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Tuesday September 25 2012 studentnewspaper.org
Sport 31
Golfers hope to ryde high in Chicago
Injury Time
MEDINAH COUNTRY Club just outside of Chicago plays host to the 39th edition of the Ryder Cup this weekend, with Europe looking retain the title they won two years ago at a soggy Celtic Manor. With play delayed several times due to torrential downpours, the contest eventually finished on the Monday, when after an enthralling battle Hunter Mahan conceded to Greame McDowell on the seventeenth green, sealing the tie in favour of the Europeans. The American team and fans, however, will be looking for a repeat of their 2008 victory, when the competition was last held in America. Home advantage allows Davis Love III, the American team captain, to set up the course to suit his team, which includes the likes of Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Zach Johnson. The competition is set to be played on Course 3 of the Medinah complex, which comes in at just over seven kilometres in total length. With the greens said to be firm and fast, Love has delivered a course that looks to suit his big hitting team. The US team’s experienced Ryder Cup veterans, such as Jim Furyk, who has played in seven tournaments, will be joined by four rookies. Keegan Bradley, Webb Simpson and Jason Dufner all qualified through the points system, while Brandt Snedecker was one of four captain’s picks. The remaining picks went on Furyk, Dustin Johnson and
BIG SHOT: Rory McIlroy is seen as key to Europe's chances Steve Sticker, who are included above the likes Hunter Mahan and Ricky Fowler thanks to their recent form. In contrast, European captain José Maria Olazábal welcomes back eight of the victorious Celtic Manor team to his side and includes just one rookie in the rest of the line-up. Amongst the returnees are Rory McIlroy, Lee Westwood and Luke Donald, all of whom are flying high in the world rankings. Colin Montgomerie, who captained Europe to victory at Celtic Manor, believes that this means there is a “swagger about this European team.” Big-hitting Nicolas Colsaerts becomes the first Belgian to play in
NEWSWHIP
Alan Ross previews this year’s Ryder Cup, which begins this weekend in the United States
the Ryder Cup thanks to one of two captain’s picks from Olazábal, who because of recent rule changes is restricted to just two picks this time around. The other place goes to Ian Poulter, whose penchant for flamboyant trousers will be restricted by the European team uniform. The mind games have already started, albeit from an unexpected golfing personality, with Australian Greg Norman, a two time major winner, suggesting that world number one Rory McIlroy “really intimidates” Tiger Woods. Both parties since have played down the comment. Woods instead stated that he has enjoyed playing with McIlroy so far this
Shaking off the issue
TAKES A WRY LOOK AT THE WORLD OF SPORT
year, whilst for his part, the Northern Irishman laughed at the thought that he could intimidate the “biggest thing ever” in golf. McIlroy though, is without doubt the player that the Americans are focussed on, with Jim Furyk describing him as a “marked man” and past American captain Paul Azinger asserting that McIlroy is the key to the Ryder Cup. Thankfully though, the championship is a team event, and eight of the European team have a winning record in Ryder Cup play, whereas the American side cannot claim a single positive record among them. Whilst there may not be much animosity between the two teams, the fans that turn up at Medinah will no doubt be raucous in their support for the home side. The Ryder Cup has turned into the most partisan event in golf , with chanting more akin to football matches greeting players as they take to the tee. It is little wonder that Greame McDowell describes the Ryder Cup like “golf on adrenalin.” The phenomenon of the ‘13th man’ looks set to continue as fans from the sports-mad city of Chicago head out to support Team USA on the course. Europe need fourteen points to retain the Ryder Cup, with just another half point needed to win the cup outright. After the summer sport that has graced Britain so far, perhaps we can dare to dream once again.
KP is just nuts about IPL
Phil Smith remains bemused by how John Terry continues to get away with charges of racism age of shortcomings off the field, as he himself was quick to point out in court. However, being a racist does not seem to be one of them. The powerful character testimonies provided by the likes of Ashley Cole and John Obi Mikel are testament to this. We’ve all seen the video though. It is almost overwhelmingly clear, even if the context is not, that Terry used a racist phrase. Given the extraordinary strides taken by English football in the last 20 years to kick racism out of the game, to see the captain of the national side use language like he did was a great backwards step, and should not be tolerated.
8
matches
Ban recieved by Luis Suarez following his racist comments against Patrice Evra
The FA is accused, with no lack of substance to back up the claim, of dithering over the issue. The reality, however, is much starker than that. The FA is responsible for showing complete double standards. The Luiz Suarez – Patrice Evra affair provides an interesting parallel. Here, the FA responded rapidly to Evra’s claim, undertaking a thorough and sensitive investigation that eventually lead to Luiz Suarez being handed an eight match ban. The message could not have been firmer and more honourable: racist language will not be tolerated on English football pitches.
