麻豆社

Ouch, Matt. The pink jackets were deliberate - breast cancer colour in memory of Heather. This wasn't well publicised, so you can be forgiven.
Not aware of any rational explanation for the mint ones, however....

Love the Rogers - and the blogs from you and Rob have been fabulous all week. When can we look forward to your amusing double act next???

Fantastic, team-based, emotional, not-enough-superlatives performance from an (admittedly) in-form team. Great to see the smiles (and tears) from the European team, the Americans comprehensively out played on all fronts, out thought and out cheered by the partisan crowd (but sportsmanlike in their appreciation of the visitors).
But PINK jackets? Sounds like a job for Trinny & Susanah...

er, before you put your foot in it any further, the pink jackets were related to a breast cancer charity.....

Mark, Lyn, I write this mea culpa from the passenger seat as we head back into town. I had no idea about the pink jackets being for charity when I wrote the above (was it mentioned on TV?). In fact, I wouldn't have known anything about it if I hadn't been earwigging somebody's conversation on the bus back to the car park. I'm really sorry and I have now completely changed my mind. The pink jackets were a lovely gesture. Now before I give the prize to the peppermint shockers can I just check that they weren't worn for a worthwhile cause too?

Well done with the entertaining bloggs,
I suspect the Rogers were invented to say that you rogered Sharon N铆 Bheola铆n.
And what is wrong with staying overnight in Leixlip? (I am biased as I live there)
I hope when the Ryder Cup comes around again that it will be less commercialised and that the 麻豆社 (and RT脡) God bless them can cover the event live.

Seems DiMarco's problem goes deeper than the fist pumping. Bad karma.
He is a big fan of Newcastle Brown Ale, has kegs of it on tap all over his house, along with twenty something TV's.

Maybe it is time to replace the kegs with Guinness. It's good enough for Darren and half of Ireland and Europe, so maybe if Chris, Tiger, Lefty and the boys get on a strict diet of the black stuff they might be ready for Valhalla.......or maybe not.

DARREN CLARKE WHAT A MAN TO GO WHAT HE HAS GONE THROUGH AND TO PLAY AWESMOE GOLF

Great,Fantastic,Wonderful - sat on my settee and cried along with Darren Clarke and thousands of others.Lost my dad to cancer 6 years ago - Clarkes ability to be 'up for it' despite his loss was absolutely incredible - along with the Ashes win last year this was the best TV for many many years.
Darren Clarke has my vote 4 Sportsman of the Year - should win by a landslide.
Lee

Behaviour started to slip as more and more drink was consumed. The easy, easy chant on the balcony is best forgotten.

The Ryder cup win was brilliant.
It is a national disgrace that live coverage of the most important golf event of the two years was confined to Sky television.
The organisers are culpable, putting money before the larger interests of bringing the sport to the masses.

What a lot of fuss. It's only a game of golf.

Great for Europe, but spare a thought for Padraig Harrington. Yes, he was joining in the celebrations on Sunday evening, but we watched him practising his putting on Saturday night in the dark with his coach looking very miserable indeed. We suspected he had just found out that he was going out last, and that it would all be over while he was in some far corner of the course. So it turned out and he was pasted by Verplank. Given that he had been the face of the Ryder Cup here in Ireland, was all over billboards and TV ads, it was a shame that it ended this way for him. To argue that he was put there in case the Americans fought back was ridiculous. Pleased though I am for Darren Clarke given the terrible ordeal he has been through, Woosnam tried to engineer a Hollywood style ending by giving him the best chance to hole the winning putt, presumably with the blessing of Sky Sports. And if Sky mentioned it once, they mentioned it a thousand times - Darren Clarke could hole the winning putt and WHAT a story that would be. Oh, how I chuckled when Stenson popped in the clincher. Sky couldn't believe it. I suspect poor old Stenson will be somehow erased from history in years to come when we look back at this Ryder Cup.

