I Want John McEnroe Calling Golf Tournaments

We golf fans lament a lot about the lack of bench depth for the commentators calling our golf tournaments these days.  NBC did a very nice job this weekend with the coverage of the Deutsche Bank Championship, but Johnny Miller still gets on my nerves.  Despite that, they are eons better than CBS' efforts, which have devolved into some kind of attempt at "golf entertainment" that mightily fails on both parts of the phrase.

In the meanwhile, ESPN and the aformentioned Eye Network are doing a fantastic job with the US Open.  And I'd like to credit John McEnroe as a big reason why.  I don't know a ton about tennis, but I learn something everytime I listen to McEnroe.  He explains situations, critiques players fairly and without using the first person, and is entertaining.  Hell, the players love him so much that Novak Djokovic invited McEnroe down to center court after his match last night to hit a few balls on court.

Even better?  McEnroe won a point!  Take a look at the video.

Could you imagine Johnny Miller risking being humbled by Phil Mickelson in a flop shot contest?  How about Peter Kostis trying to take on Tiger Woods in a putting contest?  No?

The US Open is a unique tournament - incredible night matches and electric atmosphere - that only occurs once a year.  Golf has its majesty (the Masters) and its trials (US Open), but seems to lack something like this during one of its biggest events of the year.  It just seems stuffy on course and in the booth sometimes. 

Moments like these prove that individual sports perceived to be boring and only for the wealthy can be engaging and fun.  And why golf needs someone like McEnroe doing color commentary - though not Johnny Mac himself.