What Could Go Wrong Files: A-Lister Task Force To Study Team USA's Ryder Cup Issues!

Here we go! You knew that the relatively straightforward issues for Team USA's Ryder Cup prospects--largely addressed by Paul Azinger in 2008 and pretty much ignored by all since--would make this pretty simple. But noooo. Team USA can only be saved by the golf world's go-to, sure-fire way to get nothing done: a celebrity task force!

The PGA of America is going to add another high-profile task force to its docket, reports Rex Hoggard, and by the sound of it this one will rival the PGA's millennial taskers for golf's top ranked task force. The report says the PGA will be countering their Bode Miller and Mark King with Tiger Woods and maybe Phil Mickelson.

According to Bishop, the task force will consist of 10 to 12 members who will be current and former players, former captains and PGA officials. Numerous sources have told GolfChannel.com the group will likely include Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Davis Love III and possibly Paul Azinger, the 2008 U.S. captain who has been mentioned as the next possible captain.

Bishop said the PGA will announce the makeup of the task force “in the next week or so.”

Tim Rosaforte and Damon Hack talked about the task force on Morning Drive, with Hack sharing some insights from Steve Stricker who is lurking as a candidate for the captaincy. Rosaforte says the task force would have been done without Mickelson sounding off after the Cup, via his source, PGA of America CEO Pete Bevacqua.

Comments

[DJ Watts]

How about "play better?"

I'm beginning to wish the U.S. team had won - the subject would long have moved on, I'm sure. This endless navel-gazing was tedious after a couple of days, now it's verging on neurosis.

[Viz]

Stricks makes too much sense.

[KLG]

Is this the same Steve Stricker who finds the grind at the top of the mountain that is professional golf too much to take in his middle age?

[Gary Dell]

This is getting insane. What the American team needs is more jingoism - plain and simple. Bald eagles, trumpets, fly-overs, cannon fire, Mel Gibson speeches, etc... Take the damn gloves off already. No more group pictures / group dinners with the Euros. You think Gen. Patton would have had dinner with Rommel before doing battle the next day?

Sack up - it's nut-cutting time boys.

[ol Harv]

Wow, another "task force" by Mr. Bishop. I'm starting to see why this guy's golf course failed. By the way, what the hell ever became of the Mark King, Bode Miller, former USTA Tennis honcho, ex-football player--"outside the box" task force? I thought they were going to come up with some incredible new ways to bring new people to the game of golf?

[ol Harv]

By the way, regarding Stricker, I heard yesterday that his older brother had passed away after a very long illness. Perhaps that had a lot to do with him staying home last year.

[Chico]

Nope- you just don't get it at all, do you?!

[Carl Peterson]

I want to be named to the task force that names all future task forces.

Does Bevacqua sit in his office rolling ball bearings around in his hand while wondering who took the extra serving of strawberries?

[John Morris]

Remember that old line "a camel is a horse designed by a committee" You guys don't need this, you've got the hump already
John

[ol Harv]

Ted Bishop is very good at spending the PGA's money. Wonder which tropical resort this task force will be "meeting" at?

[digsouth]

Carl +2

''Does Bevacqua sit in his office rolling ball bearings around in his hand while wondering who took the extra serving of strawberries?''

[Convert]

I said it before, this thing is starting to look more and more like country club women's tennis.

[Patches O'Houlihan]

If Phil and Tiger work as well together on the task force as they have in the RC, it will set us back another 20 years.

[ol Harv]

"I said it before, this thing is starting to look more and more like country club women's tennis"

Convert, I only know CC women's golf. Is tennis worse?

[Pro from Dover]

@ Carl +1

"Does Bevacqua sit in his office rolling ball bearings around in his hand while wondering who took the extra serving of strawberries?"

LOL

As a LIFE Member, we are trying to figure out what all the 'suits' down there do!

@ Chico +1 " Nope- you just don't get it at all, do you?! "

@ Harv "Wonder which tropical resort this task force will be "meeting" at?" I am sure they can find a nice little island somewhere.

[Center Cut]

Dr. Frankenstein: You know, I'm a rather brilliant surgeon. Perhaps I can help you with that hump.
Igor: What hump?

Please. Enough. MAKE IT STOP!!!

[Saltwater golfer]

Want a few ideas for the task force to mull over? Here are a few:
- Want the hottest most in-form players on Team USA? Get rid of qualifying and have 12 captains picks right after the tour championship - the PGA should love this one - actually the Rockefeller center would love it because the PGA would have to rent the center for 2 days to make the announcement and introduce the team.
- Have qualifying only count in the year of the RC. Only top 10's count and Majors are worth double the points. 12 months is a long time but 24 months of qualifying? A lot can happen in a year let alone two. Just think this time last year Rory wasn't even the most in-form Irish golfer (see GMAC or Shane Lowery). This year Rors is the hottest golfer since some guy in 2000.

