Luke Ravenstahl - Pittsburgh's Embarrassment

I'm sorry mama Ravenstahl, but your boy's a jerk.

I initially saw this story over at the Burgh Report (they call Mayor Luke "classless", "boorish", and an "embarrassment to the city") and the link is to this report from Jon ("don't call him 'John'") Delano.

You have to read it to believe it.

Mayor Luke's got something of a man-crush on Tiger Woods and so last April (or so the story goes) he made a complete ass out of himself a number of times at the Oakmont Country Club.

Time one:

Sources tell KDKA’s Jon Delano that when the mayor learned that Tiger Woods was out at Oakmont practicing, he had his office call the club to secure an invitation. The club told him politely, but firmly, that this was a private affair, and he was not invited. Nonetheless, the mayor got in his car, drove out, and tried to crash the club.

Actually, you can make the case that that's TWO times - the first by using the office of the Mayor to "secure" an invitation ANYWHERE and then second to head on out there after being told it's a "private affair." But let's cut Mayor Luke some slack - he's just a kid, right?

Time two:

Sources say Ravenstahl was stopped by Oakmont’s security guards who told him the golf outing was a private event for American Express and its customers. But he talked his way into the club. Once inside, Ravenstahl was recognized and invited to dine with members of the club’s board of directors where, once again, he was told the event with Tiger Woods was private and not open to him.

Are you keeping count? He's been told THREE TIMES that the party is "private" and he's yet to meet Tiger Woods.

Time three:

But after lunch, sources say Ravenstahl got his hands on an American Express golf shirt, slipped the shirt on like he was part of the Am-Ex event and strolled onto the golf course looking for Woods.

Where did he get the shirt? How did he get the shirt? Isn't there a law or a statute against impersonating an American Express official? Delano doesn't say. But look at the lengths Mayor Luke is going to meet Tiger Woods. Even after being told three times that the event is private, he does what needs to be done to get in anyway. He's got the temerity of a Led Zepplin groupie circa 1972. Have no fear, Mayor Luke's boorishness gets much much worse.

Time four:

Once again, security recognized him but did not kick him off the course telling him, however, not to approach the golf star or take any pictures with him. Angering club officials, Ravenstahl did so anyways and walked away with his coveted picture.

What a complete ass.

But wait - you gotta see how his office defended the mayor's impolite uncouth ban manners:

As for the Mayor, his office says it was his life-long dream to meet Tiger Woods and he did and he should be credited for that. And his spokeswoman insists the club was not upset by the Mayor’s conduct. Officially, Oakmont Country Club will not comment on this one way or the other.

Gee, that makes it all better.

A source told me that Tiger Woods' people were livid. Tiger doesn't get involved in politics and they were concerned that the picture would be used for some political purposes. They tried to get our Mayor to promise not to use the picture. My source told me, as well, that the Oakmont folks were irate. The Mayor's office, of course, says they're cool with it.

Complete. Embarrassment.