Photo credit: The Crypto.Com/John Nowak/TNT Sports
For the most part, when the Crypto Showdown was announced, I was intrigued.
The made for television (Match) event between PGA Tour players Scottie Sheffler/Rory McIlroy against LIV Golf players Bryson DeChambeau/Brooks Koepke seemed like a great match of a group of the top players in a PGA vs. LIV event.
It seemed like the public had been waiting for something like this! PGA Tour vs. LIV â letâs go!
By the day of the event â December 17 â I had forgotten about the match, and only remembered in time to catch the second half of the match.
Evidently many others had forgotten about it as well as only 625,000 tuned in, the second lowest in terms of ratings for the annual âThe Match.â
What went wrong?
For me, the timing on Tuesday night was bad this year. It seems everyone is busier this year and having it on a Tuesday night made it easier to forget.
I just happened to check my phone halfway through the event and saw that it was on, so I switched the channel.
It was boring. Great golfers but not big personalities. McIlroy can be, as can DeChambeau, but Scheffler and Koepke come off as reserved. And Koepka is my favorite player.
I want to see these guys go at it; I want it to be on the back nine at Augusta on Sunday. Not some jacked up TV event in Las Vegas.
That Scheffler and McIlroy swept the LIV players, taking only four holes to win the first 6-hole portion of the match, put the excitement level well behind where it needed to be and took away potential on-course drama.
For these âmatchesâ to come off, you need players with big personalities that can turn a normal conversation into a comedy show.
One of the selling points the promoters raised was that the winning team would get $10 million in crypto money.
Yes, I am older, but that was not a selling point for me. I do not understand the entire crypto currency, nor do I care about it. I have kids that are into it and have done well, but they didnât watch the event either.
Even afterwards Scheffler admitted afterwards he didnât know much about crypto but that it was motivation to do some research.
I am also kind of shutdown from golf at this point â although I will watch some of the PNC the weekend of Dec. 21-22. Itâs a big year coming up with the Ryder Cup to join the four majors and the Playersâ Championship.
I am ready to start tuning in come January when The Sentry (think TOC) is played Jan. 2-5 at Kapalua â my pick for the most beautiful tournament of the year.
Maybe next year, they can move the âMatchâ to a weekend this time of year. I also think they need to bring some entertainment celebrities into the event as well. Iâve got the rest of the year to watch the professionalâs go at it â letâs watch celebrities get back into the event.
We used to have the AT&T for that but with the new format, those days are gone. Itâs almost time for those views of Hawaii to invade our TVs.
By Dennis Miller