Russell Simmons: Tiger Woods donating $3 million to Haiti relief
Jan 14, 2010, 7:30 PM EDT
Is Tiger Woods at this hour piloting a cargo plane full of relief supplies to earthquake-ravaged Haiti? “We don’t have time to land!” shouts Woods, over the roar of the engines. “Help me strap on this parachute! Just throw the penicillin and canned food after me!” So either Woods is coming out of hiding with a grand, sweeping philanthropic gesture, or an experienced promoter is just using his name to drum up charity support. Either way, it’s pretty interesting. Rap mogul Russell Simmons is saying — to anyone who will listen — that Woods is considering a $3 million gift to Haiti earthquake relief, which includes a mobile hospital setup. Awesome, and a bit surprising, if true. But is it true?
Just look at Simmons’ Twitter account, which is crackling with activity and throwing around Woods’ name with abandon.
I heard tiger woods donating to send a cargo plane with a mobile hospital out there. Keep ur prayers high! about 21 hours ago from UberTwitter
Tiger woods is doing something AMAZING!!!! about 21 hours ago from UberTwitter
From the New York Daily News:
“Tiger Woods is working on sending a mobile hospital with 50 EMTs to go set up a triage,” Simmons said Wednesday night.
Simmons and representatives from Wyclef Jean’s Haitian relief organization Yele have asked Woods to support the effort. Simmons spokesman has been in touch with Woods managment team and they are “excited” about the idea.
“I am waiting to have the conversation [with Tiger] tomorrow morning,” Simmons’ spokesman Marcus Harris said. “I am hopeful that it is a yes.”
“I am just asking for his heart and his hand,” he said. “Just to meet the needs of the people.”
Simmons said he is also trying to put together several big names in the hip hop community to produce a song for the country; a We Are The World for Haiti, so to speak.
At least one blog, SportsbyBrooks, is skeptical of the whole thing.
So we’ve gone from “Tiger is” to “Tiger is considering” helping out in the Haitian relief effort. Sounds a little like Simmons might’ve jumped the gun. Especially considering that Woods reps have been silent. If he was going to do such a thing, don’t you think they’d be trumpeting his good deed?
One thing is clear: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have already donated $1 million to the relief effort. Your move, Tiger.
Here’s one way you can help.
***
Wyclef Jean Haiti relief group Yele may get $3M donation from Tiger Woods [New York Daily News]
Tiger’s Haiti Relief: Bait And Switch Or Real Thing? [SportsbyBrooks]
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- Florida727 - Jan 15, 2010 at 7:33 AM
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Michael… it’s called RACISM. Everyone only associates racism with being when whites treat blacks wrongly. It’s a two-way street. Only it’s not politically correct to call a black person a racist. By the way, not directed specifically at you, Michael, by why do blacks insist on being called “African Americans”? Most have never been to Africa, and those that have (I’m guessing) do not have dual-citizenship. If you really want to put the “African” first in “African-American” why don’t you go live there? You’re black. Got it? Yeah, I’m white. So what? You’re black. You people treat it like being called “black” is degrading or a slur. Be proud of it. I would be, if that’s how God chose me to be. End of soapbox.
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- rick - Jan 15, 2010 at 7:50 AM
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Hmmmm Donate 3 million to repair image and then make countless millions. Even Tiger is smart enough to know this works out for him. He may of even learned there was a country named Haiti.
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- Phil - Jan 15, 2010 at 8:13 AM
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Yeah. And, you don’t get much of a hospital ship for 3 mil
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- Paper Tiger - Jan 15, 2010 at 8:24 AM
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And I would bet at 5-1 odds you’re 12 or under.
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- Caitlyn - Jan 15, 2010 at 8:24 AM
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Two family members have volunteered at several Buick golf tournaments and say that Tiger is not a nice person at all. He never says Thank You (unless a camera is around) or even talks or acknowledges those who are helping. The attendent in the clubhouse received a $100 bill from Phil and a handshake and a small, courteous conversation, but when Tiger came through NOTHING, not even a head nod to the attendent….just shows he lives in Me-Me Land.
