"We looked at John Daly as someone who lights up a room, not someone with a troubled past."

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25golf.1.600.jpgIn Richard Sandomir's story detailing CBS's decision to pull the John Daly-Maxfli ad, it's great fun to read the rationale

“Any implication that participants are drinking in excess or performing an activity that requires a level of alertness while drinking does not meet network standards,” said Leslie Anne Wade, a CBS Sports spokeswoman.
It's a good thing network standards don't allow for shows about people getting killed!
The Daly ad has already run about 10 times on the Golf Channel, which last year ran his reality series, “The Daly Planet.” Dan Higgins, a spokesman, said that while the ad met network standards, “we’re sensitive to the issues at hand and are looking at other viable options to running the commercial,” like restricting its airing to later hours or running an edited version.

 

Hey, I know. Just air it during the Greg Goose 19th Hole since the set is stocked with booze. Then it won't look so bad! 

Meanwhile, in Larry Stewart's LA Times piece, he quotes the Maxfli dude:

"We went into this with the idea that John Daly is fun, exciting and approachable," said Bob Maggiore, senior director of marketing for TaylorMade-Adidas of Carlsbad, Calif. "In hindsight, maybe we should have seen the risk. But we looked at John Daly as someone who lights up a room, not someone with a troubled past."

Well, at least he's honest. 

Daly To Unveil First Non-Signature Signature Design

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Thanks to reader Scott for this historic moment in player-architect lore, courtesy of the (where else) Branson Daily News: 

John Daly’s Murder Rock Golf & Country Club, which will host opening ceremonies this fall, will have the distinction of being a Daly signature course.

“John is very close friends with (Branson entertainer) Johnny Lee, who was instrumental is getting John and (Murder Rock owner) Glenn Patch together,” said Chris Meade, director of golf and general manager of the club.

Meade thinks Daly’s association with the club is a natural, considering the PGA and British Open winner’s Missouri and Arkansas roots. ‘The Lion’ was born in California, but went to high school at Jefferson City Helias and attended college at Arkansas.

“We feel in this part of the country he’s a big draw,” Meade said.

Murder Rock is the third Daly signature course, the others being Thundering Waters Golf Course in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, and Wicked Stick Golf Club in Myrtle Beach, S.C..

He also designed Wicked Stick.

Daly has no ownership in Murder Rock and wasn’t part of the course’s design group.

Yes, it's a signature design and he was not part of the design group! Take that Jack and Arnold! 

Lewis On Daly

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Paul Lewis in the New Zealand Herald provides an excellent overview of the saga that is John Daly. Many things caught my eye, but this in particular made me realize why I need to stop writing architecture books and get into tell-all bios...
Perhaps the best insight into Daly comes from his book, which is approaching 500,000 copies sold since its release this year. It is the most frank, unabashed and downright odd story of any sportsman. It is the laying bare of a life - unusual in sports biographies which tend to re-hash material already known and/or allow the sportsman involved to recount history according to his or her own perspective.

Long Gone John?

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Just 10 of the World Top 50 are teeing it up in Las Vegas. But note John Daly down at 190th on the money list and in the Vegas field (like there was any doubt he'd miss this week!).

I don't believe Daly does not have enough all-time money (76th) to get one of those little one-time exemptions, so barring a big check the next three weeks, the Skins Game may be Long John's tune-up for the Q-School finals.

"I didn't see her but two times while she was incarcerated"

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John Daly really needs to come to the press tent more often. At the 84 Lumber Classic Tuesday:

Q. What's been the response on Tour since your book has come out with the other players? Do they kind of view it as "that's John"? Did they kind of pretty much know all of that before it was put in print?

JOHN DALY: Well, it's amazing because I've had about 20 of the guys on Tour say, "I bought your book." I said, "What the hell are you buying it for? I'll give it to you." Most of them said they learned a lot about me, but they said they felt like they were having a conversation with me, like they were just talking to me. Most of them enjoyed it. A lot of them all said they really enjoyed it. They just didn't know some of the tough times I had in my past growing up and stuff, they didn't realize that. And some of the crazy things that I've done in my life, they didn't know that, either, but they said they learned a awful lot about me. But when they said they felt like they were talking to me, then I must have touched something to the reader.

Q. Your wife Sherrie, is she back now?

JOHN DALY: Yeah.

Q. Just one more question regarding the book. In the book you wrote that the more sex you have, the better golf you play.

JOHN DALY: That tells you another reason why I played bad this year (laughter).

Q. I was going to phrase the question this way: With your wife Sherrie now back, how well are you going to play this week (laughter)?

JOHN DALY: She hasn't been able to travel at all this year and I didn't see her but two times while she was incarcerated, so that explains it. She hates to see I played bad golf, but she knew definitely I wasn't cheating on her (laughter).

 

"Almost unbecoming of a professional"

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Erik Leijon in the Montreal Mirror interviews John Daly about his new wine label and his book. This is beautiful:

M: When your book came out, the PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem talked to you. What did he say?

JD: Well, it was just one of those things that went back and forth. HarperCollins wanted everything [about Daly’s drinking, gambling etc.], in which the facts are right, and the PGA tour didn’t, so it went back and forth eight or nine times. Tim Finchem said, “This is almost unbecoming of a professional.” I said, “My life is unbecoming of a professional, Tim.” And he said, “Well it wasn’t like the Tour was going to sell it,” but next thing you know it’s in the display of every PGA Tour store, so he must be okay with it.

