Phil Mickleson - Either Love him or Hate him!!

Thought with Phil's success last week at Pebble Beach and his continued good play through the first two rounds at the Nissan it would be an appropriate thread to start.

As most Golf Analysts will say, "you either love Phil or hate him" !!

Here is a link to the GQ article from a couple years back on "The Ten Most Hated Athletes" as voted on by their peers.
http://men.style.com/gq/features/ful...4103&pageNum=2

Note, Phil came in #8!!

One exerpt from the article is:

"Mickelson has earned many nicknames on the Tour, but our favorite is FIGJAM (F**** , I’m good—just ask me). “There are a bunch of pros who think he and his whole smiley, happy face are a fraud,” another reporter says. “They think he’s preening and insincere.”

Personally, I fall into the camp of most of his peers. He is a FAKE!!
When he walks down the fairway with that smiley :) face, he looks like a "bobblehead doll" !!
Loved the comment last year from one of the golf analysts when Phil was collapsing on a Sunday afternoon. Phil just kept smiling and nodding his head to the fans as he walked. So the analyst said he looked like a "punch drunk fighter" who was taking many hits, but keeps similing........:lmfao

Glad to see though he has started working out and lost some weight. This will ease up on the Micklefat and Nipp$#son jokes......... Looks like he finally realized that golf is an athlete sport. Wonder what took him so long to realize that?? Heck my 78 year old neighbour has been doing a golf realated workout program for 5 years...................

Look forward to all your comments............

I really don't like him at all. He is said to be a complete jerk. But on camera is so nice, gives people money if he hits them, so nice when the cameras are on... atleast Vjay is a jerk on and off cameras. Not a fake like phil. Mind you I'm only going based on what I've read in the papers, seen on tv and what other players have said about him in the media so I could be completely wrong

Phil is a genius on the course when it comes to shot ability but an overly agressive when it comes to course management. He's entertaining to watch. Personally I find an event alot more interesting if him or Tiger are at the top. I'd rather an athlete smile all the time than just frown or look down like most of them. I hope he wins this weekend.

I agree with you, i find myself tuning in more when its phil or tiger at the top. Great golfer, fun to watch but everyone says he is a jerk... someone might come back and say "well do you beleive everything you hear" and to that I say, I guess until I meet phil and he shows me I was wrong, I'll continue thinking what I think. I've never met the guy so I have nothing else but the news to go on

Hate is a strong word but really fits the feeling I get when I see that freakin smile of his as he walks down the fairway..... but I like him enough to pick him in the Fantasy Golf Pool each week..... Hes a great golfer but thats the extent of my like of him..... he comes across as such a damned fake....... The only time I want to see him fall flat on his face is when Tiger is in the tournament due largely what he said about Tiger's equipment being inferior.....

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Originally Posted by "Richard"

I agree with you, i find myself tuning in more when its phil or tiger at the top. Great golfer, fun to watch but everyone says he is a jerk... someone might come back and say "well do you beleive everything you hear" and to that I say, I guess until I meet phil and he shows me I was wrong, I'll continue thinking what I think. I've never met the guy so I have nothing else but the news to go on

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Yes, but its the peers who were interviewed for the article. Not just a bunch of reporters who do not like certain athletes. The peers are usually a good judge of character, and especially in Golf which is a "gentlemens sport" and the players usually have a good relationship and bond with each other unlike some of the big team sports.............

Yeah Charles !!! Way to go !!:thumbsup :thumbsup
I do not think I would have been able to stand two weeks in a row of the orchestrated celebration of "Bobblehead:-) ", his trophy wife, and the cast from little orphan annie.............

I have had the opportunity to watch him live on a few occasions and can say I am not a fan at all. I was cheering very loudly for CHIII to win today and very pleased he pulled it off.

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Originally Posted by Michael

I have had the opportunity to watch him live on a few occasions and can say I am not a fan at all. I was cheering very loudly for CHIII to win today and very pleased he pulled it off.

