The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Go Low - Scottie and his greatness, the state of the PGA Tour, LIV's season finale

Episode Date: May 1, 2024

John dives into how Scottie Scheffler is very easy to root for and even though he's the best golfer in the world people still want him to win and are not rooting for the underdog. Later, John discusses the state of the PGA Tour and how unless they merge with LIV or find a way to get people interested in the tour again, viewership is going to continue to decline. Lastly, John reacts to the LIV Tour ending their season at a public course in Chicago and how that should never happen. 7:33 - Scottie and his greatness 18:11 - The state of the PGA Tour 27:25 - LIV's season finale Follow John on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube for the latest. Check out Gametime - the fastest growing ticketing app in the US, and the official ticketing app of 3 & Out and GoLow -  for tickets to all of your favorite NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAA teams. Concert and comedy show tickets, too. Go to Gametime now to create an account, download the app and use code JOHN for $20 off your first purchase. #Volume #HerdSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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See dkng.com slash B-Ball for eligibility and deposit restrictions, terms, and responsible gaming resources. What is going on, everybody, John Middlecock, a little go-low podcast. We took a little hiatus, post the Masters because of the NFL draft. I don't know if some of you guys might have heard of it. So we've done a lot of draft content over the last two weeks. And I wanted to hit on some golf stuff because we have our second major in a couple weeks. I looked on draft kings, our friends of draft kings.

Scotty Sheffler is currently 40 to 1. to win the Grand Slam. I would say most times that'd be insane to bet on a guy to win the Grand Slam, but I don't know. Don't really hate it. And I've come around because I was a little nervous betting him at the PGA

because of the baby situation. But if he has the baby before the PGA championship in the next couple weeks, I think that number gets a little more interesting, especially what he proved at the RBC, not needing really any rest or practice coming off the victory at the Masters. I wanted to dive into the story that's flying around about equity with the PGA tour situation

with some of its broadcast partners being in shambles, not having any money. They don't even have a lead analyst right now for the U.S. Open NBC in like six weeks. Live golf is currently in Singapore. They just played in Australia. Obviously the merger talks. Who knows? I mean, I don't feel great about it. But just some thoughts on the current situation.

A problem live is clearly facing in America. They just announced where they're going to play their season-ending championship. It is just a run-of-the-mill public course. So I think that kind of symbolizes a bigger problem. And then just some overall thoughts on team golf. Not really sure it works besides like the Ryder Cup and the President's Cup. but I do a mailbag on the football show three and out. It's just my own Instagram.

I created an Instagram a while back at Golopod. At Golopod. So at Geo-L-W pod. It's his own Instagram feed. I'm going to start now that football's, you know, slowing down, doing a bunch of more golf content on there. Fire in those DMs. And we will have segments on this show weekly

where we're just talking golf, whether it's questions about pro golf, players, betting, what's in your bag. I don't know, anything. I don't care. Fire in at Golopod and ask your questions and we will start interacting with the people. That is the game plan moving forward. So other than that, gambling this week on the CJ Cup, I like Mark Hubbard. You can get him right now 50 to 1, but his top 10 odds are like 5 to 1.

His top 20 odds are almost plus 240. So he's a guy that's been playing well. He just played pretty well last week in the team event. He's at a good season, hasn't missed a cut. It's going to be a birdie fest. So Mark Hubbard is one guy for sure that I'm on. If you listen on Collins' feed, make sure he's subscribe to the feed. Three and Out lives here as well as Golo.

And all of our content is up on the YouTube page. So just type in John Middlecoff to YouTube. We got all of our content on video as well as audio. So we've got a lot going on. So buckle up. Hopefully, you know, got a little iron in the fire for some golf stuff. Hearing some rumors about some stuff. No announcements yet, but we will keep you updated as they come.

So hopefully some big things are in the works. Other than that, before we dive into golf, I got to tell you about my friends, a company I use, and they happen to be my partners. Game time. Grab your smartphone, grab your iPad, grab wherever you, download your apps, and download the GameTime app. and when you do it, download game time.

