Michelle Wie's putting at Nabisco Championship her April Fool's joke

Sparkly is good. A new bangle is always good. This tongue in cheek stuff is getting old, Chris.

Where is your comment on paula's 79 today?

hey chris, how about cremer's 79.....she sucks at majors

How old are you exactly, Chris? Six?

This is the kind of guy that would point out that Babe Ruth set the strike out record. Who's Creamer?

So, you mock and ridicule Wie for not being able to birdie the final hole of the third round...while Paula Creamer has one of her worst rounds ever as a pro. While Annika's stated goal of winning the grand slam in the same year is obviously going to end without ever getting going. Yet you single Michelle out for being a joke when she played better than both this weekend.

Look. No one is saying that Michelle Wie is better than Annika. But right now, she's sitting at number 2 on the leaderboard, and Annika and Paula are out of contention. This tournament isn't over, this season is not over, Michelle Wie's career is not over, this year is not over, yet you're pronouncing her a winless wonder. You express so much childish spitefulness in your writing that frankly I doubt there's nothing she can do that would satisfy you.

Like I said in another entry, it appears that you have lost all perspective when it comes to Michelle Wie, and it's disgusting as well as disturbing.

Let me see if I can predict Baldwin's blog title for tomorrow if Wie wins:

"Ochoa chokes as fading field hands wavering Wie an undeserved victory."

Paula Creamer's shown she can win. Paula Creamer is also not overwhelmingly overhyped.

If anything, she's underrated.

When Creamer starts getting praise far beyond her achievements, it will be time to point out an off round.

Burp!!!

Baldwin, why not just wait for Sunday's result. You can rant all you want if Wie ends up ONLY 2nd place (BTW which is going to be above Creamer,Anika).

Oh, I guess you were worried that Wie will actually win and you won't have any material to write to fill your 'quota'...

A 79 on a weekend to leave the player out of contention is horrendous no matter how you cut it. This 79 is similar to Paula's 79 at the Open so it isn't just the first time in the majors she vows out. Paula underrated? wrong!
Paula is hyped as much as anybody for winning two nonmajor tournaments. Endorsements; photo shoots, followings in Japan as well as in the US, etc. Paula could just as easily be the next Beth Bauer (former Rookie of the Year) who struggled afterwards, and is now off the tour.

I can't believe how idiotic this guy is. It is truly astounding. But, when you've got a good thing going, i.e., the only reason you can ever get anyone to read your blog is to insult someone popular, why not run with it. Obviously, no one is reading this guy for his wit and wisdom.

Baldwhine would not give Michelle props unless she took the Grand Slam.

The only thing he did of note at 16 was reach puberty (maybe).

Tell me that Baldwin is just being funny with all the time he wastes with Wie Bashing. It's a Wee bit contrived, don't you think? or is he that pathetic?

Well, Chris seems to blow his own horn quite loudly--and hyped you are with your own machine.

Michelle Wie, probably, has no idea who you are. At least she knew that Rush Limbaugh is that guy on the radio. Ouch, that must have hurt Chris.

Maybe this is a cry for help and Chris maybe just maybe wants to be invited to play golf with Wie.

This is akin to a child wanting to be included in a birthday party but no one wanted to invite him. Was Chris always the last guy to be picked for a pick up baseball team? An FBI profiler can have a heyday with this guy. Any profilers out there?

If Baldwin isn't being funny, then, it's a bit scary how his mind works.

Se-Ri Pak's LPGA rookie season was not her first year in professional golf. She had played on other tours, and therefore was more experienced in her 'rookie' year than was Creamer.

I doubt Creamer's rookie year was the best ever, or even nearly so. But no 19 year old girl in her second year of professional golf has ever been considered World No. 2.

Oh, and I still don't think Michelle Wie is the second best woman golfer in the world. Not even close.

Lorena is my no. 2 best player. Kerr no. 3, Inkster no. 6. Wie is a good no. 7 and would be no. 2 or 3 if she played more tournaments. Wie's rankings will always be subject to controversy due to technicalities: she plays too few tournaments. The rankings should be based on: those who played more tournaments should receive more credit or bragging rights than those who have played less. Also those who have won tournaments should get extra credit; and if you won a tournament where Annika was in it you should receive triple or quadruple the credit. Also, more recent performance should count more than what you did two years ago.
Creamer no. 4, Gulbis no. 10, Pressel no. 18; in my books with top Koreans taking slots in between: meena lee, soo yung kang. Gulbis and sweon hwa lee are kicking ass this year so both may be top 5,and 6 by the end of the year. Se Ri Pak, Grace Park, Karrie Webb, Beth Daniel, Meg Mallon, Rosie Jones no longer figure in the top 20 in my view. What you did five years ago just doesn't count no matter how great those glory years were.

Paula Creamer has an incredible amount of hype. She's a very fine player, but the problem with hype and marketing and sponsorships is that in general, it tends to not match up EXACTLY with the person's ability. In fact, it almost always exceeds it. The fact that you say she's underrated shows how out of touch you are. Anyone with the most casual interest in women's golf knows who she is, while they wouldn't be able to identify some of the finer Korean players on tour.

In fact, I don't think you need to dwell on the fact that Paula Creamer had an awful round. But the fact that you didn't, and that instead you chose to single out Michelle Wie for ridicule for not making a birdie putt on the last hole, it shows how your hatred has run away with you.

By your own admission, you judge athletes and their current accomplishments harshly or kindly according to how their past accomplishments match up to their hype. This is nothing to be proud of--it's just a way for you to pretend that you are being objective while you bash Wie for her performance and avoid criticizing Creamer for a worse one. So Creamer gets a pass for her half-dozen bogeys and Wie gets bashed for missing a birdie putt. Yes, criticism of hype/marketing is valid on its own merits, but it does not need to be a factor in how you judge her accomplishments this weekend, where you make missing a birdie putt into a sign of disgrace and of a permanent loser. It's clearly made you lose focus.

You sound like a vicious lunatic who starts frothing at the mouth when Michelle Wie's name is mentioned. Maybe you don't realize how malicious you sound in these entries. If you can't stand Wie, don't discuss her. Write a sympathetic entry about how Paula Creamer's round got out of control. Write one about how Annika's dream of the grand slam will have to wait another year. Given the young talent, can she ever do it? Maybe you can be objective when writing about that. You clearly can't when writing about Wie.

This is also the guy who thinks Michael Jordan sucks because he missed more field goal attempts than anyone in the history of NBA

OMG! Michelle Wie is the hottest babe in golf. She's got style and a swing that is so smooth!!!!

Jane, Chris knows exactly how malicious he is sounding. It's very deliberate.

But deliberate or not, what kind of mind wastes time writing such stupidly childish stuff? When thoughts like his, enter his mind, and then he chooses to write about it in a public forum, that is very pathetic. It's also very scary.

It's not very funny but I can almost hear his manical laugh as he reads all the responses. It's one way to get attention, but Michelle Wie's security detail should be concerned and how many grown men are out there with such "foaming at the mouth" hatred for a 16 year old professional athlete?

