Phil Mickelson

[mountainman]

I'm fed up with smug commentators harping on the mercurial nature of Phil's game. Especially Nick Faldo, who seemed outright affronted that someone so thoroughly-American as phil had the temerity to win the musty british open.

Hey, Sir Nick? How about you take 2 minutes of your royal time and explain why Mickelson will-while you WON'T-someday be classified as an all time great? Start by comparing his win total to yours.

And Johnny Miller.. I respect your candor, but your snide suggestion that phil be fitted with a shock collar earns you the same responsibility to inform us why phil's body of work dwarfs yours.

You guys obviously take great pride in your respective careers. So please compare them to Mickelson's.

Look, I realize that the novelty shots make great tv and somewhat define phil. But how about some acknowledgement that beyond the miraculous saves, mickelson has, perhaps, the best short game in history. Or at least much, much better than you guys.

[redshift1]

Mickelson and Faldo similar careers and ability. Nick leads in majors won and Phil leads in overall wins. Of the three Miller is a distant third ability wise.

[tucker6]

Mickelson and Faldo similar careers and ability. Nick leads in majors won and Phil leads in overall wins. Of the three Miller is a distant third ability wise.
agreed. Faldo and Miller both have the resume to be able to criticize Phil. Besides, they are in the entertainment business, and are paid to be controversial. Even in golf.

Lastly, none of the three are or will be considered all time greats.. Near great, but not all time. These are my list of professional all timers in no order:

Jack
Tiger
Arnie
Hogan

Everyone else is looking up at those guys on Mt Bushwood (Caddyshack reference)

[Greyfox]

Phil may be the most thrilling golfer I've ever watched (Phil the "Thrill.")

His play in the British Open aside, this weekend he was all over the map.
It was absolutely amazing to see him :
1. get in so much trouble
2. perform almost impossible shots and get out of so much trouble

He's simply amazing, whether he's winning or losing.

I consider Faldo and Miller two of the most honest commentators in the game.
They call matches the way they see them.
No complaints from this corner.

[DJofSD]

Really? Sir Nick and Johnny Miller are insulting, offensive and smug? Say it ain't so. Their style and critics are not new nor are they news. And I think they're commentary is well within bounds.

The way Phil was playing leaves him open to the kind of comments you heard. In the middle of the third round he was playing army golf -- left, left, right, left, right.....but his short game save him so he was able to record a round of even par.

But Phil is still able to thrill 'em. I hope every one saw the "flop" shot from just off the green, in what appeared to be some kind of flower bed, with a very thin lie -- nuttin' but dirt. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GA2-DEEkU9M

All I can suggest if the off camera talent is offensive, turn down the volume or change the channel.

[mountainman]

Really? Sir Nick and Johnny Miller are insulting, offensive and smug? Say it ain't so. Their style and critics are not new nor are they news. And I think they're commentary is well within bounds.

The way Phil was playing leaves him open to the kind of comments you heard. In the middle of the third round he was playing army golf -- left, left, right, left, right.....but his short game save him so he was able to record a round of even par.

But Phil is still able to thrill 'em. I hope every one saw the "flop" shot from just off the green, in what appeared to be some kind of flower bed, with a very thin lie -- nuttin' but dirt. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GA2-DEEkU9M

All I can suggest if the off camera talent is offensive, turn down the volume or change the channel.

Of course their comments are "within bounds"-AND entertaining. And I admire Miller's candor. But I'd LOVE to see them forced to acknowledge that their careers don't quite measure up to Mickelson's. And I do think that typecasting phil as a trick-shot artist makes it easy, for Faldo in particular, to avoid acknowledging his short-game genius.

On a personal note, I respectfully ask that you not misquote me. I didn't say Miller and Faldo were insulting OR offensive, just smug. And I don't purport that my posting constitutes "news." It's merely opinion.

[ManU918]

But I'd LOVE to see them forced to acknowledge that their careers don't quite measure up to Mickelson's. And I do think that typecasting phil as a trick-shot artist makes it easy, for Faldo in particular, to avoid acknowledging his short-game genius.

On a personal note, I respectfully ask that you not misquote me. I didn't say Miller and Faldo were insulting OR offensive, just smug. And I don't purport that my posting constitutes "news." It's merely opinion.

Saying that Faldo's career don't match up with Mickelson's is idiotic. Faldo has 6 Majors, Mickelson has 5. In most people's mind Faldo has had the better career. Majors are what matter in this game, are they not?...When its all said and done, nobody really cares about how many Bell South Classics or Buick Invitationals a player has won. Without looking I honestly couldn't tell you any other event that someone like Cabrera has won other then the U.S. Open and the Masters and I follow golf pretty closely.

Johnny Miller has 2 majors and played against the toughest fields week in and week out of all time. The guy was up against Nicklaus, Watson, Trevino, etc. He has earned the right to say whatever he wants in the booth. I don't think for a second that if you asked Miller who has had the better career that he would hesitate at all to answer Phil. He is being Johnny and that means anyone who tees it up is open for criticism.

IMO Miller and Faldo are two of the best out there and that goes for all commentating. I'm so sick of the everyone is great and every young player is the next great thing type of commentators. It's good to have two commentators tell it how it is. It's even better that they both played the game at the highest level.

