Tiger really shanked it this time

Posted Dec 12, 2009 by Tom McEwen

Updated Dec 12, 2009 at 08:26 PM

Oh, cripes.

Not Tiger Woods. Not Tiger.

We all knew he was among the longest hitters, the best around the greens, and on them, as well. As good as there is in general.

But we had no knowledge of his abilities and success around the bars.

Until now.

Recently, women of the bars’ scene have come forward acknowledging meeting and mixing with Tiger in some of the night clubs, then perhaps adjourning to other more intimate environs.  This sort of thing was not previously reported of the world’s greatest outdoor player. 

Tiger has admitted to infidelities so that is that. That is enough to tarnish Tiger permanently in the minds of many, but not all.  It has happened in sports before and the athlete has returned in some favor. Tiger has been such an upbeat cooperrative fellow to the media and the public in the past, that he too can return to favor. 

But it will be a while. The acceptances by the public will vary. He can never return to the unrestricted favor of all again - not particularly because of his actions, but because he was untruthful about them. Nothing. 

Nothing! NOW NOTHING!  Can return Tiger to the highest pinnacle in which he stood in to prior to this flub.

Lying is to be the absolutely unforgivable transgression of athletes, at least temporarily.  Sports is most forgiving. Everybody is short-memoried in sports. And everybody is easy to forgive, even though it may take time. 

Influencing heavily in sports is character. Tiger was peerless in character, so far as truth is concerned. We all considered him the first five in interview prospects among sports figures, available and truthful.  Most know how touchy this subject is. This subject of philandering is not one easily discussed, and often emerges out of accidental development, as it did here when Tiger crashed his car into the front yard ornaments.

No one will ever forget reports from the scene of his wife with a golf club, retrieved from the car, breaking the glass, said to be freeing up Tiger from the wreckage.  So here again this scandal, this revelation, emerged from an accident completely unrelated to the circumstances.  That is the way things go, when you are wrong, you are wrong. 

Tiger was wrong and his lifestyle was made public by the accident completely unrelated to that unexpected side of his life.   

Can’t say this was regrettable because the truth emerged. We can say it happened, he did it and now has to face the truth.  He is doing that so far. He certainly appears to be   remorseful. He should be.  We know that.  Few have not been in some sort of scrape like this before, less seriously, or more seriously. 

Surely, we don’t wish that on anyone and despite the consequences of this event, we hope that it all turns out for the better and that includes for Tiger Woods, although I know some may not wish him the wellness and the return to his great play and golf future. He is absolutely peerless on the golf course. Pay the damages!  Pay the retributions!  Apologize again to your public, those involved in this event, your fans, and get on with it, but not without those qualifications.

This is a serious matter, it needs to be fixed if it can be.