Economist (and, Oh Yeah, Golfer) Greg Norman: "America is Absolutely Dead"

by Ryan Ballengee on Jul 16, 2009 11:00 AM EDT Comment 7 comments

Is there anything that Greg Norman doesn't do?

He was a world champion golfer with a penchant for giving away major championships whose popularity never waned in the face of those colossal failures. Norman is participating in this week's British Open on the back of his top five finish in last year's Open at Birkdale.

After this Open is over, Leisurecorp - owners of Turnberry Resort - have contracted with Norman to being yet another round of modifications to the Alisa Course, presumably in prepartion for the next Open there in another fifteen years.

Unlike Cristie Kerr and the PGA Tour, Norman's winemaking business is very successful.

Well, add global macroeconomist to Norman's calling card. In consecutive interviews with the New York Times and the UK's Daily Mail, Norman has declared the American economy dead.

"America is absolutely dead, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to come back for quite a while, to tell you the truth," Norman said. "We see, in our business, the rest of the world leading the comeback from the recession before the United States. I think the United States has got to get a lot of understanding of regulations that are being put in place by President Obama.

"I spent time in China two weeks ago. I think I’ve got a lot of belief in China, like a lot of what the rest of the world does, not just in resources, but in development."

Nevermind rioting in China. Forget that economic data in the last 30 days is consistently showing a slowdown of economic regression - perhaps even the makings of an early turnaround.

Forget Greg Mankiw. Screw Ben Bernanke. When you need an update on the global economy, turn to Greg Norman.

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Apparently, the concept of “dead” is lost on Norman. Last I heard, you don’t come back from being dead. :-)

Hard to believe Norman is acting like such a quitter – especially on the country that gave him so much of his wealth. Where is that old Norman fight ? Isn’t this the same Greg Norman who tried to save the US 14 or 15 years ago by throwing Bill Clinton down the steps at his house in Florida ? (JUST kidding !…that was the wrong Clinton…JJUUUUUUUST KIDDING !!!) :-D

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Jul 16, 2009 11:39 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Translation:

“Americans just don’t kiss my ass the way the Chinese did. I don’t know – maybe it’s because I s**t the bed at Augusta so many times. In so far as I can remember, I never crapped at tournament away in China.

“I know China is supposed to be Communist, but wow – some of the folks there have some serious dough-re-mi. Well – at least the ones I met. I didn’t really get around too much. But I hear that everything there is just great. At least that’s what they said on Chinese TV.”

"Golf is a game whose aim is to hit a very small ball into a even smaller hole, with weapons singularly ill-designed for the purpose." - Winston Churchill

by turnover on Jul 16, 2009 11:42 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

LMAO !!!

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Jul 16, 2009 11:58 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

the shark

politics aside, is closer to the truth than we’d like to admit. granted, we’re not dead, but we’re on the mat with a 6 count on us breathing heavily. we’re trying to replace an economy based on borrowing and speculation with…more borrowing and speculation. whether “green shoots” appear, disappear and reappear again, we’re going to be on the mat for quite some time, the market “chopping sideways forever,” as David Goldman puts it. Contraction is inevitable, Helicopter Ben doing his operation money drops can only prolong and extend the suffering before we can get back to an export-based economy much further down the road.

snoozer, i know, but blame Ryan for bringing it up :)

"Have a take and do not suck or you will get run." - Jim Rome

by jonny-yuma on Jul 16, 2009 5:20 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

how dare you ! don’t you know Obama-man is in DC wheeling and dealing ? (lol)

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Jul 16, 2009 8:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

my heavens

i forgot, apologies all around :)

"Have a take and do not suck or you will get run." - Jim Rome

by jonny-yuma on Jul 16, 2009 11:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Fact Checker on Holiday?

Unlike Cristie Kerr and the PGA Tour, Norman’s wine making business is very successful.

I don’t know how successful the PGA Tour’s wine venture is, but Cristie Kerr has not yet released her wine. She’s someone who has studied wine and wine making quite extensively, and though she doesn’t intend to mass market her wine the way Mr. Norman has his, she’s clearly committed to producing a high quality product. And, 100% of the profits will go to her foundation, Birdies for Breast Cancer and to Breast Cancer Research. There for the statement above is at best misleading.

by golfgirl on Jul 20, 2009 6:20 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

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