CBS' Jim Nantz Rips Tiger For His Behavior At Augusta

CBS' Jim Nantz Chastises Tiger for Behavior at Augusta

4/12/2010 8:20 PM ET

Milton Kent, Fanhouse
Sports Media Writer

If you're ever around Jim Nantz and there's a live microphone on hand, here's a tip: Don't swear.

In an appearance on a New York sports talk radio show Monday, Nantz, CBS' lead announcer on its golf telecasts, upbraided Tiger Woods for cursing during Saturday's third-round telecasts.

"If I would have said what he said on the air, I would be fired," said Nantz, while appearing on WFAN's Mike Francesa Show.

Nantz took umbrage at Woods for saying "You suck" to himself, as well as uttering a one-word phrase generally considered to be sacrilegious.

"Guess what? Phil Mickelson had a camera in his face all weekend," said Nantz. "Did you ever hear him come close to approaching that? He didn't hit every shot exactly the way he wanted. Have you ever heard Arnold Palmer or Jack Nicklaus use that kind of language?"

Nantz said that Woods had used coarser language than that during tour stops, but was "disappointed" in his slip given that Woods had pledged during prior interviews and press conferences to refrain from outbursts of either exuberance or anger.

"I can't say anything I want when I'm on a live broadcast," said Nantz. "Tiger's not the only guy who's got a camera in his face all day long. But he is the only one in the field who said he wasn't going to do that any more."

The normally placid Nantz allowed his voice to rise during a four-minute segment of his chat with Francesa as he chastised Woods for uttering vulgarities within the hearing of the gallery.

"Moreover, how about the father and son who are standing right there by the tee?" said Nantz. "How about the hundreds of people who are around that tee who hear that? How about the hundreds of letters I've gotten through the years from people who have been outraged at the language they've heard there and have written me and said, 'Why don't you guys ever say something about that?' "

Nantz also sharply criticized USA Today sports media columnist Michael Hiestand for characterizing Woods' use of the sacrilegious phrase as "mild," though he didn't refer to Hiestand by name.

"It was disappointing to see the broadcast open up on Saturday that way, and I didn't take it as mild, OK?" said Nantz. "It might have been mild to him (Hiestand), but I would like if I uttered the same word, I would like the same guy to write that that was mild language on my part, instead of asking for me to resign or be fired."

The first thing I want to say, I am not a Tiger Woods fan at all, not a fan of golf in general. But Screw Jim Nantz. Emotion is a big part of sports and if you cant express yourself, then what is the point. This is entertainment, and I find it entertaining to see someone express happines or frustration. we need more of it.