It’s Tiger time: Do you prefer success or failure?
Tiger Woods tees off at 1:42 with Matt Kuchar and K.J. Choi. (Jason Getz/AJC)
AUGUSTA — Good afternoon. Been out walking the course and taking in Amen Corner (still relatively colorless with un-bloomed azaleas). Hooked back to the practice area in time for the Tiger Woods waiting game. He finally showed up on the putting green at 12:27.
It’s been an interesting week, I’m not just talking about what’s happened inside the gates here. Five months after the Woods’ sex scandal first broke, I’ve found that sports fans are still largely divided on him. This week I’ve received emails, comments on Twitter or Facebook and at the end of blogs at both ends of the spectrum, from, “Let’s give him a second chance,” to, “I’ll never pull for him again.”
So it’s T minus 40 minutes until Woods’ tees off in the Masters. Here’s my question for you: What do you want to see? Would you prefer he return to his level of greatness or fall on his face?
Meanwhile, if you haven’t seen it, here’s a link to the latest chapter of the Woods’ scandal. The National Enquirer (which has been right most of the time in these months) reported Wednesday that Woods had a fling with the 21-year-old daughter of one of his neighbors in Windermore, Fla. If this is true, it’s a new low for Woods.
So what do you want to see from Woods today in the Masters: Success or failure?
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Follow me on Twitter @JeffSchultzAJC and on Facebook.com/JeffSchultzAJC
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110 comments Add your comment
GT Falcon
April 8th, 2010
2:23 pm
Failure…never liked him. Could care less about his actions off the course. Always been a big baby to me.
Boycott Nike
April 8th, 2010
2:24 pm
Tiger needed time off from golf to concentrate on his personal life. To me, his absence from golf is different, though only slightly different than rehab time after an injury. I wish him well in his return to his job. However, he should be brutalized finiancially for his inappropriate behavior as an adult-humiliating his wife and kids. He has made millions (?billions) selling his image. He is not a role model and deserves no endorsement income. The companies that continue to have a business relationship with him should also be scorned. Is NIke ambivalent about its mouthpiece’s disregard for adult responsibility? There will be a time to forgive his mistakes. A four month hiatus is hardly sufficient.
Adidas...
April 8th, 2010
2:27 pm
Boycott… I agree with you.. & for Nike to use the kitten’s dead dad in a voiceover to promote the cheetah??? Over the line.. & not going to buy nike – ever again… New Balance & Under Armour, here I cum…
Peadawg
April 8th, 2010
2:27 pm
Good luck Tiger! I’ll be rooting for you!
Brian Asselstine
April 8th, 2010
2:33 pm
Any truth to the rumor that Tigers first tee shot hit a tree and a bunch of ladies fell out?
Godson
April 8th, 2010
2:34 pm
Good luck to you Tiger, hope you will win and then some of the haters can jump off a Bridge.
Adidas...
April 8th, 2010
2:34 pm
Droopy– I it’s not like the first time your wife has cheated on you!!
(Can’t have it BOTH ways!)
A fan
April 8th, 2010
2:35 pm
Go Tiger! May you have a successful season and win many tournaments. You don’t owe the public any explanation, your personal life is just that, personal.
Adidas...
April 8th, 2010
2:37 pm
Nike using the kittens dead dad’s voice to make an ‘i’m disappointed in you’ talking to, his son… Well, the kittens dad cheated on his wife.. Apple does not fall far from the tree…
CV
April 8th, 2010
2:37 pm
Wow…who ever is not of sin..throw the first stone.
Guys get over it….If you lust in your heart…..etc…..
Give the guy a break…..How many of you have not had an affair of any kind?…emotional or physical….they are the same
Tiger is a golfer…he plays his sport well…His personal life is his own cross to bear…..It’s not our business…nor is it for us to judge. If the guy down the street from you had an affair on his wife…would you call for him to lose his job…Probably not.
It all sounds a bit hypocritical to me.
Go Tiger Go!!!!
reservoirDAWG
April 8th, 2010
2:40 pm
It doesn’t matter how he plays. I hope we get balanced coverage of all the golfers.
Mulligan
April 8th, 2010
2:42 pm
Before Thanksgiving I watched with true amazement the skills Tiger shared in so many tournaments for so many years….but he proved that he is merely a mortal man with flaws – just like the rest of us…granted, his transgressions were pretty significant, but I remember why I watched him play in the first place – his incredible talent and that hasn’t changed…good luck to him and am hopeful that his wife and he are able to work this mess out and allow him the opportunity to be the kind of father who knows what it’s like to screw up but to be there for the support his kids will need for years to come.
Yea sir, Mistuh Payne sir
April 8th, 2010
2:47 pm
While we are all on our high moral soap boxes, can we begin a discussion on why we still have a tournament in the south named “The Masters”, that has a storied history on minorities including women? Where does Billy Payne get off chastising anyone? Mr. Payne, I am my kids’ role model, not some random athlete.
However on topic, I am pulling for him to have a successful showing along with the rest of the field. May the best man win. He did not cheat on me, personally. He cheated on his wife. I don’t have a horse in that race.
