Valid Complaint or Whining? Westwood on Weekley...

[shredfit]

Boo was out of line hyping them up before westwood finished the hole. But yes overall the atmosphere looked great. Just a shame so many are dwelling on this ONE indiscretion (including westwood).

The same could certainly be said when Sergio let out a whale of a yell (Come On, f#$ken, COME ON!!!)... When Stricker still had to birdie to tie the hole...

The difference? Instead of whining about it... Stricker sunk his putt an let out a lesser OTT "Yeah baby". A.K. summed Europe up with six words, "Do what you got to do". Under A.K. breath, "I'll beat your @ss anyway".

[seanYsean]

I just read the first page, so if this has been said,,sorry..

But Sergio screaming because he made a putt, right before Stricker putted is the same to me. I remember the European players hoopin and hollerin two years ago over there, hometeam plays to the crowd,,,way it is.

[cmarkmyers]

Weekly is an embarrassment to golf and the tour. It is one thing to be yourself and to be considered an everyman. It is another thing to purposely act stupid and to even relish in it. And his antics were a bit over the top, although even I will cut him a bit of slack due to this being the Ryder Cup.

As for the argument that “European's act like jerks during the Cup so we can to”. Well that is about the lamest, most immature argument you can come up with. Grow up and have some class. Same goes for the fans, Weekly, and anyone else acting like an douche and calling it patriotic.

[MSDOGS1976]

I think the bottom line is some Europeans just don't like Americans. Casey's comment about Americans comes to mind.(few years ago) Of course he later back peddled. As a result, when something like this occurs, they let out their true feelings. Not very smart if they plan to play future events here. I for one would never heckle a player if I didn't care for him, but you have some good old boys that come out for the big events that thrive on giving the 'villian' a hard time.(Monty for example)

Oh well, time to move on. Glad we won and should make the next one even bigger.

[shredfit]

Weekly is an embarrassment to golf and the tour. It is one thing to be yourself and to be considered an everyman. It is another thing to purposely act stupid and to even relish in it. And his antics were a bit over the top, although even I will cut him a bit of slack due to this being the Ryder Cup.

I think your missing the point of the Ryder Cup. It's about entertainment, hence the format. If it was just about the golf and winning, they would just pair up with 72 holes of match play.

Weekly's "antics" increased the entertainment value and energy significantly... It's also why the media jumped all over it. Thankfully, Weekly and the media understand this...

[Surefire]

I think the bottom line is some Europeans just don't like Americans. Casey's comment about Americans comes to mind.(few years ago) Of course he later back peddled. As a result, when something like this occurs, they let out their true feelings.

Thats a bit of a blanket statement.

As opposed to letting out true feelings, maybe its something they say in the heat of the moment. Also if there are a couple of idiots in the crowd acting badly, the player will tar the whole crowd with the same brush. Which like most things, is sadly a case of the few spoiling it for the majority.

[ZaPPPa]

But Sergio screaming because he made a putt, right before Stricker putted is the same to me.

I disagree. Screaming yourself or purposefully firing up the crowd by waving your arms up and down are different things. Sergio was in control of when his screaming stopped because he was the one doing it. Weekly does not have control over how long the crowd would keep going. In both cases the opponent still has to make a putt. In Sergio's case he stops screaming and the putt can be made immediately thereafter. In Weekly's case everyone had to wait for the crowd to calm down. You cannot assume the crowd is filled with professionals who respect the opponent's needed level of concentration.

Weekly should have waited for the hole to finish before firing up the crowd. Simple as that.

[seanYsean]

I disagree. Screaming yourself or purposefully firing up the crowd by waving your arms up and down are different things.

But its ok for Sergio to scream, and try to intimidate Stricker and his upcoming putt, because that is what he was doing. Boo and Sergio both did some sort of gesture that wouldn't be done on a regular event. I guess if this was in Europe, Sergio screaming wouldn't get the crowd going over there? puhlease

[iacas]

I think the bottom line is some Europeans just don't like Americans. Casey's comment about Americans comes to mind.(few years ago)

I have no issue with what Paul Case said, and I think you've taken it the wrong way too.

Paul said the Euros "properly hate" the Americans. Paul is married to an American, went to school here, etc. and is good friends with many American players. By "properly hate" he simply meant it's a rivalry. He wants nothing more than to beat their brains in come Ryder Cup time. Just as the Steelers have a rivalry with the Browns and "properly hate" them, so too does Paul Casey and most of the Euro team in the Ryder Cup. That's all he said - nothing more - and I think any American that takes it as personally offensive or in any way more than "we have a good rivalry" gives him an actual reason to despise us for being stupid.

Weekly is an embarrassment to golf and the tour. It is one thing to be yourself and to be considered an everyman. It is another thing to purposely act stupid and to even relish in it. And his antics were a bit over the top, although even I will cut him a bit of slack due to this being the Ryder Cup.

I used to think it was an act, and he might still play it up just a little bit, but I don't really think he's clever enough to put on a big old act like you seem to believe he's doing.

