The U.S. Open will dominate your TV viewing this week. But I highly recommend you supplement your golf experience with Bill Fields’ new book, Arnie, Seve and a Fleck of Golf History.

All of us in the media room know Fields, a senior editor at Golf World, is one of the best in the business. But his book really hammers it home.

It features a collection of Fields’ stories during more than 30 years of covering golf. There are terrific tales of familiar figures such as Sam Snead and Arnold Palmer. Yet some of best his work is on more obscure subjects, such as John Schlee and Jim Simons, both of whom met with tough times after strong finishes in the U.S. Open.

Fields literally was born into the game, growing up in Southern Pines, N.C. only five miles from Pinehurst. His writing elegantly captures the game’s rhythms and emotions. And he definitely knows how to tell a story.

This is a special week for Fields. He returns home to cover his 30th straight Open.

Here’s my Q/A.

What do you remember from your first golf story?

In high school and shortly after I did some local-results kind of stories for weekly newspapers around my hometown, including a story when I was 19 about one of the rare happy chapters in my competitive golf life—when I shot 68 (only time I have broken 70) in qualifying for a local tournament. Alas, normalcy returned with 78 and 82 the next 36 holes. I believe my first profile might have been on UNC golfer John McGough for The Daily Tar Heel during college.

How did you go about deciding what stories to put in the book?

It was more difficult than I thought it would be. I think the 30 articles are a good cross-section of my more substantive pieces over the years—and together take the reader on an interesting journey. But I’ve I’ve second-guessed myself a few times. I wrote a couple after the book’s deadline had passed (on Gary Player and Hale Irwin) that would have been nice to include.

What were your favorite stories? Who were your favorite interview subjects?

My profile of Sam Snead, written when he was 84, is a favorite. It included some personal interaction with him, including a round of golf that is one of my all-time experiences on the job. In small part because he was a fellow North Carolinian, recounting Billy Joe Patton’s great run at the 1954 Masters was a lot of fun. Bert Yancey and John Schlee: complex characters who never reached the pinnacle they were shooting for. Upon re-reading everything, I was very happy with my profile of Jimmy Demaret—my reporting was thorough and I believe I captured him well.

Why have you been drawn to doing so many stories about golf history? And why does golf history make for such good stories?

I have enjoyed history going back to grade school. It’s hard to know where you are or where you’re going unless you understand where you’ve been.. Working for Al Barkow, an excellent golf historian, for five years certainly was a factor. People seemed to think I had a good touch writing golf history, so the positive reinforcement makes you inclined to do more. It is satisfying to give readers a story that tells them things about a subject they didn’t know or reminds them of things they ought to know.

What do you enjoy writing more? Stories about big events such as Nelson’s streak, and famous players like Snead, or the more obscure stories like John Schlee and Jim Simons?

Sometimes the more obscure players have more drama in their lives, but big winners or bit players, most of them are complicated. Having Gene Sarazen tell me about working in a Connecticut hospital during a terrible flu outbreak as a young man before becoming a golf professional—his job was taking the dead to the morgue—puts golf problems in perspective. I’ll never take anything away from today’s generation, but achieving greatness when life, much less golf, was harder, is something that shouldn’t be forgotten.

What did you learn about yourself as a writer while going through this process? How have you evolved through the years?

Overall, it was pleasing to go through the stories again (and again) and feel that they hold up, that there is a consistency to the quality. I’ve always cared a lot about my work, and I hope that shows in this collection. I’m as insecure as most writers probably, thinking you have to prove yourself over and over.

You grew up a few miles from Pinehurst? What does it mean to you to cover an Open there?

It’s very cool. It was a special place when I was growing up, and although it’s grown and changed, it still is. This is the 30th consecutive U.S. Open I’ve covered as a photographer or reporter, and to have that milestone occur this week has a nice ring to it. I think I can safely say I’m the only writer there who was a standard bearer and took down gallery ropes and stakes at pro tournaments on No. 2 Course in the 1970s. Those were fun times, and so are these.

