6/22/08

NBC Sports: Apology for Saying Rocco Looks Like the Guy Who Cleans Tigers Swimming Pool

I heard the crack and wondered what in the world was this announcer thinking? Imagine if the remark were the other way around - Tiger looks like the guy who cleans Rocco's swimming pool - Miller would be gone from broadcasting in a millisecond.

And why did it take a week for the story to break and the apology to come out?

I for one am happy to have a vacation from Tiger. Sorry of course for his injury. But his mechanical dominance of the sport both amazed and disconcerted me.
Miller apologizes for comments on Mediate
NBC Sports commentator says description had nothing to do with ethnicity

NEW YORK - NBC Sports golf analyst Johnny Miller apologized for his description of U.S. Open runner-up Rocco Mediate, saying the comments had "absolutely nothing to do with his ethnicity.''

Mediate, a 45-year-old Pennsylvanian of Italian heritage, held a one-stroke lead over Tiger Woods during the fourth round Sunday. Miller said Mediate "looks like the guy who cleans Tiger's swimming pool.'' He also said, "Guys with the name 'Rocco' don't get on the trophy, do they?''

"I apologize to anyone who was offended by my remarks,'' Miller said in a statement Friday through NBC. "My intention was to convey my affection and admiration for Rocco's everyman qualities and had absolutely nothing to do with his ethnicity. I chose my words poorly and in the future will be more careful.''

Woods beat Mediate in a playoff that lasted 19 holes for his third U.S. Open title.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

"his mechanical dominance of the sport both amazed and disconcerted me."

I can understand the 'amazed' part, but not the 'disconcerted' part.

"I heard the crack and wondered what in the world was this (guy)thinking? "

That's exactly what I thought when I heard Obama play the race card last week:

http://www.redlasso.com/ClipPlayer.aspx?
id=374e7a5e-1223-4292-a636-b4296f2553f1

Tzvee Zahavy said...

it's hard to explain what disconcerts me about tiger - but i am not the only golfer who says that.

John D. Enright said...

I frankly don't know why you or any other golfer would be "disconcerted" by Woods. Maybe I can be like BO and suggest that you're critical of him because of his race.

Anonymous said...

John, that made me laugh!!