ONE LAST GLORIOUS DAY!

I've been a member of the press for the last 26 MASTERS Sundays.  My love affair with Sundays at Augusta National began in 1986.  The best there ever was, and the best there will ever be.  But since then, there was Larry Mize, Ben Crenshaw, Norman and Faldo, Woods in 1997, 2000, 2001 and 2005, that chip in on sixteen, Mickelson on two Sundays and Woods and Mickelson last year.

This year, Sunday has all the makings of another wonder finish.  If the players come close to what we witnessed on Saturday, we're in for magic.

I'm always somewhat surprised, and happy when I see and hear the media in the building react as they did Saturday.  They are observers and reporters, but they love the game and are fans.  For about thirty minutes yesterday, it was as if we were all sitting on our collective couches experiencing the day....Phil's eagle on 13...Phil's eagle on 14 (are you kidding me, the place erupted), Freddie's eagle on 15 (the place went crazy) and finally, Phil's third shot on 15 just missing, a huge collective grown...it was electric.

What will these golfing wonders have in store for us today?  Rest assured, the tournament committee has the course prepared.  The storylines are numerous...Lee Westwood, long one of Europe's best, but without a Major on his impressive resume.  It would be one of those victories labeled great for the game as it travels around the world.  Philly Mac...the fan's favorite.  It would be his third, and his fourth Major...and Amy and the family are here this weekend, their first time out in 11 months... Imagine the family photo.  Tiger... what a story... It would be his fifth, five months from competitive golf, do I need to say more? Maybe not the most popular win, but one for history books.  Freddie, maybe more than Phil, the fan's favorite choice.  Could there be a fifty year old winner of this tournament? Would there be any more vindication for the work done by the current Chairman to dispel the talk of the course being toughened too much.

It's a beautiful Sunday, at one of the most beautiful spots in the world. Now all I ask for is the wonder, the magic, the spectacle, the roars and the golf that is Sunday At The MASTERS... Have a great time!

I HAVE SEEN THE FUTURE, AND IT'S PRETTY

I have no idea how to do this.  How do I explain something so visual with just words.  How do explain what you need to see by writing about it on the page.  Well, here goes.

This year, portions of the telecasts of the 2010 MASTERS are being broadcast in 3-D.  Yes, 3-D. Just like Pandora, The Augusta National has been transformed into a magical place on your television screen.  They began the process on Wednesday with the telecast of the annual par-3 tournament.  I went down to the interview room and was one of the first people in the media room to see it.  It was very impressive.  I had no idea what to expect, since I haven't yet been to a 3-D movie.  To date, my experiences with 3-D have all involved theme parks in Orlando...

I thought a couple of things as I watched:  Fun, and novel.  It was really a fun experience.  I don't remember the last time watching television was fun!  It was also novel.  I remember 10 years ago, here in the same building being one of the first to see the tournament in high-definition.  Looking at that you knew instantly that you were looking at television in the future.  The problem is, 3-D comes with equipment.  I kept thinking as I watched, “Would I have one of these one day?”  Heck, I still don't have hi-def.  I couldn't help but think, one day, you'll have a hi-def TV, AND a 3-D TV.  I know that's not the plan, but right now it really feels like a luxury.

Then came Friday.  I did not have the chance on Thursday to view any of the first round in 3-D.  I hadn't seen the big course yet, until yesterday afternoon.  In the words of Dick Enberg, Oh My!  The novelty wore off quickly and I wanted one.  The picture was spectacular, you can't stop looking at the patrons.  It's because that's where there's the most depth.  Tee to fairway is incredible, the greens are still not all that I would wish.  It doesn't seem to catch everything, but then everything else will catch you.  I loved the graphics!  Again, really fun.  To date, the fellows at Sony had been a bit coy about talking price.  Oh, they were quick to tell us on Wednesday that the glasses would run between $100-$150 and that you would get two when you bought their TV.  About the TV.  It's 52 inches and not yet on the market.  Look for it this Summer, save up for it this Spring...as of now, the expected price looks like it'll fall in the $5000 range.  Show of hands as to who will be running to get one?

I'll end as I started.  If you have the chance to see a 3-D demonstration, don't miss it.  The representatives from Sony say that golf is the perfect vehicle for 3-D, and later this year, FOX has announced that the 2010 Major League Baseball All-Star game will be broadcast in 3-D. Gee, I wonder if I'll get invited to that event...

HOW BOUT THAT!

So far, that was the best quote of the week from four time champion Tiger Woods. Tiger was not commenting on his opening round 68, but on the first rounds scores shown by 50 year old Fred Couples and 60 year old Tom Watson.

EVERYTHING NEW IS OLD AGAIN

In the span of 18 hours the Chairman of Augusta National, William Porter Payne took time to take his four time Champion out to the woodshed with regards to his personal behavior, and then took the time to welcome back two old friends to new roles here at the MASTERS.

First, the spanking.  It was quite a moment in the interview room when the Chairman, at the end of his yearly remarks, said, finally....and then went to a place no previous person sitting in that seat had ever thought of going.  He admonished Tiger Woods for his life choices over the last few years, but did indeed say that he was a believer in second chances, and that he hoped that Tiger would take his words to heart, and indeed begin to refocus his life and his career here at the 2010 MASTERS.  All of the members of the media were to say the least stunned when the Chairman made his remarks, many were very pleased.  As was mentioned in an article this morning by the Augusta Chronicle's Scott Micheaux, Payne was able to articulate in a matter of minutes, what hundreds of writers had struggled to say for the last five months.  That's why he's the Chairman.

