Golf Anchor Suspended over Tiger Woods Remark

HONOLULU - Golf Channel suspended anchor Kelly Tilghman for two weeks on Wednesday for saying last week that young players who wanted to challenge Tiger Woods should "lynch him in a back alley."

Tilghman was laughing during the exchange Friday with analyst Nick Faldo at the Mercedes-Benz Championship, and Woods' agent at IMG said he didn't think there was any ill intent.
But the comments became prevalent on news shows Wednesday, and the Rev. Al Sharpton joined the fray by demanding she be fired immediately. Golf Channel didn't know who would replace Tilghman in the booth this week at the Sony Open or next week at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.
"There is simply no place on our network for offensive language like this," Golf Channel said in a statement.
Tilghman became golf's first female anchor last year when the PGA Tour signed a 15-year deal in which Golf Channel broadcasts the first three events of the year, weekday coverage of all tour events, and full coverage of the Fall Series and opposite-field events.
The suspension ends in time for the Buick Invitational on Jan. 24, when Woods will make his 2008 debut.
Faldo and Tilghman were discussing young players who could challenge the world's No. 1 player toward the end of Friday's broadcast at Kapalua when Faldo suggested that "to take Tiger on, maybe they should just gang up for a while."
"Lynch him in a back alley," Tilghman replied.
"While we believe that Kelly's choice of words was inadvertent and that she did not intend them in an offensive manner, the words were hurtful and grossly inappropriate," Golf Channel said in its statement. "Consequently, we have decided to suspend Kelly for two weeks, effective immediately."
Woods and Tilghman have known each other 12 years. She was picked to host a club demonstration with Woods in south Florida when he talked about new products from Nike Golf.
Tilghman was helped when Mark Steinberg, Woods' agent at IMG, said it was a non-issue and considered the matter "case closed."
"Tiger and Kelly are friends, and Tiger has a great deal of respect for Kelly," Steinberg said Tuesday night in a statement released by Golf Channel. "Regardless of the choice of words used, we know unequivocally that there was no ill-intent in her comments."
Tilghman had said in a previous statement she apologized directly to Woods, and the immediate support from Woods' camp was critical.
After Woods won the 1997 Masters at age 21 to become its youngest champion, Fuzzy Zoeller referred to him as "that little boy," and suggested that Woods not serve fried chicken or collard greens, "or whatever the hell they serve," at the Champions Dinner.
Woods, who had a different management team in his first full season, did not respond for three days to Zoeller's apology, and it took Zoeller years to recover from the fallout.
Tilghman's comment made the rounds Wednesday on TV shows such as CNN's Headline News, and it was prominently discussed on blogs and message boards on the Internet. It also was a topic on the practice range at the Sony Open.
"I'm sure Kelly wishes she never said that," Jim Furyk said. "I haven't spoken with Tiger, but I've been told that they've had their talk and they've discussed it. Anything I say is kind of just like pouring salt in the wound at this point. Obviously, she would love to not have said that and for it not to be news. I'm glad that her and Tiger spoke."

Fred Funk only heard about the comment Wednesday morning.
"There was no ill intent at all," he said. "I think it was just a slip, and they said that Tiger has already forgiven her. I think when you're in the TV tower for that many hours, you're going to wish you didn't say some things probably, and that was one thing that slipped out. I think you've got to give them a little grace.
"Her integrity, how Kelly is respected out here, is pretty good. I think Tiger really likes Kelly, so that helped squash it. Because Tiger could have run off with that if he took it the wrong way. But he didn't, so that was good."
Before her suspension was announced, Sharpton spoke earlier on CNN's "Prime News" and continued to push for her firing, saying he wanted to meet with Golf Channel because the comments were "an insult to all blacks." "Lynching is not murder in general, it's not assault in general," Sharpton said. "It's a specific racial term that this women should be held accountable for. What she said is racist. Whether she's a racist ... is immaterial. She's a broadcaster. The channel has to be accountable to the public."

