In defense of Jan Stephenson

[SL_Solow]

Patrick;  I think your suggestion is prudent.  Back to golf.  Perhaps sometime over a drink we'll get back to this one.

[David_Tepper]

It is probably time to let this issue go, but there are 2 articles by Ron Siriak now on the Golf Digest website (www.golfdigest.com) that address this issue and are worth reading. One of the articles ("LPGA a winner") is in the October 17 issue of Golf World.

The fact of the matter is that Jan Stephenson's comments  display an accute ignorance of the facts.

The increase of foreign players on the LPGA tour has increased sponsorship and funding for the tour, not hurt it. The largest merchandising and TV contracts the LPGA Tour has outside the US are in Korea. Several Asian companies (Samsung, JAL, etc.) sponsor or have sponsored LPGA tournaments here in the US.

Less than 1/4 of the field in the vast majority of LPGA events is Asian. That is hardly "taking over" the LPGA Tour.

I do not know whether her comments were racially motivated. She is free to express her feelings and opinions in whatever forum she wishes. However, she would be well advised to make sure she know the facts. Otherwise she invites the ridicule she deserves.

 
 

[Dan Herrmann]

David,
I think the issue is essentially similar to NBC versus CBC (Canadian) Olympic coverage.

NBC tends to dwell on Americans, even when they aren't very competitive in an event.  If an American does well, that's all you'll hear about.

The CBC tends to show a much more international view of the Olympics.  Sure - you'll see a lot of Canadians, but you'll also see athletes from around the world.

Why the difference?  Is it "racist" - nope.  

Is it "culturalist"?  I think so.  

People tend to like to see and root for people who come from the same culture.  You see it in the Yankees/Red Sox games, you see it in the South Korea/US Boxing Olympics in 1988, you see it in the British soccer/football hooligans.  And we see it in professional golf.

Was it "racist" for the very enthusiastic and noisy (but very respectful) Korean fans waving their country's flag while Se Ri Pak was coming up #18 at DuPont for her first LPGA major, while quietly rooting against her American opponent?  Heck no - they wanted their fellow countryman/woman to win.

Is it "racist" for me to root on the US against the "rest of the world" in the President's cup?  Or my country's team versus another country in the World Cup?  

That can't be wrong, can it?

[David_Tepper]

Dan,

I do not disagree with what you are saying, however what you said bears little relation to the misguided and factually mistaken comments made by Jan Stephenson.

1) To say that Asian participation is "killing" the LPGA Tour is simply wrong. Asian participation (and success) on the LPGA Tour has grown interest in the LPGA Tour on a global basis and has grown interest in golf in general globally. It has also aided the LPGA financially.
2) To say that the LPGA Tour is being overwhelmed by Asian players when less than 20% of the players on the LPGA Tour are Asian is a misreprensentation and distortion of the facts.
3) While not factually a mistake, I find Stephenson's call for a quota on foreign players on the LPGA Tour to be an absolute joke and complete hypocrisy, especially as Stephenson came to the LPGA Tour as a foreigner herself. I wonder what she would have thought about quotas on foreign players when she first came to the LPGA Tour?
4) Finally, Stephenson's lame apology is pathetic. For her to say that she did not mean to offend anyone with her comments is dissembling at its best (or should I say worst?), especially as she said in the interview that people would be upset with what she was going to say. MAYBE THE REASON PEOPLE ARE UPSET IS THAT HER COMMENTS CHARACTERIZING PEOPLE BY THEIR RACE & NATIONALITY ARE DEMEANING AND INSULTING!  

I urge you to read Ron Siriak's two columns ("Out Of Bounds" and "LPGA a winner") at www.golfdigest.com      

I have no problem with anyone being partial to what you are familiar with, that is human nature.  It is also human nature for people of different ages and generations to have a hard time communicating with each other. I suppose making pronouncements based upon half-baked thoughts, biases and observations is human nature as well. However, it is one of the less attractive aspects of human nature.

DT