Like a lot of insecure, middle-aged men, Baldie puts on a ridiculously transparent "tough-guy" pose, latching onto his prejudices and defending them to the end even when all the facts inconveniently turn against them.

It's pathetic. And shame on this site for giving such a loser a forum in which to air his views. This is a guy that has recently pronounced publicly that Creamer will always be better than Wie. She's currently 12 strokes behind Wie going into the final round.

What happened to accountability in journalism?

This Baldwin guy may be generating a few hits with his asinine comments, but he makes this entire site look ridiculous and damages any credibility it might have.

This is the National Enquirer of golf blogs.

I'm sure that the more responses Mr. Baldwin gets the better for him in the eyes of his superiors. Responding with anger and other derogatory remarks his what Baldwin wants. My suggestion would be to treat him like a spoiled child throwing a tantrum. First, try to be calm and respond with a level head... and if that doesn't work...it is "Time Out" time...place the child in a quiet corner and IGNORE him.

So, what I'm trying to say is IGNORE him. Don't respond with any kind of comments. That is what Mr. Baldwin deserves.

According to Baldwin, Paula Creamer who is currently ranked number 2 in the world is underrated.

Chris you are so right. Paula has at least won, so she should be ranked higher than Wie, since Wie has never won. What's up with this Rolie-Polie rating system?

Just don't respond to his blogs. every time you react and respond to his Wie bashing, you are giving him what he wants - reaction. His blogs on Wie are just pointless cheap shots at a 16 year old girl. Her watch, earrings, or the fact that she doesn't listen to Rush Limbaugh on the radio has nothing to do with golf. He seems to be trying hard to make her look bad, but everytime he opens his mouth he makes himself and this site look worse and makes Michelle Wie look better. As the other visitor have said above me, just ignore him. I'm sure if he doesn't get the response he is looking for, eventually he'll stop.

HEY BALDY MY GAY BROTHER WANTS YOU TO COME OUT OF THE CLOSET AND GO OUT WITH HIM SO YOU CAN TALK ABOUT WHAT OTHER GIRLS ARE WEARING, DOING AND OTHER STUFF THAT GUYS (GAYS) DO.

Michelle Wie birdied the first 2 holes of the round.
It stands at:
Ochoa -10
Wie -8
Webb -5.

Poor Chris Baldwin is probably suffering terribly. In his story above he has insulted Ochoa, as well as Wie. If one of them wins, he will have been proved wrong.

Why does he write such ridiculous stories.

CHRIS BALDWIN,

Just as someone who knows a little bit of how golf works, maybe I could give you a lesson in statistics.
You claimed that Michelle's putting stats were poor at 31, 32, 31 for the first 3 rounds.
However you are missing a very important point.
She hit all 18 greens in regulation in round 1. On day 2, she hit the first 14 greens in regulation and the 15th was the first one she missed during the tournament. This effectively means that for each of her putts on GIR, she had a long approach shots. This means that she more likely had longer putts.

In contrast, when someone misses the green regularly, they are often just off the green and are able to hit a shot that should be much closer to the hole. This leads to easier putts and better putting stats.
Therefore if you have a very high GIR, it makes it more difficult to have lower putting stats.

You are welcome for the lesson.

The Winless Wonder will CHOKE again ! ! !

Wie certainly did herself proud.
If she had Webb's luck, she could be a major winner at this stage.

Wie misses another putt. Ochoa chokes.

Wait...who predicted this ... that's right.

Read it and weep Wie Warriors. I also notice how none of you actually adressed her putting woes. Attack the messenger again.

The Winless Wonder rolls on!

Hmmm, two tournaments this year, 2 3rd place finishes. What a loser, she should just give up.

Incidently, she 2-0 against both Creamer and Pressel this year, and 1-0 against Annika.

No one's calling her a loser. Just that she's completely overhyped and holds no clue about winning. And this isn't tennis or even matchplay. There's no head to head.

She's still 0 for 34 as a pro now I believe. Though I'll have to check that stat to be certain.

No, she has about 5 pro tourneys without a win. 3 against men. Why aren't you writing about Creamer this week?

No, actually it's 0 for 33. That's the number of pro tournaments Wie's played in without a win. For every one she was essentially a pro in everything but name.

If LeBron James played in the NBA at 14, he's being called a pro.

She's been a pro and one with a long record of not being able to win. And it grows on.

If she played "as a pro" in 2003-2005, she was ripped off of a lot of winnings. Stop making stuff up.

Way to go Karrie Webb

You really are an idiot. If not for MW, you wouldn't even have a column. She's been a pro for half a year. So Gulbis must be a REAL loser. Write about that. Gotta go, I think Pressel is going to cry on tv now.

[Comment from: Chris Baldwin [Member]
No one's calling her a loser. Just that she's completely overhyped and holds no clue about winning. And this isn't tennis or even matchplay. There's no head to head.

She's still 0 for 34 as a pro now I believe. Though I'll have to check that stat to be certain.]

That is not quite right, Chris! She is NOT a winner, therefore, she IS a LOSER !!!

Technically, yes JD I guess you're right. Loser in competition.

And when Paula Creamer goes on an 0 for 33 stretch in her career, I'll start writing about it. Don't hold your breath.

Baldwin's just bitching because his
girl Creamer finished in 24th place!
Where did Michelle finish again --oh yeah 21 spots better ! Where was that great amateur Pressel? -Finished 8 spots worse than Michelle.

You're an idiot--Michelle Wie has only competed in 3 LPGA events as a pro--all finishes in the Top 4.

You know the youngest winner of an LPGA major is a little bit over 20 years old?

Michelle is 16 years old--I know you're not that bright but that's a whole 4 years younger.

Its ridiculous to count against her pro events she competed at when she was 13-which incidentally is your age mentally.

Chris,

You're into facts. You have a clue. How may times did Annika lose before she won her first LPGA title? How many 16, 17 or 18 year olds have won LPGA titles, let alone majors? Who else in the entire history of golf has a record that compares with Wie at her age. Can you produce a head to head comparison of Wie with any other player (ever in the history of the world) that supports any of your claims? If not shut up.

Comment from: Kyle [Visitor]
.....Michelle Wie has only competed in 3 LPGA events as a pro--all finishes in the Top 4.

....Its ridiculous to count against her pro events she competed at when she was 13-which incidentally is your age mentally.

You are absolutely right. So with only 3 LPGA events, she should not qualify to be ranked with players who have completed 13 + events.

John D is really Baldwin...

chris you're right about michelle's putting, but the girl had 7 birdies in a single round at a pga tour event. 7 birdies! this proves she can score in the pga which means she will easily make a cut soon. can you make 7 birdies on a pga tour event? i doubt that you could, especially at 16yrs old. you want to know how annika's game got better? she started hanging out with male golfers, most notably, tiger. so if michelle wants to complete aginst the men on the pga tour, let her be. she's only 16 and she's probably a lot longer off the tee than you, can putt better than you, and is definitely a whole lot prettier. next year she's kick ass!