Use the promo code Go Lo, G-O-L-O-W, and save $20 on your first pair of tickets. Concerts, comedy shows. You want to go to a game? You live in an area where your NBA teams kicking ass, taking names. Do it on us.

Go to a game. promo code, go low, save $20. NHL games. Whenever I see NHL games, playoff games on TV, I'm not even a hockey guy. I'll watch 10 minutes because the intensity, the crowds are incredible.

If I had an NHL, team in my backyard I no longer do. They moved to Utah and they weren't any good to begin with, but it was good. I would one million percent go to a game. So download that app, game time, fast growing ticket to gap in America. Promal code, go low, save $20. Colin used to have this thing back in the day before he came to Fox. I mean, he still talks about it, but it was like one of his big takes was how he hated the underdog. He hated the little guy. And I first started listening to him when I was in college and throughout when I went to Fresno State. and it used to tick me off because I was working for the little guy.

And we weren't ever good enough to make a run, but we played Boise State. In Boise State, I often thought, could, like, compete with USC, Texas, whoever in the SEC, like they were a national championship contender. Now, they never got that opportunity, but I truly believe that to my core. But I've changed my thinking over time. And listen, I'm very grateful to have gone to school. school at Cal Poly and Fresno State to programs that are not the

University of Texas or Michigan or Ohio State when it comes to athletics, that's for sure. And now, like, as a fan, I like watching the big dogs. I haven't watched much in the NBA playoffs. I've watched every dribble, or I did, it's over now, of the Lakers Nuggets. And it was fantastic. One of the

best five-game series I've ever seen. Mainly because, I love seeing the Lakers lose, and I knew they would. But Yokicch is, He's clearly established himself as not only the best player currently in the world, but one of the best players we've ever seen. And right now he's about to win his third MVP in like four years. Unless someone on his team gets injured, including himself,

they're going to win the NBA championship. Like he's going into hollow territory. And I like watching guys separate from the pack. I like watching the best teams and the best players. What Patrick Mahomes just did is insanity. win his third Super Bowl in five years he's established as not just the best quarterback in the NFL

but one of the best players we've ever seen and he's like in the peak of his powers not even 30 yet so like how far can he go my favorite athlete by I mean there's two of them but as a kid like anyone born in the mid 80s Michael Jordan was spectacular

and then coming into your own as a sports fan getting to live through Tiger Woods is something we'll probably never see again and something I'm very very glad that I got to watch and really be able to defend it. Because I've often said, if you're in a bar arguing with someone, if you didn't grow up or were of age to watch that player,

it's a hard argument. YouTube does not do justice to when you're watching a guy live, especially as you get older. I can speak pretty confidently about Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, about Steph Curry, about Tiger Woods, and Phil Mickelson, and Rory, whoever. I mean, the players that I've watched. It's hard for me, besides like, yeah, I know Magic Johnson and Larry Bird

all-time greats, but to like legitimately get into an argument. Like, if we're getting to an argument about Jack Nicholas and Arnold Palmer, even like Greg Norman and Nick Fowldo, like I don't feel as strong in my argument. I can watch all the YouTube's and 30 for 30s and everything possible on the internet. It is not the same. So watching Scotty Sheffler doing what he's currently doing is freaking awesome. Now, the sad part is the Taurus and turmoil, the tour is split, and television ratings are down. Despite golf, in terms of the

amateur world, never being more popular. More people are playing golf in 2024 than ever before. The access is much easier. There are a ton of courses. The public courses are absolutely packed. The waiting lists at country clubs all over the country is a mile long. And golf's very, very popular. It's a unique sport, right? I played high school football. Have not played a down since. Most people that play high school football never play in college. Yet we become football fans the rest of our life. But I'm never going to throw a pass at Lambeau Field. I'm never going to run for a yard in Hinesfield, right where the Pittsburgh Steelers play. It's like, I'll never shoot baskets at MSG. But I can play golf at the overwhelming majority of courses

