Let's Keep A List of Topics Peter Kostis Shouldn't Cover
by Ryan Ballengee on Feb 22, 2010 12:00 PM EST
in Golfiness
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PrintPeter Kostis is a walking conflict of interest. The CBS golf analyst is constantly spewing opinions on television and golf.com. It's not that Kostis doesn't know what he's talking about or what he's doing. It is just that Kostis continually seems to find a way to covertly share his analysis about topics that he really cannot talk about impartially.
Kostis has written several columns for golf.com in which he talks about the new grooves rules, golf balls, or other equipment rulings from the USGA. Kostis regularly chides the rule making body for their work and conclusions. The thing that he doesn't include in each column, though? He's a Titleist staff member - perhaps the most vocal OEM when it comes to bemoaning equipment regulations.
Then on Sunday, Kostis again created a conflict of interest for himself by serving as commentator during the Paul Casey-Ian Poulter match play final on CBS. As The Golf Watch notes, Kostis is Casey's swing coach. Didn't know that? He wouldn't tell you.
All I'm looking for here is a little transparency - and not that kind that a cynic like myself sees or imagines in everything. Kostis should deliver some kind of statement when he opines about topics in which he is directly invested.
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You want transparency ?
You mean like Hank Haney’s transparency ? Or Butch Harmon’s or McCords ? These guys are all IN THE GOLF BUSINESS, and the majority of their income does not come from CBS nor TGC. McCord/Kostis have a golf school business .The guy in the broadcast business with transparencey, IS Johnny Miller. I like Miller’s directness, but many do not,….most notably Woods’ supporters. Kostis’ commentary is always spot on. He understands swing mechanics as good as anybody, and THAT is why CBS/TGC have him on the payroll. He’s very good at what he does.Transparencey isn’t required to anaylize a golf shot. It’s strictly cause/effect . IMO ……………………..Z.
you're still away,...choke on it !
Ryan,you
missed this one…Handy is dead on…it was mentioned when they asked him to analyse the swing…both times in fact…I don’t see any relevance to the fact he’s on Titleists payroll…STUB
again with the Obamanese ?
“transparency” ? I’m begging you – give it a rest – it’s a lie from the head man what’s in charge – and it’s become a joke in most other places.
Ok – back on topic – what difference does it make if Kostis has coached Casey ? He never pulled against Poulter. In fact, his insight into Casey’s swing was good during the final when he explained how Casey’s fatigue was affecting his swing.
If you have to go this way, pick on CBS’ use of Troy Aikman to call Cowboys games where the bias is clear.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
Heh...
You know, I’ve always found Aikman to be reasonably fair. And this is coming from an Eagles fan. He doesn’t hide the fact that he’ll always be a Cowboy (and has said it on the air), but I think he gives both teams a fair shake. At least, that’s the take I’ve had from him doing many Eagles/Cowboys games over the years since he got into the booth.
by Double Eagle on Feb 22, 2010 3:12 PM EST up reply actions
I guess it’s probably just plain displeasure with how he calls a game. You’d think that with his experience, he would be more like Madden – able to look at a formation and predict what is likely to happen. Instead, what we get is the standard talking head, 20/20 hindsight that doesn’t tell me anything I didn’t just see.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
His job is not to predict
he is an analyst and color commentator. and he is very good at what he does.
you liked Madden’s style? that says a lot.
by freeze gopher on Feb 22, 2010 3:33 PM EST up reply actions
his job is not to predict ? where do you get this information ? His JOB is to explain the game and make it interesting. Aikman does neither.
then he is a waste of a microphone – if you have no insight to give to a broadcast, there is no point in being there. telling the audience that the quarterback made a handoff to the right is useless
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
if you think that is all that Aikman does
then you should stick to golf or perhaps Curling.
here is how it works. the play by play guy calls the game. the clolor analyst explains how and why the play worked or did not work. less is more. unless of course you don’t get football and you need some talking head talking all over the game. it is television. WATCH the game.
by freeze gopher on Feb 22, 2010 3:44 PM EST up reply actions
better listen a little more closely next time you watch an Aikman called game. you won’t learn a thing – but you will hear him say dumb things like “he caught that ball at its highest point” – ol’ Troy needs a geometry…not to mention and observation lesson.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
Troy Aikman is widely regarded as one of the best, if not THE best at what he does. just poll the posters on this board. you are not only in the minority, you are the only one that does not like him. i am from Philadelphia. i hated him as a player. but i am smart enough to know that he was a great quarterback and perhaps even better broadcaster.
by freeze gopher on Feb 22, 2010 3:59 PM EST up reply actions
Hold on,or should I say Freeze.