So, Wie started the day three strokes behind the leader and ends 1 stroke out of the playoff, tied for third. She misses the birdie putt on 18th. If she had birdied the 18th instead of the 16th, would you give her more credit? No, no, she'd still be a choker who deserves derision.

And in spite of her putting woes, she still had a round better than her 2nd and 3rd rounds. That's hardly choking.

Sigh. Whatever. Obviously this is a waste of time.

Gee, Baldwin is having field day today with Wie's 3rd place finish.

There is an article by Adelson of ESPN who put a positive note to Wie's finish today, "Wie does it her way-again". His article actually offers insightful information and not like Baldwin's useless ranting of the same ol' Wie-bashing. This Baldwin's stuff is getting really old.

Michelle Wie wasn't the story today. Gulbis outplayed her, Ochoa showed more heart, and Webb outshined her. That skulled wedge on the 72nd hole told me everything I need to know about Michelle Wie.

Liam, she said she shot with a wedge because she thought she had a better chance of holing it and getting the outrite win, figuring she would still be able to get a birdy if she missed. Seems like she showed a lot of heart to me.

Not bad for a 16 year old placing in third and a top 10 on the money list. If she had made that eagle chip on the final hole, it would have given her the first championship trophy and shut Chris Baldwin up for good. Damn, by not winning and placing third among an elite field and earning a $100,000 check for the weekend, she is going to get more tongue lashing from Chris Baldwin. And where was Chris's farvorite darling, Paula Creamer? Of course, she was nowhere to be found among the top 20 place finishers.

Choosing the wrong club, playing a bad shot and taking yourself out of a playoff and a chance for your first win(a major no less) does not show heart, it shows stupidity and arrogance.

Lorena tried basically the same shot with her putter during the play-off and ended you even further from the hole. What makes you think it would have been so easy with a putter? She gave it her best and missed, I don't see why you attach so much significance to it, even calling it arrogant. Tone it down.

Here's a comment from a Wie Warrior. This is the reason the Wie Warriors are such easy targets. Here's a Wie Warrior comment about Paula Creamer:

*****
Comment from: rob [Visitor]
hey bald(win), Looks like your fav LPGA golfer, Creamer, is having a meltdown. Maybe you can carry a pink pillow for her to cry in. LOL 5 over in the front nine. NIce moving day! LOL
Dumb b$%^^ wnats to challenge annika.
*****

Now. Have any of the Wie skeptics insulted Ms. Michelle the same way?

As much as Baldwin has criticized Wie, he's never sunk to the level shown by the poster.

Yet that's the kind of class shown all too often by the Wie Warriors.

-George

Liam, How can you say that what Michelle did shows arrogance and stupidity? What it comes down to is, she felt more comfortable playing the sand wedge instead of the putter. It's whatever the player wants...and Liam, I'm thinking that Michelle is much more knowledgeable than you in her profession.

Oh Liam, btw, she didn't skull her wedge dumba**. Learn your facts than post. Idiot.

Another frustrating finish for Michelle Wie. Also a tough outcome for Natalie Gulbis. But Gulbis seems to be getting closer and closer to a breakthrough.

Just goes to show how golf can be a devastatingly heart-breaking game.

If there's an analogous situation, the Wie final round is similar to what happened with Morgan Pressel and Birdie Kim in the U.S. Women's Open, 2005. Pressel, Creamer, Wie, and others left the door open by not playing a good final 18.

Yes, there were miracle eagles down the stretch. But Wie and Ochoa have no one to blame but themselves because they failed to slam the door shut.

Gulbis at least had five birdies and no bogeys after the first hole. Michelle had the lead in a tie and by herself on the back 9, but still couldn't find a way to win.

Props to Karrie Webb. She figured out a way to win in electrifying fashion both in regulation and in the playoff. And it looks as if non-American players are doing much better in 2006 than our home-grown USA talent.

Finally, for those who are still looking for that first LPGA win, it's another weekend of shoulda, coulda, woulda.

-George

Chris, I would like to hear your thoughts on how Paula and Morgan did. You've obviously voiced your opinion on Michelle, but you have yet to post anything on your two favorite golfers? What did you think of Morgan and Paula? I believe that THEY WERE THE APRIL FOOL'S JOKE.

PAULA'S 79 WAS THE APRIL FOOLS JOKE OF THE TOURNAMENT. Oh, and by the way, YOUR FAVORITE PRO (PAULA) DID WORSE THAN AMATEUR ANGELA PARK...what do you say to that?

PAULA'S TOURNAMENT WAS THE APRIL FOOLS OF THE YEAR.

Hey Chris are they paying you by the number of replies to your thread. Is that the reason you constantly bash Michelle Wie, and hardly anyone ever response to any of your other threads.

You should be a speech writer for Howard Dean, you really know how to stir up a hornet nest. lol

*****
Comment from: Paul W [Visitor]
Lorena tried basically the same shot with her putter during the play-off and ended you even further from the hole. What makes you think it would have been so easy with a putter? She gave it her best and missed, I don't see why you attach so much significance to it
*****

Maybe because Wie's club selection and her execution cost her the tournament?

** even calling it arrogant. Tone it down. **

Why? Wie was what, 30-40 feet away? If she putts from that lie, it's hard to see how she can't put it a lot closer than the chip. Wie should have been almost certain to get down in two from there and then head to the playoff.

Michelle traded a high-probability two-putt for a dicey chip shot. 20-20 hindsight, to be sure, but you picks your clubs and you takes your chances, so to speak. Obviously it was the wrong club, the wrong execution, or both.

-George

Kerrie shot one of her best rounds ever and had the Lord helping her out on the 18th.

When you are 16 and shoot two under in a LPGA Major final round, it ain't a bad day.

Talk about pressure and I didn't notice any tears.

I was really frustrated by Wie's play today. My hope was really high for her to win the game. I think she should have made the eagle putt on the 72nd hole. However, in my opinion her game has been improved dramatically. I noticed that she didn't make a double bogey during the four rounds.

I am confident that she will win this year and no one will criticize her any more or ... well, you never know.

Since most Wie bashers think that winning should be the only attribute to a player's performance, - surprise! - I came up with a new(?) ranking system based on 2005 victories :

Rank Player Wins
T1 Annika Sorenstam 10
T2 Paula Creamer 2
T2 Cristie Kerr 2
T4 Soo-Yun Kang 1
T4 Stacy Prammanasudh 1
T4 Jennifer Rosales 1
T4 Meena Lee 1
T4 Heather Young 1
T4 Carin Koch 1
T4 Hee-Won Han 1
T4 Pat Hurst 1
T4 Birdie Kim 1
T4 Jeong Jang 1
T4 Lorena Ochoa 1
T4 Marisa Baena 1
T4 Nicole Perrot 1
T4 Christina Kim 1
T4 Jimin Kang 1
T4 Wendy Ward 1

FACT based on this ranking system:

Soo-Yun Kang, Stacy Prammanasudh, Jennifer Rosales, Mina Lee, Heather Young, Carin Koch, Hee-Won Han , Pat Hurst, Birdie Kim, Jeong Jang, Lorena Ochoa, Marisa Baena, Nicole Perrot, Christina Kim, Jimin Kang and Wendy Ward are much better players and will be always better than Michelle Wie, Natalie Gulbis, Karrie Webb and any other players who didn't win.