The Giants, Steelers and Bears, all eligible under the new criteria to get “volunteered” for Hard Knocks, might have been sexier choices. But there’s potential with the Atlanta Falcons, who will get the full HBO treatment this year.

There are some good storylines with the Falcons trying to recover from a terribly disappointing 2013 season. Coach Mike Smith probably has to win this year, or he’s gone. And Matt Ryan has some national appeal.

At least, we’re not getting another dose of the Bengals, who were featured for the second time in five years last summer. Even then, the shows were riveting. Hard Knocks always delivers.

Here’s the official release from HBO.

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HBO Sports, NFL Films and the Atlanta Falcons team up for an all-access look at what it takes to make it in the National Football League when HARD KNOCKS: TRAINING CAMP WITH THE ATLANTA FALCONS debuts in August. The first sports-based reality series – and one of the fastest-turnaround programs on TV – kicks off its five-episode ninth season, presented in HD, TUESDAY, AUG. 5 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO. Other hour-long episodes debut subsequent Tuesdays at the same time, with an encore play Wednesday at 11:00 p.m., culminating in the Sept. 2 season finale.

“We are thrilled that the ninth edition of the HARD KNOCKS series will spotlight the Atlanta Falcons,” says Ken Hershman, president, HBO Sports. “It’s exciting to feature a team, a franchise and a city for the first time on HARD KNOCKS.  We are grateful to Coach Mike Smith and the entire organization for agreeing to participate and look forward to what we expect to be one of the most exciting seasons in HARD KNOCKS history. The series has become one of the few summertime programs that is truly appointment TV and we can’t wait for the premiere on August 5th.”

“We’re excited to work with the Atlanta Falcons and HBO Sports on HARD KNOCKS,” says Howard Katz, COO of NFL Films and NFL Senior Vice President of Broadcasting. “We want to thank Arthur Blank, Thomas Dimitroff, Mike Smith and the entire Falcons’ organization for the trust they have in NFL FILMS by allowing us unprecedented access into their training camp.  The Falcons present numerous storylines with a veteran coaching staff, star players and newcomers all coming together to attempt to rise up back to the top of the NFC.”

The cinema verité series will focus on the daily lives and routines of players and coaches as the Atlanta Falcons, who play in the talent-rich NFC South, conduct the franchise’s 49th training camp and prepare for the 2014 NFL season. HARD KNOCKS: TRAINING CAMP WITH THE ATLANTA FALCONS will chronicle seventh-year head coach Mike Smith and an intriguing mix of high-profile veterans, emerging stars, free agents and rookie hopefuls throughout training camp and the four-game preseason schedule. Each week, players will experience drills, instruction, meetings and fun, while striving to prove they have what it takes to make the team and leave their mark on the NFL.  The Falcons have earned a postseason playoff berth in four of the six years that Smith has been at the helm.

“We are excited about the opportunity to give our fans a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to prepare an NFL team for the rigors of a 16-game regular season and beyond,” said Falcons Owner & Chairman Arthur M. Blank. “This marks the first time that our franchise will be featured on HARD KNOCKS and we look forward to showcasing our great players and coaches to football fans all across America.”

A 30-person NFL Films crew will be at the Falcons’ training camp at team headquarters in Flowery Branch, GA, shooting more than 1,500 hours of footage over the course of the series. Camera and sound crews will have unencumbered access to the players’ and coaches’ meeting rooms, training rooms, living quarters and practice fields.

“We are looking forward to connecting with our fans across the country as the program chronicles our 2014 training camp,” said Falcons Head Coach Mike Smith. “The series will give fans a behind-the-scenes look at the competition between players as we build our roster and prepare for the season. We are looking forward to the start of camp in late July.”

Two summers ago HARD KNOCKS moved its premiere night to Tuesday and the results have been a resounding success. The five-part series on the playoff-bound Cincinnati Bengals last August averaged 3.6 million viewers per episode.  No other sports reality series can match the critical acclaim, awards and audience numbers posted by the HARD KNOCKS franchise.

