Golf talk.

[Pentegarn]

Time for some golf talk...

So I hear on the news recently Tiger Woods freaked out on a photographer for taking a picture during his swing.

Not sure what I think of this. On one hand, I can understand his anger. He is trying to concentrate and they ask for total silence during the swings. On the other hand, shouldn't he, as a professional golfer, be able to block out a single click? Should he really be so quick to use the click as an excuse for his failure? If he wants to be thought of as a great athlete, I honestly think he shouldn't make excuses. But this morning on ESPN, he did just that. I think I am disappointed in him for that more than anything.

What are your thoughts?

[Pub Lover]

Was this during the tournament that he lost to that Australian Ogilvy?

I think as a professional the concentration is more important.

If he was able to still play with a riot going on, not only would he be an impossibly good golfer, it would show that all the other times when there was quiet he wasn't trying as hard as he could.

Of course, I haven't seen the clip, so he might really being a big ol' bitch about it.

[Pentegarn]

Originally Posted by Pub Lover

Was this during the tournament that he lost to that Australian Ogilvy?

I think as a professional the concentration is more important.

If he was able to still play with a riot going on, not only would he be an impossibly good golfer, it would show that all the other times when there was quiet he wasn't trying as hard as he could.

Of course, I haven't seen the clip, so he might really being a big ol' bitch about it.

I actually JUST heard the clip when he first hit the shot after the click. He sounded rather whiny in it when he bellowed microseconds after impact, "not on my swing".

I still get why he was upset. Those rules are in place for a reason after all. That said, he does seem to be making an excuse though and has a convenient thing to blame now. I think there is something in the statement "it would show that all the other times when there was quiet he wasn't trying as hard as he could." Perhaps he knows this, and that is why he is so reactive about it. He would have to be so to keep up appearances.

EDIT: To your first question Pub, I believe it was during that tournament

[WhiteRat]

In all honesty I really despise golf but for some odd reason i'm transfixed on whatever John Daily does. He's such a fascinating creature.

[Cedar]

nice drive young lad

[Pentegarn]

Originally Posted by WhiteRat

In all honesty I really despise golf but for some odd reason i'm transfixed on whatever John Daily does. He's such a fascinating creature.

I get that sentiment. Daly is a walking disaster film and there is something compelling about watching him implode. It is a shame though because he is wasting the talent he was born with.

[Pentegarn]

Boo Weekley is something else

Check out his "Happy Gillmore" act at the Ryder Cup

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_tMOE4-tKc

He may not be Tiger Woods in terms of talent, but he is freaking Muhammad Ali in terms of personality. More on his 'antics" below

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/colum...pat&id=3599811

Boo-S-A is right!

[Pentegarn]

This was beyond belief

http://sports.yahoo.com/golf/pga/new...v=ap&type=lgns

[Pentegarn]

http://sports.yahoo.com/golf/pga/new...v=ap&type=lgns

I take issue with this because Tiger is being punished for sticking up for his opponent, trying to make the match better and more entertaining, and showing very good sportsmanship and the PGA is negating that message by punishing him for it.

If the PGA wants to be relevant they can't just sit on their biggest star and hope that just showing him play will be enough. You have to show good PR and punishing Tiger for a statement that was essentially right delivers the wrong message.

[Pentegarn]

I think I am the only one who pays attention to golf, nonetheless, here is more stuff

Media is making a big deal out of this:

http://sports.yahoo.com/golf/blog/de...rn=golf,187204

But I am quite sure he said the same sort of thing before of John Daly and furthermore he said it to his face, so this isn't a big deal. Compared to Woods, nobody has a good work ethic in golf :P

[Pentegarn]

More Woods news (is there any other kind in golf anymore?)

http://sports.yahoo.com/golf/pga/new...v=ap&type=lgns

I think people are latching to this story so hard because it makes Woods look no better than the rest of us. Schadenfreude if ever I saw it.

