Parity vs. Dominance
by pingforever on Mar 2, 2011 6:06 AM EST
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With the recent demise of Tiger Woods, there's been a huge amount of discussion about this continuum. Some contend a new winner every week is refreashing. Other's take a dimmer approach saying golf will lose popularity without a dominant figure. To get a perspective about this, consider what's happened in boixing. There was a time when boxers (particularly heavyweights) were well know personalities. Joe Louis, Max Baer, Igmar Johansen, Sonny Liston, Joe Frazier, Mike Tyson...and of course the other "King" Mohammed Ali. You know, that trite expression, "household names".... What's the state of boxing now? My guess is only Progolf can name the current heavyweight champion, the rest of us would need to Google it. I'm not discounting the excitement of the occasional upset...Buster Douglas or Leon Spinks... How would promoters fare if all the boxers were on the undercard? Back to golf..... Which match would have the broadest appeal: Jens Dantorp vs. Pijit Petkasen or Lee Westwood vs. Martin Kaymer? I full well realize I've gone to extremes. But is Jhonattan Vegas that much different that Jens Dantrop? Make no mistake here, in no way am I castings aspersions on lesser known (or virtually unknown) players. I have little doubt any one with their name on their bag, playing golf for a living is fully capable of being the club champion at any counrty club on the planet. The point was made that Tim Finchem embraced "the new world order"..... Now really, what would you expect him to say? Something ilke, "Without Tiger Woods, we're screwed"? Are the people at Waggleroom the best judge of the state of golf's appeal? I think not. We are the core fans. Yes, golf will survive, but will it continue to prosper as it has over the past 10 years or so? Will it be a topic of conversation at the water cooler on Monday morning? I 've always suspected, those casting a vote FOR parity, are really voting AGAINST Tiger Woods... Personally, I don't care if Woods ever returns to the form of the the past. I get tired of the press focusing on him. I'd like to see a couple of players separate themselves from the field with some regularity, not :"good play or "top tens" or "cash cows", I want "W's" maybe 4 or 5 a year with some major wins. Someone on TGC blog said a player like Tiger Woods comes along once in a generation. Lee Trevino said he felt fortunate (or words to that effect) to have lived to see Woods.... I don't think Lee would be very popular here with that attitude......
FanPosts are written by Waggle Room members. Viewpoints expressed do not necessarily reflect those of WaggleRoom.com, editor, Charles Boyer or any other writer or member.
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I'm with Lee
He’s the best I’ve seen and that includes Jack. I would love to think that there is someone, somewhere right now, waiting in the wings that will do what Woods did. There will be someone come along and do it – it’s just a matter of when, not if.
My first thought is that you can’t have one without the other. Too much of one or the other gets boring after a while. Luckily, dominance can’t last forever – people age – so that takes care of one side of the pendulum swing.
I think it is too soon to ask this question about today’s batch of golfers. Between the younger guys still learning how to win on this level, and the older guys trying to remember how to spell win after so many years under Tiger’s paw, we don’t have enough information on how they are going to perform with a full season of wins available.
By the way, as much as Woods has been the focus of everybody’s attention, you really have to add Mickelson to this discussion, too. For most of Tiger’s years at the top, Phil was picking up more of Tiger’s leftovers than anybody else. A season with 4 or 5 wins wasn’t uncommon.
Interesting choice of sports to compare. Boxing and golf are both individual sports, but there isn’t a “field” when two of these guys decide to grace us with their presence. These days, you’re lucky to see a top level heavyweight fight more than once a year. These guys have bored their audience to death. Nobody knows who is the best because they don’t compete. Top golfers are in fields pretty much every week, and because of the PGA Tour schedule, there is a big event that draws pretty much every top player once a month from February through August.
What seems to work best is having a small set of elites – maybe 5 or 6 – that people know and want to see facing off and duking it out for titles as often as possible – with a pool of live talent underneath them who are always pushing to get into that top group, if only for a short time.. We all know how funky golf can be, so it’s not always easy to get the top guys going head to head on Sunday – so having a handful to pick from week to week to battle it out, even if they aren’t in the same group (comebacks are fun !) gives people something to root for. Tennis has Federer and Nadal with Murray and Rod-neck and Djokovic right under them, just as an example, and it’s rare that two of these guys aren’t in the final – but occassionally it happens just to shake things up.
