In the team: Tiger WoodsWhen American Ryder Cup captains Hal Sutton, Tom Lehman or Curtis Strange ever spoke about Tiger Woods, they did so with such reverence it had to transmit itself back to the team room.
It must have put Phil Mickelson's nose out of joint, because he's quite good himself.
It must also have left the other 10 players wondering what on earth they had done to deserve being on the same team as a deity.
No wonder the chemistry on those teams was wrong. No wonder they were all given a hiding.
Contrast that grovelling approach with the shrewd words used by the present incumbent, Corey Pavin, on announcing his four wildcard picks on Tuesday. Note the way Woods's name was not the first one read out or even the last for a bit of grandstanding, but the third.
And the manner in which Pavin batted back any chance to indulge in flattery of the world No 1. When had he decided to pick Tiger, someone asked.
No playing to the crowd and saying: oh come on, it's Tiger we're talking about, the best player ever, I made my mind up two years ago. During the weekend along with the other picks, Pavin casually responded.
Once he had got that straight, Pavin would clearly have been off his rocker not to see if Woods and Steve Stricker could come close to replicating the form they showed at the last President's Cup, where they claimed four points out of four.
What an opportunity this is for Woods to put all the troubles of the past year behind him and become an American hero once more. There are just enough signs of a return to form for Europe to be wary.
Two of Pavin's other picks were also obvious. How could you leave out former major champions who putt like Zach Johnson and Stewart Cink and play with such passion?
The fourth choice was always going to be the interesting one. It is hard not to feel sympathy for the unlucky Anthony Kim, who missed four months of the season owing to injury and yet still didn't get knocked out of the automatic qualifying places until the last week.
Unlucky to miss out: Anthony Kim was superb for the Americans at the Ryder Cup in 2008Still recovering from his thumb problem - he has missed four successive halfway cuts - Pavin clearly decided Kim represented too much of a gamble.
Once that was decided, not too many captains would have been brave enough to plump for a 21-year-old without a single tour victory, but three cheers to Pavin for opting for the exciting Rickie Fowler.
Anyone who can turn up to play in all-orange outfits as Fowler frequently does has a fair chance of revelling in the colour and atmosphere of a Ryder Cup.
This time last year he was demolishing Great Britain and Ireland's finest amateurs in the Walker Cup. He isn't Rory McIlroy good but he is a talent.
It was Mickelson who pushed his claims, so don't be surprised to see the world No 2 shepherding Fowler through the minefield.
Lots to admire about Pavin and his American team, then, but there are big question marks, too. Where is the evidence that the vast bulk of this team will be able to cope with wild, autumnal days in Wales and a partisan crowd?
One thing's for sure: if America are to win, this has to be the Ryder Cup where Tiger performs like a god, rather than is treated like one.
source: dailymail
