Tiger Woods

[Dr. Maserati]

It seems in the last two days, the story has turned. No new 'mistresses' today. Mother-in-law went to hospital yesterday. It sort of hit everyone like a pail of ice water, methinks. This is no longer a racy tabloid story. It's the story of a family imploding with real people who are really suffering.

Like a wounded animal on the run, the story of tiger's travails has slowed. It seems to be worse news than the 2 or 3 fresh 'mistresses' a day. Now the 'mistresses' are turning on him. "You mean there were other skanks, Tiger? I know we were going behind Elin's back, but I had no idea I wasn't the only other wh0re in your life. Now, I am REALLY mad. And I have the goods on you."

It's like he can't run any more, he is in a corner, he's wounded, and he is hopelessly outnumbered. What do you do now? The oracle of tigerwoods.com can't help you this time, you already played that card. Keeping the world at a distance just leaves a void that gets filled with speculation. You can't let that continue.

This has been an interesting morality play. I conclude that the human psyche craves an icon of perfection (in the West that would most typically be Jesus Christ or the Messiah). We use regular humans as surrogates for the intangible God. We build them up. Way up. Tiger 'was' one of those surrogates. And there is nothing society hates more than seeing its icons fail to live up to the impossible expectations placed upon it. So when the icon reminds us it is human, we turn on it and tear it to shreds.

On the highlighted part above - absolutely correct, this silence is now allowing any B list porn star & reality TV wannabe their 15 minutes, even if they never met the guy.

On your final paragraph - I posted this article from 1997 on Tiger. He is an 'ordinary' guy with an extraordinary talent.
But it was the marketing & PR guru's who tried to sell the wholesome image. I don't think people/consumers care too much about celebrities lives or values.
Someone brought up George Best - his career may have suffered but he was nearly a bigger marketing personality for his off field exploits.

Why the tide is turning on Tiger is his 'transgressions' are the opposite to the manipulated image - its not the womanizing but the lying that could ruin him.

 

[blackcat]

no doubt in my mind. Androgens for hypertophy, bet blockers also. He will be on gear. There was noise about 24 months back, about gear coming into golf. If it aint the top guys, who spend time in the gym what is it. Vijay etc may be on beta blockers, but they aint the gym rats some of the younger players are.

 

[blackcat]

Tiger was indulged by the "sports parent syndrome". His father thought he could save the world and was the new Messiah. Someone should have told him that was JV not Tiger.

Tiger never learnt any limits, and was always indulged. Never had to work for sex, it always cam free and no strings attached. Was a millionaire when he turned pro at 19 or whenever. But only had to stay a non-millionaire to maintain his amateur status and play at Stanford. Otherwise, could have got the endorsements earlier.

If he was a normal guy, he may be ok. But he got it on a platter, and it was free and easy, never learnt boundaries. Only has yes men around him.

 

[scribe]

Last I heard the skank count was up to ten, and those were the women he had an extended relationship with. Who knows how many one night stands and hookers he's done. His wife should get every medical test known to man performed on her.

And I'd like to administer those tests!

 

[ravens]

On the highlighted part above - absolutely correct, this silence is now allowing any B list porn star & reality TV wannabe their 15 minutes, even if they never met the guy.

On your final paragraph - I posted this article from 1997 on Tiger. He is an 'ordinary' guy with an extraordinary talent.
But it was the marketing & PR guru's who tried to sell the wholesome image. I don't think people/consumers care too much about celebrities lives or values.
Someone brought up George Best - his career may have suffered but he was nearly a bigger marketing personality for his off field exploits.

Why the tide is turning on Tiger is his 'transgressions' are the opposite to the manipulated image - its not the womanizing but the lying that could ruin him.

The link doesn't work, it goes to esquire, but there is nothing there. I would investigate the page for a 'permalink' and if none exists, post the relevant text with attribution.

I never understood why Tiger married. And this was long before any of this stuff came to light. Struck me as strange, but now I see he falls in love with every girl he screws. He is emotionally very much a juvenile.

On your last paragraph (in BOLD), I like my theory better. One person may criticize him for lying, another will criticize for womanizing. A third may come up with a different basis. Ultimately, he conflicts with the icon of perfection.

