Mark O'Hair's fax to the media

[Mike Hendren]

He struck his son across the face and remains convinced it was justified.  That's all I need to know.

He is a man to be pitied.  God loves us through our children.
The rewards of being a parent cannot begin to be matched by any amount of money in the world.

Mark O'Hair has a longer road ahead of him than most of us can imagine.

The fax could have been brief:  "Sean, I'm sorry."  

Mike

[Brad Klein]

Mr. Nugent, the father didn't "clash" with his kid, he tortured him. Just because Sean did't turn out to be an obvious cripple doesn't mean he wasn't abused. Perhaps you think that there is only one way to energe from such abuse (i.e. as a basket case), and that if the kid has a strong enough ego and strength of character to endure this abuse it's somehow acceptable or okay since there was no damage.

By the way, I want to make it clear that the Jim Nugent to whom I respond is not the Jim Nugent who is publisher of Golfweek.

[Jeff Fortson]

I have ZERO sympathy for the father.  I am blessed to have a father that never pushed me to the point that I ended up hating him.

I remember watching a peer of mine practice out at PGA West in the middle of summer when we were kids.  It had to be 115 degrees and his dad stood behind him with his arms crossed barking at him.  I felt so bad for the kid.  But it got worse.  The kid asked his dad if he could get a cup of water because he was thirsty.  The dad went over to the water cooler, got a cup of water, walked back to his son and threw the glass of water in his face and said, "There's your water.  Once you start hitting good shots you can drink some."  My mouth was as open as it could get.  This dad was barred from even attending junior golf tournaments in the Palm Desert area because he would take his son's 2nd and 3rd place trophies out of his hand and break them in front of everyone after awards ceremonies.

Sean O'Hair's father seems like a really loving dad.  


Jeff F.

[Jeff Fortson]

I just read the entire fax and find this man to be even worse than I thought.  How can this guy expose so much about his son so publicly?  It is completely unforgivable.  If my dad were posting my grades and how I was fed with a silver spoon to the media I'd never talk to him again.  This guy is a nightmare of a human being from what I have gathered.


Jeff F.

[noonan]

I am not standing up for Marc.

However I do believe he has been crucified in the media.

No parent is perfect.

Most people think Earl Woods was perfect.

In todays society, do kids naturally develop into superstars.

Or do they need pushed?

[Brad Klein]

Jerry, I was under the impression that many people - and I am among them - have always thought that Earl Woods was just this side of parentally abusive in terms of psychological pressure. Maybe not torture and certainly not violence, but way over the top and inappropriately so.

[Jeff Fortson]

This guy readily admits to "lightly-slapping" Sean in the face resulting in bleeding, "like a woman slapping a man in the movies".  Supposedly, the O'Hairs have a long history of sensitive noses that bleed easily.  I think it takes more than a "light slap" to cause bleeding but I could be wrong.

If he knew it would cause bleeding then why did he still hit Sean in the face?  Why would he hit him at all?  Trust me, I have wanted to slap my son silly a couple of times and I'm not saying that there won't ever be a time that I won't.  What I am getting at is this guy did it regularly enough to admit to causing Sean to bleed multiple times.  

I just don't get how a guy could make his relationship with his son so public.  I think it's disgraceful.  Even if the so called "liberal-media" is out to crucify him and his "southern-conservative" ways, this fax shows nothing more than a man's willingness to share the sacred details of a parent/child relationship in order to save face in the media and public's eyes.  That's terrible.

I also think it is laughable that Marc O'Hair thinks the media is after him due to some sort of political ideology differences..  Please.  The media is out to get Marc O'Hair because he's conservative?  That is hilariously paranoid behavior.  Who cares about Marc O"Hair's political beliefs?  I actually laughed out loud when I read that comment.  

From the "fax to the media" alone this guy has proven to be a 100% certified jerk.  Who would have their son sign a LIFE contract with their own father for 10% of their earnings?  Sean didn't ask to be brought into this world.  Marc helped to bring him into the world and anything the he chooses to do for his son is on him.  The son shouldn't be forced to give anything back.  If he had shown any amount of love towards Sean I'm sure he would have been repaid in many forms over the course of their lives.  


Jeff F.

[noonan]

I do agree that you do not slap you kid in the face.

My mother on occasion would take the cutting board to my brother and my arse.

[Tim Bert]

This fax reads like an indictment against his father, not a strong case to build sympathy for him.

Slapping a kid is wrong, wrong, wrong in private - nevermind going public with an explanation when you are already under fire.

Immediately after reading it I picked up my two-year old and gave him a big hug and a kiss.  

[David_Elvins]

I am shocked by the premeditated nature of the letter.  If you haven't read it before, here is what he said to Golf Digest 7 months ago after Sean debuted at the Sony Open.

Marc says he has placed 25 photocopies of their contracts and a cover letter into envelopes he plans to mail to media outlets when his son makes a splash on tour.

"As soon as he gets famous, I am going to lower the boom," Marc says. "I am going to show everybody what he did to me. I have no intention of suing him. I intend to crucify him in the media, because what he did to me is not right."

Sad

[Jeff Fortson]

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

"A few times the light slap would catch the nose and it would bleed.  There was never any abuse."

This may go down as one of the all-time contradictions I have ever read.

A father never has to earn his son's respect?!  That's explained in the Ten Commandments?!!!  Wow.  I have now heard it all.

Does this man seem like a good father to anyone?


Jeff F.

[PThomas]

at the end of the part Jeff posted it reads:"For some reason Sean thinks that a father should be a friend and a confidant that you can cut up and kid around with."

YES, A GOOD FATHER IS A FRIEND AND A CONFIDANT AND YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO CUT UP AND KID AROUND WITH HIM!!!

I hope my daughters feel this way above me...you can be this and also discipline them at the same time

I really should waste no more of my time on this guy...his kid has become one of my favorite PGA players!

[Mike_Golden]

To quote the great Tony Soprano, 'dis guy is a sick f**k'

[Tim Bert]

That procedure is "Pardon me dad but with all due respect I disagree..."

We should enforce this rule on the minimalist argument thread!