Annika Sorenstam

[Larry Gude]

OK...

...what if she "accidently" kills Martha Burke with an errent drive, hmmm??? Whose gonna be Hooties babe? Well??

Damn right I'm scared! What if she is better than all the men? What if it's true, that women have been held back by men all these years? What of reparations? What if I have to make dinner for the screaming squabs while Vrai goes off to the club???


Do you all have ANY idea how far reaching this could be?

"Hi honey? Have a nice round?"... "Shut up, boy and get me a beer! You forgot to bleach my golf towel again, damn it! I would have played better had that been taken care of like I asked. No Mrs. Nice Guy!!"

Well????

 

[SmallTown]

Originally posted by vraiblonde
There is no chick in existence right now that would qualify against the men in any sport. Look at WNBA - who's their best gal? Now pit her against ANY NBA player - she'd be creamed. Same with golf. Annika could spank Larry or Penn and send them home but she'd get her butt whipped by any professional golfer.

Silly feminism aside, women in general just aren't as big and strong as guys. Yes, some women could beat some men in an athletic competition - but we're talking about all pros here, not Annika vs. SmallTown.

Most of the players can't beat tiger, should they not be allowed to play? They don't hit the ball as long, can't chip as accurate, and surely don't make 40 foot putts to win a tournament like Tiger. But they still show up, because they know that with sports, anything is possible.

They just want something to moan about. Remember all the whining a few years ago about "This isn't the tiger tour, it is the PGA" "We should get the same coverage as him!" "All his publicity is taking away from the rest of the game"

Gee, sounds familiar now. And just as it was with Tiger, win and you will get the attention. Losers don't make the TV ratings skyrocket.

 

[vraiblonde]

If Annika can make the cut on her own, with no dumbing down, good for her. What I hate is when they bastardize the process to make up for the shortcomings of women. It gives us ALL a black eye.

 

[Flo]

Re: OK...

Originally posted by Larry Gude
...what if she "accidently" kills Martha Burke with an errent drive, hmmm??? Whose gonna be Hooties babe? Well??

Damn right I'm scared! What if she is better than all the men? What if it's true, that women have been held back by men all these years? What of reparations? What if I have to make dinner for the screaming squabs while Vrai goes off to the club???


Do you all have ANY idea how far reaching this could be?

"Hi honey? Have a nice round?"... "Shut up, boy and get me a beer! You forgot to bleach my golf towel again, damn it! I would have played better had that been taken care of like I asked. No Mrs. Nice Guy!!"

Well????

 

[vraiblonde]

Originally posted by SmallTown
Losers don't make the TV ratings skyrocket.

So you DO understand. The fact that Tiger was a black guy didn't hurt, either. And a young black guy, at that. And, finally, he is a handsome young black guy who, it so happens, is a prodigy on the golf course. They're never going to get another one of him - he's the dream child of the PGA.

 

[migtig]

Originally posted by vraiblonde
There is no chick in existence right now that would qualify against the men in any sport. Look at WNBA - who's their best gal? Now pit her against ANY NBA player - she'd be creamed. Same with golf. Annika could spank Larry or Penn and send them home but she'd get her butt whipped by any professional golfer.

Silly feminism aside, women in general just aren't as big and strong as guys. Yes, some women could beat some men in an athletic competition - but we're talking about all pros here, not Annika vs. SmallTown.

Vrai, I understand what you are saying and I can accept that you feel that way. However, have you really been paying attention to the world in general much less sports?
A lot of these women on the pro athlete circuit can give the men on the pro athlete circuit a run for their money. Heck, some of the women are built like brick walls and my money is on them making a heck of a tight end in football. I personally don't watch basketball, but I know from my alma mater that the women's team kicks arse while the men's drags behind, and they can whoop 'em. I know that DC United (women's soccer) in on par with any men's team out there. Have you ever watched a woman's rugby match? They take twice the amount of hits that men do and dish it out - I've seen games were women were bleeding limping and still playing hard while the men went and sat it out cause they sprained a pinkie. My money is these women can make it. Ever watched weightlifting trails - have you seen some of these women? Gawd they are bigger and meaner and lift more than the men!
I am not saying the beauty queen could play pro sports on a coed team - but I don't think she wants to. But heck, I've seen some real pretty men that don't want to play sports who could give her a run for her money on the runway for beauty competitions and should be allowed to if he wants.
I don't think anything should be limited because of gender bias. If you can play the game and do the work then your in. No matter what it is.

 

[SmallTown]

Originally posted by vraiblonde
So you DO understand. The fact that Tiger was a black guy didn't hurt, either. And a young black guy, at that. And, finally, he is a handsome young black guy who, it so happens, is a prodigy on the golf course. They're never going to get another one of him - he's the dream child of the PGA.

I don't think his color has got him where he is today in the eyes of the PGA. He dominates. Simple as that. And at the age, who knows where his career will end up.

My only question is, was Fuzzy's prediction correct? The year after Tiger won the masters the first time, did he choose to have chicken and watermellon? What a joke.

 

[Ken King]

Originally posted by migtig
To be really "controversial" here, but why does the golf division (or heck) any sport have to be divided on bias of gender alone?
Screw the MENS open and the LADIES PGA. A.S. is planning on playing on the PGA circuit and nowhere does it say you must have an extra appendage to play, only that you qualify.
I personally think ALL sports would be more interesting to watch if they were coed.

