A big viewing weekend ahead that can't be sullied by latest PGA Tour/LIV embarrassment. Plus, Rahm's Ryder mess deepens, R&A Financials, McIlroy on architecture, This, That and a bunch of Reads.
It never fails... while your writing and service to the game and to your readers remains wonderful, year in and year out, there are those Quad drops that make the subscription less about "value" and more about "soulfulness." This is one of those days where I am simply moved by your writing and consider myself quite fortunate to be a "fan" - of yours, golf, politics, writers, writing, and embracing the emotions of a life lived blessed. Saying "thank you" almost feels trite and empty, but it's the best I can do, with a twist: "F***ing A ... Thank You, Geoff"
Thanks Charlie, it felt to get that off my chest knowing there were others asking WTF about the meeting timing and choice. It's kind of scary to think what some of these folks are paid and what they'd like to do with the sport if given the chance, yet can't even manage the basics.
If you can get your views on the 911 meeting out into the wider world, that would be a service to us all. What x#*(*#s. Thank goodness for the four majors, because the rest of it gets harder and harder to stomach.
Quick thoughts on Rahm: I thought he had made (and I'm sure he did as well) the smartest move possible when he signed with LIV - it appeared that the two sides were close to an agreement and it looked like he was going to have his cake (millions from LIV) and eat it, too (still play on the PGAT). But life throws you curves. I'm baffled as to his "principled" stance on (not) paying the fine, though. It's gotta be pocket change from his LIV lucre.
And thank you for holding the tour's feet to the fire on all the Saudi/9-11 stuff. Morons.
Agree he signed thinking a deal was coming and he'd have the best of both worlds. Can't blame him given the dollar amount. But as you say, that amount should make it easy to pay the fine, roll into the Spanish on Thursday morning and play two more times assuming all is well at home with the child birth.
Agree that Rahm looked like the smartest guy of a not that smart bunch. Before he took the money, he said it (PIF money) would not change his life one way or the other. Regarding the fines, he appears a hypocrite.
If the US wins the next cup w/o Rahm; hang an asterisk around Keegan's legacy. *******
First this: "There are 107,902 hotels and motels in the United States and most have meeting rooms. We have gobs of half-empty office buildings across this great land where meeting space could be pried open to discuss what to do with Greg Norman, the Cleeks and a billion dollars of PIF money to get this mess they started called LIV off their hands. Yet these “folks”, who’d like to run the sport and tell us how they want to grow the game [their pocketbooks], and who don’t give a hoot about the actual game, can’t even dig deep to locate a half-ounce of wisdom not already stripped from their soulless bodies to realize a meeting in New York City on 9/11 might look wrong? "
Followed by this: "Lesion 13" (I think Lord Jon likes to use "XIII" but I am too lazy to look it up)
To paraphrase Johnny Miller: ”I think Jon Rahm needs to watch the next Ryder Cup on television.” Can’t he just pretend that he got 399 point something million to play on LIV, and still play in the Ryder Cup?
He would do well to remember that Seve, his big hero, was kicked off the Ryder Cup team in 1981 when he didn’t comply with the tour’s rules. Nobody’s so big that he can get away with having his own way - the European team room depends on good team chemistry, and it will turn sour if someone who shouldn’t be allowed to be there still gets a free pass. So as a European, I say pay up, or stay home.
Geoff - Thank you for keeping 9//1 in perspective. I lost two friends on that day, just regular people trying to go to work who were murdered by the Saudis. For those of us who live in the NYC area this is personal. 343 brave firemen lost their lives that day. I have a neighbor who walked out of tower 2 as firemen were walking up. He is still haunted by the looks in their eyes. Let us never forget.
Rory is right, the best golf in the world up there, love RCD, and the golf channel feed (which I gather is from European Tour productions) is excellent
I don’t understand Rahm. Missing a Ryder Cup over a trivial (to him) fine, I guess out of some misguided sense of principle. What’s he trying to prove?
It sounds like he's really bothered by the amount of the fines. The DP folks suggest it's a tiny amount and I thought at some point LIV was willing to pay certain fines for early defectors, but maybe not in his case. I do sense the combination of obligations and his wife's pregnancy are weighing on him as much as the fine. But he wanted to be a global golfer and so this is the type of situation that was bound to arise.
Thanks for articulating the rage I was feeling when reading about the sacrilege those a**holes committed. And I could not care less about Rahm's issues with fines, the DP Tour, and the Ryder Cup. One more instance of narcissistic behavior by a jock with other-wordly skills tainted by questionable character. Keep writing from your heart, Geoff. It works very well.
Can you elaborate on the Saudi's special treatment when the airspace was shut down? Also, any way to read the LA Times article about James Earl Jones as a non-subscriber. My sentiments concur with yours on the Saudis-are-the-exceptions-to-the-rules. Thanks, Geoff
I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, Geoff, that the whole 9/11 info spiel was just a wind-up culminating in the punchline, but the evidence that continues to come out does indicate an inside job in many ways, starting with Building 7 that just blew up on its own 6 hours after the event, and Silverstein just happened to have an insurance policy, bought the week before, paying out double the value, that included terrorism. But golf is golf; politics is politics; best not to mix the two unless necessary.
Nope on Building 7, the big power plant on the second floor was key to how that went down. The NYTimes did excellent reporting on this in the fall of ‘01.
