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Rory McIlroy’s ‘NFL’ answer provides glimpse into golf’s tightrope walk

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Brian Rolapp’s resume might run several pages long, but really it runs three letters.

N-F-L.

Three letters have plenty of meaning in golf, but in football they might be even more consuming. The new PGA Tour CEO’s journey into the top seat at golf’s largest professional tour ran almost exclusively through the NFL, the most profitable sports entity in the world. His agenda as the league’s leader on media rights and innovation transformed his career from an NFL intern to commissioner Roger Goodell’s right-hand man, and the NFL’s business from a few billion dollars to a few hundred billion dollars. It does not take an expert in the inner machinations of the PGA Tour to understand the appeal behind his candidacy for Tour leader: To bring a new three-letter word, NFL, to golf.

The logic is sound, if not absolute. Rolapp should want to implement some of the lessons that have made the NFL a smashing success over the last two decades. (He did, after all, help to make the NFL veryrich.) By every indication, he plans to do so. He teased “significant change” in his opening press conference as CEO.

But what kind of change is on the menu? And how much of the NFL is a good thing? As the calendar flips to the fall of 2025, that’s golf’s most important question.

“I say it in America all the time: Golf doesn’t need to be the NFL,” one of the pros Rolapp will be responsible for persuading, Rory McIlroy, said Wednesday. “It doesn’t need to be these other sports. Golf is golf, and that’s fine.”

McIlroy was speaking from the kind of endeavor that Rolapp might appreciate: A paid golf ambassadorship in India, where he is playing in this week’s DP World Tour Event. McIlroy is just the latest pro to participate in an event in the world’s most populous country — an untapped market for golf that could produce the kind of “global growth” often trumpeted by its executives.

He was speaking aboutsomething mostly unrelated to Rolapp’s change agenda in pro golf: The harshness that seems to permeate fan behavior in other sports, but has remained largely removed from golf.

And yet there was something intriguing about the timing of McIlroy’s comments. He enters India after his nearest exposure to the NFL-ification of pro golf — a hotly contested Ryder Cup at Bethpage in which McIlroy and his wife were the frequent targets of crowd ridicule far beyond the typical behavior of a golf tournament. Even in the moment, McIlroy seemed perturbed by the behavior at Bethpage — and by what it represented for his sport more broadly.

Now, with the Tour’s embrace of the NFL’s ideals in progress, McIlroy seemed careful not to let his enthusiasm for golf’s growth come at the expense of its individuality.

“I think [golf] can definitely grow,” he said. “But you also want to keep traditions and the values that make golf, golf.”

Of course, there’s been no indication that Rolapp (or anyone at the PGA Tour, for that matter) has an appetite for a Ryder Cup-style crowd every week on the PGA Tour. And McIlroy has made clear his stance as an agent for positive change in golf: dedicating no shortage of his waking hours in the early-2020s to efforts aimed at maintaining the Tour’s stronghold in the wake of LIV’s incursion.

But might there have been a bit of politicking in McIlroy’s answer? Perhaps.

“You don’t want your sport to be unwelcoming to newcomers. I absolutely get that,” McIlroy said. “But you also don’t want newcomers coming into the game and ruining centuries of traditions and values of what this game represents or what it up holds, as well.”

In many ways, McIlroy’s comments embodied the tightrope Rolapp and the rest of pro golf must now walk: Innovating without overstepping, revering the past but not clutching too tightly to it.

This is the world the Tour signed up for when it ushered in the era of player equity from a group of outside investors. It’s also the mountain Rolapp knew he would have to climb at the Tour before landing the lead job.

“I think there has to be a balance,” he said. “I certainly think that golf can grow but it can grow in a way where the people that are coming into the game still respect and acknowledge that this is a little bit different than other sports.”

Golf may be different, but it’s far from the only sport to face the modernization debate. Basketball detonated its regular season to create an “in-season tournament.” Football created a brand-new kickoff from thin air. Baseball introduced a pitch clock and a ghost runner and a bigger base and a replay review.

Some of those changes were accepted or even appreciated. Many were detested. It will be Rolapp’s job to find the balance.

The goal is to multiply the size and popularity of the pro game, ensuring a considerable financial windfall for all at the time of the Tour’s next TV rights deal at the end of the decade. That’s an image most in the golf world — particularly those cashing checks on the PGA Tour — can appreciate.

But in golf, nothing is as simple as three letters. Not even close.

Lakers get first glimpse of what Marcus Smart brings to the court

The Lakers†first practice of the week gave them hope of what they can look like whole when Marcus Smart takes the court.

Smart has been dealing with Achilles tendinopathy most of training camp and has been limited in practice. But coach JJ Redick said after practice Tuesday that Smart “did most of practice, including some live play.”

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Redick said LeBron James and Luka Doncic — along with Maxi Kleber (quad) and Gabe Vincent — did “modified, mostly individual work.â€.

“Marcus participated in some live [practice] and then was out at the end,†Redick said. “Yeah he was awesome. He was awesome. He, I think given the workload of today, I was impressed that he was able to sustain his level of intensity for as long as he did.â€

Redick said Doncic was out for “load management.†Then Redick laughed.

