"Lynch Tiger Woods in a back alley." **

Thanks to the reader who caught this wire story:

Golf Channel anchor Kelly Tilghman has apologized after saying during Friday's telecast of the PGA Tour's opening event that today's young players should "lynch Tiger Woods in a back alley."

Somewhere, Ben Wright is smiling. He's off the hook!

A spokesman for the network said Tilghman apologized on Sunday's telecast and has reached out to Woods' representatives to express her regrets for the comments, according to New York Newsday.

Yeah, that'll do the trick. 

Update on Tuesday, January 8, 2008 at 06:45 PM by Geoff

**Scott Hamilton fills in a few more gaps in this Golfweek column.

Comments

[JB]

This would be a nice excuse to finally fire her. She is without question the worst TV commentator in the business.

[sodface]

Unfortunate choice of words when the player in question is half African-American.

[iacas]

The way I see it, there are really only two ways you can take this.

1) A little of Kelly's masked racism came out. Oops.
2) She was just trying to say "killed" but "lynched" was the first word she thought of.

Whether Kelly is truly a racist or not is beside the point: "lynch" is a tainted word in this country, and rightfully so, given the history. Anyone in broadcasting should know it.

Even if you want to give Kelly the benefit of the doubt, she not only needs to upgrade the filter between her brain and her mouth but she should realize that joking about killing someone, even in jest, is probably inappropriate in and of itself. To add in a bit of racism just really takes it over the top.

Kelly could have gotten the point across that no young player will rise to the top while Tiger's still playing by saying they could "somehow convince Tiger to retire." It's not only nicer, it's not racist and is more likely to happen than what she said.

Tiger will probably do the "PR-appropriate" thing and say he forgives Kelly, then privately give her the cold shoulder from here to eternity. I imagine he's steamed but too smart to show it.

[Kevin]

I echo what JB said above. I'd rather listen to Steve Melnyk than Kelly Tilghman.

[Sir Real]

Any male announcer would be fired pronto for making such a statememt. She should be canned...for that alone. She's also so PC and dull that her voice would be missed by few in the game.

[rbdowntown]

"I have know Tiger for twelve years"...like you are shooting hoops and eating sushi with him?...get rid or her...she's not racist...just ignorant.

[Lynn S.]

I would agree with the consensus above. She is there due to her gender, and looks. But she might improve and I think we will have to listen to whether she does or not. A channel lacking in significant female viewers will not dump her. I just wish she would calm down and get excited when it is justified, not just because another Fed Ex cup year has started.

[RM]

At least kick her off the broadcast team. Golf Central, 19th Hole and Big Break are more her speed.

What's worse...The Golf Channel's Tour coverage or Fox's BCS coverage? Tough call!

[Tighthead]

I dont see TW putting to much of a freeze on a TGC personality. The entire network, including Kelly, gushes over him and provides free fuel to the publicity machine.

[Tuna]

"I'd rather listen to Steve Melnyk than Kelly Tilghman"

That is damn near the ultimate insult. :)

[Geoff]

Tuna,
I'm with you, Kevin is really pushing it with that one!

[rbdowntown]

be careful what you wish for...TGC is so thin on talent, Melnyk might have a shot...the horror!

[Tim]

FYI everyone, Kelly and Tiger are very good friends. He is her free pass at Golf Channel. Nothing will come of this..

[Todd Sentell, author of Toonamint of Champions]

I wonder what Don Imus thinks about this one.

[Martin Del Vecchio]

The worst part: "I’m sorry for any misunderstanding."

There was no misunderstanding; just a bafflingly inappropriate comment. Why can't anybody just say, "I shouldn't have said it, because it's offensive and inappropriate. I'm sorry I said it."

[JB]

I agree with Tighthead. The entire network drools over Tiger Woods especially Tilghman. You know TW likes her because he simply calls her "Kel".
She gets the free pass while Fuzzy Zoeller is hung out to dry and has his life turned upside down.

[JSS]

Don't offend the messiah, praise allah. Tiger please please please don't be offended. We need you, you are everything. Without you we are nothing.

It was a joke, gimmee a break.

[C. Freeman]

JB:

I would disagree with the Fuzzy-Kelly comparison. Kelly's follow-up point to Faldo was about young players taking out Woods in order to get some wins (or at least prevent him from winning). It was a definite gaffe in the way she tried to follow Faldo's lead. However, it is a far cry from the emotional outburst of Fuzzy essentially bemoaning the fact that a minority had won the Master's.

