Tim, Nah, she's just climbimg that mountain to watch the sunrise. You know, the one that One-Putt learned about from the elderly Korean gentleman? If she has to step on or over people on the way up, so be it.

C'mon now, this theft of caddie from Inkster had to be the brainchild of BJ and Michelle's handlers, not her.

really Tim ? You know exactly what happened between Wie family and Johnston in the last weeks or the last days ? You're sure ? You've read that at home or at your office in a cristal globe ? This situation seems to be much more complicated than you or Julie knows.
For me, I don't know so I don't put a judgement.

Big deal. Pro golf is a business. People get fired - people cut better deals. If you're a purist, go watch college golf. You could talk "purist golf" with the other spectators... if you could find any.

Even with all the money I feel sorry for Michelle Wie. I think she probably is a good kid. Unfortunately the quest for money by her parents has gotten them in over their heads with the conglomorate that is now Team Wie.

I doubt they have much control anymore on the decision making and they are rookies at the game of pro sports. Once they took the money they became nothing more than employees. They will be living proof of what is wrong with pro sports and will ruin this young girl's future and any chance to achieve a high level of success in golf.

They will regret all the people they disrespected along the way and it will be a very long line of people. They have no regard for the rules of anything and expect special treatment from everyone.

Will they be happy with all the money or will they wonder what might have been?

Joe, They, BJ and Bo Wie, will be happy with all the money. That's why they're working so hard to get it. BJ Wie has said many times that his salary as a Professor of Transportation at the U of Hawaiijust doesn't cut it.

Alex.....

Working so hard ?????? This is child abuse

Joe, I wouldn't play the "child abuse" card. All overbearing stage parents like BJ and Bo work their child prodigy offspring relentlessly. They admit it and they are proud of it. But they will take all the money they can get along with the private jet flights and the rest of the perks because that was and is their stated intention. BJ once said he had no choice but to caddie for Bubbles since he couldn't afford to pay a professional caddie. He doesn't caddie for her anymore. Do you think that the endorsements windfall might have something to do with it?

Ghet

Business is business, but there is a thing called common courtesy.

Big freaking deal. Making a living with juvenile blogs. Happens all the time. Paula "stole" Collin the weasel from Seri, who found out from the newpaper that she was dumped. Did Paula or Collin call, or have anyone call Seri to notify the news? Nope. There is a B-school theory that says a person rises to his/her level of incompetence, and I guess you found yours Tim.

TIM,

Your reporting is misleading at best.

The way you have reported is as if that was a new statement from Juli Inkster. The reality is that she made those comments months ago, right after Johnston left her.

Comment by Alex:
BJ once said he had no choice but to caddie for Bubbles since he couldn't afford to pay a professional caddie. He doesn't caddie for her anymore. Do you think that the endorsements windfall might have something to do with it?
__________________________

Michelle has stated that BJ is a poor caddie and is glad he doesn't work on the bag anymore. That's why he isn't her caddie.

I'm pretty sure I saw an interview where Michelle jokingly said that it was uncomfortable having her dad on the bag because he yelled at her too much. She said it in a charming way, much like a teenager would shoo her "embarrassing" parents away, so I didn't think much of it at the time, but it seems like there may have been more to it than that.

1) I very much doubt that Michelle Wie was responsible for the way in which Johnston was both fired and hired. In fact, I'm curious if she had any say in him being fired at all, or if it was done at Nike's urging. Nike is not known for being people-friendly. Probably we'll never know.

2) The public generally doesn't hear about the caddy intrigues and drama and has nothing to compare it to. This issue has already been blown out of proportion. I had forgotten about the Colin Cann/Se Ri Pak story, but indeed, that didn't seem to harm Paula Creamer's reputation one bit. Maybe because Se Ri Pak wasn't still complaining about it a year later. That issue has more than one parallel to this Wie/Johnston/Inkster story but was treated far differently by the press. Look it up, you probably won't find that much because it was mostly ignored. If you're going to call Michelle Wie vicious over this, then the same goes for Paula Creamer and her team. But no, that's not going to happen.

Johnny N, BJ Wie didn't stop caddying for Bubbles until AFTER he signed the endorsement deals with Nike and Sony. In a few instances, she had other caddies, but BJ was her mainstay until he orchestrated the windfall. And he would still be toting her bag if he didn't have her turn pro in her 16th birthday.

Alex,
He would be still caddying for her if she couldn't afford to get a proper caddie. That is indeed true.

