CHUCK BOOMS

Chuck Booms is a Fox Sports Radio host (570 AM in Los Angeles). Today, June 17, 2006, he discussed pro golf. He said that the liberal media has anointed Tiger Woods as the greatest golfer of all time because Woods is a minority -- a similar argument to the one that Rush Limbaugh made about Donovan McNabb. (When a caller pointed out the similarity to Limbaugh's argument, Booms agreed and stated that Limbaugh had been correct.) Booms said that Phil Mickelson lacks sufficient media recognition, because he is white.

One caller from Massachusetts wished to disagree, but Booms preempted the caller, by calling him a liberal (by virtue of Massachusetts residency) and by saying that the caller (who plays golfs) "suck[s]" at golf (without any evidence of the caller's ability, either way; Booms admits that he himself doesn't play golf). Then Booms stated that Massachusetts need not be taken seriously due to its liberalism; Booms knocked Massachusetts because it previously elected a governor (Dukakis) who, in Booms' words, is not tall enough for amusement park rides.

Booms also criticized Chris Matthews as a "liberal Irish-Catholic," and -- when callers objected to his invoking ethnicity and religion in his critique -- he denied meaning to disparage Matthews by reference to enthnicity and religion.

A black caller from Booms' state of Ohio called, but Booms derided him as a liberal, even when the caller specifically disclaimed being a liberal.

Booms also took some friendly calls, including some from black callers.

Booms argued that white athletes don't get sufficient recognition. He stated that two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash lacks enough media uproar. (Apparently, Booms does not count the MVP award, which is voted on by the media, as noteworthy publicity.) Booms stated that Nash should be compared to Magic Johnson, but the media fails to make this comparison, because Nash is white. Then Booms argued that actually the standard-bearer for point guards should not be Magic but rather Pete Maravich, or John Stockton. Booms stated that, like Nash, Maravich and Stockton lack proper media recognition, because they are white.

On the golf issue, Booms argued that Jack Nicklaus is the greatest of all time because he won 18 career majors, as compared to Woods' current total of 9. Booms disparaged Woods' performance this week, when Woods was +12 and missed the cut at the US Open, after an extended leave of absence from golf due to the illness and passing of Woods' father. Booms stated that Woods should have been motivated by his father's death, comparing Woods unfavorably with Brett Favre, who had a career night on Monday Night Football the day after his father's passing.

Booms also said that the Massachusetts caller would soon be upset because conservative Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney will be elected President of the United States.

Booms and callers debated whether white people or black people had shown more humanity or color-blindness in responding to recent hurricanes (Katrina and those in Florida).

Surprisingly, there is little on Booms in the Internet, including the blog world. Booms' national radio spot is clear proof of the types of thinking that still persists in many minds -- and it is important that people be aware that people like him are receiving media airtime even in an area like sports radio.

Sports radio itself is not just about sports -- as hosts often chime in on other topics, such as commenting on current TV shows and movies. Soon after September 11, New York area sports radio host Mike Francesa (on WFAN's Mike and the Mad Dog program) opined that Jews lack allegiance to the US, because in his mind if the US went to war with Israel, Jews would not side with the United States. Francesa's remarks received no media attention. Booms views have not received media attention.

Defenders of Booms might say that his antics are tongue-in-cheek, merely trying to get a rise out of people with outrageous opinions. After all, apparently Booms is a former standup comedian. But this is too generous a viewpoint -- Booms' radio act hits nerves, and not in a comic fashion.

The public should be aware of the true realities of what voices are out there. Conservatives who criticize black leaders for invoking the race card should themselves look within, towards other conservatives who invoke the race card when it suits their purposes.

Booms' argument about Tiger is a straw man; the media has never anointed Tiger as the best golfer ever on the basis of his entire career. Booms' unsubstantiated critique of the Massachusetts caller's golf game ("You suck at golf"), when Booms does not play golf, says it all. Teddy Roosevelt, a hero of modern conservatives (see, e.g., http://www.republicansource.com/03-3000.htm), in his Man in the Arena speech, remarked:

"It is not the critic that counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or the doer of deeds could have them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the Arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but he who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great devotion; who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails while daring greatly, knows that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls, who know neither victory nor defeat."

Booms could find this quotation on the Right Wing News website (http://www.rightwingnews.com/quotes/success.php). Perhaps, instead of critiquing successful minority athletes, Booms and Rush Limbaugh should spend thieir time trying to understand their own philosophy. They might learn something.