Official Big Break Dominican Republic thread

[motteler621]

Im pretty sure the girls are going to win it all, they seem to get all the breaks. I mean come on Brian eliminates Sarah and then the next couple shots they get a strike eraser for her, lol. wow. Sarah was so happy, Im glad shes in the final but the girls definitly have the momentum going into the final with that eraser for sarah

[enis750]

It is clear(er) after tonights episode that Elana is indeed just as delusional, socially inept, and deeply overvalues her talents as Brain does.

agreed...

Also, no way he was rubbing sand off his hand, which he later said was sticky. Sticky? Did it adhere to his hand AFTER he hit his approach shot? When? Then he said maybe his nerves got to him? Ridiculous and appalling. Lying cheat no doubt about it. Testing the surface no doubt about it. Penalty stroke or loss of hole in match play.

match should have been done there FOR SURE

his explaination kept changing, "oh sand stuck on my hand", "maybe it was my nerves"....what was it Brian????

Her and Brain are perfect for each other. I'm done w her. Hotness only goes so far.

again...agreed......she is also a head case

[Quinn07]

I think Elena and Brian are perfectly messed for each other. I think Brian is hilarious, but he's a head case.

[motteler621]

match should have been done there FOR SURE

I think Brian is rubbing off on her a little in her actions but definitly Brian was doing that on purpose for extra help reading the green. I personally didnt know that was a rule TBO but I never do that anyway.

[Old1964]

Elena must be a freaking miracle worker - Bryan says she makes him feel good about himself.
Even when it comes to a relationship, Bryan is still all about himself.

He doesn't say, I like Elena because she is ....
No, he says, I like the way I feel when I am around Elena - therefore, I like her...sad.

[bplewis24]

It is clear(er) after tonights episode that Elana is indeed just as delusional, socially inept, and deeply overvalues her talents as Brain does.

Agreed.

Also, no way he was rubbing sand off his hand, which he later said was sticky. Sticky? Did it adhere to his hand AFTER he hit his approach shot? When? Then he said maybe his nerves got to him? Ridiculous and appalling. Lying cheat no doubt about it. Testing the surface no doubt about it. Penalty stroke or loss of hole in match play.

I had been pulling for the guys before that moment, and felt myself wanting the girls to win afterwards.

It made me wonder why the officials would even ask him what his intent was. Then I remembered golf is supposed to be an honorable sport where people call infractions on themselves and contestants don't have to bicker over penalty strokes. Oh well. Brandon

[iacas]

Also, no way he was rubbing sand off his hand, which he later said was sticky. Sticky? Did it adhere to his hand AFTER he hit his approach shot? When? Then he said maybe his nerves got to him? Ridiculous and appalling. Lying cheat no doubt about it. Testing the surface no doubt about it. Penalty stroke or loss of hole in match play.

Not even close to a penalty. Did you even look up the rule before you decided? The referee shouldn't have even asked about his intent - intent is irrelevant except when a player intends to hit the ball. That's the only time "intent" matters. You either violate the rule or you don't, and that rule is:

Source: 16-1d Testing Surface During the stipulated round, a player must not test the surface of any putting green by rolling a ball or roughening or scraping the surface.

He put his free hand down on the ground, lifted his palm, and then lifted his hand up. There was definitely no "rolling a ball," so that part is out. Did he roughen or scrape the surface? No. Sarah's indication by moving her hand back and forth several times was not even close to what Brian did. Then she said "you don't rub dirt off on dirt..." but the green surface is mostly grass, not dirt, Sarah. Should Brian have used a towel? You bet. Did his touching of the green rise to the level of "testing the surface by roughening or scraping"? Not even close. Remember when Lori called out Sophie Sandolo for walking on the green and absent-mindedly dropping her putter? As if green firmness mattered? Or when Christina was DQed from a competition in which players had to set their ball down in a small area and she tamped down a divot before putting her ball down? The handling of Rules on this show is atrocious. In no way should Brian have been asked his intent. It's irrelevant. He either roughened or scraped the surface or he didn't. I happen to think he didn't (unless we didn't see the part he did, but they showed it several times). It's that simple. P.S. You can say what you want about how poorly the guys played at times, but they got both strikes today AND had permanently benched three of the women (still two even after the strike eraser) while the women had permanently benched only one of the guys.

