doors opened at 10AM and I reached the entrance (and air conditioning) at 10:07.
Once I got my badge, I affixed to a lanyard I saved from a year or two before and began walking around the first floor.
PHOTOS WITH GUESTS AND CANDID PHOTOS OF THEIR TABLES
Audacity Games with David Crane, Dan Kitchen, Garry Kitchen, and John Van Ryzin On the other hand, I overcame last year’s shyness and had a enjoyable interaction with the quartet of game design legends. “We don’t bite,” David Crane reassured me after I introduced myself and gladly bought all four games – new for the Atari VCS/2600 – that each of them developed. David designed Rescue from Poseidon’s Gate, Dan Kitchen’s game was Casey’s Gold, there was Alien Abduction! by John Van Ryzin (the spiritual successor to H.E.R.O.), with Garry Kitchen and David Crane co-designing Circus Convoy. Any or all of the games can be bought online here.
David Crane and Garry Kitchen talk to attendees at the Audacity Games table
You could even try them out on separate Atari 7800+ consoles:
As mentioned earlier, Ryan Burger publishes Old School Gamer, a magazine Tristan Ibarra is now involved in, on top of his author and designer credits. We’ll learn more about them in photos of their Sunday panel.
For now, here are Tristan, Walter, and Ryan:
My Life in Gaming with Coury Carlson and Marc “Try4ce” Duddleson Coury and Try were a late addition to the 2026 LI Retro guest list, and I’m glad they were booked. They were actually the first people I saw outside the museum Saturday morning before I got in line.
Try and Coury meeting an attendee and his son (out of view) who was cosplaying as Minecraft Steve
PANELS I limited myself to two panels each on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday’s were later and in the Main Theatre; Sunday’s were earlier in Panel Room 2, relocated to the first floor.
…have worked in the video game industry since the late 1970s. While they are known for their iconic game catalog on the Atari 2600 ([H.E.R.O.,] Pitfall!, Donkey Kong, Ghostbusters, Keystone Kapers, Crackpots…), they also bring a boatload of experience on NES, SNES, Gameboy, C64, Xbox, PlayStation, iPhone/iPad, PC/Mac and online gaming. Everybody knows Pitfall! and Donkey Kong, but did you know they also worked on Bart vs. the Space Mutants (NES), A Boy and His Blob (NES), AddictingGames.com (online), Transformers (C64), Shockwave.com (online), Candystand.com (online), and the infamous Desert Bus game from Penn & Teller?
Garry KitchenDan KitchenJohn Van RyzinDavid CraneQ&A…
The last photo perfectly encapsulates the mood of the panel. Garry, Dan, John, and David were full of interesting, engaging, and humorous anecdotes about their time in the gaming industry, working at Activision, and the many games they design and developed. (I especially enjoyed how Garry debunked a myth about Coleco’s Atari 2600 port of Donkey Kong.) They are a winning team.
Now, if only I could find John’s H.E.R.O. at a good price. Otherwise, I’ll play it in an Activision compilation.
Saturday Panel 2, 1:30-2:30 PM Main Theatre Pat Contri and Ian Ferguson CU Podcast Live!
My initial photos were taken on the right side of the first row as I deferred to an LI Retro staff photographer. Then, I went back to the center.
Among the topics for this episode The CUPodcast (Super Show #34) were:
Ian Ferguson and Pat ContriPat ContriIan FergusonThe Q&A portion of the podcast panel included a question from G Gracin (G to the Next Level).
I did not ask a question this year, and told Pat afterward what I would have asked. Part of my annual Christmas special viewing tradition includes watching Pat the NES Punk Christmas episodes, such as It’s a Wonderful Life, Punk. (RIP Billy Chaser.) Will there be a Christmas episode this year? We’ll find out in four months.
I won’t go into detail about G’s panel since they recorded it for a future YouTube video, but I will share it in photo form.
If you’ve watched G’s streams, you’ll recognize the emotes designed by their spouse and fellow streamer Rannchann.
The 2026 Long Island Retro Gaming Expo was where I made my Dreamcast dream a reality. First, I found two controllers and a VMU from one vendor. Then, I found the console by itself (no power adapter or cables) from a second vendor. And from a third, I bought three games, including launch titles NFL 2K (released on launch day) and NBA 2K (two months after launch). You’ll see all of that (and the Sonic fanny pack) in the pickups segment.
As of publication, G’s most recent YouTube video is this one:
…a discussion on preserving and celebrating the history of video games and the community that built it. Walter Day will share stories from his years at Twin Galaxies, the journey behind his books, film appearances, and trading card series, explaining how the cards were created not just to honor champions, but to recognize the passion and achievements of gamers from every corner of the hobby. Ryan Burger will explore growing up during the rise of competitive gaming, the books, television shows, and media that chronicled gaming culture before it became a global phenomenon, and how Old School Gamer Magazine now works with many of those pioneering voices to introduce their stories to a new generation. Tristan Ibarra will discuss his path from Air Force veteran to gamer, collector, author, graphic designer, and magazine layout artist, sharing his passion for documenting the hobby and organizing its scattered history into accessible resources for fans and researchers alike. Together, the panel will reflect on the people, stories, and communities that shaped gaming culture, while celebrating the generations of enthusiasts whose dedication has helped preserve its legacy for the future.
How does that compare to my description written before thinking of citing the expo description?
For one hour, Panel Room 2 was transported to the state of Iowa. Ryan Burger and Tristan Ibarra were our hosts and they set up Walter Day to share stories galore. Ryan promoted Old School Gamer magazine and an upcoming book. Tristan detailed his The Video Game Collector’s Field Guide and his upcoming …Video Game Dictionary for the Total Noob. To that end, there were ten trivia questions with ten terms in Tristan’s dictionary. (I photographed the answers, but for obvious reasons, I’m keeping them to myself.) After Walter asked trivia questions, it was our turn to ask.
Mike Ferrara, a.k.a. HighScorsese, topped the Twin Galaxies rankings five times!One Walter quip made Tristan laugh.This question acknowledged learning of Twin Galaxies through Electronic Gaming Monthly, also founded in the Midwest (Lombard, Illinois).Journey with Patrick expressed hope to appear on one of Walter’s trading cards by attending many U.S. and Canada conventions, per a list he’s kept.
This is where I would have gone to a second post. Instead, in this same post, we begin a photographic tour of as much as I could see on each floor of the Cradle of Aviation Museum. I couldn’t get everything, and some photos were too blurry to include. The photos that remain are here.
Remembering what Norm Caruso said, I tried the Pods myself.
More from the Cradle of Aviation Museum’s Pan Am exhibit:
PART THREE
DEPARTING THE MUSEUM The commercial aircraft were the last thing I photographed after coming downstairs from the Arcade Age Exhibit. That’s when I went back to searching vendors for a few more purchases, including that model 2 Sega CD. The last game I bought was Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse. Then, I went in the museum gift shop for three more plane replicas to go with the Pan Am plane I bought last year. And that was it. I took Lyft home to Wantagh with $44 to spare! It’s the first time I’ve ever left under budget!
Requisite exit photos:
PICKUPS What did Mike get? Well, let’s start with guest merchandise and business cards:
Thank you again, Sean Chiplock.
This is the fanny pack I won from G’s charity stream. Thank you very much, G.
Pixelated Pat [Contri] pin
Old School Gamer Magazine Issue 43, Mike Ferrara and Justin’s cards
Walter Day trading cards and his autobiography
The two bags full of games and signed cards from Audacity Games
This is just what I bought duringLong Island Retro Gaming Expo. I also bought many other things online to supplement some of my purchases. I won’t list them all, but they include VGA and power adapters for the Dreamcast and an Atari 7800+ to play those Audacity Games games. Furthermore, a VMUPro that I preordered months ago arrived Monday as I was wrapping up the first draft. (That process took six hours!)
CONCLUSION I’ve thanked many people throughout this post, but I owe a huge thanks to Ryan Shapiro, Joe Vincent, George Portugal (whom I didn’t get to see), and the rest of the Long Island Retro Gaming Expo staff for your support and accommodation. I am deeply grateful.
I’ll conclude this recap with the front and back of my badge and event program, the latter of which includes a photo of the late Terry Taylor.
In 2004 and 2018, the mode of transportation for Dad and I was LIRR trains. In the latter case, we spent more time traveling to Shinnecock Hills than attending the U.S. Open there. I was too worn out and we were so far away that I just wanted to go home. And I thought we’d be taking trains again in 2026. Instead, Dad drove to one of a few automobile parking lots for shuttle bus service to and from the course. Our destination was the “blue lot” on the former site of Calverton Executive Airpark.
Seconds later, we exited the L.I.E. Five minutes after that, we exited the northbound William Floyd for NY 25 east.
We turned into Calverton Executive Airpark at 10:27 AM.
Five minutes later, we were guided to a parking spot, walked to the checkpoint, and boarded a shuttle bus.
The USGA opted for late tee times on Saturday. The first pairing teed off at 9AM and the last wouldn’t begin their third round until 3:45 PM. This meant a low passenger capacity departed the blue lot at 10:39 with Dad and I seated in seats 5 and 6 (second row left). The east-southeast ride took about 45 minutes and was peaceful except for the music playing in my earbuds via my iPhone 17 Pro, which was the source for all photos in this recap.
I got a great photo of Shinnecock Canal ten minutes from the golf club entrance.
There was also a blurry photo of one of the early holes, but you don’t want to see that.
Dad and I exited the shuttle bus at 11:27 AM and would spend the next five hours within Shinnecock Hills Golf Club.
The first 2 1/2 hours were spent walking around as much of the course as possible. Let’s get two photos of me out of the way, one taken by my dad and the other a selfie:
The gallery below begins at gate 1 (11:28 AM) and ends at the 1st hole green (1:50 PM).
