Ryding to nothing

I was a little bit disappointed by the USA's meek surrender at Gleneagles in the Ryder Cup.  While I always prefer Europe to win, it could well be a pyrrhic victory is the USA loses interest in such transatlantic rivalry.  For much of its existence, the USA virtually bullied the GB and Ireland team to the extent that to save the tournament from predictability, the franchise this side of the pond had to be extended to all Europe.  The irony is that GB and Ireland have enough gold players to hold their own against the USA.  But whereas the British Isles may have been happy to be thrashed on almost every occasion, clinging to the coat-tails of greatness, the repeatedly stung pride of the Americans is harder to bear for them.  In the seven tournaments since 2002 (the rearranged fixture following the abandonment of the 2001 fixture in the wake of 9/11), the USA has only won once and that on home soil.  They came close two years ago at Medinah but the record books will only show another US defeat.  At the time of the last US victory in 2008 after three consecutive European wins, it was said this was essential to keep American broadcasters and thereby viewers interested in the event.  A win two years from hence assumes the same importance.
In 2008, Nick Faldo's divisive leadership as captain undermined the European effort where one might say the US won by default.  A good captain makes all the difference.  Tom Watson in 2014 was not a good captain.  Turning it around, at Gleneagles it could be said that the European team would have won by default had Faldo been reappointed.  Paul McGinley though was clinical.  You don't win 16 and a half to 11 and a half by accident.  The scale of the victory might prompt a root-and-branch reform of how Americans approach the tournament, beyond the simple expediency of dropping Tiger Woods, who was the alleged cause of the jinx (I guess he wasn't then...).  Critiques often extend to the American way of life, attacking the US team as too individualistic (and thus unable to work with each other) and failing against the togetherness of the Europeans.  But the US side needs to find a great captain first.
Watson, in his concession speech, thanked the warm Scottish welcome and was similarly patronised by the crowd.  When it was announced that First Minister, Alex Salmond, was to present the trophy to McGinley, he did not receive a warm Scottish welcome, with loud and sustained booing until the trophy left his hands (reminiscent of the discontent expressed towards Brazilian president Dilma Roussef and FIFA chief Sepp Blatter in July).  The size of the crowd disappointed the Gleneagles organisers, largely down to the uncertainty created by the referendum and the crowd were not in forgiving mood towards the man who spearheaded efforts to break up the UK.  He is as tarnished as the elite he had castigated.