3 … 2 … 1 … TRANSFER! 🏈

A Closer Look …

with Anthony Newcombe

January 12, 2024

Yep, it’s another year combined with another reset.  Be it your personal resolutions, professional goals, bucket list aspirations, or something else involving much less angst and/or effort.  The point is people: it’s time to GET MOVIN’!!

black and white jersey shirt on red wall
Photo by Ricardo Esquivel on Pexels.com

First, let’s get the college athlete transfer portal stuff straightened out.  The author fully supports athletes finally getting both the college program they prefer to play for – as well as earning the income they deserve from risking their long-term health to quench the financial thirst of fans, bettors, university administrators, coaches, boosters, parents, etc.

What is difficult to support is the chaos this current process creates.  We need to figure out a more efficient path and timeline for the portal to work efficiently.  One suggestion floating around is to shift the process beyond the December bowl season and playoffs.  This will allow both teams and players to be able to postpone the decision process until everything is finalized on the field. That sounds less hectic and a pretty good start to me. 

Moreover, we can’t have players moving to and from multiple programs over a 4-5 season college stint.  One player – who shall remain nameless – has already transferred from the East to the West Coast and then back to the East Coast in just a few seasons!  That, to me, is a serious flaw in the system that requires immediate patching.  Personal freedom is fine, but chaos creation should be deemed “the red line.”

Regrettably, the current system mirrors the “Wild, Wild West.” Perhaps some form of “collective bargaining” should be created.  This could be a system which provides some guardrails for a more streamlined and fairer process. 

SOLUTIONS?

We all know college players aren’t “employees,” so it wouldn’t be structured the same as CBAs in the corporate world, but there still is room to introduce an unbiased committee – focused to ensuring fairness and some oversight – while also building a bridge for these young and financially naive players to invest and learn how to build lifelong security in their current NIL earnings.  They should be steered from nefarious characters who, let’s just say, might not have their best interests at heart.

What do YOU think?

Happy 2024 all!

-A.N.

Anthony Newcombe is a 4-time entrepreneur, published author & narrator, and full-stack web developer.  He can be reached directly for appearances via our CONTACT PAGE.

IT’S TURKEY TIME! 

November 21, 2023 

🥇TURKEY AWARDS 🦃

A Closer Look …

with Anthony Newcombe 

It’s finally here folks! We are announcing our selection of the biggest turkey of the year, and believe you me, the list is long and there are plenty of contenders for the title. Let’s get right to it … 

(Drum roll please) 🥁🥁

Our winner is: George Santos Panza! We affectionately call him “Santos Panza” due to his remarkably similar physical appearance (to Sancho Panza of Don Quixote fame) – coupled with his complete devotion to becoming “the sidekick” of greed, ignorance, and shameless self-absorption. Should we call him Quixote? No, we prefer Santos Panza. 

For more on Georgie, click here >> https://www.tiktok.com/channel/george-santos-memes?lang=en

What the hell was “Santos Panza” thinking?

In a nutshell, it’s practically impossible to believe that someone could think that the people of the United States of America could be so stupid that we would sit back and allow him to do what he intended. 

At some point, those running for office need to learn that we don’t put them there simply for fun and games. Most of us just know what generally needs to be done and hope that our selection (or that of the opposing party) will step in and honestly attempt to make things better. 

If, however, we intended to use our campaign budgets to fund our lavish lifestyle(s), don’t you think we might have just RUN for office ourselves?  You know, like if any of it were LEGAL?!

Georgie: Did you really think that we would never find out? Wow, you are so deserving of our title. Best of luck in your future endeavors. Hope you enjoyed your Salvatore Ferragamos! You won’t need ’em for your next outfit though!

PROFILE

Anthony Newcombe is a 4-time entrepreneur, published author & narrator, and full-stack web developer. He never attended Baruch College and never played on its volleyball team either (see George: telling the truth is quite easy!) He can be reached for appearances via our CONTACT PAGE.

THE HOUSE SPEAKER VACANCY

A Closer Look …

WHAT’S GOING ON?

SPEAK UP A-HOLES!

