Whether or not you agree with Dan Jenkins’ recent take on Tiger Woods, it’s one of those situations where you just have to get down on your knees and give the “We’re not worthy” bow to the words themselves. Jenkins, IMO, is every much a technician at the word processor as Woods is on the golf course; I often imagine him living his retirement off on a ranch somewhere, grooming nouns and adjectives like champion racehorses, pausing for an hour each day to supervise the polishing of his vocabulary. It was inevitable that the former writer for Sports Illustrated and author of Semi-Tough and Dead Solid Perfect would shift his focus to Affair le Tigre, and the result — his Feb. 18 column in Golf Digest — is revealing, pointed and, ultimately, devastating.
What set Jenkins off, evidently, is when Woods’ agent, Mark Steinberg, referred to his client as a “kid.” As in, the media should “give the kid a break.” Key excerpt:
Kid?
Kids flew B-17s in daylight bombing raids over Germany in World War II. Kids fought in Korea and Vietnam. Kids are serving today in Iraq and Afghanistan so Tiger Woods can live in a world where he can win 14 majors and match that number, the last time I counted, with 14 casting couches, most of them reserved for blondes.
Hoo boy. Here we go.
Kid?
Tiger Woods was a month away from 34 years of age when his debutantes began turning up in the news. He was a grown man with a wife and two children. Well, we supposed he had a wife, but that was before we learned she was only an ornament.
… Now excuse me a moment while I try to envision Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus playing video games and eating Fruit Loops while they try to deal with a career problem.
Of course, Hogan, Palmer and Nicklaus never set themselves up to become future statues in Central Park.
They never pretended to be the All-American Daddy-Pop Father of the Year Who Also Wins Golf Tournaments.
They never sold themselves as the greatest Family Values brand ever, and conquered the marketplace with it, shamelessly scooping up hundreds of millions of dollars while saying, “My family will always come first.”
They were never what Tiger allowed himself to become from the start: spoiled, pampered, hidden, guarded, orchestrated and entitled.
I’ll tell you what Hogan, Palmer and Nicklaus were at their peak.
They were every bit as popular as Tiger, they endured similar demands on their time, but they handled it courteously, often with ease and enjoyment.
They were accessible, likable, knowable, conversant, as gracious in loss as they were in victory, and, above all, amazingly helpful to those of us in the print lodge who covered them.
That was their brand. All the things Tiger never was.
And now, the capper:
Never in my knowledge of history has any famous personality — in sports, show biz, or politics — ever fallen so far so fast. Tiger Woods is graveyard dead, as the Southern expression goes.
Life as Tiger has known it is over. His reputation is ruined, possibly forever. His name that once meant mastery over competitive golf now invokes cringes, giggles and all the Internet jokes you want to pass along.
That’s what it’s like being deconstructed by a master; something that makes one take pause and think that, yeah, Tiger’s image is going to need major reconstructive surgery after all. It’s not a problem that a month at Gentle Path and a take-no-questions press gathering is going to fix. Tiger’s burden now is not only to fix himself, but to “win the crowd.” That’s not going to be easy with a majority of the public who now knows him only for his celebrity, and not his talent. Winning back golf fans will be easy. But most people aren’t golf fans, believe it or not. This “kid” has an enormous mountain to climb.
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Nice (Not) Knowing You [Golf Digest]
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- Joe Pell - Feb 23, 2010 at 1:57 PM
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Talk about throwing rocks in a glass house. Lowlife Dan is judging another human being? Gimme a break !!!
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- Dan - Feb 23, 2010 at 1:57 PM
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Funny how this old sack of sh!t can’t do anything about what’s going to happen on the golf course when Tiger returns, huh?
I find it funny the amount of annimosity from men who have nobly dealt with their sad hag relationships, and are now feeling jealousy towards Tiger as a player of the field… Sadly, it’s not dignity that’s ringing forth… nope, it’s just simple jealousy!
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- Briggs - Feb 23, 2010 at 2:00 PM
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Tiger’s race or the scrutiny of the media have nothing to do with his problems. Sure, 50 years ago these athletes were not under a magnifying glass the way they are now. But Tiger knew all this. He knew he was going to be hounded by the press, he’s had 15 years of experience with it already. His main problem is arrogance, that he is “Tiger Woods” and can do anything he wants. Only an idiot would risk his marriage, his career, and hundreds of millions of dollars in endorsements over a bunch of whores. It’s to the media’s credit that no one busted him earlier, they gave him his privacy in that regard. No, this is Tiger’s own fault.
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- dont care - Feb 23, 2010 at 2:00 PM
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hawk YOU are the one that is racist, you AND tiger. WHY wont he have any thing to do with a woman of color. white – 14, black – 0.sort of looks like he maybe be a little “color” blind.
