A day on trains and at the 118th U.S. Open June 18, 2018
Posted by Mike C. in Golf, Media, News, Personal, Photography, Sports, Travel, TV, Video, Weather.add a comment
I spent 2 1/2 hours with my dad at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on Saturday for the third round of the 118th U.S. Open.
It was the fifth time Shinnecock hosted the U.S. Open, and fourth since 1986. Counting this one, my dad has been there every one of the those modern four. This was my second time, having gone in 2004 when Retief Goosen won. It was his second U.S. Open victory. With my grandpa, my dad saw Raymond Floyd win in ’86, and, with his friends, saw Corey Pavin win in ’95.
Getting to and from Shinnecock Hills was an adventure. My mom dropped my dad and I off at the Wantagh Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) station at around 10:45 AM. Dad bought our round trip train tickets, which required changing at the Babylon station, the end of that branch of the LIRR. We didn’t have to wait long as an eastbound train arrived while walking up the stairs to the platform. 20 minutes after boarding, we were in Babylon. We followed a few other fans that were bound for Shinnecock to another platform and boarded a Patchogue-bound train at 11:17. Just under an hour later, we were in Patchogue. Unfortunately, the Montauk train that would ultimately take us to Shinnecock wasn’t due to arrive in Patchogue until 1:17.
With an hour to spare, Dad and I walked to a nearby waterfront seafood restaurant, Harbor Crab, that he saw as we pulled into the station.
We both ordered Fish and Chips, which was delicious.
After paying the check and leaving a tip, with 15 minutes left to spare, we headed back to the LIRR station.
It took another hour to get to Shinnecock Hills, but we were finally there:
Dustin Johnson won the U.S. Open two years ago when it was held at Oakmont Country Club:
A monitor showed Dustin Johnson, the 36-hole leader, practicing before his disappointing round of 77 (+7):
I asked Dad to take a picture of me at the course map:
On the way home, I posted an edited version of the pic to Instagram:
The iconic clubhouse:
2010 [British] Open Champion Louis Oosthuizen and Patrick Cantlay on the 13th green:
The 13th fairway:
Aaron Baddeley and Xander Schauffele:
Tyrrell Hatton’s ball in the 12th fairway:
This year’s Masters champion Patrick Reed after his second shot:
The 15th tee:
Aaron Baddeley after his tee shot:
This is what the leaderboard looked like before dry, windy conditions got the better of the players:
The 16th tee and 5th green:
Bryson DeChambeau’s tee shot:
Hideki Matsuyama’s tee shot:
In the distance on the 5th green are Ian Poulter and Brooks Koepka:
It didn’t occur to me that a day later, Koepka would repeat as champion.
The 17th tee:
The 18th fairway and green:
The main leaderboard:
The grandstand:
Baddeley and Schauffele completing their rounds:
DeChambeau and Matsuyama completing theirs:
Not wanting to get home too late via multiple trains, Dad and I headed for the merchandise tent, where I bought a ticket holder:
Then, we walked back to the LIRR station, a temporary stop during the championship, and waited 15 minutes for the train back to Babylon.
I hope to be at Winged Foot in 2020:
I hope traffic and transit is better in 2026:
Dad suggested Mom pick us up in Babylon rather than wait for a train to Wantagh. She agreed. The train arrived at the temporary station 20 minutes before its scheduled departure. Since the train was full up, it left eight minutes early. Unfortunately, it ended up in Babylon ten minutes late. The railcar my dad and I were in was standing room only. We found seats, but other passengers stood in front of us until seats became available at Mastic-Shirley. Chatter and loud young girls dominated the ride, and reached a crescendo when one girl, bless her heart, had a meltdown one stop from Babylon.
In all, Dad and I spent 3 1/2 hours traveling to Shinnecock Hills, an hour and a half traveling from there to Babylon, and about 20 minutes in Mom’s SUV back home. Though we spent less time at Shinnecock, it was still a great experience, especially considering Brooks Koepka ultimately won the next day.
The New York Metro Area has two more years of local majors. Next May, the PGA Championship will be at Bethpage Black Golf Course in Bethpage State Park – the first year its held in May – and, as seen earlier, the U.S. Open comes to Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck in June 2020. I hope to be at both.
For now, I’ll leave you with media links. While aggregating them, I noticed that the USGA was heavily criticized for their conduct during this year’s U.S. Open, but I chose not to look at those.
U.S. Open website:
118th U.S. Open Sights and Sounds: A Look Back at a Great Week
Final Round: Highlights Down the Stretch
Brooks Koepka’s 68 in less than 3 minutes
Fox Sports:
Brooks Koepka on winning the U.S. Open for the second year in a row
Brooks Koepka shoots 2-under to win the U.S. Open for the second year in a row
Joe Buck and Paul Azinger wrap up the 2018 U.S. Open
Newsday (Newsday or Optimum subscription required for all links):
Fans say attending U.S. Open a treat on Father’s Day
Mark Herrmann: Repeating at U.S. Open puts Brooks Koepka in elite group
Curtis Strange welcomes Brooks Koepka into back-to-back club
Long Island crowd gives Phil Mickelson a mulligan
Brooks Koepka wins, becomes seventh player to repeat as champion
LIRR: More than 78,000 passenger trips to, from U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills
Golf Channel:
Back to back: Koepka wins second U.S. Open
Repeat U.S. Open win gives Koepka credit he deserves
Best Father’s Day ever: Bob Koepka soaks in son’s victory
Koepka: ‘It is much more gratifying the second time’
Koepka’s caddie pushed him to ‘keep plugging away’
Koepka’s Father’s Day gifts … just U.S. Open trophies
U.S. Open purse payout: Koepka clears $2 million
8/13 UPDATE: Koepka went on to win the 100th PGA Championship yesterday at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis, coincidentally in his 100th career start. He is the fifth golfer to win the U.S. Open and PGA Championship in the same year. The first four were Gene Sarazen in 1922, Ben Hogan in 1948, Jack Nicklaus in 1980, and Tiger Woods in 2000. Tiger shot a final round 64, finishing two shots back. He congratulated Koepka by the clubhouse afterward.
2018 WCWP Hall of Fame Ceremony May 7, 2018
Posted by Mike C. in Internet, Interviews, Media, Music, Personal, Photography, Radio, Travel, Video.7 comments
Previous Hall of Fame ceremony recaps: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017
As usual, I took pictures and video, the latter of which is at the bottom of the post.
The seventh annual WCWP Hall of Fame Ceremony took place Saturday afternoon in the Goldsmith Atrium at the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of LIU Post. It was my first time back on campus, and in the atrium, since seeing the Dave Koz 20th Anniversary Christmas Tour in early December.
