Oh Dear: Davis Love Declares His 2016 Ryder Cup Team Maybe The Best Ever Assembled

Well there is good news in the bombast from captain Davis Love: for day or two we forget the bizarre situation with Bubba Watson, who is stinking it up at East Lake and less likely to make a team that has never sounded interested in his presence.

Bubba has volunteered himself to be a vice captain should he not be picked, and oh won't that be an awkward phone call when Captain Love has to pass up Bubba as a player and as a shuttle driver for players and wives.

(Maybe Love can say Bubba Hovers are banned at Hazeltine?)

Anyway, Captain Love moved the attention to himself with some shocking comments about the strength of his 11-man team. Talking to Matt Adams on Fairways of Life, Love suggests that the recent visit with Bill Belichick and Gillette Stadium may have fueled a warped sense of this year's team.

“We don’t have to do anything superhuman, we’re a great golf team,” Love said. “This is the best golf team, maybe, ever assembled.”

In case you don't believe me, the full embed here, including the Bellichick advice to the "team."

Coach Belichick's advice: ignore the noise. Only problem?

Davis Love just made the noise!

I'm sure Richard Gillis is licking his chops right now to add this example of Captaincy audacity to his already excellent book, discussed this week on State of the Game. It's hard to fathom how Captain Love can say something so silly. Has he not seen past Ryder Cups, when seemingly talented players turn to jelly and everything on paper gets thrown out the window?

We also discussed the best team ever assembled on that show (1981), which Brandel Chamblee noted in his comments. Chamblee and Paul McGinley both criticized the comments, with Chamblee citing "American arrogance" and McGinley calling it "strange positioning" and noting that statistically, Love's thinking "doesn't add up."

The clip:

The statement is being met with ridicule in Europe. James Corrigan for The Telegraph noting that the United States has beaten Europe once in the current 17-year span.

Europe should save their air fares. Davis Love has made the astonishing claim that his US Ryder Cup side “is the best golf team, maybe, ever assembled”.

Lee Westwood was one of the first to ridicule the statement made on PGA Tour radio, tweeting: “No pressure there then lads!”

I think if Love had said it's as good a team as the points list has ever assembled, he might ultimately take less grief.

But using the "assembled" word also suggests task force brilliance. Sigh.

Azinger On Announcing Last Pick During Sunday's NFL Game: "I just don't understand it."

The Independent's Liam Kelly catches up with Paul Azinger, the victorious 2008 lead cart driver who has a lot of interesting things to say on the eve of the Ryder Cup matches, especially after Lee Westwood wondered about Tiger's impact in the team room.

Azinger smells a rat!

"They showed slow motion of Westwood's glares at those two guys, and him being unhappy with the way they were behaving. That's a purposeful comment by Westwood, in all likelihood. He had intent there, and that intent could backfire."

More interesting was Azinger's criticism (backed up by 2014 European Captain Paul McGinley on Golf Central) of the task force decision to announce the last pick at halftime of NBC's Sunday Night Football game.

"I think it's a terrible idea," said Azinger.

"We're going to announce the final player, arguably the worst player on the team, on the biggest stage. I just don't understand it.

"I think they should do it five minutes, or ten minutes after the press conference with whoever wins the Tour Championship, and let's get ready to rock and roll.

"But they're not going to do that and I don't like it."

The video of McGinley questioning what the last minute structure will do to that 12th player:

Matters get worse when you read Rex Hoggard's take from East Lake after talking to some of those invited for Monday's team practice at Hazeltine (Ryan Moore declined) and their view that the decision has already been made.

If Sunday’s big reveal wasn’t contingent on what transpires this week in Atlanta, as so many now seem to think is the case, why did we wait? Why have a task force? Why claim this time will be different?

Playing Through: NBC Sports Answering The DVR?

Long overdue in sports coverage too obsessed with cord cutters and not enough with the DVR have been counterpoints by networks to deal with digital video recorders. We've seen test runs at some changes in how golf tournaments are delivered and now NBC will be all-in on a NASCAR/Indy 500 style split screen approach to commercials at its big upcoming events.

For The Tour Championship, the final nine holes will be presented free of national ads, according to this press release.

Sponsors Coke and Southern Company can be thanked for going along with this, which will give us more time for the points race explanations too!

