The Road to the Ryder Cup 2014

Martin567 · 03-09-2014 03:59PM

Domo1982 wrote: »

As much as I like Harrington it would be hard to take him seriously in the locker room given his antics over the last few years

Lots of players have lost their games over the years. Form is a fairly transitory thing.

Rory McIlroy will be the only player in the locker room who could truthfully look at Padraig and say "I've achieved more in my career than he has". As Keano A Legend said above, if any player can't take Harrington seriously, then he is the one with the problem!

Keano · 03-09-2014 04:00PM

Telecaster58 wrote: »

You must have highlighted the wrong bits.
That said, Harrington played his golf almost exclusively in America, whilst Clarke has only been there over the last couple of years. I cannot think of one player he could be considered close to, or even have a relationship with, except McGinley. You might think that important but in a team event I think your relationship with the team is of paramount importance.

All the players bar probably Gallacher play the majority of their golf in the US now and have done for years. It's obvious you don't like Harrington. We get it.

Domo1982 · 03-09-2014 04:01PM

Jerry Seinfeld wrote: »

LOL!! What antics?? He lost his game, it happens. Jaysus!!!

P.S Unless he's trashed a few locker rooms in the last few years???

I'd like to see that!:)

No just the Happy Gilmore messing and playing with the electrodes all over his head....bit much.

I'm a big fan by the way - just that stuff is a bit cringy thats all

Telecaster58 · 03-09-2014 04:03PM

Keano A Legend wrote: »

You conveniently forgot to mention when bashing Harrington and what he brings is that he has 3 majors. You were very quick to throw majors around when talking about Lawrie and Lyle. If the player's cannot respect a 3 time major winner then they'll never respect anyone.

I said that Lyle brings more to it than Des Smyth. I said that Lawrie would be a better choice than Olazabal. I was not "bashing" Harrington, merely remarking that he was a poor choice and gave an alternative which I believe would bring more to the team. I fail to see what Harrington would bring to the team. He is not inspirational and, as has been remarked on before by players, is aloof and a remote figure. That is not someone you want in a team set-up

Martin567 · 03-09-2014 04:07PM

Telecaster58 wrote: »

You must have highlighted the wrong bits.
That said, Harrington played his golf almost exclusively in America, whilst Clarke has only been there over the last couple of years. I cannot think of one player he could be considered close to, or even have a relationship with, except McGinley. You might think that important but in a team event I think your relationship with the team is of paramount importance.

No, I highlighted the contradictory bits that don't make sense!

More than half of the current team play their golf almost exclusively in America. So long as any player is still playing on either tour (Padraig & Darren play on both), he will know all of the other team members. The very reasons you gave to support Darren & Paul Lawrie apply to an even greater extent to Padraig.

I explained in my previous post why Darren was never likely to be a VC on this occasion. He only has himself to blame.

First Up · 03-09-2014 04:07PM

McGinley has pretty well acknowledged that Harrington is there because he is his friend and you'd have to say that stacks up as a better reason than anything else put forward. It might be that McGinley feels he needs a pal in his corner and someone to bounce pairing etc ideas off. Fair enough but I frankly can't see Harrington having anything much to offer players who are routinely 15 shots ahead of him most Fridays.

Domo1982 · 03-09-2014 04:07PM

Martin567 wrote: »

Lots of players have lost their games over the years. Form is a fairly transitory thing.

But you just argued in the other thread that he was top of the world for longer than people think to diss poor old Monty!!

You cant run with the hare and hunt with the hounds Martin!!:)

Jesus Wept!

Keano · 03-09-2014 04:10PM

Telecaster58 wrote: »

I said that Lyle brings more to it than Des Smyth. I said that Lawrie would be a better choice than Olazabal. I was not "bashing" Harrington, merely remarking that he was a poor choice and gave an alternative which I believe would bring more to the team. I fail to see what Harrington would bring to the team. He is not inspirational and, as has been remarked on before by players, is aloof and a remote figure. That is not someone you want in a team set-up

People have very short memories.

Harrington has played in 6 Ryder Cups, Lyle 5 and Lawrie 2.

Harrington has 3 majors - the two lads 3 combined.

Yes his game has gone to pot but you please don't say they bring more to the table.

Martin567 · 03-09-2014 04:11PM

First Up wrote: »

McGinley has pretty well acknowledged that Harrington is there because he is his friend and you'd have to say that stacks up as a better reason than anything else put forward. It might be that McGinley feels he needs a pal in his corner and someone to bounce pairing etc ideas off. Fair enough but I frankly can't see Harrington having anything much to offer players who are routinely 15 shots ahead of him most Fridays.

If that's the criteria then McGinley & four of his vice-captains should pull out now and allow MA Jiminez to run the show on his own!

Martin567 · 03-09-2014 04:17PM

Domo1982 wrote: »

But you just argued in the other thread that he was top of the world for longer than people think to diss poor old Monty!!

You cant run with the hare and hunt with the hounds Martin!!:)

Jesus Wept!

I have no idea what you're taking about!!!

