rocket_scientist

That's factually incorrect. ClubGolf was a disaster and the money spent on it compared to the impact it had was shocking. Even ScottishGolf, formerly the Scottish Golf Union admit this now. Where are you getting your information and what gives you the confidence to post like you know anything at all about the subject?

Well said Rico. Folk are too quick to blame the club and side with the penalisers without taking time to consider all the possibilities. For example, why would Hearts want to cheat the system? Did they think they would get away with it? They would've known that the gamble of trying to squeeze in an illegible player would've had major repercussions although another failing of the authorities is a lack of fairness and consistency, their precedents being random (fines, disqualification, points deduction).

It wasn't off the cuff SeaBass. It followed their antogonistic England shite. But nothing beats our response to the hun cunts when they give it Rule Britannia.

Thanks for this lancy. If I thought you were of the same stuff that we were made of in the NE of Scotland, I might have responded with something like "who cares?" or "who gives a fuck?". But modern politics discourages honesty in exchanges and communication so I won't. The bottom line is that a winning unit focuses more on what they can do and less about the opposition, with the proviso that a professional outfit scouts, observes and sees EVERYTHING an opponent does. McInnes wouldn't have bothered his arse to watch it. He would have been more concerned with trimming his beard, or washing his hair.

That is your opinion and you're entitled to it. But you're missing the biggest reason for the declining levels of golf participation in the UK, unlike other parts of Europe where golf is growing, in Italy quite dramatically (a fifteen fold increase in golf courses in and around Rome in the last 25 years) and will explode again now that Molinari won the Open. Golf has always taken time to play 18 holes. The length of time it takes was mooted as an excuse by some when the horse had bolted, when the authorities finally got round to surveying former members, 30 years after they had ignored the evidence in front of their faces. In fact, even this decade they lied about participation levels, saying that membership had gone down but the number of rounds being played was stable due to the shifting patterns and there being (what they called) "nomadic golfers". These six hole and nine hole initiatives have yet to take hold and in my opinion will not make a blind bit of difference whilst the governing bodies continue to delude themselves and deny the real core issue that is killing golf. Football is suffering the exact same core issue and what coverage there is or isn't on telly today can't affect the damage that has already been done. It's too late. The mismanagement has been gross. Without grass roots, without kids participation levels being robust, there is no future.

Well that's one view I guess. I never wanted anyone to win or lose at golf. I reckoned the golfing gods would determine the winner and I was happy just to watch the drama unfold. As a teenager, I loved McEnroe and I wanted him to win too but as you said, it had nothing to do with "likeability". I don't agree that he was a cunt though. He was passionate and determined, qualities I could relate to. Seve was a total cunt who despised women but that didn't matter to my appreciating his art. The true champion is dedicated to his craft. The PR and media stuff is just shite.

What do you mean by this and what's going to change for it to "pick up again"? The Open on BBC inspired many great champions. It's not just "one week". It's the pinnacle of the game.

The Burnley goal is on YouTube. Both defenders were hopeless. https://youtu.be/jMmQpeT8sZI

Mixed messages here. It is a disaster for golf in the UK that the BBC have been trumped by Sky. This is the biggest mistake of judgement the R & A have ever made so whether the presentation is better, light years better, the same or worse is unimportant. It is the limited exposure and the vastly-reduced TV audience numbers that will accelerate the already declining - and in my opinion, terminal - trend.

I think we are in danger of confusing the debate. This man said it best - That's been one of my mantras - focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it's worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains. Steve Jobs Media and press attention etc. and how the golfer is perceived is one thing. How they perform is another. Public opinion matters to those who want to be liked but it doesn't to those with different priorities. I'm just watching David Drysdale just now. He has had next to NO press attention over the years. It's like you're talking from the perspective of a management company (where public perception can help with sponsorship opportunities) and I'm coming at it as a performance coach. We were discussing Sandy Lyle, probably the best Scottish golfer in our lifetimes. In fact, there is no question about it, he is. I can assure you that his failure to be selected as a Ryder Cup captain had nothing to do with media portrayals and public perception and everything to do with him as a person. He is basically a shy man who doesn't have the leadership skills that the role requires and therefore how good a golfer he was is of no consequence. Having said that, I think Thomas Bjorn is a big mistake for that role but really, who else was available? Bjorn is at least popular amongst his peers and yet comes over as drole and one-dimensional in front of the cameras. Like a Scandinavian in fact, if we are allowed a generalism.

He IS one for the future. He's nowhere near the finished article and quoting his handful of caps for FIFA ranked 437th best country in the world doesn't make him any better. In the first half, McKenna was immense and never put a foot wrong but he has mistakes in him, sometimes calamitous ones. I don't know if it's a concentration issue or if he's not that bright but that's his manager's job to help strengthen his weaknesses and I doubt McInnes even knows what they are. He might be a great footballer in the future but I'd be shocked if he ever got quoted ahead of some of the great AFC centre backs we have had over the years. He is raw potential with so much to learn, nothing more.