Like last year, I arrived at Tilles a half hour before the ceremony. I immediately mingled with all that had gathered in the atrium as I set up my equipment. I noticed there was a mixer behind the platform where the interviews would take place. I went to the Abrams Communications Building, the home of WCWP, to ask Director of Broadcasting Dan Cox if he had an 1/8″ to 1/4″ cable so I could record from the mixer to my Tascam DR-03. He had a 1/8″ cable and an adapter, so I was set. When I got back to the atrium, I connected the cable and adapter to a line out jack, checked the levels, and started recording.
Shortly after 1:00, the ceremony began with an introduction by the aforementioned Dan Cox…:
…and a video narrated by Jim Cutler:
2015 inductee Jeff Kroll hosted again:
Dan Cox returned to present the first of two new awards. The WCWP Lifetime Achievement Award was given to “Grandfather Rock” Chris MacIntosh:
He shared some stories from his 37 years hosting Rock & Soul Gospel:
Back in 2016, the one year I couldn’t attend, WCWP’s sage secretary Ann Gaffney, a.k.a. Mrs. G, was posthumously inducted to the Hall of Fame. Her daughter Cathy Turner accepted on her behalf.
Cathy returned this year to present Kristina Huderski with the Ann Gaffney Student Service Award:
Kristina graduates this Friday.
2014 inductee Ted David recorded a message to the inductees from Florida:
2012 inductee Hank Neimark and 2017 inductee John LiBretto introduced Muffet Provost (“pro-VO”), then interviewed her over the phone:
Muffet was unable to attend due to impending surgery.
It was hard to make out what she was saying through the Atrium speakers, but she’s a little clearer in the video below.
2017 inductee Neil Marks introduced Pat Kroll (née Champion):
Pat read a thank you speech…:
…then reminisced with Jeff and Neil:
The obligatory view from my camcorder:
Jeff read a message from Joel Feltman:
Pat’s friend Joanne had a few words:
2015 inductee Bruce Leonard introduced Rev. John Commins:
None of us realized this at the time, but the year on the plaque is wrong. I should be ’73, not ’79. John noticed the error at his hotel afterward. Jeff Kroll promised on Facebook that John will receive a replacement plaque with the correct year.
5/28 UPDATE: John’s replacement arrived a few days ago. He took a picture which he shared in his Facebook timeline:
Jeff presented John with a CD of WCWP’s coverage of the Bar Beach (now North Hempstead Beach) Fireworks broadcast from 1987:
Jeff shipped the original cassettes to me last month and I remastered them.
A shot of John’s wife Marilyn while he shared the story of how they met:
“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much for joining us today at the seventh annual induction to the WCWP Hall of Fame!”:
Dan had Pat and John sign one of the posters:
Bruce, John, and Jeff posed with 2016 inductee Joe Honerkamp before he left:
John also prayed for Joe’s healing following a recent accident:
The cake:
Chris MacIntosh with his award:
Chris with Jay Mirabile:
Kristina Huderski with her award:
John LiBretto, Diane Hudson Taylor, Hank Neimark:
I had to pose with John and the CD I made for him:
My friend and hype man Jay Mirabile:
Pat Kroll and her mother Marion:
Pat and John:
The Krolls and the Commins’:
I always enjoy capturing these events and mingling with my fellow alumni. I feel deeply loved and appreciated. They’re my second family. I love you all. Congratulations to Muffet Provost, Pat Kroll, John Commins, Chris MacIntosh, and Kristina Huderski.
Here is the video:
Thanks to Dan Cox for providing the audio cable and adapter, and the introductory video. Thanks to Ted David for posting his segment to Facebook. My video was shot on a Panasonic HC-V770 camcorder with a Takstar SGC-598 shotgun mic. The audio from the mic can only be heard a few times. (A sound check in the auditorium disrupted Dan’s introduction a few minutes in, which is why there’s a jump dissolve.)
SJFS 2018 Night 2 recap May 1, 2018
Posted by Mike C. in Internet, Jazz, Media, Music, News, Personal, Photography, Softball, Travel, TV, Video.Tags: Connecticut, contemporary jazz, Dan Patrick, Dan Patrick Show, Dave Anderson, Hampton Inn, Jay Dobbins, Jay Rowe, Jazz, Jessy J, Le Moyne College, Le Moyne Dolphins, Marion Meadows, Matt Marshak, Mexico Tipico, Milford, NE-10, Nelson Rangell, Northeast-10, Paul Taylor, Rohn Lawrence, SJFS, smooth jazz, Smooth Jazz for Scholars, Softball, Steve Scales, Trever Somerville
16 comments
Other SJFS recaps: 2008, 2008 meet-and-greet, 2009, 2010, 2011,2012, 2013 Night 1, 2013 Night 2, 2014 Night 1, 2014 Night 2, 2015 Night 1, 2016 Night 1, 2016 Night 2, 2017 Night 1, 2017 Night 2, 2018 Night 1
The 16th annual Smooth Jazz for Scholars benefit run by keyboardist Jay Rowe on Saturday night with the second of two concerts. The headliners were Nelson Rangell, Jessy J, Matt Marshak, and Paul Taylor.
Like last year, I got a limited amount of sleep in my room at the Milford Hampton Inn into Saturday morning due to nervous energy related to impending photo editing. I got 5 1/2 hours, and maybe another hour half asleep. At around 7:30, I took my laptop and its power supply to the lobby to mingle with any musicians and fellow jazz fan friends I saw. When I arrived, David Benoit, Marc Antoine, and Roberto Vally were seated at a table, so I said hello and sat one table over. When they left for the airport, I moved to a seat at an elevated table with outlets for charging. I plugged the laptop power supply into an outlet and spent the next few hours editing in that spot, occasionally getting up for hot chocolate.
There was a man that looked like film and TV archivist Ira Gallen. It turned out his name was John, and after apologizing for mistaken identity, I had a nice conversation with he and his wife Mary. My friend Mark Abrams also came in the lobby and introduced me to John Caramagna and his wife Barbara Grocki. And I briefly spoke to Kevin McCabe and Steve Lewis.
Also in the lobby, though I didn’t talk to any of them, was the Le Moyne College softball team. They were in town to complete their Northeast-10 (or NE-10) regular season against the University of New Haven. They lost the series, but ended the regular season with a 2-1 win Sunday afternoon while I was back home in Wantagh. Adelphi University, where my sister went for her master’s, is in the NE-10 and are the reigning conference champions. Le Moyne plays New Haven later today in the first round of this year’s conference championship.
Nelson Rangell and Jessy J joined me at the table for a while. We had a lengthy, interesting conversation, which included remembrance of John Patterson, who tragically, suddenly died in March. John came to SJFS in 2016 to promote the River Raisin Jazz Festival. I made a video of his promotional pitches from both nights and posted it to Facebook. I’d like to share it here.