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- Steve - Jan 15, 2010 at 8:35 AM
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Anybody seen the 3 mil yet? Talk is cheap and why wouldn’t Tiger just give the money to organizations on the ground already. Tiger’s a bum, just like all the other rich athletes that think they live in a society of their own! Even though fairly philanthropic with his charities, he’s still a sham! Apparently, his constant desire for privacy was only so he could nail someone new evey week.
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- pg - Jan 15, 2010 at 8:36 AM
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tiger is just one more overpaid self centered narcissitic sports guy
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- pg - Jan 15, 2010 at 8:37 AM
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does that mean you can’t keep it in your pants for your family either ?
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- pg - Jan 15, 2010 at 8:43 AM
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Folks, let’s remember, this is a Rumor…Eldrick hasn’t done anything yet…we’ll see
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- Doc - Jan 15, 2010 at 8:58 AM
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Interesting to hear the ranting and raving, and I truly abhore the asinine Biblical metaphors. We should all be more concerned with helping people in their times of hardship. We should help them as Americans, period! What I find is that most people are so poorly read in this country, that they can’t rationally discuss anything, especially the younger generation. People who are givers, rarely want the accolades, but most I find are takers. Denzel, who by the way has an abundance of melanin skin pigmentation, has given millions for the troops, but you never read it on the front page, and many others have done the same. I think it is ironic that God gave mankind the ability to visualize color, only to have him interpret it wrongly. Maybe he should have created us all “colorblind”, and then just maybe even our laws would reflect it. In the beginning, God created man, and he made no mention of his skin color. I wonder how we will all feel when the “bomb” finally hits, and the domino effect becomes reality. I doubt that anyone will be discussing skin pigmentation. Our society is rampant with corruption, greed and hate-mongers, but I guess if people read the Bible, they would already be aware of that. After all, one day we will all stand before God and be judged according to our deeds. God bless the people who were unfortunate enough to have to bear the consequences of an act of Mother Nature but please try to keep things in perspective. By the way, I am a gun carrying, God fearing, Southern Redneck, over 50, and damned proud of it.
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- mark a. daivs - Jan 15, 2010 at 8:58 AM
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hey michael,
most of the worlds horrible disasters are taken care of because of great gobal community. the color of the people is ususally not an issue. the poorist countries of the world also tend to be black and therefore since the usa is made up of a large minortity of blacks and some of them have large amounts of money and some have come from these countries i see nothing wrong with the tiger and russells efforts.
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- CR Cantrell - Jan 15, 2010 at 9:09 AM
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It is easy to see that you are so jealous of Tiger, just because his watch cost more that your house,”knock a little ball into a hole and receive millions in endorsement money from the brain dead cretins that manage CORPORATE AMERICA.” This comment shows just how stupid you really are. If these brain dead cretins ever decide to offer up millions to a total jackass I’m sure you will be at the top of their list
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- John - Jan 15, 2010 at 9:09 AM
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He’s a GOLFER for God’s sake! He plays GOLF. He’s not a heart surgeon or a rocket scientist or a great philosopher. He plays GOLF. What the hell is wrong with you?
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- SanB - Jan 15, 2010 at 9:24 AM
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Isn’t it kind of irresponsible to use this headline when “Tiger donating 3M” is not a fact, just some guy’s supposition. Facts only, please!!!!!
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- Terr - Jan 15, 2010 at 9:39 AM
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You said that in perfection … now if the new reports/tv station would read this and get a life things would be much better
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- DDaye - Jan 15, 2010 at 9:39 AM
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Put you pants back on Marlena, Tiger is on “sabbatical”
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- jack - Jan 15, 2010 at 9:44 AM
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Somewhere I read “Let He Who Is Without Sin Cast the First Stone…”
Bunch of sin-less folks in these parts, huh?
