The phenomenon is over - Michelle Wie, 18, shoots 79 at Samsung World Championship

William K. Wolfrum said in the above article:

"The unbridled greed and superhuman expectations..."

And look at who is greedily feeding on the story again.

I'm not sure whether you are one of the sharks or a vulture, WKW.
I wonder that there isn't a big notice in every newspaper in the country today announcing the feeding frenzy in the shark pool.

That girl is to be pitied rather than being ripped again by the same people that stroked the stories in the good times.

Of course, where could all the Wie-haters vent there spleen if they didn't have marvelous people like you to stoke their little fires

The good news is that the self centered Wie and her greedy parents and managers are toast, They will no longer be able to denied better qualified golfers the opportunities that they have earned!!

JTW.. As long as the sponsors are footing the bill, ther will be exemptions.
As long as there are exemptions, there will be people such as yourself who will b*tch about "unfair, unearned" freebies.

Someone mentioned that there should be restrictions placed on who can be exempted. Well, that's fine as far as it goes. But... if the sponsors say no, we reserve the right to exempt who we please, What is the sportsworld going to do about it?
Tell the sponsor that we no longer want your money?

Yeah, right.. I can see that happening. Avarice and greed rule the sports world, in the same way it rules the bloggers like WKW.

OK, I admit it. As a member of the media, I'll confess:

--I broke Wie's wrist.
--I holler in the middle of each and every backswing.
--I read the greens wrong for her.
--I entered her in PGA events.
--I made her turn pro.
--I gave her too much homework.

Yep. It's my fault. She'd be just fine if we had all
just ignored her. She'd be greater than Jack if we had simply looked the other way.

Well, I say, let her bask in complete obscurity, which, apparently, she craved all along. And we might as well ignore the rest of the LPGA, too, as that appears
to be what Bivens wants.

I'm surprised that Bivens didn't blame the "terrorists"--sheesh.

I stole this comment directly from the comment session with Geoff Shackleford's blog.

"What really angers me is that the suits who wring young talent dry like this will learn precisely nothing from the episode. "
Nike, Sony and the press have made millions on this continuing saga. And now the press is hanging her out to dry, again, for sales involved.

Now the next question is who will be the next victim of big business and the press shark feeds?

And as another person commented, I'm just waiting for the day that Michelle tells the ravenous throng of reporters to take a hike, and refuse to comment anymore.

"My goal is to play the Masters"
"...it's definitedly possible I could make the Ryder Cup"
"I want to play with the guys on the PGA Tour, they're the best in the world"
"...if I get bored (in reference to dominating the LPGA) I'll start over and play left-handed"

These are not quotes from various members of the media; they were reported by the media. When you make bold statements like these, you better be able to back them up. Truth is she hasn't backed up the hype she created.

P4P, Nike, Sony and the media aren't the only ones who made millions on this saga...Wie hasn't done too bad either!

So what has Wie and crew bought to the game of golf, besides walking on lines, bad drops, illegal driving range activity, mistreating pro am members, disrepecting true legends of the game, dropping out of tournaments for fake reasons, it goes on & on.

All for greed, but they are not responsible for any of it, it's the big bad media who done it!!

brooklyn: yup, you are right.

So, because they paid the greedy Wies blood money, that made it ok to exploit a child?

The whole point is, who's next? Only this time, what will they do to exploit that child?

Will it be in sports this time or will it be some other "corporation that will take the exploitation to the next level, whatever that may be. How far will they go/

Just curious about what your take is on the subject.

P4P: You are wrong, dead wrong!

Who's next?? "What will they do to exploit that child?" Unfortunately, the exploitation of Michelle Wie started with Mom, Bo, and Dad, BJ--the two people most responsible for nurturing her growth and development. The two people who should have kept Nike, Sony, etc. at bay. But more importantly, the two people who could have provided proper guidance to Michelle--she is a self-centered brat who still can't figure out the it was inapproriate to leave a tournament citing injury and go bang ball two days later.

Her parents pimped her out years ago, and what's infuriating is all the excuses being layed at the doors of sponsors, media, etc. and no responsibility being layed at the source of the problem--the Wies.

putt4par,

I despise the media, and, yes, they are complicit in this ridiculous over-hyping of the Bubbles. But, remember, we all know how the media will behave and that they won't change. Besides, the media have to be given a ball, only then can they run with it. Team Bubbles provided a football the size of its collective ego, and then the media capitalized.

