Dreaming Of The Woods V. Chamblee Trial

At the websites Brandel Chamblee employers GolfChannel.com and golf.com, I had to look hard for a story on Team Tiger's reaction to Chamblee's golf.com column. Granted, the harsh rebuttal statement and comments by Mark Steinberg went out at about 6 pm ET on a Friday, a news window reserved only for USGA Presidency announcements and press releases on Old Course changes.

Eventually I found a (non-front page) story by that wily scribe his ownself, GolfChannel.com Digital. He's the first-born son of The Digitals of Key Biscayne, armed with a J-school degree that prepped him to take stories no one else will write.

And what about Golf.com, which stands to be sued if Steinberg finds a lawyer willing to sue over the insinuation that Tiger is a cheater? No story was posted as of 1 a.m. ET.  Here's guessing the on-call legal minds at Klapp, Lard and Doppleganger took an early weekend.

Now, before Chamblee apologizes or some lawyer advises Tiger that he can't win this battle, I want the folks involved to think about the merits of a televised trial. Planned creatively--scary words in the golf world-- this could be a ratings Godsend. Way better than the PGA Tour wraparound events. (Okay, that's a low bar to set, I know.)

But think of the possibilities. Sean Foley takes the stand to be grilled by Brandel's attorney over the pitch angle of Tiger's hips at impact.

Tiger testifies about how much Brandel's relentless criticism stings, at which point the judge rules with the defense that questions about the stinger are now permissible.

Outside the Jupiter courthouse, Alex Miceli and Nancy Grace host Golf Channel's daily coverage. Hank Haney, Tim Rosaforte and Frank Nobilo are called in to testify and plead the fifth, only to give exclusive post-courtroom interviews to Golf Channel.

What could be more American?

Tiger's Agent On Brandel Chamblee Column: "It's atrocious...I have to give some thought to legal action."

Bob Harig reports on the statement issued by agent Mark Steinberg and also shares his over-the-phone reaction to Brandel Chamblee's Golf Magazine insinuation that Tiger Woods is cavalier in interpreting the rules of golf.

From the phone interview:

"There's nothing you can call a golfer worse than a cheater," Steinberg said. "This is the most deplorable thing I have seen. I'm not one for hyperbole, but this is absolutely disgusting. Calling him a cheater? I'll be shocked, stunned if something is not done about this. Something has to be done.

"There are certainly things that just don't go without response. It's atrocious. I'm not sure if there isn't legal action to be taken. I have to give some thought to legal action."

Oh now that would that be a great trial!

Video: "Sammy" The Squirrel, Tiger Buddy & New USA Mascot

Rex Hoggard with the story of Sammy, the androgenous squirrel who Davis Love rescued from death by golf cart and who, mercifully, will be handing the furry friend over to Jack Hanna at the world famous Columbus Zoo for rehab. Love had bonded with the squirrel earlier in the day.

Just not yet...

Sammy was spotted resting on Tiger Woods’ shoulder. “Lindsey (Vonn) loves him,” Love said.

Love joked that he was going to take Sammy to the Columbus Zoo and give him to Jack Hanna, but it seems U.S. captain Fred Couples wants to keep him around for a little while longer.

“Freddie (Couples) wanted me to bring him to the press center but Sammy has already gotten enough press today,” Love smiled.

AP's extensive day one notes opens with Sammy's story and ends with this quote from Captain Couples.

U.S. captain Fred Couples didn't know what to make of Sammy.

"I carry a rabbit's foot around," he said. "I don't know about a live squirrel."

There are several shots of Sammy in this GolfChannel.com gallery.

And courtesy of PGA Tour Entertainment, the telecast moment when Lindsay Vonn put Sammy on Tiger's shoulder.

Presidents Cup Thought Bubble Fun: Tiger, Duf, Phil Edition

Chris Condon captured a shot for the ages backstage before the Presidents Cup opening ceremony. (Full gallery here.) If they weren't in matching suits you'd swear Annie Leibovitz had spent days orchestrating the Rat Packish shot for a Vanity Fair shoot. Again, that is, if they weren't in matching suits.

But I feel like something is missing...as in, thought bubbles. Keep it clean please.

Tiger Runs "Out Of Gas" & Schedules Only Get Worse From Here!

It was a pretty shocking admission for physical specimen Tiger Woods to say his Tour Championship second round fell apart because he "just ran out of gas" and calling the ResetCup series of events (even with a week off) "a long grind." (Mark Lamport-Stokes reports.)

And guess what? The 2013-14 season starts in three weeks and next year's playoffs do not include a week off. But there is a week after the playoffs so you can rest for the Ryder Cup in Scotland.

In 2015 the Presidents Cup, presumably soon after the FedExCup, will be in Korea on the moundiest looking course you'll ever see.

And do we even want to talk about the mess that is 2016? Ewan Murray did in assessing (and agreeing) with Woods' complaint about fatigue.

Woods was right to point to a condensed schedule from the Open Championship to this, the climax of the FedEx play-off events. He also predicted that matters will become even more hectic in 2016, when golf returns to the Olympic Games in Rio.

It's going to be fascinating to watch the stars getting older while Commissioner Blankfein's vision for non-stop golf plays out.

"Now there is potential to doubt that Woods will keep protecting the field above his own self-interest."

Two very tough (and similar) commentaries from respected writers on Tiger's rules situations, starting with AP's Doug Ferguson reviewing Woods' 2013 rules run-ins and suggesting that he risks "losing the locker room":

A few players privately mocked him during the final round at Conway Farms. ''Oscillation'' became a punch line.

Was it worth it?

Whether he likes it or not, Woods is held to a different standard, just as Greg Norman, Tom Watson, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer were before him in the television era. He gets more attention. He draws the largest crowds. He's on TV more. His every move is scrutinized.

There's no point complaining any longer that it's unfair to use television footage to determine penalties. Everyone is expected to play by the rules – whether there's a TV camera there or not – and accept the penalty, even when players unknowingly break them. It's already in the rule book under Decision 34-3/9: ''Testimony of those who are not a part of the competition, including spectators, must be accepted and evaluated. It is also appropriate to use television footage and the like to assist in resolving doubt.''

What's worse? Someone calling in a possible violation from the couch, or an official ignoring evidence of a violation?

Jaime Diaz in this week's Golf World says Tiger digging in even after the evidence was presented does not bode well:

That Woods disputed the visual evidence in the scoring trailer, to the point of admittedly getting "pretty hot," evoked the image of Michelle Wie's petulant and feeble self-defense at the 2010 Kia Classic, when she said she had grounded her club in the water to balance herself. It was a claim that video replay clearly refuted.

At the BMW, Woods had a chance on Saturday to wipe the slate clean by saying that he had been in error and accepted his penalty as proper. Instead, his unbending denial in the face of such strong evidence hurt his good name. Now there is potential to doubt that Woods will keep protecting the field above his own self-interest. It means all the respect he has earned is unofficially under reassessment.

Oh Do Tell: Woods, Finchem Meet For An Hour

GolfChannel.com Digital, whose parents, Mr. and Mrs. Digital, were visionairies in naming their first born, reports that Tiger Woods and Commissioner Tim Finchem met for over an hour Wednesday. An hour, for Tiger preparing to tee off the next day in a big event and listening to the Commish bellow on, is the equivalent of a 24 hour meeting for the rest of us.

Here's guessing they were not comparing notes on the G650 or working a Steve Sands-branded whiteboard over how to revamp the FedExCup points (again) or discussing how to televise all of Tiger's shots in SD to avoid future rules mishaps.

Digital speculates that it had to do with "call-in" violations based on Tiger's press conference remarks.

“There are certainly a lot more viewer call-ins,” Woods said. “I get it from the first time I step on the range on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, all the way through, and virtually every shot is on something, and some of the top players are getting it. Most players don't get it until they're in the leader groups on Saturday or Sunday.”

Bob Harig zones in on Tiger's assertion that there needs to be a time-limit on call-ins, though what that has to do with any of the situations he was involved in is beyond me!

"There needs to be a time limit, and I think there needs to be a discussion obviously where is that time limit? Where is that line of demarcation? You've got to start with disqualification and then work our way back from there.