Golfweek Editor Fired For Noose Cover

Magazine Apologizes For Image Used For Story On Golf Channel Anchor's Comments

(CBS/AP)  Golfweek apologized Friday for putting a noose on the cover of its magazine to illustrate the controversy over a Golf Channel anchor's use of "lynch" in a comment about Tiger Woods. The editor responsible for the cover was replaced.

"We apologize for creating this graphic cover that received extreme negative reaction from consumers, subscribers and advertisers across the country," Turnstile Publishing Co. president William P. Kupper Jr. said. "We were trying to convey the controversial issues with a strong and provocative graphic image. It is now obvious that the overall reaction to our cover deeply offended many people. For that, we are deeply apologetic.

Turnstile is the parent company of Golfweek.

The company said Dave Seanor, the vice president and editor of Golfweek, has been replaced immediately by Jeff Babineau.

Seanor said Thursday that, "We knew that image would grab attention, but I didn't anticipate the enormity of it."

"There's been a huge, negative reaction," he said. "I've gotten so many e-mails. It's a little overwhelming."

Among the critics was U.S. PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem, who said he found the imagery to be "outrageous and irresponsible."

"It smacks of tabloid journalism," Finchem said in a statement. "It was a naked attempt to inflame and keep alive an incident that was heading to an appropriate conclusion."

Kelly Tilghman was suspended for two weeks because of comments she made during the second round of this month's Mercedes-Benz Championship, when she and analyst Nick Faldo were discussing young challengers to Woods.

Faldo suggested that "to take Tiger on, maybe they should just gang up (on him) for a while."

"Lynch him in a back alley," Tilghman replied.

Tilghman said she apologized directly to the world's No. 1 player, and Woods' agent issued a statement that said it was a non-issue.

Seanor said editors at the magazine debated several choices for a cover, and he took responsibility for the noose. The title of the cover is "Caught in a Noose," with a sub-title, "Tilghman slips up, and Golf Channel can't wriggle free."

Golf Channel didn't deal with Tilghman's comments until Newsday in New York first wrote about the "lynch" reference three days after the broadcast. The suspension was announced shortly after the Reverend Al Sharpton demanded on CNN that Tilghman be fired.

"We're a weekly news magazine. The big story of the previous week was Kelly Tilghman, and that's what we chose," Seanor said. "How to illustrate that? It was tough. Do you put Kelly Tilghman out there? But was it so much about her or the uproar?

"This is emblematic of why people were so offended."

He said dozens of customers at the merchandise show stopped by the Golfweek stand and put an issue in their bag, with some stopping to discuss and complain.

"Most people who are objecting to it - within the golf industry - are saying this episode was just above over," Seanor said. "I think it's indicative of how, when you bring race and golf into the same sentence, everyone recoils."

Asked if he regretted the cover, Seanor paused before answering.

"I wish we could have come up with something that made the same statement but didn't create as much negative reaction," he said. "But as this has unfolded, I'm glad there's dialogue. Let's talk about this, and the lack of diversity in golf."

He denied the cover was an attempt to sell more magazines, noting that Golfweek is 99 percent subscriptions.

Golfweek is one of two American weekly magazines devoted entirely to golf.

Golf World, coincidentally put on its cover this week a photo of Bill Spiller, one of the black pioneers in the sport, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of his push to integrate the U.S. PGA Tour.

[easeup-2009]

In the old days when you had 100 white guys chasing a black guy it was called a lynch mob.

Today it''s called the PGA Tour.

[klingon69]

Hey, Sharpton, got that apology ready yet?

[setumstrt9]

I''m getting tired of all the PC idiots!!!!!!

[iceman_1960]

What a freaking idiot.

That''s why I don"t play golf.

The links are full of missing links.

[iceman_1960]

"How would you like to go sailing over the clubhouse, Alice ?"

Ralph Kramden to his wife, when she ridiculed his golfing attire.

This editor should have received that treatment.

[papabc]

I''''m getting tired of all the PC idiots!!!!!!
Posted by setumstrt9
=============
I agree and it is a shame. In the future they could be editing our thoughts. If they are not PC then congress could require a chip implant to correct our evil ways.

[iceman_1960]

It isn"t "PC"

It"s common courtesy to respect the feelings of others.

[slim1h2o]

Today it''''s called the PGA Tour.

Posted by easeup at 11:41 AM : Jan 18, 2008

That''s a funny one! The cover is in bad taste, but too, I think some need to get a little bit thick skinned.

After all,, the Noose is a symbol of the old west, as well!

Tiger and company were already cool about it, so what''s the big deal? Oh yeah, we have turned into a society of whiners and sue happy people. "MOMMA, HE CALLED ME A NAME......"

[josiehood]

was anyone including his majesty al sharpton upset over saddams noose? hrm...pc is overrated, someone somewhere writing or talking about something even if its the color of grass will be offended...beating complete and total.

