Woods confirms Ryder Cup captaincy ambitions.

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28-0 to Europe.

That would be like John Terry being in charge of The Commission for Racial Equality or Shane Lowry in charge of Weight Watchers.

Chamblee?
A bit self-infatuated, but can be a little contrarian which makes a nice change over here.

1GrumpyGolfer wrote:I think you're overlooking some really great things that Woods could bring to the Ryder Cup captaincy. Forgeddabout the ping pong and prayer group stuff.

There would be a brilliant entertainment and relaxation area with lap dancing, buxom waitresses. The boys could have theirs aches and pains cared for with the spa area and finish off with the rub and tug to send them off to bed with a smile on their face.

It would almost be like Carlsberg organising your boys golf trip. You've got your golfing gear handed to you, the cars, playing on a great course, and now the apres golf fun.

You know? That could be the difference right there. I'm not sure how Zach, Webb etc would take it though....

Diggers wrote:The guys with the more popular personalities like Clarke and McIlroy count Woods a friend, Clarke calls him a very close friend.

Can't remember whether I've regurgitated this story or indeed if already widely known, but I recall Darren being interviewed by Andrew Cotter at lunchtime in the tented village on the opening day of the BMW PGA at Wentworth last year (this was for the spectators, not televised). [Westwood was also supposed to have been on the podium but was detained for random drug testing, so it was a solo DC show]

Darren did indeed describe Tiger as a close friend, being why he was a bit reluctant to comment on his troubles. He embellished this by sharing that Tiger's nickname for DC is "FF".

The obvious question was "What does that stand for?"

Darren said one of the F's stood for "Fat", and wasn't able to repeat what the other F meant with children around...

kwinigolfer wrote:I can't see a terrific captain in Team USA's future - Furyk might not be bad and Phil might be OK but none of the other before-Tiger candidates offer much threat, certainly not Toms/Cink/Leonard/Stricker.

Would think that Woods would opt for a USA home game, would be astonished if he fancied playing away. Not golf anyway.

Digs,
To be fair, fellow golfers are unlikely to characterize Tiger as a sh1thead in the same way some have had a go at Phil (for instance). Whatever they really think about him.

No they dont have to call him that...then again they dont have to say in numerous interviews that he's a friend and they get along great with him.

I'm sure many do get on with him, doesn't mean it will make him a good captain though.

Skydriver wrote:

Diggers wrote:The guys with the more popular personalities like Clarke and McIlroy count Woods a friend, Clarke calls him a very close friend.

Can't remember whether I've regurgitated this story or indeed if already widely known, but I recall Darren being interviewed by Andrew Cotter at lunchtime in the tented village on the opening day of the BMW PGA at Wentworth last year (this was for the spectators, not televised). [Westwood was also supposed to have been on the podium but was detained for random drug testing, so it was a solo DC show]

Darren did indeed describe Tiger as a close friend, being why he was a bit reluctant to comment on his troubles. He embellished this by sharing that Tiger's nickname for DC is "FF".

The obvious question was "What does that stand for?"

Darren said one of the F's stood for "Fat", and wasn't able to repeat what the other F meant with children around...

Oh how they must have laughed, what great banter from Woods. Hilarious. What a guy.

I think Woods would run a mile from the Ryder cup Captaincy if he could but can you imagine the headlines if he said "No I would prefer not to be Ryder Cup Captain"

Considering that this time last year the "realist" was spouting on about how Woods' career was basically over and that he'd be lucky to win a monthly medal, I think it's wise to take his view's on all things Tiger related with a pinch of salt.

Actually I didn't Hibbz, i said (at the time) all he's won was the equivalent of a wednesday sweep (Chevron) since his "comeback", I also said he'd probably win a fair bit, though not to the same level as before. I do despise him, but I think he's still one of a group of 20 or so top players and it would be silly to have said he wouldn't win again.

"Lot's of pointless publicity and a career that is in terminal decline."

"I don't think Woods has the character to do a Westwood style comeback. He takes himself far too seriously I think and probably tries too hard as well. There's a certain amount of acceptance and patience required to get a career back and I don't think he gets it, and hope he doesn't."

Just a couple of quotes from your back pages but at least you're willing to admit they were silly.

That's a far cry from saying his career was basically over isn't it?

He career hasn't returned to where it was, so could be described as a decline.

Hibbz wrote:"Lot's of pointless publicity and a career that is in terminal decline."

"I don't think Woods has the character to do a Westwood style comeback. He takes himself far too seriously I think and probably tries too hard as well. There's a certain amount of acceptance and patience required to get a career back and I don't think he gets it, and hope he doesn't."

Just a couple of quotes from your back pages but at least you're willing to admit they were silly.

I've highlighted the bit where you say he won't get his career back because you obviously missed it.

I don't think McIlroy is ever going to win the US Open by 8 shots again is it a valid opinion to say his career is in "terminal decline"?

On another topic, (I can't be ar$ed to start one) I know you do a lot of distance running and I'm after some advice please. I'm in training to run my first marathon (23rd Dec) and no matter how much I attempt to stretch/warm up the first mile always feels like crap. Have you ever found a reliable solution or do you just deal with it?

Hibbz wrote:

Hibbz wrote:"Lot's of pointless publicity and a career that is in terminal decline."

"I don't think Woods has the character to do a Westwood style comeback. He takes himself far too seriously I think and probably tries too hard as well. There's a certain amount of acceptance and patience required to get a career back and I don't think he gets it, and hope he doesn't."

Just a couple of quotes from your back pages but at least you're willing to admit they were silly.

I've highlighted the bit where you say he won't get his career back because you obviously missed it.

I don't think McIlroy is ever going to win the US Open by 8 shots again is it a valid opinion to say his career is in "terminal decline"?

On another topic, (I can't be ar$ed to start one) I know you do a lot of distance running and I'm after some advice please. I'm in training to run my first marathon (23rd Dec) and no matter how much I attempt to stretch/warm up the first mile always feels like crap. Have you ever found a reliable solution or do you just deal with it?

Depends on your age Hibbz, I ran 3 marathons in my 20's culminating in a 2.51.51 at Glasgow in 1985. I then ran London in my mid 40's in 2008 (4.11.22). The training was equally as painful, it's just that I was able to push harder in my 20's. A couple of things may help... Never underestimate the value of a warm down and stretch at the end of a run, Don't neglect supplementary exercises, especially core ab work (sit ups etc). Don't flog yourself to death in a pace run/interval work the day before a long run. In your long runs it shouldn't be uncommon to feel sluggish in the early stages as you should be heavy with fuel. DO make sure you get at least a couple of 20+ mile runs in before the big day - you need to know what it's like to get close to glycogen depletion. Assuming you're not caffeine intolerant, have a strong black coffee or 2 before you go out on your 20+ milers, this releases fats into the bloodstream and allows you to run on a mixture of glycogen and fat. Your glycogen supply is limited, when it runs out your body then has to use fat as fuel, that fuel switchover is what's known as the wall. Running on a glycogen/fat mixture will help you run for longer before you completely glycogen deplete. I know it's a bit cliched but the marathon REALLY starts at 20 miles, believe me, feeling crap in the first mile is NOTHING compared to what you'll experience at miles 22 to 24 (give or take a couple of miles). You find out a LOT about yourself on the other side of the 20 mile mark Hope it goes well for you, keep us informed of how it goes.

Hibbz wrote:

Hibbz wrote:"Lot's of pointless publicity and a career that is in terminal decline."

"I don't think Woods has the character to do a Westwood style comeback. He takes himself far too seriously I think and probably tries too hard as well. There's a certain amount of acceptance and patience required to get a career back and I don't think he gets it, and hope he doesn't."

Just a couple of quotes from your back pages but at least you're willing to admit they were silly.

I've highlighted the bit where you say he won't get his career back because you obviously missed it.

I don't think McIlroy is ever going to win the US Open by 8 shots again is it a valid opinion to say his career is in "terminal decline"?

On another topic, (I can't be ar$ed to start one) I know you do a lot of distance running and I'm after some advice please. I'm in training to run my first marathon (23rd Dec) and no matter how much I attempt to stretch/warm up the first mile always feels like crap. Have you ever found a reliable solution or do you just deal with it?

