Golfweek cover image more damaging than original comment - ESPN

If we’ve learned anything from the numerous “Law and Order” series in primetime and countless marathons that litter the cable airwaves, it’s this: Premeditated crimes are considered more heinous than unplanned acts and a conscious decision to break the law will always receive a more stringent penalty than a spur of the moment mistake. Let’s keep that in mind while exploring the levels of disdain in golf’s most recent major controversy.

Last week, Kelly Tilghman’s “lynch [Tiger Woods] in a back alley” comment occurred during the course of a live, four-hour telecast on the Golf Channel, blurted in response to analyst Nick Faldo’s estimation that the world’s younger players would need to “gang up” on the No. 1-ranked man in order to defeat him at a major championship. Using the term “lynch” was undoubtedly a poor choice of words and, in the minds of many, an inexcusable offense.

The situation immediately transcended the game of golf — and sport entirely — becoming a sociological hot-button topic, as parties took sides on whether the word was a blatant breach of civil rights conduct or political correctness gone horribly astray.

The latest fragment of this controversy to hit the fray is the most recent issue of Golfweek magazine — and it’s worthy of discussion because there was a viable thought process behind it. As part of a package of stories on the controversy, the publication used the image of a noose on the cover of its Jan. 19 issue, complete with headline “Caught in a Noose.”

Simply put, the cover image is classless. We can debate for eternity whether it was … (read on)

In The Clear: BALCO’s Victor Conte’s second act - National Post

Charming, unsinkabler, felon and ex-con, steroid seller to the sporting stars: Victor Conte (along with his musclebound daughter Veronica Conte) does a star turn in the current issue of ESPN The Magazine (read the story online here) in a story by Patrick Hruby. Seems that unlike most of the athletes whose lives and careers were ruined by any association with BALCO, Conte is right back at his nutrition business, making jokes about his company’s notoriety and cashing in — bigtime — if you … (Read On)