Shedding Tears on the Straits

[Kalen Braley]

As much as I'm not a fan of Azinger in the booth...

I think he might be the only Ryder Cup captain who has actually made a difference that I can recall.  His 3 x 4 pod system where he grouped guys who all got along and played well with each other seemed to be a difference maker.  And he put an end to that horrific losing streak where the US had been big-time shellacked in the prior 3 matches.

[JESII]

He was the only captain that I can remember that didn't buy into the idea that his team was heavily favored...maybe since Dave Stockton...

[Jeff Schley]

I don't like captains going back for seconds myself. It is a reward for a distinguished career and it is a shame that such notable omissions have happened: i.e. LARRY 3x major winning NELSON. This is a travesty to not having been selected as he is class through and through. At least Hale Irwin got the President's Cup captaincy.


Speaking from the US perspective, in the modern era 1979 forward for RC: Nicklaus, DLIII and Watson have done it twice. Jack we can understand certainly and maybe Watson, but who are you leaving out at the expense of going back for seconds? Unfortunately, some very accomplished golfers with Nelson topping the list. With all due respect to Stricker, he didn't win a major and Nelson despite a late start in his career (for serving his country no less in Vietnam) won 3 majors. Two were PGA's from goodness sakes. I doubt this wrong will be corrected, but we can only hope that the non-Tiger's / Phil's from the US side will still get their chance in the future.

+1
and you didn't even mention Nelson's impeccable Ryder Cup record, established post Europe joining the fray.
Jack, Watson? Fine with them as multiple time Captains.






A wrong could be righted, and
there aren't a lot of recent candidates from winning teams....

True Jeff he was a great Ryder Cup player. Also he wasn't even spoken to from the PGA during Bishop's time. Class gentlemen and for a sport that is supposed to be gentlemanly a huge oversight. Really what more does a guy have to do? I'd love to see Larry Nelson finally get his deserved captaincy. Where is the petition?

[jeffwarne]

As much as I'm not a fan of Azinger in the booth...

I think he might be the only Ryder Cup captain who has actually made a difference that I can recall.  His 3 x 4 pod system where he grouped guys who all got along and played well with each other seemed to be a difference maker.  And he put an end to that horrific losing streak where the US had been big-time shellacked in the prior 3 matches.

or they just played better that week...at home...
It happens, in fact, it just happened again.


Waaaay too much credit given to a winning Captain.
I refuse to believe that the guy who has almost singlehandedly made radio coverage the go to NBC weekend audio format , made that big of a difference in the one winning year before this one.
Koepka's probably the first person to express what needs to be done(or better yet-not done)

[JMEvensky]

As much as I'm not a fan of Azinger in the booth...

I think he might be the only Ryder Cup captain who has actually made a difference that I can recall.  His 3 x 4 pod system where he grouped guys who all got along and played well with each other seemed to be a difference maker.  And he put an end to that horrific losing streak where the US had been big-time shellacked in the prior 3 matches.

or they just played better that week...at home...
It happens, in fact, it just happened again.


Waaaay too much credit given to a winning Captain.
I refuse to believe that the guy who has almost singlehandedly made radio coverage the go to NBC weekend audio format , made that big of a difference in the one winning year before this one.
Koepka's probably the first person to express what needs to be done(or better yet-not done)

+1 Jeff Warne. The idea that somehow Paul Azinger reinvented the captain wheel is laughable. His guys played better  that week than the Europeans--period, paragraph.

[Kalen Braley]

As much as I'm not a fan of Azinger in the booth...

I think he might be the only Ryder Cup captain who has actually made a difference that I can recall.  His 3 x 4 pod system where he grouped guys who all got along and played well with each other seemed to be a difference maker.  And he put an end to that horrific losing streak where the US had been big-time shellacked in the prior 3 matches.

or they just played better that week...at home...
It happens, in fact, it just happened again.


Waaaay too much credit given to a winning Captain.
I refuse to believe that the guy who has almost singlehandedly made radio coverage the go to NBC weekend audio format , made that big of a difference in the one winning year before this one.
Koepka's probably the first person to express what needs to be done(or better yet-not done)

Jeff,

If you dig a little deeper..

In 2008:

1)  US had gotten beat bad previous 3 times....very bad the previous 2, ugly blowouts like this year.
2)  Euro team had a higher average World Rank than the US, including Sergio, Westwood, Rose, Poulter, Casey, Stenson, and Padraig... all in their prime with loads of positive RC experience.
3) US was missing Tiger, and had guys like a 48 year old Kenny Perry,  Boo Weekly and JB Holmes along with several other guys who are nowhere now like Kim, Ben Curtis, Campbell and Hunter Mahan.
4)  And Valhalla, like that offers a home course advantage?

Compare this to year where the US was a massive favorite:
1)  Every player on the US team in the top 21 in the world rankings, 8 of them in the top 10. (11 of 12 in top 16)
2)  An aging and depleted Euro Team where half the team (6 players) outside the top 30 in the world, and only 1 in the top 10.
3)  A very distinct home field advantage for all the long-balling US players.

Apples and Oranges...