Brandel Camblee responded to the criticism on social media that he is “a paid actor” of Golf Channel and NBC, and simply follows company lines.
Claude Harmon III, a golf instructor and podcaster, made these comments in a discussion about the PGA Tour’s LIV Tour and the media coverage surrounding the ongoing golf civil war. Harmon is the golf instructor of Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka. Both accepted more than 100 million dollars to defect to the upstart LIV Golf entity, which was backed by Public Investment Fund, an entity that operates for the Saudi government.
Read the full comment by Harmon, originally reported by Golfweek.
“The claim that I am a mere proxy for my employer’s opinion is curious to me. While the natural back-and-forth with colleagues does inform my opinion, no person for whom I have worked or for has tried to influence my opinions,” Chamblee wrote on Tuesday evening in a Tweet. “I would like to believe that they will trust my opinion, regardless of whether it is in line with theirs. I have done the research necessary to support it.” This is more than I could say about those who claim that, because evil exists everywhere, it is all relativized. Unless all evil can be addressed in the same manner and at the same time, it should be ignored.
“Especially in the case of that person who called you a paid actor if they are able to profit from it. The debate is now a collision between politics, sport and narcissistic lust. “Those who are trying to avoid it will often resort to whataboutisms in order to shut down the debate with a derogatory accusation, because they do not want their motivations to be revealed.”
Chamblee has been one the most vocal critics of LIV. He retaliated, saying that LIV’s supporters had missed the bigger point of sportswashing.
To ask whether LIV is good for the PGA Tour would be to ignore the human element and the most important aspect of the entire issue of sportswashing. It’s bad for those who are still oppressed by LIV Golf’s financier.
The CH3 (Claude Harmon lll), is amazing. His father should also be in the Hall of Fame. Excellent read. Like his father, he holds nothing back. https://t.co/aKtY3ixan8
— Phil Mickelson May 24 2023
Chamblee ended his 538 word rebuttal/takedown on Harmon III with the observation that the Michael Blocks of the World are not welcome in LIV’s closed shop and that a fairytale like the one golf fans experienced last week is not possible. He also said that it will be harder to find an underdog story on the PGA Tour.
Chamblee wrote: “The most impressive thing was the dignity that came through in the performance of Michael Block. The club professional stole the show with his joy, gratitude and his incredibly sharp play at the PGA Championship.” “He was a stark example of what’s missing from LIV Golf, and what will be lacking in the PGA Tour events that are no-cut or small-field next year.
Because golf has always and will hopefully always be more about hope than heros.
In response to a condemnation of sportswashing with an accusation the whataboutisms, which inevitably accompany any discussion, attempt to undermine the credibility of accuser, and distract from dealing with the complexity of the issue. It’s a lot like…
— Brandel Chamblee (@chambleebrandel) May 24, 2023