 

Personally, I think she deserves the suspension. I don't think she meant any ill will by it, the way it sounded was not the point she was trying to make...but, it was out line and needs to be addressed. I'm glad Tiger took no offense, but the suspension should be more about her reflecting on this and becoming more professional on air, not whether Tiger was upset or not.

BUT...this is where I'm pissed. Al Sharpton needs to SHUT THE FUCK UP! Three weeks ago, I'm watching The Best Damn Sports Show...top ten sports plays of all time. Jim Edmonds beat out Willie Mays on a catch in the outfield for top slot on the countdown.

This fucking black guy makes a wise ass comment about Jim Edmonds, making fun of the fact that it should have been Willie Mays getting the top slot on the countdown...says something to the effect of 'Well, see white boy has to stretch out and dive like that just to get it on the News clips...lol...Willie doesn't have to do that'.

Ok, do I give a shit? Nah...who cares. Does Jim Edmonds give a shit? I dunno. Rob Dibble and the other announcer looked SHOCKED when the black guy said it and even remarked 'What does THAT have to do with anything?' You could tell they were embarassed to be working with some bush league black guy.

Nothing happened...Could you IMAGINE if Rob Dibble (the white sportscaster) said the SAME thing if Willie Mays was top voted? 'Well, see the black boy has to run after that ball thinking it's a piece of fried chicken to make that catch'.

Imagine...Dibble would have lost his job, just like Imus. Dibble would be getting death threats and be a racist. Al Sharpton would be eploiting the black race once again for his own self-serving arena.

Al Sharpton needs to get a real job and stop using his self interest to make millions off of black people. They didn't elect him their spokesperson...he's just using black social issues to pad his bank account and he's not helping mend fences.

 

Al $harpton is a race-baiting piece of shit, and the Golf Channel needs to tell him to fuck off and look up the definition of the word lynch : to put to death (as by hanging) by mob action without legal sanction.

Instead, they're going to bend over backwards to kiss his ass, and this poor girl is going to lose her job, because of a racist bastard who thinks any time a white person says something about a black person, it's a racial attack on the black community.

 

I think it was Faldo's fault also for setting her up to make such a comment.It's prolly something that just was just said spur of the moment.She def. didn't mean it the way it came out..Yeah and that asshole Al Sharpton does need to STFU.

 

I just wish there was either an even playing field in society regarding race, or people would STFU and stop being so thin skinned.

If this chick is going to be suspended, then so should the guy from Best Damn Sports Show...if Michael Richards ends up in hot water for using the 'n' word, then Chris Rock and every other black comedian should end up in hot water for their depiction of white people.

BET, Affirmative Action, United Negro College Fund? How about WET and United Caucasian College Fund? Can you imagine the bitch fest that would result? Cry me a fucking river, Kunta. (Oh no...I'm a racist now! NOT...note I said 'Kunta', not 'Toby'...lol)

Al Sharpton? If there was a white guy who's sole purpose in life was to discuss the inadequacies in race issues related to the white man, he'd be called a racist and accused of being in the KKK. And, anyone that paid attention to the guy would be a racist and accused of creating a white supremacist community.

ANYONE who saw this broadcast can clearly see she meant no ill will by her comment. Yes, it was bush league for a broadcaster to say...but, not because it was racist, just because it was a poor description to use a violent term regarding what they were saying.

Lynch...there, I said it. Oh NOOOOOOO! Gimme a break.

What about when those black kids were jailed for beating the snot out of the white kid? See how fast Sharpton was there to DEFEND these criminals? Pathetic. If that was a black kid beat up, he'd be suing for millions and millions and the white kids would be getting the fucking death penalty. These black kids are being hailed as 'heros' in the black community for a crime! lol

I see a South Park episode coming up soon...'Kiss it, 'pologize!'

