Who can defend Sergio?

[Jim1]

I enjoy watching Sergio play, and he's playing very well. I ignore his tendency to be a cry baby. I agree that Tiger's explanation was reasonable (that he was told that he was away) and that Sergio's accusation was what it was (cry baby). But I still enjoy watching him play.

[saevel25]

Originally Posted by GaijinGolfer

Its certainly difficult to root for Sergio.  He has such a bad attitude and is such a crybaby.  I wouldnt ever root against him though.  Sergio isnt a bad person, he just needs to grow up.

Why should he grow up? Why do we have to act with out emotion. Why can't he blame someone else. Doesn't matter if tiger did it on purpose, or if he didn't Tiger's presence caused a reaction in the crowd that bothered Sergio. So what.

[Spyder]

Originally Posted by TourSpoon

I like Sergio because he is not the typical cookie cutter type tour player. A kid that was full of promise that has never grown up and has not realized that potential. Watching him play is always interesting because his heart is on his sleeve for all to see. It's too bad that he is his own worst enemy in all of this. I really wish he would shut his mouth, concentrate on golf, and win a few majors. The drama he brings to the stage with Tiger is good for the game and made watching the Players worth watching.

I agree with this. Sometimes I can't help but find myself muttering "Shut the f.... c'mon Sergio, really?" while watching him play. He really just needs to either grow up, or have his ass kicked. I don't know what it is but he truly is his own worst nightmare. I do find him incredibly entertaining though and wish for many more Tiger/Sergio pairings in the future.

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by albatross

This isn't a discussion about Sergio vs. Tiger this weekend ( I know we already have that thread).  This is just about Sergio.  Just when I try to forget some of his past whining and ridiculous antics (spitting in the cup was the worst of all time), this guy comes out crying and sounds like a huge baby.

Sergio has been TaylorMade's poster boy for a while now and I just don't get it.  Maybe because they're a German company and people like him in Europe?

[Wisguy]

Originally Posted by saevel25

Why should he grow up? Why do we have to act with out emotion. Why can't he blame someone else. Doesn't matter if tiger did it on purpose, or if he didn't Tiger's presence caused a reaction in the crowd that bothered Sergio. So what.

What???

Why can't he blame Tiger for the crowd?  Uhhhhmmm, gee, maybe because it's unreasonable?  Tiger should stand around waiting and maybe incur an on-the-clock warning for slow play just so he could not possibly do anything that might bother a hyper-sensitive player on a different hole?  Gosh, maybe Tiger should just focus on lagging his putts instead of trying to make any of them - wouldn't want to upset anyone else on the course by making the crowd roar if he makes a birdie or eagle putt.

[Ernest Jones]

What??? Why can't he blame Tiger for the crowd?  Uhhhhmmm, gee, maybe because it's unreasonable?  Tiger should stand around waiting and maybe incur an on-the-clock warning for slow play just so he could not possibly do anything that might bother a hyper-sensitive player on a different hole? Gosh, maybe Tiger should just focus on lagging his putts instead of trying to make any of them - wouldn't want to upset anyone else on the course by making the crowd roar if he makes a birdie or eagle putt.

They were on the same hole, but I get your point.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by Wisguy

What???

Why can't he blame Tiger for the crowd?  Uhhhhmmm, gee, maybe because it's unreasonable?  Tiger should stand around waiting and maybe incur an on-the-clock warning for slow play just so he could not possibly do anything that might bother a hyper-sensitive player on a different hole?  Gosh, maybe Tiger should just focus on lagging his putts instead of trying to make any of them - wouldn't want to upset anyone else on the course by making the crowd roar if he makes a birdie or eagle putt.

In fairness to Sergio:

A)  They were playing in the same group ... so Sergio was not a "hyper-sensitive player on a different hole."  He was just a hyper-sensitive player on the same hole. ;)

B)  Tigers reasoning afterwards was that the marshal told him Sergio already had hit.  That tells me that Tiger knew the etiquette calls for him to wait to pull the club, otherwise the reasoning would have been something like "I was 50 yards away and playing ready golf."

C)  Tiger would have been extra contientious towards any player he actually liked.  If Steve Stricker was out in the fairway, he would have made damn sure that.  (My opinion, no backing data)

D)  I think we let our love for Tiger and hate for Sergio cloud our opinion of this scenario.  How often have we seen Tiger affected by the slightest camera click, movement, noise during his swing?  And if it happens at a big moment during an important tournament, what is our collective (consensus, not unanimous) reaction?  Usually something along the lines of wishing death to the perpetrator and his extended family.  How f**king dare you breathe in the presence of Tiger Woods!!!!!!!  So, were this scenario to be identical, yet flipped, I think it's safe to say that most of us would be calling for Sergio's head rather than calling Tiger a "hyper sensitive player."