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I had the schmuck in my fantasy pool this week :biting: I will have 5 guys in the top 10 and still lose ground! :hissyfit:

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Originally Posted by Indio

I had the cshmuck in my fantasy pool this week :biting: I will have 5 guys in the top 10 and still lose ground! :hissyfit:

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How could you have "Bobblehead:-) " in your pool......??
You could see Wingfoot happening all over again in his face.... :eek: :eek: :eek:
Perhaps if he was in a playoff against Monty (world champion "choke") then he may have pulled it out.

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Originally Posted by Indio

I had the cshmuck in my fantasy pool this week :biting: I will have 5 guys in the top 10 and still lose ground! :hissyfit:

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I had 4 guys in the top 5 and I'll still lose ground because I picked Adam Scott over CHIII. :wallbash:laughing:

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Originally Posted by Michael

I have had the opportunity to watch him live on a few occasions and can say I am not a fan at all. I was cheering very loudly for CHIII to win today and very pleased he pulled it off.

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I am sure about 99% of the tour players were also pulling for Charles.......

See article http://men.style.com/gq/features/ful...4103&pageNum=2

I often wonder why people care so much about how celebs are off camera. If they can play the game that's all we as fans need to be concerned with. Same applies to actors and musicians. I'd rather not know how they behave off camera. Why do the paparazzi and press put them under the microscope? It can spoil the enjoyment of their performance, which is all I care about when I watch an event.

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Originally Posted by Dan Kilbank

I often wonder why people care so much about how celebs are off camera. If they can play the game that's all we as fans need to be concerned with. Same applies to actors and musicians. I'd rather not know how they behave off camera. Why do the paparazzi and press put them under the microscope? It can spoil the enjoyment of their performance, which is all I care about when I watch an event.

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It seems that we're more and more in the minority Dan. The media hates good sportsmanship, and gracious winners. It's like the old addage that people will gasp in shock at the sight of a trainwreck, knowing full well that the outcome is likely to be horrific, yet try as they might, they can't look away.

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Originally Posted by LobWedge

It seems that we're more and more in the minority Dan. The media hates good sportsmanship, and gracious winners. It's like the old addage that people will gasp in shock at the sight of a trainwreck, knowing full well that the outcome is likely to be horrific, yet try as they might, they can't look away.

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Yes, it says a sad thing about the direction our society is headed...........:(

I think if you asked almost everyone on this forum they would rather their kids and grandkids follow role models like Wayne Gretzky............
Unfortunately the kids these days are being exposed to the "trash talking" sports stars and they think that is cool...........

The nice thing about golf is it is one of few sports where honesty and fair play is still prevailent. As often is said if you want to do business with someone or find their true personality, play 18 holes with them. You would be suprised how often this is SO TRUE!!

I'm sure Wayne Gretzky was as good a trash talker as anybody else in the league. He was probably one of the best, given how easy it would be for him to insult the other players abilities :-). You can be a trash talker and still be about honesty and fair play. Just make sure you back it up.

And Lobwedge, I agree that the media is ridiculous...in pretty much everything it does. But I wouldn't read too much into it as a reflection of society's values. Most people, no matter how little they care, probably read an article about Britney Spears shaving her head this weekend. They saw the headline, could have looked away, but decided they might as well have a read. The important thing is that, overall, people still DO value things like sportsmanship and gracious winners. That's why things like minor hockey and soccer (insert other sport here) are so important: they almost invariably result in the moral growth of participants.

And PEI, every generation in the history of human-kind, ever, has worried that the younger generation was going to destroy society, but it never seems to work out that way :P.

