Reilly: "the single worst squad we've ever taken to a Ryder Cup"

Rick Reilly in this week's Sports Illustrated:

Have you seen the U.S. team? It has all the intimidation power of the Liechtenstein navy. It would have a hard time beating the Winnetka Country Club ladies' B team. It's the single worst squad we've ever taken to a Ryder Cup, and that's saying something, considering the last batch got pummeled 181Ú2-91Ú2.

"We'll definitely be the underdog," Phil Mickelson says. "You lose four of the last five Cups, you're the underdog."

This outfit would be the underdog to a stiff breeze. Or do Brett Wetterich, Zach Johnson, J.J. Henry and Vaughn Taylor make your timbers shiver? It sounds like somebody's Webelos troop. None of those four have ever played in a Ryder Cup before. Three of them missed the cut at last week's PGA, and Henry finished 41st.

Wetterich has missed five cuts in his last eight starts. You look at him and think, Was he my waiter at Olive Garden last night? If he wasn't, he will be soon.

Won't Tiger be psyched to be paired with him?

That's the other thing: Tiger. He's the No. 1 player in the world by a light year, the Golfing Gladiator. Until he goes to Ryder Cups, and then he suddenly becomes Dead Man Walking.

He mopes around like a husband in couples therapy, only he talks to his partner less. It may the only thing he sucks at. His Ryder record is 7-11-2, and no wonder. He wasn't wired for team play. He trusts nobody. Why should he buddy up with people he's been trained to swallow in two bites or less? The hangman doesn't play on the prison softball team. Lions don't room with lambs.

Michael Bamberger says this team resembles a European squad from a few years ago...back when they were huge underdogs. And just in case you don't think you could pick J.J. Henry out of a lineup, SI.com features photos of the team members.

Comments

[Glyn]

Well considering the embarrasement the US team has suffered the last few times around with can't miss teams I for one and willing to see some new folks give it a shot. I won't even wear my Ryder Cup hat I bought two years ago considering the humiliating defeat we took.

[Dave Marrandette]

Looks like Reilly was trying to wear out the simile and the metaphor but provide no sound reasoning.

[Van]

Sound reasoning enough by both Reilly and Bamberger, pointing out the substantial shortcomings of several USA team members last week. Wetterich, for several weeks.

They knew the lights were on them, and they choked their guts out. Wait 'til Ireland.

Couples and DL3 can blame old age.

[CBell]

Who WOULD scare them, Riles? Only Daly, maybe.

When the world's scariest player has won only 7 of 20 in this format, lifetime, you don't have many intimidating options.