that pros play. And if you're lucky enough to run in the, the right circles, you might even get access to some of the sweet courses they play that are country clubs. It's not possible. Like, if you're a tennis player, you're not playing Wimbledon. That's what makes golf pretty special. And Tiger really brought that to light. He made it cool. I don't know if Scotty Schaeffler is that he's not even close to the level of superstar that Tiger was, but he is a special player in the peak of his powers. And after he won the Masters pretty easily, I thought the most impressive accomplishment he's had in his career

and he's won the Masters twice was winning the next week. He literally went home, his wife was pregnant when he gets home to Texas. She's asleep. He goes out with the boys. 48 hours later, he flies back to the RBC at like Tuesday night,

start slow on Thursday, and then you look up on Sunday, he's kicking the shit out of everybody. And I looked on draft kings today right now. They have a special for him to win the grand slam. He's 40 to 1. Now, I said after the Masters, the only thing, like, I think it's over, under right now on majors, is two and a half. That's what I would put it at. Because I think between Pinehurst and the Open Championship, he's a lock to win one of those two. The only reason I'm hesitant on the PJ

Championship in Valhalla is because his wife any day could have a baby. And then the moment when you first have a baby, you don't sleep. You're sleeping in a terrible. terrible chairbed, never had one, but seen pictures, been to the room after my friends and brothers have had kids. But it is a, it's a life-changing moment. In a life-changing moment for you personally, especially in the short term, just with sleep and your routine is going to be thrown off. So who knows how much practice he's going to have before the PGA?

And then I started thinking like, well, he had no practice or probably slept that much or did anything the couple days leading into the RBC and he basically won with his fucking eyes close. So why couldn't he win a major? Now obviously if his wife hasn't gone into labor and that's a story that to me would have much more substance behind it because she could actually have the baby,

that's a whole different conversation. But if the baby happens before, you know, I don't know if I'm off him that much. And if he were to win Valhalla, that 40 to 1, to me probably goes down to like 12 to 1 immediately. Because, one, I think he's winning Pinehurst. I mean, it sets up perfectly for him. And by then, he will have enough time to kind of get his routine

and just gets a normal sleep in order for the major push. I looked at last year. And remember, he couldn't putt last year. He was an awful putter. He finished T-10 at the Masters, which probably going to be an outlier for his career because he's going to win that thing like five times. And then the next two majors, the PGA and the U.S. Open at L.A. Country Club, he finished T2 and third.

Again, could not putt. The British Open, which has given him some trouble, though he's only played in three, he finished T23. And two years ago, his best finish in 2021 was T8. I guess my overall point is, I don't think it's crazy at all to throw a little money on him 40 to 1 to win the Grand Slam. Seems crazy, right, just because of how different. difficult it is, how much pressure is on these majors. But for the first time, since Tiger, you're like, yeah, this is real.

This is very, very possible. Now, the crazy thing is, when Tiger was in his heyday, you know, people love to make fun. Like, it was just plumbers and firemen as a type of guys he was playing. No, he played against some pretty good players. Last time I checked, like, Ernie Els could play. Vijay Sink could play. I mean, David Duvall in the late 90s was pretty damn good. Now, the depth of talent was nowhere near what it is now.

Not even close. But Scottie's shown, like, he's not even that affected by it. I don't give a shit how good all these guys are. I'm dramatically better. I'm dramatically better. Now, the irony is the one guy that could take him down is a guy that would be playing potentially in his second major. Ludwig, who is clearly a special,

got a chance to be a transcendent talent. So I just think this 40 to one number, if you had told me before the year or just moving forward anyone could ever win the Grand Slam again I'd be like it'd be shocking if a guy won two majors in a year given the current crop of guys

playing in these major championship and the depth of just elite players I mean it goes it goes 15 deep with just high high end players I don't know he might just be that much better than everyone despite the baby situation imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but

encouraged it's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me. I'm from the skits, the reactions,

my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations

with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast.

It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast.

I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84's big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day

but just so y'all know I mean at this point Mark this is the second episode where we've discussed crack so I'm starting to see there's a through line We also have AIDS on the table right now so

Thank you finishing that sentence I don't think there's a more important year for black people Really? Yeah for me it's one of the most important years for black people in American history Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app

Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast The PGA Tour. There was a story that came out, I think, a couple days ago. Let's face it. The tour's in shambles. No one fans are butts about it. It's embarrassing the state of professional golf. It has nothing to do with us.