I’m with Court. I find Aikman a master of the obvious with little or no sense of humor. Really liked him as a QB, but he’s not hardly the best of booth worlds.
Just a difference of opinion.
so is Johnny Miller...
…is it my fault all those people are wrong ? :-D
GREAT quarterback – lousy announcer….IMO…he got his bell rung too many times to play, but we’re supposed to listen to the same scrambled brain for analysis ? (ducking)
just yanking your chain – I don’t like most of the modern jock announcers
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
I did. But most casual (emphasize casual) viewers don’t.
Find me! Email: ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com, Twitter: http://twitter.com/waggleroomryan, or Facebook: http://facebook.com/waggleroom.
by Ryan Ballengee on Feb 22, 2010 3:52 PM EST up reply actions
Great point
That, and we’re talking about golf, not government. It’s not like a conflict of interest in a golf telecast is going to rip the very fabric of society. Casual viewers probably don’t know, but even if they did, it’s unlikely that they would care.
by Double Eagle on Feb 23, 2010 11:48 AM EST up reply actions
Who cares if he is Casey's coach?
all of these guys have varying interests in golf. what did he do that was wrong?
Aikman bias? you gotta be kidding me. he is one of the best at what he does.
I have no problems with Aikman’s commentary primarily because everybody knows he played for the Cowboys.
Find me! Email: ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com, Twitter: http://twitter.com/waggleroomryan, or Facebook: http://facebook.com/waggleroom.
by Ryan Ballengee on Feb 22, 2010 3:53 PM EST up reply actions
And he’s good.
Find me! Email: ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com, Twitter: http://twitter.com/waggleroomryan, or Facebook: http://facebook.com/waggleroom.
by Ryan Ballengee on Feb 22, 2010 3:53 PM EST up reply actions
No conflict of interest
any more than when we have Butch Harmon on our commentary panel with his players in the field, and we are aware who they are.
Reading between the lines, maybe he has an axe to grind with Kostis.
I don’t see any problem with commentating on a player you happen to coach. Casey made the final, so that was inevitable
I honestly don't recall if it was openly said
that Kostis is Casey’s coach, but knowing that he is, I think I would have been more alert to some kind of bias than the “casual” viewer. Didn’t note any.
At least 5 years that I know of.
He was fine with it when Casey made the final last year, so why bring it up now ?
Let me put the question out there, cause I’m curious of your answers:
If a writer – blogger or pro journo – were paid by an OEM and didn’t disclose that, would you be upset to find out that their thinking may have been influenced by that relationship?
Find me! Email: ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com, Twitter: http://twitter.com/waggleroomryan, or Facebook: http://facebook.com/waggleroom.
by Ryan Ballengee on Feb 23, 2010 11:46 AM EST reply actions
There's a minor difference
We’re talking about the difference between shilling a product and shilling a person. If you were paid by a manufacturer to hype a product, that results in people spending money on that product. If Kostis hypes Casey, I’m not headed down to Golfsmith to buy anything.
I suppose you could say that some people might enroll in his golf school based on the success of Casey, but you could just as easily chalk it up to a teacher’s pride than to an attempt to put money in his pocket which is really what this is all about.
I suppose the point is valid that you can’t really know what the motivation is. So disclosure is the right thing to do. I didn’t see the telecast in question, but it seems like the relationship was alluded to, and I’ve seen it mentioned explicitly in the past, so it’s no secret. Unlike some of the golf writers out there that do make a secret of relationships between them and manufacturers.
by Double Eagle on Feb 23, 2010 12:03 PM EST up reply actions
Like that’s a rare occurance ? Pick up Golf or Golf Digest and see their “ratings” issues. Every year, the biggest advertisers just magically win the top ratings and highest rankings – yet they claim to be unbiased.
A lot of times on TV, when things like what you’re asking come up, you’ll see their bag or clubs in hand and you can tell what they play even if they don’t say it.
Personally, I know enough of writers and bloggers, etc., to know that most of these guys make friends with club reps or companies, and they have clubs tossed at them fairly often, and they’ll play their favorites – so there is a tiny bit of bias that might filter in, but I think most do a pretty good job at being fair with their articles and reviews.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
At the end of the day,
Kostis is there as a very good commentator who knows what he is talking about. And he should be judged on that alone. It is no secret he is Casey’s coach, so you can’t say he didn’t “disclose” that fact. This really is a non-issue.
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