The world's best golfer. Really?

Lee Westwood.

Congratulations are in order to Lee Westwood for becoming the world's number one golfer. That is to say number one in the world rankings, not the world's best golfer. 

In surpassing Tiger, it seems Lee has put some American noses out of joint ( let's put aside for one moment what should really be vexing them, i.e. the continued Ryder Cup dominance, the annexing of the majors following The Masters by European Tour players etc) and the british press has been quick to defend him , including the normally reliable James Corrigan of The Independent. Our press highlights his consistency, his skills with the big dog, and his remarkable fightback after his loss of form and confidence.

He deserves it, they say.

And it's all true, except, unfortunately him deserving it. Save the heartwarming stories of the rewards of refusing to give in, of determination in the face of adversity, of godammit redemption for the human interest section. Sport, at least professional sport at the highest level has to be about more than deserving, it has to be about doing.

Coming down the stretch at Augusta we were all waiting for a statement of intent, a moment when a golfer said This is my time, I will not be denied, when a player looks into the eyes of his opponent and knows, knows, he has too much for the other guy. That moment came alright, but it was Lefty putting on the green jacket.

Put brutally if I had to back a guy to finish top ten in the majors it would be Westwood, but to back him to win one? the answer's no.

The Reversal

I got my beautiful limited edition bySCV Publications in early september and it has been killing me waiting for Orion to release the UK Hardcover this month. I bought it from Waterstones and it was a nice bonus ( even if somewhat redundant under the circumstances) to find it was signed and with extra material. But ultimately I was disappointed. How come?
First let me say that a poor book by Michael Connelly is better than most author's best. But this is a poor Connelly effort and no mistake. Some time ago Connelly revealed he had been writing a Bosch-Haller double header which he put to one side when the idea for The Scarecrow came into his head. This feels like a book he may have put to one side. The story centres mostly on Haller and his decision to switch from defence to prosecution (the reversal of the title) in order to make sure a convicted child killer, who had recently won his appeal, stays behind bars. Bosch has a bit part as Haller's investigator.
Part of my difficulty with the book was that I felt Haller never really shares Bosch's urgency in putting the perp away and as a result we don't feel that urgency. Result- no tension. Not good for a thriller.The author gives us lots of information about the way lawyers work the trial system to get their favoured result but I just didn't find this interesting.
The Scarecrow was everything this book wasn't and it's certainly easy to see why Connelly put The Reversal aside to complete it. It is a high watermark in his stand-alone books, perhaps in all his work. But, with The Reversal and the equally disappointing Nine Dragons, he is batting nought for two.

Rag and Bone

I have just started reading Rag and Bone, the fifth in James R Benn's series of WWII mysteries.
I took a chance on the first in the series, Billy Boyle, because it was published by the dependable Soho Press and have read every one since.
The hero ,Boyle, is a young Irish-American detective who, through family connections, ends up as personal investigator to General Eisenhower, by which device Benn, a keen historian apparently, is able to deposit Boyle in various significant periods of the war. The historical research is certainly impressive and the author appears to have mastered the facts. Benn is particularly convincing when describing the complexities of executing a war,and of showing the tensions which arise when nations with competing agendas are forced to come together as allies. Employing principal characters from different nations, Benn is able to explore not just the respective fortunes of each country but also the personal cost to individuals.
All the covers are done by Daniel Cosgrove and have a great matinee serial flavour to them.
I have some gripes though. Boyle pursues a romance with the glamorous Diane, an upper-class english spy involved in dangerous behind-the-lines missions. It is strangely chaste, especially in a context where the two lovers never know if they will see each other again. He is not the stereotypical GI "oversexed and over here".
Secondly the british characters are for the most part one dimensional, bumbling toffs who are more concerned with good manners than winning a war. In Evil for Evil, the fourth in the series, Boyle has to tangle with the IRA, something he struggles with because of Irish Bostonian upbringing. Here I sense Benn is trying to be even-handed in his exploration of American sympathy for the cause, which has engendered much shame since 9/11, but he doesn't quite manage it. Still, this is an American series, by an American author, presumably intended for an American audience and it hasn't put me off continuing with the series so I won't make too much of it.