[John]

I just want to see the players dress themselves one time. Gotta be red, white and/or blue, obviously, but bring your own threads. I don't think the PGA of America would lose money on clothing sales because who buys that crap?

[Ted B. (Charging Rhino)]

If Phil hadn't lit the bag-o-poo a-flame on Ted Bishop's front porch as he did, NOTHING would have changed and we'd bee right here gain in two years wondering "...what went wrong this time?" Just as they did on 2012 and 2010, and nothing changed then either.

The members of the PGA of America do a great job, but the High Bigums and Mupwomps at PGA HQ. have a nice, high-walled villa right next to the USGA's on the Banks of da' Nile.

[Louis Friend]

And then what happens when we lose next time?

[Hilltop]

Mark King? We'll end up with 6 captains by the time two years is up.

[Mark B]

Hahahaha! "Task force"

[Chuck from Charlottesville]

That's all we need. A nice little exhibition, the premiere display of international golf, has become a desperate search for answers because "we don't win enough".

Somehow the Gary Dells are going to win, I'm afraid; the extremists always do. That's why I've decided to hide among them by making the first swan dive off the cliff of sensibility: I recommend that Team USA replace its customary signing of the menus with a ritual bloodletting and animal sacrifice.

I envision a nervous Webb Simpson standing at the head table, persuaded to dry shave with a two week-old razor, while horrified European players and WAGs watch an impassive Zach Johnson bludgeon to death with his putter a hastily recaptured Sammy the Squirrel.

[Ron]

"Brett Favre, Whoopi Goldberg and Christine Golic to help guide USA Football program."
This group from the NFL's Head's Up Football Advisory Committee was pretty good, too. You can't make this stuff up.

[ol Harv]

"The members of the PGA of America do a great job"

Ted, exactly. Good golf professionals, no matter what type of golf facility they are at, do more to grow the game of golf than any task force could ever dream of.

http://www.virginiagolfreport.com/Virginia_Golf_Report/In_My_Opinion.html

[Go Blue]

Has anyone asked why Ted Bishop is creating the task force when he's no longer president in 6 weeks?

[Greg V]

IN the best tradition of Walter Hagen, Phil Mickelson should be the playing Captain. That way they can save on airfare and meal expenses.

Seriously, the US just needs to grow more complete players. Before they can get a Tour card, they should be required to play 2 years and earn a certain amount of money on the European Tour. Inclement weather, a wider variety of courses and all the headaches of traveling between countries seems to make the Euros tougher.

Brooks Koepka is doing it right!

[tlavin]

Media Mercy Killing is in order.

[Aditya]

@DJ Watts +1

[BrianS]

Template:

1. Captain should have served as Asst Captain, or possibly a previous term as Captain (while we are building a group of former Asst Captains).
2. The Asst Caps should be 1/2 comprised of mid to late 40's guys that are viewed as potential candidates. For 2016, that will include Toms, Stricker, Furyk. The other Asst caps should be ex-captains or other elder statesman.
3. Go back to 4 captain's picks, leave the lists alone. Leave points deadline after PGA (except Olympic Year), but Captain's picks wait until end of FEDEX playoffs for at least one of the pics.
4. The Captain should feel free to either publicly or privately determine some of his Captain's picks ahead of time, and freely notify those players.
5. Captain's picks should be focused on 1) Hot players with not enough points, 2)Guys that missed out qualifiying due to injury 3) Leadership types or guys with experience.
6. Consider offering all Captains both a home/away Cup.

[ol Harv]

Use the college coaching philosophy that many of the top coaches use, which may or may not be fair: If it's a close call between two players, go with the younger player.

[ol Harv]

Will there be representatives from the NFL and Tennis on this "task force"?

[stanley Thompson]

The RC used to be a fun thing when the US played only Great Britain and the Isles and they were happy because they always won and it was fun. It was a social event and it didn't really matter because they always won anyway.
Someone said it was too easy and they made it all of Europe.
And then they started to lose and lose and lose and it wasn't a nice old friendly match any longer.
If the USA loses then there is something wrong and they blame the Captain or to whomever they assign the blame.
Perhaps they are beaten by a better team. Oh, that can't be because they are the best?
Most everyone predicted an European victory going in. So why all the noise.
Thank God the next one is two years away.
But wait. What if they lose the President's Cup?
Oh lordy lordy???????

[CDH]

All the \americans need to do is learn to play well with others. \And perhaps learn to play the formats contained in the competition. It must be a handicap to be picked for foursomes and to have to say "I've never done this before."