What all this has to do with Mickey, I have no idea :P

I have to go with Dan on this (and most other) thread:thumbsup . :confused Why the fuss about "Lefty" (or "Hefty) as Steve Elkington calls him :scratchch. Look at John Daly, alcoholic (IMO), poster boy for the American Cancer Society, more ex-wives than any other guy on tour, and gambles more than all the tour put together.... BUT he is universally loved. Why? IMO cause he's flawed, like the rest of us. So is Lefty, just look at him on Sunday. He made at least three hacker (no offence Hacker) errors, including the lucky bounce off the tree onto the green, on the back nine alone. He's more to be pittied than hated. Just think about this, if Lefty and JD were your neighbors, whose kids would you want your kids playing with? Which one would you want your daughter to date?? Which one would you point out to your kids as a role model? Don't get me wrong, JD is my Man, but ease up on Lefty:surrender ... just cause he's not as humble as some of us about the state of his game is no reason to "dog-pile" every time he messes up...

I have to wonder, why does everyone seem to hate Phil? This thread can be compared to one on another forum. PHIL HATERS.
I will paste my exact words from that thread here. I for one have no problem with Phil. you know why? Because Phil has done me no wrong. Phil as never once bad mouthed me.
My thoughts ..............................

Have any of you actually been around Phil in person to see what he is really like? I am not talking about watching him live at a tournament. I am talking about spending personal time with him off the course? Being around him when he is with his family, going about his daily life.

If not how can you really comment on his personality? If it is because so and so said he is a jerk? Well maybe so and so is a jerk and not well liked by his peers.

Say what you want about Phil. He has 30 tournament wins. He has 3 Majors. He has a lovely wife and family, that he enjoys spending time with. He has money, he is generous with his money when it comes to charities.

Is there anything wrong with any of the above facts? NO. Is there anything wrong with the fact he likes to smile at the galleries, sign autographs after his round? NO.

There are certain PGA Tour Players I really do not care for. However that does not mean they are jerks.

Jealousy, it sure leads to a lot of hatred. http://www.torontogolfnuts.com/images/smilies/frown.gif
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Yup.

nice GB

The fact is, everyday here day in day out the fans of the Sens, Leafs, Haps (enter any other team here) taunt each other with why their teams is better tand the other teams suck.... this is the same thing that is happening to Phil here. Although the Hockey analogy is on the team as a whole, it does filter down to individuals. It is purely fan dislikes and likes..... You are right, most of us here in the forum have never met Phil and yes, I am amongst the anti Phil crowd..... it has to do with his television persona and not the real Phil and believe me, it has alot to do with the media be it TV or print. Phil needs no defense, he knows exactly where he stands and probably doesnt give a rats *** what other think about him. It is the nature of competition folks, be it a team or an individual player, it is the nature of competition and the fans that take sides.

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Originally Posted by Indio

The fact is, everyday here day in day out the fans of the Sens, Leafs, Haps (enter any other team here) taunt each other with why their teams is better tand the other teams suck.... this is the same thing that is happening to Phil here. Although the Hockey analogy is on the team as a whole, it does filter down to individuals. It is purely fan dislikes and likes..... You are right, most of us here in the forum have never met Phil and yes, I am amongst the anti Phil crowd..... it has to do with his television persona and not the real Phil and believe me, it has alot to do with the media be it TV or print. Phil needs no defense, he knows exactly where he stands and probably doesnt give a rats *** what other think about him. It is the nature of competition folks, be it a team or an individual player, it is the nature of competition and the fans that take sides.

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nice Indio..........:thumbsup

Could have not said it better myself.

and yes I did not write the GQ article just brought it to the forums attention for some lively conversation............Same as I did not cause the sale of EC to CL, just reported it as others had.............Some people got caught "outside the loop" and did not like that................TOO BAD GET OVER IT !!!

I don't love or hate Phil. He doesn't have much charisma in my opinion.

