The Golf Blog: What happened to Kelly Tilghman?

Sunday, March 25, 2007

What happened to Kelly Tilghman?

Does anyone know if Kelly Tilghman was on vacation this week? She wasn't announcing in the booth with Nick Faldo; Rich Lerner was.

41 Comments:

At 10:39 AM, Anonymous said...: I don't know but I hope its an extended vacation. Nothing against her personally, but was really turned off by her whole on-air persona. I've always found her style, intonation and overall delivery to be too labored. Further, I've never found her to be particularly insightful either. I will say that I thought Lerner was very good --a much better sidekick for Faldo. Again, nothing against her personally, I just don't think she's suited to that particular role.
At 7:57 PM, Anonymous said...: I respectfully disagree with anon,
I feel she was a breath of fresh air and hope she'll return soon. I emailed TGC and asked but received no answer
At 10:16 PM, Anonymous said...: "Breath of fresh air" --translation? New and different. Is she new and different? Yes, but that doesn't make her any good.

She's too one-dimensional, and the reality is she has nothing more to offer in terms of broadcasting, color commentary, analysis, or golf knowledge than Rich Lerner or (fill-in-the-blank) generic broadcaster.

I'm not suggesting they replace her with some idiot like Brandel "Shigeki Marry-yo-Mama" Chamblee again, but they clearly have a lot of room to improve when you compare them with an NBC type lineup (Miller, et.al) And for my money, Faldo/Lerner is there best lineup.
At 10:28 PM, Anonymous said...: oops...s/b their not "there"
At 2:28 PM, Anonymous said...: She is not in Houston either, I hope they got wise and let the human hilite loop go. It was like watching and listening to a four hour golf central.Its not agender thing she is just plain bad!
At 2:42 PM, Anonymous said...: I hope Nick Faldo stops with the ridiculous comedy routine and gives us the insight a six time major champion can provide. otherwise he and Kelly can take that extended vacatin together.
At 5:09 PM, Anonymous said...: Agree she is a very accomplished spokesperson but she just doesn't come across in a relaxed, conversational manner. I believe she's trying too hard.
At 8:13 AM, Anonymous said...: Kelly's monotone drone is sleep inducing. End of story.
At 12:30 PM, Mary S from Bandon said...: I think Kelly Tilghman is a wonderful commentator, and I would like to know why she is no longer on the golf channel. She has been replaced by a blonde, who is not half as good as she was. I wish they would tell us why she is no longer with The Golf Channel.
At 3:18 PM, Anonymous said...: I can't quite put my finger on it, but there's something about a forum that offers anonymity that brings out the worst in some people. Shameful really...
At 8:42 PM, Anonymous said...: I think it's obvious; Kelly wasn't stirring the buzz they had hoped for and her and Faldo just didn't really keep anyone's attention. I actually have been disappointed with Faldo too. He was good when he was bantering with Azinger, but he doesn't have that competition in the booth now. He's the only one that is an expert and he can't go at it with the amateurs. Beside the anchor spots, don't you all think the golf channel needs to add a little zip to the broadcast too. It seems really dull compared to network coverage.
At 10:08 PM, Anonymous said...: What broadcasts have most of you been watching to have so much negative commentary??? Nick & Kelly make a TERRIFIC, ENTERTAINING team, and golf was never so fun to watch until they paired up together!! Nick has so much insight, and Kelly OBVIOUSLY is in awe (and proud) of his many accomplishments. Kelly relies on him to answer her questions; the kind of things I would ask Nick if I had the opportunity. ROTATE KELLY TO THE COMMENTATOR'S CHAIR AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE!!!

