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Issue No. 125 | October 22, 2024
Earlier this week I was thinking about the future of Normal Sport.
I suppose the truth is that it would probably be easier to document the moments throughout my day that I’m not thinking about Normal Sport. But I remember walking out to my office having this very specific thought about how glad I am for the present time and how I’m already sad about (or maybe just mildly lamenting) the future.
Because in the future, building Normal Sport will either not have worked or it will have worked. Either way, the effect is the same, that it is no longer the present and the thrill of building it is no longer ahead of me (and us).
On Monday, I was listening to the founder of RX Bar talk about his success and his exit from that business and the new project he’s working on.
He said something I found so interesting when he was asked why — after selling for nine figures — he feels the need to continue working and building.
Here it is.
I need to produce, I need to make stuff, I need stress, I need to be challenged, I need risk. I'm a way better man with responsibility.
Peter Rahal
I don’t know if that is how I would phrase it or frame it, but I absolutely know what he is saying. This should not surprise anyone. As humans, we are hardwired to work, to create, to think, to share, to dream, to fail and then to do it all over again.
So yeah, I dread the future not because it means there might be failure but because it means there will be either failure or success and the building will be finished.
And as we all know, even if we’re scared to admit it to ourselves, the building is always — even (or especially) when it’s stressful — the greatest part.
Onto the news.
But first.
On the heels of the Collegiate Cup at St. Andrews, we’re jonesing for some autumn golf in Scotland. And while that’s not possible for most of us right now, Holderness and Bourne does try to bring the Scotland to us with their new corduroy Baxter pant + Berwick sweater.
The Berwick sweater is H&B’s preeminent product, proudly made in Scotland by one of the oldest and most renowned cashmere mills in the world. H&B’s goal with the Berwick — and their goal in general with everything they make — is to be the very best.
Best in class, best in the world and the best that Scotland has to offer.
1. Chargers fans mounting appaloosas at SoFi to take in another three hours of Justin Herbert throwing at one speed. Sure.
2. It’s not that this doesn’t happen in other sports. It’s that it would be preposterous to presume that this ball would be live and in play as it is right here!
3. Did not know we were going to get a [squints] Sydney Sweeney-Rory McIlroy (!!!) comp this week. Here’s the original.
4. Say it, DP World Tour. Say it!
Two submissions this week.
• Shane basically lives in the infirmary, but this still got me.
• Known as the umbrella plant. Also known as the two-time umbrella tournament winner.
For the launch of Normal Sport as a business, we built this little thank you page for anyone who signs up for the newsletter. There’s a Spieth easter egg in there, yes, but it has also been a surprisingly wonderful way to connect with readers and have a two-way conversation (I try to reply to them all!).
On that page we ask folks what the weirdest thing they’ve ever seen on a golf course is. Basically stuff that would make you say this …
What I didn’t envision — but probably should have — is that some of the stories are incredible. We’re going to run a few of them in the newsletter, mostly because I have to share them with someone (anyone) and my wife is tired of me reading them out loud to her.
Here’s another great one.
I once got paired with a random guy on a local course who teed up the ball for every single shot. Driver off the tee, tee it up. Ball in the fairway, tee it up. Ball in the rough, tee it up. Even some chip shots around the green, tee it up.
I told him it’s not allowed unless it’s your tee shot.
He said he knew and didn’t care.
I’ve never seen anything like it. Although I was pretty jealous and almost tempted myself when he teed up his driver for a second shot on a par 5!!
Cam G.
When I read “he said he knew and didn’t care” I totally lost it. Maybe I was punch drunk from reading so many of these but I just started shaking laughing. I can so easily see the entire thing unfolding in front of me.
So good.
Normal Sport merch candidate?
Maybe I would have gotten back into baseball anyway because my kids are into baseball now, but as I have been proselytizing in this newsletter for many months (bordering on years!) baseball has seemingly evolved into the future and golf has not.
Baseball!
There are downsides, of course, of a shot clock in any sport. But they are almost all carried by the participants. It is so rare that a consumer would say, “Man, I really think that game, event, concert, book or email should have been longer.”
Regardless, I am begging the PGA Tour to try this and I’m intrigued to see how it goes during the TGL.
It would be such a plus and improve the product so much. I used to dread having to give five hours to a playoff baseball game. Now? I cannot wait to tune in because I know it’s going to be surprising if I’m there for more than three.
"Not to bring anything personal into this with Louisville – great city, great people. But I think Miami is gonna smoke 'em." -Ed Reed -Ken Dorsey -Scottie Scheffler
“The punishment of every disordered mind is its own disorder.” -St. Augustine
Such a tremendous quote.
Where else can you get Schefflera plants, Ugo Coussaud beer takes and Augustine quotes under the same roof?!
👉️ If you’re interested in media, go read this piece in the most recent edition of A Media Operator, which is a great newsletter I read.
It’s a bit of commentary from AMO founder, Jacob Donnelly, on this long New York Magazine piece on the future of mainstream media and it is fascinating.