So, I guess the answer to the question posed in the threads title is ... I can.

[albatross]

Originally Posted by saevel25

Why should he grow up? Why do we have to act with out emotion. Why can't he blame someone else. Doesn't matter if tiger did it on purpose, or if he didn't Tiger's presence caused a reaction in the crowd that bothered Sergio. So what.

Acting on emotion is one thing.  Spitting into a cup that you know a bunch of guys behind you have to reach into is a totally other side of being "emotional."  Those are the type of things that make me not able to root for him. I like athletes that show emotion, but not the woe is me type of emotion.

[Wisguy]

I won't argue with you that Tiger's also one of the worst offenders when it comes to overly sensitive ears.  But I don't recall him ever whining like a little girl who dropped her dolly in the mud about other players like Sergio just did.  Calling himself a "victim?!?"  The guy could have retired to a very affluent life at the same age that most people these days are graduating from college.  He's no victim of anything except some of his own poor decisions.

Do people really exclaim outloud at Tiger's club choice, when he hasn't even taken a practice swing?  Doesn't seem like the sort of thing that should have put someone on notice of the possibility of inciting crowd noise, but I guess I haven't paid that much attention to Tiger.

I will say that as much as people complain about Sergio's emotional instability, he kept it together as well as one could ask (at least in terms of outward signs) after hitting his two tee shots in the water on the 17th yesterday.  Didn't slam a club or yell Toro Cojones! or anything like that.

This issue of hyper-sensitivity brings to mind the story about an early 20th century British golfer playing in the Women's Open on a hole that was right next to a railroad track and as she was sinking a long put a train rattled by.  Someone asked her how she had managed to concentrate on making the putt with the train so close and noisy behind her and she responded "What train?"

[minitour]

I think he's been messed up since his breakup with Norman's daughter. I don't think he ever processed that. Or maybe he's just a whiner. All I know is the more he runs his yap, the more I want to tell him, "shut up and SHOW everyone how much potential you have instead of trying to explain how falling short isn't your fault". I wanted to like Sergio. He's my age (roughly) and I loved watching his play when he first came on Tour. But sometimes if you're going to talk the talk, you have to be able to walk the walk. He, for whatever reason, can't

[Spyder]

Originally Posted by albatross

Acting on emotion is one thing.  Spitting into a cup that you know a bunch of guys behind you have to reach into is a totally other side of being "emotional."  Those are the type of things that make me not able to root for him. I like athletes that show emotion, but not the woe is me type of emotion.

You just completely altered my opinion on Sergio. I don't care how old that video was, he's a disgusting little a-hole in my opinion now. I now think that his "woe is me" attitude is a result of never having his ass handed to him, or having any struggles to overcome away from the course to mold him into a gentlemen.

From breaking microphones, throwing clubs, breaking tee-markers,to spitting in a hole? Now I have absolutely no respect for Sergio and wish him nothing but failure... not that I need to because he's quite content on doing that on his own.

In short, I hope this entitled little prick never wins a major.

[Dave2512]

I wouldn't even notice what Sergio does or says, that isn't playing golf, if the media didn't make such a big deal out of it. Sure he complains here and there but the GC guys act like he just threatened suicide with every little thing. He's an odd duck but I don't buy into their theory he's an elite player stifling himself with self-reproach. He's an 8 win guy and they seemed convinced an attitude change will turn him into a multiple major winner. I don't think he's underachieving.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by Wisguy

I won't argue with you that Tiger's also one of the worst offenders when it comes to overly sensitive ears.  But I don't recall him ever whining like a little girl who dropped her dolly in the mud about other players like Sergio just did.  Calling himself a "victim?!?"  The guy could have retired to a very affluent life at the same age that most people these days are graduating from college.  He's no victim of anything except some of his own poor decisions.

No disagreement there.  Sergio was being a baby about it.  Tiger doesn't make excuses after the round when he's bothered by something during a shot, but he makes it abundantly clear to the viewer what bothered him when it happens.  However, that doesn't take away from the fact that we would all have a totally different response to this scenario if the shoes were on the other feet.

Originally Posted by Wisguy

Do people really exclaim outloud at Tiger's club choice, when he hasn't even taken a practice swing?  Doesn't seem like the sort of thing that should have put someone on notice of the possibility of inciting crowd noise, but I guess I haven't paid that much attention to Tiger.