Jen said:
Maybe because Se Ri Pak wasn't still complaining about it a year later.
_______________________

Jen,
Juli isn't complaining about it either. The quotes that Tim misleadingly reported on, were actually made by Juli right after her caddie left her.

Tim has reported it as if she had just recently complained. This is either poor research on Tim's part, or more likely, he thought he would get away with it.

Alex,
Okay they got more money so they were able to afford a proper caddie.
You are right there, but what's your point?
Isn't it a sensible move to get a better caddie, if someone has the finances to do it.

Ronnie: In defense of Tim McDonald (my only defense of him), the quotes were made recently, at the British Open. So Inkster was indeed complaining about the issue a year after the fact.

The headline is misleading though because I don't think Inkster was really blasting anybody. I'm curious if Inkster realized that her quotes would be used to support that, or if she was just giving her thoughts in a casual conversation (she was not saying this at a press conference). It was her responsibility to be aware that the reporter could publish her words, so she probably knew what she was doing, but I am skeptical that she wanted to stir up a controversy over this.

All this over a caddy?

It really is too bad that these petty issues get blown up so much. If you find something wrong with the way that Johnston was hired, then there's something equally wrong with how Paula Creamer hired her caddy. Given the limited availability of facts, it's better to just focus on golf.

Johnny N, Yes,it certainly is a sensible move. My point is they, the Wie's, were and are after the money. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with sqeezing every dime one can get out of one's teenage daughter. However,some would think it a trifle tacky.

It's absolutely disgusting how some of you are excusing dishonorable, underhanded behavior by saying that this is "business" or other people have done it. There are things called ethics and morality -- right and wrong -- perhaps you've heard of them.

You can't compartmentalize and say, well, I'll do the right thing during my recreational activities but not in business. And then you fancy yourself to be a good person? Ha! A hitman could say that , too. If this is the guttersnipe attitude that some of you have embraced, I sincerely hope I never have the misfortune of having business dealings with you.

I'll also say that if this is the kind of "civilization" we're going to create, we deserve to be conquered by the Islamists.

gpro51

One-Putt and others have pointed out that one of the reasons Johnston was fired was his loud and abrasive manner in dealing with Michelle on the course. Johnston got similar courtesy by being dumped by Wie management.

Johnston is a big boy. He didn't have to take the Wie's deal last year. He dumped Inkster with less "courtesy" than the Wie's dumped him. I predicted that Johnston would not be on Wie's bag in '07.

New Prediction - Sunshine will either drasticly revamp their PR effort on behalf of the Wie team, or be replaced soon. They're dropping the ball, period.

Tim,

I guess you remove comments on this blog when you don't like the content. I have 2 times posted a request of the Inkster interview link with EM Swift in reference top your headline. When I came back to see if you had responded I found my request removed. Why is that, you credibility is down the tubes as far as I'm concerned.

If the Wies were going to steal a caddy like Paula Creamer stole Colin Cann from Ser Ri Pak, how should they have done it?

Without the ultimatum, perhaps Greg could have gotten Juli to sweeten her deal with him, and then stayed with Juli. The process could have been repeated with other caddies who could also use the Wie offer to extract better deals from their players.

I believe the Wies did not want any offer of theirs to be used by a caddy to extract a better deal from the caddy's present employer.

One-Putt posted on another blog that Korean people speak conversationally in loud and abrasive tones, but that is just their manner and no one should be offended by it. BJ should have loved Greg if that were the case.

TW
Here's the link, though SI's credibility is questionable at best after last year's Bamberger fiasco-

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/golf/08/09/wie.caddie/index.html

Michelle's William Morris Agent hired Greg and he fired Greg, so where is the issue? It may take about fifty years to get Greg's story on Michelle, for William Morris would have placed a non-disclosure contract on Greg before he started.

At least her Agent waited until after the event so Greg could collect his percentage, unlike Annika who fired one of her caddies mid-round in a event.

BTW Julie is smiling all the way to the bank after she shed herself of Greg. Maybe this is the catalyst Michelle needs right now.

What One-Putt said is that some common Korean speech patterns are MISINTERPRETED by westerners as being gruff.

Johnston was simply loud and abrasive on the course. The Wie's didn't love Greg's act enough to prevent his firing.

Correction-
Should read:
Michael "Book" Bamberger

"Comment from: Ghet Rheel [Visitor]
TW
Here's the link, though SI's credibility is questionable at best after last year's Bamberger fiasco-

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/golf/08/09/wie.caddie/index.html".

