Feeling Freddie

Fred Couples hits his Masters dream into the water, Jim Nantz collapses

Fred Couples is the one who sent his Masters dream into the drink, but CBS announcer Jim Nantz felt it like a 7-iron to the head.

Couples was charging on Masters Sunday, giving hope to all 50-year-old multi-millionaires who've been divorced twice and just don't give a damn. Those tennis shoes Couples insists on wearing were scorching Augusta National's pristine greens. The former University of Houston star was within two shots of the lead with only eight holes to go on his balky back, with Phil Mickelson anything-but-the-surest-of-closers ahead. Then, Couples bogeyed 11, stepped to the tee on the par-3 12th and ...

"Oh no," Nantz wailed with the force of a performer on the stage at the Houston Grand Opera. "Oh no. Oh no."

As Couples golf ball settled to the bottom of the pond, Nantz was probably still screeching. I have the feeling CBS mercifully cut off his microphone at some point.

Yes, Couples and Nantz are former U of H roommates — a tidbit Nantz tries to work into every single story he tells. Yes, they're close. So close that Nantz probably calls Freddie to bid him good night (or at least dreams of doing it) at every opportunity. They are better buds than the crew from The Hangover. Understood.

Still ...

At some point, don't you have to divorce yourself from your personal allegiances and focus on making a good, objective, national TV call.

Nantz seemed much more hurt by Couples double-bogey water find on No. 12 than even the golfer himself. Freddie mostly just seemed to groan/shrug, a gesture that can be translated into, "What the hell did you expect? I'm freaky 50!"

Couples still performed better than Tiger Woods, in many ways, under this immense Sunday majors pressure. He's still in range of finishing in double digit red numbers as he heads to 18.

That's nothing to go opera tragic sad over.

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Concert News

Goo Goo Dolls slide into Houston on 2025 tour with Dashboard Confessional

Photo courtesy of Goo Goo Dolls

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The rock band Goo Goo Dolls will hit the road in 2025 with their Summer Anthem Tour, a 41-date trek that will include a stop at Smart Financial Centre in Sugar Land on Thursday, July 16.

The Houston-area date and one in Fort Worth on July 16 will be the second and third concerts on the tour after it kicks off in Phoenix, Arizona on July 13. The massive North American tour will continue through September 12.

The band, led by John Rzeznik and Robby Takac, will perform a career-encompassing set that will celebrate the 30th anniversary of their breakthrough 1995 album, A Boy Named Goo, and feature multiple songs from their 2022 album, Chaos in Bloom.

They'll be joined on all dates by special guest Dashboard Confessional.

Although generally considered a '90s band, Goo Goo Dolls actually released their first album in 1987. They waited eight years and five albums before their first major hit, "Name," which led the way toward songs like "Iris" and "Slide" becoming '90s anthems.

The band has released 14 studio albums in their career, and according to statement by Rzeznik, they are putting together a 15th release that may also be showcased during the tour.

A local pre-sale will be on Thursday, November 21 from 10 am to 10 pm before the public on-sale starts on Friday, November 22 at 10 am. Tickets can be purchased at googoodolls.com/tour.

Goo Goo Dolls will be partnering with Joe Torre Safe At Home for the tour, a nonprofit founded in 2002 by Ali and Joe Torre to provide healing and education services to youth who have been traumatized by exposure to violence including domestic violence, child abuse, teen dating abuse and sexual assault to help break the cycle of violence.

GOO GOO DOLLS LIVE

Saturday, July 13, 2025 - Phoenix, AZ - Arizona Financial Theatre
Wednesday, July 16, 2025 - Fort Worth, TX - Dickies Arena
Thursday, July 17, 2025 - Sugar Land, TX - Smart Financial Centre
Saturday, July 19, 2025 - Rogers, AR - Walmart AMP
Sunday, July 20, 2025 - Nashville, TN - Ascend Amphitheater
Tuesday, July 22, 2025 - Atlanta, GA - Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park
Wednesday, July 23, 2025 - St Augustine, FL - St. Augustine Amphitheatre
Friday, July 25, 2025 - Charlotte, NC - Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre
Saturday, July 26, 2025 - Raleigh, NC - Red Hat Amphitheater
Sunday, July 27, 2025 - Vienna, VA - Wolf Trap - Filene Center
Tuesday, July 29, 2025 - Boston, MA - LeaderBank Pavilion
Wednesday, July 30, 2025 - Saratoga Springs, NY - Broadview Stage at SPAC
Friday, August 1, 2025 - Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center
Saturday, August 2, 2025 - Wantagh, NY - Northwell at Jones Beach Theater
Sunday, August 3, 2025 - Philadelphia, PA - The Mann Center
Tuesday, August 5, 2025 - Bangor, ME - Maine Savings Amphitheater
Wednesday, August 6, 2025 - Gilford, NH - BankNH Pavilion
Friday, August 8, 2025 - Bridgeport, CT - Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater
Saturday, August 9, 2025 - Buffalo, NY - KeyBank Center
Saturday, August 10, 2025 - Toronto, ON - Budweiser Stage
Tuesday, August 12, 2025 - Cuyahoga Falls, OH - Blossom Music Center
Wednesday, August 13, 2025 - Chicago, IL - Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island
Friday, August 15, 2025 - Indianapolis, IN - Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park
Saturday, August 16, 2025 - Sterling Heights, MI - Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre
Monday, August 18, 2025 - Waite Park, MN - The Ledge Amphitheater
Tuesday, August 19, 2025 - La Vista, NE - The Astro
Thursday, August 21, 2025 - St. Louis, MO - Saint Louis Music Park
Friday, August 22, 2025 - Kansas City, MO - Starlight Theatre
Sunday, August 24, 2025 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Tuesday, August 26, 2025 - West Valley City, UT - Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre
Thursday, August 28, 2025 - Airway Heights, WA - Northern Quest Resort & Casino
Friday, August 29, 2025 - Bend, OR - Hayden Homes Amphitheater
Sunday, August 31, 2025 - Seattle, WA - Venue TBD
Monday, September 1, 2025 - Seattle, WA - Venue TBD
Thursday, September 4, 2025 - Berkeley, CA - Greek Theatre
Saturday, September 6, 2025 - Santa Barbara, CA - Santa Barbara Bowl
Sunday, September 7, 2025 - Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theatre
Tuesday, September 9, 2025 - Albuquerque, NM - Isleta Amphitheater
Thursday, September 11, 2025 - Oklahoma City, OK - The Zoo Amphitheatre
Friday, September 12, 2025 - Camdenton, MO - Ozark Amphitheater

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