美国国家公共电台 NPR--Golfers who defected to Saudi-funded tour file antitrust suit against PGA Tour

Golfers who defected to Saudi-funded tour file antitrust suit against PGA Tour

Transcript¹

The feud² between the PGA Tour and the new controversial Saudi-backed LIV golf series is in court. More than a dozen players have filed an antitrust lawsuit³ against the PGA Tour which suspended them.

A MART?NEZ, HOST:

The simmering feud in professional golf has landed in court. Eleven players from the controversial new Saudi-backed LIV golf series filed an antitrust lawsuit yesterday against the PGA Tour. The players, including six-time major champion Phil Mickelson, say the PGA is acting⁴ like a monopoly and harming their careers by suspending them. Joining us now is NPR sports correspondent Tom Goldman. Tom, you've been covering the LIV versus⁵ the PGA Tour battle right since it started. There's been talk throughout about legal action, and now it's happened. What more can you tell us about this lawsuit?

TOM GOLDMAN, HOST:

It is filled, A, with strong language, calling the PGA Tour a monopoly that's crafted, quote, "an arsenal⁶ of anti-competitive restraints," harming the careers and livelihoods⁷ of LIV golfers. The biggest restraints the suit maintains, and as you mentioned, are the suspensions the PGA Tour handed down when PGA golfers started playing in the LIV series. To date, there have been 16 of those suspensions. Also in the lawsuit, a request for a temporary restraining order to allow three of the plaintiffs to play in the PGA Tour's upcoming and very lucrative⁸ FedEx Cup playoffs, which begin next week. The suit is asking for a stay of suspensions and a ban on future ones.

MART?NEZ: And what does the PGA tour say?

GOLDMAN: Well, strong words as well by the tour. PGA Tour Commissioner⁹ Jay Monahan says the lawsuit is the latest attempt to disrupt the PGA Tour. And he says those who filed the suit are trying to use lawyers to force their way into competition alongside, quote, "our members in good standing¹⁰." Now, notably¹¹, Monahan doesn't refer to the LIV series in his statement, but repeatedly calls it the Saudi Golf League and the players Saudi Golf League employees. He knows the Saudi backing is a red flag for critics and PGA Tour loyalists. And he appears to be playing up that Saudi connection.

MART?NEZ: Yeah. So that sounds like we're a ways away, if at all, from a truce¹².

GOLDMAN: Yeah. It sure does. That's a good point. There's been talk during this several-month-long saga¹³ that, ultimately, the PGA Tour and LIV will have to work things out, come to some compromises that allow for coexistence. That may still happen. But right now, with the angry words in the lawsuit and the PGA Tour standing firm, it sure doesn't seem like reconciliation¹⁴ is near.

MART?NEZ: And this past weekend, I know LIV had its third event with an extra slab¹⁵ of controversy¹⁶ since it was at Donald Trump¹⁷'s golf course in New Jersey¹⁸. And the former president was very present at the tournament. How's the new venture doing, I mean, still as controversial?

GOLDMAN: Well, you know, certainly this weekend. There was a large showing of 9/11 family members, with Trump's Bedminster Club so close to Ground Zero. They criticized the players and Trump for doing business with Saudi Arabia. Both Trump and the players, as they've done all along, dodged¹⁹ their way around questions about the Saudi government's involvement in 9/11, about ongoing²⁰ human rights abuses. And the party went on. As a golf event, it's not drawing huge crowds. But they're enthusiastic. Fans are talking about the lack of stuffiness²¹ compared to PGA Tour events.

But hardcore golf fans still can't get around the fact that this feels like an exhibition, with all the players getting guaranteed money, rather than a real competitive event. Phil Mickelson, the most famous LIV golfer, who was paid a reported 200 million to join LIV, he has struggled. He hasn't scored well. His relationship with golf reporters has soured. On the other hand, it was revealed this week golf's most famous player period, Tiger Woods, was offered between 700 million and 800 million to join LIV. He said no. And along with his strong recent comments against LIV, it seems to be polishing his reputation even more with many loyalist golf fans.

