2014 Masters Discussion Thread

[nevets88]

It may be relative. In the beginning of the telecast there were fewer commercials it felt like because more players on the field and more action. When there are fewer shots to show, it felt like there were more breaks though brief. Compared to the typical tournaments, there are way fewer commercials on the Masters. And less annoying ones as well, especially the ones that play much louder volume wise. I edited out the commercials of a regular event many moons ago and it was 20min/hour.

[ScouseJohnny]

I think it just seemed like an inordinate number of adverts because of that bloody pompous "Mercedes: nothing but the best" advert that ran interminably throughout the entire broadcast, every few minutes.

Note to Mercedes: even if I had the spare coin lying around for a high-end motor, nothing would drive me into a Jaguar faster than irritating me to death during the Masters coverage.

[nevets88]

R[quote name="ScouseJohnny" url="/t/73499/2014-masters-discussion-thread/1458#post_976889"]I think it just seemed like an inordinate number of adverts because of that bloody pompous "Mercedes: nothing but the best" advert that ran interminably throughout the entire broadcast, every few minutes. Note to Mercedes: even if I had the spare coin lying around for a high-end motor, nothing would drive me into a Jaguar faster than irritating me to death during the Masters coverage. [/quote] I agree with you, it "felt" like there were more commercials towards the end too, more than 4min/hour. Maybe the telecast, 4 hours long, so 16 minutes total commercials. It "feels" like 1 minute or two per hour the first 2 hours and then they backload the commercials, say 15 minutes worth, when more people are watching to see who wins, so it averages out to 4/hour, but 8/hour or 10/hour at the last hour. As for the car commercial, what car commercial? I am behaviorally modified to hit the mute button as soon as commercials start and go to the second screen :-) I have to admit, the Beach Boys commercial was catchy though.

[TJBam]

Boring?  BORING?  Mike & Mike, Mad Dog Radio, etc etc how could these guys even use the word?  Did these sportscasters even watch the tournament, or did they tune in for the last 3 holes and expect a playoff?  Bubba "coasting" on a 3 shot lead on the back, yes, that happened, but this Masters was anything but boring.  He could have lost strokes anywhere but saving par on 17 for example.  I know everyone missed Tiger, I did too as he is my favorite golfer, but BORING, really?  That's the word we're going with?  Bubba, Sunday, out of the trees on 17.  No laying up.  Young Spieth's intensity (ultimately failed to hold the lead), leading at one of the youngest in the field, and stuck with it even after 8 and 9, Miguel Angel Jiminez blasting out of the gate amid a cloud of cigar smoke?  Freddy in the show as always?  Kuchar's new found cult following?  Jonas BLIXT out of the great North barreling down on golf's greatest??  Are you NOT ENTERTAINED?

People seem to think that this Masters wasn't exciting because it didn't come down to the last putt on the last hole.  Oh boo hoo.  Were you even watching Round 2?  Did you see Bubba birdie 12, 13, 14, 15, 16?  Have you ever done that, ESPN announcer guy?  From -4 to -8 in 4 holes, the score that would ultimately win the tournament?  I think these media people have a seriously short attention span to say that this was a boring tournament.  Watching Bubba birdie 8 and 9 on Sunday while Jordan bogied the same holes sealed the deal but there was still a chance.  Bubba finished strong and wow what a show.

There were plenty of lead changes and plenty of drama at the 2014 Masters.  To say it was a boring show makes me sick to my stomach.  ESPN guy, go pack sand.  You're lousy and your job is fake.  You have a fake job.  You regurgitate news stories and I am boycotting ALL sports shows until tomorrow at which point I will be crawling back and tuning back in.

Now let's talk more about Bubba.

Anyone who didn't let a tiny tear stream down when his kid waddled out onto the green has absolutely no soul.  Long live the game and to the winner goes the jacket.  Bubba Watson, community college grad, self taught, kid coming out of a town on the FL-GA line of 1500 people, over a third of kids under the poverty line, is the 2014 Masters Champion.  This is the Tin Cup you're wanting, people.  This is your everyday man.  This could be you or your kid. For the second time in two years, Bubba did it his way.  No swing coach, no country club, just Jesus Christ, long hair, a hovercraft and a shirt buttoned all the way up. Hail to the People's champ.  Until next year.

