Civilization has already ended Mr. Shanks.
The lack of sanction by the PGA Tour should verify my claim.

When have you EVER heard of a Tour sanction? Tiger Woods is the most-fined player on Tour, (for profanity) but you'd never know it.

Besides, Woods got rid of Fluff Cowan for far less egregious acts.

I'm not for firing people after one bad soundbite. I didn't think Imus or Tilghman should have gotten the boot. I don't think Williams should either. We all say stupid things from time to time, it just so happens public figures are always being watched to slip up 24/7.

It's apology time.

Caddies are to be seen and not heard. This must be addressed.

And Tilghman should have gotten the boot just because she's not very good. That ridiculous statement of hers should've been the straw that broke the camels back.

Woods came out publicly against the comments, a rarity. In case you missed it, here it is:

"I was disappointed to read the comments attributed to Steve Williams about Phil Mickelson, a player that I respect," Woods said in a statement. "It was inappropriate. The matter has been discussed and dealt with."

Fluff got the boot for talking about the great one himself, I believe?

As I think he is in total agreement with Steve William's views, it would be somewhat hypocritical of TW to fire him (at least w/o a massive payoff to keep Williams quiet thereafter). I'm more inclined to think they've had a good giggle in private over putting these remarks in the public domain, knowing how riled Phil will be every time they play in future. The comments from TW, tho' a rarity, amount to nothing more than a slapped wrist.
"Disappointed" indeed!
I'm not one of Phil's greatest fans by any means, but his response was direct and I hope this incident will put some ice in his veins for future encounters.

I deplore William's public comments whatever his private views. Surely they do amount to professional misconduct?

Williams has been away from Tiger Woods for quite a while and was playing Mr. Big shot at the podium. I expect he'd never say something like that with Tiger around.

I agree - totally unprofessional.

Shanks:

Word has it that you've offered to suck Phat Phil's sweaty ballsack.

Crude .... but very funny.

ARE YOU A DUMB ****? FIRE STEVE OVER CALLING MICKS WHAT HE IS ... A ********ER ... SHUT THE **** UP

Tiger Woods won't fire Steve Williams because:

A. They have a good working relationship.
B. Williams is great at what he does and he lets the number one golfer continue to feel as if he called his own shots.
C. Everyone inserts foot-in-mouth on occasion, right?
D. Woods probably feels there is some truth in what Williams said.

Boo hoo hoo. Steve Williams called FIGJAM a bad name. Poor baby. Big deal! He called him an obscenity. Pro golfers are so pampered, and most are thin skinned because of it. Hey Shanks, take that malodorous cigar out of your self-righteous mouth, and admit you feel the same way as Steve Williams. You know you do.

PS Shanks: Tiger shares the same sentiments towards FIGJAM as Steve Williams. And by the way, most other pro golfers feel that way towards FIGJAM.

HA HA HA! What kind of tool would fire his caddie for something this silly? Losers!

C'mon Shanks, get a grip, these are very competitive people. They don't play in a drawing room where gentlemen drink - they're out on a golf course where winner takes all. So what if they are not nice to each other all the time.

Shanks, Mickelson is a jerk, and you're an idiot!

Yeah, yeah, I'm an idiot. But you'll notice that Tiger Woods did EXACTLY what I said he had to do at a minimum. He publicly rebuked the Williams comments. And then he went one better - he made Williams publicly apologize. It's about professionalism, y'all. Tiger Woods can't have a low rent loudmouth on the bag. Period.

Pardon me, but I forgot to mention that Woods also called Mickelson personally to apologize about the whole situation.

Steve William's comment was made at a PRIVATE CHARITY event in New Zealand. Phil was described as being a "prick", in NZ I believe it's akin to calling someone a 'jerk' in the USA. So why the big deal? Why does the media have to blow this thing way out of proportion based on a 'paparazzi' reports from a little town in NZ (might as well be in the middle of the tundra). Steve will be wiser for it next time.

I wouldn't call someone who gave $1million to a Children's Hospital in New Zealand a jerk as well as other countless appearances at various charity events in NZ. Would you?

This was a small faux pas and people should just get over it. Sticks and stones.

Comment from: big bertha [Visitor]
I wouldn't call someone who gave $1million to a Children's Hospital in New Zealand a jerk as well as other countless appearances at various charity events in NZ. Would you?
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Well, Big Bertha, do you have ANY idea how much charity work Phil Mickelson does? It is quite considerable. To use your own words, I wouldn't call him a jerk either.

Private conversations are one thing, but standing at a lectern infront of a large gathering of people is quite another. There is NO defense of his comments. Sorry.

Shanks?! (I hope your golf game does not reflect your last name. Oh, wait a minute, if you think Philly Mick is not a prick, you are certain to Shank one or two when the pressure is on just like he does, loser!) for the record the above feedback is overwhelmingly against the BIGGEST condescending Prick in golf. Mickelson is a bigger prick than Johnny Miller! Sure TW said all the right things in the press, but you can rest assure he and Stevie are on the same page. TW probably encourage Stevie to say it and promptly gave him a raise for his efforts. Eff Philly Mick and you can get the finger (the middle) as well Shanks if you are defending the ultimate choke artist, Mickelson.

Ja (is that Spanish for Ha?), I am NOT defending Mickelson. However, I AM fighting against public defamation, especially from a caddy. They can save that kind of crap for professional wrestling. Besides, if a real man has a beef with a guy, he says it TO HIS FACE!! To do otherwise is low class, something Tiger Woods wants no part of.

I find it amusing you are crying foul and using public defamation as your argument. America was built on defaming people and using yellow journalism to push it. Elitist private golf cubs/courses, from which PM comes from, lead the way. You too may come from this type of environment where caddies are to be seen and not heard. Um, if we kept things in that vain, Obama would not be the President elect. Stevie is in a perfect position to talk about the most hated golfer on the PGA tour and he stated what other golfers and caddies are saying behind PM’s back, most probably to include Bones. Lets stop playing games it is obvious that TW loathes Phil. It was never as obvious as during the Ryder Cup when Fred Flintstone, um, I meant Hal Sutton, paired them together. Have you ever noticed whenever PM shakes TW’s hand that immediately afterwards he wipes it on his pant leg? PM does this even though he is wearing a glove. Just the fact that he is wearing a golf glove while shaking another man’s hand is a violation. And you have the nerve to write about showing respect for the game. The only thing Stevie is guilty of is opening up the conversation once again on best choke artist and most condescending prick on the PGA tour. Stevie would have been better off by throwing a shoe at him.

You are missing the point. SW is a de facto representative of Tiger Woods and it is TIGER WOODS who doesn't want him shooting off his crude mouth in public. How often does Woods make a public apology? (That should be a good enough answer for you.)

You are correct in that I believe professional caddies should not be heard in the public arena. But I can assure you that I have no country club background. I never even played the game until I did so with money I earned. So don't hand me that elitist crap.

Follow up: Stevie was spot on regarding Philly Mick; the TW team loathes Phil. How about that stare from TW yesterday during the handshake?! And, as I posted back in December, Philly Mick immediately wiped is hand on his pant leg. PM is a classic jerk-off and while he played a great outward 9, he is still a choke artist as witnessed by missing two gimmes yesterday on the inward 9. I cannot wait until Stevie accurately pops off again.