Ming the Mindless has been my best friend for longer than either of us wants to admit. Well, me more than him, but with what can politely be called my personality flaws, I'm lucky to have even one friend. I don't think my dog really likes me, come to think of it.
Ming writes about the Blue Jays for one of the Toronto papers and despite being called "Mindless" occasionally comes up with an insightful comment. Apparently, he saves these for our conversations on the golf course, because I've never seen much insight in his writing.
Nevertheless. We were playing golf the other day and someone mentioned Michelle Wie had been given an exemption into the CN Canadian Women's Open, which started today at the Ottawa Hunt.
"I forget," says Ming. "Which is she this week? The dog or the pony?"
Well, we agreed, she was one a couple of weeks ago when she made yet another failed attempt to survive the 36-hole cut at a PGA Tour event and she will be the other this week.
Wie is not an attraction. She's a distraction.
"Everyone has their own opinion of what I should do but I think that it's my life," she told the media earlier this week in Ottawa.
Hmm. Sounds suspiciously like John Daly, another great talent who frittered away a potential Hall of Fame career, but for far different reasons. And suspicion is widespread that she does not make any decisions on her own at all, but is manipulated by her father.
While it may be cruel and unfair to criticize an 18-year-old girl, it is incredibly frustrating to see her held up to public ridicule when she takes exemptions away from more deserving players, be they male or female. But the fact is that she places herself directly in the line of fire, refusing to earn her right to participate at a higher level.
Michelle Wie has won nothing-nothing-since the 2003 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links championship and has never won a 72-hole event at any level. She has had some good showings in LPGA majors, but nary a victory. She is photogenic and full of potential, though.
Optimistically, she will win this week in Ottawa and that will prove the springboard to LPGA stardom.
Realistically, by accepting the exemption this week, she has taken another step back in her development as the distaff Tiger Woods.
And they call my friend Ming mindless.