The first five U.S. Open champions at Shinnecock HillsRaymond Floyd in 1986Corey Pavin in 1995Brooks Koepka in 2018 (repeat; won at Erin Hills in ’17)Bryson DeChambeau at Winged Foot in September 2020What time is it?Far from tee time for those atop the leaderboardThe clubhouseIt was sunny and dry, but windy.One of many NBC Sports cameras throughout the courseThe 8th hole greenBud CauleyBud Cauley’s birdie try at 8Neal Shipley made his birdie!Joaquin Niemann and his caddie departing the 6th holeRussell Henley and 2016 U.S. Open champion Dustin JohnsonI forgot whose ball this is.D.J. and his brother/caddie AustinMax Greyserman and Pierceson Coody on the 5th hole greenAt the 6th, Pierceson Coody’s tee shotMax Greyserman’s tee shotJacob Bridgeman’s tee shot at 16…followed by Dylan WuChris Gotterup in the fescue at 15Chris Gotterup and his caddie Brady StocktonChris Gotterup’s playing partner was amateur Eric Lee, seen on the right.Peter Ulhlein’s tee shot at 15…followed by Caleb SurrattNeal Shipley back again on the 12th hole green with his caddie Greg DyneBud Cauley’s tee shot at 13Neal Shipley’s 13th hole tee shotMichael Kim and Laurie Canter on the 13th greenA closer look at the clubhousePhotos at the practice green…So much for watching the remaining pairings start their third round.A distant view of the 1st teeZac Blair and his caddie Nikolas Kroisi walking to the 1st fairwayMax McGreevy’s second shot from the 1st hole fairwayZac Blair on the 1st hole green..and Max McGreevy
There are so many golfers (and caddies) in the photos above and below that I couldn’t possibly link to them all. Instead, I’ll link to this page on the U.S. Open website. Thanks, however, to Google for helping me identify the caddies.
Dad and I decided to set up on the right side of the 2nd hole tee to watch the last 11 pairings. Then, we’d head for home.
These photos were taken between 1:56 and 4:01 PM, and occasionally divert to the 1st hole green.
The first pairing Dad and I saw at the 2nd tee was Niklas Nørgaard and Alex Fitzpatrick.Alex is the brother of 2022 U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick.I looked back to the 1st green for a photo of course reporter Roger Maltbie.Putting in the previous photo was Brian Harman, seen here at the 2nd tee.Brian’s playing partner was Scottie Scheffler.Brian Harman’s tee shotScottie Scheffler’s tee shotScottie would shoot a 69 and make the final pairing of the final round.2011 U.S. Open champion (and repeat Masters champion) Rory McIlroy was paired with Maverick McNealy.In a touching moment, an Irish father asked if his sons could sit by the ropes to watch Rory tee off. I courteously obliged.Maverick McNealy had the honor.Then, it was Rory’s turn.Back on the 1st green, a long putt from Akshay BhatiaBhatia was paired with Keith Mitchell.Akshay Bhatia’s tee shotRyo Hisatsune and his caddie Taiga TabuchiGary WoodlandGary’s caddie (and my uncle Jim’s fishing buddy) Brennan LittleWaiting for Mitchell and Bhatia to leave the 2nd green…Ryo Hisatsune’s tee shotGary Woodland’s tee shotAmateur Ryder Cowan out of the University of Oklahoma (“Boomer Sooner”)Cowan was paired with William Mouw in the third round.Ryder Cowan’s tee shot (He and Jackson Koivun ended up co-low-scoring amateurs)William Mouw’s tee shotSahith Theegala and Sam Burns would shoot 70 and 71 in the third round…Burns would shoot 67 on Sunday (more on that later), while Theegala regressed to a 73.Sahith Theegala’s tee shotSam Burns conferred with caddie Travis Perkins before his tee shot.Sam’s tee shotJustin Thomas and his caddie Matt “Rev” MinisterHarry Higgs with his brother/caddie AlexHarry Higgs’ tee shotJ.T. advised by RevJ.T.’s tee shotTom Kim and his caddie Joel StockCollin Morikawa and his caddie Mark UrbanekCollin Morikawa’s tee shotTom Kim’s tee shotXander Schauffele and his caddie Austin KaiserOut of view behind caddie Will Dennis is childhood best friend Sam Stevens.My dad and my left arm were seen on NBC after Sam Stevens’ tee shot.Xander Schauffele’s tee shotOnly one pairing left, led by 36-hole leader Wyndham Clark. He pared the 1st hole.Matt Fitzpatrick bogeyed.Then, Matt and Wyndham approached the 2nd tee.Matt’s caddie is Daniel Parratt while Wyndham’s caddie is David Pelekoudas, a.k.a. “Big Wave Dave.”Matt’s tee shot…and Wyndham’s tee shotMy last photo before departing
The walk back to the blue lot shuttle bus took 20 minutes, with a stop for a cookie and Sprite along the way.
The next New York area U.S. Open is at Winged Foot in 2028, the same as the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Bethpage Black.
The ride back to Calverton Executive Airpark was closer to 30 minutes than 45, but at full capacity. Dad and I sat near the middle of the bus while still on the left side.
It was 5:04 when we got “back to civilization,” as I quipped upon exit.
Thank you, as well, USGA and Shinnecock Hills Golf Club. Overall, I had a wonderful time.
Little did I know I was part of a mass exodus from the course that thinned the crowds by the time Matt Fitzpatrick and Wyndham Clark finished their rounds just after 8PM. Well, maybe if the tee times were earlier, we’d have stayed longer. 3:45 for the last pairing? Shinnecock Hills is on Long Island’s East End, not the Monterey Peninsula like Pebble Beach Golf Links, home to next year’s U.S. Open. So what if it was the second-longest day of the year? Also consider that most attendees commuted from Nassau County (like me and Dad) or one of New York City’s five boroughs. Shinnecock isn’t as convenient as Bethpage Black. If everyone stayed for the end, I figure we’d all get home between 10:30 PM and 12:30 AM, depending on where we live. The final tee time on Sunday was 2:30 PM. Much better.
In Saturday’s third round, Wyndham Clark overcame bogeys with birdies, an eagle, and many pars. The result was an even par 70, remaining at -7 for the championship. His partner for the final round on Sunday was Scottie Scheffler.
I was shielded from most of the unruly fans on Saturday, but I heard them loud and clear (and obnoxiously rude!) on Sunday. Sure, it was Scottie Scheffler’s 30th birthday. Sure, he was going for the career grand slam. Sure, you can root for Scottie. What you shouldn’t do is root against someone like Wyndham Clark, and with the same fervor directed at European golfers last September at Bethpage Black during the Ryder Cup. I doubt stems from Wyndham punching his locker after missing the cut at last year’s U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club. This was actively rooting for someone to fail, heckling him right before swinging or putting, haranguing “GET IN THE BUNKER!” on every tee shot, and cheering derisively at every bogey. No wonder Wyndham told Mike Tirico “New York didn’t really like me” during the trophy presentation. Yes, that’s right: Wyndham Clark survived all the aforementioned crap, a charge by Sam Burns that came one birdie short of a tie, and won his second U.S. Open championship. He did so wire-to-wire. Thank goodness that wire didn’t fray.
Wyndham Clark is the third consecutive U.S. Open champion at Shinnecock Hills to win this major for the second time: Retief Goosen in 2001 (Southern Hills) and ’04, Brooks Koepka in ’17 (Erin Hills) and ’18, and now Clark in ’23 (Los Angeles Country Club) and ’26. Congratulations, Wyndham. This New Yorker likes you, and loved the heartwarming moment with your dad after you won. It was a very happy Father’s Day.
Getting back to fan behavior, this is the second time in nine months that the world has witnessed unruly New Yorkers at a major men’s golf tournament. These bad apples, no pun intended, have given the majority of fans (people like me and my dad) an unshakable negative reputation. Yep, we Yanks are all drunk a-holes, aren’t we? (No!) God forbid these fans resurface at Winged Foot in two years; or worse yet, at Bethpage Black for the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. If it happens there, I guarantee this region will never host another women’s golf major, and that would be a shame, especially considering changes to the PGA Tour in 2028:
The PGA TOUR has already lined up an initial set of 10 of its expected 15 PGA TOUR Championship Series regular season events for 2028. The remaining events will either be filled by existing events or new markets under consideration, such as Boston, Denver, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C.
Thank you for reading all the way to the end. If you’re wondering, Dad and I got home around 6:15 PM and watched the rest of the third round on TV. I searched my DVR in vain to see if we were on TV. Outside of those few seconds after Sam Stevens teed off at the 2nd hole, we went unnoticed by NBC’s Canon 4K cameras.
Saturday, May 2, was night 2 of the 23rd anniversary Smooth Jazz for Scholars, hosted by keyboardist Jay Rowe in his hometown of Milford, Connecticut, benefiting the Milford Public Schools music department.
Much of the day was spent at Hilton Garden Inn, whether hanging out in my room or mingling in the lobby. I’d seen night 1 headliner Steve Oliver when I arrived Friday afternoon. On Saturday, I said quick hellos to Althea René and Steve Cole, who were among the night 2 headliners. I also saw fellow photographer Kat Gilraine, Mark and Phyllis Abrams, Rob and Melanie Hoogenboom, and Billy Okumu. At Veterans Memorial Auditorium, the site of Smooth Jazz for Scholars (within Parsons Complex), I saw Jay Dobbins, Judy Raphael, Steve Lewis, Jay Rowe’s wife Deborah, and his mother Mia DiStasi. I made a new acquaintance after the show, which I’ll get to when the time comes.
