Apr
11
UK writer John Huggan calls Ryder Cup Captain Tom Lehman 'America's Mister Angry'
Writing here in the scotsman.com, John Huggan holds U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Tom Lehman to the fire for, among other things, his flirtation with the idea of being a playing captain come September.
“More than one former skipper has pointed out the folly of even attempting to play and captain at the same time,” Huggan writes. “Apart from anything else, the two roles are logistically exclusive. … Still, none of the above seems to be putting the five-time PGA Tour winner off.”
Huggan also details a few incidents from Lehman’s past - “behaviour that can only be described as unacceptably ill-tempered.”
About Lehman’s “unprovoked attack on his entirely innocent golf bag” at the WGC Match Play Championship, Huggan wrote: “This isn’t the first time Lehman has lost the plot under pressure. Nor is it the first time he has failed to live up to his self-proclaimed and supposedly deeply-held religious convictions.”
And he saves a good bit of venom for Lehman’s “part in - and subsequent strident defence of - the indefensible when a large proportion of the 1999 US Ryder Cup side took it upon themselves to charge in premature celebration across the 17th green at the Country Club in Boston.”
In closing, Huggan writes: “The last thing the always-volatile Ryder Cup needs right now is a team captain who doesn’t know how to control himself in stressful situations or, indeed, when to keep his big mouth shut.
“Come to think of it, maybe Lehman should play in the upcoming matches. At least then he’d be out of the way when the time comes to make the big decisions or say the right things to the watching world. Just a thought, Tom: Calm down, will you?”
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9 comments
One thing that really cheeses me off is when people look down their nose at others with religious convictions. Those are ideals that a lot of good people strive for in order to live a better life. No one among us lives up to those types of lofty standards 100% of the time. Instead of being hammered for an occasional failure, these folks should be commended for making the effort.
I usually love Huggan's columns. He has a decidedly Euro view of things and is often right on the money. But this time he should just shut up. He obviously has ventured beyond his area of expertise.
PS - I've played Duggan's home course in Dunbar, Scotland. It is an awesome links track. I highly recommend it.
I usually love Huggan's columns. He has a decidedly Euro view of things and is often right on the money. But this time he should just shut up. He obviously has ventured beyond his area of expertise.
PS - I've played Duggan's home course in Dunbar, Scotland. It is an awesome links track. I highly recommend it.
2006-04-11 @ 14:56
Comment from: Jim COULTHARD [Visitor]
The always volatile Ryder Cup--who is he kidding? When the US hosted the World Cup a Columbian player scored an own goal against Columbia in a match against the US. He was later murdered for it when he went back to Columbia. Let' see, what is worse? An athlete being murdered for making a mistake--or athletes running across the 17th green? I've got to go with World Cup Soccer being more volatile than Ryder Cup Golf.
2006-04-12 @ 02:50
Comment from: Mark Nessmith, Executive Editor [Visitor]
Excellent points, guys. I did think Huggans' jab about Lehman not living "up to his self-proclaimed and supposedly deeply-held religious convictions" was uncalled for. I grew up going to church every Sunday and I never heard the preacher say it's a SIN to lose your temper or get a little too fired up about something. It might make you look like a jerk but I don't think it necessarily means you've trampled your religious convictions.
And Jim's right too -- In this age of short-term memory, people think all of the Ryder Cup Matches have been like the '99 Matches in Brookline. Wrong. The VAST majority of the Matches have been stately affairs with an emphasis on sportsmanship and camaraderie. I really hope they get back to that. I doubt today's fans and fat TV contracts will allow that to happen, however.
Could be Huggan's just miffed that, in 35 matches over the past 77 years, the Americans have 24 wins to the British and British/European teams' 9 wins and 2 ties.
And Jim's right too -- In this age of short-term memory, people think all of the Ryder Cup Matches have been like the '99 Matches in Brookline. Wrong. The VAST majority of the Matches have been stately affairs with an emphasis on sportsmanship and camaraderie. I really hope they get back to that. I doubt today's fans and fat TV contracts will allow that to happen, however.
Could be Huggan's just miffed that, in 35 matches over the past 77 years, the Americans have 24 wins to the British and British/European teams' 9 wins and 2 ties.
2006-04-12 @ 05:10
Comment from: Stacy Solomon [Visitor]
Tom Lehman is putting too much pressure on himself by both being a captain and player.
Too much pressure can cause a normally calm person to erupt. Lehman should stick to playing.
Too much pressure can cause a normally calm person to erupt. Lehman should stick to playing.
2006-04-12 @ 09:10
Comment from: Mark [Visitor]
Every time I read an article or hear an interview from a European viewpoint of the '99 Matches and how we were the "ugly Americans" by running across the 17th green it makes me angry. I was at those Matches and for the first two days the Europeans were behaving as bad or worse than the Americans celebration on 17.
