Finchem Follies at Golf Channel

Jay Busbee really brightened my day by posting Rich Tosches' recap of the TV coverage of Tim Finchem's free appearance at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.  Finchem himself is not a bad player.  Supposedly, he's a single digit handicapper.  No slouch.

But, for the Golf Channel to have to call the action of the guy who basically signs their checks has to be awkward.  How do I know?  It was awfully apparent in the banter between Nick Faldo and Kelly Tilghman in the booth.

Faldo has nothing to lose in this job.  He's got a CBS gig to fall on and millions of dollars as a safety net should he lose his job.

Kelly Tilghman, while well compensated at around $400,000 per year*, still has a job to maintain and a reputation to uphold.  In other words, she has something to lose by letting Faldo's barbs go unanswered with brown-nosing compliments to the Commissioner.

Rich gives us a four-pack of great examples:

• So when Faldo, right off the bat, made a joke about Finchem's swing, Tilghman came back with this: "He's a solid six (handicap)."
• When Faldo analyzed Finchem's swing in slow motion and said, "His arms break a little quick, and his hips are a little stuck and, oohh, there at the finish he's up on his tippy-toes," Tilghman was silent for several seconds - probably imagining herself announcing the Nome Open.
• Later, when Finchem chipped instead of putted when his ball was ON the 17th green at Pebble Beach and sent the ball skipping way past the hole, Tilghman actually said, "He should be credited for his creativity."
• Another Tilghman line: "It's amazing he even finds time to PLAY golf, as busy as he is."

And just think, Faldo has the weekend with Jim Nantz!

* From a Golf Digest story in 2006 to which I cannot find a direct link.