To whomever, for whatever reason, still reads - or, more likely, still has an RSS feed - when this blog is posted to;
I had surgery on my wrist three weeks ago. And, since then, I have been lying to strangers as to why I was casted - more often than not it was a ploy to keep a conversation that I knew was sullied. I settled on three scripted explanations; three stories equipped with background, character development, a climax, and even a moral lesson, as well as a presentation full of pathos, logos, and a even a little ethos.
There was the obvious story of an alcohol induced incident involving a bar stool, a martini glass, a cosmopolitan, say 45-year-old couple celebrating their anniversary, and a bad joke about Dustin Hoffman's early career - this was only semi-believable. There was the quite elaborate story where a Las Vegas goon exercised a bit of corporal punishment on my hand after I was discovered cheating in a casino - actually, this was neither elaborate nor believable; I just stole it from a scene in Casino. Then, there was the believable story, the one most refined, and the one best articulated while holding a drink in your other hand; "I injured it blogging." "Yes, blogging." "No, it wasn't carpal tunnel surgery." "It was wrist surgery from blogging."
Then I would change conversations.
The real story is that it is s related to surgery on the same wrist three years ago, which was needed to correct a reoccurring injury, which was caused by my inability to quit golfing.
Anyway; so after telling, and re-telling this story (when you are always traveling and hosting large events; you only meet strangers), I decided that rather than repent I would alleviate my transmogrified soul and resurrect the blog.
So; I apologize for my absence and my, if what should be obvious already, total disregard for the pillars of grammar and word choice going forward. I am kidding. I am only rusty.
Cheers for now; I will be back soon with an explanation and analysis of my employment (sic) this past 7 months. In reality, I feel like Dustin Diamond these days; remember when he played Screech, for the third installment, of Saved by the Bell, Saved by the Bell: The New Class. I just cannot seem to move on and have a career.
As companies have disassociated themselves with Tiger Woods since he apologized for his "transgressions," inevitably the decision to end their respective corporate affiliations with Woods has been a result of diligence and concern over whether the company's image would be scarred by a man who has lost so much public face.
While the true negative value of a continued relationship with Woods is likely to remain contested, corporations can hardly be criticized for their concern over a potential public relations disaster.
Thogh it would seem that corporations would be reluctant to drop Woods, even amidst his transgressions, because of his former reputation and status as the world's most popular figure, several companies have ran away from him faster than Democrats left Joe Lieberman.
Both Accenture and AT&T ended their relationships, Tag Heuer dropped its US Woods campaign; Gillette said it would downscale Tiger's presence; Gatorade discontinued its Tiger Woods drink, but stated that the company had made the decision before the car accident; General Motors said Tiger will no longer loan vehicles to Tiger for free; and, Golf Digest suspended Tiger's monthly column.
Yet, some companies have formally expressed statements of support for Tiger. Upper Deck said it "Stands by Tiger Woods;" NetJets is "proud to have him involved with NetJets;" TLC Vision said their "relationship with him continues without change;" and Nike said Tiger and his family "have Nike's full support."
Tiger's other significant endorsement, EA SPORTS -- maker of the internationally popular Tiger Woods PGA TOUR video game -- has faced a whirlwind of media coverage over the last 48 hours as a leaked survey seems to symbolize doubt of their future relationship.
Since 1998, the Tiger Woods PGA TOUR video game, which is released in new version every year, has been offered for PC, PlayStation, Game Boy, PlayStation 2, XBox, GameCube, Mac OS, Nintendo DS, XBOX 360, PSP, Wii, PlayStation 3, and the iPhone. The game has become the quintessential golf video game for all gamers -- it's yearly anticipation is perhaps only rivaled by the Madden football series of video games.
On December 2, EA SPORTS, in their original statement of support, stated: "Our relationship with Tiger for more than a decade remains unchanged. We respect Tiger's privacy, we wish him a fast recovery and we look forward to seeing him back on the golf course."
On December 17, an EA SPORTS spokesperson stated: "We respect that this is a very difficult,and private situation for Tiger and his family. At this time, the strategy for our Tiger Woods PGA Tour business remains unchanged."
On January 4, President of EA SPORTS Pete Moore wrote in his blog: "Our relationship with Tiger has always been rooted in golf. We didn't form a relationship with him so that he could act as an arm's length endorser. Far from it. We chose to partner with Tiger in 1997 because we saw him as the world's best, most talented and exciting golfer." Moore announced that EA SPORTS would continue with the new Tiger WOODAS PGA TOUR Online game.
Tuesday evening, it was revealed that Greenfield Online (via Kotaku) released a survey with the following two questions:
"EA SPORTS makes a Tiger Woods video game. Has the controversy made your impressions of EA SPORTS more or less favorable, or has it had no impact?"
"Has the controversy made you more or less likely to buy a Tiger Woods related video game in the future?"
Where many corporations may cite the immorality of Tiger Woods, specifically with reference to him as a role model for children, as rationale for terminating their relationship with him, EA SPORTS stands unique in the breadth of impact that the company alone has on children. Video games are the dominating hobby of today's generation - appropriate or not. While many adults do play video games, particular EA SPORTS' line of sports games, the dominating constituency for EA SPORTS is clearly children.