The state of Oklahoma just celebrated it''s 100th year becomming a state, why didn''t the ACLU get involved because the fact that Oklahoma becomming a state means the Native Indians were forced off of their land at the same time.

[buddhabman]

In the old days when you had 100 white guys chasing a black guy it was called a lynch mob.

Today it''''s called the PGA Tour.

Posted by easeup at 11:41 AM : Jan 18, 2008

Nice style. You can be funny about race but you have to be careful about imagery and words related to killing, lynching. I think that should apply to everyone.

Klingon69 - Stop bagging on Sharpton. You might not like how hard eged he is. I sometimes even think he needs to show more mercy in how he reacts and his request for punishment, but most of his criticisms are valid.

"Golf Channel didn''t deal with Tilghman''s comments until Newsday in New York first wrote about the "lynch" reference three days after the broadcast. The suspension was announced shortly after the Reverend Al Sharpton demanded on CNN that Tilghman be fired."

Many whites don''t like Al because he keeps them on edge. But lynching imagery is a serious deal, you forget your history, in the 30''s-40''s-50''s it happened alot in the South, with no justice or recourse.

The young lady probably didn''t realize the significance of her comments, and her intent wasn''t to denegrate. It''s kind of like Al Campanis, the old man meant no harm or the recent coments at a Republican fund raiser by a rancher from Greeley (Black House). You got to know your audience. We all need to loosen up. We need to be able to laugh and talk about race, there are some funny jokes. PC is not always good.

[missingamerica]

It is getting a little ridiculous.

Racism is a horrible thing, but can you picture what life would be like if the preferred method of murder for the klan and the other southern bigots had been running their victims down by car and drowning them?

No pictures of cars or water...you''d have to say: "I think I''ll jump in my mechanical conveyance just as soon as I get a drink of a molecule consisting of one hydrogen atom and two oxygen atoms.".

[easeup-2009]

buddha

Most white people don''t like Sharpton because he PERPETUATES racism, hatred & mistrust and makes a fine living from it. Any black with a brain would realize that the people they see as their "leaders" are just in it for a buck. Cosby is a true black leader because he tells it like it is.

[mellie1957]

I was appalled at the choice for this magazine cover. This was a thought out & conscious decision, unlike the young lady who made the noose comment on the spur of the moment. The editor deserves to be fired !!

[papabc]

Posted by Iceman_1960 :
It"s common courtesy to respect the feelings of others.
------------------------------------------------------

PC / Common courtesy are the same to me. But today it is getting so strict that we can not say anything withour fear of retributions.

You can offend a person by just saying "good morning" while passing in the hall. Can you say sexual?

Lynch is not a bad word in 90% of our language until a person of dark color decides it is bad. That remark was not made against a "Black Man" but was made against a very good golfer where other golfers can not match his skills. They way to beat Tiger is if her were not in the game.

We are making too much about nothing here.

[itraveler-2009]

Images!!! They can be powerful.

[easeup-2009]

The real tragedy with this whole thing is that it got me thinking about golf & it''s going to be about 9 fricking degrees this weekend!!! ARRGHHH!!!!!!!!!!

[missingamerica]

Most white people don''t like Sharpton because he PERPETUATES racism, hatred & mistrust and makes a fine living from it. Any black with a brain would realize that the people they see as their "leaders" are just in it for a buck. Cosby is a true black leader because he tells it like it is.

Posted by easeup at 12:38 PM : Jan 18, 2008

I think you are right; I would go so far as to say there were millions and millions of children in the world who were not aware of any significance to a color difference - and certainly not aware that there was an association between hanging and people of color - until such time as Al Sharpton splashed it all over the headlines and news media of the world.

Racism should be allowed to die a quiet death, rather than constantly serving it up at dinner time for the youth of the world.

It isn''t their fault that their parents and grandparents perpetuated evil.

[cptdeuce]

When will Congress get rid of the Minority and Majority WHIP. If that isn''t racist, what is?

Forget political correctness. That picture was a purposeful baiting and a burst of stupidity, plain and simple. It was done to continue milking (publicity= money)a dead issue. And lets practice a little honesty shall we? The word used to hang a white person is/was mainly "hang". "Lynching" is a term reserved mainly for "minorities". I personally am sick to death of white people pretending that everything they do is misunderstood, taken out of context, or joking. Ya''ll just dont never do anything wrong do you?

[papabc]

Posted by mellie1957: I was appalled at the choice for this magazine cover. This was a thought out & conscious decision, unlike the young lady who made the noose comment on the spur of the moment. The editor deserves to be fired !!
------------------------------------------------------

If I have seen the cover it would not have bothered me that much. It was for shock value in reference to the lynch comment.

