January 26, 2011

Storyline Pairings, Clarification Edition

January 26, 2011/ Geoff Shackelford

A few of you have emailed to ask why the tour is getting a free ride on modifying it's longtime pairings policy by putting together a few marquee or storyline-driven groups on Thursdays and Fridays. Jeff Rude explains the concept that has been in place since last April.

January 25, 2011

"Because our scatter value on television would go up, and that's why we like to have better ratings, because it is a value proposition."

January 25, 2011/ Geoff Shackelford

Commissioner Tim Finchem took a few minutes from his schedule to visit the Farmers Insurance Open press center. While some scribes were taken by the newsworthiness of several answers, I will contend that it was his concoction of a potentially life-changing b-speakism that should be the lede story.

January 25, 2011

"You can’t just look at ratings and say the sport has a problem. People who say that don’t know what they’re talking about.”

January 25, 2011/ Geoff Shackelford

Nice reporting by SBJ's Michael Smith and John Ourand on where the tour stands with its television partners (who sound positively giddy) and we learn that the 30% ratings really doesn't mean much. Get our your value-count reference clickers...

January 19, 2011

Jack: “Probably the whole book of the rules of golf should be changed."

January 19, 2011/ Geoff Shackelford

I tuned in for a bit but missed Jack Nicklaus joining Morning Drive's Erik Kuselias and Gary Williams via phone for Wednesday morning. Thankfully, the Golf Channel PR folks sent out a few highlights, including this response to an email question about any rules of golf he would like to see changed:

January 18, 2011

The Big Break Is Now Officially Dick Ebersol's Problem

January 18, 2011/ Geoff Shackelford

Oddly, in the FCC approval reported on by David Lieberman, the Golf Channel's Big Break is not cited as one of the Comcast-NBC deal provisions "to protect the public."

January 17, 2011

"Even in today's must-know everything culture, if pro golf's TV fortunes rise or fall on whether someone is miked up, that is a sign of greater problems."

January 17, 2011/ Geoff Shackelford

That's what Bill Fields says in today's Golf World Monday. He also writes:

TV could better utilize the mics already on course, and the tour mandate its players to do interviews during a round. The latter would give viewers more without taking away something from the stars of the show.

January 13, 2011

"In the age of blogging, Tweeting and podcasts, wearing microphones shouldn't be a big deal. I think it's worth a try."

January 13, 2011/ Geoff Shackelford

According to Sal Johnson in this uniquely conveyed disquisition, SI Golf Plus commissioned a counterpoint My Shot to Justin Rose's view that players should not wear wireless microphones. However, Ted Purdy's piece did not make the magazine and was buried at golf.com, but here it is.

January 13, 2011

Intimacy Of Player-Caddy Relationship At Stake With Wireless Mics?

January 13, 2011/ Geoff Shackelford

Stephanie Wei talks to more players about their microphone-wearing reservations and, well, it's getting into a personal area for Matt Bettencourt.

January 12, 2011

Rush Sets "Milestone" Golf Channel Rating

January 12, 2011/ Geoff Shackelford

It's so depressing that a 0.3 household rating and 310,000 average total viewership constitues a milestone showing.

January 11, 2011

Justin Rose Is Worried Other Players Will Borrow His Most Profound Strategic Insights

January 11, 2011/ Geoff Shackelford

He is this week's SI Golf Plus My Shot stand-in and he explains why he's against wearing a microphone.

January 11, 2011

Rush: Golf Is No Game For Liberals!

January 11, 2011/ Geoff Shackelford

You have to love Rush Limbaugh, as interviewed by one of his biggest fans, Steve DiMeglio.

January 10, 2011

"And it looks like a new hair color for Sir Nick..Blimey!!!"

January 10, 2011/ Geoff Shackelford

I'm so glad John Strege's Monday wrap-up is back with a keen eye for player Tweets. I just wish Paul Azinger was in the book at Kapalua to have spiced things up a bit.

We'll let Paul Azinger (via Twitter) say what you were thinking: "...And it looks like a new hair color for Sir Nick..Blimey!!!"

January 10, 2011

"Rose didn't want the added distraction of feeling like he had to temper his emotions or get into a situation where he'd reveal his 'intellectual property.'"

January 10, 2011/ Geoff Shackelford

From today's SI roundtable on the topic of players wearing microphones.

January 09, 2011

"He has to deal with 32 prima donnas every year, and somehow he caters for all our needs."

January 09, 2011/ Geoff Shackelford

Doug Ferguson's story on the departure of the much-loved Gary Planos from his role running the Tournament of Champions left me feeling like there is a lot not being said, especially about the impact of Mark Rolfing who now "runs" the tournament now according to the story. And of course his charity is also the tournament's beneficiary.

January 08, 2011

Golf Channel Airwaves To Feature David Feherty In Non-Infomercial Role

January 08, 2011/ Geoff Shackelford

And this just in, bookmakers have moved up the over-under on the increasingly goofy Feherty's inevitable Ben Wright, career-ending idiotic report to September 2011!