Parents buy Tiger Woods PGA TOUR golf.
With this, it may be that EA SPORTS does "need" a morally clean spokesperson. While EA Sports does not make and distribute any other video games with a title name featuring an athlete, it's most popular games, Madden and NBA Live, feature athletes on their covers.
The Madden series of football games, since 2001 when it began using NFL players on its cover, has featured: Eddie George (2001), Daunte Culpepper (2002), Marshall Faulk (2003), Michael Vick (2004), Ray Lewis (2005), Donovan McNabb (2006), Shaun Alexander (2007), Vince Young (2008), Brett Favre (2009), and Troy Polamalu and Larry Fitzgerald (2010).
In 2005, Daunte Culpepper wash charged with indecent conduct, disorderly conduct, and lewd or lascivious conduct for the sex boat cruise scandal; in early 2004, two men were arrested for distributing marijuana in Michael Vick's car, in Oct. 2004 security cameras showed members of Vick's entourage taking a watch from an airport security screener, in 2005 a woman filed a civil suit against Vick claiming that she had contracted herpes from Vick, and in 2007 Vick was charged for operating an interstate dog fighting venture; in 1996 Brett Favre went into treatment and rehabilitation for an addiction to vicodin; and, in 2008, the mother of Larry Fitzgerald's child filed for an won an order of protection against Fitzgerald citing that she had been a victim of domestic abuse.
Since 1996, NBA Live has featured: Shaquille O'Neal (1996), Mitch Richmond (1997), Tim Hardaway (1998), Antoine Walker (1999), Tim Duncan (2000), Kevin Garnett (2001), Steve Francis (2002), Jason Kidd (2003), Vince Carter (2004), Carmelo Anthony (2005), Dwayne Wade (2006), Tracy McGrady (2007), Gilbert Arenas (2008), Tony Parker (2009), and Dwight Howard (2010).
In 2007, Tim Hardaway publicly made homophobic comments; in Jan. 2009 Antoine Walker was arrested for suspicion of drunk driving and again arrested in July 2009 for writing bad checks; in 2000, before Jason Kidd was on a cover, he was arrested and pleated guilty to a domestic abuse charge for ASSAULTING his wife; in 2004, Carmelo Anthony was cirted for marijuana posession, although his friend later signed an affidavit taking responsibility for the drugs, later in the same year he appeared in a documentary entitled "Stop Snitchin'" which showcased a culture of refusal to talk with police authorities, in 2006, Anthony's friend was cited for marijuana posession and three traffic violations in Anthony's vehicle, in 2008 Melo was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence; and Gilbert Arenas is currently suspended over a gun controversy.
This is not presented as a condemnation of athletes, but rather as precedent for EA SPORTS to maintain its relationship; although none of the aforementioned athletes are showcased with the same prominence in their respective games as Woods is in his.
It seems EA SPORTS has the following options:
1) Drop the "Tiger Woods" in the video game's name.
2) Drop the "Tiger Woods" in the name and remove his prominence throughout the game.
3) Continue the series as before.
A prevailing issue here is that Woods has not been featured in a television commercial or "new" advertisement since the car accident; EA SPORTS is in the process of widely distributing its new Tiger Woods video game. EA SPORTS is not just a player in today's golf video game market; their Tiger Woods PGA TOUR video game is THE golf video game market.
Obviously, EA SPORTS is asking themselves whether Tiger's transgressions are going to hurt the game's sales and whether a continued relationship with Tiger is going to hurt EA SPORTS' general sales?
I'm reluctant to say that EA SPORTS can simply offer a "PGA TOUR" video game, but, just the same, they already dominate the market and clearly can advertise the game as no different without the Tiger Woods affiliation. Yet, the culture clearly revolves around "the new T.Woods" video game.
My Recommendation:
I'd suggest that EA SPORTS maintains their affiliation with Tiger, but eliminates any reference to the game allowing users to walk in Tiger's shoes. Separate the idea of playing as Tiger Woods from being Tiger Woods. Further, while commercials/advertisements should include Tiger, EA SPORTS should explore showcasing multiple players on the cover as well as in its ads.
The sports world was bombarded yesterday with an anti-climactic display of "well-crafted" public relations and pseudo apologies as Mark McGwire shocked (sic) the world with his admission of performance enhancing drug (PED) use throughout the 1990s.
Since the now infamous "I'm not here to talk about the past" testimony before the House Committee on Government Reform on March 17, 2005, McGwire has become somewhat of a national joke, while being an utterly sad testament to the PED era. In the midst of his nearly five years of reclusion, his only impact on the sports news cycle has been leading up to the Hall of Fame voting (with 75 percent of votes needed for election, McGwire received 23.5 percent in 2007, 23.6 percent in 2008, 21.9 percent in 2009, and 23.7 percent in 2010).
