Conference 7.286::golf

>    We've gone from Sarazen/Hagen, to Hogan/Snead/Nelson, to
>    Palmer/Nicklaus, to Watson/Nicklaus. The next one on the horizon could
>    be a fellow named Couples and a fellow named Love III.
>    

     For some reason, I just can't get excited about Davis Love.  I tend to
     think of him as a faster version of Wayne Levi.  Levi tore up the tour
     a couple of years ago winning (I think) four events.  Love is on a hot
     streak now that is rivaling Freddie's, but I think Fred is the far
     superior player.  Also, I'm not convinced that Love has all the shots
     necessary to be considered a top notch player.  Think of all the "next
     great golfers" that have come along in the last ten years.

     Hal Sutton...Greg Norman...Curtis Strange...Tom Purtzer...Nick Faldo

     The list goes on.  Now Fred on the other hand has a more complete game
     (IMO) than Love.  Fred's biggest downfall is the fire burning inside
     of him.  He's got to keep it hot.

     My two cents.

     Dale

    
    Reply .0
    
    Hi Ken,
    
    	Hmmm good question? Can Davis beat Freddy? They are playing the
    same game , with the putting edge and wedge play going to Freddy.
    I'll say Freddy will still come out ahead of Davis.
    
    	But like you stated the rivalry is there.. and Davis seems VERY
    motivated to change the worlds view of who's number one. It makes 
    for great golf! With any luck we might see a final pairing of
    Freddy and Davis ... get out the VHS recorder for that one :) .
    
    	Walta

    Re -1
    
    I think your right on the mark. Freddy is a better wedge player and
    putter. However, Davis is no slouch. (Thats a famous Caddyshack
    phrase) -(:
    
    We almost had that dual at the Masters between the two until DL III
    decided to take the weekend off (Even par both Sat and Sun). I just
    think it makes great golf.
    
    The big missing piece is match play. Back in the hay days of the Tour
    rivalries were born thru match play. The modern era will need a hero
    first and then someone to come along and dethrone them. Right now I'd
    have to say Freddy is the hero. $1.8M in earnings between the two 
    of them warrants some sense of competition. Were not even thru April.
    
    Ken who's VCR is ready with a new supply of tapes.

    We also nearly had it at the TPC.  
    
    Could be a good rivalry.  They have played together recently and when
    they do, it is fun to watch.  One is Right to left, the other left to
    right.  DLIII has a good short game and has recently relied on chipping
    in from the fringe.
    
    As for the comments about the fire in the belly...get a life...how much
    does one person have to do in 12 months to undo these perceptions. 
    Boom Boom has always had a fire, but even now his outward demeanor
    belies the fire.  It is his way of controlling the emotions that
    interfere with winning.  Sure he isn't a Corey Pavin but how can you
    still doubt someone who has gone against the best for 12 months and
    hammered them all....World's Championship in Jamaica, the MAsters, the
    Ryder Cup....
    
    Keep in mind also that in the old days of golf, there were fewer people
    capable of winning (as stated by todays tour players), there was little
    to no demand on the time of winners by endorsements or outside
    influences.  Less impact of media, little to no TV coverage, no
    microscope of public opinion and less competition from across the
    ocean.
    
    Add to these changes the differences that todays technology has made in
    balls and clubs and you have a very different game today.  Still have
    to hit the round one square and get it in the hole in fewer swings than
    the rest, but what we see in Davis Love and Fred Couples is
    the maturing of two golf talents at the time that the best of the rest
    are ready to move on to the Seniors.  Maybe it is the changing of the
    guard so to speak. Who knows, maybe we should all trade our sticks in
    for Lynx Parallax and add a whale driver and a Taylor made three wood. 
    Tom Watson could start a new business on three woods alone.
    
    SCD

    
    As far as the firer in Freddy let me mention a few names.
    
                      Willie Mays
                      B.     Borge
                      Carl Yazstremski
                      Bill Russel
                      Robert Parish
                      Arthur Ash
                      Hershel Walker
                      Nolan Ryann
    
    All very controlled men with thier emotions in check THAT WOULD KICK
    YOUR ASS.

