Ok, that is a lie..but this is what we anticipate will be in the direction of his speech

Family, Friends, and my fans. I can’t begin to apologize enough for my actions of the past. I have hurt those very close to me, most importantly my wife Elin. I have let everyone down, especially my fans and for that I am truly and deeply sorry. I know I have lost the support and faith in me as a husband, father, person, athlete, and a role model. I truly hope my future actions can begin to rebuild that shattered faith in me, and I know it will be a long painful road to achieve.

There have been many things said in the media about me. I will not go into details of any of the reports presented by the media , but don’t believe everything you read or hear.

My wife, children, and I have been through a lot, as you can imagine, and I simply ask that you please give us the time and privacy we need as we still continue to bond and repair as a family.

I hope to one day receive my wife Elin’s forgiveness, but also my friends, family, and fans.

At this time, no final decisions have been made about my future in Golf. I just please ask that you give us the time and privacy we need during this difficult period.

Thank you

Even the pictures that have been posted online…all they show is Tiger standing/sitting around women. If he had not publicly admitted his guilt and I had not heard the voicemail, I would have assumed many of the stories are false. I do actually believe many of the stories are untrue or are fabricated to gain these women 15 minutes of fame.

But where are the actual pictures of Tiger with ANY of these women. I haven’t seen one.

Case in point, Jamie Jungers aunt goes on the record and promoted Jamie to go to the tabloids. The whole interview just feels slimy, like you need to take a shower after watching it. Watch it here.

ugh.

It’s great to hear Jamie took naked pictures of Tiger while he was passed out. Nah..that isn’t an invasion of privacy or anything. Is there any legal issue if she released photos of Tiger naked that he never consented to?

As I watch these videos…certain things he is saying really stand out. Watch for my commentary beneath each video.

Video #1

First off…it is noted here how good of friends Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley are. In fact, it is being reported both of them have been trying to reach Tiger to help…but are unable to at this time. Tiger has changed his phone number. I am willing to group Michael and Charles into a group known as “Enablers” simply because their behavior, I assume, matched that of Tiger. As we know, both Michael and Charles have also made many mistakes in their lifes, including infidelities, etc… Though Tiger is to blame for the recent events…it doesn’t help associating yourself with people that may promote or enable you to openly continue negative overtones in your life (such as infidelity). Drug users and alcoholics face this daily, it should be no different with relationship cheating. I love the quote from Oprah, “Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley took Tiger under their “protective” wings.

Video #2

“Sir” Charles Barkley goes on to say at the end of his segment how he didn’t say everything because of the “PG” rating of the show. How true does that statement from Charles sound today. Granted, this was in 2001, so Tiger’s “personal life” behavior may have changed over the years.

Charles apparently advised Tiger to NOT getting married until he was 30. Another statement that seems to have rung true. Apparently Charles also would call Tiger before every tournament. Maybe that still holds true throughout even 2009. However it sounds like Tiger’s phone is not ringing for Charles since he changed his number.

Tiger mentions how he looks up to Charles and Michael because in the sports entertainment business, “they have been through it all”, so he appreciates their advice. Maybe he was listening “too” good or not listening good enough…depends on which way their advice went.

Video #3

His message here is kind of ominous. He talks about how as a child, he wanted to grow up and take down the greats, which he has successfully done his entire career. How ironic he is now being taken down himself…but for his personal behavior, not what he does on the golf course.

Video #4

Nothing to report in this video, just watch it.

Video #5

Tiger goes on to say “If I can say, on December 31st, that I am a better player versus where I was on January 1st, for the rest of my life…I’d be a pretty good player”.

Couple things. Tiger’s golf future, at this moment, is an unknown given he is taking an indefinite leave from golf. As a “player”, I would say 2009 was a good year for him. As a “playa” (slang), I would say 2009 was a very very bad year.

Newsweek apparently posted a quote that says “If you want to know what its like to face someone like Tiger, punch yourself in the face..because dominators don’t just beat you, they make you beat you”. Under the assumptions of recent news reports since Tiger’s accident..sounds like the quote should say “if you want to know what its like to face someone like Elin…”

Video #6

This video starts off with a “bang” of a comment…directly about how he takes his responsibility as a role model on and off the course very seriously… talking about how when he was a kid he looked up to particular people. Again, ironic as he will have to deal with that very issue of people “looking up to him” given recent ethical/moral dilemmas he continues to face in his personal life, which unfortunately has been made VERY public.

Hearing the children talk about how much he not only conquers golf, but everything his in life is strange to hear looking back.

Video #7

Nothing to comment about, just watch.

