Golf Sponsor Drops Player Over Admiration For Cruz & Beck
Mike Opelka of the online publication The Blaze reports on Virginia-based businessman Brian McMahon dropping his sponsorship of aspiring golf pro Jeff Cochran.
The issue came down to a golf bag bible verse and the professional's professed admiration for Glenn Beck and Ted Cruz.
In late October, Cochran, his agent David Reynolds and NGC’s Brian McMahon both claim they were at a dinner and the conversation turned to Cruz. Cochran says he praised Cruz and his father, Raphael, mentioning that he had seen the elder Cruz on an episode of “The Glenn Beck Program.”
Cochran told TheBlaze that his sponsor was taken aback by this statement and was also troubled by the fact that his business associate was a fan of Beck. Following his pro-Cruz statement, Cochran said McMahon asked him, ”Would you be willing to give up our support to stand with that wackjob (Beck)?” Cochran answered “yes” and said the dinner continued without any additional tension or drama.
But the next morning, Cochran’s agent said, he received an email from NGC announcing that it was pulling all financial and product support from Cochran.
The email, a copy of which was provided to TheBlaze, demanded immediate return of all equipment and that Cochran stop using their logo as well. The initial email from McMahon to Cochran’s agent was quite specific as to the reason for the split (emphasis added):
David, I have never had an issue with you or really Jeff for that matter, but this situation is very disturbing. I have been tolerant of his religious views and even supported his off course speaking. However, I just can’t allow my company to be associated with these radical political views. The idea that Jeff would line up with the likes of Glenn Beck or Ted Cruz or any other individual interested in destroying America, just isn’t something I can swallow.
Pressed by The Blaze, McMahon was firm in his convictions.
Responding to McMahon’s email, we tried to correct some of his misconceptions (Beck doesn’t have or represent a “political party”), learn more about his organization (Nebraska Golf Card), and further understand the reason, or reasons, he terminated Conchran’s sponsorship. He did reply to our email. According to him, Nebraska Golf Card “is run by me alone.” He addressed a question about the ability to terminate someone for religious and political reasons by stating, “Jeff was not an employee but rather a private contractor.”
McMahon ended his email by saying, ”the only people who will care what happened to Jeff are the same religous (sic) zealots. Finally, my character might not be what you like, but I think for myself.”
Geoff
**Cochran will need his faith if this is him, as the story says a Jeff Cochran is going to jail for two years. Thanks to reader Dennis for catching this story on his Monday sentencing after pleading guilty to theft of jewelry.
Prosecutors say Cochran would steal expensive jewelry, including Rolex watches, from people at out-of-state golf courses before bringing the merchandise to Las Vegas and selling it.
Authorities say Cochran's thefts happened between September 2010 and March 2012.
The case was investigated by the FBI.
Cochran has been ordered to report to prison on Feb. 25.
**A search of photos of Jeff Cochran's playing golf would suggest they are about 8 years apart and not the same person.
Geoff
**Ryan Ballengee is on the case and now nothing is simple in this story. Including whether or not the entire thing is a hoax that The Blaze fell for.
Reader Comments (99)
Sounds like there are lots of divergent opinions out there on politics and religion. I'm glad this didn't turn into a ad hominem attack -Housh, vwgolfer, Luddite, Hacker - congrats.
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Show me a Beck listener who isn't an over-65 paranoid or terminally stupid, and I'll retract my characterization. Short of a traumatic brain injury, I can think of little else that would reduce my faculties to actually comprehending and falling prey to Beck/Limbaugh frothings. Happy Turkey Day! And no, there's no war on that, either...
Sorry, didn't recognize your handle. :)
I've always appreciated how civility generally wins out here in Shackland. It's a great and intelligent group of people here.
Perhaps, Mr. McMahon. I suspect, however, that when one wishes to do business with the golf market in Nebraska- which I believe is your intent- mocking the display of religious verses will put off a great many more people than just "religous zealots."
I have a difficult time believing that one who feels that "[t]he idea of trusting or believing that someone has control over your future is the definition of insanity. I will continue to trust people I’ve actually met and trust to help chart my course," will be particularly successful selling his services to Nebraska golfers once his opinions are widely known.
This will be fun to watch.
While I agree with you on you assessment of the shortcomings of the POTUS, I cannot dismiss the terrible mess he (or McCain) would have been handed by that idiot, 43. From the coverup of the submarine crashing ito the Japanese fishong boat, with GWB high dollar supporters being given a ride, to the unneeded wars we are STILL spending billions a month on (money that is NOT shown in the budget) I really am angry that Obama is just another Bilderberg patsy, and my only ''whew!'' is that McCain would have gotten us into more debt and more war, or would havw died and left the woman from Alaska to frolic us into complete chaos.
Everything that has been said about Obama by Beck, ETC, is he same crap that was said about Kennedy. You can look it up.
And Foreright, you are correct in complementing the golfer for standing his ground; but I cannot say his ''principals'' if they are the rantings of Beck, whose only principal is to bilk as much money as he can before he is carted off.
Good nite to all, and to all a GOOD NIGHT!
Perhaps I should clarify my first statement. I should have been more clear saying that if this sponsor really really believes that a couple of...errr....passionate right-wingers with more emotions than brains (Cruz and Beck) can set the USA on a path to destruction then Mr Cochrane shouldn't worry about losing that guy as a sponsor.
Wasn't Cruz born in Calgary anyways? He appears dodgy, almost like a manchurian candidate vibe to him.
(note: this is an American perspective, I'm aware other nations don't get the constant "thank Jesus" speeches athletes give here.)
