38 Comments

I stopped and read the Grantland piece before continuing on and reading Rebecca's skewering of it. I was then surprised to see that so much of the criticism about it had to do with Hannan's revelation that Dr. V had at one time been a man, because that bit struck me as being one of the least emphasized parts of the story. Leaving aside the question of whether or not it even warranted mentioning in the first place, as presented by Hannan it seemed to be but a small detail in a much more sprawling narrative. He spent the whole first half of the article talking about nothing but the putter, the game of golf and sports psychology, and didn't turn to providing a profile of the inventor until the latter part of the piece. The major elements of that profile seemed to revolve around the inventor's sphinx-like correspondence and elaborate secretiveness and the eventual revelation that her backstory was fiction. And by far the biggest parts of that revelation were the faked credentials and claims about having a high-flying career, which in reality was quite mundane and ordinary, and her real-life litigiousness. I was surprised when it turned out that she was a real person, because I kept anticipating that "Dr. V" would be revealed as an entirely fictional character who, like Mr. Whipple or the Dish Network "Hoppa" family, was a creation of the company's promotional department. Either that or else that Yar Golf founder Gerri Jordan and "Dr. V" would turn out to be one and the same person.

Golf is a game that appeals to the obsessive and the overthinker, so the fact that Hannan spent eight months researching and writing an article about a putter is not at all surprising or extraordinary. It also seems to be the norm in sports journalism that in reporting on a new or unusual piece of equipment, coaching technique, etc. some space must be devoted to a personal profile of the originator or inventor as well. This is quite common in such pieces.

I do very much agree with the objections concerning the discussion of details of Vanderbilt's death, though. That was a totally unnecessary and invasive bit of voyeuristic rubber-necking that really marred the ending of the piece. If for nothing else, Hannan deserves to be raked over the coals for including it.

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Shakespeare?! Did I say Shakespeare?! But the TeeBee Guide told me that telenova on Univision was <i>Henry VIII</i>.

Dear Penthouse Forum, I never thought I'd be shooting, stabbing, and strangling my family, but....

...also, too.

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Has anyone brought up the fact that the NFL teams of both the states that have legalized recreational use of weed are hosting the Conference Championship games? Apparently without players shooting, stabbing or strangling their families. And, who knows, maybe this year we'll see a true Stoner Bowl.

Buy stock in Doritos NOW.

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wait until the latest revelations that he may have withheld Sandy money for political payback hit the mainstream- he'll be more popular than ever with the wingnuts

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Probably masturbates with lawn jockeys too.

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Nancy Grace should take a hiatus from teevee and become the Campaign Manager for Victoria Jackson.

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Yep. So the scenario is: he victims his way into the hearts of the Teapers, nails the primaries, and then swings back to the center during the general, because NJ is a northeastern, liberal state which means he will totally be able to sell himself as a moderate.

What? It worked for Romney, didn't it?

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try the C section- they're already done cutting there

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It's Miller Time somewhere.

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I'm guessing it's the other way around: TN and LA will like his ballsy aggressiveness, and won't grasp what the big deal is about some bridge or other. Also, political payback is meat and potatoes in LA. People in NJ, NY, and FL have actual experience of the guy, and will not be amused.

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Cooties?

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Twinkies?

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Then of course, there's Twinkies.

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“I mean people on <strike>pot</strike> sex that shoot each other, that stab each other, that strangle each other, that kill whole families — wipe out a whole family.”

-- condensed version of pretty much all of Shakespeare's works

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Is there a drug more potent than greed that causes people to chase an ambulance, Ms. Grace?

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Nancy obviously caught a contact high from Brooks...

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