Check this out
Click the above link to read an interesting article written by Adelson.

Read this blog for interesting idea

In my opinion, Wie should stop playing golf and study now that she has enough money to live off the rest of her life.

Chris is right. Bubbles is an over-hyped winless wonder.

Everybody's way too inflamed here. Michelle did quite well for someone who's 16 years old. The mistakes she made were not out of lack of game but lack of maturity. That will change in time. Why make fun of Cremer though? It shows a lack of class for the Wie fans to do this IMO. Remember Wie has had some not so hot final rounds in recent memory. It's part of the game.

I'm not going to degrade players who are at this level. Internet fans on both sides of this silly debate should probably shut up and work on their game before they run their mouths...

The way I saw it, Michelle got way too conservative on the par fives. She failed to take advantage of her length off the tee. She made only one birdie compared to 3 or 4 for the top finishers on the 18th hole par fives alone. That has been the difference in this tightly contested rollercoaster of a match.

But, she did have the fewest bogeys with six. That can only come from her course management skills maturing before our eyes. She's fast becoming one of the most feared players with her many high finishes.

Annika seems to wilt nowadays whenever Michelle's in the tournament. Michelle is up 3 to 1 in their last four meetings.

Liam-- are you nuts?

Ochoa showed heart?? She choked away
another lead! If anything she was trying to save face.

Why are you judging Wie's entire future career in her 3rd LPGA event as a pro?

Yeah she made the wrong decision on the final hole but that happens.

Did you even see how Creamer, Pressel and even Annika played the past few days. Bad decisions galore! Do you think they're "stupid" too ?

Your comments on Michele Wie are getting old. The kid is 16 years old and shows remarkable composure. Some players need a bit more experience and time to grow into a win. If she did win, where's her motivation to continue. Kids get far too much too soon these days and its over before it begins. Part of becoming a great player is the journey getting there. The ups and downs if you will. Perhaps this loss will prompt her to work a bit harder on her putting. Who knows. Let her be a kid and learn to win. It was a great finish and exciting for womens golf.

Patrick, you should watch who you call an idiot and a dumbass and show a little more respect. I know you are a hometown fan of Michelle's, but enough with the name calling. You don't like my assesment of the situation, fine, our country was built on differing opinions and debate, but calling people names accomplishes nothing and in the non-internet world is a good way to get your ass kicked. You can spin the shot however you like, but the fact remains that she wilted when it mattered most and failing to get into that playoff is yet another knock on her decision making and or her mental toughness. Michelle may know more about golf then I do, but she knows nothing about performing during crunch time. Wie fans, know that she should have gotten up and down from 25 feet to at least make the playoff, where for the record she would have had a huge advantage over Webb. A couple of comments for the rest of the peanut gallery. Ochoa showed incredible heart coming back from a poor round to make eagle on the final hole to at least give herself a chance to win, while Wie once again showed no heart in making par. The she was trying to make it excuse is already wearing thin, of course she was trying to make it, but if you are going to be that aggresive you have to make the comebacker and she didn't, end of discussion. If the Wie Warriors would just take a step back and admit she made a mistake, albeit a very costly one, I would be talking about how wonderfully she played all week and how I think it is only a matter of time before she wins, and wins often. Talk about toning it down.

Chris Baldwin said:
No one's calling her a loser. Just that she's completely overhyped and holds no clue about winning. And this isn't tennis or even matchplay. There's no head to head.
******************************

Actually, as I posted before, your own favourite golfer Paula Creamer believes in head to heads.

Paula says that Annika beat her once, and that she beat Annika once so far this season.
That was before the Nabisco, so I guess Annika is up 2-1 so far.

Wie versus Creamer. 2-0 Wie.
Wie versus Sorenstam. 1-0 Wie.
Wie versus Pressel. 2-0 Wie.
Wie versus Kerr. 2-0 Wie.

Chris Baldwin said:
No, actually it's 0 for 33. That's the number of pro tournaments Wie's played in without a win. For every one she was essentially a pro in everything but name.
*****************************

Hold on. So you actually think she was a pro in everything but name, when she was 12 years old.
Sorry Chris, she has been a pro for 3 womens tournament.
She has a dq, 3rd and 3rd.
Pretty good start to her pro career.

Let's face it! You don't like women's golf. Russ Limbaugh and you need to point your remarks to another field since you don't know what you're talking about when it comes to Women's Golf.

I didn't see an easy up and down for Michelle Wie on the final hole. Let me see. Putt uphill at an angle though fairway grass. Need to give it a pretty good push, but then how do you stop it at just the right point? How much experience does anyone have on just how hard to hit a putt like that? And what about the right direction for a putt like that? It is not as if she was just off the putting green on a level surface with the hole.

Liam, the thing that bothers Wie fans is how she gets held up for special abuse. Gulbis missed a shorter putt than Wie to get in to the play-off, Ochoa couldn't get in in 2 strokes from basically the same lie off the green as Wie, yet only Wie gets criticized and called "stupid and arrogant".

I was impressed by all of their play. It was a great tournament and a great ending, why can't you leave it at that.

NORMAN

Did you see here chip? Did it look like an easy up amnd down putt to you?

You understated what she did in her 3 pro LPGA events. A 4th that became a DQ--and then two 3rds(yes) but two 3rds that were each just one stroke off the lead. She was never that close as an amateur.

Liam crying like a baby over people calling names yet calls Michelle Wie
stupid and arrogant LOL!

I called her decision making stupid and arrogant, not her and nobody is crying about the name calling, just giving our young friend Patrick a little helpful advice.

*****
Comment from: Kay [Visitor]
Your comments on Michele Wie are getting old. The kid is 16 years old and shows remarkable composure. Some players need a bit more experience and time to grow into a win.
*****
Thank you, Kay, for being the only Wie Warrior who appears sane, because you agree with the Wie skeptics that Wie does not yet know how to win.

Then again, there's this strange comment from Kay:
*****
If she did win, where's her motivation to continue.
*****
Umm, to do it again? Think Phil Mickelson was satisfied when he had only won the Masters?

*****
Let her be a kid and learn to win.
*****
Michelle Wie chose to be a professional golfer. She chose to move out of the realm of just being "a kid". But I agree with you that Michelle does not know how to win, at least as of today.

-George

To the person who said that Paula Creamer is overhyped, I'd have to ask him/her to get a fucking clue.

