In Case You Missed It: BACK9NETWORK Launches Sept. 29

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A longtime reader and very wired-in golf business guy asked me today why Jeff Rude was leaving Golfweek and his Twitter page had disappeared. I explained that the veteran scribe was leaving Golfweek for Back9. The person had no idea what I was referring to when Back9 was mentioned.

So, in the interest of brand recognition, that would be the Back9 Network which I was reminded in an email, launches soon.

The email today on their upcoming DirecTV launch and plea to call your cable provider's best staffers overseas...

BACK9NETWORK Set To Launch On Sept. 29th                  
                                    
Things are rockin' in Hartford, CT as we prepare for the big TV launch on
September 29th!
 
As you may recall, we'll be starting our 24X7 programming on Channel 262 on DIRECTV. The studio will be complete by the end of this week, and our live test phase to refine programming process and procedures will begin next week.
Exciting times!
 
Back9Network will celebrate the golf lifestyle, bringing out the lighter side of the game and showcasing the personalities and characters "outside the ropes" with programming genres that appeal to everyone. Back9 will create over 1,000 hours of original programming in its first year that includes a mix of reality, docu-drama, comedy, animation, documentaries, and entertaining studio programming.
 
Of course, we want everyone to enjoy the unique and entertaining programming that will be featured on Back9, although our initial footprint will be the 20m homes that have DIRECTV. To that end, we have initiated a grass roots marketing plan to assist in our on-going discussions with the other providers like Dish, Comcast, Time Warner, AT&T, etc.
 
You can help by simply going to www.iwantback9network.com, enter your zip code and current provider, and we handle the rest through our auto connect to the provider's website.
 
Thanks for your continued support and we'll keep you up to date on our progress in the next few weeks.                                                                            
                                                                                                                              
Take Care & God Bless...
 
Bill Conwell  
VP - Special Projects

"Are the best 12 players being sent to Scotland to represent the Stars and Stripes?"

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Second-guessing the Ryder Cup captains is THE biennial art form of golfers and writers, and Adam Schupak raises plenty of great questions for USA Captain Tom Watson before he even pencils in a lineup card.

Besides noting that former non-World Top 5 Patrick Reed would have missed making the team had the points race included the playoffs, Schupak writes...

The timing of the three captain’s picks is just as odd. Watson made the point that he was looking for hot hands. If so, Sept. 2, the day after the Deutsche Bank Championship, the second leg in the four-tournament FedEx Cup playoffs, would appear premature.

“Why don’t they wait until the end of the playoffs?” Ryan Palmer said.

Good question, especially since Watson made such a big deal about adding a week off between the Tour Championship and the Ryder Cup. What’s the big rush to solidify the team? It’s not as if the year is 1927 and Team USA has to board the S.S. Minnow across the pond. Are we worried about printing the commemorative program? Don’t they have a FedEx Office over there that stays open late?