Mentally, Charlie is about 87.
liberals will be the death of this country. gov for the people by the people, not the other way around.
obama views americans as ignorant, and most likely he's correct. he is the direct result of this country's lack of intellect.
i could care less if you're religious or not, but its foolish to think obama is leading this country to economic prosperity with liberal policies. they have never worked, will never work, and fixing debt with high taxes is foolish. relying on gov to fix our problems over private companies is as dumb as it comes.
Well, you'll have to take that up with the Nielsen survey: according to the New York Times (yeah, I know: lefty and pinko and Commie) the average Fox viewer is 65 -- because they don't record anything higher than that.
Quoting now:
"For most of the television business — the segment that relies on advertising — that would be serious cause for concern because ad sales are almost always based on a target age of 25 to 54, and Fox News, for the last two years, has had a median age of 65-plus in its ratings both for the full day and for prime time."
Full article: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/23/business/its-viewers-are-graying-but-their-passion-pays-for-fox-news.html?_r=0
And you were wondering why Sean Hannity was bumped for younger-skewing Megyn Kelly? And as for Rush:
"Only dinosaurs listen to radio these days, and it’s doubtful many people under 50 even know AM radio exists, so it shouldn’t be surprising that the average age of right-wing radio listeners is 67. It’s also truly not shocking that this demographic is also predominantly male. According to a Pew study in February, 72 percent of Limbaugh’s elderly listeners are men."
Damn... those pesky FACTS always get in my way when I'm ranting....
just because a majority of 25 year old don't watch fox, that doesn't mean they are watching another news network other than maybe getting their news from a late night comedian. liberals will spin every stat out there to try to disparage fox or limbaugh, but fact is they blow every other news network out of the water.
what really matters is informing the public, and our liberal palace guard that is nbc, abc, cbs, etc are doing this country a disservice.
Well, who can argue with that? At least we have Fox News to, uh, "give us the truth." Fox is "Fair and Balanced" because, after all, it's their ADVERTISING SLOGAN. Or a punchline... you pick.
say bert, is that shift key tough to find on your keyboard?
But at least Geoff's commenters are younger - judging from the maturity and incisive reasoning skills bensouth has displayed here, at least one of us is about 13 years old.
Is this Jeff Cochran the crook? The thumper? Neither?
bert, neither liberals nor conservatives will be the death of this country. Women are doing a fine job of showing that they will do this single-handedly. No coping skills, lack of parenting skills and being able to say no to their children, and a horrible competitiveness with other women over everything from looks to their kids grades and athletic ability.
Thanks, Dr. Pete: I was starting to think that satire was dead.
bert is done for the night. Dinner and then O'Reilly and Hannity for some "real" news.
If Bubba Watson, a successful pro, had said these things, would he have been dropped?
If Cochran had endorsed MSNBC hosts Al Sharpton and Martin Bashir (radical left wingers), would he have been dropped?
By that guy? Yes!
By that guy? Yes!
Have we identified who is who in this Cochran mystery?
This is from one of many stories covering a case several years ago where, for all practical purposes, and as was reported by virtually EVERY media source, Fox News declared their right to lie in presenting the news. I am cut and pasting just a part of a paragraph.
If you want the whole story, it is certainly all over the web, and from every vantage there is.... BTE, While I do not anymore, due to time considerations, and just not giving a damn, I used to read and/or subscribe to several souces, from Drudge and Newsmax, The John Birch website, Huff Post, Center for American Progress, etc: I am saying I am well read and I have a very balanced view and I listen to all sides, or at least I did when I had the time.
So here:
''During their appeal, FOX asserted that there are no written rules against distorting news in the media. They argued that, under the First Amendment, broadcasters have the right to lie or deliberately distort news reports on public airwaves. Fox attorneys did not dispute Akre’s claim that they pressured her to broadcast a false story, they simply maintained that it was their right to do so.''
Google any number of stories- they all say the same thing - Fox lies on the news.
Happy Thanksgiving to all Yanks and good golf to all the rest of you mutts!
Oh, the Communism...
I said that Beck listeners were over-65 or terminally stupid. Someone chimed in that they were 42, thereby relegating themselves to the second category of my characterization.
I must say that I did get something wrong - I had no idea there were so many others in the golf world who share the same disdain for the Becks/Limbaughs...
Something to be Thankful for this morning! Happy Day all, including those who think Ted Cruz is the Second Coming.
Peace
I'm even more entertained at how (what is looking more and more to be) such a fictitious story can generate so much passionate debate amongst the good contributors here at GS, and how the focus on philosophical differences have essentially shadowed the concepts and principles of responsible journalism.
But thankfully - golf blogger turned investigative reporter Ryan Ballengee seems to be sacrificing his day of turkey and stuffing to get to the bottom of this. I think what he might uncover is that "The Blaze" wasn't the only entity that fell for the hoax. Then again, it's nothing that a little editing work and an occasional addendum can't fix.
But the irony is overwhelming, Alanis would be proud.
But anyway, on to bigger and more important things. Happy Thanksgiving, all you jive turkeys!
The problem with "journalism" isn't so much lies(although they are bad), but the adherence to the mantra of being unbiased, when they are completely and utterly lying through their teeth. The slant on a story, the placement in the order, can all be done in a way that by letter of the word it could be deemed "unbiased," but there is no way a person with more than a couple of brain cells would actually say the intent was not to slant it a certain way.
Take the following statements(as the opening lines to the news piece): "A judge in North Carolina ruled that a study showing secondhand smoke to be as dangerous as smoking was manipulated and not valid for use to impose new regulations." "The EPA is expected to appeal a judge's ruling dismissing their study that secondhand smoke is a dangerous carcinogen." Neither statement is factually incorrect, but each statement betrays an agenda. And that is the problem. Declare the bias upfront and let the viewers decide.
My favorite thing of the last week was back to back posts by "Neil Young and Geraldo" and "Cinnamon Girl". Get rid of Geraldo and that could be a great act.