The reason everyone knows her name is because she's actually WON SOMETHING. Please don't confuse victories with hype and effective marketing - Paula's first endorsement deal was lame as hell. She literally made her first million on the golf course. Michelle Wie made her first TEN million sat in a press conference wearing a cute pink shirt with a cheesy smile on her face.

If anybody is overhyped, it is Michelle. Paula is definitely underhyped, as Michelle is often absurdly recognised as a better player. Hell, I'd have to say that Pressel is as good as Wie, if not better.

Michelle again showed that she's pretty useless under pressure as she temporarily took the lead in the Kraft-Nabisco, only to give the title away soon after.

" Paula could just as easily be the next Beth Bauer (former Rookie of the Year) who struggled afterwards, and is now off the tour."

A stupid comment by hc2 if ever there has been a stupid comment on these blogs. She doesn't win every time, has occasional bad rounds just like every other pro. But off the tour!? Struggling!? What idiocy to suggest such a thing. She's ahead of her ROY pace and currently 12th on the money list. That hardly smacks of struggling to remain on the tour. You, hc2, and all you other Wie-nuts who insist on bashing Paula Creamer at every opportunity, are worse that the so-called Wie-bashers. And ultimately, to date, what counts, is:

Wins:
Creamer 4
Wie 0

"You're an idiot--Michelle Wie has only competed in 3 LPGA events as a pro--all finishes in the Top 4."

More stupidity. A DQ isn't top 4 to anyone but a Wie-warrior.

There are many things that confuse me about this article and the subsequent rantings:
1. Why do Michelle Wie fans bash Paula Creamer when Baldwin mocks Wie? Baldwin looks dumb when he ridicules Wie, but the Wie fanatics promptly go overboard with their attacks and make Baldwin look almost rational. Ripping on Creamer doesn't make Wie look better. It actually accentuates the fact that Wie hasn't closed the deal yet and Creamer has.
2. Why is Baldwin so fixated on Wie? She is obviously super-talented, but missing the maturity and guidance she needs to win. I almost consider her a Peyton Manning type, capable of great great things, but in clutch situations, she'll do ONE thing wrong that will cost her the title. In reality, she played well enough to win... until 18, when she did the ONE thing she couldn't afford to do. Up and down gives her a chance, all she had to do was lag a putt or chip. OK, it's not easy, but it's something she's probably done a thousand times when it wasn't the last hole in a major. If nerves are the problem, a delicate chip isn't the smart play.
3. Why is Wie still going to try the men's tour? It's publicity stunts like this (where she's just trying to make the cut and not even trying to pretend that she expects to compete for the title) that give Wie-bashers like Baldwin ammunition. If she focused her efforts on 1) LPGA tour and 2) School, nobody would have reason to mock her, since she's obviously talented enough. But when she takes the place of a more worthy PGA member, she announces that she's basically a shill, just a marketing tool for the sponsors and not a serious golfer.
4. Why don't Wie-fans acknowledge that if she's playing in Pro tournaments (whether or not she's an announced "pro" is irrelevant), she should be held to the same standards as the other pros, namely she should be expected to contend. When confronted with the "never won" label, they cry "But she's only 16!" Listen, if she's been playing with the pros in Pro tournaments 30-something times, and getting $10M in endorsements, it's not unreasonable to expect just ONE victory. The same hype around Anna Kournikova got her mocked (she still hasn't won a singles title), so Wie-fans need to recognize that her age is irrelevant. Apparently, she's old enough to cash checks, and with those checks comes expectations.

Todd

If there is an Anna Kournikova on the LPGA, complete with swimsuit calendar, her name is Natalie Gulbis. Natalie is 0 for 112 as a pro on the LPGA. She tied Michelle Wie yesterday. But she is getting praise for consistent top 5 finishes this year, while a 16 year old high school student is being critized for the same thing.

What is your definition of contend? In her two LPGA events this year, Michelle Wie has twice finished just one stroke behind the winner. That sounds like contending to me.

I agree about Gulbis being hyped purely for her looks, just as Wie is being hyped purely for her age. Both are making more money for endorsements than they probably should given their lack of wins. Mind you, I've already stated that Wie will probably win this year. All I'm saying is that the Wie-fanatics need a reality check; she hasn't WON! And if you're cracking on Gulbis, you're being hypocrites. Until that first victory, Wie is just like Gulbis, an overhyped, super-talented non-winner. And they'll both keep cashing the checks, so I doubt they care what we're debating in our offices...

I'm seriously beginning to question your fixation with a 16 year-old girl. It's rather sketchy, if I say so myself.

I guess the World Rankings can speak for themselves. Whether you disagree or agree with the process, it's a fair, official assessment of the world's best women golfers. I guess this week's rankings speak volumes. After it's inaugural week at number 3, Michelle has managed to moved up to the number 2 spot and closened the gap from 9 average points to 7:

1. Annika Sorenstam 17.60
2. Michelle Wie 11.97

No matter how much you doubt the Rolex World Rankings, it's official.

regardless of whether wie is ranked or not, There should be no way creamer ranked # 2 in the world. Player who has only one top 10 in major shouldn't be ranked #2 or even #3.

Michelle is actually out of the current rankings, but more importantly any rankings system that would put a player at #2 in the world with 0 wins on her resume is one which should not and will not be taken seriously.

Chris, no one takes you seriously. You are a fourth rate writer who couldn't hack being a real writer. Every body and his uncle is a blog writer.

Michelle Wie is not overhyped. If she were 25, yeah, sure. But she is 16 years old. Look at what she has done. No other pro on the LPGA can say they even came close to what she has done on the LPGA at her age.

The fact that you keep harping that Wie has not won any of the pro events she has played in when she was 13, 14, 15, and 16 is beyond belief. NO ONE has won at that age.

You have a mental disorder. You need to see a doctor, Chris. It's evident to anyone who reads your bizarre rantings.

So howdid the under 20 crowd fare at the end of play of the Nabisco?

T-13th Morgan Pressel at +1 overall

T-15th Angela Park at +2 overall

T-24th Paula Creamer at +5 overall

T-29th Ai Miyazato at +6 overall

T-62nd In-Bee Park at +16 overall

T-68th Sydnee Michaels at +20 overall

T-3rd Michelle Wie at -8 overall

***Comment from: Liam [Visitor]
Michelle is actually out of the current rankings, but more importantly any rankings system that would put a player at #2 in the world with 0 wins on her resume is one which should not and will not be taken seriously.***

I guess you are ignorant of the latest ROLEX rankings Liam, Ann is correct.

Consistency of play and the level of an event is what gets you ranked high on the Rolex rankings, not wins.

The LPGA had a hand in developing the rankings with ROLEX.

Check out Paula's major event performance for 2005/06 against Michell's and you will see where she picked up points. The 2005 US Open was Michelle's only bad major event where she finished 23rd in the field.

Chris, when you were 16, what did you accomplish? I mean, besides locking yourself in your bedroom playing with yourself all day.

