Fantasy Golf: The John Deere Classic Preview

I know things are a little chaotic right now. Tensions are high. Nerves are frayed. So it's probably not the best time for me to be taking a strong stand on a polarizing issue, especially on a website that's ostensibly devoted to golf but I gotta do something here . . . I still can't believe it . . .  

I'm putting Top Gun: Maverick in the category of nearly flawless movies. Not necessarily among the best movies of all-time (though it might be on that list too) but a movie that knew exactly what it was trying to achieve and then went-out and executed it to near perfection. They knew who their target audience was (me) and delivered exactly what we wanted. 

I don't keep a running list of such films* but I will say that the first one that comes to mind is Whiplash and damn if that mutherfucker Miles Teller didn't star in that one too. I will avoid spoilers but it's obvious from the first five minutes that here he plays Goose's son and nails it right down to the goofy way Anthony Edwards walked, slumped and sat at a piano. I only have intimate knowledge of two other Teller performances, War Dogs (worth your time) and Fantastic Four (fine) but after his performance as Rooster, I'm seeking him out. 

The supporting cast, including Bill Pulman's son Lewis (who you will recognize immediately), understands their mission and they execute it. Glen Powell makes the role of Iceman 2.0 his own and crushes it (no small feat) while Jennifer Connolly takes a one-line reference from the original and runs with it. Not sure about Jon Hamm as the stereotypical doubting Admiral but that may stem from my belief that he was only ever meant to play one role in his life and then meditate into the sunset.

As for Tom Cruise . . . you're either willing to suspend reality and join him for the ride or you're not. I am. And this is unquestionably a top five performance for him. (Sorry we will not be taking questions on that topic). 

Almost half the movie is comprised of flying scenes which is a good thing because they're exhilarating. Even the overhead shots of the AWACS plane were cool, though I think that was about the point where I heard my son whisper under his breath "oh please shut the fuck up."** 

And finally there's the story. I've never written a movie script but I have to believe it's an incredibly tall order to write a sequel where you're trying to (a) pay homage, (b) weave-in common characters, and (c) make it original all while avoiding hokiness. Especially if you're writing the sequel to freakin' Top Gun which reveled in its own hokiness. I'll just say that I'm in awe of how well Ehren Kruger, Eric Warren Singer and Christopher McQuerrie pulled it off and leave it there. Apparently, that's why you spend the extra few bucks to hire the guys who separately wrote a couple little flicks called American Hustle and The Usual Suspects.  

Go see if you haven't and go see it again if you have. 

TWEET OF THE WEEK

It's a fun time in history to acknowledge the anniversary of the original Karate Kid because, if it came out today, many would view it as the story of an angry immigrant teenager who moves to California to steal good painting and car maintenance jobs from hard-working Americans while generally fucking-up the natural order of things.

The Karate Kid crane kicked his way into cinemas OTD in 1984. Ralph Macchio paid tribute to the great Pat Morita by calling him 'My sensei' during his eulogy.
You've gotta love an 80s montage and this is one of the best... possibly the best around. pic.twitter.com/p3Dv3IXiSQ

— The Sting (@TSting18) June 22, 2022

GOLF ANALYSIS

I think the most interesting thing you can say about this year's John Deere Classic field is that there are four guys named "Adam" in it. Especially when you compare it to the 2017 field which had zero guys named "Adam." I mean that shit is craaaazzzy. 

With no obvious choice and the introduction you just read, do I even have to tell you who I'm picking? I sure hope not. I actually wanted to go with Nick Hardy because he's playing really well AND he intentionally pissed his pants in the woods of my former country club to help save his teammate some embarrassment but alas, I didn't see any movies with the name "Nick" in the title this week.  

The rest of the list is a veritable who's who of grinders and journeymen but that's what gets it done at the John Deere Classic. Remember, this is the tournament that Steve Stricker won three times in a row accounting for 25% of his PGA total. I'm actually optimistic about most of the recommendations except for Lucas Glover who I felt obliged to include as the defending champion. If only his name was "Payback" or "Hangman" Glover, I'd feel way more confident.   

One and Done Pick: Maverick McNealy

I'd go again tonight.
Who's with me?!?!

Other Guy I'd Pick: Nick Hardy

Sleeper Pick: Ryan Moore

DraftKings Top Ten Values

Maverick McNealy	$9,500
Charles Howell, III	$9,300
Nick Hardy	$8,700
Patrick Rodgers	$8,800
Lucas Glover	$8,300
Kevin Streelman	$7,900
Adam Schenk	$7,700
Nick Taylor	$7,500
Ryan Moore	$7,200
Scott Brown	$7,000

One of these days when the news cycle in both the golf world and the real world slows down to about 78 RPM's, I'm going to write more substantively about LIVGolf. Until then, I'll just keep taking cheap shots. 

