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The stereotypes are well known, thanks to myriad films and a host of television shows.
The stereotypes are well known, thanks to myriad films and a host of television shows.
They suggest that Italians are overly-emotional, ultra-demonstrative and flamboyantly melodramatic; likely to celebrate the smallest victory with a conspicuous show of bravado... and just as likely to melt down at the mere hint of defeat.
Francesco Molinari didn't get much of chance to disprove the cliche about defeat at WGC-HSBC Championship... he spent the entire weekend in the lead, culminating in a bogey-free final round yesterday. However, he sure put a dent in the myth of the Italian drama llama.
The younger Molinari brother... today's his 28th birthday... won the tournament in an amazing battle with world number one, Lee Westwood, and he did so without so much as a vigorous fist pump.
Then there was the post at sports betting blog, SportsUntapped.com, entitled Success for Francesco Molinari is Bad for Golf. There the premise was that Molinari's lack of visible emotion made his spectacular game quite dull, and added to golf's reputation as a most boring sport. The day's trophy winner was then equated with a zombie.
Of course Mr. Molinari isn't the first golf champion to be criticized for not being responsive enough. I've heard people say Cristie Kerr is "too focused" ... and prior to his scandal, Tiger Woods was often described as boring and robotic. But they're not Italian.
Italian golf champion Constantino Rocca's spirited celebration of the 65-foot birdie put that forced an Open Championship play off with John Daly in 1995 is remembered as one of the most memorable displays of emotion in golf history, and perhaps there was an expectation that Mr. Molinari's "Italian demonstrativeness" would light up the course as he battled towards his first European Tour win since the 2006 Italian Open. Instead his superlative golf that did... without so much as a double fist pump, a high five or a "Boom Baby" to mark the high points.
Stereotypes, one must remember, are just standardized, simplified generalizations about certain groups of people, based on prior assumptions. In the same way Irish aren't all big drinkers, Blondes aren't uniformly dumb and cops don't always like doughnuts, Italians can be very reserved on the golf course. Personally, I'm looking forward to seeing the understated Mr. Molinari win again soon.
Photos: Getty Images
That was some pretty flawless golf by both Molinari and Westwood. No fist pumps needed to see that.
ReplyDeleteIt was great to see little brother win. After Edoardo's two wins and the win by Matteo a couple of weeks ago. Francesco must have been delighted to complete Italy's a trifecta of 2010 European Tour winners.
ReplyDeleteI'm a Westwood fan and would have loved to see him win but was very impressed with F. Molinari. His calm was unreal.
ReplyDeleteI hate to bring this up again but where are the Americans? It looks like we're just not producing winning golfers any more.
ReplyDeleteIt's been one amazing year for Italian golf and for the Molinari brothers and i feel like I got to know them through this blog.
ReplyDeleteHow remarkable is it that the Molinari brothers are both among the top 20 in the world now.
ReplyDeleteThe writing appears to be on the wall for the PGA tour. Some of the top names in the world are opting out for 2011. Once that starts it's going to be hard to reverse. We Americans are probably going to have to get used to watching more and more of our live golf in the wee hours of the morning.
ReplyDeleteThe US will surely continue to produce many of the best golfers. Those golfers will just have a lot more high level international competition, which is probably a good thing for spectators.
ReplyDelete.
ReplyDeleteactually....Italian opera was born in Italy around the year 1600, and ever since, Italian opera has continued to play a dominant role in the history of the form until the present day.......for example,
ACT I
Silvio Berlusconi the Italian prime minister offered Patrizia D'Addario (1) a seat in the European Parliament, the plan was abandoned by his party, People of Freedom, after his wife complained. Mr Berlusconi has not denied that Ms D'Addario attended a party at the Palazzo Grazioli, but insists he did not pay for sex.
ACT II
Mr Berlusconi's personal life has been under scrutiny since his wife, Veronica Lario, filed for divorce in May. She said she could not stay with a man "who consorts with minors" after he attended the 18th birthday party in Naples of an aspiring model, Noemi Letizia.
Ms D'Addario has said she was paid 1,000 euros (£855; $1,413) by Giampaolo Tarantini to go to a party in October 2008 at the Palazzo Grazioli with 20 other women.
ACT III
Mr Tarantini, a businessman from Bari, is being investigated on suspicion of corruption and abetting prostitution.
frankDADDARIO(no apostrophe)
ftliquordale so FLA
(1)i guess partying is my familias DNA plus i suppose a trip to italy for me today would be the "royal" treatment - no ?
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ReplyDeletei would argue ITALIANS put american golf on the world map, actually one particular ITALIAN-AMERICAN, back in 1935
i really don't know how excited or emotional the reaction was to that double-eagle
so 75 years later is like just yesterday, those gumbahs daily drink ordinary red table wine older than that
i realize these linear peeps are not conducive to discussions of any depth, but the italians, as do others, have an entirely different concept of what is worth getting excited about IMHO
anyway be well
frankD
ftlauderdale so FLA
Did he offer her a seat in Parliament or a seat in his lap?? Sounds like Monkey Business Gary Hart style. Looks like more googling in store for Junior.
ReplyDeleteThere have been very laid back golfing Italians/ celebrities. Dean Martin and Perry Come come to mind. More googling now. :)
Not to mention Jay Hebert and Lionel Hebert from the PGA of yore. They were brothers. They were pretty laid back- not Italian though. Those were good ole boys from Loooooosiana. :)
ReplyDeleteFrank. Well said about Gene Sarazen. My dad saw Sarazen play and loved the guy. The Turnesa clan had so many pro and near pro golfers, they too had a great influence on the game of golf in this country!
ReplyDelete