This weekend, in addition to the usual dose of NFL football on Sunday afternoon, Saturday and Sunday mornings will likely include a significant dose of the Ryder Cup. This year's instalment (already under way, live scoring
here) should be one of the most intense in recent memory.
Where does politics fit in all of this? Well, in part as a motivating factor:
many Europeans and other international players are put off by the overwhelming number of American PGA Tour players who identify themselves as George Bush-loving Republicans who support the US occupation of Iraq.
The affable and well-read Australian Geoff Ogilvy, who won the US Open and has lived in Arizona with his Texas wife for four years, says: "A lot of their conservative views (on tour) are way off the map . . . I think George Bush is a bit dangerous. I think the world is scared while he's in office, (but) there's less tolerance of diversity (in opinions) over here (and) people have more blind faith in their government."
Various Europeans have hinted that they have similar views, but say privately they'll be crucified in American locker-rooms and newspapers if they publicly oppose Bush, his fundamentalist Christian agenda or the Iraq war.
I'd be cheering for the Euros anyway (I'm a Canadian, I like the underdog, I can't ever cheer for Phil Mickleson), but if I needed any additional encouragement, this article would go a long way to providing it.
I'm actually somewhat surprised by the candor of the European players in the article. Unfortunately, what I'm not surprised about is the attitudes of a number of the American players:
Or, as American journeyman Robert Gamez told me in May: "We love our money . . . Democrats want you to pay for everyone . . . George Bush is all about family values. Look at us. We're all into our families. And we believe what Bush stands for. He's done a great job so far."
The article provides one Irish sportswriter's view of America under George Bush. And the view isn't a flattering one:
And therein lies the problem. America has become a very polarised place, where people of like religion and politics carefully gather themselves in "right-thinking" communities, schools, churches and workplaces. During Bush's six years in office this trend has only intensified, with our 50 states now routinely referred to as red for Republican or blue for Democrat, based on the TV networks' colour-coded election coverage. In many ways, the famed American melting pot is a myth, and tolerance an illusion.
So if you're looking for me Saturday or Sunday morning, you'll probably find me on my couch. I'll be the one yelling "Noonan" as the Americans stand over their putts.