High Ryder
I am not normally a golfing man. I have played the odd hole - (that's another story and can be found on my other blog www.Nickthedick.com) but it has never really appealed. I do not normally watch the Ryder cup either because watching golf on TV isn't my thing. However, since I was in the US, I decided to make sure I kept up with events in case I had a watercooler moment on Monday at work, and I didn't know who had won.
Most of you will know that Europe not only won but annihilated the US team. It was the 3rd victory in a row for Europe. On the way into work today we had the radio on and they were talking about the Ryder cup. The presenters were looking for reasons why the US team had lost. It was interesting as an outsider to hear this introspective assessment. Yet if you listened to this radio show you would think that the reason that the US lost is because they are too good at golf and they think that anything European is a joke. They pointed out that their players had won more majors, and were higher ranked, and there was no way that those lower ranked guys could win so it must be that the Americans lost the tournament. They then went on to say that Americans are taught from an early age that anything European is a joke. Now this came as a shock to me and to my American wife. She claims she has never been taught that, she pointed out that Europe is seen as leading in fashion and culture and reminded me of all the great bands that Europe (ok the UK) have produced. The radio presenters also said that Europeans are used to getting along with each other whilst Americans are a more individualistic society. Can I just point that that Europe have had more wars than the US has had Presidents??
I found the thing quite funny and naive. It again highlighted to me that most of the times the media will tell Americans anything they want to hear rather than look at the real reasons for a failure.
And anyway it's only golf, at least the Americans still have basketball - oh wait they lost recently to Greece in the Semi-finals of the world tournament.
Most of you will know that Europe not only won but annihilated the US team. It was the 3rd victory in a row for Europe. On the way into work today we had the radio on and they were talking about the Ryder cup. The presenters were looking for reasons why the US team had lost. It was interesting as an outsider to hear this introspective assessment. Yet if you listened to this radio show you would think that the reason that the US lost is because they are too good at golf and they think that anything European is a joke. They pointed out that their players had won more majors, and were higher ranked, and there was no way that those lower ranked guys could win so it must be that the Americans lost the tournament. They then went on to say that Americans are taught from an early age that anything European is a joke. Now this came as a shock to me and to my American wife. She claims she has never been taught that, she pointed out that Europe is seen as leading in fashion and culture and reminded me of all the great bands that Europe (ok the UK) have produced. The radio presenters also said that Europeans are used to getting along with each other whilst Americans are a more individualistic society. Can I just point that that Europe have had more wars than the US has had Presidents??
I found the thing quite funny and naive. It again highlighted to me that most of the times the media will tell Americans anything they want to hear rather than look at the real reasons for a failure.
And anyway it's only golf, at least the Americans still have basketball - oh wait they lost recently to Greece in the Semi-finals of the world tournament.
posted by Nick at 7:51 AM
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