Reporter Jim Gray Again Becomes Part of the Story
Friday, February 18, 2011 at 5:16PM 
Golf Channel reporter Jim Gray was pulled off the assignment because of the way he reacted to the two-stroke penalty imposed on American player Dustin Johnson during Thursday's opening round.
Johnson was penalized after arriving late for his teeoff time at Riviera Country Club and later told reporters his caddie Bobby Brown had given him the wrong information.
According to Brown, Gray asked Johnson as the player was walking to the 14th tee to explain why he had been late for his scheduled start. At the end of the round, Brown scolded Gray for speaking to a player out on the course during competition.
"Our aim is to provide the best possible golf coverage for our viewers. Anything else is a disservice," Golf Channel spokesman Dan Higgins said in a statement Friday.
"In order not to provide further distraction, we've decided to remove Jim from this particular assignment."
Looks to me like Gray's tenure with the Golf Channel is about over.
A similar move was made by Golf Channel last August at the PGA Championship, where Gray got into a heated argument with U.S. Ryder Cup team captain Corey Pavin.
Gray had reported that Pavin told him that Tiger Woods was a lock to be picked for the team; Pavin denied doing so.
Gray's interview with Pete Rose during the 1999 World Series drew an reaction that was not positive when many fans and critics thought he badgered Rose about his ban from baseball. One media member even called his interview style "bush league."
Gray, who was working as a freelance reporter, was involved in ESPN's airing of LeBron James publicly announced decision to leave Cleveland last summer and take his talents to South Beach.
A think people watch sports for enjoyment and the competition, not to see a sideline reporter try to inject himself into the story.