Smart has been one of the NBAâ€s better defenders over his career, winning defensive player of the year for the 2021-22 season while playing for the Boston Celtics and being named to the All-Defensive first team three times — 2019, 2020 and 2022.

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That will be a big part of his role with the Lakers, and during practice they got a glimpse of his defensive tenacity.

“Yeah, he guarded me a little bit at the first of practice,†Austin Reaves said. “You still feel that pressure. You feel the intensity that he brings on the defensive end, and that’s going to be big for us. We need that. We need him to be the best version of himself. With that communication that he brings, especially defensively, he’s been in the league a while. He knows how to win at the highest level. So, very excited to have him.”

After the Washington Wizards bought out his contract, Smart received several calls from Doncic about joining the Lakers.

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Smart eventually signed with the Lakers for two years and $11 million.

At practice Tuesday, Smart left an impression.

“He looked great. He was moving great,†Jarred Vanderbilt said. “But like I said, his main power is that heâ€s vocal. So being able to help the guys. Communicate, thatâ€s a big part of defense also. Being physical is one of them, but also being vocal, being able to communicate. I think he does both at a very high level. So, he can definitely help us on that end of the floor.â€

Vanderbilt is the Lakers†other top defender, his versatility allowing him to guard multiple positions.

He was asked to envision what the Lakers’ defense will be like with himself and Smart together on the court.

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“Aw, man, just causing havoc,†Vanderbilt said. “Not only physically but just vocally. Heâ€s a vocal guy as well, so itâ€s being the anchor of the defense, flying around, setting that tone defensively. Like, Iâ€m excited. I canâ€t wait to share the court together.â€

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At some point after practice, the Lakers were asked if any one texted them about James†cryptic post about “#TheSecondDecision†on Monday.

It left many wondering if James was talking about retiring.

He was not. It was about an ad for Hennessy that was posted on social media Tuesday morning.

“You guys are idiots,†Redick said when asked, laughing as he spoke. “We all knew it was an ad, right? No, I think most people that text me are also aware that it’s probably an ad, so it wasn’t. … Nobody was freaking out.â€

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Still, James is entering his NBA-record 23rd season.

“I just got a couple calls, like, ‘what is this?'” Reaves said, laughing.

Rui Hachimura wanted to know what was going on.

So he contacted James just to be sure.

“I mean, [I got] a couple texts. But I texted him too,†Hachimura said. “But he was using a [weird] emoji. I donâ€t even know. I didnâ€t understand at all. But he loves to do that type of stuff. Surprises, right?â€

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Basketball

Knicks defeat 76ers as Mike Brown offers glimpse at starting lineup plans

Head coach Mike Brownwon his Knicks preseason debut at the NBA’s Abu Dhabi Games, 99-84, against the Philadelphia 76ers. Miles McBrideled the effort with 12 points off the bench, with Karl-Anthony Towns adding 11 points in 17 minutes.

Mitchell Robinson was in postseason form, scoring seven points and grabbing 16 boards in 18 minutes. Mikal Bridges added 10 while the captain Jalen Brunson had a quiet six points and four assists.

The Knicks were without OG Anunoby due to a sprained left hand; starting in his place was Pacome Dadiet. Robinson was the fifth starter after much training camp mystery.

Here are the key takeaways…

— It sure looked like an overseas preseason opener out of the gates with some ugly turnovers and sloppy play early. A Dadiet offensive rebound and reverse and-one putback was the first bucket for the Knicks this season.

Tyrese Maxey looked in midseason form early with 10 first-quarter points on some quick takes inside. It took some time for New York to find their flow, but eventually Towns got some looks in transition and at the free throw line, scoring seven points in the first frame.

— It was McBride who exploded late in the period, hitting a couple threes and a fading two in a confident stint. He played alongside newcomer Jordan Clarksonand Brunson in a sneak peek at a new three-guard set as the teams went into the second tied at 25.

— As the first ended, Maxey tried to intercept Josh Hart’s dribble, and the Knick wing fell and hurt his lower back, flinging the ball into the stands in the process. The officials ejected Hart, ending his afternoon as he was helped back to the locker room area. After the game, the Knicks confirmed that Hart is dealing with a sore lower back, and the team will wait to see how he feels on Friday before deciding next steps.

— Sixers rookie VJ Edgecombe ignited in the second quarter, going viral for a ludicrous attempted poster over Robinson, and finishing the half with nine points. Both teams kept it tight for most of the half, until the starters returned and got to work.

Brunson slipped inside for a couple floaters while Bridges hit a couple as the Knicks used a 15-6 run to close the half up 53-43 as the Sixers shot 1-20 from three as a team.

— New York pulled the starters at halftime, letting the second and third units get some real burn after taking the long flight. The three guards fighting for one roster spot – Landry Shamet, Malcolm Brogdon and Garrison Mathews – got in early in the third and shared the court for a strong stretch to extend the league.

