Devil Ball Golf - Golf

Golf is a sport where the prevailing method of television communication is pleasant cliché couched as relevant commentary, so any time anybody says anything even remotely controversial, the PC radar cranks up. Controversy! Drama! Shame on you for saying that ... but say it some more!

Even so, the last year has brought quite a few verbal flashpoints. Last year at this time, it was Kelly Tilghman talking about younger players "lynching" Tiger Woods in a back alley. Before the Ryder Cup, Hunter Mahan talked about being a "slave" at Ryder events. And in November, a couple of announcers made some "they all look alike"-style comments about Anthony Kim.

Now, we may be on the verge of another. Via Geoff Shackelford comes this account of one Boo Weekley perhaps stepping on a few Middle Eastern toes:

So last night I'm watching the Boo interview live from Kapalua and as usual the announcers are baiting him for redneckese. He obliges with hunting humor and the like. Then Lerner goes too far and asks him about his upcoming appearance at Qatar. Something along the lines of, has anybody prepped you about the culture over there. Boo's answer was "All I know is I don't have to wear one of them turbans." Awkward silence, then interview over. They replayed the broadcast and had Boo's interview up until that question (went to commercial before).

Okay, come on. "Them turbans"? That's offensive? Really? Insensitive, maybe. Hack material, certainly. It's like saying Canada's nothing but a land of mounties and maple syrup, or whatever. But I can't imagine anybody really taking any serious offense at a line like that, and whoever edited that segment for the Golf Channel needs to loosen the reins a bit. It's oversensitivity like this that gives golf its stodgy rep.

Here's hoping this blows over. The last thing golf needs right now is a muzzle on Boo Weekley or anybody else.

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41 Comments

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  1. Gregory O
    1. Posted by Gregory O Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:15 pm EDT

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    There's other stuff in Canada?
  2. Jay Busbee
    2. Posted by Jay Busbee Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:33 pm EDT

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    Hockey. Universal health care. Skeets. Beyond that, I'm drawing a blank.
  3. WTON_JOHN
    3. Posted by WTON_JOHN Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:51 pm EDT

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    Pamela Anderson and Shannon Tweed...although parts of them may be made in Taiwan....
  4. Kelly G
    4. Posted by Kelly G Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:36 pm EDT

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    Nice friendly people, standard of living second to none, respected and loved country all around the world.
  5. Clarence
    5. Posted by Clarence Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:30 pm EDT

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    You already know he is a dumb redneck! What did you expect. Just because Boo is a golfer doesn't mean he is gonna give a good interview. Boo was baited and they got what they deserved. The whole cast is ignorant at the golf channel. And the golf world see's how neckish they can be too. But who cares not any white, and the whole damn golf world is a majority white. And trust alot of them are rednecks or racist and identified with Boo's comment, and trust me, laughed in acceptance.
  6. MIKE W
    6. Posted by MIKE W Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:20 pm EDT

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    I don't really see the big deal either. He was simply saying he's not gonna wear a turban. People loosen up a bit. Life is too short!
  7. Michael Green
    7. Posted by Michael Green Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:10 pm EDT

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    I dunno. It wasn't good but now Bush is leaving, the world may just need to roll our eyes and laugh at some Boo-ism's. Bait away.
  8. Carole
    8. Posted by Carole Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:18 pm EDT

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    the only thing improper was his use of the word 'them' instead of 'those'
  9. Andy P
    9. Posted by Andy P Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:07 pm EDT

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    I figured it would be something about bacon and beer.
    /I leave disappointed.
  10. Andreas
    10. Posted by Andreas Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:49 pm EDT

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    Don't forget the announcer last year who said Rocco Mediate looks like the guy who'd be cleaning Tiger's pool. Oh wait. I forgot. Rocco is white, so no big deal there.
    I am sick and tired of all this PC bull [profane] everywhere now days. Can't even joke around anymore without someone getting offended. Well, you know what? I am gonna join the crowd. I better not EVER hear another blond joke. Odd how the media has no problem making fun of blonds, but if you make fun of a black person, you better watch out. Now before you go say there is a big difference, there most indeed is NOT. What is the difference between judging someone solely on hair color vice judging someone solely on skin color? There is none whatsoever. Afterall, a blond joke may as well be a racial joke because only whites can be naturally blond (other than one in a million rare occurances).
  11. mcshooter
    11. Posted by mcshooter Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:31 pm EDT

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    this political correct crap is from folks who think you can pick up a turd from the clean end
  12. Jon
    12. Posted by Jon Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:42 pm EDT

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    The reporter got what he wanted, something new for the all media to run on. I guess he never said anything wrong.
  13. ole
    13. Posted by ole Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:19 pm EDT

