Facing the giants

[MajGenl.Meade]

..... oh dear oh dear - ag, shame!

Friday. CBS Sports.
Webb Simpson and Bubba Watson steal show Friday at Ryder Cup

Saturday. ESPN
Ryder Cup All But Locked Up For US. It's over. Olazabal can click off the walkie-talkie and take the IFB out of his ear. Time for the Europeans to fire up the private jets and head back home to Florida.

Sunday. NY Times
United States' loss to Europe in Ryder Cup is giant choke as veteran players freeze on the greeens

[Guinevere]

Oh goodie, an event only slightly less interesting and relevant than a cricket match . . .

So Meade, who do you think will get the Indian's managerial job? I think Sandy Alomar Jr. is a lock, but I suppose they are going to interview Tito anyway, as a professional courtesy, if nothing else.

[MajGenl.Meade]

They should try Charles Bronson - he may be dead but at least he'd start even with the team



But if he has a death wish too (or five), Sandy will be first choice. The popular choice at any rate. Those were the days

Meade

[Long Run]

U.S. Team: many very good players who look great with the wind at their backs, but overall lack toughness. (Maybe the result of being formed as pros while Tiger completely dominated everything).

European Team: good skills, but better at playing well in tough circumstances. They came through, often brilliantly (Justin Rose two ridiculous birdie putts to win his match).

[MajGenl.Meade]

Maybe so. But the European players (5 out of 7 wins now?) also competed and came to maturity while Tiger was dominant. They play on the PGA tour too. The lack of form of Woods and Furyk (a captain's sentimental pick perhaps but who else should have had that slot?) no doubt had a major impact.

Still the wise heads would have said that the Euros "play better together" - and yet it was in the fours that the USA took such a commanding lead. And it was in the individual head-to-heads that the Euros stepped up, contrary to expectation. For Poulter to equal Nicklaus in Ryder matches when (let's face it) he's taken exactly 1 PGA event (and that the Accenture - who he?) and despite 11 Euro tour wins and a 2nd place finish at The Open in 2008, he shows no sign of actually winning the thing. The only explanation seems to be that he has a fantastic response to team dynamics and the team game.

Good job that Chicago cop helped the little Irish chap though - wonder if he'll survive the station hazing?

Meade

[Daisy]

My thoughts on the Ryder Cup.

Americans, there is only one way to celebrate a fine shot in golf and that is by politely clapping at a drive and a "Oooooooooooooh!" + clap/awwwww on a putt.

Understand this. THERE IS NO PLACE FOR WHOOPIN' OR HOLLERIN' OR CRIES OF "IT'S IN THE HOOOOOOOLE" on a golf course.

Thanks

[oldr_n_wsr]

Is tailgating permitted?

[Gob]

U.S. Team: many very good players who look great with the wind at their backs, but overall lack toughness.
European Team: good skills, but better at playing well in tough circumstances.

Sorry, did I miss something? I thought they were playing golf, not wrestling...

Tough indeed...

[MajGenl.Meade]

My thoughts on the Ryder Cup.

Americans, there is only one way to celebrate a fine shot in golf and that is by politely clapping at a drive and a "Oooooooooooooh!" + clap/awwwww on a putt.

Understand this. THERE IS NO PLACE FOR WHOOPIN' OR HOLLERIN' OR CRIES OF "IT'S IN THE HOOOOOOOLE" on a golf course.

Thanks

No, no Daisy - sorry. You are quite right in terms of normal individual golf events.

But this is the Ryder Cup and the crowds (whether USian or Eurian) are expected to whoop, holler and hurl - well perhaps not abuse* - but certainly good-natured ribbing ho ho at the opponents. Tiger did say he thought loud support for the home team was good but cat-calling the opponents has no place. He went through it in the European venue last time around.

Same in cricket - Test Matches deserve a different standard of crowd antics than T20s. Not least in those ridiculously bundled up dancing bints in Sri Lanka - now that's something to complain about!

Meade


*there is an investigation apparently into rather too much abuse of players' wives and gfs (not by Tiger thank heavens) and the cry of "F**k Seve" heard on one hole has been roundly condemned

[Gob]

Before the Americans lost the Ryder Cup many were claiming an early victory.

It is a shame they're no good at irony!

Or puttery.

Or drivery

[MajGenl.Meade]

[Lord Jim]

Facing the giants

That's a worthy question Meade, as Dale already pointed out, the Giants have clinched the NL West, but who they will face in the first round of Playoff competition remains to be determined....

The Nationals have clinched a playoff birth, and will almost certainly win the division though they haven't achieved it mathematically yet....

They only need either one win in their remaining four game home-stand, (As of this writing, it's they're tied in a scoreless game in the top of the 2nd with the Phillies)

Or for Atlanta to take one defeat, (The Nat's have been on fire since August, but have cooled off in the past couple of weeks, posting a 5-5 record in their last 10 outings while the Braves have come on, going 8-2 and closing to within three games)

Four of the five teams that will be squaring off in the NL playoffs are so close in their records, (SF 93-66, Atl 93-66, DC, 96-63, Cinci 96-63) that the final four games of the season will be decisive in determining the playoff schedule.

We could easily have to go to some one game playoffs to determine the out comes, or other tie breakers. Here's how that would work:

Tiebreaker games will be played to determine Division Championships, even if the two tied Clubs are assured of participating in the Postseason. If a Division Championship tiebreaker game is necessary, the head-to-head record between the tied Clubs will determine home-field advantage. If the head-to-head record is tied, then division record will be the next tiebreaker.
If two Clubs are tied for both Wild Card berths, home-field advantage will be determined by the head-to-head record between the tied Clubs. If the head-to-head record is tied, then division record will be the next tiebreaker.

And of course there's still a spirited contest going on for the second wild card berth between Saint Louis, (86-73) and LA, (84-75)

So again to answer your question as to who will be facing the Giants, even with just four games left to be played, it's impossible to know....

Sorry I couldn't be more help....

[dales]

The Nationals have clinched a playoff birth, and will almost certainly win the division though they haven't achieved it mathematically yet....

Cesarean?

(oh blast, another ref. to Caesar)

sorry jim...meade made light of my miss. application of the word: "gall" so i'll do the same with "berth".

[Lord Jim]

sorry jim...meade made light of my miss. application of the word: "gall" so i'll do the same with "berth".

Whoa...

So because Mr. Smith ticks you off, you decide to throw a punch at Mr. Jones?

Are you practicing to become an Islamic Fundamentalist?

[dales]

They're playing LA in a few moments.......gonna catch it on the wireless.

[MajGenl.Meade]

sorry jim...meade made light of my miss. application of the word: "gall" so i'll do the same with "berth".

Whoa...

So because Mr. Smith ticks you off, you decide to throw a punch at Mr. Jones?

Are you practicing to become an Islamic Fundamentalist?

Wrong religion Jim. This is either Hinduism or Buddhism. You know - "I karma, I sore-eye conkered"

Piece out
Meade

(edited to incorrect a spelling)

[loCAtek]

'Eh, what would Krishna do?

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna

Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare

[Sean]

Harry Ramsden, Harry Ramsden!

[Gob]

Fish Shop! Fish Shop!
Harry Ramsden!!

[MajGenl.Meade]

He's a sole man (da da da da da)
a sole man