Well done Europe.... to all the players & caddies (inc all backroom staff) not just DC. I personally understand his loss and he has made an immense contribution to a TEAM effort.
Several areas of concern though, as a purist golfer. Sam Ryder wanted golf to be the medium for the competition not the US TV networks. Not that I want the US team to loose interest in the Cup however quality golf should be the forefront of the competition and I hope that the US players believe that as well.
Finally DiMarco(on 18), if you put 2 balls in the pond concede the hole then and there.. its over..
Good comments on the blog, keep it up

There's a fantastic thought Lee: a nominee for Sports Personality of the Year, with a personality. Brilliant suggestion...

Agree with comments made by FChambers,unfortunately Woosie set a bad example.Our conduct at the closing ceremony was less than impressive too.As one would expect, Monty showed a touch of class. i believe we will see a different approach with Nick at the helm.

Now we have three wins in a row and five out of the last six, isn't it about time we evened things up and made it Europe against all of the Americas?

What a fantastic achievment by the Euroteam; but has anyone else noticed that Ian Woosnam has slowly turned into Sir Harry Secombe?

Matt

I think that's an excellent name for a golf award.

I think it was a great Ryder Cup - a long way from Kiawah Island or Brookline. The whole thing was played in the right spirit.

Roger

Against that American side, Maurice Flitcroft could have captained the Europeans to victory.
Celebrations at the end were a toe curling embarrassment, best suited to an average Football League side winning the play-offs in Cardiff. I note that Monty had made himself scarce!
Let's hope that Faldo and later Montgomerie bring some Langer type class back to the captain's role in 2008 and 2010.

I'm just wondering if the sole point of creating the ROGER's was to use it in reference to Sharon!!

Well done Europe.
As an Ex Professional golfer even I can't imagine the elation that a win of this magnitude will have on the performance of the individual european team members over the next 24 months. Expect to see at least one of the european team become a major winner in 2007/8. I will eat my 7 iron if this does not happen. My money is on Casey or Monty.
Finally well done to Darren Clarke on a performance that not even he can beleive. What a man!!. Sports personality of the year, goes without saying.
Over to you now Mr Faldo to do us proud in 2008. Lets make it 4 in a row....

Marc Wells

Couldn't agree more, Duncan, about DiMarco's lack of sportsmanship on the 18th - what a miserable face he had at the closing ceremony.
Great victory and wonderful all round but now can all the sports writers pleeeeeeeeese stop referring to the increasingly boring Monty as "the hero/talisman of the Ryder Cup".
Fully agree that DC should be our S P of the year - he gets my vote every time.

What a joy to watch! Tiger losing a club, Darren winning, Maginnley showing Irish sportsmanship, Lovely pink jackets, Pints being downed in one, Demarco losing his credulance, Pathetic coverage from Sky, and best of all Ian Woosnams greatest ever snot on television.

I think this years Ryder Cup was one of a kind. It had the lot it had team spirit but most of all the love for the game. I think that Ian Woosnam was a excellent captain to take Europe onto their third conceutive Ryder Cup victory. I think the best players of the tournament in my opinion were Darren Clarke and Paul Casey.

The behaviour on the balcony was hardly that terrible (with the exception of seeing champagne come out of Woosie's nose, an image I hope doesn't make the highlights reel!)

Couldn't agree more about the best fans in the world, and I'm English. The Americans need to learn from this. The last three they've been so concerned about living down their Brookline disgrace they'd not put in the passion. Performing with passion but with class seems to be an Irish (and European team in general) speciality. If the Americans can get a bit of that from players and crowd next time round they might stand a chance.

Matt, I'm a bit disappointed on your rating of Padraig's performance. You noted that he did come up against the might of what the US had to throw at the Europeans and he had the extra baggage of being the face of the Ryder Cup. What other Ryder Cup has had one of the players playing such a high profile role in promoting the event? He would have won his singles match against 7 or 8 of the other opponents. Give him a break!

