Azinger calls out Koepka on his Ryder Cup comments

[bladehunter]

1 hour ago, BlackDiamondPar5 said:

How many eternities ago was that?

 

I don’t know man.  The past was a very good place from where I’m standing.  Been looking for the crystals to my time machine for a while now. 

[kasting333]

10 minutes ago, JaNelson38 said:

 

'Dissention'?  Ha!

 

I guarantee you none - not one - of the 11 other players on the Ryder Cup roster care one lick about Brooks' Golf Digest interview, or Azinger's comments during a media call (lol).

 

More stupid, eye-rolling crap from the usual suspects like Azinger in an effort to create 'drama' and try to steer ratings up for the Ryder Cup next week.  As if these guys are literally going to war and they'll be taking caskets back to Europe when its all over.

 

It's. A. Golf. Exhibition.

The extremely forced celebration will be too painful to watch if the US isn’t too disinterested in their matches. 

[Rapidcat]

Brooks can make a decision to embrace it or not.

 

Just be positive, you are representing your country, determine to enjoy it as a season one-off.

 

It shouldn't be so cerebral. 

[kasting333]

1 hour ago, Rapidcat said:

Brooks can make a decision to embrace it or not.

 

Just be positive, you are representing your country, determine to enjoy it as a season one-off.

 

It shouldn't be so cerebral. 

Why would these players not be jaded when the Ryder cup is an obvious boondoggle for the Euro tour and PGA to use patriotism in order to justify not paying out a purse? Where is the money going?
 

Any pushback about the event and they allow the media to feast on these players to just suck it up and play for their country. 

[jj9000]

Brooks' nonchalance, and the US Team 'me first' Ryder Cup attitude --> Cat

Attitude of the guys sitting on the sidelines, hungry to compete (Reed/Na/Kisner) --> Dog

 

 

[Rapidcat]

1 minute ago, kasting333 said:

Why would these players not be jaded when the Ryder cup is an obvious boondoggle for the Euro tour and PGA to use patriotism in order to justify not paying out a purse? Where is the money going?
 

Any pushback about the event and they allow the media to feast on these players to just suck it up and play for their country. 

Fair point.

 

Pay and play with pride makes sense, but is that Brook's issue?

[iBanesto]

16 hours ago, mark m said:

Azinger should stay home.

5-7-3 record.

 

You went there...

 

[kasting333]

6 minutes ago, Rapidcat said:

Fair point.

 

Pay and play with pride makes sense, but is that Brook's issue?

I think it a big part of it. The whole thing feels soulless. Why is it patriotic just bc these institutions decide to put the flag on a polo?
 

Let the players play for money or do it for real world patriotic causes. 
 

Imagine if Brooks was playing to win life changing money for a family of one of those 13 fallen soldiers in Afghanistan. That’s just an example but I think it would bring a much different attitude. 

[flip flappy]

25 minutes ago, jj9000 said:

Brooks' nonchalance, and the US Team 'me first' Ryder Cup attitude --> Cat

Attitude of the guys sitting on the sidelines, hungry to compete (Reed/Na/Kisner) --> Dog

 

 

That is a good ole country boy common sense way of telling em to man up! He had me rolling with laughter! Love it!

[Wasted_Talent]

Brooks should just stay home.

[tbowles411]

All I know is if he spouts off like that and doesn't get 3 points, he's gonna wear those comments for a long time.

[Rapidcat]

15 minutes ago, kasting333 said:

I think it a big part of it. The whole thing feels soulless. Why is it patriotic just bc these institutions decide to put the flag on a polo?
 

Let the players play for money or do it for real world patriotic causes. 
 

Imagine if Brooks was playing to win life changing money for a family of one of those 13 fallen soldiers in Afghanistan. That’s just an example but I think it would bring a much different attitude. 

 

That's the issue - the Euros are proud to play for their cause (which isn't even a country - Europe as a group of countries and the UK who have left the EEC) whereas some of the US players that maybe need the artificial reason of $ or whatever.

 

I find it sad that US patriotism for this event for some is such...and I don't believe it is representative of US patriotism as a whole.

 

Get rid of anyone that is lukewarm, Brooks or whomever.

 

Brooks, come back when you are serious and you qualify again.