                                   THE BROOKS KOEPKA'S CREDIBILITY

                           MEMORIAL HISTORICAL PERFORMANCE CHART 

In the last five years, the four highest priced guys of the week have played this tournament a combined total of once. (Once?) Yes. Once. At least we get to watch how Torque GC does against the combined firepower of Smash GC this week in . . . I'm sorry. I just can't. 

	DK Price	2021	2019	2018	2017	2016
Webb Simpson	$10,600	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP
Adam Hadwin	$10,400	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	T8
Sahith Theegala	$10,100	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP
Jason Day	$10,000	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP
Denny McCarthy	$9,900	MC	MC	T34	DNP	DNP
Maverick McNealy	$9,500	T18	DNP	DNP	T44	DNP
Charles Howell, III	$9,300	T23	T6	DNP	T19	DNP
C. Bezuidenhout	$9,100	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP
Scott Stallings	$8,900	T55	T18	MC	T5	T16
Patrick Rodgers	$8,800	T23	DNP	T43	2nd	T27
Nick Hardy	$8,700	DNP	DNP	T43	T55	DNP
Adam Long	$8,600	T23	T53	DNP	DNP	DNP
Brendon Todd	$8,500	DNP	T18	MC	MC	MC
Cameron Davis	$8,400	T55	T53	DNP	DNP	DNP
Lucas Glover	$8,300	1st	T10	DNP	T25	DNP
Lanto Griffin	$8,200	DNP	DNP	T60	DNP	DNP
C.T. Pan	$8,100	MC	MC	T34	DNP	DNP
Cameron Champ	$8,000	T11	MC	DNP	DNP	DNP
J.T. Poston	$8,000	MC	MC	T65	T64	DNP
Chez Reavie	$7,900	T18	DNP	MC	T39	DNP
Kevin Streelman	$7,900	MC	DNP	T7	T44	DNP
Anirban Lahiri	$7,800	MC	T47	DNP	DNP	DNP
John Huh	$7,800	T50	DNP	T7	MC	T64
Adam Schenk	$7,700	T4	T6	MC	DNP	DNP
Adam Svensson	$7,700	DNP	T18	DNP	DNP	DNP
Doug Ghim	$7,600	T18	DNP	W/D	DNP	DNP
Dylan Frittelli	$7,600	MC	1st	DNP	DNP	DNP
Emiliano Grillo	$7,500	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP
Martin Laird	$7,500	T28	T37	DNP	DNP	DNP
Nick Taylor	$7,500	T28	T33	T34	MC	MC
Mark Hubbard	$7,400	T41	DNP	DNP	MC	MC
Patton Kizzire	$7,400	T11	DNP	T30	T25	DNP
Steve Stricker	$7,400	T41	DNP	T43	T5	T52
Andrew Putnam	$7,300	MC	DNP	79th	DNP	DNP
Hank Lebioda	$7,300	T8	MC	DNP	DNP	DNP
Nate Lashley	$7,200	DNP	T26	DNP	DNP	DNP
Ryan Moore	$7,200	T2	T18	T55	MC	1st
Zach Johnson	$7,200	T34	T37	T16	T5	T34
Charley Hoffman	$7,100	DNP	DNP	DNP	T39	DNP
Chesson Hadley	$7,100	T34	DNP	T72	T25	MC
Ryan Armour	$7,100	MC	MC	DNP	MC	DNP
Scott Piercy	$7,100	T69	DNP	MC	DNP	DNP
Scott Brown	$7,000	T4	MC	T12	T25	T16
Kevin Chappell	$6,900	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP
Bill Haas	$6,800	MC	T10	T72	DNP	DNP
Rory Sabbatini	$6,800	MC	DNP	W/D	T19	T62
Vaughn Taylor	$6,800	T34	T6	T34	T19	MC
Brian Stuard	$6,700	T8	MC	81st	MC	DNP
Harry Higgs	$6,700	MC	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP
Wesley Bryan	$6,700	DNP	DNP	MC	T3	T8
Johnson Wagner	$6,100	MC	T37	T16	MC	T5

Footnotes

"More like 'turn and have
a cocktail' am I right?"

* If I did keep such a list, it would also have to include Wall Street, Grosse Pointe Blank, Up in the Air, Moneyball and The Martian. Not surprisingly, all of these feature a big time movie star along with a killer supporting cast. Everyone from John C. McGinley to Jason Bateman to Phillip Seymour Hoffman to the entire ensemble at mission control in The Martian. So damn good. 

** I probably didn't need to lean over and enlighten him that a sailboat is generally at its slowest going downwind with the spinnaker up but it's not my fault that's when they improperly used the "turn and burn" line.  

Email the FGR at fgr@fantasygolfreport.com