After Words

Well, other than Elin not being in the room with him, I'd say my guesses in the post below about what would transpire at the Tiger Woods extravaganza today were pretty much on target (not that I went out on any big limbs). In at least one way, he in fact exceeded my expectations, by being surprisingly direct about the nature and extent of his previously admitted indiscretions: "The issue involved here was my repeated irresponsible behavior. I was unfaithful. I had affairs. I cheated."
     He hinted that he may not play competitive golf all year, while also leaving the door open for a return sometime in 2010: "I do plan to return to golf one day, I just don't know when that day will be. I don't rule out that it will be this year." He even seemed to allude to his often-criticized on-course behavior when he said: "When I do return, I need to make my behavior more respectful of the game."

      He showed some anger and resentment when he admonished the press for harrassing his family and saying things he said were not true about them. "I am the only person to blame," he said. "Please leave my wife and kids alone." He apologized to parents who may have held him up as a role model to their kids: "I owe all those families a special apology. I want to say to them that I am truly sorry." He called his behavior "irresponsible and selfish."

      He admitted that for the past 45 days he has been receiving "inpatient therapy" and that he has "a long way to go." He acknowledged that people are justifiably curious about what is going on behind closed doors, and what has gone on in the past. But he also stated plainly that he would not be answering questions of that nature: "These are issues between a husband and a wife," he said. He called suggestions that he may have used performance-enhancing drugs as "completely and utterly false."
     He said he has strayed from the "core values" he was raised by, and would be returning to his roots in Buddhism to help him regain "balance" in his life. In closing, he asked us to find room in our hearts to believe in him again one day.
     For the most part, he hit all the right notes, said all the right things, and seemed sincere in doing so. Nonetheless ...

A friend said to me today, "How do we know this isn't just one big con job?" "We don't!" I replied. But I'm trying hard to give him the benefit of the doubt. Many people think Tiger has made serious mistakes in handling this crisis, and that's true – if you look at it from the perspective of what's best for his career, for his golf game, for his image. But when you view his post-Thanksgiving actions as him trying to do what's best for his family, the pieces fit together a little more logically.
     Maybe Tiger has me fooled. Maybe I'm trying to hard to see the good in someone I would like to admire in the same way I admire Jack Nicklaus. As Tiger himself alluded to, we can't know until his words are backed up by his actions. And we can't really, truly know even then; only God knows for sure what is in someone's heart. But here's one thing to consider when calculating his sincerity quotient today ...
     At the close of the 2009 golf season, a lot of people were speculating that Tiger was going to have a monster year at the majors in 2010, considering the venues in play. He's always a favorite at Augusta National and the Masters, which he's won four times. The last time the U.S. Open was played at Pebble Beach (2000), he lapped the field by 15 strokes, perhaps the most dominant golfing performance of all time. He's two-for-two in the Open Championship at St. Andrews (in 2000 and 2005), winning by a combined 13 strokes. And would you bet against him at Whistling Straits, especially if the Grand Slam was on the line?
     If Tiger's top priority, the most important thing in his life, was to catch and surpass Jack Nicklaus in the major count, would he really take a pass on such a tantalizing 2010? Really? Maybe he will and maybe he won't. But if I'm right, if he's genuinely putting his family above all else, we may not see him on the course again for quite some time.
     Bad for golf fans. Bad for the PGA Tour. But probably best for him.

Read Tiger's full statement here, or watch it below: