Crowds.

I never was intimidated by large groups of people.

I grew up going to NY Giants football games where the stadium was filled to the brim every home game with 67,000 roaring fans.

I started my football journey at age 4.

My mother never knew that my father would send me into the stadium on my own with $10 for a knish and soda. I would find my way to our section never fearing crowds, drunks or pushy people. My dad would bring a beach chair and sit outside the stadium reading the Sunday New York Times until 30 minutes before kickoff. Our favorite security guard would hold the chair and paper until we exited the game.

I spent decades attending rock concerts overflowing with insanity. Fortunately, I was usually backstage or by the sound booth.

More recently, I worked at the U.S. Open with throngs of pushy, privileged people in attendance. I got by.

Now, I hate crowds because this country is so violent.

Reading about a young mad man shooting up an In-N-Out Burger shop on a Saturday afternoon in Twin Falls, Idaho reinforced the notion that you really have to be vigilant and constantly on red alert in public.

This is an unpredictable time everywhere in the world,  but especially in the United States with lax gun laws and crazies open carrying weapons into public places such as supermarkets in Florida.

Nowadays, I like to observe mostly from a distance. Give me a huge flat screen TV and let me enjoy events from the safety of my own home, only having to fear my own reaction to Giants or Yankees victories and defeats.