The VALUE of the image we so willingly buy is greater when our sense of who that person is rings true. We disagree on the people not caring about the values of the image being sold. Maybe not if the endorser is Paris Hilton or Allen Iverson (American basketball player). But to really pull down the huge money and become a transcendent icon, yes, the people definitely MUST say to themselves, 'That person's values align with mine.' Whether or not they actually do is irrelevant. Perception IS reality.

The Iverson's and Hilton's can still earn their living endorsing products, but they can't cross over to every level of society like a Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Peyton Manning.

 

[BroDeal]

Woods is an Armstrong-like conman selling a bogus image to the public. He probably had the willing help of the sporting press. I don't see how the press could have been unaware that the image did not match the man when he must have been horndogging around at every tournament. Strangely enough, it is usually the tabloids that reveal the truth these days.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Woods and his many sponsors slogans have a few things in common
Gatorade - Get it into ya!
Nike - Just do It!
Gillete - the best a man can get!

 

[rhubroma]

Thanks for passing judgment on Americans. I didn't realize the rest of the world is so different (mostly because they are not so different).[/QUOTE,

Unfortunately, yes, the rest of the world is very, very different.

This is one of the biggest misconceptions of Americans, namely that the rest of the world is pretty much the same as America. That somehow the American world view is what you pretty much find around the rest of the globe. At times it is a terrible form of hubris and arogance which allows the American State to believe that it can impose it's "way of life" to its own pleasing and by force if necessary in regions with which it must do business, but finds the mother culture hostile to its own (Iraq and the Middle East). Almost as if why would it be different and as if the world could somehow be packaged and wrapped in the stars and stripes.

In Europe, by contrast, Americans are seen by many as hypocitically bigoted (consercative Church goers in the so called "moral majority" who vote Republican and believe in "just war") and moralistic (who rant an rave over one's personal "sins" - Tiger- though never bother to get worked up about the much more serious sins of the CIA, the military and the corporate system) without much political culture or ideological viewpoints other than that terribly reductive and unobjective bi-polar one of late: "either you are with us, or against us" which makes no room for shades of grey.

In fact the rest of the world is looking at America and thinking "what a very different place it is." And finds it quite puzzling that a democratic nation would spend a trillion dollars on a war to "export" democracy, though won't fit the bill to give its own people healthcare or, in order to satisfy some perverse moralistic sense, needs to hear a public apology from one of it's athetes (not even a politician) - to humiliate a man in order to obtain redemption form his compatriots. Whereas in a normal society, it would be considered exclusively as an issue to be resolved privately between two people.

And this is a huge problem.

 

[Anonymous]

Erin might share an attorney with the mistress and cash in as well. Tiger's endorsments might go the way Kobe's did so she should score big now...at least Erin won't have to go back to sitting for porn shots.

After stating that shallow stuff this shouldn't be anyone's business but theirs...

Dunno if anyone has mentioned this, but his wife's names is Elin and the "porn shots" were nude shots of a different Norwegian model, fyi.

 

[ravens]

Thanks for passing judgment on Americans. I didn't realize the rest of the world is so different (mostly because they are not so different).[/QUOTE,

Unfortunately, yes, the rest of the world is very, very different.

Yawn.

I couldn't be bothered to do any more than skim your post. I have traveled most of the world (except Africa).

People are very very similar everywhere.

My comment still stands. What little of your drivel I read bears my point out.

 

[elizab]

"...I'm not a wh0re...." the uchitel mistress

There was an excellent commentary on the radio the other day and unfortunately I only got the tail end of it.

Tiger has built his empire not only because of his skill in the game of golf but also because of his image of being Mr. Intelligent-Nice Guy-Family Man. The charade is over. So many journalists who covered golf knew of his affairs, knew it was all a charade. No one dared questioned him on it because:
1) It has nothing to do with golf
2) The journalists wanted access.
Can you imagine if David Walsh who covers golf would've asked him, "Tiger, you have successfully created this prisitine pure-as-the-newly-fallen-snow image of yourself and built your empire upon that image when it fact you were using it to perpetuate a lie...." Can you imagine the fallout?
Tiger was a draw to the sport of golf. Because of him, people who would normally not watch, were drawn to watch. Journalists who want access will not ask the hard questions. I see so many parallels between Tiger and someone else. Can you imagine Paul Kimmage or Nathaniel Vinton being invited to Shack's training camp?

