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Sidelines Kalani Simpson |
Wie ready for
big-time discussionAND away Wie go.
Dear Sports Columnist:
>> "To be fair to the kid, tell us Kalani, in the history of the PGA have there been other pros who have been granted sponsor exemptions after failing to qualify in previous attempts? On another note, in response to Scott Hoch's comments, what will happen to tournaments like ours when we lose a sponsor and can't find another that has deep pockets? Well, the Sony Open goes on the Nationwide Tour of course, with Redondo's Portuguese sausage as the sponsor. Will Scott play for one year's supply of Linguisa?"
COMMENT: Great line. Good point. Gate attractions pay the bills. So yes, inviting Bill Murray, for example, to play in your tournament is great fun ... but it isn't PGA Tour golf.
>> "I stand behind you in the questioning the justification of handing a free pass to someone that not only failed to qualify earlier three times, but also failed to make the cut in a Canadian Tour event and Nationwide event, both lower-tiered men's golf tours. She came in dead last in the C.J. Nine Bridges WOMEN'S LPGA Tour event. Other than tie for ninth at LPGA Kraft Nabisco and win the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links, what has she done? ... The hype continues."
COMMENT: I'm worried that this move solidifies that perception. I'd rather see her play smaller events to win, as a great golfer, than continue these free invitations to over-her-head events as a child star celebrity entrant.
>> "I feel that you should ease up on 14-year-old Michelle Wie. Yes your arguments may be valid, but I think they should be kept to yourself. Wie is young, give her a break. Let her play in the Sony Open in peace. Write about the (W-word guys). They should be the focus of a Saturday morning paper right before the most important game of their season, at Nevada."
COMMENT: I didn't want to jinx them.
>> "Your stand on Michelle Wie, while a little namby-pamby, is right on. I think that you finally 'get it.' ... Gov. Lingle blew her leadership chance here by literally pimping this teenager and siding with this disturbing exception for a minor girl who is clearly not yet ready for the big-time."
COMMENT: Namby-pamby?
>> "Hey dude: Can you get off of this Wie topic. I got a feeling what you write of is all jealousy. You wish you had her golf game. Furthermore, get off of June Jones' case. On this topic, you are gosh darned jealous of his paycheck. You as a sportswriter should be more in touch of what the Hawaii sports reader wants to read -- why is UH retaining the soccer coach?"
COMMENT: Yes, I can't go anywhere without people stopping me to talk about the UH soccer coach.
See the Columnists section for some past articles.
Kalani Simpson can be reached at ksimpson@starbulletin.com
