And so the fall-out continues. Listening to all the teeth-grinding, mouth-frothing and general harrumphing that accompanied Scotland’s Wembley woe the other night has been about as uplifting as tuning into the four minute warning.
By all accounts, we’re hopeless at fitba’ so what do supporters do? That’s right, they sit about in slowly emptying stadiums, looking all mournful in front of the panning television cameras while dabbing their tears with a See You Jimmy wig in an emotional expression of exhibitionism that’s supposed to show how much they care and how deep their hurt is and yak, yak, yak, blah, blah, blah, boo, hoo, hoo.
Back in ye olden times, when gents in cowls kicked a clump of pig’s bladder about, fans took sporting disappointment on the chin. Defeat would generally be accompanied by a philosophical outburst of ‘oh fiddle sticks’ and a reflective twirl of their imperial moustache before they retired to smoke a pipe at the mantelpiece and apply some oil to the lock of their field musket.
These days, it’s a trifle more hysterical and passionate pleas, roaring opinions, bawling criticisms and damning judgments are spewed forth in relentless abundance.
In another roon ba’ game, meanwhile, it wasn’t that long ago that Jordan Spieth was the best thing on the planet. Yes, even better than her Royal Majesty upon High, Mary Berry. And then he had something of a lean spell and everybody was asking ‘what’s wrong with Jordan Spieth?’ while using phrases like ‘career slump’ and ‘crisis’.
We’ve not clapped eyes on Spieth since he played a largely topsy-turvy role in the USA’s Ryder Cup win at Hazeltine but, after a revitalising lay-off, the former world No 1 is back in this week’s Australian Open. It was in this very event at the end of 2014, of course, where he closed with a sparkling 63 to win by six and spark off a quite remarkable run which saw him grab the global game by the scruff of the neck in 2015 with his brace of major wins
Following up that kind of shimmering extravaganza in 2016 was always going to be tough, like taking to the stage with a moothie after a rousing performance by the Vienna Philharmonic. A hectic, round the global houses start to the new year was hardly wise scheduling as he played nine events in 12 fraught weeks. It was a rigorous run by anybody’s standards and the burdens of pressure and increased expectation only added to the hefty weight. In the modern era, superstar status, with all its unwavering scrutiny and remorseless demands both on and off the course, can be ruthlessly draining. We can only wonder how different his year would have been had he not endured that crippling collapse when leading in his defence of the Masters title.
Spieth still won two PGA Tour titles during this so-called ‘lean year’, a statistic he wasn’t slow in bringing up during July’s Open when the questions were coming thick and fast. “Everyone goes through peaks and valleys,” he said. “I've still won twice and finished second in a major. If that's a valley, then it’s going to be a lot of fun when we get back up to a peak. No offence, but you guys (the media) have made me feel like it’s a valley.”
Since the tyranny of the Tiger, the to-ings and fro-ings at the top of the world order simply illustrates the strength of the game in the upper echelons. As fickle observers and commentators swiftly switch from cooing adoration one minute to shrugging indifference the next, it doesn’t take long to become something of a forgotten man. Spieth will be keen to be golf’s man of the moment again having gone for No 1 to No 5. Look out for a sign of intent down under this week.
AND ANOTHER THING
Thank goodness for Russell Knox. Two wins in the wraparound 2016 PGA Tour season and already a trio of top-10s to start the new campaign has at least given us something to shout about on the Scottish men’s front. Knox won’t be taking up his place in this week’s DP World Tour Championship – after his Ryder Cup snub, you wouldn’t blame him for turning his back on the European Tour altogether – and for the first time since the Dubai showpiece’s inception in 2009 there won’t be a Scot at the big-money bonanza.
The cradle of golf could desperately do with a couple of fresh faces on the main tour in 2017. Nobody under 30 on the circuit in a game that’s getting younger and younger? Let’s hope the likes of David Law, 25, and Bradley Neil, 20, can keep up the decent work at the on-going qualifying school final and bridge this increasingly worrying generation gap.
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