Next LIV name
I don’t think anyone should be surprised by this, but reports are circulating that Bubba Watson – a two-time Masters champ – will be the next name you know that joins the Saudi-funded LIV golf series.
Bubba fits that niche of “aging former champ with a big following and a big name whose best golf is behind him” that makes it hard to argue with the decision to take high eight or low nine figures just to tee it up.
But it also continues a different, less-discussed trend about the players being poached by LIV.
With Mickelson, DJ, Patrick Reed, Sergio, Charl Schwartzel and now Bubba, LIV has added players who have accounted for seven Masters wins since 2010. And if reports are true that Hideki Matsuyama and Adam Scott are LIV leaning that would be nine of the last 12 green jackets.
Which has to be somewhat calculated since a) the Masters is the the Masters, and it’s the coolest event anywhere, b) the Masters knows it’s the Masters and does not give two rips what any outside interest has to say, and c) the Masters certainly has a slew of members and muckety-mucks on its rolls who are more than happy to do business with the Saudis.
Which makes the decisions and the conversations even more tenuous about the Masters potentially changing its code and not allowing former champions to compete because they are LIV members.
Game on.
Ice, Ice baby
So, I have always thought the Matty Ice nickname was trash for Matt Ryan.
Do you really want your nickname to be what most of us see as a spin off/pun on the octane version of Natural Light beer? Yeah, neither do I.
But according to Sports Illustrated, our former QB1 in the A-T-L is already getting much love from his new teammates in Indianapolis.
Here’s more, and to be honest, the prospects of this Colts offense is off-the-charts.
Indy has a top-three O-Line, a top-two RB1 in Jonathan Taylor (behind only Derrick Henry in my book) and a slew of young but capable receivers who were good even with the artist formerly known as Carson Wentz throwing the ball. If Matty Nice is just a good version of himself – not even the great version of his MVP season – dude will be a Pro Bowler considering how much more time he will have and how effective play-action should be.
In fact, remember that unbelievable season Peyton Manning had in his first year with the Broncos? That is extremely possible with Matt Ryan in Indy.
So, about that