0

Tiger Acting Like Tiger Again

by Jeff Skinner

My head is still spinning from all the action at The Masters.  It was fast and furious there for a long while and we could have used an auctioneer to call the action instead of Jim Nantz.  Charl Schwartzel’s mad dash to the green jacket was one entertaining golf tournament.

Before Schwartzel finished out, CBS had a chance to talk to Tiger Woods after he signed for his 67.  At this point, Woods was the leader in the clubhouse at -10 but he knew it wouldn’t hold up.  He knew he missed a few chances on the course.  A few chances that would have given him a legitimate shot at winning his first major since the 2008 U.S. Open.  He was disappointed.  He was frustrated.  He was mad.  And into the firestorm of Tiger’s temper stepped Bill Macatee.  He had the unenviable task of interviewing Tiger as steamed spewed from Tiger’s ears.

Macatee: Do you feel like you played well enough to win?

Tiger: Right now, I’m one back. We’ll see what Adam does.  Let’s see what happens.

Macatee: Do you feel like you’re back in the thick of things now?

Tiger: Yeah, I’m one back. We’ll see what happens.

At that point it was obvious that Macatee wasn’t getting anything from Woods.  He stumbled out an unplanned “What are you going to do now, go eat…” and Tiger jumped in with an “I’m going to eat…I’m starving” and beat it out of there.

OK Tiger, we get it you’re pissed off, understood, but try acting like a human being for one minute.  He was short, rude and obnoxious, typical Tiger.  He still doesn’t get it.

You want disappointed?  Are you looking for someone who had every reason to skip out on the press?  If anyone had reason to hide from the press it was Rory McIlroy.  He had just blown a chance at his biggest win ever.  His implosion brought back memories of Greg Norman.  But he stood there and answered the questions with real answers, and even said this experience would strengthen his character.

McIlroy acted like a well rounded, mature person that is comfortable with himself.  Tiger acted like a self-absorbed, boorish bully.  He acted like he has since he became the biggest thing in spikes.  He acted like Tiger.

His ill-mannered act has been accepted and tolerated for years.  When you drive the bus you make the rules. It reminds me of football great Lawrence Taylor. He was so good he changed the game.  But he was a disruptive teammate that spent most of the day doing drugs and breaking team rules.  But when game time came around he was the most dominant force on the field.  Coach Bill Parcells looked the other way when it came to LT because he knew he had the best defensive player in the game.

It was that way with Tiger.  He was the best, by far and he did what he wanted regardless of the circumstances.  But Tiger’s world has changed.  He isn’t the best golfer in the world right now.  But he still is the biggest draw in golf.  Maybe he should realize that plenty of those fans that tuned into the telecast weren’t rooting for him.  They were hoping he would lose.

I don’t care if he wins again.  I’m just hoping he acts like a human being.

Link to the Macatee/Woods interview.

 

Share

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.