David Feherty’s Finally A Winner

Just read a small snippet cut out of USA Today. David Feherty has gone public with his battle with alcohol and depression.

He’s doing so, even though his contract with CBS is almost up. Some would think that might be a bad idea, but the salesman in me says it’s his best chance at maximizing his chances of getting a fat contract with CBS or another suitor.

Everybody loves a winner and to beat alcohol and to get a stranglehold on depression is no small feat. One victory would make you a winner. Beating both makes you a double major winner, in my book.

I’ve never had a problem with either one. I don’t drink and I’m a pretty happy guy. I hate my putter and my driver, on most days, but I’m happy with my wedges, my hybrids and my irons !

David’s been sober for 18 months and in treatment for depression for 3 years, so this ain’t an overnight sensation or gimmick.

I actually met David once, along with his pal gary McCord. I documented it before, but I’ll run thru it again.

Rain and The Memorial tournament go together like catfish and pickled green tomatoes. Like sun and shine. Like ducks and water. You get the picture.

Around 7 Am one morning, at the Marriott north of Dublin/Columbus, I met with 3 friends to eat breakfast and wait out the rain. We were seated next to the table of David, McCord, Jim Nantz and Peter Kostis. Might have been another person or two there, but it’s the terrible twosome of Feherty and McCord that matter.

They looked like they had just came in and had been drug thru the streets behind a chariot. David looked worse than anybody I’ve seen in a long time.

One of our friends, Brian, ran the Champions Tour event near Baltimore. Might have been the State Farm event. He wanted to ask McCord to play in his event, but was hesitant to bother ‘em.

I’m 6′2″ and 250 and I’m not hesitant to bother anybody, so I told him I’d go with him to ask.

We walk up and he intro’s himself. McCord looks at me and asks, ” Who’s the goon ? ”

I tell him I’m there to make sure he agrees to play. He tells Brian he can’t play this year, because he’s working for CBS that week, but the next year the tournament is the week before the Senior Open and he’ll play then. Brian says that’s great and they shake hands.

BTW - he showed up the following year.

Feherty then asks if that will be good enough for Brian to take the goon back to the table and feed it, it looks hungry.

Jim Nantz looks as plastic at 7 AM as he does at 2 PM on TV.

Just to prove that this hasn’t dulled his rapier sharp wit, David says that Tom cruise might be right about exercise helping you beat depression.