The USA Ryder Cup team could be a train wreck

[Mustard_Tiger]

As of this writing Dustin Johnson is #1, Bryson DeChambeau is #2, Brooks Koepka is #5, and Patrick Reed is #7.

 

The top 6 on the points list are automatically in and the other 6 will be selected by team captain Steve Stricker.

 

I think it's a near certainly that DJ, Bryson, Brooks, and Reed make the team. Apparently Brooks and DJ are not getting along. Brooks vs. Bryson, need I say more? And Patrick Reed doesn't seem to get along with anyone.

 

Will this lack of unity ruin the team? I've always thought that talent wins over "getting along" but the Ryder Cup results from the last 20 years would suggest otherwise. This could be a train wreck.

 

Side note:  Could the USA possibly trade Patrick Reed for Rory Ilroy to raise its good guy ratio?  🙂

Edited June 7, 2021 by Mustard_Tiger

[Rob G 89]

First off the graphics still say 2020 and like the Olympics it will be called that as well. 
second off it’s all an act and they are professionals nothing to worry about this isn’t the 92 dream team where they shut out Isiah Thomas.

there are calming influences that will make the team like morikawa, spieth, Webb, and Xander that will improve the team dynamics.

[Fairways_and_Greens]

Maybe the US team can each get their own floor of a hotel or something.

[KennyP]

My guess is Brooks' knee will keep him out.

[3whacker]

the calming influence will be TW as a Vice Captain and Phil as a wild card Captain's pick...the honor of playing for your country in the Ryder Cup (as opposed to the Olympics) will keep the egos in check..its unrealistic to think that 12 millionaires aren't going to bring some diva mentality to the squad, also you never know who will be playing well at that time, DJ hasn't exactly been lighting it up since he won the Masters which seems so long ago, and after this weekend's events the Rahm vs Cantlay/Morikawa match up could be interesting

 

it all makes for good drama and good TV..lets just hope we get some good golf too

[elwhippy]

I will take your crew over Europe any time. Padraig might pick himself as some of our big names are just about invisible. Casey, Rory, Cheeseburger and not many others challenging for titles.

[Ferguson]

Managing that diverse squad will be challenging. 

 

[JohnnyCashForever]

The 2021 USA Ryder Cup team could be a train wreak? 

 

Remove "2021", and the statement is, unfortunately, basically accurate since 1985.  Even when we win, like in 1999, we find some way of making the moment memorable for all the wrong reasons.  I was hoping the Phil-led mutiny of Captain Watson in 2014 was the nadir, but given the history over the past 30 years, it's equally likely that we're in for a new golden age of train wreaks. 

Edited June 7, 2021 by JohnnyCashForever

[Hawkeye77]

So business as usual for the USA?

[Superbrit]

4 hours ago, elwhippy said:

I will take your crew over Europe any time. Padraig might pick himself as some of our big names are just about invisible. Casey, Rory, Cheeseburger and not many others challenging for titles.

Really?? id take the Euro team every day of the week, Euro players may not be winning lots at the moment but the Ryder cup is not 4 rounds of strokeplay, and lets face it the US will figure some way of messing it all up, they have already started by the look of it

 

 

[phizzy30]

24 minutes ago, Hawkeye77 said:

So business as usual for the USA?

Sounds about right.  I don't think any of the past USA Ryder teams have ever gotten along.  They will either find a way to win or completely implode.  It's the same old story.  You have too many big egos and when they get together, it's the clash of the titans(insert joke).  The Euro team seems to keep it together and put aside their egos for that week.  Team chemistry only gets so far and talent usually wins out IMO. 

Edited June 7, 2021 by phizzy30

[golfandfishing]

The Ryder Cup is traditionally a train wreck for the USA. 3 wins in 25+ years......

[Titleist_PT23]

Someone could try to infect the bad apples with COVID so they can't play?

[JaNelson38]

9 hours ago, Mustard_Tiger said:

As of this writing Dustin Johnson is #1, Bryson DeChambeau is #2, Brooks Koepka is #5, and Patrick Reed is #7.

 

The top 6 on the points list are automatically in and the other 6 will be selected by team captain Steve Stricker.

 

I think it's a near certainly that DJ, Bryson, Brooks, and Reed make the team. Apparently Brooks and DJ are not getting along. Brooks vs. Bryson, need I say more? And Patrick Reed doesn't seem to get along with anyone.

 

Will this lack of unity ruin the team? I've always thought that talent wins over "getting along" but the Ryder Cup results from the last 20 years would suggest otherwise. This could be a train wreck.