The books don't have the moral exploration of Philip Kerr's Berlin Noir, or the poetic style of Alan Faust, but if you are looking for a fine adventure series with good historical detail ,you won't go far wrong.

Upcoming goodness

Now that it's autumn and my summer holiday is just a fading memory, the nights are drawing in, and the opportunities for breaking 80 are becoming scarce it's some consolation to know there are things to look forward to:
The Immorality Engine, George Mann;
Johnny Halloween, Norman Partridge;
Campus Tramp, Lawrence Block;
The Nearest Exit, Olen Steinhauer;
Copping Squid, Michael Shea;
Dread Island, Joe R Lansdale;
Deadman's Road, Joe R lansdale;
Hyenas, Joe R Lansdale;
Yes Sir it's nice to know there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Day one

Having made, for me, the herculean effort of getting up at 7am to watch the morning foursomes, it was particularly disappointing to see only three and a half hours golf all day. I pity the punters who forked out £150 to see it live.
No points are yet on the board and it would be rash to draw too many conclusions but some things are undeniable. Clearly the early spin from Europe that Harrington had found his form in the practice rounds was just an attempt to take the pressure of Monty. If ever there were a passenger it was Padraig. The rejigged schedule means he is sure to feature again before the sunday singles, something that would otherwise be unthinkable.
McIlroy was another notable failure, entirely anonymous alongside GMac. Whereas for America Cink and Dustin Johnson in particular exceeded expectations. On a day where the conditions clearly favoured Europe this was a concern.
But still no matches are completed and everything is to play for but Europe needs to do better. Much better

That's what I'm talking about.

If the wretched Pavin's antics are enough to make one gag, here, at least, the best of America.

Oh Dear

An Idiot yesterday

If an idiot is someone condemned to never learn from their mistakes, then Corey Pavin has just gone straight to the bottom of his class. Quite why, after suffering world-wide ridicule for his tasteless antics in The War on the Shore, Corey thought it a good idea to gee up his boys with a speech from a fighter pilot is beyond me. Or anybody.
If, as is often said, the Ryder Cup can be settled as much by what happens off the course as on it then Europe are already one up.
And for christ's sake will somebody please explain to Pavin that what happened at Brookline is never to happen again.

European wild cards

Luke Donald

Edoardo Molinari

Padraig Harrington

Perhaps one of the most scrutinised decisions made by Monty, as European captain,  his picks were also always going to be the most controversial. Followers of football will know that one of the things that set Fergie apart from his peers was his ability to best use his resources (well that, and good discipline, tactical flexibility, to be able to engender a sense of loyalty and make over-payed pampered millionaires want to play for him, also helped make him the pre-eminent manager of our times; sorryJose but you aren't there yet) and Monty has certainly had plenty to choose from.
Rather predictably there have been grumblings of discontent; that Monty favoured his mates (Harrington basically); that he bottled it and was to scared to say no to a 3 time major winner ( Harrington again); or that Monty just wanted to be the story. This last one I find hard to argue with. Monty has never been backward at putting himself forward, unless of course there is a kiss-and-tell story of an ALLEGEDLY particularly fruity nature in the works in which case it's injunctions all round.
The player it seems everybody wanted included was Paul Casey and the captain's justification for overlooking him were uncharacteristically vague.  But , in this at least , our hero has got it right. Three times this season Casey has found himself in contention going into the final round and three times the charge.......... has never materialised. He in danger of making Westwood appear a closer in comparison. the total failure to exert any pressure upon Louis Oosthuizen in the final round of the Open was, when seen contextually,  quite dreadful. Casey can have no complaints.
No, my argument with Monty over his picks was not that he threw caution to the wind and recklessly discarded top talent but that he was too cautious. Molinari simply could not be denied following his heroics at Gleneagles and I am certain Team USA would not have fancied playing the longest driver and best putters in the business

Ryder Cup

Whether or not you agree its the biggest tournament in golf there is no denying its attraction. I will be blogging leading up t
o the event and then through the competition. Tonight I will begin running the rule over the European Team.

