Welcome to this Sunday’s Third Degree: Tough, Brief, Weekly Interrogations on matters public and private that force thinking and response. Today we target: Unbelievable

  • With baseball opening day time all over America and Masters week upon us, do we recall the incredulity of the boy questioning Shoeless Joe Jackson of Black Sox fame or infamy?
  • Does the Ken Burn’s estimation that in 1000 years America will be known only for baseball and jazz fail to appreciate the importance and impact of the Masters?
  • Will yesterday’s anonymously leaked ‘changes’ at Augusta make us say: “Say it ain’t so?”
  • Do such reports border on the unbelievable despite urgently needed response to regretful, but pressing, real world events?
  • With the Candida Auris, fungal infection causing alarming flesh eating necrosis and worrisome mortality levels, did settled science direct preemptive draining and fish kill at Augusta’s famed Eisenhower fishing pond?
  • Is it fitting that the dead fish will be buried on ‘moving day’ at the old, Eisenhower Pine site, that once much revered and reviled loblolly guardian?
  • Will diverting of the water from Ike’s pond to Raes Creek create such volume that renaming to Raes River is necessary?
  • For tongue in cheek, historians, perhaps Raes Runs is more fitting (the IBS afflicted John Raes privy located nearby)? Unbelievable butt?
  • Does the par 3, water guarded Hole 12 now wider, wilder and wetter give new meaning to “Amen”?
  • Actually, is Amen Corner also a matter of authenticated rumor with national intersectionality pre-occupation and anti-religious pressures demanding a more gender equitable and ecumenically oriented term?
  • Do members have a nickname for the stately, tree lined,Magnolia Lane? Does “Moremoolahdrive” pave the way to profit?
  • Can one revel in the enduring green jacket ceremony even though historic Butler cabin is on call to get a new name that is not considered subservient or anatomically offensive? Again, unbelievable?
  • In the Ripley, not Ridley, category does continued Augusta Pac-Man like expansion exacerbate climate change claims of too much?
  • If “too much” is the epitome of a control seeking, multi-mulligan, political and shoddy science climate conspiracy, go get ‘em Augusta National?
  • Do we sense a stabilizing influence in the apparent rejection of the John Daly proposal to champion beer drinking, smoking, shorts, shots and carts for the players during the final three days of play? Believable proposal from big John?
  • Is it even more believable that this column, focusing on the unbelievable, was written yesterday? Just an April so and so?

Socrates reminds: “The unexamined life is not worth living.” The answers and actions remain yours.

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