It's been almost three months since the infamous Tiger Woods scandal, and today golf fans across the nation waited in anticipation for what they were hoping would bring some closure to this situation. Earlier this morning, Tiger spoke in front of the press for the first time since the incident occured back in November. In doing so, he looked to restore his grand legacy as well as his reputation as the well-liked golf phenom we all once knew him to be. And so Tiger Woods, world-renouned golf legend, headed out to his podium, looked out into the room full of reporters, and then spoke from his heart.. err uh, his note cards.
That's right. Note cards. Here is a man who has, on more than one occasion, been unfaithful to his wife and kids, and a man looking to right his wrongs. Here's a man who had multiple affairs, lied about them all and disappeared from the golf world. Here is a man who let his family and his fans down, and who wanted to win them back. And he came out with a stack of note cards. Now I'm not saying that Tiger wasn't genuine in everything he said this morning (although I'm not saying he was either), but a general rule of mine when it comes to public apologies has always been that people who bring notes with them to make ammends are truly not as sorry as they claim to be. That's not to say that Tiger can't actually be remorseful, but his monotonic, robotic speech was less than overwhelming, and I couldn't get a sense of true regret.
Did Tiger say all the right things? Absolutely. He took all of the blame for each and every one of his actions. He apologized deeply to his wife and his kids, as well as all of the other people that he had let down. He spoke about how his wife was never in the wrong, and that no violence had ever occured within their household. Yes, Tiger hit all the right notes, and he pressed all the right buttons. But in a situation where he holds a press conference where no one can ask him any questions, and where he read off his apology like the morning school announcements, it is very difficult for me to believe that Tiger Woods is truly genuine.
As a writer, it's inevitable that something I post will always repel the opinions of someone who reads it, and I'm sure that will be the case here. Many have quickly jumped to the defense of Tiger Woods, claiming that he "is human" and that everyone makes mistakes. I couldn't agree with that more. However, these same people also say that Woods (and professional athletes in general) is not supposed to be a role model, and that his job is simply to go out and be the best at what he does: play golf. But whether they like it or not, and whether he likes it or not, Tiger Woods is in a position where millions of kids around the world look up to him. The same goes for anyone else who is in the spotlight. When you decide that you're going to be famous, whether it be as a golf player or a movie star or a country singer, you automatically sign that imaginary contract that states you will exemplify good behavior, and will be an idol which kids can look up to and admire. It comes with the territory, and while fame and fortune is undoubtedly fun for stars like Woods, there comes with it a great deal of responsibility. Woods sure did make a mistake, but it was not only his extra-marital affairs. No, Woods made the much bigger mistake of thinking the rules didn't apply to him. He believed that a man in his position had the right to do whatever he pleased. And whether or not he learned the lesson that he can not do whatever he wants is debatable, but the fact remains that the legacy of Tiger Woods has been eternally tarnished.
While I know that people are bound to disagree with my views on today's press conference, I also believe that everyone is entitled to their own opinion. So make the decision for yourself. But whether you believe that Tiger was truly genuine in what he said or not, the fact remains that he has one hell of a battle to fight to win back the adoration of his friends and family, as well as his fans.
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