First Take From Europe: "They never learn do they?"

There is one lovable element in Davis Love's surprising appointment to the 2016 Ryder Cup captaincy: the regrettable timing and the inevitable (and understandable) whinging from Europe.

Nothing has shown up on the Rant Radar as of yet, but with Europe preparing to send up the grey smoke Wednesday in favor of Darren Clarke, the leaking of Love's name should ensure some pithy suggestions about trying to overshadow Europe's celebratory day. Maybe not this week, but give it time. And it will be whinging within reason.

The Telegraph's James Corrigan didn't pick on the timing of the leak but he did take exception to the Love appointment, making the point that Team USA seeks to be more of a team and has just made this about redemption for a losing captain.

The Stars and Stripes needed a blank canvas, a fresh start after the farce of Tom Watson’s leadership at Gleneagles. They needed it to be about the players - just as Paul McGinley and so many of his predecessors ensured it has been for Europe - and not about the captain, the man they so proudly call “Mr Captain” during the interminable build-up.

Well, guess what? This will be all about Davis Love and the exorcising of his Chicago ghosts. And so, a character who does not even get to hit a ball will command the spotlight. They never learn do they?

Comments

[St. Copious]

Corrigan's just another cheap bigot at the Telegraph, but then again, he's probably mild compared to Oliver "I despise the American military" Brown. I don't think these guys ever got over U.S. servicemen going over there and buying their women for a pack of cigs and a bar of Hershey's chocolate.

[Adam B]

So, the solution to a player problem is to pick a "player's" captain? Pat of the solution should be getting rid of dead weight Mickelson 14-18-4, not letting him pick the captain. I like Phil and always root for him but part of the solution for Team USA is leaving him home, along with Jim Furyk 9-17-4, who might be the worst Ryder Cupper ever (be a joke if he got in the Hall), and and Woods 13-14-2 (who probably won't make it anyway). Need to get the young guys who aren't yet emotionally scared by a decade of failure away from these guys before they're corrupted. It was youth and new faces that carried the US in 2008, not vets.

[True Brit]

I don't think the PGA or DL3 is too concerned over the European reaction. Remember how worried they were that the US had hit a home run with Watson? How'd that work out??

[Markus]

Since when did whinging = laughing?

[GW]

Yeah, the only way DLIII can lose this Ryder Cup is to pick someone like Furyk or Sticker again. Aside from McIlroy and maybe Kaymer (maybe?), Europe looks to be heading downward. Westwood, Rose, Donald, Poulter, Stenson, and Garcia have all played their best golf. For the US that list is Phil, Tiger, and Furyk.

Of golfers under 30 in OWGR top 30 the US has: Spieth, Fowler, Koepka, Reed, Horschel, and Kirk.
Europe has: McIlroy and Dubuisson.

McIlroy will probably will win more majors than the list of US players combined, but in the Ryder Cup his matches only count for one point just like they did for Tiger. Look for '16 to be the next shift in international golf.

[Stiggy]

To this Brit, the DL3 pick seems very reasonable. Not sure how the taskforce played into it. He seemed to do a pretty good job in 2012 and just ran into "lightning in a bottle" on the Sunday.

[Steve Elling]

The 11-man committee didn't look beyond the four walls of its meeting room, much less outisde the proverbial box.

American fans wanted revisionists, but got recividists? (Still massaging that line).

Ted Bishop went on an autonomy binge and picked Watson on a whim. Was it worth a shot? Maybe so. At Ted threw a change-up.

Eleven guys in a room not only did not blow up the old template, but take a step backward.

And I really like Davis. Class guy, all the way.

Was hoping the committee would really go off the reservation and think about offering the gig to a non-PGA winner, a woman, a successful college coach, a less-heralded player or even (gasp) a foreigner.

Instead, retread.

[benseattle]

Quote:

"This will be all about Davis Love and the exorcising of his Chicago ghosts. And so, a character who does not even get to hit a ball will command the spotlight. They never learn do they?"