Seems to me that we have a pretty sizable pool of really good talent who can step up on any given week, and I think a handful of these guys are going to establish themselves as players to look for week in and week out – Kaymer, McIlroy, Villegas, Fowler, hopefully Vegas, Mahan, Holmes, Watson…… All of these and a handful more strike me as guys who aren’t going to be satisfied with just collecting a nice check at the end of the week.
Are vegetarians allowed to have butterflies in their stomach?
I think (ya,ya, I know) that this is getting to be an overworked subject...We (posters here)
have been around the block so many times, and the results is almost always the same…IMHO, parity really doesn’t exist…Yes, we have different winners over several different events…But don’t forget, we have MANY TOURS with evnts being played all over the world at any given time…
Chip is right….each generation seems to produce a TOP competitor…Why else would there be Golf Rankings?….Every one tee it up and the winner is #1 until the next week when we do it all over again…Can we really say that 3-4-5 wins in a year are the measuring stick?..Or like Easy…only majors…
For my taste, I want everyone…young old and in between slugging it out on a weekly basis…I don’t care about the so called FRINGE FAN…I, as a live and die Golfer, want to see the very best golf by whomever on TV week in and week out….And I don’t believe that golf is going to shrink anytime soon…There are sponsors just waiting to cast their bread upon the waters…Even GMC, that is still in hock to the Govmnt is back in the Golf Business….Cadillac has returned to sponsorship….
The Ladies will still have to scratch and claw to be taken seriously, and fight for everything they get…Has been that way in the past, and will continue to be that way….I remember the OLD days, when the PLAYERS set up the golf courses….As Easy has commented….Some places in the world, do not take Girls playing sports and the girls themselves very seriously…Look at Women’s Pro basketball if there is any doubt.
All in all, I think the conditions and well being of Profession Golf are in great shape…Tee it up, and the best this week wins….GO GET UM GUYS….STUB
STUB
Isn’t “everybody slugging it out” where the first tee (ok – and the 10th) on Thursday comes in ? Before the first ball is struck – everybody is even – what they do from there is what makes the champion. I know that sounds corny – but it’s the truth.
Jack Nicklaus just did a press conference down in Florida before a pro-am and he talked a little about guys who win and guys who can’t seem to get over that hump. If I can find it, maybe Charles can post it.
Are vegetarians allowed to have butterflies in their stomach?
Vladimere Klitchko of the Ukraine is the current Heavyweight Champ.
But the heavyweight division of champions has always been a small part of the sport. We had the Joe Louis/Max Shmelling era after Joe’s retirement eveyone said,, OOO’H NOOOOOO nobody is gonna watch boxing anymore and yada yada. Then the Ali Days, and he retired and people said , O"H NOOOOOOO. there goes the sport. Then Tyson and so on and so on. Well gang. Boxing is alive and well, even with the competition of the other venues to compete with. UFC et al. Is Vladamir Klitchko or his almost twin brother Vitali the big draw today. Not really, It;s the middleweight and welterweight divisions that are all the buzz. Last fall, at Dallas Stadium before a record setting crowd of 78,000, ‘real boxing fans’ the Manny Pacquiao vs Antonio Margarito fight took place and the PPV’s were over the top in sales. Any of you ever hear of either fighter ? didn’t think so. ok maybe a few of ya’as lol Now if the undefeated 44-0 Floyd Money Mayweather would come down of his high horse and agree to fight Pacquiao for the championship, that would be awesome and I for one would cancel anything I had previously scheduled to attend. How does all this diatribe of mine have to do with golf without Tiger and parity ? Well you do the math and use your imagination. :o)
"pain is only weakness leaving the body" jumpn
Klitchko has all three belts ?
I like the smaller weight classes – more action – and they fight more often. What do you think of the Cotto v Mayorga fight coming up ?
Are vegetarians allowed to have butterflies in their stomach?
Court, I'm headed to the airport to meet some guest.
I’ll give you my opinion on that fight a litle later
"pain is only weakness leaving the body" jumpn
As much as I enjoyed watching Tiger dominate like no other golfer (or sports person?)
before him, I’m actually pretty interested in the current state of golf. There are so many good players right now with tons of potential that I think the game of golf itself (setting aside revenues) is in great shape. There are at least 10 or so players who could legitimately take over the #1 spot in the ranking over the course of the next year, which makes this a very exciting time to be a fan.