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- Steve - Feb 23, 2010 at 2:00 PM
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Wow! A lot of folks who sit and judge. Yes. he did wrong. Yes, it was hypocritical. But the nastiness and finalness of the responses here is noted. So, none of you folks are Christian, I guess, since you are unwilling to forgive. This stuff has been going on before Tiger, I’m pretty sure Arnie probably took advantage of his status a few times in his life. The difference is today’s media environment. Adultery didnt diqualify other famous people from us acknowledging their accomplishments.
Thank you Dan jenkins, (Who?) for sharing your righteous indignation. I will remember you and laugh when Tiger wins more Majors. Graveyard dead indeed.
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- Abigguy2 - Feb 23, 2010 at 2:02 PM
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Tiger effed-up big time, but if he wins one more tournament all will be forgiven.
Dan jenkins is a major player in the industry that created the Tiger myth and will reconstruct it when the time comes, so his pontificating seems a little lame.
If Tiger is so dead, why was the whole world, including Jenkins, hanging on his every word last Friday morning?
Also, I think Jenkins, as is common with a lot of old guys, is remembering a past that never existed. Nicklaus “approachable”? He was one of the biggest pricks in sports.
And wtf do WWII, Korea, or Vietnam have to do with the PGA Tour? Most of those 17-year olds were black kids that weren’t allowed to play golf.
Froot Loops and video games? No. Jenkins heroes preferred cigarettes and scotch.
Jenkins is just another old guy who is pissed that the world keeps changing and leaving him and his selective memories behind.
I also wouldn’t be suprised to learn that maybe Tiger stiffed him for an interview sometime in the past.
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- Colie - Feb 23, 2010 at 2:02 PM
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Here is my question why on Earth would he cheat on Elin who if HOT?
Also consider this, if he wan’t the most famous golfer ever known would anyone really care if he cheated on her at all? We put way too much stock in what famous people do and say these days. This is between Tiger and Elin they need to work this out for themselves and everyone else needs to leave them alone. But let me just say this about people who cheat on their mates, once a cheater always a cheater.
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- whereiscarmen - Feb 23, 2010 at 2:02 PM
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Come on folks…you have got to let this go!
Reclaim your life~how’s that working for ya?
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- DJM - Feb 23, 2010 at 2:03 PM
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Having read the full article, is it possible that Jenkins’ rant is perhaps due to the fact that TIger wouldn’t have dinner with him? Not to say that that isn’t fair. But it does seem a little like a kick-a-man-while-he’s-down kind of thing.
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- Dee Hibler - Feb 23, 2010 at 2:04 PM
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Spare me the ol’ fart all-white comparisons of Hogan, Parlmer & Nicklaus. Were they ever denied the right play their beloved sport simply because of the color of their skin??? Were they raised from toddler-hood to be a golfing machine; practically a cyborg protected and sheltered from reality as we know it for his entire life?
Shud’up Dandy Dan Jenkins and your rose-colored glasses assessment. What do you or the geriatric gentry, golfers or otherwise, know of discrimination, disgrace and degradation because of their skin color. Phooey.
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- chuckie - Feb 23, 2010 at 2:04 PM
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didn’t know we had so many PREFECT Americans; I see; Tiger is the 1st man to ever cheat on his wife; don’t see how some of you self righteous hypocrites can even stand to live with yourself; He who is without sin cast the 1st stone
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- tim delaney - Feb 23, 2010 at 2:04 PM
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I pretty much agree except with inlcuding Hogan as an example of “grace.” Hogan was a jerk who treated Arnold like he did not exist. I know Jenkins was a personal friend of his so I can accept just the Hogan was the ultimate professional. I have always though Jenkins to be a bit of a racist so I have to temper that as well.
Still, his comments mostly ring true.
When is someone going to get a psychologist to put the workd out that TW is a psycho. A man with so many obsessiuons, they dont know where to go?
TSD
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- Tom - Feb 23, 2010 at 2:04 PM
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My my, there are a lot of people who must live in glass houses because they are throwing stones at Tiger. Think about your own issues and begin to ask forgiveness rather than looking at the speck in your neighbors eye. Tiger only proved what the rest of us should realize that neither he nor us are perfect. We all would gain a lot more by sitting back and let him get on with his life as we should with our own lives.
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- Briggs - Feb 23, 2010 at 2:04 PM
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But the press has given Tiger a break here too. There are allegations of HGH and steroids, he has been associated with known steroid dealers. Yet he’s not been hounded by steroid questions the way other athletes have been (Armstrong for example). Look at his physique and tell me he doesn’t have that steroid/HGH look. The man is juiced.