Very good Hibbz, but I believe that quote you provided is directly attributed to the question of whether Woods would ever comeback to his former glory, and even the most ardent, rose tinted spectacle wearing sycophantic bum-licker can't argue that Woods has reached those heights again. So in that respect he's never got his career back to that level where he was undisputed best player in the world.
0 majors in 4 years, and while he's ranked number two, he's not really much more than a top professional. Not peerless as he once was.

As for running, well sometimes the runs with the worst start turn out to be the best for me in the long run (no pun intended). I can only advise that you find a system in which you run at a time of day you like and you leave a time between when you eat and when you run that suits you. I can't say what that is for you, but it was 2 hours for me, and pasta made me feel bad, so my carb of choice was bread/toast. Saying that, your first mile might just be the dread of going out for a run, sometimes it's more of a chore than a pleasure.

Good luck in the marathon though, I think everyone ought to do at least one, even people like Shane Lowry.

Didnt a 100 year old complete a marathon earlier this year?

Well done Jas, 2:51 is very impressive. I recently ran 4 miles in 30 mins and was in bits for days . Can only imagine what 26 miles feels like.

I'm 38 JAS so nearing the point of no return. I have done a couple of "halfs" years ago (1h 35 was the fastest I think) so not going in totally blind.

I've been in training about six weeks and got up to 10 miles at between 7.45-8min miles without a problem. I'm off away for the next few days so thought I'd see how close I really was and did 17.5 miles on Monday. The first 15 or so were fine but I was more waddling than running for the last bit so now I'm worried I've bitten off more than I can chew.

I want to finish in sub 3.30 as much more than that I'm not sure is really running but we shall see.

Hibbz,

If you really want to be breaking 3:30 you need to be rigidly following a specific programme to get you ready for running that sort of time. (basically it's the top 5% of runners)

You'll need to be doing a lot of hill training, reps, sprints, fartlek etc.

I just got turned down for London next year but might look into a Tromso or Rotterdam.

Is that the top 5% of people as a whole, people who claim to run, people who have completed a particular marathon or people who run for a club?

I think that running is a bit like golf in that there are people that claim to be runners because they do a couple of miles every now and then at the gym and then there are people who do it seriously as a main hobby.

I'd predict that for London there is a far higher percentage of fun runners who are just pleased to finish as opposed to those who do it because they are very competitive and want to run as fast as they can and put in proper training.

I just looked at last years results of the marathon I'm running (Portsmouth) and 106 out of 637 (men and women) were quicker than 3:30.

What hacks me off is when people ask for sponsor money to do the New York (or some other far flung exciting location)marathon when they could easily save the 2 grand travel costs, donate that to the cause, and do a local marathon.

I think I might do a 24 hour golf marathon at Cypress point next year if anyone fancies contributing. All money raised will go to a good cause.

Hibbz wrote:Is that the top 5% of people as a whole, people who claim to run, people who have completed a particular marathon or people who run for a club?

I think that running is a bit like golf in that there are people that claim to be runners because they do a couple of miles every now and then at the gym and then there are people who do it seriously as a main hobby.

I'd predict that for London there is a far higher percentage of fun runners who are just pleased to finish as opposed to those who do it because they are very competitive and want to run as fast as they can and put in proper training.

I just looked at last years results of the marathon I'm running (Portsmouth) and 106 out of 637 (men and women) were quicker than 3:30.

If you finish under 3:30 you are generally in the top 5% of runners in the field of large marathons like London, New York and Rotterdam. I think under 3 is usually top 1%.

Smaller marathons are usually done by more keen runners so you'll get a higher percentage with fast times. So you'll still be top 20% I imagine. Pretty good.

Didn't Jade Goody once start the London Marathon having done basically no training just hoping for the best?

Bet there are more than a few like that.

I think sub 2:45 guarantees entry to London but you probably have to be a member of a club as well.

I can see the attraction of having the satisfaction of completing a marathon but running/jogging is just so boring for me, cant motivate myself to do it apart from on a treadmill at a gym with a cute ladies bottom in front of me.
I can jump on my bike and do a few miles on that though, far less tedious.

Treadmills are intolerably dreary (without the absence of a decent rear "view")

I think if everyone was to run every night for 6 weeks they'd be hooked. Hard to get yourself up for it on occasion, but that endorphin rush is addictive plus it's a good way to think things through and de-stress.

