12/22/24
April 09, 2006
Mickelson makes it look easy at the Masters : Phil let everyone else play themselves out of contention while he played solid golf.
That being said, Tiger looks positively pleased in the photos of him presenting Phil his jacket. Phil played great and continues to be one of the most likable golfers playing today.
posted by Joey Michaels at 09:46 PM on April 09, 2006
My guesses didn't turn out too badly. 1st, T-3rd, T-14th, T-19th, T-32nd. Getting 5 guys to make the cut is usually a good result in the pool. With back-to-back majors, and three straight years with a major, I guess the talk about Phil being a choker should just about be done with.
posted by grum@work at 10:29 PM on April 09, 2006
The FPP is a perfect description of how it played out. How about Mediate scoring a TEN! on that one hole, and I thought I saw a couple others dunk balls into the water. Tiger just couldn't make up ground on the Par 5's, but at least he was in contention on the last day. I was pulling for Couples, him being a Seattle boy and all.
posted by vito90 at 10:35 PM on April 09, 2006
I was pulling for Couples too, but all hat's off to Phil and his mastery of The Masters. I wish I could look that relaxed out on the course, but that requires being drunk. Congrat's to Phil!
posted by sublime4390116 at 11:11 PM on April 09, 2006
if we can't talk about phil being a choker --- how bout we talk about his man-boobs?
posted by whodat at 11:35 PM on April 09, 2006
Whatever floats your boat, whodat. Well spoken, grum.
posted by mjkredliner at 01:26 AM on April 10, 2006
Joey - he may seem likeable to you (and many others), but apparently he isn't liked by many who know more than the TV image. [That link previously discussed here]. I'd rank among those who don't like him much, but I won't hesitate to give him his dues - he played very well last night - mastefully in fact. He kept his head while everyone around him was losing theirs (Tiger particularly didn't impress me - he was like a cat on a hot-tin roof throughout the final round and his swing just got quicker and quicker). I was pulling for Couples (once it became clear that Clarke had convinced himself he wasn't going to hole a putt) and despeartely hoping that if he didn't win that he at least didn't suffer some awful Doug Sanders moment. In the end, it wasn't quite that awful at any particular moment (even at 14), but the cumulative effect would have had me tearing my hair out. All in all, three and three-quarter days of excitement sort of fizzled out in the last few holes.
posted by JJ at 03:11 AM on April 10, 2006
I get the impression that Lefty's good-guy rep is an act, but it's hard to judge on the word of other golfers. They kvetch better than anyone else in pro sports. Do any of the top golfers like each other? Both Singh and Mickelson have their detractors, and golfers speak of Woods with respect rather than admiration.
posted by rcade at 06:32 AM on April 10, 2006
Peter Allis on BBC last night said of Mickelson's stupid, lunatic grin that he gets when he realises he's going to win: "He looks like he's got a secret when he smiles like that." He has - his whole public persona is fake. Singh's a cheat, Mickelson's a fake and Woods is far too single-minded to have friends at work. What's to like about any of them? I was going to claim that lots of other sports were similar and use the example of tennis, but then I remembered that Federer seems to be able to beat everyone every week and still have them all like and admire him. What a git. They kvetch better than anyone else in pro sports. Definitely not true - the caddies are way better kvetchers that the players.
posted by JJ at 06:42 AM on April 10, 2006
Singh's a cheat, Mickelson's a fake and Woods is far too single-minded to have friends at work. Yeah. And I don't think any of them care one damn bit. Maybe it's that attitude that makes them win so much. What's with some of these other frauds on tour? Do they care so much about wanting to be "liked" and "popular" with the other tour players that they've forgot one thing: They're there to WIN. Jealousy is a big reason these other guys spout off on Mickelson, because he's rolling in all the cash he's taking from them every event he enters. I get so sick of hearing "Phil's such a great guy" or "Phil's such an asshole." I doubt anyone posting on this site hangs with the guy, so just accept him for what he is: A dominant golfer. When you get right down to it, practically 98 percent of the golfers on tour are nothing but pretenders out there to round out tournament fields. Their only hope of winning, most times, is in events the big guys, like Mickelson, Woods, and Vijay, don't enter. Of course Mickelson knows he's good. His last two weeks are better than most PGA players' careers as a whole.