I arrived at the same time for a set that began at the same time: promptly at 8PM. That’s when Kevin McCabe of JumpStart Jazz Productions bid us good evening.
The house band accompanying Jay Rowe and the headliners was made up of Steve Scales on percussion:
Trever Somerville on drums:
Andy Abel on guitar:
…and Dave Anderson on bass:
SET LIST 1. The Next Step (Jay Rowe) (also played on night 1) 2026 single Featured musicians: Jay Rowe (keyboards), Andy Abel (guitar)
2. City Groove (Jay Rowe) 2023 single Featured musicians: Jay Rowe (keyboards), Andy Abel (guitar), Steve Scales (percussion)
3. Just Another Love Thing (Jay Rowe) Originally heard on:Groove Reflections (2021) Featured musicians: Jay Rowe (keyboards), Steve Cole (tenor sax)
I love (no pun intended) the “Linus and Lucy” phrases Jay threw into his solos.
4. Attitude (Steve Cole) Originally heard on:Without a Doubt (2023) Featured musician: Steve Cole (tenor sax)
5. Time & Space (Althea René) Originally heard on:18 Karat (2025) Featured musician: Althea René (flute)
6. Life on Mars (Althea René) (Dexter Wansel cover) Originally heard on:Flawsome (2019) Featured musicians: Althea René (flute, “flute talk”), Andy Abel (guitar), Jay Rowe (keyboards), Dave Anderson (bass), Trever Somerville (drums)
7. Daybreak (Special EFX) Originally heard on:Global Village (1992) Featured musicians:Chieli Minucci (acoustic/electric guitars), Althea René (flute), Jay Rowe (keyboards)
8. Mystical Remedies/Mystical (Special EFX) Originally heard on:Modern Manners (1985), Sweet Surrender (2007) Featured musicians: Chieli Minucci (electric guitar), Steve Cole (tenor sax)
10. Night Groove (Alex Bugnon) Originally heard on:Soul Purpose (2001) Featured musician: Alex Bugnon (keyboards) Jay Rowe did not play.
11. Synergy (Althea René) Originally heard on:Conspiracy Theory (2026) Featured musician: Althea René (flute)
12. Mirage (Steve Cole) Originally heard on:Turn It Up (2016) Featured musician: Steve Cole (tenor sax), Jay Rowe (keyboards)
13. Justice (Steve Cole) Originally heard on:Smoke and Mirrors (2021) Featured musicians: Steve Cole (tenor sax), Jay Rowe (keyboards)
50/50 RAFFLE ($965 pot) (won by John)
14. Spellbound (Alex Bugnon) (Joe Sample cover) Featured musician: Alex Bugnon (keyboards) (recycled from 2024 night 2 recap): The story behind Alex’s cover of “Spellbound” involved filling in for an ailing Joe Sample at Yoshi’s in 2013. Spellbound was the first jazz album I ever bought, in the summer of 1998. Jay Rowe did not play.
15. Cool Summer (Special EFX) 2024 single Featured musicians:Chieli Minucci (acoustic guitar), Jay Rowe (keyboards)
16 (Finale).Love and Happiness (Trever Somerville) (Al Green cover) Featured musicians: Trever Somerville (vocals, drums), Everyone
Before I get to the bulk of the photos, I need to thank Jay Rowe for taking the time between – “Mystical Remedies” and “Sweet Sticky Thing” – to praise the work of me and my fellow photographers Kat Gilraine, Ken Combs, and Keith McDonald. Thank you so much, Jay. We’ve known each other 20 years (since May 5, 2006) and I am grateful to have you in my life. I’m equally grateful to everyone I’ve gotten to know and collaborate with at Smooth Jazz for Scholars, the WCWP Hall of Fame Ceremony, and Long Island Retro Gaming Expo, just to name a few.
Now, photo galleries of each musician, beginning with Jay:
The house band is up next, starting with Steve Scales:
Trever Somerville:
“Life on Mars” solo…
Andy Abel:
…and Dave Anderson:
Dave’s “Life on Mars” solo…
Medium shots: Chieli Minucci and Althea René on “Daybreak”:
Chieli Minucci and Steve Cole (and Andy Abel) on “Mystical Remedies”:
“Chieli Minucci, y’all!”
Alex Bugnon, Dave Anderson, Trever Somerville on “Night Groove”:
Steve Cole and Jay Rowe on “Justice”:
Wide shots: “The Next Step”:
“Just Another Love Thing”:
“Sweet Sticky Thing”:
End of “Night Groove”:
“Thank you!”
End of “Cool Summer”:
“Thank you. ‘Cool Summer,’ guys. It’s comin’. Here we go.”
When the time came for the 50/50 raffle, with a $965 pot, Jay Rowe pulled out the winning ticket from the bag Kevin McCabe brought to the stage:
The winner was John from Brooklyn:
As you saw in the set list and video, Trever Somerville sang for the grand finale: Al Green‘s “Love and Happiness“:
Here’s how the rest of the finale played out photographically:
The big finish to the grand finale:
Jay Rowe’s closing remarks:
All right! Give it up for Alex Bugnon, Steve Cole, Althea René, Chieli Minucci, Steve Scales, Andy Abel, Trever Somerville, Dave Anderson, [and] I’m Jay Rowe! Thank you all so much! We’ll see you outside [in the lobby]! We’re havin’ our after party at Bistro Mediterranean on Bridgeport Avenue! So, come on down and have a drink with us! Thank you so much. We’re signin’ CDs out there [in the lobby], too.
The meet-and-greet photos begin with Anita Guris of 2 The Bridge Talent and the guitar she won, signed by all the musicians (Jay, headliners, house band):
Anita and Chieli Minucci:
In addition to that Fender Squier Telecaster guitar, Anita won two gift baskets in a raffle. I may not have had any luck in raffles, but I am proud for the lucky ones, and luck was with Anita this year.
Here I am with Steve Cole:
Althea René:
Thanks to Jay Rowe’s wife Deborah, me with Jay and Chieli Minucci:
…and after I’d put my EOS R7 away, an iPhone 17 Pro selfie with Ken Combs:
I said good night to everyone, exited the Veterans Memorial Auditorium, and headed back to Hilton Garden Inn.
I checked out of the hotel at 10:30 AM on Sunday, May 3. Even with heavy pockets of traffic in Greenwich, and in one spot each on the Cross Island and Southern State Parkways, the ride home (as a passenger) took an hour and 38 minutes, from 10:38 AM to 12:16 PM.
Cross Island Parkway Exit 25A, Southern State Parkway East:
Southern State Parkway Exit 13N, Linden Boulevard:
That’s the last of the photos and the last of my two-part 2026 Smooth Jazz for Scholars recap. The publication of these posts, and all the videos, is the culmination of a 19-day labor of love; from the moment I entered the Roosevelt School East Room at LIU Post (for the WCWP Hall of Fame Ceremony) to the moment yesterday when I clicked “save draft” one last time on the SJFS night 1 and 2 posts. Thank you for following me on this multimedia journey, and thank you to Jay Rowe, the Friday and Saturday headliners, the house band, Kevin McCabe and the JumpStart Jazz Productions crew, and all my fellow smooth jazz fans and photographers.
Like the WCWP Hall of Fame Ceremony video, I dedicate this two-part recap to my uncle Scott Stephen, a Milford native, whom I lost on April 23. The bulk of my post-production was done at the computer/desk hutch that he graciously assembled back in June 2023. Uncle Scott was a very handy man, a funny man, and as avid a fisherman as my dad Bill. I will miss him dearly.
Friday, May 1, was the first of two nights of the 23rd anniversary Smooth Jazz for Scholars, hosted by keyboardist Jay Rowe in his hometown of Milford, Connecticut, benefiting the Milford Public Schools music department.
This was another year with minimal anxiety ahead of the ride from Wantagh to Milford, but I did bump into the right edge of my bedroom door before I left the house. (I was walking out to tell my dad something across the hall and my right shoe got caught.) I tended to the resulting cut quickly enough that it never swelled. I didn’t even need ointment or bandages by the time I packed up my gear in the Parsons Complex Veterans Memorial Auditorium that night.
Surprisingly, the Hampton Inn on Plains Road closed down. Thus, the official hotel was Hilton Garden Inn on Old Gate Lane.
After a quick stop at the store for seltzer to stock in my room’s mini fridge, the ride to the hotel took two hours and 16 minutes. It felt longer with multiple heavy pockets of traffic between the Throgs Neck Bridge and I-95 Connecticut exit 23.
Exit 40 led to Hilton Garden Inn:
View from the outside:
…and inside my room (taken Saturday):
I arrived at Veterans Memorial Auditorium at about 7:20. The parking lot by the baseball field was busy with a concert of its own; a rock concert. That was also the case on Saturday.
Yes, I lost with the three 50/50 raffle tickets I bought each night. Next.
Ron Hancox was at a high school reunion this year and Andrew James was also absent. That left a quartet of photographers: Katherine Gilraine, Ken Combs, Keith McDonald, and me. (Happy birthday, Kat, since it’s your birthday while I write this paragraph the day before publication.)
As for the house band, Steve Scales returned on percussion:
Trever Somerville was on drums:
Andy Abel on guitar:
…and Dave Anderson on bass:
SET LIST 1. East Coast West Coast (Jay Rowe) Originally heard on:Red, Hot & Smooth (2006) Featured musicians: Jay Rowe (keyboards), Andy Abel (guitar)
2. The Next Step (Jay Rowe) 2026 single Featured musicians: Jay Rowe (keyboards), Andy Abel (guitar)
3. High Noon (Steve Oliver) Originally heard on:Positive Energy (2002) Featured musician: Steve Oliver (guitar, vocal sounds), Steve Scales (percussion)
4. Dancing in the Sand (Steve Oliver) 2026 single Featured musician: Steve Oliver (guitar, vocal sounds)
5. Tropical Rain (Jessy J) Originally heard on:True Love (2009) Featured musician: Jessy J (tenor sax)
6. Tequila Moon (Jessy J) Originally heard on: Tequila Moon (2008) Featured musicians: Jessy J (tenor sax), Andy Abel (guitar), Jay Rowe (keyboards)
9. It Could Happen (Brian Simpson) Originally heard on:It’s All Good (2005) Featured musicians: Brian Simpson (keyboards) Jay Rowe did not play.
