Changing Room Chat: American hubris comes before a fall

Published on 02/10/2012 02:16

AN article by an American sportswriter on the ESPN website from Saturday night prematurely celebrating victory for the home side in the Ryder Cup has gone viral.

Gene Wojciechowski typed out a triumphalist piece as the USA cemented a seemingly invinsible 10-6 lead on the eve of the Sunday singles, which saw Europe complete one of the greatest comebacks in sporting history. Almost 24 hours earlier Wojciechowski had opined: “It’s over. Olazabal can click off the walkie-talkie and take the IFB out of his ear. Time for the Europeans to fire up the private jets and head back home to Florida.” He joshed that the only way Europe could win would be if Keegan Bradley (who would go on to lose his match with Rory McIlroy) “is abducted”, that the likes of George W Bush and Rev. Jesse Jackson were inserted into the home line-up, or Lee Westwood (who recovered his form to beat Matt Kuchar) was made a US citizen. He added: “I’ve got a feeling Team Europe is doomed.... the eight veterans in that USA team room are reminding the four rookies it’s time to step on a few throats.”

The piece can still be enjoyed by typing the delicious headline “Ryder Cup all but locked up for U.S.” in Google.