And The "Experts" Pick?

He's in the Honda field, but will he show up?

UPDATE 2/24/08

Huge movements this week people. Huge. The problem is, most of them were backwards. There are a lot of picks out there who made their first (small) check this week at the WGC, and yikes,... putting those checks on the board killed some guys.

Also, I invoked the Gossett Rule this week. Enough guys have had a check, and there are 221 players on the money list now, so it was time. Only a few players were affected:

Darren Clarke
David Duval
Brad Faxon
Brett Quigley
Henrik Stenson.

Yes, Henrik Stenson. If you know "Ryan" you may want to tell him he has a problem with his Stenson pick (so does the Dart Throwing Monkey). Turns out, Stenson is not listed on the Money List, which means he got Gosetted. I'm thinking that Stenson is not a member of the PGA Tour this year, and as such, won't get listed on the Money List. Now, if Ryan were actually competitive and not hitting new lows in FPGP history, I'd suggest he trade Stenson as soon as possible. But frankly, it's not going to be worth the $20.

Let's Start A Movement

On another thread New Tex reminded me to rekindle the revolutionary forces to end the season after the Tour Championship. Look people, it makes no sense to trash the season with events that wouldn't even make coverage on "the ocho". Let's review these quality events:

Oct. 2 - Oct. 5 Turning Stone Resort Championship Atunyote Golf Club at Turning Stone, Verona, NY
Everybody knows Verona is "mobbed up". This whole event was developed to wash money. Let's not become co-consprators in a Ricoh case by lending FPGP validation to this event.

Oct. 9 - Oct. 12 Valero Texas Open La Cantera Golf Club, San Antonio, TX
Isn't Valero that company that films porn flicks?

Oct. 16 - Oct. 19 Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals Open TPC at Summerlin, Las Vegas, NV
Too easy, it has Justin Timberlake and Shriners in the name. One sings like he has an enlarged prostate and the Shriners are the reason we suffer through Avodart commercials on every PGA broadcast. If I see that miniaturizing bastard crumple up that clay boulder one more time...

Oct. 23 - Oct. 26 Frys.com Open Grayhawk Golf Club, Scottsdale, AZ
If you want a 42" flat screen for $199 then go to Fry's, if you want a quality event, stop after the Tour Championship.

Oct. 30 - Nov. 2 Ginn sur Mer Classic at Tesoro Hammock Beach Golf Club, Palm Coast, FL
I only have three things to say here" N-F'n-L. It's the Palm Coast people. You can watch the greatest team sport or a bunch or painted up NY yentas and their mates in poly and plaid watching tour players make a dying grasp at "spot last" on the money list while the observers test the tensile strength of their pull-ups.

Nov. 6 - Nov. 9 Children's Miracle Network Classic Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, FL
A great cause yes, quality play...hardly. The miracle is if anybody in the top 150 plays. This is a Mickey-mouse event, literally.

I rest my case. Let's not cheapen the FPGP, er..any further.

Nope, DiMarco might be the worst pick

Found this on the internet(s):
Chris DiMarco of America and home favourite Yong-eun Yang, one of a select group to have got the better of Tiger Woods in recent times, have added their names to the field for next month’s Ballantine’s Championship.

The first-ever European Tour event to be staged in Korea, it will also field reigning Open Champion Padraig Harrington of Ireland, Korean No 1 and World No 8 KJ Choi, Ryder Cup stars Colin Montgomerie and Paul McGinley and the man they call the 'Great Dane', Thomas Bjoren.

Between DiMarco's XM Radio show and now this stupid travel to the other side of the world during the PGA Tour season, I have a feeling that DiMarco was too high on the 2007 money list. He sucked on the west coast and unless he does something good at the Honda, this could be a lost year for DiMarco and for just another of a string of bad picks I've made this year.

Better FPGP Team: Shades or CASWAS?

While we are throwing out the early season questions, I'd thought I'd toss this one out there. Which of Shades' teams has a better chance to cash, his original "Shades" squad, or the one he assigned to his kids' initials, "CASWAS"?

Both teams have Nick "holy crap, this isn't the Nationwide Tour!!!" Flanagan, and Omar "could someone get me a phonebook so I can boost myself up to see over the steering wheel on the golf cart" Uresti, and of course David "I'm free this weekend, you guys want to go snowboarding?" Duval, so they don't factor into the equation. It also says without question that these were the most sure picks that Shades could come up with, as they are the base of both of his teams. Uh yikes. And double yikes for me for having two of these ass clowns on my team (Duval and Flanagan). Stupid Kool-Aid.

Let's look at the short picks... Shades chose Mark Wilson, a man who spends more time in Q-school than Excal spends at his local bar. Unlike Excal though, Wilson seems to have kicked the habit, and is having a wonderful little start to his year. Always nice to see a journeyman do well out there, unless of course you short him. CASWAS shorted Stuart "foreign player with all his success in America" Appleby, who's also off to a good start. Hmmm... two bad short picks, it's hard to figure out which will be "better"...