Some etiquette education would not go amiss either. I was always taught to remove my cap when shaking hands with opponent(s) at the end of a game. Messrs Furyk, DiMarco and others please note.

Golf is my passion because it requires character in a number of areas, not least of which being good manners. I cannot reconcile the scenes at the end of this Ryder Cup with the character building lessons the game has engendered in me since I first played the game.

In club houses around the world the weekend amateurs receive their trophies with restraint and in companionship with their losing mates. The vanquished should be embraced and able to celebrate the game with the victors rather than be made to feel inferior and superfluous.

I am saddened by the decline in the standards that Nicklaus understood so well when he conceded that Jacklin putt.

I was delighted with the winninmg of the cup for many reasons. The human condition was there in all forms, whether winning or losing happy or sad, bad or brilliant. But I was particularly happy for Lee Westwood vindicating his selection with a return of 4 points from the matches he played in. I wonder if Thomas Bjorn phoned either Lee or Woosy to congratulate them on their performances and man management.

Congrats to the entire European Team. You guys really showed team spirit, excellent golf and class. Hope our team takes the time to look at themselves in the mirror and learn from this experience.

Matt, Ian, Jay, Rob and even the slightly cryptic 'Blog Editor', thanks to all of you for the great articles which entertained us throughout.

Cheers,

Joe

interesting to read your thoughts

thought this piece said it all, really

Re: The Pink Jackets.

Just listened to a radio show here in Dublin and the tailor (Aidan Copeland) who designed the pink blazers said that it had nothing to do with breast cancer and that he had chosen the colour!

Not a very good advertisement for him if he's telling the truth!!

Some American expert commentators blame the defeat of their fellow country men to their lack of joy and appreciation for the fun part of the game. I believe the Tiger factor is another one. Since he joined the US team lack inspiration, look annoyed with every missed putt while turning their self-fulfilling prophecy of underdog into the lap dog of the Europeans. Keep on going like this guys.

Can't believe people are complaining about the European celebrations. The main reasons they won were the togetherness and passion generated by the whole team. Contrast that with the American body language/facial expressions to see why they lost. The celebrations were merely the release of the tremendous pressure built up which began 2 years ago when qualification began. Hardly compares with an amateur prize giving Mr Hardisty.

In addition, from all reports it appears that the USA team were invited joined the party as well. I wonder how many wished their team had the same camerarderie?
I was also glad to see that Ian Woosnam managed to silence [almost] all the doubters and his wild card picks did him proud, especially the 'controversially chosen' Lee Westwood...unbeaten again AND steered Darren Clarke through the emotion of the first match, a major reason for picking him in the circumstances.

Another thank you to the 麻豆社 bloggers who made those of us who don't have Sky feel as if we were there. Great entertainment - thanks guys.

The issue of the Ryder Cup for the US is in one word TEAMPLAY. The US team lacks the psychology to play as a team. With the worlds top individual winners making up the team a la Woods, Furyk and Co.

The players have achieved significance as individuals and their midset and training is geared to win as individuals and not as a team. Their excellent individual scores and strategies speak for themselves. However, when it comes to team play the rest of the world has it be it in TENNIS (Russia beat the US in Davis Cup) or in BasketBall (Greece beat USA) or in rest of team sport - The US lacks a winning attitude when it comes to TEAMSPORT as they are not taught to be team players as a nautral instinct.....so its pure psychology!

Ok ive heard a disturbing story.....

Danny boy was played at the k club and a certain bbc commentator with Irish herritage was bawling his eyes out!!

Farreler (the mate of mine that managed to sweet talk his way into the k club) ended up consoling this guy as he cried in his arms???

Anyone care to fess up?

As a die-hard Yank and an avid golfer, it is amusing to hear the US Ryder Cup team's confusion as to why they keep losing. The answer is quite simple: In both a society at large and especially a professional atheltic culture which exalts the individual, team motivation and play is strange to most US athletes. This is also the reason why the US basketball team, arguably the best collection of individual players on earth, has also had its troubles the past several years. taking nothing away from the European Ryder Cup team (which has shown excellent play), until the US players figure out there is no "I" in "team", they will continue to be thrashed.