Final Thoughts

My comments above are not to be critical of Tiger Woods given his recent personal life events, but to provide commentary based around statements made in the video in 2001, statements that when looking back just seem to be ironic or even false. I think its fair to say throughout his years on the tour, children especially (even myself back in the late 90’s up to the present) including adults have been mystified by his approach at golf, but what appeared to be his approach to life. He was bigger then golf…bigger than life because the stars were aligned, and our main complaints of him may have been his verbal lashings we would hear on the course, throwing a few clubs, and minor things.

Even with the latest revelations about Tiger, I still watch that video as if I watched it in 2001, just that I have today as a context to compare it with…but I admit he still amazes me how he approaches questions, how he approaches the game of golf..and “if” he comes back, I do think he can pick up where he left off, from a golf standpoint. I still think he will continue to amaze and mystify us, it just won’t be 100% or like it was because he has now shown us that he truly is human and extremely flawed.

My biggest concern right now is whether he is mentally doing “ok” and even if he returns to golf…how will the mental scars he has experienced with a possible divorce and child custody affect his play. Golf is 90% mental, 10% physical.

One thing is for sure…”if” he comes back…his relationship with the media will be extremely short..if at all. In his years on the tour and as a celebrity…he has made A LOT of people a A LOT of money, notoriety, and honestly he has basically been thrown under the bus by A LOT of people including some of his endorsements, who I am VERY certain were well aware of his off the course behavior. Hypocritical? I think so.

What are your thoughts?

The gossip blogs and media are getting out of hand, and with more women coming forward for their 15 minutes of fame, we will begin to see the ultimate destruction of Tiger Woods…not as an icon, but as a person.

The media won’t stop. They are blood thirsty and will lick every drop of blood until there is none left. The average person is the same way. It’s the mob mentality. Whether its 5 people or 5 million, when we get duped we want the persons head on a stick and we won’t stop until they have become lifeless.

People won’t stop until Tiger is dead. I seriously mean that. Dead in a physical sense or dead from a public sense.

What is going on with Tiger right now “IS” personal. I repeat, this is no longer a topic the mainstream media needs to keep promoting/supporting in order to enhance their ratings. Tiger’s marriage is over, that is crystal clear. His wife is most likely going to leave and take the kids to Sweden where God knows what kind of visitation Tiger will get after the divorce, he has left golf indefinitely just to try and get his life in order and save anything of his career / persona he has left…but the media won’t let that happen.

We, as a people, love train wrecks. People, in general, don’t want others to actually “die”, but the rate the media is reporting new information on Tigers PERSONAL life, the more it continues to ruin him as a person and an athlete. It is my fear, the amount of privacy being stripped from the man who has always wanted privacy..could end in suicide. Each piece of news coming out seems to be more embarrassing for Tiger each day. I surely hope that doesn’t happen, but the rate he is being crucified and his entire world is crumbling is startling.

People seem to be playing off his “indefinite leave from golf” like he will be back before the Masters. We might not see him for years at this rate…if ever again on a golf course. I am dead serious!

Tiger cheated on his wife and family. He wows us on the golf course. Unless he cheats on the golf course or his breaking rules that pertain to his sport, endorsements, etc… we seriously need to leave the man alone to absorb and deal with everything. This “is” a personal matter for him and really is none of our business anymore, even if TMZ or Radaronline think it is.

On a very serious note…I really hope Tiger does NOT hurt himself in any way given the circumstances unraveling around him. I can’t imagine being in his world right now. I can 100% guarantee if you walked up to him and said “I want to switch places…starting right now you are a nobody making $30,000 / year, 2 cars are broke down, but you have a wife and 2 kids to come home to everyday who are excited to see you. You don’t have any golf victories, the media has no clue you exist, you have no endorsements, and the only responsibilities are what wait for you at the office and at home”, Tiger Woods would snatch that in a heartbeat..guaranteed.

It’s time for us to move onto the next big story, let the Tiger Woods one go/cool down so he is at least given the opportunity to try and “right” things in his universe, because that is not possible the way things keep unfolding.

But as it unfolds…this perfectly manicured and manufactured persona and image of him is crumbling to the ground, at an alarming rate. Here is the thing..yes Tiger has to take responsibility for himself with his actions…but his image is not just a product of himself alone. It’s a product at the hands of Nike, Accenture, his PR team, marketing, stylist, etc… He is manipulated by a team of individuals on the right thing to say, when to say it, when to appear, and as all of this has gone on for 13+ years, especially the last 5 he has been married…those parties listed above have (in my opinion) been at least aware of Tigers activities and infidelities, if not promoted/participated/accepted/validated his behavior. They are all paid very well, so its easy for them to turn a blind eye or provide him the additional services he needs or requests. It has become very clear, as well, that his infidelities have come at the “request” of his team. Such as having members of his entourage/staff bring woman to his tables at clubs, or having his best friend arrange flights for mistresses to meet him at various locations/countries.

