The pairings for the first set of matches- the better ball format- have been released! Incidentally, so have the Vegas odds (expressed by holes). They are below.
1. Jamie O’Grady and Ket Taylor, Internet (-1), vs. James Alverson and Andrew Carter, Traditional
2. Shane Ryan and Andrew Westney, Internet (+1.5), vs. Mark Thomas and Chantal McCabe, Traditional
3. Ben Swain and Matt Purdy, Internet (-4.5), vs. Hayes Permar and Luke DeCock, Traditional
4. Lauren Brownlow and Randy Brownlow, Internet (+2) vs. Mark Armstrong and Jack Daly, Traditional
5. Jon Pence and Brian Barbour, Internet (+1.5) vs. Stephen Schramm and Mike Maniscalco, Traditional
Notes:
*Mark Armstrong and Jack Daly both went 3-0 in last year’s Ryder Cup, and paired to win a better ball match.
*Team Internet stars Shane Ryan, Ben Swain, Matt Purdy, and Lauren Brownlow are undefeated in Better Ball in their Ryder Cup careers.
*Mike Maniscalco, Team Traditional captain, has never won a pairs match in his Ryder Cup career.
*Hayes Permar of Team Traditional is 0-2 in pairs matches in his Ryder Cup career.
*Andrew Carter of Team Traditional has never won a Better Ball match.
*We are playing for this:
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What’s up world, it’s your boy! I know it’s been a minute since I wrote something, but I’ve just been laying low and staying on my grind getting ready for this Triangle Media Ryder Cup. I miss being able to interact with my fans though, and y’all are what gets me out of bed every morning when I’m trying to just get better as a player and a person. I wish I could thank each and every one of you guys personally for keeping me focused and humble, but Imma write this instead cause I’m just trying to stay focused and humble. Oh wait, I just said that. My B.
So it’s three days until the Ryder Cup, and I just can’t believe how fast the time has gone by. It seems like yesterday when I was walking off that last green taking that tough L, but I just keep it close to my heart as motivation to stay focused and humble. Man! I did it again. Anyway, I just keep thinking back to that day and it just drives me to stay on that grind. I know there are a lot of haters out there who want to see me fail, and I just want all of you to know y’all are what gets me out of bed every morning. The haters. Oh yeah, and my fans too, but I already said that.
I’ve been listening to a lot of music trying to get my mind right for this tournament on Saturday, and that really helps me stay fixated and modest. I’ve also been reading my thesaurus, but mainly the music is what gets me out of bed every morning. Weezy’s really speaking to me lately. “I’m almost perfect. And I work harder than hard working.” It’s just deep, you know? Well I hope y’all come out on Saturday to see me put on for my team and try to get that trophy. Until then, I’m just trying to stay focused and humble.
Always grinding,
B
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What’s good people. I’m back with another diary entry to keep you up on how life is in my slice of the universe.
First off, I want to thank all of the many people who sent me emails, tweets and vines wishing me well after injuring my toe. Your heartfelt support was felt in my heart and means more to me than anything. I wouldn’t be where I’m at without you and my god given abilities.
Those messages of support got me through a real, real tough time. As soon as I felt that pop in my foot, my heart was like awwwwwwww no. The whole time I’m at the doctor’s office I’m thinking man I won’t get to play in this year’s Rider Cup and so when the doctor comes in I’m like yo Doc can I play in this golf thing I’m doing and she’s like I’m afraid not playa and I’m all like I can’t believe my worst nightmares are coming true. But they did. They really did.
They say timing is everything, and that life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans, and that the family that prays together stays together.
So while I can’t be out there on the course with my fam–my brothers that I live with and die with–after lots and lots of prayers I will be there regardless, busted toe and all, rooting for them and doing whatever I can within the rules of golf and Night’s Play to urge them on to victory.
And don’t you worry…your boy will be back out there on the course before you know it. Truth.
-J. Diggy
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J. Diggy back with some more pontification for your station.
