There's a lot of great things about living in this part of the world. It's always beautiful. The weather is, at worst, always mild. Another one of those great things is the annual AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am. This year's version took place this weekend. It often brings rain but it's always a blast.
This year the football portion of the celebrity contingent was represented by Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, former San Francisco 49ers tackle Harris Barton, New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick, San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh, and Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly. As last year, we spent the weekend following Rodgers. Unlike last year, Rodgers seemed much more comfortable with the public. He signed more autographs, talked more, smiled more. He seemed to enjoy himself out there. Despite spending a lot of time on the wrong side of the ropes, his golf game has improved since last year. Perhaps there was a connection between his play and comfort. One issue that I did have with his golfing was the ridiculous green and yellow clubs. What can you do? Perhaps the best part of watching Aaron Rodgers golf at Pebble Beach is the great appreciation that many show for his Cal days. There are "Go Bears" shouted all day. He played football in Berkeley for only two years but they were a great two years. It was nearly ten years ago and few have forgotten. Cal's great lack of even decent quarterback play since those days makes it so hard to forget those two short years of passing brilliance. I hope that he has many more years at Pebble Beach.
Tony Romo gets a lot of attention from the fans at Pebble Beach. Rodgers has a larger gallery but the Romo fans are much louder. Even rowdy. I guess that the attention comes from the Dallas Cowboys' fairly shaky status as "America's Team." Whatever it is, it gets loud when Romo walks by. He's the best golfer among the football golfers. He's actually the best golfer not working to get paid at this thing. Romo has gone through U.S. Open qualifying on a couple of occasions. If the powers that be at the Cowboys' offices (Jerry Jones) ever get tired of their current quarterback, Tony Romo could have a future as a professional golfer. If the spectators at Pebble Beach are any indication, he'd have a vocal following.
Harris Barton has been a frequent competitor at Pebble Beach. It's always fun to have a big guy swinging a golf club. The best thing about seeing Barton here every year is seeing him in great shape. There was a day when the big football guys got bigger when their playing days came to an end. I've noticed at Hall of Fame inductions and other events that the big guys aren't looking like they ate another big guy. They are taking care of themselves when the action slows. Football can wreck a body and the players are doing a much better job taking care of their bodies. It's good to see. It's also good to see Barton play golf every year. There's a calmness about him. It's a calmness that balances nicely with the antics of the other celebrity in his foursome. Bill Murray. I heard whispers that Murray got hold of all of Barton's Super Bowl rings this year. They total three. I wold never let Murray get anywhere near anything of value at this golf tournament.
Brian Kelly is the third top college coach to recently play the Pebble Beach Pro Am following Nick Saban and Bob Stoops last year. I never realized how short and stocky some of these coaches are. They seem much bigger on football sidelines. Bill Belichick included. Maybe they shrink when they're not in their element. Not included in that stature department is Jim Harbaugh. He towers over his fellow coaches. Belichick and Harbaugh are two of the most intense coaches, maybe ever. So, I find it interesting that they can relax playing golf. Perhaps the most frustrating sport ever invented. They even seem to enjoy themselves. I've seen smiles. Definite smiles. I would even go so far as to say that Bill Belichick is a very sweet man.
The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am is a terrific event. I've attended each of the past five years and I plan to attend many more. Why not? It's really just down the street. Over the five years, I've had several, very brief conversations with Peyton Manning. Drew Brees, Bill Belichick, Herm Edwards, Harris Barton, Aaron Rodgers, and Bob Stoops. I keep hoping that some Minnesota Vikings players or coaches will show up. Ryan Longwell is a terrific golfer but never found his way to Pebble Beach. Maybe kickers aren't allowed. Christian Ponder has been working on his golf game but he likely needs a couple of Super Bowl titles to be a draw. I wouldn't mind that at all.
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