Tiger Woods has been through quite an ordeal over the last few weeks, starting with his wife hitting him in the head with a golf club. The media has had a field day with it, and as well they should. Tiger Woods, a seemingly morale compass on the list of high profile athletes and celebrities in our world, proved he's no different from a Terrell Owens, Michael Vick, Adam Jones, Justin Timberlake or even more similar Kobe Bryant. They all have made mistakes, and being so close the public eye, even under a microscope on the pedestals we have put them on, they have made mistakes. Tiger Woods, who was so perfect, and by far the world's greatest golfer of perhaps all time, head and shoulders above all others in any sport not only in skill of sport, but in popularity and celebrity from his accomplishments. Even someone so pure, who we have bought Nike and Gatorade products just because, can fall from such high grace.
Tiger Woods is only different in one way from the top 10% of celebrities and athletes alike. And that's that he's been caught. Men like John F. Kennedy, Bill Clinton, who we elected due to their morale and ethical obligations to a nation did just as bad, if not worse at the stage that they were representing. We've held Tiger accountable for being a role model, as we do with every major athlete that we thrust into the spotlight. It's not un-American even. Adultery dates back to even the greatest and first American's like Thomas Jefferson. I'm not saying what Tiger Woods did is right, along the lines of ethics, morals, or even in the prospect of responsibility of wife and kids and above all else, the essence of being a man. But our history has proved that that is what a man does. Great men, leaders in public sway and opinion have always had that flaw in the bedroom, and with spouses. Infidelity has always been their greatest weakness'.
It's not excusable, other than the fact that traditionally we have excused it. As long as the man is considered 'great' enough or loved enough by society, we've allowed such mistakes to go without punishment. Other than the comedy writers slants and jokes that make the headlines. This Tiger Woods ordeal seems a lot different though, than other scandals that I've known in the past. For one, it proves that People, Star and Esquire are horrible at their jobs if they can expose the scandals that don't happen, and not this big one that is happening. It also proves how big Tiger Woods actually is. Kobe Bryant's cheating flew over in a few weeks with a 2 million dollar ring to his wife, and his endorsement losses with Sprite and Adidas. Tiger might lose his endorsement with Gatorade, or more or less with his own Gatorade product line. But Nike seems to be holding with him. Then again, they can take some heat off of their sweatshops.
There are a lot of celebrity stories just like this one, or even worse. This is legendary though only because we had believed that Tiger was that moral compass that despite his immense pressure and stardom, we thought he could prevail as that perfect individual. And not just in his short game. He broke that compass, and isn't the role model we all wanted him to be. He may never have been, but wouldn't it be great if he was? We wanted to believe it, we wanted him to be that great of a guy. It's disappointing that he's not. But it's not the end of the world. It's not the worst thing that any person has done, that any American has done. It's been weeks, and he's apologized. Time will heal this wound no doubt, and I think he's handled the situation the media has now crammed into his face with a lot of professionalism and moxie. Best of luck returning to the best of the public's eye Mr. Woods. I'm sure you'll win a major or two and all will be forgotten.
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