Count us among the fools who thought that five months of global humiliation might have taught Tiger Woods a thing or two.
How silly we were.
Yes, Tiger may have learned that banging porn stars every chance he gets isn't a profitable business or marriage decision, and he may have learned to control that impulse (time will tell). But Tiger certainly hasn't gained a new sense of humility or grace or appreciation for the amazing accomplishments of his fellow men.
Basically, as Tiger revealed immediately after walking off the course yesterday, he's still the worst loser in the field. Offered the chance to tip his hat to the several players who kicked his ass -- and, more importantly, thank fans who offered him tremendous support all week despite his pathetic personal behavior -- Tiger summed up the week as follows:
"I finished fourth."
This was apparently self-evidently a disastrous outcome -- one that justified Tiger's sullen, arrogant, and classless tone and refusal to acknowledge the amazing performance of those who defeated him.
Nothing about, "I just want to say that it's great to be back out here." Nothing about, "I just want to thank everyone who supported me all week -- I'll forever be grateful for that." Nothing about, "I want to congratulate Phil and Lee and KJ and Anthony for playing awesome today." None of that.
Instead, Tiger went on to complain that he just hit the ball worse and worse as the week went on and that people were making way too big a deal about his being visibly pissed about this. Basically, he seemed to be saying, people are making way too big a deal about the way I behave (not just on the golf course), and I'm not going to start smiling and handing out flowers and kissing babies to be more popular. That's just the way I am.
And that's fair. That's just the way he is:
The best golfer in history. And an asshole.
Don't Miss: The Secret Photos Of Tiger Woods' Crash.
Follow Henry Blodget on Twitter: www.twitter.com/hblodget
Michael Gervais, Ph.D.: A Father's Gift: Did You Learn Anything, Tiger?
Earl Woods' awareness is deceptively simple, and within it lays an important concept for parenting: Once we understand the thinking behind an action, we can begin to influence change in a desired direction.
And he is write. Tiger doesnt owe you crap. He doesnt have to kiss your a** or anyone else's a** for that matter. I don't see why you give a flying flip about how that man handles himself. Did he piss in your coffee or something ?
Tiger is a spoiled womanizer. He said he was taking time off to heal and become a better man. Less than a month after saying that, he's back at the Masters acting like a baby.
I've always thought there was something weird about him when I saw the Larry King interview with him dating back to 1998. He just seemed too wooden, fake and calculated in his answers. My gut feeling was right. He was a phoney through and through.
Now with the sex scandal, I just feel sorry for him. He doesn't seem capable of being in a deep, respectful love relationship. There must be some truth to Tiger saying that he "married for the sake of his image". Too many of his mistresses corroberate this story.
If Elin dumps him, it will show that her loyalty, and dignity cannot be bought.
.....and.....Tiger is showing us every day that money doesn't buy class.
Right. Mistakes. "Oops, my pants are on the floor again. How'd that happen?
Think about what's involved with something like this. She pursues him, he pursues her, or both. They meet, usually more than once. They go to his room, or hers. There's all the talk. Some of the clothes come off. All the clothes come off. It happens. Then the afterwards. Then, if it happens more than once with that person, some of these steps over again. And again. And again.
And that's just with the infidelity. He's had multiple second chances. He had a second chance the second time it ever happened. He also had a second chance after the first time he cursed on camera in front of millions of kids. And so on, and so forth. Again and again.
Here's a mistake: They gave me the wrong hotel key, I came into the room in the dark, tried not to wake my wife up, crawled into bed, woke up, found out I was in the wrong room. That's a "mistake." Or: I was in an unfamiliar town and turned down a street before I found out it was a one-way street and I was going the wrong way. That's a mistake.
(ct'd)
If you're one of these apologists, I'm talking to you. You and everybody else need to quit making excuses for him and every other celebrity athlete. He did it because he thought he could get away with it, and now he, his corporate sponsors, and the Tour--who were absolutely lathering with desperation to get us to believe what a great family guy he was, because it meant a lot of money to them--want you and everybody else to forget all that now, and to consider it all "personal life," while they continue to market the "personal life" of people like Phil Mickelson. And obediently, everybody does it.
(ct'd)
Same for Bill Clinton. You have no idea how much his actions have cost the Democratic Party (of which I am both a member and activist). Whether you like it or not, there are millions of people in this country that DO think it matters if the President of the United States is getting blow jobs in the White House from somebody other than his wife. There are millions who think it DOES matter that a guy like him would be so lacking in self-restraint that he was willing to humiliate his wife and child.