The New John Daly...Gulp

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Geoff Calkins in the Memphis Commercial Appeal writes about John Daly's new book and his recent book signing.

"My Life In & Out of the Rough," is the title of Daly's book, and who ever figured the guy for an author?

"Shakespeare sucked," Daly wrote, and it's about time somebody said it. Compare these two romantic passages:

A. "For where thou art, there is the world itself, and where thou art not, desolation."

B. "All told, we did it 10 times that day."

Shakespeare wrote A, Daly wrote B.

Who does a better job of getting to the essence?
And...

 

Endorsing wines, though? When Daly has struggled so mightily with alcohol? There's something pathetic about that, like Art Schlichter endorsing a bookie.

The same goes for the book, which outlines Daly's bold new strategy for dealing with alcohol and gambling.

Alcohol: He's going to drink beer instead of Jack Daniel's.

Gambling: He's going to switch to $25 slots. 

"Whenever you see John Daly playing great golf..."

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Ed Sherman probably helps resolve any lingering doubt you have about picking up John Daly's book, sharing a trailer park trash episode between Daly and his father along with more of John's profound thoughts.

It shouldn't come as a surprise that Daly also has large appetites in the bedroom. He thinks sex helps his game. He credited an "active" tournament week with current wife Sherrie for victories in Germany in 2001, in San Diego at the Buick Invitational in 2004 and for his runner-up finish last year at the WGC American Express in San Francisco.

"Whenever you see John Daly playing great golf, you know his wife's taking care of his needs," he said.
It's good to know New York publishing is still only looking for quality literature to publish.

 

Oh and don't forget, Daly is on tonight's episode of 60 Minutes.  

"The man has no character to defame"

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Mike Bianchi in the Orlando Sentinel:

John Daly has just ruined any chance he has of winning an ongoing lawsuit against a writer in Jacksonville he accuses of defamation of character.

After reading Daly's latest autobiography, it's quite clear: The man has no character to defame.

The name of Daly's book is called ``My Life In & Out of the Rough.'' It should be called, "I'm a big, fat, gluttonous, gambling, boozing, grunting, snorting sexist pig."

If PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem has any backbone, he will exercise executive privilege and immediately suspend Daly from the PGA Tour for "conduct unbecoming of a professional golfer." Actually, Daly's conduct is unbecoming of a professional porn star.

Let's forget for a moment how the tour should feel about the gambling addiction Daly details in his book, let's talk about how his ex-wives and girlfriends should feel about Daly giving his juvenile critiques of their sexual prowess.

It gets uglier from there, but you get the point.

How much did Daly get for this book? 

Daly Declines Counseling, Brand Coaches Worldwide Breathe Sigh of Relief

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Mark Soltau reports on John Daly's Tuesday talk with reporters.
"My life is unbecoming of a professional, basically," Daly told a handful of reporters Tuesday.

Daly met with PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem for 15 minutes on Monday at Quail Hollow. "He said he thinks I should have counseling," said Daly. "He said, 'I won't make you.'"

Asked if he would consider it, Daly replied, "I'm not really into that."
Actually, Finchem offered to put Daly in touch with a branding coach recommended by Carolyn Bivens.
"Harper Collins wanted to change it," said Daly. "They changed it about eight times. Too many cuss words. The whole book is not just about gambling, it's just life. A lot of good things, and a lot of bad things. It was kind of therapeutic talking about it. I'm 40, and it was cool to get one out now. And, hopefully, there'll be a sequel or a movie, maybe."

Finchem Hosts Wachovia Gambler's Anonymous Meeting

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230705john_d.jpgJohn Daly's forthcoming book reveals that he has lost between $50 million and $60 million during 12 years of heavy gambling, AP's Doug Ferguson reports.

He told one story of earning $750,000 when he lost in a playoff to Tiger Woods last fall in San Francisco at a World Golf Championship. Instead of going home, he drove to Las Vegas and says he lost $1.65 million in five hours playing mostly $5,000 slot machines.

"If I don't get control of my gambling, it's going to flat-out ruin me," he says in the book, co-written with Glen Waggoner and published by HarperCollins.
And it looks like someone in Ponte Vedra has been reading Daly's book.
The book got the attention of PGA Tour headquarters, and commissioner Tim Finchem met with Daly on Monday at the Wachovia Championship in Charlotte, N.C.

Finchem said the book does not violate PGA Tour regulations, although "it is clear that he continues to be concerned about and grapple with significant personal challenges."

"I have expressed to John the tour's concern for his well-being, as well as his ongoing need to uphold the image and standards of the PGA Tour," Finchem said. "While we will continue to enforce the regulations and policies of the PGA Tour, I have advised John of the tour's willingness to support him in his efforts to deal with his personal issues."
Of more pressing concern to Finchem was a recent focus group that downgraded Daly's likability rating due to his propensity to not wear shoes during Monday outting play (as recently demonstrated on The Daly Planet). 

 

The Commissioner and Daly reportedly discussed the potential brand impact of such negative focus group scores, the first port o'call should Daly decide to go shopping, and better ways to interface his feet with footwear.

Maybe This Is Around The Time...

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...John Daly broke his hand?

Thanks to reader Stu for the heads up on these lovely images of John Daly over at Deadspin.com.

Seeing these makes me think is was a good idea that big John skipped the Open Championship past champions dinner. Not his cup of tea.

Deadspin also posts on the Wendy's Three Tour Challenge and uses it as an excuse to post an epic photo of Christie Kerr kissing a trophy.