HARD KNOCKS launched with the Baltimore Ravens in 2001, followed by the Dallas Cowboys in 2002. The series resumed in 2007 with the Kansas City Chiefs, winning a Sports Emmy^®. In 2008, the series returned to the Dallas Cowboys, receiving a second Sports Emmy^® for production excellence. In 2009, HARD KNOCKS spotlighted the Cincinnati Bengals and captured two more Sports Emmy^® Awards, for Outstanding Edited Series/Anthology and Outstanding Post-Produced Audio/Sound. In 2010, the New York Jets were featured and the series captured three Sports Emmys^®, including Outstanding Edited Series/Anthology. The summer of 2012 spotlighted the Miami Dolphins, earning the franchise an eighth Sports Emmy^®, in the category of Outstanding Post-Produced Audio/Sound.  The Bengals were featured again in 2013 and the series captured three more Sports Emmys^®, bringing to 11 the number of trophies awarded to the franchise for production excellence.  Last summer’s spotlight on the Bengals was recognized with the Sports Emmy^® for Outstanding Editing, Outstanding Music Composition/Direction/Lyrics and Outstanding Post Produced Audio/Sound.

Each of the last four teams featured on HARD KNOCKS has improved its won-loss record in the regular season that immediately follows the training camp presentation.

Time Magazine called the show “riveting,” while NFL.com hailed the series as “undoubtedly the greatest football program in the history of the television medium.” Business Week observed, “As a workplace drama, it ranks among the best on television,” and New York’s Daily News termed it “the gold standard of sports reality programming.” ESPNW wrote: “The return of the NFL season also means the return of one of the best shows on television, ‘Hard Knocks.’  This rare look at how any given moment can be the end of a season or even a career.”  Grantland.com observed, “Hard Knocks is when it really feels like we’re getting football back in our lives.”

The big day is here.

While the majority of English-speaking viewers will watch the coverage of the World Cup on ESPN/ABC, a few will tune into Spanish-speaking Univision.

Lead announcer Pablo Ramirez’s call of a goal is universal in any language.

Univision’s World Cup plans:

All 64 matches will be live across television and digital platforms. 56 games will air simultaneously on Univision Network (broadcast) and Univision Deportes Network (cable) and 8 will air on UniMás (broadcast) and Galavisión (cable), also simultaneously.

Each day Univision Deportes will air “Copa Mundial en 30” and “Copa Mundial en 60” – (World Cup in 30, World Cup in 60) – the day’s two best matches condensed to 30/60 minutes.

The Univision Deportes App (which has navigation in English) will stream all matches and offer the most personalization and best social media user experience of any WC app. The first 56 games can be viewed via the app without signing in on any desktop, tablet or smartphone.   Starting with the quarterfinals on July 4 and continuing through the Finals on July 13th, viewers will need to sign in with their participating pay TV provider account.

SI.com’s NBA writers had an interesting discussion about Gregg Popovich during a roundtable on the site.

They didn’t discuss his coaching abilities, which are considerable. Instead, they focused on his complete disdain for the in-game interview with sideline reporters.

The consensus seems to be that “Pop” needs to get with the program.

From Lee Jenkins:

The man makes $6 million a year, in part because ESPN and Turner pay the NBA $7.5 billion to broadcast its games. Popovich clearly believes the in-game interviews are intrusive and unnecessary, and maybe he is right. But the TV networks, who foot so many of the teams’ bills, have reason to think different. They’re not asking for a fireside chat. It’s 30 seconds with Doris Burke, a consummate pro who usually asks thoughtful questions, and deserves professional answers. As someone who is privileged enough to have interviewed Popovich away from cameras, he can be incredibly engaging and insightful. It’s a shame we can’t see that side all the time. We’d learn a lot.

Richard Deitsch:

The sideline reporters who interview him also know the gag. Trust me, they have good relationships with Popovich away from the camera.But you also wish Popovich would drop the Charlie Bronson act every once in awhile because he’s very bright guy who could provide the kind or thoughtful and in-depth analysis that Joe Maddon does in baseball. The sideline stuff doesn’t bother me —like I said, I dig the non-conformist streak —  but his act in the press room does. He’s too often dismissive of questioners and he can come off like an ass. He’s too smart a guy to do that, even if some of the questions he gets are awfully constructed.

