We’ll see. As exciting as current golf is for golf fans, most Americans don’t actually much about the sport. Maybe I’m wrong, but I think even the most exciting round of golf in history wouldn’t get many people to switch channels.
I don’t like him and hope he never wins again
I hope he wins them all. It would be fun for the records and the haters would apoplexy. All that entertainment for free.
I really can’t believe Fred Couples has announced that he will pick Tiger for the Prez Cup. All tiger has to do is finish in the top 20 of the next two tournaments to qualify for the FedEx Playoffs. And as of right now, it doesn’t look like he is going to do that. assuming he treads water tomorrow, he needs a ~top 12 at the PGA next week to qualify. And the PGA will have a stronger and deeper field than this weeks tournament.
Its a shame that players have worked their butts off this year to have the honor of playing in the Prez Cup and someone that basically snubs his nose to the rank/file tournaments can take a spot. He is 26th in the standings. If he somehow gets competitive in the next few weeks, then yes, he should be considered, but if he misses the playoffs, there is no way he should be considered.
It’s a business, not a meritocracy. Tiger draws eyeballs.
Maybe you missed the part about the President’s Cup being an exhibition. The players don’t get paid for it, nor does it affect their world rankings or any other important stat. If the US loses, Americans do not become enslaved by the winners. It’s just a vehicle to gin up interest in golf.
Given that, of course Tiger should play if he wants to. Even now, he generates far more fan interest than any other player, and nobody since Tom Watson has done more to earn the right to represent the US in a ceremonial event.
If you are so concerned about fairness to the poor slobs who “work their butts off” by playing golf for a living, you should write to the organizers of the Masters and British Open, since they let past champions play even if they haven’t made a cut in the 30 years since they won, and those events are, you know, actual contests, where money and WGR points are at stake.
The Masters? No one is left out of the tournament. Simply You are either qualified or your not qualified. There are no alternates. If Craig Stadler wants to play, no one is left out, the field goes from 100 players to 101 players (or whatever the number is).
British Open? At the top of the qualification list is the past champs. They are qualified until Age 60. Or to age 65 via the Greg Norman/Tom Watson loophole.
I am sure Jack Nicklaus would cause even more eyeballs than even Tiger Woods if Fred Couples picked him for the Presidents Cup. I don’t think he should be picked any more than I do Tiger Woods. Tiger Woods missed exactly 6 tournaments that he played last year. If had a similar performance in those events that he did last year, (MC, WD, T19th, T4, T42, T23) he still wouldn’t be on the team. Probably about 20th in the standings.
And if it just an “exhibition” why is it so important that TW plays. The event is in Australia. It is going to be played when the most people in the USA are going to be sleeping. It is not going to get great ratings in the USA.
No, but he would cause more dropped jaws. Jack can’t play any more, and he’s the first to say so. Tiger’s relatively low world ranking (and he’s still nearly 20 spots above such “superstars” as Ricky Bieber) is more a result of his injuries than actual performance. If he can stay healthy till the PC, he will certainly be one of the ten best US players. If not, he probably won’t play, just as Jack wouldn’t if asked.
It’s a game. In the grand scheme of things, nothing about it is important.
So you answered your own question. Tiger draws more interest than any other golfer among US fans, but it’s not even close between him and any other American golfer for foreign fans.
Who said anything about Fowler? I certainly did not, he is about 19th in the standings. I wouldn’t pick him either. My choice right now would be between three players (Wilson, Snedeker, and Byrd) all which have won a tournament this year.
Because he is the one the most people care about watching? i don’t see what is hard to understand about this, it doesn’t matter how exciting the game is now because of all the young up and coming superstars. Tiger made golf worth watching for shit tons of people, most of those people don’t give a flying fuck about anyone else, golf cares about making money. Hence you get Tiger.
Ok, lets automatically put the Yankees in the World Series, and the Cowboys in the Superbowl. Those events will get better ratings. Forgive me, I really not interested in pimping the event for the most viewers. I am interested in the integrity of the game.
I think the Oscars show would get more viewers if only the highest grossing movies were nominated.
Tournaments make money off TV ratings and fans who show up at the gate. Tigers makes them and the tour money. Tiger will get invites if he shows up drunk and naked with 3 blonds on his arm.
Funny, I always thought the object of sporting events was to win. Yankees would bring more viewers to the World Series, and ditto Cowboys in the SuperBowl.
For the players it is, for the business suits it has always been and will always be money. If MLB thought giving the Yankees an automatic World Series berth would be good for business you bet your ass they would do it, to think otherwise is incredibly naive.
Fred Couples should not be pandering to the Suits. If he is, then he has a conflict of interest. I am saying that Tiger should show a little bit of form before he gets selected. And it is not unreasonable for form to include some decent finishes in this weeks event (and next week’s PGA) to make the FedEx Playoffs. In all probability, all it will take is two finishes inside the top 20 and as of right now, he is not trending to do that.
FTR, I am not suggesting that Couples not pick Woods, I am suggesting that he should wait to see if he has a golf game. If plays well, by all means, pick him. But if finishes 34th this week and 28th next week, I do not think he should be considered.
And i am saying Tiger will get a lot more viewers than no Tiger no matter how well he plays and viewers are the most important thing for an exhibition. Just read Dio’s post, there are A LOT more of him around than of you.
I am not arguing that fact of increased veiwership. And FWIW, it is more than just an exhibition. The PGATour wants this thing to become the equivalent of the Ryder Cup. (which IMO, it will never will be). But, right or wrong, that is the PGATour’s vision. The PGATour garners no revenue from the Ryder Cup, (Ryder Cup belongs to the PGA of America) and they PGATour wants a similar event in prestige. Sacrificing the integrity of the event by pandering to TV networks is not the best way to do that.
I answered this two posts ago:
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The World Series and Super Bowl count; the PC doesn’t
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They DO automatically let Jack and Arnie play the Masters, if they want to play.
The thing is, it is not a small difference. There is a gigantic difference in popularity between golf with Tiger and golf without Tiger, that is not something any business can ignore even if compromises the integrity of the game in some peoples eyes.
Ask the players if they think that the Prez Cup counts or doesn’t count. Remember the controversy in South Africa in 2003? And once again, if Arnie and Jack decide to play the Masters, they will not be taking a spot away from anyone. I wonder how many times and how many ways that I can that THERE ARE NO ALTERNATES at Augusta. The field size simply increases.