John Daly Blames Harmon Again

[Harry Longshanks]

I'm not a big fan of people who blame others for their mistakes and problems.

Butch Harmon (all the Harmon brothers actually) has always struck me as a stand up, straightforward guy.

I won't go into what I've come to think of Daly . . .

http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/briti...ory?id=3491444

[Lemay427]

Ya I feel bad for John Daly. He has become so popular because he is a screw up. The fans want to see him smoke and drink and act like a jackass. He is really talented and I think Tiger even said that Daly had extreme talent and was an exceptional ball striker. I still think Daly can turn it around if he can get rid of beer and smokes. He needs to get his head cleared.

BTW, Butch Harmon comes off as about as arrogant as they come.

[bogeyme]

Daly said he was angry at Harmon for telling the Golf Channel "that I'm just a drunk and it was ridiculous that coach Gruden caddied for me. He just made up stuff that he didn't really know the facts were straight, and by putting it out all over the world and not talking to me, I mean, it's kind of ridiculous. Real men just don't do that.''

Ok so what are the facts then Mr. Daly? Why did Coach Gruden caddie the rest of the round? Has that ever come out as to why other than it being a drunk decision? I always thought Daly was a good golfer but now he's just a waste.

[BASHERBAKER69]

Ya I feel bad for John Daly. He has become so popular because he is a screw up. The fans want to see him smoke and drink and act like a jackass. He is really talented and I think Tiger even said that Daly had extreme talent and was an exceptional ball striker. I still think Daly can turn it around if he can get rid of beer and smokes. He needs to get his head cleared.

Butch is entitled to be a little arrogant, or confident, as others may view him, as he is the best coach in the world (my cheque is in the post

). I believe what Butch is saying- he is there to be objective and to help players. JD is JD and will not change his ways until he collapses on the course with heart failure. I watched his show 'The Daly Planet' on thegolfchannel.com and it is obvious that he is a perpetual alcoholic and chain smoker- he certinly wasn't trying to hide it, he was parading his behaviour. However, I don't believe that JD has ever been any different and any coach should remember that he has demons and work with them as part of his game. Last year at the Open at Hoylake i remember that he was 3 shots inside of the cut with Faldo on the 18th tee in round 2- he hit 2 balls out of bounds right on his way to a nine to miss the cut- caused in my view by his Pepsi drinking with no booze in his system. If there isnt 40mg/l of alcohol in his blood stream he can't play without nerves. Andy Fordham, a famous UK darts player is in the same category when it comes to alcohol- he has also fallen in to demise. I do not feel that it was Butch's place to so publicly humiliate John in the media- we all know JD has problems and we don't need confirmation of it from BH.

[Southpaw]

I believe that Harmon had the right to drop him, the dude is a waste of time.

[Guest]

Perhaps Butch Harmon was trying to embarass JD enough that he'd finally feel compelled to confront his demons. JD is an alcoholic, plain and simple. Until he gets to the place that he'll admit that to himself, admit that he can't control it on his own, and give it up to a higher power, he's going to continue in the death spiral he is in. If JD could get to the place where he would do the 12 Steps of AA and really make every effort to get sober, he could be a major force in the game. But, he shows absolutely no inclination to do so. My Aunt who lives in Memphis, 89 years young, AA, and 42 years sober last April (so she knows of what she speaks on alcoholism) has told me more than once "I'd just like to slap JD right upside his head and tell him to get with it and make a real life for himself".

[Southpaw]

Perhaps Butch Harmon was trying to embarass JD enough that he'd finally feel compelled to confront his demons. JD is an alcoholic, plain and simple. Until he gets to the place that he'll admit that to himself, admit that he can't control it on his own, and give it up to a higher power, he's going to continue in the death spiral he is in. If JD could get to the place where he would do the 12 Steps of AA and really make every effort to get sober, he could be a major force in the game. But, he shows absolutely no inclination to do so. My Aunt who lives in Memphis, 89 years young, AA, and 42 years sober last April (so she knows of what she speaks on alcoholism) has told me more than once "I'd just like to slap JD right upside his head and tell him to get with it and make a real life for himself".

42 years? I wish I had that kinda willpower.

But he really does need to get his act together, it's all fun and games but sooner or later it's gonna all come back to him.

[JackieTreehorn]

I take Daly's side here. It is fine for Butch to leave him, but he doesn't have to bring Daly down in the press. Guess Butch wants people to know it wasn't his teaching, it was Daly's partying.

Phil's quote in that article sounds so...well...Phil. I'd much rather play a round with Daly than Mickelson or Harmon.

[pjsnyc]

Yeah - the facts are still a little fuzzy, but if JD wants to be in contention again - he needs to stop using tall boys as a golf tee.