It has to do with Saudis, buying all these guys, Jay Monaghan being just pretty bad at his job, the players not being hands-on enough. And then once Jay fucked everything up, now they're really hands-on, and ultimately they don't care what we think, which is a problem because the sport, just like all these professional sports,

are very determined on how many people watch. It's about television. It's about your TV product and the ratings you do to be able to sell it. Now, the PGA tour sold their rights a couple years ago for a lot of money. So that number is set. Like the NBA ratings are down,

but it doesn't impact the players because it's a fixed number over a 10-year period of time. Now, every time you renegotiate, if it were to ever go down, it'd be a problem. But the PJ Tour is looking at another six, seven-year runway, of this current deal. The problem is one of their partners, NBC,

is in financial shambles. They do not have the lead analysts, which would be like the CBS, not knowing who is going to be sitting next to Jim Nance six weeks before the NFL season. That would never happen. It would be inconceivable. Well, Kevin Kisner, who clearly should transition to T. I love Kis. And I hope he goes full time

in TV. They're not offering him any money. So he's like, I'm not commit to this. They fired Paul Aisinger last year, which time to go. Paul's just wasn't that good at his job. Good player, seems like a good guy. Television, not very good. Jeff Ogilvie, who I see some times at the gym, haven't had quite the balls to say anything. I don't know the smooth interaction. Like, hey Jeff, podcaster like hey jf loved you when you're going toe to toe with tie i got to think of a smooth interaction he's always doing squats you see he's got that long skinny body obviously i've talked to a couple people that know him say he's great guy so i just need to go up and talk to him but he's another guy that like they're not offering any money and financially they're cutting costs which impacts the product

which they clearly struggle on and the only reason they own the u.s open is because fox who paid a billion for it realized you're really like we're not going to be able to make any money we're out so they got it on like a 50% discount fox is paying for like 50% of it so nbc didn't even buy the u.s open for a normal rate they got it on a discount and they're still going cheap well the pga tour while dealing with this obviously has live that has poached a lot of their players and they can't compete right if live is going to offer 60 million dollars for turel hatton What the fuck are you going to do? Let alone the hundreds of millions of dollars.

They're paying DJ, Kepka, Phil, ROM, you're done. They're gone. So it was reported last week that Joe Pampliano, I might be screwing up his name, but he's a really good like sports business insider. He had this long thing on LinkedIn, which I'm trying to get a little more active on, that the way their structure is going to work. Now, equity is not the same as giving you $100 million. Right?

So they're giving Tiger Woods $100 million in equity. These were the four names that I read. They just had specific numbers. $50 million to Rory and $30 to JT. And to Spieth. Now, you can't, the equity doesn't have any value on the open market. Tiger couldn't just cash out next year for $100 million. It takes four years to vest, and then you can sell or cash out 50% of it.

And ideally, when you get equity in something, and listen, since I've been in the podcast world, I only do things that I have, ownership in right it doesn't always mean upfront cash but big picture to have equity ownership in anything I found for myself incentivizes me greatly I am much more inclined to do a podcast every single day knowing that I got skin in the game it's fucking mine why wouldn't I wouldn't be the same if you just paid me a fixed cost to have the same type of juice look at live like if you gave me a hundred million dollar look at DJs a great example and they gave him a hundred

million plus and he even admitted like yeah don't practice much hard to blame him it's human nature most people are not wired like tiger and brady most people even high level people are closer to DJ it's like i've already made hundreds of million dollars now i got this money guaranteed i don't need to work as hard we're all somewhat similar in our wiring upstairs so when you give the equity now it does incentivize these guys even though they will never ever make as much as they would have got going to live, but to give everything they have to the product. Now, the problem is, Tiger is somewhat of an outlier. I would even say Rory, Jordan and Spither are good examples.

