2015 The Players Championship DiscussionThread

[Aguirre]

Alright: from a Liverpudlian to a Chelsea fan (in peace). Congrats on the title (sincerely). I'd always rather your lot than Man U!

I should have said Chelsea supporter, of course.

The title was very satisfying, if anti-climatic.

[Vinsk]

I agree. I mean "overrated" in what? The PGA tour has a ranking list that's made numerically and statistically. I think those who feel he's overrated simply forget he's popular for his off course behavior and finished top 5 in all the majors last year. Hell, Jimmy Walker is a complete dud and has managed to rack up FedEx points by playing low SOF tournaments. I know the FedEx point thing seems jacked up as it seemed odd to see this guy always ranked 1st but no majors and no Big Showings. Anyway, I really like Ricky and hope he keeps it going strong.

[Crim]

Encore presentation of Rickies win on Golf Channel right now. They started at the 16th in regulation for him Nevermind, Fowler has posted his score already

[Aguirre]

I think that players in all sports have a difficult time differentiating between popularity and "rating."  Most of us surely had a good grasp of where Rickie was in terms of his talent and accomplishments.  But the players see him getting more endorsements and fans than a similar player with his (prior to yesterday) resume and assign the term "overrated."  Of course, that's not a proper way to describe somebody in sports as overrated.  But they're not thinking it through deeply, they're just answering a survey.  "Hey that Fowler guy has one win and has all these endorsements.  I have two wins and nobody is offering me anything!  Even though I'm a complete bore in interviews and a complete JAFO at most tour events, I deserve those endorsements because of two wins."

That's my guess, anyway.

[Vinsk]

I think that players in all sports have a difficult time differentiating between popularity and "rating."  Most of us surely had a good grasp of where Rickie was in terms of his talent and accomplishments.  But the players see him getting more endorsements and fans than a similar player with his (prior to yesterday) resume and assign the term "overrated."  Of course, that's not a proper way to describe somebody in sports as overrated.  But they're not thinking it through deeply, they're just answering a survey.  "Hey that Fowler guy has one win and has all these endorsements.  I have two wins and nobody is offering me anything!  Even though I'm a complete bore in interviews and a complete JAFO at most tour events, I deserve those endorsements because of two wins." That's my guess, anyway.

I completely agree. Especially today with social media.

[Chris E]

I thought women were supposed to have hips.

Really, she's smoking hot but she is skinny as hell. When they showed her from the side when she and Fowler were walking away after the win, she looked like one of those things from War of the Worlds crawling along the street, zapping shit. I was waiting for a zapping noise and a taser coming from her nose, and that douchebag Poulter turning to dust.

[Aguirre]

I completely agree. Especially today with social media.

Also, sports are generally a meritocracy.  You win the most on tour, you get the most prize money.  You're the best QB, you get your $20mm/yr contract.  But endorsements are different.  Re:  Johnny Football, RG3, Tim Tebow, and Rickie Fowler the last several years.  And the athletes really take that personally, for some unknown yet surely dumb reason.

[Par Fore]

At least you guys got to watch it, our local DFW NBC affiliate completed dropped the ball and ruined the coverage......granted, we had some bad weather and up until 3pm, it was understandable as they would flash to give updates on tornado warnings, etc.....but then, it all went south.....they spent like an hour and a half, until about 4:30 pm or later, focusing in on two country boys that hydro locked their lifted Chevy when they tried to cross a low water road that turned into a river.....they spent an hour and a half focusing on these two idiots and the coast guard rescue, or whomever they sent after them.....after watching about 15 minutes at the house, I just turned it off......everyone at the office was pissed, said they kept watching surely expecting someone to be smart enough to go back to the action.....an hour plus on these grown men standing on the back of their truck.....and apparently they were tweeting about their dumbness...

NBC, you need to control your affiliates, there was no excuse not to have coverage in this market.

I'm a big Sergio fan, but I was glad to see Rickie win......excuse me, didn't get to see him win, but heard about it.....nice work Rickie.

[ChrisP]

Really, she's smoking hot but she is skinny as hell.

She's hot, but Jordan Spieth's gf is 10x hotter. Jordan's Spieth's girl is challenging Dufner's ex and Day's wife.

[RJH999]

She's hot, but Jordan Spieth's gf is 10x hotter. Jordan's Spieth's girl is challenging Dufner's ex and Day's wife. [URL=http://thesandtrap.com/content/type/61/id/121182/] [/URL]

I honestly don't think she's that pretty.

