The Secret History of Tiger Woods -

[MtlJeff]

I don't know that I agree, more idiots with opinions sure, that's our blogosphere era that we are in now as oppose to 10 years ago. But mainstream the Kobe incident was major major news. There was a criminal investigation etc, the major publications gave serious BTU's to the story and it was talked about for a long time. The implications of it were more severe than what Tiger was going to deal with. I think over time its possible things don't seem as significant as they were

My point is when was the last time you hear that talked about with Kobe?? I wasn't arguing that it wasn't big news at the time..what I am arguing is that Tiger's scandal seems to have a much much longer shelf life. I heard nary a mention of it on ESPN during in Kobe's year long retirement festival. Yet when Tiger retires, which will be much longer after the scandal than Kobe's retirement was after his, how many times do you think it will be mentioned??

 

I suppose it never going to trial for Kobe has something to do with it I guess..made it easier for everyone to forgive and forget.

 

Both guys were idiots for doing what they did, don't get me wrong. The media treatment to me is just fascinating.

 

When Tiger retires he will be almost universally praised and appreciated , even more than Kobe was.

 

Kobe was harshly critized last year even for being a distraction. This year he was beloved. It's the finality of it. He's appreciated for his body of work not 1 season

 

It will be the same with Tiger you will see

[tsecor]

all the news regarding tiger is so old....his place in history is set as a top 5 player of all time.....

 

if HGH rumors are proven true at some point, only then will his GOLF legacy be questioned.....nobody should throw the moral rocks at him because everyone has skeletons.....all the affairs and idiotic off the course behavior are his business, has nothing to do with golf legacy.

[Forged4ever]

a guy who was just along for the ride.

 

I think it's safe to say this is a guy who cares ; )

 

 

 

 

Guy put in a lot of work to do what he did. And, I would add that you could apply all of the adjectives you used to describe Prince, to TW.

 

Just disagreeing with you but can respect your opinion.

"A guy who was just along for the ride" ????????

 

WTF???????

 

 

 

RP

 

A musical golf comparison if I may.

 

Prince = Arnold Palmer

 

Tiger Woods = Axle Rose

 

Sure, Axle Rose is great. Truly amazing when he was doing his thing. But, somewhere along the way he started to do it for the wrong reasons and got bored with it and that's why he disappeared into obscurity (for the most part). If you look back at when Axle Rose was at his peak, his fall from Rock and Roll legendary status was unimaginable.

 

In that picture Tiger was impassioned, indeed. He was all in but he has never been all in in like Arnold Palmer is all in.

 

Nobody's gonna go to the bar and order a Tiger Woods.

The only thing that I know about "all in" were the guys who lined up with me on defense and gave every ounce that they had and I did the same and they had my back no matter what, and I had theirs, no questions asked-

 

That's what "all in" means to me-

 

Now regarding Tiger or even Arnold, I can only go on what I've seen when he's been on the course, because in my mind, #1, that's the ONLY thing that counts, to me at least and #2, I believe that he left everything that he had on the course, with the 2008 US Open being the only time that I've ever witnessed a golfer push past pain and injury to not only finish but to emerge victorious(I was too young to even remember Ken Venturi's miraculous US Open victory in the early 60's I believe though Sam and Pete said it was the most incredible thing they'd ever seen in golf, with him basically being "out" on his feet and just putting one foot in front of the other and swinging to complete the round, as he had no clue to where he stood till Sam told him).

 

To me, THAT is all in-

 

To compare Prince to Tiger???????

 

Seriously?????

 

I'm not one of the bois however Prince was a superstar and a great artist though by no means one of the "greatest" ever-

 

Christ, have you listened to his stuff from the last 15-20 years?????

 

Tiger is arguably the greatest Player ever to tee it up, as he and Jack are my GOATs, Jack as THE Greatest Champion and Tiger as THE Greatest Player-

 

"All in????"

 

Bro, I don't know what sports ya played or at what levels or what your definition of "all in" is, however you can count on 2-3 fingers the guys who can even be in the conversation with Tiger as a Player, and Arnie SureTF ain't one of em-

 

Is he a better ambassador?

 

Hard to say because #1, Tiger's still in the game and #2, it's wayyyyy too early to make that call-

 

If pressed, yea I'd say that Tiger will never be the ambassador that Arnie has been-

 

But WhoTF has?????

 

Christ, people couldn't stand Jack until he was well into his 30's, he was "Fat Jack" and then the "Robot."

 

Nah, I get it that ya don't care for Tiger, and that's fine, however to say that he wasn't "all in," well we must have been watching two very different Players out there-

 

And WhatTF does havin a drink named after you have to do with anything??

 

Have you ever even had any of Arnie's canned drinks???