 

Side note:  Could the USA possibly trade Patrick Reed for Rory Ilroy to raise its good guy ratio?  🙂

 

"Getting along" with a competitor is overrated in sports.  Especially pro sports.  This isn't high school.  These guys do this for a living.  They play for money.  Contrary to popular belief, deep 'friendships' on the PGA Tour aren't common.  Sure, most players maybe have a connection with a player or two based on going to the same school, being about the same age, or living in a similar area, but not really.  These guys are all about beating each other.

 

Unless you're a self proprietor, everyone has worked with at least one person who they couldn't stand.  In a large factory or office setting, you usually don't have time for any number of people.  Yet the work continues to get done.  I highly doubt Brooks Koepka is going to let personal feelings of Bryson or DJ affect how he's going to play in the Ryder Cup.  Unless you think he's going to walk up 18 with a chance to win a point for this team and say, "You know, Bryson is a d-bag....screw this.  Im not going to try and win this point."  Or a partner of Patrick Reed say, "To heck with it...I'm going to pull my tee shot OB here so Patrick can't be part of a winning point."  There's a difference between not liking an opponent and respecting an opponent.  I'm sure not many people like Patrick Reed on Tour....but I'd be willing to bet every player on Tour respects his game.  Same with Bryson.  

 

Other than the two alternate shot matches, every player who tees it up in the Ryder Cup is playing their own ball, whether its four-ball or singles.  And in the alternate shot matches you're playing half the shots.  The USA hasn't won more Ryder Cups not because of "team unity"....they've not won them because the team's best players didn't play well.

[BURKMI19]

Personalities are easy to manage if the team captain follows the Azinger approach of quads.  Amongst the 12 active team members, you could quarter them off if needed so that personalities don't class.  Just because you are competing on the same squad doesn't mean you need to be friends and play practice sessions together.  Brooks and Bryson wouldn't even need to be anywhere near each other all week except for photo or media requirements.  But they both would tell you they can put that aside to perform and represent the USA for a week.

[m d g]

Unity on a team may be a good thing, but it may not matter. The example that springs to mind is the Oakland A's of the early '70s. They won three consecutive World Series titles from '72-'74.

 

Those guys hated each other. But the key was, they hated Charlie Finley even more. It seems as though they won just to spite him, which makes no sense whatsoever : )

 

An aside: I was a young fan in those days and would go to some of the games. A few years ago I met Vida Blue, who is a friend of a friend. You will never meet a nicer or more humble person in your life.

 

If you want to read a terrific book about that team, the title is 'Dynastic, Bombastic, Fantastic: Reggie, Rollie, Catfish, and Charlie Finley's Swingin' A's.'

[Soloman1]

Make this guy Vice Captain.

 

 

[golfing_penguin]

Nah, you guys have never really seemed to have a team gel that well 😉

[Frankensteins Monster]

5 minutes ago, Soloman1 said:

Make this guy Vice Captain.

 

 

If you're talking about present day, he doesn't even know what day it is.

[Soloman1]

4 minutes ago, Frankensteins Monster said:

If you're talking about present day, he doesn't even know what day it is.

 

Party pooper. Most people here don't even know what day it is. What day is it?

[OldCuss]

Interesting topic with good questions and suggestions. I am reminded that contented cows provide more milk, but humans are a bit more cognitively complex. For now.

 

Old Cuss

[phizzy30]

1 hour ago, JaNelson38 said:

 

"Getting along" with a competitor is overrated in sports.  Especially pro sports.  This isn't high school.  These guys do this for a living.  They play for money.  Contrary to popular belief, deep 'friendships' on the PGA Tour aren't common.  Sure, most players maybe have a connection with a player or two based on going to the same school, being about the same age, or living in a similar area, but not really.  These guys are all about beating each other.

 

Unless you're a self proprietor, everyone has worked with at least one person who they couldn't stand.  In a large factory or office setting, you usually don't have time for any number of people.  Yet the work continues to get done.  I highly doubt Brooks Koepka is going to let personal feelings of Bryson or DJ affect how he's going to play in the Ryder Cup.  Unless you think he's going to walk up 18 with a chance to win a point for this team and say, "You know, Bryson is a d-bag....screw this.  Im not going to try and win this point."  Or a partner of Patrick Reed say, "To heck with it...I'm going to pull my tee shot OB here so Patrick can't be part of a winning point."  There's a difference between not liking an opponent and respecting an opponent.  I'm sure not many people like Patrick Reed on Tour....but I'd be willing to bet every player on Tour respects his game.  Same with Bryson.  