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    if anyone was offended by Boo's comment, tuff crackerst...I'm so sick of all the whiny cry baby politically correct brain dead bigots, thay can all kiss my a$$...and while your at it pull your head's out. That's partly why I cannot stomache watching or listening to 90% of crap that comes out of the Gof Channel. Everything on that network is over dramtized, over stated and that includes the majority of annoucers and commenters not to mention the dumb a$$ programs where 2 guys that can't break 100 know all about the game and players...it's an embarrassement to Arnold Palmer one of originaters of the network.
  14. Superman
    14. Posted by Superman Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:57 pm EDT

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    Hey Andreas kiss my royal arz!! well that's funny hah!!
    but please dont let your cadd speak for yah!!
  15. Superman
    15. Posted by Superman Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:57 pm EDT

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    Well Boo just got out of the civilazation so he has an excuse, Imagine a Hooligan, or ignorant person saying something he dont understand, so we have to forgive him, because, he dont understand.
    So people dont be soo hard on them, people. because they dont know any better, this is new to them. simple!!
    but please dont let your caddy speak for yah!! ignorantico
  16. Project P
    16. Posted by Project P Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:20 pm EDT

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    No surprise here..considering his poor sportsmanship at the Ryder Cup (hep, guess I'll smack my wife in the eye, yeppers, uck-yuck)! Miguel Angel Jimenez; the only gentlemen left in the gentlemen's game.
  17. Jim B
    17. Posted by Jim B Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:30 pm EDT

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    a set number of strokes from tee to hole is PAR, thats with an R, why do tv dudes continue to pronounce the word PAW ?
  18. realdreamcards
    18. Posted by realdreamcards Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:33 pm EDT

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    Reading the comments here, I am impressed that alot of the agitation being expressed in this thread would be better directed toward the radio and print media. They, for example, are primarily responisible for The Golf Channel's tight on air policies. In every way, the irresponsible behaviors of so many of these "personalities" have led to today's tempest of "correctness". It seems that every print article these days, either on the internet or in a magazine, journal, or newspaper is filled with some sort of editorial comment from its fame hungry creator, who leaves the article woefully short of the important facts of the story. The same is generally true of radio programming, in particular news radio. It seems that the "shock jocks" have taken control of radio and degraded the media to a nonsensical cauldron of jibberish. This "good ol' boy network" of pseudo journalists is making the monsters, not the professionals of The Golf Channel and of television sports. As for Boo's comment, he's a country boy just making fun of his own heritage and havin' fun with the fans, so let's have fun with him. As for Kelly Tilghman's comment on "lynching" Tiger, I am still laughing. How many people actually believe that anyone wants to lynch anyone really. Tilghman is funny and I like her edge. Andreas S is right, but it's the print media's singular responsibility to report the facts and that's where the line will always be, and people need the facts in order to make good decisions in business and in their personal lives. Those who have decided that print and radio media personalities have a responsibility to propogate jibberish and nonsense at the expense of those facts have turned those potentially powerful sources of information into a characature of their intended purposes. It's great to have fun, but it's not fun if it comes at the expense of the facts! What is "correctness"? "Correctness" is any OVERZEALOUS attempt to establish a standard of right or morality. What is the cost of correctness?...Happiness. I say it's time to hold the media personalities, especially those of the print and radio media, accountable for their actions. It won't be long before they take over television and turn it into a meaningless muck if we don't!
  19. Paul
    19. Posted by Paul Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:02 pm EDT

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    Boo is a HOOT! I really enjoy him. He is getting fatter every time I see him. Soon he might be giving John Daly a run for his money in the fat department. Thankfully, it appears he is a much more stable individual than Daly, so I expect he will be entertaining in a positive way for some years to come.
  20. Derek
    20. Posted by Derek Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:03 pm EDT

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    Hey Jay Busbee, what are skeets?
  21. Andreas
    21. Posted by Andreas Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:49 pm EDT

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    Skeets are round disks of clay launched into the air and shot with a shotgun. Very fun. :D
  22. Derek
    22. Posted by Derek Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:03 pm EDT

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    Well that's the only skeet I know of. I'm Canadian and I don't know anyone who goes skeet shooting. I'm thinking it must be slang for something else.
  23. A Yahoo! User
    23. Posted by A Yahoo! User Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:56 pm EDT

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    perhaps he should have said ragheads?
  24. Jeff D
    24. Posted by Jeff D Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:38 pm EDT

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    I am sure the ragheads have some names for us also.
  25. ken m
    25. Posted by ken m Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:49 pm EDT

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    Leave Boo alone, he's one of the few people I can understand when he talks! A fellow southerner. Ask Faldo," what is a bisquit?" with tea?

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