The World's Greatest Golfer!
Tiger Woods has been fined $164.00 for careless driving and will have four points charged against his record. This is what happens when a person hits a tree and fire hydrant when operating a motor vehicle and is not under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Sgt. Kim Montes of the Florida Highway Patrol reported to the media the results of the department’s findings on this episode and announced the case is closed.
How many people who might read this column have not been charged with some moving violating from speeding tickets, failure to signal turns, or minor fender benders?
Somehow, because this was Tiger Woods and this event happened Thanksgiving weekend when there’s nothing going on in the news, his little traffic mishap took on a life of its own.
We should all file this away in the “too much information” category and move on, but when someone is Tiger Woods, it’s not that simple. Is there a more recognized face in all of sports than Tiger Woods?
His accomplishments are amazing. He is on a pace to conceivably surpass all major records in professional golf. When he finishes his career, he will be on just about every leader’s list imaginable if not on the top. All this is especially significant because until his arrival, there wasn’t a more lily white sport than professional golf. Some golf courses still exclude black members and many more did before Tiger Woods came on the scene.
Tiger Woods gained much respect from some and condemnation from others for never making race an issue in his career. He let his performance speak for itself. Some who specialize in the politics of race criticized him for not being more involved in certain issues or serving as an advocate, but could Tiger Woods have accomplished more for breaking down racial barriers hanging around with Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton?
Unfortunately, when a person attains the celebrity status Tiger Woods has achieved, that person will forever live under a microscope and both TMZ and The National Inquirer have much invested in digging up dirt on celebrities to satisfy the worst kind of Schadenfreude. We seek not to dignify what these sleaze outlets are publishing, other than to acknowledge they’ve spent a fortune to find leads which would confirm Woods is engaged in an extramarital relationship and that his wife’s anger about this led to the early morning driving mishap.
Marriages are hard to maintain for the media heroes in our society. There is not a destination in the world where they are not recognized and revered where some will take advantage of any encounter for the most selfish reasons possible. Imagine being treated like a deity or royal figure everywhere on the planet.
The one person who does not see the star in such heroic terms is the celebrity’s spouse who knows what he or she looks like at 5:30 am and all his or her faults, personal ticks, and defects. How does a loving wife compare to a person who’d practically faint on the spot to be in the presence of greatness?
This is not offered to make excuses for extramarital relationships or other bad behavior by these famous people. It’s just plain and simple, reality. Their lives are unreal. Just as the media loves to build them up, they love to knock them down. Some might genuinely be interested in them and be potentially good allies, many have far less desirable intents. Some are just plain evil. Consider the horrible death of former NFL Quarterback, Steve McNair, for instance.
We have the horrible hunch that this driving episode will be used to tarnish what has been an unbelievably clean image. Tiger will have hell to pay for little more than being human. We pray for his marriage, his wife, and children and hope all will work out for the best.
How many people who might read this column have not been charged with some moving violating from speeding tickets, failure to signal turns, or minor fender benders?
Somehow, because this was Tiger Woods and this event happened Thanksgiving weekend when there’s nothing going on in the news, his little traffic mishap took on a life of its own.
We should all file this away in the “too much information” category and move on, but when someone is Tiger Woods, it’s not that simple. Is there a more recognized face in all of sports than Tiger Woods?
His accomplishments are amazing. He is on a pace to conceivably surpass all major records in professional golf. When he finishes his career, he will be on just about every leader’s list imaginable if not on the top. All this is especially significant because until his arrival, there wasn’t a more lily white sport than professional golf. Some golf courses still exclude black members and many more did before Tiger Woods came on the scene.
Tiger Woods gained much respect from some and condemnation from others for never making race an issue in his career. He let his performance speak for itself. Some who specialize in the politics of race criticized him for not being more involved in certain issues or serving as an advocate, but could Tiger Woods have accomplished more for breaking down racial barriers hanging around with Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton?
Unfortunately, when a person attains the celebrity status Tiger Woods has achieved, that person will forever live under a microscope and both TMZ and The National Inquirer have much invested in digging up dirt on celebrities to satisfy the worst kind of Schadenfreude. We seek not to dignify what these sleaze outlets are publishing, other than to acknowledge they’ve spent a fortune to find leads which would confirm Woods is engaged in an extramarital relationship and that his wife’s anger about this led to the early morning driving mishap.
Marriages are hard to maintain for the media heroes in our society. There is not a destination in the world where they are not recognized and revered where some will take advantage of any encounter for the most selfish reasons possible. Imagine being treated like a deity or royal figure everywhere on the planet.
The one person who does not see the star in such heroic terms is the celebrity’s spouse who knows what he or she looks like at 5:30 am and all his or her faults, personal ticks, and defects. How does a loving wife compare to a person who’d practically faint on the spot to be in the presence of greatness?
This is not offered to make excuses for extramarital relationships or other bad behavior by these famous people. It’s just plain and simple, reality. Their lives are unreal. Just as the media loves to build them up, they love to knock them down. Some might genuinely be interested in them and be potentially good allies, many have far less desirable intents. Some are just plain evil. Consider the horrible death of former NFL Quarterback, Steve McNair, for instance.
We have the horrible hunch that this driving episode will be used to tarnish what has been an unbelievably clean image. Tiger will have hell to pay for little more than being human. We pray for his marriage, his wife, and children and hope all will work out for the best.
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