At the Ryder Cup, NBC will be going full split screen as an an ad with its audio runs on one side, while the golf coverage continues on the other side of the screen. This will spoil some "just a moment ago" drinking games and also make watching via DVR a bit tougher.

Here is the look:

Today In Unnecessary-But-Highly Entertaining Ryder Cup Drama: Westwood Questions Tiger Role, DJ Says Pair Me With Anyone But Phil

You know you're living in peculiar times when Bubba Watson is saying all the right things to Golf Channel's Todd Lewis as he hopes to play well enough to land a captain's pick.

Thankfully, otherwise sane individuals (who should know better) are offering up plenty of pre-match fodder, starting with Lee Westwood. Talking to ESPN radio, the veteran presence sought by Darren Clarke inexplicably questioned the influence of Tiger Woods as one of several Team USA cart drivers. The remarks had nothing to do with Tiger's driving ability, but instead, with is presence.

Leo Spall of ESPN.com transcribed the comments and put them end, which didn't stop multiple outlets from rightly picking them up.

"I don't know what impact there will be from having Tiger around," Westwood said. "They [the U.S. team] have always struggled to find a partner for Tiger that's been successful.

"He could have an adverse effect in the team room. People have always seemed to try to do too much when they have partnered him. It might be different if he's one of the vice-captains -- you don't know."

I could certainly see a young player finding themselves a bit star struck or even intimidated if Tiger comes driving up in his Club Car and asks if he wants his water flat or fizzy. But Westwood insinuated that the team room presence could be the issue. Wow.

Meanwhile Dustin Johnson surprised the gang at East Lake by saying he's ready go with whoever the analytics tell Davis Love is a good partner. Except Phil Mickelson, Johnson's buddy.

Jim McCabe reports for Golfweek.com that Johnson said, “I think I can partner well with pretty much anyone,” Johnson said. “Except for Phil.”

Euro Ryder Cup Team After Italy: Willett Up, Westwood Down

The Italian Open provided a final tune-up for some European Ryder Cuppers and one of the team's biggest questions marks had his best week in months.

Danny Willett played his final 69 holes without a bogey, finishing second.

There was this roundup posted by the European Tour of other team members. Everyone flashed moments of decent golf except Lee Westwood, who missed the cut.

Westwood may have a brewing distraction (thanks reader David). According to the Daily Mail's Amie Gordon, the Lee Westwood School is being countersued by families who were sued for leaving early.

Westwood is cutting ties with the school, according to the report.

It was a great finish in Italy, here is Francesco Molinari wrapping up his home nation's Open on the last hole in grand fashion:

Congratulations @chiccogolf 🏆🏆

A video posted by European Tour (@europeantour) on Sep 18, 2016 at 10:01am PDT

The Bubba Backtracking Begins! To Practice With Team USA

I'm not sure if Davis Love finally realized that he could go to Hazeltine National with no headaches or a giant, throbbing one, it seems he's warming to Bubba Watson as his last captain's pick.

Tim Rosaforte reported that the world no. 7 and third highest-ranked American will join six members of the U.S. Ryder Cup team for a pre-Ryder Cup Hazeltine practice session this weekend.

Love said Watson is "the opposite of that," Rosaforte reported, and is a popular presence in the team room. "He's quirky, but so is Phil [Mickelson,]" Rosaforte said Love told him.

"I told Bubba after the Olympics, remember, there's a pick after the Tour Championship," Love said he told Watson.

That's a weird one given that Watson finished ahead of Rickie Fowler, who has already been picked.

The full report:

Love does have quite the notecard collection to stare at Bubba's name amidst the options:

Take a look inside @RyderCupUSA conference room as @Love3d decides his first captain's picks https://t.co/Sgnsetq5Zo pic.twitter.com/HM45p0kNCk

— PGA.COM (@PGAcom) September 15, 2016

Meanwhile In Irish Ryder Cup Drama Rekindled, McGinley & Clarke Won't Be Exchanging Lineup Thoughts Anytime Soon

Not surprisingly, one of the brighter minds in golf was on Feherty this week and it was the engaging, easy going chat you'd expect for two big personalities who've known each other a long time.

David Feherty asked 2014 Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley what he and Darren Clarke fell out over, and McGinley still isn't sure.