I never met John in person, as I added him on Facebook afterward, but we had shared interests in music and politics, so I was glad to know him.
My friend Kelly was the last friend I saw in the lobby before I went back to my room. CNN was on the TV behind me and I was hearing viewpoints I didn’t want to. The secret to having and keeping most of my friends that are music fans or musicians is to avoid politics. Thankfully, Kelly is apolitical. After finishing editing Friday’s pictures in my room, I watched initial coverage of the remaining rounds of the NFL Draft. I hung out with Kelly for a half hour and then went back to my room. After watching some YouTube videos and SnapKay’s Twitch stream, 5:00 came and it was time for dinner.
My parents and I went to Mexico Tipico, where Uno used to be, on U.S. 1 right before I-95. We went there early because we thought we would have to wait. There was no wait and we were finished by 6:15. I had my favorite Mexican dish: plain chicken quesadillas without any other toppings or sides. I was back at the Hampton Inn for about five minutes, then Kelly met me in the lobby and we took the scenic route to the Veterans Memorial Auditorium. Part of that route was the building that’s home to The Dan Patrick Show:
The show is syndicated on radio stations nationwide and simulcast on Audience and NBCSN.
We arrived at the auditorium just before 7:00 and the doors opened at precisely 7:00.
Once inside, we went our separate ways until after the show. I set up in the orchestra pit, took a break in the lobby to buy 50/50 raffle tickets (I lost), and went back to the pit.
Once again, the show began before 8:00; eight minutes, to be exact. Kevin McCabe spoke first:
The opening act was the Foran High School Jazz Ensemble, directed by Jessica Shearer:
The ensemble played two songs, the second of which was “Feels So Good” by Chuck Mangione, but in a lower key than Chuck played.
Jay Rowe and his band came on stage at around 8:10.
Jay worked the keyboards:
Dave Anderson played bass:
Trever Somerville on the drums:
Steve Scales on percussion:
…and Rohn (“Ron”) Lawrence on guitar:
As I said at the top, the headliners were Nelson Rangell on alto saxophone (below), flute, and whistling:
Jessy J on tenor sax:
Paul Taylor and soprano (below) and alto sax:
Matt Marshak on guitar:
…and for two songs, special guest Marion Meadows on soprano sax:
Unfortunately, that was the only solo shot I took of Marion, but there are plenty on the first night.
SET LIST
1. Rosemary’s Tune (Jay Rowe)
Originally heard on: Live at Daniel Street (2011), Smooth Ride (2016)
Featured musicians: Jay Rowe (keyboards), Nelson Rangell (alto sax), Rohn Lawrence (guitar solo)
2. Sunny Salsa (Nelson Rangell)
Originally heard on: Upcoming album
Featured musicians: Nelson Rangell (alto sax), Jessy J (tenor sax), Rohn Lawrence (guitar solo), Jay Rowe (keyboard solo)
3. Hot Sauce (Jessy J)
Originally heard on: Hot Sauce (2011)
Featured musicians: Jessy J (tenor sax), Rohn Lawrence (guitar solo)
4. Tequila Moon (Jessy J)
Originally heard on: Tequila Moon (2008)
Featured musicians: Jessy J (tenor sax), Matt Marshak (guitar), Jay Rowe (keyboard solo)
5. Lifestyle (Matt Marshak)
Originally heard on: Lifestyle (2014)
Featured musicians: Matt Marshak (guitar), Jay Rowe (keyboard solo)
6. Sleepwalk (Matt Marshak; Santo & Johnny cover; Larry Carlton arrangement)
Featured musician: Matt Marshak (guitar)
7. Pleasure Seeker (Paul Taylor)
Originally heard on: Pleasure Seeker (1997)
Featured musicians: Paul Taylor (soprano sax), Jay Rowe (keyboard solo)
8. Arrival (Paul Taylor)
Originally heard on: Countdown (2016)
Featured musician: Paul Taylor (alto sax)
9. Over the Rainbow (Nelson Rangell; Arlen/Harburg ballad from The Wizard of Oz)
Musicians: Nelson Rangell (whistling), Jay Rowe (keyboard)
10. By Light (Nelson Rangell)
Originally heard on: Upcoming album
Featured musicians: Nelson Rangell (flute), Jay Rowe (keyboard solo)
11. Lookin’ Back (Matt Marshak)
Originally heard on: New York (2016)
Featured musicians: Matt Marshak (guitar), Marion Meadows (special guest) (soprano sax)
12. From the Start (Nelson Rangell)
Originally heard on: Upcoming album
Featured musicians: Nelson Rangell (alto sax), Matt Marshak (guitar)
13. All I Want (Jessy J)
Originally heard on: Live at Yoshi’s 10 Year Anniversary Special (2018)
Featured musicians: Jessy J (tenor sax), Jay Rowe (keyboard solo)
14 (Finale). Ladies’ Choice (Paul Taylor)
Originally heard on: Ladies’ Choice (2007)
Featured musicians: Everyone (Paul played alto sax)
Rohn didn’t play on any songs featuring Matt.
Here are groups of pictures by artist, starting with Nelson Rangell on alto sax:
Whistling:
…and on flute:
Jessy J:
Prompting the audience to clap on “Hot Sauce”:
They obliged:
Matt Marshak:
Paul Taylor on soprano sax:
Prompting the audience to wave their arms side to side on “Pleasure Seeker”:
Again, they obliged:
…and alto sax:
Jay Rowe:
Dave Anderson:
Trever Somerville:
Steve Scales:
Rohn Lawrence:
Pointing at Jay because it was his turn to solo on “Rosemary’s Tune”:
Wide shots, starting with Nelson and Jessy:
Rohn and Jessy:
Matt and Jessy:
Rohn and Paul:
Matt and Marion (MM and MM):
Matt and Nelson:
Jessy and Jay:
The finale: “Ladies’ Choice”:
The end:
The meet and greet began with Jessy J:
I brought my copy of Live at Yoshi’s 10 Year Anniversary Special for her to sign. I was the first person to pledge to the album’s PledgeMusic campaign. I also told her a funny story. When I pledged to her 2015 album, My One and Only One, I foolishly typed my name for her to sign rather than a personal message. So, when that album arrived in my mailbox, she had signed my name, “Mike Chimeri,” on the cover. It was like that early episode of The Simpsons – “Lisa’s Substitute” – where Mr. Bergstrom (Dustin Hoffman under the pseudonym “Sam Etic”) left a note for Lisa which read “You are Lisa Simpson.”
Jessy, Paul Taylor, and Marion Meadows used to tour as Sax and the City. Saturday night served as a reunion, which was 2/3 immortalized below:
Marion also took a selfie.
I met and posed with Paul Taylor myself:
I was happy that Paul remembered me when he saw me. “Mike!,” he exclaimed.