OUR PROBLEM

The inept Congress, its vaudevillian cartoon characters, and a genuine potential for a coming crisis for the rest of us.  Thanks for your service guys!

I don’t know about YOU, but I’ve had it with these jokers.  We’ve been super-patient, participate in every voting cycle, and ALWAYS pay our fair share of taxes.

However, the turkeys who we put there act like there’s nothing but time to do anything and everything.  How did they get so disconnected (for lack of another word) from our wishes?

First, it’s “let’s take extra breaks because we can’t get along,” and now it’s “That’s all folks, let’s vote a raise while you give us all the time in the world.”

THE SOLUTION:

Here’s an idea: How about YOU work on commission?  You know, get NOTHING unless and until you PRODUCE RESULTS!  I bet you cheap turds would QUICKLY find your stride.

And as far as whom should elect, just go with Scooby-Doo as your speaker, plug him into the wall, and get something (anything) done for once.

What do YOU think?

LINKS TO THIS ISSUE

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/live-blog/house-speaker-live-updates-steve-scalise-rcna119971

https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/steve-scalise-struggles-to-build-support-for-house-speaker-post-99be48e6

PROFILE

Anthony Newcombe is a 4-time entrepreneur, published author & narrator, and full-stack web developer.  He can be reached for appearances via our CONTACT PAGE.

The most qualified “write-in” candidate for House Speaker!(credit: Wikipedia “Scooby-Doo”)

Maui

A Closer Look …

with Anthony Newcombe

Let’s take a closer look … @How could Maui’s fires happen?

Wildfires: How could this happen?

If you believe in attempting to tackle”the unimaginable,” well, now is your time. Imagine a warm, welcoming people in an historic, fun-loving town. Now, bring in a spectrum of colors on the roadsides, along the skyline, and, of course, in the ocean encasing it all. Next, swirl-in a palette of all types of people, gathering from many places of the world. Don’t forget the sounds of the birds, the music, the palms swaying in the gentle trade winds.

Heaven turns to HELL

Now, if you’ll bear with me, the unfortunate “unimaginable.” A spark creates a flame which instantaneously generates a full-blown blast one can only describe as some sort of “apocalypse.” No sirens, no alarms, no whistles, nothing. Just the hellish, furious, roar of death and destruction. Those who are even somewhat “aware” of what is happening have no time to think, but rather are forced to flee for their lives – even if that includes jumping into the ocean – to escape the heat and smoke barreling towards them.

The end result

In a flicker of time, all has been reduced to ash and rubble. There is little time to process what has happened. There is no one available to question or to provide answers. An historic town dating back to the kingdom of Hawaii stands no more. We must do all we can to pitch-in to help rebuild this place and its people. And the people need answers … NOW!

PROFILE

Anthony Newcombe is a 4-time entrepreneur, published author & narrator, and full-stack web developer. He can be reached through our CONTACT PAGE.

If you’d like to donate with us to Maui, simply scan our PayPal QR code … many thanks!

How about an AI CEO?

A Closer Look …

with Anthony Newcombe

This month: Here’s an idea: let’s build an A.I. replacement for CEOs!!

You’ve heard it, I’ve heard, we’ve all heard it recently.  “Artificial intelligence is going to replace me, and no one is going to be able to do anything about it!” Whether it’s Hollywood writers & actors, as well as other creators of duplicative content or services, it seems everyone is at risk of being replaced (substituted?) by AI.

WHY THIS MAKES SENSE

Call it alarmist, paranoid, or anything else you wish. The fact is that it’s coming – and FAST!  I recall when I was very young going to the movies and seeing Westworld with Richard Benjamin and a very intimidating Yul Brenner.  I might be too proud to say I was shaking in my boots, but let’s just settle on the fact that I NEVER forgot that movie. If only I’d  known that it was simply a precursor …

Fast forward to today.  It seems the only working people who are the most frightened by this concept are those whose decisions are being made on their behalf. Combine that with a general lack of trust for those in charge and BOOM – we are left with the anger, disbelief, and anxiety that is here.

CONTENT CREATOR P.O.V. VS. CEO P.O.V.