You know who NEVER LEARNS? The golf media. For lack of any genuine reporting, these typewriter jockeys have made the Almighty Captain very nearly the sole focus of the mindless, relentless, inexorable two-year Ryder Cup buildup when in actuality, the ONLY thing that matters is How The Players Perform. Yep, we're going hear all about the "Davis Love Redemption Campaign" over and over and over but what real golf fans care about isn't the buildup; is the Actual Playing. Oh sure, the captain's picks are of minor interest for a day or two but the beauty of the Ryder Cup isn't the so-called media "experts" forecasting the outcome, the dissecting of 'team chemistry' or just what a crappy captain so-and-so is going to be. Nope: is about whether this time the U.S. squad can putt well enough to beat a Euro squad. And as for the tired refrain that Europe WANTS IT MORE or LOVES EACH OTHER MORE.... well, that's hooey. They just (lately) have been playing Better Golf at the right time. Hey, maybe in 2016 it'll be our turn. And regardless of the outcome, the final result will have very little to do with the Horrendous! Senseless! Ridiculous! Brilliant! Inspired! selection of Davis Love III as captain.

[fyg]

@Steve Elling,

A woman as RC captain???

Give me a freaking break.

@GW,

Intelligent post. I think the USA most likely wins at Hazeltine.

[ol Harv]

"And so, a character who does not even get to hit a ball will command the spotlight. They never learn do they?"

The criticism leveled at the USA from the opposite side is getting old, real fast. As mentioned on a previous thread, I'm back to rooting for the Americans on the next go around.

[Chico]

I think Mr Corrigan has a short memory. Does he not remember Seve and Monty's captaincy. Much as they were brilliant Ryder Cuppers they were both far too prominent as captains. True they both won- but with the teams they had they should have done. I agree with GW that the US has some very exciting new talent, but Stenson, Rose and Garcia are FAR from over the hill and there are plenty of really good young players ready to come through- quite a few of them French. Bit early to write our obituary yet! But it would be nice if you gave us a decent game next time!!

[Easingwold]

@ Stiggy

I agree about Davis doing a good job. Much better than James in that other famous comeback when he left 3 rookies cold until the singles. Even then he should have top loaded the draw but didn't.

[Tighthead]

If you look at the NHL and NFL, coaches almost always do better in their second go around. I think putting someone in who seemed to do a decent job, is well regarded by the players and will have the benefit of hindsight is rather reasonable. Europe has always been credited for apprenticing their captains as vices, which helps in this regard.

[benseattle]

Come on, kids, look on the bright side. With any luck, next Tuesday's announcement will be a nationally televised event, complete with a marching band.... oops, make that Hootie and the Blowfish (official PGA Tour over-the-hill rockers) plus Donald Trump with offspring Ivanka and Donnie Jr. sitting awkwardly in the front row. Can't wait to hear the probing questions from the limp fish of the Golf Media asking questions about the conflict of interest from a Task Force member and the shunning of Player's Choice Fred Couples. My question: "Will somebody explain to me how this is out-of-the-box thinking that will lead to a win? And will the new Captain have the option of dumping qualifiers who Just Can't Compete? (Talking to YOU, Furyk, Stricker, Mickelson and Woods.)

[GolfBoy]

GW, +1!!!!

[Mr. golf]

correct me if I'm mistaken, but wasn't it Davis Love who was responsible for the difficult pin positions on the last day of the Ryder Cup? A decision he later admitted was a mistake? One that helped allow Europe back in the matches. If it was me, I would have put the pins in the middle of the green with a lead like that.

[Dave]

@benseattle you don't have to make every post 250 words long

TL;DR

[Streaky Putter]

DL3 had some major botches on SUN, including his lineup and course set up. That said, if he learned and is part of an improved system of US taking new ways to have an improved RC captaincy system, fine.

Please, no more Furyk and Stricker though. They bad.

[benseattle]

From Golfchannel.com. Azinger makes good points about Jacklin and Gallaher:



News on Monday that the PGA of America will name Davis Love III the next U.S. Ryder Cup captain was met with a mixture of surprise and support, but there was one high profile member of the 2016 conversation who saw this coming.

