Overt Affirmative Action

[Don Wassall]

Those who can't comprehend that football and basketball are rife with affirmative action point to individual sports like tennis and golf to support their claim that "sports is colorblind."


The party line in 1996 after (one-fourth black) Tiger Woods turned pro and had immediate success was that because of his popularity among blacks, they would quickly come to dominate golf. Now we're almost into the second decade of the 21st century and those black Tiger clones are still nowhere in sight. So, we're going to get them by hook or crook. . . here in its entirety is a short blurb in the current Sports Illustrated:


"Created: By the PGA Tour's Northern Trust Open, an annual exemption in honor of Tour trailblazer Charlie Sifford for a minority player who represents the advancement of diversity in golf. In 1960 Sifford became the first African-American to be granted PGA Tour membership; he won two Tour events in his career, including the '69 Los Angeles Open. Beginning this year that tournament, now called the Northern Trust, will reserve a spot in its field for a minority player who would not otherwise be eligible. This year's Northern Trust will be next month at Rivera Country Club in L.A."


Referring to it as a "spot. . . for a minority player" is disingenuous. Does anyone think it's going to be anything but a black each year? Asians are doing very well on the PGA and LPGA tours. There seems to be more hispanics doing well also. The only "minority" conspicuously missing from either touris the "world's greatest athletes."Edited by: Don Wassall

 

[jaxvid]

I thought sports was all about merit and only the best played? This announcement really busts my bubble about the "purity" of sports competition. But I'll ignore it, open a beer and watch that game that's on the tube, with only the BEST players playing.

 

[Jimmy Chitwood]

another nauseating article bemoaning golf's 'lack of diversity.'

... Many hoped early on that Mr. Woods's example would change the face of professional golf, but that has not happened. And the half-dozen leaders of the African-American golf community I spoke with this week would like to see that situation change as soon as possible.

'If you turn on the golf tournament Sunday and Tiger Woods isn't playing, what do you see? About 140 white guys competing and no blacks," said Eddie Payton, the golf coach at historically black Jackson State in Mississippi (and the brother of the late football great Walter Payton). "What kind of message does that send to kids? That they should watch basketball instead, even though they aren't going to grow up to be 6-foot-10? If we don't get some black players on Tour soon, we're going to lose a generation of potential African-American golfers." ...

Why the paucity of African-Americans at the top level? "They need help, they need money," said Charlie Sifford, now 86 years old, the only African-American player in the World Golf Hall of Fame. In February for the first time, an exemption named in honor of Mr. Sifford will open a place in the field for a minority player at the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles. "Maybe something will come out of that, maybe not," Mr. Sifford said.

Making it to the PGA Tour requires a long and expensive apprenticeship, ideally starting with national junior competition, then college golf in a top program with the best coaching and facilities, then three to five years or more of competition on the developmental tours, typically requiring a stake of $70,000 to $100,000 a year. This process overwhelmingly favors those who either grow up as the sons or daughters of Tour players or teaching pros, and thus have easy access to instruction and courses, or come from wealthy families or clubs, whose members frequently band together to sponsor promising players postcollege. Not many young African-Americans fall into those categories.

"The main thing that's missing for young African-American players is training," said Lee Elder, the first black to play in the Masters. "We need some kind of academy or training ground that will support minority golfers who want to take their games to the highest level."

To their credit, the PGA of America and other organizations have become more proactive in reaching out to African-Americans. The PGA now sponsors the Minority Collegiate Golf Championship each May, at which the number of competitors has grown to 187 last year from 92 in 1998, and uses it as a recruiting vehicle ...

an obviously slanted article, and one that doesn't bother asking ANY of the obvious questions or point out ANY of the obvious double standards that exist in America's sporting world.

pathetic.

 

[Don Wassall]

Why the paucity of African-Americans at the top level? "They need help, they need money," said Charlie Sifford, now 86 years old, the only African-American player in the World Golf Hall of Fame. In February for the first time, an exemption named in honor of Mr. Sifford will open a place in the field for a minority player at the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles. "Maybe something will come out of that, maybe not," Mr. Sifford said.

It'sa shameto see Sifford endorsing a blatant quota system and making excuses like "they need help, they need money." How did he succeed then?


I've written before about how popular golf is with blacks. When I was playing on suburban and rural Western Pennsylvania courses, there was almost always at least one group of blacks playing, in areas where their percentage of the population was close to zero. Golf is the most popular sport among blacks after basketball and football.