I think about things like this all the time.  As a content creator, I understand fully the importance of “having a say over my creation(s).”  Conversely, as a CEO, I understand the need to stay ahead of the business/technology curve and to keep costs in check, etc. However, in this situation, I’m going to side with the creators. I’m going to do this for the purposes of this blog entry simply BECAUSE-I-CAN!

THE WRAP UP

Finally, I’m going to propose that we embark on inventing a brand-new CEO in A.I.  It won’t be overpaid, it won’t chastise and intimidate its workforce, and it won’t force others to (Return to Office or “RTO”) drive to the office every day should they prefer to work from home (WFH).

Pretty cool, huh?  You’re welcome.

What do YOU think?

Hope your very hot summer is not so horrible. 

Stay hydrated.

-A.N.

PROFILE

Anthony Newcombe is a 4-time entrepreneur, published author & narrator, and full-stack web developer. He can be reached for appearances via our CONTACT PAGE.

And the winner (again) is … Benjamin Franklin!💰

THE PGA TOUR COMBINES WITH THOSE CONTROLLING THE LIV TOUR

A Closer Look …

💰💰💰

Where’s that MONEY?!!

with Anthony Newcombe

Well, it happened again.  There’s a saying in sales that “the only loyalty in this business is to Benjamin Franklin (i.e., the $100 bill).  Indeed, Benjamin Franklin DID win yet another battle. But it wasn’t in the sales world.  Or was it?

If you’re keeping score at home, I’m talking about what’s going on in the professional sports world at the moment.  If you really want to know, I’m precisely referencing the “kowtow bow” the PGA Tour and its leadership extended to those on the other side.  Just a few majors ago, I recall seeing interviews containing the words “integrity, honor, principles, and loyalty (yes, the other “L” word).

Today, it’s “We need to make this work,” “We apologize to our constituents,” blah, blah, blah.  Since when did running an elite global sports organization entail working across the aisle talk?  So, EVERYTHING sounds like D.C. politicians now?  Here’s a word for you: BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

The fact of the matter is that Goliath (as usual) kicked the piss out of David (ditto).  Unfortunately, we all are accustomed to “Goliath” being what was revealed as “David.”  What I’m saying is it’s usually the tour that sets the tone and leans its weight and might on the weaker opponent. Here’s an idea guys: why not just be straight with everyone and TELL them that you were being strong armed all along. 

Especially the players who stood by you and sacrificed friendships, reputations, and oh, MONEY to fall on the sword for YOU. If cash was so tight, why didn’t you say it originally? Perhaps we in your “fandom” might have felt some empathy for you and either circled a global hat, opened a GoFundMe account or something of the like. So, the payout was MUCH BETTER on the other (quieter) side? I see. Okay, good luck with that one!

💰💰💰💰

So let me digress. You may think “who am I to tell anyone to be brave.”  I’m not even going to try that one.  However, what I WILL say is: think about everything you did when you “put this deal together.” Think about all the people for whom you were making decisions. That way, the next time you host or attend a youth charity event demonstrating the importance of the teachings of golf, I hope you can stop yourself in your tracks from lecturing others about those four words I opened with: integrity, honor, principles, and loyalty.  Because if you use these words, you will only be demonstrating one real word: hypocrisy. 

There’s a bigger name on the other line.  Gotta go. Have a great summer, hope the Opens go well and “we’ll see you at the bank!”

  • A.N.

PROFILE

Anthony Newcombe is a 4-time entrepreneur, published author and narrator, and a full-stack web developer.  He hits the golf ball a long way but often struggles to find it.  He enjoys landscaping and tinkering in his backyard on weekends. Anthony’s social media handles are: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter

Make up your minds people!

A Closer Look …

with Anthony Newcombe

Let's take a closer look ... and make up your minds too!!

I don’t know about you, but I’m a bit befuddled by the “wishy-washiness” (for lack of a better term) of our current approach to running our country. Let’s just get right to it.

First, we need to figure out what our actual priorities are. I just received a weather report yesterday that over two feet of rain (yes, that is correct) was expected for the south Florida region in less than 8 hours. Normally, hearing that rain is headed to south Florida is nothing unusual. However, when the Ft. Lauderdale Airport becomes frickin’ Lake Okeechobee in less than an hour (requiring extensive closure), it registers. It really registers.