The influence of Cnn has rubbed off on SI and tainted their pool. SI is miffed because they don't hear back from William Morris on interview requests.

SI is Persona non gratis by WM. This might not be the situation if Hamburger had come forward before she signed her card at the Samsung instead of bringing it up after she completed her final round, so he could guarantee she was disqualified. It was so transparent even Alex could see what happened.

Thanks Ghet Rheel.

That comment was made before Johnston was fired and I read it as if Juli Inkster was indicating that she thought the hiring of Johnson should have been handled a little differently, not bashing the Wie family. So it is obvious that Tim is using the comment to draw comments to his blog exploting the Michelle for his self interest. Opps, isn't that what the Wie bashers are saying Michelle's parents are doing and is just so greedy. :)

Maybe it was Juli Inkster's complaints during the British Open that cost Greg Johnston his job. Perhaps the Wies felt that if there were complaints over his hiring 10 months later, they would be condemned over the hiring as long as he was Michelle's caddy. If Juli Inkster wasn't going to let the matter driom then they were going to drop Greg.

If I were Juli Inkster's current caddy I would be mad as hell at Juli. I would want Juli to be thankful that the Wies stole Greg so she could get herself a better caddy. If Juli wants Greg back she can now have him--and perhaps the Wies will pick up her current caddy.

Back to the caddie thing...Tiger stole Fluff from Jake, then he stole Stevie from Raymond. Jake and Raymond wimpered, and that is that. If Johnston is a good caddie, he'll be on someone's bag within a month. There are three major tours in the states, plus the geezer brigade. There is enough play for GJ.

Tim you are a very unethical dishonest jerk who would say anything to get an eye catching headline

You're using old news to make it seem as if Julie Inkster just blasted the Wies.

Has Julie made any new statement?

What a pathetic old man you are.

Obviously I meant to say if Juli wasn't going to let the matter DROP.

One Putt

To be honest, the Wies once fired a caddy in mid tournament. He only worked one round of last year's Evian.

Ghet Rheel,

I agree with you as to SI's credibility. I'm even beginning to think that their media staff is looking for ways to create negative publicy about Michelle with the interviews they make. They seem to ask questions that almost can't be answered without being negative toward Michelle. Just like to Inkster interview a year after it happened.

I've never met Greg Johnston or even heard him speak in an interview so I can't pass judgment on his work ethic or mannerisms. I assume that the same can be said about Greg's familiarity with other posters on this blog. One thing is apparent and that is that the Wie Warriors have circled the wagons on this issue as never before. I mean, according to the Wie-wee's, Bubbles, her parents, her agents, and their family dog are as pure as the wind-driven snow. And Greg is a malcontent, guilty of the most slipshod caddying imaginable. He deserved to get his walking papers. Why, Greg Johnston shouldn't be allowed to caddie for a Chicago fireman on a golf holiday at Myrtle Beach. Juli will set the golfing world on fire now that Greg is history, and Bubbles will follow suit. This is just the boost she needs to be sent on her way to immortality. Wow! Is it possible for anybody to be as piss poor at his job as Greg is at his? How did he ever survive to this point?

O-P, Im sure you meant "persona non grata." Even Alex can see that gaff.:-)

"Comment from: Judge Smails [Visitor]

I'll also say that if this is the kind of "civilization" we're going to create, we deserve to be conquered by the Islamists."

You already have been Judge and just don't realize it yet.

Put gas in your car lately?
Did you check out recently how much of our National treasure we have spent on fighting Islamists?
Have we made any real progress with Iran to keep them from going nuclear?
Are you planning on flying to Europe soon Judge?
Is our National Will strong enough to continue this war against terror for forty or fifty years?
Which side in this war do the Russians and Chinese really line up with?

Armegeddon began on 9/11/2001 and you nor I will never see the end.

Comment from: Alex [Visitor]
O-P, Im sure you meant "persona non grata." Even Alex can see that gaff.:-)

It was not a gaff Alex. I may use gratia or gratis, but never grata. I can't bring myself to use a word that exists only in the minds of lawyers.

On a cheerier note - Jim C brings up an interesting point - Worth Blackwelder, Juli's current caddie. He worked with Kristi Kerr with phenomenal success for years. If Inkster has already "written off" the Wie's in the open press, then so be it. He should certainly be on the short list.

Should a deal transpire, the Wie's, Blackwelder, Inkster and their advisors should be able to come up with a win-win-win situation with a little PR planning.

Alex I should have stated:

"Persona non Acceptus" to clear up any misunderstanding.

