Ryder Cup

I've really enjoyed watching this "most unimportant and overhyped sports event." It's nice to see guys who are generally robots who chase money week after week actually play for something other than themselves. Real emotion, etc., comes into play.

 

Absolutely. Watching Steve Stricker -- Steve Stricker! -- go bonkers answering Sergio's birdie earlier was awesome.

 

Ben Curtis is playing like a dog. One birdie in 17 holes of fourballs? Fail.

I think the U.S. is now in a little trouble for tomorrow, lead or no. Damn. Poulter has been a killer.

 

The singles lineup is almost as rote as lefty-righty matchups for pinch-hitters. If you're behind, you front load. If ahead, save an ace or two for the last four spots.
A 2-point margin means those rules don't necessarily apply.

 

Ask the guys who played for Hall Sutton and Tom Kite if captains make a difference.

 

DD, you picked two of the best examples of fail for captains to prove the point that captains don't matter. Sutton had the bright notion to pair Tiger and Phil, knowing they don't get along personally, then never got ANYTHING right: in or out of the team room.

Kite was outmaneuvered by Seve at every turn most notably allowing him to change the order of events (fourballs in the morning, foursomes in the afternoon)

It's one of those double-edged swords. No, the captains aren't as important as people think. Yes, they're more important than mere cheerleaders.

 

The quality of competition was again very high this afternoon. I really don't think there are too many tricks either captain can play with their lineups. At this point, Faldo can't really be sure who his "stars" are. Not sure Azinger can, either, except for Leonard.

 

Overhyped and unimportant, according to you.

It's huge in Europe and bigger here since we started losing it. Get out of your football shell.

 

Yikes...

 

Some interesting pairings: Sergio v. Kim lead off; Mickelson gets Justin Rose; Should be fun.

 

Interesting that Faldo saved Harrington for last. Not that he could have put Garcia in the 12 hole, but a Harrington victory could be too little, too late.

 

It's a guessing game and nothing more. If they made the pairings in public, one captain making a pick and the other making his, then vice versa, there would a lot more strategy. Of course, that would also open up the captains to much more scrutiny, which neither organization wants.

If I were at Valhalla on Sunday, I'd be with the first singles match -- Kim vs. Garcia. That could be terrific.