Yet, his silence seemed to be futile after Tony La Russa announced on Oct. 26 that McGwire would be joining the St. Louis Cardinals coaching staff. As McGwire was suddenly propelled forward from his shadows of seclusion, it seemed inevitable that controversy and salacious commentary would characterize much of the upcoming season. Would McGwire be excused from media obligations destined to encompass questions surrounding his PED use? Would he simply recapture his infamous congressional testimony?
Where society had already given a guilty verdict on McGwire's alleged PED use, his single-day plan of revelations yesterday -- masterminded by former White House press secretary and current St. Louis Cardinals executive Ari Fleischer -- seemed an attempt at starting the news cycle and fueling it for a maximum of a few days. Seemingly, the plan was to admit fully and leave pundits with a day or two of conversation. Though the next few days will reveal the successes of the plan, a certain cloud of further uncertainty seems looming following yesterday's collection of ambiguity and off-putting statements.
ON WHEN EXACTLY HE USED STEROIDS: "I believe it was the winter of 1989 into 1990. I was given a couple of week's worth, tried it, never thought anything of it. I just moved on from it. But as far as using it on a consistent basis, it was the winter of 1993 into 1994."
ON WHETHER HE THINKS HE WOULD STILL HAVE PERFORMED AS WELL WITHOUT STEROIDS:
"I truly believe so. I believe I was given this gift. The only reason I took steroids was for my health purposes. I did not take steroids to get any gain for any strength purposes... I've always had bat speed. I just learned how to shorten my bat speed. I learned how to be a better hitter. There's not a pill or an injection that is going to give me -- or any athlete -- the hand-eye coordination to hit a baseball. A pill or an injection will not hit a baseball."
ON EXACTLY WHAT PERFORMANCE-ENHANCING DRUGS HE TOOK:
"The names I don't remember. But I did injectables. I preferred the orals. The steroids I did were on a very low dosage. I didn't want to take a lot of it. I took very, very low dosages, just because I wanted my body to feel normal. The wear and tear of 162 ballgames and the status of where I was at, and the pressures that I had to perform, and what I had to go through to try and get through all these injuries, it's a very, very regrettable thing."
ON REGRETTING HIS STEROID USE:
"I wish it never came into my life. But we're sitting here talking about it. I'm so sorry that I have to. I apologize to everybody at Major League Baseball, my family, the Marises, Bud Selig... Today was the hardest day of my life."
ON CALLING ROGER MARIS' WIDOW THIS MORNING:
"Well, I think she was shocked that I called her. I felt good...I felt that it was...that I needed to do that. They've been great supporters of mine. She was disappointed. She has every right to be. And I couldn't tell her how so sorry I was."
Other Pertinent Quotes:
"I wish I had never touched steroids. It was foolish and it was a mistake. I truly apologize. Looking back, I wish I had never played during the steroid era."
"This has nothing to do with the Hall of Fame. This has to do with me coming clean, getting it off my chest, and five years that I've held this in."
And, the killers:
"There's no way a pill or an injection will give you hand-eye coordination or the ability or the great mind that I've had as a baseball player. I was always the last one to leave. I was always hitting by myself. I took care of myself."
"I truly believe I was given the gifts from the Man Upstairs of being a home run hitter, ever since . . . birth. My first hit as a Little Leaguer was a home run. I mean, they still talk about the home runs I hit in high school, in Legion ball. I left the nation in home runs in college, and then all the way up to my rookie year, 49 home runs.
"I'm sure people will wonder if I could have hit all those home runs had I never taken steroids. I had good years when I didn't take any, and I had bad years when I didn't take any. I had good years when I took steroids, and I had bad years when I took steroids. But no matter what, I shouldn't have done it and for that I'm truly sorry."
The Mis-Steps:
Likely, the goals of the admission were to plainly admit and leave as few questions for discussion as possible. The obvious questions left, with even a simple "I took PED" admission, would be: 1) Will this change McGwire's Hall of Fame chances? 2) Does this add to the steroid era / asterisk conversation? 3) Can fans accept this apology?
Fans, and Hall of Fame voters, have equated PED use with increased strength, stamina, and health which, quite obviously, results in a benefited performance. Truly, there is no existing debate about whether or not PEDs aid performance, while fans also accept that MLB players, even those who have used PEDs, have immense talent. Yet, McGwire's refusal to admit that his performance was benefited by PEDs has already created another tension; another question left to be debated: is McGwire right in his statements that he was talented, gifted by "the Man Upstairs,"and PEDs didn't impact that?
Where there's an obvious reluctance for any athlete to admit that his or her achievements were impacted by anything other than talent and work, McGwire is past that stage in his career and the contextual difference portrays this attitude as childish and embarrassing.
Further, McGwire spoke of his apology to the Maris family, yet, if McGwire didn't believe that PEDs impacted his performance when breaking Maris' record, then why apologize?
Also, this very notion of McGwire "telling" his family is utterly inconceivable. Is McGwire really telling us that his wife never asked about the use? That his son never made a comment? Unless McGwire consulted with a legal team, early on, and his family were instructed to not discuss the PED use in case of future investigation, nobody believes this to be true.
Ultimately, where the PR strategy was meant to leave pundits only discussing larger thematic concerns or what the future holds for McGwire, the conversation today, and likely to follow, remains focused on the substance of his apology/revelation.