Two guys around 30 years old that have been prominent, famous members of the PGA Tour, that the tour needs because of their fame, equity with us, the fans, in terms of name recognition, and just their star power, is to do everything possible to have. help out the sport. And I do think they're trying. But how do you not, how do you do something that you don't even know what to do? Like, where would they even begin to start? And this is the thing. I understand why the Arthur Blanks and the Steve Cohen's and all these guys with money get involved, because it's an opportunity. And they're so flush with cash, like, why not? We put in a couple hundred million dollars, raise three billion dollars, see where it goes. Ideally,

it turns into a $10 billion operation. But there is a chance if they stay splintered, this equity won't amount to much. Because right now, and for the foreseeable future, they don't have much going. And the only way,

it's not about walking talks on the course where they put a earpot into someone's ear and they talk for a hole. That's cool. Or the Friday happy hours where a famous player sits down with Smiley

and chops it up for an hour. That's also cool. That's not doing anything. It's not moving the needle. The only thing that matters, the only thing to make this business and this equity worthwhile for everyone involved, the players, these rich people that are put front in the money, is to get everyone back playing together. Not four times a year, but like 15. And I think the challenge is to get these live guys to come back, like, what's their incentive? Now, the moment some of them stop dropping out of the majors because they don't meet the qualifications,

yeah, they're more incentivized to sign off. But DJ won a major a couple years ago, and he's into the Masters for life. Like, he's in these majors for a while. Rom, won the U.S. Open, won the Masters last year. He doesn't have to worry about that. Bryson D. Shambo, same thing, in the majors for years to come.

So I think they have a complicated problem, on their hand. Now the good thing is live golf last week was fun. I just saw highlights in Australia. Australia is a place that loves golf. Like Japan with baseball. It just, it works. If you put

an event there, it's going to be a party. It is going to pop on television. But I didn't watch. I would imagine most of you didn't watch. You might have seen some highlights on YouTube, but you didn't watch the event. And that's not going to change. Like, they're not going to

to be able to draw eyeballs. Now the one thing is because of their money backed by Saudi, I don't know if they truly care. They just want to take over the PGA tour. But remember, the PGA tour pushed back after they went on TV on whatever, June 6th, and talked about the merger because those guys want to control everything. And when you're paying the money, when you're the guy signing the check, ultimately they're the boss. So if they were going to get the majority of the juice and fund all the money, they're we're going to have a lot of say. And clearly the PGA tour has been hesitant to let just basically a country run the professional game. And I think that's a problem that's not necessarily going to

get fixed. Now, I'll report this week that Roy McElroy, who dropped off the player board, is back on the player board. Maybe he thinks that he could help get this thing over the line. He's buddies with Yasser. I don't know, man. I don't feel great. In all these talks about equity and payments, none of us care. None of it matters. It just truly does not. It's like, what contract will LeBron James signs next?

I don't care. He's already super rich. I don't care if it's $150 million, $130,000. None of it matters. Where's it going to play? And that's the world of golf right now. Where are they going to play? And that's a problem for live.

They announced today that their season-ending tournament, the equivalent of like the tour championship for the PGA tour. They played at Eastlake, which some people have problems with the course. I think it's fine. They're going to Bowling Brook, which I had never heard of in Chicago.

It is a course, a lot of people have been posting it about on the internet, that you can play during the week for $60. On the weekend, it's $85. Of course, me and you would have no problem playing. Sounds like probably a fun little track in Chicago. Here's the problem. Chicago is home to some of the best golf in America.

Hell, Liv played last year at Rich Harvest Farms, which is one of the nicer courses, according to Golf Digest, in the state. But they have all these other courses like Butler National, Medina, Olympia Fields. These courses have hosted major championships. But Liv has no access to any of these courses. None.

Can you imagine if I said that Greg Norman announced that Liv's final event will be at Pebble Beach. Like, damn, I might peek at that. A huge part of golf is the course at the professional level. It draws us in. Last year, I remember how excited I was

to watch them play at L.A. Country Club. It's why Augusta is such a big deal. It's why the Open Championship is so unique. The Lynx Golf, they travel around all these different courses in Scotland and Ireland and the UK. It's cool. It doesn't look like what we normally see. And then over the course of the rotation, you kind of get familiar with some of them,

especially San Andrews. No different than the U.S. Open. You know they're going to play Pebble every once in a while. You know they're going to play Olympic Club. They played Wingfoot. I mean, they played Oakmont. Like you kind of get in this rotation if you follow the sport. Like, Liv has no...