[bladehunter]

58 minutes ago, jj9000 said:

Brooks' nonchalance, and the US Team 'me first' Ryder Cup attitude --> Cat

Attitude of the guys sitting on the sidelines, hungry to compete (Reed/Na/Kisner) --> Dog

 

 

That’s hilarious.  And absolutely chocked full of common sense. I own dogs and cats.  He’s not wrong. You don’t train cats.  They train you or else you live in misery.   Brooks is absolutely a cat.  Everyone must conform to suit the cat.  
 

Meanwhile the dog will sleep on a 1 foot square of hard floor  and stand guard all night if need be as long as you fill his belly everyday and scratch him on the head once in a while.  will do it with a smile.  

Edited September 16, 2021 by bladehunter

[Shilgy]

3 hours ago, BlackDiamondPar5 said:

How many eternities ago was that?

 

Let’s see, the last Cup was what? 2018?  So are we not allowed to bring up Ruder Cup records because they were in the past? Then I guess all need to stop talking about how Sergio and Poulter are so good and passionate about the Ryder Cup. And certainly cannot mention anyone else’s past Cup experience.

So in your and others mind they are all rookies?

 

Really?     Personally give me the enthusiastic guys that love the competition like Reed.  Not the apathetic guys like Koepka that would rather be anywhere else shooting photos in his underwear.

 

 

 

[NJBigFish22]

12 minutes ago, tbowles411 said:

All I know is if he spouts off like that and doesn't get 3 points, he's gonna wear those comments for a long time.

 

And he doesn’t give a s**t about what people say.

 

12 minutes ago, Rapidcat said:

 

I find it sad that US patriotism for this event for some is such...and I don't believe it is representative of US patriotism as a whole.

 

Get rid of anyone that is lukewarm, Brooks or whomever.

 

 

If you believe that people need to be super hyped in terms of perceived patriotism, then get rid of the automatic qualifiers and let the captain pick his 12 players.  I guarantee you will see false patriotism just so lower tier players are considered.

[MattyO1984]

The more I think about this, the more I just don’t get the controversy that this has seemed to have caused. At no point does anything he say anything which makes me question his patriotism. Heck, if the USA are serious about reversing their fortunes in the event should the USGA not be looking at this and thinking the guy has a point? If we want these guys to win then maybe we should let them prepare optimally to go ahead and play their best golf?

 

Reading the interview again. We have Koepka saying:-

“It’s different. It’s hectic. It’s a bit odd, if I’m honest. I don’t want to say it’s a bad week. We’re just so individualized, and everybody has their routine and a different way of doing things, and now, it’s like, OK, we have to have a meeting at this time or go do this or go do that. It’s the opposite of what happens during a major week.”

 

Then he says:-

“It’s tough. There are times where I’m like, I won my match. I did my job. What do you want from me? I know how to take responsibility for the shots I hit every week. Now, somebody else hit a bad shot and left me in a bad spot, and I know this hole is a loss. That’s new, and you have to change the way you think about things. You go from an individual sport all the time to a team sport one week a year. It’s so far from my normal routine. I can barely see my [personal] team. It’s hard to even go to the gym. At the Presidents Cup in New York, we had to go to the gym at 5 a.m. to get it in. We went to the Equinox, and it was me, Dustin and Tiger, and we come back and go to a team meeting. Under regular conditions, I take naps a lot. I might take an hour, hour-and-a-half nap, or just chill on the couch and watch “SportsCenter,” before rounds, after rounds, whatever. There’s no time to do that at the Ryder Cup. There’s no time to decompress.”

 

Is it just me or is it not really that hard a position to follow? The Ryder Cup makes it difficult to prepare himself they way that he would normally prepare himself to play a big competition. Surely, with all the obligations that comes as no surprise to anyone?! At no point is he saying he doesn’t want to play.

[Rapidcat]

1 minute ago, NJBigFish22 said:

 

And he doesn’t give a s**t about what people say.

 

 

If you believe that people need to be super hyped in terms of perceived patriotism, then get rid of the automatic qualifiers and let the captain pick his 12 players.  I guarantee you will see false patriotism just so lower tier players are considered.

You're probably correct.

 

So what's the answer, what is happening over the last 20 or whatever years isn't getting the best of what the US have to offer.