Everyone with half a brain knows that if a black kid does well on his high school team he'll get a college scholarship. Or if he does decently in a local junior tournament, he'll get plenty of help and encouragement. Just as with baseball, there's nothing the PTB and white liberals want to see more than blacks doing well at anything.


Black whiningand excuse making has becomeepidemic. It's particularly sad to see it coming from the likes of old school types like Sifford, Hank Aaron, Joe Morgan and others. Edited by: Don Wassall

 

[sport historian]

Why the paucity of African-Americans at the top level? "They need help, they need money," said Charlie Sifford, now 86 years old, the only African-American player in the World Golf Hall of Fame. In February for the first time, an exemption named in honor of Mr. Sifford will open a place in the field for a minority player at the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles. "Maybe something will come out of that, maybe not," Mr. Sifford said. 

It's a shame to see Clifford endorsing a blatant quota system and making excuses like "they need help, they need money."  How did he succeed then?


I've written before about how popular golf is with blacks.  When I was playing on suburban and rural Western Pennsylvania courses, there was almost always at least one group of blacks playing, in areas where their percentage of the population was close to zero.  Golf is the most popular sport among blacks after basketball and football. 


Everyone with half a brain knows that if a black kid does well on his high school team he'll get a college scholarship.  Or if he does decently in a local junior tournament, he'll get plenty of help and encouragement.  Just as with baseball, there's nothing the PTB and white liberals want to see more than blacks doing well at anything. 


Black whining and excuse making has become epidemic.  It's particularly sad to see it coming from the likes of old school types like Clifford, Hank Aaron, Joe Morgan and others.   

A favorite theme of blacks is that the White Establishment is scheming to hold them down. An example is the near unanimous belief that, O.J. Simpson, the most popular athlete (among white people) of his era was being framed for murder. This feeling apparently still exists.

 

[icsept]

If only Charles Barkley had more money then his swing wouldn't look like he's having an epileptic seizure. This black uber-athlete can't hit a golf ball because he doesn't have access to the top level coaching, equipment and courses.

 

[Don Wassall]

Something that's been mentioned before is how few black professional athletes and former athletes are good at golf. Since golf "isn't a sport" and these guys are routinely touted as the best athletes in the world, golf should be a snap to them.


But the tournaments for former athletes are dominated by Whites, usually baseball and hockey players. Quarterbacks also do well. Golf is a sport that places a premium on hand-eye coordination and touch,which are amongwhites' biggest athletic advantages over blacks, as well as thinking. Unfortunately for blacks, 40 yard straight-line sprints aren'ta part of golf, yet.Edited by: Don Wassall

 

[Jimmy Chitwood]

apparently the affirmative action golf crowd is looking in the wrong places.

according to Dick Vitale in tonight's Duke-Wake Forest game, the only "real" afflete on Duke's roster, Gerald Henderson, was a scratch golfer at age 13.

he can't do it anymore, though, because according to Henderson's dad (via Vitale's comments) Henderson only focuses on basketball now. riiiiiight...

 

[Don Wassall]

Those who can't comprehend that football and basketball are rife with affirmative action point to individual sports like tennis and golf to support their claim that "sports is colorblind."


The party line in 1996 after (one-fourth black) Tiger Woods turned pro and had immediate success was that because of his popularity among blacks, they would quickly come to dominate golf. Now we're almost into the second decade of the 21st century and those black Tiger clones are still nowhere in sight. So, we're going to get them by hook or crook. . . here in its entirety is a short blurb in the current Sports Illustrated:


"Created: By the PGA Tour's Northern Trust Open, an annual exemption in honor of Tour trailblazer Charlie Sifford for a minority player who represents the advancement of diversity in golf. In 1960 Sifford became the first African-American to be granted PGA Tour membership; he won two Tour events in his career, including the '69 Los Angeles Open. Beginning this year that tournament, now called the Northern Trust, will reserve a spot in its field for a minority player who would not otherwise be eligible. This year's Northern Trust will be next month at Rivera Country Club in L.A."


Referring to it as a "spot. . . for a minority player" is disingenuous. Does anyone think it's going to be anything but a black each year? Asians are doing very well on the PGA and LPGA tours. There seems to be more hispanics doing well also. The only "minority" conspicuously missing from either touris the "world's greatest athletes."

