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?