Tim - You should be ashamed of yourself........you jumped to the wrong side of the fence on reporter's ethics by trying to make something sound fresh that was 10 months old......When was the last time a 16-year-old pro golfer fired her caddie?......see, its never happened before.....in fact, when was the last time a 16-year-old pro HAD a caddie?.........you know that Michelle had nothing to do with the firing......it was all handled by Team Wie.......let's just let this Caddie-Sack deal die a peaceful death......and start talking about who we think is going to get VERY LUCKY......and become Michelle's 2nd professional caddie!.....

i didn't realize there were so much swaping, stealing and firing of caddies going on in pga and lpga until this incident involving michelle. so if this isn't an uncommon practise in golf, then what's the big deal? if paula creamer indeed stole seri's caddie and that didn't turn into a big news, then why is firing of johnston such a big issue? i guess it's because she is michelle wie and anything she does is put under a microscope and scrutinized. perhaps michelle's parents should have dealt with johnston directly, but other than that this whole thing has been overblown, especially by the media. we don't even know if this was michelle's idea, or those of her parents, or her managment team, or her sponsors. by the way tim, you also wrote that you have fired some people before and that you "kind of" enjoyed it. i wonder who the readers will think is truely vicious.

Alex has lost any credibility he might have had left. If the Wie supporters have circled the wagons on this like nothing before and see the Wies as pure as drvien so, how does he explain my describing the hiring of Greg as stealing once I understood that Juli did not in fact fire him.

Greg Johnston has become the most famous caddie on the planet after this minor incident. Can you name five caddies on the LPGA tour without Googleing an answer?

I thought not.

TW -- I NEVER remove comments unless they contain really bad curse words or are blatant advertisements.

It's interesting how all the Wie Warriors who said "Michelle is choosing her own path and making her own decisions" are suddenly saying "It must be Team Wie's decision to fire Johnston".

Just an observation...

Tim,

Then you need to check out your soiftware for this site as what I said did happen. I posted twice and they are no longer here and all I asked was provide a link to your comment.

... or are libelous

Todd

Michelle Wie is choosing her own path and making her own decisions. This means she has decided she wants to compete against both men and women. Michelle Wie is the one who is deciding her career path. It does not mean she makes her own hotel reservations.

"Comment from: ToddCommish [Visitor]
It's interesting how all the Wie Warriors who said "Michelle is choosing her own path and making her own decisions" are suddenly saying "It must be Team Wie's decision to fire Johnston".

Just an observation..."

I'm sure Michelle has a voice in what goes on, but she doesn't have the legal authority to run her own life now. That right is reserved by her parents and the people at William Morris.

If you need a scapegoat for a non-event, such as dismissing a caddie, look no futher than William Morris, Todd.

Maybe Greg was hurting the numbers and the demographics were shrinking with him by her side. It might have nothing to do with golf at all. Business is after all, just business.

There are not many caddies who have guaranteed contracts on any tour. Greg jumped at the chance to have a guaranteed payment each event and a contract. It was most likely the first formal contract he ever signed as a caddie.

It would have options for William Morris to terminate him if needed and a standard non-disclosure clause to protect their client's privacy.

This is simply what an Agent/Agency for a Star does. Damage control.

For now I believe caddy decisions are probably being made by BJ--I doubt that Paula Creamer handled all her own caddy decisions when she was a 16 year old high school student. But I really don't know, and neither do all the people who are saying that Michelle Wie fired her caddy.

I find it interesting that the people who are insisting that Michelle Wie is totally controlled and makes none of her own decisions managed to come to the conclusion it was Michelle's decision to fire Greg.

BJ may make the call Jim on a caddie, but William Morris hires whoever stands next to Michelle and has the authority to terminate them when required.

One-Putt, The expression used for a person not acceptable is,and has been since the Magna Carta,"persona non grata." Ive known this expression for over 40 years and I strongly suspect that you've also known it for quite a while. Just because we disagree on the direction of Bubbles' career is no reason to adopt a nihilist attitude to everything I write. If I say that this is Friday evening, I'd expect you to agree, although it would probably be reluctantly.

One-Putt, You asked a question back there about which side the Russians and the Chinese would be on in this war. My guess is that they would side with the US since we are the only ally who they ever had that led them to any sort of victory. Outside of WWII when they were US alies, they were drubbed every time.

One-Putt says: "I'm sure Michelle has a voice in what goes on, but she doesn't have the legal authority to run her own life now. That right is reserved by her parents and the people at William Morris.

