Golfweek cover fans controversy
The Tiger Woods-Kelly Tilghman flap that involved the TV golf commentator's use of the word "lynch" as imagery just got bumped up a notch or two.
If you missed it, Tilghman, during the course of an on-air conversation with another announcer (Nick Faldo), said the only way that young golfers could ever hope to stop the unstoppable Woods was to take him in an alley and lynch him. A friend of Woods', Tilghman promptly apologized, saying there was no intended racial connotation. Woods brushed off the matter. Others were less forgiving. In the end, Tilghman was suspended for two weeks.
Now comes Golfweek magazine, one of the sport's most prominent publications with a discussion of the issue in its latest edition and as illustration, there's a stark image of a noose on the cover. While the magazine might have intended to shed light, what it has done is create even more heat.
PGA Commissioner Tim Finchem said in a statement: "... we consider Golfweek's imagery of a swinging noose on its cover to be outrageous and irresponsible. It smacks of tabloid journalism."
In the edition of the magazine with the noose, the magazine's editors wrote the following about the controversy surrounding the TV commentator's remark and her punishment: "The furor begs rational analysis."
Instead, the magazine's cover has only added fuel to the fire.
Comments
The word lynching doesn't nessicarily mean to hang. It is to be assualted by a mob. Kevin Garnett an African- American and also one the best basketball players in the NBA was convicted of 2nd degree lynching. I don't believe that she meant anything derogatory in a racial sense.
Posted by: Jeff | January 17, 2008 3:08 PM
You may want to be careful. If you are trying to put up a picture of Tilghman that's not her. That's Kay Cockerill.
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Max,
Taking it down. Thanks.
-- Bill O.
Posted by: Max in Miami | January 17, 2008 3:10 PM
The editor of Golfweek should be fired. Kelly has no rerason to hang her head. Tiger has more class in his little finger then Golfweek will ever have.
Posted by: Herbie | January 17, 2008 3:34 PM
ok, I don't usually get in these sorts of things but I can't keep quiet! I am so sick of people saying things that they should'nt and playing dumb after with a sorry. That women new she should'nt have said that. She was feeling comfortable and it came out in the wrong place.
Posted by: leila riger | January 17, 2008 3:53 PM
Too often when it suits people they like to play the race card. Why can't people mispeak or try to be funny, without everybody jumping to conclusions about what she really meant?
Posted by: Captain Jack | January 17, 2008 5:48 PM
I think everyone should cancel there golfweek subscription.
Posted by: ck | January 17, 2008 8:29 PM
Now I see why Britney couldn't attend court, Don wasn't on the radio, and crackhead Willy wasn't on the corner...they all joined Golfweek's editorial staff.
Smart like golf tee.
Posted by: Kevin | January 17, 2008 11:07 PM
"Too often when it suits people they like to play the race card. Why can't people mispeak or try to be funny, without everybody jumping to conclusions about what she really meant? [Captain Jack]" -- You miss the point - it's because there is nothing funny about that period in history. It doesn't mean that this person is or is not a racist - it's just that it is not funny and not something to joke about. It's like making a joke about 9/11 - that wouldn't make one a terrorist, but would certainly warrant an apology for the poor judgment in the choice for humor.
Posted by: Chris Panashe | January 18, 2008 11:30 AM
Dave Seanor, the Golfweek editor, was fired earlier today for that noose cover. I work in the golf business and know him a little bit, and he is a good, decent, rational guy. But he, like Kelly Tilghman and a long list of others, made a really bad, regrettable decision that will stain his career forever. The irony is that Tilghman will be back on the air next week.
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Joe,
Thanks for writing. I've had some technical difficulties here today that took a bit to straighten out but I'll try to get that up for the record.
-- Bill O.
Posted by: Joe Dalhart | January 18, 2008 12:15 PM
Dave is obviously the scapegoat. Nothing at Turnstile happens without oversight from "above". If Dave has to go, so should William P. Kupper, Patti Green, Jay Coffin and Max Andrews. Each would have had the opportunity to stop the cover in it's tracks, in print and on Golfweek's web site, but they chose to go with the controversy...and then throw Dave Seanor under the golf cart.
Posted by: Michael Sherwood | January 21, 2008 3:59 PM