I stand corrected One-Putt, I was under the impression that she was going to drop out of the rankings because of a lack of tournaments, not poor play. The Rolex rankings as you have desrcibed them suit Michelle perfectly, lots of points for high finishes and no penalty for gagging away tournaments and failure to win.

I've got inside source on why Baldy Chris Baldwin bashes a 16 year old golf prodigy Michelle Wie so much. The reason is that Chris's father was killed in the Korean War. And his mother ended up marrying a American born Korean businessman. Now you know why he constantly bashes Wie in his blog.

Chris,

If you're so confident in Wie's incompetance, why did you back-peddle from this reader's bet? (As mentioned by Mark Nessmith on 9/29/05):

"Chris, here's a wager. I bet you $1000 Michelle Wie wins on the LPGA tour at an earlier age than Paula Creamer did," Mr. Nugent writes. "If you take me up, then at least you put your money where your mouth is. If you don't, that tells us what your true beliefs really are."

Liam,

The Rolex World Rankings uses a calculating system that IS endorsed by many tours, more importantly, INCLUDING the LPGA. Since the LPGA does endorse the rankings, it remains OFFICIAL, whether you like it or not that Michelle Wie is the one of the best female golfers in the world now. Unless Michelle drops drastically from the rankings (because of poor play, NOT because of limited events), then I'll be the first to agree with you that Michelle is overhyped. But seeing that she is placed within the Top 5 with a comfortable point average, I don't see myself agreeing with you or Chris anytime soon-- or ever, for that matter.

I remember watching coverage of the Kraft Nabisco as the commentators spoke about how upset some felt about Michelle being so high on the Rankings. Then, they showed data again that she deserved to be there. Of all the big names on the list, Annika is the only one to have a better record than Michelle when playing in the same events.

[Comment from: Ann [Visitor]
I'm seriously beginning to question your fixation with a 16 year-old girl. It's rather sketchy, if I say so myself.

I guess the World Rankings can speak for themselves. Whether you disagree or agree with the process, it's a fair, official assessment of the world's best women golfers. I guess this week's rankings speak volumes. After it's inaugural week at number 3, Michelle has managed to moved up to the number 2 spot and closened the gap from 9 average points to 7:

1. Annika Sorenstam 17.60
2. Michelle Wie 11.97

No matter how much you doubt the Rolex World Rankings, it's official.]

Why doesn't Rolex look at only the PRO performances? If they only considered 13 PRO perfomances, WIE wouldn't even qualify. Just a SHickenCHit way to get a pseudo-pro into the rankings.

The ROLEX Rankings. Karrie Webb went up about 97 points on her total, Ochoa in second went up about 58 points, while Gulbis who tied Wie in 3rd/4th went up about 32 points. A win would probably have put Wie a bit over 16 instead 11.97.

Points seem roughly proportional to earnings, but it looks like the top places are rwarded a bit more generously with points than with dollars.

Comment from: WHY Chris hates MW [Visitor]
"I've got inside source on why Baldy Chris Baldwin bashes a 16 year old golf prodigy Michelle Wie so much. The reason is that Chris's father was killed in the Korean War. And his mother ended up marrying a American born Korean businessman. Now you know why he constantly bashes Wie in his blog".

--------------------------------------
This Blog is getting out of hand.
Regardless of the veracity of the source no one should be publicly attacked in this despicable manner. Unless you bashes a 16 year old girl for a living.

The Golfweek Sagarin performance index has been updated after the KN as well as the Rolex ratings. Currently the top 2 are:

1 Sorenstam 68.04
2 Creamer 69.34

Wie is not included in the main list because the Sagarin ratings require 10 events in the last year. However, the ratings for players with less than 10 events are shown separately for informational purposes. Wie is listed with 6 events at 68.05, almost tied with Sorenstam! Rolex ratings aren't alone in showing Wie with a high rating.

Ann--Please don't put words in my mouth, I can get into enough trouble with Wie fanatics all by myself. For the record I never said she was overhyped, at least out loud. We can agree on one thing, and that is Michelle Wie has shown a troubling tendency to just come up short when it matters most as evidenced by her lack of wins. We can agree on her lack of wins can't we? Or have the Wie Warriors convienently forgotten her win total.

*****
Comment from: Liam [Visitor]
Or have the Wie Warriors convienently forgotten her win total.
*****

The answer, of course, is yes.

Yes, I have seen Ms. Wie miss crucial putts from 4 feet to 10 feet which prevented her from making the cut in a PGA event or getting into playoffs in the LPGA. I am puzzled by the very passive play she has shown on the (much shorter) par fives on the LPGA Tour. When asked about this fact during her interview, she stated..."yeah, that is something I will have to work on when I get home." Very strange! I think she is still in the "mind set" that a girl just wants to have fun mode and doesn't find it important to win. During the Pro-Am she was quoted as saying..."Oh, I am not thinking about winning, just taking one day at a time." Also, she does not confide with her caddie on any of the putts...is this because none of the PGA players do likewise? The headlines that consistently say that Wie missed by one stroke is starting to get old. However, soon everything will come together and she will be the most dominant player on the LPGA Tour.

Bubbles is an over-hyped product of slick marketing.

I have spoken.

for Judge Smails (Smells) - you're an idiot.
as for Liam. what kind of name is that? is it pronounced LAME?
who cares what you guys think? blah, blah, blah, b.s.

Dweeb,
your gal Paula had weekend rounds of 79 & 74. She totally stunk up the course, I mean she was blowing chunks all over herself and you have to nit pick on Wie's putting?

Liam, Michelle was gunning to win the tournament. You saw her putt on 15, where she blew that 50+ footer 15 feet by. She knew that she couldn't judge those "long" putts well...hell i know she cant. That's why she opted for the club that she felt more comfortable with.

You must realize that. That decision is neither stupid nor arrogant, because she did what she felt more comfortable doing.

Think about it, she must've thought about that putt on 15 where she completely missed the whole by a mile...thus her decision on opting for the sand wedge.

Don't call that arrogant or stpuid...because she based that decision on her previous "long" putts.

"The fact that you keep harping that Wie has not won any of the pro events she has played in when she was 13, 14, 15, and 16 is beyond belief. NO ONE has won at that age."

I have to agree with Fred on this one. All of you Wie critics keep criticizing her for not winning yet. She's 16. NO ONE, man or woman, has ever won a pro tournament at 16. How well did Tiger Woods do in a major at 16? IIRC, he didn't make the cut, let along contending.

Everyone said how amazing it was for Tiger to win his first major after turing pro. No one has mentioned how many majors or pro tournaments he has competed in before turning pro. BTW, Tiger won his first PGA tournament at 21. Wie has 5 years to best Tiger's record. BTW, Tiger signed for 4 times of endorsement money when he turned pro and had a lot more hype than Michelle does.

And liam, how can I show one respect when you are not taking into account the golfer's actual comfort levels. She was MORE COMFORTABLE with the sand-wedge. Let it go.