If you need a scapegoat for a non-event, such as dismissing a caddie, look no futher than William Morris, Todd."

I've been saying this all along. I think Team Wie is controlling this kid and giving her some really rotten career/golf advice in order to cash in for the short term. I was merely commenting on the doublespeak coming from the Wie Warriors who want it both ways.

Why, even Jim C parroted/plagiarized what I said almost verbatim. [By the way, either someone is using JimC's name or he's legitimately schizo. Check out the emails right before and after One-putt's]

For Alex: I apologize if I offended you Alex, my only excuse is the Sisters at St. Anthony's Academy ruler across my knuckles and my religion studies professors at Notre Dame where Latin was a core requirement.

Russia and China recently put together a Mutual Defense Treaty and are involved in joint training exercises which include operating in a WMD environment. China has undertaken an unprecedented military buildup over the past ten years (paid for by US Dollars). You might ask yourself Alex, who do Russia and China need to defend themselves from...Mongolia?

Unfortunately Todd, a child under the age of eighteen has a limited ability to control their own lives. Alex may be more able to explain the legalities for you.

ToddC

So, the Royal and Ancient rules committee blew the call (or cheated) on the "moss shot"; and now the William Morris agency is giving MW rotten career advice.

Please tell us a more exalted rules committee; and a more experienced and universally respected talent management group.

Todd

I thought it was clear that I was quoting you. I am sorry if that wasn't clear. I tried my best to make it word for word.

MICHELLE HAS THE BODY OF A 22 YEAR OLD AND THE MATURITY OF A 12 YEAR OLD.IT CAN ONLY IMPROVE FROM HERE.

THE BLOGS ABOUT BJ'S QUEST FOR MONEY WAS CERTAINLY EVIDENT WHEN THEY ACCEPTED THE APPEARANCE MONEY AND MICHELLE DID NOT HAVE TO MAKE THE CUT. HER DRAWING POWER WAS AT ITS MAXIMUM AT THE TIME.

IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHO WILL CADDIE FOR HER IN EUROPE COME SEPTEMBER.

One-Putt & Todd, Several child movie stars succeeded in becoming emancipated from domineering parents. The most recent instance that I can recall of emancipation by a high profile teenager was that of Leann Rimes, noted C&W singer. Her overbearing parents were eventually banned from her concerts. They were undoubtedly far more domineering than the Wie's, although BJ is closing fast.

And furthering Alex's line of argument, since Michelle has not filed for, nor been granted the status of "Emancipated Adult" by a court of law, she can not enter into a legally binding contract. Therefore, she could not legally hire a caddy, nor could she legally fire one.

Disrespectful player like Tiger.

Has anyone noticed this? Tiger and Wie Wie both seem to like walking off the green before their playing partner finishes the hole! This is awful ettiquette. I confess to doing this once when I was learning golf. My uncle sent me to the driving range to help pick up golf balls for my rude gesture.

I hate how athletes can earn so much more money from endorsements that from their actual sport. I don't think you have as much respect for your sport when you earn most of your money away from it.

Look at tennis players. Endorsements for most player exceed their prize money these days. Maybe that's why they are a bunch sore loser, spoiled brats! I keep seeing player retire from matches due to supposed "injuries."

The ugly commercialization of sports has gone on for too long. Pro sports are just another reality show, complete with all the foul language and spoiled actors.

"Its an ill wind that blows no good." Michelle has, at a tender age, had the opportunity to observe the vicious nature of a significant sector of so-called "responsible people". With the unrelenting attacks of the Wie-Bashers, I think Michelle has seen enough of the uglier side of human nature so as NOT TO FALL FOR for the "Emancipated Adult" scheme where "loving lawyers" and "fatherly investment advisors" use legal trickery to elbow her family aside, so as to feast on her fortune. I think she is far too bright for that baloney.

Tim-
You are a pathetic old fool trying to scrape off a living blogging hate filled diatribes of a teen golfer. As you mentioned, you don't have kids (lucky for them), unmarried (based on your mug shot, not surprising), probably not much of a love life and I would bet still living at home with your parents. Maybe that movie 40 year old virgin was based on you... but you're much older than that. Did I leave anything out? Oh yeah, your writing sucks!

I think you covered all the bases arnold. :-)

As a very close family member of Paula Creamer I want to clear up serious mis-information posted on this site. I can tell you with absolute certainty that Colin Cann personally called Se Ri Pak and informed her of his decision to go to work for Paula. This conversation took place prior to the news release.

