Kritik und Lob » standing behind him on stage.BALT

With the Ryder Cup in the rearview mirror, here are some points and moments to digest from the past week:1. And the next U.S. Ryder Cup captain is ...Davis Love III was given a second shot at the U.S. Ryder Cup captaincy and now he will have a say in who will replace him. At least that is what we are left to infer giving the set-up of a Ryder Cup committee that includes Love, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods and three PGA of America executives.When Love was named captain in February 2015, the much-ridiculed Ryder Cup Task Force, which was made up of 11 people including PGA executives and players from current and past Ryder Cups, was replaced by the committee.The goal all along has been to create continuity from one Ryder Cup to the next -- with the Presidents Cup mixed in. That continuity leads to consistency, and the same message.That is why going forward we can expect to see past Ryder Cup captains be assistants (Tom Lehman), as well as potential future captains serve as assistants (Jim Furyk, Woods and Steve Stricker).If you buy into the notion that the next captain was in the team room at Hazeltine National, the 2018 captain in France almost certainly will be either Furyk, Stricker, Woods or Mickelson, who went 2-1-1 at Hazeltine but has been viewed as having a big say in how things transpired behind the scenes.Stricker has to all but be ruled out because he will be the 2017 U.S. Presidents Cup captain; the PGA of America traditionally names its next captain no later than the spring, so it would be awkward to have that overlap. Stricker is a better fit for 2020 in his native Wisconsin.Woods said Sunday he would be honored to be asked, but you have to think at age 40, his captaincy (or multiple captaincies) is in the future. Same for Mickelson, who will be 48 in two years but just came off an impressive 10-birdie performance Sunday. Mickelson is unlikely to commit this time; he believes he can still play, and he would be a natural captain candidate for 2024 at Bethpage Black in New York.So that leaves Furyk for 2018; he served as an assistant this year, was an assistant for Jay Haas last year at the Presidents Cup, has played on both teams (seven Presidents Cups, nine Ryder Cups) and was on the task force, as well.Look for Furyk to be named the next U.S. Ryder Cup captain unless ...2. What if Furyk makes the team?The 46-year-old Furyk made a spirited run at this years Ryder Cup team and is ranked 26th in the world after missing a good chunk of 2016 following wrist surgery. He finished second at the U.S. Open, shot 58 at the Travelers Championship and is undoubtedly nowhere near winding down his playing career.That could pose a sticky problem for the Ryder Cup committee if Furyk makes it clear he would rather play than be a captain. Maybe the committee goes another way; or maybe it puts in a provision to let Furyk be the first playing captain since Arnold Palmer in 1963.There have been other instances where that might have been possible, notably Tom Kite in 1997 and Tom Lehman in 2006. Both came very close to making their own teams, but had dismissed the idea of it being possible.Now things are different. Furyk would undoubtedly surround himself with people who have been there. He might ask Love to return as an assistant, as well Stricker and Woods (if he is not playing). And Mickelson will undoubtedly be part of the structure in some way since he remains on the committee. Furyk would have plenty of help and could contribute as a player and captain.Another possibility would be Fred Couples, who was given strong consideration for the 2016 captaincy. Couples had no official role this year, but was at Hazeltine. He was a three-time Presidents Cup captain, assisted Love at Medinah in 2012 and is already been named one of Strickers assistants for next years Presidents Cup. And the same thing applies as it would for Furyk if he played: there is clearly more than one voice now when it comes to the captaincy.3. Next up, FranceWhen the Ryder Cup is next played in 2018, it will be staged for only the second time in continental Europe. The venue, Le Golf National just outside of Paris joins Valderrama in Spain as the only courses to host the Ryder Cup outside of Great Britain and Ireland when it is not played in the United States.Le Golf National is the annual home to the Open de France, which should give Europe an advantage. It has received strong reviews from those who have competed in the tournament.France boasts less than 1 million golfers and is hoping the Ryder Cup will spur growth in the game.4. Phils vertical leapMickelson poked fun at himself for his lack of a vertical leap, saying that when he tries to dunk a basketball he can touch the net. After making his 10th birdie of his match against Sergio Garcia on Sunday, Mickelson had a mini-celebration on the 18th green, where he ended up with a half point and a 2-1-1 record. Mickelson has now had a winning Ryder Cup in each of the last three Ryder Cups.5. What to make of TigerWoods is expected back at the Safeway Open next week, but it is not a certainty. He has yet to officially commit to the event although he said last month he hopes to play there, the Turkish Airlines Open and Hero World Challenge over the coming weeks.Signals were mixed at Hazeltine, where he was a Ryder Cup vice-captain. Woods was in good spirits, but he hit no balls on the range -- imagine that spectacle -- and did not do any formal interviews, other than the team gathering on Sunday night and a post-match chat with NBC.Then there was Jesper Parneviks interview with Golf Digest, in which the Swedish golfer did a Q&A for the November issue.I see Tiger at the Medalist, Parnevik said of Woods home course