Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Tiger Woods Continues to Make Fans


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If there is one thing that Tiger Woods hasn't done that well over the last 18 months, it would be golf. The thing that made him the most famous athlete in the world has been lacking, and he knows it, and it bothers him. The thing he's done the best? Made a whole lot of enemies.

That is to say, a lot of people aren't big fans of Tiger anymore. Reports last week had once-pal Roger Federer pushing away from Mr. Woods, and after the fallout with Steve Williams, you knew his ex-caddie wouldn't be sending the Woods household a Christmas card this winter. But the group that gets ridiculed the most by Mr. Woods? The media!

That is according to a report by Doug Ferguson (first reported by Stephanie Wei) about Tiger dissing the media at last week's Bridgestone Invitational.

According to the AP report, Tiger walked off of his Thursday press conference muttering, ""That's why you guys listen and I play." This was after Tiger was asking something about how his expectations last week might have been lessened because of his lack of play, and if winning was still his number one priority. While everyone with half a brain would understand that Firestone was a warm-up for this week for Mr. Woods, Tiger still couldn't accept it, and made sure everyone knew that (which was funny after you saw what his website put up after his Sunday finish).

The old argument that journalists don't get something because they aren't in the ring is juvenile at best. Sure, most everyone with a notepad and microphone has never teed it up in a meaningful golf tournament, but that doesn't mean they're not smart enough to understand the situation.

But again, that's been the problem with Tiger. Nobody else is right. Nobody else is as smart. Nobody else can comprehend what he comprehends. His opinion is king and everything else is laughable.

I have a feeling one of these days Tiger is going to need some good press to help him out, and the way he's treated the media over the years, I'd be very surprised if he got it.

Getty Images

4 comments:

seak said...

Tiger was asked at his Tues press conference what his expectations for the week were, and he responded winning. Was that insane? Yeah. On the other hand, can you imagine Jordan or Jeter answering the question any differently, even if they'd come off the DL? They are competitive athletes, it's in them to be delusional. Realistic expectations are for the rest of us.

After a decent round on Thursday, he was then asked if his expectations had changed. It was a ludicrous question. That was what led to the unwise muttering.

Clifford said...

When I read the title to your article I naively expected to see some evidence that Woods--as the title implied--had turned a corner and had actually mended some fences and begun a healing process between himself and former admirers. Instead, I discovered yet another article piling on an athlete that's down after he said something in the heat of the moment that he probably regretted afterwards. I tend to agree with "Seak". The reporter asked a queston that seemed counterintuitive at the time given the decent round Tiger just completed. Kicking someone when they're down is every bit as tasteless and immature as some of Tiger's behavior. As a sports journalist (and, I assume, a mature ADULT)you're supposed to be above that. This isn't kindergarten and sandbox. Grow up for Christ's sake...

Clifford
Santa Monica

Clifford said...

When I read the title to your article I naively expected to see some evidence that Woods--as the title implied--had turned a corner and had actually mended some fences and begun a healing process between himself and former admirers. Instead, I discovered yet another article piling on an athlete that's down after he said something in the heat of the moment that he probably regretted afterwards. I tend to agree with "Seak". The reporter asked a queston that seemed counterintuitive at the time given the decent round Tiger just completed. Kicking someone when they're down is every bit as tasteless and immature as some of Tiger's behavior. As a sports journalist (and, I assume, a mature ADULT)you're supposed to be above that. This isn't kindergarten and sandbox. Grow up for Christ's sake...

Clifford
Santa Monica

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