Visitor

I'm not sure that really helped Se Ri Pak getting a Dear John phone call from Colin Cann--did Paula Creamer personally call Se Ri Pak and get her permission to hire Colin before talking to him about the job? For all I know, Greg also gave Juli a personal call after he signed with the Wies--but if he did not that says more about Greg and Colin than it does about the Wies and the Creamers.

Could it be that people in this country consider it more acceptable when a white American golfer steals the caddy of a Korean than when a Korean American golfer steals the caddy of a white American?

What are you saying Jim? Discrimination does come in many forms, some less obvious than others.

It seems the LPGA neglects the Asian golfers on tour only to promote less successful blonde and blue eyed players.

Nah, that couldn't be possible in this day and age.

Alex
You complain about the Wie's grabbing the money.
Your profession is probably the worst in the world for doing that.
I suppose you are different from the rest of your money grabbing unethical colleagues. Give it a rest.
Alan m

Comment from: Seve [Visitor]

"The ugly commercialization of sports has gone on for too long. Pro sports are just another reality show, complete with all the foul language and spoiled actors."

I couldn't agree more. Golf is no exception. The PGA Tour hates its heritage as much as any other modern sports organization, and would never dream of fining Tiger to the degree that Tommy Bolt received back in more civilized times.

Comment from: Jim C [Visitor]

"Could it be that people in this country consider it more acceptable when a white American golfer steals the caddy of a Korean than when a Korean American golfer steals the caddy of a white American?"

More communist propaganda from Jim C. What else is new?

Comment from: One-Putt [Visitor]

"It seems the LPGA neglects the Asian golfers on tour only to promote less successful blonde and blue eyed players.

Nah, that couldn't be possible in this day and age."

Another degenerate commie who probably doesn't understand who he is.

alan m, There are no complaints here. If you open your mind, if possible, and read my words, you'll see that I merely said that BJ Wie has said many times that his university salary was insufficient to maintain the lifestyle that he desires for his family. Thus, he has "gone for the gold," so to speak. I also specifically said that there is nothing intrinsically wrong with squeezing every cent possible out of one's teenage daughter's marketability, but that most ordinary folks would think it a little tacky. Got it now, alan? Try improving your reading comprehension, please.

Comment from: Visitor [Visitor]
"I can tell you with absolute certainty that Colin Cann personally called Se Ri Pak and informed her of his decision to go to work for Paula. This conversation took place prior to the news release."

That doesn't address the original point. The point is, Juli Inkster is still complaining that the Wie family never called her to personally tell her about the offer they were making to her caddy. So, the parallel is that Paula Creamer's family never called Se Ri Pak to personally tell her about the deal that they were making with Colin Cann. (I don't necessarily think she should have, by the way, but that was Inkster's complaint.)

It's eerily similar to the Inkster case, especially since Se Ri Pak had been with Colin Cann for some time, and is an elite player that had been going through a slump, and was left for an up-and-coming young player.

I am not condemning Paula Creamer or her family for how they conducted the Colin Cann business. Once someone brought it up, I was reminded of how similar the two incidents were. If Michelle Wie/family is "vicious" for how they hired Johnston, so is Paula Creamer/family. That's not my choice of words, that's the word of choice of this blog post. The only difference is how the press blows up stories for one individual and not the other.

Comment from: Alex [Visitor]

"I also specifically said that there is nothing intrinsically wrong with squeezing every cent possible out of one's teenage daughter's marketability.................."

I hope you are not a parent, and merely a single, parasitic lawyer.

Booger, I am indeed a parent of four grown children and seven grandchildren. (To this point) I was being sarcastic in my remarks. I'm sorry that you took such an obviously duplicitous comment seriously. I look upon BJ and Bo as textbook cases of child exploitation.

Alex,
There are many people who read these blogs for the first time, and don't understand your humour, where you go from serious point to sarcastic, from one sentance to the next.

Perhaps you would be better off just making the points you want to make.

Joe Cool said:
MICHELLE HAS THE BODY OF A 22 YEAR OLD AND THE MATURITY OF A 12 YEAR OLD.IT CAN ONLY IMPROVE FROM HERE.
__________________________

Actually Michelle has a mature body for her age, but at 16 she will get stronger. She is tall, but she is still getting stronger. So it's incorrect to say that her body is like a 22 year old, since a 22 year olds body is usually fully mature, whereas, although Michelle is more mature than others, her body still will get stronger.

