"I don't know if it's ever going to become a rule or not. It might."

Stewart Cink's Traveler's Championship media day press conference was crashed by Chris Berman, U.S. Open lead announcer on ESPN and legendary flip out artist.  With such extenuating circumstances, it was tough for the normally wise Cink to do anything but dumb down his comments. After all, isn't that a natural reaction when Berman is in the room?

Anyway, this was interesting:

STEWART CINK: There's a pretty popular proposal right now that's circulating around the players and staff to play one in four, sort of called the one in four thing, where everyone would be required to play every tournament on TOUR at least once out of four years. It's gotten some traction. I don't know if it's ever going to become a rule or not. It might.

There's positives and negatives to it. Obviously the positives are Tiger Woods is going to come to every tournament eventually. That's a great thing for all tournaments. The negatives are, when you start imposing rules on that like independent contractors, they can also choose to not play at all. There would be nothing stopping Tiger Woods from playing the European Tour for a few years or the rest of his career. He's got that kind of power. Unfortunately he could do that. That would be a serious mistake if we did that. Got to look at things from both sides.

Later on, sensing the media questions were making too much sense, Berman chimed in with this dazzler:

CHRIS BERMAN: Being a defending champ, once you tee it up, that and $4.95 will get you a latte at Starbucks. You did it before. You've won other events. Is it important to defend well? I don't know if that's the right question.

No, no Chris, that was wonderful. Keep going.

Then again, as defending champ, you have more obligations. Finally getting to the first tee, you exhale a little bit. Having done it here and a few other places, do you think you'll be better prepared?

Comments

[Four-putt]

My latte at Starbucks cost only $3.99. Told you da bum was full of crap.

4p

[thusgone]

did berman preface his questions by calling him stewart "everything but the kitchen" cink?

[Joey]

Oh yeah, the "make Tiger play all events rule". Major fail. Tiger could just declare himself a free agent and play around the world on sponsor's exemptions. Who would be stupid enough not to let Tiger into their tournament?

There's no chance this rule would ever get enacted. None. DOA.

[Beans]

A vente mocha in NYC is $4.71, same cup in SF is $3.65. Bogus.

[goofball]

Berman is a pharmaceutical grade buffoon.

Vince McMahon should have hired him as a wrestling announcer long ago.

[Anthony Pioppi]

For those of us covering the press conference, this is old hat. Berman pulls this shit every year. It's so difficult to see and listen to but the powers that be at the Travelers feel his role in helping with the tournament somehow increases attendance. It does not, however, increase the amount of time the tournament gets on ESPN Sports Center.

[dfoster]

Independent contractors do not have pension funds. Or free health insurance, laptops or phones.

[Joe]

So, once every four years Tiger and Phil etc would have to skip the British Open and instead be forced to play in the US Bank Championship in Milwaukee. LOL Great rule.

The reason it can be done on the LPGA is b'c they don't have opposite field events like the PGA Tour, and they have have off weeks here and there, unlike the PGA Tour which plays every week (and sometimes twice in a week)