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The Ryder Cup, do the Euros have more passion?

Faiz said:
Perhaps supporting a team is different in the states vs Europe. If your team doesn't do well in Europe you remain a supporter until that team no longer exists. You never give up and you push to fight.
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Clearly you dont know what its like as a fan in the US of sports. People live and die with their sports teams.
Golf is just not one of them at the top. Its not a top 4 sport here and not a team sport here.

This is a sport other countries can beat the US at. I respect that and I think its great. There are many sports it cant happen (the same goes in reverse, just not the main US sports).


We must be reading different threads however, I didnt see a single person "already give up". However the truth is, most wont be watching. They will be watching the NFL and MLB over this event.
 
Maddog701 said:
One reason they " love beating the Yanks" is they are still mad at up an upstart country 200 some odd years ago kicking there a$$, thus starting the decline of the British Empire, then when they got in a little scrape in the 1940's they had to ask us to help them out of a spot of trouble. So in retrospect I understand why they are so passionate about, "love beating the yanks "

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The reason why the European players love beating the US, is because some people believe this is why they love beating the US.
 
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passion is contagious. when our guys show the passion their guys show, our fans will show the passion their fans show.


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I think it's because they are usually the underdogs. The Europeans really perform well in that environment and the Americans are just a little to arrogant. I'll be watching and rooting for the US, no matter what!! I think our focus is actually changing with the players getting a chance to voice their opinions. I 'm sure they don't like to lose and listen to the media for two years.
 
Maddog701 said:
One reason they " love beating the Yanks" is they are still mad at up an upstart country 200 some odd years ago kicking there a$$, thus starting the decline of the British Empire, then when they got in a little scrape in the 1940's they had to ask us to help them out of a spot of trouble. So in retrospect I understand why they are so passionate about, "love beating the yanks "

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Yeah, that's exactly it mate. That's all we think about PMSL!!!!


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I think the last couple RC teams it's true that the Euros showed more passion and took winning it more seriously than the US. To me, there's a few guys that have been making the team that for whatever reason don't seem to get up for the RC like they do a major. And that's the current problem, too many of the recent US guys seem to wake up for majors while the RC seems more of an obligation for them and a chance to play ping pong all weekend.

But in 2008 (which is 8 years ago but still), the US team definitely was amped up and I think it helped them win it.

Hopefully the injection of newer and younger players changes this mindset and they match the Euros in that regard.
 
Maddog701 said:
One reason they " love beating the Yanks" is they are still mad at up an upstart country 200 some odd years ago kicking there a$$, thus starting the decline of the British Empire, then when they got in a little scrape in the 1940's they had to ask us to help them out of a spot of trouble. So in retrospect I understand why they are so passionate about, "love beating the yanks "

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wow, ouch!
 
desensitization to the constant failures maybe....?


i kid, i kid. kind of :act-up:
 
I think the Euro tour regulars have always been considered to be "second tier" players because they don't compete on the PGA tour and that fuels their fire.

They have always had a better "team" approach which is the reason they usually dominate the team events and the US used to dominate singles.
 
I am not sure its about passion. For whatever reason, it just seems to me that the US always plays tight in this event. Im not sure if it is because they always feel like they are the favorite and "should" win or if its because of their less than stellar history in the event or what. Was watching a replay of the one at Valhalla when the US won and it just seemed like that team played looser and had more fun and thus won. Totally unrelated, but man it was fun to watch Anthony Kim smoke Sergio in singles. Sad what happened to his career.

As for the fans, I guess I hadn't noticed that aspect of it. Seems to me like we support the US a lot. No question we have been frustrated at the results recently, but I don't see many giving up on them. At least of the diehard golf watchers.
 
arydolphin said:
Partly because it's a golf tournament that is played in the middle of the NFL season. It's just not that important over here.

It's a bigger deal for the Euros because they always have a chip on their shoulders because the European Tour is always fighting for respect against the PGA Tour.
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I agree with this, however for me personally next to the Master's (maybe olympics now too) Ryder Cup is one of my top tournaments to watch - obviously from a fan perspective. Players just don't get up for it like I wish they would.
 
I think for many years, with the US players playing the RC at the end of their long season season wears them down a bit.
Whereas the Euro's having been playing their wrap around season for much longer and pace themselves better than US players.
So in a sense, it's a little burnout for the US guys which gives the impression of a lack of passion or fervor for the RC.

I also think that the US players play the President's Cup too and it seems to make these competitions seems a bit like "just another tournament".
The Euros have the RC.

All of this individually do not make a huge difference but together it adds up to be just enough for the US to keep losing the RC.
 