As regards mental maturity, she is advanced well beyond her age. She is a very intelligent girl. Sometimes people wrongly use the example of her language expressions as judging her maturity.

Michelle says You Know, quite a bit, but she says it less than Ernie Els does.

Matt Slater, BBC, golf editor:
“Tall, good-looking and articulate, Wie is already fluent in Korean and is studying Japanese and Chinese. It is no scheduling accident that her second pro event will be against men in Japan.”

The BBC's clearly Slater finds MW to be articulate. I understand that Matt has been afforded time with Michelle and her family away from the throngs of press at the press conferences. Most writers have only heard Michelle at these "cattle calls".

When Michelle appears before such throngs of press, she is not free to speak in a "stream of conciousness" mode. If she pauses, or "starts and stops", or says "you know", or "ummm" etc., then that just shows good sense on her part. She is aware that each and every phrase she says will be dissected and served up in the next days media offerings. She is remarkably good at handling the press, always manages to find the humor in things, and will only get better at it as time progresses.

Rest assured, that around family and friends, she is as free-wheeling and talkative as any teenage girl.

Should read:
"The BBC's Slater clearly finds MW to be articulate."

Now Jim C. let me see if I follow your logic. If a person is looking for a new job he/she is to first tell their current employer they're looking, then after securing their next position, they are to request that the new employer please call the previous employer and ask permission to hire the job-seeker?

Do you think that the CEO of CBS called the CEO of NBC and asked permission to hire Katie Couric?

MM: I don't think that was Jim C's ultimate point at all. Going back to the original post, Juli Inkster complained that the Wie family did not give her any advance notice that they were making an offer to her caddy. As pointed out by another poster, Se Ri Pak did not get advance notice from the Creamer family that they were making a deal with HER caddy. Another poster defended Creamer, saying that the caddy had in fact let Se Ri Pak know of the deal "prior to the news release."

Jim C's response was that it wasn't about the caddy contacting Se Ri Pak, it was about Se Ri Pak not being contacted by the Creamers, because that's what Juli Inkster complained about.

You're right in that it's illogical to expect a job seeker's potential employer to contact their current employer and ask permission to hire. Which means Juli Inkster shouldn't really have complained (Se Ri Pak never did), but that's what she did.

I read these blogs and just shake my head in disbelief. Nearly all of the Michelle Wie fans think it's perfectly all right for an impressionable and possibly fragile teenage girl to be part and parcel of all these maneuverings and palace intrigues. Some even say that they would expose their own children to such pressure if it meant fame and especially fortune, i.e., MONEY. People, I have a fair amount of experience in dealing with aspiring teenage athletes(no golfers,though) and I would NEVER think of putting my children or grandchildren or great-grandchildren under such pressure. I have never seen an adolescent girl who could survive the double boiler that Michelle is in with her emotions in tact. That kid never had a childhood or an adolescence. There are literally hundreds of cases where overbearing parents have ruined the potential careers of their kids by demanding too much too soon. Not that BJ and Bo Wie are evil or bad parents. They seem incapable of seeing what damage can be done to their daughter by pushing her so hard. That's not unusual, most parent with precocious kids act the same. That's why, in my opinion anyway, it's better for athletically inclined kids to get out from under the domination of their parents at a fairly early age. Similar to an apprentice tradesman learning the trade from anyone but his father. I retired more than a decade ago as a union ironworker. In my local and also some other locals there was an unwritten rule that no apprentice ever be indentured to his father.

John Z

I guess there are worse things a child can do at 16 than play golf throughout the world. Drinking, drugs, inhaling household products, joining gangs, driving recklessly, or sitting on a couch/chair mesmerized by a glowing tube are a few that come to mind.

MW plays golf primarily in the summer. During the schoolyear she is permitted two weeks in the spring and two weeks in the fall away from school for golf. That seems reasonable to me.

I applaud BJ and his wife for their handling of this unique situation. If the Wie-Bashers would leave them alone, things would be rosy indeed. I hope the family stays close to Michelle until she is well into her twenties. BJ should aggressively ignore the constant chorus of screaming Harpies that want to separate him from his daughter.

I think the Wie family will come through all of their challenges with flying colors. Watching the Wie-Bashers humiliate and debase themselves is a good lesson in human nature for all to observe.

Well done Ghet Rheel.
Perhaps the best post in the blog so far.
Well articulated, particularly about the many worse things than many 16 year olds get up to.

Michelle is a very good role model to youngsters, and more importantly, despite what John Z might pretend, Michelle Wie is happy and that is what is most important.

