2011 Masters running thread

He's an athlete who cheated on his wife on the road -- a lot. This does not exactly makes Woods an exceptional figure in sports history. It does make him a less than admirable person (also an idiot, all things considered). IF coverage of golf in sports journalism didn't have such a long tradition of awestruck hero worship, the reaction to Woods' failings as a person might have been less acute. To some people in the golf world, not journalists, it's like Tiger cheated on them, not Elin.

 

Everyone who feels one way is exactly right, and anyone who feels differently is wrong. And stupid.

 

Fans want to believe that their heroes are also exemplary people as well as amazing athletes. Look at how vehemently they defend them on message boards, via email, on talk radio, and so forth. The rate of taking players' sides in a spat with the media is about 100 to 1. Tiger was tough for people because there was just no way to explain it away. He was busted red-handed, and it somehow shattered something deeply felt by a lot of people.

 

Not too many were better golfers than Woods yesterday -- one to be precise, Jason Day. Whatever one's opinion of Woods, it can't be denied that his situation is intensely interesting.

 

How many of them have won 14 majors?

Again: I don't care if he cheated on his wife. I've followed his career since the beginning and I would like to see him finish what he started and break Jack's record.

 

A lot of it has to probably do with Tiger and I being about the same age. As long as he's still beating younger people, that means my time's not up, either.

 

I don't care if he's a "piece of shit" or not. The guy is an amazing player. My point is so many people hate the guy that they immediately write him off when he slumps. That's absurd. (And yes, I have followed along. I've covered about 10-12 tournaments he's played.) He hasn't competed in two years? Really? Wasn't he top 10 last year at Augusta and at leas one other major? (Forgive me but I don't feel like looking it up.) That's competing. When he wins again, a lot of people are going to look foolish.

 

Fourth at The Masters. Fourth at the U.S. Open.

 

I agree with DD, unless he disagrees with me.

 

1. Tiger didn't "double" his size. Don't be ridiculous. He didn't come back from an off-season looking like Bonds.

2. The blood-spinning procedure was cleared by the PGA Tour.

3. Woods has not tested positive for anything on the Tour's banned list. We know this because the Tour has it written down in the policy that postive tests will be released to the media.

 

Hondo's points 2 and 3 are checkable facts. Look how much smaller he is on TV is not.

 

One of those other 50 players might've killed a hobo and stuffed his body in an extra bag last week for all I know. My money is on Rocco Mediate. Behind those Oakleys are the eyes of a killer.