Chris Ballard makes the case that Popovich is right and that the in-game interview should be eliminated.

Though you could also go with “painful” or “awkward”. I get that networks are trying to provide viewers with as much perspective as possible, but the entire concept of an in-game interview with a head coach is flawed. Why would the coach provide an honest answer? Why would he divulge anything of note? Worse, everyone knows it’s a big charade — the viewers, the hapless interviewer, the annoyed-looking coach. Popovich’s performance may be grating to some but it doesn’t bother me. In fact, he may be accomplishing the opposite of what he hopes to accomplish, as his angry/laconic/pissed interviews are unfailingly entertaining in a Larry David kind of way, thus making them the lone argument for why the in-game interview should be kept.

Want to give a heads-up to a new show featuring New York Times columnist Bill Rhoden on EPIX. Details below.

EPIX, the premium entertainment network, announced today that the premiere of a new 30-minute special series, “Personal with Bill Rhoden,” will air on Wednesday, June 11 at 8pm ET with a pair of America’s most elite athletes and personalities, NFL Hall-of-Famer Calvin Hill and his son, recently retired NBA superstar Grant Hill.

Recorded last month in Atlanta, the show will touch on many of the current topics in American sports, from the Donald Sterling situation to race relations and the changing views and acceptance of the LGBT community to the on-going issues professional athletes and men of color face in society today.   In the discussion, Grant talks frankly about his dealing with Sterling and the challenges of being a professional athlete today, while Calvin gives his unique perspective on the same issues from the vantage point of both a parent and a legendary star in the NFL.  Bill Rhoden, an award-winning sports journalist with The New York Times, conducts the up close and intimate interview.

As far as being alive to see your own funeral, Rick Reilly probably did the right thing in deciding to give up sportswriting.

His farewell column on ESPN.com also included a special package with a who’s who in sports picking his favorite columns.

Glad to see there was a nice picture with Reilly and his good friend (and mine), Gene Wojciechowski. In the friends department, they don’t come more loyal than Geno–except when he’s trying to beat your ass in golf and fantasy sports.

Reilly went personal for his last column, focusing on his father and becoming a man in the business:

I am the son of a drunk, a man who was much too concerned with where his next whiskey was coming from than where I was going.

He didn’t discipline me. Didn’t advise me. Didn’t father me. Hell, most of the time he didn’t even know where I was. And my trembling mother was much too terrified of him and his sloppy temper slamming home to worry about what I was doing.

So when I got a regular byline in the town paper before my 21st birthday, I was as wild and unruly as the mop of hair on my head. I had a voice and a license to use it, but not one lesson in how. I hurt people just to make a name for myself. Just because I could.

My first beat was the Colorado women’s basketball team and I came out slashing. Until, one day, a retired coach named Sox Walseth came up to me. His hair was white, with matching caterpillar eyebrows, and he wore a cardigan. He put a hand on my shoulder and said, “Son, you’re not going to get very far writing articles like the one you did today. These people shouldn’t have to read the cheap shots you’re taking at them. You can do better than this.”

I looked right back at him, stuck out my bottom lip, and began to cry.

I was so starved for a father that this man I hardly knew was suddenly thrown into the job. I’m sure he was as confused about what was happening as I was, but he took me to his chest and hugged me.

And from the tributes, one from Peyton Manning:

Rick’s “silent treatment” article is one that sticks out to me when I reflect back on what he has written over the years. Only Rick Reilly would think of watching football with a couple of professional lip-readers. I probably wish I wasn’t one of the quarterbacks that he watched play that day and was not proud of the language that the lip-readers saw I was using in that game. As I said in the article, I knew my mom was going to be disappointed when the story came out. But it was a pretty clever idea for an article by an outstanding writer.

It was just one example of the creativity that he always had in his articles, and it’s a reason why Rick Reilly is truly one of a kind as a writer.

