Brooks comments on the Ryder Cup

[BigMac]

The 'someone does feel how I think they should about this, so they shouldn't do it' thing is just just such a hard pass for me on so many levels of humanity. People can like or not like whatever they want. He earned his spot and is under no obligation to feel how anyone else feels about the event. You can prefer your guys to be all about it and cheer for them and not him or whatever, but who are we, or Azinger, to say he shouldn't do it?

To me it's kinda like a friend invites you to a party and you accept, but then for two weeks before the party you go around to all your other friends saying "I'm gonna go, but he's a dick and I hate his wife and his kids are brats and his parties are boring and the food sucks and he cheaps out on the booze...but I'll go".

 

[Greg Kulbick]

I'm still not seeing a lot of the dots some of you are connecting to make this picture of Koepka not liking the Ryder Cup.

 

[OldandStiff]

To me it's kinda like a friend invites you to a party and you accept, but then for two weeks before the party you go around to all your other friends saying "I'm gonna go, but he's a dick and I hate his wife and his kids are brats and his parties are boring and the food sucks and he cheaps out on the booze...but I'll go".

Well who wouldn't like that guy?! haha

I'm not really getting the kind of work vs. social invite thing though. I mean, it's his career. And goes towards career achievements. I imagine he'd catch it even worse, and potentially affect his career, if he just turned it down and said it was because he doesn't like the event. I don't know about you, but I've definitely gone to a work party I didn't want to for the sake of my livelihood. I feel like I'm probably not alone in that. And even that feels like a stretch of a connection. I would imagine he actually wants to play in it, and compete, and just doesn't enjoy the rest, and for whatever reason would rather be honest about that than not say anything about it, or ... work to say it .. better? The last bit is the big mystery that rubs everyone wrong, and who knows if he even knows the reasons that compel him on that.

 

[BigMac]

Well who wouldn't like that guy?! haha

I'm not really getting the kind of work vs. social invite thing though. I mean, it's his career. And goes towards career achievements. I imagine he'd catch it even worse, and potentially affect his career, if he just turned it down and said it was because he doesn't like the event. I don't know about you, but I've definitely gone to a work party I didn't want to for the sake of my livelihood. I feel like I'm probably not alone in that. And even that feels like a stretch of a connection. I would imagine he actually wants to play in it, and compete, and just doesn't enjoy the rest, and for whatever reason would rather be honest about that than not say anything about it. The last bit is the big mystery that rubs everyone wrong, and who knows if he even knows the reasons that compel him on that.

I've gone to plenty of those work parties, I know exactly what you're talking about. I guess my thing is, I might quietly grouse about it to a couple close friends who I knew would keep it between us, but I wouldn't go public and post it all over social media for the whole world (and especially my bosses/hosts, co-workers and/or subordinates) to hear/read.

To me, it's just a bad look for Brooks. It paints him as whiny, selfish, and not a team player - but at least I guess I can give him credit for showing his true self in that regard.

 

[OldandStiff]

I've gone to plenty of those work parties, I know exactly what you're talking about. I guess my thing is, I might quietly grouse about it to a couple close friends who I knew would keep it between us, but I wouldn't go public and post it all over social media for the whole world (and especially my bosses/hosts, co-workers and/or subordinates) to hear/read.

To me, it's just a bad look for Brooks. It paints him as whiny, selfish, and not a team player - but at least I guess I can give him credit for showing his true self in that regard.

Yeah, that's the whole persona/reality/whatevertf he may or may not have going at no or all times. Who knows. He can not like some of it though, and we can not like him for saying he doesn't. I'm kind of a fan of people just laying things out like that, but I get why others wouldn't and why it would be lightning rod-ish at times. He doesn't have to love every bit of it for me to want to watch him play, or for me to be entertained by the 'feud' or what the heck he's wearing out there, etc.

I'm actually kind of wondering how/why he got through that without complaining about having to wear the same things as everyone else. Lol Doesn't that seem like something that would annoy him? Are there going to be blade collar options for the team?

 

[BigMac]

Yeah, that's the whole persona/reality/whatevertf he may or may not have going at no or all times. Who knows. He can not like some of it though, and we can not like him for saying he doesn't. I'm kind of a fan of people just laying things out like that, but I get why others wouldn't and why it would be lightning rod-ish at times. He doesn't have to love every bit of it for me to want to watch him play, or for me to be entertained by the 'feud' or what the heck he's wearing out there, etc.

I'm actually kind of wondering how/why he got through that without complaining about having to wear the same things as everyone else. Lol Doesn't that seem like something that would annoy him? Are there going to be blade collar options for the team?

I don't dislike that he doesn't like certain aspects of it, per se - it's more that I dislike him saying it out loud in the media like that. It doesn't send a good message to his teammates, it doesn't set a good example for youths (if we're talking about growing the game), and I'd have to guess that it made Stricker's jaw a little tight.

