Unless you’ve been literally living under a rock since last Friday you know all about Tiger and his “sins” and “transgressions”.
Today Tiger posted an apology on his website. While the apology to his family seemed sincere, there was definitely a tone that I found to be a bit spiteful.
Obviously these are extremely trying times for Tiger and his family, but his anger seems to be misplaced. While he seems to genuinely feel regret for the obvious pain he’s caused his family, his anger seems misplaced.
Some people are of the opinion that since this has nothing to do with golf that Tiger owes neither his fans nor the media any explanation. I’m sorry but it doesn’t work like that. Tiger’s a big boy, he needs to learn that his actions have consequences. Not only with his family but, when you are a public figure, with the public as well.
We all cooed as we watched Tiger’s appearance on the Tonight Show when he was only two years old. We all marveled with Tiger as we watched him, exactly 20 years later, become the youngest player and the first minority player to win The Masters. We mourned with Tiger at the passing of his Father. The man who had dedicated his life into making Tiger who Tiger is. The man we saw Tiger hug after nearly every victory. Now, 12 years after his first Masters win and 14 majors later, we marvel with Tiger as he became the first athlete in history to earn more than $1 billion. Where does he think that money came from?
Sure much of it has to do with the fact that he may well turn out to be the greatest golfer that ever lived. And if Tiger only played golf and never accepted all of those tens of millions in dollars in endorsements I may very well be agreeing with the people who are saying we should keep our noses out of it. But that’s not what happened. Golf isn’t what pays the bills in the Woods’ household. Tiger makes way more money in endorsements than he does playing golf. Those endorsements are paid for by people’s hopes and dreams. Millions of people are vested in Tiger’s success, if not monetarily by buying the products he endorsed, then emotionally buy buying into the image he was selling.
When you are a public figure and you so publicly implode (like on your neighbor’s lawn at 2:30 in the morning), then yes Tiger, you do owe us an explanation.
Click after the jump to take a closer look at Tiger’s apology.
[Read more...]
Yikes:
