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For the longest time we here in the "frozen" north proâ€" duced the best hockey players in the world because it was Over the years we‘ve produced guys like Al Balding, George Knudson, Jim Nelford, Dave Barr and Mike Weir who have left their mark on pro golf in the States, but that‘s just a handful compared to the thousands and thousands of great American players who have come on the scene in the same time span. And yes, I know, population and climate have a major bearing on what I‘ve just pointed out. But there is more to the U.S. failure to win back the Ryder trophy than just the emotional charge inadvertently providâ€" ed by Clarke. This is subject to challenge of course, what with the emergence of Asian countries on the golf map, but there‘s little doubt in my mind that the U.S. generally turns out the best players in the world. Despite being a grizzled old newspaper scribbler, it was hard not to get a little choked up at both the Clarke and Woods scenarios. Clarke held it together on the K Club course and in television interviews right to the end of the event Sunday, then let the emoâ€" tion of the recent events spill out for all to see. It was not unlike Tiger‘s emotional meltdown after winning the British Open in midâ€" July, his first major championship title since the death of his father Earl. There can be little doubt that the appearance and performance of Darren Clarke added to the inspiration for the European side since he was playing just six weeks after the untimely death of his 39â€"yearâ€"old wife Heather. Based on the preâ€"Cup hype about being buddies and bonding, the American superstars like Tiger Woods, Jim Furyk and Phil Mickleson looked very much like the old chemistry was at work en route to the U.S. losing it‘s third straight Ryder outing. ns So when the U.S. Ryder Cup team, captained by a nice guy by the name of Tom Lehman, got their golf butts thorâ€" oughly kicked last weekend, I don‘t think there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth on this side of the Canadaâ€" U.S. border. I don‘t know if it‘s because a large chunk of the American population has long considered themselves the greatest people in the world in just about everything in sports that they actually play on a fullâ€"time basis or if it‘s got to do with oil and war, passports at the border, the difference in the dollar or Peter and Condy, etc. I‘ve been on this planet and in this nation long enough to know that our American neighbours to the South are not beloved by all who have little maple leaf flags on their golf caps. However, in the days preceeding and during the cup action in the land of the Blarney Stone, I found the antiâ€"U.S. sentiment particularly strong. ne of the headlines I read on Monday said "Another OR_vdcr Cup rout" and that pretty much covered it as the 2006 version of the neat international Ryder Cup golf competition closed Sunday in Ireland. U.S. pros need more motivation Continued on page 31 Especially when she was asked by her head coach with the Waterloo Warriors‘ women‘s basketball team, Mano Watsa, to join his Power to Choose team, which visited St. David secâ€" oing back to school GJast week was more than just a chance to visit with old friends for University of Waterloo‘s Heather Pietrobon. It was also a chance to make some new ones with the power to choose proâ€" "First of all, it‘s a short period of time that we‘re going to be here. We have an exhibition game as quick as the ninth (in Washington), so we have to travel out of town on the eighth. It‘s one of those situation where I‘m just excited to be here and excited to get started. It‘s been, for me, a fast process. The last six months have been a little bit of a whirlâ€" "The mayor talked about the golf course and the tee times that are set up, but I don‘t think we‘re going to have a lot of time for golf," Colangelo said with a laugh. But team president and general manager Bryan Colangelo â€" at RIM Park on Friday to promote the Rapâ€" tors‘ return to the region next week for training camp â€" sugâ€" gested that his squad will be all business when they hit the court with two practices a day. Giving students the power to choose After describing all the amenities of RIM Park to members of the Toronto Rapâ€" tors‘ brass, he suggested that the players take in a round at the 18â€"hole, onâ€"site, Grey Silo Golf Course. tum Raptors open camp at RIM Park SPORTS By Bos VrBANac Chronicle Staff By Bu1 Doucet For the Chronicle aterloo Mayor Herb Epp did his best public â€" relations o. l % "I got to see how much & 'w_, $ heas they‘ve grown. Now they‘re us 3 a§1* â€" Vaou helping out the Grade 9s Heather Pietrobon showed off some of her basketball skills andT('i]mr}g aé;r 4. 'Ort: C with teammate Omari Wiltshire during the Power to Choose 93 1e Comg the mehn: presentation at St. David‘s last Thursday. soe vraamac moto Continued on page 29 The Raptors‘ last trip to the city for training camp was in 2002 and Colangelo wouldn‘t commit to a longâ€" term plan of having them "This facility looks like a worldâ€"class facility," he said. lo said he was impressed with what he saw. After taking a quick tour of the RIM Park court, Colangeâ€" Toronto Raptors‘ general manager Bryan Colangelo announces the return of the team‘s training camp to Waterâ€" loo, Oct. 3â€"7. return to Waterioo. Next seaâ€" son, Toronto is expected to set up camp and hold some exhibition games in Spain. Colangelo was instrumenâ€" tal in organizing the Phoenix Suns‘ exhibition games in Rome and Germany next month, something he exeâ€" cuted when he was president and general manager of the BiLL DOUCET POTO www.vwwaterioo.com "I‘ve got lots of good memories here," said the thirdâ€"year guard back on her old home court. "I‘ve seen lots of people I remem:â€" ber who were in Grade 9 and now are in Grade 12. ondary school last Thursâ€" day. She was asked to be a role model for the next genâ€" eration of students coming through the doors of her old alma mater during the school‘s Grade 9 festivities. Tickets are $12.50 and are available at the rec complex box office. Proceeds go to the United Way of Kitchenerâ€" Waterloo and Area. But the team‘s intraâ€" squad game on Oct. 7 at the Waterloo Memorial Recreâ€" ation Complex will be open. The game starts at noon. As per NBA rules, pracâ€" tices will be closed to the public. Players have already been holding informal workouts in Toronto to prepare for camp, which runs from Oct. 3 to 7 at RIM Park. "But we believe our faciliâ€" ty is going to stand the test of time and they‘ll be back a number of times. We‘ll keep open that relationship that we‘ve had the last four years, even when they made choicâ€" es to go to other places." Steve Scherrer, manager of marketing and business for RIM Park, said he‘s hopâ€" ing to get the Raptors back as soon as possible. "Ideally, longâ€"term conâ€" tracts are great," Scherrer ‘I‘ve always believed to get away and clear your mind of the your normal everyday rouune is a good way to get focused on the season. That‘s why they call it camp. You go away, you focus and you start working. We‘re prepared to do that," Colangelo said. club CLICK HERE Volkswagen New & Cortified Preâ€"owned Cars Volkswagen Waterioo