Thanks Johnny N
And you're right that the most important consideration is that Michelle is doing something she loves to do.

When most golfers will do just about anything to play on the spectacular courses that MW regularly golfs, why do people find it so difficult to understand that she loves what she does. And Michelle plays them at par and better. How would that be?

Jen,

Thanks for your thoughtful reply.

In the end no one really knows what goes on between players and caddies. It's a dynamic relationship. Heck, who can expect them to last forever, most marriages don't! Change is the preogative of all parties involved. Since the LPGA is a fairly small world I suspect they all know the score and how to handle the etiquette of changing partners.

Guys, I am not a Wie basher, so don't refer to me as one. What is telling is that Michelle's parents and agents asked her school for permission for their daughter to blow off school for four weeks per year and got an okay. You fellows think that's just great. I don't. What is really strange is that one of you hopes that Michelle's parents stay close to her until she is well into her twenties. I guess Dan Cupid should stay away then.:-)There may be a young woman in her late teens or twenties with a young man in her life that would like her parents to be closely involved in her life but I've never seen her. Has anybody seen this young woman?

I'm sure the Wie family will welcome appropriate young suitors for Michelle. That's not the problem. BJ needs to watch out for the cheesey hustlers of all ages, that's the problem. They're already lining up with designs on MW, her money, and control of her future.

BJ and family are the best defense she has. BJ stepping up and insisting on the dismissal of Johnston shows he is willing to assert himself with MW's management team. William Morris is a first-rate agency, but BJ needs to oversee them as well - same with investment advisors, etc.

John Z, you're not suggesting that a teenager be set adrift, to deal on her own, with all the lawyers, agents, investment gurus, etc., are you?

I think you are suggesting that MW should not be a pro golfer at all, or at least not a highly successful one. But that was the Wie's decision, not ours. I think their decision was a good one. You seem to be saying that you "know better" than BJ, what is in Michelle's best interest. I respectfully disagree.

I am not suggesting that I know Michelle's well being better than her parents. However a third party can often look at a child or teenage prodigy objectively while parents of such kids are usually extremely subjective in their view of their child. They are rarely objective about their own kids. Ghet, I can tell by the first sentence of your post that you have never had a young adult daughter. A parent has to welcome ANY guy she chooses or say goodbye to her. I know this by experience. The fact that she might have to fight off hustlers and con men is proof that she shouldn't be in as deep as her parents have put her. Too late to do anything about that now. They have already signed away a lot of their rights to the agency. Sure she should be a pro golfer but it would have been better to wait for her to finish HS. And her trying to compete with the men is nothing more than a sideshow and a money making scheme. It is clear that she won't ever be able to play on a men's tour with any success and that might hurt her self esteem also.

John Z - You're saying you're being objective in your view? You've made many accusations towards Michelle's parents that don't sound very objective to me. You can be objective when you know the true facts, not when you make your own assumptions as to how things have transpired. Is it possible that her parents have her future and financial security foremost in their minds instead of their own? Without knowing them personally, I think you should keep your "objective" opinions to yourself.

John Z is mixing apples and oranges.

Plenty of young men have learned the family business from their fathers. But I would rather hire a plumber who was certified as qualified by someone other than a family member.


In gymnastics I would trust the assessment of Bela Karolyi over that of a young girl's parents as far as her talent and potential is concerned. But I would trust her parents to be more concerned about her welfare than Bela.

Ron, Go back and read a little more carefully. I never said anywhere that I was being objective about the Wie family, nor am I being subjective. No one posting here is close enough to the Wie's to make anything but casual observations. What I wrote was that a third party can often be objective about a child whereas the parents can't help but be subjective. By the way, Ron, "true" facts are the only kind there are. If it's not true it isn't a fact. If everyone who didn't personally know the subjects of these blogs kept his or her opinions to himself, we wouldn't have much on this message board, would we Ron.

Jim C, I think that mixing apples and oranges is better than mixing plumbers and gymnasts.:-)

The main point here is that Michelle's most trusted business allies will always be BJ and Bo. MW's income potential in the net decade alone is likely in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Think the sharks aren't circling?

Michelle Wie attends the most expensive private school in Hawaii.

And she behaves no different than any of the other snotty kids that go there.

If you can imagine attending the school of the richest kids in Hawaii, then you can understand there is a pecking order among the students.

"my daddy is so-in-so"
"my mommy is so-in-so"
"my daddy's richer than your mommy"
"my mommy bought me a lexus seda