If you want passion, pick Tiger Woods. Every person in the United States will turn on their TV and be sweating freedom. Pair him with Patrick Read and you might as well have a historian reenactment of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on the first tee and a Boston Tea Party on the 18th green.
 
I think it is just something about other people beating the US in anything honestly.

With that said, this event gets my blood going WAYYYYYYYY more than any sort of traditional PGA Tour Event, including a major. I am nervous during this event somewhat similar to a Colts game.
 
I think this year more than ever the US squad has the passion and the drive to win. This is evident by their Ryder Cup task force they've assembled. I have always thought that our best players are more driven by major wins than by Ryder Cups, and while I still think that is partly true, it's not as much of a landslide difference anymore. In the past I would definitely say the Euro team was more driven by Ryder Cup records and success than the US counterparts. I sense that is changing a bit now, I hope that results in success on the golf course. I for one cannot freaking wait for this!!!
 
Want to talk passion? I just saw this headline pop up on Golf Digest:

[h=1]Tom Lehman studied 30 years of weather for Ryder Cup prep[/h]
Yeah, I'd say at least the captains are passionate this year.
 
I dont think the european team has more or less passion than the USA but i think in recent times team Europe has had more of a team spirit and has managed to leave the ego's at home.

For Europe this time round it will be more difficult, sure the ego's wont be there but thats down to more rookies in the team. I think we can still just edge it over the US but we will have to really play better than ever.
 
Maddog701 said:
One reason they " love beating the Yanks" is they are still mad at up an upstart country 200 some odd years ago kicking there a$$, thus starting the decline of the British Empire, then when they got in a little scrape in the 1940's they had to ask us to help them out of a spot of trouble. So in retrospect I understand why they are so passionate about, "love beating the yanks "

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Lol, funniest post ever.....
 
Jiffypop said:
I think for many years, with the US players playing the RC at the end of their long season season wears them down a bit.
Whereas the Euro's having been playing their wrap around season for much longer and pace themselves better than US players.
So in a sense, it's a little burnout for the US guys which gives the impression of a lack of passion or fervor for the RC.

I also think that the US players play the President's Cup too and it seems to make these competitions seems a bit like "just another tournament".
The Euros have the RC.

All of this individually do not make a huge difference but together it adds up to be just enough for the US to keep losing the RC.
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The European tour season just became a wrap around season a few years ago. They absorbed the events from other tours to do so.
 
Jiffypop said:
I think for many years, with the US players playing the RC at the end of their long season season wears them down a bit.
Whereas the Euro's having been playing their wrap around season for much longer and pace themselves better than US players.
So in a sense, it's a little burnout for the US guys which gives the impression of a lack of passion or fervor for the RC.

I also think that the US players play the President's Cup too and it seems to make these competitions seems a bit like "just another tournament".
The Euros have the RC.

All of this individually do not make a huge difference but together it adds up to be just enough for the US to keep losing the RC.
Click to expand...

This has been my take on the Ryder Cup failures for years now, that the President's Cup is the worst thing to ever happen to the American side in the Ryder Cup. When there is an event like this every year, it detracts from the magnitude of both. Just think if there were Olympics every year - would the preparation and the importance of being ready when it comes around be different? I think that answer is YES.
 
blakehall said:
Want to talk passion? I just saw this headline pop up on Golf Digest:

Tom Lehman studied 30 years of weather for Ryder Cup prep


Yeah, I'd say at least the captains are passionate this year.
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Having lived in Minnesota/Wisconsin for 33 years, I can't help but think the weather this year will be an advantage for the Euro team. Then average high that time of year is 65* with a low of 44*. It should be very familiar weather to the Europeans.
 
As a fan, I think you can 100% back your team, cheer them on and hope they win and still think the Euros have a better team. Realizing they might be the underdog does not make you any less supportive.

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Its a weird one, Americans in general seem to be the most patriotic people on the planet, it takes the drop of a hat to start the USA USA..... and Americans LOVE team sports and yet somehow the golfers dont really dig the ryder cup!!! Yeah right.

I'd say the fact that losing 8 of the last 10 has drained something from both the players and the fans and instead of rolling up the sleeves and facing the challenge, there is this air of excuses around and has been for years. Its easy to seem passionate when winning, when losing a whole different ball game.

The US has to win this ryder cup because if this euro (fairly weak on paper) team goes and beats america at home again, it will be a disaster, no less. I'd say US fans, pundits etc could even lose interest in the competition, citing even more excuses then you hear now. It looks to me like the average US fan is deep down really wondering why their guys cant win this competition and this is feeding into the players.
 
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