[3putter]

Really happy for Bubba. I know he doesn't get much love around here, and has been an ass to his caddie on one occasion that I saw, but I still can't help but root for him. He's one of the few on tour that actually has a personality, and one that plays relatively interesting golf. I think I like him for the same reason I like Phil, they both show some imagination in their game. Congrats to him on his second green (non-fitted) jacket

[Foursum Golf]

  newtogolf said:

I agree, Ricky is good for golf.  Kids can relate to him and overall he seems like a respectable guy.

75% of the kids at the Drive Chip and Putt competition answered 'Rickie Fowler' when asked who their favorite golfer was. He is definitely good for the game!

[David in FL]

  Foursum Golf said:

75% of the kids at the Drive Chip and Putt competition answered 'Rickie Fowler' when asked who their favorite golfer was. He is definitely good for the game!

For some reason I want to dislike Rickie, but I just can't!

[Dloy]

Well said TJB. I always root for Bubba, and many others. The guys that seem genuine.

Look at all of the unique swingers in Master's champions. At most half of them have the classic swing like Jack or Gary. Most I think though have quirks of some kind. Gives me hope.

[boogielicious]

  ScouseJohnny said:

I think it just seemed like an inordinate number of adverts because of that bloody pompous "Mercedes: nothing but the best" advert that ran interminably throughout the entire broadcast, every few minutes.

Note to Mercedes: even if I had the spare coin lying around for a high-end motor, nothing would drive me into a Jaguar faster than irritating me to death during the Masters coverage.

Add to that AT&T; took a song I like by the Beach Boys and made it into a song I don't want to hear for quite a while.

"Wouldn't it be nice if they came up with another song to play in this ad"

[Golfingdad]

  TJBam said:

Boring?  BORING?  Mike & Mike, Mad Dog Radio, etc etc how could these guys even use the word?  Did these sportscasters even watch the tournament, or did they tune in for the last 3 holes and expect a playoff?  Bubba "coasting" on a 3 shot lead on the back, yes, that happened, but this Masters was anything but boring.  He could have lost strokes anywhere but saving par on 17 for example.  I know everyone missed Tiger, I did too as he is my favorite golfer, but BORING, really?  That's the word we're going with?  Bubba, Sunday, out of the trees on 17.  No laying up.  Young Spieth's intensity (ultimately failed to hold the lead), leading at one of the youngest in the field, and stuck with it even after 8 and 9, Miguel Angel Jiminez blasting out of the gate amid a cloud of cigar smoke?  Freddy in the show as always?  Kuchar's new found cult following?  Jonas BLIXT out of the great North barreling down on golf's greatest??  Are you NOT ENTERTAINED?

People seem to think that this Masters wasn't exciting because it didn't come down to the last putt on the last hole.  Oh boo hoo.  Were you even watching Round 2?  Did you see Bubba birdie 12, 13, 14, 15, 16?  Have you ever done that, ESPN announcer guy?  From -4 to -8 in 4 holes, the score that would ultimately win the tournament?  I think these media people have a seriously short attention span to say that this was a boring tournament.  Watching Bubba birdie 8 and 9 on Sunday while Jordan bogied the same holes sealed the deal but there was still a chance.  Bubba finished strong and wow what a show.

There were plenty of lead changes and plenty of drama at the 2014 Masters.  To say it was a boring show makes me sick to my stomach.  ESPN guy, go pack sand.  You're lousy and your job is fake.  You have a fake job.  You regurgitate news stories and I am boycotting ALL sports shows until tomorrow at which point I will be crawling back and tuning back in.

Now let's talk more about Bubba.

Anyone who didn't let a tiny tear stream down when his kid waddled out onto the green has absolutely no soul.  Long live the game and to the winner goes the jacket.  Bubba Watson, community college grad, self taught, kid coming out of a town on the FL-GA line of 1500 people, over a third of kids under the poverty line, is the 2014 Masters Champion.  This is the Tin Cup you're wanting, people.  This is your everyday man.  This could be you or your kid. For the second time in two years, Bubba did it his way.  No swing coach, no country club, just Jesus Christ, long hair, a hovercraft and a shirt buttoned all the way up. Hail to the People's champ.  Until next year.

Well said.  I think people forget everything except the end.  If there wasn't an exciting finish, well then, the entire thing was boring.  And, of course, the opposite is also true.  It could be a snooze fest for 68 holes, and then somebody makes up 5 shots in the last four holes and it "was the most exciting tournament ever."