 

I'd love to be team captain - I'd have no issue kicking anyone off the team (assuming that I could) if they weren't committed. More importantly, the captain has to add to motivation, not just be a figurehead & selector.

[Soloman1]

Let's get back to the money... 😉

 

In 1999, David Duval, Tiger Woods, Mark O’Meara, and Phil Mickelson all questioned where the reported $63 million profit went from Brookline. The PGA of America had been hoping for decades that no one would ask that out loud.

 

That's why they bill it as a patriotic rivalry, to throw you off the scent.

 

That was 20 years ago, so the money is much more now.

 

The PGA of America relented and now give almost 5% of their share to charity. 5%, sigh.

 

Be patriotic, boys! Do it for the flag!

 

 

[bladehunter]

11 minutes ago, MattyO1984 said:

The more I think about this, the more I just don’t get the controversy that this has seemed to have caused. At no point does anything he say anything which makes me question his patriotism. Heck, if the USA are serious about reversing their fortunes in the event should the USGA not be looking at this and thinking the guy has a point? If we want these guys to win then maybe we should let them prepare optimally to go ahead and play their best golf?

 

Reading the interview again. We have Koepka saying:-

“It’s different. It’s hectic. It’s a bit odd, if I’m honest. I don’t want to say it’s a bad week. We’re just so individualized, and everybody has their routine and a different way of doing things, and now, it’s like, OK, we have to have a meeting at this time or go do this or go do that. It’s the opposite of what happens during a major week.”

 

Then he says:-

“It’s tough. There are times where I’m like, I won my match. I did my job. What do you want from me? I know how to take responsibility for the shots I hit every week. Now, somebody else hit a bad shot and left me in a bad spot, and I know this hole is a loss. That’s new, and you have to change the way you think about things. You go from an individual sport all the time to a team sport one week a year. It’s so far from my normal routine. I can barely see my [personal] team. It’s hard to even go to the gym. At the Presidents Cup in New York, we had to go to the gym at 5 a.m. to get it in. We went to the Equinox, and it was me, Dustin and Tiger, and we come back and go to a team meeting. Under regular conditions, I take naps a lot. I might take an hour, hour-and-a-half nap, or just chill on the couch and watch “SportsCenter,” before rounds, after rounds, whatever. There’s no time to do that at the Ryder Cup. There’s no time to decompress.”

 

Is it just me or is it not really that hard a position to follow? The Ryder Cup makes it difficult to prepare himself they way that he would normally prepare himself to play a big competition. Surely, with all the obligations that comes as no surprise to anyone?! At no point is he saying he doesn’t want to play.

I see what you’re saying. But. Huge but.  
 

what Brooks is describing is a non team player. Snd that’s okay.  It’s ok that he’s not one. But.  Here’s that huge BUT.  He shouldn’t be on a team if he doesn’t want to be part of a team.  The meetings. The taking ownership of your partners shots , that’s how a team works.  He can’t sit and claim to want to be there , and yet call out someone for hitting a bad shot in partners matches.  That person didn’t hit a bad shot.   WE hit a bad shot.  Or else there is no team.  

[BlackDiamondPar5]

15 minutes ago, Shilgy said:

Let’s see, the last Cup was what? 2018?  So are we not allowed to bring up Ruder Cup records because they were in the past? Then I guess all need to stop talking about how Sergio and Poulter are so good and passionate about the Ryder Cup. And certainly cannot mention anyone else’s past Cup experience.

So in your and others mind they are all rookies?

 

Really?     Personally give me the enthusiastic guys that love the competition like Reed.  Not the apathetic guys like Koepka that would rather be anywhere else shooting photos in his underwear.

 

 

 

Oh I agree, enthusiasm is important and anyone lacking it should have the decency to decline and let someone else in.  But as I said numerous times, some here need to get out of 2016.  How did he do in Paris?  How about the last Presidents Cup? On top of that' he had a major illness which can take months to fully recover.  The bench is deep of fully capable Captains picks.  Every Captains pick this year has nearly universally better stats than Reed for 2021.  Honestly I'd like to see the entire team be comprised of Captains picks.    But yeah some need to get out of 2016. 