 

They suck, lol-

 

Seriously, I found the tea concoction rude-

 

And yea, when I was at his place in Ligonier I had a California-

 

Now you wanna have a kick a** non-alcohol drink I'd highly recommend it-

 

Prince???

 

Frickin Arnie????

 

Oh Christ, my blood pressure bells are going off-

 

HaHa, damn do I have issues-

 

Regardless, I wish you the best and do appreciate the time that you took to respond-

 

You didn't have to do that

 

Thanks :)

 

My Best,

Richard

[Holy Moses]

They're running this thing in print on their website, streaming it, and showing it on ESPN. Not a single fact that hasn't already been talked about by multiple other sources. The SEALs obsession was covered by Haney. The affairs by every major media outlet. I simply can't understand what this piece brings?

 

I was never much of an Urkel fan when he was at the top. Now, I'm cheering as hard as anyone that he makes a comeback.

 

Just another rubber necking, train wreck, dumpster fire of recycled news pushed by a ravenous 24-hour news industry that has to make news when there's none. Tiger like most successful people made a lot of sacrifices for his greatness. He's accomplished a lot, perhaps at the cost of some elements of his personal life. He's divorced. So is half of this country. Get over it ESPN and get over yourselves.

 

There were a lot of never before revealed details in the ESPN article

[lumberman2462]

Tiger probably should have a drink named after him.

 

 

[drbonesvt]

Tiger probably should have a drink named after him.

 

Done already - "sex on the beach"

 

18 majors vs 18 morally flexible women, tiger eclipsed Jack one way or another

[Matt J]

I call a jasmine green tea and lemonade a Tiger Woods, but that's just me. :)

 

What details were never before known about Tiger from the article? I've read most easy to find things about Tiger and I read that article word for word and not once was I surprised. Not once.

[tsecor]

tiger has a few drinks named after him already.....the Alabama slamma and the sloe screw.....both highball drinks

 

when he was in a certain mood he had the mudslide named after him.....ok ill stop there

[BMC]

Prince = Seve

.

You'd have to go to Perkin's to order a Tiger Woods. And, it would depend on the waitresses mood whether you'd get one.

[Forged4ever]

http://shaunthebartender.com/the-tiger-woods-cocktail-is-august-25th-drink-of-the-day/

 

http://www.sportspickle.com/2010/03/14-drinks-named-after-athletes-and-how-to-make-them

 

LMAO, that second one is actually funny

 

Fairways & Greens My Friends,

RP

[straightshot7]

One thing is for sure--Tiger is the most polarizing golfer in history. And the most talked about and the most impactful as far as gathering headlines and increasing the whole business tenfold.

 

He probably ranks top 10 all time among all athletes all time in those categories.

 

So whether you like him or not, you have to admit he sure is interesting and has made a big splash with his life.

 

I respect how much he got out of his talent. He could have folded under the giant expectations many times.

[norge5]

What I don't understand is how guys like Kobe Bryant and Ben Rothelsberger can be obvious scumbags and skate away

nearly scott-free publicly (eventually) but Tiger hasn't been afforded the same courtesy?? Is it a Christian America

thing and the fact that what he did was to his wife as opposed to some no-name women?? Somebody mentioned previously

that his publicist should have been fired and I think that may be the truest thing said in this thread.

Players of the big three, MLB,NBA,NFL, always slide. Golf is a different animal. More sophisticated.

[norge5]

 

Tiger's fashion sense is the only real crime in all of this.

Tiger is one of the greatest golfers of all time. No question. But I look at him and think "nerd."

[norge5]

Compare Prince to Tiger? Can't do it. Totally different. I would pay good money to meet Prince. I wouldn't cross the street to meet Tiger.

You can claim a "greatest" of all time in sports. It's subjective but you could argue wins, majors. Prince is one of the most talented artists of all time arguably. They had a music critic on the other day who said Prince was one of the greatest guitarist's of all time. The guy could play some ridiculous number of instruments. Also was a pioneer in the way artists control their music.

[b.helts]

If you pay money to meet prince now, you didn't pay good money. You paid a charlatan.

[Forged4ever]

"the chase for the record" was more of a golf media/fanboy creation than anything he truly cared about.

I've said this for sometime and my reasoning was that Tiger worshipped his father, from the time he was a small boy he tried to please his father and as his father called 14 majors that afternoon in Rhode Island following Tiger's final US Am victory, and Tiger reached that mark, and inside, Tiger can smile and know that he met the bar that he had called/set for him. As you and others have said, the chase for 18 or 19 was more fan bois and press than Tiger ever really talking about it unless he was asked. I have no

Idea obviously, however I believe that he's more at peace than many are giving him credit for and with regards to Michael, while he's my BBall GOAT, he likes to hear himself talk.