posted by dyams at 08:00 AM on April 10, 2006
Mickelson may not be the most liked player on tour, judging by some of the statements elicited from Spo-Fi readers recently, nor is he the most beloved by his peers on the tour. He is a superstar in his sport, approachable by fans seeking autographs, gives an honest and intelligent interview, and by all accounts, is a good and decent father. If you had a microphone thrust in your face every time you turned around on the biggest stage in golf, you too might develop a "public persona", lest the press and/or public choose to crucify you for a slip of the tongue (see: Zoeller,Fuzzy) At least, he (and most golfers) has the decency to refrain from the out and out trash talk that is becoming prevelant in other sports. I, for one, thought way to much was made of it a couple of years ago when he claimed "Tiger is just pissed because i can blow it 30 yards past him now" and said Tigers equipment "was inferior". I thought it was obviously spoken tongue in cheek. Congrats, Phil. Well deserved.
posted by mjkredliner at 08:13 AM on April 10, 2006
I've seen and heard stories about Phil's supposed fake personality and about how other pros can't stand him. So, my favoirte golfers death a few years ago (Payne), being left-handed, and liking his on-screen attitude, I've been watching Phil closely. I haven't seen anything the seems bogus. I mean, these guys are "entertainers" of some sort, so, I'm sure there's a bit of PR acting going on with almost everyone. But, watch Freddy's reaction on the 18th green, along with Phil's gracious comments ... I mean Couples' and Couples' caddy's reactions to Phil winning seemed really genuine and positive.
posted by littleLebowski at 08:17 AM on April 10, 2006
I think people disliking Phil has less to do with jealousy than to do with people in general not being fond of others who claim to be one thing but behave in a way that undermines the claim. Like Fuzzy claiming it was a "slip of the tongue" and that he's not a racist. Sure thing, Fuzz. As for whether or not either Woods, Singh or Mickelson care what anyone else thinks - what's that got to do with anything? An asshole who doesn't care is still an asshole. Take me, for example...
posted by JJ at 08:51 AM on April 10, 2006
"who claim to be one thing but behave in a way that undermines the claim" What's your support for that claim being anywhere near fact?
posted by littleLebowski at 08:57 AM on April 10, 2006
JJ's a former pro golfer who almost made the European Tour and has played professionally elsewhere, Lebowski.
posted by rcade at 09:22 AM on April 10, 2006
Ah, Phil can't win. With zero majors two years ago he was a soft, silver-spoon loser who couldn't cut it when it counted. Now, with three majors, he's an asshole phony who everybody hates (tangentally supported). That's some serious playa-hating folks. I knows it when I sees it. Far as I'm concerned, we can legitmately pile on Phil for the man boobs thing and that's pretty much it now. The rest is a little bit much. C'mon, do you really care if some of the guys on tour don't like him? What's that got to do with anything? He played the best golf on Sunday. Hands down. He even appeared to be in his element doing so. Of course, I too was rooting for Freddy. Now I find myself defending Phil.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 09:38 AM on April 10, 2006
Aw man, that Fuzzy deal was blown way out of proportion, as anyone and everyone who really know him claim it was. Fuz had a cocktail in hand as he said it, and I would like to think that if he had made the statement to Tigers face in that day's practice round, Tiger would have laughed as well. THIS is a good article about that misunderstanding and about Fuzzy, a good guy in my book.
posted by mjkredliner at 09:44 AM on April 10, 2006
JJ's a former pro golfer who almost made the European Tour and has played professionally elsewhere, that's helpful, rcade - really, thanks ... and kudos to JJ I wasn't trying to be snotty - My point is that his sentence, by itself, doesn't provide any insight. It's roughly equivalent to me being in the 401(k) business and simply putting out there "those folks at Fidelity - they're all corrupt" and leaving it at that. More importantly, I genuinely would like to know factual info/examples - and since being enlightened about JJ's experience, I'm hoping he has first-hand experiences. I am all for (and have commented elsewhere here), that if I am putting my support behind someone but I don't know the whole story behind them, and that might influence me - I am fine being "set straight".
