People’s Choice, but Not the Captain’s

John Daly theorized that he may have been too popular for his own good when it came time for Ryder Cup selections by captain Hal Sutton.

Daly said Sutton grew increasingly angry with continual pressure from the media and fans to make Daly one of two captain’s picks, and that may have influenced his decision to leave Daly off the team.

Daly steered clear of the lobbying effort.

“I never asked him or talked to him about it,” Daly said. “I don’t like to kiss anybody’s [butt] to get something, you know. I’m just not that way.”

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Trivia time: When was the last time a major league baseball team had to forfeit a game?

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Skimpy ratings: Jim Armstrong of America Online seems to have figured out why the Olympics are getting high television ratings.

“Simple. The babes,” he wrote. “I mean, what’s more fun to watch, a pair of hairy Greco-Roman wrestlers giving each other cauliflower ears, or a couple of bronze-bodied beach volleyball starlets frolicking in the sand?”

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Add Armstrong: He said that the success of female athletes at the Olympics is directly attributable to Title IX.

“It empowered little girls, daring them to dream about things once reserved for little boys. They don’t want to marry the quarterback; they want to bench-press him.”

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Lonesome Cowboy: The San Diego Union Tribune reported that passengers on American Airlines have been treated to a very entertaining in-flight episode of “Eye on America” featuring the Dallas Cowboys.

In it, quarterback Quincy Carter talks about returning the Cowboys to their glory days.

“One small problem,” the paper said. “The Cowboys cut Carter four days into August while American Airlines’ programming runs through the end of the month.”

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Looking back: On this date in 1994, 18-year-old Tiger Woods became the youngest winner in the history of the U.S. Amateur golf championship.

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Takedown: Former pro wrestler Brock Lesnar probably will be cut when the Minnesota Vikings have their first roster trim on Tuesday, but the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that even though his skills didn’t impress, his work ethic did.

“We kind of went, ‘Oh my gosh, what’s this guy going to be all about?’ ” guard Chris Liwienski said. “ ‘Is he going to come in here and tie me in a knot?’ But Brock came to work, and guys took notice.”

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Trivia answer: Aug. 10, 1995, when the Dodgers had to forfeit against St. Louis after fans threw giveaway baseballs onto the field to protest an umpire’s call.

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And finally: “The Late Show with David Letterman” invited medal-winning athletes to deliver the top-10 list Friday night. The subject: “Ways to Make the Olympics More Fun.”

“Replace pommel horse with real horse,” wrestler Rulon Gardner said.

“Require Dutch track and field team to wear wooden shoes,” said swimmer Lindsay Benko.

And swimmer Gary Hall Jr., with the No. 1 way: “Two words: Nude fencing.”