Not a fan of gyms though. Boring.

No difference between an endorhpin rush in running than there is from any exercise Super, so it just comes down to what you personally prefer doing.
I know plenty of people who get totally hooked and equally plenty who would rather eat their own liver than run every night but are addicted to those boot camp workouts they do in parks. Its all horses for courses.

Very much so Diggers.

Not sure I'd get the same feeling from gyms though.

I go through stages of being addicted to the gym, but its been a good while since the last one I have to admit.

Like the gym when its empty, otherwise too many posers and muscleheads. Also some of them fit birds can be a major distraction!

Supposedly there was a row on the 1st tee of Tiger's round in Turkey yesterday, photographer was headbutted by Turkey's top golf official! Considering the circus around TW its a wonder this doesn't happen more often.

I have never been to a gym, and can't imagine what I would do if I ever went to one.

Just play sport to keep fit, it is so much more fun than pointless running or gym work.

I'm at the age now where if I don't go to the gym regularly or do something active, I start to feel flabby & lethargic, posture suffers as well.

Great believer that a measured gym or exercise program can significantly help your golf. Even running/cycling (assuming its coupled with a decent stretching routine) helps as you're MUCH less likely to get fatigued in the latter stages of a round..and much more so if you play 36 holers.

Apologies for off topic, did think of starting a new fitness thread but couldn't be arsed.

Chamblee is a Jack Nicklaus suck up blow hard.

Back into running for about 6 months now. 3 - 4 miles every other day 6-8 on Sunday. Just hate the treadmill, need to run outside.

Woods will be a great RC Captain if he has a great team. From my observation and discussions with those closer to the US tour, he's pretty much revered for his accomplishments on the golf course by his fellow professionals.

What about his Ryder Cup record though SR, they would surely laugh at that if it wasn't so painful for them.

The horse is dead super, no need to keep flogging.

I'm looking forward to Harrington throwing his hat into the ring to captain Europe.

He'll prob get the gig in 2018 super, with a resumé like his would be hard to overlook him.

Super

You can bang on all day about his Ryder cup record but it is similar to Mickelson’s and everyone accepts Phil is going to be captain at some point. I also think you underestimate the power of “doing it for tiger” will have if he captains a group of players largely made up of players who watched his dominant era as young fans.

As you all know I don’t really think the captains have a lot of input into the final outcome so whether he makes a good captain or not is almost irrelevant. So it seems even more odd to me that someone would argue that he would make a particularly bad captain. He has as many arbitrary positive arguments to say he would be an ok captain as anyone else who could be picked;

He will be a point of inspiration to those players he inspired to take up the game and get very good at it.

He knows how to win.

He will get a lot of the more casual fans onside (even the European ones)

He has an excellent understanding of matchplay (given his great record in the format)

The fact he is tiger means he has a target on his back. meaning the Europeans will want to beat the tiger led team so much they may crack under the pressure.

He has a fledgling golf course design business so will know how to set up the course to his teams advantage.

Think of all the inspirational stories he will be able to tell in the team room before the players go out?

So super, take off your bigoted goggles and realise that tiger will be as good/bad a captain as any other player randomly selected for the job. As long as Tiger does not give Mark O’meara a captains pick then he will do just fine.

You can bang on all day about his Ryder cup record but it is similar to Mickelson’s and everyone accepts Phil is going to be captain at some point. I also think you underestimate the power of “doing it for tiger” will have if he captains a group of players largely made up of players who watched his dominant era as young fans.

Phil has a personality


He will be a point of inspiration to those players he inspired to take up the game and get very good at it.

He knows how to win. He also know how not to win in Ryder Cup

He will get a lot of the more casual fans onside (even the European ones) Yeah, because there is loads more room for moronic fans than are already there. You can't get more on the course than is allowed and the fans are already as bad as they can get.

He has an excellent understanding of matchplay (given his great record in the format) He has an excellent idea of matchplay when playing for himself, but not a clue when playing with anyone else

The fact he is tiger means he has a target on his back. meaning the Europeans will want to beat the tiger led team so much they may crack under the pressure. He's had a target on his back in every one of his Ryder Cups so far, and he's been a dismal failure and an easy point for Europe, also did Europe crack under the pressure this year?