SNUB: Terry takes another hit to his handshake-completion ratio It is nothing short of a disgrace that John Terry has not been scrutinised with such intensity by an FA panel. A disciplinary hearing will take place soon, but it is already too little, too late. He must surely be banned; otherwise the FA will have brought the game into disrepute and indulged in hypocrisy of the highest order. John Terry was the number one role model as captain of England, and whilst he may be no racist, it is completely unacceptable to set the example he did in his language and behaviour that day. The scenes at Loftus Road were pitiful but understandable. Anton Ferdinand is unlikely to want to shake the hand of a man he feels has not been brought to account for his actions; but
it seems now as if the saga has gone beyond that, into a series of embarrassing personal vendettas. One suspects that even if Terry is punished by the FA, this saga will rumble on. Whatever happens, the FA must resist calls to drop the pre match handshake, the most basic of sporting gestures. Even Derek Chisora and David Haye touched gloves before their fight this year. If they can do it, then anyone can. It is crucial, though, that the boredom and disillusionment with this whole drama does not detract from a vitally important issue. The FA must put through John Terry through a rigorous disciplinary proceeding. Until it does, a cloud will continue to hang over the national game.
GLYNN KIRK
IT WAS the topic no one wanted to talk about. Pundits and journalists alike were almost apologetic every time they brought up the ‘will they, wont they?’ debate over John Terry and Anton Ferdinand shaking hands. As expected, prior to kickoff at the recent QPR vs. Chelsea clash, Ferdinand walked straight past a smarting John Terry. So too, curiously, did Ji Sung Park. The PFA chairman Gordon Taylor was right to rile against this “mafia feud” that has developed between the two clubs and certain groups played with them, trading cheap insults on Twitter like a bunch of 10 year olds. It is tiresome and unsavoury viewing. Yet pundits should make no apologies in continuing the debate. Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo highlighted how badly wires have been crossed over this issue in his Match of the Day interview. Asked how a line could be drawn under the issue, he scoffed and said the solution is for the media to stop talking about it, sentiments seemingly echoed across the footballing fraternity. Rubbish. The only way a line can be drawn under this is to solve the initial cause: John Terry, then captain of the national side, used racist language on the field of play. Until he is punished for this, the media should bring it up every single day. It is, of course, imperative to point out at this stage that John Terry was found not guilty in a court of law of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand. No man should be punished for something which cannot be proven. John Terry appears to be a footballer with no short-
KEVIN PIETERSEN, English cricket’s most high profile foreign signing, has recently decided he’d rather smash some young Indian bowlers for six in the IPL for bucketloads of cash than play a laborious Test series against New Zealand for his adopted ‘home’ nation. Why, I hear you scream, would anybody want to be paid nigh-on $2 million for five weeks ‘work’ when they can stand and bat against some average Kiwis for hours on end in the middle of Birmingham? It beats me too – but then again KP has always been that little bit different. This is the man who was offered the long-term opportunity to captain England but instead decided to sacrifice his prestigious position to prevent the evil Peter Moores, who KP perceptibly realised was hellbent on ruining the national side, from seizing power. Having made no friends in his first four years of international cricket, he had none to lose in the Mooresgate scandal and so happily continued in his own unique KP way right through until 2012. But then things began to change. Pietersen, after falling on his sword to save the dwindling fortunes of the England team three years previously, soon understandably felt it was time he was rewarded for his loyal service. ODIs were no longer something which the talismanic batsman could be arsed with. Playing five 50-over matches against Bangladesh suddenly did not seem like such an inviting prospect for a thirty-something cricketer who could easily be working for three hours a day, four days a week over in Sri Lanka or Australia. Yet once again Pietersen honourably swallowed his pride and accepted his banishment from the one-day and Twenty20 scene, only for his teammates to commit the most cardinal of sins – follow a Twitter account that occasionally mocked the great man. How dare they, those mere mortals who were blessed to be allowed to grace the same field as KP, take the piss out of an egotistical loner only out for himself? In response some text messages were sent to some South African players about his ever-so-posh excaptain, yielding criticisms that “KP shot Bambi.” Like so much of KP’s time in the England side, the texts have been seriously underappreciated by his teammates. Here was Pietersen once again taking one for the team - helping to remove someone from power so as to aid the side’s future progress. If anything, England owe Kevin Pietersen – maybe about $2 million would suffice? Chris Waugh