Enough Tiger

Time's up, the news cycle's over.

Someone better tell the news desks and assignment editors, because unless Tiger Woods does something stupid again soon (which he won't), this story is toast.

We've moved on, and no matter how it's promoted, Tiger Woods won't move the audience needle anymore.

Right now, behind the scenes, and based on my experience with several past clients, Tiger Woods is living in a bubble. His world, and probably every moment of his waking hours, is handled by some highly paid professional, intent on keeping Tiger Woods on the straight and narrow.

Tiger Woods is being fed really good, nutritious foods, prepared by several highly skilled, professional chefs.

Tiger Woods is under the close and watchful eye of several well qualified healthcare and mental health professionals.

Tiger Woods is under 24-hour, seven-day a week, armed protection.

Tiger Woods is only speaking to very close friends, trusted business advisors, and will occasionally get on the phone with either an existing or potential new sponsor.

Tiger Woods will continue playing golf, and despite Billy Payne's, "disappointed all of us," remark, Tiger is already being welcomed back into the game as a superstar.

Tiger's wife, Elin Nordegren, will soon surprise everyone and publicly come out in support of her husband.

For a long time to come, Tiger Woods will be a dance; a highly choreographed story with a distinct beginning -- the superstar golfer -- the middle -- the classic fall from grace -- and the end -- a return to the world of golf, although this time, more grown up, mature, and changed for the best.

In the world of storytelling and the PR handlers, Tiger's tale will be told in the "coming-of-age genre," where his behavior shifts publicly from immaturity, stupidity, selfishness and a warped "me, me, me" sense of the world, to a grown-up, sensitive, kind, responsible father, athlete, and businessman.

Today, we see Tiger portrayed as a person. In real life, Tiger Woods is a business, Tiger Woods, Inc. And like all businesses that suffered a near fatal blow to their brand, the return to the top will be slow, deliberate, and fraught with daily reminders of Tiger's insane mistakes. Still, Tiger Woods is being smart, savvy, and focused. He's being handled quite well.

But for us, the viewing, voyeuristic public, today is the last day of this chapter in the Tiger Woods story, regardless of how many reporters, photographers, and PR experts keep talking.