Tiger
April 8th, 2010
2:47 pm
It’s not my fault. My sponser Nike told me to “just do it” P.S. Most of you guys are taking this stuff way too serious. Laugh alot and don’t hate anyone. That is a good recipe for a happy life and a better world.
Loyal Homer
April 8th, 2010
2:50 pm
http://thesportsdebates.com/category/tsd/the-tiger-at-the-master%e2%80%99s-debate/
Should he even play?
jamir1
April 8th, 2010
2:50 pm
I really dont get you people!! How can you judge him? Everybody have done wrong,why is this such a big deal men cheat everyday!! This is between Tiger and his wife, so everybody else need to bud out!!! GO TIGER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
reservoirDAWG
April 8th, 2010
3:00 pm
Yea sir, way to throw that race card.
Native Augustan
April 8th, 2010
3:02 pm
Despite all of this indiscretions, no one can remove the fact that he is the greatest golfer on the planet at this time. In order to change that, as it was even before the scandal, the rest of the golfers must step up their game to better him. If he is to remain the greatest golfer, then he must continue his dominance.
I actually hope he wins the Masters this year…just to see the massive hipocricy that will grip the media….and watch how must a**-kissing it does when he dominates the game. It should be quite comical.
Gorilla Fart
April 8th, 2010
3:08 pm
Is Hunter Mahan Travelling to outer space with those shades on after the game?
Yea sir, Mistuh Payne sir
April 8th, 2010
3:10 pm
Resevoirdawg… I did that with style and flair didn’t I? Nice of you to notice. You are making quite an assumption regarding my ethnic background though. Doesn’t change a thing that I said.
Franklin
April 8th, 2010
3:10 pm
I LIKE ARNIE!!!!!!!
reservoirDAWG
April 8th, 2010
3:12 pm
No assumptions. You know what happens when you assume.
Huh?
April 8th, 2010
3:13 pm
Mistuh Payne, did you say Tiger cheated on his wife with a horse? Maybe several horses?
Yea sir, Mistuh Payne sir
April 8th, 2010
3:17 pm
As the list continues to grow, it appears as though he slept with everything but a horse. But since I was not invited to his wedding nor asked to participate in it…. no harm/no foul in my small portion of the world.
Justin
April 8th, 2010
3:18 pm
WHY DON’T YOU HATERS WHO HAVE DISSED TIGER SO SAY WHAT YOU REALLY MEAN. YOU ARE NOT JUST UPSET ABOUT HIS AFFAIRS WITH OTHER WOMEN. HE’S THE BEST GOLFER OUT WHO HAPPENS TO BE BLACK AND THAT IS WHAT YOU CANNOT HANDLE. TIGER HAD ALL THOSE WHITE WOMEN AND NO ONE KNEW ABOUT IT….STOP BEING SO HYPOCRITCAL AND SAYS WHAT YOU REALLY WANT TO SAY ABOUT HIM.
Huh?
April 8th, 2010
3:20 pm
Yeah, we’ll never really know. That is, unless he’s involved with Mr. Ed
Bored
April 8th, 2010
3:21 pm
Is Tiger black? I always thought of him as Asian. Does it matter?
Huh?
April 8th, 2010
3:22 pm
Justin, you may be right. I believe Mr. Ed was white.
Justin do you
April 8th, 2010
3:26 pm
go by the name of FALCONS SORRY on NFL blogs here on the AJC by any chance?
Bob LeBlah
April 8th, 2010
3:27 pm
Oh here we go again. Any time a black man does something wrong and has to face the consequences, he’s attacked because white people are racist. Tiger is a scum. Its now coming out he apparently slept with an underage girl as well. Also isn’t Tiger half-asian as well. Oh yeah I forgot whenever someone is successful and their half black, they’re black
Justin
April 8th, 2010
3:29 pm
justin do you…..now I do not. I’m not like many of the cowards who log on to blogs and hide behind my pc to spew venom.
C from Marietta
April 8th, 2010
3:40 pm
to Justin
You need to get help for that anger. Into Celebrity worship much?
PlusSizeModel
April 8th, 2010
3:42 pm
I want him to miss every cut for the rest of his career. Other than that, I wish him luck.
Sean
April 8th, 2010
3:50 pm
first of all, golf wouldn’t be the sport that it is today if it weasn’t for Tiger Woods. He alone has tripled every golf player’s salary by making the game as popular as it is now. I know there are many who will say that I’m crazy, but for those people, they need to EDUCATE THEMSELVES before speaking on a topic they know nothing of. Tiger slept with who TIGER WANTED TO SLEEP WITH. And thats that. Thats a situation between him, his wife, the person who he slept with, and the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Tiger didn’t break any laws. Tiger didn’t physically hurt ANYONE. If parents did more to be in their kids lives, then Tiger would have never been considered a role model. Besides, how can people say someone is a role model when they know ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ABOUT THAT PERSONS PRIVATE LIFE. Funny how Americans scratch, claw, and scream and whine about their PRIVACY RIGHTS but WHEN ITS NOT THEM IN PARTICULAR WHOSE RIGHTS ARE BEING TRAMPELED THEY COULD CARE LESS.
