The U.S. team got embarrassed in the Ryder Cup. Again.

As a big golf fan – and someone who dearly loves the game – I’m fed up with this. Seriously.

These guys spend months building up to each major championship. They prepare. They hone their games to razor sharpness. And they go out and try to win.

But not at the Ryder Cup. Phil Mickelson looked like he wanted to be anywhere else. A big portion of the team just didn’t show up at all. And Tiger? Here’s the dominant player of his era. And a dominant match-play force to boot. (Three U.S. Ams? Um. Yeah.) And he’s mediocre at best in the Ryder Cup.

It’s time for these guys to take this seriously and play. They all say it’s major championship pressure, and it should be – you’re playing representing your country on a huge international stage. But they don’t prepare like a major. They just flat out don’t.

As a golf fan, I expect better in two years. A lot better.

Two other quick side notes:

(1) Ireland has some of the best golf courses in the world. The K Club isn’t one of them. Never again.

(2) NBC should be ashamed that it showed the first two days’ competition on tape. Ashamed. Never again for that either. When the event is in Europe, show the afternoon matches live in the morning on the east coast, then go back and show the taped morning round in the afternoon for east coast viewers.

Jim: Simple solution: Make the Ryder Cup full-contact.

DAN HICKS: Sergio Garcia tees it up, looks like he’s ready for a powerful first drive, and… OOOOOOH! Phil Mickelson nails him across the kidneys with a seven iron! Sergio’s drive goes off into the woods; as soon as he stops coughing up blood, he’s going to have a heck of a shot to get back onto the fairway.

JOHNNY MILLER: Actually, Dan, I think Mickelson used a nine iron to hit Garcia. Much less wind resistance as you’re bringing it across your opponent, you impact the internal organs with much more momentum.

DAN HICKS: Now let’s take you up to the 17th, where Tiger Woods is attempting to run down Robert Karlsson with his golf cart… and… Oh, bad news, Colin Montgomerie chips his ball off the side of Tiger’s head. That’s going to leave a welt.

JOHNNY MILLER: Yes, but Montgomerie left his blind side exposed for Jim Furyk to go after his Achilles tendon with a sand wedge. Because he’s using his wedge outside of a trap to assault an opponent, he may have to take a one-stroke penalty, Dan.

Well, I would watch.