1.Just want to say my bit in support of Padraig : Take it easy on him lah, with all the hype and extra pressure of performing in your own place. The anchorman in the team is never enviable : when the team is failing, it would be up to you to pull it through, and get the blame when you fail : when the team is doing well, your match becomes inconsequential. Bet u, if the match has gone down to the wire, we would have seen a different Padraig.
2.Also to say my little bit on Jim forgetting to remove his cap. That would be very unlike Jim, surely just a moment's slip lah, give Gentleman Jim a break.
3.As for Tiger, I read deeper, and in the years to come, Ryder Cup is going to be Tiger's Cup. Be forewarned, Europe.
4.In conclusion, oh, if only Casey had conceded and halved hole 14, after his ACE ! His place in history would even be more memorable.

Personally, I'd love to see the European Ryder Cup Team take on the Presidents Cup International Team.

I know with scheduling and all, maybe it isnt possible, but it still would make for great theatre.

Vijay, Mike Weir, Retief Goosen, Ernie Els, Oglivy and the rest from Australia, Campbell from New Zealand.. and others I'm missing. That confrontation would make for an interesting match.

Great win for Europe against an American team that looked beaten before a ball was struck. The Americans need to show some form of comedy at this tournament. Jim Furyk walking about with his lips stuck together made me laugh. Luck did play a factor in the win however, Monty's ball that hit the rocks and landed on the green was pure class. Roll on the next Ryder Cup; the most entertaining sporting event there is. Bar none.

What can you say?

We often use sport as an allegory for life, but it is rare for sport to truly teach us a lesson.

Darren Clarke showed us all that despite tragedy, the teamwork and cameraderie of sport can help you through the deepest depths of despair. His co-players and the crowds wished for that ONE moment of magic...sinking the winning putt....whilst it didnt happen, it was a unifying image. Why is this relevant? The Euro team was a TEAM of people clearly in love with the Ryder cup and all that it siginifies, whilst it seemed that to the USA, it was just another event to be won. All were great sportsmen, but only one group had the passion and whomever sunk the putt was immaterial.

Another analogy is the comparison between the six nations and the tri nations in Rugby union. One is a cultural festival...another is a competition.

The lesson is: Love your sport, but love your team more. If you love your team, you are showing true love for your sport...and within your team, you will find real strength. And if Darren is not enough to convince you, Ask Monty!!!!!

Charles, Casey did concede the half after his hole in one, but they were already dormi so the match was over.

Hello all, this is just one final message from me back at Slater Towers. Thanks for all your kind words about the blog, it really was our pleasure. And I couldn't agree more with all your comments about how great the Europeans were, Darren Clarke in particular.

I think those of you who have identified the main weakness in the American "team" being the go-getting individualism of the kind that tamed the West are also spot on. The "I don't need no help from nobody I'm looking after number one" attitude clearly does wonders for your ability to win majors and lots of cash but perhaps doesn't do much for creating a "sum is better than the parts" team ethic.

That said, there is one thing that has been annoying me over the last day or two in the TV, radio and press reports I have seen and heard. Will people please stop saying that the Americans were better players than the Europeans. They weren't. They had two, perhaps three, players better than anybody on our team. But they also had four or five guys who wouldn't have got into our team. The Yanks have five in the top 20, the Euros seven. I would also argue that their is an in-built and self-perpetuating bias towards the PGA Tour in the world rankings that exaggerates the quality of every player in the American team, bar Woods and Mickelson (on his good days). But that is another argument.

And sorry for dissing Padraig. I think he is a great player but he really didn't show up for his own party. I appreciate that he was carrying a bigger burden than the others (perhaps Woosie should not have played him five times) and also came up against some good pairings. But four defeats from five starts ain't great golf. To be honest, I think 5/10 is a bit generous...I gave Mickelson 2/10 for the same return.