Yes, the blame falls on Tiger 100% for his behavior, but the ones getting a pass in the media it seems are those he surrounds himself with that I would consider enablers. If you are an alcoholic and you surround yourself with liquor distributors….chances are you will have a steady flow of alcohol at your disposal.

On a side note, I think his entire PR team should be fired given how the events have carelessly been driven in the last couple weeks. Aside from statements on his website, there has been NO PR representation on his behalf. This includes his own website which often let 5,000+ comments on his postings go untouched, from scathing remarks to heartfelt support. Ever heard of comment moderation?

It sounded like, from sources on gossip blogs, that his internal “team” had many quarrels with each other on how to handle the problem. When you can’t agree, nothing happens, and when nothing happens, people and products suffer.

Unless the lack of PR representation was at Tiger’s discretion and he preferred it playing out how it has, his entire PR team should be canned.

The stories I am beginning to hear across various gossip blogs or online publications are starting to become pretty crazy…such as Tiger Woods needing sex so bad with a waitress that he opted to let it take place in a church parking lot on the outside of the vehicle.

I mean..cmon. This guy shrouds himself in secrecy and privacy..yet he is finding all this time to hook up with all these random women and putting himself in all these bad bad positions.

Why is it, for 11+ years…the public hasn’t heard of anything of these transgressions. I heard one report that he was caught, hence why he did a Men’s Fitness cover…but its like the damn has burst and now all that is flooding in are secrets and more secrets. Just seems strange to me.

I won’t lie..Tiger is an awful person for what he has done, and cryptically admitted to on his own website. It’s obvious he has cheated on Elin, his wife, and has done so multiple times with multiple people. We, as people, are all guilty of things in our lives that we don’t want the public to know about, so we shouldn’t wag our fingers at him as if we are ultimately higher on the totem pole then he is. Yes it is a private matter for the Woods family…but at the same time Tiger makes most of his money from his image and endorsements of being the ideal athlete, family man, idol, icon, and more. For him to think he will get privacy in this matter is asinine given how our world and media work.

It’s actually kind of ironic, if you think about it…that Tiger has surrounded himself with this notion of being such a private person. If you were to ask me what is the one thing a celebrity could do to unravel their private life…I think Tiger Woods right now is the poster child for this.

The Women

I will get this out in the open now. If all the rumors about Tiger are true (even the church parking lot one), Tiger is trash. Great athlete, poor person. However, each one of these women are homewreckers. I place as much guilt on each one of them for the unfolding of this story as I do Tiger. They 100% all know:

1. Who he was
2. That he was married
3. That he had a family/children
4. Continued on the charade of affairs with him
5. Financially gained from all of these above

That, in my opinion, makes each one of them a homewrecker and just as guilty for the pain/suffering Elin and her kids have to go through. Here is how the conversation should have gone

Tiger: - Hey babe, do you want to have sex?
Cocktail Waitress - Uh, aren’t you married with kids?
Tiger: - Uh, yea..but I am rich…cmon lets go
Cocktail Waitress - Uh, no thanks.

Yes, I am sure for every woman Tiger passed on, he would approach a new one, rinse, repeat…but you can’t sit there and point a finger at him about what he is doing while continuing to sleep with him, travel across the country for him, and more. As much as Tiger has a responsibility to uphold a good image, be a good husband and father…these women need to use some form of class and not enable him.

And if you are holding onto 300+ text messages and dozens of voicemails, like one of the woman have…you are doing so for a payday..which you probably got. The ONLY reason all these women are stepping out into the limelight is for money…not to say “Oh my god…Tiger tricked me too..I feel so hurt”.

Tiger’s Career

I think two things will happen with Tigers career moving forward.

1. He will lose some “positive” fans, ones that have supported him since day 1, but feel his wholesome image is completely tarnished
2. He will gain some “negative” fans, ones that like a train wreck, and they will follow him to watch more drama unfold

I believe once Tiger hits the golf course in 2010, he will be met with booes, but at the same time I think ticket sales will be even larger then before..because people like train wrecks, they like drama, and they want to see how Tiger does in the wake of his personal grievances.

I will continue to watch Tiger as I always have for his incredible golfing talent, but I must say I have lost respect for him as a person and as a sports idol. It will be “different” watching him on TV, but I do want him to continue being successful with golf in order to beat Jack Nicklauses Major Championship records.

On Elin

“IF” even a moderate amount of these rumors are true..I do think Tiger’s wife should probably leave him. I am all for people working on their marriage, but there is a point where all the “transgressions” is a bit too much and unfix-able. “Working on the marriage” for your corporate / sponsor image isn’t worth it. Let her move on…let Tiger move on and deal with the financial / sponsor consequences. People aren’t stupid…don’t play the “everything is alright” game.

