Michelle Wie to Join Masters Broadcast team

[bladehunter]

surely any sane person believes that experience is greater than class credit ? Why you say ? Experience should be the teacher of said class.

[Golfjack]

Yeah college grads suck. Vocational schools should be ranking higher. /s @Hawkeye77 and @bladehunter I wasn't talking about you guys, but there are some offensive comments being made to her just because of the way she talks. Even one where they said they should have gotten someone hotter. Come on. She's being put on to reach a younger demographic. Thus why it's digital media. They didn't even want to stire the pot, and people are already calling for her head before she's even done anything yet.

[Ferguson]

 

I believe a blend of related college coursework and real world experience is the best formula for success. And don't call me Shirley.

[bladehunter]

second thought edit - Nope . I’m going to get myself all wound up on this topic .... we really need the delete function returned
@Ferguson said it best above ^. “ related college material”

[PowderedToastMan]

I think you need to re-read what I’ve said Blade. I didn’t blame anyone for “killing golf” (that was someone else). I said announcers have almost always been older white men. I also haven’t walked anything back. I unapologetically know that golf has long been a sport played by white men. This is a fact.

Some of you are really sensitive about some very basic, factual things I’ve said, and have made it your mission to turn my comments into something I haven’t said or believe. I haven’t attacked anyone. Commending CBS for hiring Michelle Wie isn’t attacking white men.

[bladehunter]

If I may , I just don’t see the need to mention “ white men “.

I wrote more in that last reply and erased it. But I have to say. My response comes from the current demonization of being a male , and of being a certain skin tone. And I find the double standard terribly off putting. I’ve recently had to endure being brow beaten for calling a 20 something year old female ma’am. As in yes ma’am. I have an 11 year old boy in public school. I’ve actually had to explain to him that “ boys aren’t less responsible than girls” as was exclaimed by a female teacher at a parent included assembly before an overnight field trip. The context was “ we never have any issues with girls leaving things behind , but these boys will leave it all , they just aren’t thinking on the same level yet “. Physiologically that maybe true of pre teens. But. Is it the message any kid needs ? “ hey you’re dumb. But these girls aren’t “.l?? The war on the male is real . And they are starting at kindergarten

 

My point is . Why not hire the most qualified person ? Not the one that has the most cross demographic points of interest? I find it hard to believe she is that candidate with zero experience.

 

And at the same time I’ll say again. I hope she does well. I truly do. And can think of many worse choices.

[iceman1118]

Hate to have to chime in on these topics but it’s true. Used to be an investment banker in my early career days over 10 years ago. Hands down I was hired because I was the best candidate, had nothing to do with my sex, race, skin color, or any of that nonsense. Today when I speak to my former colleagues all they do is complain because new hires have to fill certain quotas. Quite frankly that only hurts business in the long run. I agree with you blade, times have changed and not for the better. I too hope MW does well, I do not sit here hoping she fails by any means. But I think across most if not all industries the best candidate being hired seldom happens.

[QuigleyDU]

Preach brother.

[Ferguson]

Wondering if Michelle's folks will be walking around with cue cards.

 

 

"Here is Tiger with a putt from about 15 feet up the hill."

"Guys have been leaving this one short all day."

"Be sure to eat more vegetables and wear plenty of sunscreen."

"He can be aggressive with this one."

[PowderedToastMan]

In what universe is Michelle Wie not extremely qualified to talk about golf?

[rich_s2]

Have not read the thread, guessing it is a semi train wreck. This is a great thing. Better than Romo announcing football even. Wie is a riot and will definitely make golf more enjoyable to watch for a much broader audience. I love watching golf and I am almost as excited about watching Tiger at the Masters as I am hearing her announce. Always amazed at how reluctant people are to change even when it is desperately needed.

[QuigleyDU]

Her professional golf resume is decent. She played in multiple PGA events as a teenager. Sure you can easily say she underachieved based on the hype that was there from the beginning, but lets not pretend she does not know about golf and was very very good at it.

 

We will see, I am willing to reserve judgement for now. I do not expect her to be perfect right away, so we will see how she improves.