When I approached Nelson Rangell, he signed an empty envelope (or so I thought while working on the post). It read:
For my buddy Mikey!
(signature) Nelly
So, you can understand why I have a big grin on my face:
Here’s the envelope Nelson signed:
Waiting at the end of the line was Matt Marshak:
I hadn’t seen Matt since his November 2015 show at Houndstooth Pub, which was the first time I used my Nikon D5500 at a show. He was at SJFS two years ago, but I didn’t meet him afterward.
I couldn’t see the expression Matt was making above. I only knew he spread out his arms, so I spread mine out.
While waiting in line, I saw my friend Jay Dobbins and his girlfriend Philomena. Jay took three of the last four pictures. Kelly took the one of me with the envelope. After saying goodbye to Jay, Philomena, Steve Lewis, and photographer Steve Cooper, Kelly and I headed back to the hotel.
I got a half hour less of sleep and began editing in the lobby at 6:00 Sunday morning. It was quiet for the first hour or so, but I did meet Mike, who was going to drive Jessy J and David to the airport. Then, Jessy and David came downstairs. They liked the pictures I had edited so far. Later in the morning, I met Diane Roth and her friend Rich. We had a fascinating conversation. It turns out that envelope Nelson signed originally contained a framed photo from last year. Diane took the photo and gave it to him as a gift. While working on these recaps, I noticed that there was another unframed print in the envelope. I scanned it to include here:
After Diane and Rich left, Mark and Phyllis Abrams said hello, John and Mary waved goodbye, the Le Moyne Dolphins congregated, Kelly dropped in, and Nelson and I spoke for a half hour.
I was finished editing by 10:55. I put my laptop away, went back to my room to get my packed suitcase and tripod, left a tip for housekeeping, said goodbye to Kelly in her room, exited the hotel, and got in the car with my parents. Despite pockets of heavy traffic on I-95 in the Bronx, and on the Grand Central and Southern State Parkways, it only took an hour and 40 minutes to get home. Along the way, I watched a couple of YouTube videos on my phone (this and this).
After a few hours of decompressing, I chose pictures for the two recaps you’ve read. It was tough to get to sleep, but I think I got six or seven hours. I drafted the recaps yesterday and published them this morning.
Thank you for joining me on my journey. And thank you to everyone I spoke to and saw perform this weekend. Until next year, so long.
Lisa Hilton at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall: 2018 edition January 14, 2018
Posted by Mike C. in Comedy, Jazz, Media, Music, Personal, Photography, Travel, TV, Weather.4 comments
Previous Lisa Hilton recaps: June 2011, January 2014, January 2015, January 2016
Thursday night marked my first time at Carnegie Hall since I saw comic ventriloquist Jeff Dunham 15 months ago, and my first time seeing jazz pianist Lisa Hilton in two years. (I couldn’t make last year’s show.)
As with all Carnegie shows, I was not allowed to take pictures during the performance. That means I have to compensate by describing what I saw and photographing what happened before and after. That’s not a complaint; just an explanation.
Until my dad drove me to the Wantagh LIRR station at 4:40, it was a typical Thursday for me: grocery shopping, treadmill running, and YouTube and Netflix watching.
As I waited on the platform for the 4:59 Penn Station-bound train to arrive, I took a couple of pictures, the first ones taken on my iPhone X, a generous Christmas gift.
About 50 minutes later, I was at Penn Station, where I walked to the 34th Street subway station and took an uptown E train to 7th Avenue and West 53rd Street.
All but one of the remaining pictures in this post were taken on my Nikon D5500:
When I exited the train, I was greeted by the Ed Sullivan Theater, home to The Late Show with Stephen Colbert since September 2015. (David Letterman retired that May.)
I planned on eating dinner at Lindy’s, but was walking up Broadway when I should have been on 7th. So, I missed it.
I turned east at West 56th Street, but couldn’t find a restaurant I liked. I did take pictures along the way.
I turned north up 6th Avenue and then west at West 57th.
I figured I would try the Russian Tea Room:
The staff seated me at a booth, generously moving the table so I could get in. Unfortunately, there was nothing on the menu to my liking. I apologetically relayed that to the waiter and left. I felt embarrassed, but I’m sure you, the reader, feel I shouldn’t have been. At least I can say I’ve been to the Russian Tea Room.
I passed by Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, where Lisa Hilton was to perform, and found a restaurant on 7th Avenue called 9Ten:
The atmosphere was great. Contemporary jazz was playing on the speakers through what I assume was Pandora. I recognized “Max-O-Man” by Fourplay, Eric Marienthal’s cover of “Work Song” by Cannonball Adderley (written by his brother Nat), “Slammin'” by Nick Colionne, and “Step On It” by Pieces of a Dream.
As I waited for my food, I took a selfie on my iPhone X:
The food was great: mozzarella sticks, Penne Bolognese, and vanilla and chocolate ice cream.
On my way back to Carnegie Hall, I could see Times Square to the south. The ball was still there, eleven nights after it dropped:
I walked in to the Weill Recital Hall at 7:07. I had to wait in the lobby for about 20 minutes until the hall doors were opened. I was the first to arrive, but within 15 minutes, the lobby was packed. I briefly heard Lisa Hilton and her band rehearsing.
A few minutes after the doors opened, my ticket was checked and I walked into the hall. As usual, my seat was front row center, though barely right-of-center.
As I waited for Lisa and the band to come out, I took a few pictures:
I should have taken a picture of the audience behind me. The turnout was big at the orchestra level where I was. They were ready for a great performance.
Lisa came on stage at 8:07, followed closely by J.D. Allen on tenor saxophone, Luques Curtis on upright bass, and Rudy Royston on drums.
Most of the songs in the set list were from Lisa’s Escapism album, which she composed music for between April and July, and released on December 1. Thursday night was the first time the music of Escapism was performed live. Weill Recital Hall doesn’t have a sound system, so the instruments relied on the acoustics of the hall for amplification. I couldn’t tell. It sounded great; it always does.
1/17 UPDATE: Lisa posted a few of Justin Bettman’s pictures from the set to her Facebook page:
I’m in the center, to the left of J.D.:
Talking to the audience between songs:
The set was about an hour and contained the following songs:
1. Hot Summer Samba
2. Meltdown (also on Sunny Day Theory, 2008; and Nuance, 2010)
3. Zero Gravity
4. Too Hot (not a cover of Kool & the Gang)
5. 29 Palms
6. Mojave Moon
7. Waterfall (from Cocktails at Eight, 2000)
8. A Spark in the Night (from Nocturnal and Day & Night, 2016)
9. So This is Love (from My Favorite Things, 2005; Sunny Day Theory, 2008; Nuance, 2010; and Day & Night, 2016)
10 (Encore). Seduction (from Seduction, 1997; Cocktails at Eight, 2000; My Favorite Things, 2005; and The New York Sessions, 2007)
J.D. didn’t play on “Meltdown” or “29 Palms.” He had a solo at the end of “Seduction,” which was otherwise performed as a trio. “Waterfall” was a solo piano piece, considering its origin on Cocktails at Eight, a solo piano album.