The rest of the teams look like this...

Shades: Robert Allenby, Ben Crane, Phil Mickelson, Tag "you're it" Ridings, and Chris Stroud.

CASWAS: Chris "Duval without the major" DiMarco, Dudley "do right" Hart, Jeff Overton, Justin "I actually am a foreign player and won't play much here" Rose, and Adam "I played like Eve against Aquaman the other day" Scott.

Hmmmm... I don't like either of these groups as a whole. Lots and lots of risk, particularly when you factor in the short picks that are killing both teams, and the "base" that has made exactly 2 cuts between them. Tough choice, tough choice... it's like picking between root canal surgery and a colonoscopy (discuss!).

Here's a more sporting thought... COMBINED will these teams crack the top 3?

Respectfully submitted,
Steve "I hate my team too, but screw it, I won last year" T.

Way to go Boo...

Boo Weekly just beat down Sergio Garcia at the WGC Match play. Scorecards here.

I for one am glad to see El Nino go down to Boo. It's been reported a good bit and you may remember that Boo kept an incorrect scorecard for Sergio last year, which Sergio subsequently signed. And of course, Sergio was DQed. There were reports that Sergio wanted "revenge". As ridiculous as this sounds (that is, "revenge" on a golf course), if it is true... REVENGE FOR WHAT? Back in the day, I played in my share of USGA Qualifiers and other Am tourneys, and surprise surprise... we were reponsible for signing a correct scorecard even though one of the other players in the group kept the score! If I ever signed a wrong card and got DQed, I don't think I'd blame the guy keeping score for me (afterall, adding 6s and 7s can be quite taxing).

Sergio is a such a little punk/bitch.

Oh, and with apologies to Excal... who the hell carries two putters???? Exactly what level of yips do you have to have to sacrifice a club in your bag (note to Excal: you can only carry 14 clubs) so that you can have TWO putters? This is the guy that was going to overtake Tiger? Don't hold your breath. It sickens me that this over-rated hack continues to get the cool endorsements, while more talented players just continue to grind it out week in and week out.

And... scene.

Poor Franco

From the comments left on some blog posts about one golfer and from some known issues with another golfer, it seems that poor Carlos Franco will have to suffer for the first two rounds.

11:35 am
Gamez, Robert
Franco, Carlos
Uresti, Omar

Watch out Carlos. I don't know much about Omar, other than the fact he has no short game, but Gamez cheats. Saw him do it myself. So Carlos, walk on the other side of the fairway and watch your back, unless Omar is hitting toward you. As long as you are near the flag or more than 40 yards away, he can't hit you with his shots.

Live Brackets

If you're looking for live updates of the WGC Match Play tourney, you can find them here.

MDF (Made cut Did not Finish)

From Jason Sobel's ESPN Article:

For those against "Rule 78" -- and that seemingly includes most PGA Tour players these days -- Exhibit A of their argument was on display at Riviera. When John Merrick missed a 4-foot par putt on the final hole of his continued second round Saturday morning, it meant that instead of 79 players making the cut, with those on the number (would have been nine total players at 3-over) not being eligible to play 36 more holes, there were 78 who reached the weekend -- the maximum number allowed to compete for all four rounds.

And -- surprise, surprise -- some of those who otherwise wouldn't have gotten a chance to play made the most of their opportunity. Marc Turnesa shot 67-70 over the weekend to rise from a share of 70th place through 36 holes to a T-22 result at the end of play on Sunday -- his best career PGA Tour finish.

Turnesa won $53,044 instead of ruffly $10-11K he would have won if he didn't get to play over the weekend.

UPDATE 2/17/08

Here's this week's update... Brandt Jobe's ability to make a cut was a biggin' for Stan, who is now just 1 point behind our favorite Canadian. Meanwhile, Adam Scott and David "The Lil Grinder" Toms' ability to make a cut was a real killer for team David/Mark. It's a long season boys... just because you are twisting your ankles and pulling hammies early shouldn't be a concern.

Uh huh.

I am going to kick in the Gossett Rule after next week... most of our guys will have some $$$ by then, as the WGC gives it away for losing in the first round.

Round of the Day...

Big props to JG today, who tied Mr. Smiles, Matt Kuchar, for the low round of the day at Riviera (67). Great stuff. I think I can speak for a bunch of us when we say "great for you, but what happened to starting off slow and getting hot in the summer? You were at the top of my FPGP trade list!!"

Couldn't have said it better.

David Duval: pain in the neck

By Kevin Robbins [The Statesman - Texas newspaper?] | Friday, February 15, 2008, 11:22 AM

Get it? Get it? Sometimes I just can’t resist cheap wordplay.