People tend to forget that professional golf survived many decades before Tiger came along, and while the players might not like it, it wouldn’t be the end of the world if tournament purses went back to the way they were before Tiger came along (e.g. when winners got around $180,000 instead of over a million).
Can't spell "Colletti" without LOL.
D4P:
Yes, the GAME of golf is in great shape, always has been always will be…. But PROFESSIONAL golf is all about revenues. Consider these names in the past decades: Snead, Hogan, Nelson, Palmer, Player, Nicklaus, Trevino, Faldo, Norman…. I realize this is history and the career of Watson, (Bubba) Donald, Villegas, Vegas, Scott, Westwood, McIllroy, McDowell et al has yet to be written, but so far I don’t see any “giants” of the game. That may work for you and I, but our ilk will not keep PROFESSIONAL golf healthy and prosperous. I’d have to disagree vehemently with your view about the purses. Would you keep doing your job for 10% of what you make? We’re still looking a Durham…
My point on the purses is
that golfers today are pretty spoiled, and that golfers before Tiger made plenty of money and weren’t complaining much (that I can recall). There’s no question that none of them would be happy going back to smaller purses, but the media likes to act as if golfers made minimum wage and nobody watched golf before Tiger came along, when in fact golf was already very popular (probably behind only baseball, basketball, and football in the US), and golfers made plenty of money.
One more thing about Durham: it’s a really bad place for cycling. There are virtually no bike lanes, and rednecks in big truck like to run cyclists off the road.
Can't spell "Colletti" without LOL.
by D4P on Mar 2, 2011 3:54 PM EST up reply actions
Court:
I tried to find a good comparable sport to golf, but I couldn’t think of one that matched up perfectly. In tennis, Federer has been losing finals lately…Nadal is the “next generation” but he may have an Achilles knee. Perhaps I’m reacting to a “perfect storm” of Tiger’s skills waning. He’s had a 11 year historic run. As so many have said, it could not go on at that rate forever. Add to that the economic downturn and golf is a fragile sport. As far as GM (Cadillac) getting back into sponorship. I doubt the Volt will be a game maker for GM and advertising a car with windshield wipers that will work at 190 mph…. Since the American tax payer (and I’m one of those) owns the majority of GM stock right now, I can’t honestly say, despite my love of golf, sponsoring a golf tournament is the best way to use my money. " Before the first ball is struck – everybody is even" This reminds me of George Orwell’s quote in “Animal Farm”. “All men are created equal, but some are more equal than others”….
I know what you mean – there just isn’t another sport that plays as often and has a field like golf. You might be able to use road racers who do 10k’s and marathons….but there are about 8 people in the world outside of Kenya who know who the best of the best are.
lol – achilles knee – I like that. what a shame, too. Yeah – Federer needs to recharge the batteries. It’s impossible to play as well as he did for as long as he did – but he did. I’m amazed that he was almost never injured.
(psst – holding the majority of the stock and being a majority stockholder aren’t the same – you’ll have to look on capital hil for that guy) :-D GM isn’t pushing the Volt at Doral, are they ? I thought that was all Cadillac.
Are vegetarians allowed to have butterflies in their stomach?
The thing about Federer and Nadal
If they stopped today, Federer would already be the greatest of all time and Nadal in the top 4 of all time.
Top 4 of all time ? You think so ? That’s some pretty steep company. Who are your other top 4 or 5 ?
Are vegetarians allowed to have butterflies in their stomach?
Obviously Federer is the greatest
without question. Sampras is 2nd in slams, but didn’t win the French. Laver might be considered past him. Agassi is up there, but already behind Nadal. Borg,Connors McKenroe and Lendal re great as well, but behind Nadal already also.
1.Federer
2. Laver
3.Sampras
4. Nedal
5.Agassi
You put Agassi ahead of Borg, Connors, McEnroe, and Lendl ?
And no mention of Fred Perry or Bunny Austin ? :-D
Are vegetarians allowed to have butterflies in their stomach?
Yes..
Agassi won the grand slam. 8 slams altogether.Borg had 11 ( 6 French and 5 Wimbledons) Connors and Lendl won 8 as well, Mckenroe won 7, but none of these 4 won all 4 slams. I forgot Emerson who also won all 4, Perry did too, but I think Laver stands above them.
Yep! It's all Cadillac!