Because none of the public courses that are any good, they're in business with the PGA tour. Torrey Pines, TPC, Scottsdale. None of these people are going to do, obviously TBC Scottsdale, because it's owned by the PJTor, but Tori Pines is a good example. They're not going to do business with Liv.

And then Liv has no access to any of the country clubs. Beside, like, if Trump wants to get involved. So the country clubs that might draw, like, damn, they're playing this weekend at, pick the course. I'll watch. It's just not. going to happen. So I think

Liv has a course problem on top of just we're not watching but I do think that would help domestically. Internationally I see what they're doing. They're trying to spread out it's cool. Australia is cool. Once they go in some of these weird time zones like it's in the middle of the night

but I understand it. The problem is they would love to have four or five events here that are really big they went to Las Vegas. No one paid attention. Partly it was during the Super Bowl. But I don't know. I mean, you can talk about equity, you can talk about all these payments, until everyone gets on the same page, it's not going to be worth it to anyone. When I first got in the podcast

business, I got involved with kind of this startup. And one thing, I was like, okay, I'm going to fight for some equity in the company. And I got a little. The company went under. Now, the PJ Tour is not going to go under. Live golf is not going to go under. But the only way for equity to matter is for the company to succeed, is for it to keep going up. So you're, you're a lot of, you equity actually has value. And I don't know. I'm not very bullish on the situation. Just like in theory, team golf.

Last week, the Zurich. It should be cool because you watch the Rider Cup or the President's Cup and it's awesome. The difference is, especially let's use the Rider Cup, there is something special when you put on your country's flag. Obviously, the international team is dudes from all different countries. but you know when we send a team, either across the pond or domestically, that all our 12 guys are going to be representing America.

So, yeah, they play, you know, four ball, they play, you know, alternate shot, whatever. But it's still like us, America. It's why when the World Cup happens, everyone gets excited for American soccer. Even though we consistently never do shit. rightfully so, we're not as good. Like, I know the Lakers played the dug as close. They're not as good.

There's a reason they have lost 12 of 13 games against those guys in the playoffs. They're just not as good, so it's understandable. But at least you're like, they got LeBron and Anthony Davis and no different than us.

Even if we go across the pond and lose, at least we're rolling out some heavy hitters. Kepka, Sheffler, JT, speed, whoever, even those guys were shitty. But you know what I mean? I think wearing your country's flag is a big deal. When you just watch Team Golf in a random event,

I don't really feel it, especially in the problem for the Zurich is, beside Rory and Shane Lowry, which Rory had never played the event. And they told a story on the broadcast, I just watched a little on Sunday, that it all kind of started when they had lunch or something during the holidays,

during like Christmas time. They both live, I think, in Jupiter, Florida. They're obviously boys from the Rider Cup. And maybe Shane, maybe Roy's like, I want to do it. I don't know exactly how it happened, but that's not typically the tandem you see. Most of the groups, when I look to the leaderboard,

I'm like, I've never heard of these people. I have never heard of these players. Or they're like random fringe PJ tour players. That's a problem. But I think one thing with pro golf, and maybe it can get a little redundant, I don't think it necessarily will if you shorten up the season a little bit once they get back together,

is watching three or four games. guys coming down the stress trying to beat each other. I think team golf kind of works when you're just playing at your local club with three-year boys. And you're like, I'm paired with a bill playing Jeff and Tyler. And we're playing five bucks a hole. And it's, you don't even play alternate shot. Maybe you play best ball.

And you do some sort of whatever you do. And it kind of works. But it's, it's very loose. When you play a serious match that way, I don't know if it works. when you don't have the flag associated with the person. Because that's what draws us into the Rider Cup. Not necessarily the style they play. That'd just be my take.