Huh?
April 8th, 2010
3:51 pm
Dejuvu – Lies and Tigers and golden bears, oy my!
Sean
April 8th, 2010
3:58 pm
I see JELOUSY is running rampant on this blog. A black man can sleep with more attractive white women than any white man could in his entire lifetime. Now all these hatin ass white men want him to fail like some of them wishes the PRESIDENT to fail. Wishing and hoping bad luck on someone only KILLS YOUR BLESSING. Tiger is on his way to being a Billionaire if he isn’t already while some of you continue to wish and hope bad things for others and wonder why your life is in the crapper.
Huh?
April 8th, 2010
4:19 pm
I got some of those JELOUS on me one time. I found if you spray your pants legs ahead of time with some Backwoods OFF, it will nip that little problem. We sure don’t want to get that Limes discease, do we?
Godson
April 8th, 2010
4:38 pm
Justin thinks it is a matter of race why Tiger continues to get all the hating on this blog. Justin you may be right, but I think it is Jealousy, he is a wealthy man, and many people hates to see others succeed, furthermore to be that wealthy.
Actually
April 8th, 2010
4:48 pm
Actually Godson, most of the hate on this column is coming from those who assume all negative comments are racist. When Bill Clinton was being criticized for his meanderings, race was not mentioned.
P.J.
April 8th, 2010
4:53 pm
Billy Payne is an idiot, who made him or anyone on here, the moral compass for mankind. I never saw Tiger as my role model neither did I ever tell any of my sons to be like Tiger, Mike,Brady, Manning, Federer, Bird, Magic or any other great athlete. If Billy’s children and grandchildren are disappointed because their role model let them down then shame on Billy and the children parents. Billy should search to see where parenting classes are offered and go enroll there taking his family.
Reality Bites
April 8th, 2010
5:00 pm
If the dude wasnt so arrogant, maybe I would root for him. If the dude would be a decent tipper like most gentlemen, I might root for him. But to use the voice of your dead father to try to sell Nike gear goes far beyond the pale. I dont know him personally, but from a distance, this cat has NO scruples. F’ him with a big fat Donkey C—k. he might actually like it…..lol.
Paul in RDU
April 8th, 2010
5:20 pm
Jeff – I don’t care one way or another how Tiger does on the golf course. I would like to see CBS cover more players when Tiger is on the course, but I can always watch the streaming video from Amen Corner on line if the coverage gets to be too much Tiger.
One area where Tiger is failing is in his choice of media advisors. I thought the Nike ad was appalling – I don’t think even Ari Fleischer could have come up with something that bad. Just 2 days after a fairly successful press conference where he tells people that he will change, that he knows that there are more things important than golf, that he’ll never miss his kids’ birthdays again, yadda yadda yadda he airs that abomination trring to rehabilitate his image and support his longest connected sponsor.
bamaguy
April 8th, 2010
5:54 pm
He’s got that Zen thing, he will be OK.
And for all those harsh critics: Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.
Can I get an AMEN from the corner.
Cracker Jacket
April 8th, 2010
6:00 pm
Is Tiger a natural athlete or a drug user? Guess we won’t know because he is the money ticket for the game and Tiger has never told the truth to his wife, mother, or fans! I guess it doesn’t matter as long as the money flows!
Ted Striker
April 8th, 2010
6:24 pm
Ted Striker is on record as hoping Woods plays well. Never — as in EVER — pulled for him before but I hope his game is on this week.
Peachtree Pete
April 8th, 2010
6:37 pm
Pete Rose is excoriated because he gambled. McGwire is criticized as a doper. Seems that it is culturally “correct” to criticize these athletes for moral faults, but it is suggested that we “move on” with Tiger. Why is that?? Why are we so weak with him?
todd grantham
April 8th, 2010
7:05 pm
Jeff, your answer this morning to my comment in your yesterday’s piece hit the nail on the head: some people will never look at Tiger the same way. I won’t. I’m not looking at him in a critical way, but boy is that guy human. Like all of us.
Not Disappointed
April 8th, 2010
7:35 pm
We enjoy watching him play golf, but don’t care about his personal life….
Carol Hock
April 8th, 2010
7:39 pm
Tiger Woods didn’t put this country Into bankruptcy, he didn’t murder anyone, he’s no Madoff or the likes of D.C.
What he did Is between him and his wife and very personal.He acted out and I hope all of his problems are behind him now. I really do… He’s the finest atheletic In the world. He seems to have a wonderful family and I hope that can all be repaired…..Good luck to you and your family!
dawg 4 u
April 8th, 2010
7:52 pm
Tiger is using steroids big time I feel. His shoulders and even head seem much bigger than in 1997 when he first won the tournament. That just doesn’t happen with push-ups and weight training. It kind of reminds me of Barry Bonds. I am forgiving of his infidelity and trying to move on but really think he is using the steroids. Just one man’s opinion.