He has a fledgling golf course design business so will know how to set up the course to his teams advantage. Wonder if he's read Doak

Think of all the inspirational stories he will be able to tell in the team room before the players go out? Think of all the inspirational stories his media company will dictate to the players, because he's incapable of saying anything that isn't wooden or pre-scripted.

Im with Jas on the Gym.Started about 4 years ago when I found myself a)single and b)feeling crackered at the end of a round.Other than a few meatheads really nice crowd.Did a bit of research into what to do and not do and feel much better for it.Nice long shower after usually the reward of a beer and the odd bonus as per Diggers in the lady dept.58 yrs old and feel about.. 57

Super

You have just proven my point. For evert meaningless argument for against someone being an RC captain someone can counter with an equally meaningless response. The captain makes no difference. If woods can deliver a speech and attend some press conferences he will have succeded as a captain.

Very true Mac, but there's more reason do doubt his Captaincy credibility than there is to suggest he'll be good. Mind you, I think you could say the same for most American captains. 3 wins in 13 is pretty woeful and I think we go back to the international sport not being rooted in their culture argument.

Super

NO, there is nothing to suggest woods will be unable to perform the duties of a captain. There is also nothing to suggest he will be any worse than any other captain when it comes to fulfilling the meaningless ceremonial tasks the captain does. He will be as good as even the “great” Seve.

"fledgling golf course design business"; a euphemism for one failed enterprise after another - it's been fledgling for a decade now, but don't believe a complete design has ever seen the light of day.

Tiger is sure to get invited to be RC Capt; whether he would want it is something else entirely.

And: Where might it be?

2014: Scotland: Toms
2016: Minnesota: (Woods will be 40): Furyk?
2018: France: Phil?
2020: Wisconsin: Leonard or Cink?
2022: Turkey?? (Woods will be 46) Might be appropriate for Tiger. But much more likely to be:
2024: Preferably at Bay Hill, Muirfield Village or Firestone, then he can be Playing Captain as well.

Really Mac? I know exactly what you are saying, but if a captain/manager has no influence on what happens on the pitch/court/course then what makes Alex Ferguson or Morinho effective? Why don't they just pluck a supporter off the terrace if they have no effect on a team?

To compare a football manager to the RC captain is just plain stupid Super. A RC captain doenst even have as much influence on players over any period of time as a Davis Cup captain.
The role is about a 1000th of what a fulltime football manager does as a job.

maybe the americans should have a euro / rest of the world captain?

I think the role of RC Captain is important, tho Davis Cup Captaincy, certainly in the USA, is clearly more important still, no question. Much more of a long-term appointment, not to mention multiple matches per season.

Would think that Furyk and Phil would both be excellent US Captains, not so sure about Woods, and would think Toms/Cink/Leonard would be out og their depth.

Super

As diggers points out. In football the manager has a massive influence and in the RC they have none. If the act professioanl at the press outings then they have done the job.

Thus the reason monty failed as a captain.

This Woods Ryder Cup record is absolutely hard to explain.

He's got an excellent Match Play record - Winning 3 Jr. Amateurs and 3 US Amateurs is no small feat, and he's won a WGC match play event. That's VERY rare air.

He's no stranger to pressure - Impossible to win as many majors and regular tour events if you don't know how to buddy up to the pressure of the situation. The golf course is littered with "great" players that never close up a major.

He obviously enjoys team golf events - Tiger has a very good way of making his feelings known if he doesn't like something. Unlike Phil. If nothing else, he's certainly on the spoiled petulant side, and I imaging would feign injury to get away from PC and RC events.

Very hard to explain.

TW reminds me of ARod (and I don't mean Roddick).

Extraordinarily talented with spectacular accomplishments but each has his weakness.
For ARod it's the Play Offs, for TW it's team play in the Ryder Cup.

McLaren wrote:Super

As diggers points out. In football the manager has a massive influence and in the RC they have none. If the act professioanl at the press outings then they have done the job.

Thus the reason monty failed as a captain.

No influence? Yeah right Mac.

Most great sportsmen has a failing somewhere, Sampras on lay, Federer Olympic gold, Ali with Frazier..and norton.....Seb Coe didnt win a global Olympic 800 title which is just amazing really.
It happens.