With all the recent Noose activity on college campuses I suppose it was the wrong thing to do right now.

Firing Maybe. But maybe it was in reference to Kelly Tilghman being flogged l for mentioning lynch in the first place.

[easeup-2009]

elmoc

I am sick & tired of blacks blaming whites for EVERYTHING. You are just like Sharpton, et al. The only solution for your problems is to blame white people.

[papabc]

Lynch: kill without legal sanction
Lynch Mob.. Happened to both white and blacks.

More to blacks as a hate crime though.

Do not think this was in reference to blacks but more of a general term as use in westerns. The Noose, worse, but still a general picture without race as a factor.

easup

I have nothing to blame em for. I''m happy successful and well adjusted, thanks. I dont like old pal AL or Jesse either. But my opinion is mine and it stands. Im sick of feigned innocence, period. You dont have to like it angel.

[random_radar]

I personally am sick to death of white people pretending that everything they do is misunderstood, taken out of context, or joking. Ya''''ll just dont never do anything wrong do you?

Posted by elmoc_1 at 01:02 PM : Jan 18, 2008

"Kill Whitey!" Something everyone understands.

[tiredofleft]

Elmoc_1,
"milking (publicity= money)a dead issue". This is all al sharpton and Jesse do and it is big money to them. Al and Jesse are the ones who will never let racism die. It is BIG money for them. Besides, what else would they have to do if not for B*tching about racism? Nothing.......

Words to live by: Take no offence when no offence is meant. Actually, all comments were kudu%u2019s to Mr. Woods, he IS the best at what he does. A friend of mine once told me this joke; where do you put 499 Jews in a VW bug - - - in the ashtray. He said this during a heavy night out drinking after finding out I was Jewish. He meant nothing by it, he was just drunk, I never slammed him for it even though my grandfather came to America via the Camps. Show some class folks, go after the people who DO mean those words and jokes. There IS a difference!

[infidel_us]

Political correctness.....a gift from bleeding heart liberals to the rest of us. Keep voting for democrats. This is the kind of nonsense they bring.

[easeup-2009]

I am offended at being called a "white guy."

From now on, I would like to be referred to as "Pigment Challenged."

Thank you.

[likeitis5050]

dome200q well said.


elmoc_1 also, well said...and the person who made the statement owned up to it personally...and it was a ''non-issue'' that money-hungry journalists refused to let die. White people screw up all the time and seem to get a free pass...but I see things that make me believe the worm is turning.

[j-whitman]

Editor fired for magizine cover ??? Wow --- Why can''t we hold our President accountable to these standards ?????

[missingamerica]

Political correctness.....a gift from bleeding heart liberals to the rest of us. Keep voting for democrats. This is the kind of nonsense they bring.

Posted by Infidel_Us at 01:32 PM : Jan 18, 2008

How do you do it, Infidel? In just a few sentences you create a vision of a world where "political correctness" would never be an issue, because racism and other forms of bigotry just would not exist.

A world without people like you, in fact.

Thank you, likeitis5050

[krenz4]

Will somebody please tell me how Al Sharpton makes money off of standing up for black folks? Yes, he has a radio show (like a lot of others to be left unnamed), but when he makes the news protesting what he perceives to be racism in this country (which is more rampant everyday, where is he getting money?

[infidel_us]

A world without people like you, in fact.
Posted by ibsteve2u at 01:37 PM : Jan 18, 2008

You know, Hillary was only partly correct. It DID take Lyndon Johnso to pass the civil rights act. And a BOATLOAD of republicans. In fact, it was DEMOCRATS who were keeping blacks down....not republicans.

So, in order to compensate for their past sins, they go overboard in the opposite direction. This political correct nonsense is an DIRECT RESULT of decades of lib/democrat guilt.

So go sell your c*rap somewhere else. I''m old enough to have witnessed PC''s disgusting birth, firsthand.

[infidel_us]

Why can''''t we hold our President accountable to these standards ?????
Posted by j-whitman at 01:36 PM : Jan 18, 2008

And speaking of bedwetting whiners.......

Let me take a crack at your question, J. Because they aren''t standards.....it''s REDICULOUS LIB NONSENSE!!!!
Get it? No, I''m sure you never will.

[infidel_us]

where is he getting money?
Posted by krenz4 at 01:45 PM : Jan 18, 2008

He and Rev Jackson extort money from legitimate business who would rather pay and shut them rather than endure picket lines and slander in the press.

[grvmstrj]

The true fact is that racism still is at the forefront of this nation. "Attempting to strongly illustrate"the controversy over a Golf Channel anchor''s use of "lynch" in a comment about Tiger Woods. The anchor is an ***, SHE MUST have known the controversy that would be started. However, because of the love of money, *** like this IS said, printed, illustrated or whatever- racism is not dead it simply changed it''s "SPOTS".

