Midnight Madness

I was flipping through the channels tonight at 10:00 Eastern and the Golf Channel was ready to roll out with their Live from the Ryder Cup coverage. A part of me was tempted to pretend I was in college and pull an all-nighter, only do it without the aid of caffeine, loads of booze and some peppy music with a beat. I would do this and still go into the office in the morning. Why? The Ryder Cup is worth it.

The Europeans are the favorite and they should be, but is there a team of Americans you could ever want to root for more? I thought the Kentucky hillbillie group of Perry, JB and adopted redneck Boo Weekley was enough NASCAR in 2008 to make rooting for the Americans worth it. But now? We've got Dustin Johnson and Bubba Watson! Grip it and rip it, international beat-down style! My heart says the US will win on foreign soil for the first time since 1993. My brain says 'No.'

Cue Michael Buffer, please!

Here's what I am watching for...

Tiger Woods - I think this is the perfect place for Tiger to regain some swagger. Failure can't be placed entirely on his shoulders. Plus, the ability to blow up on a hole is easily sheltered in match play. I think he comes out and just steamrolls people.

Mickelson & Johnson - They got paired together to open it all tomorrow. Two guys who just swing, wait for it to come out of orbit and pull off a miracle. In a best ball format tomorrow, they will either be eating breakfast before I wake up, or they will ham-and-egg to an eagle on every hole. Either way, it is the perfect appetizer to the week.

Rory McIlroy - He said something about wanting to play Tiger and got all of the international press he, or his captain, never would have wanted. How does he respond? If this was in America, he'd fold faster than Bernard Langer over a four-footer. But, does he use the home country advantage to gain an edge?

The Molinari Brothers - They are not going out in the best ball, which is smart. Who better to play alternate shot together than two brothers? This could be Ballesteros-Olazabal 2.0 for the European team. Someday, smart people will write chapters in books about this pairing.

Bubba Watson and Jeff Overton - They are the anchor leg tomorrow, and both are rookies. I read about this online right as the Golf Channel was airing replays of the 2004 disaster at Oakland Hills, where Hal Sutton out-thought himself with the disastrous Lefty-Tiger pairing. If Watson and Overton don't top it off the first tee, Corey Pavin will be breathing easier. But, if they go down 6&5 (which is what I fear will happen), we might be clamoring for Paul Azinger before lunch tomorrow.

C'mon boys! Keep it close and give me something to yell at come Sunday morning!