[QUOTE=Golfbum;159981] He has a lovely wife[/IMG]

Georgeous more like it...:tounge

Phil has been my fav for years and years.
1. He is lefty
2. His short game is far better than anyone else...IMO, his short game is better than Tiger's
3. He smiles a lot while on the course
4. He reacts to the crowds cheers
5. Did I mention he has a hot wife

[quote=em69;160008]

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Originally Posted by Golfbum

He has a lovely wife[/IMG]

Georgeous more like it...:tounge

Phil has been my fav for years and years.
1. He is lefty
2. His short game is far better than anyone else...IMO, his short game is better than Tiger's
3. He smiles a lot while on the course
4. He reacts to the crowds cheers
5. Did I mention he has a hot wife

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I think this guy wins in almost all departments............:-)

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/media/ph...04/2934079.jpg

Here is an article from a Golf Channel reporter:




<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top rowSpan=2>http://images1.thegolfchannel.com/im...A-E/162892.jpg</TD><TD>http://images1.thegolfchannel.com/im...ment/68634.gif</TD><TD>http://images1.thegolfchannel.com/im...ment/68635.gif</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-IMAGE: url(http://images1.thegolfchannel.com/im...ent/7036.gif); WIDTH: 100%"></TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle colSpan=3>Another Wild Ride on the Phil Roller-Coaster
February 19, 2007</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Full article link:-) :-)
http://www.thegolfchannel.com/core.a...1785&select2=1

Following are excerpts:

"Phil Mickelson is a living, breathing roller-coaster. And watching him play is like being a blind-folded passenger, never knowing which way it’s going to zig or zag, or when it’s reached its peak and is ready to plummet downward."

"It was kind of like a Mini Me version of Winged Foot, with everything being a little less severe, but nonetheless leading to failure.":lmfao

But we just love to gang up on Phil.

Why is that? Why are we more critical of Mickelson than of any other player chasing Tiger?

"It could have to do with the fact that Mickelson is closer to Tiger in terms of raw talent than anyone else and we hold him to a different standard. It could be because Mickelson is truly Tiger's chief rival, particularly in the majors. Or, it could be because Tiger and Phil don't really get along and, for the most part, you're either a Tiger fan or a Phil fan, but not both.

It's probably all of these things; along with the fact that Mickelson has a knack for beating himself, often doing so in dramatic fashion." :-)

:thumbsup Good thread, well said, GB.

I don't understand the "hatred" directed towards anyone/anything. IMO it's not normal, it's a cover for what... jealousy, insecurity? Pulling for one guy/team over another is fair game, but opinions based on what... an old story in a non-golf publication? I'll bet the "peers" weren't named but if they were the author could probably have found others to bad mouth them. One opinion, of one person (author) in print. That makes it true? Sad state of affairs when the only "truth" printed, is the bad stuff, and people who read it, believe it.

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Originally Posted by Kiwi

:thumbsup Good thread, well said, GB.

I don't understand the "hatred" directed towards anyone/anything. IMO it's not normal, it's a cover for what... jealousy, insecurity? Pulling for one guy/team over another is fair game, but opinions based on what... an old story in a non-golf publication? I'll bet the "peers" weren't named but if they were the author could probably have found others to bad mouth them. One opinion, of one person (author) in print. That makes it true? Sad state of affairs when the only "truth" printed, is the bad stuff, and people who read it, believe it.

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This guy went on the "record" to a radio reporter from Australia.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/mai...2/sgphil22.xml

Article from Britains telegraph:
"Ah, but in accordance with Yogi's doctrine, Aussie pro Paul Gow suggests that Mickelson's popularity among the spectators on the Pacific side of the ropes does not extend to the business area of the fairway, where the twice Masters winner and 2005 USPGA champion is regarded with rather less warmth.
"He's an arrogant person," Gow told a radio reporter from Down Under. "What you see on television is totally different to what he is around the clubhouse. Tiger will talk to you, he will sit down next to you at lunch and ask about your family and stuff. Phil is the opposite. He has done some great acting classes in Hollywood and they've worked out for him."

[quote=PEI Golfing;160032]

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Originally Posted by em69

I think this guy wins in almost all departments............:-)

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/media/ph...04/2934079.jpg

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Read the interview with Sergio and how he avoids the question about Elin!:-)

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Originally Posted by Golfbum

Read the interview with Sergio and how he avoids the question about Elin!:-)

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Link?