Wasting Our Time With Michelle Wie

Jun 26

Wasting Our Time With Michelle Wie

Why oh why do we waste good printers ink (or in my case bytes) talking about Michelle Wie? She’s an albatross around the neck of ladies golf, an asterisk on the leaderboard of history, a sidenote in the annals of LPGA lore. People will say “Remember Michelle Wie, couldn’t she hit the ball far.” “Wasn’t she the one that almost won an LPGA tournament?” “Didn’t she have nice legs.” Or some other similar drivel.

Face it folks, Michelle Wie is done. Toast. Stick a fork in her. She’s been overhyped and overpaid. Nike should re-read their endorsement contract to see if there’s an out clause. She should concentrate on getting her degree at Stanford because there are no jobs for over-promoted also rans.

Yes, I’m bitter. Partially because I believed some of the hype a few years ago. But I’m really ticked off now because the media is so gullible to this hype. Let’s take a quick tour of the headlines from our media brethren before she took her first swing at the LPGA US Open this week:

The Pioneer Press in St. Paul: The Resurgence of Michelle Wie
The San Jose Mercury News : Wie: I Think I Can Win U.S. Open
The Charlotte Observer : Wie Says She’s On Upswing
The USA Today : With Injury Behind Her, Wie Poised to Make Noise at Open

After she took her first swing:

The Baltimore Sun : Wie cards 9 at Women’s Open, already out of contention
Reuters : Nine an ugly number for Wie at U.S. Women’s Open
The USA Today : Wie stumbles to a 9 on 9th hole at Open

And my favorite is from the Chris Baldwin, a realist at Worldgolf.com. I wanted to point out some of his eloquent prose too: Michelle Wie shows where her game’s really at with 81 in the U.S. Women’s Open. In keeping with the sports psychologist babble that earns more scorn from Wie realists than even her play, the reeling hype machine feels she is close though.

“I can spring back tomorrow and shoot a low round,” Wie said moments ago.

Yeah right. Give it a rest girl.

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14 comments

§ Judge Smails said on : 2008-06-26 @ 22:42
Bruce,

I never believed the hype, and my posts on this site prove it. I think you would be better served looking inward and figuring out why you fell victim to a lie that was so plain to many of us. Just ask, "What did these people discern that eluded me? What about their grasp of reality enabled them to figure out what was wrong with the picture?"
§ Nicke said on : 2008-06-27 @ 02:56
She caught my eye and attention early on, because at the time, she appeared to maybe be the real deal. And she is pretty, that helps! But enough is enough. More and more people, like myself, and obviously others, are starting to consider it a joke and a waste of time. She should be left alone to concentrate on her game and try and make her sponsors proud. She owes them that much!
§ Rich A said on : 2008-06-27 @ 09:01
She may be delusional, overhyped and overpaid, but
man is she entertaining! Whether its making
repeated rules violations (read: cheating),
quitting due to "heat" or sore wrists, carding a 9,
firing her caddy, or whatever - when Wie shows up
fireworks are sure to follow. Her post-round
comments are priceless. Who else would shoot 85
and say something like, "I'm really close" ??
Hilarious. She must have the same PR firm as
Hillary Clinton. Anyway, golf needs some comic
relief, so here's hoping we see more of Wie!
(P.S. Is it my imagination, or is she developing
quite a belly?)
§ Joe Cool said on : 2008-06-27 @ 10:01
It seems that the Wie Camp advice to the caddies is "carry the bag and keep your mouth shut"..."don't you realize that you are in the presence of a golf phenom?" After she misses the cut she will probably say that her wrists are only 95% healed and the 5% caused her to play poorly. Of course, we must not forget all of the "unlucky breaks" she got. My Michelle Wie saga has come to an end. It will be interesting to see what her sponsors will due come October.
§ Nutz said on : 2008-06-27 @ 10:12
Come October, you won't notice any change, particularly with Nike. She'll where the clothes, play the clubs--she won't get the cash though. And, it won't be publicized. She'll get a nominal fee, very low six-figures.
§ Joe Cool said on : 2008-06-28 @ 00:00
That is an interesting concept Nutz. It seems fitting that the last hole Michelle will play...Saturday morning due to darkness on Friday, will be the dreaded no.9. I am sure the Wie Camp are chewing nails since their prodigy will have to stay around and play one more hole before heading home, wherever that is.

Since Michelle turned pro does anyone remember her making an eagle in any tournament? You would think she would have many since she can hit the golf ball over a mile. I think she now has the name of "The Bogey Queen" and "Ms.Nine."
§ Joe Cool said on : 2008-06-28 @ 00:13
The always "Super Positive Vally Girl" will probably say something like..."Well, a nine is certainly better than a ten and besides I can put that experience in my memory bank." The real truth is that during her downswing from the tee on no.9, a grasshopper jumped on her ball which caused it to go into the rough. During her second shot, a field mouse caused the ball to move which made her hit it across the fairway into the other rough. During her third shot, a fire ant bit her on the hand which caused her to skull the shot over the green. Her flubbing her fourth shot was caused by a mysterious range ball that was embedded just underneath her ball. The poor girl always has bad luck...remember, she is a golf phenom!
§ Art said on : 2008-06-28 @ 04:51
She certainly does seem to be physically out of shape,but the real problem is in her mind. She can be helped, but I don't think anyone can solve the problem that is close to her because they tell her to think positive which is absolutely impossible with all her bad experiences, especially the one of her in the ambulance hooked up to an IV. Completely dilusional at such a young age.
§ Art said on : 2008-06-28 @ 04:58
I wa starting to feel sorry for her until she started talking about how She is going to do whatever she wants. The arrogance is incredible
§ coolio said on : 2008-07-01 @ 17:44
Like I said, the score _never_ shows how I played.
Obviously, I will just have to shoot a low score tomorrow. Like I said, I was just unlucky. I mean, it was just one hole.
§ Jim Halpert said on : 2008-07-04 @ 21:51
I'd wager if any of you armchair critics were to walk in Wie's shoes, or any tour pro for that matter, you would crumble. Its not easy playing a round under pressure, and its certainly not easy playing all rounds under pressure, in front of big crowds while being asked for signatures.

Its not as easy as it looks from your living room!
§ Bob Lewis said on : 2008-07-18 @ 19:17
Well all I can say is you might be calling her washed up just a tad too soon. Don't look now but she just birdied the last hole in the second round of the State Farm Classic and she is only 1 stroke off the lead. Hate to say it but she just might still have some game. Also she is a student at Stanford a school that most of you hacks could only dream about getting into much less staying in it.

Give the girl a break! It isn't easy being hyped as hard as she was at such a young age. She will mature inspite of you deriding armchair clowns.
§ dreday said on : 2008-08-11 @ 17:05
I agree with the last two comments lets give her a breaj after all us poor folk can't talk our kids aren't doing what shes doing. Our kids are too busy playing video games and such. Michelle Wie was off the cough working on a game that she can play well into her 50's, She's only 18 man a long time to go. Leave her alone misery loves company. Don't hate on her and her family because they had the knowledge to get what they wanted. Not sit by and watch.
§ Jackpot e Bonus said on : 2009-09-18 @ 05:31
You made some good points there.I did a search on the topic and found most people will agree with your blog.Thanks

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