Samuel Ryder would be so happy to see how his little gold cup brings people together!

Undercover Pros: What Ryder Cup Players, Caddies And Coaches Really Think Of Each Other

I finally set aside some time for the catty backstabbing and other brutal assessments of Ryder Cuppers by those involved in the matches.

If you were an alien who just landed and knew nothing about Ryder Cup participants, you'd think after reading this that no one will break 80 in the matches.

Still, it's entertaining reading even if you come away thinking no one can putt, chip or do much of anything under pressure. You'll also find out who has the wedge yips...apparently just about everyone but Mickelson and Spieth.

John Huggan and Dave Shedloski got the folks to talk from both sides of the Atlantic for the September Golf Digest.

A sampler:

"If there is a worse lag putter in the game," said one, "I've yet to see him." Another player is known for this: "He enjoys pissing the other team off." Dealing with another opponent's gamesmanship? "You have to give it right back to him or ignore him. And if you do give it back to him, it can affect him."

The individual assessments will be of most interest if you haven't already read it between the print pages. Considering Bubba Watson has not made the first cut despite just missing the team on points, the assessment of his game and attitude seems especially pertinent.

EUROPEAN TAKES: "His head is his weakness. He talks a lot about 'energy levels.' He has to feel energized to perform. And because of his personality, he finds that difficult to do. In a Ryder Cup, where you play multiple matches in a short period and there's a lot of pressure, you can see him getting mentally fatigued quite quickly. And so his performance level drops off." ... "His driving is long but wild. So there is always the potential for him to hand a hole to his opponent. He can go out and beat you, 5 and 4, but you could do the same to him. I wonder how much fight he has in him when he's 2 down after five. Is he coming back? Probably not. He'll more than likely fold up." ... "He's easily upset, too. The crowd can get to him. He doesn't like being touched. So he has so much vulnerability."

So keep your hands to yourself. We can work with that!

AMERICAN TAKE: "If he's into it, if he loves the golf course, he isn't easy to beat, but the question is, can you get him into it? Attitude is everything with Bubba, because he has all the shots. If I'm Europe, I'm pointing out all the trouble at Hazeltine and letting Bubba chew on that."

I suppose Bubba could make a scouting trip to Hazeltine this week and declare his love for it, and really cause Captain Love a headache!

What Does Bubba's Ryder Cup Omission Say?

With Davis Love using his first three picks on J.B. Holmes, Rickie Fowler and Matt Kuchar (Steve DiMeglio's story here), it's hard to not wonder where this leaves Bubba Watson.

As the 7th ranked player and highest Ryder Cup points earner not to automatically qualify, Bubba looks headed for the sidelines in favor of a younger player with less baggage?

You voted the way I thought things would go Monday (Thank you!), with Kuchar and Holmes the easiest picks and Bubba edging Rickie.

After hearing Captain Love's comments and seeing the less-deserving Fowler already named Monday, I'd say Bubba will not be heading to Hazeltine.

From Alex Miceli's Golfweek.com story from Minneapolis where he got a sense of the room vibe (and that Jim Furyk is still very much in the hunt).

Love went on to explain that if you watched the BMW Championship on Sunday you would see he’s hitting good putts they’re just lipping out.

“His strokes gained tee to green have just been solid for a while and you saw it at Bethpage, except for that last nine, which is driving, it wasn’t putting,” Love said in support of his Fowler pick. “He’s just solid. And we’re making a team of 11 guys for this year we’re not really looking at the past.”

Oddly, Bubba Watson is ranked fifth in SG: Tee-to-Green with Fowler eighth.

Of course, Bubba could play his way on to the team because he's playing the Tour Championship while Fowler was not eligible. Perhaps Love is just waiting to let Bubba have a great week there and playing his way into the last pick in the fashion, just as the task force envisioned things. We discussed this, the Mickelson comments and the possibility of a Furyk pick today on Morning Drive.

Still, I can't get past the idea that Bubba has been ahead of Fowler all year, is statistically better in many key categories and does have a tour win in 2016, yet feels like an odd-man-out.

Perhaps Furyk is back in the picture, or maybe Love's well known affinity for Justin Thomas has him leading that way. Though if Bubba is passed up, we may be looking at one of the more historic Ryder Cup omissions of all time.