So, if political and corporate leaders wish to tout Florida as “the place to be,” shouldn’t they also pay the same attention to how people plan to navigate these apocalyptic conditions? In other words, it seems a fool’s errand to pack a state with people, homes, businesses, etc. while simultaneously ignoring the fact that the state can’t handle the worsening weather conditions, right?!

By the way, not to pick on Florida, but we can see this happening pretty much everywhere. Heavy snowfall one week, and dry fire conditions the next (see New Jersey or California). Tornadoes roaring through the mid west, south and also touching down in California.

I guess my point is: at what point do we figure out that we are in over our collective skulls? Do we need to see one of our states literally “fall off the map” in order to do more? Does some location need to sink?

What do you think?

A.N.

Profile

Anthony Newcombe is a 4-time entrepreneur, published author & narrator, and a full-stack web developer. He enjoys most outdoor activities and hopes to be able to survive the probable apocalypse at some point …

SUPER SUNDAY!

A Closer Look …

with Anthony Newcombe

Hmm, let’s take a closer look …

This month: All the hub-bub concerning the Super Bowl halftime show

Everyone seems to be all in some type of tiff about the show. This year it’s Rihanna. Last year, it was concerning “honoring crime and criminals” with the Dr. Dre/ Snoop/ tribute to Compton. Some years back, it was Beyonce and all the stuff about militancy.

Let me tell you something. Look, Prince is no longer with us, Bruno Mars can’t do it every year, and we live in an era where no one is even considered if deemed a “has been.” I’ll go out on a limb and say, “just ENTERTAIN ME!” As long as the set is entertaining and everyone gets home safely, do we really give a sh*t?! Answer: we should not. Or, should we?

What do you think?

See you guys in the spring!

-A.N.

Profile

Anthony Newcombe is a 4-time entrepreneur, published author & narrator, and full-stack developer. In addition to this monthly blog, follow his 3 Questions with Anthony Newcombe on ANJET for luxury travel related topics and his book recommendations.

The “New” Lazy

A Closer Look

with Anthony Newcombe

Let’s take a closer look …

This month’s topic: The “New Lazy”

la·zy

/ˈlāzē/

adjective

adjective: lazy; comparative adjective: lazier; superlative adjective: laziest

  1. 1.

unwilling to work or use energy.

“He was too lazy to cook”

Or, how about, “We were too lazy to drive to the drive thru

Our household just received the latest “new thing.” It is, in fact, a digi-coupon from DoorDash informing us (don’t quote me) something like  “… save 15% on our orders from Del Taco in the next 15 days!”

Del Taco? Do you mean the drive-thru Del Taco?” Seriously?! So, let me get this straight. We can’t even rally enough to throw on some clothes and drive ourselves to the drive thru?! In just a few short years of Covid-19, we’ve now become so lazy that we can’t even bring ourselves to do what the formerly lazy people did before the shutdown

It says a lot about how easily we can be persuaded “after the fact.”  We’ve normalized something as simple as getting into our cars and driving a few blocks down the street. We’re even now willing to include a “delivery charge” just to be able to keep ourselves firmly planted in place.  What’s next, having someone to bring the delivery into our homes and arrange our plastic cutlery for us prior to engorging?

Hold on a sec. My security cameras just informed me that “Dasher” is here with my lunch. 

Gotta go!

See you in the new year – have a safe holiday and don’t eat too … well, you know you will! <);^)

A.N.

PROFILE

Anthony Newcombe is a 4-time entrepreneur, published author & narrator, and full-stack web developer. His insta handles are @50AINT30 and @anjet123

#ImmediateGratification #WhatHaveWeBecome #LowEnergy

A Closer Look …

Let’s take a closer look

with Anthony Newcombe

light landscape fashion man
Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

The Slap!

Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve seen enough of the Oscars’ incident last month, so we’ll use an image less viewed, but still provide a link to the incident for those who would like to click through to it. It’s amazing that a few weeks prior to said slap incident, we posted a new entry on why, how and what is making us so “out of control” with our emotions?

