Readers could be scratching their heads trying to make a connection beween war time golf rules and the Super Bowl. Let me assure you there isn’t one which is the beauty of owning your own blog. I do not have to answer to an editor or pander to ratings, so anything goes.
As the Battle of Britain began to take hold in 1940, a bomb fell on an outbuilding belonging to Richmond Golf Club in Surrey, England. As a result, the club — rather than halt future rounds of golf — issued an incredible list of temporary golf rules to all members that took into account the potentially life-threatening conditions on the course:
- Players are asked to collect Bomb and Shrapnel splinters to save these causing damage to the mowing machines.
- In competitions, during gunfire, or while bombs are falling, players may take cover without penalty for ceasing play.
- The positions of known delayed-action bombs are marked by red flags placed at reasonably, but not guaranteed safe distance therefrom.
- Shrapnel/and/or bomb splinters on the Fairways, or in Bunkers within a club’s length of a ball may be moved without penalty, and no penalty shall be incurred if a ball is thereby caused to move accidentally.
- A ball moved by enemy action may be replaced, or if lost or destroyed, a ball may be dropped not nearer the hole without penalty.
- A ball lying in a crater may be lifted and dropped not nearer the hole, preserving the line to the hole without penalty.
- A player whose stroke is affected by the simultaneous explosion of a bomb may play another ball from the same place. Penalty, one stroke.
The talking heads were expecting a high scoring game between Super Bowl contenders New York Giants and New England Patriots. It was a natural assumption with two sharpshooters at quarter back: Tom Brady and Eli Manning. Surprisingly both quarter backs were subdued for long periods and the Giants eventually edged their great rivals 21-17.
The game was determined by two passes thrown by Brady and Manning. Four minutes were remaining in the fourth quarter and Manning was pinned deep in his own half. On third down he threw a perfect thirty yard pass to his receiver Mario Manningham who was covered by two defenders, but miraculously caught the ball on the edge of the touchline. The play was reviewed but it confirmed that Manningham caught the ball with two feet grounded before being bundled out of play. The Giants pushed on and scored the game winning touchdown.
A few minutes earlier, Brady found his favorite” go to guy” Wes Welker wide open, and threw a thirty yard pass which Welker would normally catch 99 times out of a hundred. Unfortunately this just happened to be number 100 and he inexplicably dropped it. The Patriots would not recover despite leading 17-15, and lost to the Giants for a second time in four years in the Super Bowl.
In an earlier blog I described the Giants as a mediocre team good enough to beat my Atlanta Falcons (which was true,) but wouldn’t hold a candle to the Packers or Saints. Better pundits than me thought likewise and were forced to eat humble pie. The key to their success was the return of several starters from long term injuries and the emergence of receiver Cruz as a star performer. However the catalyst was beating the Packers on their own turf at Lambeau Field.
Congratulations to the Giants and thank you for helping me win a steak dinner and a good bottle of Spanish Rioja from my illustrious associate Lord Getkin.
