Tiger Not A "Cheetah" Only A Person With Flaws
Posted: Saturday, December 05, 2009
by Gerry Charbonneau
http://nibblednews.typepad.com
Golf superdstar Tiger Woods according to a recent Associated Press (AP) news release was described as being "different".
His was an unattainable talent on the golf course. His unmatchable talent and public image were carefully burnished. He, unlike many other professional athletes, had previously welcomed the opportunity of being a role model to his many admirers.
Do the legions of fans and worshippers of gifted athletes tend to place too much emphasis on the person's skills, perfection and prowess on the playing field? Do they inadvertently and subconsciously expect a person's athletic perfection on the playing field to translate into an above average peronal code of conduct?
Tiger Woods, once a hero to many fans, has now become the butt of all jokes and fodder of many less-than-perfect comedians. Modified Christmas carols, late night television hosts' comedy opening one liners and other media vultures are quick to pounce on this unfortunate individual.
Once loyal fans are now jumping off the Tiger band wagon and eagerly expressing their disappointment over his being "only human".
Many fans believed that they were duped into believing that Tiger was a saint. Spin doctors and publicity agents are notorious for transforming the average into the exceptional. After all , it's their jobs to create public excitement for even the mundanest of events. The Boston Tea Party would have been a cataclysmic event to this cadre of bottom feeders.
Is his guilt or innocence really any of our business? Are we really that prepared to hurl stones at Tiger for suffering from a moment or two of weakness?
One radio station recently took the high road and cancelled its late morning call in chat line when the number of people calling in wanted to discuss the Tiger affair.
One woman called in and told the listening audience that this was a personal matter for the couple to resolve and should not be the subject of social commentary. The show's host agreed with her and immediately announced that he was cancelling this particular chat line segment for that morning.
Bravo for him for having the guts and the personal fortitude to go against public curiosity. Not many people associated with the mass media do that these days.
Alleged mistresses, moral misconduct and other acts of suspected wrong doing should not be served on a silver platter by the hungry news media to a public hungry for the seemier sides of life.
This past year many celebrities have been placed under the microscope of public scrutiny. Athletes, late night television show personalities, and beloved entertainers have graced the front pages of well known newspapers and news programs.
These alleged major news events should make us all realize and appreciate the more human side of our natures and not merely over emphasize the moral superiority of a few individuals looking to make a few bucks on another person's weaknesses.
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)Gerry,Excellent article!!!!!!!!!! Well written and well said. He is human. Nothing more and nothing less. I am not fond of new media. They lie so much and so little loyality.Keep up the great work.Sincerely,LawrenceThank you Lawrence for your comment.Lies, deception and manipulation of circumstances are the major products the news media produces.Letterman now chides Tiger's fate while hiding behind his own questionable celebrity and moral character.Such is life I guess.Thanks for writing.
Garry,While I appreciate where you are going with your article, I must point out that it is also an error to candy-coat the story as it emerges. Your words about Tigers indiscretions: "suffering from a moment or two of weakness" somehow ring empty and sugar-coated, now that we have heard the latest tally- what is it... 11, 12, or 13? We the public are starting to lose count. It is evident that the scope of Tigers philandering cannot be captured by the words "a ;moment or two of weakness."I believe in forgiveness, but I also believe one must live with the consequences of their actions. When cheating becomes, in its offensiveness, so trivial that it is pawned off as "a moment or two of weakness," then we have become paltry and unconcerned with morality as a society. If I was to take your thesis to its logical conclusion, then Tigers wife should just write this whole thing off as bad manners, or some other trivial gaffe. Slap him on the wrist, and get on with a happy marriage. It's precisely because you are not in a position to feel her pain that you are willing to write this whole thing off and get on with life as usual. This is not to mention the consequences their young son will have to live with the rest of his life. Nice try, but Tiger made his own bed on this one, now he's got to sleep in it. You notice he has not come out and denied being involved with these women.Brian
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