Column: Tiger owes us nothing
Published Feb. 23, 2010
Unless you've been living under a rock for the last three months, you know Tiger Woods hit a little rough patch in his personal life.
After crashing his car into a tree in November, the rumors of adultery and infidelity have swirled throughout the media. After spending a few months in what appears to be sex rehab, Woods addressed the media Friday, apologizing for his "inexcusable" actions.
Of course, the media weren't happy. Some people described the timing of Woods' apology "selfish" because it coincided with the start of a big PGA Championship.
Of course, this is the same media that demanded answers for months and months. Some people even decided to boycott the event because of bad timing.
Get over it. The media are never happy.
I don't understand the fixation on Woods.
The only people he should be apologizing to are his family and the list of mistress he has. He might want to repair his image and make good with his sponsors, but he doesn't need to apologize to the country. We don't need an apology or an explanation from all public figures about their alleged debauchery.
The apology went about as expected. He stepped to the podium and spoke for approximately 14 minutes, expressing his regret for the situation and apologizing for letting everybody down.
Well, what else would he say? He has embarrassed himself and his family enough. Did we expect him to take the stage and say he wishes he wouldn't have gotten caught and wishes he would have taken more mistresses? Of course we didn't.
Americans seem to think they are entitled to Woods' story. Why exactly is this?
The man cheated on his wife multiple times, took responsibility for his actions and is on a temporary leave of absence from his job to seek help.
What difference does it make if he had relations with his mistress the day his father died (which is alleged)? What difference does it make how many mistresses he has taken? Who Woods fornicates with is nobody's business except for the people involved.
All we should care about is when Woods will return to the golf course.
Golf ratings have suffered without the sports' biggest superstar. During his apology, he said there is no set timetable for his return to the course.
The man is trying to turn his life around and now everybody wants to know every tawdry detail about his personal endeavors.
Although it's true Woods is a public figure, he has a right to privacy.
The man has not been accused of anything illegal, either. There is no evidence he has ever physically abused his wife or taken performance-enhancing drugs. He wasn't killing animals. He was just having an affair or twenty.
Let's not pretend Woods is the only high-profile person to be entrenched in a sex scandal.
I'm not trying to defend Woods at all. He cheated on his wife and probably caused a great deal of harm to his children. I would not blame his wife at all if she divorced him and tried to take his money and the kids. I'm just tired of hearing about the personal lives of players. I only care about what they do (or don't do) on the field.
You can think what you want about Woods. You can hate him. You can love him. You can forgive him.
Maybe he's in the middle of something he doesn't really understand or maybe he's just a selfish pig. It doesn't matter what you think. We should just get a grip and let the man live his life.
He at least deserves that much.