CNN/SI's handling of Fuzzy Zoeller comments regarding
Tiger Woods, and Woods' subsequent acceptance of Zoeller's
apology, was examined extensively in the weekend media.
NOT OUT OF THE WOODS: In N.Y., both Dave Anderson of
the TIMES and Mike Lupica of the DAILY NEWS criticized Woods
and IMG for its handling of the incident, and noted Woods'
own controversial remarks from his GQ interview. Anderson:
"Woods' apology to African-Americans for his own out-of-
bounds jokes in GQ magazine has yet to be heard" (N.Y.
TIMES, 4/27). Lupica wrote Woods "let Zoeller twist out
there all week while he and his handlers clearly waited to
see what the fallout from all this would be. ... Woods ends
up a hero. People acted as if he had done something noble
by giving Zoeller a full pardon. All he was really doing
this month was cutting Zoeller the same kind of slack the
rest of us cut Tiger Woods last month" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS,
4/27). On "The Sports Reporters," Tony Kornheiser: "If
Fuzzy Zoeller were working at IMG, just like Tiger Woods is,
they would have been up on a podium together in one hour and
that would have been the damage control and everybody would
have walked off and this would not have lasted four days."
Lupica, on Woods: "He's going to be one of the great
champions of sport, so you ought to act like a champion and
not act like an agent. Not let his agents do his thinking
for him" ("The Sports Reporters," 4/27). In S.F., Mark
Soltau, on Woods' slow response to Zoeller: "Woods is
getting some bad advice from [IMG]. His advisors should
have told him to take quicker action" (S.F. EXAMINER, 4/27).
THE RIGHT MOVE: On CNN/SI, Leigh Montville, on Woods:
"With dignity and style, you accepted Fuzzy's apology, you
noted the impropriety of what he first said, but you didn't
damn the man in that easy politically correct way that is
fashionable. You made room for a mistake, good for you"
("CNN/SI," 4/25). In Ft. Lauderdale, Randall Mell: "Woods
wasn't exactly quick to respond ... [but he] showed class in
saying he was shocked and then accepting Zoeller's apology"
(Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL, 4/27). In S.F., Scott Ostler
wrote that Woods "seems more than magnanimous" with his
acceptance of Zoeller's apology (S.F. CHRONICLE, 4/25).
MEDIA SHOTS: In L.A., Tom Hoffarth noted CNN/SI's delay
in showing the Zoeller clip and lack of an "uproar" over
Woods' GQ comments: "Selective out-of-context target-
shooting - miss Tiger, hit Fuzzy - in a media world full of
crossfire doesn't serve anyone. Unfortunately, you don't
need a license to start spraying bullets in this medium"
(L.A. DAILY NEWS, 4/25). In N.Y., Bob Raissman: "CNN
created its CNN/SI service to deliver breaking news in an
instant. By folding on Fuzzy, the suits missed a chance to
bury ESPNews" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 4/25).
GOOD FOR THE GAME? CNN's golf analyst Gary Van Sickle,
asked if golf will suffer from the incident: "Maybe a little
bit, [but] I think it also helps golf. ... Golf is not just
a clubby little group of white, male, Republican, rich guys
anymore, it's everybody. Not just the players, its the fans
too. Everybody is into this game now. Tiger has raised the
visibility level also and golf is much more scrutinized than
ever before and I think in the long run, it is going to be
good" ("Pro Golf Weekly," CNN, 4/27).
