Ryder Cup Quiz: Name the European squad. Answer below.
Ryder Cup Tidbits
Format: Not to insult anyone’s intelligence, but we have some
readers who may not be big golf fans. There are a total of 28
matches, with four ‘foursomes’ and four ‘four-ball’ matches on
Friday and Saturday and the 12 singles on Sunday. In foursomes
(alternate shot), partners play one ball and alternate hitting shots
from the tee until the ball is holed. In four-balls (best ball)
partners play their own balls into the hole, and the best ball of
their two counts against the best of their opponents’ two balls.
Between 1935 and 1985, the U.S. lost only once and halved once
to the Europeans in 21 Cups before the Euros captured it in1985.
The last few have been incredibly tight, with the exception of
2002.
2002 – Europe 15 ½…U.S. 12 ½
1999 – U.S. 14 ½…Europe 13 ½
1997 – Europe 14 ½…U.S. 13 ½
1995 – Europe 14 ½…U.S. 13 ½
1993 – U.S. 15…Europe 13
1991 – U.S. 14 ½…Europe 13 ½
1989 – Europe 14…U.S. 14
1987 – Europe 15…U.S. 13
Majors won by 2004 European squad – 0
Majors won by 2004 U.S. squad – 12
Average world ranking of Euro squad – 39th
Average world ranking of U.S. squad – 18th
So the U.S. should roll, right? Wrong. Check these average
world rankings out. [Rounding off]
2002 – U.S. 31…Euro 53
1997 – U.S. 14…Euro 36
1987 – U.S. 17…Euro 40
Just three examples where the Europeans won despite a big
disparity in the rankings.
There’s lots of crying at the Ryder cup, most notably in 1991
when Mark Calcavecchia blew a 4-up lead with four holes to go
giving Colin Montgomerie a half-point. Calc also hit the worst
golf shot under pressure in the history of the sport, a skulled tee
shot on the par-3 17th that landed in the water. Calc went down
to the beach at Kiawah and bawled his eyes out. He hasn’t been
the same since.
1995: Everyone cries, especially U.S. captain Curtis Strange,
after the U.S. suffers a crushing defeat.
1999: Ben Crenshaw predicted the U.S. would stage a
spectacular comeback in Sunday’s singles and the U.S. comes
through. Crenshaw is still crying with tears of joy. Time to
move on, Ben.
Best Ryder Cup partners: Seve Ballesteros and Jose Maria
Olazabal with an 11-2-2 record.
The Ryder Cup will generate about $70 million in revenue (and
$20 million in profit) for the PGA of America, compared to $44
million in revenue for the Masters and $50 million for the U.S.
Open. Revenue comes from tents, tickets, TV rights,
merchandise sales, online sales, concessions, and charity events.
38,000 tickets were sold for this year’s event so imagine the
crowds following just a few groups. That’s intimidation, folks.
The New York Times’ Thomas Friedman had the following
thoughts on the Ryder Cup in a piece for Golf Digest (along with
Sports Illustrated the source for the above information).
“Anyone who has watched a Ryder Cup match knows that
Americans and American players also get up for them – but, I
would argue, with one huge, huge difference. I would call it:
‘The Mark Calcavecchia Factor.’ The European side desperately
wants to win – because their identities will be nourished by it.
American teams desperately don’t want to lose, not because they
want to win so badly – it doesn’t mean that much to them – but
because they don’t want to face the ridicule of losing badly.
Remember ‘The War by the Shore,’ the 1991 Ryder Cup at
Kiawah Island? Bernhard Langer missed the six-footer to retain
the Cup, but it barely affected his career and certainly not his
self-image. Mark Calcavecchia, by contrast, lost the last four
holes to Colin Montgomerie to halve their match, and he went
into a meltdown in Kiawah and afterward. Langer was sad.
Calcavecchia was nearly suicidal – and his team eventually won!
The reason Calcavecchia was so despondent was because he
knew the enduring truth of this trans-Atlantic competition: the
Americans are remembered if they lose. The Europeans are
remembered if they win. And Calc did not want to be
remembered.
“That is the 15th club that the Europeans bring to every match.
