Commentary: Oakmont, site of this year's U.S. Open, is a cathedral of the game

Certain expectations have been established for the 125th U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club. There's bound to be drama. Whether it was Dustin Johnson staving off five players within four strokes in 2016, Angel Cabrera edging out Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk nine years prior or Jack Nicklaus' iconic win over Arnold Palmer in 1962, that's pretty much a given with this event. (It's also without mentioning, at least formally, the final-round 63 shot by Johnny Miller in 1973 or Ernie Els' victory in 1994 that required 20 playoff holes.) We also know there will be difficulty. USGA officials talked last month about the 5-inch rough. They've been hoping and praying for dry-and-fast conditions, anything to push that winning score over par on a golf course that isn't exactly easy to start. But there's a third thing I'm really looking forward to experiencing during the U.S. Open, which arrives at Oakmont for a record 10th time: competition at its highest level being played at a legitimate cathedral of the game. It's a term that gets thrown around in sports, maybe too much. However, when it comes to Oakmont, it's absolutely deserved. Oakmont is a bucket-list venue for many sports fans, and it's right here in our backyard, an anchor site for the U.S. Open and one of the premier golf venues in the country. "You can't buy history," U.S. Open managing director Jeff Hall said. "You just can't. I'm a New York Yankees fan, and to see old Yankee Stadium come down, even with its warts, that was a cathedral." Hall's absolutely right. It triggered a thought for me: Which North American sports venues (that are still active) qualify as Cathedrals of the Game? I consulted my good friend and successor on the Pirates beat, Noah Hiles, who does a great job with this stuff. It's certainly not comprehensive, but here's our starting list: MLB: Dodger Stadium (Dodgers), Fenway Park (Red Sox), Wrigley Field (Cubs) and Rickwood Field (Negro Leagues history). NHL/NBA: Madison Square Garden (Rangers, Knicks), Bell Centre (Canadiens) and United Center (Blackhawks, Bulls). NFL: Lambeau Field (Packers) and Soldier Field (Bears). NCAA football: Rose Bowl, Notre Dame Stadium, Cotton Bowl, Michigan Stadium (Michigan), Ohio Stadium (Ohio State), Tiger Stadium (LSU) and Bryant-Denny Stadium (Alabama). NCAA basketball: Cameron Indoor Stadium (Duke), Allen Fieldhouse (Kansas), Assembly Hall (Indiana) and Pauley Pavilion (UCLA). Golf: Augusta National Golf Club, Oakmont Country Club and Pebble Beach Golf Links. Other sports: Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Daytona International Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway, Churchill Downs, Arthur Ashe Stadium and Franklin Field (Penn Relays). Who'd we miss? Because there's simply no way for everyone to agree on something like this. Which is probably the opposite of traversing the grounds at Oakmont. This place is something everyone simultaneously loves and hates, a track that's torturous but also gorgeous and steeped in tradition. "You could get off an airplane in Tokyo and say 'Oakmont,' and people know what you mean," Hall said. Far be it for me to argue, but have you ever thought about why we love certain sports venues? Dodger Stadium, Fenway Park and Wrigley Field are aesthetically pleasing (though logistical nightmares). There's also the history. Yes, they've been redone, but you still feel like you're walking through a museum. For others, perhaps it's the magnitude of events hosted, iconic bowl games or in the case of MSG, the most popular entertainers anywhere. I haven't been everywhere on that list, but I know there's a different feel to hockey in Bell Centre than damn near anywhere else. There's a mystique, a feeling like you're about to witness greatness or that there's a ghost whistling around the place, eager to transport you back in time. It's certainly why around here we may think of Forbes Field, Civic Arena or Three Rivers Stadium as Cathedrals of the Game. I'm not old enough for the first one of those, obviously, but every single time I've touched the remaining wall, I've gotten goosebumps. Stories from Steve Blass, the history you can learn by reading ... those of you who experienced it don't need a 41-year-old telling you it was special. Just know I'm jealous. The Igloo and Three Rivers are different. Countless memories with my dad. The smells. The unique layouts. The teams and players we saw. For many in my generation, cathedrals. Oakmont deserves its own chapter, which I hope you'll take time to appreciate this week. Last month at U.S. Open media day, USGA chief championships officer John Bodenhamer talked to us about the Church Pews, the Piano Keys, the 175 bunkers and so much more. Awesome stuff. But I was equally as enthralled by the locker rooms, how spike marks remain from Nicklaus and Hogan, how the wood, memories and course layout endure, how Oakmont understands its place and only changes when it's absolutely required. We've lost too many cool venues in sports. I'm the weirdo who adored Joe Louis Arena (Red Wings) and Northlands Coliseum/Rexall Place (Oilers). I saw the press box at RFK Stadium in D.C. before the one at PNC Park, which could be our other cathedral if the team was better. I don't love the direction we've skewed in sports, with big, fancy and expensive far more prevalent than the cozy buildings packed with memories. That's why I'm grateful for Oakmont and its cathedral-ness, the slice of history we know it represents. "In a lot of team sports today, there's modernization and a bunch of technology," Hall said. "Owners are building stadiums in municipalities and want a return on investment. "We're trying to preserve (Oakmont and other famous courses), so there's a connection between the player who wins here in 2025 and what others have accomplished." I also like how Bodenhamer put it when talking about how the USGA prioritizes its Cathedrals of the Game. "Cathedrals have special moments," Bodenhamer said. "Many have grand sanctuaries. Some of our cathedrals are religious experiences when you walk down the 18th fairway with a lead in a U.S. Open. "This is certainly a magical place."