On stage, Woods performs as well as we could’ve expected
Tiger Woods faced the music in a news conference, and he handled it just fine.
AUGUSTA — Healing starts with confession. We’ll all find out one day just how truthful Tiger Woods is about what he said Monday. But for now, there’s no reason to find fault with his 34-minute confessional.
Woods answered all questions thrown at him in his first news conference since his life unraveled in late November. There were only two that he gave abrupt answers to: 1) About the absence of his wife, Elin Nordegren, from this week’s Masters (”Elin’s not here. I’m excited to play this week.”); 2) A followup question about his Thanksgiving night car accident, pertaining to his sobriety (”Police investigated the accident. They cited me 166 bucks. Closed case.”)
Woods explained his relationship with Canadian Dr. Anthony Galea, who is under federal investigation for distributing HGH and performance-enhancing drugs, saying, “He did come to my house. He never gave me HGH or any PEDs. I’ve never taken them in my entire life. I’ve never taken any illegal drug.”
He went on to say Galea treated him for a torn knee ligament and a previously undisclosed torn Achilles in 2008. The treatment involved platement-enriched plasma (PEP) treatments, which also is known as “blood spinning.”
And he acknowledged he has had prescriptions for both Vicodin and Ambien, even while not disclosing whether he was on either the night of the accident.
Reaction? Not that he cares, but I’m satisfied.
Woods expressed remorse, maybe more so than even in previous public appearances. He did not at all seem robotic or rehearsed. It really sort of hit home when he was asked about chasing the record for most major championships.
The death of his father, the birth of his children and the tabloid news of his infidelities, he said, “puts it all in perspective. It’s not about championships. It’s about how you live your life and I haven’t done that for a while. I need to do a better job of that from this day forward. If I win championships along the way, so be it.”
Yes, words are one thing and actions are another. But Woods did as well we could have expected. It’s time for everybody to back off.
I’ll have more on the press conference later.
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85 comments Add your comment
junebaby
April 5th, 2010
3:59 pm
IT’S NOT ABOUT TIGER, IT’S ABOUT THE WRITER’S AMBITIONS
i feel tiger is wrong to try and placate people like “sgt shultz”. it doesn’t matter what people like him think. they are the one who blew this up in the first place, not for the fans sake, but in the interest of ratings. he is only being used to further their own careers. but, all of them can’t work for espn, or sports illustrated, so they take malcolm x’s mantra of “by any means necessary” to try and separate themselves fron the other hacks. no subject is out of bounds, no athlete is safe, neither are their families. some would disclose their own mothers affairs, if they thought it would enhance their reputations. HE COULD CARE LESS ABOUT TIGER’S MORALS, HE ONLY CARES ABOUT TIGER’S CONTROVERSIES, as it pertains to his own ambition to be bigger than he is, and finally advance to the big stage. as you can see, his former colleagues have all made the move, but he’s still here, along with his colleagues: “no nothin’ bradley” and “ledbelly”
Tiger is Scum
April 5th, 2010
4:02 pm
Sandy Pile – But it IS our business. No Tiger does not owe us anything. I want nothing from him. He did it to himself. Sleep in the bed that you make..
Cleotis Dapslapper
April 5th, 2010
4:07 pm
Really now, Tiger is a little pudgy.
Bucky Da Man
April 5th, 2010
4:08 pm
Is dat boy a Ga Bulldawg?
Sandy Lyle
April 5th, 2010
4:12 pm
Scum — exactly how is it our business? is it your business what your neighbor does behind closed doors? of course not. So why is Tiger’s life your business?
Horrible Reporting
April 5th, 2010
4:13 pm
“Not that he cares, but I’m satisfied.” Umm…. you are correct, Tiger doesn’t care what you think. And why would we? Did you think we were waiting and waiting to see if YOU were ’satisfied’ with his speech?
If you are satisfied with his speech, then please go be satisfied with your own ignorance – but don’t take up space in our newspaper for it!
I find it surprising you also announced his speech did not seem rehearsed, and was one that was filled with remorse. Did you watch?
His only remorse is that his wife and children are being “harassed” by media, and he is blaming that “harassment” on media and ordinary citizens who pick up the paper from time to time. He is not blaming the harassment on himself and his affairs that turned his family into a circus. He is now playing the victim.
And you are “satisfied?” Gee, great to know. Go be dumb somewhere else.
Moderate
April 5th, 2010
4:17 pm
Why is it that some readers are unwilling to give a celebrity a chance to be remorseful and rebuild their life and career. We seem to tolerate any behavior from our Hollywood celebs, but we’re inconsistent with sports figures; Tiger gets ostracized while thugs, gangbangers, and wife abusers are worshipped in the NBA and NFL. Doesn’t make sense. Fans think Michael Vick is “reformed” and give him humanitarian awards. Let the guy have a chance to prove himself.
What is Platement therapy? And does Jeff Schultz get paid?
April 5th, 2010
4:27 pm
1. Why the heck should I care if Jeff Schultz is “satisfied?” The funniest is when he says he’ll have more on this later…oh good, I’ll check back so he can tell me again how he is further satisfied!
2. What the f*** is a PLATEMENT? I am seriously asking. Will somebody please tell me? Jeff Schultz, I am guessing, was paid a lot to write this piece. I am not a scientist, so I guess I’m not that well-versed in anatomy. I’ve heard of blood platelets, but never platements. I know patients can get platelet enriched plasma therapy.
Is this author onto something new – Tiger is the coolest ever, and there is a new science out called platement therapy?
AJC, did you put something on the front page without editing it? Good one.
BIG DAWG
April 5th, 2010
4:30 pm
BIG DAWG
April 5th, 2010
4:31 pm
BIG DAWG
April 5th, 2010
4:31 pm
.
