Indeed perhaps all of the PGA TOUR’s integrity us at stake too. On the one hand we have Simon Dyson facing a three-person disciplinary panel for one offense last week. On the other we have Tiger Woods, the face of golf, not only involved in four eye-raising rules flaps, but facing no disciplinary investigation at all…just a quick chat with Timid Tim Finchem before one of his rounds.
Proof of a star system? You be the judge.
Then comes poor Brandel Chamblee, just doing his job being objective – Heaven forbid when dealing with St. Eldrick – just saying his opinion on what four rules flaps in one year looks like to him and BOOM! Like a petulant child angry for being scolded, Tiger threatens to sue, Tiger Team Tiger complains to Golf Channel and the PGA TOUR, Tiger acts like Tiger usually acts, like the jerk he is.
What was it Shakespeare said, “Methinks thou dost protest too much…”
“If you touch Chamblee, you’ve lost me.
Not because Brandel’s opinions – while excellent, in my opinion – are irreplacable.
But because you will have made a bold declaratioin that you don’t care about me. You care more about appeasing a shallow bully, whose only time saying sorry was in front of a blue curtain in hopes of salvaging whatever was left of his fleeing corporate sponsors.
You will have forfeited your reputation as an honest broker for legitimate issues in the game, and traded that in for cheap “Team Tiger” t-shirt.”
Czaban, the crowd is cheering. Come out of the dugout and tip your cap, because that was an upper deck blast that cleared the bases.
By not demanding further inquiry into the four rules flaps this year, and by not circling the wagons to protect Brandel’s freedom of speech and freedom of the press – as well as their own, the golf media is repeating their mistakes when it comes to Tiger Woods…not being objective enough.
Let’s review:
1) Tiger Woods is a public figure, so he has a much tougher row to hoe to prove slander over ANYTHING;
2) Brandel is media, a journalist as well as a broadcaster, so his freedom as a member of the press is a strong protection;
3) Contrary to what Tiger thinks, there is still freedom of speech in this country so some one can express the opinion, “Hey! I think he’s cheating” and their opinion is protected as opinion;
4) Tiger is not going to sue because then he’d have to sit for a sworn deposition and take a stand in court, and his character would be sternly examined. Here’s what Czaban says – sarcastically – about that:
“Of course, Tiger isn’t a cheater. Nah.
The two dozen skanky mistresses were the result of his “sex addiction.” The association with known PED-quack Anthony Galea was pure coincidence. The four “incidents” this season were only because Tiger is the subject of unfair TV camera scrutiny and a bunch of nosy armchair rules officials at home…”
As Jim Belushi said in the movie About Last Night, “Yeah, right…pull this leg it plays ‘Jingle Bells’…” And by the way, don’t forget about Tiger’s supposed connections to Keith Kleven, a trainer tainted by connections to the infamous BALCO. Once the link between Tiger and Kleven was exposed by the New York Daly News, Kleven disappeared faster than a rabbit in a conjuring trick. Here’s what the Daily News Steroids/PED investigative team had to say about that:
“The drug questions also bring new scrutiny to others who have trained or treated Woods, including Mark Lindsay, a Canadian chiropractor who worked with Galea and treated Yankees star Alex Rodriguez after his 2009 hip surgery; and MaryAnne Catalano, as assistant to Galea who was arrested on Sept. 14 at the U.S.-Canada border near Buffalo and found to be in possession of HGH and medical equipment, along with Galea’s medical bag.”
Czabe wraps it up with this poignant, pertinent, and perfect observation if they discipline Chamblee:
“The next time Tiger takes a bad drop, or moves a giant boulder, or slams a club, I am sure your crew will freely speak their minds as to what they really think. Why would I care what Frank Nobilo has to say anymore about anything? You move on Chamblee, you will poison your entire cast, and your brand forever.
This is your moment of truth, Golf Channel. You’ve got a great thing going. Don’t blow it. Not for this guy. Not with his track record. It’ll be the worst decision you’ve ever made.”
Agreed. We are journalists first and entertainers second. Tiger promised us he’d make his behavior more respectful of the game, but has he? Was it more respectful when he cussed out Slugger White? Was it more respectful when he went around threatening people over their right to free speech and free press? Wass it more repsectful when he still throws clubs and lobs F-bombs like a gangsta rapper? We’ll analyze these issues much more in depth later this fall when I lay out the case against Tiger in detail, like a court case being prepped for trial. I(n the meantime, Tiger Woods will not get my vote for Player of the Year partly because I think Phil Mickelson came up bigger in the year’s biggest moments, but also because these – in my opinion – seedy rules flaps cast – in my opinion – a disparaging light on Tiger and his attitude.
Brandel should never have apologized. he should have stood up to the bully that Tiger is: (in my opinion) a club throwing, F-bomb-dropping, lawsuit threatening, bad drop-taking, wife-cheating, bad tipping, pancake waitress banging, simoniacal troglodyte. (Simoniacal – adj. Taking something sacred and using it for pecuniary benefit.) That’s the face of golf. Tiger, you should have been a basketball player. It’s more your speed.
When Tiger and his “Team” started banging on doors demanding whatever they demanded, everyone should have told him to go pound salt. What’s he gonna do? Not give the vapid two word interviews he ordinarily gives anyway. What has Tiger Woods ever done for the media? He’s at best civil and obliging, at worst petulant and inaccessible.
Meanwhile, the European Tour begins its investigation of Simon Dyson over one incident, one time. He may face three months off simply because he’s not the money printing machine Tiger Woods is. As Mikey Z, my intern said, “Every time I try to like golf, something else happens that turns me right off again…and it always seems to revolve around Tiger Woods.”