[Grogger31]

I used to like Daly because he was different. Now I realize he's just dumb as wood and have a hard time stomaching him (pun intended).

John ... keep your shirt on, your mouth closed, and just play.

[Three Putt]

As Billy Madison would say " A simple no would have been just fine"

John Huston had his 16 year old son caddying for him (with a stand bag) for 4 days at the PODS Champ., and no one made a big deal about that.

Don't worry Butch...your 2 coaching sessions are not to blame for his poor play this year.

[scottevans77]

I've got to go with Daly on this one. Sure Harmon was within his rights to drop Daly, but it wasn't really right for him to say the things he said to the press about it. John Daly may do a lot of things that most of us don't think are right, but that's his business and not the public's. Even with all the self destructive behavior, he still does quite a bit for charity.

[iacas]

I've got to go with Daly on this one. Sure Harmon was within his rights to drop Daly, but it wasn't really right for him to say the things he said to the press about it. John Daly may do a lot of things that most of us don't think are right, but that's his business and not the public's. Even with all the self destructive behavior, he still does quite a bit for charity.

And I couldn't disagree with you more. Someone finally stood up and told John Daly that he should look in the mirror, take some responsibility, and focus on his talent rather than drinking. John's only had enablers in his life to this point, including many of his fans, and Butch didn't continue to enable John.

In my book, that's tough love, and something that separates a true friend from an "acquaintance" or an enabling hanger-on. And how does John respond? By questioning the OTHER guy's manhood? Puh-lease. Any and all respect I had for John Daly have left the building, if it didn't already leave back in March. This isn't even new news. John Daly brought this up again all on his own. The only thing Butch has said recently about it is "consider the source."

[NM Golf]

And I couldn't disagree with you more. Someone finally stood up and told John Daly that he should look in the mirror, take some responsibility, and focus on his talent rather than drinking. John's only had enablers in his life to this point, including many of his fans, and Butch didn't continue to enable John.

I agree. Seems like everyone else wants to overlook John's behavior, or just chalk it up to Daly is just being Daly. Well really and truly how can anyone who actually cares for the guy just sit back and watch him destroy himself. I have run through all the emotions when it comes to John Daly. I loved him when he was golf's blue collar guy, then I felt sorry for him when he struggled and applauded him each time it seemed he was back on the straight and narrow. Now I just have written him off. He has finally fallen to the bottom. I mean how many people can give this idiot a chance only to have him screw it up then blame somebody else. He is just like any other addict that blames life and everyone around him for all of his problems. Well guess what, this is all on John. This is not Butch Harmon's fault. He is just the first person in a long list of people who John let down that finally said something publically. All the other scores of people he screwed have just cut ties quietly and let him go on destroying himself as before. Basically it comes down to John Daly's behavior is no longer funny. Its sad, degrading, and it will ultimately end with his fat bloated body being found face down in his run down tour bus.

[bogeyhitter25]

I've never really liked John Daly. And, obviously, I still don't.

[Harry Longshanks]

Wow! I just saw video of the press conference of Daly where he said the stuff about Harmon.

"As far as lifestyle goes, I really haven't done much to make people think . . . I think most of that stuff started with Butch Harmon and I think his lies kinda destroyed my life a little bit. The lies he said about me being at the Hooter's tent and all this stuff."

He goes on to say that (paraphrasing) Harmon sought out the Golf Channel and told everyone Daly was "a drunk", that Harmon "lied" and "made stuff up" and that "real men don't do that."

Whoa. How about real men don't blame others for their mistakes and failures John???? Exhibit A: John, the whole reason you went to Harmon is because your career was in a freefall. Harmon didn't do that. Exhibit B: You are a drunk. Remember AA? Remember the breakdown at the British Open because you had the DTs? Remember the shirtless, shoeless incident in Branson? Exhibit C: Everyone except you agrees with Harmon's version of the Hooter's tent story. (See Exhibit B for why you may remember things differently.) I haven't been a John Daly fan for a while. But now I don't want to even see him invited to tournaments. First threatening to sue the Honda Classic after they sponsor invited him, now this. Remember when the AP did a Paris Hilton news blackout because they were tired of her getting press without doing anything newsworthy (basically, being famous for being famous)? I think the same should be applied to JD, cause he's certainly not a "golfer" in my book any more.

[immts007]

I'm so tired of talking about John Daly. When I first started playing golf 2 years ago there was still something there to root for. Some charm remaining. Now he's just a big sack of angry pathetic fail and frankly it's embarrasing to see him lose every shred of dignity he once had.

He needs to go live in an ashram for a couple years or something.

[golfunit]

Phil's quote in that article sounds so...well...Phil. I'd much rather play a round with Daly than Mickelson or Harmon.

There is no Phil quote I can find in that article. It's always nice that people bash him, especially when the subject is something totally different.