By Larry Fitzgerald
Originally posted 2/24/2010
OK, a show of hands: How many of you would change places with Tiger Woods if you could? With 14 major golf championships, he’s the world’s most accomplished and recognized athlete — zero-handicap, young, healthy, rich, famous…and a fraud.
The world’s first billion-dollar athlete and the athlete of the decade, after three months of having his once near-perfect image and reputation ripped and shredded apart because he cheated on his wife, has finally spoken about his self-imposed exile from golf.
Politicians like Presidents Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton, corporate executives on Wall Street have made their public confessions, but never before has an athlete been treated quite like this. Virtually every major TV news network aired his live Friday speech of about 14 minutes.
It was unprecedented, with commentators critiquing every word, giving style points for eye contact and emotion like he was in a political campaign.
Are you kidding me? What did we learn? We learned that’s it’s Black History Month and Tiger is who he is, and America can punish you when they make zillions of dollars off your success.
We heard Woods say with his words that he was selfish and foolish, that he’d had affairs, and that he cheated, that he was unfaithful. We heard that he had drifted away from the Buddhist principles that he was raised on, and he was sorry, and that he felt “entitled.”
We heard that he is in treatment with therapy and counseling on…marriage? Sex? Addiction? We can only speculate.
He said his wife Elin never hit him that night in November when he crashed his Cadillac Escalade with smashed windows into a tree on his own property.
“Elin never hit me that night,” said Woods, “or any other night. There has never been an episode of domestic violence in our marriage, ever.” Woods said that he never took performance-enhancing drugs and that he plans to return to golf.
When? He wouldn’t say.
His wife and children were not on hand at this gathering of about 40. Only three reporters were admitted, and Woods did not take questions.
Woods is in a personal battle to heal himself and possibly save his marriage and relationships with fans, sponsors and the public. It amazes me how hypocritical and exploitive the news media can be, and that these women with whom Woods allegedly has had affairs pop up and are propped up like stars and celebrities. No one is even questioning their motives or how wrong it is to have an affair with a married man, or demanding proof of the said relationship with Woods.
These women are treated like they have credibility, and they are the lowest of the low. A recent CNN/ABC poll of 2,000 women were asked if they would sleep with Tiger Woods; 82 percent responded not again. Woods’ fame and his once-clean image appear vulnerable. Everyone is ready to poke and prod into his personal life.
Things have changed, but in reality he has done no more than many other celebrities or athletes or politicians. Michael Jordan was married and his affairs became news, yet they never wound up on the cover of the New York Post for 20 straight days. Of course, Jordan was married to a Black woman.
Woods’ mom Kultida was present on Friday and defended her son. “I’m so proud to be his mom,” she said. “He did not kill anybody. He didn’t do anything illegal.”
Woods said, “I thought I could get away with whatever I wanted to. I felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptations around me. I felt I was entitled. Thanks to money and fame, I didn’t have to go far to find them.”
Woods has had a polarizing effect on sports and the PGA. Since he joined the tour in 1996, it has capitalized on his presence. PGA prize money in 1996 was just $65.95 million; since Tiger, it has it has quadrupled to $279.8 million in 2010.
Impeach Pawlenty
Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty should be called up for impeachment after showing his bias against minorities and making light of domestic strife. In a speech before the Conservative Political Action Conference last Friday, in a crude and tasteless reference to Woods’ public humiliation, Pawlenty said, “Take a 9 iron and smash the window out of big government in this country.”
His shortsighted comment shows a lack of respect for this widely respected American athlete’s marital problems.
Larry Fitzgerald can be heard weekday mornings on KMOJ Radio 89.9 FM at 8:20 am, and on WDGY-AM 740 Monday & Saturday mornings at 7:50 am and Fridays at 3:50 pm; he also commentates on sports 7-8 pm on Almanac (TPT channel 2). Larry welcomes reader responses to lfitzgerald@spokesman-recorder.com, or visit www.Larry-Fitzgerald.com.
email your comments to : larry@larry-fitzgerald.com
Comments
Hi Mr. Fitz...I hope you are well and taking care of yourself.
I did not like your article. I completely disagree with your assessment of the mistresses as the "lowest of the low." Tiger is the one who is the lowest of the low. Those women owed his wife, family, fans, and the public NOTHING. In all actuality, HE and he alone broke his commitment to all those people and is now dealing with the consequences of the intrusive media.
Perhaps if MJ had an intrusive media to be the conscience that these men obviously don't have, he and his marriage may have been in a better place. In my assessment, the media seems to be the miserable ying to the terrible yang that fame and fortune brings to these athletes.
In all honesty, it's not like I expected you to blast Tiger, but I am very surprised by your blasting of everyone else except him.
I still love you though! :) I'm just so surprised by the opinion man
who never seems to have an opinion on naughty athletes with their
naughty women.
~B
