Ryder Cup 2006 Reflection: What about Woods' and DiMarco's losses?
Without taking away from Darren Clarke's loss, I wonder why the US team did not rally around each other in similar fashion. I was really surprised that the US team did not rally around the fact that Woods' father and DiMarco's mother were lost this year as well. It appeared to me, having watched most of the matches, that the US team was playing without a purpose. As Lehman stated that the US team played with their hearts out... I don't understand why the US team didn't find a similar cause, when they had similar losses within their team, that the Euro's did. In fact, it almost seemed as though the US team was afraid to beat Clarke and friends, because it would have been immoral and unacceptable.
Also, with regards to Douglas's last post, Bill Clinton as 2008 captain... Especially in a political year, probably not going to happen. Also, Golf is a game of Gentlemen, and I doubt that Clinton and some of his antics would still allow him to be considered a "gentleman" in the golfing sense.
Finally, I loved Verplank's comments after he won. Basically, he stated his frustration with Lehman taking him out for the afternoon fourman matches on saturday. His point revolved around the fact that he realized that he wasn't playing with his best game, but realized that his job as a "teammate" was to make sure that Johnson, who was playing awesome, would maintain his composure and insure that his team would win their point. Sometimes, and I think that the US team has a hard time doing so in the "team" formats, partners are required to pick each other up and make sure that they are doing what is best for the team. I'm sure that many of us have played in events with guys who stomp around and bitch and moan after hitting bad shots and it affects us. There is something awesome about a player, who even if he or she is playing bad, still make you play better. That is what the US team needs more of.
One more thing... What was Lehman doing playing Phil and DiMarco together every match except the last one? Obviously, they were playing poorly together and maybe they needed a "shake up" from coach lehman.
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Clarke and his tour went public with his wife's illness a long time ago...it was the focus of the continent. Woods tried to keep his grief private, and succeeded. They were applauding Clarke because he was there at all, plus he excelled, only six weeks after his wife's death. That "cause" was a sidebar, not a reason the Euro's won, and nothing to wrap a Ryder Cup team around, and not the reason for the U.S. failure.
If you think we need a death in the family to "inspire" the U.S. Ryder Cup team, just look to Iraq. Dedicating the team to the brave soldiers and families who lost their children sure would have been inspiring. And that's not political...it's human.
So our team needed more animation and hugging and back-slapping? lol. Lots of robotic, unemotional sportsmen and women excelled without emoting, yukking it up, and generally acting like it was an elementary school playground, like the Euro's did. Ivan Lendal comes to mind. Vijay Singh comes to mind. Jim Furyk comes to mind. Barry Bonds. Whatever happened to the game face as popularized by Ray Floyd?
I think the U.S. team was too self-aware, self-conscious. They worried about their image and perception, instead of just relaxing. They need to keep it simple. They need to allow each player to just act normally, however he wishes. Why do we need a forced team personality?
We look for reasons upon which to blame our failure. The Euros were simply better in that format, and have been for a while. We choke, we fall down, we worry about how we look to the press.
Seeing Bill Clinton there made me sick. Sorry. He's out of his league with those gentlemen.
the most telling stat. and analysis came from johnny miller (as always).
in the last two ryder cups 23 matches have come down to the 18th hole and the US has only won one (1) of those holes!!!!! that my friends is astounding. that is the heart and sole of the problem - the US team turns into yellow belly sap suckers crying for their mommy's on 18 when the match is on the line.
forget about all the analysis paralysis - the key to getting the mojo back is to focus on 18 and to be ready and willing to win. we are not europe, we will never be like them, we don't have to be - we need to be who we are and make god damned sure we are ready when the match is on the line at 18. -- that my friends is the secret to our future success.
thank you again johnny - you are the man!!!!!!!
the most telling stat. and analysis came from johnny miller (as always).
in the last two ryder cups 23 matches have come down to the 18th hole and the US has only won one (1) of those holes!!!!! that my friends is astounding. that is the heart and sole of the problem - the US team turns into yellow belly sap suckers crying for their mommy's on 18 when the match is on the line.
forget about all the analysis paralysis - the key to getting the mojo back is to focus on 18 and to be ready and willing to win. we are not europe, we will never be like them, we don't have to be - we need to be who we are and make god damned sure we are ready when the match is on the line at 18. -- that my friends is the secret to our future success.
thank you again johnny - you are the man!!!!!!!
when the US was dominating the Brits iup to 1977 the solution was to bring in the rest of Europe to give some better balance. Now the europeans are dominating the US. Maybe now we should bring in the rest of North and South America and make it The Americas versus Europe.
Johnny Miller IS the man. His co-announcers hate him, though, because he is not P.C. He doesn't put golf up on a holier-than-thou pedestal, with funeral guitar music and talking about the players like they were Greek gods or warriors of epic tales.
These are talented kids playing a tough game under immense personal pressure. Miller puts all of this in perspective, then tells us the FACTS of history, not how "if only the Americans laughed more they might win more." B.S.
And, yes, the streaker butt was horrific. But he was wearing a thong, so he wasn't technically a steaker. He was a humanitarian.
:)
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