Fox this weekend will broadcast the final round of the Franklin Templeton Shootout, marking the first time a "new network will begin televising golf" since the debut of Golf Channel in '95, according to Geoff Shackelford of GOLF WORLD MONDAY. Joe Buck and Greg Norman "will work together for the first time during Saturday's final-round telecast." Fox Sports Coordinating Producer Mark Loomis said that viewers "shouldn't expect to see a facsimile of the presentation Fox will roll out for its inaugural U.S. Open coverage at Chambers Bay in June, but there might be glimpses of the 'fresh and innovative' approach promised by the USGA when announcing the Fox deal." Shackelford noted while Golf Channel "televises the first two rounds, most of the new Fox team will be practicing in a separate facility on-site" (GOLF WORLD MONDAY, 12/8 issue). Norman said, "This event’s going to be a great steppingstone kickoff for us. ... You’ll see a lot of energy. Everybody’s extremely excited.” Loomis said of Norman, "He is willing to try things. That kind of spirit is really refreshing. Instead of ‘Why are we doing that?’ He’s somebody who wants to keep pushing. He has a lot of ideas.” In Florida, Greg Hardwig noted Norman's new gig "has necessitated a change in his own golf viewing habits." Norman: "I used to watch the Masters -- that was the only golf I'd watch all year. Now I'll watch almost a tournament a week, if I'm at home. I definitely make an effort." Hardwig noted some of Fox' new announcing team will be unveiled -- Buck and Norman "will be in the 18th tower, and Brad Faxon and Steve Flesch as hole announcers, Scott McCarron and teaching pro EA Tischler on the course." Loomis said that Tischler will "discuss swing instruction" (NAPLES DAILY NEWS, 12/7).
SHARK ATTACK: Norman recently sat down with SBD Exec Editor Abraham Madkour for an upcoming feature and talked about his new role with Fox. Norman said, “I do watch the different networks. I’ll watch CBS and their style, and I’ll watch NBC and their style, I know the Golf Channel and their style. And I really pick up on what I see that I wouldn’t do or what I would say.” Norman noted how he and Buck did “a rehearsal” around this year's U.S. Open. Norman: “I’m like, ‘We did okay,’ but being in rehearsal, you can get away with a few things and knowing it’s not going to go out live to air.” He said he is not the type of person who is going to study his on-air performances immediately, adding, “I’m a guy who wants to hear feedback before I actually go and watch myself. Even in my career, I never went and watched my past games. I watched my swing with my coach, but I wouldn’t go through and watch hours and hours of golf." Norman said of his on-air role, “People are looking for your analytical advice. People are looking for your perception of what you’ve experienced in the game and to hand it over to them through the TV screen. I am going to have to have the confidence of saying if I see something happen without violating codes and ethical standards. I’ll give you an example of this: the situation of Tiger Woods at Augusta National when he took the drop. As soon as he dropped the ball, I knew it was an illegal drop. I said, ‘You can’t do that!’ I said that to the TV. I said, ‘That’s not right.’ Those are the things I’ll talk to (Fox Sports Media Group CEO) David Hill about. Will he allow me to go out on that limb if I’m so confident in the rules of the game and say, ‘You can’t do that'? I don’t care whether it’s Tiger Woods or Joe Blow. The rules of the game, and the game, is bigger than anybody, bigger than any tournament, bigger than any player. I’m there to protect the sport too, because I think it’s incumbent on me as a former player that I do protect the sport" (THE DAILY).
