by Donald Finley

Created on: April 11, 2010

Tiger Woods timed his return to golf perfectly.  The greatest golfer in the world and the biggest golf event of the year go well together.  No matter the scandal, he remains the best.

I make no excuses for his actions.  They were despicable.  They cost him dearly, and he will feel the consequences for years to come.  He lost sponsors, he lost respect and he lost many fans.  He was seemingly the last great athlete who deserved the high plateau we all put him on.  He was the epitome of a role model; he was the best at his game, wealthy nearly beyond measure, married to a gorgeous supermodel, and father to two cute children.  He had no equal in the sporting world or the sponsorship world.  In the matter of just a few weeks, once his actions came to light, he went from the most successful athlete in history, as well as the most recognized around the entire world, to the butt of racy jokes.

I don’t recall him ever saying he was perfect, however.  And I was appalled by the calls for his coming clean, and for the explanation many said he owed his fans.  It was as if the world suddenly became voyeuristic.  In tamer days, the leading man carried his love through the bedroom door, and the camera stayed outside in the hall looking at a closed door until the scene faded to black.  Now it seems everyone expects to follow the man and his love into the bedroom, take cameras and tape recorders, and file the dirty details as soon as the deed is done.  Tiger Woods made a series of tragic errors which caused great distress to his wife, his family, and her family; yet the press corps felt entitled to an explanation.  What have we come to?

Did anyone watch golf while Tiger was out?  I don’t even think the networks showed it.  I know I never saw a golf headline.  I saw many headlines about Tiger, but all about his personal life, not golf.  What does that tell us?  With all due respect to the other great golfers, Tiger is golf.  He is the draw.  He puts golf in the news.  Without him, no one cares.  I may not be his greatest fan, but I pulled for him in every tournament because I simply admired him.  I was repulsed by his behavior, but I still admire him for his golf mastery.  I found that during his absence from the game, I became more disgusted with the parasites in the media than in his behavior.  I actually began to feel sorry for a man who is a billionaire.  What have I come to?

Tiger Woods behavior is not my business.  It isn’t anyone else’s either, except for his wife and immediate family.  He seems genuinely apologetic and hopeful to rebuild his marriage.  I wish him the best. 

Now, can we just get back to golf?

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