Human perfection among us – a moralistic one-strike league
Tiger screwed up.
He screwed up HUGE
Human beings do those things.
It’s part of the package.
He’s paying for his transgressions HUGE
I in no way condone what he did – he was wrong, and completely so, but righting his wrongs is pretty much between he, his God, and his wife & family. He has some soul-searching to do.
I think he’s working on those things.
Those who judge and condemn without possibility of forgiveness – the holier-than-thou’s who think themselves superior because “they’ve never done that” are to a person not sin-free either.
They view Tiger’s actions and judge themselves better/superior.
(i think there’s another line about “judge not less ye be judged”, but i do digress)
They are a pathetic lot who in their myopic self-righteousness really aren’t really any better that they who the accuse.
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- Duane - Jan 15, 2010 at 9:51 AM
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It was awful what he did, but let’s move on. There is forgiveness.
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- Tiger Balm - Jan 15, 2010 at 10:16 AM
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Tiger is more of a human being than most of you snooty keyboard warriors. He has helped millions of children and brought excitement to the hearts of has-been household athletes. I don’t care how many sluts he has slept with. I don’t care about how pissed his wife is. Elin can go back to cleaning Jaspers Parneviks dirty toilets if she doesn’t like it. He doesn’t owe anybody an explanation. What he does owe us is to play golf and crush the field. That is all.
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- David - Jan 15, 2010 at 11:06 AM
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AMEN!!!!!
I read too many of these stories with “sources” or “ruomer” attached to the article. Yesterday, he was in Phoenix at sex rehab. few hours later he was spotted landing in South Africa for sex rehab! How come they never name the so called “source?”
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- BJ Stevens - Jan 15, 2010 at 11:08 AM
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Why is Tiger being attacked for something Russell Simmons said?
Do any of you remember a little saying about casting the first stone?
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- Steve - Jan 15, 2010 at 11:12 AM
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The bashers will be bashers and the supporters stay tyhe same. the news here is that a nice donation was made to help a tragedy.
I wonder how many people on here can say they have helped the cause in Haiti? That’s the real need right now
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- johnny - Jan 15, 2010 at 11:17 AM
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Good for Tiger in donating to people who need this if it’s true. As for the rest, who cares it’s not our business except that it makes for sensational headlines. I don’t see his wife or kids(I know they are too young) posting here and they are the ones who have any real right to speak ill of him. How much of his cheating affected anyone posting here eccept to give fodder for gossip?
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- John - Jan 15, 2010 at 12:03 PM
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“Phil Mickelson is a guy who really cares about the less fortunate without fan fare… He tried to keep it quiet but, someone found out and published it.”
Uh, yeah. And I have a bridge to Atlantis that I’d like to sell you. It’s not difficult for anyone to give money anonymously if they really want to… Don’t be so naive.
And I didn’t see Tiger on CNN talking about helping Haiti… so how is this any different than what you described about Phil… i.e., “someone found out and published it”?
Oh I know… because you have a personal grudge with a man you never met because he cheated on a woman you never met. Makes perfect sense in this “reality tv”-culture in America where people feel they have as much say in the lives of others as they do in their own.
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- Dee - Jan 15, 2010 at 12:09 PM
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The phrase “would he have done it anyway” seems to suggest we should question his sincerity. if Tiger had done no charity work all his professional life, I would concur with you on the need for suspicion. However, his Tiger Woods Foundation has done much more than several others have done. I hate that he cheated with his wife – and I won’t even attempt to excuse that – but if the issue is generosity, I’m not sure we should question his track record.
Another comment I would like to make is on the suggestion by Michael that some famous people are racist. Well, that may be true, but Tiger never failed to remind us that he is multiracial.
Finally, Patricia, you said it right when you opined that Haitians care less about Tiger’s moral failures than they need food right NOW! (Except, I think you should not be so explicit in your choice of words.) So, let’s get off the debate and help these people in their moment of need! This is not about celebrities; it’s about dying people.
