Whatever happened to...

...Martha Burk, the battleaxe who tried to force Augusta National to admit women as members a couple of years ago?

Who cares?

Steve Czaban reminisces:

On the eve of this year’s Masters golf “toonamint” let’s take a moment to celebrate the 3rd anniversary of Martha Burk’s failed attempt to put red tees in at Augusta National.

It remains to this day, the greatest single smackdown of political correctness in sports history. A 9&8 drubbing by Hootie Johnson himself, that remains deliciously satisfying every time I think of it.

My fondest memory of this particular bit of left-fascist man-hate was a photo of one of La Burk's press conferences outside of Augusta. I guy was holding up a sign reading "Martha, iron my shirt."

And you have to force yourself to think about it, because the media sure as hell won’t bring up the topic anymore. They lost their appetite for this pet liberal cause as soon as it became apparent they would not win.

Amen to that, Brother.

You have to go back and remember the incredible – no, insane! – amount of TV time, column inches, and talk show blather that was devoted to Martha’s great “cause.” The New York Times alone, practically staked its reputation on making this happen, and getting the first woman into the hallowed gates of Magnolia Lane.

Story after story, day after day, that paper along with devoted liberal sportswriters like Leonard Shapiro of the Washington Post, banged away with their agenda. So sure of their ultimate victory, they thought they smelled blood when Hootie fired back with his now infamous “at the point of a bayonet” letter.

How wrong they were. How beaten and disgraced they remain. How sweet it is.

“Fort Hootie” stands strong, and it stands for the basic American principle of freedom of association with others. Let’s never forget his courageous stand, and let’s hope there are more such victories in the near future.

The bottom line, ladies? Contrary to your feverish imaginations, men are not always plotting to oppress you when we get together. Some times we just want to play golf and have a couple of beers with the guys.

It really is that simple.