Van de Velde is a Girl

[iacas]

What a frickin' moron .

[Rafcin]

why moron? Even though we live in the "politically correct" world - I'm getting tired of the whole woman/man thingy going on. Even being in love with Michelle doesn't change my mind. There is a reason, why man and woman compete separate and trying to pretend like "we're the same" is B.S. There is a difference between being EQUAL and THE SAME. There is no reason for woman to play in man's competition and vice versa - doesn't matter is it golf, wrestling, boxing or weight lifting. Jan has a point and I'm fully supporting it.
On a side note - I'm shaving my legs and getting ready for Miss Univers 2006. I think I have a shot and I'll sue if they don't let me enter.

[You're Away]

Well, his name is Jean .

I say let the women kick his a$$.

[bobkin]

Why not? Let him play! Whats good for the goose....is good for the gander! I personally am tired of women taking spots at tournaments, that should be going to the guys that have worked hard to get there. More to the point...men shouldnt be in womens tourneys and women shouldnt be in mens tourneys.
Arent you tired of wie playing with the men, when she hasnt even won in womens competitions? Arent you tired of women trying to get into augusta? I love women, but these things are really starting to piss me off! As ridiculous as it is....i say let jean play in the open. Its not right, but its no different than the women playing on the mens tour. Its all one big azz circus anymore!!! Sorry for venting!

[Everardo]

Why not! First off, the French are used to getting their butt kicked by everyone else.

Second, I agree with Nancy Lopez and many other, "Men should play against men and women should play against women." - Keep the co-ed competition for the Battle of the Bridges, skins and charity tournaments.

[muskegman]

Thats right Rafcin and Paco! The basic idea behind men competing against men and women competing against women is that they are different. Sure, some woman might someday make the cut at a men's event. When that happens it'll be an abberation and a freak-show, not genuine competition.

Sponsors like it when high profile women (Annika and Wie) play against men but its about money, not true competition. I respect the many women who aren't interested in playing against men head to head... they have embraced who they are and get out there and do their job without pushing a feminist agenda. If you hadn't noticed: guys and girls are kind of different and thats a good thing!

[dipgolf]

I would let him play with hopes that he would win. How funny would it be to look at his resume and see "Women's British Open" under his victories.

[Rickins]

I don't seem to remember where the women's tours have openly, or discreetly, made any effort to push their members into the men's tour events. Far from it since it only serves to hurt the women's tours when a high-profiler "jumps ship" for a men's event as Annika did by skipping the 2003 Corning Classic to play at Colonial. (At least Annika had shown the good taste to stomp the daylights out of every professional female golfer in sight before accepting a sponsor's exemption unlike an unproven child we know.)

Jean Van de Velde is proving absolutely nothing by attempting to enter the Women's British Open...other than displaying that his thinking isn't any more mature than that of a 10-year-old schoolboy. The vast majority of the ladies aren't to blame here and Van de Velde's foolishness is a disservice to all of the women who take their own tours seriously.

Rick

[iacas]

Jean Van de Velde is proving absolutely nothing by attempting to enter the Women's British Open...other than displaying that his thinking isn't any more mature than that of a 10-year-old schoolboy. The vast majority of the ladies aren't to blame here and Van de Velde's foolishness is a disservice to all of the women who take their own tours seriously.

I think ten-year-old schoolboys are even capable. They seem to grasp the "ha ha, you got beat

by a girl " concept quite firmly, IIRC.

[Rickins]

I think ten-year-old schoolboys are even capable. They seem to grasp the "ha ha, you got beat

True but he

is French and their customs may be different than those of real people. Rick

[iacas]

Check this out, from

a pool/billiards forum :

Here's a story of pretty historic significance that involves Pete Balner of Palmer Cues. Back in the early 80's when I was WPBA President, our prize funds for the women were pitiful. That year, our National Championship total prize fund was $1000, and our sponsor renagued on $500 of it. I knew we had to do something, but what? Nobody knew who the WPBA was, and we needed publicity but we had no money to spend. I came up with the idea that maybe we could tag along with the men and ask them to let us play side-by-side with them at their events so we could get noticed. So, I contacted the men's association, the PPPA, and asked if they'd be open to a meeting. They agreed, and Pete Balner offered to hold it at his home (or should I say, 'mansion'). I showed up at Pete Balner's house, not knowing what to expect, and was warmly greeted by the PPPA Board of Directors: Steve Mizerak, Ray Martin, Pete Balner, Petey Margo and Joan Margo. I submitted my proposal for the women to play side-by-side with the men and they thought it would be a fun idea. That was the beginning of the next 15 or-so years of the men and women playing side-by-side. It was during that first year we played together that Jean Balukas started playing in both men's and women's events. Both organizations worked together to make sure Jean wasn't scheduled for conflicting matches....that is...until she started beating some of the men. Then the war began.... The men weren't so open to adjusting their schedules and Jean was forced to choose which event she wanted to play in, okay, we agreed...she had to pick one. Then it became a battle of the sexes as Jean continued to win more and more matches, the men became uncomfortable with her playing and some began to protest her playing in their events at all. I remember Ray Martin threatening to wear a skirt and enter the women's event if Jean continued to play with the men. I wanted to let him do it. I thought it would be a great publicity stunt, but he never went through with the threat.

[DFife]

Van de Velde is an idiot. No women have been given exemptions into the Open. Only the qualifying has been opened up. If a women can qualify then why can't they play. As more and more women begin playing it's only a matter of time before a few women begin making cuts in the PGA Tour events.

The PGA Tour makes no mention that it's a men's tour. It's not the MPGA Tour. Just PGA tour. The only reason that men make up the entire tour is that they are the only ones that have been good enough to make it on the tour. That's what the PGA Tour should be about. The best players period. Regardless of gender. The LPGA Tour exists because the vast majority of the women are not able to compete at that level. Without it the best women golfers wouldn't have a way to showcase their skills.

The Open and the US Open allowing women to qualify shouldn't be an issue. Like everyone else they still have to make it through qualifiying.

[Leftie_power]

Its not right, but its no different than the women playing on the mens tour.

It is a big difference, As Dfife says the pga tour is the best tour, not just the guys tour and is there to showcase the best players on the planet...bar none. The lpga is there for women to compete with women on an equal footing, which is great, those women could spank most of us around the golf course. And about women talking the spots of men, Suzie whaley qualfied, and as i don't like to see Michelle just bein shoved in there for ratings, she is taking sponspers exemptions, which sponspers can give to anyone(there is a handicap rating, something like 0.4 or sumthing) who they feel best deserves and most use it too try and boost the ratings and thus bring in more money for their tourney...makes sense to me to bring Michelle or Annika in and the tournement ratings go thru the roof.

Final note....Van de Velde is a doofus..it would be fun to see him blow up on the 72nd hole of the women's open tho