Well, Don, looks like you nailed it.

The first recipient of the "Sifford Rule" is Vincent Johnson.


The media has nothing but acclaim for allowing someone to play in a tournament who hasn't earned it. Here's what a couple of Caste Clowns from SI's "PGA Tour Confidential" have to say:


Evans: I'm hoping that Vincent Johnson, the recipient of the first Sifford exemption for diversity, can hold his own at Rivera. Lord knows, there could be a backlash from the purists if he shoots 85.
<STRONG _extended="true">Shipnuck[/b]: He's gonna miss the cut by a mile, but I doubt there will be a backlash. Even narrow-minded "purists" know the game must grow and the Tour's homogeneity hurts the sport's image.
I wonder what the media reaction would be if, an attempt to "grow" sprinting and change the sport's harmful "homogeneity,"track events were forced to allow a White sprinter in each 100 meter final who was slower than the other finalists and who displaced a black runner who had a better time in the preliminary heats. It would of course be 180 degrees different,nothing buthowls of outrage. Which it should be, but when it comes to blacks, ethical standards, equal treatment and standards of behavioralong withobjectivity are always ignored because everyone in the mediaknows they have toplay the anti-white, black favoritism game.
Vincent Johnson:

 

[SeaJim]

I caught bits and pieces of the NT Open, but wasn't Vincent Johnson charged with a penalty for not placing the ball in the proper spot? Can someone clarify?

 

[Don Wassall]

I caught bits and pieces of the NT Open, but wasn't Vincent Johnson charged with a penalty for not placing the ball in the proper spot? Can someone clarify?

He was about to chip when the ball moved slightly. I'm not sure whether his club touched it or not, but Johnson was apparently oblivious to what happened or else unaware of the rule. It was going to be either a one or two stroke penalty. The Tiger Channel's allotted time for live coverage ended shortly after it happened so I don't know how it ended up.


I've written about how seemingly every single time when I turn on the TV during a tournament in which Tiger Woods is playing, the first shot I see is always of Woods. Well, I turned on the Tiger Channel (formerly known as the Golf Channel) yesterday and sure enough the first thing I saw was Vincent Johnson getting ready to hit a shot. He was given Michelle Wie like coverage. Oh, and there was the requisite Tiger mania as he plays his first tournament next week, continual shots of the tournament's mostly black VIP section (in honor of Johnson, affirmative action, Black History month, and who knows what else), repetitive commercials for a new Tiger Channel show the entire plot of which is a white teaching pro trying to improve Charles Barkley's swing, a black anchor in the Tiger Channel's studio, and on and on. If one had never watched golf before one would think from the TV coverage that it's black dominated, rather than just one of the top thousand players in the world being black (and just one-quarter black at that).

 

[SeaJim]

I caught bits and pieces of the NT Open, but wasn't Vincent Johnson charged with a penalty for not placing the ball in the proper spot? Can someone clarify?

He was about to chip when the ball moved slightly.  I'm not sure whether his club touched it or not, but Johnson was apparently oblivious to what happened or else unaware of the rule.  It was going to be either a one or two stroke penalty. The Tiger Channel's allotted time for live coverage ended shortly after it happened so I don't know how it ended up.


I've written about how seemingly every single time when I turn on the TV during a tournament in which Tiger Woods is playing, the first shot I see is always of Woods.  Well, I turned on the Tiger Channel (formerly known as the Golf Channel) yesterday and sure enough the first thing I saw was Vincent Johnson getting ready to hit a shot.  He was given Michelle Wie like coverage.  Oh, and there was the requisite Tiger mania as he plays his first tournament next week, continual shots of the tournament's mostly black VIP section (in honor of Johnson, affirmative action, Black History month, and who knows what else), repetitive commercials for a new Tiger Channel show the entire plot of which is a white teaching pro trying to improve Charles Barkley's swing, a black anchor in the Tiger Channel's studio, and on and on.  If one had never watched golf before one would think from the TV coverage that it's black dominated, rather than just one of the top thousand players in the world being black (and just one-quarter black at that). 


 

Exactly my observation, and like I said I only caught bits and pieces of the NT Open. I can only hope one of the white players steps it up next week and wins. P.s. - I am not counting on Phil Mikelson either, he always chokes even playing an injured Tiger.

 

[Poacher]

Missed the cut.