10. It’s All Good (Brian Simpson) Originally heard on:It’s All Good (2005) Featured musicians: Brian Simpson (keyboards), Jessy J (tenor sax), Trever Somerville (drums) Jay Rowe did not play.
11. Saturday Cool (Brian Simpson) Originally heard on:It’s All Good (2005) Featured musicians: Brian Simpson (keyboards), Jessy J (tenor sax), Dave Anderson (bass) Jay Rowe did not play.
13. The Lift (Marion Meadows) (started in audience) Originally heard on:Body Rhythm (1995) Featured musician: Marion Meadows (soprano sax) The annual game of “Where’s Marion?” commenced in the left center aisle.
14. Treasures (Marion Meadows) Originally heard on:In Deep (2002) Featured musicians: Marion Meadows (soprano sax), Andy Abel (guitar), Jay Rowe (keyboards)
15. Suede (Marion Meadows) Originally heard on:Player’s Club (2004) Featured musician: Marion Meadows (soprano sax)
50/50 RAFFLE ($1,130 pot) (won by audience member whose name I did not catch)
16. Beso del Sol (Jessy J) Originally heard on:Terranova (2025) Featured musician: Jessy J (tenor sax), Steve Scales (percussion)
17. Chips and Salsa (Steve Oliver) Originally heard on:3D (2004) Featured musicians: Steve Oliver (guitar, vocals, vocal sounds), Everyone (including the audience)
… Give it up: Brian Simpson, Timmy Maia, Steve Oliver, Marion Meadows, Jessy J, Steve Scales, Andy Abel, Trever Somerville, Dave Anderson! I’m Jay Rowe! We love you! Thank you all so much for a great night! … We’ll see you all at Bistro Mediterranean and see you all tomorrow night. Thank you.
The meeting and greeting began in the front row with Steve Scales:
Picking up on the format from the WCWP-FM 60th anniversary weekend, the 2025 WCWP Hall of Fame Ceremony was part of a three-day celebration, from April 24 to 26, 2026. This was the format for Hall of Fame Induction Weekend:
Midway through the ceremony, 2026 graduate Avery Cochikas of The Wave, WCWP’s student-run internet station, received the Arthur Beltrone Founders Award. Art helped found WCWP, which signed on as a carrier current station at noon on October 18, 1961. In the role of program director, Art was the first student voice heard at sign-on.
This recap will include photos during and after the ceremony, along with an aircheck of April 24’s The Rock Show, hosted by Dan Reagan, 2022 WCWP Hall of Fame inductee and chairman of the Hall of Fame Committee. (I have served on the committee since 2022, two years before Dan’s chairmanship began.)
Before all that, I present the 2025 ceremony video, with a running time of 1:49:37.
After an adventurous Lyft ride, I arrived at the Roosevelt School well before 6PM; at around 4:45. Let’s just say it involved a northbound detour up and thin, private road. A few minutes later, we turned west and found ourselves on campus by the intramural baseball fields. Gold Coast Road soon followed and we turned south (left) for our destination.
It would be another hour before attendees and inductees began filing in.
I took these photos during the wait after unpacking my equipment:
Two photos featuring Ellyn Solis and her posse before the ceremony:
Loni and Rich Frazita introduced the next inductee: Tony Traguardo.
Tony Traguardo’s acceptance speech (after the brief return of his Post Serial character, Swami Origami)
Rich Frazita sneaked in bunny ears over Tony Traguardo’s head as he and Loni posed with the plaque
Dan Cox and Tony Traguardo
Time for the Arthur Beltrone Founders Award, presented to Avery Cochikas. Avery was introduced by his two station managers. First, Pete Bellotti, a 2019 WCWP Hall of Fame inductee.
Pete’s speech was followed by one from Dan Cox.
Avery Cochikas and Pete Bellotti
Avery Cochikas and Dan Cox
Avery Cochikas’ acceptance speech
The last two 2025 inductees each had three presenters. First to present Ellyn Solis was 2022 inductee Kim Dillon.
Ellyn Solis with her plaque and her posse: Cande Roth, Kim Dillon, and Chris Poppe
Ellyn Solis’ acceptance speech
Ellyn Solis and Dan Cox
Kim Dillon returned to present the fourth inductee, Cande Roth.
Ellyn Solis donned her Midnite Progressive t-shirt when she inducted Cande.
Third to present Cande was Phathead, her co-host on their eponymous weekday morning radio show on My Country 96.1 WJVC. Phathead is also WJVC program director.
Cande with her plaque and presenters: Phathead, Kim Dillon, and Ellyn Solis
Cande Roth’s acceptance speech
Cande’s family and friends looked on from their tables
Jeff ran the board during Dan’s edition of The Rock Show the night before the ceremony: Friday, April 24. It was so good that it went beyond the usual two hours (2 hours and 17 minutes). Here is my scope of Dan Cox’s aircheck (thanks to Jeff for forwarding me the unscoped original):
In one of the talk breaks, Dan Reagan noted rain was in the forecast for the day of the ceremony. It did rain, and it poured. That’s why my mom Lisa suggested a pack my tripods and bag of camcorders in a tall suitcase to shield them. Thank you, Mom, for the idea. She and my dad Bill were attending the annual Freeport Fire Department installation dinner, in the vein of WCWP’s Hall of Fame ceremony, which is why took Lyft rides to and from my home.
Quick tangent: Before I packed up and left the East Room, Cosmo Leone, another 2022 inductee, congratulated my dad. I told him he was just attending the dinner as all FFD members do each year. Little did I know Coz had reason to congratulate. Bill Chimeri – ex-captain of Freeport Truck Company One – was honored for 25 years of active service, as shown in this photo:
End of tangent.
Dan and his wife Gina were kind enough to drive me from the Roosevelt School up to the Abrams Communications Center where our fellow alumni and this year’s inductees looked around WCWP’s renovated home. It also allowed for a more convenient Lyft pickup spot. (The ride home was conversational rather than adventurous.)
2019 inductee Lew Scharfberg talking to the Reagans and Lamendolas
Dan Cox shows off Studio 3 to 2022 inductees Cosmo Leone and Kim Dillon, Kim’s husband Craig Ruttle (to her left), and Jeff Kroll
Tony Traguardo and his wife Winifred Boyd (“Winnie”) with Rich and Loni Frazita in the student lounge
Kim Dillon, Lew Scharfberg, Larry Lamendola, and Jeff Kroll look at the Radio Dataroom (transmitter room)
Pete Sacoulas tours the Radio Dataroom with Craig Ruttle looking from the outside; Sami Jo Negron is to Craig’s right
Cosmo Leone with Dan and Gina Reagan
A tour of Studio 2
Outside the new Studio 4, Pete Sacoulas, Sami Jo Negron, and Christina Kay view the Hall of Fame plaque listing all inductees to date
That’s a wrap on the 2025 WCWP Hall of Fame Ceremony recap. Congratulations again to Chris Maffei, Tony Traguardo, Ellyn Solis, Cande Roth, and Art Beltrone Founders Award recipient Avery Cochikas.
Thank you to Ellyn and to Julian Wilson for identifying who was who in a few of the photos (last names withheld).
Wednesday marked a twice in a lifetime experience for me. I got to see Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass & Other Delights at the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, mere steps from the Abrams Communications Center, home to WCWP, on the campus of LIU Post. I was part of a capacity (sell-out) crowd!
Here is the Tilles Center exterior, as seen in December 2025:
Tilles’s north entranceThe Goldsmith AtriumThe south entrance, where my dad and I entered
51 weeks and one day had passed since the first time I saw Herb and his band at Jazz at Lincoln Center. Read the linked recap for more information on the set’s songs and their etymology.
Thanks to Bobby Guthenberg for giving away two tickets for me and my dad Bill. Bobby’s daughter Katie was also with us in row J. I was in seat 134, the aisle seat, with Dad in 133, Katie in 132, and Bobby G. in 131. Lori Downing and her friend Regina sat ahead of us in row H, and Jeff and Pat Kroll were in row G. (Jeff’s the biggest Herb Alpert fan I know.) For Bobby, Lori, the Krolls, this was also a twice in a lifetime experience after seeing the Lincoln Center shows. (Jeff and Pat were at Herb’s 90th birthday show last March 31.)
I’d be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge meeting fellow WCWP and then-C.W. Post alumnus Joe Townley outside the Abrams Communications Center before reaching Tilles’s south entrance. Joe is currently EVP of content, programming, and new business for the production company MyEntertainment.
As for the show, I was much closer to the stage at Tilles Center, and I have a better smartphone: an iPhone 17 Pro. (My Canon EOS R7 wasn’t allowed, meaning a return trip to Dad’s car before going inside.)
Admittedly, some photos required enhancements in Photoshop, and not just color filtering. I think you’ll like what you see, though.
The show began 13 minutes past the scheduled 7:30 start, but it was nonstop action after that.
“Olé!”: Herb and the original Tijuana Brass entered and signed in on What’s My Line?Herb’s grand entrance!