Then, this morning, he had a much more pleasant task.  This three pronged journey began four years ago when Payne began to have conversations with four time champion Arnold Palmer about the possibility of Arnold becoming the Honorary Starter of the MASTERS.  It was never Payne's intention to stop there.  He then went after Nicklaus and this morning at 7:40am, on the first tee of Augusta National at the 74^th MASTERS, he completed the second prong of his journey.  Give Jack and Arnold a couple of years to do this, and then watch Gary Player join them.  I hope he doesn't wait too long as Arnold his showing his age with every passing year.

It was, as it is many times here at the MASTERS, a reminder of how the legends of the game co-exist with the ways of today's players.  I'm not too proud to say, that I've always preferred, and will continue to prefer many of the legends, and the way things used to be.

Welcome to the beginning of the 2010 MASTERS...see you tomorrow after the first round.

THE HUNTERS AND THE GATHERERS

We're an interesting bunch we media. As you observe the work being done in the media building during this tournament it's pretty obvious that we fall into a couple of categories.

THE HUNTERS: The print media. By the nature of their business, in many cases the daily newspaper, this media seems to be tasked with “hunting” out stories. In many cases creating the content. In many cases, they're the ones that ask the questions. They are “hunting” for stories that heretofore haven't existed. They want to tell you something you don't know. They don't know what you don't know, so they're always “hunting” for something different. They are ALWAYS typing. Right now, as I type this, it's 7:30 in the morning...and there have been “hunters” in the building for the last hour...typing away. The talk about the demise of the daily newspaper is important. It is where the “hunters” have the work on display. Sure they can blog, anyone can blog, as I'm proving this week, but the “hunters” do provide a vital function, one that must be protected and maintained

W.W.J.T
What Would Jones Think

I've done the math, I have been able to spend 247 days of my life, here on the grounds at Augusta National, and yesterday was by far one of the oddest and strangest of them all.

There we were, 208 journalists, in line, as if we were boarding a plane, handing in our tickets so that we could find our seat for the most anticipated press conference quite possibly in the history of the game.  If it wasn't the most important, it certainly was the most uncomfortable.

Once in the room, we sat, and we sat some more...more than 30 minutes for most of us.  It had the feeling of church, as the two or more media committee members acted as ushers showing us to our seats, searching the room looking for any holes, holding up one or two fingers as if we were at a big wedding.  Not sure, but I think we were on the bride's side.

Then, moments after 2pm, in a scene not unlike the President's State of the Union, cameramen from the tournament's website assumed their positions in the middle of the aisle.  On most occasions, the players enter the interview room from the back, not today's guest, he was coming from the front of the room.  The only thing missing was someone bellowing out “Mr. Speaker”.......and then he was there.  After five months, one auto accident, a damaged marriage and some rehab, Tiger Woods was in front of the golf media.

I wondered how quickly the questions would move from personal to golf.  I don't think they ever did.  Thirty-four minutes about the last five months, and the last couple of years.  No mention of Torrey Pines, Turnberry, Hazeltine or any of the usual questions we've come to be familiar with.  This was a give and take about being changed, PED's, blood spinning, rehab, looking at the fans and being a changed man.

There was a tension in the room, really only out in the open when he was asked if his wife would be attending the tournament, she will not.  Not sure if he seemed angry because the question was asked, or because it really did remind him of where he now finds his life.

Then it was over.  He quickly left the room.  He seemed bigger to me.  He seemed heavier to me, and he seemed much sadder to me, in many ways.  It was not an easy place to be.

When I returned to my perch here in the media center, there were five messages in my voice mail.  Apparently my bald head had made it to national TV....sorry.  I heard about it fifteen more times yesterday....everyone picked me out.  Good to know if I'm ever somewhere I shouldn't be.  Yesterday I was somewhere I never thought I'd be.

Today, hopefully, we're back to golf.  That's the way Bob Jones would want it.

The Augusta Sports Council has decided that it would be a good idea to blog about the 2010 Masters golf tournament and about what goes on behind the scenes in the Media Building.  I guess that means I should introduce myself, and give you my credentials... Sorry, but credentials are a big deal here at the Masters.

My name is John Patrick, I'm a member of the Board of Directors of the Augusta Sports Council and I've been covering the Masters in various capacities since 1985. Through the years, I have covered this tournament for the local stations for which I've worked here in Augusta (Too many to mention…the internet is but so big).  I've covered it on a national scale for the broadcast company for which I've worked.  I've contributed to reports around the country and in some cases, around the world.  I've reported on this Tournament to the BBC and in Australia...although they seemed more interested in learning what pimento cheese was.

Over the last twenty-five years, many things have changed as far as HOW I've covered this tournament.  It began with a bank of six telephones in a Quonset hut. Now, it's almost impossible to find a phone in the media building.  I do my reports on my laptop, with a mixer and sound program, and then I e-mail it to where it needs to go.  The company for whom I'm working distributes it nationwide.  I now find myself sitting on the top row with the various radio networks - ESPN, CNN, ABC, etc. Pretty heady stuff... all of us delivering our reports in very different ways.

The purpose of this blog (blogs do have a purpose, don't they?) is to give you a bit of a behind the scenes look at this aspect of the world's best run golf tournament.  I'll also, when I can, give you a behind the scenes look at many of the various aspects of this wonderful event. 

It looks like we will get off to a great start on Tuesday, as we'll let you know about Tiger's first full day back at work, returning from FMLA. Please join me each day of Masters week.