This tournament was only "boring" to me once it got to the point where the ending seemed inevitable ... which was basically once Bubba didn't hit it into the water on 16.  But for 69 holes to that point, it was great.

---

Another thing that adds to the excitement for me is the players reactions to their own shots when they know its going to be good.  I can only think of Tiger in the past doing that.  And yesterday, whenever Bubba twirled his club and started walking towards the ball, I got a little adrenaline rush knowing that in about 3 seconds I was going to see something impressive.  More of them should do that.

[Kieran123]

  TJBam said:

Anyone who didn't let a tiny tear stream down when his kid waddled out onto the green has absolutely no soul.  Long live the game and to the winner goes the jacket.  Bubba Watson, community college grad, self taught, kid coming out of a town on the FL-GA line of 1500 people, over a third of kids under the poverty line, is the 2014 Masters Champion.  This is the Tin Cup you're wanting, people.  This is your everyday man.  This could be you or your kid. For the second time in two years, Bubba did it his way.  No swing coach, no country club, just Jesus Christ, long hair, a hovercraft and a shirt buttoned all the way up. Hail to the People's champ.  Until next year.

No tears here - but a good moment no doubt.

This is not the tin cup, this is a multi millionaire guy who wears a $500,000 watch on his wrist. This is not an everyday man. People have this notion that because Bubba's name is unique, that he is quirky and never had a swing coach means he is an every day man...a 'peoples' player.....to try and make any connection between Bubba and a weekend warrior is nonsense.

Bubba did do it his way - but it is not unique, and there is nothing about Bubba that makes him a 'peoples' champ any more than any other player.

[Hugoboum]

  Kieran123 said:

No tears here - but a good moment no doubt.

This is not the tin cup, this is a multi millionaire guy who wears a $500,000 watch on his wrist. This is not an everyday man. People have this notion that because Bubba's name is unique, that he is quirky and never had a swing coach means he is an every day man...a 'peoples' player.....to try and make any connection between Bubba and a weekend warrior is nonsense.

Bubba did do it his way - but it is not unique, and there is nothing about Bubba that makes him a 'peoples' champ any more than any other player.

It is unique.I like the way he shapes the ball,it's amazing.

[DeadMan]

I enjoyed the tournament overall, even though there wasn't the drama late as there has been the past couple of years. I really enjoy watching Bubba play golf, even though there are some things about him that rub me the wrong way. The drive he had on 13 on Sunday was ridiculous, and the second shot on 15 was similarly amazing. Bubba is something to watch when he's playing well. He's arguably the most talented golfer on the planet from tee to green. I think if he learned to play more conservative, he could be a guy who consistently challenges in the majors. Maybe he'd even win a half dozen or so. But what makes him so endearing - and frustrating - is that he refuses to play conservative. Bubba golf might still get him a couple more green jackets though, so it's hard to criticize him for that. But I can't help but look at him and think he could be a career grand slam winner with better strategy and a better mental game. Couple of other quick thoughts. Spieth bothered me by getting so frustrated whenever he hit a shot that wasn't perfect. 10 was the perfect example. He hits a mediocre tee shot, hand goes flying off the club. He hits his approach shot into the bunker, club is slammed into the ground. But then he gets up and down for par and gains a stroke on Bubba. I understand that emotions are running really high at that point, but he did not really seem in control out there. I hope he learns from this experience and contends again. It's just annoying to me to see a golfer pissed off about a shot that is okay. You want to see a real bad shot, Jordan? Come watch me play 18 holes of golf. Don't get pissed off at yourself when your shot is not perfect. I also wonder if the lack of late drama was because there were no veterans within striking distance on Sunday afternoon. Bubba is a vet compared to Blixt and Spieth, but I wonder if he would have started to feel the pressure if Kuchar or Jimenez came charging at him.

[3putter]

  DeadMan said:

I enjoyed the tournament overall, even though there wasn't the drama late as there has been the past couple of years. I really enjoy watching Bubba play golf, even though there are some things about him that rub me the wrong way. The drive he had on 13 on Sunday was ridiculous, and the second shot on 15 was similarly amazing. Bubba is something to watch when he's playing well. He's arguably the most talented golfer on the planet from tee to green. I think if he learned to play more conservative, he could be a guy who consistently challenges in the majors. Maybe he'd even win a half dozen or so. But what makes him so endearing - and frustrating - is that he refuses to play conservative. Bubba golf might still get him a couple more green jackets though, so it's hard to criticize him for that. But I can't help but look at him and think he could be a career grand slam winner with better strategy and a better mental game.

