At his site, Geoff Shackelford weighs in on my view that Brandel Chamblee should have appeared on Golf Channel to explain his controversial column on Tiger Woods.
Shackelford doesn’t think that would have been a good idea.
There is nothing more obnoxious than the media exploiting itself in these instances. While you can quibble with Chamblee’s questionable decision to roll out the cheating analogy, if you’ve met him or watched him work long enough you know he’s not the limelight hog that many have portrayed him as in this little first golfing world saga. He’s opinionated, paid for his views and generally backs up his positions as well as anyone in sports television.
Then Shackelford adds:
Tiger, meanwhile, has a chance to capitalize on Chamblee’s apology. Traditionally, he would (and will) dig in, exerting behind-the-scenes influence to get revenge. But a wise Tiger would let Chamblee off the hook with a simple “we all make mistakes.” He would end the spat the bigger man, moving the discussion off of the cheating allegation toward an act of forgiveness, shifting focus off his disturbing number of 2013 rules gaffes.
It’ll never happen.
Shackelford is right about that.
I still expect Chamblee to address his column at some point on the Golf Channel.
His post included some interesting comments from readers.
So when a player says something stupid is OK for GC to flesh it out for a week or more, but when Brandlel says something stupid, later stands by his words, then flops and apologizes he should get a pass? And we wonder why some players don’t like the media.
And.
Oh, and Geoff has it right. This is a beautiful, a golden opportunity for Woods to show that he’s magnanimous, easy-going and forgiving. But — true to the form he learned at the knee of master grudge-holder Michael Jordan — he will remain silent, stoic and seething. A small man with a petty outlook on life.
And.
I agree, Geoff. It’ll never happen. Tiger’s s*#t list has a half-life approximately that of carbon-14.
And.
Much ado about nothing…. aren’t all apologies now issued via twitter?
Shackelford seems to have selective memory when it comes to people saying dumb/mean things about Tiger — he was quite forgiving of the Golf Channel commentator who joked other players should “lynch” him, and he was pretty dignified when Sergio Garcia didn’t know when to shut up. Chamblee kept doubling down on what he said, so I’m unclear on why Shackelford thinks Tiger should be magnanimous… but if Tiger DOES forgive him publicly, it wouldn’t be the first time. Not sure why you agree with him that “it’ll never happen.”