Fowler, soft ? Content loser ? Spoiled ?

[MMB1500]

The New York Post is your equivalent of The Sun over here right?

 

If that's right, I couldn't care less what they have to say.

 

I'd double like this if I could.

[widow-maker]

What he says in an interview and what he actually feels inside are two completely different things. Unless you're Rickie Fowler or one of his close friends, you really don't know how he feels about it. He shows a pleasant demeanor on the outside and it's done wonders for his endorsement deals. Inside... he may be just as ticked off as Harman and the others.

[b.helts]

What he says in an interview and what he actually feels inside are two completely different things. Unless you're Rickie Fowler or one of his close friends, you really don't know how he feels about it. He shows a pleasant demeanor on the outside and it's done wonders for his endorsement deals. Inside... he may be just as ticked off as Harman and the others.

 

Maybe. But Fowler's own words indicate the opposite. He says "no negatives", well how about not winning.

 

Could it be he's lying or hiding the truth, I guess so. But it does seem to insinuate that he is ok with not winning.

 

I see both sides of this argument and personally doubt Fowler is complacent. But....... I would like to see some fire out of him at some point.

[ebrasmus21]

Rickie seems like a good dude to me. If he wants to enjoy being rich and dating some of the most beautiful women on the planet then more power to him. Regarding his attitude - I've heard some of the other guys on tour saying Rickie's attitude is his strongest attribute.

[Psyber]

Some people are really concerned about what other people do. Maybe this is just his way of staying positive. Maybe they're right in he is pretty content where he is. If I was in his position I'd like to win a major but if I never did and got to enjoy my life of fame and fortune I'd be fine with that too. He doesn't want to be Tiger - he wants to be Rickie and there's nothing wrong with that.

[MarkCPA]

The last time a "Fowler is overrated and underachieving" thing was published, he went out and won the Players.

[ckay]

Article is pretty spot on. Guys on the top of the money list grinded out enough top 10s to make over $20MM in earnings on the tour. Chop that earnings number by a tenth and I am sure you may see an animal instinct to win.

[Shawn Paul]

The NY Post is garbage. I think Fowler has the right approach and he's right that it doesn't ever help to focus on the negative. He's right, he finished well but could have played better. Other guys just played better that day, what are you going to do? He'll still get a major win, he's good enough. I'm not worried and I'm sure he's not either. Ricky is good for the game, actually he's great for the game.

[gvogel]

I'd like to see some tears from him when he comes so close and doesn't win. But maybe he knows that he is going to win one, and that resiliency is his best attribute.

[powerpushfade]

It's just a lazy, easy take to say that someone who looks like they are actually having fun and enjoying themselves doesn't "want" it. It's a very old school mindset that comes from the same generation that thinks people who look angry in an office and are going through marital problems must be great employees.

 

These guys are like the scouts at the beginning of "moneyball"

WTF???...

[RacineBoxer]

What we never know is how much of these interviews are canned media-speak answers. What we also don't know is how a player like Rickie uses these close encounters to fuel his desires to improve and win. I don't care what he SAYS, it's the desire to improve that means everything. It appears, from this far-far away distance, that Rickie is a hard worker and committed to improving and winning. Words are close to meaningless in this context.

[4thand11]

The idea that Rickie doesn't "want it" enough because he's not fuming with anger at the end of the round, is really dumb.

 

You heard the same nonsense about DJ... couldn't close, didn't care enough... until he won. Now all of a sudden his laid-back attitude is the key to his success.

 

Makes you realize why most pro athletes can't stand sportswriters.

[MtlJeff]

It's just a lazy, easy take to say that someone who looks like they are actually having fun and enjoying themselves doesn't "want" it. It's a very old school mindset that comes from the same generation that thinks people who look angry in an office and are going through marital problems must be great employees.

 

These guys are like the scouts at the beginning of "moneyball"

WTF???...

 

I didn't think it was that hard to follow. People think Rickie fowler is content and doesn't want it enough because of his perceived demeanor, but demeanor alone is not necessarily reflective of someone's work ethic or drive, and a lot of what we expect in terms of demeanor is based on very dated ways of thinking, like for example someone in an office looking frustrated must be working hard and someone who looks happy must not be (sadly, I still hear this occasionally)

 

Have you seen moneyball? Good scene at the beginning where scouts are making judgements about a players ability because of how attractive his girlfriend is. It's used to illustrate archaic views on how to judge people

[dlygrisse]

It's not how much you care, or show you care when playing in a major, it's how hard you work between majors. I have no idea if Rickie works hard on his game or not. Great athletes have talent and work hard, good athletes have one or the other.

 

Michael Jordan was notorious for working hard, so was Tiger. Don't think Jack didn't work hard at this game when he needed it, all the true greats do.

 

So does Ricke want it? No clue, and unless you are around him away from the tournaments you wouldn't know either, although the comments by Butch lead you to believe he needs to put in a little more range time.

[RacineBoxer]

It's just a lazy, easy take to say that someone who looks like they are actually having fun and enjoying themselves doesn't "want" it. It's a very old school mindset that comes from the same generation that thinks people who look angry in an office and are going through marital problems must be great employees.

 

These guys are like the scouts at the beginning of "moneyball"

WTF???...

 

I didn't think it was that hard to follow. People think Rickie fowler is content and doesn't want it enough because of his perceived demeanor, but demeanor alone is not necessarily reflective of someone's work ethic or drive, and a lot of what we expect in terms of demeanor is based on very dated ways of thinking

 

Have you seen moneyball? Good scene at the beginning where scouts are making judgements about a players ability because of how attractive his girlfriend is. It's used to illustrate archaic views on how to judge people

 

I think your business/office example is pretty solid too. The "always mad" office guy who constantly looks overworked, being viewed as a good soldier and good for the company, is completely archaic. Usually those guys are unorganized, focused on the wrong things and consistently miss opportunities for continuous improvement.

[Potatohead]

So if he gets mad like Rahm or Reed people will call him a classless hothead

If he gets emotional and cries people will call him Zack Johnson or Bubba and that he's annoying

The dude is like the nicest guy out there and still gets smashed, you just simply cannot win.

[Matt J]

I always get mad when my Gladiators under perform. It's simply time to up the ante on these guys. Sniper fire on the green, land mines in bunkers, attack dogs for the rough, if we don't do something they'll continue to be content with their "posh" lifestyles, exotic sportscars, beautiful women, and travelling wherever they choose on that weekend they don't play professional golf.

 

A guy who has never broken 100 criticizing the attitude of a top 10 in the WORLD golfer is comical. Would turning into a jerk every time he loses make Rickie more competitive? I don't think so.

 

There's so much pressure at the top these days that almost every single one of these guys relishes a chance to tell the general public how difficult it is not to simply cave under the weight and quit the sport. Koepke in his winner's interview talked about going into the 4th round in the LEAD and wanting to quit as an Am or Q School or something. Day made similar comments when he won the PGA last year. Winning a Major is like PTSD therapy these days. I finally clicked one off so I can admit now that I've made myself miserable for a decade worrying about it. A first world problem? Sure. But, who doesn't want to perform well at work.

 

I agree every single one of us could probably put the phone down more often, but I hope Rickie keeps enjoying his hot girlfriend, fancy cars and motorcycles, and mansion. He earned them.

[ConcentricDimples]

You can't win with the media, you're always too hot, too cold, or too boring.

 

Edit: oh boy, I read the article. Ignoring the content, that was some of the chunkiest writing I've ever seen.

 

The quality of writing in online articles is absolutely abysmal. The writing is rife with grammatical, typographical, and even subject-matter errors.

[bscinstnct]

The New York Post is your equivalent of The Sun over here right?

 

If that's right, I couldn't care less what they have to say.

 

I'd double like this if I could.

 

Post is a NY institution!

 

[TheSliceKing]

Most overrated golfer today by a mile is Rory McIlroy.

Imo he'll never win another major.

 

This article is spot on about Fowler / he's content being in the " mix "

 

Harman is the guy you want in a Fox hole

[umassgolfer]

1) Some people deal with disappointment better by focusing on positives rather than lingering on negatives, which can lead to a downward spiral. I don't think that hiding in a dark room because he had ANOTHER top-5 in a major would be healthy or productive in any way.

2) Going into the week if you told Rickie he'd T-5, I'm sure he'd have been happy with it. Not ecstatic - that only comes with a win - but the overall perspective for the "long game" as opposed to living and dying week-to-week is a mature point of view.

3) No one gets to and stays at the PGA Tour level by being soft or content. Some just are able to enjoy the spoils of their "losing" better than others. Lots of jealousy towards Rickie for being young, rich and living his dream life. Way too many expectations and goals being put on him by others.

[new2g0lf]

Older golfers and golf fans read all the stories about what the older guys overcame. Hogan drove across the country to win a few hundred dollars and that most tour pro's had to supplement their income by playing others for money when they weren't competing in tournaments.

 

Jack and Arnie shared their lives as pro's when the prize money wasn't 1/10th of what it is today. The Top 200 on the PGA Tour likely make more money than 99% of the rest of the country and that's just from prize money not including endorsement deals. Fowler has made almost $4M on Tour plus endorsement deals so he's likely not motivated financially to work much harder than he is so the fire has to come from somewhere else.

[youdamantiger]

Fowler is a victim of his own marketing genius. The trademark creamsicle orange wardrobe, the flat bill cap, the carefully manicured facial hair, he crafted his image perfectly and captured the attention of the golfing world. He made absolute BANK with that image but that comes with a price, more attention which means more scrutiny. He's not as good a golfer as Hideki, but Hideki receives no grief for coming up short at Erin Hills because he's kind of a boring, nondescript pro. He blissfully floats under the radar while Rickie faces the full weight of a golfing public who adores him and questions why he can't get it done. It could be considered unfair, but it's also unfair that Fowler has millions of dollars of sponsorship opportunities that other, better golfers don't. I would say Fowler receives the appropriate amount of scrutiny given his lofty status in the game.

[3jacker]

Fowler is our modern day Payne Stewart.

[Psyber]

Fowler is a victim of his own marketing genius. The trademark creamsicle orange wardrobe, the flat bill cap, the carefully manicured facial hair, he crafted his image perfectly and captured the attention of the golfing world. He made absolute BANK with that image but that comes with a price, more attention which means more scrutiny. He's not as good a golfer as Hideki, but Hideki receives no grief for coming up short at Erin Hills because he's kind of a boring, nondescript pro. He blissfully floats under the radar while Rickie faces the full weight of a golfing public who adores him and questions why he can't get it done. It could be considered unfair, but it's also unfair that Fowler has millions of dollars of sponsorship opportunities that other, better golfers don't. I would say Fowler receives the appropriate amount of scrutiny given his lofty status in the game.

 

I think this is a fair statement even though I don't agree with how he gets treated. His image does bring attention so he needs to take the good with the bad. From all I know he genuinely is a good dude. I don't live that far from his area and I have several friends that have ran into him. My ex gf literally ran into him at a bar one time because she said he was so short she didn't see him lol.

[3jacker]

He is a really good dude.

No one but the worst ****-stirring sportswriters ahve anything bad to say.

He'll get his major, I think.

[LittleLeftToRight]

I give Fowler credit for having drive. It is obvious he does.

 

If I had millions and a hot girlfriend, I would never get out of bed in the morning much less get a top 5 in a major. Let's get real.

[hardcaliber]

At what point does the no majors thing become a monkey on his back or have we got to that point already? It sure seems to come up a lot in any case.

 

It's interesting because there is a point where a young promising guy can become kind of a sad sack or cautionary tale, like Sergio before the masters. Are we close to that point with fowler?

[caniac6]

I played a lot of baseball growing up. I played every game as if my life depended on it. I never cried after losing, although some kids did. Once the game was over, it was over. Time to think about the next game. I think Rickie cares a ton, but once the round is over, it's over. Mabye he cares too much, and maybe that is why he has a hard time finishing. Regardless, I have a real tough time being critical of the 9th ranked player in the world.

[golfgirlrobin]

Seems Butch was concerned enough about his attitude and focus that he told Ricky to be a golf pro and not a Kardashian. That didn't come out of nowhere.

 

He's incredibly nice and marketable but it doesn't seem that losing eats at him. The only time we've seen him get really fired up, he won The Player's, but you don't see that look of determination very often.