 

He's talkin about all this "love" he has for Tiger-

 

Paleeeeeze, LMAO

 

He's an A**H*** ;)

 

He hardly knows THE Tiger, based on all the garbage that he spews-

 

Nice post Bro!!

 

All the Best,

RP

[norge5]

One thing is for sure--Tiger is the most polarizing golfer in history. And the most talked about and the most impactful as far as gathering headlines and increasing the whole business tenfold.

 

He probably ranks top 10 all time among all athletes all time in those categories.

 

So whether you like him or not, you have to admit he sure is interesting and has made a big splash with his life.

 

I respect how much he got out of his talent. He could have folded under the giant expectations many times.

I'm not old enough to remember but wasn't the Jack/Arnie thing one of the most polarizing things in golf? Kind of like you were either on one side or the other.

[Forged4ever]

One thing is for sure--Tiger is the most polarizing golfer in history. And the most talked about and the most impactful as far as gathering headlines and increasing the whole business tenfold.

 

He probably ranks top 10 all time among all athletes all time in those categories.

 

So whether you like him or not, you have to admit he sure is interesting and has made a big splash with his life.

 

I respect how much he got out of his talent. He could have folded under the giant expectations many times.

I'm not old enough to remember but wasn't the Jack/Arnie thing one of the most polarizing things in golf? Kind of like you were either on one side or the other.

Yes, and Arnie did nothing to blunt the venom. He had/has an ego and Jack was the new Big Dog and where Arnie had it all, the game, the looks, the magnetism and let's face it, straight guys were drooling over him and then all of a sudden this fat 21-22 yo shows up and kicks his a**. As I said, Jack didn't really "grow" on the public till his mid-30's, in the mid 70's.

 

Jack had game though nothing else that Arnie had-

 

Arnie was a stud, lol

 

Fairways & Greens My Friend,

RP

[tsecor]

tiger is not the most polarizing guy in golf history I think 99% of golf fans loved tiger....it was only after his wife hit him with a club did the polarization begin.....his uber popularity stemmed from the fact outside of Michelson, there were no other good golfers out there for years. Plus he made golf cool for younger kids....

[Titleist 670]

Tiger built his schedule around the majors. They were very important to him.

 

How else do you explain the US Open in 2008?

 

Now that its more unlikely he will pass Jack, suddenly 18 wasnt that big of a goal.

 

Im not buying it.

[straightshot7]

tiger is not the most polarizing guy in golf history I think 99% of golf fans loved tiger....it was only after his wife hit him with a club did the polarization begin.....his uber popularity stemmed from the fact outside of Michelson, there were no other good golfers out there for years. Plus he made golf cool for younger kids....

 

So the polarization doesn't count past a certain timeline cutoff point?

 

And check the stories of the death threats he got for being black in a white man's game.

 

And all the people that hated him prior to the scandle. Because of his on course temper at times and not succoming to the media's constant desires.

 

But regardless of polarizing my post was more about his influencing power and the draw that he has.

 

Edit: and Tiger would have stood out in any generation that is ridiculous the comment about Phil and the rest of the players

[norge5]

One thing is for sure--Tiger is the most polarizing golfer in history. And the most talked about and the most impactful as far as gathering headlines and increasing the whole business tenfold.

 

He probably ranks top 10 all time among all athletes all time in those categories.

 

So whether you like him or not, you have to admit he sure is interesting and has made a big splash with his life.

 

I respect how much he got out of his talent. He could have folded under the giant expectations many times.

I'm not old enough to remember but wasn't the Jack/Arnie thing one of the most polarizing things in golf? Kind of like you were either on one side or the other.

Yes, and Arnie did nothing to blunt the venom. He had/has an ego and Jack was the new Big Dog and where Arnie had it all, the game, the looks, the magnetism and let's face it, straight guys were drooling over him and then all of a sudden this fat 21-22 yo shows up and kicks his a**. As I said, Jack didn't really "grow" on the public till his mid-30's, in the mid 70's.

 

Jack had game though nothing else that Arnie had-

 

Arnie was a stud, lol

 

Fairways & Greens My Friend,

RP

I agree. I didn't like Jack as much until later. I compare it to boxing for me. I used to box and I loved boxing. I didn't like Muhammad Ali but, as I got older, and learned more about him, now I like him a lot. Never appreciated Ali's genius until I was older. Same with Jack.

[SadTrombone]

Pretty genius to change your name so you can fight in a square instead of in another country...

[Forged4ever]

Tiger built his schedule around the majors. They were very important to him.

 

How else do you explain the US Open in 2008?

 

Now that its more unlikely he will pass Jack, suddenly 18 wasnt that big of a goal.

