On 2010-10-03 22:37:39 -0400, Giles said:

On Oct 3, 12:56*pm, "Bill Grey" wrote:
Hi Roffians,

How many of you are interested in the Ryder Cup.

Well, I've been aware since early childhood that the Ryder Cup is an
international sporting event of long standing and high repute.....but
I can't honestly say that I've ever paid much attention to it. A
quick google reveals that it is about golf.

Hm.....

Not one of my top three guesses.

Still, not necessarily sufficient grounds to disqualify
interest.....however late come by....as we shall hope to demonstrate.

In the first place, it is interesting that what began (for dog only
knows what half-baked reasons, born of whatever besotted blighters)as
a sporting competition between residents of the United States of
America (a fairly specific and more or less well-defined and delimited
region, it must be admitted....or at least so in the early decades of
the 20th century)and the residents of the island of Great Britain (one
hesitates to be either more or less specific, geographically,
socially, politically, ethnically, or in matters of familial
consanguinity, for fear of offending.....by inclusion or
exclusion.....residents of Ireland, northern Ireland, Ulster {which
may or may not be a portion of one or another of the aforementioned
geopolitical entities.....no one seems to quite sure.....or rather,
there are just too many competing sureties} Scotland, Wales, Cornwall,
New South Wales, Quebec, the Malvinas, Wales {Wisconsin}, the Virgin
{heh, heh, yeah} Islands, Van Diemen's Land and
Johannesferchrissakesberg)in a time when it was all too obvious to the
literate minority in what was, admittedly, at time in world history in
which literacy had not yet blossomed to its fullest potential (sorta
like now, come to think of it), that the USA was on the brink of
becoming (however unfairly and for however short a period) the
cultural, political, economic, military and sporting capitol of the
known universe, eventually evolved into a somewhat more inclusive
event, pitting the obvious elephant in the living room against a
somewhat larger and broader adversary.....or conglomeration of
adversaries, at any rate. Europe and the United States can, depending
on just how one defines terms, be seen as rough equals in geographic
scope and population.....at least for the time being. Sort of levels
the playing fiels, wot?

Equally interesting.....and perhaps even more so.....the American team
(at least this year) is represented by players residing in exactly 8
of the roughly 50 states comprising the union (discounting, rightly,
since they are indeed NOT states, Puerto Rico, the Virgin
(um.....hm.....) Islands, and Canada), while the European team boasts
residents of 7 countries out of the incomprehensible mess that is,
was, and presumably always will be Europe. Sounds like about a horse
apiece to this fan.

The weather has been pretty poor, especially on the first day. We ,the
Euopeans, are doing OK at the moment but tomorrows another day.

Someone once explained the difference between California and Wisconsin
to me thusly: "California has a climate.....we['ve] got weather." Of
the twelve players on the American team 5, roughly 42%, are
Floridians. We['ve} got one boy from Madison. The European team
boasts nine of twelve players from places what got weather, and a
miserly three from places with a climate.

If the weather goes south (not an unreasonable expectation at the
venue in question at this time of year, I'd wager) "we" are well and
truly screwed.

giles
who notes that a team never named on the scorecard won in 2001. not
surprising. they always do.

Just another silly, verbose, pedantic reply from my trick pony.

Giddy up.