First off, I was never dissing Monty. I was just pointing out that he & Padraig have been inside the world's top 10 for fairly similar periods of time. That is a reasonable way of evaluating players careers over the years.

Lots of players have lost their games over the years and have desperately tried to get back to the previous levels, sometimes in vain. That is a fact. Those efforts are not "antics".

There is no contradiction in anything I said on either thread.

First Up · 03-09-2014 04:26PM

Martin567 wrote: »

If that's the criteria then McGinley & four of his vice-captains should pull out now and allow MA Jiminez to run the show on his own!

Not the only factor but I'm not persuaded that the players will be all that interested in the advice of someone who has been reduced to hitting trick shots on the range in search of his swing. Harrington is respected for his past achievements but I suspect he is a bit of a joke at this stage. McGinley will listen to him; I'm not sure about anyone else.

Trampas · 03-09-2014 04:42PM

I wouldn't have Harrington myself but can see why Paul selected him.

Don't understand Smyth and Torrance as they've been out of PGA and euro tour scene for years or decades even.

First Up · 03-09-2014 04:49PM

Trampas wrote: »

I wouldn't have Harrington myself but can see why Paul selected him.

Don't understand Smyth and Torrance as they've been out of PGA and euro tour scene for years or decades even.

Well Torrance is a former captain and Smyth has previous vice captaincy experience, although it is eight years ago. I had assumed Smyth was McGinley's Irish "confidante" in the set-up, but now he has two.

PARlance · 03-09-2014 09:33PM

Harrington was interviewed on Newstalk earlier, well worth a listen as is anything with PH.

Anyway, from what I gathered, as a former player his thoughts on vice captains used to be "that they were there on a jolly".... His exact words iirc.
And he didn't exactly paint the picture that he'll be doing a lot apart from being an ear for McGinley and making Bjorn coffee.

They're glorified concierges... The media has created these roles into something they're not. It's all part of the circus.

SaveOurLyric · 03-09-2014 09:47PM

Utter garbage alright.

Its like the arms race between Gillette and Wilkinson Sword : shave with one blade ? Now play the Ryder Cup with FIVE vice captains !

What does the captain do anyway ?
Select the colour of the uniforms. Tough one.
Pick the wild cards ? Meh. One or two already pick themselves anyway. The last spot is pick 1 from 4, and you can neither be right nor wrong.
Shuffle your players into pairs and playing order. No one knows what works or not. Spin a 'strong pairings together as bankers' or 'balanced pairs of experience and form' etc, etc.
After that? Just buzz around on a buggy, generally looking worried around the 17th or 18th tees, saying stuff like 'come on. you can do it'.

Could I have read that Paulie gets about £2M for the whole shindig ?

First Up · 03-09-2014 09:58PM

SaveOurLyric wrote: »

Utter garbage alright.

Its like the arms race between Gillette and Wilkinson Sword : shave with one blade ? Now play the Ryder Cup with FIVE vice captains !

What does the captain do anyway ?
Select the colour of the uniforms. Tough one.
Pick the wild cards ? Meh. One or two already pick themselves anyway. The last spot is pick 1 from 4, and you can neither be right nor wrong.
Shuffle your players into pairs and playing order. No one knows what works or not. Spin a 'strong pairings together as bankers' or 'balanced pairs of experience and form' etc, etc.
After that? Just buzz around on a buggy, generally looking worried around the 17th or 18th tees, saying stuff like 'come on. you can do it'.

Could I have read that Paulie gets about £2M for the whole shindig ?

I think you can get an idea of the role of the captain when you compare good ones like Torrance and Olazabal with bad ones like Faldo.

PARlance · 03-09-2014 10:03PM

First Up wrote: »

I think you can get an idea of the role of the captain when you compare good ones like Torrance and Olazabal with bad ones like Faldo.

I think it's a case of just avoiding an utter fcuk up (like Faldo).
Don't think there's any major skill involved.... Just make sure that everyone arrives on time for their tee... Ara sure Jose won so he'll go down as a legendary captain.

SaveOurLyric · 03-09-2014 10:05PM

First Up wrote: »

I think you can get an idea of the role of the captain when you compare good ones like Torrance and Olazabal with bad ones like Faldo.

Wasnt Faldo's fault. He didnt stand a chance - he only had two vice captains. one was Paulie, though, so clearly he learnt well from that experience....."If I ever get to be Captain one day, I'll have LOADS of vice captains. I couldnt loose then."

FixdePitchmark · 03-09-2014 11:45PM

I love the Ryder Cup - I loved it when Europe were the underdogs more.

But it has seemed for a while - the European's have been taking it much more seriously then the Us team.

Not feeling this one yet - but it grows on me as the week goes on.

I'm never comfortable with golf fans thinking they are football fans.

You have to be on the serious piss to take it this serious.

images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ0YlRlTV5U2g1ferQ97Pde4sJymjT86hkRAJ-Aykjj8zBEE3RE

images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ0YlRlTV5U2g1ferQ97Pde4sJymjT86hkRAJ-Aykjj8zBEE3RE

images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRuoRb2M2CxU1z0r_blKuEnSK7o_p-IGLRD9YuZFrF7uUr70UJO

FixdePitchmark · 03-09-2014 11:49PM

Mods ?