GM knows the demographic, me and Easingwold we can’t afford that “Fastest Production Sport Coup” on the market. But Progolf there at Sawgrass? That’s who the advertising is aimed at. FYI – I have a 2007 Honda Odyssey… Yes, Court I know I’m only very peripherally part of the GM bailout picure. But you and I know while golf’s history may go back to sheep herders, its been a game of the aristocracy for hundreds of years. This First Tee thing to bring golf to minorities is an unadulterated PC scam. Augusta National, the USGA, it’s the property of captain’s of industry, nabobs if you will… I will challenge ANYONE to name ONE recent winner of the Boston Marathon or ANY primere 10K. (no Googling) I used to be a runner. In fact I gave up golf for a while to get healthy. For me it was Alberto Salazar and Bill Rogers… Sorry… Wendy granteed me a license to go off on a tangent……
Ping a ling
:o) I’ll pass on the Cadillacs, thanks. I’ve had a few over the years. A beautifull car when they run properly. I currently own several Lincolns, my favorite one of all is 17 y/o Lincoln Town Car Signature Series model. Pretty mint condition and it runs like the day it was new. Not For Sale.
"pain is only weakness leaving the body" jumpn
Of course not – Eas can’t afford to be seen driving something as low rent as a Cadillac – not when there are Bentley’s and Mazeratti’s and Jag-you-are’s, and Rolls Royce’s out there. :-D
Just a quick note on the First Tee. They are first and foremost about education. They do use golf as a vehicle – but they are more interested in kids getting educated, learning solid life lessons about honesty, etc., and giving a lot of kids some better role models in their lives. The thought of finding the next Tiger Woods isn’t really on the list of goals.
Augusta National’s bills get paid by those captains of industry – but the club will be there long after they drop their memberships or take the great dirt nap. As much money as they have – they still have to obey the rules of the club.
Does Rosie Ruiz count ? :-D
Are vegetarians allowed to have butterflies in their stomach?
I get the roadwork part of getting shape – but do you / did you also keep the jump rope handy ?
Are vegetarians allowed to have butterflies in their stomach?
Ping...I sat here at the key board
for …Oh, maybe 20-30 seconds before wanting to comment on your request to have some runners named…I DON’T GIVE A FLYING FIG (Wendys word) about runners…In fact, if their running in a public road, rather than a school track or jogging trail…I give them no quarter when passing them…What I care about, is GOLF, pure and simple…This blog was about Parity vs Dominance, not some health crazed nut jobs running….I like my body fat….well, some of it anyway….and you know what?…those runnig nut jobs don’t live any longer than those of us who enjoy out trip along life’s highway….Give me a Steak, Potato and good Martini over that TU-FU and bran muffin crap they eat….And another thing…I bet our sex lives are just as good as theirs, if not better….They look like ske-a-tons walking around…..Give me someone with some meat on the bones…women in particular…so give us a break…comment on Golf, not the other stuff….STUB
STUB
Geez Stub – did anybody ask about your menu – this is a GOLF site ! (lol)
Why are you yelling at Ping ? I was the one who inserted running into the discussion – we were trying to find a sport that had a similar lype of competition as golf. Boxing didn’t work because there are only two guys going toe to toe, and they (heavyweights) only fight once a year, if that often. I thought of running.
And I’ll take mine cooked medium well – just a little pink on the inside. :-D
Are vegetarians allowed to have butterflies in their stomach?
Sorry, STUB
(The comma was for Court ;). I have double-checked Charles’ rules and there is NOTHING, absolutely nothing about sticking to golf as a topic. (Thank goodness – phew!).
Weren’t you just trying to hand a few pounds over to Easing, btw?
Yur dog gone right...and If he
don’t want them will you take them? PLEASE….STUB
STUB
I like Zach Johnson
but the best Golfer right now is easily Bubba Watson
by TheonlyJagsfaninSD on Mar 2, 2011 4:08 PM EST reply actions
I like Zach Johnson too
But on what basis can Bubba be judged the best? Can argue for at least a dozen players?