“Hot Summer Samba” was reminiscent of “Tequila” by The Champs. “Too Hot” was inspired by a trip to New Zealand in extreme heat. “Zero Gravity” brought to mind astronauts floating aboard a space shuttle. “Waterfall” initially had a Celtic feel, but then tensed up. Two years later, I still think “A Spark in the Night” had a Latin feel. Specifically, it reminded me of drummer John Favicchia‘s “Kukuc,” but at a slower tempo. That might be why “Spark” was my favorite song in the set.
I caught up with Lisa afterward, and then got to meet J.D. Allen and Luques Curtis. We all posed for a picture:
I put my coat and backpack on and left. I impatiently opted for the stairs over the elevator, then briskly walked north and west to the 59th Street-Columbus Circle subway station.
The station is adjacent to the Time Warner Center, home to CNN’s New York bureau:
As you can see, I arrived just as the downtown 1 train arrived. I boarded it and put my camera away for the night.
Thanks to Lisa, J.D., Luques, and Rudy for a great hour of music in the Weill Recital Hall. I hope to be back next year.
Audiobooking 4 December 12, 2017
Posted by Mike C. in Audio, Audiobooks, Comedy, Country, Film, Game Shows, History, Internet, Media, Music, News, Personal, Politics, Radio, Technology, Theatre, TV.add a comment
Here is a list of all the audiobooks I’ve listened to in the 51 weeks since my previous “audiobooking” post:
- Rush Revere and the Presidency by Rush Limbaugh and Kathryn Adams Limbaugh (read by Rush)
- Life is Not a Stage: From Broadway Baby to a Lovely Lady and Beyond by Florence Henderson (1934-2016) with Joel Brokaw (read by Florence)
- I Am Spock (abridged) by Leonard Nimoy (1931-2015)
- Jeannie Out of the Bottle by Barbara Eden with Wendy Leigh (read by Barbara)
- My Lucky Life In and Out of Show Business by Dick Van Dyke (foreword written and read by Carl Reiner)
- Unsinkable: A Memoir by Debbie Reynolds (1932-2016) and Dorian Hannaway (read by Debbie)
- Old School: Life in the Sane Lane by Bill O’Reilly and Bruce Feirstein (read by Holter Graham)
- All My Life: A Memoir by Susan Lucci with Laura Morton (read by Susan)
- Shirley Jones: A Memoir by Shirley Jones with Wendy Leigh (read by Shirley)
- I Only Know Who I Am When I Am Somebody Else: My Life on the Street, on the Stage, and in the Movies by Danny Aiello
- Where Am I Now?: True Stories of Girlhood and Accidental Fame by Mara Wilson
- Confessions of a Serial Songwriter by Shelly Peiken (Check out my review of Shelly’s book from last March and recap of her book discussion and signing from last September)
- Easy Street (the Hard Way): A Memoir by Ron Perlman with Michael Largo (read by Ron) – the penultimate chapter, “Legacy” was highly political, from the far-left, and kept me from listening to the rest, as I wrote in my Audible review
- Whisperin’ Bill Anderson: An Unprecedented Life in Country Music by Bill Anderson with Peter Cooper (chapters read by Bill, chapter intros read by Peter) – ends with new recordings of “Bright Lights and Country Music,” “Whiskey Lullaby,” “Po’ Folks,” “I’ll Wait for You,” “City Lights,” “Still,” “Give It Away,” “The Tip of My Fingers,” “A Lot of Things Different,” and “Which Bridge to Cross” – worth getting on CD if you want to rip the tracks for listening outside of the audiobook
- Killing England: The Brutal Struggle for American Independence by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard (read by Robert Petkoff, except for introduction read by Bill)
- Lessons from the Prairie: The Surprising Secrets to Happiness, Success, and (Sometimes Just) Survival I Learned on America’s Favorite Show by Melissa Francis
- Mean Dads for a Better America: The Generous Rewards of an Old-Fashioned Childhood by Tom Shillue
- The Road to Happiness is Always Under Construction by Linda Gray
These audiobooks got me through workouts, bedtime, long walks, and boredom.
In the case of Ron Perlman’s book, I found out after the “Legacy” chapter that Ron is politically active on social media. But I digress.
While I was obsessed with Game Show Network (now GSN) in the early 2000s, I saw plenty of Bill Anderson on Goodson-Todman game shows like Match Game and Password Plus. So, it was nice to be reacquainted with him and introduced to his music.
When you read a book, you don’t hear the tone and inflection that the author had in mind. Listening to Shelly Peiken read Confessions of a Serial Songwriter put what her words I read 16 months earlier into perspective.
Next year’s post will be #5, but will not mark five years of regularly listening to audiobooks. That milestone comes in a year and a half. In the meantime, I hope I’ve inspired you to give the above audiobooks a chance. Happy listening.
2017 LIU Post & WCWP Homecoming, 2018 Hall of Fame Announcement October 16, 2017
Posted by Mike C. in Airchecks, Audio, Football, Interviews, Jazz, Media, Music, Personal, Photography, Radio, Sports, Travel, Video, Weather.8 comments
Earlier recaps: 2008, 2009, WCWP 50th Anniversary (2011), 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
Later in this recap, I share airchecks from my pre-recorded Homecoming Weekend show that aired early yesterday morning. To see and hear my live show on Friday, along with other photos and audio from the three hours that followed my show, click here.
I didn’t arrive at LIU Post until 1:20 on Saturday afternoon, but I was already there in the form of voiceovers I recorded for Pete Bellotti’s WCWP Homecoming Weekend show prior to the Post Pioneers’ Homecoming game against the Southern Connecticut State Owls. As with my show yesterday, my VO garnered rave reviews from my fellow alumni when I arrived at the Abrams Communications Building. Pete Bellotti led the praise followed by John Commins, Bill Mozer, and Jay Mirabile, who ran the board during Pete’s show.
My segments, along with any references Pete and Jay made to me, can be heard here:
The “smooth jazz”/”Weather Channel music” bed they played was “Shakin’ the Shack” by Dave Koz on Lucky Man (1993), his second album.
After putting down my equipment and posing for two pictures, which you’ll see later, I made my way to Bethpage Federal Credit Union Stadium to take some pictures.
Skies were partly to mostly cloudy while the air was warm, especially when the sun peaked through, and humid.
As you can see, the press box is vacant:
I didn’t realize that there was a new press box. That’s where Jeff Kroll and Neil Marks called the game. Joel Feltman was the field reporter.