in Florida. We talk and have played nine holes together. By the way, hes been hitting a lot of balls, and hes hitting it great. Hes pounding it a mile and flushing everything. On the range, at least, his trajectory and ball flight are like the Tiger we knew 15 years ago. Comebacks are never a sure thing, but something tells me this might be spectacular.That sounds encouraging, and yet there have been no other such on-the-record accounts related to Woods comeback.6. The ultimate tributeRickie Fowler and several members of the winning U.S. Ryder Cup team attended Arnold Palmers memorial service Tuesday in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. On the way there, Fowler shared a photo of the Ryder Cup trophy on its way to the service.7. Poise under pressureThe eulogies at Palmers memorial service were impressive, but the one from his grandson stood out. Sam Saunders told a funny story about calling Palmer when the legendary golfer happened to be in the Oval Office at the White House. And he also recalled a somber one about having called his grandfather less than an hour before he passed away on Sept. 25. It was delivered with the kind of steely nerves necessary on the golf course.That is where Saunders, 29, was to be this week before the Web.com Tour Championship in Atlantic Beach, Florida, was canceled due to Hurricane Matthew. Saunders had played in just one Web.com Tour Finals event, so he will be unable to earn his PGA Tour card that way. He had to return to the Finals because he finished outside of the top 125 in FedEx Cup points this season on the PGA Tour. At 148th, Saunders will still have limited status on the PGA Tour, although the category is well down the exemption list.8. Tough callThere are bound to be some Web.com Tour players who are very upset that the Tour Championship will not be rescheduled. Why not just play it next week? The tour announced Wednesday that the event would not be replayed and the results through three events of the Web.com Finals would stand as far as status for the PGA Tour. No one can help the weather, but theres got to be a better way here. Its messy because the new PGA Tour season begins next week, and players who make their way through the Web.com Finals are eligible. If nothing else, it shows the scheduling lunacy of having this event end the week prior to the new season beginning.9. Back to workSix members of the European Ryder Cup team are back in action this week at the Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland, including Spains Rafael Cabrera-Bello, who is the only player who did not lose a point at Hazeltine.Im disappointed that we did lose, but Im also happy with the way I performed and with the effort that everyone put in, said Cabrera-Bello, who went 2-0-1 in his first Ryder Cup appearance. Everyone tried their best and whether you win or you lose, I think the values we play for in The Ryder Cup are greater than that.The team spirit, fighting for something bigger than yourself, everyone helping each other, fighting shoulder to shoulder like [captain] Darren [Clarke] taught us, I mean, I think those values are more important. So within time, the disappointment of not having been able to retain the Cup will fade and well just have the great memories.Cabrera-Bello is joined in Scotland by Thomas Pieters, Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer, Danny Willett and Matthew Fitzpatrick for the annual pro-am event that is played over the Old Course at St. Andrews, Kingsbarns and Carnoustie. Air Force 1 France . With Parker having a quiet game for once, Nicolas Batum and Boris Diaw provided the scoring as France won its first major basketball title by beating Lithuania 80-66 on Sunday. It was a victory that ended a decade of frustration for Parker and a talented French generation, which lost the final against Spain two years ago and took bronze in 2005. Nike Air Force 1 Just Do It Orange Pas Cher . The Australian is competing in his final season in Formula One and still looking for his first win this year. He will look to end Vettels run of six straight race wins on Sunday. Webber, who is fifth in the championship, earned his second pole from the past three races and 13th of his career. http://www.siteairforce1pascher.fr/ . Artturi Lehkonen, Joni Nikko and Ville Leskinen had the other goals for Finland (1-0) while Juuse Saros stopped 28 shots. Tim Robin Johnsgard had the lone goal for Norway (0-2). Air Force 1 Low Homme Pas Cher . LOUIS -- Rookie Tavon Austin has missed another day of practice, lessening the odds hell be ready for the St. Air Force 1 Low Pas Cher . With Parker having a quiet game for once, Nicolas Batum and Boris Diaw provided the scoring as France won its first major basketball title by beating Lithuania 80-66 on Sunday. It was a victory that ended a decade of frustration for Parker and a talented French generation, which lost the final against Spain two years ago and took bronze in 2005. TURKISH STADIUM BOMBINGISTANBUL -- Turkey declared a national day of mourning and paid tribute to the dead Sunday after two bombings in Istanbul killed 38 people and wounded 155 others near a soccer stadium. The carnage was claimed by a Turkey-based Kurdish militant group.The Kurdistan Freedom Falcons, or TAK, said two of its members had sacrificed their lives in the Saturday night attack that targeted security forces outside the Besiktas stadium shortly after the conclusion of a match.It described the blasts as reprisal for state violence in the southeast and the ongoing imprisonment of Abdullah Ocalan, the leader of the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK. TAK is considered by authorities as a PKK offshoot.The twin car-and-suicide bombings near the stadium enraged top officials, including