My dad loved Ray’s drumming, and Bill Cantos was delighted when I told him after the show that I knew Jay Rowe. Clasping his hands together, he said “tell him I said hi,” which I did (via text message) as Dad and I exited Tilles Center. I spoke to Jay on the phone back in the fall and mentioned the Herb Alpert concert on my pre-Smooth Jazz for Scholars itinerary. That’s when Jay revealed that Bill is another friend from his days at the New England Conservatory. (I already knew about Nelson Rangell and David Mann.)
The set list was mostly identical to last year’s. In fact, the first 12 songs were the same and in the same order. From there, the set diverged. Herb’s wife Lani Hall couldn’t make it this time, which meant no Sergio Mendes and Brasil ’66 medley. (Hearing their music on the sound system before the show made up for that.) Otherwise, four songs were new to this set: “Route 101,” “Mae” (partial), “Casino Royale” (partial), and “Up Cherry Street.”
Compare and contrast the set on this night with the one from last year. Some tidbits have been recycled. (The original album and release years are in parentheses.)
Mexican Shuffle (South of the Border, 1964) – If you’re keeping score, that’s four Sol Lake compositions in the set – Used in TV ads for Clark’s Teaberry gum (shown on the monitor), where it was known as “The Teaberry Shuffle”
This Guy’s in Love with You (The Beat of the Brass, 1968) – Herb’s lone vocal song of the set – Contrary to popular belief, the song was later reworked as “This Girl’s in Love with You” for Dionne Warwick and other female singers, not the other way around for Herb
Rise (Rise, 1979) (solo album) – Rap fans may recognize one part from its sampling in “Hypnotize” by The Notorious B.I.G. – The performance this year was almost as long as the original thanks to many solos
Encore 1-1: Smile (Midnight Sun, 1992; Catch the Wind, 2021) (solo albums) – Requiem for departed friends, including Sergio Mendes, Karen Carpenter, Burt Bacharach (co-writer [with Hal David] of “This Guy’s in Love with You”), and A&M Records co-founder Jerry Moss – “Smile” by Charlie Chaplin is not to be confused with “Sweet, Sweet Smile,” which was introduced and popularized by The Carpenters
Encore 1-3 (True Finale): Up Cherry Street (South of the Border, 1964) – Second composition of the set by Julius Wechter
Now that you’ve seen the set and know the band, it’s photo time.
“The Lonely Bull”:
Bill Cantos, Kerry Marx, Ryan Dragon, Herb Alpert, Ray Brinker, Hussain Jiffry, Kris BerghRyan Dragon, Kerry Marx, Herb Alpert, Ray BrinkerA close-up of Herb Alpert and Ray Brinker (as close as my iPhone would allow)
“Mexican Shuffle” with Clark’s Teaberry Gum commercial clips:
Herb talking to the audience between “Memories of Madrid” and “Whipped Cream”:
He noted that this was his first performance on Long Island since 1984 at Jones Beach Theater. Jim Carrey, then a stand-up comedian, opened for him.
Bill Cantos vocalizing at the piano during “Tangerine”:
Ray Brinker’s drum solo between “Tangerine” and “I’m Getting Sentimental Over You”:
Ryan Dragon’s trombone solo during “I’m Getting Sentimental…”:
“Love Potion No. 9”:
The end of Hussain Jiffry’s bass solo, with Kris Bergh resuming the melody on trumpetThe end of Kerry Marx’s electric guitar solo, with Ryan Dragon doing the same as KrisKris Bergh’s trumpet soloOne of many standing ovations! You could say “This capacity crowd is on its feet!”
Despite Lani Hall’s absence, Herb Alpert still spoke of how Sergio Mendes played Cupid and matched him with her.
Sergio Mendes explaining the Brasil [year] origin in Portuguese:
Herb’s “translation” turned out to be the origin of the Tijuana Brass:
Sergio replied in fluent English that isn’t what he said at all.
Perhaps because an audience member requested it, the Sergio segment dovetailed into the origin of “This Guy’s in Love with You.” Prompting the audience to sing along, Herb performed a moving rendition of “This Guy’s…” (in a lower key).
The singing partThe trumpet partYou bet there was a standing O!
And there was another after “Rise”!
“A Taste of Honey”:
What do you think happened afterward?
The last song before the encore was “Zorba’s Dance,” known on !!Going Places!! as “Zorba the Greek.”
Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass gathered at center stage and took a bow:
Then, it was back to their posts – no pun intended at LIU Post – for the encore.
Encore song 1 was Charlie Chaplin’s “Smile.”
The mood lightened back up for the five-song medley that featured a little bit of “Casino Royale”:
The medley ended with “Tijuana Taxi,” featuring a marimba solo by Bill Cantos:
He also played a horn honk on his synthesizer.
A night to remember ended with “Up Cherry Street”:
The end!
One last ovation!
Herb Alpert has left the building…or at least the stage.
Before departing, I grabbed two selfies. One with Regina and Lori…
…and the other with Katie, Bobby G., and my dad Bill:
April 25, exactly one month after seeing Herb Alpert at Tilles, I’ll be at the Roosevelt School the south end of LIU Post for the WCWP Hall of Fame Ceremony Dinner, honoring the Class of 2025 (revealed on Homecoming Weekend last September) and this year’s Arthur Beltrone Service Award recipient. Until I recap that, thank you for reading.
I suddenly heard gusty winds outside my house just after 6:30 AM on New Year’s Day 2026. A check of weather.gov explained why: a snow squall was barreling through.
I immediately grabbed my camera, and then my camcorder, for photos and video, which I’ll show below.
The squall lasted about 80 minutes, but only left a coating that the sun melted away within five hours. The snow and wind were like nature’s confetti, its way of ringing in the new year.
Before I embed the video timeline of the squall, here is a photographic timeline of the squall and subsequent melting.
6:33 AM
7:09 AM
7:53 AM
10:34 AM
12:02 PM
1:19 PM
Now, the video, which is 5:23 long.
Unbeknownst to me before publication, déjà vu struck outside early this morning (Friday, January 2). The wind was lighter, but flurries left another coating. I’m not taking photos this time. It should melt just as quickly as yesterday. This will probably even happen early on Sunday, January 4, as the current forecast calls for a 30% chance of snow after 1AM, followed by cloudy and mostly sunny conditions after dawn. Beyond that, no snow expected through Thursday, January 8.
So, until more significant snow falls, thank you for viewing this post.
A special three-hour Christmas 2025 edition of Instrumental Invasion was recorded principally on December 1 with pickups recorded during quality control on the morning of the 3rd and again that afternoon in case the show didn’t only air on Christmas. Indeed, it aired Christmas Eve at 5PM and reran on Christmas at 9PM. (I use the past tense despite publishing on Christmas morning.)
Before I say more, here is the scoped aircheck:
What I said in the outro is true. WCWP/WXBA station manager Dan Cox hosted a Microsoft Teams meeting for alumni on October 27. When he opened the “floor” to questions, I had two:
May I contribute to the rotation of legal IDs voiced by alumni?
Would it be okay if I recorded a special Christmas show?
Dan said yes to both. Right after the meeting I recorded VO for the ID, which turned out this way:
I didn’t start work on the Christmas Instrumental Invasion until the following Monday, November 3, when Dan answered a follow-up email about show length. He said it could be as long as I wanted. So, I chose to make a three-hour show. The playlist, created and tweaked between November 3 and 15, was reworked from the playlist for what would have been the fourth and final Christmas show of my Wednesday night run. (2020, 2021, 2022 recaps) The renovation hiatus ended that run sooner than planned. 22 of the 23 songs from the unused playlist were incorporated into this one with minimal rearranging. 15 songs were added to pad out the three hours (all under an hour in length), and the 23rd song from the original playlist was changed due to time constraints in hour 2.
Annotations drafting began November 5, when I completed my first playlist draft, and tweaks followed along through the 15th. For the first time ever, I’m sharing the script. Work on that began when my initial annotations draft completed on November 10. Tweaks continued all the way into recording and pickups.
I had planned on doing as I did for the last two Homecoming Weekend prerecords (2024, 2025), by recording and mixing live on my Twitch channel from December 4 to 6. I even did like this year’s HCW show and preloaded the music and liners into Adobe Audition multitrack session files. However, I developed an obsession with the video game PowerWash Simulator 2, for which I have the Xbox Series X/S port. I wasn’t about to halt gameplay for three days when I was on the verge of completing the game’s career mode. (I did that on December 6 and completed the game entirely [in its initial form] two nights later.) So, I recorded and edited all 15 talk breaks (five per hour) in a three-hour span on December 1. Then, I mixed them into the preloaded sessions. All three hours were within the 58:00 to 59:59 range Dan Cox asks of show files with hour 1 skewing closer to the minimum at 58:20, which I reworked to 58:36. Hours 2 and 3 required reworking in the opposite direction to reach run times of 59:58 and 59:57.
The December 3 quality control session required a handful of pickups with truncating in the last two hours for even shorter times. I misinterpreted an email that afternoon, leading me to think the show either might not air on Christmas or wouldn’t be limited to Christmas. The resulting evergreen pickups worked in my favor as Dan chose to premiere the show Christmas Eve at 5PM and run it again on Christmas at 9PM. The end result hour by hour: 58:39, 59:52, 59:54. There was no dead air between files as legal IDs bridged the gaps. That meant the show after mine began before the top of the hour.
This paragraph was written December 9 after learning that Gordon Goodwin died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 70. His Big Phat Band were part of my show with “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.” It’s too late for me to redo the talk break for the set with the song as I’ve already sent Dan the show hour files. Gordon will live on through his music, not just with the Big Phat Band, but for the TV shows and films he scored.