Geoff:
It never fails... while your writing and service to the game and to your readers remains wonderful, year in and year out, there are those Quad drops that make the subscription less about "value" and more about "soulfulness." This is one of those days where I am simply moved by your writing and consider myself quite fortunate to be a "fan" - of yours, golf, politics, writers, writing, and embracing the emotions of a life lived blessed. Saying "thank you" almost feels trite and empty, but it's the best I can do, with a twist: "F***ing A ... Thank You, Geoff"
Thanks Charlie, it felt to get that off my chest knowing there were others asking WTF about the meeting timing and choice. It's kind of scary to think what some of these folks are paid and what they'd like to do with the sport if given the chance, yet can't even manage the basics.
Sometimes one has to give Bernie Sanders credit vis-a-vis the average guy.
If you can get your views on the 911 meeting out into the wider world, that would be a service to us all. What x#*(*#s. Thank goodness for the four majors, because the rest of it gets harder and harder to stomach.
Quick thoughts on Rahm: I thought he had made (and I'm sure he did as well) the smartest move possible when he signed with LIV - it appeared that the two sides were close to an agreement and it looked like he was going to have his cake (millions from LIV) and eat it, too (still play on the PGAT). But life throws you curves. I'm baffled as to his "principled" stance on (not) paying the fine, though. It's gotta be pocket change from his LIV lucre.
And thank you for holding the tour's feet to the fire on all the Saudi/9-11 stuff. Morons.
Agree he signed thinking a deal was coming and he'd have the best of both worlds. Can't blame him given the dollar amount. But as you say, that amount should make it easy to pay the fine, roll into the Spanish on Thursday morning and play two more times assuming all is well at home with the child birth.
Agree that Rahm looked like the smartest guy of a not that smart bunch. Before he took the money, he said it (PIF money) would not change his life one way or the other. Regarding the fines, he appears a hypocrite.
If the US wins the next cup w/o Rahm; hang an asterisk around Keegan's legacy. *******
Ha...the dreaded asterisk!
"to get this mess they started called LIV off their hands."... Interesting thought.
I think a lot of people have been questioning all along what kind of ROI you get from LIV.
I think they're asking that now but who knows what they constitutes sportwashing success for them.
Wow! What a start to the day!
First this: "There are 107,902 hotels and motels in the United States and most have meeting rooms. We have gobs of half-empty office buildings across this great land where meeting space could be pried open to discuss what to do with Greg Norman, the Cleeks and a billion dollars of PIF money to get this mess they started called LIV off their hands. Yet these “folks”, who’d like to run the sport and tell us how they want to grow the game [their pocketbooks], and who don’t give a hoot about the actual game, can’t even dig deep to locate a half-ounce of wisdom not already stripped from their soulless bodies to realize a meeting in New York City on 9/11 might look wrong? "
Followed by this: "Lesion 13" (I think Lord Jon likes to use "XIII" but I am too lazy to look it up)
Keep up the good work!
Guilty. I did avoid the Roman numeral on purpose.
I think it's Legion not Lesion. But on second thought "Lesion" might be a better choice.
Dated, childish joke dating to his U.S. Open foot infection. I plead guilty again.
Thank you for your comments on the insensitivity of the pga/pic meeting..
Plenty of insensitivity to go around ... Taylor Swift hosted(?) the MTV Awards the night of September 11.
Yeah that was some weird scheduling as well. It was also amazing to hear they still do video music awards.
To paraphrase Johnny Miller: ”I think Jon Rahm needs to watch the next Ryder Cup on television.” Can’t he just pretend that he got 399 point something million to play on LIV, and still play in the Ryder Cup?
He would do well to remember that Seve, his big hero, was kicked off the Ryder Cup team in 1981 when he didn’t comply with the tour’s rules. Nobody’s so big that he can get away with having his own way - the European team room depends on good team chemistry, and it will turn sour if someone who shouldn’t be allowed to be there still gets a free pass. So as a European, I say pay up, or stay home.
Geoff - Thank you for keeping 9//1 in perspective. I lost two friends on that day, just regular people trying to go to work who were murdered by the Saudis. For those of us who live in the NYC area this is personal. 343 brave firemen lost their lives that day. I have a neighbor who walked out of tower 2 as firemen were walking up. He is still haunted by the looks in their eyes. Let us never forget.
Rory is right, the best golf in the world up there, love RCD, and the golf channel feed (which I gather is from European Tour productions) is excellent
I don’t understand Rahm. Missing a Ryder Cup over a trivial (to him) fine, I guess out of some misguided sense of principle. What’s he trying to prove?
It sounds like he's really bothered by the amount of the fines. The DP folks suggest it's a tiny amount and I thought at some point LIV was willing to pay certain fines for early defectors, but maybe not in his case. I do sense the combination of obligations and his wife's pregnancy are weighing on him as much as the fine. But he wanted to be a global golfer and so this is the type of situation that was bound to arise.
Thanks for articulating the rage I was feeling when reading about the sacrilege those a**holes committed. And I could not care less about Rahm's issues with fines, the DP Tour, and the Ryder Cup. One more instance of narcissistic behavior by a jock with other-wordly skills tainted by questionable character. Keep writing from your heart, Geoff. It works very well.
Can you elaborate on the Saudi's special treatment when the airspace was shut down? Also, any way to read the LA Times article about James Earl Jones as a non-subscriber. My sentiments concur with yours on the Saudis-are-the-exceptions-to-the-rules. Thanks, Geoff
I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, Geoff, that the whole 9/11 info spiel was just a wind-up culminating in the punchline, but the evidence that continues to come out does indicate an inside job in many ways, starting with Building 7 that just blew up on its own 6 hours after the event, and Silverstein just happened to have an insurance policy, bought the week before, paying out double the value, that included terrorism. But golf is golf; politics is politics; best not to mix the two unless necessary.
Nope on Building 7, the big power plant on the second floor was key to how that went down. The NYTimes did excellent reporting on this in the fall of ‘01.
What is Building 7?