Ran,
I also have noticed Mike Tanier's more irreverent tone in the last year, or so. I have chosen to believe that this is at the behest of his (supposedly) distinguished employer who is doing their utmost to sell more advertising space and compete with the New York Post, as well.
However, your analogy is especially apt since I'm pretty sure that nobody who posts on Golf Club Atlas is beholden to anyone financially in how they do so.
Any content that is inappropriate is, alas, of their own free will and, IMO, their own poor judgement.