RE: Note 1507.5 by NEWPRT::JOHNSON_DO

>    As for the comments about the fire in the belly...get a life...how much
>    does one person have to do in 12 months to undo these perceptions. 
>    Boom Boom has always had a fire, but even now his outward demeanor
>    belies the fire.

RE: Note 1507.6 by TOLKIN::HOGAN

>    As far as the firer in Freddy let me mention a few names.
>    
>                      Willie Mays
>                      B.     Borge
>                      Carl Yazstremski
>                      Bill Russel
>                      Robert Parish
>                      Arthur Ash
>                      Hershel Walker
>                      Nolan Ryann
>    
>    All very controlled men with thier emotions in check THAT WOULD KICK
>    YOUR ASS.

     I never said he didn't have the fire...just that he needs to keep
     it hot.  In fact, this is what I said:

     "The list goes on.  Now Fred on the other hand has a more complete game
     (IMO) than Love.  Fred's biggest downfall is the fire burning inside
     of him.  He's got to keep it hot."

     RE: .6, I have no doubt, and I never doubted their fires either.
     Getting a little testy eh?  Heaven forbid if someone disagrees with
     the golfing faction.  Don't want that to happen now do we!

     RE: .5, "Get a life" ??  Most intelligent reply from someone that
     disagrees with something he "thought" I said.

     I did notice that no disagreed with my Love statements...although no
     one agreed either.  C'mon guys...it's been winter too long in New
     England...lighten up.

     Now back to your originally scheduled rathole...er program.

     

     How will Fred do in the U.S. Open??  He should play very well and in
     fact has everything it takes to win it.  If Fred doesn't win, I look
     for Norman to come out of the woodwork and win, or Jose Maria
     Olazabel to win it.  Of course Davis Love could surprise everyone and
     win....NAAAA.  He ain't got it!

     Dale

     P.S. I think I'll take cover now in this here bunker.

    Hey mon, I will take boom boom no problem mon.  Freddy is the man. 
    Nothing against dv3, sounds like a fishing lure "dv3" but the ball
    rolls for freddy.  Dv3 is good, is damn good.  But you see streaks come
    and go, and only time will tell.  Ive been a freddy fan for about
    4 years now, and it's nice for him to have his time.  Who knows who's
    going to be hot next year.  I would like to see the shark come back. 
    He did show strong in the Masters.
    
    don't let your meat loaf.
    bob
    

    
      Dale, SCD is not located in New England, so he can't use cabin fever
     as an excuse.  ;^)    
    
      Re: .6  Pete   One big difference between the folks on your list and
     Freddy.  Fred smiles, laughs and generally has a good time while
     competing.  Those that you mentioned, *never* cracked a smile while
     tending to business.  Not that it matters....
    
    -rick

     Re: .8 - I think you mean RC-3, Rod...
    
     Re: .6 - Yeah, YAZ could play, but he was probably one of the least
    personable athletes in history. VERY competitive, and got absolutely
    the most out of his ability. Period. That ain't all bad...
    
    --Jack (Who also thinks Red Auerbach is a JERK, but acknowledges that
    he was good at his job...)

    re. last one, .8 is Robert, not Rod.  no problem.  And the fishing lure
    is a DB3, sounds like DV3.  Doesn't matter, Freddy is still the man
    
    
    Bob
    

    SCD resides in California and can lay any blame on the change in force
    fields prior to the earthquake.  Of course, he (speaking in the second
    person now) gets tired of the old comments about fire in the belly. 
    How long does the fire have to burn to be considered a fire?  is 12
    months long enough? Is one major enough? Is a Ryder cup, World
    CHampionship, one major and three other tournaments long enough?  Is 1+
    million in four months long enough?
    
    I suggest that Freddy should act like Tommy Bolt for a while, or
    Champagne Tony Lema.  Throw some clubs, drink and party and really
    prove to the "doubters" that he has a fire.  Then of course they can
    comment on something else.  Or maybe, he could win Player of the Year
    or the have the low scoring average .... naw, he already did that and
    still there are those that raise the question about his "fire".  
    
