The first-round performance of TNT-CBS during
yesterday's PGA Championship coverage "showed an unusual
propensity for fairness to the field," as "other golfers
received nearly equal treatment" to Tiger Woods, according
to Richard Sandomir of the N.Y. TIMES. But Sandomir notes
while highlights of the first rounds of Woods and Jack
Nicklaus, who both teed off earlier in the day with Vijay
Singh, were shown in the beginning of TNT's telecast, the
highlights package "did not offer one Singh shot."
Sandomir: "But face facts: he's only Vijay, just the
defending Masters champion, not Tiger or the Golden Bear."
Sandomir also notes that there were "no shots of the leader
board until 16 minutes into the telecast, as if TNT, which
is tweaking CBS's production, wanted to create first-round
suspense. You saw Tiger pile up birdies, but you did not
know where he stood for much too long" (N.Y. TIMES, 8/18).
In Atlanta, Prentis Rogers notes although Woods finished
play early in TNT's coverage, "several top players were left
to carry TNT's telecast for the remaining 4 1/2 hours. ...
But it was difficult to view the rest of the coverage as
anything more than anticlimactic" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION,
8/18). In San Diego, Jay Posner: "For at least one day, TNT
did not stand for Tiger Network Television. But wait until
today. Tiger Woods begins play in the second round of the
PGA Championship at [1:25pm ET]. TNT's broadcast begins at
[1:00pm]. ... Tiger probably will take anywhere between 65
and 70 strokes during his round. Don't be surprised if TNT
shows every one" (UNION-TRIBUNE, 8/18). In Baltimore,
Milton Kent writes that coordinating Producer Lance Barrow
"would do well to keep as many CBS cameras as possible
trained" on Woods. Barrow: "If he's anywhere in contention,
you have to pay attention to him" (Baltimore SUN, 8/18).
LOVE THAT TIGER! In DC, Leonard Shapiro, on several PGA
Tour players, as well as the PGA Tour, expressing "outrage"
over The Golf Channel carrying taped coverage of Woods last
week rather than live action: "They're clearly in need of a
serious reality check. Woods is The Only Story in golf
these days, and perhaps for the next 20 years. And never
mind any of that silly talk that his continued dominance of
the sport ultimately will lead to 'Woods weariness' and a
resulting drop in ratings. No one in golf, or more
important, the world of televised sports, believes any such
thing." Pilson Communications President Neal Pilson: "The
casual sports audience and the non-sports audience is
excited by Tiger Woods on a number of levels. ... There's no
question he ranks with Babe Ruth, Muhammad Ali and Jordan as
the four greatest athletes of the last 50 to 100 years.
He's a public figure now beyond golf and sports. He's a
crossover personality" (WASH. POST, 8/18).
