TAKE YOUR PICK DOES TIGER WOODS OWE THE WORLD AN EXPLANATION?
Yes — Woods isn’t just a golfer, he’s a celebrity. He forfeited his privacy long ago when he became the most publicized and compensated (endorsements) athlete on the planet. He doesn’t need to share what goes on behind closed doors, but when he smashes up a fire hydrant and a tree in the middle of the night, off his property, he should at least issue an explanation and apology in person, instead of simply releasing a tight-lipped statement on his Web site.
No — Absolutely not. Just because he’s the world’s most recognizable athlete doesn’t mean Woods has to open up his personal life to the rubbernecking public. So what if Woods had some sort of domestic dispute with his wife, Elin Nordegren, in the wee hours? Did we miss something? Did the dispute occur at a golf tournament? Was somebody other than Woods injured? Were drugs or alcohol involved? Were any laws broken? A resounding “no” is the answer in every case, which is the reason Woods isn’t even talking with police, much less a scandal-starved, sensationalism-adoring public.
Our take — Tiger Woods owes the world nothing.
How many times have players been ripped by teammates for airing a team’s dirty laundry in public? The most successful teams handle such things internally, following the unspoken golden rule that what happens within the team stays within the team. Given that this incident didn’t involve a caddie, fellow player or any form of competition, why would anyone expect Woods to discuss it?
Woods has never opened his private life to the public, and we commend him for attempting to protect that narrow space for his family.
Did he make an unseemly mistake over the holiday? Probably, and he’s apologized on his Web site for the stir he caused. But frankly, the media caused that ruckus, not Woods. The same folks who are miffed because he doesn’t do more stumping for social change are the ones expecting an explanation for this incident. But you won’t get it. Woods is a golfer, not a reality TV star, and he’s never claimed to be anything more. Don’t like it? Get over it, because the reality is that Woods has too much class to let his life turn into a soap opera.
TWT FIVE CURRENT HEISMAN PECKING ORDER
1. Colt McCoy, Texas (3,328 yards passing, 368 yards rushing, 29 TDs, 9 INT) - Needs a massive game vs. Nebraska to hold off dynamic duo in SEC showdown
2. Tim Tebow, Florida (2,166 yards passing, 796 yards rushing, 30 TDs, 4 INT) - Raw numbers are the worst of his three seasons as starting QB
3. Mark Ingram, Alabama (1,429 yards rushing, 6.47 yards per carry, 12 TDs) - Must badly outplay Tebow; hurt by poor game vs. Auburn, Gerhart’s stats, age
4. Toby Gerhart, Stanford (1,736 yards rushing, 5.58 yards per carry, 26 TDs) - Very late to spotlight and also hurt by Cardinal’s pedestrian season
5. Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska (70 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, 10 passes broken up) - The NFL Draft will leave no doubt as to the identity of this season’s best player
HE SAID WHAT?
“I don’t like Utah. In fact, I hate them. I hate everything about them. I hate their program, their fans. … It felt really good to send those guys home.”
- QB Max Hall after BYU defeated Utah on Saturday
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