Then, like a lightning bolt from outer space, the Will Smith incident occurs. Again, when did we start losing such control of ourselves? Is it a Covid-19 thing? Something else?

Let us know your thoughts. We strongly believe that a simple revisit to last month’s “intuitive post” is well worth your time and effort.

See you in May!

A Closer Look …  😡😡

with Anthony Newcombe 

Let’s take a closer look …

Date: Wednesday March 9, 2022 

This month’s topic:  Why does it feel like anything now means everything?!   

THIS FIGHTING TAKES PLACE … EVERYWHERE! 

It just seems like any subject we discuss nowadays is like the end of the world. Airports/ airplane aisles, vaccines, masks, reading choices, luxury taxes, hirings and firings, gasoline/ grocery/ ticket lines – you name it – we will fight each other seemingly to the death if we don’t agree with something for it. You don’t like what someone says on a plane? Kick their a**! Don’t like the mask they’re wearing? Kick their a**! Don’t want to pay luxury taxes to small market teams? Refuse to field any players or teams…STRIKE! Not to mention all the unnecessary bombing and warmongering going on in the world.   

ALMOST ANYBODY FIGHTS … EVEN THE ONES WHO CLEARLY CANNOT 

Where did all these a**kickers come from? I’ve never seen so many people (most of whom honestly can’t fight) balling up their fists and letting it rip! Women just the same! It’s just odd to me. I always thought I was the one with had a somewhat of a short fuse, but it appears the saying, “If you live long enough, you’ll see it all” really applies more now than ever.   

WHAT’S THE SOLUTION? 

Perhaps it’s a confluence of so many negative events dovetailing – and combusting – in real time. Or maybe it’s something else. Am I missing something, or are you do you seeing the same thing? If you asked me, I would like to see this kind of energy going towards rebuilding roads and bridges, relieving student debt, cleaning up the environment, and getting a grip on our dependence on foreign energy.  All I know is we need to collectively try another path. Because this one isn’t solving anything.  Otherwise, I don’t see us having a whole lot left to argue and fight over in the end!   

Any ideas?   

See you in the spring!   ☀️🍃 ☀️🍃☀️🍃

-A.N. 

DEUCES WILD !!🏈🏈

A Closer Look

with Anthony Newcombe

Date: 2/2/2022 – Deuces Wild!!

🏈This month’s topic: the NFL, its owners, and its ways 🏈

So, it finally happened.  Just yesterday, as NFL football fans began digesting the results of the playoffs, we ran into some serious image headwinds for the league and its owners.   

The “Circus” 

Brian Flores, the former head coach of the Miami Dolphins (via Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots organization), has filed a class action lawsuit against the league and three of its teams. This ranges everything from bribery (see Stephen Ross, the Dolphins’ team owner) to interview sabotage (against John Elway & Co. with the Denver Broncos).

What else?

It also includes a “preemptive filling of a head coach position” he hadn’t yet interviewed for (with the New York Giants) that was discovered by virtue of a botched congratulatory text intended for a different Brian (new NYG head coach, Brian Daboll, from the Buffalo Bills)!  We couldn’t write a fable for television as intriguing as this is already turning out to be. 

What does this all add up to?

As I’ve been told by elders during my childhood while playing ball and breaking a few windows, it’s not good … at all.  We are talking about a league that is extremely image-conscious, has certain “rules” in place that are clearly ignored, and is run by owners who tend to pay attention only to issues that which will enrich them further as opposed to addressing difficult topics that would make things better for everyone in the long run.   

The real problem 

Call it what you’d like, but I’m going to say what I’ve always said, and that is there is very little “willingness to change” the way the NFL (and its teams) operate today.  Sure, there is a “Rooney Rule” in place, and the majority of the league’s players and starters are Black. However, there is but one (1) head coach (Mike Tomlin) who reflects the number (and type?) of players who are the helm of the sport and league’s  success currently.  