Paul Azinger, the last U.S. captain to win a Ryder Cup in 2008, had met with PGA officials “several times” and recommended Love for another turn in the captain’s chair.

“If true, Davis is an excellent choice for many reasons,” Azinger told GolfChannel.com via text. “He's still connected to the players. He was very prepared and thorough in 2012. Davis will bring much needed continuity to the process.”

Azinger pointed out that Tony Jacklin and Bernhard Gallaher both needed more than one chance as a captain to lead Europe to victory.

Considered a favorite, along with Fred Couples, to captain another team among many observers, Azinger said he took his name out of consideration for next year’s captaincy.

“I had no interest in being the captain in 2016 for many reasons, personal and business,” he said. “I suggested Davis to the powers that be at the PGA.

[AG]

@Dave

And you don't have to read benseattle's posts.

[3foot1]

The captain of a Ryder cup team is about as important to the outcome as the captain of the NBA All-Star game. Seriously. The U.S. wouldn't have won last year if captained by the love child of John Wooden and Vince Lombardi.

[Dbank68]

The best post I read was by Mr. Golf. Davis has said personally he only regrets the pin placement decision at the par 3 17th hole on Sunday. That said, I believe these are the types of experience from his first go around in 2012 that make DLIII a great candidate.

Corrigan rhymes with bored again when I read his crap.

[V60]

I kinda think by hiring Davis , they get a deal on Ralph Lauren uniforms for the team and attire for the wives, this had to be a major topic brought up by the awesome task force one. It's a win for the bottom line. And that's what really counts, $$$$.

[Belowpar]

GW's fine post above suggests that the American team's will gain an even stronger advantage over Europe as measured on World Rankings in the next few outings. However the advantage has already been there for some time - check the stats. I love the Ryder Cup and I want it to be competitive again i.e. it changes hands from time t time. You guys have got to figure it out, something's got to change if you want to win it back. When 3foot1 posts the same old, same old I have to wonder about the ability of American Golfers to really understand team sports. sS others have said Davis Love is not bringing anything new to the table.

This article is entitled They never learn do they.

[Stephen W]

"I don't think these guys ever got over U.S. servicemen going over there and buying their women for a pack of cigs and a bar of Hershey's chocolate."

What a totally odious remark. I can imagine the backlash had the situation been in reverse.

[Chico]

@ Stephen W- he is a totally odious person- but best ignored.

[Center Cut]

Cannot understand the beating DL3 is taking. His team let him down on Sunday, that and some stellar play by the Europeans...but we always write that, after every recent Ryder Cup...;stellar play by the Europeans'...hmmm perhaps there is something in that. And saying that DL3 set the pins too difficult on Sunday means what exactly? He'd already set the course up with zero rough (a disgrace in itself), was he to put the pins bang in the middle of the greens every day for the US Team to aim at? Is that what your talent has come to?

@ Beaks - Dinner still causing some blowback?
@GW - It's always been the same, you have not written anything new.

BTW Corrigan isn't whingeing, he's laughing, git as he is.

[David Simmz]

V60 is right on the mark about this being about the money.

Also seems to me that the precious task force became a committee of one by the quotes from Zinger. Nothing against DL3, but I hope the Euros win again so this 'task force' idea gets flushed as quickly as it reared it ridiculous head.

[ol Harv]

"I have to wonder about the ability of American Golfers to really understand team sports"

It's called "the best team usually wins". When we finally win it will be because our team was better, not our Captain was better.

[A]

I like the idea of a Captain having two shots at it, one home and one one the road, let's them get a better feel for the job and can give some continuity. If they are horses asses like Faldo and Watson were 1 and done.

[golden horn]

Part of me thinks the US should just let the Europeans have the Ryder Cup. Corrigan, like so many of his countrymen, has a severe case of small penis syndrome because of WW2 (as mentioned above), and because of the shaming they endured in the Ryder Cup for so many decades. They obviously have some deep psychological need to retain the cup. What difference does it really make? It's a biennial charity event for the benefit of the European tour. Let them have it.