It also gives you insight into why independent outlets are absolutely thriving. TL;DR Independent outlets care deeply about what their audience wants while legacy media outlets thought they could hack their way into dominance. (spoiler: they cannot). I have many thoughts (too many for this particular newsletter).
👉️ Good column here by James Colgan on the $750 Ryder Cup ticket prices.
👉️ The PIF is trying to replace Greg Norman with … the Big 12 commissioner?
A search has been ongoing in recent months to find a new CEO for LIV Golf, according to sources briefed on the matter. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which backs LIV financially, has contracted out London-based Odgers Berndtson for the search, which would take over for Greg Norman in the CEO role.
Though handled quietly, the search firm has looked to well-regarded executives in sports business for the position, with names including Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark among those targeted early on, according to sources. Talks with Yormark did not progress, but it shows the level of executive PIF has been targeting.SBJ
Brett Yormark at the Big 12 Brett Yormark at the PIF
🤝
managing the outrageous expectations
of wealthy men deluded by oil money
👉️ Most clicked on Tuesday: Ryder Cup tickets
👉️ Most clicked on Thursday: Ryder Cup tickets
👉️ Most clicked on Friday: What the Tour should steal from YouTube golf
If you missed my Q&A with Sean Zak last Friday, it was a blast.
I knew that I wanted these Q&As to be part of the Normal Sport offering, but I did not envision 1. Enjoying them this much or 2. Getting as much positive feedback on them as I have. Thank you for that, for the encouragement to continue doing them.
Here’s something Sean said that I wanted to react to. It was about where he has grown a soft spot in his golf coverage since he started.
I think we put microphones in front of top players too much. When Scottie Scheffler wins the Arnold Palmer Invitational, he’s talking to the press on the record each day of that tournament. And then he’s doing a pre-tournament presser days later at the Players, when nothing has happened in the previous two days!
And when he wins the Players, he’s asked to do press on the record each day again. We get stuck in a loop of “[He or she] has to talk,” and before long we get to a point where players are run down and annoyed at media.
You saw it with Scheffler late this year. He was tired of the questions — the same questions — even softly critiquing questions he was getting. I think you saw that with Nelly Korda during her epic run in the spring and summer, too.
If we didn’t prompt players with a microphone and that camera staring at them so constantly, I think they’d enjoy sharing themselves a lot more.
Normal Sport
This is a problem that is unique to about five people, but I agree with it.
I think it incentivizes players to become transactional instead of conversational in their answers. If you’re Collin Morikawa and you know you’re doing five days of media in a week, you are less willing to have conversations within those pressers, and truly conversational question-answer sessions are where the good stuff is found.
At the four majors I’m fine with it because I want to know every detail. At Phoenix in February, though? I don’t really need Scheffler for three hours over the course of six days.
Last week, I threw up a poll based on this Jamie Kennedy question about which shot in golf history you would like to give one player one mulligan on.
Here are the (unsurprising results).
Poor Monty, who has never won a major (!) didn’t even get 1/7 the vote as Spieth (who has allegedly won three!). I personally voted for Tom Watson. Nostalgic history > a fourth green jacket for Jordy.
The comments were great.
“That Tom Watson collapse is one of the most heartbreaking sports moment's I've ever watched. And I am a Cubs, Vikings, and Iowa sports fan.”
“Now do a poll for reverse mulligan … which shot would you want to force a player to re-hit that could change the course of history?
What a question! Don’t even know where to begin with my answer, but my first thought is Patrick Reed at the 71st hole at the 2018 Masters. If he has to re-hit that chip shot that hit the pin, I think Rickie might have a green jacket in his closet.
“Absolutely disgraceful that Spieth is leading this poll. Golf Twitter inexplicably yearns for him to be something he’s not: a truly elite player in the pantheon of golf’s greats. I’ll never understand it! ”
Here are all the golfers in the Masters era who have won four majors including two Masters by the age of 23 like Spieth would have.
Tiger Woods
Jack Nicklaus
Arnold Palmer
Jordan Spieth
“Complete homer move but Rory's drive on 10 at Augusta in 2011. Was he struggling? Yes. Did he learn a ton that week which lead to dominance at Congressional? I think so. But if he puts that drive in the fairway, maybe steady the nerves a bit, Rory's career is very different.”
“Give Phil another drive and he probably completes the grand slam, something done by only 5 guys in the history of the game. That has to outweigh a second Masters for Jordan or a 6th jug for Tom.”
One of the 10 most accomplished golfers in the world over the last 2-3 years is now sponsored by a burrito company. So yeah, a sport familiar with v normal ad partnerships. If you're a burrito company, or if you're interested in getting your business or product in front of 15,000+ sicko golf fans, you can check out the Normal Sport media kit and fill out our partnership form right here.
Thanks for reading until the end.
You’re a sicko, and I’m grateful for it.
And please do send this to one friend who you think will understand any of it.
