Mrs. GolfBlogger and I had a real treat last night: we saw Mark Knopfler live at the historic The Michigan Theater in downtown Ann Arbor.

The GolfBloggers are huge fans of Knopfler, who perhaps is best known as the front man and guitarist for the group Dire Straits. Knopfler formed that group in 1977 and had a breakthrough hit in 1978 with “Sultans of Swing” from the album Dire Straits. Knopfler also formed the Notting Hillbillies(a country effort with just one album), released a terrific duet album with Chet Atkins (Neck and Neck), and has done several film scores, including Local Hero and the Princess Bride. He’s recorded a bunch of solo albums, and his latest effort is called Get Lucky.

The concert was in a relatively a small setting—the Michigan seats 1,700—and thus had a nice friendly atmosphere. Knopfler and his immensely talented band reeled off one song after another, with no chat and little wasted time. His new songs—mostly with a Celtic-Bluegrass feel—were enjoyable, but the real crowd pleasers were from his days with Dire Straits: Romeo and Juliet, Brothers In Arms, Sultans of Swing, So Far Away and others. I think the crowd would have liked more Dire Straits. I, however, wanted more of his new work since my musical tastes have always run to country-bluegrass.

I wonder if it is satisfying—or frustrating—for an artist to have his original works so eclipse the newer material. I think for Knopfler that it must be a little bit frustrating, since he has not been content to do Dire Straits reunion tours (none apparently are forthcoming, either), or album after soundalike album. His recent work is very different, and yet still recognizable

Knopfler’s guitar work is simply amazing, in spite of a recent injury that forced him to play the entire concert from a chair. He was precise, melodic, versatile.  I dabble in guitar, and more than the quick picking, what I really admire about Knopfler are the haunting slides. I was also amazed by the number of guitar changes he made during the show. I’m sure he he had twenty different guitars, and switched out after nearly every song.

I rarely go to concerts—they’re too expensive and the huge venues put me off—but the Knopfler performance at the Michigan was well worth the (considerable) money. 

Knopfler’s new CD, Get Lucky also is terrific. It’s a mix of sounds, but mostly with a Celtic-Scotch-Irish flavor. Its also considerably slower, and with a more haunting feel than some of his other works. Think Brothers in Arms as opposed to Sultans of Swing. It also sounds to me a bit like what I remember from the movie Local Hero. Some reviewers have been put off by a certain “lack of energy,” but I think the album grows on you.  If you’re a Dire Straits fan and have not kept up with where Mark Knopfler has traveled in a musical sense, you should check it out.

My playing season has gotten off to a slow start this year as family and work obligations have conspired to keep me off the course. As a result, I am feeling quite anxious. I got out for eighteen on a particularly warm day in March, and since then have played just two nines—both in my Friday golf league.

In spite of the crippling lack of playing time, however, I managed to shoot a 45 in league competition last night. My partner and I had to give 15 shots to the opposing team, but still managed to beat them 7 to 2 (My partner shot a 52 overall, but our opponents both shot in the 60s).

Without any time to practice or play, I’ve tried to keep my swing thoughts to a minimum: shorten the backswing and follow through.

It’s working so far. I hit six of nine fairways and six greens in regulation. My two massive failures—and where my score went up to 45—came on the par threes. I mishit both off the tee, and paid a heavy toll. My putting also is letting me down. I never, ever, three putt and yet last night, it seemed the rule. In my defense, though, my partner commented several times that the greenskeeper must have been hung over and constipated when he choose the day’s pin positions. It seemed as though each was cut on a ridge line—and in the worst possible corners of the green. Everyone was three- and sometimes four-putting. One of our opponents four putted from six feet—and I’m not sure I could have done better from his position.

Unfortunately, this next week doesn’t look any better than the last several. I’m hoping that I can get out for a quick nine after work on Thursday—or if things break extraordinarily well, on Monday. Barring that, I think I’ll try to spend some time at my local pro shop’s green with the putter.

I am pleased that in recent years, it has become fashionable once again to recognize the service and sacrifice of our veterans. I am old enough to remember when veterans—especially those from the Vietnam War—were ill treated by large segments of the American public, with their services being variously ignored or condemned. I have always been reminded of Winston Churchill’s words—intended for the flyers in the Battle of Britain, but appropriate for our military today: Never was so much owed by so many to so few.

So to Mrs. GolfBlogger and all of the other veterans out there I pass on a sincere word of thanks.

On the way home from shopping, Thing One—the teenage boy—and I passed a White Castle:

Dad: Hey, lets stop and get a couple dozen sliders?
Thing One: Really? Are you kidding?
Dad: Yes.
Thing One: That’s just mean.
Dad: You wouldn’t want to eat them anyway It’s nine o’clock. You’d get nightmares.
Thing One: I wouldn’t get nightmares. I’d dream about hamburgers with halos and wings and bathed in holy light. Weird. But not a nightmare.

I turned on my Blackberry’s GPS unit today and used it to track the quick nine I played after school. I walked 2.45 miles in an hour and a half.

As you can see, I didn’t play very well. Too many shots off the fairway, and a couple of mishits. I blame it on a stiff back/hip that’s been bothering me for the last couple of days. I was only able to play at all thanks to a pile of motrin.

I just heard a very interesting quote, which on the surface has nothing to do with golf:

“For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don’t believe, no proof is possible.”

It’s by Stuart Chase, an MIT engineer and economist, who is perhaps more famous for coining the phrase “New Deal,” referring to Franklin Roosevelt’s depression era programs.

The Michigan High School Athletic Association has decided that high school teams cannot sell ad space on their uniforms to offset costs.

Given the financial crisis Michigan education finds itself in, this is a very shortsighted ruling. Revenue gained by selling advertising on football and basketball jerseys may be the only thing that saves some of the “minor” sports in cash strapped school districts. Collegiate athletic teams prominently display the logos of athletic equipment companies. The University of Michigan gets $7.5 million a year to sport the Adidas logo. Professional European teams—especially soccer—have corporate logos plastered all over their uniforms.

What’s the harm if Joe’s Pizza wants to have a patch on the sleeve of a small town football team’s jersey?

Interestingly, golf, tennis and bowling apparently are not included in the ruling because they are governed by outside agencies. Bowling shirts apparently can have ads on the sleeves. Advertising on golf shirts apparently has not yet been an issue. It presumably would be up to the USGA to determine if that was allowed for an amateur team.

I wish I’d thought of that when I was coaching High School golf. One thing that bothered me was that—unlike football—the kids on the golf team had to provide their own equipment (clubs) and purchase their own uniforms. That’s enormously expensive. It was expected that we would run fundraisers to pay for such “incidentals” as uniforms and balls. The problem I found was after the football, basketeball, cheerleading, drama and other school groups have run through their fundraising programs, there just isn’t a lot of space on the calendar, or money left in people’s pockets for the golf team. On the other hand, I’m sure that I could have gotten one of the local custom embroidery shops to donate the golf shirts if they could put their name and web address on the sleeve.

I’m not coaching now, but what I’d really like is to become the first classroom teacher sponsored by Nike (or Adidas). They’d provide me with a stipend to get classroom supplies and supplement my income, as well as an official wardrobe of slacks, shoes and shirts to wear every day to work. I’d even be willing to start every day’s PowerPoint presentation with a display of their logo.

So what about it Nike? Adidas? Any takers?