Because if you told me the Ryder Cup, they played individual matches, just match play every day instead of the team events, I don't think it would phase it at all. I'm glad they do it the way they do it, but let's say they cut, instead of playing three or four team matches and the individual at the end,

they just had three of the five were all individual match plays and you just rotate it, I think it would have the same vibe. I really do. And I don't know, man. I know Liv has tried to force the team element. And I understand because in high school I played golf and football.

And at the time in like 2001, 2002, 2000, golf was nowhere as cool and the amount of people that play doesn't even come close to today. So I remember feeling like kind of lonely Like I didn't want to just hit balls by myself I didn't like it that much

Because in football your show used to like Okay I got to go run gassers Well I'm doing it with like all my buddies Or we got to practice double days today You're doing it with everybody In golf it's like well you better get ready for this tournament You got to practice by yourself Three of the seven days

Beside a couple days of practice where you practice with other guys It's a very very lonely sport So I don't think these guys are lying on Live when they say, you know, I like the team element. But when you're watching Live or just paying attention to it, I never check the teams. Where's everyone? I just look at the individual leaderboard.

And I go whenever they're playing to Live.com and check the leaderboard. Individual leaderboard. Like, what's DJ doing today? Where's Bryson? How's Cam Smith doing in Australia? I don't care about the team. Because that's not the way the sport is constructed. There's a reason doubles tennis.

While it's fun, if you're just an amateur tennis player, most of the popular matches in my lifetime are singles. Pete Sampras against Agassi, Federer against Djokovic, Nadal against Federer. That's what we enjoy watching. And I just, I think that's a problem for golf. Because I think the Liv and the Saudis really want to force this team element, and I just don't think we'll care.

And it's one of those things, hey, John, Don't pigeonhole the way you think about something. Things change. Once upon a time, the NFL played 14 games. Now they're about to play 18 with multiple buys. Things change. But the setup of the sport and the way you operate doesn't change. I think whenever you try to do something drastic,

fans aren't dumb. The in-season tournament, all the media told me was how cool it was. It meant nothing to the majority of people. Rating, people didn't even watch. The Lakers won. Cool. Even they'd be the first to tell you.

We'd gladly trade the in-season tournament to win some games in fucking April against the Nuggets. Because that's what matters. Winning events as an individual matter. Winning majors as an individual matter. Whening the Ryder Cup matters, for sure. I kind of think that's a one-off. So I think golf's going to have to figure that out

because I do think they're going to try to shoehorn some of this team stuff. And I'm just not sure any of us are going to care. and I'm a good example. I'm 39 years old. I've been watching golf for 30 plus years. I love it. I think I'm going to have a hard time getting behind it.

I really am. It's going to have a hard time like, okay, I've got to sit down and watch this. My first question would be, why? That's what I said during the in-season tournament. Why? No one can't. Well, it's something fun.

For what? Like, what is it? The individual, like, tournaments they have in soccer have been well established for a long. time. That's not a comparable parallel to what we're trying to do over here and what we're used to and what we like. All four making little changes, if you have to, even if I don't agree with them. The NFL does it all the time. Hip drop tackle, the way you can tackle the quarterback, and we all bitch and moat. Golf's going to try to do some rollback stuff. In theory, I get it, don't think

it's needed, but I understand it. You're not going to change the sport. The sport, the sport. The of professional golf is 150 people trying to finish in the top 10. And one guy's going to win and the next guy is going to try to finish in the top five. And they're all battling over a purse of money. That's the essence of it all. Not like teams and this guy. No, it's not the way it works. And I hope we don't change it because I paid attention because I thought it was cool.

Lowry and Rory. Of course those guys won. I mean, they're the best two players there. Most of the guys you couldn't point out of the lineup If I offered you a million dollars So it's going to be very very interesting where they go And if that's a big sticking point With the potential finality of this merger

I think that's a mistake Appreciate everyone listening like I said Get in the mailbag at Golopod At Golopod and I'll answer your questions Another podcast from some SNL Late Night Comedy Guy Not quite on humor me with Robert Smygel and friends me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman

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