I hate weepy public apologies.
I don't care who did what to who, I don't care if the mea culpa is coming from a male or female, and I don't care what's at stake. I just hate them.
Even if they're sincere... which they certainly sometimes are... the on-camera tears make them seem contrived and superfluous and the well-documented sobs always detract from the seriousness.
So I hope that's not what happens on Friday, when Tiger talks.
... And I don't think it will be. After all, he's not going to go on Oprah, as some suggested he should. ESPN's Rick Reilly, was one of them, and the award-winning journalist, known in some circles as a Overpaid Millionaire Hack, went on to suggest that Tiger needed to say something like: "I'm Tiger Woods and I was addicted to sex".
There are some
However, from what I've seen and heard, the majority of golf fans aren't interested in the salacious stories of extramarital escapades, they don't want protracted apologies, they really don't feel that Tiger Woods owes them anything. The true golf fans just want him to get this over with, and start playing golf again. Sooner rather than later.
Jen Wang and Diana Nguyen, the amazing ladies of DISGRASIAN.com, said it well. As usual. female golf pundit Patricia Hannigan
Look for Tiger's contrition to be more in the apologetic mode versus the remorseful mode.
ReplyDeleteIf Reilly, or anybody, is expecting a full blown confession or explanation of any aspect of this situation, they are more daft than I thought.
I agree with you, but I think there are still lots of folks out there who want all the gory details. After all, tabloids do sell.
ReplyDeleteWhen I heard about the press conference my reaction was, "So?"
Whatever Mr. Woods says it will be very controlled, maybe even contrived. I will not be planning my day around it.
I don't want to see tears either. I do want to see him play—soon!
Even worse than the tears is having to watch the faithful wife literally stand by her man.
ReplyDeleteIs that gonna happen?
Tiger does not need to apologize to me, but I will appreciate seeing a sincere statement. He can say anything as long as it is sincere, and not a well crafted public relations band aid.
ReplyDeleteI will once again appreciate Tiger- the Golfer. What will change? Like most, I will not consider Tiger as a special case: no he will not be bigger than Ghandi, he doesn't deserve special treatment, and most important....I probably won't listen to Tiger the Marketer.
Tiger...go golf! Be Tiger, Be Eldrick! You have retirement taken care of...so give Tiger Inc a rest. Outside of golf..Tiger the father would be nice to see.
You took the words right out of my mouth. If he cries I'm sure that I'll throw up at some point. Gah!
ReplyDeleteEveryone needs to just get over this whole thing and let it go. We just need to get Tiger back to the game and winning again. So Tiger is human after all. So what? He's merely a product of his *entourage* environment. Get. Over. It. People.
I'm going to go play golf now, since today we are supposed to hit a whopping high of 64 degrees F. It's a virtual heatwave!
Bob - I totally agree on the "scorned-wife-standing-silently-next-to-her-man-looking-pathetic" I don't think it engenders any sympathy ...particularly among women.
ReplyDeleteNow if the spouse assertively, confidently took the microphone and said something... anything... "My husband 'transgressed' but we've worked it out and now we're moving on" or "I'm here to show support for my husband, he made some mistakes but he's apologized and gotten back on track" or even "Marriage's are all different and like many, ours had problems and we're working on them now but this is our business so please give us some space.
That kind of thing - Elin making a smart, non-pathetic statement - would go a long way towards diffusing the anger some feel. However, that's rarely done in these cases, and the fact that Elin's never spoken publicly about anything before makes me feel that, if she's there, it will be in the "silent, beleaguered" roll.
Phil - Yes I agree, the ideal would be a sincere, succinct apology, then a move back to playing great golf. However I'd prefer the well crafted PR job to any kind of melodramatic Oprah moment. :o\
Snoots - Lucky you. Have fun out there today.
Seriously, Tiger should pay you to write his speech and if he could get his wife to say exactly what you just wrote... he could go back to just playing golf.
ReplyDeleteThis isn't about what the fans want - it's about what the media wants...and that is ALL salacious ALL the time.
ReplyDeleteI'd be suprised if Elin is even in camera view, and utterly SHOCKED if she says anything.
ReplyDeleteI'm torn on this. I don't feel that he owes anyone an apology per se, but he does owe it to his fans to make a statement after all that has gone on. Because in the end, it's his fans that technically "pay" him, do they not?
No interest here in anything the sham has to say other than when he plans on teeing it up next.
ReplyDeleteUnder the "format" it's just a PR diatribe anyway.
I've been looking around to and it there definitely seems to be a golf media vs Tiger vibe going on. But what I want to know is don't those old guys feel responsible in any way for their own fate? Aren't they the ones who always gave Tiger a pass before? They are... and still would be if the TMZ types hadn't entered the scene. Maybe that's why they're so angry.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking the same think watching Reilly and Micelli. Funny how they finally grew cohones after years of not having any.
ReplyDeleteI think it would be great if Elin was there and said something powerful. She's remained a mystery throughout this and has generally come off looking badly. People see her as either a self-centered gold-digger or a vapid door-mat or just an anonymous person to pity and I just have a feeling she's none of those. But I agree , I doubt we'll see much of her.
ReplyDelete@Phil
ReplyDelete"I will once again appreciate Tiger- the Golfer. What will change? Like most, I will not consider Tiger as a special case: no he will not be bigger than Ghandi, he doesn't deserve special treatment, and most important....I probably won't listen to Tiger the Marketer."
I do agree with you but I think the point is that before all this blew up he WAS a special case and he DID get special treatment.
Therein is the resentment that many commentators feel.
Now the Emperors Clothes have been stripped from Tiger it will be very interesting to see how he plays.
I'll just be glad when it is all over.
ReplyDeleteExcept it won't be.
The first time Woods sets forth on a course, it will be "go time" for the tabloid press.
And the simple fact is that Tiger has harmed his brand as a marketer. He will carry some negative connotations for some time and that alone will make a number of companies demur from using his services. As they say, you can't unring a bell.
Finally, I would like to note that I wrote about Woods foibles precisely three times on my blog and that was literally over a month ago now. I write a golf blog, not a gossip column. I am also glad to see that a number of my e-cohorts did the same and kept writing about the sport, and didn't write story after story about Tiger and his scandal.
I second that emotion Charles.
ReplyDeleteI think some of the golf bloggers were actually repressed, self-loathing gossip bloggers prior to November 28. Tiger Woods allowed them to come out of the closet and be themselves, they should be thanking the man. ;)
I think the Fans should contains their eyes on his professional life not on personal life..
ReplyDeleteI am big fan of him... he is best golffer