The more equal in ability and training the two sides become, the
more this extra club matters. Because, as we all know, golf at
the highest professional level is 90 percent about what is
happening between the ears. And because of America’s
relationship to the world, there is much more pressure between
the ears of the American team golfers not to lose than there is on
the European team golfers to win. It just takes that tiny
intangible, just that whisper of politics in your backswing, and all
sorts of strange things can happen.”
Sports Illustrated had a big piece on Elin Nordegren, Tiger’s
babe. Of course this was an article prepared months ago, and
before rumors of their breakup surfaced. So I say again, whether
or not she is in the gallery is a huge…..HUGE…story this week.
I mean………..HUGE!
And your official Bar Chat Ryder Cup prediction…Europe 15
U.S. 13.
Stuff
–Speaking of babes, did you see that Playboy’s Playmate of the
Year, Carmella DeCesare was charged with assault over a bar
fight August 21 in Cleveland? Turns out DeCesare is dating
Browns quarterback Jeff Garcia and she attacked Garcia’s ex-
girlfriend. Kristen Hine, of Cleveland, told police that DeCesare
(love that name), “launched” herself at Hine three times and
kicked her in the head. DeCesare pleaded innocent and remained
free on bond. I paid it…………………………….just kidding!
–College Football Review
Johnny Mac suffered a fractured ankle and I broke a leg jumping
off the Rutgers bandwagon, following the team’s humiliating
loss to Division I-AA New Hampshire. It was New Hampshire’s
first win over a Division I foe since the late 1970s.
But Notre Dame recaptured some of its past glory in defeating #8
Michigan, while Fresno State shocked Kansas State and Southern
Mississippi defeated Nebraska.
Loved the ending of the Ohio State – Marshall contest as Mike
Nugent kicked a 55-yard field goal to win it for the Buckeyes.
Nugent was then interviewed by ABC sideline reporter Sam
Ryan, a most attractive woman. All around, the best day of
Nugent’s life.
We also should note that last Thursday Troy State…Troy State…
defeated Missouri.
And Wake Forest QB Cory Randolph became just the third ACC
signal caller to throw for 300 and run for 100 in our 31-17 win
over East Carolina.
–Never, ever bet on Opening Day in the NFL, witness the
Brownies beating the Ravens. Of course us Jets fans are
celebrating a win over Cincy and a superb performance by Curtis
Martin.
–The Philadelphia Eaglet cheerleaders are respectable. That’s
what the Jets need………you know, a few Jersey girls with
skimpy outfits. Instead we have these guys who run around with
team flags. Pitiful.
–According to a study for the Knight Commission on
Intercollegiate Athletics:
“Alumni donations and applications for admission sometimes
rise in the wake of conspicuously successful seasons at a small
number of institutions (such as after a national title or Final Four
berth),” but…such increases are “likely to be small and transitory
(and) there is not a shred of evidence to suggest that cuts in
spending on athletics would reduce either donations by alumni or
applications.” [USA Today]
What a bunch of bull. Personally, after Wake Forest wins the
NCAA basketball title next spring, my own donation will soar
500-1,000%. If we don’t make it to the Final Four, though, I’m
never giving another buck…never….ever.
–The chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup is now officially on.
You’ll recall that the top ten drivers in the points standings after
the first 26 races of the season qualify for a 10-race title run and
in dramatic fashion Saturday night in Richmond, Jeremy
Mayfield, 14th in the standings entering the race, picked up his
first win since 2000, thus pulling into 9th.
So, the ten qualifiers are Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Dale
Earnhardt Jr., Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth, Elliott Sadler, Kurt
Busch, Mark Martin, Mayfield and Ryan Newman.
[Technically, more than 10 could have qualified, but it didn’t
happen.]
The final 10 races begin next weekend in Loudon, New
Hampshire and the season ends on November 21 in Homestead,
Florida. Could be fun, fellow motorheads.
–Since the adoption of the 162-game schedule in 1961, only 7
teams in major league baseball have finished with a winning
percentage of .667 or better, topped off by the 2001 Mariners,
116-46 (.716) and the 1998 Yankees, 114-48 (.704). The St.
Louis Cardinals are threatening to join the club, currently 94-48
(.662).
