11/05/24
March 24, 2002
The heckling continues for Montgomerie.: The American golf fans are at it again. I know I'm going to catch flack for this, but this is embarrassing to golf everywhere. Montgomerie is a little gruff and pouts when playing bad, but don't all the weekend hacks out there. These fools have never seen Monty off the course. When he is in a good mood, he is the brighest and most engaging golfer of all. I'm not joking. He is open, outspoken, and likable. Golf is a gentlemans game, so take your moronic, drunken outbursts to the football stadium.
Amen rcade, amen.
posted by 86 at 10:29 PM on March 24, 2002
I've never really understood why sports like golf and tennis discourage any sort of sounds from spectators during play. In most sports, dealing with crowd noise is part of the game.
posted by gyc at 04:00 AM on March 25, 2002
Yeah, I don't get it either. Golf in and of itself is the least watchable of professional sports, requiring a ton of editing to make it seem like something is happening and its constant presence on my television can only be related to the fact that a lot of wealthy people play golf and have to play golf to travel in wealthy circles. Other than that there is no reason to watch golf every Sunday and every reason to watch NASCAR.
posted by Justin Slotman at 11:43 AM on March 25, 2002
I think it's too bad that Americans have decided they can pick on him because he doesn't like it, but I agree with this bit of rcade's comments: Perhaps Montgomerie should be intelligent enough to realize that if you go on an angry tirade to the press about boorish U.S. fans, you're going to be a magnet for boorish fans. I'm giving Monty the benefit of the doubt, though, that he deserves better treatment. My respect for him is largely based on his moving tribute to Payne Stewart published in Golf World Magazine shortly after Stewart's October 1999 death. Though I can't locate it online, it was very appreciative of Stweart's sportsmanship in the final match of that year's hotly contested Ryder Cup. Stewart took it upon himself to defend Monty from inappropriate and loutish fan behavior, and Montgomerie appreciated Stewart's gestures, which were overlooked that day. In fact, Stewart's gestures well could have distracted Stewart from playing his best. I am in the minority that would like to see Monty win on American soil so he can hear American galleries cheer him as well.
posted by msacheson at 11:24 AM on March 26, 2002
I've never really understood why sports like golf and tennis discourage any sort of sounds from spectators during play. Other than tradition, I've heard the following theory thrown around. Baseball, football, basketball players etc. etc. will make their money no matter if their team wins or loses. It use to be that a quarterback received his same salary regardless if he led his team to the basement or the superbowl. Golfers, tennis players, etc. had to win to make money. Their salary depended on their finishing position. If they didn't play well, they didn't make any money. That's far different than the previous sports mentioned. Of course, I realize all that has changed today. Football players have incentives galore, and tiger woods receives millions of dollars for just showing up at an event. But it didn't use to be that way. I don't know if this theory is true, but it's what I've heard.
posted by justgary at 10:45 PM on March 26, 2002
"tiger woods receives millions of dollars for just showing up at an event" To clarify, Tiger Woods does not receive any money for showing up at a PGA Tour event and neither does anyone else. This is done in tournaments sanctioned by other tours. It looks like, to no suprise, msacheson is the only one who supports my original thread.
posted by gov at 05:11 PM on March 27, 2002
It is profoundly embarrassing to the sport: Only in golf could a pro athlete be so delicate and pampered that two rude fan remarks are a news story -- including one he might not have heard. Perhaps Montgomerie should be intelligent enough to realize that if you go on an angry tirade to the press about boorish U.S. fans, you're going to be a magnet for boorish fans. Let the guy play outfield for the Dodgers in San Francisco for an inning. He'll be begging for more of the mild invective that qualifies as abuse in golf.