He's just a simple southerner who happens to know how to hit a golf ball really well. WYSIWYG with Boo. Embarrassment? That honor belongs to John Daly. Boo's a good guy and anything but an embarrassment.

[pjsnyc]

Weekly is an embarrassment to golf and the tour. It is one thing to be yourself and to be considered an everyman. It is another thing to purposely act stupid and to even relish in it. And his antics were a bit over the top, although even I will cut him a bit of slack due to this being the Ryder Cup.

Not exactly sure what you're trying to say. After reading this thread, I'm basically going to voice the same opinion most have in here but in slightly different words.

This is the Ryder Cup. It's one of the only times even the players get to cheer and shout and holler for someone other than themselves. The whole event was simply fun to watch and to be quite honest, Lee's remarks (purposely pluralized) really just sounded like sour grapes. And hearing a British accent on top of it just made it sound even worse. We'll see how the loud the crowds BOOOO the next time he plays a PGA tour event.

[chizzler]

I have to say it, the antics of the home crowd did not go down well this side of the pond at all. As shooter mcgaven once said "damn you people, this is a golf course not a rock concert"!

That said, I have slept on it, woke up this morning and said "wow, what a festival of golf that weekend was". Thats the important thing that we remember the excellent golf on display by both teams.

Wales 2010 - time to bring it back home.

[MSDOGS1976]

Thats a bit of a blanket statement.

I said "some" not all. And yes people do say things in the heat of the moment. In Westwood's case, he it said during the event and after the event, after he had a chance to sleep on it and cool off.

[EquipmentJunkie]

I said "some" not all. And yes people do say things in the heat of the moment. In Westwood's case, he it said during the event and after the event, after he had a chance to sleep on it and cool off.

Agreed, this was not a singular outburst he went out of his way to voice his complaints....

[MSDOGS1976]

I have no issue with what Paul Case said, and I think you've taken it the wrong way too.

Well maybe you have a better understanding of the 'expressions' Europeans use. I know after he said it, many were irked by his comments, even one of his Ryder Cup mates.

Casey's Ryder Cup team-mate Paul McGinley of Ireland was less sympathetic, however. "Hate is a bad word to use - a terrible thing in sport," he said. "I don't want to stir up any animosity." http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/golf/4019845.stm Hopefully he doesn't hate Americans. People do use the wrong choice of words sometime to express themselves. I will admit that over the last 3 years he has shown that he is a good guy. In the press conference yesterday, he didn't back Westwood on the abuse issue.

[bsulliva4]

To be honest, I find Weekley and Westwood equally annoying, both talk too much. I also find the Euro soccer style singing just as obnoxious as the so called Kentucky fan "antics".

Honestly, while I'm very happy that both teams finally played well and the US prevailed, I still think the spirit of the Ryder Cup is way off.

I'm hopeful for Wales 2010 though.

[Surefire]

Well maybe you have a better understanding of the 'expressions' Europeans use. I know after he said it, many were irked by his comments, even one of his Ryder Cup mates.

I think you and iacas have hit the nail on the head here. Europeans don't fully understand American culture, and Americans don't fully understand European culture. This means its easy for things that are not meant to be offensive to get taken way out of hand.

[ChrisMc]

Some of the comments on this thread are pretty strong one way or another, so as a Brit, I'll tactfully add my own thoughts as best I can, and as delicately as I can.

Firstly, Im not sure the whole Ryder Cup format is a good thing, it just seems to bring out the worst in a lot of people and result in much too strong rivalry's for just a bit of fun, which is all it is . There isnt any prize money, (that I know of ?), and the best players in the world simply play for 'bragging rights' for the next 2years.

However, it seems to be popular with the players, and I can understand that, after all, they are so used to playing week-in week-out as single players, with the resultant pressures that must bring.

However, and I mean no offence here, when the Cup is played in the US, there does seem to be a helluva lot of 'Get in the Water', "finish him off' kind of cheers that there just simply no space for in Golf, Period.
Its an honourable game that is reduced to soccer style levels when that kind of attitude is introduced, and its shameful, and very bad sportsmanship.

Even Azinger stoked the fire when he suggested it was ok for the crowd to cheer Europe's missed putts, I mean, come on, he & Faldo talked about promoting good sportsmanship and then he says this ?

As a Brit, what inspires all of the 'GET IN DA HOLE' shouts from the crowd in the US ??
It just simply spoils watching Golf, and I think you will find that the reason why most, (not all) US players genuinely like coming across to Europe to play Golf.
Crowds are generally quieter, no shouting & hollering, but merely polite applause for genuinely good shots.

I like the US, have spent a lot of time over there, as I'm in the Travel Industry, and for my own vacations etc, and I will continue to do so.
Its a wonderful land full of very friendly and genuine people, but sadly, most of Europe watching the US Golf events dont form that opinion, purely from the behaviour of the golfing crowds we see week in week out on TV.

Get rid of the idiots in the crowds guys, it really would be worth it.

[Backspin]

I agree with Westwood but I would have kept it to myself. If the Euro's were stomping the U.S. team, he probably would have. I think the Euro's are sore losers...unfortunatley.