By Gary Larrabee
After all the orchestration – the hand on his heart, the hugs from his carefully selected audience of mourners, the hand on his face as he walked away at the merciful end, bound for more therapy sessions – the inescapable conclusion drawn from his ridiculously over-exposed speaking performance last Friday is unmistakable. If ever a person deserved the “Rich Man, Poor Man” label, the title of the the 1976 television mini-series, it’s Eldrick “Tiger” Woods.
As he left the stage at PGA Tour headquarters in Ponte Vedra, Fla., Tiger epitomized the contradiction of his plight. Here stood the richest man in professional sports – a billionaire. But here also stood a man besmirched with a level of poverty no fellow human would wish on his worst enemy. It’s a poverty of character, dignity, honor, self-esteem.
In humiliating his wife and children by his extramarital sexual affairs, Woods has too humbled the game that made him famous and wealthy beyond one’s imagination. The game that stands stratospheres above all others for honesty, gentlemanliness, and respect. Now he’ll be famous or something else: His unquenchable thirst for deceit. He’s cheated his family and friends. He’s cheated the greatest game. Worst of all, he’s cheated himself.
Can you imagine Jack Nicklaus or Gary Player being accused of such conduct? Or any other icons of the game. Well, maybe one. Divorces? Sure. Just ask Lee Trevino or Tom Watson.
The summit of Woods/’ mountain to redemption and forgiveness seems unattainable. But scale that mountain he must try for one reason and one reason only. To save himself. Whether he can save himself as a husband or father or credible face of golf is not as important. What’s important is that Woods live his life from this moment forward with an honesty directed toward himself that he’s never shown.
As a humble critic with few credentials, I’m as willing to criticize Tiger for his contrived appearance last Friday as anyone. Thankfully, there were no crocodile tears. Sadly, he didn’t announce a suspension of golf competition until January 1, 2011. That would have won the hearts of millions (or at least a biopsied portion of those hearts) of his fans who are concerned about his humanity No. 1 and his golf No. 2. He can play golf and make zillions of dollars for as long as he wants. But how long does he truly have to remove the dirt from his name and make it at least partially clean again? Maybe it’s too late. Maybe the first line of his obituary has indelibly been written: “Tiger Woods, the record-breaking billionaire golfer who tarnished his name to eternity with a series of tawdry extra-marital sexual affairs while in his golfing prime…,”.
If not, his window of opportunity to secure a saving grace is closing by the day. Maybe it has already been closed and locked forever in the eyes of many. Fact is, if the golf world wants to embrace Tiger again, it will in due time. Never was a truism more appropriate. “To err is human, to forgive is divine.” Our humanity allows us to forgive. Hopefully those closest to him will forgive Woods as well, and one day he can resume his quest for the holy grail of golf as an honest man.
Breakin 90 // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:14 am
I have to disagree, Woods cheated on his wife, no his fan, not sports writers , and not golf. I think he best move ( he’ll never do it) would be to sever all his endorsements, and play golf. I for one was glad he didn’t go on Oprah or the Tonight show. he seemed frightened last friday, something I’ve never seen.