As far as cheating, how many women are not coming forward who did have affairs with Tiger?
I can tell you from experience when Frankie was still racing, that someone was cheating on his wife left and right. I was not allowed to say anything. Number one, although it was "known" I had no proof. Even though I considered this person a friend, I dare not go there for fear of the reprisal. Her husband could do no wrong in her eyes. Had I had a heart to heart with her, I can only imagine how I would be blamed. I thought I should tell her but I understood Frankie: I had no proof and it was none of my business. On the other hand, what woman wouldn't want to know her husband was cheating on her? This couple is no longer together but I can tell you that if the athlete has a strong moral compass, he won't cheat. Sure, we don't know what goes on in one's home. But you get a guy who truly loves and likes his wife, he won't stray. The people who stray and do so repeatedly, whether it be athletes or rich businessman, do so because they have surrounded themselves by people who won't tell them it's wrong to do so. They get away with it. It's a power and control issue not to mention a huge character flaw.

The media has helped to cultivate the Tiger Woods image we now know to be a lie. I don't follow golf but am wondering if anyone who covers him is expressing shock over this.

 

[buckwheat]

Not only are Americans insanely hypocritical and uppity, but they also have short memories.

Couldn't agree more. "He who looks at another woman with lust has already committed adultery in his heart" .

Ahh, you might as well paint with broad strokes.

Typical christian bigotry.

You should go after the blacks and Jews here too! Better yet, go for Sammy Davis and get a trifecta which includes dead people!

Deeming the mechanism, upon our survival as a species rests,.

Are you Charles Darwin? You're saying Tiger didn't wear a condom?

as a SIN, tells a lot about a mind that must've been quite judgemental and unsound.

"God is dead." (Nietzsche, 1885)

"Nietzsche is dead," (God, 1900)

 

[buckwheat]

There was an excellent commentary on the radio the other day and unfortunately I only got the tail end of it.

Tiger has built his empire not only because of his skill in the game of golf but also because of his image of being Mr. Intelligent-Nice Guy-Family Man. The charade is over. So many journalists who covered golf knew of his affairs, knew it was all a charade. No one dared questioned him on it because:
1) It has nothing to do with golf
2) The journalists wanted access.
Can you imagine if David Walsh who covers golf would've asked him, "Tiger, you have successfully created this prisitine pure-as-the-newly-fallen-snow image of yourself and built your empire upon that image when it fact you were using it to perpetuate a lie...." Can you imagine the fallout?
Tiger was a draw to the sport of golf. Because of him, people who would normally not watch, were drawn to watch. Journalists who want access will not ask the hard questions. I see so many parallels between Tiger and someone else. Can you imagine Paul Kimmage or Nathaniel Vinton being invited to Shack's training camp?

As far as cheating, how many women are not coming forward who did have affairs with Tiger?
I can tell you from experience when Frankie was still racing, that someone was cheating on his wife left and right. I was not allowed to say anything. Number one, although it was "known" I had no proof. Even though I considered this person a friend, I dare not go there for fear of the reprisal. Her husband could do no wrong in her eyes. Had I had a heart to heart with her, I can only imagine how I would be blamed. I thought I should tell her but I understood Frankie: I had no proof and it was none of my business. On the other hand, what woman wouldn't want to know her husband was cheating on her? This couple is no longer together but I can tell you that if the athlete has a strong moral compass, he won't cheat. Sure, we don't know what goes on in one's home. But you get a guy who truly loves and likes his wife, he won't stray. The people who stray and do so repeatedly, whether it be athletes or rich businessman, do so because they have surrounded themselves by people who won't tell them it's wrong to do so. They get away with it. It's a power and control issue not to mention a huge character flaw.

The media has helped to cultivate the Tiger Woods image we now know to be a lie. I don't follow golf but am wondering if anyone who covers him is expressing shock over this.

Right on target as usual.

The LA downfall hurricane isn't going to be as vast as Tiger's, but it's going to have a much more devastating compact punch, somewhat akin to what Hurricane Andrew did in 1992.