What I would have had him say:
Q: Did you PED use impact your performance?
A: PEDs made me stronger and healthier. I had talent and without that talent I wouldn't have accomplished what I did before my PED use and, likely, what I did during my PED use. While I was talented enough to hit home runs, PEDs obviously made my body better conditioned to do so.
Side Note:
MLB Network was a, perhaps, surprisingly astute journalistic entity yesterday in their interview and coverage of Mark McGwire. Where some may say MLB has much to gain from McGwire's admission, others, including myself, see the entire "Steroid-Era" conversation as a skeleton that MLB is desperately trying to separate themselves from. MLB Network behaved like a news agency yesterday. Props.
Yesterday, Dan Steinberg wrote in the Washington Post's D.C. Sports Blog that Arenas' teammate DeShawn Stevenson had written "Agent Zero" (Arenas' nickname) on his ankle tape in Sunday's game and reported that Washington Wizards staff had confiscated "Free Gil" posters at the Verizon Center -- updates stated that Wizards PR staff admit that a security guard acting on his own accord had confiscated an Arenas poster.
Arenas did not have a public relations response, but rather made himself into a clown and made a mockery of public relations in general.
The NBA's response to the allegations surrounding Gilbert Arenas have been widely scrutinized -- an original inaction by the league office, followed by inabilities to curb the news story, followed by attempts to hide the story, and, for now, ending with an indefinite suspension and a multitude of questions left to be answered.
Rather than sculpting their response around a picture of Arenas as a rogue ball player (forgetting Javaris Crittenton altogether) -- a measure that leagues ALWAYS rely on -- in an attempt to diffuse a larger picture discussion, why not in a moment of proactivity admit to a -- real or not -- element of gun violence that permeates throughout the league, but more importantly throughout a culture that the NBA speaks to?
This "skeletons in the closet" doctrine of public relations can only be successful to an extent; ultimately the door is going to break and a profligatory portrait is going to be painted.
The NBA expects the public, once it has outcasted Arenas and the news story dies, to move past the incident and resume its normal fanhood. By diffusing and moving on, the NBA faces a not dissimilar journey to Tiger Woods.
With Tiger Woods return, either freshly divorced or not, the public will be left circumventing both fact and fiction while clinging to the remnants of one of sports' all-time dominant athletes. It will be expected that Tiger is accepted back into a conflicting golf culture by a generation of fans he molded and by a generation of fans that perhaps never accepted him and him as the catalyst for the game's changes; Tiger Woods Inc. will likely expect this, as will his endorsers, as will the PGA Tour, as will the game in general.
By remaining silent in the shadows of tabloid dreams, Tiger Woods continues to dehumanize himself in the midst of the most humanizing period of his (private and public) life. Vice, ostentatiousness, remorse, personal struggle, and demons are at the foreground of life; where we (fans) long for our superstars to be better than we are -- to fit into some exemplification of idealism/exceptionalism -- we also crave for those humanized moments: the losses, the tears, the scandals. Tiger's PR model has been to save grace by broadcasting him in such depths of regret that he's neither fit for public eyes nor concerned with anything aside from saving his family.
From an idealistic perspective there needs to be some connection with fans that, frankly, allows for some healing of a wounded relationship, from a pragmatic perspective the news story needs to be controlled when it can be. As there seems to be a widespread belief that Elin is going to ditch Tiger and head back to Sweden, what would be the fan response, today, if a post on TigerWoods.com read:
I'm doing what I can to save my family; I don't want my children growing up in a broken home. My apologies to Elin will never make up for what I've done, but for now they're what I have.
And, next week a post read:
I'm not certain that our marriage can survive the things that I've done, but I'm not going to back away from it. I took advantage of Elin and what I've done will forever embarrass my children, but I'm not ready for this to be its final chapter.
Why not be candid? Why not accept a forever change (maybe transmogrification) of an image and seize an opportunity to be human, not robotic, to have a face, not to be a corporate face?
Silence is a poisonous tree methodology.
Side Note:
I'll admit that I have presented conflicting perspectives on Tiger Woods, but, truthfully, it's because I'm conflicted. Where I wish he would have made a rare stop in Hawaii this past weekend in the SBS Championship and resumed his quest for history, I don't believe that a brash return would be in his long-term best interests or in the best-interests of golf and the PGA Tour. Tiger needs to save face if he doesn't want biographical book-jackets to mention the scandal in the third sentence, if he doesn't want to be a punch line as Wilt Chamberlain's 10,000 women are, and if the PGA Tour is to resume its exponential growth amidst a changed economic climate. But, I want to watch his mastery at work again, as soon as he'll be able to illustrate it again.
Soap Box Rant:
Regarding the NBA and Gilbert Arenas, there are the unmistakable racial undertones and supposed "hip hop" culture that NBA critics cite perpetuates throughout the league. Where many issues with similar black/white considerations may be an accurate lens, a racial perspective need not necessarily be the commanding perspective. Yet, the reluctance of the mainstream media/entertainment industry to give a racial lens its due platform seems persistent in the world of politically correct oversights -- where the fear of a Pandora's Box of racial considerations dominates the discussion.
