My friend LocutisPrime
has written a very thoughtful and even alarming post about Tiger's state of mind. Specifically, he states that he regretfully feels that we'll see Tiger dead within a year, probably by his own hand, if not from a downward spiral of drugs and/or alcohol (we'll leave AIDS or other STD's aside for the moment). I respectfully disagree.
It has come to light that Tiger has been carrying on multiple affairs while married. Some of these women say they've been involved with Tiger since before he was married. I have simply the opposite opinion of my friend LocutisPrime. I think that Tiger never took his marriage vows seriously in the first place, and he's not really worried about the end of his marriage. He's simply plotting his come-back to the tour. He
might be worried about his kids...but I somehow doubt that, as little regard he's paid to the risks of his behavior.
Look: Tiger may be the greatest golfer of all time. He can come back on tour, win tourneys and keep making big bucks. So what if he loses a few sponsors? He's worth $1 billion, according to Forbes. Even if he loses $300 million to Elin, he can still use simply the interest on his $700 million to fly around on private jets and pay $15,000 per night for hookers, er, escorts. If he were a single man, all other men would be jealous.
Think of what's going to happen at golf tourneys that he attends. When I go to the Byron Nelson, my wife's going to tell me "I had better not see you on TV applauding for Tiger". And countless wives around the world will watch the TV on Sunday afternoons more carefully, making sure that hubbies are rooting for Phil or even John Daly instead of Tiger. Maybe the next time he's walking up the 18th fairway toward the green, all the fans will simply turn their backs on him and remain silent. That would be a "golf highlight".
I find it preposterous to think that we let a dog-killing torturer back into the NFL and cheer him on, but we won't welcome Tiger back onto the PGA tour. I call B.S. on that one.
At the end of the day, Tiger will take his lumps, write a check to Elin, and play golf. What happens when he breaks the all-time records of wins in major tourneys? Or when he wins a few Grand-Slams? We'll be there, cheering on his ability, not his judgment. I don't agree with what he does with his putter off of the course, but I sure respect it on the course.
I'll be cheering for someone else, but I also think that Tiger should be allowed to play. After all, it's not like he bet on baseball games or anything. He'll check himself into sex and drug rehab, and come out a changed man. Even Rush can come back from drug abuse!
So, respectfully, I don't buy that he's on a downward spiral. He's got a billion to keep him afloat until he spins his way back onto the tour. I just don't think he cares that much for women's feelings. Hell, he bought and paid for those women - he thinks of them as so much merchandise in Macy's windows - so he has as low an opinion of them as they do of themselves for selling out their bodies. Why should he be worried if he's hurt another one? It's the kids that are going to suffer.
Perhaps a golfing divorce court judge will rule that 50% of his future winnings go to his kids...now
that would get us all cheering him on again.
Me? I'll be cheering for Lefty...