1) THE RYDER CUP – I have what I believe is a unique theory as to why America’s finest golfers have folded so dramatically in this major competition the last three times it was played. I don’t think it has anything to do with Tiger Woods’ private jet, Phil Mickelson’s goofy hair or even Sergio Garcia’s indomitable will to win (which is always oddly absent on Sundays).
I think it’s a fluke. I think it’s like that time when the National League won something like 14 out of 15 All-Star Games over the 1960’s, ‘70’s and ‘80’s. And that was a quaintly distant era when the players actually cared about winning the All Star game.
Let’s put Tiger Woods aside for a minute, because he’s different. On any given day, there’s very little difference between the 2nd and 42nd ranked golfers in the world. The odds of the 2nd ranked player defeating the 42nd ranked player in a match are roughly 50% plus a percentage point or two, and that’s assuming the course hosting the match doesn’t favor the 42nd ranked player. So in other words, the odds are that the Ryder Cup should be a dead heat every time.
So what are the odds that Europe would essentially win twice in a row, 19-9? Pretty damn long. And you could say that those long odds dictate that there has to be an explanation.
But in sports, sometimes such things happen. Again, see the National League’s strange All-Star game dominance that lasted for more than a decade.
If the Euro players were better, that fact would evidence itself in the majors. It doesn’t. The Ryder Cup results are a fluke. And I pity the next U.S. Captain who’s going to have to spend 18 months of his life chasing phantoms like Tom Lehman did.
2) BILL CLINTON WITH CHRIS WALLACE – Statesmanlike. Mature. Thoughtful. Dignified. Sort of like a Daily Kos diary sprung to life.
Seriously, I watched with my mouth agape. The thing I don’t get is why Clinton doesn’t understand that his legacy is out of his control. I know the truth bothers him. He and Bush 41 are destined to go down in history as the two presidents who served between Reagan and Bush 43. He and Bush 41 will be the ones that 23rd century school-children will have trouble remembering when they get a pop quiz demanding they list all the presidents.
But not to worry, President Clinton. The kids will develop a shorthand. They’ll remember Bush 41 as the guy with almost the same name as the famous Bush, and they’ll remember you as the one who used the Oval Office as a duck blind for hunting zaftig Valley Girls. As to how they’ll recall who was the one-term president and who was the two-term president, I have no idea.
Anyway, my point is that regarding his legacy, Clinton should try to summon at least a modicum of dignity and modesty. Alas, such qualities have never been his strong suit.
3) LOWELL SMELLS A RAT – At a Republican event last week in South Carolina at which Mitt Romney appeared, a local voter cornered Romney and belligerently expressed her concerns with the Mormon faith. One Cyndi Mosteller came to the confab
armed with a bunch of material — and questions — about the Mormon church. . . .
Mosteller, an evangelical, said she especially was concerned about the church’s attitude toward African-Americans and its stand on polygamy. . . .
Mosteller said the issues of race and marriage concern her. She fears they could become campaign issues and hurt Republican chances.
Afterward, Mosteller said the governor did not answer any of her questions. She described the meeting as “very tense.”
This entire scene struck Lowell B. of the excellent Article 6 blog as odd, so he began doing some Googling. Turns out Mosteller was a high-profile McCain adviser in the past. Whether she remains one is uncertain, but Lowell senses Senator McCain’s finger-prints all over this foul episode.
Would the highly dignified and moral Chairman of the Anti-Belly Slap Caucus really stoop to such a level? The Article 6 blog thinks so. I merely link - you decide.
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