jim
At 5:09 AM, Anonymous said...: Kelly has to go.
At 10:01 AM, Anonymous said...: kelly's androgenous monotone voice would be better suited for coverage of the LPGA if you know what I mean
At 10:17 PM, Anonymous said...: She should be brought back- far better than what has been trotted out since... and, like her or not, she really seemed to have a passion for the channel and its on-air products. NOT a weather poodle-
At 8:22 PM, Anonymous said...: i don't know about her on air talent but i certainly would like to slurp on her red snapp'in snatchola. that is some prime time land tuna my friends - prime time all the way!!!
At 1:12 PM, OGC said...: Bad, Bad, Bad, couldn't cut it on the real tour and no better in the booth
At 12:29 PM, Anonymous said...: I DON'T KNOW WHO'VE BEEN WATCHING. BUT PERSONALLY MY HUSBAND AND I, THINK KELLY BRINGS A VERY RELAXED AND INFORMATIVE SLANT TO THE JOB OF COLOR COMMENTATOR. WE'RE BOTH LONG TIME VIEWERS OF PROFESSIONAL GOLF.
At 3:10 PM, d said...: Yeah she's just bad. TGC tried to "spice" things up with ala MTV with a semi-good looking woman, but she is just plain boring, monotone no personality and her supporters are either family members, friends, or people just as sedate as her who can completely relate (maybe in the 60's or 70's or something no offense). Get her out of there she's bad for the sport, the channel, and is turning more people off than on. And by god with those tiger woods comments - that's no help either! Lose-Her the Loser
At 1:23 AM, Gary said...: I'm easy going and can pretty much listen to anyone, but Tilghman and Faldo are a bit awkward, like many golf commentators. I like the styles of Feherty, Maltbie, Rankin, and Azinger was OK too. And they're all very different, but you can listen to them because they add great insight, are concise, and/or have a great delivery/voice. I did not hear her Tiger "lynching" comment, but can only imagine she made a bad choice of words... everyone knows the only way to beat Tiger is to put him six feet under... is it OK to put it that way? Lerner (voice and style) comes across better than Tilghman, so I would not mind if she was replaced. And Faldo could tone down the humor attempts just a tad.
At 2:14 PM, 4Him said...: Kelly has always exudes class and professionalism...and i thinl we should all take a cue from Tiger who through his agent said it is a non-issue...i can not possible relate since i am not black..i just don't think she meant it to be malicious...certainly not very smart but not in the same league with Don what'his-name and the comment he made last year regarding the womans basketball team...that was just plain mean
dan, west bend, wi
At 11:28 PM, guardian said...: We are all better off without her racist comments. It's not right to say the racist commnet then someone say , "it was just a slip of the tongue". What slips off the tongue came from the inside, deep from her racist heart! Let someone else take her place who really loves the game and is not prejudice to what color the they are. I dont believe Tiger thinks its ok what she said, he just wants to move on. Fire her and we can all move on!
At 4:27 AM, Lean said...: i don't think it was a racist comment. she was just making a joke, that the only way to beat tiger is for him to not play any more. We've all made comments that basically say that if somebody were not around, then others would have a chance and use shock value statements to get the point across. that doesn't mean we really mean it. Her and tiger are friends, and she apologized to him personally. His agent made a statement that it's a non issue.

As for her monotone voice, ALL female newscasters have a deeper voice. That's just the way it is. You can watch the news or whatever and you will notice the the theme is to hire broadcasters that have a somewhat deeper voice. Not that it's right, but I think there have been studies that show women with deeper voices are better received if their voices are deeper.
At 9:46 AM, keng said...: WELL, IF A COMMENT SUCH AS THIS WERE DIRECTED TOWARD ANY OTHER GOLFER THAN TIGER WOODS WOULD AL SHARPTON MAKE ANY COMMENTS WHAT SO EVER? OF COURSE NOT! FORGIVENESS IS SOMETHING KELLEY SHOULD RECEIVE FROM ALL WHO CARE. TIGER AND MEMBERS OF HIS CAMP HAVE FORGIVEN AND PUT THE BABY TO SLEEP. BIG AL BABY ARE YOU CAPABLE OF THIS? OR IS ATTENTION TO ONE'S SELF MORE IMPORTANT TO YOU THAN ANYTHING ELSE? BE A MAN FOR ONCE IN YOUR PITIFUL LIFE AND DO THE CORRECT THING.
At 9:58 AM, slimkin said...: so tired of the race card if it were a white person she had said that about it would have been a non issue, and she would still be on the air. to many people with to much time on there hands waiting for people to make mistakes. and have there 15 min in the spot light to get on their soap box.
At 12:25 PM, Get Real said...: Maybe Sharpton should look in a dictonary before calling people a racist. All we need now is Jesse Jackson to join in.

AL Sharpton's definition of Lynching:
“Lynching is not murder in general, it’s not assault in general, 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.”

Wikipedia Defintion:
Lynching, a felony in some states in the U.S.A., is defined by some codes of law as "Any act of violence inflicted by a mob upon the body of another person which results in the death of the person," with a 'mob' being defined as "the assemblage of two or more persons, without color or authority of law, for the premeditated purpose and with the premeditated intent of committing an act of violence upon the person of another."
At 2:07 PM, catplay said...: To Keng - You said if Kelly Tilghman's comment was directed towards any other golfer, by this I assume you mean a white golfer or other non-black golfer (in Tiger's case, non-half black), other than Tiger Woods, Al Sharpton wouldn't have made any comment at all.

Well, yeah, of course! Lynching is a very specific term referring to the hanging of an individual, and in American culture, lynching frequently conjures up horrific images of a black person hanging from a tree. That's America's past legacy to people of color (FYI, I am white).

