At least as deserved a headline as the 1969 classic it refers to!!!
If I wanted to see the US Open, I’d turn on the TV in June. 
Sir, please put down the scissors. Now step back. Nurse?
He’s a little-ish guy from Iowa who talks about Jesus a lot.
Yay Iowa! But do you really want to involve Jesus in your winning the Masters? I don’t care if it is Easter – seems kind of “not His department,” no?
(Besides, wasn’t He better known for rolling objects out of holes than into them?)
So, Jesus and Zack and Moses were golfing one day, and…
I find it sad that a guy plays his ass off, makes great shots, doesn’t choke under pressure but yet the only thing that sticks out in some people’s minds is his expression of faith,
I may not agree with him but I like the thought that we live in a place where he has the right.
And yes, those that want to ridicule him for it have that right as well. Not that is says much for their character, but they have that right.
Bastard mentioned his grandfather too. What an asshole.
This is exactly why I watched the round, and turned my TV off before the jacket presentation.
It was some good golf, though.
I was cheering for Goosen.
It was good golf, and the look on his wife’s face of “my life just got SO much easier” was heartening.
(I think pro golf would not be an easy job - especially for a guy who doesn’t fly around in a private jet - lots of those guys are still driving from tournament to tournament, staying in lousy hotels and hoping their winnings for the year cover their expenses. Its a long season to grind through every tournament as a “who?”)
[Tiger]
[del]“What”[/del] Who “the hell was that?”
[/Tiger]
Yeah - and his commercial sponsors as well - tho not nearly as often or as emphatically as he mentioned his “Lord Jesus” for whom he was “the most thankful.” (Not counting his numerous references to how “blessed” he was. I’m sure he used that word in the most nonreligious manner conceivable.)
In a very brief interview the CBS interviewer asks a question positing “I know your faith is very important to you…” Then as he walks away we overhear another interviewer start off with, “I know your faith is very important to you…”
You’re right. This is undoubtedly a guy definitely just happened to casually mention his faith once or twice in passing throughout his career.
There’s certainly plenty of reason to criticize those of us who aren’t thrilled with this guy’s profession of faith. But you are flat out misrepresenting things if you suggest he came across as anything other than an outright bible thumper.
I don’t recall him mentioning the Bible, let alone thumping it at anyone. Saying that a person can be Christian if he will just shut up about it is, to me, in the same spirit as saying that a person can be gay if he just won’t flaunt it. I think that if you want to show why tolerance and diversity are good things, you have to be tolerant of people different from you. Whatever degree you’re willing to do that in practice overwhelms whatever message you’re trying to send.
With respect, there simply is no reason to criticize someone for asserting that he feels that any aspect of his faith is responsible for his results. You may not agree, but how is doing so different than referring to any other external aspect, such as when athletes talk about being watched over by someone who has recently died (Ben Crenshaw in 1995, e.g.)? What Liberal was pointing out is that Zach Johnson didn’t just mention Jesus, he also mentioned his grandfather, but no one is getting all upset at that mention.
Yeah, it would really suck to have to play a game you love on the most beautiful courses in the world…
Wait. Maybe it would have to suck to get paid to play a game I pay to play every time…
Somehow I can’t make that come out to “suck”, no matter how I try to spin it. 
I mean, yeah, I’m sure the tour life is grueling. Hard on your family, hard on your consitution, etc. But these are mostly guys who went to college (although they probably played golf through it) and they could be doing something else if they wanted to. One assumes, anyway, that they still like the game, something I’m definately not sure of when it comes to Tiger and such.
As for me, I’m off to go pay money to play nine holes with the clubs I bought myself and the nice warm sweater I also paid for out of my paycheck.. Shockingly, Nike has yet to send me any cute little golf skirts, and nobody at Callaway will even return my calls!
This was a great tournament. And anyone who watches golf regularly will not think of Johnson as an “unknown”. They guy came out of the Nationwide tour a few years ago, and hit the ground running. He isn’t a Ben Curtis or a Rich Beem… we’ll be hearing a **lot **about Zach Johnson for quite some time to come. (Not to dis those two guys, but they are streaky players, at best.)
No reason to criticize? He is an entertainer, making a mighty fine living by peddling a product. What reasons do I need to be permitted to express my opinion of any aspect of his conduct or performance? Now You may not agree with my opinions …
At no time did I say he should not be allowed to express himself in any way he wishes. He chose to say something I consider silly and distasteful. Once he made that choice, I consider myself free to express my response.
As a final matter, regarding “tolerance” - while I certainly believe essentially all manner of speech should be allowed, that does not mean I will respect or celebrate any particular speech.
Right. Johnson will probably not be one of the super stars but he doesn’t fold when the going gets tough and with no injury or health issues will be a good, solid PGA tour member.
Not to launch into a debate or anything, but I’m not sure how you’re defining “superstar”. His win yesterday put him #15 in the world, and I can easily see him getting into the top 10 this year or next. I’d consider anyone in the top 10 with multiple wins, including a major, as a “superstar”. He has to put in some more time on the Big Tour to prove himself, but I expect he will.
But you seem to be so over the top about this. Maybe you could put it in perspective for those of us who may misunderstand you. In your view, how does his thanking Jesus stack up against, say, people shouting racial epithets at a KKK rally?
Over the top?
Please explain where?
The golfer mentioned religion several times in a very short period. I was listening, I heard it, and I considered it distasteful. My personal preference does not favor folks who mention their religious beliefs in the manner he did. But I don’t ever think I said that it made him a bad human being, or suggested that he should not have been allowed to say whatever he wanted to say, or anything else that could reasonably be characterized as “over-the-top.” If anyone was “over the top” it was you out of the gate, lamely attempting to equate his repeated pieties with his reference to his grandfather.
Thanks for tossing up a ridiculous comparison. But even if I wanted to respond, I suppose I’d need to know whether the folks shouting racial epithets were the KKK rallyers or on-lookers.
I will go so far as observing that I earlier said ZJ’s comments impressed me as “silly and distasteful.” It think it would take quite an unusual racial epithet shouted at a KKK rally for me to consider it “silly.”
Okay then, sorry for the misinterpretation. Thanks for clearing all that up.