Maybe it's a little personal for me because I can somewhat relate to it. I don't hide my feelings well and I've put my foot in my mouth on more than a few occasions over the years. It took me a long time to learn that some things are just better left unsaid, and I still struggle with it sometimes. But I've played a lot of team sports and spent my whole career working in a team environment, and there are times when you just have to take a big bite of that s**t sandwich, smile and swallow real hard for the good of the team.

 

[Leftyuk]

Great to see Azinger stirring the pot to worsen the USA position, he is really is a horse's rear. What Koepka said was that the different demands of the Ryder Cup were outside his comfort zone. An honest description of how he feels, as does everyone else. Some thrive on it, such as Poulter, others do not , like Tiger. Different strokes for different folks. Why is everyone going at him for being honest.

The Ryder Cup is every two years, the President's Cup is an exhibition match with little pressure that the USA are allowed to win.

 

[JB]

The 'someone does feel how I think they should about this, so they shouldn't do it' thing is just just such a hard pass for me on so many levels of humanity. People can like or not like whatever they want. He earned his spot and is under no obligation to feel how anyone else feels about the event. You can prefer your guys to be all about it and cheer for them and not him or whatever, but who are we, or Azinger, to say he shouldn't do it?

I responded to a post that said a player wasn't fired up or gungho about it. That it was too much work and interfering with couch and nap time. If someone doesn't want to play in it, after knowing what its about, don't. It's really that simple.

I get it. It's his schtick. Playing the martyr card of whoa is me before playing for your country in a team event isn't going to fly for a lot of people. Others don't share the same Patriotic views and couldn't care less. That's fine too.

The old adage of "Act As If" has some credence here.

 

[blugold]

I didn't tell Brooks he shouldn't play. I responded to a post that said a player wasn't fired up or gungho about it. That it was too much work and interfering with couch and nap time. If someone doesn't want to play in it, after knowing what its about, don't. It's really that simple.

I get it. It's his schtick. Playing the martyr card of whoa is me before playing for your country in a team event isn't going to fly for a lot of people. Others don't share the same Patriotic views and couldn't care less. That's fine too.

The old adage of "Act As If" has some credence here.

He was asked what was different about the Ryder Cup versus a regular tour event and gives good concrete answers and he's trying to play the martyr card? We are assuming his tone differently. Inherent biases, probably, formulated by whether or not we like Brooks.

 

[JB]

He was asked what was different about the Ryder Cup versus a regular tour event and gives good concrete answers and he's trying to play the martyr card? We are assuming his tone differently. Inherent biases, probably, formulated by whether or not we like Brooks.

When responses for a Team Patriotic event center around "Why I can't do the things I like to do like nap" yes.
That isn't about bias, it is about perspective.

 

[blugold]

When responses for a Team Patriotic event center around "Why I can't do the things I like to do like nap" yes.
That isn't about bias, it is about perspective.

He didn't say that though. Lol.

He was asked what he does differently between individual events and team events. It would have been worse and more dishonest to say there is no difference. I didn't read his quote the same way you did.

Granted, he could have finished his answer by saying, "it's a demanding, different and difficult week, but still an honor to represent the United States in the Ryder Cup."

The most shocking thing from that interview was when he said Phil was the 5th best golfer of all time, but the only reason he's as rich and famous as he is is because of Tiger. He then said that Tiger has also done the same for the current generation.

 

[BigTreble]

Nice find. I find it harder and harder to like this guy. He’s so me me me it’s ridiculous

I thought it was just me. He kind of sounds like an immature whiner.

He has a though life really, I feel sorry for the guy. Thinking he needs a hot chocolate and a warm hug. Hope he doesn't miss too many of his naps due to his rigorous workload.

 

[blugold]

I thought it was just me. He kind of sounds like an immature whiner.

He has a though life really, I feel sorry for the guy. Thinking he needs a hot chocolate and a warm hug. Hope he doesn't miss too many of his naps due to his rigorous workload.

From his Golf Digest interview:

I love it. Come at me all you want. There’s a Kobe quote: “They don’t hate the good ones. They hate the great ones.”

 

[JB]

He didn't say that though. Lol.

He was asked what he does differently between individual events and team events. It would have been worse and more dishonest to say there is no difference. I didn't read his quote the same way you did.

Nobody wanted/asked for someone to be dishonest. To me personally, reading everything, hearing his differences "cutting into naps and general routine" for a chance to play for his country and the honor of Patriotism in a team event is playing the whoa is me card.

Its about perspective, not bias. And based on the responses in this thread, the perspective of playing for one's country is quite different for different people as well. And thats fine.