posted by littleLebowski at 09:49 AM on April 10, 2006
Yeah, but I've never met Mickelson (and "almost made the European Tour" might be a bit of a stretch - I missed the cut in the prequalifying for tour school - I almost made it as much as anyone else who had £800 and a low handicap could have almost made it), so I guess I'm just shooting my mouth off. I know a few people who have met him (and therefore have some insight and don't like him) - but that's just me talking. I don't think Mickelson's image is a true reflection of what's going on underneath, and for that (which I perceive as being fakery designed to win endorsement and popularity with the crowd) I 'm not his biggest fan. But it's just an opinion, not a fact. Maybe he really is that simple. I'm guilty of everything Weedy says too - I often accused him of being a choker (but to be fair, he was) and said he wouldn't win (I was wrong). He played well yesterday - he was very in charge - and he deserved to win. But I still don't like him.
posted by JJ at 09:50 AM on April 10, 2006
Lebowski - on review - I have no first hand Mickelson stories (other than a Walker Cup moment at Portmarnock that doesn't illuminate anything other than his huge golfing talent). I've heard stories and rumours that surprised me, but even saying as much would have me thrown out of any court in the world if I wasn't able or willing to prove anything (which I'm not). You were quite right to call bullshit on my comment, which I should have flagged up as being no more than my opinion.
posted by JJ at 09:56 AM on April 10, 2006
JJ; You dirty rotten so-and-so, how can you POSSIBLY not like the current front-runner in any paticular sport? It is absolutely impossible to respect what a player does on the field of play and not be completely enamored with him. Why, it is just un-American and deserves a terrible punishment, perhaps something awful, like kidney pie, or a Cornish pasty. Wait, I have it, a warm pint of that swill they pass off as beer at any sports arena here in the US.
posted by elovrich at 10:00 AM on April 10, 2006
That's all cool, JJ. Your opinion ... my opinion ... fine by me. I've just gotten sick of articles with "according to one unnamed player on tour, Phil did this-and-that". It's all sure starting to sound petty - not much of this chirping while people could fall back on him being a "choker". Now, over the last couple years, ... I just really like Freddy, too - and seeing how they interacted, that told me a lot. So, I'll stick with being OK with him until something definitive sways me. On preview, elov, I couldn't care less whether you, JJ, your dog likes Phil or anyone else. I just wondered if JJ had definite info that might be useful. Maybe lay off the Quaker Oats & Sarcasm once in awhile ... or at least add some comedy.
posted by littleLebowski at 10:11 AM on April 10, 2006
Fuz had a cocktail in hand as he said it posted by mjkredliner Fuzzy had just finished his round and was standing behind the 18th green when he said it. He didn't have a cocktail, or anything else to drink. You should read your own internal post.
posted by drevl at 10:18 AM on April 10, 2006
mjkredliner - maybe his comments were blown out of proportion, maybe they weren't, but either way they were racist regardless of his intentions or what other people think of his personality. You say he had a cocktail in his hand as though being half cut makes humour of that kind acceptable. For one thing, it doesn't, but for another, in the article you link to, "Zoeller says he had completed his round only minutes before the interview, and therefore had not downed several drinks, as has been reported." To go back to what you mentioned in your previous post about Mickelson's comments regarding Woods's equipment - I never saw what all the fuss was about there either, especially given that everything Phil said was true. What really added to my belief that Phil is a fake was the fact that he then switched to inferior equipment himself just before the Ryder Cup. elovrich - don't listen to lebowski - that was funny.
posted by JJ at 10:20 AM on April 10, 2006
PS - my belief that Callaway is inferior to Titleist has nothing to do with the fact that the latter used to give me lots of free stuff. Much.
