Boo Weekley Baited Into Uncomfortable Comment

by Ryan Ballengee on Jan 12, 2009 12:17 AM EST Comment 13 comments

The golf media really seems to look down on Boo Weekley. Frankly, I love the guy. He seems to relate to the common golfer in a way that many PGA Tour players simply can't. And, on the comparison scale, he's kind of like John Daly in regards to his appeal - sans the shirtless, drunken ragers.

I don't get to interview Boo, though. Golf Channel and the scribes do. And, since they kind of appear to look down on him, they try to bait him into saying the ridiculous things that he does for a good quote.

During TGC's broadcast of the Mercedes Benz Championship, it appears that Boo was had.

A reader at Geoff Shackelford's site sent in a note about an interview conducted with Weekley on Saturday.

So last night I'm watching the Boo interview live from Kapalua and as usual the announcers are baiting him for redneckese. He obliges with hunting humor and the like. Then Lerner goes too far and asks him about his upcoming appearance at Qatar. Something along the lines of, has anybody prepped you about the culture over there. Boo's answer was "All I know is I don't have to wear one of them turbans". Awkward silence, then interview over. They replayed the broadcast and had Boo's interview up until that question (went to commercial before).

I don't know how much you can blame Rich Lerner for this one since I haven't heard the specific question. Still, you also have to put some responsibility in the hands of Weekley for saying something that doesn't sound so good to a number of people. For someone like me, it's not a big deal.

Is it for you?

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The PC Police

Sometimes I wonder if people sit around in an office somewhere brainstorming different ways to brand people as “insensitive” and looking for new ways to be offended.

Last time I checked, the word “turban” refers to a piece of clothing. And Boo doesn’t have to wear one and apparently wouldn’t like it if he did. Probably just as much as he wouldn’t want to wear high heels, a toga, or a racoon skin cap.

The only thing offensive is the continued effort by the media to paint him as an ignorant fool.

by Double Eagle on Jan 12, 2009 9:01 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I agree

It’s not a big deal at all, but it could be made into one unnecessarily.

by Ryan Ballengee on Jan 12, 2009 9:38 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

definite baiting...

…the question wasn’t as bad as many I have heard asked of Weekley – but Lerner was definitely hoping for something like that.

The thing is – only people in this country will make a big deal about it. By the time he gets to Qatar and the people meet him, he will charm them and be a fan favorite like he has done everywhere else. This is the kind of stuff that really gets under my skin and makes me ashamed of our media.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Jan 12, 2009 10:04 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

It bugs me

That anyone is trying to exploit someone else into becoming a character or archetype for no good reason. What Boo said doesn’t bug me, though.

by Ryan Ballengee on Jan 12, 2009 10:45 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Weekley at East Lake...

A couple of years ago at The Tour Championship, I stood next to Weekely as he was being “interviewed” by some joker from a low rent golf publication. He was doing a “20 Questions” thing, and the more I listened, the more it was obvious that he had arranged his questions to get Weekely to give a country-boy answer for him and his cronies to laugh about. Boo went through the questions politely and honestly. When that guy left, I asked him about his new house and I got the same polite, frank answers from him. The guy is genuine – he doesn’t pretend to know everything about everything – he knows what he knows (and construction was one of the things he knows !) – and he doesn’t put people down for no reason.

I’ll take 1000 Boo Weekleys before I’d take one of these media clowns who just want to embarrass him.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Jan 12, 2009 11:13 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Not Surprised

I’m not surprised to hear that Boo is genuine and polite. And “clowns” is a perfect description of the media people who certainly do try and embarrass him.

I think I’m thinking of the same post-round interview where the turban comment happened (I must’ve tuned out before it happened, or I may be thinking of Friday’s round), but they were going on with him about fishing and hooking into a whale. It was the same thing. They were trying to get something out of him so they could say, “tee-hee!! He wants to go fishin’!”

by Double Eagle on Jan 12, 2009 11:29 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I'd take 1000 Boos before I'd take Rich Lerner

I find myself switching channels when Lerner starts to speak. He’s one of those reporters who thinks that “he” is the star of the show. His interview with Boo was typical – Lerner was trying to embarrass Boo and make himself look clever at Boo’s expense.

It didn’t work – Lerner does not look or sound clever on GC.

Boo was exploited by Lerner – no doubt about it.

Cheers,
Golfgal
www.golfgal-blog.com

by Golfgal on Jan 12, 2009 7:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Agree

Again, I haven’t seen the video with Lerner’s question, if he was persistent, etc. I’m hoping someone did see it and can either confirm what Shack’s reader thinks or if it wasn’t that bad.

by Ryan Ballengee on Jan 12, 2009 11:24 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

not "persistent"

you don’t HAVE to be persistent with Boo to get an answer out of him – and these guys know it. He will answer the question his way the first time. What you see is what you get.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Jan 12, 2009 12:31 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I agree

But, if Lerner asked it once, then maybe it wasn’t a bait. If he asked it twice or more, then it would definitely appear to be.

by Ryan Ballengee on Jan 12, 2009 12:47 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

with Boo...

…it’s not the number of times you ask the question – it was just an off the wall question. They were talking about Hawaii, then Lerner threw it into a hairpin turn and brought up Qatar.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Jan 12, 2009 2:49 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Webster request

Love Boo—he’s great for the sport. (Then again, I’m an admitted Daly fan too) But wouldn’t the world be a better place if “combatibate” was added to the dictionary?

by realwomengolf.com on Jan 12, 2009 12:58 PM EST reply actions 0 recs