[Tadao]

[Geggy]

I like to watch the highlights of golf matches on sportscenter and thats about it. I don't know what happened nor I care but one thing for sure is that Tiger's good-boy, clean-cut image is forever tarnished. But my opinion of him as a golfer hasnt changed. It's going to be interesting to see how the fans are going to react when he returns to the game.

[El Blanco]

How is Tiger like a baby seal?

They both get clubbed by Norwegians.

What is the difference between a golf ball and a Cadillac?

Tiger can drive a golf ball 300 yards.

[Fathom Zero]

[Pentegarn]

http://sports.yahoo.com/golf/pga/new...v=ap&type=lgns

So, unless Boo Weekley, Steve Elkington, or John Daly do or say something amusing, this thread will likely be very quiet for years to come :P

[Colonel Flagg]

Meh. Golf was boring with Tiger, now it can go back to being boring without Tiger.

[Pentegarn]

So tonight on Conan O'Brien he said the reason Elin<spelling?> is divorcing Tiger is so she will be single and have a chance to have sex with Tiger :D

[Geggy]

TIGER WOODS HAS AIDS

[Pentegarn]

Wouldn't surprise me, off the course he didn't stop at just 18 holes.

Bet in all seriousness, he did as well as he could have done with his presser without actual press asking questions. He seemed humble, genuinely sorry, and angry at the tabloids for printing stories he says are false. He said and did the right things today. Now let's see if he can keep it up.

[Colonel Flagg]

TIGER IS VERY SORRY, LOOK HE JUST HUGGED HIS MOTHER, AND IT LOOKS LIKE HE'S BEEN CRYING. I'M SO SAD FOR HIM I HOPE HE GETS HIS LIFE BACK TOGETHER AND THAT ELIN FORGIVES HIM AND HE KICKS HIS SEX ADDICTION PROBLEM.

Really?

[Pentegarn]

Well of course we are going to think it is an act no matter what he says. But he did say the things he needed to say. He didn't blame anyone but himself, he said he was going to get more help, he defended his wife. Even if he is doing these things because he got caught, he is still doing them. He didn't deny anything, he didn't try to pass off the blame, and most importantly, he acknowledged he was acting out of both a sense of entitlement and because he thought the rules were different for him. Tiger is smart enough to know if he want's to repair his public image he needs to do these things.

[Colonel Flagg]

Wrong. What he needed to do was to NOT go "a whoring 'round the world". I submit that he's not smart, but he pays people to be smart for him. And that he's doing what they're telling him to do because he's seeing his sponsorships dropping like flies, and he knows he has to do something drastic (like tell the truth?).

But he went to the "sex rehab" clinic, building up his victimhood (it's not my fault, it's all those great lookin' tatas) and he's giving the roiling masses a grain of doubt. So they'll forgive him, come out and see him, buy his endorsed stuff, shoving money into his already stuffed coffers.

This disgusts me.

Sorry, rant off.

Let's talk B-ball.

[Pentegarn]

You do know I am not contesting that what he did was scumbaggery right? It was. But in the end, while he did make stupid decisions, he was smart enough to surround himself with the right publicists and advisers. It doesn't really matter if he wrote that speech himself. He said the right things in it. Some people will probably, like you said, feel sorry for him. Despite the things he did wrong though, let's look at what he did right.

He did not hem and haw, he flat out said what he did.
He didn't blame anyone but himself.
He (if speculation is correct) lied for the sake of his wife about the assault, and even managed to pull off looking angry about the media coverage on his wife.

What it all boils down to is, he can't change what he did, he can only change what he will do, and while he does not deserve any sympathy, he deserves that chance do do so. He is right about one thing though. This infedelity is between him and his wife, if for some reason she forgives him, then that should be that. Tiger Woods cheated on his wife, he didn't cheat on me, so I really have no concern with his fickle pickle. He is a cheater, and he is a scumbag, but he deserves the chance to change himself if he is sincere in his claim to wanting to do so

[Tadao]

If it was football, baseball, or basketball, no one would care anymore.