If Bubbles was old enough to swim with the big fish, she was old enough to take responsibility for haughty statements. Besides, her parents -- who were always by her side -- should have intervened and taught her how to comport herself, but they were remiss. Then again, as I have said, this was probably part of the plan all along: Make brash comments, ratchet up the hype and then capitalize financially.

Hey, you buys yo' ticket and you takes yo' chances. Team Bubbles gets no sympathy from me.

Judge, that is partly true.

Brooklyn, your Wrong, dead wrong.

At 12 years of age she was never ever responsible for the crap that was fed to the public by the likes of media types like Baldwin.
In your great country, no child under the age of 18 is held responsible for a great plethora of actions, including murder.
And yet, you all keep saying that because she went pro at 16, she could be held responsible for her actions.
Ok, I'll grant you that one, but what about all the Bulldust that was fed to the public prior to that time when she was 12, 13 , 14 and 15 years old? If you are correct, then all the courts and laws in America are wrong. Americas justice system becomes totally useless at that point. After all, responsibility is no less a burden in the Newspapers than it is in a court of law.

Kangaroo courts by yellow journalism and a dimwitted public is just plain stupid.

You have given way to much power to the press and not enough responsibility for their actions.
They can cry all they want about their rights (freedom of the press) but that other "R" word should walk hand in hand with those same rights.

Her parents? Now they should be shot with a ball of their own... Well, you get the picture, Along with Nike and Sony and the LPGA. Exploitation is wrong. No matter how dumb you think the kid is, it is still wrong. No matter who is responsible, it is still wrong.

As for who’s next? I’m just waiting to see what stupidity the press can show with Alexa. Thompson in Florida. Listening to her father, he sounded capable of the same bs as the Wies.

I'd love to hear what any of you would have to say if a media idiot like Baldy was turned loose on your 12 year old. Oh yeah, wave 20 Mill in front of your face and let’s see what happens. Most of you wonderful people would barter your souls for that kind of coin.

WAIT A SECOND...

WHERE IS MS. MARIO?

"The Making of a Champion"...she needs to nut-up and take some of the heat for her complicity.

Hype...I've said it before and I'll say it again...it is the death of sport.

BJ and the Wie-tang clan (trademark pending) are to blame, but the likes of Ms. Mario need to bear the cross as well.

Let this serve as the unfortunate example of how hype can ruin potential the true nature of sport. So the next time writers want to elevate the likes of the next teeny-bopper wunderkind, give pause.

PLEASE let this be the final chapter of this pathetic saga..."The Illiad" has nothing on this...

So it is all about $$.

Well let's say you are right and Old man Woods decided he could have made a quick 20 mil with Nike, bypassed the amateur's and started looking for exemptions. The difference is that old man Woods was thinking about what was best for his son, if his son was good enough the $$ would be there, build character first by learning how to compete and win, not go for the quick buck. Too bad the Wie's have let greed make their decisions, the wrong decisions. So we all agreed on that but when does Michelle start making her own decisions? No matter how much blame her parents have, Michelle acts like a self centered little child, when does she grow up, today, this year, ever?

So it is all about $$.

Well let's say you are right and Old man Woods decided he could have made a quick 20 mil with Nike, bypassed the amateur's and started looking for exemptions. The difference is that old man Woods was thinking about what was best for his son, if his son was good enough the $$ would be there, build character first by learning how to compete and win, not go for the quick buck. Too bad the Wie's have let greed make their decisions, the wrong decisions. So we all agreed on that but when does Michelle start making her own decisions? No matter how much blame her parents have, Michelle acts like a self centered little child, when does she grow up, today, this year, ever?

P4P,

If there's crap on a plate and I choose to eat it...or read it, that's my problem, my fault. I don't blame the person that put the crap on the plate and served it. It's about choice! And my point to you is, the Wies chose to allow their minor daughter to become a very public figure at a very early age. Parents is our society make decisions/are ultimately responsible for the welfare and well-being of their minor children. It's an important responsibility because there are a number of 'forces' in today's world that will exploit at every oppty for various reasons, some economic, some illicit. That's why it's important for parents to be vigilant, particularly parents of a gifted child or conversely, a weak or handicapped child.

It starts with the parents! The Wies failed their child; not the media, not the sponsors...the parents.

Good news everyone, it is shaping up today that Wie doesn't have a lock on last place for a change!!

That work in progress must be paying off!