–Pedro Martinez and Curt Schilling are a combined 35-11.
–Barry Bonds hit #699 and has over 200 walks this season.
–Jayson Williams is looking to make a comeback in the NBA. Any
team that signs him would deserve the PR nightmare that would
inevitably follow.
–Arsenal has stretched its record winning streak to 45 in the
English Premier League.
–Ad executive, singer and songwriter Billy Davis passed away at
the age of 72. An early member of what would become the Four
Tops, Davis turned to songwriting and churned out hits such as
“Lonely Teardrops” for his cousin Jackie Wilson. He also
produced “Rescue Me” for Fontella Bass. After this latter tune,
advertising agency McCann-Erickson offered Davis a position
and the rest is history. Davis composed “I’d Like to Buy the
World a Coke,” “Things Go Better with Coke” and “If You’ve
Got the Time” (Miller Beer).
–Jack Rohan also died at the age 72. Rohan was the basketball
coach at Columbia University in 1967-68 when the team finished
23-5 and was ranked #6 in the nation behind the play of Jim
McMillian, Heyward Dotson and Dave Newmark. I was just
getting into the college game when this squad came along. Great
ball, looking back.
–Smarty Jones’ 1st-year stud fee has been set at $100,000 per
live foal. Personally, Smarty, I suggest a diversified portfolio of
about 40% stocks, 40% bonds, 10% gold and 10% hay. And
when financial advisers come calling, peddling limited
partnerships that invest in thoroughbreds, ignore the shysters.
–Did you see that UConn’s football coach, Randy Edsall, just
signed a 6-year contract at $900,000 per? Goodness gracious.
–Jeff B. (#1 UConn fan, incidentally) passed along the story of
the robber who used a pitchfork to rob a bank in Aiken, South
Carolina the other day.
“The man, wearing sunglasses and a mask, entered Security
Federal Bank Tuesday morning and threatened employees with
the 4-foot-long pitchfork. The man took an undisclosed amount
of money. The robber dropped the farm tool as he ran from the
bank through a wooded area to a golf course behind the bank,
police said.” [CNN]
The fellow got away, and, frankly, you have to admire his
resourcefulness. Another good option would be to wave Mets
tickets in the face of a bank teller. That’s more than enough to
frighten them into passing you the cash.
–My brother said that there is a touch of bad timing in Tiger
Woods’s recent commercials for laser eye surgery. Tiger says
that for years he suffered with his contact lenses. This year, he
got laser surgery and now his vision’s great.
But as my brother observes, Tiger was winning with the contacts
and since getting the surgery “he sucks.”
Super point, Bro. Signed copy of “A Good Walk Spoiled” on the
way.
–Back to the crime blotter, while this happened a number of
days ago it’s my first opportunity to officially award “Trigger,” a
puppy, with Bar Chat’s “Dog of the Month” award.
Jerry Allen Bradford of Pensacola couldn’t handle his litter of
seven German shepherd puppies so he decided to shoot them.
It’s a horrible tale, but after watching Bradford kill three of his
siblings, Trigger managed to slip his paw on the trigger and
blasted the executioner in the wrist.
According to the New York Daily News, Bradford later told
police “that he was holding one puppy in his left hand and
another in his right arm when the one in the left ‘began to
wiggle, placing its paw on the trigger of the .38-caliber handgun,
causing it to discharge into his left wrist.”
Trigger and his surviving brothers, along with the mother, were
taken to an animal shelter. Bradford should receive the death
penalty, with Trigger flipping the switch.
–Interesting estate situation in Washington, D.C. as the courts
will try and figure out if the last will and testament of real estate
magnate Herbert Haft should be honored.
Haft, who died last week, amended his will two weeks before his
death to make sure his new wife got his assets, about $50 million
worth, and not his kids.
According to the Washington Post, “The amendment was signed
Aug. 18 while Haft, 84, was at Sibley Memorial Hospital
suffering from kidney failure and liver disease and connected to
a feeding tube. On the same day, Haft married his longtime
companion, Myrna C. Ruben (age 69).”