Tiger should fire his lawyers and leave his friends

If the rumors I have heard are true..and you hear of “friends” telling the gossip blogs/media certain things…well Tiger you better get some new friends…because your current ones are as trustworthy as a box of rocks.

Also, I am still dumbfounded how any prenup financial details can be leaked to the media. “If” any of those values are true…someone is talking who shouldn’t be…how in the world does TMZ or anyone else get a hold of that VERY private and personal data. I would fire your lawyers if that is the case (which maybe you have…who knows)

In Conclusion

I wish the Woods family the best of luck and I hope some kind of peace can be made with all of this. I do hope they can retain some form of privacy in the matter…but given how voracious the media is…they have a snowballs chance in hell.

First, modern equipment and a longer, less compact swing help make Yang significantly longer than Choi was (is), a point not to be overlooked on a golf course longer than 7,600 yards. On a few occasions in the final round, Yang outdrove Tiger when they were both hitting the same club off the tee. Even when Tiger went long, as on a par-5 when he smashed it 366 yards, Yang responded by hammering his own drive out past 330 onto a flat place in the fairway. Woods had driven it so far he had to hit from a severe downslope and ended up chunking his fairway wood 80 yards short. Although only 5′9, Yang is strong, as the CBS announcers were fond of noting throughout the final round, and his huge shoulder turn produces surprising power without sacrificing accuracy.

Second, Yang simply came up with brilliant shots down the stretch. Yang’s eagle chip-in on the short par-4 is already an instant classic, and turned what should have been an even match into a one-stroke lead. His brilliant 3-metal over the trees and bunker to 8 feet on 18 sealed the deal and reminded many of Tiger’s famous 7 iron from a downhill lie in the bunker in his last trip to Hazeltine. Some might argue that if Woods had made his normal quota of putts, the result might have been different, but the fact remains that Yang put constant pressure on Tiger with consistent ballstriking and clutch shots. The final margin was three strokes. Even if Tiger had made three clutch putts down the stretch, it is possible he could not have done better than a playoff. His was the kind of shotmaking rarely seen from the opposing side in a Woods final Sunday pairing, and it was the kind of shotmaking that deserved a trophy.

Many are wondering what effect Yang’s victory will have on golf in Asia. It will certainly encourage young male golfers, who are used to seeing Asians dominate on the LPGA Tour but have seen far less success on the men’s tour. Up-and-coming stars like Ryo Ishikawa are getting a lot of attention during tournaments on major U.S. TV stations and are bound to see even more in the wake of Yang’s PGA title. It will also probably lend a further measure of legitimacy to the Asian Tour, which is chock-full of good players and has a bright future.

What it cannot do, however, is bring down the cost of golf in countries like China and India in order to make it accessible to a wide range of young players. In China, for example, golf is primarily a game for businessmen played on courses costing the equivalent of one month’s salary for an average working Chinese just to play a single round. Golf may become more popular as a spectator sport, but in order to be widely played all over Asia, it must be made available to a much wider segment of the population, a task which is bound to take a great deal of time and a continued increase in the per-capita income in many Asian countries.

What’s right with Y.E. Yang? He plays golf the right way, won an important tournament with stellar play in dramatic fashion, and has raised the profile of golf in a strategic part of the world for golf’s future. He did this all while defeating perhaps the most recognizable figure in the sport’s history. And in the end, he celebrated gleefully, even goofily, with a broad smile on his face and his bag raised over his head. Let’s hope to see Yang competing for titles on Sunday afternoons for many years to come, and if not, we’ll always remember this one.

I have been saying this for a few years now, even with Tiger winning all the tournaments he has, I still think the Tiger of the early 2000’s is better than the Tiger today. I felt his swing itself and his “focus” were more in tune back then compared to now. His wins today are coming by 1-2 shot victories, playoffs, etc… versus the old “stompings” he used to give people. Attribute that to getting older, married, kids, knee surgery, but even before much of that as he transitioned to his flatter swing, he has never felt, to me, like the same “player” he did in the early 2000’s.

There are rumors that things between Tiger and Hank are a little rough, but who really knows the truth. However, even if Tiger gets with someone else…with where he is in his career I can’t imagine changing his swing again is a good idea, because he would lose 1-2 years like in the past. If he is going for Jack’s record, losing 1-2 years now especially after his knee surgery could be devastating to beating Jack’s record.

With that all said, here is the comparison video I found on YouTube.

There isn’t much to say. Absolutely stunning performance by Y.E. Yang. Tiger was flat out-played, plain and simple. It’s a great day for the Asian golf community.

Congratulations to Y.E Yang from everyone at Major Championships!