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Rob Marshall

  • Karma: +0/-0
If life gives you limes, make margaritas.” Jimmy Buffett

Erik J. Barzeski

  • Karma: +1/-0
Re: OT - Norman going to run competing tour
« Reply #26 on: November 01, 2021, 04:10:20 PM »
If they join that league, i'm pretty sure it won't be because Norman runs it.
That's not what I said… There may be players that dislike Norman enough that they don't join the "whatever it is" (tour, series, special events, I dunno). THat's different than saying players might join because of Norman.

Comparing it to the current PGA Tour is not the same thing at all. The PGA Tour is the clear top dog with the most money. (Currently.)
Erik J. Barzeski @iacas
Author, Lowest Score Wins, Instructor/Coach, and Lifetime Student of the Game.

I generally ignore Rob, Tim, Garland, and Chris.

Pete_Pittock

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: OT - Norman going to run competing tour
« Reply #27 on: November 01, 2021, 06:54:18 PM »
From an American perspective, the broadcast timing of an Asian event is not encouraging for live viewing. I agree that the Asian tour needs better development, and might be in a place where golf has potential for growth. Not a fan of "Seve and I", what about Gary and I, at least Gary can respond. 

Mike Sweeney

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: OT - Norman going to run competing tour
« Reply #28 on: November 01, 2021, 06:58:56 PM »
Ok, ok. I stayed away for a few days. As a NYer that has gone through 9/11, and the death of Ensign Joshua Watson, USNA '19 - I suggest that that there is an important message that needs to be heard.


The Saudis are not our "allies".


It's real, our friend Josh was a couple of hundred yards away from my son when he took a bullet from a "Saudi Flight Student" on American soil at NAS-Pensacola:


https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/JOSHUA_K._WATSON,_ENS,_USN


Then there is this 9/11 investigation that included many former FBI Agents. It's easy to be cynical these days, but there are still great people out there looking for the truth:


https://www.propublica.org/article/9-11-investigation-saudi-connections-operation-encore-fbi


I am very open to using golf and sports as a healing mechanism. If this new golf league somehow repairs the damage of the past, I really don't care if Greg Norman, Barack Obama, or Donald Trump lead the effort. But let's be honest about it - Ensign Josh Watson was killed by a Saudi National on a US Military base in the United States of America.

And here is The Watson Family arriving at NAS Pensacola to "pick up" their son - https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.l.watson.9/videos/10221253220269784/

« Last Edit: November 01, 2021, 07:02:07 PM by Mike Sweeney »
"One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us."

Dr. Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark

Ronald Montesano

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: OT - Norman going to run competing tour
« Reply #29 on: November 01, 2021, 07:51:22 PM »
Wonder how many American-flag wavers will continue to wave an American PGA Tour flag, and how many others will chameleon their flags colors?
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Terry Lavin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: OT - Norman going to run competing tour
« Reply #30 on: November 01, 2021, 08:14:23 PM »
Greg Norman is such a tool. He should be sponsored by Black & Decker.
Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people.  H.L. Mencken

Greg Clark

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: OT - Norman going to run competing tour
« Reply #31 on: November 01, 2021, 08:27:10 PM »
If you follow boxing at all you will be aware that there have been several attempts to hold significant events in Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi or Dubai in recent years.  They all pretty much follow the same path.  It gets reported that two fighters are well down the path in negotiations to hold a fight with a huge purse.  A date is mentioned.  The money talked about is always so high that there is no way the event could ever be profitable. But the fighters dreamily think of the payday their promoters haven't been able to secure in more traditional venues.  As the date gets ever closer and the contracts have yet to be signed, the funding for the fight never arrives and the event blows up.  Happens almost every year.  Rinse and repeat.


Reading the reporting on the Saudi financed Super League for golf reminds me exactly of the above.  $30M sign up fees for golfers before an event is played.  Events being held in far off places where TV money will be limited.  It makes no financial sense.  If there are ever golfers that publicly commit to this "league" they will find out very quickly that the promised money isn't there.

Pete_Pittock

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: OT - Norman going to run competing tour
« Reply #32 on: November 01, 2021, 08:45:07 PM »
Maybe the Saudis and the rest of the OPEC nations can lower the price of jet fuel so the players can get to the venues.

Peter Pallotta

Re: OT - Norman going to run competing tour
« Reply #33 on: November 01, 2021, 09:38:20 PM »
The PGA Tour didn't come down from the mountaintop along with Moses and the ten commandments. It's just a business. One day a competitor will come along and change the landscape/ecosystem. But it's not going to be this day, nor is it this competitor -- not today and not ever, for a whole host of reasons. And I'm almost certain that GN knows this already. But there's this money, you see, from a Saudi investment fund, part of a massive public relations initiative concerted effort to grow the game globally. And that's where JN comes in too, on the architectural-golf building front, and for the exact same reason.

I was about to get sad and mad, and then I remembered the closing lines of a great film: "Forget it, Jake - it's Chinatown."
« Last Edit: November 02, 2021, 12:12:13 AM by Peter Pallotta »

Brian_Ewen

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: OT - Norman going to run competing tour
« Reply #34 on: November 02, 2021, 04:00:38 AM »
P.S.  Brian,  its one thing to play 1 or 2 events in the Middle East.  Its an entirely different thing to eschew the PGA Tour and tell your family you picking up and moving, or at least spending a significant amount of time over there. 


Kalen, you truly don't get it?

Kalen Braley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: OT - Norman going to run competing tour
« Reply #35 on: November 02, 2021, 11:28:47 AM »
If you follow boxing at all you will be aware that there have been several attempts to hold significant events in Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi or Dubai in recent years.  They all pretty much follow the same path.  It gets reported that two fighters are well down the path in negotiations to hold a fight with a huge purse.  A date is mentioned.  The money talked about is always so high that there is no way the event could ever be profitable. But the fighters dreamily think of the payday their promoters haven't been able to secure in more traditional venues.  As the date gets ever closer and the contracts have yet to be signed, the funding for the fight never arrives and the event blows up.  Happens almost every year.  Rinse and repeat.


Reading the reporting on the Saudi financed Super League for golf reminds me exactly of the above.  $30M sign up fees for golfers before an event is played.  Events being held in far off places where TV money will be limited.  It makes no financial sense.  If there are ever golfers that publicly commit to this "league" they will find out very quickly that the promised money isn't there.

Greg,

This hasn't stopped the UFC thou.  They've held several big fights in Abu Dhabi over the last year.  But the UFC is run by Dana White and the time when he cares about anyone else's opinion will be the first time.

P.S.  Brian, apparently I have missed it.

John McCarthy

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: OT - Norman going to run competing tour
« Reply #36 on: November 02, 2021, 08:43:42 PM »
The only way of really finding out a man's true character is to play golf with him. In no other walk of life does the cloven hoof so quickly display itself.
 PG Wodehouse