"Adding Shackelford to its content mix surely was calculated, at least in part, to burnish the notion of Golf Digest (sans Woods) and Golf World as independent from the game’s powers-that-be."

There's nothing worse than a blogger covering himself, but I did have to note Dave Seanor's analysis of my hiring and the calculation he sees behind the move.

But there was always the perception that Golf Digest and its sister publication, Golf World, treated Woods with kid gloves in deference to their business arrangement. Adding Shackelford – a frequent critic of the hierarchies at the PGA Tour and U.S. Golf Association, as well as the culture of entitlement in golf – to its content mix surely was calculated, at least in part, to burnish the notion of Golf Digest (sans Woods) and Golf World as independent from the game’s powers-that-be.

Both Digest and Shackelford have assured his fans that he won’t be muzzled. Here’s hoping he continues to write without fear or favor.

Just to prove the blog continues on without fear or favor or fear of embarrassment, I give you the art department's (aka Tom Naccarato) sample Golf Digest cover in commemoration of today's announcement.