Shortly after I left the field, the Pioneers scored a touchdown. With the extra point, they led Southern 21-7.
On the way back, I stopped in the campus bookstore in Hillwood Commons and bought an LIU Post polo shirt, which I changed into at WCWP.
Bill Mozer wrote a familiar phrase on the whiteboard in Studio 3:
The next two pictures were taken before the field trip and shirt purchase, starting with Pete Bellotti:
Next, Jay Mirabile:
I had Bill Mozer take a picture of me in my new shirt:
Then, I took one of him:
John Zoni was the studio update reporter for the Homecoming game:
He provided those updates at halftime:
The Pioneers would go on to win 52-35. The Owls got within a touchdown twice, but Post hung on.
As always, Bernie Bernard, who earned her doctorate in theology the week before, followed the game:
As you can see, Grandfather Rock Chris MacIntosh dropped by:
For 36 years and counting, Chris has hosted Rock N Soul Gospel on WCWP.
At 5:00, the WCWP Alumni Barbecue began, and the 2018 inductees to the WCWP Hall of Fame were announced by Ted David.
Before the announcement, he posed with Chris:
The 2018 inductees are Muffet Provost, John Commins, and Pat Kroll (née Champion). Chris MacIntosh will receive the inaugural WCWP Lifetime Achievement Award. It will be for those that have worked at the station, but did not attend LIU Post.
Scenes from the announcement:
Ted David requested I take pictures of the inductees outside.
We started with John Commins and Pat Kroll:
John and Pat with Ted (a 2014 inductee):
John, Pat, and Chris MacIntosh:
John, Dr. Bernie Bernard (2013 inductee), Chris, Pat:
Then, Ted suggested I get in a few shots, starting with John:
John, me, Pat and Jeff Kroll:
The station transmitter:
Bobby Guthenberg, a.k.a. Bobby G., suggested I take a few pictures of John Commins and Bruce and Tamara Leonard, who had shows at 10PM and midnight, respectively. I took these in Studio 1:
John also asked for a picture with his wife Marilyn:
The WCWP sign in Studio 2:
Later in Bernie’s show, she interviewed May Pang, former secretary to John Lennon and Yoko Ono:
May will be appearing at the Heritage Trust Building on November 10 for An Evening with May Pang: Loving John Lennon. More information can be found here.
A shot from Bernie’s last aircheck, which featured (from right to left) Mike Riccio, Bobby G., and Alan Seltzer:
Prior to the picture, she interviewed WCWP alumna Fran Fried, whose appearance on Jeopardy! airs tomorrow.
Bernie then gave way to the aforementioned Mike and Bobby:
They interviewed me during their third aircheck. Here’s a vidcap:
After this, I edited photos, airchecks, video, and this post all on my laptop in Studio 3. I edited more yesterday. Conversation abound behind me and I soaked it all in. I also listened on the boombox as Mike and Bobby G.’s show continued in Studio 2.
Watch the finished video, with three airchecks each from Bernie’s and Mike and Bobby’s shows, below:
The middle aircheck from Bernie’s show is the Hall of Fame announcement. The video was monetized by Universal Music Group because of the beginning of “Pinball Wizard” during Mike and Bobby’s first aircheck. Thanks to UMG for not making me remove the song.
I always enjoy catching up with my fellow alumni and meeting new people, like Joan Yonke, the Director of Employee and Alumni Engagement at LIU Post. She told me that she saw my recap of last year’s Homecoming recap when she was researching the position, which she began in July.
Congratulations to Chris MacIntosh on his WCWP Lifetime Achievement Award, and to 2018 WCWP Hall of Fame inductees Muffet Provost, John Commins, and Pat Champion Kroll.
Until next year, I’ll leave you with airchecks from my pre-recorded Instrumental Invasion with Mike Chimeri that aired at 4AM yesterday, preceded by the end of Bruce and Tamara Leonard’s live! midnight to 4AM show:
I recorded the show on September 21, but put the songs and liners in my Adobe Audition multitrack session the day before.
Here are the transitions between songs:
And the playlist.
The 40th anniversary Homecoming Weekend concluded with Jeff Kroll at midnight last night. Here’s how he signed off:
2017 WCWP Homecoming Weekend, first five hours October 14, 2017
Posted by Mike C. in Airchecks, Audio, Education, Internet, Jazz, Media, Music, Personal, Photography, Radio, Video, Video Games.4 comments
For the third year in a row, I led off the 60-hour Homecoming Weekend block of alumni-hosted shows on WCWP, LIU Post’s campus radio station. Instrumental Invasion with Mike Chimeri kicked off the festivities yesterday at noon.
The Homecoming Weekend block began in December 1977 as Oldtimers’ Weekend. Here is a flyer made for the inaugural block:
And here’s the press release.
The block would move to the weekend of homecoming the following year, but wouldn’t be called Homecoming Weekend until 1980.
Back in the present, my mother drove me up to LIU Post at 8:10 AM. I arrived at LIU Post about a half hour later.
Three hours remained until my show. I passed the time by setting up in Studio 2, browsing the web in Studio 3 (which is as an editing room and classroom) on my laptop – which I brought to edit the airchecks audio and video after my show – and played a word search in a Nintendo 3DS game called Crosswords Plus.
Along the way, fellow alumni Jeff and Pat Kroll arrived, as did Joel Feltman.
Eventually, noon came and I was on the air. While my first song – “Happy Hour” by the recently departed Chuck Loeb – was playing, I took some pictures:
An hour into the show, I had Pat Kroll take a picture of me:
Ted David, who came on after my show, listened to me on his drive up to the station. He was very complimentary of every facet of my show, especially my music selections and delivery. He repeated those compliments early in his show. After spotting my camera, he took this picture of me:
Ted’s right. This was a great show. From my perspective, it was nearly flawless. The only mistake was having the CD 1 pot (potentiometer) down at the start of “One More Time” by Herman Jackson. Here is how I looked and sounded during the airchecks:
Thanks to Shanachie for not penalizing me for the excerpt of “Stratosphere” by Najee. They claimed the copyright on the video and are getting revenue. I thank them for the joy their artists provide me.
11:45 AM UPDATE: I just noticed that my camcorder swayed back and forth on the tripod while recording. I hope it doesn’t give any viewers motion sickness.
10/17/17 UPDATE: I have since acquired an alternate recording of the show via internet stream. The constant tone from my FM tuner recording in the above video is gone. Here is how the airchecks sounded on the stream:
I mentioned during the show that David Benoit hosts a show on an 88.1 FM in Long Beach, California, but neglected to elaborate. The call letters are KKJZ-FM and it’s known as KJazz 88.1 FM. Like WCWP, it emanates from a college campus: Long Beach State. David’s show airs weekdays from 8AM to noon Pacific (11AM to 3PM Eastern).
