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McIlroy is not yet media savvy in my opinion. Between his comments on Woods and his 'exhibition' comment, its clearly an area that he needs some guidance on.

As for Woods, it will be interesting to see if something other than the green can motivate him. Personally I think he'll struggle at the foursomes and do well in the fourballs.

And his skipper Colin Montgomerie can't have helped when he said he'd pick Jim Furyk or Steve Stricker if he could have any of the Americans on his team. In other words, not Woods.
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Actually not "In other words; not Woods." It is in fact not Woods, not Mickelson, not Johnson, not Mahan etc etc. By saying "in other words" you are in fact (in other words) admitting Monty didn't say that but you have decided to put words into his mouth!

If Monty was asked the question who would he pick is he not allowed to just answer honestly or does he have to give the bog standard answer of Woods for fear of anything else being recognised as a "snub"?

Woods is an awesome player, but is bang out of form. It stands to reason if you could pick just one player from the US team right now it would not be him!

Can we no longer have sporting discussion without tabloidesque sensationalism?

Great comment from NelsonRFC82!

Yawn - another blog about Woods. The ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ obsession with the man continues...what point is being made in this piece? That Woods could win some games? That he has a mixed, but not terrible, record in the RC? Its been done and said to death - please let it go.

#2 - SPOT ON ! "...tabloidesque sensationalism" - What a phrase !!!

It is typical ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ that any discussion about American golf simply CANNOT happen without mentioning Tiger. I really hope the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ golf section will not self-destruct WHEN Tiger retires from golf.

I remember that it was 2004 (I think) when a US golf journalist wanted to be able to choose a certain Fijian to be on the US team because that Fijian happened to be World No.1.

So, if Monty has just 1 brain cell, he would pick Furyk as he's coming off a massive win and confidence from winning the Tour Championship & Fedex Cup.

What is wrong with you people? You click on an article about tiger woods and then complain when the article is about tiger woods??? Ridiculous. And for those of you complaining about the coverage of tiger woods; if you can't see why this man, his recent form, what he has to say and what other people have to say about him is big news and worthy of comment then you have no right being on a golf-related page.

Also to NelsonRFC82, you seem to be missing the point. What the article is clearly alluding to when it mentions the section about "in other words: not woods" is that given that he is considered by many to be the greatest player of all time and the current world number 1, Monty not selecting him as a player he would choose to be on his team is a rather bold statement. It also suggests that Monty believes Corey Pavin was possibly wrong to select Woods as a wild card (I say "suggests" because I know its a very different question and I couldn't be bothered with you lot going crazy again).

All in all it was an interesting, if not a little unoriginal, article. To all of you who came onto an article about Woods and then complained about it: Tiger Woods will always be big news, get over it.

I totally concur with Mc200010. The attention on Woods is merited. Not only has he dominated the games for so many years, his personal life has created a media opportunity that many including the public cannot let pass. The focus on golf is akin to that showed to David Beckam. You have a choice to either flow with it or stand back till the tide passes.

Monty's omission of Wood as a player he would potentially pick is telling. He either feels the number 1 ranking is not reflecting of the players form and more importantly that Woods at his current form should not have been given a wildcard. Try picking a world football team and leaving out Messi.

I think Woods will struggle at this Ryder Cup.

He has proven, absolutely brilliantly at times, that he is an individual and not a team player. He has said in the past that he could "think of a million reasons" why he'd rather win a WGC rather than the Ryder Cup and he has rarely, if ever, shown this more approachable Tiger Woods that we were promised after THAT cringeworthy interview.

A Leopard doesn't change it's spots.... And a Tiger Woods doesn't change his stripes. He plays for himself, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Golf is an individual game. But to possibly help "win this for the fans" might go somewhere to repairing the Woods brand so expect to be trying this year, for his own reasons or otherwise.

Woods is undeniably out of form, if this was tennis his world ranking would much more realistically reflect his current form. At the present moment Woods is not in the top forty, let alone the world number one.