I want to tell you about this crazy dream I had last night. It involved a dog and some cashews and Joan Rivers, but the main thing I remember was I was standing in the middle of this circle, see, and all my fam was around me, cheering me, comforting me–Joan Rivers, too–saying stuff like “You’ll stay strong through this like you always have,” and “I haven’t seen anything come before you that you couldn’t handle and conquer, B,” and “Be sure to watch my new series on E! where I get cancer.”
I woke up all sweaty and everything, a little frightened maybe, but I realized something. That the people that make up your circle–your fam–is what makes you. TRULY makes you. It ain’t golf. It ain’t a big toe. It’s people, the people in your life that are there for you no matter what. Your fam. MY fam.
And my fam is taking to the course this weekend with one goal and one goal only: Win this golf tournament for J. Diggy. Captain Digtastic. Professor Digglesworth. Me. They’re gonna win it for ME. And that kind of commitment to you–you can’t put a price tag on that.
To see that sort of concerted effort to one cause–your cause–gives you the strength to go that extra mile during rehab. To wiggle that toe a little more as prescribed by your orthosomethingorother doctor. It gives you the will power to only eat one pint of Americone Dream instead of two (that shit’s expensive, yo, forgive my French). You see each and every one of your Rider Cup teammates busting their ass on the putting green for 8 hours a day to glorify you and lift you up? Man, there’s no more inspiring thing than that.
I may be on the sidelines of the golf course on Saturday (after someone points out where I can stand), but I know I’m in their hearts. Because they’re in mine.
Fam.
I.
Ly.
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I caught up with Keith Taylor on the putting green in preparation for the 2013 Smithfield’s Chicken n’ BAR-B-Q Media Ryder Cup and asked him how he felt about his first Ryder Cup, trash talk, and Team Internet’s chances heading into the tournament-
Me: We all know last year was a bit disappointing for Team Internet, only coming up with 5.5 points to Traditional’s 10.5. What’s the mindset like in the locker room, coming back to Knights Play to try and bring the cup home a year later?
Keith: We’re confident in our team. You know, I haven’t really had the opportunity to see any of these guys play or anything like that, but we really have a great deal of blind faith in each other, and I think that’ll make all the difference come tomorrow morning. With events like these, I think it always comes down to which team wants it more. Right now they’ve got it- you know, they won it last time- so I think we obviously want it more. How could you want it more when you already have it? I don’t think you can. Now, they want to keep it, and they’re the only team that’s shown the ability to win it so far, but we really want it, so I like our chances out there.
Me: You mention blind faith in your teammates- what’s it like coming out here as a rookie, with a lot of expectations on your team’s shoulders?
Keith: There’s pressure, sure- especially when you’re talking about a tournament that has the kind of tradition that the Smithfield’s Chicken n’ BAR-B-Q Media Ryder Cup has built over time. It’s a big stage and there’s a lot at stake, and I’ve got some big shoes to fill for my team. Coming in here to take the place of a guy like James Curle, who’s one of the guys that you grow up reading about playing in the Media Ryder Cup, there are naturally some expectations that you need to live up to in order to help your team win. I don’t know James personally, but I know he’s workin’ hard to get back out here, and he’ll be pulling for us on the course tomorrow. I’ve just gotta go out there and play my game, try to get really lucky on some of the earlier holes so we can get out to a lead in the first couple matches, and then pray we can hang on from there.
Me: There’s been a lot of trash talk in the media lately, including some poems that have made headlines- how do you react to some of the things that have been said by Team Traditional, and how do you stay focused as a team?
Keith: I’ve seen them. You know, as Team Internet we’re kind of more on top of things than your local TV or newspaper kind of news, so I probably saw them right when they were posted- listen, it is what it is. Some guys like to try and get in your head by saying things like internet media has no credibility or real vetting process for its writers, and that’s fine, that’s their opinion. I could stand here in front of you guys and talk about how TV and newspapers are insanely outdated, and that at least people read internet media, but I’m not gonna get involved with that stuff. Off the record, I can’t believe traditional media is still in business, it’s that old and boring. I couldn’t even tell you how to operate a radio. And you can print that. But, you know, off the record. How do interviews work again?
Me: Thanks Keith. Good luck out there tomorrow.