The Martin ruling was the topic of last night's
"Nightline," with Mike VonFremd's report featuring
interviews with U.S. Attorney Gen. Janet Reno, U.S. Sen. Tom
Harkin, Golf Digest's Mike Stachura and John Feinstein.
Harkin, on the ruling's implications: "Thousands of kids all
over America with disabilities are probably picking up golf
clubs." Feinstein: "I think most of America today, if it
were to put a face on the PGA Tour, it would be that of
Scrooge." After VonFremd's report, Forrest Sawyer
interviewed Martin and Scott Verplank separately (ABC,
2/12). On ABC's "World News Tonight," John Cochran examined
the implementation of the ADA in a segment which included a
one-minute by Peter Jennings of U.S. Sen. Max Cleland (D-
GA), an ADA proponent, and former White House Counsel for
President Bush, C. Boyden Gray, who argued that the ADA's
initial intent was not being honored (ABC, 2/12). Martin
has been requested to appear on "20/20," "PrimeTime Live,"
and other "major news show" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 2/13).
HOW IT'S PLAYING: In Atlanta, Terence Moore criticizes
the Judge's ruling for Martin: "It's official: If you don't
like the rules, you can change them. ... In athletics, the
decision ranks with Marbury v. Madison, Roe v. Wade, Brown
v. Board of Education, and that's not good" (ATLANTA
CONSTITUTION, 2/13). In DC, Thomas Boswell: "Martin has a
cause worth fighting for. But so does golf" (WASHINGTON
POST, 2/13). ESPN's Jimmy Roberts: "[I]t's so easy to make
the (PGA) Tour villains. Their motives aren't villainous.
The rules of golf are black and white" (USA TODAY, 2/13).
In Toronto, Rick Fraser: "Give it a rest, Mr. Finchem.
Don't continue making fools of yourselves" (TORONTO STAR,
2/13). A PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS editorializes to the Tour,
"Maybe keeping up with Casey will actually make your game a
brisker, more watchable spectacle" (DAILY NEWS, 2/13).