“If you’re going to sue someone for defamation of character, don’t you have to, well, have character?”
Our long-time friend Rob Derry, once upon a time the player-manager for Dottie Pepper, standout Division 1 baseball pitcher at Southern Illinois, low-handicap amateur golfer, superb putter and old-days student of Butch Harmon, and baseball hero-emeritus of Galesburg, Illinois, summed it up best with that observation when we learned of this laughable lawsuit filed this week by LIV-defector Patrick Reed against The Golf Channel and analyst/commentator/talking-head/former PGA Tour player/winner Brandel Chamblee.
The ludicrous and frivolous part of it all is that Reed, who has consistently displayed questionable character during his PGA Tour career, not to mention his college golf days, is asking for $750 million in damages.
If Reed wants to sue someone for damaging his “character” — well, has anyone ever sued themselves?
Not sure that Captain Saudi Arabia wants the barristers for The Golf Channel and Chamblee digging up dirt on him because, truth be known, it might take a fleet of dump-trucks to haul around said dirt.
Reed etched his penchant for character-self-assassination and rules-bending in stone (or sand) at the 2019 Hero World Challenge, hosted by Tiger Woods. He was caught red-handed moving sand behind his ball prior to the shot. Reed was penalized two strokes and he blamed it on a bad camera angle. Yeah, sure. There was more at the 2021 Farmers, three months after that, famed and long-standing former CBS on-course analyst Peter Kostis, went on the record to say that he saw Reed violate rules on multiple occasions and specifically at the Phoenix Open that year. Can’t wait for the defense to depose Peter!
Reed believes the Tour was out to get him from the day he earned his card. Paranoia personified?
Within Reed’s lawsuit, the word “murderer” is used to accuse Chamblee of harming Reed. It was Chamblee referring to the Saudi Government, and today Reed’s a contract employee of The Evil Empire (aka The Saudis). The lawsuit attempts to twist Chamblee’s words to imply that Reed did the killing for the Saudi Regime. It’s a misrepresentation and simply ridiculous.
Interesting how Reed didn’t file a “defamation” suit when Shane Ryan wrote a book about him back in 2015 — “The Villain: Patrick Reed.”
Ryan goes back to Reed’s college days — he was kicked off Georgia’s golf team and there were “incidents” at Georgia State.
You can click on this link to read some of the excerpts from Ryan’s book, which paints an ugly picture of Reed over the years.
Then there was the questionable action by Reed — basically getting his parents (who live in Augusta) barred from entering the grounds at Augusta National Golf Club to watch The Masters.
Truth be known, everything that has cast a shadow on Reed’s questionable character has come from actions by Reed himself.
When the truth comes out — it won’t be pretty.
The only one who has “defamed” Reed is Reed himself.
If/when this things goes to trial, the defense will get a look at Reed’s LIV contract and given what transpired in San Jose, well, any judge may ask “where are the damages?”
If the defense is good, it will unload a few of those dump-trucks of Reed-created dirt and show that the only one who has damaged Patrick Reed is Patrick Reed.
Defending Champ Veerman Two Back At Czech Masters:
Former Texas A&M goler Johannes Veerman got his first DP World Tour win last year at the Albatross Golf Resort and he’s trying to get a second.
Veerman opened with a six-under par 66 on Thursday and is two back of first round leader Louis De Jager of South Africa. De Jager birdied the final hole for 64 to tie the course record.
One shot behind the South African was Thomas Pieters. Pieters is a two-time winner of the championship, takin the title in 2015 and 2019 and hi opening 65 has him in position for a third title.
18 Comments
baxter cepeda
We’ve heard a lot of stories for sure.
Peter kostis is someone I admire but after what happened at the farmers where the entire cbs crew led by Nantz basically went on an apparent witch hunt on live tv—over a situation which pga tours officials woke from their slumber to exonerate Reed— I do feel anyone from that crew has little credibility regarding Reed.
It has appeared the cbs crew and nbc crew have been quite biased against Reed, mainly based on stories from a tumultuous youth, but a few accusations from later as well, but never with much facts despite so many accusations.
Of course the only facts in the case of public opinion against Reed is the sand incident in the Bahamas; which Most players would get the benefit of doubt if they say they didn’t notice they moved the sand. Reed doesn’t because of those stories.
I don’t know if Reed has a case or not. I’m not a lawyer. And I don’t know if Reed deserves the negative portrayal he gets from the media.
From what we know as actual facts, I think Reed doesn’t deserve some of the steady negative portrayal he gets from certain folks. Unless we get a lot more facts, at the very least a judge might tell Chamblee to chill out; which of course wouldn’t be the first person to say that.
Tom Edrington
I’ve already read an opinion from a defamation-expert lawyer who showed how Reed has no case. AND, Reed would never hold up under cross-examination; AND, they would dig and find so many who would give testimony under deposition it would make your head spin…….as my pal Rob said, Don’t you have to have, you know, character if you’re going to sue someone for staining it……Reed’s a big loser if this goes on, might not even make it to court….here’ what the lawyer declared:
Patrick Reed lawsuit: I specialized in defamation during the 13 years I practiced and I can tell you, without equivocation, that this lawsuit has zero legal merit and will not succeed. The facts as set out in the Complaint (Paragraphs 29 through 72)… do not rise to defamation or defamation per se and are clearly statements of opinion and/or fact (never-mind the hurdle of the heightened legal standard for public figures such as Patrick Reed). As for the accusations of “cheating” which are surprisingly buried among allegations of obvious protected opinion, the Complaint veers toward the Hero World Challenge cheating allegations from 2019. The Complaint [Paragraph 60] states that Reed was only assessed a 2 stroke penalty and not disqualified which absolves him of cheating. It doesn’t take a legal mind to articulate the ridiculousness of such a statement. It’s interesting to note that the Complaint references the threat of a 2013 suit against defendant Chamblee from the ‘Tiger Woods Camp’ on similar defamation grounds. I am very familiar with that matter and, in 2013, authored my legal analysis to one Kyle Porter. His article and my legal statements pertaining to the threat of such a suit, which in many ways can be applied to the Reed lawsuit, can be found here: https://cbssports.com/golf/news/could-tiger-woods-still-sue-brandel-chamblee/. The basic tenets of defamation law have not changed since then (predictably, no suit emerged). Perhaps the most shocking thing, from a legal standpoint, is that the Complaint [Paragraph 67] references the “Skip Bayless school of sports analysis.” This isn’t merely shocking because Skip Bayless is mentioned, it is shocking because that paragraph is the precise reason why such a defamation claim cannot legally survive. Said “school of sports analysis” has thrived, in part, because such speech is protected by defamation law. If I were drafting a Motion to Dismiss the Complaint I would set out my legal defenses and then simply boldface Paragraph 67 as my best evidence that the statements by Chamblee and The Golf Channel (and half of Twitter) have always been legally protected.
So there you go, Baxter, an attorney’s opinion for you.
baxter cepeda
That’s fine but we don’t know what tiger expected back then or what Reed expects now. Maybe they both just want to make a point. It is interesting Reed is following Tiger on this; can’t say I remember tiger suing chamblee; but certainly not surprised to hear it. No doubt chamblee pushed that line with Tiger at times —of course now Tiger can do no wrong— and we definitely know he pushes the line with Reed.
This seems like Just push back to show their displeasure with mini Johnny.
That being said i always express I don’t get why celebrities like golfers —not politicians— have such a different standard. Defamation is worse for celebrities because so many people hear about claims made agains celebrities and their career is more vulnerable to public opinion than most people.
Tom Edrington
Baxter, Tiger only threatened, there was never a suit, as the attorney indicated……Woods legal team told him it would have no merit, as Reed’s won’t. As far as celebrities are concerned, most of of the ilk that there’s no such thing as “bad” publicity…..That’s why political pundits on television can make all sorts of statements, they are protected by law — free speech — as the attorney indicated, same for Twitter-sphere….only entities that lose defamation suits are tabloids that make headline accusations that are inherently false……..There’s nothing false about calling Reed a cheater……if you deposed Peter Kostis, PGA Tour players, Reed’s former college teammates, the testimony to the fact would be endless…..
baxter cepeda
Testimony yes.
Proof very little.
Tom Edrington
No proof of defamation; Would be surprised if it doesn’t get dismissed….obw, another LIV plaintiff just dropped out, down to nine……when they find out they will have to spend an inordinate amount of time in front of attorneys for the tour firing questions at them for hours, they’ll drop out as well…..
baxter cepeda
I can’t say for sure if there is evidence of defamation that matters legally.
Again I’m not a lawyer and generally don’t do Holiday Inns.
But we all have definitely seen a lot of things where it is being said or implied he is a cheater. There is zero doubt about that.
Yes no doubt the headache that is such a legal process will deter many guys whom will prefer to focus on making millions on the course the next couple years until this thing goes to trial.
But all they really need is one guy. This isn’t about compensation for damages as much as establishing players should be able to play where they want.
But again, the pga tour loses both ways. If they win, all they do is diminish their product. For their own good, I pray they lose. Or come to some senses first.
I really hope they all see the blood sucking lawyers salivating over the money they will make and decide to work things out soon.
Tom Edrington
Tour won’t lose, LIV lives, its very existence kills its case — the TOUR has not tried to stop anyone from leaving……no coming back for LIV guys, no longer Independent Contractors — they gave that up to become contract employees for LIV. As for Reed, that complaint is as dead as his affection for his parents.
baxter cepeda
I’m hearing the LIv guys are independent contractors.
Tom Edrington
Well, you’ll have to argue with the judge in San Jose who had an actual contract in front of her and declared: “This is more restrictive than the PGA Tour ever dreamed of….”
baxter cepeda
Maybe so. But still IC from what I heard.
Tom Edrington
Nothing good will happen for Reed, he should drop it while he can, that guy will squirm like a worm on a hook during depositions.
baxter cepeda
I’m sure he knows what he is in for, which only makes one wonder where he is coming from.
He pretends to not care, the people he is having issues with even celebrate his ability to put everything aside—seemingly even motivating him.
But while his toughness is commendable one can see this clearly hurts a guy who has been through quite a bit of hurt.
Tom Edrington
A lot of hurt?? This guy threw his own parents under the bus…….his own action reveal who he truly is….
baxter cepeda
What do you think his parents are like?
Tom Edrington
Don’t know but I know what the Good Book says: Honor thy father and mother….
baxter cepeda
But not also says something about casting stones.
Tom Edrington
I love the nick-name other Tour players call Reed: “Table for one”