This doesn't mean he won't return to form quickly but too expect him to be anywhere near the top of his game this week is unlikely. As the format of only eighteen holes can turn up surprising results as well as predictable ones, I would Suggest Woods will probably have an OK Ryder Cup. I would have probably said the same as Monty, Furyk is on much better form than Tiger, wouldn't it have been an even bigger slight to Furyk if Monty had said he would have chosen a desperately out of form Woods rather than him?

As for Mcilroy's comments, so what? If the media make everything about Tiger Woods, don't be surprised if a gifted and confident young man would like to play him, should Rory have said " I don't want to play Tiger because I'm scared" a top player should always want to prove himself against the best, even if the best aren't the best at the moment.

Corey Pavin claims that the crowd at Celtic Manor will respect the USA team this week. Having been at the practice day yesterday, I doubt that will always be the case since most of the USA team rarely engaged with the crowd let alone sign autographs for young fans. The exception was Ricky Fowler who, at such a young age, realised how important it is to get he fans on side. The European team by comparison probably delayed many media engagements due to the amount of time they spent with the fans. I know that there is a lot at stake this week, but the fans contribute a great deal to a golfers popularity regardless of origin and the USA team should respect the crowd if they want respect in return.

Rob, I take your point if thats how you took Monty's comments and we can agree to disagree as to whether it was direct comment on Woods.

Monty did say many times in the build-up that he expected Woods to get a wild card and hoped he did as it is a better tournament with him (I'm paraphrasing). So I think he has been very respectful to him.

To be perfectly honest, I know Pavin picked Woods as a wildcard, but do you think if right now he was asked to pick only one of his 12 for a do or die match it would be Woods?

Tiger plays for himself and is not a team player, never has been and never will. Pavin would have had a lot of explaining to do if he had left Woods out of the team but I think it would have been worth the risk. Recent form suggests Tiger can't play unless he has an army of coaches round him and that is just not possible in the Ryder Cup.

If McIlroy fancies his chances against Woods it will be very interesting to see if he gets a crack at playing against him. As they say nothing ventured, nothing gained and Woods has been so poor lately this pairing could reap a reward for Europe. However, you have to throw Monty into the mix and as we all know working out where he is coming from is impossible.

I only hope the media attention Woods is receiving does not detract from the competition. After all the Ryder Cup is about teams not an individual.

Woods' attitude is there for all to see in the interviews he has given and his arrogance is breathtaking. If others had done what he did and dragged the game down they would be hanging their heads in shame. He seems to think it's OK. The absence of a wife or partner may have a detrimental effect as most of the other guy's will have their nearest and dearest for support.

Woods aside I hope Europe give the USA a run for their money and win despite the media circus.

Watched some of the interviews yesterday and was embarrassed by the questions from the Brit press pack. What is the obsession with matters away from the golf course - eg. how are the wives treating you?
Golf fans want to hear about GOLF. So-called golf journos should ask about GOLF. Leave tittle-tattle to the tabloid junk press.

#1 - "McIlroy is not yet media savvy in my opinion." Well thank God for that! I think that he gave an honest and respectful answer. If you read below the headline comment and take in his other comments about Woods it is fairly clear that the reason he wants to play him is because of his stature in the game and the respect that he holds for him, not because he isn't on form.

#4 - I hardly think its fair to suggest that there is a ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ bias towards coverage of Woods. I have the Times and the Guardian in front of me and they are running with very similar stories. Face it, whether we like it or not (and I don't like it that much) the guy is headline material. He is potentially the best golfer who ever lived. Those guys attract coverage and the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ are providing that coverage. There are/have been enough other RC stories on the website to ensure balance. I do agree with #2 however, that Monty was hardly snubbing Woods. He picked the two Americans who are in the best form when asked a straight question. I for one would agree with him.