[newtogolf]

I think that players in all sports have a difficult time differentiating between popularity and "rating."  Most of us surely had a good grasp of where Rickie was in terms of his talent and accomplishments.  But the players see him getting more endorsements and fans than a similar player with his (prior to yesterday) resume and assign the term "overrated."  Of course, that's not a proper way to describe somebody in sports as overrated.  But they're not thinking it through deeply, they're just answering a survey.  "Hey that Fowler guy has one win and has all these endorsements.  I have two wins and nobody is offering me anything!  Even though I'm a complete bore in interviews and a complete JAFO at most tour events, I deserve those endorsements because of two wins."

That's my guess, anyway.

I'm sure it's frustrating to other players but sometimes a athlete just clicks with the public, they have a look, appealing personality or their family has a history in the sport.  How many years was Dale Earnhardt Jr, one of the most popular NASCAR drivers, not because of his racing record, but his dads legacy.

Rickie was a bridge between golf and kids who watched X Games and BMX, golf needed someone to make it "cool" and young and at the time Rickie was the guy.  If other guys on Tour are jealous of his endorsement contracts maybe they need to reconsider how marketable they are to golf and potential sponsors.  Jimmy Walker might be a great guy who wins his share of tournaments but I agree with @Vinsk he's a marketing dud.

[Natural Patrick]

I honestly don't think she's that pretty.

Duff's X and Fowlers's  girl are Way Hotter than Spieth's. I agree  Jordan's girl just does not do it for me,

[ChrisP]

Duff's X and Fowlers's  girl are Way Hotter than Spieth's. I agree  Jordan's girl just does not do it for me,

Wow....she does for me. I guess different strokes for different folks. Maybe I just like them young (well old enough young). I think she's like only 19.

[FaldosEgo]

I agree. I mean "overrated" in what? The PGA tour has a ranking list that's made numerically and statistically. I think those who feel he's overrated simply forget he's popular for his off course behavior and finished top 5 in all the majors last year. Hell, Jimmy Walker is a complete dud and has managed to rack up FedEx points by playing low SOF tournaments. I know the FedEx point thing seems jacked up as it seemed odd to see this guy always ranked 1st but no majors and no Big Showings. Anyway, I really like Ricky and hope he keeps it going strong.

The FedEx Cup is a joke. It's basically just whoever plays the most tournaments. Rory could win it every year if he wanted to. But the big name players never win it because they don't play enough tourneys.

[Aguirre]

The FedEx Cup is a joke. It's basically just whoever plays the most tournaments. Rory could win it every year if he wanted to. But the big name players never win it because they don't play enough tourneys.

The FedEx Cup is simply unworkable as a legitimate sports contest.  Reward too much for the 'regular season' and it becomes anti-climatic.  Reward too much for the 'postseason' and it seems ridiculous to give one hot golfer what is supposed to be a season long award.  Also, four tournaments is a lot to require of your players after all the WGC, Majors, and big tour events everybody wants to play.

I'm not sure of a solution.  I'd have to think about it.  Of course, it will be an awesome idea when I'm done.  I'll make a thread then.

[newtogolf]

The FedEx Cup is simply unworkable as a legitimate sports contest.  Reward too much for the 'regular season' and it becomes anti-climatic.  Reward too much for the 'postseason' and it seems ridiculous to give one hot golfer what is supposed to be a season long award.  Also, four tournaments is a lot to require of your players after all the WGC, Majors, and big tour events everybody wants to play.

I'm not sure of a solution.  I'd have to think about it.  Of course, it will be an awesome idea when I'm done.  I'll make a thread then.

Tournament points should be weighted based on the percentage of World Top 30 or 40 players participating in the tournament.  This would differentiate the early season fall tournaments when participation is limited from the prime season when most of the top players are participating.   They award Majors and WGC events higher points so it would just be creating another tier based on percentage of top players competing.

[Vinsk]

Yeah good call. You guys probably know more about the point system than I do, I haven't really researched it much. I do remember seeing "Jimmy Walker" leading and was like, "WTF?" Who is this guy? I've since seen him around of course...but in my own opinion, a pure dud. I'm sure he's a real nice guy but just get nothing outta watching him play.

[isukgolf]

Duff's X and Fowlers's  girl are Way Hotter than Spieth's. I agree  Jordan's girl just does not do it for me,

Maybe Jordan should take a page from Tiger's book and go troll Perkins for the hot chicks ... (Sorry I just could not help myself from saying that ...)