Tiger In The Tank

A generation ago, I think it was the gasoline company Exxon had a slogan, "Put a tiger in your tank!" It was in reference to how great their gasoline was. Was it? I don't know, but we bought it anyway. It was believable, solid and trustworthy. Things has changed in our view of the oil companies since.

The sport of golf put a Tiger in their tank too, Tiger Woods. And the sport has taken off to never before seen heights. He too was believable, solid and trustworthy. Things have changed there too. Now Tiger is clearly IN the tank. On and off the air the other day on WQMX my partner Sue Wilson and I were discussing this story, and the were thinking, has any star, anywhere ever gone from this greatest ever, to being just a lousy guy in this short or time? We thought for a while, and couldn't think of one. One day up here, seven days later... well....It's almost unreal.

I can't say I've ever been a Tiger fan. I love golf and have always marveled at the sheer greatness of his game. Golf is probably the worlds toughest game to play well, and I think he's the greatest player to ever pick up a club. I have never cared for his antics on the course though. His club throwing, foul mouth, and overal elitist approach to the game has always troubled me as a fan of the game. And to be frank, I really don't care who, or how many women Tiger sleeps with, or who he sends steamy texts to. If he wants people taking pictures of him in compromising postiions, that's his business. But the the "shark in bloody waters" media does, and so does the "let's watch a car wreck over and over" public. I could also care less what his sponsors do with him. Actually, it makes no difference what they do or not. Tiger Woods is monetarily rich forever.

Even if you're with me on the above points, I still think there is something that bothers us about this whole thing. We feel duped. We feel that even though we may not be fans, we feel badly that we were sold a bag of goods that didn't exist. Because of all the money he's accepted and made in his life, we're buying into so much more than golf. We're buying into an overall image Tiger wants, and relies on us to buy into that has nothing to do with sports. It's tough to watch all the great highlights of his career these days. Seeing all his greatness, and now feeling bad that I ever felt good for him, or that I marveled at his immense talent. In short, it's tough not to think he's just a bad guy.

Trying very hard not to be judgmental, everyone makes mistakes no doubt. Everyone did or does things that we wish we could get back, the author included. But the difference here is, we are not accepting 200 million a year to be something we're not. It's tough not to think that Tiger thought he could do whatever he wanted, when he wanted, with whomever he wanted. AND get the money, AND get the fame on an unparalleled level, AND expect the privacy. And the worst part? That we would be so dumb and never be the wiser, and we would continue to admire and exalt him all the while.

Maybe Tiger should have just given the money back, and played with his buddies on Sunday like the rest of us. Arnold Palmer said that to him once when Tiger was complaining to him that his life was so busy and pressure filled. Very apt. Jack Nicklaus and Palmer blazed the trail for Tiger, generations before and didn't get 200 million a year to do it.

Is Tiger a bad guy? I don't know him so I can't say. But one thing I think we all may agree on is this. If we had someone less famous as part of our own lives that treated us this way, profiting in every imaginable way all the while making a fool of us?

I'm just sayin'.