Oh, and regarding the Rogers and Sharon. I didn't concoct the whole thing for that one schoolboy gag, honest! We really did think of them at the Open before I had ever heard of the fragrant RTE star, let alone pronounce her name. But I think we can all agree that there has never been a worthier winner.

with ref to the President's Cup and suggested "Europe vs a non-USA Rest of the World" team event.

To me this is not a sensible option as a competitive event. It would be more of yet another "made for tv" money making showcase.

One of the reasons the USA team seems to lack the reported passion for, and in, the Ryder Cup is possibly due to them playing the President's Cup every other year too. The media in the US try to hype the latter to be equivalent to the Ryder Cup in importance, and so inevitably perhaps the players seem to have less passion for the Ryder Cup since they have a team event EVERY year. Part of the Ryder Cup mystique in the UK is surely the fact that it is biannual, and anticipation is a big factor.

The last thing we need is saturation coverage of so-called world class competition every week a la cricket, rugby etc. The product is inevitably diluted.

Although the US is going through a slump in in-depth talent at the moment anyway, has the team effort slipped since 1)they started getting paid? 2)the Presidents Cup started?
Question I haven't seen addressed...why didn't Woosnam play World Cup winners Casey and Donald together?

Calm down you Brits. You just won the Carling Cup again, now go and do it in the Premiership.
You are just like a League One side that beat Chelsea in the Carling Cup, then a few days later lose at home to Port Vale. Wild hysteria, followed by 'back to normal'.
You should be able to win a few majors by now and also do better in US tour events as most of your RC heroes play in the USA as much as on the European Tour.
When you can excel in the day-to-day slog of the top tour in the world, then you can do some real celebrating.
Paul Casey and Luke Donald look promising - they voted with their feet and went to US Universities for their golf education; they know where their real future will be.

Darren certainly deserves to be sportsman of the year after his magnificent contribution in the ryder cup it should not be forgotten his refusal to take advantage of an improved lie after play resumed in i think the european open should have made him a candidate in any event

great to see the us of a humbled once again.just a thought about woosies captaincy.on friday all 12 europeans played collecting at least 0.5 point each also the speed of greens seemed to suit europe because
woosie purposely had them slowed down to european tour pace as a consequence some americans couldn't hold a putt.2 reasons why woosie will go down as one of europes best ryder cup captains.

This is the team the US SHOULD have taken to Ireland if they could have... they still would have lost mind you!!

1. Tiger
2. Ryan Moore (young star to partner TW in the 4balls)
3. Duval (he's coming back in form, could look formidable if paired with Phil in the 4balls)
4. Funk (straight hitter for the 4somes, brings that missing team spirit)
5. Daly (perfect for matchplay and the only US player other than TW who can send the crowds wild!)
6. Cink
7. Furyk (partnering Daly in the 4balls and TW in the 4somes)
8. Di Marco
9. Henry
10. Toms
11. Verplank
12. Mickelson

Thanks Chris, my mistake. I did go back to check : the score was 5 n 4, not 6 and 4.
This was my thought : I wrongly recalled Casey n partner as only 4 up after 13. Thus after the ace at 14, should win at 5 n 4. Would he then concede the Americans their tee shots, to halve 14 ( as a generous sporting gesture ), and go on to 15 at dormie 4 ! Probably would trigger a heart attack on Woosie !
Thanks again, happy golfing, and happy blogging.

Forget Mickelson. His game shuts down after the last major. And, quite frankly, he doesn't seem to care. He's in his own world.

I would also include Arron Oberholser and Lucas Glover. Two good young players. I hate the expierence excuse. This is golf, put the guys that can hit the best shots and make the most putts out there.

And Tom Watson is right, they need to change the point system where the top 10 Americans finishers get points, not just the top 10. As he said, with the all the international players on the US tour, you win one tournament and you're gonna be on the team. Ridiculous.

Great,Fantastic,Wonderful - sat on my settee and cried along with Darren Clarke and thousands of others. :(