But, of course, this week has been about more than the greatest golf course and most prestigious tournament. It's been about Tiger Woods. I've put off commenting on the Tiger sex scandal for a few months, but today seems like the perfect time to break it down. I think it's fitting that Tiger came back to the Masters because his predicament can be compared, in a weird extended metaphor, to that of the Masters tournament itself. Think about it...
Something that is the best of the best, has the money and power to influence and control the exposure and coverage it receives, intimidating, elusive, mysterious and, yet, something everybody wants to be a part of. If there was ever a group of people that might understand Tiger's struggle over the past few months, it's the men in the green jackets. If not for the power they yielded, imagine how quickly they would be knocked from their throne. (Don't look for me to ever print something negative about the folks at Augusta. I'll be the first to admit that I will brown-nose as much as it possibly takes to get on that course.)
So Tiger showed up to the shelter of Magnolia Lane and got a welcome reception. Why? Because anybody that booed him would have been hastily escorted to the state line, badge snatched out of their clenched hand and told 'don't bother coming back.' Is it right? Probably not, but is it surprising? I don't know. Through all of this, I don't know if I have been more surprised at Tiger's deviant behavior, the complete meltdown of PR afterward or the welcome reception he got coming back.
Let's discuss the behavior, shall we? I have been fortunate in my life to be privy to some inside information as it relates to professional athletes. Infidelity never surprises me. The average fan would be shocked to know how prevalent it is. That didn't shock me. The depths of his nastiness, however, was something out of the trash novel. Just read the Howard Stern transcript of the Joselyn James interview and her memories of the "affair." I know it's the internet, but I can't post that stuff here. Even Tiger exceeded my own imagination. Anything he does on the golf course never surprised me. This stuff did.
I know that Tiger got therapy for his "sexual addiction." For the sake of not offending those in therapy, I won't go off on how ludicrous it is to be addicted to sex. Tiger is a man. I am a man. Men like sex. Guess I should seek help. But, I think this whole thing is simple. TW was a driven young man, a prodigy, who never was given the opportunity to really develop the other skills in his life, no matter how poised and media savvy he is. By "other skills" I mean dating. Think about it, when did he ever have the normal, learn-about-yourself-and-body experimental dating phase? He was either a) an overworked adolescent playing golf or b) an amazingly famous person incapable of a normal relationship. So, what do you think he did? What any red-blooded young man would do: he watched porn. Yep, you know why I know? Are you a man reading this? Then you know. I went to college the year Napster came out. File sharing was like shaking hands. Porn was everywhere if you needed it. Tiger is a few years older than me and had access to anything he wanted. Now, for most, it is all a fantasy. But what would happen if you are the richest man in the world? You can make anything happen. And Tiger did. Everything he's ever wanted, he got, so why not some freak-nasty pornstar booty?! There, problem solved. No charge. If Tiger has a therapist and this has never been addressed, that's a problem.
Should we like Tiger again? As a golfer, I can't not like his game. It's poetry to watch. I don't mind the outbursts either, because I was never considered "calm and collected" in competitive play. But that means we cheer a good shot. Should we cheer when he is introduced? A man, with two young children, who treated casual sex with hoochies like a four-footer for par. It will be interesting to see what happens when he wins. Maybe not this weekend at the Masters... Enjoy the golf!
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