Rob - great to hear about the rain. Forecast certainly isn't great and whilst this won't help either team perform better, you'd expect the Europeans to be more comfortable with the conditions. ANy news yet on whether Monty's comments about not preparing the course to Europe's advantage was a bluff. Or double bluff. Or triple......? You get the picture.

Interestingly, the rain should play a part. I would have liked to see Monty instructing the ground staff to ignore the rough for the rest of the week, but with the rain coming down I wonder if that could just make the course slightly too capricious and think that this could work against us. Ultimately, if you believe that you have the better team - and I do - then you arguably want a course that is as fair as possible. Keep the margins for error high and leave it to the skill of your players?

I would also hope we don't sink to Azingers level and make the course too advantageous to Europe. In the last match the course hardly penalised wayward tee shots, which played into the hands of the long but inaccurate US team.

We all know that Celtic Manor was chosen as a venue because it will p**s down throughout the competition, and not because Cardiff is steeped in the history and traditions of golf. However it will be a fascinating battle in the water.

(I would be going to watch but for my tendency to pick up a chill if I stay out in the rain for too long).

Tiger Woods will not like the rain much, but McIlroy is used to it. HIS mother probably let him go out and play in it, because being from N Ireland there was no alternative. I would expect McIlroy to do very well in a head to head with Woods.

The Americans are not quite as used to playing in such conditions. My only worry is that Jimenez won't play well in the rain because in Spain they play mainly off the plain.

I wish we didn;t say things like McIlroy isn't media savvy and Monty didn't say Woods to snub him etc... because it means we don't hear what these people actually think. There is a very good reason (not the stereotype of stupidity) why footballers answer with "we just gave 110% out there and the boys really got behind me" etc... all these cliches are to cover up what they really think. And I don't blame them - when if you say what you really think you get slated in the media.

Monty said "what he was thinking"!!! Good lord, let's shoot him down now. In many other countries sportsman are allowed to do this and it's a very healthy thing in my opinion.

Even though I am European, personally I hope Tiger Woods does well.

I think the biggest obstacle for all the players will be the weather.
This should give our guys the advantage, but the USA are tough cookies and very determined. I see also they are gathering around to protect and help Tiger, good team spirit and all that.

NelsonRFC82 - MC200010 has summed up it. The fact he didn't choose the world number one and a man hailed as possibly the greatest player ever is a direct comment on Woods.

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oh for goodness sake. In YOUR OPINION. Do reporters just ask these questions to make it easier for them to write something about Tiger Woods? Maybe Montgomerie genuinely would like Stricker or Furyk on his team for this year's ryder cup? "Ridiculous to say that - he HAS to be talking about Woods"

This is quite remedial stuff, classic ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ blog.

NelsonRFC82 - great comment

Well maybe remedial was harsh, but I was talking more specifically about the engineering that goes on these days in trying to work in a Tiger Woods angle in everything everyone says. I guess today, I saw this blog as the face of the last 12 months press coverage

This is the ryder cup! Doesn't need all this "sly dig" stuff to make it interesting

I was there yesterday and it was interesting to see Woods hit his second shot to the 2nd hole before his team mates got there and just stalk off down the fairway before the others played their shots. Not the mark of a team player. The contrast with the European team who were obviously very happy with each other and just looked like a bunch of guys playing golf for a beer.

Europe to win by 6 points, (or should that be pints).

These comments about the weather and who it will favour are laughable since more than 3/4 of the european team are full time members or play a large proportion of their golf on the US PGA. Apparently rain or bad weather won't affect them because they are "european". Ha! Ha!. Jim Fuyk has just won his biggest payday in the pouring rain in a field that included Luke Donald and Paul Casey.

Unlike many posting their blogs here I am unbiased, may the best team win playing the best golf.

