The Most Exciting Way to Reveal the Ryder Cup Teams

A number of European contenders, and even now members, of the Ryder Cup team opposing the Americans have complained about the selection process which Colin Montgomerie used to craft this team.

Monty used a mix of a points systems created for both globetrotting players and homebodies to create a fairly equal chance of each making the Ryder Cup team without being penalized as the independent contractors they supposedly are. He then selected three captain's picks based upon whatever rubric he used on Sunday afternoon at Gleneagles.

(It was probably some mix of who he saw playing well on TV that day, maybe some weird vendetta against Paul Casey, and favortism toward a loyal friend.)

Meanwhile, the announcement kind of fell awkwardly because at least four guys who were hypothetically competing for Monty's hand picks were competing in New Jersey. Paul Casey found out the crushing news from reporters who had heard Monty had called and texted him during the round. (Casey didn't hear.) Paddy Harrington got the good news from his wife while playing with Casey - who figured he was probably off the team at that point. Justin Rose got the Dear John call from Monty just minutes before his final round began. What a mess.

Now, American captain Corey Pavin has another week to observe tournament play with the Playoffs moving to Boston before he makes his four picks on Wall St. on September 7.

It makes no sense. Having two announcements on two shores takes away from a real opportunity to create extra buzz for the matches.

Borrowing from the more tasteful elements (element? not applicable?) of The Decision and the awesomeness of the NCAA selection show, the PGA of America and European Tour could craft and produce a one-hour special for both sides to reveal their automatic qualifiers, captain's picks, and - most importantly - the match-ups for the opening session of the Ryder Cup.

Such a special would give us a couple of good weeks of speculation, chatter, trash talk, and other fun leading into the exhibition. The Yanks and Euros could keep their disparate selection systems. They could still have automatic qualifiers selected on the same dates they do now, but save the captain's picks until one day. Even better, have them announced in alternating fashion with the captains given the right to make surprise changes based upon the players revealed. 

And then for the players that find out their fates for the worse, there could be a 15 minute After the Rose (a particularly great pun for this year) special to discuss the snubs.

Coupled with the idea of a golf Red Zone Channel, the sport could really cash in on the short attention spans of sports fans and change some perceptions about the sport.