The Boys of Summer are Strong.

Gerald Narciso:

Brian Campbell did not have a Wikipedia page as of Friday night, but the amateur is making a name for himself at the U.S. Open.
 

On Thursday, Campbell shot a three-under 67, including seven birdies, finishing two strokes behind the leaders.

“I just wanted to treat it like any other tournament, not really think too much of it being the U.S. Open,” Campbell, 22, said.

Campbell competed in last year’s Open at Pinehurst, missing the cut by one stroke. He recently graduated from the University of Illinois, where he was an all-American. Athleticism runs in the family. His father, Don, a native of Quebec, played professional hockey in Europe. His brother Derek was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2014.

“It’s been pretty surreal, actually,” said Campbell’s father. “But he plays well, and he likes tough courses, so we’re not overly surprised.”

Campbell continued his strong play Friday morning. After back-to-back birdies on the second and third holes, including a spectacular 23-foot putt on No. 3, his gallery grew to 100 from his 10 family members and friends. At one point, Campbell was five under par, but he then struggled to a 72 and was one under for the tournament.

Though some of the marquee names on the tour have corporate logos on their clothes and equipment, Campbell was using a slightly haggard orange-and-blue Fighting Illini golf bag.

The last amateur to win the U.S. Open was John Goodman in 1933.

“I’m just trying to stay focused on what I am doing. I mean there’s a lot of golf left to play,” Campbell said.

Play in the Sunshine.

We gonna love all our enemies
'til the mirror falls off the wall...
We're gonna rock him.
We're gonna roll him.
We're gonna teach him that Love will make him tall.
Well that's cool, 'cause one day every day will be Judgment Day (in some way)...
We're gonna Play in the Sunshine.
(Turn all the lights up to  10...)*

Wanda Simmons, granddaughter of Daniel Simmons:

“Although my grandfather and the other victims died at the hands of hate, this is proof, everyone’s plea for your soul, is proof that they lived in love and their legacies will live in love. So hate won’t win. And I just want to thank the court for making sure that hate doesn’t win.”

Chris Singleton, whose mother, Rev. Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, was among those killed at a Charleston, SC, church, tells media 'love is always stronger than hate. So we just love the way my mom would and the hate won't be anywhere close to what love is'

Drummer, drummer:
Do your thing.
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* Songwriters: NELSON, PRINCE ROGERS
Play In The Sunshine lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

"He's growing more confident every game."

"He doesn't seem to have a heartbeat. He's so calm. He's Finnish cold."

"He's one of the most talented guys I see, watching him every day," Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa said of Teuvo Teravainen.

"But coming to this team, there are so many skilled players, they decided that instead of playing only a few minutes they put him on a minor team so he could play lots of minutes. Obviously, it's paying off. He's playing with such confidence.

Teravainen scored his third goal of the postseason to tie the game at 13:28 and then set up the game-winner. He was in and out of the lineup in the regular season and has been a healthy scratch a few times in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but the 20-year-old has steadily improved this spring and is evolving into the type of player his elite prospect status suggested.

That's Corey Masisak, NHL.com staff writer, reporting.

The Lightning were 41-0-2 when leading after two periods in the regular season and postseason combined. They were 9-0 this postseason when scoring first.

Tampa Bay held Chicago to 13 shots on goal through two periods, but the Blackhawks dominated the third and eventually broke through.

"I don't know if 'come to expect it' is the right way to put it, but we certainly believe in ourselves in our locker room," Blackhawks forward Patrick Sharp said. "We're never out of any game despite the score or how it looks out there."

Nature's Beauty.

or, Tuesday Evening Update.

In my humble opinion,
a sunrise beats a sunset,
but a moonrise tops them all!

(If you missed the full moon coming up last night, pink and grand, try again this evening.)

ADDED:

If you ever go across the sea to Ireland,
Then maybe at the closing of your day,
you will sit and watch the moon rise over Claddagh,
and see the sun go down on Galway Bay...

Call Me, Caitlyn.

* I guess you have to buy the magazine to find out the phone number inside...

Seriously though, I am disappointed at the pornographied image chosen for the coming-out cover.

I was hoping for an athletic-like female Bruce Jenner. Kinda 70s style. A Lindsay, say, or a Cheryl.

Not another overdone Hollywood woman, all trying to look like a childish Bratz doll.

Is that how we define the 21st century American woman? No thanks.

Caitlyn... The youthful name is telling... I feel for his younger daughters. Seems like he's not willing to grow up, as a man or a woman.

Competitive like that.

Full Moon Out There.

Full Strawberry Moon...
tomorrow night, officially.

ADDED: Also in the overnight hours, the Patriot Act expired!
Please, no more referring to the United States as the homeland.

Lowest-common-denominator thinking applied to military strategy* and domestic surveillance techniques appears to do more internal damage to the country's fabric than any blows inflicted domestically in the culture wars. Just saying. (First amendment rights and all...) Trust, but verify. Verify hard...
-----------------


* "Hey kids, let's put on a show! Shocking and awesome? Now where shall we stage this thing? Iraq? Well, it's not like they attacked us or anything, but this Big Dog is ambling off the provincial porch, spreading things we got here -- especially guns and weaponry -- over there! Missionary work, sharing like. God bless the guns, and thank 'em for their service."

It's over.
Amen.