“You wanna have a catch?” in the intro was a quote from the end of Field of Dreams where Ray gets to play catch with his father. The Colin Mochrie joke about “foreplay” (not Fourplay) is a sound command for my Twitch streams and was sourced from this Whose Line video:
“Pickup lines that would never work” (Scenes from a Hat suggestion)
Bethpage Black’s next big event will be the 2024 Ryder Cup. [All Ryder Cups and Presidents Cups were pushed back a year due to COVID-19.] The last thing I’d like to hear that Sunday, whether in person or on TV, is the “Olé” song, indicating Europe won again.
Not only did I hear that song endlessly in person on Friday, September 26, but it was sung as Europe defeated the U.S. 15 points to 13. The U.S. teams lost too many foursome and four-ball matches Friday and Saturday to make a complete comeback Sunday. (10/2 UPDATE: Europe clinched when Shane Lowry, who you’ll see front and center in a few photos, halved his singles match with Russell Henley with a birdie at the 18th hole. That gave Europe a 14-11 lead over the U.S., rendering all other matches inconsequential.)
Even though my dad Bill and I were deferential to visiting European fans and respectful of Team Europe golfers, vice captains, and captain Luke Donald, the loss still hurts. So, this won’t be an in-depth recap, at least not verbally, and I won’t link to any media articles. The extensive gallery below will speak a thousand words per photo. That includes photos of players, caddies, vice captains, and captains of both teams. (St. John’s University alumnus Keegan Bradley was Team U.S.A. captain.)
Having played the Black many years ago, my dad can attest it is the most difficult of the four color-coded courses – Red, Green, and Blue are the others. That makes it perfect for major golf championships. Bethpage Black previously hosted the 2002 and 2009 U.S. Open and the aforementioned 2019 PGA Championship. It also hosted The Barclays, a now-defunct first leg of the FedExCup playoffs, in 2012 and 2016.
The four men’s golf majors are won by individuals. This Ryder Cup was the first time Bethpage Black hosted a team championship with bragging rights on the line for one country – the United States – or one continent – Europe.
Perhaps it was foreshadowing when my dad purchased Friday tickets shortly after Rory McIlroy won The Masters on the evening of April 13. Either way, we were going. Good thing, too, because I’d purchased a hat and short-sleeve polo from the Ryder Cup online shop in March. I proudly wore those at Bethpage Black, per these selfies with and without my dad:
We were prepared for enhanced security checkpoints due to President Trump’s presence. However, we were nowhere near him and only passed one checkpoint at the entrance without needing to empty our pockets. I brought along a portable phone battery charger that I’d bought on Amazon in advance of our trip, and it really came in handy. Three charging sessions – two on-site, one on the shuttle bus ride back to Jones Beach State Park – ensured I wouldn’t miss much photographically.
To that end, let’s get two other key photos out of the way before I let the rest of them speak a thousand words each.
Fighter jets flew over as “The Star-Spangled Banner” concluded at the 1st tee. This was my view from the 2nd fairway.
Fans cheered and chanted “U.S.A.!” as Air Force One flew by on its approach to nearby Republic Airport. President Trump sat in a designated area in the grandstands by the 1st tee for the start of afternoon four-ball matches. The U.S. only got 1 1/2 points from the four matches, winning one match 6&5 and tying another. The score through Friday: Europe 5 1/2, U.S. 2 1/2.
(This parenthetical was written Sunday at 11:53 AM. The fighter jets just made one last Bethpage Black flyby, whizzing over my house seconds later.)
Food and non-alcoholic drinks were free! Dad and I ate lunch before going to the 2nd fairway and then I had dessert before we waited between the 15th green and 16th tee. I washed down each meal (cheeseburger, two two-packs of Grandma’s chewy chocolate chip cookies) with a can of Bubly cherry seltzer sparkling water, otherwise having two bottles of Aquafina pure water.
I bought one thing from The Ryder Cup Shop on the way back to the Jones Beach general parking shuttle bus: a screenprint pin flag. I’ve gotten one for each major event at Bethpage Black and hung it on my wall. Even in defeat, I’m keeping it up.
I said my dad and I were deferential to any European fans we encountered and were respectful of Team Europe. (My dad’s friend Mike even worked as an attendant in Team Europe’s locker room.) If only every fan was the same. The arrogant harangues by some U.S. fans, not all of them drunk, made me wince. Team member Sepp Straka moved from Vienna, Austria, to Valdosta, Georgia, when he was 14, played for the University of Georgia, and talks like a native southerner. Didn’t matter to those fans. I feel the harangues played a karmic role in Team Europe’s win. I’ll keep what/whom I feel also played a karmic role to myself. Inside the ropes, however, Team Europe was just better. Full stop. (“Period” is a U.S. thing.)
Side note: Other Europeans who are U.S. college golf alumni include Sweden’s Ludvig Åberg (“O-berg”) (Texas Tech University) and Jon Rahm of Spain (Arizona State University). I won’t fault any fans who gave Jon flack for defecting from the PGA Tour to LIV Golf. My mind blocked out any criticism toward fellow LIV defector Bryson DeChambeau of the U.S. (University of Texas), but he probably got it, too. Honestly, I’m detached enough to be a LIV Golf agnostic, even with the matter of who funds it. To date, I’ve only seen parts of two tournaments, including highlights of one in Miami.
Okay, enough digressions. Now, the rest of the photos.
General parking at Jones BeachShuttle buses drove from Jones Beach Field 4, east on Ocean Parkway, north on the Wantagh State Parkway, east on Merrick Road (exit W6), and north on the Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway (NY 135) to a special ramp before exit 8.Once in Bethpage, the shuttle bus traversed side streets to a designated entrance and drop-off/pickup zone. This photo was taken after getting off the bus.Our tickets were digital, not physical. That’s why I didn’t have a ticket holder draped around my neck in the earlier selfies.The line for selfies here was too long. I settled for a candid photo from afar.Captain Keegan Bradley and some vice captains will show up in later photos. I didn’t take a photo of the other side with Luke Donald and the Europe vice captains. So, I’ll note they were Thomas Bjørn, Alex Norén, José María Olazábal, brothers Edoardo and Francesco Molinari.With the course map behind them, volunteers guided fans to their destinations.An enthusiastic fan with the American flag18th green grandstandsNBC Sports‘ broadcast tower (Friday’s coverage was on USA Network.)1st green grandstandsAdjacent grandstands for the 1st green and 17th teeAcross Round Swamp Road, Dad and I stood at the walkway from the 14th green to the 15th tee. This is one of two wide shots of Farmingdale Ladder 926 and East Rockaway Ladder 403 draping the American flag.Fans cheer the walk from 14 to 15 by Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele with captain Keegan Bradley (right end) and vice captains Brandt Snedeker and Webb Simpson (between Cantlay and Schauffele). Schauffele’s caddie Austin Kaiser to Cantlay’s left.Cantlay (captain’s pick) and Schauffele (qualified) were the only U.S. team to win a Friday morning foursome match.I spotted former Yankees center fielder (and jazz guitarist) Bernie Williams in the crowd, but was too shy to approach him. The fan on the bottom left wasn’t shy and took a selfie.Many groups of fans dressed in their national colors. These men wore shamrock green for Ireland (and Europe).13th green grandstandsPatrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele needed all 18 holes to win their foursome match 1 UP.Dad and I would spend nearly two hours at the 2nd hole, watching the four-ball matches play through.2nd green grandstands left entranceWe ultimately positioned ourselves on a hill overlooking the 2nd fairway. My phone can only go up to 3x optical zoom. I’d go beyond that for most of the following photos, leading to internal AI enhancement. I’m including the ones with the least amorphous blobs.U.S. vice captain Kevin Kisner fed off the cheers as he walked toward the 2nd green ahead of Scottie Scheffler and J.J. Spaun. (Both were qualifiers.)Their opponents (and victors) were Jon Rahm and Sepp Straka. (Both were captain’s picks.)Tommy Fleetwood‘s 2nd shot at the 2nd hole (Tommy and playing partner Justin Rose were qualifiers.)Fleetwood and Rose’s four-ball opponents were Ben Griffin (captain’s pick, pictured) and Bryson DeChambeau (qualifier).Fleetwood and Rose won their match.This photo features Justin Thomas (center-left, captain’s pick) and Rasmus Højgaard (right end, qualifier)Cameron Young (a captain’s pick from Scarborough in Westchester County) had a long putt for birdie……that went in, winning the hole!J.T. and Young won their four-ball match over 6&5 in 13 holes over Højgaard and Ludvig Åberg (captain’s pick).The last of the four-ball matches were Sam Burns and Patrick Cantlay (captain’s picks) against Rory McIlroy (qualifier) and Shane Lowry (captain’s pick).A look at the 2nd hole monitor before walking to the 15th greenDad and I briefly sat in the 15th green grandstands……but it was sweltering in direct sunlight. At least I got some nice photos before we changed locations.We and many other fans, of the U.S. and Europe, watched the monitor by the 15th green, waiting for the four-ball matches to reach us. Three of them did.First, Scheffler-Spaun and Rahm-Straka. The latter pair were 3 UP and needed to win the hole to win the match.See why only three matches reached 15?Scottie Scheffler drained a birdie putt to extend the match.Jon Rahm also birdied to halve the hole and keep the lead 3 UP going to the 16th hole.And so begins my best photos of the day, taken on the north end of the walkway from the 15th green to the 16th tee.Scottie Scheffler, with his caddie Ted Scott close behindScottie (right) and NBC Sports course reporter Jim “Bones” Mackay (“ma-KYE”), longtime caddie for Phil Mickelson, and briefly for Justin ThomasBones (right) and J.J. Spaun (left)Sepp Straka and Jon RahmStraka (right) and Rahm’s caddie Adam Hayes (left)Random fighter jet photoBen Griffin’s caddie Alex RitthamelBen Griffin and RitthamelBryson DeChambeau’s caddie Greg BodineBryson DeChambeauJustin Thomas (left) and Europe captain Luke Donald (right)U.S. captain Keegan Bradley and Justin Thomas (left) and Donald (right)Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood, who would go on to win their match 1 UP.Visual proof of Jon Rahm and Sepp Straka’s 3&2 winShane Lowry’s caddie Darren Reynolds, Rory McIlroy’s caddie Harry Diamond (I can’t tell which vice captain is on the left.)Rory McIlroy took a lot of harassment from fans, including one standing ahead of me. Kudos to Rory for whatever his measured retort was.Shane Lowry and Rory McIloryI love this photo most. Rory was looking to my right, but Shane and vice captain José María Olazábal were looking right at me. Two Masters champions (Olazabal winning twice!), two Open Champions, and one U.S. Open and PGA Champion in one photo!One more photo of Shane and RorySam Burns (left)An NBC Sports mic operator, U.S. vice captain Brandt Snedeker, Sam BurnsThe mic operator and Snedeker without BurnsPatrick CantlayAnd with that, my dad and I began the long walk back to the exit.I don’t know if this is a temporary street sign, but I like it.I had to take this photo.The setting sun made for many great photos.This is where the opening and closing ceremonies were held (and champagne flowed).Sky Sports‘ broadcast towerExiting The Ryder Cup Shop with my pin flagRory McIlroy missed a putt that would win the match. Instead, half a point went to him and Shane Lowry, and the other half a point went to Sam Burns and Patrick Cantlay.U.S. fans applaud the non-lossRide sharing and LIRR infoAll aboard for Jones Beach.Back at Jones Beach Field 4, there was a mini shop for those who wanted one more thing. (I wasn’t one of them. I got my one thing, and that was enough.)Back to the car.A parting photo of the Jones Beach water tower (a.k.a. The Pencil)
It’s been a long 18 days, what with Homecoming Weekend at LIU Post (and WCWP), the Ryder Cup, and all the post-production (no pun intended). Now, I can decompress until the next big event on my social calendar.
