Golf legend Fuzzy Zoeller died on Thursday, and the media used the opportunity to dredge up the worst moment of his career: an insensitive joke he made about Tiger Woods in 1997.
Zoeller won two major championships during his illustrious career (1979 Masters and 1984 U.S. Open) while also finishing as runner-up in the 1981 PGA Championship and third at the 1994 Open Championship.
But those accomplishments weren’t the focus for most media outlets. CNN went with the headline, “Fuzzy Zoeller, two-time major champion haunted by racist joke about Tiger Woods, dies at 74.”
The headline on the CBS Sports homepage read: “Two-time major champ Zoeller, noted for Tiger Woods remarks, dies at 74.”
Fuzzy Zoeller celebrates with a young patron on the ninth green during the Par 3 Contest prior to the 2009 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
(Harry How/Getty Images)
The story on ESPN.com, credited to the Associated Press, discussed it in the first paragraph of his obituary.
“Fuzzy Zoeller, a two-time major champion and one of golf’s most gregarious characters whose career was tainted by a racially insensitive joke about Tiger Woods, has died, according to a longtime colleague.”
Before even mentioning Zoeller’s major championship victories, USA Today dived right into the controversy: “Though he blended his golf skill with humor, his racist joke about Tiger Woods created a firestorm.”
Yahoo Sports included the Tiger Woods joke in its tweet “memorializing” Zoeller.
If you’re not aware (I must admit, I didn’t even remember this), a CNN reporter asked Zoeller for his thoughts on Woods, who was on his way to a historic 12-shot victory at Augusta. Woods became the first black golfer to win the prestigious tournament.
“That little boy is driving well, and he’s putting well. He’s doing everything it takes to win. So, you know what you guys do when he gets in here? You pat him on the back and say congratulations and enjoy it and tell him not to serve fried chicken next year. Got it?” Zoeller said. “Or collard greens or whatever the hell they serve.”
Zoeller Apologized, But Media Will Never Let It Go
Was it a great moment for Zoeller? Obviously not. The joke was in bad taste and his timing was terrible. Is it a moment Zoeller regrets? Of course; he’s admitted that many times.
In a 2008 Golf Digest article, Zoeller wrote that it was “the worst thing I’ve gone through in my entire life.”
“If people wanted me to feel the same hurt I projected on others, I’m here to tell you they got their way. I’ve cried many times. I’ve apologized countless times for words said in jest that just aren’t a reflection of who I am. I have hundreds of friends, including people of color, who will attest to that.”
Fuzzy Zoeller and playing partner, NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley, pose for a photo with Barkley’s broken club head during the Regions Tradition NCR Pro-Am on May 4, 2011, in Birmingham, Alabama.
(Stan Badz/PGA TOUR)
While it’s fair for people to criticize Zoeller for his remarks, especially for making them as Woods was on the cusp of history, that moment shouldn’t define his legacy.
I’m not one of those people who believes that obituaries should ignore someone’s transgressions. No one’s life is perfect, and all of their best and worst moments are part of the story. Sometimes I believe we, as a society, overly deify people upon their deaths.
So, I think it’s reasonable to include the Tiger Woods controversy in a story about Zoeller’s life. However, leading an article about his life with that moment, or including it in the headline, feels gratuitous.
The Media’s Obvious Double-Standard
Part of the problem is that the standard isn’t applied across the board. Imagine how people would have reacted in 2020 if an article about Kobe Bryant’s death had a headline reading, “Kobe Bryant, who was accused of rape and settled out of court with the victim, died in a helicopter crash.”
Or, perhaps, imagine the reaction if a hypothetical article about George Floyd’s death led with, “George Floyd, who was convicted of aggravated robbery in 2009, died during an arrest.”
Honestly, this is why I have a problem with the reporting on Zoeller’s death. In both of the examples I provided, the men involved were accused (and in one case convicted) of committing a crime. Zoeller made an insensitive joke.
Yet, most (if not all) obituaries about Zoeller include that joke. Some used it as the headline, others in the first paragraph, and others in social media posts about his death.
Almost none of the obituaries about Floyd or Bryant even mentioned their past legal troubles.
In the end, remembering Fuzzy Zoeller does not mean forgetting his worst moment. He was a champion with a long record of achievement, and he said something insensitive that he later regretted.
Obituaries should be able to carry both ideas without turning a life into a single headline. Or, at the very least, apply the same standard to all people.
