Imagine Hicks getting on the air during the telecast and saying, "you know, NBC just gave me a prepared statement to read, but I just KNOW it's false. It MUST be -- it makes no sense. So I refuse to read it. The REAL reason my employers edited out "under God" from the anthem is because they're a bunch of anti-God liberal activists intent on secularizing the country."
Obviously he'd be fired before the end of the telecast had he done that. So expecting Hicks to be fired for reading a prepared statement written by his own employers is dreamland stuff.
Let’s face it. The US Open was broadcast internationally and the intent was to broadcast the sentiment to the overseas audience. I’m sure that audience still found the piece quite patriotic.
listen to what you don’t hear
where are the parents of the children who cited the Pledge
arent any parents upset their children were used this way ?
No - I expect Mr Hicks (whom I've always admired) to stand up like a man and refuse to read the statement until he knows the story behind it. It is likely that he never even saw the commercial.
But, think about it. Golf, the business that makes him a ton of money is governed by honor and morals. We all know of multiple times where players on the course have called penalties on themselves. Two that come to mind are Davis Love III and Brian Davis who cost themselves trips to the Masters.
What Hicks has shown is that he will sell out to dollars and what NBC has shown is that they can buy a man's soul and honor.
It's my opinion, but I have no respect for the man from this day on if he doesn't step up and do the right thing by denouncing what was done to us and to him by political activists that work for his employer. At any rate, I have written USGA President Jim Hyler Jr. to ask him to do the right thing for "the good of the game" (as his commercials say) and sever the relationship with NBC.