Posted on 09/22/2006 1:02:11 AM PDT by kingattax
The Ryder Cup has begun with the four-ball matches at the K Club in Ireland.
This isn't looking very good for the USA Team.
A chip in to take the EU to 7-3 over USA.
Durn.
Sorry,but that is nonsense.American fans USED to be wonderful but....
In 1999,European captain Mark James's wife was spat on in the crowd(and was verbally attacked at a function by an Irish-American woman who told her that 'you British should get the f*** out of Ireland'),and the father of Colin Montgomerie had to be protected by security staff after being verbally threatened by American fans.
Andrew Coltart also complained that US fans were not keeping quiet during European players shots on more than one occasion.
And I can remember some disquiet about American crowd behaviour at Kiawah Island in 1991.
Dear Scotsman
Perhaps we "Americans" should have kept an account of all the times we have misbehaved according to the rules of the motherland Europe/UK so we could be accordingly repentant.
I do hope it is "correct" they cheer when their players make a point or two. No doubt you will have documented anything remiss for future comparison. But then judging from some of the Euros I have met "joy" seems to be
unacceptable for any reason.
There's a difference between cheering when your team make a point and shouting out while a player is swinging to put them off.
You have completely misunderstood my point. A simplistic answer such as yours was without merit.
I am not in favor of any rudeness or ignorance during a concentrated and focused game such as golf nor would I condone it.
The coverage by NBC is disgusting, the players are demoralized and the two announcers should be fired for their complete disloyalty to the nation.
The players cannot hear them therefore they could be more informative than merely pointing out every mistake made.
The audience know the game - we don't need to be talked down to by hearing about the "bad day" they are having.
The usual PGA announcers are missed by this family.
Do you load up your big guns outta the gate and count on the match being even with the first 4 players or do you hold back?
...and while we're at it, what should the European captain's strategery be?
Should he play it safe outta the gate and load up on the back side or should he go for the throat early and get this thing over with?
Inquiring minds need to know.
Sorry, I thought you were replying to the point about crowd behaviour.
And apparantly what the NBC commentators say on air is toned down compared to what they say off air - the NBC feed was being given to all the journalists in the media centre at the event:
"On air Johnny Miller, Dan Hicks, Bob Murphy and co are doing their best to sound positive despite the evidence of what is happening in front of them. Off air, between the advert breaks in the States, they are just ripping into their team.
They started talking about resting Tiger – who has played every game of every Ryder Cup since making his debut in at Valderrama in 1997 - and Phil this afternoon long before any British or Irish commentator dared to suggest it."
Oh, that last post was supposed to have a link:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/rydercup/2006/09/post_8.shtml
These are tomorrows match-ups:
1115 Colin Montgomerie v David Toms
1127 Sergio Garcia v Stewart Cink
1139 Paul Casey v Jim Furyk
1151 Robert Karlsson v Tiger Woods
1203 Luke Donald v Chad Campbell
1215 Paul McGinley v JJ Henry
1227 Darren Clarke v Zach Johnson
1239 Henrik Stenson v Vaughn Taylor
1251 David Howell v Brett Wetterich
1303 Jose Maria Olazabal v Phil Mickelson
1315 Lee Westwood v Chris DiMarco
1327 Padraig Harrington v Scott Verplank
Correct tactics from both captains I think.
Disloyalty to the nation? LOL. Oh, please.
Yup.
Who's front loaders will win...that is the question.
US needs at a minimum to earn 3.5 points with the first 4 to have a good chance.
Euros need to get 1.5 with their first 4 and it's all over.
IMO, the worst announcer is Jimmy Roberts. In one interview, Roberts tried to bait Lee Westwood into trashing the American players. Westwood was too classy to take the bait and, when Westwood tried to explain how the matches were all quite close, Roberts cut the interview short.
Just took a look at the Sunday lineups and I think both captains did just fine.
Some thoughts as we wait to see what happens:
----As for all the "NBC bashing", I can agree with it insofar as to say that it is irritating to hear it constantly. However, IMO, Johnny Miller is BY FAR the best golf commentator on NBC BECAUSE he isn't afraid to speak his mind. Follow me along this point for a minute and you'll understand where I'm coming from.