April 5th, 2010
4:32 pm
Enter your comments here
Lanny Simons
April 5th, 2010
4:37 pm
I think a lot of the commenters here have crushes on Tiger. I’m objective so I see a lot of what those people miss because of their love and idolization.
When asked if he was DUI on Thanksgiving night, he refused to answer, referring only to the police report. That is tantamount to an admission of guilt. An innocent person would have been indignant at the mere suggestion of DUI if he were innocent.
I also found it amusing that he said he never thought about getting treatment until this scandal. What that means is that he didn’t consider changing even after he was caught and photographed with Mindy Lawton, and IMG had to cut the deal for the Vanity Fair cover story.
I like golf not tigger
April 5th, 2010
4:40 pm
I think it is hilarious that Tigger is now saying what good is winning all those tournaments when I have hurt the people I care about most(a rough paraphrase). But all of his jock sniffer fans that continue to worship at the altar of Tigger want no part of that- “it’s none of our business” I could care less what he does in his private life” “that’s between him and his wife” “he owes none of us any explanation”. In other words I don’t care what he does-honestly I don’t- I just want to see him win again(and oh by the way let’s don’t talk about it ever again). They should also say- I could not care any less about the game of golf and what he is doing to it with his trashy behavior. The selfishness that is Tigger seems to have infected all of his jock sniffing fans. Amazing.
JASon
April 5th, 2010
4:43 pm
Tiger, if you are so earnest and committed to living right, then why did it take you four months to talk to the media? I don’t think he has any idea how bad what he did was. And the worst part about it is, the media is more than willing to kiss a$$ and tell Tiger how great he is.
chris
April 5th, 2010
4:43 pm
Who made any of us Judge or Jury? He is a man like anyone else and he makes the same mistakes we all make.
chris
April 5th, 2010
4:46 pm
JASon, how bad was it? How much worse than anything anyone else has done. I’m sure you know people who have done the same thing or worse. Give me a break with all the self righteous crap.
I like golf not tigger
April 5th, 2010
4:49 pm
chris go bow down and worship in front of your signed autograph picture of “da man”!!!!!
Dap01
April 5th, 2010
4:51 pm
Bless Tiger’s heart.
Paul in RDU
April 5th, 2010
5:41 pm
I didn’t see the press conference but the picture of Tiger at the top of the article shows a great deal about him. We have the hat with the TW logo, a shirt with a Nike swoosh, and his arms are crossed to show off the TAG Heuer watch. His sponsors must be very happy.
What is going to be interesting to see is what happens as the feds talk to all of Dr. Galea’s patients. Stanford University (Tiger’s alma mater) was one of the pioneers in PRP therapy (aka blood spinning) and yet Tiger uses an obscure Canadian doctor who just happens to be involved in importing HGH to the US? We’ll just have to see how this all plays out but this is a long way from over.
After Tiger Woods’ mea culpa, it’s time for us all to back off | Jeff Schultz
April 5th, 2010
5:51 pm
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Sick & TIred Of Being Sick & Tired
April 5th, 2010
6:08 pm
Are we finished with the Tiger Woods sex scandal publicity yet? Okay he got busted doing things behind closed doors that have absolutely no bearing on anyone outside of the of legal age women that knew he was married (from the jump), the sponsors who bought into the family values hype and his immediate family members.
Everybody else needs to get a life and move on…..He obviously has and the PGA tour has too which still needs Tiger to sell tickets and keep TV ratings up. It is all about the benjamins….and always has been and will continue to be that way. The haters can still continue to rant about morals but in the end, it is going to be about “MONEY” and/or “REVENUE” coming in from Tiger being on the golf course, no matter where he plays, not only in the US but, on the world stage as well.
wxwax
April 5th, 2010
6:32 pm
He seems to have bulked up and he even seemed to have a bit of a paunch.
That’s very uncharacteristic.
Lanny Simons
April 5th, 2010
6:32 pm
Sick, “the sponsors who bought into the family values hype”? Uh, those sponsors are not charities; they pass on Tiger’s cost to consumers, who, uh, buy products based on his family values hype, i.e., you, me, and everyone else who ever saw one of his commercials.
As for “getting a life,” how does following sports at all fit into that equation? I don’t think history books are filled with biographies of “bestest sports fan ever.”
mdawg
April 5th, 2010
7:08 pm
tiger woods is my hero……
PGA you need to understand something, i will never watch a PGA tournament that does not have tiger in it…..
James
April 5th, 2010
7:45 pm
Tiger,
I watch you because you are good at golf.
And that’s it. If you happen to get it on with some average looking women on the side, then I will give you a high five, but I don’t want the details. Thanks for sparing us any vivid imagery. I wish your mistress would have done the same.
-James
Paddy
April 6th, 2010
2:06 am
Tiger Scum….you sound like a stand up guy. For me, this issue is over. I will watch Tiger play golf because I like to watch Tiger play golf. I have lost all respect for him for what he did to his family. This issue is over and I will do what makes me happy, as far is golf is concerned. I won’t buy the products he endorses or look at him in the same way. But he is once in a life time athlete that we are fortunate to say we where their to see his performances. Not a perfect solution but one I can live with!
Carmen
April 6th, 2010
4:03 pm
Tiger Woods is now greatly regretting the hurt and damage he has caused his wife and children because of his selfish, reckless and sinful behavior. I hope that it is not too late for Tiger to save his marriage and family. A family is a priceless treasure. At the end of the day, when all the excitement of winning tournaments is over, and the glory of fame has faded, a family and their love is the only thing that will be there for him, unconditionally. I wish them the best and hope that someday they can live happy together again.
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