 

Im not buying it.

Absolutely they were-

 

14 of em-

 

2008?

 

That was #14-

 

It was vitally important to Tiger

 

I just happen to believe that it was so important to him because his father called it 12 years before and not because it moved him one closer to Jack.

 

I'd be curious if there is ever even a quote FROM Tiger regarding either 18 or 19 majors-

 

Not a response to a question, him initiating the discussion, as Hogan and Jack did countless times.

 

Majors were definitely important to him in so far as they were important to Earl-

 

Earl called 14-

 

Tiger chased and got 14

 

Just my .01 :)

 

Have a great week Bro

 

Fairways & Greens My Friend,

RP

[Lodestone]

One thing is for sure--Tiger is the most polarizing golfer in history. And the most talked about and the most impactful as far as gathering headlines and increasing the whole business tenfold.

 

He probably ranks top 10 all time among all athletes all time in those categories.

 

So whether you like him or not, you have to admit he sure is interesting and has made a big splash with his life.

 

I respect how much he got out of his talent. He could have folded under the giant expectations many times.

I'm not old enough to remember but wasn't the Jack/Arnie thing one of the most polarizing things in golf? Kind of like you were either on one side or the other.

Yes, and Arnie did nothing to blunt the venom. He had/has an ego and Jack was the new Big Dog and where Arnie had it all, the game, the looks, the magnetism and let's face it, straight guys were drooling over him and then all of a sudden this fat 21-22 yo shows up and kicks his a**. As I said, Jack didn't really "grow" on the public till his mid-30's, in the mid 70's.

 

Jack had game though nothing else that Arnie had-

 

Arnie was a stud, lol

 

Fairways & Greens My Friend,

RP

I agree. I didn't like Jack as much until later. I compare it to boxing for me. I used to box and I loved boxing. I didn't like Muhammad Ali but, as I got older, and learned more about him, now I like him a lot. Never appreciated Ali's genius until I was older. Same with Jack.

Very much the same for me. In the 1960s I was just coming to the age of paying attention to sports, and there were a few "dynasties" as I began to observe: The tail end of the Yankees (Maris & Mantle), the Celtics (Russell & Cousy), The Packers (Vince Lombardi), and while my folks were still rooting for Arnie, it was Jack's game by then. In boxing, nobody could lay a glove on Cassius Clay (before he became Ali). As a kid, it seemed like these teams had always been great and always would be. It wasn't until I got a bit older and watched them decline that I realized an appreciation for how hard it was to dominate for a few years, and how quickly even a dynasty declines.

 

I have much more of an appreciation for that now, than I did at the time.

I didn't care for Tiger's on course personality, long before the "scandal", and frankly, what people do in their personal lives doesn't change my feelings about them. At my age, I've seen it all. Most of Tiger's dominant years came when I wasn't all that intrigued by pro golf, either because I had other things going on, but also, for me, the foregone conclusion that Tiger would win may have blunted my interest.

As much as I still don't care for the guy's public persona, I find myself marveling even more at his record, now that the dust has settled. Personally, I don't see him ever playing well again, but if he were to contend, on a Sunday, in even one more major, I'd probably be rooting for him. maybe...

[Lodestone]

Pretty genius to change your name so you can fight in a square instead of in another country...

 

How old were you in 1967 when Ali refused to be conscripted and go to Vietnam?

[SadTrombone]

Pretty genius to change your name so you can fight in a square instead of in another country...

 

How old were you in 1967 when Ali refused to be conscripted and go to Vietnam?

What's that got to do with it?

[Lodestone]

Pretty genius to change your name so you can fight in a square instead of in another country...

 

How old were you in 1967 when Ali refused to be conscripted and go to Vietnam?

What's that got to do with it?

 

If you lived during that time, and experienced the social trauma of that war, first hand, you would likely have a different perspective than if you were a generation or two removed from it. I was interested in knowing what your perspective was.

[SadTrombone]

Pretty genius to change your name so you can fight in a square instead of in another country...

 

How old were you in 1967 when Ali refused to be conscripted and go to Vietnam?

What's that got to do with it?

 

If you lived during that time, and experienced the social trauma of that war, first hand, you would likely have a different perspective than if you were a generation or two removed from it. I was interested in knowing what your perspective was.

 

Family members who served and told me all about their experience while I sat on their laps. That's my perspective. He was a draft dodger pure and simple. Dozens of legit reasons not to go, but he chose the easy way.

 

Plus, to quote a great movie, "his mama called him clay, ima call him clay."

 

He was a great fighter, but genius? Give me a break.

[Lodestone]

Actually, you used the word "genius".

 

And I have no problem with your perspective being your perspective.