[Steven T.]

I just came across this on ESPN. Tiger's agent has issued a statement saying:

"This story is a non-issue. Tiger and Kelly are friends and Tiger has a great deal of respect for Kelly. Regardless of the choice of words used we know unequivocally that there was no ill-intent in her comments. This story is a non-issue in our eyes. Case closed."

[CBell]

If you heard Kelly's comment live, Tiger's (agent's) response says it all. She meant to say "mugged" and out popped "lynched." Embarrassing, humiliating, awkward - but a blip on the radar screen which I'm guessing most listeners didn't even notice.

I'm more PC than most readers here, I suspect, but I think Kelly's and Tiger's responses showed class. Shame on the media if they pursue this further - at this point they would be aggravating a problem and promoting racial tension.

[RDH]

Maybe this will stop or at least slow down the rush to end the careers of people who say something off the cuff. Ben Wright, Don Imus, among others have been ruined for comments like these.

Haven't you ever put your foot in your mouth? I know I have.

[Jad]

I think the comment was blatent ignorance of the literal meaning and original context of the word. As someone who is younger I can tell you that using the word F*g (pardon me) does not carry the same implications that it once did. I've heard/seen it used in movies or in a situation that had nothing to do with sexuality. For instance it may be interchangeable for the word sissy. It might be hard to understand. Another example, Rap artists use the N word in reference to their friends. Point being, certain words have lost some of there literal meaning. I think kelly a TW understand this and that her choice of words had nothing to do with her point of view on race.

Jad

[rpf]

dear Jad,

f*g = sissy? and that isn't offensive and has nothing to do with sexuality? think again.

[renee on the bay]

I never post comments but felt it imperative to address the ONE point
that so many have overlooked or forgotten.
LYNCHING is murder! It is not now nor has it ever been anything other
than MURDER. Therefore it is never an appropriate or acceptable joke!

[I smell a rat]

Kelly should be fired. There is no room for comments of that magnitude in our society. If these are her true feelings, they were better left unsaid.
I thought the grads from DUKE were suppose to be smart, NOT

[BH]

I agree with JB and Kevin. I also agree with Geoff that this is TGC's fault. Mainly for putting her in this spot or position; no experience as a play by play announcer, no real golf experience and she adds very little to the enjoyment of the tournament. She could not shut up. She did not utilize the on course announcers enough, talked right over them. She so wanted to be one of the boys instead of herself.

The mistake is inexcuseable, that type of thinking has no place on the air or any place else for that matter. If she thinks like that she should have kept it to herself.

TGC does have several good female announcers. Dottie Pepper comes to my mind. She knows the game and has experience, as well as several other ladies that do the LPGA.

Good Riddance!

[Chicago kid]

Her absence would only improve TGC. She adds nothing and is Exhibit A that they don't pay very well.

[jad]

rpf:

im not saying sissy isnt offensive, but the word itself isnt reserved for people of homosexual persuasion.

if you think it is, you need to change your view of what characteristics you associate with being homosexual.

[AngeL PEREZ]

I bet if Kelly's comments would have been about a jewish player and players jumping him and using gas chambers this would have been a bigger issue. This is a racist act and she should get fired she is smart enough to get this job and dumb enough to make such a stupid comment.

[sudeman]

what is all the fuss about? i wonder if any white people have ever been hanged. some people are offended about anything and just about everything. sudeman

[Aperez]

Dudeee its not just about everything.. If you are aware Lynching was taken part during Slavery which is considered most malicious act that took place in history. Wrong use of words and it came from a white person. Of course all types of people get hanged but when you use that word in that context is considered highly offensive to blacks. Who uses the word "lynch" anyways is 2008.

[lyn henderson]

Golf Channel management who persist in internally promoting the cable career of Kelly Tilghman must also bear responsibility for her offensive attempt at humor. Her comments brought back a frightening era to many viewers.

The prominent advocate and NFL Hall of Famer, Jim Brown is right on in calling Tiger Woods on his "politically correct" non-response.

Perhaps eventually sense will prevail and we will be saved from Tilghman's strident delivery and banal attempts at badinage in her current coverage of PGA Golf Tournaments.