Last week, one of the announcers for the Golf Channel stated on air that younger players, in order to combat his dominance over the sport, should take Tiger Woods into a back alley and lynch him.
Apparently, the announcer has apologized publicly on air and privately in a conversation with Woods and Woods’ agent calls the whole matter a “non-issue.”
After last year’s commotion over Dom Imus (who, incidentally, is back on the air in New York) and his derogatory racial & gender attack on the women’s basketball team of Rutgers, one might imagine on air personalities being a bit more careful in their choice of words.
This Golf Channel announcer may not be a racist (though I have my doubts about that — this particular kind of language doesn’t fall out of the sky) but she has made herself and the Golf Channel look like an amateur production. It is, after all, part of the job description for on air personalities to be able to think on their feet and find words that are not loaded with the historical weight of racial oppression, violence and death.
For example, the announcer could have said: Those young guys need to give Tiger the ol’ smackdown or The only way they’ll stop Tiger is if he is abducted by aliens. Or, she could have skipped the whole “no, really, I am funny” routine and simply said that, in order for these players to achieve Tiger’s level of dominance, they need to put in a whole lot more practice.
headsparks* 
“This Golf Channel announcer may not be a racist (though I have my doubts about that — this particular kind of language doesn’t fall out of the sky)”
this particular kind of language is just so ingrained into our culture that you can make the argument that everyone is a racist. you and me included.
worinld — I don’t mean to point fingers without examining my own prejudice & bias. Racist attitudes are found, unfortunately, in every culture & place. However, I think my main point is simply that “lynch” is a word so closely associated with our nation’s shameful history of slavery, segregation, racism and murder that I find it hard to believe she couldn’t find another word.
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We all make mistakes, and there should be room for repentance & reconciliation. I think it is fair, though, to feel that it’s a basic job requirement of a television host to find appropriate ways of communicating.
wtf? what a thing to say.
In response to worinld – lynching has a specific historical context. It’s true we’re all guilty of racism, but to use the word “lynch” – coming from a white broadcaster in reference to a black man – that’s not just a dumb mistake, it’s referencing an ugly history that took place. It’s not reverse-racism we’re talking about here; it’s the fact that it’s ingrained into our society, lives and history.
Wayne — Good to hear from you. Thanks for your clarity and insight here. Are you getting any sleep these days?
sleep? what’s that?