Now, How did Michelle not show "heart" on the final whole? She went all out on that chip and tried to make it for the win. That actually shows much more heart than you would realize. And on that final birdie putt, she putted that stroke with the intentions on it going in (and it looked like it did) just lipping out to the right. How can you say that, that does not show heart?

Are you saying that Webb's miracle shot showed "heart?" I'm thinking that it showed luck and fate. Michelle player her "heart" out this round, and did not let it "slip" away. Hell she scored -2 for the day. That shows that Michelle had a TON of heart in trying to win this championship.

Talk about toning it down you say? Well from all your other posts, you have produced nothing benefitial to this discussion. Making ridiculous claims on whether one player showed "heart" and whatnot. Don't make me gag.

I would have said that Michelle made a mistake on the eagle chip, but I realized that it was Michelle's decision ultimately, and that she opted for the sand wedge in which she thought she could produce better results than her putter. (you've obviously stated how her putting is lacking)...You need to realize that it's up to the player. If i was in that situation, I would have used my putter, but for michelle, she knows that her short game is that much better than her putting.

I would have just used a trackback here, but you guys don't support it;

http://jud.letterrip.com/waj-archives/2006/04/i_am_a_michelle.html

[Comment from: Jas [Visitor]..... Everyone said how amazing it was for Tiger to win his first major after turing pro. No one has mentioned how many majors or pro tournaments he has competed in before turning pro. BTW, Tiger won his first PGA tournament at 21. Wie has 5 years to best Tiger's record. BTW, Tiger signed for 4 times of endorsement money when he turned pro and had a lot more hype than Michelle does.]

Maybe Wie should concentrate on school for 5 more years, then worry about a profession !

For those who think that Wie should have won already because she got $10 million endorsement, did you chip in any money on the endorsement?

If you didn't, then you are just jealous of her for all the money she is getting.

You should not demand Wie to win or criticize her for not being able to win if you didn't spent a dime for her.

You should criticize someone only if the person does an illegal thing or hurts other's feeling or has bad influence over other kids.

You should not criticize someone just because you are jealous of the person.

Why do you think Nike and Sony put up that much money on a winless wonder instead of proven winners like Annika or Paula or Julie?

What kinds of false marketing did Michelle or BJ do in order to have those contracts?

Wie's marketing was the most honest marketing of all - practicing hard and competing with the best golfers in the world and finishing high.

Tiger basically did the same marketing by winning all amateur titles. Wie just chose a different route.

If you are a boss, who would you hire - a candidate with potential or another with less potential?

Which company would you invest in - a company with great potential to grow or another with less potential to grow?

Wie's sponsors will ditch Wie even before you think she is a marketing hype when they find out she is a marketing hype.

You should very careful about calling someone of a marketing hype. When you say this, you are either criticizing "Marketing" in general and it makes you a communist in return or you are accusing someone of practicing illegal or deceptive marketing.

So before you call Wie a marketing hype, why don't you provide us with evidence which supports Wie actually did illegal or deceptive marketing. Otherwise, you will make a fool of yourself.

John D said "Why doesn't Rolex look at only the PRO performances? If they only considered 13 PRO perfomances, WIE wouldn't even qualify. Just a SHickenCHit way to get a pseudo-pro into the rankings."

That would have given Wie haters one less opportunity to bash Wie if Rolex agreed with John D. So I think it is a good thing for Wie bashers that Rolex did "a SHickenChit way" so that now Wie haters can bash her for being placed on the 2nd position according to Rolex ranking.

So Wie haters, you should thank Rolex for giving you the opportunity to bash Wie, instead of criticizing Rolex.

All you Wie Warriors eventually must recognize these uncontrovertible facts: The 18th was playing as one of the easier holes on the course. Several birdies and even a few eagles had been recorded just prior to Michelle's feeble attempt. With the pressure on, needing a birdie to get in the playoff, with all the chips on the table, for all the marbles, at crunch time, she failed again to hole a fairly easy putt, just as she did at the Fields. Before he won several major tournaments, the wags in the UK often referred to Nick Faldo as Nick"Foldo". I wonder what handle they might attach to MW.

Good point Brian. Nike has been following Wie for years now. They know what they are getting. These people are not stupid. In fact they were quick to sign on and they got her at a very cheap price, knowing full well that a few years down the road it would have cost them 3 or 4 times the amount she signed for. Wie has not done any commercials yet for either Nike or Sony. She doesn't have to. Just take the first round KNC television coverage on ESPN2. The focus every hole was on Annika and Paula but they included Wie's play as if she was part of a threesome, even though she had already completed her morning round. It had to be a feather in Nike's cap to see that Swish trademark all over the screen for 2 hours. As for the other 3 rounds being in the final group didn't hurt either. The Nike people are certainly getting their money worth.

Patrick I am still waiting for my apology. I quess I'm not going to get one so here goes. You are a small and insignificant little human being, who is of no more consequence then the nat I just swatted off my arm, but I will again cut you some slack because you are obviously blinded by local pride and rage as once again your tiny hero has failed you. You can rationalize her shot choices, her lack of a killer instinct or even her rotten luck that Karrie Webb made that improbable eagle, but the fact remains that she came up short once again. Two eagles in the final two groups and Michelle makes par, with her length and iron play, are you kidding me? So yet again you have to endure the taunts of Chris Baldwin and others who claim she is a winless, overhyped choker and until she proves otherwise you know in your heart that they are right. Michelle will win soon enough and you can gloat all you like at that point, but for now I would swallow some of that anger of yours, it's going to get you in trouble one of these days. Wie fans telling me to let it go and tone it down is hilarious, you guys are going to have coronary's trying to defend your precious little Bubbles. I'm going to let you in on a little secret, I couldn't care less about Michelle Wie. I don't even watch her half-breed ass play golf I just like to fuck with all you losers who live and die with what a teen girl does with a golf club. Patrick you need to step away from the vasoline and tissue paper and move on with your life. You can go on to do great things in Hawaii, like make the best french fries possible or maybe ride one of those peddle cabs I see in Maui, the point is don't rest your hopes and dreams on Michelle Wie. She doesn't give two shits about you and frankly neither do I.

Yeah...Webb "deserved" to win. The odds on sinking that 116 yard wedge was 1 in 1264 shots. Your right Webb when you said "I was lucky to win."

Liam, MW fans are losers? People who troll on web discussion groups and make racial slurs are the biggest losers I've seen. Get a life.

Brian, what you're claiming is that the market sets the price, and on that point, you're right. Anna Kournikova was the highest paid tennis player in the world for years, despite never winning a singles title. I have no issue with Michelle Wie. Hell, if my daughter could sign a contract for $40M and never win a thing, I'd let her do it too. But Wie-fanatics are blinded by the POTENTIAL and belittle the accomplishments of the Creamers and Pressels of the world before Wie has actually earned the throne. It's like they're buying into the media and marketing hype, which shouldn't surprise anyone who understands the slavish nature of the American consumer (see Winfrey, Oprah). Fine, she's super-talented. Fine, she'll win eventually and likely dominate for years.