Frankly, with the exception of singles play, Tiger's Ryder Cup performance SUCKS. Look at his record other than in singles and it's EASY too see. Today, for instance, how many short putts did he miss(at least 5 by my count, and that was before I turned TV to the OSU game at 3:30)and this was after Miller and Hicks mentioned that Tiger on tour this year hit 354/354 puts in from inside 5 feet. You can see it in his face he is NOT interested.
ETW is the #1 player in the world no question. He will break records that no one else will. But, I'm not kidding when I say that the disinterest is there. There isn't prize money involved in this and I swear to God that's all he thinks about!!!!!
Look at all the partners he has had over the years and it's the same thing over AND over AGAIN!!!!!!!!
I would dance an Irish(I'm not Irish)gig if I hear Miller say that tomorrow. But he won't because T will win 4&3 and they'll be fawning over him again.
Rant over---now on with the thoughts!!!
----Please notice where Darren Clarke fits into the mix. If the U.S. doesn't come out quick and Europe keeps rolling, his match may decide things.
As I was just saying above, if DC didn't want to be playing ths week, everyone would understand. But he played last week because he wanted to do this in front of his fans. Genious caps pick be the wee welchman. I think Ian bears the fruit of his wisdom in the end.
----Studs and Duds after day 2:
STUDS---J.J. Henry, Vaughn Taylor, Zach Johnson, Sergio Garcia, Paul Casey, Darren Clarke
DUDS-----Eldrick, Lefty, Chris Dimarco(love the game though--GO GATORS!!!)David Toms, Scott Verplank, Robert Karlsson
----What happens Sunday??????
Realistically very difficult for the U.S. to win, but they won't go down without a fight. They probably start off winning 4 of the first 6 points BUT get no closer and end up losing something in the order of 15-13 ish.
LETS GET IT ON!!!!!!!!!
...and while we're at it, what should the European captain's strategery be?'
USA will have to start with their strongest players - Tiger and Mickelson and hope to put some pressure on Europe.
Europe should start strongly too, perhaps put up Montgomery and Garcia first. But they should save a few big guns till the end, just in case USA catch up on them.
I think Europe have got it just right. If Monty and Garcia get the jump on Toms and Cink, it's all over bar the shouting. Casey has been in excellent form, winning the World Matchplay tournament recently. I fancy him to beat Furyk too. The other matches could go either way.
I hope it's an exciting finish.
peak = peek
http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/rydercup06/columns/story?columnist=sobel_jason&id=2600101
STRAFFAN, Ireland -- With criticism and second-guessing always at a premium during the Ryder Cup, U.S. captain Tom Lehman's decision to bench red-hot J.J. Henry in Saturday afternoon's foursomes matches is sure to draw the ire of fans and pundits alike.
Of course, at the time Lehman spurned Henry he had yet to complete his eagle-birdie-par finish, so the skipper wasn't so wrong to believe his man had run out of magic. It was similar to the situation a day earlier, when Henry made four birdies in the final eight holes, most of which coming after Lehman had already named his afternoon lineup.
All of which tells us one thing: The Ryder Cup needs a few changes.
First, each captain should have more time to name his afternoon pairings. Let the final matches play themselves out, then they can name which guys will finish up the day.
Second, rather than blindly order their players for Sunday's singles matches, captains in this event should use the same structure as those in the Presidents Cup. It's simple: One captain names a player, then the other captain picks a man to match up against him. Then they switch order and choose 'em again, snake-format, like a fantasy football draft until both teams are fully invested.
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What do you folks think?
"rather than blindly order their players for Sunday's singles matches, captains in this event should use the same structure as those in the Presidents Cup. It's simple: One captain names a player, then the other captain picks a man to match up against him. Then they switch order and choose 'em again, snake-format, like a fantasy football draft until both teams are fully invested."
Not sure I would agree. The drama comes from the closeness of the match not 'fantasy' matchups and sometimes the less likely matches become the classic ones. In 2002, we would have been denied Phillip Price beating Phil Michaelson and Jesper Parnevik and Pierre Fulke each getting halves with Tiger Woods and Davis Love, under this system.
You are misunderstanding. We would have been denied none of those match ups under these proposed changes.
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By the way... after the U.S. took severe insults at the worthless U.N. last week, this major slap down (and it is continuing right now) by Europe in the Ryder Cup is not pretty.
Irish rain falling from the skies now and then.
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