Just because I’m a part of the media, it doesn’t mean that I don’t listen to the media. Living in the New York Metropolitan area means that I am inundated with media messages. The message the media is sending out today is one of abject frustration and hostility that Tiger Woods is finally making a statement tomorrow, and that he will not be taking any questions.
I listened to a New York sports talk radio host yesterday have an absolute fit, because Tiger Woods has carefully crafted this pristine image and made millions from endorsements as a result of the crafted image, and therefore he needs to come clean and deliver himself up to the media beast. He has to take questions. The host even compared Tiger to Alex Rodriguez and his mea culpa for steroid usage, and the fact that ARod took questions. If ARod can take questions about his public humiliation, why can’t Tiger? In the same sentence, the talk show host said Tiger didn’t owe him an apology, but he owes it to everyone to take questions!
Perhaps that host forgets that ARod’s answers to the questions put forth were, at the time, deemed far less than satisfactory. His inference that his cousin was in charge of his body, and that he didn’t really understand the nature of what he was doing, but that he was really sorry anyway. Is this what the talk show host wants? Not me.
You see, the media is a Great White Shark, and it simply views Tiger Woods as more chum in the water, to be eaten in a frenzy and destroyed beyond all recognition. The headlines of today’s New York Daily News says it all, “Lock Up All The Bimbos”. If Tiger said he was taking questions, but not about the affairs, the media would find a thousand ways to ask the same question until they broke him.
The bottom line is this. Tiger can’t take questions like ARod did. ARod’s public humiliation was his, and his alone. Tiger’s public humiliation involves the public humiliation of his wife. And Elin needs to be protected from any further humiliation at all cost. Especially if there is any hope of reconciliation.
So there is not going to be any baring of the soul by Tiger. He is never going to publicly address his transgression in a way that will satisfy the Great White Shark. And he never should. He should just get back to the business of winning golf tournaments and the sponsors and the popularity will all come back. If Magic Johnson can trip over dozens of basketball groupies, contract AIDS, and still be popular, Tiger Woods definitely can return from this.
Our society embraces unique talents. Tiger Woods is undoubtedly a unique talent. He will do what you and I and even the New York sports talk show host would do if we were in Tiger’s place. We would protect our wife. So be it.