While athletes should not be used as pawns of social change, sport most certainly can be a beacon of social responsibility and an instrument of social progress. In 2006, there were nine White deaths per 100,000 Americans by firearm, while there were 20 African American deaths by firearm per 100,000 Americans -- while African Americans only comprised 12.3 percent of the population, as opposed to 74.3 percent for Whites (Census).
The NBA's culture has an unquestionable African American influence, if not the predominant influence. Where the NBA collective bargaining agreement permits NBA players to legally own firearms, it does not permit them on NBA or team property. Why can't the NBA take measures to stem the tide of gun violence in this country, most specifically amongst the African American community, through policy and community relations?
Inevitably, any controversy surrounding an athlete is exacerbated by the "a hero is failing children" proclivity; a notion of "athletes as heroes" that professional sports has long exploited for its gain. With the election of Barack Obama, a conversation ensued that Black mothers may now take their child's hand and lead them to Obama as a Black role-model; a generation of young Black men may now have a like-raced hero that wasn't an athlete or entertainer (for some reason, Colin Powell and -- ugh -- Condoleeza Rice didn't fill the need).
It all relates to an ultimate discussion of heroism and leadership; the league can't permeate sentiments of responsibility and role-model-ship to its fans while remaining steadfast in its alienation of social concerns.
Sorry for my apathy and laziness of late, it's not that I've forgotten about my five or six faithful readers or that I've gone Roman Polanski, but that my computer remains water-logged and I've been contemplating and reflecting on my post-college life.
My computer may be back and operational as soon as the end of the upcoming week and I can assure you that I'll reclaim my moments of delusional efficacy and I'm sure to retain my pedanthood as soon as able.
In my missed 3 weeks, there has been so much in the world of sports and sports media: Tiger Woods has lost his pedestal in the world of TMZ.com and E entertainment news, Gilbert Arenas brought guns to the locker room, got into a confrontation with a teammate and a loaded weapon, tweeted about it, made fun of it, then was suspended by David Stern for all of it, some professional and college football games were played -- eh -- and the PGA Tour resumed this weekend in Hawaii.
Going forward, as I've lost many of the constraints (sic) of the scholastic assignment nature of Never Three Putt, look for significant changes in format and topic, as well as a more unbridled enthusiasm about my writing. There will be more conversation of the general sports media, increased hyperlinking to those whom both write better and are more informed on their subjects than I do and am, and likely a bit more of a catty attitude about certain media matters.
So; have a cup of coffee in the morning, a snack at midday, and a libation in the evening with me and, as always, send all comments, thoughts, ideas, rants, raves, tirades, and tyranny to michaelott23@gmail.com.
On October 13, 2009 – just over two months ago – I sat in the office of my journalism instructor and announced, “I believe that I can be the best golf journalist in the country.”
The audaciousness of this statement was clearly derived from the competitive confidence that has encompassed my life, as well as what I have boastfully characterized as perhaps an unparalleled background in golf. I have spent my 22 years on this planet deeply rooted in the business of golf, the eccentricities of the game, the mechanics of highly skilled golf and the spirit and components of the competitive mind that separates the most accomplished golfers from the Saturday foursome enthusiasts. Through my experiences as a junior and college golfer, in the repeated golf discussions with my father, a PGA professional, countless golf instructors, sports psychologists, and other golf experts, I have come to accept my background as a framework with which to view the game and to write on it as unique in the golf media world.
I immediately accepted my instructor’s advice to recreate my former European football (soccer) blog as a golf blog. That afternoon, my new golf blog, “Never Three Putt,” was born. He also advised that I undertake a project of self-education on the golf media field. My original focus was to learn the foundation of the golf media and, specifically, that of successful golf blogging as way to enter the field. The project since turned towards the future of the golf media. After speaking with golf bloggers, newspaper writers, magazine writers, and production staff from the Golf Channel, I present the sum of my work.
I invite you to sit and observe my findings and the life transformation that this project has been a catalyst of. As I prepare to graduate next week, I do not believe that I have had such a vested interest in any academic undertaking in my collegiate career – the following conversation has both changed my opinions on the golf media, as well as taken me on an alternative career path.
Historical Perspective
Where the golf essay once stood as a beacon of journalistic class in sports writing society, it has long since evolved, some say transmogrified, into a commercial, macro-audience manner of writing – broad appeal, concise and direct, an absence of technical and therefore alienating golf terminology and analysis. It is not as if today’s golf writers are less-skilled or less-devoted in their reporting or writing than those of writers past, but it is evident that the climate of readership expectations has dramatically changed.
Herbert Warren Wind is considered by many as the quintessential golf writer of the latter-half of the twentieth century. In a 1958 piece for Sports Illustrated, Wind famously titled the 11th, 12, and 13th holes at Augusta National, home of the Masters, “Amen Corner.” He writes, “On the afternoon beforethe start of the recent Masters golf tournament, a wonderfully evocative ceremony took place at the farthest reach of the Augusta National course—down in the Amen Corner where Rae's Creek intersects the 13th fairway near the tee, then parallels the front edge of the green on the short 12th and finally swirls alongside the 11th green.” Where Wind succeeded in cadence, prose, and style, he mastered the ability to line his writing with his unbridled affinity for the game -- with every passage, with every article, with every book Wind non-hesitantly told the world of his love for golf.