Tilghman's comment was, therefore, extremely inappropriate and I believe what our hearts and minds are full of, flows forth from the mouth. And, for the record, God agrees. Luke 6:45

Slimkin - this blog is for you as well. You stated that you are "so tired of the race card being played", and that "if it were a white person she had said that about it would have been a non issue".

NEWS FLASH - it wasn't a white person she said this about! Her comment was not just some little thing. It was so grossly inappropriate, only a complete fool, or a racist would say such a thing. Either way, it doesn't look good for Tilghman...
At 2:27 PM, catplay said...: To anon who said, "i don't know about her on air talent but i certainly would like to,,,"

That's offensive. And the "blogger keeper" shouldn't have allowed the post.

To compare the female reproductive apparatus to fish is just offensive. I don't know who you have engaged in "relations" with, anon, but if they remind you of red snapper or tuna, I think it's safe to say, you've chosen poorly - or would that be desperately?

What does that say about you? Nothing good.
At 4:08 PM, keng said...: BIG AL, ME AGAIN YOU SORRY NO GOOD FOR NOTHING RACIST TRASH. WHAT MAKE YOU BELIEVE THERE ARE TWO SETS OF RULES IN THIS WORLD YOURS AND MINE BECAUSE OF YOUR RACE. GROW UP YOU RAT AND REALIZE YOU ARE ONE SOURCE OF THE WORLDS RACIAL PROBLEMS OF TODAY. KELLY'S REMARK WAS NOT DIRECTED TO THE BLACK COMMUNITY IN GENERAL. IT WAS ONE PERSON ONLY TIGER WOODS. WHAT DID HE DO? HE WAS ABLE TO RISE ABOVE THE POOR COMMENT AND MOVED ON LIKE A REAL MAN. HE WILL HAVE NOTHING MORE TO SAY I PROMISE YOU. ALSO, THE WORD LYNCH DOES NOT APPLY TO THE BALCK COMMUNITY ONLY. EVER WATCH CLINT EASTWOOD MOVIES? GUESS WHAT HE WAS LYNCHED IN ONE OF THEM. LAST TIME I LOOKED HE IS WHITE
At 9:28 PM, Veritas3d said...: Both Kelly Tilghman and Nick Faldo are horrid.

Tilghman's racist comments are enough to get her fired. Don Imus lost his job for comparatively much tamer racist comments. Tilghman suggested a horrible murder for a HUMAN BEING. Tiger Woods is the consummate athelete: physically and mentally. He is a treasure to watch. A golf tournament without him is barely worth watching.

Please get rid of Tilghman. She was mediocre, at best, and her racist comments demonstrate that she has no business on TV. Forgive her, forget her, and let her go.

Take Faldo with you, Kelly!
At 10:01 PM, keng said...: SOME OF YOU WOUNDER WHY I USE CLINT EASTWOOD AS AN EXAMPLE? BECAUSE HE IS A WHITE MAN THAT WAS LYNCHED. I KNOW, I KNOW ONLY THE MOVIES NOT REAL LIFE AT ALL. BUT WHAT ABOUT A REAL LIFE EXAMPLE. ANYONE REMEMBER THE STORY OF JOHN BROWN THE ABOLITIONIST IN VA 1859 WHO STOOD UP FOR THE BLACK RACE AND DIED FOR IT. OH, SORRY WAS LYNCHED FOR IT. YOU SEE THIS KELLY TILGHMAN ISSUE HAS BEEN TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT BY ONE SCAM ARTIST AL SHARPTON FOR HIS OWN CAUSE. THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE BLACK RACE IN GENERAL AS AL WOULD HAVE YOU BELIEVE. PUT THIS BABY TO BED AL IF YOU ARE A MAN OF FAITH AS YOU CLAIM TO BE RISE ABOVE THIS AND MAKE GOOD OF A SENSITIVE ISSUE.
At 10:19 PM, keng said...: veritas3d

YOU REALLY THINK KELLEY WANTED TIGER LYNCHED? OF COURSE NOT! THEY HAVE BEEN FRIENDS FOR A LONG TIME THAT IS WHY SHE LAUGHED WHEN THE COMMENT WAS MADE. ALTHOUGH A POOR CHOICE OF WORDS FOR SURE SHE DID APOLOGIZE TO TIGER AND EVERYONE ELSE. SINCE WHEN IN THIS COUNTRY IS AN APOLOGY NOT GOOD ENOUGH? FORGIVENESS IS SOMETHING ALL OF US NEED FROM TIME TO TIME. I CAN ONLY HOPE FOR YOU WHOEVER YOU ARE WHEN YOU MAKE A MISTAKE AND NEED FORGIVNESS IN YOUR LIFE YOU WILL RECEIVE IT.
At 10:51 PM, medford said...: We all forgive her, personally...but professionally, it should be a wrap. It was a racist comment, and Tiger is playing it down only because he is embarrased and wants to move on. Would Al Sharpton have jumped on this if she had said it about a White golfer? Duh - She wouldn't have used the word "lynch" if she had been talking about a White golfer. Let's be honest. That word is specifically/historically associated with Blacks (oops...and Clint Eastwood). Let's get rid of her, she wasn't that great anyway, and get back to the game.
At 11:11 PM, tramky said...: I resent even using Al Sharpton's name or referring to his racist hulk in any way. The guy was disgraced years ago and should have spent a few years in prison, but the MSM resurrected him and still gives him airtime. Unbelievable stupidity in the media. Well, not unbelievable, and the Golf Channel's overreaction to this is another unfortunate example of knee-jerk white fear of the 'R' word.