Brooklyn
If your premise is the only correct one, then why are these blogs not punishing the culprits? Why punish the victim which is what you are saying Michelle is.

And yes, the media is definitely culpable in that they should have quoted the parents not the child.
Shove a mic in front of a child and they'll repeat what their parents say.In this case, what Michelle has been coached to say by her parents and/or her handlers.
So if you are saying it's all the parents fault, then quote them.

UH OH, I might have spoke to soon!

P4P,

Blogs don't punish, they're forums for commentary and opinion. In the case of MW, a good deal of both is critical/negative. I've also read very critical commentary on her parents. But yes, the bulk of it is directed at Michelle because she's the public figure, not her parents. And, as a public figure, she demonstrates very little common sense along with outright arrogance...the Ginn incident is a case in point. She still can't comprehend how her actions were considered inappropriate and disrepsectful.

You believe the any or all of the derogatory remarks, the innuendo and outrageously vicious comments posted on these blogs are not punishing to the victim?
Where in the universe do you reside?

You know, obviously, I am having a lot of fun!
Yeah, I am learning a lot, you know! Obviously, once again, the putts didn't go in... I don't understand that, you know... obviously, I am very smart, you know, I do go to Standford, you know. Obviously, yeah, my father made a large donation to that, like, University. Yeah, there is always tomorrow, well, tomorrow I will shoot a lot of birdies, you know, well, yeah, now I have to read , like, at book. Well, yeah, obviously, you know, I am still a phenom...

Michelle should quit stanford and play full-time golf, get serious about the game.

You drink way too much, Jack!!!

Not only has the LPGA lowered its standards in hawking the Wie machine. But what about Stanford's acceptance of MW? Coolio is not making up MW's 5th grade speech skills. This is well documented in her post round interviews. What are they paying the Willam Morris agency for? Not only does she need to change her swing coach. She needs to hire a common sense speech coach. And in those she tops it off with Kindergarten optimism of how she'll play better tomorrow? Yeah Nike, Sony and Omega are banking off her regardless. But you wonder how much longer this fragile teenager can take all the scrutiny.

Wolfie, I am even surprised you got 25 comments with the "Wie ..." title article. I used to be a ardent fan of Wie, but now I don't bother. LPGA is beyond me, I am now just watching the MLB playoff.

I think the biggest losers of Wie's nose dive are the Golf Bloggers like Wolfie and folks...

P4P,

You're right; there is no excuse for the personal, hateful and derogatory attacks that sometimes occur on these blogs. I stand corrected.

Somehow we have forgotten that golf is a special game that can't be compared to any other sport activity, it includes integrity, history, selflessness, respect, maturity and a sence of fairness. The trend to hype golfers as if they were normal athletes is not only wrong it's an attack on the game as such.

I don't care if MW shoots 69 or 82, what trubbles me is when she so evidently missunderstand the essence of the game by not showing an understanding of the values at the core of the game we all love.

Be it sponsors, parents, tour officials or MW herself, something has gone seriously wrong.

With it's special place in history and it's unique unwritten rules the game needs to be protectded not by me, but by all of us.

First learn to respect the game and it's values then play it to the best of your ability.

PS Please don't kill me for being old and traditional DS

Anders,

Many of us have said the same thing.

I have been following Bubbles for the past four years and I doubt that she has EVER made a decision on her own. Even now she doesn't have a clue what she is going to do as far as Stanford, golf or be a surfer girl in Hawaii. It wouldn't surprise me to learn that "BO" cuts up her food for her in the school cafeteria. The only positive thing that has happened since MW signed on the dotted line were her constant "positive remarks" (just like Tiger) during her press conferences. When you compare the mindset of Michelle before a tournament..."I just wanna have fun" to Lorena..."I want to win the golf tournament"...Bubbles will never be a success.

Michelle is an amazing talent, she is just getting wrong information about the golf swing, when she came out her fundementals were identical to Jack Nicklaus, Annika Sorenstam, Gary Player, Arnold Palmer and Tiger Woods when they are playing there best. She just looked different doing it to people that don't understand the true fundementals of the golf swing. She would be an easy fix.
Steve Wozeniak PGA
www.stevewozeniak.com

I think the focus of young phenoms should be shifted off of crash and burn wie, to the major winner morgan pressel, what a fantastic young golfer the lpga has and all they talk about is the wie(rd) family. If only young morgan were of a minority ethnicity she would have been the talk of the town for years and years!