Here’s how the transitions between songs during the show sounded (10/17/17 UPDATE: Also via the stream):
And here’s the playlist.
As I noted Ted David followed my show:
As I further noted, Ted complimented me during his show:
Thank you, Ted, not only for the compliments, but for the aircheck.
Ted then gave way to Pat Kroll:
Pat had me take a posed shot:
Then, I took a pic of Pat and Jeff:
Next door in Studio 3, I asked Bruce and Tamara Leonard to pose for a pic:
Then, Bruce had me pose with Tamara:
And before I left for home, a shot of Ted David and Joel Feltman:
It’s 8:05 AM as I post this. I’m headed back up to LIU Post this afternoon for Homecoming, the WCWP Alumni Barbecue and the announcement of the 2018 class of the WCWP Hall of Fame. I should have a recap of the day up by Monday.
Two shows on WCWP this weekend October 10, 2017
Posted by Mike C. in Education, Internet, Jazz, Media, Music, Personal, Radio, Sports.add a comment
The WCWP Homecoming Weekend is just three days away. For the third year in a row, I lead off the 60-hour block of alumni-hosted programming on 88.1 FM and WCWP.org.
Instrumental Invasion with Mike Chimeri airs live Friday at noon Eastern with music from albums released in the last three years. The show begins with a four-song tribute to guitarist Chuck Loeb, who passed away from cancer on July 31. You’ll also hear Jay Rowe, Pieces of a Dream, Peter White, Will Donato, and many more.
Also for the third year in a row, I recorded a separate Instrumental Invasion that will air on Sunday at 4AM Eastern. This year is the 40th anniversary of Homecoming Weekend, originally known as Oldtimers Weekend. So, the show will feature songs in five-year increments from 1977 to 2017. Expect to hear Spyro Gyra, David Benoit, Norman Brown, Brian Simpson, and a host of others.
Both shows can be heard locally at 88.1 FM and worldwide at WCWP.org and on the TuneIn app.
In between shows, I’ll be at LIU Post Homecoming on Saturday afternoon and evening. Most of my day will be spent at the Abrams Communications Building, home to WCWP, but I will briefly walk to Bethpage Federal Credit Union Stadium to check in on the Post Pioneers‘ homecoming football game against Southern Connecticut State University, or Southern for short. My friend Kelly occasionally attends jazz concerts at Southern’s John Lyman Center. As for the game, the Pioneers need to win to avoid their third loss in a row following a 3-0 start.
Before the game, you can hear me on Pete Bellotti’s show, which starts at 11AM Eastern. I recorded voice over and a segment where I share my fondest memories of my time at WCWP.
Around 5PM, during Bernie Bernard’s show, the 2018 inductees to the WCWP Hall of Fame will be announced.
I hope you’ll be listening to WCWP all Homecoming Weekend long, or as long as you can. I’m honored to be the leadoff hitter for the third year in a row. And once again, Jeff Kroll wraps up the weekend Sunday at 10PM Eastern.
My experience at Day 1 of 2017 New York Comic Con October 6, 2017
Posted by Mike C. in Animation, Art, Comedy, Internet, Interviews, Media, Personal, Photography, Technology, Travel, TV, Video, Video Games, Weather.Tags: Animaniacs, Javits Center, Jess Harnell, Jim Cummings, New York Comic Con, NYCC, Rob Paulsen, Tara Strong, Tress MacNeille
2 comments
Previous New York Comic Con recaps: 2012 Day 2, 2014 Day 1
Yesterday, I was at the first day of the 2017 New York Comic Con, held annually at the Javits Center in the Midtown West section of Manhattan. It was my third trip to NYCC.
I almost didn’t go this year. When I planned on buying a badge (ticket) in June, I learned that fan verification was required. Unfortunately, fan verification was closed. Luckily, last month, I learned on the website that verification was open again. So, I immediately got verified and bought a badge for Day 1.
I woke up at 6:20 yesterday morning. I looked out my window and saw a picturesque sky. I took a couple of shots of it, without and with flash:
After that, I put my camera in my backpack, where it stayed for a few hours.
In between, my mother drove me to the Wantagh LIRR (Long Island Rail Road) station at 8:40. Nine minutes later, I was on a train bound for Penn Station.
50 minutes later, I exited Penn and walked to the Javits Center. Those that had a badge, including me, were directed to the green entrance via West 39th Street, five blocks north of where I’d been walking.
I made my way down to Level 1 to meet five voice actors and get professional photo ops with four of them.
First up was Tara Strong:
As you can see, I wore my Northern Trust golf tournament shirt. I got it back on August 27, after walking Glen Oaks Club in Old Westbury to see the final round.
After Tara, it was on to Rob Paulsen:
Rob is a throat cancer survivor (knock on wood), having battled it last year.
And finally, Jess Harnell:
When I noticed Jess had his sunglasses on, I put my glasses on:
In all, I spent about four hours in five lines. It was a thrill to meet and chat with them all. I won’t get into the details of our brief conversations, but they were all very nice. Jess even gave me a hug.
I also enjoyed chatting with fellow fans – like Kelly, Sierra, Dave, and a few others whose names I didn’t get – while waiting in line. There was even a woman ahead of me on the Jess Harnell line who was not only dressed as one of his characters – Cedric from Sofia the First – but her name is Jess Warner! Her first name was the same as his, and her last name was the same as his Animaniacs character Wakko Warner. More on that below.
Afterward, I headed to the Epic Photo Ops area for a pair of professional photo ops. Since I had just met the actors at their autograph tables, there was a familiarity in the booth. It was like visiting old friends.
Jim Cummings suggested we “look intrepid”:
I love the outcome.
The second photo op was with Rob, Tress, and Jess, the stars of Animaniacs:
They were the Warner siblings: Yakko, voiced by Rob, Wakko, by Jess (as I noticed before), and Dot, by Tress.
All that remained was to walk the show floor on Level 3. But first, a few shots taken in the lobby on Level 2 after entering around 10:15:
The show floor:
I mostly focused on the video game developers section, as you’ll see below.
The next six pictures were taken in the morning:
I took this in the afternoon:
It was a fun day, but I was ready to head home. I left satisfied.
I walked south on 11th Avenue until I reached West 34th Street, where I alternated between walking and running, hoping to make the 4:12 train back to Wantagh. I did, with time to spare.
Thank you to Tara Strong, Jim Cummings, Rob Paulsen, Tress MacNeille, and Jess Harnell. As I said, it was a pleasure to meet and chat with you all.
I’ll conclude this post with a picture of my program and badge:
10:25 PM UPDATE: While searching in vain on YouTube for video of the I Know That Voice: The Series panel that took place at 5:30, shortly after I got home, I found this interview of Jim Cummings:
10/7 UPDATE: The only video I could find of the aforementioned panel was this:
The video stops before the Q&A portion.