Brogdon hit a three, got a couple paint touches that led to corner threes, and recorded a steal and assist in his first six minutes. Mathews splashed three threes as part of a 22-5 run to give the Knicks an 81-55 advantage after three.

— Ariel Hukportiplayed his only six minutes in the third quarter, scoring six points and grabbing six rebounds in a team-high +13 stint.

The Knicks coasted from there, playing every member of their extended training camp roster.

Highlights

Up next

The Knicks take on the Sixers once again in Abu Dhabi on Saturday at 11:00 a.m.

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Colin Jost’s Ryder Cup TV debut provides a glimpse behind the curtain

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FARMINGDALE, N.Y. — At 7:30 a.m. in the middle of a downpour at Bethpage Black, the field of golfers on Ryder Cup Thursday shrunk to one.

While the rest of them waited out the rain inside, a single man stood under a makeshift tent at the side of a practice green and mimed his golf swing. One slow, sweeping arc after another. Finally, after a little while, the golfer was interrupted by a voice. He snapped to attention, turning his energy toward the TV set resting on the other side of the makeshift tent. A few feet away, one of the few lingering passersby cut through the sound of rain with a realization.

“Hey! That’s Colin Jost!”

To those outside the tiny bubble of golf media, it was not immediately clear why Jost, the longtime SNL cast member and successor to the Weekend Updatethrone held by such show legends as Seth Meyers and Norm Macdonald, was standing in the rain at the Ryder Cup.

At a Ryder Cup where the most notable live performer was the lead singer of a prominent Long Island Billy Joel cover band (Mike DelGuidice of Big Shot), Jost’s decision to add a week of TV work seemed trivial. He is, by most common definitions, an A-Lister, married to the actress Scarlett Johansson and participating in the most coveted day job in modern comedy. In addition to SNLstardom, he claims nearly 900,000 Instagram followers, a bestselling book, and an occasional side-gig as the host of Pop Culture Jeopardy.

Why is Colin Jost at the Ryder Cup? The long answer is boring: His pals at Omaha Productions and T-Mobile reached out about hosting an “alternate pregame show” at Bethpage at the intersection of College Gamedayand the Manningcast. The show, called Breakfast at Bethpage, would give golf fans a new way into the Ryder Cup led by a familiar celebrity face. The assignment would alsogive Jost the chance to showcase another quiver in a comedy skillset much broader than 30 Rock — giving Jost a second major sports hosting gig following the 2024 Olympic Surfing competition in Tahiti.

But why is Jost here, in the middle of the Thursday downpour, practicing a swing thought? The shorter answer is much more revealing.

“This is such a minor thing for me, but it’s making sure my club is the first thing moving back, not my hands,” he said. “I was working with this great PGA teacher, Ivan Foster, and I think he was quoting Bobby Jones. He said, ‘If you ever see someone whose hand moves before the club on the backswing, you should always bet against them.’”

Jost’s dissertation on the nuance of his swing tendencies continues like this for a few more seconds before he pauses and flashes a lightning fast smile.

“I think I’ve already lost the room,” he said.

Yes and no. The truth is that I’m closer to a rocket scientist than a swing instructor, but I did watch Jost and Eli Manning thoroughly dismantle their opponents in a match at the Celebrity Ryder Cup the previous afternoon. And I haveseen his distinctive claw grip with a long putter, which is more or less a scarlet letter for the golfingly insane. And I know that golf holds mythical powers over people at his intersection of high-IQ and relentless work ethic. So, yes, he’s lost me in the details, but he’s hooked me on the substance.

Why is he here at Bethpage? Because he loves golf, and because, to someone who loves golf, the chance to hang out at the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black is an offer you don’t refuse. The paycheck, the TV show, and the chance to forge a name in sports media? That’s all helpful too. But the biggest deal is not that he is Colin Jost, the Weekend Updateguy from SNL; it’s that he is Colin Jost, the 8.1 from Rockland Country Club.

There is something deeper than rock and stick that makes Jost love golf. Something that could perhaps be informed by his more than two decades as a writer and a cast member on the SNLstaff, surviving the nearly ceaseless grind of a new show, a new host, and a brand-new set of ideas each week. Jost says he has sought wisdom from On Writing, Stephen King’s legendary tome on the craft. He learned from reading that good writing is actually not very complicated.

“There are no short-cuts. You can’t do it part-time. Or whenever you’re in the mood to do it,” he says. “You just have to do it.”

Jost also knows (perhaps a little too well) that good writing bears an inherent humility. Principally, it is about going from a lot to a little.

“Writing is just rewriting,” he said. “Getting things shorter is always making it better.”

Of course, it does not take a genius to recognize this worldview could also be applied rather directly to golf — a sport with lots of humility, few shortcuts, and a mostly perilous path to lower scores. Jost does not make this connection on a rainy Ryder Cup Thursday. Perhaps he hasn’t.

Or perhaps, to the TV star at the center of a practice green at Bethpage Black, it’s just obvious. Nobody winds up at the Ryder Cup by accident. It’s the sort of thing you drop everything to do … even in the pouring rain.