Another Bishop Roundup: Diaz Details Timeline, NY Times Finally Chimes In, Silence Of Women's Organizations Questioned

Golf World's Jaime Diaz does a super job in tracking down the various parties involved in Ted Bishop's removal as PGA President, including Bishop.

Most interesting was the revelation that incoming PGA President Derek Sprague gave Bishop the chance "to save your career, save your reputation" by resigning before forcible removal. However, the outcome of either resignation or removal would have been the same: Bishop would be on permanent persona non grata status at the PGA of America. So it was a bit like getting the choice between the electric chair or lethal injection. Bishop chose to make his case before the Board of Directors, who Diaz says voted unanimously to oust the president with 29 days remaining in his term.

From Diaz's Golf World story:

Rather than resign, he decided to make a statement to the 21-person board in a 4 p.m. teleconference. "I apologized to the board, reiterated that I had very much wanted to make a public apology. And I said I don't think the punishment fits the crime. And that doesn't mean I don't have remorse for what I did. Trust me, I abused my platform. I know I made a huge mistake. I'm the first to say that. I let my personal feelings for two guys get in my way, and used a bad choice of words in trying to convey my frustration."

The statement was over in five minutes. Bishop says he received no feedback or comments, recused himself from further proceedings and hung up. About an hour later, after sources say the vote came in with no votes in favor of Bishop retaining office, Sprague called Bishop, urging him to resign. "If I do that, I make it easy for the PGA of America," Bishop said he answered.

In a New York Times story headlined "Playing Like a Girl? It’s About Time" and featuring the subheader "Ted Bishop's Comments Demonstrate Golf's Persistent Sexism," golf writer Karen Crouse says the golf establishment's slow reaction to Bishop's comments proved "telling." This was the Times' first original story on the matter even though Bishop's fatal missives went out last Thursday.

It took the paper of record four days to write about this episode, well after some of the slowpokes chimed in. So what does that make the New York Times then?

Crouse opines:

When Bishop chose to disparage one man, the English golfer Ian Poulter, on Twitter by calling him a “little girl,” he effectively demeaned all women, including his own two daughters and granddaughter.

Bishop's daughters spoke to Golf World's Tim Rosaforte Saturday and stood by their father.

Over at ESPN.com their golf correspondents chimed in, with Michael Collins points out the baffling silence from major women's organizations in either denouncing Bishop or in issuing endorsements of the decision by the PGA Board of Directors. He also notes how few golfers were willing to go on the record denouncing Bishop.

Bishop is appearing live on Morning Drive Tuesday. For Immediate Release:

FORMER PGA OF AMERICA PRESIDENT TED BISHOP LIVE ON MORNING DRIVE TUESDAY IN FIRST

TELEVISION INTERVIEW SINCE REMOVAL FROM OFFICE

ORLANDO, Fla., Oct. 27, 2014 –Ted Bishop will join Morning Drive (7-9 a.m. ET) live and in-studio on Tuesday morning for his first television interview since being removed as president of the PGA of America. The PGA of America board of directors on Friday voted to remove Bishop from office for insensitive gender-based statements he posted Thursday on social media.