[MattyO1984]

10 minutes ago, bladehunter said:

I see what you’re saying. But. Huge but.  
 

what Brooks is describing is a non team player. Snd that’s okay.  It’s ok that he’s not one. But.  Here’s that huge BUT.  He shouldn’t be on a team if he doesn’t want to be part of a team.  The meetings. The taking ownership of your partners shots , that’s how a team works.  He can’t sit and claim to want to be there , and yet call out someone for hitting a bad shot in partners matches.  That person didn’t hit a bad shot.   WE hit a bad shot.  Or else there is no team.  

 

Totally see what you are saying as well. It certainly does seem that he struggles with certain aspects of being in a team. That that is the case is fine, I would rather that he vocalised that. He also says that he has to change the way that he thinks about in things. That seems to be me that he is changing to fit in as best he can. If he was truly not a team player, he would not be doing that. 

[kasting333]

19 minutes ago, Rapidcat said:

 

That's the issue - the Euros are proud to play for their cause (which isn't even a country - Europe as a group of countries and the UK who have left the EEC) whereas some of the US players that maybe need the artificial reason of $ or whatever.

 

I find it sad that US patriotism for this event for some is such...and I don't believe it is representative of US patriotism as a whole.

 

Get rid of anyone that is lukewarm, Brooks or whomever.

 

Brooks, come back when you are serious and you qualify again.

Because it’s meaningless. You can’t just slap the flag on a corporate event and convince everyone to buy in. 

[BNGL]

One of the sports posdacsts I listen to while walking has a theory. The theory is that the sooner you get to a basketball players Olympic record the worse a player they are. I look at it the same way with golfers except involving the Ryder Cup. The sooner you get to a players Ryder Cup record the worse a player they. Like people rave about Poulter and Sergio as “passionate” players stalwarts of the Ryder Cup. They have less than 15 PGA Tour wins between them (granted it’s very difficult to win) and 50 wins or around there worldwide (again it’s very difficult to win) but when it counts they’re not winning at a clip not being close to dominant at any level on the PGA Tour. Dominate the Ryder Cup, congrats kudos to you but for me that doesn’t move the needle at all. Will I watch the event? Yeah because I love golf 

[smashdn]

18 hours ago, ShowMe said:

"Brooks, I just read that article, I’m not sure he loves the Ryder Cup that much," Azinger said during an NBC Golf call with the media. "If he doesn’t love it, he should relinquish his spot and get people there who do love the Ryder Cup."

 

How much you love the Ryder Cup has no bearing on whether you can play golf capable of winning it.  I love the Ryder Cup comp.  For some reason I didn't make the short list of potential competitors.  Brooks did.  Probably because he is good at golf.  I don't know.  Might be it.

[BNGL]

40 minutes ago, Rapidcat said:

43 minutes ago, MattyO1984 said:

The more I think about this, the more I just don’t get the controversy that this has seemed to have caused. At no point does anything he say anything which makes me question his patriotism. Heck, if the USA are serious about reversing their fortunes in the event should the USGA not be looking at this and thinking the guy has a point? If we want these guys to win then maybe we should let them prepare optimally to go ahead and play their best golf?

 

Reading the interview again. We have Koepka saying:-

“It’s different. It’s hectic. It’s a bit odd, if I’m honest. I don’t want to say it’s a bad week. We’re just so individualized, and everybody has their routine and a different way of doing things, and now, it’s like, OK, we have to have a meeting at this time or go do this or go do that. It’s the opposite of what happens during a major week.”

 

Then he says:-

“It’s tough. There are times where I’m like, I won my match. I did my job. What do you want from me? I know how to take responsibility for the shots I hit every week. Now, somebody else hit a bad shot and left me in a bad spot, and I know this hole is a loss. That’s new, and you have to change the way you think about things. You go from an individual sport all the time to a team sport one week a year. It’s so far from my normal routine. I can barely see my [personal] team. It’s hard to even go to the gym. At the Presidents Cup in New York, we had to go to the gym at 5 a.m. to get it in. We went to the Equinox, and it was me, Dustin and Tiger, and we come back and go to a team meeting. Under regular conditions, I take naps a lot. I might take an hour, hour-and-a-half nap, or just chill on the couch and watch “SportsCenter,” before rounds, after rounds, whatever. There’s no time to do that at the Ryder Cup. There’s no time to decompress.”