Thank you for reading all the way to the end, and thank you to my dad for another great experience together at a New York area golf tournament.
NOTE: Two of the alumni hosts, Alana and Tom, do not use their last names on the air. So, I have omitted their last names from this post.
This year, Homecoming Weekend on WCWP (simulcast on WXBA) and at LIU Post was the earliest it’s ever been: September 12 to 14. The date was made public during the WCWP-FM 60th anniversary broadcast on March 16. (Read about that celebratory weekend here.) Homecoming Weekend coordinator Ted David assembled quite the lineup, which began with me at noon (well, noon-ish) on Friday, September 12, and ended at midnight on the 14th/15th as Grandfather Rock Chris MacIntosh closed Rock ‘N’ Soul Gospel with “Red Hot and Cooking” by Garth Hewitt.
The centerpiece of the weekend was the LIU Sharks football team‘s Homecoming game (and home opener) against the Sacred Heart Pioneers. (That was the LIU Post team name before the Post and Brooklyn athletic programs merged and moved from NCAA Division II to Division I.)
Once again, as unofficial station historian, I documented as much as I could of the entire weekend – on campus Friday and Saturday, and from home on Sunday.
I airchecked off the FM web stream on PCs in my bedroom and guest room via Audacity, where I would export as individual files, and then edit in Adobe Audition. Unfortunately, my internet betrayed me on Saturday. I recorded nearly nine hours of silence. I’m grateful to WCWP station manager Dan Cox for filling the gaps with his official airchecks and to Bernie Bernard via her show files.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12
I arrived at the Abrams Communications Center at 11:30 AM. While Project Independence and You (one week shy of its 14th anniversary) finished up in studio 3, I prepped for my live Instrumental Invasion. It was the first time I led off Homecoming Weekend since 2017.
Pat and Jeff Kroll had the next show at 2PM. Since their show and Strictly Jazz at 4PM would be rerun from 2AM to 7AM, Jeff had to be prompt, fading out my last song with 1:40 remaining.
Jeff ran the board during his show and Strictly Jazz.
Neil Marks joined in the second hour to preview the LIU Sharks’ Homecoming football game against the Sacred Heart Pioneers.
Neil Marks
Neil Marks and Pat Kroll
Out in the lobby, Neil Marks talked to Strictly Jazz hosts John LiBretto and Hank Neimark about his long trip to LIU Post earlier Friday.
Hank had the honor of signing on WCWP-FM on March 16, 1965.
The Krolls with fellow alumni (and fiancés) Sami Jo Negron and Pete Sacoulas:
A partial video of Jeff and Pat’s show:
…and a full scoped aircheck:
John LiBretto and Hank Neimark hosted Strictly Jazz, the third show of the weekend, Friday at 4PM.
John LiBretto
Hank Neimark
Despite the title, Strictly Jazz deviated to pop in hour 2 by playing “Wooly Bully” by Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs. Pat Kroll returned to read the song’s quirky lyrics.
Jeff Kroll had additional “Wooly Bully” tidbits.
A partial video of Strictly Jazz:
…and the full scoped aircheck:
From jazz to rock, John Zoni was next at 7PM:
We went from rock to dance just after 9PM with Jay Mirabile and a special edition of The DFK Show.
If you’re wondering, I took a rideshare home around 6:30 PM.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13
We jump ahead to 7AM and a prerecorded show hosted by John Commins:
David Friedland was live in studio 2 at 9AM, leading into the Sharks’ Homecoming game:
Aircheck courtesy of Dan Cox
After editing what I’d airchecked so far, my mom drove me up to LIU Post half an hour later than Friday. We had to clear a security checkpoint before reaching the parking lot by WCWP. I unpacked and walked toward Shark Stadium (no naming rights this year) for photos around and above the field.
The bulk of my Shark Stadium photos were taken on the roof where Travis Demers, Neil Marks, and Jeff Kroll called the LIU Sharks Homecoming football game. Pat Kroll was the coordinating producer.
It was the 2nd quarter when I reached the roof. Travis Demers handled play-by-play for the middle quarters with Jeff Kroll leading the first and last.
Travis Demers’s field view
Remote equipment
Pat Kroll’s notes
You can’t call a sporting event without spotter charts.
Just for fun, I took a short video on my iPhone that I later synced to the relevant portion of Dan Cox’s game aircheck:
Travis and my fellow alumni were impressed when I posted that video to the WCWP Alumni Association Facebook group.
Before we return to WCWP, let’s look at photos on the field, sidelines, and bleachers.
I made it back to WCWP just before halftime where co-hosts John Zoni and Jeannie Moon narrated highlights and analyzed the first half. At the board was Andrew Scarpaci.
John Zoni
Jeannie Moon
Highlights, lowlights, and other elements were run in Zetta by Andrew, as seen at halftime.
The studio portion of the halftime report:
Aircheck courtesy of Dan Cox
You saw how Zetta looked at halftime. This image after the game tells a different, but predictable story:
In spite of another down ending, it was another exciting game for Jeff Kroll, Neil Marks, and Travis Demers to call on Long Island’s 88.1 FM.
I kept my camcorders and tripods in studio 3 to cover John Zoni and Jeannie Moon’s portion of the postgame show.
Aircheck courtesy of Dan Cox
This YouTube video compiles the studio 3 halftime and postgame reports:
I’ll spare you the details of what happened in the Sharks’ next game.
On a happier note, programming moved back to studio 2 after the Sharks postgame show. At 3:30 PM, Homecoming Weekend coordinator Ted David hosted the 2025 WCWP Hall of Fame inductee announcement special.
Ted getting in touch with Bernie Bernard to call in and announce the 2025 WCWP Hall of Fame inductees
The lucky quartet of 2025 inductees was Cande Roth, Ellyn Solis-Maurer, Tony Traguardo, and Chris Maffei.
(Full disclosure: This was my fourth year on the Hall of Fame Committee.)
Below is the announcement, featuring a cameo from me, here:
…and listen here (without the video’s cutaways):
Bernie Bernard’s prerecorded show ran at 4PM:
Thanks to Bernie for the show files, which I tweaked in Adobe Audition to sound like I airchecked off the FM stream.
As Bernie’s show ran in automation, I joined my fellow alumni outside for the Homecoming barbecue. We’ll use this time for a photographic interlude.
First, Ted’s selfie with me:
Bobby Guthenberg (Bobby G.), Neil Marks, Lew Scharfberg
Neil Marks, Laurie White, Jeannie Moon, Lew Scharfberg
Ted David, Rich Lacourciere, new HOF inductee Tony Traguardo, John Zoni, John Mullen, Frank Iemitti, WCWP station manager Dan Cox
Mike Chimeri, Rich Lacourciere, Tony Traguardo, John Zoni, John Mullen, Frank Iemitti, Dan Cox
Mike Chimeri and Travis Demers
Mike Chimeri and Alana
Mike Chimeri and John Zoni
Alana next to the WCWP-FM 60th anniversary banner
Live programming returned to studio 2 at 6PM with Bobby G. and Mike Riccio. The dynamic duo counted down most of the 50 songs in the “First Annual WCWP Beatle Spectacular Hit-List.” Published in December 1969, the list represented the most popular Beatles songs as voted by WCWP listeners.
Bobby G.
Mike Riccio
With candid photos of Bobby G. and Mike Riccio out of the way, I had them pose for this photo.
I took this selfie early in the second of two talk breaks.
You can watch those first three talk breaks here:
…and here is the full scoped aircheck:
Aircheck courtesy of Dan Cox
Incidentally, this is my scan of a copy of the First Annual WCWP Beatle Spectacular Hit-List:
Vincent Randazzo and a host of others were on hand for a special edition of The Alternative Jukebox at 9PM:
Vince’s show was three hours, but half the time was spent chatting with current and recently-graduated staff. It was quite informative. (Shoutout to Post-Party Depression.)