 

I think it's silly, personally. If the word, "lynch", is so bad, then we should rename Lynchburg. Let's also boycott Stephen Lynch. The meaning of the word lynch, is all in how it is used. It literally refers to vigilante justice, and has absolutely nothing to do with race. Some people may tell you about a slave owner named William Lynch who gave a speach about slave revolts, but that's bogus. That speach was supposedly given in 1712. Records show that he wasn't born until 1742.

This story makes more sense, and has nothing to do with race at all.

Tiger, said it was a "non-issue". I agree with Tiger.

 

Are you describing FS88?

 

I'm not describing anything specific, just drawing a general picture...

TBH, I've never heard of FS88...?

 

See, that's the bottom line, IMO.

I've had black friends who've jokingly called me 'cracker ass mother fucker' and stuff, Latino friends who've called me 'Gringo', etc.

They aren't racist...they were JOKING with me! It was no big deal.

Yet, I've NEVER called them nigger or spic, and I've even debated with them about them using the term 'niggah'...I don't think they should use it, even though they think it means 'dude' or 'friend'...I asked several of them to please not say it in front of my kids (during a card game at my house).

It's all such a double standard...I've called one person a spic in my life and that was online and the sole purpose was to get a rise out of the person, and it worked like a charm! This person called me a racist...but failed to realize I called him that purposely, after he told me to fuck one of my kids...lol

The more I think about it, the more I wish this woman wasn't suspended now, just to lay down the law...if minorities can make their remarks, then get used to hearing it from white people too. Maybe then, they'd start to think before they speak.

 

That was his screen name on another forum. He is kind of the opposite of Sharpton. Flip flop the words black and white in his posts, and you'd swear it was Al.

 

Hmmm...still not clicking with me...maybe before my time?

 

He never left the video section.

 

Ahhhh, that must be why it's not clicking...I was a FightRoom Fool! lol

 

He ventured into the news section a couple of times, but I think he got tired of the neg rep and shitty PM's. I found that if you speak to him rationally, he's actually nothing like your first impression of him.

 

Yeah, I agree. Some of his opinions were abhorrent. I think a lot his posts were just to make people think, though. Well, OK, white people, but he did make sense at times.

Al $harpton has never made sense to me, as a person, or a Christian.

 

I think he is a good example of WHY religions exist. Many non-denominational Christians interpret the Bible individually, where religion has educated scholars who literally learn the languages and are able to disect true meanings by backtracking previous lessons in the Bible that lead up to each piece of Scripture.

Obviously, there can be bad aspects to religion, too (atleast, in perception)...but I think the fact that most Christian religions all agree on the fundamental truths is proof that they have come to accurate interpretations, where's a lot of non-denominationals all have differing views, even within one church community.

Not knocking non-denominational...I used to attend one myself and it was very helpful to me spiritually...it was just very confusing as far as Bible interpretation because one pastor would get one meaning out of a reading and another would get something very different out of the same reading.

I don't know if Sharpton is non-denominational or not...I just think he justifies himself WAY too much and uses God as a protective shield when it comes to being called out on his hypocrisy...it's a denial, a defense mechanism.

 

It didn't bother T-Woods... Why should it bother anyone else?

 

Because asshole Sharpton has put his nose in it.

 

He's a bad mutha

Shut yo mouth!

but I'm talkin' bout sharpton

We can dig it!

 

Wanna see a tree in town they used to lynch coloreds on?

 

I never thought I would... But I kinda do now that you bring it up.

 

Ok I'll snap a pic of it..

 

Fuck... Imagine that Sharpton asks for that tree
to be chopped down and then a tree hugger
sleeps in it so they wont.


GOD! What's happening
to America...


But I'm interested... Is there any sign noting that?

 

Sharpton wouldn't last a day in these parts.

It's local knowledge...The branch hangs over the road..There were lotsa hangings here..It's a very very very old port town..Most of the houses downtown still have the slave's quarters..

 

Did you ever snap the pix surf?