 

[blugold]

Nobody wanted/asked for someone to be dishonest. To me personally, reading everything, hearing his differences "cutting into naps and general routine" for a chance to play for his country and the honor of Patriotism in a team event is playing the whoa is me card.

Its about perspective, not bias. And based on the responses in this thread, the perspective of playing for one's country is quite different for different people as well. And thats fine.

We're all allowed to interpret tone over text differently. I didn't get that tone from the interview.

What about the Olympics? You turned down a spot as a replacement for Bryson DeChambeau this year.

I’d love to play in the Olympics. But this year I would have gotten there the day before, without seeing the course and with the time change. I didn’t even have my clubs back from Europe yet. It would have been tough for me to be prepared. I’d love to represent my country. I think that’s fun. It’s just maybe not in my DNA, the team sports thing.

 

[JB]

We're all allowed to interpret tone over text differently. I didn't get that tone from the interview.

I'm not sure how anybody could read this and think he is interested or excited in playing in the Ryder Cup. But those are just my thoughts.

"It’s just maybe not in my DNA, the team sports thing."

 

[blugold]

I'm not sure how anybody could read this and think he is interested or excited in playing in the Ryder Cup. But those are just my thoughts.

"It’s just maybe not in my DNA, the team sports thing."

And that's fair, but it's not because he's not patriotic.

Again, we want golfers to love the Ryder Cup, but I don't see a problem with golfers not loving playing in the Ryder Cup.

 

[glage]

I found the SI article to be much more insightful as to his perspective. It was a good read.

My takeaway is that he doesn’t like how the team structure for the RC upsets his routine. A routine which he believes is essential to him playing his best golf. Also, he is candid in that he doesn’t like relying on anyone and self-isolates, even from family, during golf events which obviously makes being part of a team difficult.

As far as patriotism he says he would’ve loved to represent his country in the Olympics.

Lastly, he has perfect cover with the wrist injury for not playing the RC. As long as we are reading between the lines, he must be patriotic, feel the RC is an important event and is vested in it or both if he hasn’t backed out given that he easily could have and no one would’ve batted an eye.

I'm not sure how anybody could read this and think he is interested or excited in playing in the Ryder Cup. But those are just my thoughts.

"It’s just maybe not in my DNA, the team sports thing."

 

[JB]

And that's fair, but it's not because he's not patriotic.

Again, we want golfers to love the Ryder Cup, but I don't see a problem with golfers not loving playing in the Ryder Cup.

When I said others don't share the same patriotic views, I was referring to the general public, like this thread.

 

[MWard]

And that's fair, but it's not because he's not patriotic.

Again, we want golfers to love the Ryder Cup, but I don't see a problem with golfers not loving playing in the Ryder Cup.

But if you're not really committed to it, then why go? Let someone else have that chance and who will actually appreciate it more. You're probably not gonna play great if you don't really want to be there to begin with.

 

[Canadan]

I think it's fair to make the argument that he didn't specifically say that he "didn't want to be there" or "didn't like the Ryder Cup" but I'll challenge this..

Why make the water muddy? Why not say it's an incredible event, a privilege to represent the Country, and worth his time? Why not be a great steward of the game for five minutes instead of pushing the 'despite golf' narrative that he's so entrenched with?

Why not give the fans a little nugget to show he actually gives a f*** about it? What harm would that do?

 

[USAF Retired]

I actually liked the guy at one time. He seems determined to turn the 'douche' knob up to 11 and keep it there.

As a person or a golfer? As a golfer he has talent but as person he comes across as a real dick.

I agree more. Poor guy has to play along as a USA team member for a week

 

[blugold]

When I said others don't share the same patriotic views, I was referring to the general public, like this thread.

Sure. I wholeheartedly disagree with anybody who believes a golfer not loving playing in the Ryder Cup means that golfer isn't patriotic. I'm not sure anybody has that belief, but I disagree with it.

 

[blugold]

But if you're not really committed to it, then why go? Let someone else have that chance and who will actually appreciate it more. You're probably not gonna play great if you don't really want to be there to begin with.

Sure, maybe. I can't answer why Brooks still plays in it. But I doubt he's the only golfer who really dislikes the Ryder Cup environment, but he is the only one who had the cajones to say it. Which I appreciate.

The canned fake answers are boring and I appreciate Brooks saying what he feels.

 

[JB]

Sure, maybe. I can't answer why Brooks still plays in it. But I doubt he's the only golfer who really dislikes the Ryder Cup environment, but he is the only one who had the cajones to say it. Which I appreciate.

The canned fake answers are boring and I appreciate Brooks saying what he feels.

So wait. Brooks' answers are real because they go against the grain, but others are fake because they enjoy the environment or don't speak against it? I mean sure, you can reach there, or maybe others just appreciate the event more and enjoy the camaraderie.