Anyone watch the ryder cup???

[a kennedy]

http://www.rydercup.com/2008/usa/ I'll watch, happy local boy Steve Stricker is on the team....kinda different Tiger isn't on the team. :patriot:

[Kingofalldems]

1. I'll watch, but it is now way over-hyped.

[Awsi Dooger]

2. I'll watch it wire to wire

Starting at 5 AM here in the Pacific. Once the Olympics ended I've been thinking of very little else, in terms of sporting events.

The Ryder Cup is phenomenal, one of the handful of absolutely great sporting events. You can tell how special it is by the tension level, terrific players reacting so differently than they would in a normal event, even a major.

It's very simple what happened: The Ryder Cup format lends itself to close finishes, once it was expanded to Europe and not merely the UK, but for more than a decade it was basically ridiculous how tight and dramatic the matches were, coming down to the final hour if not the final hole or two. I remember telling friends there was no way it could continue that way. Then the past two renewals it slanted absurdly the other way, to 18.5 to 9.5, an incredibly unlikely slant.

You've gotta believe this version will be tight. I have a feeling the USA will pull it out at home. The mythology is Europe is a huge favorite. I couldn't stop laughing tonight when Scott van Pelt of ESPN, and formerly of The Golf Channel, said during the Louisville/Kansas State game that Europe was a "prohibitive favorite."

The betting odds are:

Will Europe retain the Cup (earn 14 or more points)?

Yes: -150
No: +130

That's the money line equivalent of a 2.5 point favorite in a football game. Hardly a heavy chalk. It means bet 15 to win 10 on Europe or 10 to win 13 on the USA.

On edit: I forgot to mention one obscure aspect of the Ryder Cup: NBC's theme music for the Ryder Cup is awesome, the da-da-da-da stuff. It really adds to the drama on Sunday when they cut away to a brief commercial and play that music. It's the most distinct sporting event TV music I can think of, along with the Olympic theme and Wimbledon.

[Jack from Charlotte]

3. I find it amazing how psyched out The Gringos are..........

Rather than just saying..... F*ck it. We're better. Let's just play golf.... They're all pissing themselves. And these team captains are a joke. They add to the pressure. Remember that idiot Texan Hal Sutton... AKA... "Halimony?" (He'd been divorced 5 times, at last count) Pairs Tiger and Phil together..... what an idiot. How'd that work out, Halimony, you stupid Clown.


Paul Azinger being Captain this year makes me .......ALMOST......... want to pull for the Euro's. I recall seeing him on Pat Robertson's 700 Club TV show back in the 90's. Railing on Clinton in the most vile, right wing hate speak you could imagine. A good, southern xtian hate spewer.

Maybe Anthony Kim can shows these gagging Gringo golfers what it's like to just go friggin' play and have a few laughs along the way.....but I doubt it.

[a kennedy]

5. D*mn with that info on zinger......shoot, I always kinda liked him...

I'll try to watch and close my eyes when he appears on the screen. Felt terrible Steve Stricker lost his round of four yesterday. :patriot: and how about that Mr. Kim??? Yikes, is he fired up. I love to see that.... :woohoo: :applause:

[Awsi Dooger]

7. Yeah, Azinger is a hard right winger

Hell, that's true of almost the entire tour. Not many of them are publicly vocal about it but there have been exceptions. Tom Lehman and Fred Funk come to mind, particularly Lehman. He called Clinton a "draft dodging baby killer." Funk has said he hates Democrats. I loved it when Lehman bombed as Ryder Cup captain last time. John Cook has also made some blunt comments, although not as hateful as Lehman or Funk.

In the early '90s I was clicking through the channels late at night and saw Azinger and Scott Simpson in the audience at Rush Limbaugh's TV show. Limbaugh mentioned the two of them, and Azinger was grinning ear to ear. I lumped Simpson as a wing nut based on that appearance but posters here have told me it's not true, that Azinger apparently dragged him to the show.

Anyway, the Ryder Cup was spectacular theater today, particularly the final hour of the afternoon matches. It was sitting at 8-5 with 3 razor tight matches, potential for anything from 8-8 to 11-5. It ended up 9-7 which means the USA should be able to win this thing, needing 5.5 points in singles out of a possible 12.

Robert Karlsson, Graeme McDowell and Ian Poulter were making clutch putts to keep Europe in this thing. I was rooting for Europe all day, so Sunday will be meaningful. But a handful of putting outcomes on 18 have tilted this thing toward the USA. Stricker made a great 20 foot birdie putt to clinch a half, then Karlsson missed a downhill 12 footer for eagle that would have won the final match outright. If those putts had gone the opposite way, I think Europe would have prevailed tomorrow, but a 9-7 deficit should be too much.

Regardless, the golf is spectacular. I realize it's fashionable to label the Olympics and Ryder Cup as overrated. Fashionable idiocy. I honestly wonder if actually viewing the event ever accompanies statements like that. The Ryder Cup overwhelms the majors. Hell, today was college football and there's no relationship. I love college football but compared to the Ryder Cup you might as well stare at a flat tire for 4 hours.

[a kennedy]

8. D*mn it.....

:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: I had no idea they were all the most people I detest.....

[a kennedy]

9. You'll hate this................"wear red for support of your team & country"

Team USA asking fans to be 'red-y' for Sunday singles

To the American fans who plan to attend Sunday's singles matches at Valhalla: Team USA captain Paul Azinger has a favor to ask. He wants to see you wearing your best red apparel in support of your team and country. http://www.rydercup.com/2008/rydercup/2008/usa/09/20/sea_red_092008/index.html

D*MN!!! I'll be wearing my #12 Rodgers jersey anyway so I don't have to comply, as if I WOULD EVER WEAR RED!!! NOT!!! :mad: :mad: :mad:

[ProfessorGAC]

4. I'll Be Paying Attention!

I like it. It's a rare team event. Even individual matches are often teams of 2. I think it's cool.
The Professor

[Doctor_J]

6. Enter since Hunter Mahan said these matches are "like slavery",

it's impossible for me for root for 12 slimy right-wing country club brats to win exhibition matches. When the economy crashes and they're playing for $5000 first prize, and actually have to win to put food on their tables, maybe these tools will earn a dram of my respect.