Wendy...me thinks Jags has been
in the cool aid…But than,,, if his title is any indication,,,he’s out there in South Dakota….And you think you had it cold Wendy…You don’t have a clue (as Ol Rocko would say)…I seen it 40 below zero, and that’s without a wind chilll….Bubba?…maybe Jags got his frontal lobe frozen digging out his car…Bubba?….ya right…..STUB
STUB
name one guy THIS year that is better than him
In my case the top 3 golfs in the US right now are
1. of curse Bubba Watson
2. No question the guy that has own the 2nd place for years Phil Mickelson
3.Dustin Johnson when he isn’t coking
by TheonlyJagsfaninSD on Mar 3, 2011 10:09 AM EST up reply actions
I forgot Westwood
he belongs in their instead of Dustin Johnson. Johnson can be fourth
by TheonlyJagsfaninSD on Mar 3, 2011 10:11 AM EST up reply actions
Noth vs South
If i lived south I would be golfing but I have to wait tell all the 77 inches of snow is mostly melt. Were what u call Men that live up here in the North. We have one of the Toughest winters in the land-lock 48 states. When you think its 40 degrees and its cold. For us that is t-shirt weather baby.
by TheonlyJagsfaninSD on Mar 3, 2011 10:36 AM EST up reply actions
Difference is STUB
Jags is obviously used to that kind of weather. As it rarely goes below zero here, this winter has been pretty brutal by UK standards and the wind chill at the moment, despite the sunshine, is bone-chilling.
true – Stub is difference maker……oh….guess I should read the rest here….. :-)
Jags – do you have any indoor golf facilities in your area ? I’ve seen ranges covered in air blown domes. And then there is Heather Jones, whose club has a barn they hit balls from in the winter, and she goes out and picks balls out of the snow when the barrels are empty. (yes – we know she’s a little nuts) :-D
Are vegetarians allowed to have butterflies in their stomach?
No
The the closest indoor golf hitting Rang is 200 miles and I have school and I have never been to ND
by TheonlyJagsfaninSD on Mar 3, 2011 12:00 PM EST up reply actions
that’s a lot of and’s….what does North Dakota have to do with it ? Is that where the indoor range is ? (afraid you’ll get tossed in a wood chipper if you get close to Fargo ?) :-)
By the way – really good state golf web site for South Dakota – http://sdgolftv.com/
Are vegetarians allowed to have butterflies in their stomach?
no
you can’t type. I can’t read your post what grade are you in?
by TheonlyJagsfaninSD on Mar 3, 2011 2:54 PM EST up reply actions
thus ends the attempt at a friendly conversation with a newbie. nice talking to you
Are vegetarians allowed to have butterflies in their stomach?
No
that ended a long time ago with my “frontal lobe” frozen
by TheonlyJagsfaninSD on Mar 3, 2011 4:19 PM EST up reply actions
C'mon, Jags
Don’t be that easily deterred – your opinion is as valid as anyone else’s on here (even if I don’t agree with you about Bubba being the best).
One thing
is that Bubba Watson is WAY better then Donald or Clink
by TheonlyJagsfaninSD on Mar 3, 2011 6:30 PM EST up reply actions
Jag.....Court is in the 7th grade.....
he’s still struggling with comma’s and question marks……:) By the way, what grade are you in?
The Saints were the SUPER BOWL CHAMPS for a year...hope I don't have to wait another 44 years for #2....WHO DAT!......:)
Them there's fighting words Jag
Wendy – Jag doesn’t like Stinky!
I like Bubba, but I disagree with him being better than a major winner and now a WGC winner to boot.
Agreed
but he is getting there, I expect him to contend more this year. Dustin Johnson should be ahead of Watson, but he seems to have lost some focus.
Jags - that's it - Bubba's going down! ;o)
I was playing nice but after those words re Donald/Cink, I ’m going to hex Watson.
if you’re serious about taking Bubba down, just let me know and I’ll put him on my fantasy team – he’ll be on the pro bowler’s tour inside of a month. (lol)
Are vegetarians allowed to have butterflies in their stomach?
Of course, Bubba Watson...
Bubba of the pink driver shaft…with those two huge wins! One of them against those two powerhouses, Corey Pavin and Scott Verplank….awesome! and that match play loss to Matt Kuchar? But, I’m reminded of a something I once heard…If you’re standing outside a baseball stadium and there’s a huge roar, odds are some hit the ball out of the park not the pitcher striking out the side… Every one loves the long ball! If Bubba iused his real name (Gerry) would be capture the imagination of the public?
I like Bubba Watson
he reminds me a bit of one Mickleson, but not as good. He might just win a major or two.
And Bubba finished way ahead of whom, last week ? :o)
"pain is only weakness leaving the body" jumpn
And Westwood would be #1 for more than a month.....
