Berman has long been a staple at many PGA Tour pro-ams, including The Travelers Championship in HartfordUSA TODAY
Most hardcore golf fans woke up early Friday morning before work to catch an opening glimpse of the Ryder Cup from Le Golf National, but ESPN’s CHRIS BERMAN, a longtime fan of the game, has taken it one step further. Berman is on-hand solely as a spectator in Paris to watch the U.S. squad try to capture its first title on European soil since ’93 -- knocking off a “bucket list” item on his sports resume after over three decades on “NFL Countdown.” Berman: “People always ask me how I’ve never been to a Ryder Cup. And I say, ‘whoa whoa whoa, what have I done for 30 years?’” But before taking THE DAILY through his plan for the weekend, it was time to set the record straight: Is the Swami really fluent in French? “If you were to drop me in France on short notice I could eat, sleep, get directions and hail a cab," Berman said. "I don’t think I could get through a deep political discussion. My late wife KATHY spoke it and we went to France together four or five times in the past. It’s fun using the language, I used to be able to practice it in Montreal, but the Expos haven’t been home a lot lately.”
TIME IS NOW: I thought about this a year or two ago and then the light bulb really went off in May. There’s a curiosity for me as a golf fan as the U.S. hasn’t won overseas in 25 years, but also there’s never been a Ryder Cup in Paris. So I find it intriguing as hell, not just on a golf level but across sports. The crowds will be for Europe, but I don’t think it’s going to be like Scotland or Ireland. This feels a little bit like a golf neutral country.
PLAYING BOTH SIDES? I got into Paris on Wednesday and reacquainted myself with the city for a day-and-a-half. Caught the Eiffel Tower obviously. I know a lot of the players on both squads and certainly the captains and assistant captains. Before heading over some of the younger guys in JORDAN SPIETH and JUSTIN THOMAS were trying to get me to talk to the team, but at the same time one of my best friends on Tour is (European Vice Captain) GRAEME MCDOWELL, who asked me to dinner. I said, "You want me to be a double agent, huh?” I told him Paris is a big city, we can probably hide somewhere. But when the actual competition starts I won’t be yelling out across the ropes by any means. We don’t want another fat, loud American over there.
BEST RYDER CUP MEMORIES: The clutch guys on both sides is what stands out to me. I remember CURTIS STRANGE battling NICK FALDO, those were absolute stare downs. They were both such hard-nosed players and people. I wrote Strange a letter right after he lost to Faldo in ’95. I knew him, and I could see the pain in his face. We all remember the scene at Brookline with JUSTIN LEONARD. I think of BERNHARD LANGER sitting by himself in South Carolina after losing in ‘91, one of the classiest players who makes that putt 19 out of 20 times. Then IAN POULTER at Medinah in ‘12 and McDowell in Whales in ’10 against HUNTER MAHAN. We could go on and on. It’s just different. At the U.S. Open on Sunday you’re trying to win for yourself. This is playing for country and team. You have golf’s best knuckling down just a little more than you’re used to. That’s what I’m anxious to see.
STILL TEEING IT UP? I’m 63, so I’ll never shoot my age unless I make it to the mid (maybe late) 80’s. I play a couple times a week and I still live part-time in Maui, so I play a good bit more there. I’m still doing plenty of traveling, and I’m not totally retired, still have plenty to do work-wise. Has my game improved in the past couple years? Yeah … but nobody cares. I’m down to 84, 85 from 90. Not great, nor is it going to be, but it’s a good way to hang out with the fellas. Once things wrap up on Sunday I’m coming right back to call the opening round of the MLB Division Series on ESPN Radio with RICK SUTCLIFFE. It’s one day of sight-seeing, a few days of golf then back to the day job. All in all this trip is just something I’ve always wanted to do, it’s in a city I love, and I’m just really looking forward to it on a lot of levels. Just think of the white wine and cheese that’ll be on the course.
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