(ct'd)
Guys like Nicklaus, Hogan, Palmer, Jones, et al. never had to talk like this. I guess only Tiger knows what it's like to be _really_ competitive. You probably think he's the greatest player ever, too, despite the fact that his competition is nowhere near what Nicklaus or Hogan faced, and despite the fact that he hasn't passed Nicklaus for total majors or Snead for total wins.
I'm not dissing the guy as a player. I have nothing but admiration for his game. Nobody has worked harder or smarter. But he has a history of petulance, disrespect, and vulgar behavior as if he's entitled to act any way he wants. Early in his career, he was famous for winning a tournament and then going on camera to tell everybody he only had his "B game" that week. Unless you're a competitive golfer--which I have been for 30 years, and at a decently high level--you would have no idea just how deliberately disrespectful something like that is.
Whether you like it or not, whether you're #1 or not, certain standards of behavior and respect are required of you in the game. Not by the PGA Tour or corporations, which make scads of money kissing his a$$, not by fanboys who will excuse anything he does, but according to the best traditions and values of the game.
All a guy has to say is, "I'm disappointed with not winning--obviously I came to win--but congrats to Phil and the other guys, and thanks to the staff and sponsors."
But no...Woods has to remind us at every millisecond just how much he thinks he should obliterate every field, every week, no matter what. Mickelson shoots 16 under and gets no mention. Tiger can't admit that his best wasn't good enough this week. He wallows in the illusion that it is possible for him to win literally every week he plays, and this illusion is fed by the media, the Tour, his sponsoring corporations, and fanboys. I don't care if you are the greatest player of your generation, it doesn't work like that. Sometimes you do everything you can and you lose anyway. Most players have the decency to act like adults when that happens. But when it happens to Tiger, he can act any way he wants.
Seriously, it is just outrageous that there are apologists out there for this sort of thing.
He admitted he didn't play his best - he admitted he struggled. Phil made unbelievable shots, the same kind of shots that badly backfired on him in years past. Take away Phil's good fortune and Tiger's choppy last 18 and who knows.
Face it, you are being played by the media in this modern day golf version of Bird Vs. Magic. Good vs. Evil, White vs. Black. Okay so Magic wasn't evil - but he was a womanizer. Phil was'nt slighted by anything that Woods said or didn't say. And if he felt that way maybe it will help him pick his game up and quit being an underachiever.
Phil was not only credited for winning a tournament but "doing it the right way". Whatever that means. I won't hate on Phil but interestingly I sat with a friend - a Tea Bagger by the way who wanted Tiger to miss every shot.
Sorry you feel it outrageous that people don't get their panties in a wad like you. But who knows how Hogan who I've heard was a jerk, Palmer and Nicklaus would handle today's tabloid journalism.
Jesse James cheats on America's sweetheart with a bunch of tatooed porn star bimbos, and the coverage for both Sheen and James's transgressions has been muted, though both men like Tiger did not face the media, and issued press statements after the revelations. Where is the clamor for them to talk to the public and grovel? Non-existent.
Like I said before I could care less about Tiger Woods, at best I'm indifferent, but the bottom line is that as long as America continues to lift one dimensional, yet talented athletes to the exalted status of "role model" for children, it deserves all the disappointments it gets.
The top 15 ??? hedge fund operators made an average 3 billion dollars for one year. The average investor is a poorer investor. Such grievous inequality is social dynamite.
we should admit that no matter what he does, he won't ever say it good enough; with sufficient contrition; or candor or whatever to satisfy those "haters" out there...or those who are so high on their horses that it feels great to castigate those who have slipped or fallen off the perch.
kinda reminds me of all the indignation when bill clinton got himself into trouble...only to find out given time that many of those same people clamouring for impeachment where themselves GUILTY of the same transgressions.
tiger woods is a man and a human being and he's expected to make mistakes and we expect him to apologise and atone or whatever else the "moral majority" of this country expects of its fallen heroes. well, he's done all that and whether he's lying to himself or his family is HIS business but its time the this country gets off its moral high horse and give the man a bit of breathing space. lest those of you who are without sin cast the first stone...or throw them if you happen to live in a glass house...!
enough already...!!!
These professionals are competitive and want to win. Many will be angered at not having won. If you can't get that, you don't golf or watch golf. The TV people come running up before they wipe the sweat out of their faces to get a sound bite. Just as Tiger said, you guys are making too much of this.
Jim wanted to get the negative comment in about Tiger damaging the game, and is johnny come lately on Sunday. If anytime we could forgive Tiger's impatience, it should be NOW with all the mess he has gone through based on media exposure. Tiger's popularity drives ratings and makes them money, then they want to tell him not to be himself - act like Phil or Jim Nantz (boring) to say the least. Tiger was much improved in his outbursts. Give him a break for crying out loud!