The only thing Watson and Mickelson have in common is they’re left handed. Mickelson won in Tucson, when he was an amateur. Gerry never won any amateur or college event. Spot on, not as good! Amy Mickelson is probably 5’ 5". Gerry’s wife is 6"4". Roppe Kakko might win the Open….but I doubt it.
My take
I think I saw somebody make this point somewhere, but haven’t we already had parity for many years in golf? We simply had one outlier way out in front, but everybody else was bunched up just like they are now. Now the outlier has come back to join the rest. As far as which way is better, I don’t know. As a golf fan I’m not sure it matters much; I still watch every week and I still enjoy the show. But as a Tiger fan, watching him win all of those tournaments always added a bit extra enjoyment for me. I loved it in the same way I loved watching my beloved Crimson Tide win a National Championship, or how Packer fans enjoyed watching their team win the Superbowl this year. We all still enjoy watching football even when are favorite team isn’t doing well, but oh how much more fun it is when they’re winning a championship!! We all need somebody to root for, as it makes watching more meaningful and enjoyable. And as I’ve said many time, Tiger should be appreciated because what he’s accomplished is extremely rare in this sport. Yes, another will come along, but when……
The man who never alters his opinions is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind.
~ William Blake
I used to root for Faldo.
even against Seve and Sandy in the early days. Today, it is Macllroy and Kaymer. TH, makes a valid point. But when someone like Curtis or YE Yang wins, I can still enjoy it just the same. Woods ? He has been extraordinary to say the least.
Two pretty good ones to pull for
Me pulling for Tiger is no different. And right, as a fan you still enjoy it regardless of who wins but when your favorite prevails, it’s much more special. I believe everyone has favorites (yes even those of you who won’t admit to it); it’s simply how the human brain works. If you truly don’t, then I would say you’re missing out big time. And let’s be honest, many people didn’t like Tiger simply because they couldn’t stand watching him beat their own favorites, (although for some reason few would ever admit this). It’s the same reason why I don’t like Auburn; as much as I respect their championship year, as Alabama’s chief rival, I didn’t like it one bit. Again, it’s how the human brain works.
The man who never alters his opinions is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind.
~ William Blake
I always liked Woods golf.
I just couldn’t warm to his robotic interviews. And in those, he smiled when he won. But even when he won his last major, there wasn’t one word for Rocco. When he lost against Yang he lost any grace he might have had. We can never know the real Woods, but I don’t like what he shows us. TH,you are right about some not liking him winning everything. However, perhaps he could have learned from Federer, who has won even more than Woods has. Get upset about losing, but do it with grace. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like Federer how he comes across, yet many don’t like Woods. I suspect because he has very little grace.
Very true
and I’ve admitted many times that there are plenty of legitimate reasons to dislike Tiger. He’s not a good guy. Certainly a bit of grace would serve him well. In some ways, maybe he needs to taste failure (if you can call it that). I do strongly believe humans lean much more in failure than they do in success.
The man who never alters his opinions is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind.
~ William Blake
Tiger is the last
to ever dominate the rest of the World. Too many who are too capable, and they aren’t going anywhere. I’ve come to learn that Tiger was as good as he was because he thought he was. He somehow willed himself to all those titles in his mind, fueled only by self confidence. Golf is played between the ears.
Oh, and unless golf gets a competitor like boxing got MMA, boxing is a bad analogy.
I've been known to be opinionated.
Randy - why is Tiger the last?
They said the same about Jack and then along came Woods. Why do you assume that someone else won’t come do the same or better than both of them?
Very true chip
In boxing we had, Marciano and then Ali and then Tyson. Today it’s still the undefeated Floyd (money) Mayweather. :o)
"pain is only weakness leaving the body" jumpn
It's just math chip
In Jack’s day there were maybe 30? who were capable of winning on any given week. There were “maybe” 5? players who came to the States on a regular basis to play the Tour.
30 years ago there were 10 players on tour who “averaged” within 2 shots of the 3rd best in average. Now, there are well over 100. (I go back only to 1980 because that’s as far back as I can obtain the stats on pgatour dot com)
What Tiger did, his run…was an anomaly created by who he was as a person. A skilled athlete with unthinkable drive, determination, work ethic, and an unwillingness to accept defeat. He had all the money he would ever need before he cashed that first check in Milwaukee. Sure there will be more “great” players, but every year there’s more competition, & to be honest…some of these guys get a little soft once they’ve banked $25 million. (Tiger had $65M before he teed it up, he was (is) ONLY about winning)
I've been known to be opinionated.
