So was David Feherty exiting CBS and making NBCUniversal his new exclusive media home earth shattering news?

Maybe so, if you look at from a “roving reporter leaving to go to another network” perspective.  CBS gave the silly Northern Irishman turned American his start. Heck, Gary McCord got him the interview and he ran with it.

And he kept running, for nearly 2 decades.”

“I’ll miss a lot of people who had my back for nearly 20 years,” Feherty said in a release.

But, the move is really not that as big of a surprise when you consider that “the Mothership,” aka NBCUniversal, owns the Golf Channel where his hit show “Feherty” has turned him into “a cross between Oprah Winfrey and Johnny Carson.”

Having Feherty walking the fairways reporting and manning the tower analyzing was probably on NBC’s radar several years ago.  It was all about timing.

When you really think about it, he was working for both “The Peacock” AND their major golf competitor.  Getting all 100% of Feherty’s talents now enables them to go broader and deeper in programming, such as:

• FEHERTY – Look for him to not only interview some of the biggest names in golf and all of sports, but NBC can now feature the show across any of its networks.
• MORNING DRIVE and GOLF CENTRAL – Expect to see more of him on those, and also, featured on “Live From…” at golf’s marquee events, even those not televised by NBC.
• FEHERTY Digital Home – Long and short form content exclusive to NBC will have a dedicated home base.
• FEHERTY “OFF TOUR” Show – The Golf Channel can now work with Feherty on his one-man on-stage live show that he takes to various cities.
• His “Troops First Foundation” – David’s commitment to the Armed Forces will now be on display on the Golf Channel, and will continue to be the designated charity of the Golf Channel Am Tour and GolfNow’s MilitaryTeeTimes.com

The man has certainly come a long way from a journeyman tour player who not only worked his way onto a Ryder Cup team (1991), but also represented Cobra Golf most likely long before anyone truly knew of his on-air talents.  He’s since moved to Bridgestone Golf and promotes their popular E-Series golf balls.

I think we’ll all admit we watch him not only because we like him, but what he will say or ask next.  Such as with Jim Furyk, “His swing looks like an octopus falling out of a tree.”

Personally, I have my DVR set for these dates:

• September 15 – FEHERTY with guest Steve Spurrier.  C’mon David, make sure you call him the “Ole ball coach,”  he hates that.  I personally heard him correct an emcee one time in front of an audience of over 1,400, “It’s HEAD ball coach!”
• September 30 – FEHERTY with Nick Saban – Please, David, just ask him a stupid question about coaching.  Anything stupid.  And then let the games begin!
• EVERY Sunday telecast on NBC for the next year – I simply cannot wait for the analysis of TPC Sawgrass from the man who once said,  “That ball is so far left, Lassie couldn’t find it if it was wrapped in bacon.”