Current Newspaper
Where golf once had a significant presence in the newspaper industry, today it has almost none. Currently, there are only three full-time golf writers at newspapers – USA Today,The New York Times, and the Associated Press. Now, the only golf writing found in newspapers is often found in local papers covering local events. In 2009, the Atlanta-Journal Constitution printed 44 articles about the Masters written by six different reporters – most newspapers across the country ran AP stories, a few sent staff reporters, and some had a single writer for several newspapers (Teddy Greenstein wrote under the Tribune Company’s umbrella). Similarly, TheBoston Globe printed 25 articles by six different reporters during the week of the Deutsche Bank Championship (Norton, Massachusetts) – there was even less of a presence of outside newspaper reporters than at the Masters as it was not a “Major.”
Perhaps this decline is due to the timeliness restrictions of newspapers. Most golf events are concluded in the early evening, by 6:00p.m. Not only is this well before a traditional newspaper’s evening print deadline, but perhaps most destructively, events are concluded in-time for immediate telecast and online publication. Local television news, the evening edition of ESPN’s SportsCenter, hours of analysis and commentary provided by the Golf Channel, in addition to the ease in updating PGATour.com can all provide fans with information presented in a more seminal context than they would be apt to find in a 350-word “game story.”
Teddy Greenstein, a sports writer for the Chicago Tribune, was recently hired as the nationally syndicated golf writer for the Tribune Company and its newspaper affiliates. Greenstein is responsible for covering Chicago’s local PGA Tour event (recently designated as a FedExCup playoff event; the BMW Championship), the three domestic majors (U.S. Open, PGA Championship, and the Masters), and The Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup when played in America (every other event). However, Greenstein continues to have obligations covering other sports beats for the Chicago Tribune -- I spoke with him during his drive back to Chicago after reporting on a Notre Dame Men’s Basketball game.
The golf magazine is perhaps the sole surviving golf media entity that represents the ideals of the past. Today, Golfweek, Golf Digest, and Golf Magazine remain the dominant mainstream golf magazines, while there are a few niche golf magazines throughout the country. Golf Digest and Golf Magazine are extraordinarily similar in their writing, topics, and style. Both rely heavily on the availability of golf instructors and Tour players for golf tip sections, both do little timely news reporting as they are monthly publications, and most of the writing is found in feature length pieces or short discussions of golf’s less timely, larger issues – equipment concerns, golf course reviews, etc.. On the other hand, Golfweek (a weekly publication) is significantly more devoted to reporting tournament news, providing rankings (professional and amateur, men’s and women’s), and new and classic golf course reviews. Where Golf Digest and Golf Magazine frequently may feature articles that are 2,000 words in length, most of Golfweek’s articles run 500-700 words and features are rarely over 1,200 words.
Yet, golf magazines are facing a parallel struggle to that of newspapers. The financial demands of print: the required overhead and the need to send multiple reporters throughout the world to events are negatively affecting the industry, particularly in the current economic downturn. Numerous magazines have decreased their staff and other overhead (Sports Illustrated, Golf Digest, Golf World) and nearly all are looking to unconventional ways to turn a profit in a climate dominated by Internet driven free content, rather than subscription magazines.
Current Television
The Golf Channel currently broadcasts PGA Tour, Champions Tour, Nationwide Tour, European Tour, and LPGA Tour events, as well as a daily half-hour golf news recap show (Golf Central) and multiple hours of live coverage before and following the live broadcast of significant events. The Golf Channel features a prominent group of former Tour players and a successful broadcast staff, which may benefit through Comcast's (owner of the Golf Channel) recent acquisition of NBC Universal.
Yet, the Golf Channel has received criticism from the conventional golf media community; one prominent writer referred to it as the “PGA Tour’s PR machine.” If working there, the writer stated, “be prepared to write fluff since the Golf Channel goes out if it’s way to steer clear of controversy.”
As the worldwide leader in providing sports coverage, ESPN provides television golf coverage. While they broadcast a few golf events a year, there is only a rare sighting of golf on ESPN, unless it’s a SportsCenter top 10 play, a two or three minute tournament preview with former player Andy North, or a brief cameo by ESPN.com blogger Jason Sobel.
Some other networks that broadcast live golf events (TNT, USA, CBS, NBC, ABC) will feature an occasional PGA Tour special that airs, most often, immediately proceeding live tournament coverage. However, this programming is often produced by the PGA Tour Entertainment group, or is directly affiliated with the event itself (ie. Masters’ documentaries).
Current Blog
There are, essentially, three categories of blogs with respect to golf media: 1) the larger media institution affiliated blog, 2) the small, subset to traditional content blog, and 3) the independent blog.