You just said it.
Tiger did it. So why will someone will someone else not come along with the same mindset and talent and do it again, or even better?
Kaymer, Westwood, McIlroy, McDowell, Poulter, Casey....
Tiger didn’t even have the talent pool from the rest of the World to beat 10 years ago. There will be more, rather than fewer. It’s a numbers thing. Hogan had to beat 5, Palmer 10, Jack 20 Tiger when he started maybe 60, now it’s more like 80….That number will keep growing making it more improbable to dominate for a season, or 2, much less a decade.
And, yes…that mathematically means Tiger was better than Jack, who was better than Hogan.
I've been known to be opinionated.
Randy, you said only 30 could win in Jack's day
I’d also add only 30 could win majors in Tiger’s day. Don’t tell me any one of 80 can win those today. They just aren’t tough enough, except the select few.
Tiger is the last??????
Goofiest thing I’ve heard in awhile. Sounds like something Rush Limbaugh would say.
The Saints were the SUPER BOWL CHAMPS for a year...hope I don't have to wait another 44 years for #2....WHO DAT!......:)
lmao em66...but, it is simple math
Rush would say, “I’m too smart to golf”. Oh, he wouldn’t say it…he did. And for that one little blurb, Rush can kiss my Keester. Used to LOVE George Carlin…until he did his little rant on how much golf sucked.
I've been known to be opinionated.
IMHO
The talent pool of the top say, 15 players in Jacks day was higher. Hogans and Tigers. Not so much. Much like with Boxing, Ali and Tyson fought better talent than Mayweather does today.
"pain is only weakness leaving the body" jumpn
That's a hard subject pro...
I used to think the exact same thing, for I owe Jack for inspiring to pick up a club in the early 60’s as a young lad. But, I used to think the 1963 Green Bay Packers were the best Football Players ever, too.
I look at how all athletes have evolved & have to assume that not only could a top ranked College FB Team’s practice team run those Packers off the field, golfers can’t be the only athletes to regress.
Stress is the confusion created when one's mind overrides the body's basic desire to choke the living Crap out of some Idiot who desperately deserves it
Boxing is not a good analogy imho
Opps, I hit enter & it posted, learning curve. Boxing’s popularity started to dwindle a long time ago. MMA took over, a tangent sport, some 10 years ago. Those fighters who could have been great boxers went another direction. Unless frisbee golf becomes a TV event, golf is safe.
Stress is the confusion created when one's mind overrides the body's basic desire to choke the living Crap out of some Idiot who desperately deserves it
No worries randy
Boxing is alive and doing quite well. if you follow it all the time as I do then you would notice. 78,000 fans in Dallas last fall for the Pacquiao/Margarito fight shows this. Last night in a Anaheim, Ca. 11,000 people packed the Honda center to watch Ricky Hattons journeyman (little known) brother fight an undefeated 35-0 twenty y/o from Mexico. It went the distance of 12 rounds and was a good fight. Hatton lost on points but put up a fight. between now and June there are a bunch of great match ups coming up. Pacquiao/ vs Mosley cometo mind as well as Cotto vs Mayorga. http://www.fightnews.com/boxing-schedule
"pain is only weakness leaving the body" jumpn
Where's the
names like, Wilson, or Jones, or Smith? Seems boxing has gone Latino?
Stress is the confusion created when one's mind overrides the body's basic desire to choke the living Crap out of some Idiot who desperately deserves it
I guess I left boxing
when I cut off the Showtime & HBO. $200 a month for TV/Phone & internet got to be a bit much, and the wife won’t give up her land-line (I have no idea why, we rarely use it other than a voice mailbox) & I won’t give up my 20Meg internet (for all the streaming PORN)
Just seems that there is no boxing on basic cable (HD/ Sports & leisure, some 400 channels 8 of which get tuned into…blah blah blah, what a racket paying for TV has become) while there’s a whole network nearly dedicated to MMA.
To the casual boxing fan (to me anyway)…it was the Heavyweights that carried the sport. Once Evandor Holyfield got old, I couldn’t give you the name of a single Heavyweight, & haven’t seen a fight in maybe 10? years.
Stress is the confusion created when one's mind overrides the body's basic desire to choke the living Crap out of some Idiot who desperately deserves it
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