posted by JJ at 10:33 AM on April 10, 2006
PS - my belief that Callaway is inferior to Titleist has nothing to do with the fact that the latter used to give me lots of free stuff. Much. now that's good comedy
posted by littleLebowski at 10:48 AM on April 10, 2006
Uh, the video link supplied by JJ confirms he did. I believe he said he did not have "several" drinks. Regardless, it was not an alcohol induced statement, according to Fuzzy. In poor taste, yes, but labeling Fuzzy a "racist" is contrary to what a good many people, who know him intimately, believe him to be.
posted by mjkredliner at 11:06 AM on April 10, 2006
Tiger served Tacos at this year's dinner. I wonder what Phil will serve next year. Perhaps, oversized breasts of choker, I mean chucker.
posted by Bill Lumbergh at 11:26 AM on April 10, 2006
They must have bought Mickelson's jacket at Rochesters Big and Fat!
posted by livedawhile at 11:37 AM on April 10, 2006
Thanks JJ... perhaps Lebowski doesn't realize that you are in fact frmo the UK, or he may not know just how horrid kidney pie can be. I am glad that the complete ridiculousness of my post, and its being completely out of my normal chareacter, were not wasted on everyone...
posted by elovrich at 11:59 AM on April 10, 2006
As for whether or not either Woods, Singh or Mickelson care what anyone else thinks - what's that got to do with anything? An asshole who doesn't care is still an asshole. What it all boils down to is they want to win, period. The things others say about them is probably not even something they consider. An asshole who doesn't care IS still an asshole, but the three mentioned above only care about winning, which is something they do on an almost-regular basis. And I'm not a Phil Mickelson fan. I can only sit here and admit the obvious: He's playing great golf. A few years back I think he earned a bit of the "choker" label, seeing as how he just couldn't close the big ones. It seemed he would always miss a few too many short putts that would end up costing him wins. Now that he's won three majors, and seeing how consistently well he played yesterday, that label should be considered erased.
posted by dyams at 12:12 PM on April 10, 2006
I just love reading you guys! I get a laugh every time I click on Sports Filter. AND, I've learned a lot about sports I never knew much about. Thanks guys!
posted by steelergirl at 12:42 PM on April 10, 2006
For what little it's worth, I was never a Phil fan, definitely fall into the category of those who called him a choker, and (still) think his smirk is almost as smarmy as that of George W Bush. HOWEVER, I started coming around to him last week when the cameras were still rolling and the mic was on as he walked off the 18th asking for his wife, embracing his children, and seeming, for a moment, like any other great dad out there who just happens to play golf for a living. And that's a heck of a lot more important to me than anything else - especially since a) I don't hang out the guy very often (read: never); and b) whether or not he's an asshole has little impact on how little I enjoy watching him play. PS- Fuzzy is an f'in racist, drink(s) or no drink(s).
posted by MW12 at 12:47 PM on April 10, 2006
I'm curious whether JJ or anybody else has any thoughts on the fact that Mickelson carried two drivers. Is this common? And on edit: I love (reading) you guys, too.
posted by Amateur at 12:47 PM on April 10, 2006
I might start carrying two drivers too - one for fades and one for hooks - then, when I hit it out of bounds, I can claim I got the wrong one. It's certainly not common, but it's not entirely unprecedented. Apparently Max Faulkner (who won the Open Championship in 1951 at Royal Portrush) did it the odd time. It sounds like Phil found a driver he really liked and was brilliant for hitting a strong draw, but he just couldn't coax a cut shot out of it so he got another driver set up to fade the ball and decided to carry them both. I think Monty's comments just about sum the situation up. When asked what he thought about someone carrying two drivers he said "He just shot 28 under, what does it matter what I think? I suspect he may start a trend!" I just tried to Google to check that quote - I went with "BBC Colin Montgomery two drivers Phil Mickelson" and I'm in the bloody results again! I suppose the fact that I spelt Montgomerie wrong might have had something to do with that.