I ask you to look away from the NFL for a moment and towards the National Hockey League (NHL).  Ask yourself:  what would it seem like if the supermajority of players were coached and owned by some other (i.e., non-White) group of people?  Would anyone notice or would nearly everyone notice? That, my friends, is the real problem.  The issues stemming from this area are byproducts of the real problem.   

Find a solution 

Now that the proverbial “cat is (entirely) out of the bag,” we should ask ourselves the hardest questions of all: What is to be done about this? How and who should be compensated for their loss(es), and what will it take to move forward from this and ensure that real change is implemented, and we never see this happen again? 

Any ideas? 

See you next month (after most of you guys thaw out!) 

-A.N. 

Profile

Anthony Newcombe is a 4-time entrepreneur, author, and narrator. He can be reached for appearances through our Contact Page.

A Closer Look … Misuse-of-words-English-People-Incorrect-Wrong-

A Closer Look

with Anthony Newcombe

Let’s take a closer look

A “Blast from the Past” Edition (so much fun, we’ll re-publish it!) 

Flubbing our words and phrases?   

nother vs. another (“That’s a whole nother world”) 

Uh, NO it is not.  But it IS a whole incorrect sentence.  I’ve sat in professional meetings, witnessed intelligent people on television and interacting on large city streets misuse this term over and over.  How about “a whole OTHER” perhaps? It’s easy to remember because all you have to do to not be wrong is simply drop one tiny letter, the “a” 

uncharted vs. unchartered (“We’re in uncharted territory”) 

Here lies another constant.  It is used with such frequency that even we may, at times, become confused as to which is the correct choice.  When navigating areas (or waters) that are unfamiliar are we “in uncharted waters” or are we in “unchartered waters?”   

I always believed, being part of the general “charter” community, that the correct usage would be unchartered; meaning “not ever having sailed through these waters.”  However, if we think of “uncharted” waters, we could reflect on our childhood where gold, treasures & stuff existed – and envision other option of “attempting to navigate a map without any defined charts.”   Who knows…? 

pacificly vs. specifically (“I was pacificly talking about the last time I saw him”) 

We probably first heard this one around the holiday dinner table spouted from the mouth of our Aunt Ida.  ‘Pacificly’ is NOT a word.  Just noticing all of the red underlining will tell you that spellcheck specifically disagrees with you.  However, “pacifically” IS an actual word, but is still incorrect if used in this situation.  It may refer to a large body of the earth’s ocean separating numerous islands that we would love to charter (or chart). 

relevant vs. relative (“It’s all relevant!!”) 

No, it is NOT.  My understanding is of ‘relevant’ is that which is pertinent to or important to something else.  ‘Relative’ is more of an “it depends” or “relates to.”  See? It’s easy to remember… 

supposably vs. supposedly  (“She was supposably the one…”) 

Supposably is just horrible all the way around.  (Again, see all of the red in spellcheck if you don’t trust me) It sounds like you took the wrong advice of your Uncle Vito from that fantasy sports commercial.  However, it is a never-ending misuse of a pretty cool word…supposedly.  “Supposable” is supposedly a word, whereas “supposably” is a sign of, well, incorrect grammar. 

misconfuse vs. misconstrue  (“He misconfused what I said to him”) 

This was one I heard about a decade or more ago on one of those live court television programs where an actual hitman in a criminal case testified using (or misusing) one big word after another.  It was so amazing that I couldn’t turn the television off and was late to the office as a result.  However, it continues to be a source of humor that my spouse and I still occasionally giggle about to this day. 

One final note 

Back in high school (a few years back), I recall a hilarious moment in English class when our teacher informed us that one of her students required a tongue-lashing for incorrectly using a transition.  In a nutshell, the student stated his idea in one sentence but then attempted to transition it with a new sentence beginning with “Another words” instead of “In other words.” Though I felt bad that the teacher publicly shamed him (she’d probably be fired for it in today’s class), I must admit that I laughed at it as much (and as loudly) as anyone.   

A ‘word to the wise’ (Oops, I mean “words” to the wise) 

  • K.I.S.S. (no, not the Gene Simmons variety) 
  • K-E-E-P 
  • I-T 
  • S-I-M-P-L-E 
  • S-I-M-P-L-E-T-O-N 

Anything you have to say? 