My day at the final round of The Northern Trust August 29, 2017
Posted by Mike C. in Golf, Media, News, Personal, Photography, Sports, Travel, TV, Video, Weather.1 comment so far
Previous event recaps: 2012 (The Barclays), 2016 (The Barclays)
For the second year in a row, a Long Island golf course hosted the PGA Tour event now known as The Northern Trust, the first event of the FedExCup Playoffs. Last year, which was the last year as The Barclays, the event was held at Bethpage Black Golf Course. This year, The Northern Trust was about 12 miles west at Glen Oaks Club in Old Westbury. Glen Oaks is adjacent to SUNY Old Westbury and not too far from NYIT (New York Institute of Technology) or LIU Post, my alma mater. In fact, as you’ll see near the end of this post, I wore my WCWP shirt that you’ve seen in previous posts. As for the other two colleges, I went to day camp at them for a few childhood summers. In 1989 and ’91, main camp activities were at NYIT while swimming was at SUNY Old Westbury. In 1990, activities were exclusive to Old Westbury.
My father Bill and I attended the final round of The Northern Trust, which began 50 years ago as the Westchester Classic, on Sunday. Jordan Spieth (-12) and Dustin Johnson (-9) were the last group of the day. Would Spieth hold on? Could D.J. catch him? Or would it be someone else?
Dad and I left for general parking at Nassau Coliseum at around 11:30. Once we arrived, we boarded a shuttle bus. On board, a welcome video looped on TV screens. The shuttle arrived at Glen Oaks Club just before 12:30. Weather conditions were excellent: partly sunny skies with warm, dry air and a cool breeze.
I would have loved to bring my Nikon D5500, but only smartphones on silent were allowed for photography. Thus, the pictures in this recap were taken on my iPhone 6 and edited afterward in Adobe Photoshop Elements 15. Since the phone lacks an optical zoom, I preserved the original resolution rather than shrink the pictures, as I usually do on this site. In most cases, you’ll have to zoom in to see the far-away players.
With that out of the way, let’s begin:
From here, pictures aren’t entirely in chronological order. Until we get to the 18th green, pictures are in order of the hole where they were taken.
The practice green:
The 1st hole:
LaGuardia Airport is close to the course, so there were plenty of low-flying planes in their final approach:
The 2nd hole:
Henrik Stenson and Martin Laird:
Bubba Watson and Jhonattan Vegas:
Paul Casey and defending champion Patrick Reed:
Dottie Pepper and Peter Kostis of CBS Sports walking ahead of…
Jordan Spieth…
…and Dustin Johnson:
Robert Streb and Scott Brown on the 4th hole:
Stenson and Laird at the 5th hole:
The 6th green:
The 7th hole:
The 8th hole:
Jason Day and C.T. Pan:
Matt Kuchar and Jon Rahm:
The 9th hole:
The 10th hole:
David Lingmerth and Louis Oosthuizen:
Bubba Watson and Jhonattan Vegas:
The 11th hole:
Jason Kokrak and Morgan Hoffmann:
A jib passing the 12th hole:
Dad and I followed Robert Streb and Scott Brown from here to the 17th:
There was a horse stable next to the 13th hole:
It’s rare that I hear horses neighing and sputtering in real time.
The 13th hole:
The 14th hole:
The 15th hole:
The 16th hole:
The 17th hole:
The 18th hole:
David Lingmerth and Louis Oosthuizen:
I spent the last two hours of the tournament at this spot by the 18th green:
I had to endure a few men behind me, who I assume were in their 20s, not necessarily following etiquette (that’s all I’ll say), but it was worth it.
The TV tower where Jim Nantz and Sir Nick Faldo called the action:
The Northern Trust is the last tournament of the year for CBS. The remainder of the FedExCup playoffs are on NBC.
After Lingmerth and Louis Ooie (as voice actor Jeff Bennett calls him) finished their round, the next pair to play 18 was Robert Streb and Scott Brown:
Followed by Bubba Watson and Jhonattan Vegas:
Vegas shot a 65 to finish at -9.
Then, Patrick Cantlay and Russell Henley:
Justin Thomas, who won the PGA Championship two weeks earlier, and Chez Reavie:
Justin Rose and Jason Dufner:
Keegan Bradley and Kevin Chappell:
Matt Kuchar and Jon Rahm:
Rahm finished tied for third with Jhonny Vegas at -9.
Paul Casey and Patrick Reed:
And finally, Jordan Spieth and Dustin Johnson:
Jordan and Dustin came to 18 tied at -13. Johnson’s tee shot landed in the rough and his second shot was short of the green. He would end up with a long par putt. Spieth, meanwhile, had a long birdie putt.
Spieth missed his birdie putt:
That meant D.J. could force a playoff if he parred…
…and he did!
The camera didn’t focus properly, but you get the idea.
Here’s how the putt looked on TV.
Spieth made his par putt to ensure the playoff:
The playoff:
Johnson hit a massive tee shot that landed within 95 yards of the hole. Here’s how it looked on TV. (6:42 PM UPDATE: The shot was shown in last night’s episode of Feherty when guest Darius Rucker listed D.J. as one of his three favorite golfers of all time. Arnold Palmer and Tiger Woods were the other two.)
D.J.’s approach shot landed near the hole:
The shot looked like this on CBS.
Spieth missed a long birdie putt to extend the playoff:
But Johnson made his birdie putt and won The Northern Trust:
The winning putt can be seen at the end of these extended highlights.
Dottie Pepper interviewed Dustin afterward:
Our last two times at The Barclays, Dad and I stuck around to watch the off-air trophy presentation. This year, after a playoff, we were eager to head home, which, after buying a hat and shirt in the shop, we did.
Three FedExCup playoff tournaments remain. Can Dustin, Jordan, or anyone else in the top 100 win it all? We’ll know by the evening of September 24. (9/24 UPDATE: Someone else: Justin Thomas.)
On the way to the shuttle bus, Dad took this picture of me:
We got home at exactly 8:00. It was an exciting eight hours. What a finish! Our next golf trip will be next June for the third round of the U.S. Open, held at Shinnecock Hills.
I’ll leave you with a few news stories on the final round (subscription required for Newsday/News 12 links):
AP (via PGATour.com)
Newsday
Newsday column by Mark Herrmann, who also wrote the story in the above link
News 12 Long Island
I can be seen in the background in one clip from News 12’s video. Here’s a high-resolution screenshot from my TV:
And here’s a closer look:
3:29 PM UPDATE: I just learned I was actually in the background during CBS’s telecast, not in News 12 B-roll. Here is a vidcap:
8/31 UPDATE: Inside the Ropes segments of this week’s Inside the PGA Tour:
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Final Round
