Jack Nicklaus' introduction of the Memorial on CBS

[pjsnyc]

Finally got a chance to watch the final round I recorded on my DVR. I did notice one thing that kind of startled me at the very beginning of the broadcast. Like any other golf tournament on television (or any other sport for that matter) they do an intro glossing over the history of the tournament and why its so great, etc. Did anyone find Jack's opening statement in the intro kind of scary? I can't remember it verbatim (when I get back home I can get the exact quote if you want) but it went something like this:

'When I was young, I used to go hunting in this neck of the woods with my dad. Now its a pro golf course where the best of the best come to play once a year, etc, etc...'

Now I can't help but assume that Jack didn't mean it, but I'm sure the hardcore tree-huggers out there didn't like it. They basically heard this:

'I killed so many animals in this here wilderness there were none left - so I chopped the trees down and made it into a golf course.'

What do you think? Did any of you catch that?

[mikelz]

Finally got a chance to watch the final round I recorded on my DVR. I did notice one thing that kind of startled me at the very beginning of the broadcast. Like any other golf tournament on television (or any other sport for that matter) they do an intro glossing over the history of the tournament and why its so great, etc. Did anyone find Jack's opening statement in the intro kind of scary? I can't remember it verbatim (when I get back home I can get the exact quote if you want) but it went something like this:

No, I didn't hear it this week but I've heard it before.

The hunting part is true. That he killed all the animals is a joke. Hunters would like it. PETA put a contract on Jack's life.

[BASHERBAKER69]

That sounds like a joke and a very funny one at that. Although i would say that is the kind of remark to be made behind closed doors at a Country Club dinner speech!

The world needs 'tree huggers' to help redress the balance of capitalism and the champion the rights of animals and vegetation.

However, although we listen to them, and often take note, we should never take action on their remarks.

[pjsnyc]

That sounds like a joke and a very funny one at that. Although i would say that is the kind of remark to be made behind closed doors at a Country Club dinner speech!

Indeed...though my point was that it was quite a startling way to introduce a golf tournament on national television. Those were his FIRST WORDS in the intro. I'll try to remember to get the exact quote when I get home from work.

[geezer]

Just my humble opinion; you'd have to be looking pretty hard to read that into what he said.

[Thrash13]

Just my humble opinion; you'd have to be looking pretty hard to read that into what he said.

I agree 100% with your humble opinion.

Some people look into things WAY too much these days.

[Cleveland Gunmetal]

I'll also agree. Seems everything is under such a tight microscope these days and if you look hard enough you'll always find something.

One thing I'll say about Jack is I do sometimes struggle telling the difference between a joke and a serious comment.

[JaY_B]

Just my humble opinion; you'd have to be looking pretty hard to read that into what he said.

Ill agree with this opinion

I agree 100% with your humble opinion.

I'll also agree with this response

[pjsnyc]

...One thing I'll say about Jack is I do sometimes struggle telling the difference between a joke and a serious comment.

I'm sure Jack's statement wasn't meant to be a joke or serious. It was in a very nonchalant manner.

To be honest I wasn't trying to read too much into it (I was listening). I literally turned my cable box on, went to the golf recording, hit play, and went into the kitchen to get something to drink. As I was coming back to my couch (I wasn't even looking at the screen) I heard it. In fact, it must've been aired also on Saturday's coverage but I didn't notice it then. The fact that I heard it out of the 'corner of my ear' proves I wasn't waiting for someone to slip up on national television - it proves that it was jarring enough for me to notice. Like I said - I'm sure he didn't mean it the way i described, I thought it was just a poor way to introduce a tournament. I suppose living in NYC helps tune your ears to these kinds of liberal hippie things tho (and for the record, there is nothing wrong with being a liberal hippie). I enjoy trees as much as the next guy

[egehoski]

'When I was young, I used to go hunting in this neck of the woods with my dad. Now its a pro golf course where the best of the best come to play once a year, etc, etc...'

If that is what "they" heard from what Jack said, then "they" are even more ridiculous than I previously thought "they" were originally.

This is my first post on this forum. I was going to make an introduction post be my first post, but I couldn't resist posting on this topic right away. I love trees, but I'm not a tree-hugger. I love animals, AND I also love to hunt. I absolutely despise PETA, and their outlandish views. I'm sure some didn't like Jack's intro, even though I never heard it myself. But they're crazy anyhow. There are very few things those tree hugger types do like, besides hearing themselves protest something. That's my $.02. You asked.

[pjsnyc]

The more responses the better! Keep em comin and I'll get ya the exact quote later tonight.

[MrKadash]

This is a non-story....

[iacas]

This is a non-story....

Agreed.

I thought it was just a poor way to introduce a tournament.

I don't. The area meant a lot to him as a kid, and he's returned a "golden boy" and was able to continue to make the area mean something to him, and beneficially, to all of us as well.

He's sharing one of his dreams with us, on a piece of property that means a lot to him.

[Magnus]

Networks always need a way to 'personalize' sporting events. This is typical. Watch the Olympics from China in a few months, you may see more 'personal interest' stories as you do actual events. I personally have no problem if CBS or NBC or whomever wants to let one of the all-time greats in their respective sport introduce the event. As for what he said, it's his story, his tournament, his interview (per say) and it set the stage for why it was and is important to Jack. Good for him for speaking from his heart.

As for looking into the comments he made......personally alot of people in this word have nothing better to do than feel offended, or insulted, or just want to complain all the time. They just want to complain, and pick the latest and greatest comments that they can misinterpret. These same people will never be happy no matter what. Just block them out, they are not worth the time we have spent writing words about there existance.

[pjsnyc]

DANG IT! My DVR erased the tournament the second the Yankees came on last night...GRRRRR

Well anyway, like I said - I'm sure Jack meant nothing by it. And I forgot to mention what he said afterwards in the rest of the intro (I forget exactly) basically nullified the first poorly worded sentence. It was just a startling way to introduce a tournament and I was afraid there would be an uproar from the tree-huggers out there.

And whats up with Kenny Perry these days? He's playing like he's shaved off 15 years!

[Cleveland Gunmetal]

DANG IT! My DVR erased the tournament the second the Yankees came on last night...GRRRRR

That's what you get for being a Yankees fan

And whats up with Kenny Perry these days? He's playing like he's shaved off 15 years!

Well, maybe more like 3. He went on that ridiculous tear in (I think) 2003 and I'm pretty sure won twice in 2005 but Kenny really has been one of those guys who has performed at a high level after the age of 40. He had knee surgery just a year or two ago so perhaps he's finally fully healthy from that.

[CoolBreeze20]

I dont get this at all......He simply said he used to hunt in these woods as a kid, and he has now built a beautiful golf course on the same land, in his hometown, to bring Tounament level golf to his home state. Its ridiculous to read into that that he meant "I killed everything here, so now I am cutting some trees down too". Good grief.

[iacas]

And I forgot to mention what he said afterwards in the rest of the intro (I forget exactly) basically nullified the first poorly worded sentence.

I didn't think it was "poorly worded" at all. I agree too with what the guy here says:

I dont get this at all......He simply said he used to hunt in these woods as a kid, and he has now built a beautiful golf course on the same land, in his hometown, to bring Tounament level golf to his home state. Its ridiculous to read into that that he meant "I killed everything here, so now I am cutting some trees down too". Good grief.