 

Is it just me or is it not really that hard a position to follow? The Ryder Cup makes it difficult to prepare himself they way that he would normally prepare himself to play a big competition. Surely, with all the obligations that comes as no surprise to anyone?! At no point is he saying he doesn’t want to play.

You’ve hit the nail on the head there matty it’s not a hard issue that any task force is going to solve. 

Edited September 16, 2021 by BNGL

[smashdn]

2 minutes ago, BNGL said:

One of the sports posdacsts I listen to while walking has a theory. The theory is that the sooner you get to a basketball players Olympic record the worse a player they are. I look at it the same way with golfers except involving the Ryder Cup. The sooner you get to a players Ryder Cup record the worse a player they. Like people rave about Poulter and Sergio as “passionate” players stalwarts of the Ryder Cup. They have less than 15 PGA Tour wins between them (granted it’s very difficult to win) and 50 wins or around there worldwide (again it’s very difficult to win) but when it counts they’re not winning at a clip not being close to dominant at any level on the PGA Tour. Dominate the Ryder Cup, congrats kudos to you but for me that doesn’t move the needle at all. Will I watch the event? Yeah because I love golf 

 

Jack has a .500 record in Ryder Cup singles matches (4-4-2).  I don't see many throwing shade on that.

[CasualLie]

14 hours ago, hogans71 said:

Why? Dude loved this freaking event. His record is irrelevant.

 

Why is this so hard to understand? It's almost as if everyone looks to stir the proverbial poop just because...

 

But isn't that what Azinger was doing with his comments?  Really...if he truly wanted the best for the US team, rather than spouting off about Koepka based on his (Zinger) interpretation of what he read in the interview, he should just focus on talking about positive things.

 

How much of the US struggle to bond as a team and win is real vs media driven?

 

 

[BNGL]

Just now, smashdn said:

 

Jack has a .500 record in Ryder Cup singles matches (4-4-2).  I don't see many throwing shade on that.

Because you have 18 majors, then 73 PGA Tour wins, 5 time PGA Tour player of the year, 8 time leading money winner, his amateur record with the two am wins (59/61). Personally I think of all that before I even get to his Ryder Cup record.but I don’t value the Ryder cup.

[smashdn]

45 minutes ago, BNGL said:

Because you have 18 majors, then 73 PGA Tour wins, 5 time PGA Tour player of the year, 8 time leading money winner, his amateur record with the two am wins (59/61). Personally I think of all that before I even get to his Ryder Cup record.but I don’t value the Ryder cup.

 

Exactly.  There very rarely is the "yeah, but" argument when it comes to Jack where the Ryder Cup record is brought up.  I have neve heard, "Yeah, he is the best golfer but his Ryder Cup record is not that good so..."

 

So the converse shouldn't be accepted.  "Yeah Sergio/Poulter don't have that many wins or major wins but they have a really good Ryder Cup record." 

 

It's a match play exhibition.  I like it.  I watch it.  It entertains me.  But, like you, I don't use it as a barometer to measure a player's career. 

[bscinstnct]

1 hour ago, bladehunter said:

I see what you’re saying. But. Huge but.  
 

what Brooks is describing is a non team player. Snd that’s okay.  It’s ok that he’s not one. But.  Here’s that huge BUT.  He shouldn’t be on a team if he doesn’t want to be part of a team.  The meetings. The taking ownership of your partners shots , that’s how a team works.  He can’t sit and claim to want to be there , and yet call out someone for hitting a bad shot in partners matches.  That person didn’t hit a bad shot.   WE hit a bad shot.  Or else there is no team.  

 

Bullseye 🎯!

 

Early in my career in the soap making industry, used to have to go to company trips, industry gatherings, team building exercises. 
 

Brutal

 

Sitting in conference room still hungover from the jiggly room last night 🤣, full of coffee and buffet bacon but still got scotch vapor in your nose, and you gotta white board the negotiation triangle for a bunch of clowns. 
 

But you turn on the charm, you slap some backs and act like you care, and be encouraging!

 

Oh, yes….

 

I make soap ; )

 

Edited September 16, 2021 by bscinstnct