Tiger Woods and the Price of Fame

There must be funeral-quality crying at major advertising agencies, corporate product meetings and TV networks following Tiger Woods's announcement that he would be leaving professional golf "indefinitely".

No one seems to know yet what "indefinitely" means but I'll guess that it's at least two years. Reporters tell us it was the result of an ultimatum from his wife after all of the Bimbo Eruptions. (Sorry, I love that expression even if it did come from Mary Matalin referring to Bill Clinton in 1992). Perhaps the number of days, weeks or months is directly tied to the number of bimbos. Not to denigrate women I don't know or will never meet but they knew the guy was married, super-famous and even if you make a living as what my most lefty friends would call being a "sex worker", they bear some responsibility for being indiscreet. After all, isn't that part of what you are paying for when you hire someone to let you screw them?

I admit that I was initially very surprised that Mr. Woods couldn't keep his sexual urges limited to his wife. After all, she is beautiful and they have adorable kids and, let's face it, lots of money. It's what most amateur duffers on golf courses dream about.

I hope he is not too harshly judged or punished for his indiscretions, not because I think his reported conduct wasn't morally obtuse but because despite his actions off the course, he is a great talent, never promised he was anything but human, didn't kill anyone and appears very humbled by the whole situation. I agree with folks who say that he is not entitled to the privacy that would normally be accorded to an average guy who did the same thing but it's difficult for me to believe that someone who got so famous and so rich at such an early age learned very much about dating or marriage. You can blame his parents but where does that get you? Before he turned 20, Tiger was the equivalent of an ATM for car companies, golf club manufacturers and media outlets, among others. He is still an ATM only it's now a different group with the PIN number - tabloid newspapers and talk show hosts and they're not going to pay him a cent in return.

I read reports that African-American folks aren't leaping in to help because he told Oprah (and/or others) that he wasn't really black because of his Thai ancestry. (Whether you adopt the "one drop" rule or accurately refer to him as bi-racial or multi-racial, he is perceived as black by most people - at least caucasians.) Even Al Sharpton wouldn't comment, even though I have never heard of Al Sharpton refraining from commenting on any subject.

The number one thing that makes me sad is its potential effect on young minority kids who saw Tiger Woods break racial and ethnic barriers to dominate a sport that had been, with few exceptions, a WASP sport. Any of those kids who aspire to taking a job at a major corporation ought to learn to play golf and understand its rules. Lots of business is conducted on golf courses and being unable to play leaves the aspiring corporate titan at a disadvantage. Tiger surely had to know that he was a role model for many young kids. He let them down, too. I hope that Barack Obama's ascension to the leader of the free world is enough to get some of these kids past their disappointment. Keep golfing.

The Williams sisters have a few things in common with Woods. Their fathers pushed them and nurtured their natural ability and must have told them a million times that they were just as good or better than anyone else in professional tennis. They, too, dominated (and continue to dominate) their sport. They, too, became role models. Other than Serena Williams's recent melt-down with an umpire, you really don't hear much about their behavior on or off the court. They, too, have lined up lots of endorsement contracts and are starting businesses of their own so when they fade as tennis stars, they'll have other skills and other interests to keep them occupied and wealthy.

Mr. Woods has a problem with the concept of marital fidelity in his personal life. His decision to take a break from professional golf is a sign that he wants to try to repair his marriage more than he wants to win more tournaments. That's a perfectly rational choice and sounds very adult to me. We should wish him luck and a happy life. Maybe that's another lesson to young people. When adults screw up, they have good and bad choices to make. Mr. Woods's decision was probably a good choice and one that young kids can look to when they become adults and inevitably screw up (not necessarily by being unfaithful to a spouse).

Now I have to figure out a way to stay awake during televised golf tournaments if I watch them at all.

12/13/2009 - Footnote: I guess I correctly predicted the loss of endorsements. Major NY publications are reporting that three corporations have dumped Tiger Woods. He had to have known that would happen but like so many others, he didn't think his marital indiscretions would ever be exposed. None of these guys ever think they're going to get caught or maybe they want to be caught as a cry for help. There's a don't-cry-for-me-Argentina in there somewhere. I wish him well and although I never bought a Buick Rendezvous (how delicious an irony that campaign was given the name of the vehicle) I am sure that many people bought many a golf club on his recommendation. Sad stuff but not so sad that he can't come back. Don't forget his philanthropy. It was and I assume still is very significant.