Sports Illustrated Writer Tells Rocco Mediate to 'Shut Your Pie Hole'

For most players not making eight or nine figures in golf, the Ryder Cup is a huge honor, something most dream of participating in since they could first remember how to make a six-footer.

That is why having a chance and then just missing out is tough to swallow. Sports Illustrated's (fantastic, I might add) Alan Shipnuck seemed to be in an especially crabby mood when putting together one of his small columns this week for Golf.com. Shipnuck, author of the absolutely must-read "Bud, Sweat and Tees," had his targets set on Rocco Mediate, and it wasn't like he was just trying to maim the guy. This was an all out assassin job.

He says he's "extremely sad and extremely disappointed" at not being picked for the Ryder Cup. Dude, you had the chance (to) qualify on points like everybody else. You haven't won a tournament since 2002, and the U.S. Open - and a spot on the team - would have been yours if you made birdie on Torrey's cupcake 18th hole either Sunday or Monday, but you couldn't get it done either time. So shut your pie hole.

I mean, it's pretty harsh and a little extreme, but Shipnuck makes an extremely solid point. Putting your chances up to a captain's pick, especially when you're 45, isn't exactly rising to the occasion. You're playing Tiger Woods, you and everyone else with a smidgen of a brain knows you aren't winning any playoff and that putt gets you to Valhalla. You have to birdie 18 on Sunday.After the U.S. Open Rocco hasn't even finished in the top-18 in a tournament, missing the cut at the Barclays which has him out of the FedEx Playoffs after just two weeks. He was a great story and all, but not making a birdie when you must have one at Torrey Pines and ranking 124th in putting average on tour isn't exactly what Paul Azinger might be looking for. Oh, and did I mention he's 45 and never played on a Ryder Cup team before?

Although I agree with just about all the points made, shut your pie hole? Really? Are we 83? Are you an extra on "Little House on the Prairie?" I would pile on this more but I'm pretty exhausted from walking 10 miles uphill both ways today in the snow just to get to work.