President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who vowed to hunt down the perpetrators. The attack was the latest large-scale assault to traumatize a nation confronting an array of security threats.The attack targeted police officers, killing 30 of them along with seven civilians and an unidentified person, Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu told reporters. He said 13 people had been arrested in connection with the terrorist act.WILL SMITH TRIALNEW ORLEANS -- The man who fatally shot retired New Orleans Saints defensive leader Will Smith was convicted of manslaughter, ending a week-long trial in which the defendant insisted he only fired because the popular football star was drunk, violent and had grabbed a gun following a traffic crash on the night of April 9.Smith was part of the Saints team that lifted the stricken citys spirits in the years after Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, helping carry the team to a winning season in 2006 and a Super Bowl win four years later. His death at the hands of Cardell Hayes, 29, was stunning, even for a city where residents are accustomed to reports of multiple gunfire deaths every week.Hayes faces a possible sentence of up to 40 years in prison at his sentencing on Feb. 17. Jurors opted for the lesser charge rather than second-degree murder, which would have carried a mandatory life sentence.Hayes also was convicted of attempted manslaughter for wounding Smiths wife, Racquel Smith.OLYMPICSMOSCOW -- Russia will accept an International Olympic Committee plan to retest all drug test samples given by its athletes at the 2012 and 2014 Olympics, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko said.The IOCs declaration Friday followed the publication of a report by World Anti-Doping Agency investigator Richard McLaren. This alleged that more than 1,000 Russian athletes, including medal winners at the London and Sochi games, had benefited from a state-backed campaign of doping and drug test cover-ups.Mutko, whose brief as deputy prime minister covers sports policy, also suggested that he does not expect Russia to be barred from the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. He said the IOC set a precedent when it decided against a blanket ban for Russia from this summers Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.PRO FOOTBALLNEW YORK -- The NFL says no formal complaint was filed last week by the New York Giants, who reportedly alerted the league that the Pittsburgh Steelers were using deflated footballs during their game.Fox reported that aafter the Giants forced two turnovers during their 24-14 loss last Sunday, they tested the footballs on their sideline.dddddddddddd. After both of the footballs tested below the NFL standards for PSI, according to the report, the Giants sent them to the league office.The NFL issued a statement saying: The officiating game ball procedures were followed and there were no chain of command issues. All footballs were in compliance and no formal complaint was filed by the Giants with our office.Fox reporter Jay Glazer, who had the report, wrote on Twitter that the NFL was correct in saying no FORMAL complaint was FILED, Giants tested balls & informed the NFL they were under legal limit. Giants confirmed.COLLEGE BASEBALLBEVERLY, Mass. -- NCAA officials plan to hand deliver an award to the former Boston College baseball captain who inspired the Ice Bucket Challenge that raised millions of dollars for ALS research.The collegiate sports organization says Pete Frates is unable to attend an awards celebration in Nashville, Tennessee, this January to accept the 2017 Inspiration Award because the neurodegenerative disease is progressing.So NCAA President Mark Emmert and NCAA honors committee chair Dr. Michael Benson will present the award to him at his home in Beverly, Massachusetts.Frates was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in 2012. The disease, also called Lou Gehrigs Disease, weakens muscles, impairs physical functioning and has no cure yet.The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge raised more than $220 million when it took off worldwide on social media in 2014.COLLEGE FOOTBALLNEW YORK -- Lamar Jackson leapt over a loaded field of Heisman Trophy contenders early in the season and by the time he slowed down nobody could catch him.The sensational sophomore quarterback became the first Louisville player to win the Heisman Trophy, beating out preseason favorite Deshaun Watson of Clemson despite some late-season struggles.Baker Mayfield finished third and Oklahoma teammate and fellow finalist Dede Westbrook was fourth. Michigans Jabrill Peppers was fifth.Jackson, wearing a red velvet blazer with shiny black lapels, said he could feel his heart pounding in his chest right before his name was announced, and he barely held it together while giving his speech with the former Heisman winners standing behind him on stage.BALTIMORE -- Donald Trump was greeted with cheers on his arrival at the annual Army-Navy game, basking in one of the nations most storied football rivalries as he prepares to enter the White House.The future commander in chief, protected by panes of bulletproof glass, waved to the crowd Saturday and pumped his fist as he arrived during the first quarter of the 117th game between the military academies at West Point and Annapolis. The game, on a sunny but chilly day, was being held on relatively neutral ground, at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.Trump, in an interview with CBS Sports announcers Verne Lundquist and Gary Danielson, said he was totally neutral on the outcome of the game and quipped that he might make Lundquist, who was retiring from the play-by-play booth, his ambassador to Sweden. ' ' '