Andre Agassi:

I always loved it when Rick would write outside the box, give you something other writers might not try. He did a hilarious, touching one about his son. I loved it.

Now that I’m a parent, it rings truer than ever.

Dave Barry:

Well, it’s not really a column, but Rick’s piece back in the 1980s about Jim Murray is one of the finest profiles I’ve ever read. Rick has always been funny, but underlying the humor is the meticulous craftsmanship of a great writer. Also, he’s tall, which really pisses me off.

I agree. Being a sportswriter, the Murray piece was my favorite. In fact, I am going to read it now.

My latest column for the National Sports Journalism Center at Indiana University is about why I am more excited to watch the U.S. Open than the World Cup.

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The World Cup and the U.S. Open both start on Thursday. Guess which event I am more excited to watch?

As a child of the late ‘60s and ‘70s, soccer wasn’t on my TV menu during my formative years as a sports fan. Instead, I have vivid memories of Johnny Miller’s final round 63 to win the 1973 U.S. Open at Oakmont. The United States Golf Association reacted with a ridiculously hard course set-up the following year that led to the “Massacre at Winged Foot.” From that point, I became addicted to watching the world’s best golfers be tormented in the Open.

So while the rest of the world will be hyped up for the first World Cup matches from Brazil Thursday, I will settle in for some golf at Pinehurst. In fact, while I am channel-flipping over the weekend, I am more likely to tune into my beloved White Sox than a World Cup game.

By no means is this a put-down of the World Cup. I will be watching more matches than ever before. I’m curious at seeing the spectacle from Brazil.

But it won’t necessarily be appointment viewing for me. Not like the U.S. Open. I already have informed my father-in-law that I will be late for his annual Father’s Day barbeque Sunday because I want to watch the entire final round.

The problem with soccer for me, and others of my generation, is that we didn’t grow up with the sport. I’m a sure if I was born in England, I would have been a huge soccer fan. I definitely would have an encyclopedic recall of World Cup history.

However, when I was a kid, I had no idea there was a World Cup. The only world that meant anything was the World Series. Who was the winning pitcher for Game 7 of the 1971 World Series when Pittsburgh beat Baltimore? That’s easy: Steve Blass. Meanwhile, the extent of my knowledge of soccer history doesn’t go much beyond Pele.

I really have tried to get more into soccer through the years, especially recently. I think it is great that the sport, at least the international version, is gaining a foothold in the United States.

In fact, with NBC and NBCSN ramping up coverage of the Premier League this year, I thought this was my opportunity to really get into soccer. I wanted to jump on the bandwagon. I finally figured out what had been missing for me: I needed a connection to a team. I had to have a rooting interest.

I didn’t want to do the conventional thing and root for Manchester United. That would be too much like choosing the Yankees to be my team in baseball. Ultimately, I selected Tottenham. They seemed like a good next level team and Tottenham sounds so very British.

I actually attempted to watch a few of their matches. But like everything else these days, it all comes down to a matter of time, and not enough of it. Between watching all of my core sports, I just couldn’t squeeze in another one. Sorry, Tottenham.

Again, I’m not saying soccer isn’t interesting. Listen, I understand for many soccer fans, baseball and golf can be duller than spending an afternoon trying to renew your license in a department of motor vehicles facility.

But for me, and others, those sports are ingrained in our DNA. The connections run deep and they do last a lifetime. More than 50 years of being a diehard White Sox fan and frustrated golfer in my case.

The difference can be seen in my teenage boys. They are excited about the World Cup. They are 24/7 viewers of ESPN, and as a result, they have been sucked in by the network’s avalanche of hype for the event. The World Cup now is part of their formative years as sports fans.

That bodes well for soccer in the future. Soccer needs the younger generation far more than mine.

As for me, I anticipate I will watch the World Cup much more than ever before. The ESPN hype has seduced me, too. Perhaps I might even get caught up in some of the stories of the players and countries, and that will pull me in even more.

But I also know what ranks on my sporting agenda. This week, I will be more into watching the guys chase the little ball in Pinehurst than the big ball in Brazil.