Currently, Jason Sobel of ESPN.com and Jay Busbee of Yahoo.com represent the most significant bloggers in the first blog classification. Neither writer’s work appears in a traditional print medium – they produce exclusively online content, they are both affiliated with a larger corporate sports media entity, and their general manner of reporting is Internet, multimedia driven. However, at times both will write with a more traditional column tone.
With regard to the second category of golf blogging, numerous staff writers of golf magazines and newspapers post to a blog that is affiliated through the media entity that employs them. Golf Digest (golfdigest.com), Golfweek (golfweek.com), Golf Magazine (golf.com), and the Golf Channel (thegolfchannel.com), amongst others, require their staff to post to a blog. Their posts range from the less-than stories that wouldn’t find their way into a traditional article and follow-ups to simple humor and the utilization of multimedia platforms.
The independent blog ranges from, what one magazine writer called, “the basement writers – bloggers who never leave the house and write off transcripts” to niche golf experts that, for a variety of reasons, do not write or work for a traditional golf media entity. As it appears, few are actually monetized and seemingly serve as either a hobby or as a means of self-promotion for other commercial endeavors. Geoff Shackelford is an industry expert in golf course architecture. His blog is, generally, posted to multiple times per day and his postings range from first hand golf course analysis to more of a reader function where he hyperlinks and sometimes analyzes or comments on the work of more traditional golf reporters.
The quality of a blog’s content can be contingent on the access (player, Tour event, etc.) that a blogger has, unless the blogger is willing to provide an unique perspective to existing commentary. In asking successful golf writers and golf bloggers about what the most significant key to success as a golf blogger is, the most common response was providing a unique perspective not found elsewhere.
As someone with, perhaps, a greater knowledge of playing the game competitively than most golf writers, I find myself at times able to provide commentary that would not typically be found elsewhere. Yet, without the ability to provide first-hand accounts, have first-hand experience with a respective golfer, or being privy to the golf course, there is a clear credibility gap. My commentary on a golfer's round could well provide a unique combination of competitive perspective and writing technique, but the current economics of independent blogging prohibit physical presence on a regular basis.
The multimedia capacities of online writing have proven effective for Busbee and Sobel. During the 2009 Presidents Cup, Sobel operated a video blog, updated multiple times per day, where he would provide short video reports of content ordinarily found in print. Similarly, both are affiliated with podcasts; Sobel hosts ESPN’s On the Tee, while Busbee hosts Devil Ball Golfcast.
Technological advances in content production, a major catalyst for the decline of the conventional print media, have created an ability to produce and a demand for immediate content. Expectations have changed dramatically with the Internet; where people once viewed tomorrow’s newspapers as news, they are now more likely to refer to it as yesterday’s news. Where reporters formerly were concerned with print deadlines, today that concern has shifted to meeting the attention deadlines of an audience.
As an independent blogger, generating readers is significantly different than it is when carrying a Yahoo.com or ESPN.com attachment as Busbee and Sobel do. However, both point towards reciprocity as instrumental in gaining readership. “Link your posts in applicable comment sections throughout the Internet,” Busbee stated. Similarly, Sobel stated, “Give credit to other writers and bloggers; they’ll turn people your way as well.” While the Internet community is obviously constantly expanding, it remains a somewhat close-network of golf writers and bloggers.
“The key to maintaining readers is to give them a reason to come back,” Busbee stated. Whether this is accomplished through registering readers and providing them with e-mails of blog posts or through the simple reputation of frequently posting, readers need to be aware (whether through notification or reputation) of a new posting. Though Sobel is aware of the unmatched sports media benefits of being associated with ESPN and having his blog posted throughout the ESPN.com Web site, the notions of establishing some form of a relationship with readers remains pivotal.
Busbee and Sobel have turned to Twitter as means to maintain frequent contact with readers. Sobel, whose Twitter account is syndicated on the ESPN.com golf site, has (as of 12/10/09) 3,889 followers while Busbee has 2,415 followers. Though these numbers pale in comparison to their blog readerships, these symbolic gestures are unparalleled (with the exception of returning e-mails, phone calls, or re-commenting) in any other medium; and, it’s likely that their followers will continue to grow as more of the public becomes accustomed to the technology.
In Summary
Following my blog post on Herbert Warren Wind – where I linked to his famous 1958 Sports Illustrated article about The Masters and “Amen Corner” – a reader commented, “I guess we should lament there is no one writing like H.W. Wind these days, but who would read it when we have high definition television and the golf channel.” The point may be a sad testimonial to the future of golf journalism.
Perhaps it’s a cultural change or just a passed torch of another generation, but the romanticism of a well-crafted article does not often carry its former weight when compared with today’s multimedia and professionally produced television segment. GolfWeek writer Alistair Tait stated, “I lament the death of the golf essay. Sadly, the days of sitting down with a good golf essay, or a long Peter Dobereiner like piece on the eccentricities of the game are long gone. It seems these days that if you can’t reduce your observation to 140 characters or less then no one will read you.”
