The Goodell Effect

There is a new development in the world of sports; Roger Goodell (yes that Roger Goodell, architect of the No Fun League) has taken over the body Tim Finchem’s body. This fact was no more evident then when last weeks the PGA banned “caddy races” at golf tournaments.

Caddy races take place at two tournaments on the PGA. The Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial and at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, I can’t comment much on the races at Colonial having only seen them on TV. I have experienced them live at the “loudest hole in golf”, the 16th at TPC Scottsdale.

The 16th hole, which has many aliases (the loudest hole in golf, the biggest party in golf etc) is a hole completely enclosed by bleachers and skyboxes making a stadium around it. At this hole, almost anything goes, yelling, booing, jumping up and down and chanting are all regular occurrences. At the 16th you don’t need to see how a player’s shot turns out, you only need to listen for the cheers or boos and chants. After the players in the group hit its tradition for the caddies to race from the tee box to the green. This provides another reason for fans to get loud cheering for their favorite caddy or cheering for one of the caddy’s to wipe out.

No more however, as the PGA ruled last week that they are banning the famed races in 2014 due to caddy safety. Next thing they will ban cheering on the course. So after penalizing for dancing in the endzone and tackling Goodell appears to have reached out to make golf fans mad too. I just wish someone would make Goodell happy so he wouldn’t have to get his joy by ruining all the fun we get out of sports.