 

[trompe le monde]

As some have stated already, I think one of the reasons why the downfall may be dramatic for Tiger Woods is that the image he used to portray was largely responsible for all the money he made. Yes, the golf prowess helped, but it only went to further identify with him ideas couched on universal terms, the embodiment of perfection, precision, excellence etc. Its largely these aspects, or rather ideas, that companies that have no direct connection to the world of golf such as Gillette, American Express a few years ago, GM, Accenture, Tag Heuer et al, wanted people to associate with their products/services. These non-sports endorsements, in the main, were what made him so wealthy.

But because the abacus count of affairs is who knows how big now, all that will come to pass. I Don't think non-sports related companies will want to 'tap in' in to the Tiger mystique now that it has been revealed that a large portion of it is singularly engaged in tapping as much a$$ as possible.

 

[hektoren]

Are you Charles Darwin? You're saying Tiger didn't wear a condom?

I was simply referring to the mechanism of sexual attraction, not the "act" itself.
Other than that, I'm really looking forward to Tiger's next press conferences
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-zmTr9wMvA

 

[Tranquil]

I'm pretty tranquil about this. We've all been there ... either physically or mentally or both (differentiating is really splitting hairs ... morally it's all the same thing).

Let those who are without sin cast the first stone ...

 

[blackcat]

There was an excellent commentary on the radio the other day and unfortunately I only got the tail end of it.

Tiger has built his empire not only because of his skill in the game of golf but also because of his image of being Mr. Intelligent-Nice Guy-Family Man. The charade is over. So many journalists who covered golf knew of his affairs, knew it was all a charade. No one dared questioned him on it because:
1) It has nothing to do with golf
2) The journalists wanted access.
Can you imagine if David Walsh who covers golf would've asked him, "Tiger, you have successfully created this prisitine pure-as-the-newly-fallen-snow image of yourself and built your empire upon that image when it fact you were using it to perpetuate a lie...." Can you imagine the fallout?
Tiger was a draw to the sport of golf. Because of him, people who would normally not watch, were drawn to watch. Journalists who want access will not ask the hard questions. I see so many parallels between Tiger and someone else. Can you imagine Paul Kimmage or Nathaniel Vinton being invited to Shack's training camp?

As far as cheating, how many women are not coming forward who did have affairs with Tiger?
I can tell you from experience when Frankie was still racing, that someone was cheating on his wife left and right. I was not allowed to say anything. Number one, although it was "known" I had no proof. Even though I considered this person a friend, I dare not go there for fear of the reprisal. Her husband could do no wrong in her eyes. Had I had a heart to heart with her, I can only imagine how I would be blamed. I thought I should tell her but I understood Frankie: I had no proof and it was none of my business. On the other hand, what woman wouldn't want to know her husband was cheating on her? This couple is no longer together but I can tell you that if the athlete has a strong moral compass, he won't cheat. Sure, we don't know what goes on in one's home. But you get a guy who truly loves and likes his wife, he won't stray. The people who stray and do so repeatedly, whether it be athletes or rich businessman, do so because they have surrounded themselves by people who won't tell them it's wrong to do so. They get away with it. It's a power and control issue not to mention a huge character flaw.

The media has helped to cultivate the Tiger Woods image we now know to be a lie. I don't follow golf but am wondering if anyone who covers him is expressing shock over this.

that goes for politics too Betsy. The MSM will spout what Washington and K Street tells 'em, they need access for their now defunct business model. Times, Judy Miller, fast lost all credibility about Gray Lady being world paper of record.

It comes out. But you gotta dig yourself, to get it concurrent to circumstances. Meeeeja and power politics.

Tiger ain't cracked up to all he was meant to be, but most would know. Phil Mickelson and Vijay Singh had noted enmities with him. Dont know how many players he was really tight with on the course, off the course ofcourse he was tight with players and loose with players.

Barkley, Jordan, A-Rod, Ahmad Rashad. Keep your daughters locked up.

 

[blackcat]

Woods is an Armstrong-like conman selling a bogus image to the public. He probably had the willing help of the sporting press. I don't see how the press could have been unaware that the image did not match the man when he must have been horndogging around at every tournament. Strangely enough, it is usually the tabloids that reveal the truth these days.

Phil Liggett was heard to say "Tiger's hoes are just a few bad apples, and the sport is improving, it is getting cleaner".