Feeling nausea with Vertigo Crime

It's just over a year since Vertigo published the first of their sub-line of black and white hardboiled hardback original graphic novels and it's fair to say they have been a disappointment. Even a cursory glom of the internet reveals far more negative than positive reviews. The Comics Journal.
Most of the reviews, like the one linked above, are written primarily from a comics perspective, and this is fair enough since they are , after all, graphic novels,   but, one imagines, by people with only a passing interest in crime fiction. Unfortunately for people such as my self with a foot in both camps, so to speak, there is still little to get excited about.

Which is a shame because the premise is a good one. Pairing crime writers from the comics or book world to produce original noir in a pocket sized affordable format is a great one. And could still be one.
Brian Azzarello and Victor Santos (Filthy Rich) get things off to a good start with a genuine noir about a washed up gridiron ( I refuse to call it Football)  star falling for a femme fatale but as often with Azzarello it's too convoluted. I remain convinced this guy could do great things if he gets a good editor.

The less said about Dark Entries (Rankin, Dell'Edera) the better. Ian may be a famous crime writer but this is not a crime story. Not even the best original Constantine book of the year, Hellbalzer  Pandemonium pisses all over it.
Jason Starr (The Chill, with Mick Bertilorenzi) has a genuine noir pedigree and seemed a smart choice.His recent books, though,  have been a little weak and lacked the meanness which made his early work, e.g. Cold Caller, stand out. The Chill, the third in the series, is a frankly ridiculous story about a pair of mystical Irish serial killers. I half expected a psychotic leprechaun to become involved. Begorrah!
We will whistle past The Bronx Kill (Milligan, James) as there is really very little to say about this inter-generational family noir by numbers and move onto more positive things.
Area 10 by Christos Gage and Chris Samnee is another with a supernatural flavour but here it sits well within the hardboiled story of a down-on-his-luck cop trying to crack a case and put his career and personal life back on track.

Next in the series is The Executor (Jon Evans, Andrea Mutti). This time it's a washed up Hockey player ( what is it with ex professional athletes and noir comics?) brought back to his hometown by the death of his childhood sweetheart. he has to face down corrupt cops, a paedophile ring and and his own demons. Take away the last page where our hero is granted redemption (Yawn!!!!) and this is a real slice of hardboiled writing which doesn't pull it's punches.
The most recent of the series is also the best. Fogtown (Andersen Gabrych, Brad Rader) is really the only to justify Vertigo's suggestion to be for mature readers. Set in post WWII San Francisco about a conflicted and closeted PI's search for a missing prostitute, Gabrych's story explores themes of sexuality, family and the importance of forgiving yourself. This could have been written by Goodis, it really could.
I had been upon the point of abandoning this series but the guys at page 45 recommended the book and i'm glad they did. Any more like this one and Vertigo Crime will be in danger of getting a good reputation.

For the future they should consider Greg Rucka, Scott Snyder, Michael Koryta and Dennis Tafoya. Failing that how about giving these guys a call?

Current read

While I'm at it, it occurs to me to post about the book I am currently reading. Dust and Shadow (Lyndsay Faye; Simon and Schuster) pits Holmes against Jack the Ripper. I am about 100 pages into this pastiche and it's keeping my interest. The squalor of victorian London is well captured and the pace moves along briskly. Worth a look I feel if you enjoy the Sherlockian reprints from Titan Books.

upcoming goodness

Sadly the combo queen remains unconvinced of my need to be constantly buying books ay a rate at which I can't possibly read them. My TBR (to be read) pile causes enough consternation without her knowing about my TBD (to be delivered) books. How do I explain the steampunk thrills of George Mann's The Immorality Engine? Or the visceral terror to be induced by The Vampyricon Trilogy? It matters not that Cemetery Dance always deliver. And as for Campus Tramp by Lawrence Block? Best not to go there

First Post

Hi there. I am the Combo King, no really, and I will be using this blog to bring together my interests in golf, music, movies and books. So expect entries, thoughts, essays and ramblings on anything from the new M.I.A album to Chinatown to the most recent Sumptown comic to the latest Busted Flush Press Fiddler & Fiora reprints and everything cool inbetween. plus, of course, swing uploads and my ongoing attempts to break 80.
    The Combo King, so you dont have to.