As to the myth about TW not liking the format, the last time he played in it he maxed out 5 and 0 against world players, all but one of whom were in the top 20 at the time. If TW was european and #1 would Montgomery have left him out. Well the answer to that is the pick of Harrington, who has infinately less credentials than TW. Montgomery is playing mind games as is his right. Sometimes if you say a thing enough times you may think it is true and convince others. In this case reality may bite back.

I hope Tiger plays some great golf, because simply it's exciting to watch when he does. But of course, hoping most of all that Europe hand out a thrashing to our American chums.

Fact is, most sports analysts in the US still believe that from a spectator and ratings perspective Tiger has certainly been carrying the sport for the last decade or so. Yet, some idiotic bloggers still complain about the amount of media coverage he receives?? Not sure I understand that!

I do hope he schools a few average golfers over the w/e….

Just to support the guys talking about sensationalism - here is another bbc article on the matter:

Headline:

Rory McIlroy says world number one Tiger Woods has lost his aura and he wants to play him at this weekend's Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor.

What he actually said:

"After what's happened in the last 18 months, I suppose a little bit of that aura is probably gone," said McIlroy. A far less dramatic and dare I say interesting response to a question about a comment he said a lot earlier when Tiger had played really badly.

Normal form then goes to go to Tiger - say 'What do think about Rory saying something he didn't actually say, which prompts a reaction and the journalistic merry go round goes on.

It's all over jounalism, not just sport and the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ of late seems to be doing this more and more - at what point does jounalism move from reporting the facts to creating it though alteration and provocation?

I dont think that Rorys comments were that bad. Whats wrong with saying you would like a shot at the number 1 player in the world? Like all of a sudden Tiger is going to go "didnt really want to win but now I am going to try and play great golf"!!

Whats wrong with saying who you like on the American team? These guys are already highly motivated for this. Its the pinnacle of Golf for crying out loud. Its not going to give them any extra motivation.

I think Monty has done a great job so far. He has a hell of a team and assitants, enough Ryder Cup experinece etc.

Its just the reporters making it sound worse than it is. I would like a shot at Tiger is what every player is thinking and everyone including the American team know that?

Lets just chill out and enjoy a very good Ryder Cup!!

#31 Richard - Leeds. Exactly what I was going to say.

Opening paragraph: Rory McIlroy says world number one Tiger Woods has lost his aura and he wants to play him at this weekend's Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor.

No he doesn't!

Unless I'm hearing something different to the author of "Ryder Cup 2010: McIlroy may face Woods backlash - Pavin" (Handy there is no byline!) Rory said that he didn't mind which one of the Americans he faced...

The ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ standards have slipped greatly in recent months, and this is yet another example of tabloid/lazy journalism and to be honest, it stinks. Too much opinon, (reporters are there to REPORT the news) and so many examples of quotes taken out of context, but as the old saying goes, "Never let the truth get in the way of a good story".

A couple of weeks ago, a story was reported involving two companies that, according to the beeb, "couldn't be reached for comment". Only thing was I had spoken to people at both of those companies for a story myself, by the time the piece had appeared on this site!

Maybe it is a problem with resources, in which case why invest in the largely unpopular ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ news site, when they could have instead spent it on a decent subbing team, and journalists who actually want to go out and get a decent angle on a story? More Paul Fletchers are needed in my opinion.

I have a theory that many of these stories are pure publicity, just to stoke up interest/publicity for the Ryder Cup. Sky is a master at this approach, and the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ is obviously learning fast.

#14 - absolutely right.

the questions directed at TW yesterday in the press conference were laughable at times, asking him how the other players' wives have reacted to him? WHO CARES? Mrs Furyk or Mrs Stricker won't be teeing off - but Tiger will be. I agree that he looks menacing and it is as if the constant writing off of Woods has finally gotten to him, but I also feel that McIlroy's comments are the sign of a young man full of excitement and confidence - keep in mind Woods was a young golfer once and was not scared of taking on the best.