Soon there will be no STDs in golf!

 

[ravens]

the BIG question....

Who will be the 19th ho'le?

13 and counting. The suspense is killing me.

 

[blackcat]

Who will be the 19th ho'le?

13 and counting. The suspense is killing me.

It is up to 14.

I downloaded a Tiger widget, which pings at each new revelation.

 

[ravens]

There was an excellent commentary on the radio the other day and unfortunately I only got the tail end of it.

Tiger has built his empire not only because of his skill in the game of golf but also because of his image of being Mr. Intelligent-Nice Guy-Family Man. The charade is over. So many journalists who covered golf knew of his affairs, knew it was all a charade. No one dared questioned him on it because:
1) It has nothing to do with golf
2) The journalists wanted access.
Can you imagine if David Walsh who covers golf would've asked him, "Tiger, you have successfully created this prisitine pure-as-the-newly-fallen-snow image of yourself and built your empire upon that image when it fact you were using it to perpetuate a lie...."

Thanks for contributing. There have been too few women, especially wives of athletes, offering opinions. Perhaps many wives just consider it to be part of 'the deal'. Elin certainly didn't think it was part of the deal, or, if she did, she didn't consider any public knowledge of his infidelity to be acceptable.

The access has pushed the job of respectable journalists onto the shoulders of pseudo-journalists like the enquirer. For example, if ESPN wanted to dig in to the failings of athlete superstars, it would have a chilling effect not just from those athletes but all athletes. "Oh snapp! They just did 30 minutes on Jordan's gambling. I am not going to talk to any of their people because I don't want anything I say about MY life coming back to get me...."

Major news outlets are dependent on athletes and celebrities making themselves available to drive ratings.

Same stuff happened with JFK, Rock Hudson, and many others. It has a very long history in and out of sports/celebrity. In essence, the tabloids keep respectable journalists honest.

 

[blackcat]

Letterman was just unlucky. See how he has handled such joke fare. Treading carefully, and self flagellating.

 

[elizab]

Thanks ravens.

Again, on the radio here in Detroit, everyone's all ablaze about Tiger. The thing is he didn't have one or even two "transgressions"; he was playing all these women and so many at the same time. The guys on the radio called him a sociopath. I tend to agree. So damn charming, he lets the world see what he wants them to see.

I look at someone like Padrig Harrington or Detroit Red Wings (retired) Steve Yzerman and from what everyone who knows these guys says they are genuinely good guys. There is hope that the elite of the elite have a strong moral compass and don't stray.

I can't believe I'm agreeing with Chris E and Scribe but I think they're right:
* the woman's looks is not indicative of her spouse's commitment to monogamy
* the "sex addict" defense will be a straw to be grasped.

I write this as I breathe a sigh of relief that Frankie hasn't strayed no matter how fat or homily I am (according to some).

 

[Polish]

Can you imagine if David Walsh who covers golf would've asked him, "Tiger, you have successfully created this prisitine pure-as-the-newly-fallen-snow image of yourself and built your empire upon that image when it fact you were using it to perpetuate a lie...." .

I'm confused - why didn't Walsh ask those questions?

Is Doping worse than Cheating on your Wife? I think NO.

Is accusing Lance of Doping more LUCRATIVE than accusing Tiger of cheating on his wife? I Think YES.

 

[blackcat]

Thanks ravens.

Again, on the radio here in Detroit, everyone's all ablaze about Tiger. The thing is he didn't have one or even two "transgressions"; he was playing all these women and so many at the same time. The guys on the radio called him a sociopath. I tend to agree. So damn charming, he lets the world see what he wants them to see.

I look at someone like Padrig Harrington or Detroit Red Wings (retired) Steve Yzerman and from what everyone who knows these guys says they are genuinely good guys. There is hope that the elite of the elite have a strong moral compass and don't stray.

I can't believe I'm agreeing with Chris E and Scribe but I think they're right:
* the woman's looks is not indicative of her spouse's commitment to monogamy
* the "sex addict" defense will be a straw to be grasped.

I write this as I breathe a sigh of relief that Frankie hasn't strayed no matter how fat or homily I am (according to some).

Betsy, but you are a mean blogger, some give you that (facetious)