Aquarian Weekly 1/6/10
REALITY CHECK

READERS RESPONSES

As an avid-yet-poor golfer, in love with the game and addicted to golf tournaments--televised, live, even the ones I participate in--I couldn't care less about Tiger Woods' personal problem. (WHY WE CARE ABOUT TIGER WOODS -- Issue: 12/9/09) I respect his accomplishments, I commiserate with his knee problems, and I admire him for literally getting back into the game. It's just that I can't relate to him whatsoever. He putted on TV at the age of 2, and his game is atypical. Like the greats in any field, e.g., Eric Clapton, Kurt Thomas, Bobby Fischer, Teddy Roosevelt, he is beyond emulation.

I think the attraction to news stories about the incident last weekend is due to two factors: Woods' intensely intentional private life, and the foundation of the game of golf, the honor inherent in the game. One of the most beloved golfers of all time--another example of a one-of-a-kind performer--Bobby Jones, is famous for calling rule violations on himself.

Even if Tiger has done the same in the sport, this dust-up in his personal life is much more than a ding on the fender of his career. I think his fans will forgive him first, followed by most of the portion of the world that is paying any attention to the sensationalized, even re-enacted-via-simulation incident. It will be Tiger himself who tears himself down to the point where a comeback will be required. He may never actually forgive himself.

He'll do it. He'll regain the greatness and surpass it on the road to recovery. I predict that he'll break all but one of the records on whose thresholds he remains poised. It may be ten years before he gets his game back, but he'll do it, and we'll see him shed the tears of a man who had given up on himself and yet somehow found himself again.

But no one will ever top Bobby Jones' feat of winning all four major tournaments during a single season. It may well be the bogus crown award to Woods for having done so in a calendar year that has been pulling him down since before his knee surgery.

For, you see, golf is, indeed, a game of honor. Sandbaggers know their real handicaps, and they know that winning with more extra points than they deserve isn't really winning. The same goes for those who play at the game, rather than playing it. Tiger, having lived the game for most of his life, knows this, and he knew it during his "transgressions."

As with all of our fellow human beings who fail in public view, we shall soon see what Tiger Woods is made of. The people who care about you don't mind the mistakes you make: It's what you do afterward that defines your character.

Brad Morrison

Hey JC,

I used to buy into the Tiger is a nice guy bullshit until 2003 when the Open first came to The Black. It was then that I saw how Woods did an amazing job crafting his good guy image because his reality was far from that. While other guys who had won Major Championships were gracious and fun with the crowds, Tiger was aloof, arrogant and distant. Yes, this is the U.S Open. Yes, this is a major. Yes, this is a week where he is directly chasing Jack; but to completely ignore the people who pay the money to see him is just plain fucked up.

There is a difference between being focused and being a douchebag. Focusing on your game from Thursday to Sunday is cool and understandable. Ignoring your fans on a Tuesday practice round is just plain douchebaggery.

I love Tiger, but I always will but my eyes are open. I know he is not a friendly golfer in the way Arnie, Jack, Lee or Chi-Chi were. He is the King of The World and no one gets near him. That said, I will still root for him because he is the best and to see such an amazing record like Jack's 18 Majors fall in our lifetime would be incredible. I will watch in admiration but I will keep in my mind...great golfer but not so nice person.

Bill Roberts

There's definitely a dark side to this feeding frenzy.

I think posibly even a racial component to the self righteous hypocrisy and glee whcih peopl like Rush Limbaugh seem to take delight in.

Personally, I haven't put any person on a pesestal (not since Michael Jordan when I was a kid) Inevitably they are going to do something human. And for what it's worth, I'm not buying all these stories from disreputable women. As far as I'm concerned they might have sexed some guy who simply "told" them he was Tiger. Not at all unheard of in the circles within which they move.

Skantea

First off Erin is dead on in regards to golfers' self-flagellation as it is one of the few human activities done knowingly in the presence of others whose abuse one willfully pays for. As for the elitist bit, she needn't look further than her own profession for bloated, self-important and self-indulgent elitists - the kind golfers learned elitism from. As for Tiger's problems, I don't buy this he's got to apologize to fans shit. Maybe to his foundation supporters and other business venture partners who signed on to the squeaky clean part of the brand, ok, but he didn't purposely throw a fucking tournament. Quite the contrary - when he competes he's single-minded and focused on being the best he can be. If any one of you has bought into Tiger Woods Inc. for anything other than the athletic excellence the logo represents then you're a bunch of easily duped idiots who probably spend your time looking for the face of Jesus in heavily salted snack treats.

Ken Eustace

The treatment of Tiger is hypocricy and misandry- hatred of men- wrapped in envy, greed, immorality, licentiousness. Tiger committed a heinous crime of adultery. But he did not gloat about it, profit it from committing it. Tiger also betrayed his wife. But these mistresses exposing their affairs with him, revealing his personal details, feelings, getting paid to do so, are part of a notion that they deserve to punish Tiger, that they deserve to reap profit from his demise. How is that so? They consensually committed adultery, fornicated at their own will- how do they deserve to betray their relationship for their gain? How do they deserve to be paid for their betrayal?

Usama

Everyone has reasons why they do what they do. There are two sides to every story. We just do not, and should not, know the whole story. Is there any among us who does not have skeletons in the closet?

I doubt it.

Ron Garby

This isn't just about Tiger but also about all the folks that enabled his behavior, namely his sponsors and, yes, the media too. No doubt that Tiger played the principal role in the mass deception, but the media have to take some responsibility too. Just because Woods is a magnificent golfer, most people assumed he was a magnificent person, which was fostered regularly by the media. One can presume then that there could have been many media folk who also partaked in those VIP parties when Woods was present and chose instead to just look the other way and/or not report as accurately the man behind the golf club.

So, the question bears asking, was Woods' image down to cynical hard sell and/or how much was simply a product of his brilliance as a golfer? Tiger took every bit of the money his image delivered. And with great rewards come great responsibility. That's the deal. You can't have one without the other. You can't have your image beamed relentlessly into everyone's living room and then expect people not to be intrigued with your life. You can't release glowing pictures of your family and think the public isn't going to seek information when it comes crumbling down. It's fine that he's not perfect. It's just that the media sold him as such as much as his sponsors.

ezgoingal

Undoubtedly far too many people pin their hopes and dreams on the accomplishments of others. If anyone is disappointed by Tiger Woods' behavior, then I suspect they were set up by their own inability to prevent a ludicrous investment into someone else's life. Why would you adore anyone? How can you expect anyone you do not know to present model behavior? I am cracking up at the sheer lunacy of those commenting about their disappointment. Be disappointed in your own judgment.

Slapmewhenitsover

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