Canadian Open

What's in a Name?

Date Written: July 28, 2008

What in the world does the picture of Cher have to do with Chez Reavie winning yesterday's Canadian Open? Hang in there. Hear me out. I'm guessing that Chez's mother knew her son was going to be famous one day so she gave him a first name that people would instantly recognize...kinda like Cher. (And by the way, does anyone out there know if Cher actually has a last name?) Which brings up another question. Why does the media literally miss-pronounce Chez's name? They say it like it's spelled. Do they think, as an audience, we are unable to match his uncommon name to a tricky pronunciation? I've never heard an announcer explain why his name is not pronounced properly. His name is a common word in French. It is pronounced "Shay" which rhymes with way. "Chez" in French essentially means to be at home. Pronounced in English vernacular..."Chez" might be short for Chester, Chezman or Chezburger. It doesn't take Sherlock Holmes or a linquist to figure out that the kid must come from a French background. Is Chez's mother a Francophile? Does she have a sign over the porch that announces you are about to enter, "Chez Reavie?" I remember years ago, before he became famous, that "Goosen" was pronounced "Hoosen."

Finally, although I might be beating a dead cheval, (which, by the way, is French for horse), I think "Shay's" last name should properly be pronounced "Ra-vay" not "Ree-vee." Can anybody out there straighten out this French-to-English mess? Should I email his folks who live in Kansas to get a complete genealogical report? Or should I call the Mormons?

As long as I've got too much time on my hands, allow me just a few more moments to rant about politics before I get to the golf business at hand. This "pronunciation" issue is a comment on our collective laziness as a culture. We (TV being main culprit) have this lazy habit in this country of anglicizing names to suit our own understanding. I liken it to refusing to be a part of the larger world. The fervor that accompanies the argument that "English" is our "one-and-only" designated language represents a "dumbing down" of our potential. I think it would be a good idea to have at least 2 languages in this country, especially in the West...since we essentially swiped this half of the country from either the Indian's or the Mexican's. Maybe it would be a good idea to keep their language and some of their culture. It's a healthy idea too to be different and learn a foreign language during one's lifetime. Besides, I read recently that fifty (50%) percent of the surnames in California are now Spanish. Taking my argument to one last extreme, maybe we ought to learn Ebonics and Computer-ease so that, at the very least, we can relate to the next generation. There is no doubt that the "change train" is leaving the station. According to columnist, Frank Rich in the NY Times:

"Obama-branded change is snowballing, whether it’s change you happen to believe in or not."

O.K...I feel much better now that I've expressed myself. Now back to golf. In my next life I want a demeanor like Chez (however you pronounce it), a swing plane like Anthony Kim and bunker instruction from Mike Weir. Chez becomes the first rookie to win on the PGA TOUR in 2008. He's called, "The Little Unit" (5'9", 160 lbs) in Arizona where he went to college, in deference to "The Big Unit" Randy Johnson who pitches for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He doesn't have nearly the swing speed and plane of Mr. Kim, but he kept it down the middle and got the job done on a rough and tough Glen Abbey Golf Club course. His lay-up on the par-5, eighteenth to secure the victory proved that he's got a brain to go with his game. Read more about this 27-year old by clicking on the link below:

http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-golf/mtt/reavie_chez00.html

Ten pool players were rewarded with a T-6 for their nationalistic zeal-pick of Mike Weir, he of magnificent up-and-down game. Amazingly, included in those ten who picked him were our three top leaders, Artie, Pat and C. B. Taco.

Onward to the next-in-a-series, over-hyped, WGC's...this one at Firestone in Akron...Tiger-less of course. This begs the question, "just how many World Golf Championships can there be in a year?" Can we have one every week? There's one World Series in baseball. One Super Bowl, one NBA Championship. Oh well. Hyperbole, so dominant within our popular culture, will be a subject for another day. More to the point, there's five Sabbatini-lovers, four Rose nose pickers, and only one No-Show...Davis Love III. Everyone else is in attendance because there's lots of cash involved.

Your faithful blogster,