I doubt they usually do, but in this case they did.  It was going to be his second shot on a par 5, so the crowd is wondering what everybody is wondering; "Is he gonna go for the green?!?!"  When they see him pull out a fairway wood - especially considering he was in the trees - they believe the answer is yes, and get excited, so there was definitely an audible reaction.  To suggest that Sergio shouldn't be bothered by it - no matter how loud it was, he obviously heard it - is disingenuous and a double standard.  The timing is debatable; some suggest he had time to back off when he heard the noise, however, the one time I saw the replay (I didn't see it live) it appeared as though the cheers came at the most inopportune time for him, right as he was pulling the trigger.

Originally Posted by Wisguy

This issue of hyper-sensitivity brings to mind the story about an early 20th century British golfer playing in the Women's Open on a hole that was right next to a railroad track and as she was sinking a long put a train rattled by.  Someone asked her how she had managed to concentrate on making the putt with the train so close and noisy behind her and she responded "What train?"

I wish they would all have this kind of focus now.  (Tiger used to - I remember stories of his dad training him by trying to distract him to try and help his focus.)  And I wish people's reactions would always be "I should have been more focused" or something like that, instead of whining and making excuses.  When you make excuses, even if you have some justification, it never comes across good.

[Mav2013]

Quote:

The timing is debatable; some suggest he had time to back off when he heard the noise, however, the one time I saw the replay (I didn't see it live) it appeared as though the cheers came at the most inopportune time for him, right as he was pulling the trigger.

I watched it twice from my Tivo copy, and cranked up the volume.   As far as I could tell, the crowd is barely audible until after he connects with the ball.   It actually sounds like the crowd is cheering his poor shot, not interrupting it.

Ever since he spat in the cup, I lost what little respect I had for the guy.   He's a mental case, period.   At least he doesn't take 2 minutes thumbing the club before striking the ball anymore.  I'll give him props for that ;-)

[Paradox]

i was setting up to hit a chip shot the other day...heard a car door slam in a nearby parking lot right before I started my swing.  Totally skulled it and got mad at myself because I completely started thinking about the car door instead of my shot.  It wasn't the car doors fault or the people who shut it...it was mine because I lacked focus.

I grew up playing baseball so noises never have bothered me and it eats me alive the odd time that one does.  I remember back on the diamond..I'd be so focused I could hear nothing at all.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by Mav2013

I watched it twice from my Tivo copy, and cranked up the volume.   As far as I could tell, the crowd is barely audible until after he connects with the ball.   It actually sounds like the crowd is cheering his poor shot, not interrupting it.

Ever since he spat in the cup, I lost what little respect I had for the guy.   He's a mental case, period.   At least he doesn't take 2 minutes thumbing the club before striking the ball anymore.  I'll give him props for that ;-)

First of all ... welcome.

Secondly, two points here:  You can't really judge volume because who knows how the TV microphones are capturing the stuff.  Also, you can't argue that Sergio didn't hear anything because he reacted immediately.  He obviously heard it.

The only real question is whether or not Sergio had enough time to back off from when he first heard it and when he pulled the trigger.  My point is that that is a level of hair-splitting to which we do not venture if it's not Sergio, (or Rory S., or Poulter, or Colin Montgomerie.)  If Tiger Woods was distracted by someone in the middle of his swing, then dammit, bring me that mans head on a spike!  No questions asked!  I don't care how loud or accidental that may have been, it's Tiger-freaking-Woods we're talking about here!

[newtogolf]

Can pretty much expect any time Sergio has to go head to head against Tiger, Sergio will whine and choke, he did both this weekend.  I don't dislike Sergio, but he's hard to root for when he is in this mode of blaming everyone else for his mistakes.

I actually felt a little bad for him when the crowd cheered on his first ball in the water at 17.  When he put the 2nd shot in the water, I stopped feeling bad for him.

[RayG]

A couple of remarks about "focus" above brings other sports into mind as well. MANY baseball players have said they never hear the crowd when it counts. A guy is throwing a projectile at you at nearly 100 mph, you're not sure if it's going to be at your head or straight down the middle or outside. You have that .25 of a second to decide: where it is, when it will get there and if you should swing. If you thought about that guy in the stands calling your wife a lesbian or something, you better have a backup career. Playing a round of 'no-holds barred' golf with your buddies will cure you of that excuse of "that dog barked in my backswing... from that house across the lake". Our usual group of guys will generally keep talking to each other without deliberately trying to distract each other as they take a shot. We MIGHT keep quiet at times, others not so much. BUT- if we are one short and get hooked with a single, we keep our chatter to ourselves and clam up during their swings. If he catches on to our style, fine- if not, that's fine, too.