Message from Sports Illustrated's Frank Deford on Michelle Wie worth noting

The LPGA benefits from every move Michelle makes. The purses will go up to offer parity, the viewership will be higher when she does play with the women, and non-golf-fans will become more acquainted with the sport. Girls may take up the sport trying to emulate her. Everyone benefits.

I was very disappointed with Frank Deford's paternalistic comments on Michelle Wie, and can only hope he was being facetious when he told her to "stick to playing against your own kind". Have we learned nothing from past applications of that sentiment?

As for Wie's loyalty to "Women's sport," it seems that she is interested in being the best golfer she can be, not the best woman golfer. If she can make the cut in the PGA, I say more power to her. Why should she limit herself to a lower level of competition out of some vague notion of "loyalty"?

Finally, in regards to the constant refrain that she "has not proven herself"; as I remember, it took Tiger Woods 9 tries to make his first PGA cut, and he was 20 at the time. Michelle has come very close to two PGA cuts, and is only 15!

Overall, Michelle Wie seems to be doing very well in her competitive quest. She has resisted the lure of cashing in by playing full time and postponing her education; she will be returning to scholl in the fall. No matter her result, she talks of the "learning experience" each event afforded her. She is playing in any event that meets her schedule and offers her good opportunity, whether that be PGA, LPGA, or amateur.

I hope Michelle continues to do what is best for her, and I hope the nay-saying pundits will just get out of her way, settle back, and enjoy the show.

The PGA, LPGA, and NIKE all win everytime Michelle Tees it up. Everyone wants to see the girl beat the guys and gals(remember, she's a 15yr old girl).

Michelle Wie should do whatever benefits herself the most (who else other than her family is looking out for her interests). If she can make more money on the PGA Tour, which is a possibility, then she should go for it, she does not golf to benfit the LPGA. As for Frank, maybe he'd be more pleased if Tiger played with his own kind too (as in baseball years ago). Then some nice white boy could win on the Tour without Tiger's interference, right. African AMerican PGA Tour, Frank. I look forward to reading the article.

The LPGA treats Michelle Wie with contempt. Check out any LPGA tournament in which she plays. When you click on any LPGA member you get a picture and history.. But for Michelle Wie there is only an asterick, no picture, no history. At the John Deere, the PGA got a picture for her for the second round.

As long as the LPGA treats amateur golfers with contempt, and bars those under 18 from their club, why should someone like Michelle Wie have any loyalty to them.

Anyone who is NOT a Wie fan? Just boycott NIKE.

Don't know why people keep talking about Nike - she's an amateur. It's her parents who have been forking out all the cash to let her play thus far.

Anyway, someone brought up a good point about loyalty. Wie has very little reason to be loyal to the LPGA. Her parents are on record as saying that even a little support for junior girls from the LPGA would have gone a long way to helping them offset the expense of Wie's participation in LPGA events.

Up till now, it's the LPGA that has made out handsomely at Wie's expense.

Wie is "loyal to her gender" by showing that a girl can compete with men, and that she beat them aplenty. Restricting her to beating only women is not, as the writer infers, loyal to her gender. It is only loyal to the stereotype that girls are only good enough to beat girls.

Loyal to the LPGA? This must be a joke. Wie isn't even a member of the LPGA. She is a 15 year old school girl playing golf during her summer vacation. What loyalty does she owe the very organization that, because of her age, would bar her from becoming a member?

Frank DeFord has had too many martinis at the Downtown Athletic Club. MichelLe Wie...OWES NO ONE ANYTHING...her only concern should be competing at a level that takes her closer to her ultimate goal.
There are a number of reasons the time is ripe for a woman to compete with men in golf.....the technical levelling of golf by advanced equipment....the lag between advancing equipment deign and course construction and alteration...and bigger and stronger women.
In 15 years there will be no LPGA of any signifigance...there will be a world Tour and quite a few women will be part of it. Not because myself or anyone else is a "feminist"....but because they will shoot the scores. And it REALLY IS ABOUT SHOOTING THE SCORES. Isn't golf great?

I was so mad by Frank DeFords little rant I actually started a blog. No athlete who truly wants to compete would limit themselves to a lower bar than they truely think they can reach. That just fosters contempt for the game to be limited in your potential by something as stupid as a gender separation. Maybe Jackie Robinson would have been more happy in the Negro Leagues? Oh, wait, that sounds kinda stupid doesn't it? People should be allowed to play toward their potential not held under some externally imposed limit.

Are you drunk? You and Deford checking out early for happy hour?
Do you realize what you are saying?

Michelle Wie owes nothing to anyone but herself. Is it your view that she should sacrifice her self-interest and desires for the good of all woman's sports? That is an immoral and repulsive thought. Maybe you should try to get a job with a paper in China or Russia where the government tells you what to write for the good of all man. Do you tell your children when they share their dreams about what they want to be that they should think of the good of all mankind. I hope not. Because that would mean that in addition to not being fit to be a journalist you aren't fit to be a father. Shame on you!!

Wow, Len, you sort of seem to be striving to make a reasonable point -- but you sure come off looking like an asshole.

Until Michelle Wie accepts a job as LPGA commissioner, or is designated as Global Appointee for All of Women's Golf, she has so responsibility to promote anything than herself. For Christ's sake, just let the talented kid PLAY. And for those of you who have zero interest in seeing Wie vs. Tiger in 7-10 years, I guess you're a heck of a lot less curious than I am. I'm NOT saying she'd definitely win, I'm just saying I'd like to see what happens.

On Letterman, Wie talked about flexibility in connection with her length off the tee. I suspect that the more modern equipment does make it easier for a woman to hit the ball closer to the men in length--since I doubt that men have any natural advantage in flexibility, and I suspect that flexibility is more important with modern equipment that it was with the older clubs.

I'm sure Michelle could dominate the LPGA, and it is hard to see her reaching a level where she could earn as much on the PGA--particularly since her presence would probably bring LPGA purses closer to the PGA's. But without her playing against the men, she wouldn't generate much more interest than Morgan Pressel could generate without her mouth.