# I Like Tiger, but...



## 373 (Jun 9, 2006)

I am a fan of Tiger Woods, but does anyone else besides me find it totally ridiculous that with only about one month of tournaments having been played, the media is talking about whether Tiger could win everything he enters?

If he quits now, the answer would be yes. If he plays the usual 20 tournaments a year the odds are so slim that he could, but otherwise intelligent commentators actually seem to be giving the concept some credibility.

Much as I am amazed with his talent, I find myself sometimes wishing for someone to go on a hot streak to end all the attention Tiger gets, not that it might matter much. As much as K.J. Choi has won important events recently, has anyone noticed how little attention he gets? (Other than in Nike ads) It's like it's bigger news to say, "Tiger loses." than to say someone else won.

I'm also tired ot television showing Tiger standing around or making a 2 foot putt while other players are trying to produce interesting shots. Admittedly, that idea isn't originally mine, but something I read in one of the golf magazines letters to the editor section. Once I read it, I realized how much I agreed with it though.

I honestly believe Tiger will someday prove to be the greatest golfer who ever lived, with no issue about what equipment he used, who he played against, what courses he won on or how many majors he won. Barring a terrible trajedy, he is on that career path. I remain a fan, but the PGA Tour is not made up of 1 man.

Am I alone feeling this way?


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## Powerfade (Aug 24, 2007)

I have to agree Dennis. I cannot take anything away from Tiger, I admire any professional athlete who has obvious talent and backs it up with untiring practice, study and intelligence. The guy is awesome.

But, damn! He is not the only golfer on the tour. I am bone weary of hearing TGC and network golf commentators gushing like schoolgirls over every move he makes. They even work to diminish the accomplishments of other golfers by comparing a score or great shot by comparing to something Tiger did. e.g. “What a great bunker shot by <somebody>, let’s show you how Tiger did it on this hole in 2004!” (cut to clip of Tiger’s shot) And let’s not forget the time when play had already started and the TV coverage went from the golf course to show Tiger walking in the parking lot, Tiger walking up to the clubhouse, tiger standing on the practice green, tiger going to the driving range, Tiger drinking a bottle of water, tiger waiting to go the first tee, ad nauseum.

Watching the Nationwide tour recently, we get to see clips from a decade ago showing how Tiger played this course. Even during the Champion’s tour a week back, a lot of the on-air discussion was devoted to whether or not Tiger would win the triple crown. 

Your statement _“I remain a fan, but the PGA Tour is not made up of 1 man.”_ Is spot-on. Give him his due, but let’s have a little better balance covering the rest of the PGA.

Or we could just rename the PGA to “The Tiger Woods Tour and a Couple Other Guys.”


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## 373 (Jun 9, 2006)

Powerfade said:


> Or we could just rename the PGA to “The Tiger Woods Tour and a Couple Other Guys.”


No, probably not, but I would say someday after there is no doubt that he has accomplished everything people want, so that they unquestionably say he is the greatest in history, I bet there is some important trophy named after him... like the Super Bowl trophy is the Lombardi trophy. I have no problem with that.

I wonder whether Tiger will ever play the senior tour, host his own event like Arnie or Jack, Captain a Ryder Cup team... but that's quite a way off... fun to speculate.


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## King Woods (Feb 18, 2008)

I've got to side with the Tiger worshippers. He's on pace to shatter all Snead's All Time win record and Nicklaus' Majors record. He has the potential to do just about anything, so it really wouldn't surprise me to see him go out and win most of the tournaments he plays in this year (though maybe not all). It could take centuries for a player as dominant as Tiger to come along. For the good of the game, we need to cover just about everything about him. One day, I'll be able to tell my Grandkids the legend of Eldrick Woods.


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## 373 (Jun 9, 2006)

King Woods said:


> I've got to side with the Tiger worshippers.


No argument and you more or less repeated all I said in your praise of Tiger, but I simply find it crazy how the media doesn't think there's another player out there to turn a camera on.


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## mkoreiwo (Jan 8, 2007)

DennisM said:


> I am a fan of Tiger Woods, but does anyone else besides me find it totally ridiculous that with only about one month of tournaments having been played, the media is talking about whether Tiger could win everything he enters?
> 
> If he quits now, the answer would be yes. If he plays the usual 20 tournaments a year the odds are so slim that he could, but otherwise intelligent commentators actually seem to be giving the concept some credibility.
> 
> ...


No, Dennis, you're not!!

I could not have said it any better. But you and I know, that without Tiger, gate proceeds drop, tv ratings fall, the list goes on. There is no escaping the influence Tiger has had, and continues to have. I wish we could have some other pros start to step up and give challenge, maybe some young gun will do it. I just look for god competition out there, and unbiased coverage.

BTW... Looking at the level that Tiger is playing at right now, he really does look pretty unbeatable - though it galls me to say so. I just have to acknowledge his talent - he must be an alien!


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## 373 (Jun 9, 2006)

mkoreiwo said:


> he must be an alien!


No, or he would probably live here in Miami. He had the good sense to live up the coast from me.


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## Powerfade (Aug 24, 2007)

DennisM said:


> No, probably not, but I would say someday after there is no doubt that he has accomplished everything people want, so that they unquestionably say he is the greatest in history, I bet there is some important trophy named after him... like the Super Bowl trophy is the Lombardi trophy. I have no problem with that.
> 
> I wonder whether Tiger will ever play the senior tour, host his own event like Arnie or Jack, Captain a Ryder Cup team... but that's quite a way off... fun to speculate.


Methinks the FedEx cup will probably be the first to be named for him. After all, the event was designed for him...

In the meantime, I hope the TV coverage strikes some sort of balance so that we other pros don't get lost and forgotten in his wake. That would be sad.


