Rickie Fowler is a cautionary tale in overexposing a superstar

[bscinstnct]

3 hours ago, me05501 said:

Honestly, I wish more public figures would just tell the truth about their personal situations and motivations. 

 

Rickie could say "You know, to be honest, I've gotten more out of golf than I ever imagined was possible, and it just keeps giving. I'd love to have the fire that drives me to go after the Grand Slam but it's not in me. I have plenty of money, I love my gorgeous wife and I love the life that golf has allowed me to live. If I never won another event on Tour I'd still sleep well."

 

J.J. Watt could say "Of course I'd rather go to a team that can win a Super Bowl, but other things are important too. I like playing in a dome. I like perfect winter weather. I like the people running the Cardinals and they like me. I'll be as happy here as I was in Houston even if I never go to a Super Bowl as a player." 

 

They don't say these things because we buy into the idea that everyone is super-motivated to get to the top, even when getting to the middle is a damn nice career. 

 

Rickie? 
 

He would never say that. That’s the way *we think

 

Ricki more like,

 

Q. Rickie, tell us about your personal situations and motivations. 
 

A. Well, I’m pretty psyched there’s going to be a John Wick 4! Keanu’s gonna demolish The Continental!

 

Q. Thank you but I was really asking about what you think is important to your future happiness.

 

A. Oh, yeah, yeah, sorry, I’m really focused on my future. Like, Allison and I are going to this New Mexican place for dinner, killer queso dip, bro!

 

 

Edited March 6, 2021 by bscinstnct

[MtlJeff]

10 minutes ago, Nels55 said:

The 'Decision Show' had a bit to do with how folks in Cleveland reacted to James leaving town for better weather and better guys to play with.  'Not one, not two, not three'...

 

It is kind of funny how people react to a superstar's decisions for instance when KD left OKC they hated him there but when he left the DUBS nobody seemed upset and wished him well.  I guess that the two finals MVPs helped a bit...  I actually like the current free agency system better then the old days when guys were forced to stay with the same team unless the team decided to trade them.  Makes the off season a lot more interesting anyway.

 

Yeah the manner he made his announcement left a bit to be desired. But the actual decision, thinking about it from the position of , wouldn't it be cool to be 26 and wealthy and live in Miami Beach for like 5 years...I mean that made sense. I wonder if he'd have just said that haha

[Go Cougs]

3 hours ago, me05501 said:

Honestly, I wish more public figures would just tell the truth about their personal situations and motivations. 

 

Rickie could say "You know, to be honest, I've gotten more out of golf than I ever imagined was possible, and it just keeps giving. I'd love to have the fire that drives me to go after the Grand Slam but it's not in me. I have plenty of money, I love my gorgeous wife and I love the life that golf has allowed me to live. If I never won another event on Tour I'd still sleep well."

 

J.J. Watt could say "Of course I'd rather go to a team that can win a Super Bowl, but other things are important too. I like playing in a dome. I like perfect winter weather. I like the people running the Cardinals and they like me. I'll be as happy here as I was in Houston even if I never go to a Super Bowl as a player." 

 

They don't say these things because we buy into the idea that everyone is super-motivated to get to the top, even when getting to the middle is a damn nice career. 

I fully agree it would be so much more interesting and refreshing to hear public figures speak honestly about things just as you described.

 

I also think it's possible Rickie really is trying, but just not getting positive results over this recent stretch.  Golf is a fickle game, and work/effort does not always yield corresponding positive improvement.

 

This may have nothing to do with it, but didn't he stop working with Butch Harmon a little while ago?  Did the timing on that align with his slump at all?  

[Shilgy]

1 hour ago, grm24 said:

+4, 76 on Saturday. T72 (DFL at the time of this post) after his third round.

He beat almost half the field and is getting paid. How is that DFL?

He will have a better week than Reed, Stinson, Lowry, Horschel, Leishman, Champ, Molinari and Rose along witH many others.

[grm24]

50 minutes ago, Shilgy said:

He beat almost half the field and is getting paid. How is that DFL?

He will have a better week than Reed, Stinson, Lowry, Horschel, Leishman, Champ, Molinari and Rose along witH many others.

DFL of those that made the cut. I mean anybody should be able to figure that point out. At least I thought so. When discussing where a player finishes in an event most if not all people don't count those that trunk slam. Not a difficult concept.

[Shilgy]

5 minutes ago, grm24 said:

DFL of those that made the cut. I mean anybody should be able to figure that point out. At least I thought so. When discussing where a player finishes in an event most if not all people don't count those that trunk slam. Not a difficult concept.

Believe me, I knew what you meant. But...if 120 guys tee it up Thursday 72nd is not DFL. We have all been guilty of piling on struggling players but let’s be fair. If a guy is struggling to make cuts and finishes 72nd its not a derogatory DFL really. Is it?

[BNGL]

5 hours ago, MtlJeff said:

 

Yeah it would be an interesting social science experiment to see the reaction. Fans tend to think pro athletes are some different kind of species where happiness in their job, or liking the city they are in are all things that don't matter. I posted earlier in the thread, but Rickie even at golf, would be comparable to one of the top 50-100 CEOs in the country, he's enormously successful. But we don't say the CEO of a 5B company is a loser because he doesn't want to run Google. It's weird

 

On another related note, i remember when Lebron left Cleveland and went to Miami, and everyone was dumping on him. A really good sports writer at the time was ranting and said something like "Hey if you were 26 and could live in Miami or Cleveland...where would you live? Maybe hes just a guy in his mid twenties that has an opportunity to move to Miami for work, you wouldn't do that?" Looking at it that way, it all seemed so simple

Yeah you’re going way more in depth than the average fan/person cares about. If they heard that a player was content at not being the best they’d s*** a brick. Because the “I’m paying your salary” crowd feels there owed the players best every day by buying a jersey, signature shoe, attending a game, or even worse look up to athletes as role models. When in actuality the things they’re doing don’t register much on a players bottom line. I read about here all the time when someone starts talking about ticket sales affecting a players or the Tours income. Ticket sales have no bearing on the Tour or players. 

[freeze16172002]

Is he eligible to play in any majors right now without qualifying

[Holy Moses]

5 minutes ago, freeze16172002 said:

Is he eligible to play in any majors right now without qualifying

Just the 5th Major 😉

[grm24]

1 hour ago, Holy Moses said:

Just the 5th Major 😉

Currently Fowler is eligible for the PGA Championship by being a member on the most recent Ryder Cup team as long as he remains in the top 100 of the OWGR the week before the event. He is currently 65th. His OWGR ranking after this week will drop even further.

Edited March 7, 2021 by grm24

[grm24]

Rickie getting no respect.

 

 

[Holy Moses]

1 hour ago, grm24 said:

Currently Fowler is eligible for the PGA Championship by being a member on the most recent Ryder Cup team as long as he remains in the top 100 of the OWGR the week before the event. He is currently 65th. His OWGR ranking after this week will drop even further.

Interesting. He isn’t on the PGA Championship’s field listing yet, but I guess that’s because he hasn’t officially qualified for it.

 

https://www.pgachampionship.com/news-media/8-players-punch-their-tickets-to-the-2021-pga-championship%3famp=true

[Nard_S]

5 hours ago, grm24 said:

Rickie getting no respect.

 

 

Hah, wtf, how can you not know his name?

[KRAMER1997]

Did Rickie shoot 77 today to honor the 7 majors won by Arnold Palmer?

[Ironman_32]

On 3/6/2021 at 10:42 AM, MtlJeff said:

 

Yeah it would be an interesting social science experiment to see the reaction. Fans tend to think pro athletes are some different kind of species where happiness in their job, or liking the city they are in are all things that don't matter. I posted earlier in the thread, but Rickie even at golf, would be comparable to one of the top 50-100 CEOs in the country, he's enormously successful. But we don't say the CEO of a 5B company is a loser because he doesn't want to run Google. It's weird

 

On another related note, i remember when Lebron left Cleveland and went to Miami, and everyone was dumping on him. A really good sports writer at the time was ranting and said something like "Hey if you were 26 and could live in Miami or Cleveland...where would you live? Maybe hes just a guy in his mid twenties that has an opportunity to move to Miami for work, you wouldn't do that?" Looking at it that way, it all seemed so simple

I get what you're saying, but just becasue Bob Chapek (Disney CEO) runs disney doesn't mean his goal should be to run Telsa. Also, imagine if Chapek was a household name but a guy like Bezos or Musk wasn't. I guess its the idea of every golfer is essentially doing the same think. However, Rickie's (and every golfer) is fighting for a stroke. Look at this past tournament, Bryson is doing everything he does for .25 strokes a round. Maybe Rickie just does cost/benefit and is like thanks but no thanks. 

 

As for Lebron, I always find it interesting how he gets hate, but a guy like John Daly is an "everyday man". Maybe Lebron should just "leak" stories he's making horrible life choices, maybe it would get more fans?

 

 

[Go Cougs]

4 hours ago, Nard_S said:

Hah, wtf, how can you not know his name?

Well, he triple-clutched on Murrieta CA and still pronounced it wrong 🤷‍♂️

[BlackDiamondPar5]

10 hours ago, grm24 said:

Rickie getting no respect.

 

 

I think the USGA will hire this starting announcer to fill in for Diana Murphy 🤣

[TiScape]

16 hours ago, grm24 said:

Rickie getting no respect.

 

 

How that can happen at that level is unfathomable. To stumble over Murrieta and mispronounce his name??? Just wow. 

[MattyO1984]

Down to 70th in the OWGR. Danny Willett is ranked above him.

[caniac6]

1 hour ago, TiScape said:

How that can happen at that level is unfathomable. To stumble over Murrieta and mispronounce his name??? Just wow. 

The announcer made a bogey. Rickie made a lot.

[freeze16172002]

2 hours ago, MattyO1984 said:

Down to 70th in the OWGR. Danny Willett is ranked above him.

Lucas Herbert is above him, who the f is Lucas Herbert

[me05501]

10 hours ago, Ironman_32 said:

As for Lebron, I always find it interesting how he gets hate, but a guy like John Daly is an "everyday man". Maybe Lebron should just "leak" stories he's making horrible life choices, maybe it would get more fans?

 

 

We humans have always loved heroes with relatable flaws.

 

It is definitely weird how someone's image gets set in stone and is so hard to change in the public perception. The very best reading of JD's career would be that he had immense talent that he mostly squandered, preferring to feed his appetites for food, beer, women, cigs and all that. That's the very best reading of his lifelong body of work, but most people see him more favorably than that. 

It does seem like he's been a great father to Little John and they appear to have a great relationship which is fun to see. 

 

Then you have Rickie FLOWer who says and does most of the right things and is just trying to get his game into shape, and we throw him under the bus for being "lazy" or "money hungry" or "whipped" because we somehow can't see ourselves in him the way we can in JD or Boo or some other good old boys on Tour. 

Edited March 8, 2021 by me05501

[MattyO1984]

50 minutes ago, freeze16172002 said:

Lucas Herbert is above him, who the f is Lucas Herbert

 

Some would say, he is an OWGR manipulator.

[MattyO1984]

I don’t know about anyone else but I am super pumped his his new Puma collection inspired by both he and Kygo. I often find that mediocre golf and mediocre music go hand in hand.

 

[Holy Moses]

11 minutes ago, MattyO1984 said:

I don’t know about anyone else but I am super pumped his his new Puma collection inspired by both he and Kygo. I often find that mediocre golf and mediocre music go hand in hand.

 

“Dream-chasing lifestyle.” Rickie doesn’t look happy at all in that picture.

[MattyO1984]

Just now, Holy Moses said:

“Dream-chasing lifestyle.” Rickie doesn’t look happy at all in that picture.

 

He was maybe listening to Kygo at the time!

[Draw Driver]

1 hour ago, freeze16172002 said:

Lucas Herbert is above him, who the f is Lucas Herbert

WRX discussing the latest OWGRs Monday morning. 
 

 

[TiScape]

7 hours ago, caniac6 said:

The announcer made a bogey. Rickie made a lot.

I’d say he made double bogey! Lol. It’s like, you have ONE job!! Haha

[caniac6]

31 minutes ago, TiScape said:

I’d say he made double bogey! Lol. It’s like, you have ONE job!! Haha

Rickie played so early, he might not have had his coffee, yet.

[TiScape]

1 minute ago, caniac6 said:

Rickie played so early, he might not have had his coffee, yet.

Ha! You might be onto something there! ☕️☕️☕️