Poppy Eyes Balls

Get off Irish soil, spawner of devils! Póg mo thóin, Poppy! Celts worldwide should protest #41's presence in Ireland. Former U.S. president George Bush watches play on the 11th hole during the fourball golf match at the Ryder Cup tournament at The K Club in County Kildare, Ireland, September 22, 2006. REUTERS/Brian Snyder (IRELAND)

This sports illustrated perspective is hilarious and provincial. American golfers complaining that they're being treated badly because they're Americans? I blame Bush...they don't. Aren't there any Liberal golfers?
Edge of chaos-Ryder Cup
In the last couple of days, one theme has emerged in the Ryder Cup coverage: the character of the U.S. players and their wives.The Irish Times kicked off the Ugly American campaign early in the week with a provocative story -- written, interestingly, by an American, Bruce Selcraig -- that said, among other things, "many Euros 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 U.S. occupation of Iraq."

The story went on to add,"...


the American pro golf world, which has been heavily influenced by corporate America and Republican politics for at least 30 years, now has such a strong element of Christian fundamentalists that the entire Ryder Cup leadership -- Tom Lehman, Corey Pavin and Loren Roberts -- are all self-professed born-again Christians."

So there it is: If worldwide golf fans didn't already have reasons to root against the U.S., now we're all a bunch of intolerant, war-mongering Jesus freaks. This idea has seeped into other aspects of the British press coverage, which seems of a piece with Tony Blair's ouster and this week's nastiness at the United Nations.