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14
The prerecorded Instrumental Invasion ran at midnight. Click here for a full recap, then come back for the rest of this recap.
I will again share the aircheck scope, though:
9/23 UPDATE: And why not include a 65x speed montage of the two Twitch streams that served as recording sessions?
Alana’s The Rockin’ Sunday Show normally airs at noon, but aired in its original 10AM slot on Homecoming Weekend.
Photo courtesy of Alana
Jumping ahead to 1PM, Ted David and Jeff Kroll co-hosted The Joe Show, a remembrance of the late Joseph P. “Joe” Honerkamp.
Joe Honerkamp in the early 1980s with Bill Epperhart, Ted David, John Commins, Lew Scharfberg, and Neil Marks; photo courtesy of Jeff Kroll
Joe was a fixture at WCWP for over 50 years, and had a long professional career which included radio stints at WYNY and WHN, and TV production on the weekend Today show.
Among those to reflect on the life and times of Joseph P. were his widow Kathy Honerkamp and their daughters Melanie and Diana. Kathy and Melanie are seen here in studio 2. Diana spoke by phone.
Photo courtesy of Ted David
Bruce Leonard and Joel Feltman were also among those to call in.
The scoped aircheck (there were a few songs played) can be heard here:
Ted David shifted to the board at 2PM, playing a wide variety of music over the next hours:
Billy the Kid (Billy Houst) and Joey C. (Joe Conte) had the last two-hour show at 4PM: Masters of Metal.
The penultimate show of Homecoming Weekend began at 6PM: The Ladies of Prison Break Radio, Jamie Mazzo and Sara Dorchak.
And putting a bow on the weekend, my children, was Grandfather Rock Chris MacIntosh and Rock ‘N’ Soul Gospel. Check it out.
Post-production, no pun intended, began as Homecoming Weekend was in progress on September 13 and concluded on the evening of the 21st with publication of this post and the Instrumental Invasion posts.
Thank you very much for reading all the way to the end. It bears repeating: documenting events like this is a labor of love. The next time I step on the campus of LIU Post will be March 25, 2026, for a twice-in-a-lifetime experience thanks to Bobby Guthenberg. My mom and I will get to see Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass and Other Delights again for their Tilles Center set. (Read about their April 1 Jazz at the Lincoln Center show here.)
This post is not only dedicated to the memory of Joe Honerkamp, but also Jett Lightning. Jett (Julio) fell ill in the days leading up to Homecoming Weekend and passed away on the morning of September 13. He will be sorely missed at WCWP. I’ll leave you with a photo of Jett taken last year…
…and a scope of his 2022 Homecoming Weekend show featuring Jay Elzweig, who is also no longer with us.
MikeChimeri.com 
My photos from round 3 of the 126th U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills June 24, 2026
Posted by Mike C. in Aviation, Commentary, Golf, Internet, Media, Personal, Photography, Sports, Travel, Weather.add a comment
WARNING: I opine on unruly fans at the end of this post.
Nearly nine months after attending day 1 of the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, my dad Bill and I were on the opposite end of Long Island at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club for the third round of the 126th U.S. Open. (As I type this parenthetical, the Wikipedia entry is incomplete.)
Due to COVID-19 postponing the 2020 U.S. Open and excluding fans, this was my first trip to a U.S. Open since 2018, also at Shinnecock and also for the third round. Furthermore, this was my third time at Shinnecock for the U.S. Open, and my dad’s fifth time. He was there in 1986 when Raymond Floyd won and again in 1995 for Corey Pavin‘s victory. My first time was in 2004 when Retief Goosen won his second U.S. Open.
In 2004 and 2018, the mode of transportation for Dad and I was LIRR trains. In the latter case, we spent more time traveling to Shinnecock Hills than attending the U.S. Open there. I was too worn out and we were so far away that I just wanted to go home. And I thought we’d be taking trains again in 2026. Instead, Dad drove to one of a few automobile parking lots for shuttle bus service to and from the course. Our destination was the “blue lot” on the former site of Calverton Executive Airpark.
We left the house shortly after 9:30 AM with a route that eventually found us on the Long Island Expressway (L.I.E.; I-495). Our exit was 68 (William Floyd Parkway). This LED sign was placed ahead of the exit, seen at 10:14 AM:
Seconds later, we exited the L.I.E. Five minutes after that, we exited the northbound William Floyd for NY 25 east.
We turned into Calverton Executive Airpark at 10:27 AM.
Five minutes later, we were guided to a parking spot, walked to the checkpoint, and boarded a shuttle bus.
The USGA opted for late tee times on Saturday. The first pairing teed off at 9AM and the last wouldn’t begin their third round until 3:45 PM. This meant a low passenger capacity departed the blue lot at 10:39 with Dad and I seated in seats 5 and 6 (second row left). The east-southeast ride took about 45 minutes and was peaceful except for the music playing in my earbuds via my iPhone 17 Pro, which was the source for all photos in this recap.
I got a great photo of Shinnecock Canal ten minutes from the golf club entrance.
There was also a blurry photo of one of the early holes, but you don’t want to see that.
Dad and I exited the shuttle bus at 11:27 AM and would spend the next five hours within Shinnecock Hills Golf Club.
The first 2 1/2 hours were spent walking around as much of the course as possible. Let’s get two photos of me out of the way, one taken by my dad and the other a selfie:
The gallery below begins at gate 1 (11:28 AM) and ends at the 1st hole green (1:50 PM).
There are so many golfers (and caddies) in the photos above and below that I couldn’t possibly link to them all. Instead, I’ll link to this page on the U.S. Open website. Thanks, however, to Google for helping me identify the caddies.
Dad and I decided to set up on the right side of the 2nd hole tee to watch the last 11 pairings. Then, we’d head for home.
These photos were taken between 1:56 and 4:01 PM, and occasionally divert to the 1st hole green.
The walk back to the blue lot shuttle bus took 20 minutes, with a stop for a cookie and Sprite along the way.
The ride back to Calverton Executive Airpark was closer to 30 minutes than 45, but at full capacity. Dad and I sat near the middle of the bus while still on the left side.
It was 5:04 when we got “back to civilization,” as I quipped upon exit.
Thank you, as well, USGA and Shinnecock Hills Golf Club. Overall, I had a wonderful time.
Little did I know I was part of a mass exodus from the course that thinned the crowds by the time Matt Fitzpatrick and Wyndham Clark finished their rounds just after 8PM. Well, maybe if the tee times were earlier, we’d have stayed longer. 3:45 for the last pairing? Shinnecock Hills is on Long Island’s East End, not the Monterey Peninsula like Pebble Beach Golf Links, home to next year’s U.S. Open. So what if it was the second-longest day of the year? Also consider that most attendees commuted from Nassau County (like me and Dad) or one of New York City’s five boroughs. Shinnecock isn’t as convenient as Bethpage Black. If everyone stayed for the end, I figure we’d all get home between 10:30 PM and 12:30 AM, depending on where we live. The final tee time on Sunday was 2:30 PM. Much better.
In Saturday’s third round, Wyndham Clark overcame bogeys with birdies, an eagle, and many pars. The result was an even par 70, remaining at -7 for the championship. His partner for the final round on Sunday was Scottie Scheffler.
I was shielded from most of the unruly fans on Saturday, but I heard them loud and clear (and obnoxiously rude!) on Sunday. Sure, it was Scottie Scheffler’s 30th birthday. Sure, he was going for the career grand slam. Sure, you can root for Scottie. What you shouldn’t do is root against someone like Wyndham Clark, and with the same fervor directed at European golfers last September at Bethpage Black during the Ryder Cup. I doubt stems from Wyndham punching his locker after missing the cut at last year’s U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club. This was actively rooting for someone to fail, heckling him right before swinging or putting, haranguing “GET IN THE BUNKER!” on every tee shot, and cheering derisively at every bogey. No wonder Wyndham told Mike Tirico “New York didn’t really like me” during the trophy presentation. Yes, that’s right: Wyndham Clark survived all the aforementioned crap, a charge by Sam Burns that came one birdie short of a tie, and won his second U.S. Open championship. He did so wire-to-wire. Thank goodness that wire didn’t fray.
Wyndham Clark is the third consecutive U.S. Open champion at Shinnecock Hills to win this major for the second time: Retief Goosen in 2001 (Southern Hills) and ’04, Brooks Koepka in ’17 (Erin Hills) and ’18, and now Clark in ’23 (Los Angeles Country Club) and ’26. Congratulations, Wyndham. This New Yorker likes you, and loved the heartwarming moment with your dad after you won. It was a very happy Father’s Day.
Getting back to fan behavior, this is the second time in nine months that the world has witnessed unruly New Yorkers at a major men’s golf tournament. These bad apples, no pun intended, have given the majority of fans (people like me and my dad) an unshakable negative reputation. Yep, we Yanks are all drunk a-holes, aren’t we? (No!) God forbid these fans resurface at Winged Foot in two years; or worse yet, at Bethpage Black for the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. If it happens there, I guarantee this region will never host another women’s golf major, and that would be a shame, especially considering changes to the PGA Tour in 2028:
Thank you for reading all the way to the end. If you’re wondering, Dad and I got home around 6:15 PM and watched the rest of the third round on TV. I searched my DVR in vain to see if we were on TV. Outside of those few seconds after Sam Stevens teed off at the 2nd hole, we went unnoticed by NBC’s Canon 4K cameras.
My next blog post will likely be three blog posts recapping this year’s Long Island Retro Gaming Expo. Until then, Knicks in 5– I mean, so long. 😀