McIlroy was spot on when he called this biennial yawn an exhibition game.I can't think of any other sporting event that is so meaningless yet gets so many column inches.
The cringe inducing opening ceremony tomorrow followed by high fives, clenched fists and grown men whingeing over the weekend is enough to make me puke.
Thankfully I'll be out on a golf course while all this nonsense is going on!

Well, have we hit a nerve here? Seems like the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ's approach now is to focus on the 'big' stories of the day rather than actually talk about the event and the 24 players that will take part. Yes, I did click on this knowing it was about Woods and I did so to offer my criticism as I did recently when Iain Carter wrote a blog saying almost the same thing prior to the USPGA ("beware the injured Tiger blah blah blah"). The Ryder Cup is one of the great sports events in the world and it annoys me to see it turned into - as with everything else in golf - the Tiger Woods show.

Essentially, I divide golf into pre-1997 - a period full of keen European and US rivalry with a few other great players from elsewhere in the world and a sport which was inspiring and exciting and post-1997 - an introverted sport, obsessed with one man, ignorant and apathetic to other achievements and - quite frankly - boring to watch as a result. Only a fool would say that Woods is anything other than a great player, one of the best ever, but the media soap opera is just killing the game for many of us, I'm afraid. It took Jack Nicklaus - still the greatest player in history for me - to say (when insultingly questioned at the end of his last Open Championship round about Woods) "there are many great players playing this great games of ours - lets talk about all of them". I wouldn't presume to top that.

Kapnag (#22),
Perhaps "Journalism 101" would have been a kinder phrase.
(Though journalism is not noted for being particularly kind, is it, Rob?)

For me, it's the predictable and repetitive nature of these types of stories that makes me grow weary.

In response to some of the earlier comments: Yes, I clicked on this story too, but at the time it was the leading headline on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Sport, and that space was taking up space that might have been given to another article. So I don't think it unreasonable for some to express critical opinions and maybe suggest that it should have been somewhere else. (Though to be fair to the author, I expect he doesn't write the headlines.)

Anyway, to end on a more positive note, I love the story headlined
"Delhi ropes in monkeys for Commonwealth Games security."

What is this - a bash the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ site? Now that is what I call predictable, boring and 'remedial'. A blog is meant to be an opinion from the person who is there and is telling it how he sees it - not a report. If you think the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ site is so woeful don't click on it!! Let's have some golf debate please.

I am enjoying the blogs and the tweets, so Rob keep up the good work - you are conveyong the atmosphere well - bring it on!

Which of the Americans would Monty have on his team ?

Shame they didn't persue this line of questioning with Monty a little further, they could have followed up with "So which two of your team would you leave out to make way for Furyk and Stricker: Harrington and who ?"

Or even ask Pavin the same question of which Europeans he might pick for his team ? I suspect the answer would have been one of three :

1. "None of them, I already have the best players"

2. "Can I have Casey and Rose ?"

or more likely since Pavin is more gentleman than Monty will ever be,

3. "I'd rather not comment on the other team's players"

Apologies for joining this conversations late, Tiger Woods, like him or loathe him is the best that's ever played your sport. Am not crazy about golf, but pays attention when Tiger is involved there is that almost neurotic unwavering singleminded focus of him hence the brilliant term 'tiger on the hunt' and also my teenage son who is proving to be quiet good at golf, (I blame his mother) which costs me money by the way, idolises him but doesn't think he is a god. I see a lot of similarities between the attitudes towards Tiger Woods and actually, Lewis Hamilton. People seems to accept their special talents but seems to be finding it difficult to reconcile that fact with the men, perhaps there's more to it... the fact is both have revolutionised their sports...remember the William sisters when they first appeared on the scene. Martina Navatrilova stated the obvious at that time saying that tennis would never be the same again..because the sisters would simply make the others improve if they want to continue making a living from tennis or else they wouldn't be able to live with them. Woods has done exactly the same for Golf..and so has Hamilton even though I still think pound for pound Alonzo is the best driver out there..if you can tolerate the occassional tantrums from him