[2bGood]

Not even close to a penalty. Did you even look up the rule before you decided? The referee shouldn't have even asked about his intent - intent is irrelevant except when a player intends to hit the ball. That's the only time "intent" matters. You either violate the rule or you don't, and that rule is:

You got it, just what I was thinking when I saw all the hoopla over him touching the green. You are allowed to put your hand down, if you weren't Camilo would have allot of penalties.

Brian did not break the rules at all, the whole thing was a bit silly.

[jetsknicks1]

You got it, just what I was thinking when I saw all the hoopla over him touching the green. You are allowed to put your hand down, if you weren't Camilo would have allot of penalties.

Excellent example.

[Quinn07]

I think some people might be missing the point of their argument. They weren't saying that he wasn't allowed to touch the green with this hand. They thought he was testing the green by rubbing it with his hand (as per the rule previously mentioned). As Erik stated previously, the video they showed, he clearly didn't rub the green with his hand. However watching the video it does look like he's touching the green with his hand to try and feel something from the ground. The way he carried on about it certainly made him sound guilty as well.

[RAD3]

Thanks for posting the rule iacas. As has been said, what Brian did was not a penalty. Afterward, I think he was flustered and alarmed at being lowdly and reapeatedly being called a cheater by Sara and didn't handle it well. As for the other players...they were asking "can he do that?" when Brian touched the surface not immeadiatly yelling "cheater!". Sara should have quietly asked the official about it and played on. She also needs to study the rules of Golf before she starts accusing people of cheating.

[oneoverwrx]

Im not going to go back and read the previous pages but I just watched this episode and he clearly states that "when putting on bermuda you have to worry about grain"(might not be exactly correct) But...then he obviously rubs the green. With no doubt in my mind he was testing the surface and should have been penalized...otherwise next time im in the sand im going to reach down get a handful and say my hands needed something to help my grip.....whatever. I will be testing the sand but it will be no penalty!

[Quinn07]

Im not going to go back and read the previous pages but I just watched this episode and he clearly states that "when putting on bermuda you have to worry about grain"(might not be exactly correct) But...then he obviously rubs the green. With no doubt in my mind he was testing the surface and should have been penalized...otherwise next time im in the sand im going to reach down get a handful and say my hands needed something to help my grip.....whatever. I will be testing the sand but it will be no penalty!

I agree up to the part with the sand, I think that is a little different situation as it's a hazard, but I get your point.

[ghalfaire]

I agree iacas that it shouldn't have been a rule violation, but I can see how some might think it was. The rule leaves it to an official to interpret the action as it doesn't say you can't touch the putting surface, you just can't test it (what ever that means). In this case the rules official said it was not a violation, should be end of story. But Sara is an immature brat in my opinion (albeit a good looking one and sure can play upon occasion) that needs to learn to shut up and move on at times. Calling someone a cheater in a competitive golf situation is a pretty serious matter and certainly shouldn't be done unless you can prove it.

[Bryan SD2]

Excellent example.

Poor example in my mind, very poor. Unless Camilo himself has ever described what he does with his hand as "rubbing.". Brian did just that. Sara exaggerated the brushing motion, no problem. If he moved his hand side to side an inch in either direction, he's testing the surface. Intent has zero to do with the decision of course, and has no beating on the majority of golf's rules. See de Vicenzo, Roberto.

