In case you’ve been living under a rock, Tiger wrecked his car, pulling out of his driveway in the wee hours of the morning. Evidently, a fight with his wife caused the ill-fated departure and news commentators speculated that the fight may have been caused by Tiger’s infidelity, Soon women came out the woodwork claiming that they had been having sex with Tiger.
Tiger apologized on his Web site and said he was taking an indefinite leave of absence from professional golf.
Soon it was revealed that Tiger pursued women as avidly as he did Grand Slam golf titles and found the women a lot easier to come by, as is evidenced by the string of bimbos currently coming forward to give testimonials.
Many golf reporters seemingly knew of Tiger’s womanizing, but didn’t report it because it had nothing to do with golf and was a “private matter.”
They are now being criticized by some of their colleagues for covering up for Tiger and ignoring the people’s “Right to Know.”
I have been told more about Tiger’s sex life than I have any “right to know” and way more than I have any desire to know
The story is rehashed constantly on ESPN as a voiceover while film shows Tiger putting and lingers almost salaciously over him embracing his wife after a tournament victory.
The story also made the business pages because Tiger lost at least one of his business sponsors. It seems that Tiger makes a little over $100 million a year and only a small percentage of that comes from his earnings on the golf course. The bulk of his income comes from corporate sponsorships, money paid him to endorse the products of corporations or represent those corporations in advertisements.
It is amazing to me that a man’s endorsement can sell so many products and that companies pay millions to boost their products.
When I was a kid, my Dad bought me a Ralph Kiner baseball bat. In those bygone days, Kiner regularly led the majors in home runs. The bat, however, did nothing for my miserable batting ability. I finally put it up and went back to my old bat because it was too embarrassing to ground out to the pitcher swinging a Kiner bat.
That humiliating experience made me immune to the appeal of celebrity endorsements.
I think Michael Jordan is a great basketball player, but I have no need for his name on my underwear, nor am I thinking about shaving my head.
But, I am not typical. Millions of fans will buy sporting goods, clothing and cologne endorsed by their favorite star because they want to play, look and smell like their heroes.
Tiger may lose a few sponsors but most will stay with him because his name will still sell. I expect that sales of Cadillac Escalades may go up because that’s the vehicle Tiger wrecked.
But he has new troubles. A Canadian doctor who treated him during his recuperation after knee surgery has been arrested for trying to bring human growth hormone into the U.S. The doctor and Tiger’s representatives have denied that he gave illegal drugs to Tiger and there is no evidence to indicate that he has. However, after some major league baseball players were caught lying about the use of steroids, any athlete tied to illegal drug use is usually viewed as guilty until proven innocent. That’s called “the people’s right to convict.”
In the midst of all this furor, the Associated Press announced that a poll of its members had named Tiger “Athlete of the Decade.”
That’s kind of weirdly appropriate. Tiger has become synonymous with victories, money, sex and drugs. And that’s sports in the 21st Century..
These are tough times for Tiger, but when Tiger comes back to golf, the fans will come back to Tiger, and when the fans come back, his sponsors will forgive his transgressions.
I hope his wife will.
Glenn Sumpter is a former editor of the Richmond County Daily Journal.
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