The Australian Open doesn't register in the consciousness of American sports fans. Unless some controversy not necessarily related to what happens on the tennis court occurs, nobody gives a hoot about this Grand Slam event.

I didn't even know that the Australian Open had already started until I read about the controversial statements made by an announcer for an Australian TV station.

There's a bit of a controversy going on after a TV camera lingered on Venus Williams' behind. Australian tennis coach Roger Rasheed, who was working as an announcer for an Aussie TV station, commented on it.

Said Rasheed on the air: "Take a look at this now. Make or think as you will, ladies, but for me, that's a pretty good sight."

I deplore the objectification of women in the media and advertising; women are more than a collection of body parts. But in this instance, I blame Venus Williams, and not the announcer.

I saw the clip of the incident on YouTube and it looks like Venus' booty shorts were spray-painted on. If Williams visited her proctologist wearing those shorts, he wouldn't need to ask her to pull down them down in order to examine her.

If a woman dresses like a whore in public, she is inviting unwelcome comments. By wearing skin-tight shorts Venus is saying: "This is the part of my body where I want you to direct your attention."

If a gentleman visits a strip club, and a stripper is shaking her boobs in front of him, she shouldn't be surprised if he comments: "Nice boobs!"

I'm glad that the TV station has decided not to discipline the TV sports announcer.

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