While some may point to the current economic climate as the source for some of the print golf media’s struggles, it would be irresponsible to expect a resurgence of the print media when the economy recovers. It is possible that the lessons of consolidation and the advantages of a writing staff with multi-platform capacities will remain implemented in the future. If the desire to be a golf journalist in the traditional sense still burns, a nontraditional versatility may be the only recipe for future success. As bloggers Jason Sobel and Jay Busbee, as well as Golfweek’s Beth Ann Baldry point out, the ability to work within all three mediums (Internet, print, television) is perhaps the quintessential attribute required of tomorrow’s successful golf journalist.
While I applaud the multi-platform endeavors of bloggers like Jason Sobel and Jay Busbee (podcasting, video blogging, multimedia style writing), at times this seems like golf writing on life support. As all journalists attempt to adapt themselves to the changing needs of consumers and the industry at large (economic), my question, maybe, has become how can journalists adapt their approach to golf media, and how can journalists adapt golf media at large to fit these needs?
The future of top-tier golf journalism may exist in more of a public relations capacity; facilitating player created content that lacks a traditional journalistic perspective. With the Internet and other technological advents, the ease of creating personal content – diary entries, video blogging, Twitter feeds, etc. – have allowed for the unprecedented development of the fan/athlete relationship. Without relying on mainstream media features and the decision of journalists to write about an individual Tour player, players are increasingly able to broadcast their personality and tell their stories without a reliance on the mainstream media.
With a microphone and a laptop, a 60-minute podcast can be produced and uploaded on the Internet in 70-minutes. A Twitter post of 140 characters only takes the time that is required to, perhaps, thoughtfully type those characters on a computer or an iPhone.
The central issue in society’s consumption of Internet content is the acceptance of its raw nature; consumers generally don’t expect the same strength of writing that is found on a blog as they do in a newspaper; Internet video content can be less polished than if it were on network television.
The future of golf media lies in facilitating player created content and providing for its worldwide consumption. While a journalist may have the skills to tell another’s story in a compelling fashion, it is unlikely that their re-telling of the story proves as seminal as a first-hand account. Moderating interviews, moderating diary entries, educating players on the adequacies and inadequacies of social media (Twitter and similar concepts most directly) is the next evolutionary stage of the golf media.
My Growth
This is as much a discussion of the golf media as it is the summation of a college student’s attempts to find himself; this project has steered me to a singular focus of my future career devoted almost entirely to facilitating PGA Tour and Tour player created-content. Where my passion for the journalistic enterprise is unwavering, my cynicism for the future of the golf media has grown.
I began this project believing that I could provide a perspective that was atypical to conventional golf writing. While I believe I’m able to write that unique perspective, I am now less optimistic and increasingly doubt the efficacy of it in generating readers. Jason Sobel points to his readership as ranging from “avids and PGA Tour lovers to I saw Tiger Woods in the headline.”
A discussion of the fundamentals of the game and a subjective analysis into the specifics of a Tour player's round may be meaningful to some, but with the consolidation of the media and the need for broad appeal this would prove an exercise in futility. I would like to evoke the instructional viewpoints of the game’s leading teachers; yet, it seems likely that readers would prove lost in the jargon and un-relatable content. “You want to be careful not to alienate readers,” Jason Sobel told me.
While it is not a condemnation of the traditional golf media, I have grown increasingly uncertain of my role in it. I don’t view niche golf reporting as being potentially engaging enough to achieve the level of success that I have come to expect from myself. I find myself too interested in the positive promotion and advancement of the game to engage – apologetically – in the superfluous reporting that can characterize it. As has been evident in the drama of Tiger Woods’ unmasking as a philanderer, golf writers have been forced to report and comment on the story because of its appeal to their readership and their readerships’ demand for it. It could have been directly detrimental to their careers had they refused to report on it. I remain too idealistic in my passion for golf to repeatedly write on a story that I consider damaging to the game.
My Future
A statement from Golfweek’s Beth Ann Baldry is profound with regard to the industry; “People will always need news. We just have to figure out a way to make them pay to get it.”
As has been the case throughout the print media, the Internet has created a climate where readers demand free, unlimited access to content. Without subscription fees, these media groups are continuously relying on advertisements for support.
However, a future exists in producing player created content, under the blanket of the PGA Tour, for dissemination to the public. As a journalist, the key to success, under this framework, is to moderate and facilitate content provided by Tour players, instructors, and golfers in a manner that is latent and relatable to the golfing public – without losing the essence of their analysis.
With my skill set and interests, I see my future employment in the capacity of a journalist in a public relations atmosphere; aiding Tour players with their individually created content, assisting the PGA Tour (and other Tours) in creating its own content for Internet distribution, and in resurrecting the golf essay in a macro-audience perspective – most likely in a multimedia capacity.
Where complex golf analysis seemingly has no future place in the traditional golf media, providing anecdotal tales in this fashion will be essential to the future of the golf media. There is no person more able to analyze and comment on a tournament round than the player is (with the possible exception of his or her instructor). The knowledge gap between skilled and unskilled golfers is the principle obstacle to this type of reporting, but an ability to moderate these discussions and simplify them through appropriate interviewing and translation is the future of the industry. Without the need of a traditional golf media attachment, this type of content can be masterfully produced, while ensuring the public relations desires of the Tour, at an absolute fraction of the expenses found in print and television media.