The first, last and only PGA Tour player to decline (such a gentle, misleading word) an interview request from me because I didn’t actually watch him play all 18 holes withdrew yesterday from the Northern Trust Open after one birdie, three pars, six bogeys and a double. David Duval cited “neck pain.”

Love that irony.

I supposed I’d be hurting too if I were 7 over par after 11 holes — and I haven’t played a regulation round since Dec. 7.

Duval now has missed three cuts this season in addition to the WD.

Enuff with the Leadbetter

If you get Golf Digest magazine you will see that David Leadbetter is on the cover. Is it me or is this one of the most overrated guys in the golf industry? I'm sure he is a good teacher, but do we need to get Leadbetter over promotion every week. And now Golf Digest is over promoting him this month. Let's not forget this is the same guy who instructed Michelle Wie and Ty "Keep on" Tryon. His best student may be Charles Howell III ("3 Sticks") and he may be one of the best inconsistent players on the PGA Tour.

Don't get me wrong. I'm sure he's working with some good guys on tour. My point is that as a fan of the tour, I'd rather see the shot maker and not the swing maker.

And don't get me started on Butch Harmon.

E is like +3 at your home course.

Team G, what happened? Even today at a golf course just a short, but beautiful view from your alma mater. Just kidding of course. Watching on tv (in HD), I've never seen more putts go the opposite way then the players were thinking they were supposed to go.

By the way JG, what is your handicap? +2, +3?

Profiling Steve...I just don't see it!

UPDATE 2/11/08... Excal "Ridings" A Wave of Points

Do you see what I did there? "Ridings" a wave of points? Because Tag Ridings had a top 10 and gave Excal a huge boost?

Sigh.

Thought/Question of the day: Has this pool ever seen a more amazing fall from grace than Robbo's? Ever since he pulled the trigger on that suspect Rocco Mediate trade two years ago (the famous "feets don't fail me now" season), his teams have been awful.

The Law

You're damn right it's profiling! Some allege that I have an "ethnic" look. Hmmm -- this is probably why my baggage always gets scrutinized when I re-enter the U.S.

Robbo forgot to note that he almost got me shot when I attempted to answer his phone call while still at the scene. Police officers do not take kindly to motorists reaching inside their computer bag while they're issuing citations.

As for New Tex, I actually have had a few bad incidents in golf carts. A quick left turn while heading downhill in a fairway threw my sister out and she broke her elbow (why no seatbelts?). I backed, and got stuck, in a fairway bunker (would have been there a while if not for the assistance of former Saint's receiver Eric Martin). And I apparently failed to adequately secure the parking break -- although I contend equipment malfunction -- so, the cart sped rapidly downhill toward a small lake (I was busy lining up an important putt). Thankfully, it hit a tree and didn't get wet. I made the putt ---

A Sign Your FPGP Pick Sucks

Omar Uresti - 2nd Round at Pebble Beach on Friday
Play by Play for the Par 5, 543 yards 18th Hole

Shot 1: 256 yds to left fairway, 273 yds to hole
Shot 2: 212 yds to left fairway, 69 yds to hole
Shot 3: 55 yds to green, 42 ft to hole <---- 42 feet to the hole from 55 yards?????

Yo! Omar. Practice your short game!

Vodanovitch: Roadway Menace or Libertarian Traiblazer?

Witness the recent cage match with your favorite FPGP Libertarian Steve "Mr. 38" Vodanovitch going up against Escambia's finest. On this sunny day our fellow FPGPer racked up his 38th ticket...no there were no balloons, no confetti, and no $1000 shopping spree. Our lectern-jockey, at the tip of the taser, issued no sarcasm and opted not to reach into his overflowing cornucopia of expletives, not even a muted "don't tase me bro" flowed from his cajun cakehole. No worries my friend, that traffic point system is as meaningless as those pesky speed limits, registration stickers, and that cumbersome seatbelt. Pishaw, pishaw, a bench warrant is no reason to give up your Nathan Hale attitide, to sacrifice your pride..that should be reserved for when you start begging students or da Rodent for rides.

UPDATE 2/4/08

Here is this week's update, and you can see all of the data here. There are 3 tabs at the top of this link, one that opens up when you click in that shows how the individual points are made, another that has all of our teams and "leaderboard" and one that is labelled "accounting" which is just how I keep track of the money into the pool.

422 .... Excal
409 .... Da Bandit
326 .... Stan the Man
305 .... Tev
291 .... MG
284 .... Vic
274 .... Steve T.
247 .... Shades
210 .... Stevie V.
111 .... Shize
85 .... CASWAS
62 .... DTM
-15 .... Shane/Jay
-30 .... Johnny V.
-37 .... Dave/Mark
-44 .... Robbo
-75 .... Ryan