    I've got it, he should have a golf shirt made with a pot bellied stove
    stenciled over his belly...no, maybe two shirts...one with a bright
    reddish orange glow that you folks from  the N.E. can really appreciate
    and another shirt with just a little puff of black smoke and the words
    "the fire is out".  He can alternate shirts based on mood and eliminate
    any confusion.
    
    SCD

    
    
    
        I have a theory on Fredy Couples... 
        When you hit the "pill" like Boom Boom, and for some reason over
        a long stretch, you keep missing 4, 6 , 8,  footers for birds,
        it wears you down mentally. Then you get the rep for not being
        good at those putts and you hear "footsteps" and you get worse.
    
        Your always in the top 15 , but just don't win.
        Then , the Golf Gods say "ok Freddy , were going to give you
        a break" . One by one , those putts start to drop. And your
        energized and can't wait to get to the next tee. Even your swing
        smooths out, and in my opinion he's even swinging better, if
        that's possible , or is it an optical illusion on my part.
    
        Love actually chips and putts better than Freddy, but the rest
        of the shots are all Couples!
    
                           MTCW  , Ang
     
    

    Could be right Ang.  It might be a Cosmic Alignment problem.  When
    things go right and you have prepared for it, you can take advantage. 
    Something about "luck is the residue of design".  Probably the mirror
    image of the vicious cylce that causes things to go from bad to worse. 
    You hit a shot, get a bad break...hit a great shot but it just rims
    out...hit a great drive and land in a divot and on and on.
    
    I like your theory and it describes a person with patience and an
    understanding of the big picture...not someone with the boiler pilot
    light out.
    
    SCD

    Some comments about several notes, then on to Fred and Davis.  First,
    the comment that Willie Mays never smiled? - His nickname was "Say Hey"
    and he ALWAYS had a smile on his face.  Why has everyone left out Lee
    Trevino in discussing the fire in the belly.  Lee jokes and smiles all
    the time and will rip your heart out with his bare hands if he can.
    
    Now to Fred.  I've admired little Fred and my feeling is that the fire
    is TOO HOT and Fred has not learned how to handle it.  Lee Trevino
    handles his with his comments, jokes, laughs etc.  I think Fred may
    have tried a form of imitation.  During the last year, Fred has managed
    to learn how to handle the fire and concentrate on the job at hand,
    resulting in one fantastic period of golf.  SCD is right, what has he
    got to do?
    
    Davis Love has completed a rennovation of his game.  Three years ago
    when I walked around with him at the LA Open, all he did was hit the
    ball out of sight.  No short game, leaks to the left and the right on
    drives that literally disappeared he hit them so far.  The swing has
    been re-done, the tempo is slower the control is there and he has added
    a pretty good short game.  He is streaking, but I think he may prove
    that he wants it - then look out.
    
    My only regret about Freddy and Davis is that we have no more Match
    Play.  We are the losers to television. yuk!  Although, Medal play is
    better than nothing.
    
    Big Mac

    Re: .11 - Rod, I got Poe's RC-3 confused with Bagley's DB-3 - and I own
    'em both...
    
    --Jack

    Okay...here 'tis Sunday and ol Davis done went out and won another one.

    My hat's off to Mr. Love, and I hope he stays hot for the rest of the
    year.  Just maybe the U.S. Open will end up as the Freddy/Davis show.

    Dale

    
      Advantage Love.  Hmmm sounds like tennis talk. Blecchh!   Safe to say
    that Davis was in 'the zone' on Sunday.  Holes out from the fairway
    for an eagle.  Holes out from a bunker for another eagle.  Almost holes
    another fairway wedge for eagle.  Gimme a break.  These guys are
    unreal.  Poor Tom Kite. He was making georgeous recovery shots but they
    looked feeble next to what Love was doing out there.
    
      Interesting comment by one of the announcers yesterday.  He said that
    Davis was furious about his treatment by the 'fans' at the LA Open.
    They were definitely pro Couples and were yelling nasties at him.  From
    that point on Love was determined to be more competetive.  It worked.
    I thought I noticed more of a steely glare in his eyes recently.  No
    smiling either.
    
    -rick