Did Tiger Woods Pave the Way for Barack Obama?

An ex-South Sider friend of mine tells the story about his uncle, who found out he'd gotten a bookie and started gambling on football. At a family party he called the kid over, and whispered into his ear one piece of friendly advice.

"Never bet on a nigger quarterback."

Startled, all the young man could think to ask was, "Is it okay to bet against one?"

"No," the uncle shook his head solemnly. "He'll fuck ya either way."

That story has always struck me as emblematic of a certain kind of racism, the northern kind, the urban kind--the Chicago kind: "I don't hate blacks, I hate niggers. And I know the difference." The kind that knows it's racist, but that thinks it's just being realistic, for survival's sake.

Tuesday I thought of this kind of racism when I heard the politically circumspect Tiger Woods make a rare political comment. Asked on CNBC about the election of Obama, he said, "I think it's absolutely incredible. He represents America. He's multiracial. I was hoping it would happen in my lifetime. My father was hoping it would happen in his lifetime, but he didn't get to see it. I'm lucky enough to have seen a person of color in the White House."

How would his father Earl have felt about Obama's election? "He would have cried," Woods said. "Absolutely. No doubt about it."

More interesting was the way he said it. He said it all realquick, as if he was breaking a seal of some kind and he wanted to reseal it before all the air got out. And he didn't reveal whether he cried, maybe because he might have had to break that seal for good, and say why (or why not).

I also noted that as he made the comments his face betrayed no sense of his own part, however small, in the phenomenon of Obama's election. There was no sign that he considers that he might have made a contribution to making American society more receptive to the idea of a black man towering unapologetically over a white man's world, might have convinced some Americans that a black man could attain massive power, wealth and prestige and not throw it in white Americans' face.

Of course you can argue that Obama could have gotten elected Woods or no Woods.

You can say Michael Jordan was a racially non-threatening mega-star before Woods. But then, you can say Sammy Davis, Jr. was a racially non-threatening mega-star before Woods, and you know Obama wouldn't have gotten elected in the 1960s. Jordan was a lot of things, but in their their own native jock-speak, Woods clearly "took it to the next level."

You can say that lots of Americans still begrudge Woods his single-minded, murderous intensity, predicting every time he makes a life change like getting married or having a child--any time he does something normal and human--his dominance will dissipate. Yes, but over the years lots of these haters have been transformed into Tiger-mad fans.

You can say that Woods pissed off as may people as he pleased when he refused to take Golf Channel's bubble head announcer Kelly Tilghman to task when her cultural ignorance led her to joke that Woods' hapless competition ought to "lynch him in a back alley." And yes, some blacks criticized Woods for not speaking out against what they deemed to be hate speech. But I think he made a hell of a lot more powerful impression on whites, who saw Woods with a white woman's fate in the palm of his black hand. And they saw him act generously and, to their minds, fairly, dismissing her comments as a non-issue and saving her career.

It's impossible to know for sure what Woods has done over the last decade to soften up white America for a black presidential candidate with similar qualities: calm, confidence, intelligence, good looks, a brilliant smile and an unmistakable and sometimes awesome air of confidence about him.

But it's hard not to wonder about the effect of Tiger Woods--let alone the future effect of Barack Obama--on South Side uncles, and the quarterbacks they bet on.

Comments

[SportsAcademic]

We've been discussing this for a few weeks here: http://www.thesportsacademic.com/2008/10/if-obama-wins-is-it-thanks-to-tiger.html

Your post-election update of Tiger's reaction is telling, particularly re his unwillingness to discuss the issue.

[zanzig]

Could you have found the names of any more black men to compare to President elect Obama? Why not a white man, since he IS bi-racial. This is racialism: defining a man by the colour of his skin, rather than his achievements. YOu could quite easily have asked if JFK paved the way for President elect Obama with more justification. I am irritated by this nonsense.

[David Murray - Huffpost Blogger]

Hey, zanzig, Tiger used to call himself "caublinasian," when he was 21 and lived in your tidy world. Then he grew up, and realized that 100 percent of Americans, white, black and Asian saw him as a black man, and he cut the cuteness. You should too, or you'll be irritated all the time.

[allonfla]

For real!!!

[zanzig]

David, surely whatever Tiger Woods called himself is not the point; Obama is bi-racial, but that is not the reason he was elected. Surely we can get beyond considering his colour? Wouldn't it make more sense to consider which community organiser influenced him, or which politician did, or even which legal eagle? Why is it that his predecessor has to be a black man?
It is precisely because of my untidy world (I am a black woman) that this irritates me.

[allonfla]

Ok. you are really stretching the definition of racism. Please stop using the word at every turn.

[zanzig]

Read it, I said racialism, not racism.

[mysterick24]

Jackie Robinson actually paved the way for Barack, and the parallels between their journeys are striking.

Jackie simply wanted to play the game he loved, and to thrill fans of all colors. His own Dodger teammates accepted him only after becoming convinced he could get them a World Series paycheck. Even sixty years ago, it was "economics". As a rookie, Jackie was subjected to ugly racial bigotry from those afraid that a “colored” player would taint the “National Pastime”; but he quietly persevered, until his brilliance couldn’t be denied. Fear succumbed to winning. Jackie ultimately became admired by fans everywhere and in 1962 was inducted into baseball’s Hall of Fame.

Barack simply wants to be a good President for the country he loves, and to improve the lives of all Americans. During the campaign he also was subjected to personal attacks, but he persevered on the issues and preached unity and hope. Again, economics trumped everything. Next January, Barack’s rookie presidential season will begin. He has asked us to be his teammates and work with him for a brighter future.

In these uncertain times we should pray not for a good, but for a “Hall-of Fame” President. Barack has the potential to be one, if he's given the respect, help, and opportunity to succeed he deserves. But for those on the sidelines still hesitant about rooting for President Obama, think what sports in America might be like today if it weren’t for Jackie Robinson.

[tel8034]

Tiger Woods made his own way just as Barack Obama made his own.

They are 2 seperate individuals who earned the admiration and respect of the American people and indeed the world in their own individual way.

So to suggest that Tiger Woods paved the way for Barack Obama is ridiculous­..........­......... They both worked hard, they both are intelligent, and they both have what it takes to make it to the top.

[Austintatious]

I like most of what you say but, partner, but you're just plain wrong to suggest that Woods hasn't helped to "paved the way". Would you say the same of Jackie Robinson?

While the social impact of Woods' incredible success on the American and world sports scene ought not be overemphasized, nor should that impact be compared to those of Reverend King, John Lewis and the many other civil rights trailblazers, his impact on the contemporary American psyche, especially that of white males, simply cannot be disregarded.

Woods' is the quintessential "household name", largely because of his athletic superiority but also because of his intellect. However one measures it, he has clearly had some impact on America's capacity to accept minorities for positions of prominence, and that constitutes paving the way.

[allonfla]

In that case: Oprah, Bill Cosby, Will Smith, Michael Jordan, Colin Powell, Condileeza Rice,.....­.I could go on and on and on. Not to rain on Tiger's accomplishments. I'm Black and his color is not what impressed me, the fact that he is young and kickin butt- does.