I know it was only one game but it amazes me that his scoring record was that strong. He is indeed ungainly and I didn't see a footballer in him and certainly not a physically fit one. I'm guessing he had most of his goals put on a plate for him. He's certainly a big enough unit to challenge for and win headers but I doubt he can create goals for himself by beating the last man.

I've never heard of Barnes but he won't be worse than that New Zealander Wood. That was a donkey carthorse and I was amazed that a Premier League manager recruited him far less picked him to play. He's fucking shite.

A brewery owned local in the NE is going to the wall this December, or at least the licensee isn't renewing and bailing after 18 months. We were talking about the reasons why so many pubs are going under; The smoking ban was mooted and may have had an impact. Drink driving laws have had a bigger impact we reckoned. The guys finishing their work and going for a couple of pints on the way home have disappeared. Supermarket price promotions have encouraged many to drink in the house but this negates the sense of community, which we felt was the whole point of pubs. With social media etc., the whole way we interact with one another has changed and whilst that's obviously had a major adverse effect on the licensed trade, in my opinion it's had a devastating effect in society too. The bottom line is that you have to be good to survive let alone thrive in the pub game although like everything, some get lucky, location being the key. Most publicans couldn't spell USP and don't have the intelligence to understand business let alone their own, despite having the work ethic required forced upon them by their opening hours. It's a tough business and only the fittest survive.

Campbell IS an embarrassment to humanity first of all and to Britain second. His embarrassment to Burnley is very distant to the real damage he's caused. Nevertheless even an arsehole has something to say and he was right about much of it.

You're correct in that Sandy was perceived - or wrongly misinterpreted to be strictly accurate - as lacking in depth of personality but that of itself is one of the biggest problems in the Scottish psyche. Some humans respect achievement more than "likeability". Most of us who work in results-based fields don't put a great deal of value in their interpersonal skills when, to be frank in an individual sport and pursuit, it's totally unimportant. Bob Torrance nailed his own son perfectly. He was always more interested in the fame rather than working hard to get success. A lazy underachieving arsehole in other words.

The bellendness of Cohlin is equal to the bellendness of Sam. Sandy Lyle is MILES ahead, both in terms of achievement and personality. Most of Scotland's pro golfers in my lifetime are bellends. As are many Scots of course but golf has a disproportionately high ratio.

One thing that stood out last night was how technically superior most of the Burnley players are at passing the ball and getting it under instant control, much more so than we see in the SPFL. Their problem was a lack of creativity in the middle of the park and they were trying to find Wood much of the time who was particularly unimpressive, lacking speed and mobility as he did, much like Cosgrove. They weren't good last night and I feel can only improve. We on the other hand defended really well and will get punished if and when the mistakes kick in. Just can't see us opening them up. Totally disagree with the assessments of Ball and Shinnie. They don't do enough in the middle of the park and look second rate footballers compared to them. Our only chances will need to come from some McGinn or GMS magic. Biggest positive in the performance last night was effort and workrate. We were properly motivated, more so than their bodies allowed this early in the season.

Just home and gutted. Probably more gutted than if we had got beat 3-1. A very fair result but for so long, we looked like we could win it. Not cos we were brilliant but they couldn't open us up for two reasons; they lacked imagination and skill in the final third and we were defensively very solid... until their goal... which was inexplicably conceded when we had two bodies to one challenging for a loose slow ball in the middle of the box. The boy took it well though and smashed it home. Big concern for me going forward is where the goals are going to come from? Them singing England stuff was unnecessary and sickening. 1-0 to the Sunday League was brilliant as was you're just a shite Blackburn Rovers. McKenna was immense in the first half but he needs to concentrate for the full 90 if he's going to succeed. Best moment for me was before kick off when a stand free belted out. This guy in the row in front had his two wee daughters and the beautiful wee blond one (probably about 7) caught my eye when she sang we don't give a fuck, at the precise moment when she went "fuck". Her smile was sparkling, like she knew it was a bad word but knew I wouldn't mind as it wiz pouring out my mouth inna. So warm and close tonight, I suggested to the guy next to me at HT that they should open the windies in here. His blankness and failure to register was an image to behold.

That is a nonsensical comment but when you consider WHY he said it, it's very typical of him. I bet to this day he has no idea why the golfing gods didn't give an insanely great talent like his a major.

I'm on it. Thanks for the rec. Great line early in episode 2: - You know the difference between capitalism and socialism? In capitalism, man exploits man. In socialism, it's the other way around.

When public figures are resigning or being shown up for what and who they really are, they would rather point blame and seek to discredit the person who enabled them to show their true colours. Don't shoot the messenger. It's pure genius work by SBC. The ex-con getting the lassie to pluck her pubes was almost sickeningly stomach-churning. Trying to please others and "fit in" is a very common human trait but her complete vacuousness and inability to think properly and failing to discern the ludicrousness of the whole situation was as much tragic as it was comedic.

Maths not your speciality then.

Interesting angle claret man. But wait until you see our footballers in action. We are fucking shite and would finish 20th in the EPL every year without fail. Once we got our first 6 or 7-0 doing away to a very good football team - and we don't play any very good teams up here - our pea-sized hearts would shrink to imperceptible.

That McInnes didn't rate him means fuck all. I don't rate McInnes.