Greg Norman: "My objective is not to be criticizing golfers. My objective is to be fair and balanced."

/

Just remember, I merely copy and paste this stuff.

Highlights from today's Fox Sports call to promote the naming of Joe Buck and Greg Norman as their lead USGA announce team for the U.S. Open, U.S. Women's Open, U.S. Senior Open and U.S. Amateur.

Greg Norman on his broadcast style – “My objective is not to be criticizing golfers. My objective is to be fair and balanced. If I see something that I feel is very pertinent to the situation, I will explain that view to the audience, and I want it to be very fan-friendly and informative. Being informative is not sugar-coating the situation and not addressing some serious issues that could arise in the game of golf, which we have seen in the past. It’s incumbent upon myself and Joe and every other member of our team who has a microphone in their hand to have the confidence and the willingness to express themselves.”

Got that?

Joe Buck on why FOX Sports and the USGA make a good partnership – “I think I’ve been here long enough to know that today is a big day for FOX Sports. It says a lot about the USGA that they are willing to take this leap with us. Like I told [USGA President] Tom O’Toole, who I’ve known pretty much my whole life, he is going to be blown away, as will the golf world, with the effort and the ability that we’re going to throw at this. We’ll push golf coverage like FOX Sports pushed NFL coverage, MLB coverage and NASCAR coverage. It’s a good partnership both ways.”

12 years. 12...years. Twelve!

Joe Buck on working with a new broadcast partner – “We’re not going to have the opportunity to feel our way. When we go on air at Chambers Bay, we’re doing the Super Bowl. We’re coming right out of the gate, and it doesn’t get any bigger. We’ve got to be ready, and we will be ready. We’re all going to spend time in June at Pinehurst to walk through exactly what is expected of us and go through the mechanics of calling a golf tournament, which I can’t wait to get into. The one thing that was obvious when Greg and I talked the other day, and I’ve always gone about it this way – if I have a great day in the booth, but my partner doesn’t have a good day, then overall we don’t have a good day. I don’t walk out of the booth feeling good about the broadcast, and certainly vice-versa. Greg and I are going to approach this as complete teammates, and what that means for me as far as the mechanics of broadcasting, the oddity of somebody talking in your ear while you’re covering something and you have two trains of thought, I’m there for him, and I’ll give him everything I’ve got.”

Uh Joe, if you want a ride on Air Greg back from Erin Hills, you better hold his hand!

Greg Norman on Tiger Woods and his chance to pass legend Jack Nicklaus – “No, I do not see that happening.  The older he gets, the younger these players get.  You’ve got to remember too, the intimidation factor of that era of players that Tiger grew up in when he was 21 to 30 is not the same because he is now in his high 30s. Your brain is telling you, ‘yes, you can do it,’ but at the same time, your body is reacting a little bit different than it was in your hay days.”

I think, last time I checked, hay days were for horses. But we know what Greg meant.