It has been a minute. This summer has already been filled with all the sports and entertainment a girl could ask for. First, I saw Beyoncé in Chicago in mid-May at Soldier Field (wow I can say I’ve been on an NFL field.) It was like my World Series. I was going to say my Super Bowl, but I saw my Packers beat the Steelers in Dallas in 2011 and that was glorious. I think the Cowboy Carter has surpassed that for me. It was truly life changing. Beyoncé is a star athlete, tenfold.

Mid-June came and I got to go to my first ever professional golf event, and it was a big one — the U.S. Open at Oakmont. It was a tough course to watch so I can’t even imagine how the players felt. The weather was classic Pittsburgh summer – hot, humid, and always threatening rain. I went Thursday, Friday, and Sunday and walked nine miles per day. It was awesome, in every sense of the word. I got to see the greats of our time play — Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Justin Rose, Shane Lowry, Tommy Fleetwood, Collin Morikawa, Xander Scheuffele, Viktor Hovland, etc. Shoutout to Lanto Griffin, who helped us get tickets and who we followed for the first two days.

It was a classic Pittsburgh event — sports, beer, and a highway in the middle of it. What a wild construction! There is literally a turnpike splitting the course in two. I didn’t love feeling like cattle being herded across the bridge but alas it was humorous and on point for having fun in Pittsburgh. And did I mention the weather? The lack of shade was egregious. There was only one oak tree at Oakmont. Thank goodness for sunscreen, emotional support water bottles, and ponchos.

It was also a new hat day! For me and all the dads. There was so much merch to choose from. The merch “tent” was no tent at all. In fact, it was the size of a Dick’s Sporting Goods. Thank goodness I got my swag on Thursday because by the time I went back on Sunday the men’s side of the “tent” was ravaged, with barely anything left. There was still a ton on the women’s side — a classic tale.

I’m now a bigger golf fan than when I first went. You may even call me a dimple head. Although, I still am a seam-head at heart. Baseball has been baseballing this summer. The Pirates can’t lose, and the Yankees can’t win?! What backwards universe are we in? The All-Star break can’t come soon enough for most, and I can’t wait to see what happens at the trade deadline. Although I feel as though Devers to the Giants will be the biggest trade we see this season.

Also, Backyard Baseball is back, and it is so much fun. The announcers, Sunny Day and Vinny ‘the Gooch,’ are my new heroes. And speedy Pete Wheeler has the best chirps (said in a southern drawl) — “I bet you can’t hit a touchdown.”

In other personal news, I got a piece published in Belt Magazine — check it out here: The Sky Belongs to Him – Roberto Clemente’s Poetry.

Hope everyone is having a great summer and enjoying all the sports!

Cheers!

Sarah

P.S. It is still too soon to talk about the Oilers loss. Boo Florida.