[bscinstnct]

Dazed and Confused! Once of the best opening scene/songs ever

 

 

[Outlier]

Come on....now we are being literal? missed the point.....I will try again: golfers who are 63+ years old today have a different set of sensibilities than those who were 63+ in 1990 or 2000 for that matter. Today's 63+ year olds were likely hooked on and began participated in the game 20 or 30 years ago. Clearly most have less active golf years after age 63 than before.

[Outlier]

Quite whining....this isn't new, nobody else had a voice before that's all. Now you know, it NEVER was cool.

That's real talk.

[Outlier]

Love your insight PTM!!!!

[Outlier]

False equivalency.....let's go waaay back- do you think Frank Gifford worked his way up? Color analysts never have done what you suggest.

[Outlier]

Uh.......were they born at age 50?

So you think Girls Play, First Tee, play it forward, top golf, PGA Junior League, etc. etc. etc. all have it wrong? Puhleeze.

[jonsnow]

I'm sorry, did you say something? I was outside yelling at the clouds.

[QuigleyDU]

It has always been nepotism. #JOEBUCK...

[Soloman1]

You truly have no idea what you’re talking about and have no knowledge of the golf business. The overwhelming majority of participants in youth golf programs quit as they get into high school.

[gvogel]

Fred Funk on how to play in a skirt.

[Krt22]

And lots of old grumpy guys would love to keep it that way instead of seeing the game they look at with rose colored glasses change.

[Philomathesq]

IBTL.

But, seriously, I don't wish her ill will, but I think it will be an uphill climb for her to perform well in any capacity given her natural speech patterns. I've sent many Ivy-League educated attorneys to training with experts to get them to stop saying "um," "ah," "so," "well," etc. The training rarely works well because the attorneys are in their late 20's and beyond and have been talking the same way for the entire lives. The only reasonably effective practice I've seen work is forcing one's self to speak slowly and deliberately so that one can think of what they are going to say before it comes out. This works OK in a courtroom, but unfortunately for Michelle, if she aspires to give commentary during a televised golf round, she isn't going to have the luxury of slowing her speech down and speaking in a deliberate manner. As such, she, just like everyone else, will likely revert to her normal speech patterns.

This is not a knock on her at all. Some people can cook and others can't. One shouldn't expect another who can't boil water to be successful at making Thanksgiving dinner, and one shouldn't expect another who speaks like a valley girl to be successful at providing live commentary at a sporting event.

[Dpavs]

 

Honestly I just do not agree. Based on my observations, the average 63+ year old today more than likely spends more time playing and enjoying golf and can do so for longer than previously. It's just my opinion based on my own observation but I do think it's true for the folks I know.

 

[dalehead]

Assuming your numbers are accurate they would indicate any attempts by TV to bring in younger viewers are futile. They just aren’t there to be brought in.

[bladehunter]

Do we really think that retirement age folks aren’t the greatest number of players ? And always have been. And always will be. Guess what. Today’s 63 year old isn’t the same one that will be in 5 years. And isn’t the same one that was 20 years ago. But. They keep coming. And one day I’ll be one too. ( hopefully ).

 

Just go to the course during the work week. What’s it fulll of ? Retirement age folks. And that’s absolutely how it is and should be. If there’s a decline in golf , all it is pointing to is some air being let out of the tiger bubble. That’s all. It’s artificial. Unless another young savior comes along. The tiger bubble is eventually going to age out. This is also why I gripe soooo much about parity on tour. If everybody wins. Nobody truly wins. The excitement comes from a dominant performance. In any sport. If every NFL went 11-0 for example. Attendance and viewers would go down.why ? You’d get numb to winning. It would no longer be special.

[wobgon]

Real question......Do many folks really think that Wie announcing is going to make a big change in how many young people watch golf and how many young people play golf......Sounds good on paper, but doubt very much that it will pan out......The amount of young golfers took a nose dive while she was actually playing golf......I would think her effect would be greater competing than announcing.

[Hawkeye77]

Totally agree with you on that!

[jgonz69]

You made a ridiculous comparison, If everything was based on first hand experience, there wouldn’t be anybody to teach anybody about many things. Surely you are not one of the people who believes that if they didn’t see it with their own eyes, it didn’t happen.