Hmmmmmm. “Doctors who examined Haft before and after the
wedding found him to have ‘fluctuating mental status’ and to be
‘woozy’ and ‘confused’ on some days, records show.” Other
days, however, he supposedly was lucid. [Carol D. Leonig and
Caroline E. Mayer / Washington Post]
–The fall season for the PGA Tour always offers some of the
best drama of the year, even if the major networks don’t cover it.
Thank God for ESPN, some of us say. And so this week’s
Canadian Open didn’t disappoint, unless you are Canadian and
were trying to will native Mike Weir to the 1st Open title by a
Canadian in 50 years. Alas, Weir bit the big one and Vijay Singh
(yeah, that guy again) wrapped up his 7th title of the year in
sudden death. The pressure Weir was under to produce was as
great as what the players will face in the Ryder Cup, that’s for
sure.
–Mets blow………….in case you forgot. I think Tom Glavine
has won one game since like the second week of the season. At
least it seems that way. And my favorite whipping boy, Mike
Piazza, has 47 RBI! Wow, at $15 million a year, that’s basically
$300,000 per ribbie.
–In the Champions (Senior) Tour event this weekend, Bruce
Summerhays won with a 3-round total 15-under par. On the other
side, Miller Barber shot 92-82-82…256…+40…or 55 strokes
off the lead. Ah, Miller?
–The college kid who invented the Nike Swoosh was paid $35
for his effort.
–Business Week had a piece on 84-year-old entrepreneur Sidney
Frank, an adult beverage importer responsible for turning Grey
Goose Vodka into a smash success. Frank sold Grey Goose to
Bacardi Ltd. last June for, get this, $2 billion! Previously, Frank
used his marketing genius, and some buxom babes, to make a hit
out of Jagermeister. Soon he will be launching a line of Sicilian
wines, the Sidney Frank Collection, as well as a new line of 50-
proof cognacs to be called Tippet. Truly a man to be admired, I
think you’d agree.
–Boy, over the years we keep hearing what a great guy the
NBA’s Kevin Garnett is, but over the past 12 months or so I see
no evidence whatsoever of this. Recently, in a pickup game,
Garnett slugged the T’Wolves second-round draft pick Rick
Rickert, with Rickert requiring seven stitches to close a cut on
his chin. He also suffered a chipped tooth. According to Sports
Illustrated:
“Several players reportedly needled Garnett about his inability to
stop Rickert, causing the normally amiable Garnett to punch him
in the jaw. Rickert, who didn’t retaliate, wanted to keep
playing.”
Now that’s a good rookie.
Top 3 songs for the week of 9/16/72: #1 “Black & White”
(Three Dog Night) #2 “Baby Don’t Get Hooked On Me” (Mac
Davis…always thought this guy was a great entertainer, but that
doesn’t make me a bad person) #3 “Alone Again (Naturally)
(Gilbert O’Sullivan…as noted before, one of the most depressing
tunes of all time)
**Not for nothing but CBS was playing Franz Ferdinand during
the breaks for the U.S. Open. Your editor told you weeks ago
this band would be hot. As for men”s winner Roger Federer, a
good guy, he became the first male to win three Grand Slam titles
in the same year since Mats Wilander in 1988. Before that, you
have to go back to Jimmy Connors in 1974.
Ryder Cup Quiz Answer: European Squad – Padraig Harrington,
Sergio Garcia, Darren Clarke, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Lee
Westwood, Thomas Levet, Paul Casey, David Howell, Paul
McGinley, Ian Poulter, Colin Montgomerie, Luke Donald.
Ryder Cup Records:
U.S.
Tiger Woods…5-8-2
Phil Mickelson…8-5-3
Davis Love III…8-9-4
Jim Furyk…3-6-2
Kenny Perry…rookie
David Toms…3-1-1
Chad Campbell…rookie
Chris DiMarco…rookie
Fred Funk…rookie
Chris Riley…rookie
Jay Haas…3-4-1
Stewart Cink…1-2
Euros
Harrington…3-3-1
Sergio…6-3-1
Clarke…4-6-2
Jimenez…1-2-2
Westwood…7-8
Levet…rookie
Casey…rookie
Howell…rookie
McGinley…0-1-2
Poulter…rookie
Montgomerie…16-7-5
Donald…rookie
Next Bar Chat, Thursday.