posted by JJ at 03:47 PM on April 10, 2006
That Fuzzy comment was brutal, in so many ways. Some article lamenting the shite it caused him, coloring him the funny guy, doesnt escuse it. The Black club staffers laughed...of course they did, its a country club, and they cater to their guests. Remember, this is a game, a course, which has excluded Blacks. The dude is surrounded by hundreds of white folk...of course someone would eventually slip, and take all the heat. It just happened to be Fuzzy. Maybe he didn't deserve all the heat, as he probably wasnt the only one thinking it, and as discrimination and golf went (go?) hand in hand, but he said it. It was brutal. And oh yea... i know alcoholics. He was one the article suggests. After a stressful time, when they can't drink. Shots can down in a hurry. The minutes don't matter. I've seen guys get a buzz on in minutes. But I ask myself, what does if he drank have anything to do with it? It was brutal. It started brutal, and then he added more. Then again, he added even more. BRUTAL.
posted by Pabo at 06:12 PM on April 10, 2006
Man..... I had only read the comments. I just watched the video clip (thanks) and its worse than I thought. The chastising, angry tone. The immaturity and arrogance, patting the reporter on the back, yet leaving before the interview was finished. Running away because he knew he was about to say something even worse. Pathetic.
posted by Pabo at 06:20 PM on April 10, 2006
Tiger served fajitas.
posted by dbt302 at 09:14 PM on April 10, 2006
And Fuzzy ate them all up like a good "little boy".
posted by JJ at 02:36 AM on April 11, 2006
I wondered if I heard this right on Sunday, but it would appear that I did. Seems like Fuzzy's not the only one with latent, casual prejudices that pop out after final rounds at Augusta.
posted by JJ at 10:14 AM on April 11, 2006
Seems like Fuzzy's not the only one with latent, casual prejudices that pop out after final rounds at Augusta. I confess that I didn't even realize that spaz was derived from a disability and would be an insult to someone with one. Perhaps Tiger didn't either.
posted by bperk at 10:27 AM on April 11, 2006
Short for "spastic", isn't it? To be fair to Tiger, I suspect his is more an example of using a word without knowing what it means - rather than Fuzzy's, which was something altogether different.
posted by JJ at 10:39 AM on April 11, 2006
Short for "spastic", isn't it? Yea JJ thats pretty much it. A condition I deal with every day as a T-5 paraplegic. This to me is just a language difference thing. Some words have a more/less harsh meaning depending on where you live. I'm not personally offended and have used the same term many times both before and after my accident.
posted by Folkways at 11:01 AM on April 11, 2006
I know the word is short for "spastic", but I wonder if he was referring to "Spaz", the bumbling character from this movie. That is the first thing I think of when I hear the word, and can definitely claim ignorance about the association with Cerebral Palsy or paralyzed people.
posted by grum@work at 11:11 AM on April 11, 2006
I reckon that's about as likely as the notion that Ron Atkinson was talking about the dog from The Dam Busters when he referred to Marcel Desailly as a "fucking lazy thick nigger". That said, maybe it's an offensive term in Britain moreso than it is in the US - like "handicapped" - from what I can gather that's OK in the US but frowned upon in the UK.
posted by JJ at 11:59 AM on April 11, 2006
That said, maybe it's an offensive term in Britain moreso than it is in the US That was my immediate thought while reading the article, too, JJ. To me, the article even hinted at a between-the-lines "doesn't he know what it means?!" I've historically not been a Tiger fan, but am warming up and regardless, feel comfortable assuming he meant nothing malicious by it - only along the lines of "hyper inconsistent". elovrich - sorry I missed your humor - really. And, the reason I only referenced "Quaker Oats & Sarcasm" versus a stronger reply was that I've read and respected previous comments of yours ... so exactly what you said - it seemed out of character. I'm all about the love today, apparently.
posted by littleLebowski at 12:45 PM on April 11, 2006
Congrats to Phil for a job well done. He looked very relaxed. If Tiger makes his putts on the back nine; this column would be about the greatest back nine in the Masters history. Just about every shot Tiger hit on the back nine was right on the money.