Any chance of a Ryder Cup thread.

My head is not working with all these threads

Who will win Poll would be a good laugh - show voters too ?

Telecaster58 · 04-09-2014 09:05AM

The Ryder Cup has lost a lot of its lustre and this is partly due to the Americans getting beaten every time. Can't be bothered to look it up but I thought I heard that they had lost 8 of the last 10. They will soon lose interest altogether.
I remember the "war on the shore" in Kiawah Island, and afterwards the US was so full of itself they declared that Europe wasn't good enough for them and initiated the Presidents Cup so that they could take on the Rest of the World

Rikand · 04-09-2014 09:40AM

Telecaster58 wrote: »

The Ryder Cup has lost a lot of its lustre and this is partly due to the Americans getting beaten every time. Can't be bothered to look it up but I thought I heard that they had lost 8 of the last 10. They will soon lose interest altogether.
I remember the "war on the shore" in Kiawah Island, and afterwards the US was so full of itself they declared that Europe wasn't good enough for them and initiated the Presidents Cup so that they could take on the Rest of the World

And from 1935 - 1983 Europe/Great Britain and Ireland only won once.

And Since Europe was added in it's 10-7 to Europe.

hmmm, maybe you're right. Maybe we should go back to GB&I to give America a chance

Telecaster58 · 04-09-2014 10:28AM

Rikand wrote: »

And from 1935 - 1983 Europe/Great Britain and Ireland only won once.

And Since Europe was added in it's 10-7 to Europe.

hmmm, maybe you're right. Maybe we should go back to GB&I to give America a chance

or put the Americans in with the ROTW!

ionadnapóca · 04-09-2014 11:12AM

I wonder will Harrington be designated to follow Garcia's match!

Rikand · 04-09-2014 03:41PM

ionadnapokot wrote: »

I wonder will Harrington be designated to follow Garcia's match!

Judging by recent press conferences, Garcia certainly seems to have forgiven and forgotten

Martin567 · 04-09-2014 05:04PM

Rikand wrote: »

Judging by recent press conferences, Garcia certainly seems to have forgiven and forgotten

What did Sergio ever have to forgive??

abff · 04-09-2014 09:38PM

Martin567 wrote: »

What did Sergio ever have to forgive??

The issue Garcia had with Padraig apparently went back to the Seve Trophy match against Olazabal. As they came off the 18th having drawn the match, Garcia is reputed to have said "Well done Padraig" in a very sarcastic manner. Whether this is true or not, I don't know, but that's the story that was out there.

Since then, Padraig has won two majors where Sergio finished second. So what, you say? But, if put in the context of Sergio holding a grudge against Padraig for a perceived slight against Sergio's hero Olazabal, it makes it particularly hard for Sergio to bear.

I may have got things totally wrong, but that's my understanding of the "issue" between Padraig and Sergio.

FixdePitchmark · 04-09-2014 09:54PM

abff wrote: »

The issue Garcia had with Padraig apparently went back to the Seve Trophy match against Olazabal. As they came off the 18th having drawn the match, Garcia is reputed to have said "Well done Padraig" in a very sarcastic manner. Whether this is true or not, I don't know, but that's the story that was out there.

Since then, Padraig has won two majors where Sergio finished second. So what, you say? But, if put in the context of Sergio holding a grudge against Padraig for a perceived slight against Sergio's hero Olazabal, it makes it particularly hard for Sergio to bear.

I may have got things totally wrong, but that's my understanding of the "issue" between Padraig and Sergio.

Golfers are a pain in the arse too.

From reading a few of their books. Some of the most innocuous things that are said - are turned into life long grudges.

In fairness - Sergio - I'm not a fan - long story

Mushy · 04-09-2014 10:20PM

If I didn't have 2 All-Irelands to attend this month, it would be a total drag until it starts.

cairny · 04-09-2014 10:20PM

abff wrote: »

The issue Garcia had with Padraig apparently went back to the Seve Trophy match against Olazabal. As they came off the 18th having drawn the match, Garcia is reputed to have said "Well done Padraig" in a very sarcastic manner. Whether this is true or not, I don't know, but that's the story that was out there.

Since then, Padraig has won two majors where Sergio finished second. So what, you say? But, if put in the context of Sergio holding a grudge against Padraig for a perceived slight against Sergio's hero Olazabal, it makes it particularly hard for Sergio to bear.

I may have got things totally wrong, but that's my understanding of the "issue" between Padraig and Sergio.

As far as I remember there was a bit more to it than that, at an earlier hole Olazabal was doing something, moving loose grass or something and Padraig is said to have passed a comment along the lines of 'doing a bit of gardening there Jose' Olazabal took it as an accusation, picked up his ball and conceded the hole.

After the round the. Segio did the sarcastic applause you describe.

I'd say that's well in the past now though.

The Road to the Ryder Cup 2014

Comments