First, Annika isn't doing the PGA circuit. To my knowledge it is only this tournament. Second, yeah lets see the girls dress up and get down and dirty with a professional offensive or defensive line. The only position that I think the guys would let a woman play would be center and the lengthy snap counts would bore me to tears, not to mention everyone wanting to be the quarterback.

 

[Otter]

Goodness, this is one golf tournament, some are acting like the sky is falling...NO, women can't compete on the course with the men the vast majority of the time. AS dominated the ladies tour last year and I'm sure she's curious how she would do against the men. And, you're darn right its about money, only its the tourney sponsor that getting the money/exposure/advertising. Hmmmmm, tough choice, do I have my little humdrum tourney on a holiday weekend and grab a little share of the viewing public or do something a bit different that grabs the public's attention...You make the call...

 

[vraiblonde]

Originally posted by migtig
I don't think anything should be limited because of gender bias. If you can play the game and do the work then your in. No matter what it is.

"Gender bias" - what does that mean? Because men can't give birth, does that mean there's a gender bias? It's purely a physical issue - not the way I "feel", but the way it "is". Mia Hamm is all that for sure, but Beckham would kick her across the field. She can dominate other women and non-professional men, but a professional male soccer player would absolutely destroy her.

I go back to King/Riggs as an example. Riggs was 55 and WELL past his prime. King was 29 and AP and SI's Top Woman Athlete. If she REALLY wanted to prove women could compete against men, she should have played Jimmy Connors instead - he'd have smoked her.

*before anyone jumps me, I realize that Riggs was the big mouth in that, not King*

 

[demsformd]

Originally posted by vraiblonde
Now. Since Vijay has decided to sit this one out, why doesn't he go over to the LPGA and try his luck there? Show the ladies how it's done? Oh yeah - that's right...it's the LADIES PGA. That stuff burns me up.

Some d*ckhead is trying to place on the Ladies PGA for a round. I think that that is just stupid. It is beating up on women and the media will perceive it as such. This 250-lbs man that can drive 30 yards more and hitting from forward tees. What the hell?

 

[vraiblonde]

Originally posted by demsformd
This 250-lbs man that can drive 30 yards more and hitting from forward tees. What the hell?

What the hell, indeed.

 

[Larry Gude]

You know...

...sometimes it seems you really give no thought to what you are saying...

Some d*ckhead is trying to place on the Ladies PGA for a round. I think that that is just stupid.

This cannot be stupid if it is not stupid for a woman to play with the men. Tiger playing a round with the women would draw as much or more interest than Annika playing with the men.

It would take mucho more brass for a guy to tee it up with the ladies than Annika playing with the men. Nobody expects her to even be competitive which is why Nick Price and Vijay think this is stupid...if she has NO chance, which she does not, then why not let some youngster have that spot?

Any pro man would have the expectations of dominating the babes.

Any way you look at it illustrates the absurdity of the equality angle. This is just an exhibition for her and the pro guys (the ones who take EVERYTHING seriously...cough...nick, Vij...) resent their work being used for farce. many of the men think it is very cool.

Hell, wanna talk pressure? She is paired with two newbee kids. They both say they are excited and think it wil be fun.

Fun, as in 600 media types rabidly writing "Annika hit it closer than Bubba Dean Payczek on #5!!! Annika made a 30 footer that Billy Bob Bogey three jacked!!!..." Hoo hee.

It'll be fun! (for us viewers)

 

[Kizzy]

I haven't read all the post, but I do think Annika is pretty beefed up for this event. She was offered plenty of opportunities to play other courses/events, but she chose this one. It will be interesting to see how she does and I think it will be a competitive game.

 

[Otter]

Prediction...she will miss the cut, tho I think she will be very close to making it. Hope she proves me wrong, so far she's been great at dealing with the hoopla. Everyone have a safe and fun Mem. weekend...

 

[Penn]

Well, folks, Annika shot a 1 over par 70 I guess today, which isn't bad. She is 6 shots off the lead. My guess is she will make the cut but won't be in contention come Sunday.
She said she had an upset stomach on the first tee, but heck, that's understandable for her first time in a PGA event.
Vrai is right; Annika would spank my tail, and otter's too - but he probably won't admit it.
I score in the low 90s, when I practice/play enough, occasionally in the high 80s, so she would have to give me 11 strokes a side for me to be even competitive!
One other thing about this Colonial Golf Course; it is one of the shortest courses the mens pros play - only 7,040 yards and that is one problem she doesn't have to worry about the way she hits.

 

[demsformd]

She played wonderfully today and barring any large distasters should make the cut. I was completely impressed.

She could beat me too but it would be respectable...my handicap is currently a 4, up from last year!

 

[jlabsher]

Saw there were a lot of protestors at the links too...

Check out the guy in back

 

[SmallTown]

From what I was reading, two things got my attention.
1) Even though she is a woman, she didn't just use the driver all the time to get to the greens. Sure, it is a short course, but she was pretty much using the same clubs as the men.
2) Seems many of her putts were "just misses". Seems she could easily be 1 or 2 under. Is her putting normally an issue?

I think with all the pressure of knowing EVERYONE is watching you, she did very well! I hope she keeps it going.

 

[Flo]

"GO ANNIKA, GO!!!!"