Couple of other quick thoughts. Spieth bothered me by getting so frustrated whenever he hit a shot that wasn't perfect. 10 was the perfect example. He hits a mediocre tee shot, hand goes flying off the club. He hits his approach shot into the bunker, club is slammed into the ground. But then he gets up and down for par and gains a stroke on Bubba. I understand that emotions are running really high at that point, but he did not really seem in control out there. I hope he learns from this experience and contends again. It's just annoying to me to see a golfer pissed off about a shot that is okay. You want to see a real bad shot, Jordan? Come watch me play 18 holes of golf. Don't get pissed off at yourself when your shot is not perfect.

I also wonder if the lack of late drama was because there were no veterans within striking distance on Sunday afternoon. Bubba is a vet compared to Blixt and Spieth, but I wonder if he would have started to feel the pressure if Kuchar or Jimenez came charging at him.

He's done this before. I told some friends to watch out for him immediately after he hits his first bad shot. He gets down on himself, and starts to exhibit a funny body language. He's a good player, but he needs to be better composed. This is Sunday at Augusta, bad shots will come for every player, just gotta handle it better.

[TJBam]

  Kieran123 said:

No tears here - but a good moment no doubt.

This is not the tin cup, this is a multi millionaire guy who wears a $500,000 watch on his wrist. This is not an everyday man. People have this notion that because Bubba's name is unique, that he is quirky and never had a swing coach means he is an every day man...a 'peoples' player.....to try and make any connection between Bubba and a weekend warrior is nonsense.

Bubba did do it his way - but it is not unique, and there is nothing about Bubba that makes him a 'peoples' champ any more than any other player.

So a Swiss watchmaker offered to custom make him a really neat watch specifically designed for golf (or so they say) and that makes him a bad dude?? Cmon man!  But I will play along with you, and show you something about what we call "proportions": So Bubba made 9 million in 2012.  Let's say he actually paid for this watch ( he didn't ).  That's 5% of his 2012 earnings.  Now say a man who makes $100,000 a year buys a $5,000 watch. That's 5% of his earnings.  See where I'm going with this?

Also, I'd like the names of a few players on tour who never had a swing coach, except for a lesson from good old dad as a 6 year old.  I honestly didn't know there were others.  My point is that this separates him entirely from the rest of the field.

As for the rest, I disagree, but we can just leave it at that.

[TJBam]

  3putter said:

He's done this before. I told some friends to watch out for him immediately after he hits his first bad shot. He gets down on himself, and starts to exhibit a funny body language. He's a good player, but he needs to be better composed. This is Sunday at Augusta, bad shots will come for every player, just gotta handle it better.

I also heard something similar.  A golf coach called into a radio show and mentioned how Spieth lengthens his putting routine when he hits a mediocre-bad shot and it negatively affects him.  I haven't noticed it but I might rewatch some footage out of curiousity.

[Kieran123]

  TJBam said:

1. So a Swiss watchmaker offered to custom make him a really neat watch specifically designed for golf (or so they say) and that makes him a bad dude??

Cmon man!  But I will play, OK: So Bubba made 9 million in 2012.  Let's say he actually paid for this watch (he didn't).  That's 5% of his 2012 earnings.  Now say a man who makes $100,000 a year buys a $5,000 watch. That's 5% of his earnings.  See where I'm going with this?

2. Also, I'd like the names of a few players on tour who never had a swing coach, except for a lesson from good old dad as a 6 year old.  I honestly didn't know there were others.  My point is that this separates him entirely from the rest of the field.

3. As for the rest, I disagree, but we can just leave it at that.

1. Never said he was a bad dude. Don't put words in my mouth. Regardless of whether he paid for it, we are reminded how Bubba is so genuine and down to earth - none of which he comes across as....especially sporting a half million dollar piece of jewellery.

2. Yes it separates him from the field, but it still doesn't make him a 'peoples' player

3. Fair enough

[Golfingdad]

  TJBam said:

A golf coach called into a radio show and mentioned how Spieth lengthens his putting routine when he hits a mediocre-bad shot and it negatively affects him.

Has anybody else ever seen a pro who looks at the hole while he hits his short putts?  I don't think I have, although knowing how much they all like to tinker with their putting styles, I'm sure it's been tried.

I also would have never noticed it had they not mentioned it on the broadcast.