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- Laura in South Florida - Feb 23, 2010 at 2:06 PM
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Hawk – GET A LIFE!!! AND AN EDUCATION! “The rich white man cheated on their wifes all the time with whores…” – it has nothing to do with the color of his skin – it has everything to do with the image Tiger wanted portrayed of himself and his family – Nobody cared what color he was when he won all those major tournaments – only that he had won and was an inspiration to men (and women) of EVERY COLOR!!!! Mr. Jenkins, you are right; however this “kid” hibernating for weeks, eating Froot Loops, playing video games and watching cartoons reminds me of another “man/child” who fell from grace at one point in his career – Michael Jackson (RIP) – I guess becoming successful when still considered a “child” in whatever path you have chosen does not allow you to mature or maybe gives you an excuse/right to behave badly – GROW UP, TIGER! You only confessed and went to “rehab” because you got caught – if not, it would still be going on today! I will watch Tiger if he ever goes back to golf because he is such a gifted player, but as a “man”, I will always consider him an adulterer who felt he was entitled to his every whim.
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- Me - Feb 23, 2010 at 2:06 PM
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Uhm, Tiger is less than half Black and has never stated that he considers himself to be Black.
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- Greg - Feb 23, 2010 at 2:07 PM
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Screw Dan jenkins & the rest of the so-called wannabe reporters who wasted there own & all of ours with this never ending story. Country is in 2 wars, deficit is in an all time high, misery everywhere & yet this is the best reporters can come up with. Slamming a black man for screwing a buncoh of white bimbo’s who think they now have an apology coming. What is wrong with all of you idiots. This isn’t news, its lets get the black guy who keeps beating all of the white golfers. Lets be real, every other perosn who cheated, probably still does & yet they only received a day or two worth of newsworthy. Some of these reporters just write anything & everything without checking there facts. This isn’t a story but a lynching.
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- shane - Feb 23, 2010 at 2:07 PM
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It is so funny to see these boards and how many people say he is the worst human being and gutter trash. How many kids does the man help? WAY more than any of you on this board! Yes, he had a downfall, beautiful women, look thru history, women can be a very intoxicating drug and not many men, unless you dont like women, can stand up to the constant temptation of the female form. And you people on this form have never, never, ever had the kind of attention that he receives. BEFORE you judge him, walk a mile in his shoes.
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- Joe Pell - Feb 23, 2010 at 2:08 PM
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yeah….and Old Tom Morris was just as popular also….unreal! Meds for Dan please…..
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- Joe Pell - Feb 23, 2010 at 2:08 PM
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yeah….and Old Tom Morris was just as popular also….unreal! Meds for Dan please…..
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- G.S. - Feb 23, 2010 at 2:08 PM
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Don’t pick on hawk, he’s most likely is a white guy protraying himself as a black man to stir up the race issue. If not just leave him alone because he is only hurting himself like Tiger.
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- beencheated on - Feb 23, 2010 at 2:09 PM
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I have watched Tiger as a professional golfer since day one and I don’t remember him ever asking anyone to look up to him as a husband or father or even a son. He has always avoided personal questions, he only wanted us to like what we saw in his game, and in his wonderful work with the Tiger Foundation. The public sets all athletes up to feel entitled. From the moment they become good at their craft schools, teams, agents – they all give them special treatment so they can get the alumni support, the public support and the money. Sure he shouldn’t have cheated on his wife, but each of these women are as guilty or more guilty than he is. Sports figures are shielded from reality, they are given women as prizes even at the college level – society makes them think they are special. Kobe raped a girl and he was forgiven, Tiger had affairs, but at least he didn’t rape someone. Who knows which other golfers (Jack included) may have had affairs that were never brought to public attention. No wonder Tiger avoided the press and tried to keep his private life private. He only owes us his best on the golf course – I miss watching him play. By the way, my husband cheated on me and thank god we weren’t public people that had it smeared all over the news – grow up people, stop gossiping like high school – no one knows what he feels except for him and all of the speculation is hurtful to his family. How many of you would like to have your personal life scrutinized and televised? I can’t think of anyone that hasn’t done something they would rather keep secret – especially since it doesn’t affect anyone but his direct family – they are the only ones with the right to pry.
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- cloud warrior - Feb 23, 2010 at 2:09 PM
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Its TEEEger now. What a fool. His life is now like his golf game one tee and one ball. As for Elin take the money run hun. You can now have a real life not married to some rich cheating piece of crap. Use your head girl and keep your knees together.
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- Mark - Feb 23, 2010 at 2:10 PM
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I am not condoning what Woods has done, but at the same time, Dan Jenkins seems to have an ego himself describing this situation. And as far as being “graveyard dead”, that is a very poor assumption. He was the most recognized athlete next to Jordan in the world if I remember right, and he will be the same as soon as he comes back to golf. Most viewers, while not agreeing with his personal choices, don’t really care what he does off the course. They tune in to see what he will do on the course.
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- New Resolutions - Feb 23, 2010 at 2:10 PM
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Now would what you said be considered Racist or is only when a white man says something like that be Racist. Power and money always corrupts. Get past the color barrier. He is not black nor is the guy in the white house black, they are multi raced people who are human!
