Live and let Levi

So we finally got to go to the new Levi stadium, home of the putative SF 49ers. In the same way that people are omtting redskins from the Washington teams name, so it should be with the 49ers. 

Unless the name is supposed to be a comment on their distance from SF?

 Getting there is easier than the old stadium, from the East Bay, at least, with no toll to pay which gets an automatic star in my eyes. 

There are multiple wallet gougingly priced parking areas which were  there beforehand and are now making the nearby companies a little extra cash in these hard pressed, internet boom times. Anything less than $40 and you've got yourself a bargain!

Walking up to the stadium, we passed the local train stop which is conveniently placed close to the main entrance.

Security and ticket check was quick and well manned, at least it was 2 hours before kick-off.

The main entrance is up a large, wide stairwell allowing good flow of people, before and after the game.

For 100 club levels, there are separate ground level entrances on the left and right sides. Here is where one of the weird incongruities exist. There are 10 SEPARATE clubs within the stadium. And you can only go to the one you are assigned to, which always makes you want to see the others because they must be, you know, better.

The stadium itself has the usual seating on one side and on the home side? A monolith. I guess they took design lessons from the Stanley Kubrick school of design because that thing is imposing. tHe walkways are wide, with lots of room and there is an outside ring to bypass the  concessions if you want to get from point to point quicker.

We walked around the stadium and went to all the levels and the views, even from the  vertiginous 400/sherpa level, were pretty good. The Bud light and Pepsi levels are SRO spaces with basic views, good mingle space and some of the only free seating in the whole place. While up there, the cheerleaders came on a walk about for some photo ops. From here, if you look up, you can see the large screens , if you can't watch the game,

The food choices are good with the usual burger, hot dog, pizza holy triumvirate we've come to expect in a stadium. But on top of this there are Vegan choices at just about every stand. 

More interesting were the Bao buns and an excellent, no compromise curry which was unexpectedly good. All meals were around $12 irrespective whatever you eat. Alcohol, the mainstay of football, is over $10 a beer which isn't bad if you own a Silicon Valley netwerking company but a little OTT for the rest.

Water is over $5  bottle which is pretty rude, considering that half  the crowd is seriously  dehydrated by the end of the first quarter due  to the  non-relenting sun. Yup, because  when you get to your seats, you'll find that, unless you're  in the club seats on the monolith side, you're going to be sweating like a horse's butt. After a race.

This will probably improve by the end of the year when the temperature goes down but at present you feel the full effect of the sun. 

The seats in C114 were extremely comfortable, well cushioned but very close to the seats in front. I had an aisle seat so it  wasn't so bad. They have little hooks on them but god knows why as ladies aren't allowed to bring in their handbags anyway!

With club level in 114, there is  a lounge underneath the seats with a large, airconditioned space with  some seating scattered around which quickly filled up with refugees from the  sun.

In the lounge there's a weird sort of motion action computer game which is visually impressive and advertising the wares of some IT company.

At the end of the game, exit was via the club exit which saved a bit of time over the main concourse. Police weren't quite sure where to let people cross the road to get to the car parks which was really something that should've been a bit more prepped for considering this is the third or fourth function. With hot, tired and drunk people this could've caused a scene. I'm sure it will  improve.

Overall a positive experience, way nicer than candlestick. Those who prefer the old stadium are really looking through rose tinted specs. But premium seating is horrifically expensive. Printed seat price was $438 though I paid less than a third the night before. And these were on the away team side and not even the premium "all you can et" invitees of the bank seats.

I'd like to experience the home side to see the differing lounges and facilities but I'll wait till the novelty factor wears off and the resale pricing settles.

Pebble Beach at last

Many moons ago when I wore a younger (and slimmer) man's clothes, I used to enjoy video games. This was less about fluid, integrated motion. More like supercharged pong.

Indiana Jones, Leisure Suit Larry, Command and Conquer. Instant classics anda lot of fun. But among the sport games there was one that stood out for my brother and I; Jack Nicklaus' Greatest 18 Holes of Major Championship Golf .

And amongst those there was one course that stood out; Pebble Beach. Maybe it was the proximity to water. Maybe that people lived on this legendary course. But for whatever reason, it was a somewhere I wanted to see.

Cut forward 30 years and I finally got to see it properly. The occasion was an invite to the Nature Valley Golf Open; a retirement nest egg for some pretty good golfers of yore.

The first tee.

To get there it takes 2+ hours form the East Bay, so while on SF's footstep, it's just a bit outside (to paraphrase Bob Uecker). Driving in they impose a $10 entrance fee which is reimbursed if you eat/drink there.

There's a putting green with surrounding plaques of founders, players and of course Bing Crosby; wonderful singer and austere father.

Bing and others


The clubhouse is a gorgeous, imposing place with trophies lining the walls from Golf tourneys and the Concours d'Elegance; a car competition and auction. It feels like a place which shouldn't let me in and yet... it's public! And as casual as a Californian supermarket. Well, maybe a Wholefoods.

Went there on the best kind of visit; a freebie. Got to sit in a private room and watch the golf the way it should be watched; on TV.



That's John Daly's blonde head in the center of the screen. Thankfully can't see his pants

But this was Pebble Beach, so we walked the course. Or at least the water bordered part.
And it was beautiful. Manicured course in the way a tournament course is, with rough that wouldn't be out of place on a baseball/cricket field. It is a residential course, though with properties at prices that would buy a small African country


Hole 6


And 7

The beauty of this championship is that it had Golfers names I could recognize. And put a face to the name.







I recognized the names and faces of Langer, Vijay Singh and Tom Kite amongst many, many more. 17 in total that I knew well.

That Golf has lost popularity since the Tiger went down is indisputable. Nike has shut it's Golf division down, based as it was on one man who ended up having less than a ramrod back. Dick's have decreased the pros employed and Golfsmith filed for bankruptcy

There are approximately 15,204 courses in the USA, down from a high of 16,052. I used to play on a regular basis but haven't picked up a club in 4 years. Now I'm not saying I'm wholly to blame but it just isn't as appealing to the young; what with the time it takes, the cost of equipment and the cost of playing. And since Tiger went down, there really hasn't been the superstar that people find to inspire or emulate. My own kids look at me as if I'm mad if I suggest they try it out.

But it's always fun to watch the Ryder and President's Cups when they do come around, like most big events. And it was fun to see these guys, most of whom have made enough to retire comfortably, play the game for mostly pleasure.

Who won? Not even sure but my walk around the course wasn't spoiled.