Again, the Golf Channel had better watch they do & what they say. Golfers who actually watch their programming (TGC advertisers listen up!) are watching & judging what its executives say.
At 10:29 AM, keng said...: I LOOKED UP "LYNCH" A NUMBER OF PLACES AND WHILE THE TERM MAY BE USED TO DESCRIBE WHAT HAPPENED TO AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE PAST, AND IS INDEED A HORRIBLE THIMG, IT IS NOT A WORD THAT DEFINES ONLY THE KILLING OF AFERICAN AMERICANS. MANY OTHER CULTURES HAVE, UNFORTUNATELY, EXPERIENCED LYNCHINGS AS WELL.
LYNCH - TO INFLICT PUNISHMENT UPON, ESPECIALLY DEATH, WITHOUT FORMS OF LAW, AS WHEN A MOB CAPTURES A HANGS A SUSPECTED PERSON.
WAS IT INAPPROPRIATE? ABSOLUTELY. WAS IT RACIST? I DON'T THINK SO.
WRITTEN BY HEATHER WILLIAMS
HEATHER: I COULD NOT AGREE WITH YOU MORE. PEOPLE NEED TO PULL THERE HEADS OUT OF THE SAND AND REALIZE WHAT IS GOING ON HERE. AL SHARPTON MR. SCAM RACIST HIMSELF WITH A BIG VOICE AND THE MEDIA PLAYING INTO HIS HANDS IS USING PERSUASSION TO INFLUENCE BETTER JUDGEMENT. GET A GRIP ON REALITY PEOPLE!
At 11:38 AM, keng said...: MEDFORD:

QUOTE "WOULD AL SHARPTON HAVE JUMPED ON THIS IF SHE HAD SAID IT ABOUT A WHITE GOLFER? DUH!

DUH! BACK AT YOU. IN CASE YOU DID NOT KNOW THERE ARE OTHER RACES ON THE PGA AND LPGA TOUR THAN AFRICAN AMERICAN. WOULD AL SHARPTON STAND UP FOR ANY OTHER RACE THAN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN ONE? HARDLY, THIS IS THE ENTIRE POINT. WHAT IS GOOD FOR HIM AND HIS OWN RACE IS THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS. OR IS IT? PULL YOUR HEAD OUT OF THE SAND AND REALIZE AL SHARPTON IS THE KING OF RACISM
At 8:07 PM, GolferBob said...: Kelly Tilghman is a REFRESHING addition to TGC and I like her dialogue with Faldo.

She is knowledgeable and articulate. I really enjoy her analysis of the play.

As for the "comment". it was meant to be a PLUS for Tiger. She was only trying to say that it is very difficult for ANYONE TO WIN a tournament when he is in the field. I doubt that Tiger was offended by it.

Get a LIFE people.. Lighten up..
At 5:47 PM, eboney knight said...: I like Kelly.
At 9:36 AM, Connor said...: Lynching is the illegal execution of an accused person by a mob.(notice it doesn't say black or white person?) The term lynching probably derived from the name Charles Lynch (1736-96), a justice of the peace who administered rough justice in Virginia.

So back to comment from Kelly Tilghman regarding TW. If we allow 'The PC Police' to rollover everyone who uses a WORD that is deemed OFFENSIVE to one or more individual(s), group(s),race, creed etc etc. What will our english language be reduced to? Grunts and howls?

Let the "INTENT" of the word spoken dictate what the orator was being trying to say. Our oppinions of Kelly Tilghman, whether good or bad for me is not the issue!
At 12:48 PM, mbK said...: Kelly Tilghman said on TV that young players who wanted to challenge Tiger Woods should "lynch him in a back alley." Tell us what you think in a VOTE at http://www.kelly-tilghman.com
At 12:09 AM, Ken said...: Kelly Tilghman is probably one of the best commentators covering the Masters. Waching her caddy for Jack, Arnold and Gary during the pregame activities was very enjoyable. She is very professional and knowledgeable and has a great rapport with all the Playors and her colleagues. I expect, and hope, to see much more of her for years to come.