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## 373 (Jun 9, 2006)

I'm not sure a corporation would stick a player's name on their trophy, but if the tour decided someday to rename their own championship trophy, it might be a consideration. On the other hand, if Tiger starts a tournament on one of the courses he designs, looking for it to attain the stature of the Memorial, they might hesitate to name the tour trophy after him.

As fast as events turn over with a different sponsor every year, it wouldn't surprise me to see one of them grab the opportunity to play on one of Tiger's courses and for him to become the host. I think with his intelligence, he will not go into his old age in the game playing every week, but will be more like Nicklaus, only playing majors, doing design work and Captaining United States teams in various world matches.


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## BogeyXL (Oct 28, 2007)

DennisM said:


> No argument and you more or less repeated all I said in your praise of Tiger, but I simply find it crazy how the media doesn't think there's another player out there to turn a camera on.


Actually, that's not quite true. The truth is since TW got on the world stage, there's been many players that the media tirelessly paired Tiger with hoping for some rivalry to ensue. Sergio, Duval, Phil, Els, Westwood, Vijay, Adam Scott, etc...the difference is these guys just never seem to step up to the challenge. I'm not sure if this is a case of the media focusing on Tiger too much, or a case of having no one else to focus on. 

Honestly, I find it even more tiring to constantly hear how Phil is on the hunt, Ernie's on a mission, Zack is making a push, Adam is the second coming, and so forth and so on...only see these guys fade away come Sunday.

Unless that changes, what else can the media do? Had Steve Oh ever managed to make the transition and turned pro, there might have been a worthy story or two, but...

There's a lot of exciting development on the Honda Classic right now, but frankly, who's watching?

I have to believe that 50, maybe 100 years from today; the media will still find itself focusing, even for a tiny bit, on TW.

If you're a fan of the great game of Golf, witnessing possibly the greatest player of all time play during your lifetime, why not just appreciate the moment.


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## broken tee (Jan 13, 2008)

*Media and Tiger*

Remember those days on Shell's world series of golf. the announcers always talked how unstoppable Nicklaus, Palmer and Player were. Tiger is not infallible but the media plays it up for sensationalism. Do I like Tiger? Yes, but I see a lot of good players in golf that can beat Tiger.
Tiger right now can just kick back and enjoy the game because win or lose he gets paid. while the others are trying to keep the lively hood going and would I like their lively hood.


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## King Woods (Feb 18, 2008)

I doubt that he players who compete regularly with Tiger (the veteran tour pros) have monetary issues. They make at least $750,000 every year , as they have to finish in the top 125 on the money list. Sure, Nicklaus, Palmer, and Player were pretty unstoppable. But there was still a clear competition between them. That's not the case with Tiger. People like to say that he has no competition, but the fact is that all sports across the board have become much more competitive over the past 20 years. Tiger doesn't have anyone to compete with him because he's just on another level . It would be great for golf if Phil+Ernie could each win around 5 tournaments this year with Tiger dominating. But I think you're underrating Tiger. I mean, sure, he's beatable; but, that's the very nature of playing against 155 other players, in addition to playing a game in which consistency isn't common. Take Tiger's 2000 PGA tour season. If another player won 9 times, including 3 majors, thoughout their entire career, they would be a borderling HOFer. That's exactly why Tiger is praise so highly.


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## broken tee (Jan 13, 2008)

King: Maybe my knickers are full of sand on a couple of points, but I am not under estimating or under rating Tiger at all. I'm just saying that he gets the hype when his competition are in tournements he is not in . When Tiger played in Dubai he got a mill, for just showing up. Thats the reason I mentioned others are just trying to keep their lively hood going. How would it be to show for work and get paid a stipen before you even started? Faldo mentioned the money on the golf Channel. keep your head down
Bob


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## 373 (Jun 9, 2006)

I have to admit it was refreshing to see Els win last week at the Honda. I wish I could have gone, but it was moved too far up the road from the usual Ft. Lauderdale sites to make it a comfortable drive.

I think the commentators enjoyed discussing, "Is Ernie back?"...


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## King Woods (Feb 18, 2008)

broken tee said:


> King: Maybe my knickers are full of sand on a couple of points, but I am not under estimating or under rating Tiger at all. I'm just saying that he gets the hype when his competition are in tournements he is not in . When Tiger played in Dubai he got a mill, for just showing up. Thats the reason I mentioned others are just trying to keep their lively hood going. How would it be to show for work and get paid a stipen before you even started? Faldo mentioned the money on the golf Channel. keep your head down
> Bob


I was under the impression that Tiger got that money to show up because his presence would more than make up for the million dollars he got to show up. I agree with you that he shouldn't be the topic when he's not enrolled in that particular tournament, unless someone like Phil is being discussed and compared to Tiger. But on the Nationwide Tour, they should probably just cover the tournament and not worry about Tiger.


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## King Woods (Feb 18, 2008)

DennisM said:


> I have to admit it was refreshing to see Els win last week at the Honda. I wish I could have gone, but it was moved too far up the road from the usual Ft. Lauderdale sites to make it a comfortable drive.
> 
> I think the commentators enjoyed discussing, "Is Ernie back?"...


I live in Palm Beach County so I've generally gone to the Honda, but I was too busy to go this year. I was also very pleased with Ernie winning last at the Honda. Tiger needs people to stand up to Tiger, and golf needs people to stand up to Tiger. _If _Ernie is back, then we could have a Big 3 again. Tiger+Phil+Ernie make for great golf. Can't wait for the Masters!


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## 373 (Jun 9, 2006)

King Woods said:


> I live in Palm Beach County


My God! You mean SOMEONE in this forum has the courage to live within 100 miles of ME????? 

Maybe we can actually get together and hit it around one of these days.


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