The boosters are really serious at Notre Dame. So serious in fact, that they are testing the theory that the dead will "turn over in their grave" during an unlikely event...as, um...as in the 1-5 start of the Flatulent-ing Irish.
The family of George Gipp exhumed his body for DNA testing.
Word has it that he was face-down.
Who was George Gipp? He was the legendary Notre Dame football player who died at an early age of pneumonia. Legend has it that he told the Irish coach Knute Rockne on his deathbed, that if ever the players' backs were against the wall, to play hard for him.
That inspired The great Coach Rockne to utter the words "win one for the Gipper", during halftime of a half-hearted effort against Army...in which the team mounted a comeback and did win.
We don't have that sort of legend that will help us win the 2008 Ryder Cup.
We need a "Gipper"...we need inspiration.
We need Jack Nicklaus to coach the Ryder Cup...alas, we'll have to wait.
A wake-up call happened during Coach Nicklaus's President's Cup. It happened for every teammate...from the steeled eyes of Tiger, to the swim-goggled-eyes of Woody Austin.
The players want to win for someone they believe in.
Tiger (no less) has mapped-out his whole life's accomplishments on this singular man. Nicklaus has no equal...he is The Man...The Legend.
Who's not going to want to play for him? No offense to Paul...but is Tiger (et al) going to be pumped-up at a Zinger rally-cry? Not likely.
But a Nicklaus-led rally? Yeah, now you're talking. But let's do it soon PGA America. 2010 is right around the corner, and Jack is no spring chicken.
Tiger Woods wants to win a Ryder Cup for Jack Nicklaus.
He doesn't want to win one for some other coach when the chips are down, saying " let's win one for The Bear."
Thanks for reading. Keep it in the short-grass,
JFB
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