 

Other than the two alternate shot matches, every player who tees it up in the Ryder Cup is playing their own ball, whether its four-ball or singles.  And in the alternate shot matches you're playing half the shots.  The USA hasn't won more Ryder Cups not because of "team unity"....they've not won them because the team's best players didn't play well.

Spot on.  I have clients that play at the highest levels.  I can see from their workouts that they are highly motivated and they all have that competitive fire.  It stems from ego and wanting to be the best.  Had one of my guys tell me that he respects his opponent's games and in the end he would always shake their hands after games.  Most of these guys don't let it get personal when they are out in their element. 

[3whacker]

the day of the Zinger pod system needs to come to an end....all it breeds are different cliques, consider the personality of the person who first brought the concept to Ryder Cup teams. the Euros have beat us because they are a TEAM, they understand the concept...the US keeps using the pod system and keeps hoping for a different result...what other team sport uses a pod system and has shown success with it..by using the pod system you cater to the diva mentality, in a true team , when a manager/coach tells you that you are teaming with a certain teammate you suck it up and play your butt off

[imakaveli]

We will arrive with a meh team this year, so even with lack of camaraderie I am pretty sure US will take this one. At the end the team who holes more putt wins.

[Nard_S]

I'm all in on Merica but when it comes to RC, been rooting for Euro's for 3 decades. They come into it looser and they flat out enjoy the moment more than team USA. Nothing seems to have changed in that respect, so won't be surprised if the underdog Euro's take it.

[J13]

8 minutes ago, Nard_S said:

I'm all in on Merica but when it comes to RC, been rooting for Euro's for 3 decades. They come into it looser and they flat out enjoy the moment more than team USA. Nothing seems to have changed in that respect, so won't be surprised if the underdog Euro's take it.

 

 

Can't call Euro's underdogs, they've won 9 of the last 12 Ryder Cups.

[Nard_S]

3 minutes ago, J13 said:

 

 

Can't call Euro's underdogs, they've won 9 of the last 12 Ryder Cups.

On paper they pretty much have been. They perform better than their individual stats would suggest. USA is exact opposite. 

[Superbrit]

31 minutes ago, J13 said:

 

 

Can't call Euro's underdogs, they've won 9 of the last 12 Ryder Cups.

Exactly, the ONLY time you could call Europe "underdogs" i suppose is when its on American soil, and even then its only about 60/40, at best

[CasualLie]

I would like to think the "team" thing is overrated, but is it? 

 

Pretty simple history.  Big Country with lots of great golfers beat up on tiny island with a few good golfers for 50 years.  Tiny island won 3 times out of 22.

 

Jack got bored and suggested the rest of Europe join up or the Ryder Cup is dead.  U.S. still shellacked Europe the next two RC's because there really wasn't anyone that great coming from Europe.

 

And then it all changed around.  A lot more talent came up from Europe, even GB got better and it became competitive....Europe, with its rise in talent level, since 1985 breakthrough is 11-5-1.

 

That's fairly lopsided given many argue the talent level, while much improved in Europe, is still higher in U.S.  But based on what? World rankings?

 

It seems like it has to be a "team" thing, but I think it is over simplifying it.  If I were to pinpoint it to one significant difference, I would call it diversity.  The U.S. fields a much more one-dimensional team vs Europe.  U.S. golf from juniors up to mini tours to the big show is played on a pretty much one-dimensional setup.  European golf is played in all kinds of different setups and conditions.  Even things like travel is so different.  

 

It will seem ironic to some, but it strikes me as Euros being tougher mentally, more prepared, and more open minded when needed.  And I am just talking about golf.  Americans come out too often over confident, not prepared for adversity, and think it is all like some light switch that all they have to do is show up and flip on.  It's like being patriotic just automatically translates to a win.

 

It doesn't really matter if is DJ, Reed, Brooksy, and the other Brooks on the same team and they cannot get along; it matters more that they can't get past it when it is not all about themselves.

 

 

[oikos1]

50 minutes ago, Nard_S said:

I'm all in on Merica but when it comes to RC, been rooting for Euro's for 3 decades. They come into it looser and they flat out enjoy the moment more than team USA. Nothing seems to have changed in that respect, so won't be surprised if the underdog Euro's take it.

IDK if I'd call that "all in".  Seems more like flying the USA Flag and the confederate flag at the same time.