-A.N. 

HE DID WHAT?!  THE SUPREME COURT

⚖️What’s going on in our Supreme Court? ⚖️

A Closer Look … 

with Anthony Newcombe 

⚖️This month’s topic: Allegations of bribery in our Supreme Court  ⚖️

I guess it really does not matter which side of the aisle you put yourself. The bottom line is there cannot be rampant bribery allowed at the highest levels of the judiciary! Period. 

Even if we were talking about a Supreme Court Justice whom you agreed with, the fact that we are even in the midst of something so destructive to our country should be enough to make your skin crawl.  

Let me digress. Imagine if we simply sat back and allowed criminals to rob us of our belongings, kidnap our children, or beat us to a pulp when we are standing in a line at a convenience store.  

Imagine if we allowed a random shooter to wind his way through the city and mow down everyone and everything in his sight. How about thinking about enabling a rogue police officer to roam about the city having his way with anyone he encounters? 

The answer is (or at least hopefully is) we would never stand for any of these. So, if we really want to show the country that we care for it, we’d better hitch up our straps, think seriously and DO SOMETHING before NOTHING IS PUNISHED. 

We cannot keep looking the other way. We need the concept of law & order to come from the very top. If not, we cannot expect our citizens to behave. No “self-policing,” “honor system,” or the like. We spend enough taxpayer money on so many things that aren’t nearly this consequential to our future. We can do better in this area too, correct? What is there to hide?

We need independent oversight with teeth. If we do not get it straight, we cannot expect those committing the crimes to do it for us. Exactly like we expect it done in our communities. 

What do YOU think? 

-A.N. 

PROFILE

Anthony Newcombe is a 4-time entrepreneur, published author, narrator, and full-stack web developer.

Golf is FUN!!

A Closer Look …

with Anthony Newcombe

white round medication pill on green grass field

Photo: Credit to Markus Spiske on Pexels.com

This month: Golf’s Hole-In-One

It might be … it could be … IT IS!!

Wow! You did it! What a feeling!

A – HOLE – IN – ONE!!

It doesn’t matter if you make one at a par 3 course, a full-length municipal course, a private course, or a tournament course, there is a certain type of celebration that only one type of shot generates.  That, of course, is the HOLE IN ONE celebration.

Everyone in the vicinity turns into sort of an antique: they freeze, gawk, point, and then applaud the golfer who brings them this once in a blue moon moment.  From some old timer during a skins round on a retirement course to Tiger Woods  during a professional tourney, witnesses in general go completely bonkers for this privilege.

Not to brag, but I was fortunate enough to make not one but TWO holes in one in an 18-month span.  Unfortunately for my playing partner, he had to witness both.  And he’s a much better golfer than I’ll ever be. 

My philosophy: try to hit every pin I see (sucker-pin or not!).  His strategy: shoot within a 10-foot circle of each pin.  So, though he rarely (if ever) posted an 11 on his par-3 holes (like I have), he also didn’t give himself too many chances at an “Ace.” No risk, no reward I’ve seen somewhere.

While watching the final round of the Players Championship today, make a note of the percentage of fans hanging out on the island hole, number 17.  If asked, I’m sure most of them would admit they are diabolical weekend hacks who are just waiting to see a millionaire pro hit a bunch of balls into “the drink”/ a.k.a. “lake” surrounding it.

Others will admit they are looking to witness only the 23rd or so (don’t quote me, it’s close enough) ace in a professional round at TPC Sawgrass since its inception.  Few, it any, will drop their tee ball into the “Sunday hole location” in the back right swath of the green.  But, if it does somehow, you will witness absolute BEDLAM.  So, do what we all do: grab a snack, a cool beverage, an anticipate “the ace.”

It is, from one hack to many others reading this, THE MOST amazing moment in golf.  Of course, that’s IF you have the guts to go for it!

PROFILE

Anthony Newcombe is a 4-time entrepreneur, published author and narrator, and weekend golf hack who has broken more windows than he’d ever admit. He can be heckled on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and elsewhere online. He’s one of those who doesn’t believe in “bad publicity.”