While two wrongs don't make a right what about Sergio Garcia leaping into the arms of Jesper Parnevik. There were MANY times when a European player made a big shot, chipped in or holed a long putt when their celebrations did not show the sportsmanship they claim to have been robbed of on the 17th green. The European fans were so obnoxious in their celebrations with the players and their chants (with the European players encouraging them) at every big shot that I vowed to never return to the Ryder Cup matches. In (not so) short terms I think the Europeans suffer from selective memory loss. They claim the Americans were bad winners but they were at least good losers the first two days versus the Europeans who were bad winners and for seven years now have been bad losers as well.
While two wrongs don't make a right what about Sergio Garcia leaping into the arms of Jesper Parnevik. There were MANY times when a European player made a big shot, chipped in or holed a long putt when their celebrations did not show the sportsmanship they claim to have been robbed of on the 17th green. The European fans were so obnoxious in their celebrations with the players and their chants (with the European players encouraging them) at every big shot that I vowed to never return to the Ryder Cup matches. In (not so) short terms I think the Europeans suffer from selective memory loss. They claim the Americans were bad winners but they were at least good losers the first two days versus the Europeans who were bad winners and for seven years now have been bad losers as well.
2006-04-12 @ 13:25
Comment from: Steve [Visitor]
Like many religious people, Tom Lehman doesn't hold himself up above others but recognizes his inherent flaws and tries to work to correct them. Those who prefer to take to task someone based on the fact that the subject is religous fail to bear in mind that for a Christian, it is not being perfect that is the Christian's claim, but striving for perfection and knowing that unti the day they meet their maker, they will not be perfect.
Knowing Tom, I know he's already forgiven the latest attack. He knows it's easier to blame someone else for your problems than to face them as your own.
Knowing Tom, I know he's already forgiven the latest attack. He knows it's easier to blame someone else for your problems than to face them as your own.
2006-04-12 @ 15:53
Comment from: Simon [Visitor]
Being European I am way past bothering about the 'incident' on the 17th. Anybody I know that cared at the time is also no bothered now. It is seven years ago now, if you are in the US then dont assume that everybody over here is outraged, we are not. A journalist will write anything to get attention, this is one of those cases. I think the only reason the issue was big at the time was because the game was still alive and the celebrations were more raucus than others.
To slam Lehman for loosing his temper occasionally is unfair, we have all done it and to question his faith is even less fair.
I do, however, agree that playing and captaining is simply not a good idea. He will not be able to watch and examine his players mid-game and could be on the course when pairings are to be decided. Those are just two of many problems.
2006-04-18 @ 18:35
Comment from: David [Visitor]
Lehman isn't good enough to make the Ryder Cup team now anyway, so he should just forget about being playing captain. You can't be a good captain AND play.
I don't have a clue what Mark is talking about. Never did almost the entire European team come hurtling across the green, right across someone's line when the hole wasn't even over yet, just to celebrate one holed putt. You could tell Olly wasn't impressed.
THAT was obnoxious, Mark. Sure, Sergio hoisted himself up onto Jesper, got a hug, and whatever else - but so fuck? What's wrong with that?
There's nothing more annoying than seeing a bunch of blonde, gold-digging, American bimbos (the American PGA Tour wives) screaming and chanting like stupid little girlie cheerleaders, pretending they actually give a shit or even know the slightest thing about golf. I'm sure their smiles would be so wide and their laughs so cheesey if they knew that their husbands weren't receiving money to play in the Ryder Cup.
Oh, and the 17th green thing was pretty off-pissing as well from a European standpoint. Not because a putt was holed - putts fall all week - but because for a good two minutes, the Americans thought they were centre of the universe, showing no regard for the fact that there was another guy waiting to putt.
I don't have a clue what Mark is talking about. Never did almost the entire European team come hurtling across the green, right across someone's line when the hole wasn't even over yet, just to celebrate one holed putt. You could tell Olly wasn't impressed.
THAT was obnoxious, Mark. Sure, Sergio hoisted himself up onto Jesper, got a hug, and whatever else - but so fuck? What's wrong with that?
There's nothing more annoying than seeing a bunch of blonde, gold-digging, American bimbos (the American PGA Tour wives) screaming and chanting like stupid little girlie cheerleaders, pretending they actually give a shit or even know the slightest thing about golf. I'm sure their smiles would be so wide and their laughs so cheesey if they knew that their husbands weren't receiving money to play in the Ryder Cup.
Oh, and the 17th green thing was pretty off-pissing as well from a European standpoint. Not because a putt was holed - putts fall all week - but because for a good two minutes, the Americans thought they were centre of the universe, showing no regard for the fact that there was another guy waiting to putt.
2006-04-21 @ 05:40
Comment from: Rich [Visitor]
Lehmans wife is a brunette and they married when he was dirt poor.
2006-05-04 @ 23:57
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