But she hasn't done it yet. And until she does, she's like Alex Smith or Darko Milicic; a talented young multi-millionaire with boatloads of potential who hasn't won a damn thing. And that's ok too...

Michelle Wie's endorsement deals are all marketing hype. So are Tiger Woods' deals. Michael Jordan's deals, etc. You're an idiot if you changed your views about Mercedes and Lexus just because Annika switched her car sponsor.

Now let us change our question and ask how good Michelle Wie is. Good enough to finish 1 stroke out of a playoff in each of her two tournaments this year on the LPGA. As far as winning on the LPGA is concerned she is more than two years younger than Paula Creamer when Paula had her first win. She will have a run of tournaments in June and July. Let's see how she does then.

PATRICK You would have putted from there--but you would have been trying to get down in three. Try to get the ball on the green close enough to two putt.

Paul W. before you get all up-in-arms over Liam's use of the term, "half-breed" to describe Michelle Wie you might want to know that Liam doesn't really exist. Strange, I know, but hear me out. Liam, Dylan, Stone, Nas, Brian, Tim, John, Holt, Jackson, Jordan and many others are just one person. What are this person's true thoughts, beliefs, feelings and opinions are unknown, because he/she/it argues every possible side to this and many other debates. I have it on good authority that these multiple posters are actually connected to this site or to individual bloggers to keep debate raging and to boost comments and interest in waning blogs. My opinion is that it is best not to take the bait and ignore such drivel. In this case you are just giving Baldwin's blog more attention then it deserves.

How interesting, Inside Scoop. A little research just showed me that a "Liam," "Holt," "Dylan," "Jason," "Spencer" and "Kimo" have all posted comments from computers with the exact same IP address as yours! That's remarkable! Could complete strangers be sneaking into your house and using your machine while you're at work?

I don't get this site. They delete comments that refer to Baldwin's "vagina" but they permit racial slurs?

I'm not sure what "half-breed" is supposed to refer to, but both of Wie's parents are Korean.

This site sucks.

Is nothing sacred in a frat house? Rest assured Mark that I will stop at nothing to find and punish the offenders. Thank you for your brilliant detective work and for your running of such a fine and informative web site, you are truly a credit to world of golf blogging.

Baldwin, Simply put: You are a racist, half-brained, pedophilic idiot.

Mark, I'm not sure what is creepier, the possibility that Liam and Inside Scoop are the same person, or the fact that you are monitoring peoples IP addresses. I tend to believe Inside Scoop that a lot of the posts are fake, intended to generate traffic. You folks appear to be getting increasingly desperate and this site is becoming more and more a hangout for trolls and fake posters. It's no wonder Norman and others have pretty much left and are going to other sites. I think I'll join them.

ToddCommish said "Anna Kournikova was the highest paid tennis player in the world for years, despite never winning a singles title."

I am glad you brought that up. Remember who initiated the endorsement deals with Anna. It was the companies. I'll bet you didn't spend a dime for Anna either.

When you invest in something, you know that there is always a risk that goes with it. So you cannot criticize the companies for taking the risk and Anna for accepting the offer unless you are a stock holder of one of the companies and you had lost your money because the company made that endorsement deal with Anna.

ToddCommish said "But Wie-fanatics are blinded by the POTENTIAL and belittle the accomplishments of the Creamers and Pressels of the world before Wie has actually earned the throne"

Todd, you got to understand why some of Wie Warriors are bringing up Paula and kind of belittle her. It's a way to show Chris how ridiculous it is to belittle and bash Wie. Chris once claimed that "Paula Creamer better than Michelle Wie now, will ALWAYS be better than Wie." If you can't believe it, check this out.

In Capitalism, almost everything you do is marketing - going to school, getting good GPA, dressing up for interview, writing a resume, etc. So if Michelle Wie is a marketing hype then we are all marketing hypes.

I understand many people criticize Wie because she got $10 million deal without winning a game, therefore she doesn’t deserve the money and publicity, and it is a shame that she hasn’t won a game yet. It sounds logical off hand but let me explain how ridiculous and childish it is.

Let's say, you and your friend's got graduated fresh from college and apply to the same company. Your GPA was higher than his/hers. You thought that you had better chance of getting the job. But it turned out that your friend was the one got hired after having gone through several interviews with the company executives. It turned out that his friend had attributes and qualifications other than GPA that the company was looking for. Instead of congratulating him, you criticized him for getting hired with lower GPA than yours. You even called him a liar. Now you see how ridiculous and childish it sounds.

Furthermore, it’s not like they spent your tax money on the deal. If the Federal government paid $10 million to Wie, then you have a right to say a word on whether Wie deserve to receive the money or not. Otherwise, you are not in a position to judge whether Wie deserve $10 million.

It all comes down to pure jealousy if you call Wie a marketing hype or Bubble unless you are a communist or a stock holder when someone call Wie a marketing hype or winless wonder.

Once again, everyone has a right to express their opinion but you better watch out what you are getting into and back up your claim if you don’t embarrass yourself.

I replied on this website a while back and don't remember what my original name was...anyway, regarding IP addressess, Some service providers use the same IP address for all their members. AOL does/did this. That's why some people have the same IP address as others. Also, as a moderator on another forum, I feel that it shouldn't be advertised that IP addresses are looked at just to see who are the same people. Mark Nessmith shouldn't be making this info public. But he is the Executive Editor so I guess it's his call.

Correction on the last paragraph:
"... if you don't want to embarrass yourself."
Sorry about the mistake.

Excuse me Liam, where are my manners?

Here's your apology!

I'm SO SORRY that you're such an f***ing dumba**.

Check out the picture I uploaded of Michelle Wie going ballistic on Baldwin and his goon squad. She's real purrty when she's mad.

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-4/1168157/Michelle.Wie.going.postal.gif

Oops, I forgot to post the URL properly.

Holy Crap. What a freak show! Patrick, don't heed any attention to Liam. Calling an idiot an idiot is not an insult. Similarly, if someone is being a f#$%king dumba%$#, then he is a f***king dumba*** ( I sensored myself, hehe) By the way, Liam, I don't know what a "nat" is, but I do know what a "gnat' is, you f**king dumba**. First you pick on a 16 year old girl and now you are fighting a high school boy? You f**king dumba**. Go back to high school and take some remmedial English lessons.

Dumba**, You certainly gave yourself an appropriate handle. Correcting another poster about English usage takes a lot of nerve coming from a semi-literate such as you. One does not "heed any attention" to anything. One "pays heed" or "pays attention." Censor does not equal sensor. And it's spelled "remedial with one "m". Take your own advice and go back to school and learn something. In your case, ANYTHING would help.

Michelle Wie will be on 60 minutes tomorrow -
April 9th.

What's the over/under on Baldwin nitpicking something about Michelle Wie right after the interview?

Heck-he's probably writing it now...