[klingon69]

Klingon69 - Stop bagging on Sharpton. You might not like how hard eged he is. I sometimes even think he needs to show more mercy in how he reacts and his request for punishment, but most of his criticisms are valid.
Posted by buddhabman at 12:33 PM : Jan 18, 2008
I don''t like Sharpton and never will. But, it is because of his jumping into a situation regardless of what it is, only if it is white-on-black. Instantly he pumps up his followers (these people obviously don''t have real jobs as they would be too busy trying to pay bills), has marches, boycotts...etc. This all before the facts come out(ie: Twana Baley or the Duke Lacrosse Team). When a judgement is set against him, he does not apologize, he does not pay it. Somebody does for him. He is lower than Whate ***** and needs to be removed.

Hey tired

What has that got to do with me or what i said? Ive made it clear a few times over a year or so that the world could do without rev slickton and and the rainbow liar. My family is mixed and so am I. I dont want to kill whitey, or anyone else for that matter, (Random-radar). What is more i see this from two vantage points. I am very good for saying what i see wrong with black people. I notice we all seem good at that. But why is it that when i say what i see wrong with white people, I get the same old backlash and presumption(easeup, for someone with such a laid-back tag, you sure took quick umbrage to me having the nerve to opine)?

[easeup-2009]

Excuse me, krenz, but I would think that a black leader would be more focused on incarceration rates, unwed mothers, kids with no male role models except gangsta rappers, poor test grades and the high school drop-out rate.

But you keep on with what''s important--what Golf Channel people say.

Good luck with all that.

[infidel_us]

YOU ARE NOT BEING ASKED TO PUT YOUR STAMP OF APPROVAL ON WHO EVER IT IS BLACK FOLKS CONSIDER THE ''''LEADER''''
Posted by krenz4 at 01:54 PM : Jan 18, 2008

They Golf Digest guy should have just called him a nappy headed ho. LOL

[klingon69]

The word used to hang a white person is/was mainly "hang". "Lynching" is a term reserved mainly for "minorities". I personally am sick to death of white people pretending that everything they do is misunderstood, taken out of context, or joking. Ya''''ll just dont never do anything wrong do you?
Posted by elmoc_1 at 01:02 PM : Jan 18, 2008

Elmoc;
Since you made the RACIST statement about being personally sick to death...etc. The same thing can be turned back around. I am personally sick to death of Afermative action, United Negro College Fund, NAACP...etc. I am personally sick to death of the racist *** that flows forth from all of these organizations. We still all bleed red.
Now, with that aside, learn your history:
Hanging meant a LEGAL execution, after a person had their court appearance, were found guilty, and had the judge say,"And hung by the neck until dead."
Lynching meant to ILLEGALLY hang someone regarless of if they were acquitted or not. Because this happened more to minorities, doesn''t change the meaning. A "lynch mob" would remove a prisoner from the jail, usually after having built up their courage at the saloon, and hang or lynch them without the benefit of legality.
The end result is the same, the meaning refers to LEGAL vs ILLEGAL.

[j-whitman]

Infidel_Us,,,, Your meds have failed -- Ask your doctor about Electroconvulsive Therapy

[krenz4]

racism should be allowed to die a quiet death? In other words, minorites should just keep putting up with this bs until whites get it out of their system? Say nothing, sit down and just take it? Racism has been around since one race decided it was superior and had the power to discriminate against another. What do you think it will take it to die? Couple more hundred thousand years or so?

[klingon69]

racism should be allowed to die a quiet death? In other words, minorites should just keep putting up with this bs until whites get it out of their system? Say nothing, sit down and just take it? Racism has been around since one race decided it was superior and had the power to discriminate against another. What do you think it will take it to die? Couple more hundred thousand years or so?
Posted by krenz4 at 02:08 PM : Jan 18, 2008
If you keep feeding the fire the flames get bigger. It does no good to try to eliminate racism, by using racism.

[krenz4]

Elmor, white folks are famous for trying to ''handle'' those who disagree. They know more, they see more, they have more, you are perceived as less aware of history than they are. So dont argue, the reason there is this kind of thing happening anyway is the dancing they like to do with words.

Klingon

And so? Shall I melt because you have an opinion? You have a right to it. And some of it i can agree with like affirmative action. Will that make you feel better? Here honey, just for the sake of equality. I hate the out of wedlock birthrate for black women, the young idiot drug dealers, hearing people call each other "boo" or "my baby daddy", crackheads blooming in the early morning. So what does that have to do with my opinioin on this subject?

[krenz4]

I wanna know how all these white folks know who sharpton followers are, never having attended a rally sponsored by his organization. You see that the writer ASSUMES that they are all unemployed, on welfare. This is the kind of person who would come away REALLY afraid of sharpton, because who his followers REALLY are,would shock the H"E"L"L out of hime LOL!