Just got done watching the Tiger Woods speech. It was pretty much what I expected it to be. Completely scripted. Don't get me wrong, there was some powerful stuff in their about "feeling entitled". Him taking an extended break is definitely important. I understand the need for a written statement but couldn't someone at Team Tiger get him a teleprompter or two?
Here's a transcript from PGA Tour's website.
Notable in her absence was his wife Elin. Good for her. Tiger's mother was sitting in the front row though and was used as a prop by Tiger at the end. Did someone want to tell Tiger that no one cares about his charitable work today? What did speaking in front of his "friends" accomplish? He's going to have to answer questions sooner or later, why didn't he just start that process today? Did you notice the dramatic shift to looking at the camera when he was speaking to "his fans?" Who directed this? I seriously want to sit in one of these P.R meetings one of these days. What goes through these guys heads?
I was actually surprised to hear him say he doesn't know when he will return to the PGA Tour. I think this layoff will cost him chance to catch Jack Nicklaus. Darren Rovell of CNBC wrote a good piece today on the sponsorship issues. Darren Rovell appeared on ESPN today as well to talk about the Tiger Woods brand. . Some PGA Tour golfers did issue statements in support of Tiger Woods. I loved Bill Simmons' take on this. I disagree with Rick Reilly's take on this. How can you say he accomplished something today? How can you say this was really well done? Is he angling to get an exclusive? Commissioner of the PGA Tour, Tim Finchem also made comments in front of a camera
If you hadn't yet heard there is a book coming out on the Tiger woods affairs called, Unplayable: An Inside Account of Tiger's Most Tumultuous Season
. Just in case you needed to reminded, MSNBC has a timeline up for the last 2-3 months.Haven't caught much of the analysis yet. Will get around to it eventually. The networks treated this as a big deal. Katie Couric anchored CBS coverage. Matt Lauer anchored NBC's coverage while Robin Roberts and George Stephanopoulos
anchored ABC's coverage. Did you hear that Charlie Rymer of The Golf Channel actually cried on the air!I don't understand the Tiger Woods apologists though. I don't understand the, "50% of married men do this" attitude either. This isn't a man who just had an affair (not saying that would make the situation right), this was a man who did this as a hobby. There is a big difference. I don't understand the people who say, "this is a private matter" either. Sure, parts of it is. But he does need to come clean in public. You lose the "privacy" argument when you have your name plastered on billboards across the world. You lose the "privacy" argument when you have your own clothing line
. You lose the "privacy" argument when you appear in advertisements around the world. You lose the "privacy" argument when you are the cover man for a video game franchise named after you. You lose the "privacy" argument when you make a living off of your name.I don't agree with the paparazzi standing outside his kids schools but Tiger Woods does need to come out and answer questions. I don't have an ounce of sympathy for Tiger Woods. As I wrote previously, he brought this on himself.
I truly believe he cost himself a shot at Jack Nicklaus with this break he's having to take. The Majors were lined up perfectly for him this year. Courses where has dominated in the past. One of the biggest advantages Tiger has had over the years is intimidation. Golfers have been afraid to play him and it has showed down the stretch of big tournaments as they have melted one by one. That aura is gone now. We've seen golfers and the golf media FINALLY speak up against Tiger. How will he handle the galleries? He had temper issues in the past and that was with with really friendly galleries. How will he handle comments from the galleries now?
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