MART?NEZ: NPR sports correspondent Tom Goldman is so good at golf, he has no handicap. Tom, thanks.

GOLDMAN: (Laughter) You're welcome.

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1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 feud   

n.长期不和；世仇；v.长期争斗；世代结仇

参考例句：

• How did he start his feud with his neighbor?他是怎样和邻居开始争吵起来的？
• The two tribes were long at feud with each other.这两个部族长期不和。

3 lawsuit   

n.诉讼，控诉

参考例句：

• They threatened him with a lawsuit.他们以诉讼威逼他。
• He was perpetually involving himself in this long lawsuit.他使自己无休止地卷入这场长时间的诉讼。

4 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

5 versus   

prep.以…为对手，对；与…相比之下

参考例句：

• The big match tonight is England versus Spain.今晚的大赛是英格兰对西班牙。
• The most exciting game was Harvard versus Yale.最富紧张刺激的球赛是哈佛队对耶鲁队。

6 arsenal   

n.兵工厂，军械库

参考例句：

• Even the workers at the arsenal have got a secret organization.兵工厂工人暗中也有组织。
• We must be the great arsenal of democracy.我们必须成为民主的大军火库。

7 livelihoods   

生计，谋生之道( livelihood的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• First came the earliest individualistic pioneers who depended on hunting and fishing for their livelihoods. 走在最前面的是早期的个人主义先驱者，他们靠狩猎捕鱼为生。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• With little influence over policies, their traditional livelihoods are threatened. 因为马赛族人对政策的影响力太小，他们的传统生计受到了威胁。

8 lucrative   

adj.赚钱的，可获利的

参考例句：

• He decided to turn his hobby into a lucrative sideline.他决定把自己的爱好变成赚钱的副业。
• It was not a lucrative profession.那是一个没有多少油水的职业。

9 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

10 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

11 notably   

adv.值得注意地，显著地，尤其地，特别地

参考例句：

• Many students were absent,notably the monitor.许多学生缺席，特别是连班长也没来。
• A notably short,silver-haired man,he plays basketball with his staff several times a week.他个子明显较为矮小，一头银发，每周都会和他的员工一起打几次篮球。

12 truce   

n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束

参考例句：

• The hot weather gave the old man a truce from rheumatism.热天使这位老人暂时免受风湿病之苦。
• She had thought of flying out to breathe the fresh air in an interval of truce.她想跑出去呼吸一下休战期间的新鲜空气。

13 saga   

n.(尤指中世纪北欧海盗的)故事，英雄传奇

参考例句：

• The saga of Flight 19 is probably the most repeated story about the Bermuda Triangle.飞行19中队的传说或许是有关百慕大三角最重复的故事。
• The novel depicts the saga of a family.小说描绘了一个家族的传奇故事。

14 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

15 slab   

n.平板，厚的切片；v.切成厚板，以平板盖上

参考例句：

• This heavy slab of oak now stood between the bomb and Hitler.这时笨重的橡木厚板就横在炸弹和希特勒之间了。
• The monument consists of two vertical pillars supporting a horizontal slab.这座纪念碑由两根垂直的柱体构成，它们共同支撑着一块平板。

16 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

17 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

18 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

19 dodged   

v.闪躲( dodge的过去式和过去分词 )；回避

参考例句：

• He dodged cleverly when she threw her sabot at him. 她用木底鞋砸向他时，他机敏地闪开了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He dodged the book that I threw at him. 他躲开了我扔向他的书。 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

21 stuffiness   

n.不通风，闷热；不通气

参考例句：

• Open the windows. We cannot stand the stuffiness of the room. 把窗子打开。我们不能忍受这间屋子里的窒闷。 来自互联网
• Chest pain and stuffiness, palpitation, ischemia of coronary artery, asthma, hiccup, etc. 胸痛、胸闷、心悸、冠状动脉供血不足，哮喘、呃逆等。 来自互联网