A new take on Tiger

A few things have changed since I first weighed in on the “transgressions” of Tiger Woods and the PR aspect of the public’s minute-by-minute hunger for every sordid detail about the “truth” about his “accident” in his front yard.

When I wrote this on Dec. 3, I assumed – like you – that he had an affair, not affairs.

Had the truth been about an affair – about one woman – I still stand by my take that Tiger could have legitimately given the media the Heisman Trophy-stiff arm and had every right to say “…personal sins should not require press releases…” and he could have repaired his family on his timetable and terms.

I would have applauded him for that, as a way to send a message to the tabloid crap that passes for “media” that he wouldn’t play it out the way it’s “supposed” to be played.

Of course, that’s if this was all about one woman.

But what we’ve learned since obviously changed the game. And the PR strategy for Woods.

Obviously.

Now he just looks like an idiot for insisting that his personal sins didn’t affect anyone beyond his front yard. Now he just looks like an idiot for essentially lying about Elin’s heroics to “save” him in that front yard.

Now he’s just another idiot athlete who thinks he can live without any accountability to his wife and family.

This is a guy who spent a few minutes of his Thanksgiving day texting at least one of his who-knows-how-many mistresses, to wish her Happy Thanksgiving.

Not exactly dealing with a full deck here.

So where does Tiger go from here? Golf’s on hold. And reports, as I write this, suggest addictions of several kinds might need to be addressed before his marriage can be repaired.

Can his marriage be saved? Sure. If he truly and sincerely seeks redemption for his decisions. And if Elin chooses to forgive Tiger’s ridiculous choices.

But that’s quite an uphill climb for any wife to make. Whether she’s the wife of your neighbor, or the wife of the most prolific professional golfer the world may ever know.

If not for their kids, Elin would have already divorced Tiger for mocking their marriage in ways we probably don’t even know yet.

Sure, he’ll golf again. He’ll get his endorsement dollars back. He’ll win more tournaments. He’ll make millions more. We’ll likely see him golf his way through the Senior Tour someday.

But he can’t change what he did. And what he had – a pristine public image as a business and sports professional who prepared diligently every day to be a champion to cheer for in his craft. And as a dedicated family man, we thought.

As Gary D’Amato says in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: “…It will be impossible for him to get back everything he once had. He will have to deal with the fallout from this sordid mess for the rest of his career. But if Woods can save his marriage and keep his family together, it will be the biggest victory of his life.”

That’s the only tournament trophy Tiger doesn’t have on his mantle right now.