[ManU918]

agreed. Faldo and Miller both have the resume to be able to criticize Phil. Besides, they are in the entertainment business, and are paid to be controversial. Even in golf.

Lastly, none of the three are or will be considered all time greats.. Near great, but not all time. These are my list of professional all timers in no order:

Jack
Tiger
Arnie
Hogan

Everyone else is looking up at those guys on Mt Bushwood (Caddyshack reference)

I think i'd be okay with Watson and maybe even Sam Snead being added to that list. I know your list says professional so I guess Jones stays off.

[wiffleball whizz]

Johnny miller on Sunday at the us open is as good as it gets....also he loves that 63 he shot

[tucker6]

I think i'd be okay with Watson and maybe even Sam Snead being added to that list. I know your list says professional so I guess Jones stays off.
Yes, I left Jones off because I wanted to stick with the professional designation as I believe when golf went professional, it brought in many more to the sport and is thus easier to judge their records. I thought about Watson and Snead, but Watson was overshadowed for all but a couple years in his career and Snead didn't have the majors. Greats imo should stand tall against the competition both in majors and out for a good period of time.

[ManU918]

Yes, I left Jones off because I wanted to stick with the professional designation as I believe when golf went professional, it brought in many more to the sport and is thus easier to judge their records. I thought about Watson and Snead, but Watson was overshadowed for all but a couple years in his career and Snead didn't have the majors. Greats imo should stand tall against the competition both in majors and out for a good period of time.

True Snead only had 7 majors... But... He did win a PGA Tour event at age 52... He did make a cut at age 67... And he had a top 10 finish in a major in five different decades.... That's pretty impressive. But its your list.

[mountainman]

Saying that Faldo's career don't match up with Mickelson's is idiotic.

A somewhat ironic sentence.

[ManU918]

A somewhat ironic sentence.

Not sure I follow... You said, "But I'd LOVE to see them forced to acknowledge that their careers don't quite measure up to Mickelson's".

If you think that Mickelson's career is that much better then Faldo's, You, sir, are thinking like an idiot. It's not like you are comparing Phil Mickelson to John Daly... You are comparing Mickelson to a 6 time Major Champion and saying their careers don't quite measure up when Faldo has won more Majors.

[mountainman]

Not sure I follow... You said, "But I'd LOVE to see them forced to acknowledge that their careers don't quite measure up to Mickelson's".

If you think that Mickelson's career is that much better then Faldo's, You, sir, are thinking like an idiot. It's not like you are comparing Phil Mickelson to John Daly... You are comparing Mickelson to a 6 time Major Champion and saying their careers don't quite measure up when Faldo has won more Majors.

Read the sentence carefully. And then decide if "idiotic" is a word you're comfortable applying to someone else.

[tucker6]

True Snead only had 7 majors... But... He did win a PGA Tour event at age 52... He did make a cut at age 67... And he had a top 10 finish in a major in five different decades.... That's pretty impressive. But its your list.
agreed that everyone has their own set of criteria. I simply separate out the titans who shape the game (Jack, Tiger, Arnie, Hogan) from the other upper echelon golfers (Watson, Faldo, Snead, Player, and yes even Phil. Even though Norman was the #1 ranked golfer for many years, I'd put him in the next group with Seve, Trevino, Miller, Els, etc.

[tucker6]

Read the sentence carefully. And then decide if "idiotic" is a word you're comfortable applying to someone else.
I don't get what you meant either then!! I believe you were implying that Michelson's career was better than Faldo's. I believe they are comparable in all respects. Besides, quality of ones play has no bearing on understanding the game and providing commentary.

[cj]

I don't get what you meant either then!! I believe you were implying that Michelson's career was better than Faldo's. I believe they are comparable in all respects. Besides, quality of ones play has no bearing on understanding the game and providing commentary.

Don't should be doesn't?

[tucker6]

Don't should be doesn't?
Thanks. I saw that but was focusing on the context.

[ManU918]

Read the sentence carefully. And then decide if "idiotic" is a word you're comfortable applying to someone else.

If incorrect grammar was not allowed on this forum, there would be at tops 10 posters left. I'll be the first to tell you that I'm no grammar king. But if you need to rip on me for that because of the dumb-ass comment you made to make yourself feel better.... Have at it.

Come to think of it, I would much rather make a grammer mistake then say something like, "I'd LOVE to see them forced to acknowledge that their careers don't quite measure up to Mickelson's". That statement literally made me laugh out loud. But I guess I learned early in life that 6>5.

[mountainman]

Majors are what matter in this game, are they not?...When its all said and done, nobody really cares about how many Bell South Classics or Buick Invitationals a player has won.

So Charles Coody accomplished as much as Fred Couples. Thanks for setting my priorities straight.

[rastajenk]

Don't forget Lee Janzen and Andy North :p

[mountainman]

if you need to rip on me for that because of the dumb-ass comment you made to make yourself feel better.... Have at it.



I did nothing, dude. You skewered yourself by mangling the same sentence in which you aimed the word "idiotic" at someone else.

I'm curious. Do you always shoot yourself in the foot when attempting to fire insults?