My take on Tiger Woods’ appearances on Golf Channel and ESPN is now online. Here’s a taste:
Twenty-five minutes is apparently the amount of time it takes to say a lot of nothing.
That’s how long Tiger Woods has spent in front of television cameras in the last month in attempt to resurrect his public image, convince the world that he’s a changed man and get him back on the golf course. A month ago, looking puffy and exhausted, Woods made a now famous televised monologue from Florida apologizing for his “irresponsible and selfish behavior.” No details were offered, but given the multitude of waitresses, porn stars and party girls that have publicly proclaimed they had sexual encounters with the married golf star, I think we have a pretty good guess what Woods’ was getting at.
It was more of the same yesterday when Woods did his first public interviews with the Golf Channel and ESPN. Sure he explained why he got married given all of his extra-curricular activities (“Because I loved her. I loved Elin with everything I have,” explained), and spoke about his concerns heading back to golf (he’s “nervous” apparently). But more time was spent in both interviews discussing the mundane, like his newfound affection for Buddhism, or the fact he is now wearing a silver bracelet that will offer “protection and strength.” Maybe Woods actually believes this, but right now it seems like his lips are moving, but little of value is coming out.
And some of it “ like his excuse that he started chasing Perkins waitresses because he stopped meditating “ was just laughable and insulting even to a public that now sees TMZ.com as serious journalism. Woods has a team of spin doctors working for him “ though apparently former Whitehouse spokesman Ari Fleischer is no long one of them “ and this is the best he can do?
Much of what was said in both interviews reminded me of the trite, superficial discussions Woods would conduct with media in pre-tournament press conferences and in post-round run downs. Though the smug, self-aggrandizing smirks are gone, he’s still offering little beyond platitudes. It might be enough to convince some, but I bet most aren’t buying into it. To many it looks like Woods is only sorry because he got caught.
The full column is here.