Also, there are many more than two ways to test the surface beyond scraping or roughening. Might have to consult the decisions book. I don't recall then Lori/Sophie putter drop, (not sure how one player calling out another - even incorrectly - has anything to do with how rules are handled well/poorly on the BB, but I do recall Christine improving her lie or the area where her lie will be with the stomp down. That was most def a penalty. Try doing that in a drop area prior to your drop, or during a lift clean and place situation in your next Tourney and see what you get.

[2bGood]

Im not going to go back and read the previous pages but I just watched this episode and he clearly states that "when putting on bermuda you have to worry about grain"(might not be exactly correct) But...then he obviously rubs the green. With no doubt in my mind he was testing the surface and should have been penalized...otherwise next time im in the sand im going to reach down get a handful and say my hands needed something to help my grip.....whatever. I will be testing the sand but it will be no penalty!

The show has some heavy edits, when he said that about the grain and when he touched the grass may likely not even be realated.

[Bryan SD2]

Brain's own words, from the players blog at http://www.thegolfchannel.com/big-br...logHmpg_112410


Brian in Bold - my emphasis in red.

I'm not sure which hole it was, but the unthinkable then happened. It was called to my attention that I was cheating. At first I had not a clue what had happened. I know the rules fairly well and was certain I hadn't done anything wrong. As the rules official and Sara pointed out my infraction, I was shocked, embarrassed and started to play back my thoughts and actions. All I could really think was that I had no intentions of reading and/or thinking about the grain. I was behind the hole each and every time. I knew the grain was clearly against me, and my intentions were good. From there, I just left it up to the rules official. I then cleared my mind to go back to golfing. I was saying to myself, “I do not cheat, look at this as another learning experience and move forward.” Well, now looking back and reviewing the rule, I made a big mistake. I was wrong. Sara did not over react, she was right. That’s considered to be cheating. What can I say other than the “golf gods” were watching. And, there really is such a thing as Karma .

Karma indeed. Sara is back in. I'm not all fan-boy, googly eyed, posters on the wall and removing all "h's" from my written words, but Sara deserves to still be playing imo.

Not surprisingly, but no mention by Brain of the dreaded "sticky sand" that had somehow adhered to his hand in between his last shot and his putt, then the change to his nerves being affected as an excuse for his actions. The rules official says no infraction, but Brain, after reflection, says he cheated and Sara was right? That's all I need to know.

Also, note the top red phrase. Not "I was accused of cheating" or "I might have broken a rule" or "there was a question about my actions with regards to the rule." Just - "It was called to my attention that I was cheating." I'm just about convinced Brain knew he broke a rule once it was pointed out to him, squirmed a bit, was embarrassed and facing instant elimination via a penalty stroke, gave a few half-hearted excuses for what he did, got away with it, and is now owning up the best he can without admitting 100% guilt (which he won't do - he also says he NEVER EVER misses 4 footers!). Sara is back in, cite Karma, say she was right, and go on and implode in the final. You go B!


More good stuff from a different blog, a producer this time.... my italics, for noteworthiness.


The Strike Eraser really was heard around the world. Well, at least around Casa de Campo. In fact, some of the grounds crew working on an adjacent hole actually radioed-up to the pro shop, because they thought someone was being attacked.

-Solving the dilemma of the “Brian testing the green” fiasco was handled by our on-course rules official, Kent Kahre. He did everything by the book and even called the PGA of America and the USGA to make sure his decision was in fact spot-on. They both were in total agreement. Sara, on the other hand, was not as on-board with the decision. I just hope she gets a chance to get revenge. (That’s called foreshadowing.)

The big finale is all that we have left! Stay tuned

[motteler621]

The show has some heavy edits, when he said that about the grain and when he touched the grass may likely not even be realated.

I agree they do some heavy edits to make it look more dramatic or to "fool" the audience. For example when they would show the strike eraser and make you think it was the guys. They probably had him talk about the grain on those greens after the show or during it at some point and then put that comment in there right before he wipes his fingers on the green. I dont know his intentions but I wouldnt of called penalty. You can tell the grain just by looking at that type of green anyway, shiny is downgrain