David Toms

David Toms, our local golf hero, will play in the U.S. Open and British Open. On its face, that's not news. He usually plays in these two majors. This year is different. He barely made the "cut."

As you probably read recently, David decided to play in the Byron Nelson tournament in Dallas last weekend. By sitting out, he had a better chance of playing in the U.S. Open and British Open. That's just the way the system works. By playing and missing the cut, he jeopardized his top 50 world ranking. He did miss the cut, but all the stars aligned, and thankfully he did qualify. He went from 47th place to 50th place. He made it by the barest of margins.

It would be easy to say "congratulations," good things should happen to good people. David truly is one of the good guys.

But I will defend his decision to play in Dallas on a couple of levels.

First, it makes sense to play this close to home. Pros rarely get that opportunity. You have to take it when it comes. It also gives us fans a chance to see our favorite pro in action. It's hard for us to travel the tour, from West Coast to East Coast.

Secondly, David has done well in Dallas. This was one of those rare times he missed the cut. And he has been playing well, so why not go for it? The odds were in his favor. It was just one of those weeks.

Third, suppose he didn't make the top 50. Suppose he had to go through the grueling 36-hole qualifying. He said he would do it. At least, he would have given it his best. 

To be honest, I don't know that I would subject myself to qualify for the U.S. Open. I probably would pass. Like professional golfer Bruce Lietzke,  my old high school classmate, used to say, why torture yourself by playing the U.S. Open? Especially this year at Bethpage Black. If David decided to stay home and not go at all, I wouldn't blame him. How many 500-yard Par 4s do you need before it's just not worth it?

But David put it all in perspective for me, you can't win a major if you aren't entered. And, I guess, that really is the bottom line.

 

Sometimes, doing the same thing over and over can be death for a publication. 

Sometimes, doing the same thing over and over can be the best thing for a publication.

In the May issue of SB Magazine, you will find our annual Readers' Choice Awards poll. It's one of the good things we repeat each year in the magazine. This will be the eighth year for our awards. Every year, it's gets bigger and better.

Every year, we have thousands of votes from our readers. They are passionate about their favorite things to do in Shreveport-Bossier. 

Categories range from best Italian and Mexican cuisine, to the best place to gamble.

You can fill out the ballot in the magazine (the ballot also will be in the June issue), or you can go to our web site –– sbmag.net –– and vote.

Please, vote only one time. If you completely fill out your ballot, you will be eligible to win dinner for two at the fabulous Cambridge Club. 

Thanks for all your support, and I look forward to seeing who wins this year. 

Blogging -- Day 1

Here I am, blogging world.

It's exciting. It's fun. It's fascinating.

I don't know exactly what will happen next, but I'm looking forward to communicating with each of you about a variety of topics.

Journalists (and I consider myself one) are an interesting breed. We know a little about a lot of things. That makes us a great party guest, but you might not want us running a nuclear power plant. 

I do know something about Shreveport-Bossier City in Louisiana. As publisher of SB Magazine, I get to meet and interview a lot of interesting people. By its very nature, a journalist is part of what happens in a community.

In addition to this area, I've also had the opportunity to live in other parts of the United States. I was able to see the world from different perspectives. That knowledge lets you see different topics from a variety of views. You quickly learn there are more than two sides to every story.

So, if you have time, write me. I'm committed to blogging each day. I'm ready to listen, learn and give you my two cents, as well.

                                                                                                                                                     Mike