Tiger Accident Clippings, Vol. 13
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While the golf world may be tired of the Tiger saga, it appears the tabloids are not letting go. Perhaps emboldened by Tiger's lecture on privacy, they are moving full steam ahead on several stories. More on that in a moment.
On a positive front for Tiger, several people came forward in his defense. Unfortunately the list included John Daly and Donald Trump. OJ wasn't available apparently. Still recovering from his prison beating.
Mike Walker relays the highlights from The Donald's television interview:
"He's had a very interesting and very traumatic couple of weeks," Trump told TV's Extra. "But I know Tiger and he's a wonderful guy. Tiger is going to be hotter than ever. Mark my words."
Winning will also cure any problems Woods might have with his endorsements, Trump added.
"It may affect his endorsements a little but, but it's like Kobe [Bryant]," Trump said. "No one remembers the Kobe incident anymore. He went out and won a championship."
Randell Mell reports on Greg Norman's Golf Channel interview:
“I hope Tiger sorts these issues out,” Norman said. “Things like that should stay behind closed doors, but then again we are public figures. There are times when people feel like they can reach through the TV screen and say `I own you, I know you because I buy a product you represent.’ That’s a part of it. You have to accept that responsibility.”
Jack Nicklaus was cornered today and offered a "none of my business" to AP, while Reuters quoted him this way:
"He'll figure it out. We've always been a forgiving society," Nicklaus said at Palm Beach Gardens in Florida where he was honouring the boys' golf team that won the state championship.
John Daly wanted to let us know Tiger has made a lot of golfers rich and therefore they should support him in this time of...whatever this time is.
Daly said: "I wish them [the Woods family] the best. I'm not too happy with what some players have said.
"Golf needs him. Because of Tiger is why we're playing for so much money."
Tabloid critics can rejoice after the most glaring fiction yet published was quickly debunked by a skeptical golf media that knew neither Ben Crane and especially Charles Warren were capable of saying something interesting.
Christine Brennan summed up the saga this way:
We are in the midst of something so jaw-dropping and out of the ordinary that were we to use a term to describe it from a now-suddenly distant, quickly fading past, we might call it Tigeresque.
What Tiger Woods has caused to happen to himself and his image over the past two weeks is the sports world's most remarkable fall from grace, ever. No athlete has ever held a perch so high in our culture — right up there with President and Mrs. Obama, and Oprah — and fallen so far so fast.
Of everything I read, Jason Whitlock wins a special citation for the most awful mess of a column I've read on the Woods saga. Though anyone who blames Orange County for something does deserve some respect:
As far as I know, Tiger grew up on golf courses in suburban Orange County, raised by an African-American, Chinese and Native American father and Thai, Chinese and Dutch mother. That is not the recipe for falling in love with sistas regardless of Tiger's brown skin and full lips.
By profession and diction, the dude would be considered a nerd by most brothers and sisters. Take away his billion dollars and many of the sisters whining that Tiger prefers blondes would continue their search for a tatted-up, corn-rowed, slang-talking real brother.
(If that description doesn't fit you, then don't complain. Destiny's Child sang and sold "Soldier" because somebody was feeling it.)
Tiger's choice in women isn't a statement about how he feels about us (black folks). It's a statement about where and how he grew up.
Jordan Robertson of AP reports on huge website traffic surges since the accident, including a seven-fold jump at golf.com.
An item on the Daily Record blog has this interesting quote about Tiger's endorsement future.
I talked to Baltimore ad firm TBC’s Howe Burch this week about the potential sponsor fallout from Tigergate and he says this is only the beginning. Burch takes issue with those who say Woods’ transgressions have made him seem more human.
“I find that to be a misguided perspective on the whole thing,” said Burch, a former marketing executive with Fila and Reebok. “Tiger was affiliated with big blue chip brands and any brand that is successful is built on a foundation of trust…Tiger has violated their trust. They did not sign up for someone who is duplicitous.”
Toby Tobin suggests that Tiger's already troubled Cliffs project will not be helped by this saga, particularly with a schmaltzy promotional video where Tiger talks about his family life.
The new National Enquirer leads with a cover story that is sure to get plenty of attention, with suggestions of a love child and sex tape.
According to Radar, Gloria's back! The L.A. lawyer is representing "a number of women" on the Tiger front including an apparent woman number thirteen.
TMZ reveals a new document from Tiger's lawyers in Britain filing a motion to stop the publication of revealing photos and videos that they say do not exist.
Tiger Woods' lawyers sent a letter to multiple UK papers and blogs, stating the court order "prevents the publication of private and confidential information contained in the Order.... this Order is not to be taken as any admission that any such photographs exist, and in the event they do exist they may have been fabricated, altered, manipulated and/or changed to create the false appearance and impression that they are nude photographs of our client."
The court order also covers any possible videos. It blocks the publication of "any photographs, footage or images taken or obtained of the claimant [Tiger] naked or any naked parts of the claimant's [Tiger's] body or of him involved in any sexual activity."
The lawyer's letter says, "Our client is not aware of any images and in any event he would not have consented to any such photographs being taken nor would he have consented to the dissemination or exploitation of the same."
Radar says Mistress #4 is going on the Today Show Friday and also appearing in a special Dateline Friday night titled "The Secret Life of Tiger Woods."
On the comedy front, George Lopez only devoted half of his monologue to Tiger on Wednesday night.
Letterman features the latest EA Sports Tiger Woods game:
And finally, Jimmy Kimmel reveals Tiger's new reality show:
