Let's fix the President's Cup

[iacas]

The only part of the Presidents Cup I don't like is that it can end in a tie. Other than that, I enjoy the format.

That's the Ryder Cup. The Presidents Cup finished in a tie once, and it was only after Tiger and Ernie Els played several holes and it got too dark to continue.

[Golfingdad]

There is nothing wrong with the President's Cup, other than it is not the Ryder Cup.

This is true, and for this reason it will probably* always be second fiddle to the RC. *Of course, a few things it has that the Ryder Cup does not are Ernie Els, Adam Scott, Schwartzel, etc, etc, AND the potential for a juggernaut International team as golf continues to grow in popularity in places like China, Korea, and South America. The excitement comes from drama, which comes from the competitiveness of the teams. If there were a stretch of a few years where US dominated Europe in the RC while at the same time, the international team won a few Pres Cups, I think we'd have a bit of a paradigm shift. :)

[Augustabound]

The excitement comes from drama, which comes from the competitiveness of the teams. If there were a stretch of a few years where US dominated Europe in the RC while at the same time, the international team won a few Pres Cups, I think we'd have a bit of a paradigm shift. :)

I read an article a couple of months ago saying The Ryder Cup wasn't the tournament it is today until Europe became competitive and won a couple of times (early 80's?).  The matches weren't really even close until Europe tied in 1969.  Even when Europe started winning the matches were still close.

As a Canadian regarding the Presidents Cup, I really only watched the matches when Mike Weir was playing.

Els and Goosen were 2 of my favourites but I still really only watched during the couple of years Mike played.

I like the Ryder Cup for the drama not really caring which side won. There's no drama in the PC.................yet?

[newtogolf]

I do like the idea of PGA / LPGA Tour participants playing together on the same team in the Presidents Cup.  Adding the ladies to the mix would eliminate the advantage the U.S. men have currently.

If it doesn't fit the intended format of the Presidents Cup maybe create a new "Cup" for such an event, but it sounds fun.

[iacas]

I do like the idea of PGA / LPGA Tour participants playing together on the same team in the Presidents Cup.  Adding the ladies to the mix would eliminate the advantage the U.S. men have currently.

Adding women will only make it worse. There's nothing wrong with it now.

[Stretch]

There's nothing wrong with it now.

Other than the Internationals invariably getting their asses handed to them.

[jamo]

Other than the Internationals invariably getting their asses handed to them. :-(

So yeah, nothing wrong. :-P

[GaijinGolfer]

Funny how we supposedly need to fix the Presidents' Cup because the U.S. has been dominating but you dont see anyone saying we need to fix the Ryder Cup, where the Euros have been dominating.  Clearly the Euros are just being a bunch of crybabies.

[turtleback]

Other than the Internationals invariably getting their asses handed to them.

Then they should play better.

[BruceMGF]

The only part of the Presidents Cup I don't like is that it can end in a tie. Other than that, I enjoy the format.

Maybe this deserves a thread of its own, but ...

Why?  Not just the PC and Foursum Golf, but why the general antipathy to any sporting event ending in a tie?  It seems to be a disease of the times.  In the history of sport, most sports have accepted ties at some point.  They may be common (soccer) or rare (dead heats in horse racing) but they've always been there.  That is, until the last generation or so, when tie-breaking has become a mania such that the playing of a sport itself has been abandoned to shootouts, sudden-deaths, one-on-one confrontations for what's supposed to be a team sport.

[MS256]

Maybe this deserves a thread of its own, but ...

Why?  Not just the PC and Foursum Golf, but why the general antipathy to any sporting event ending in a tie?  It seems to be a disease of the times.  In the history of sport, most sports have accepted ties at some point.  They may be common (soccer) or rare (dead heats in horse racing) but they've always been there.  That is, until the last generation or so, when tie-breaking has become a mania such that the playing of a sport itself has been abandoned to shootouts, sudden-deaths, one-on-one confrontations for what's supposed to be a team sport.

Well the saying "A tie is like kissing your sister" has been around at least since around 1950. In football it usually implied that somebody didn't have stones enough to go for the win.

Of course I like George Brett's twist on it. "If a tie is like kissing your sister losing is like kissing your grandmother with her teeth out."

[BruceMGF]

Well the saying "A tie is like kissing your sister" has been around at least since around 1950. In football it usually implied that somebody didn't have stones enough to go for the win.

Of course I like George Brett's twist on it. "If a tie is like kissing your sister losing is like kissing your grandmother with her teeth out."

Yes, the sister-kissing line implies ties are a mixed bag.  Of course they are.  Losses are not.  They're just bad.

But it's not enough to quote slogans.

Interesting you'd mention football.  I'm thinking in particular of college football.  Remember what it was like before overtime (1996, I think)?  Remember what "having stones enough to go for the win" meant?

Yes, the two-point conversion to win or lose.  Those games didn't end in ties, but the addition of overtime has made them a distant memory.  Now everyone kicks the one-point conversion and heads for overtime.

I always thought that was the most exciting moment in CFB.  My watching of that sport was cut ten-fold when overtime came in.  It wasn't just the do-or-die  conversions but the other late-game decisions that hinged on whether to settle for a tie or go for the win:  when in the red zone and three points down, do you throw to the end zone or run the ball in front of the goal posts?  In a tie game, do you risk a turnover near your own goal line trying to get into scoring position or run out the clock and take the tie?

Those decisions are no more.  Now it's play safe and hope to win in overtime, if there's any risk at all.

[MS256]

Yes, the sister-kissing line implies ties are a mixed bag.  Of course they are.  Losses are not.  They're just bad.

But it's not enough to quote slogans.

Interesting you'd mention football.  I'm thinking in particular of college football.  Remember what it was like before overtime (1996, I think)?  Remember what "having stones enough to go for the win" meant?

Yes, the two-point conversion to win or lose.  Those games didn't end in ties, but the addition of overtime has made them a distant memory.  Now everyone kicks the one-point conversion and heads for overtime.

I always thought that was the most exciting moment in CFB.  My watching of that sport was cut ten-fold when overtime came in.  It wasn't just the do-or-die  conversions but the other late-game decisions that hinged on whether to settle for a tie or go for the win:  when in the red zone and three points down, do you throw to the end zone or run the ball in front of the goal posts?  In a tie game, do you risk a turnover near your own goal line trying to get into scoring position or run out the clock and take the tie?

Those decisions are no more.  Now it's play safe and hope to win in overtime, if there's any risk at all.

Hmmm. Well if you don't like slogans I'll just answer your question without them. Most people don't like ties. Never did and never will. Nothing new.

[newtogolf]

I think the mentality here is you do something to win, anything less is losing.  No one goes out and says alright, let's tie this guy, team, match.