Note to Sportswriters -- Hating Tiger Won't Get You Very Far

It's apparent to anyone that follows golf that a lot of the players Americans aren't that passionate about the Ryder Cup anymore. There is no purse, it is another event taking time out of their busy schedules and the competition between Europe and the USA is lost because everyone plays together all the time anyway.

With that said, I'm sure Tiger Woods understands he has to take his lumps when Ryder Cup week comes around. As much fun as getting beat every other year is, you can understand where Woods comes from.

That is why I'm not in love with this top-7 reasons blurb by Michael Bamberger. Dude, all those veteran players would rather be doing something else, not just El Tigre.

1) I was last at Valhalla in 2000, for the PGA Championship, where I beat Bob May in a playoff. I'm gonna need a little more incentive to go back.

2) The thing I like about this knee rehab is that it gets me OUT of the Ryder Cup.

3) I'm trying to set myself out of the 2009 Presidents Cup, and showing up at this year's Ryder Cup only hurts those chances.

4) I'll be busy that week with family stuff, teaching Sam the stinger and how to carry a cellphone and a box of Nike shoes to avoid autograph hounds.

5) If I go to the Ryder Cup I might have to answer questions about my knee. I'd rather clean Butchie's car.

6) In the team room, I'd have to act like I feel we have a better team than the Euros. My acting's pretty good, but there are limits.

7) I have more good friends on the Euro team than the American team -- where does the "w" go in awkward?

(Wait, does Tiger not autograph for people? I thought all those guys were pretty good at it. Maybe I'm just oblivious.)

Opinions?