Tiger, did we really need to be subjected to this?

Tiger Woods apologized to the nation last Friday.  It was a speech that was delivered in front of a small audience of friends and family and broadcast on network TV.  His wife Elin wasn’t present, but his mom was and boy did she look pissed off.  Before I even take time to discuss what he said, let me first address the issue of the major networks carrying the so called “news conference” live. 

What made this an event worth coverage equal to the State of the Union address?  With everything we’re dealing with in this country, two wars, a crushing debt, a fragile economy, a congress that doesn’t have a clue what it means to work together and compromise, we got to hear a golfer spend thirteen minutes on national TV saying he was sorry for having sex with a bunch of women who weren’t his wife.  Are you kidding me?

I’m not sure if this was step one of his 12 step sex addiction rehab program or what, but the nation didn’t have to be subjected to this live national broadcast.  At least the Golf Writers Association boycotted the event on grounds it’s not a news conference if no one can ask questions.  Look, I get it that ESPN or the Golf Channel would carry this, but NBC, CBS and ABC?

As for the apology itself, for those in the media who wanted to call it heartfelt, I think they must have been drinking before the show.  For anyone who thought he looked wooden and very matter of fact in reading his statement, they’ve apparently never really watched him much.  He’s not very comfortable in front of cameras and in this situation I don’t blame him, but he also revealed why he’s really a social misfit and had to pay women to be with him.  He doesn’t have real people skills.

What does all this mean for the future of his golf game?  It’s hard to say.  His personal family problems are his own as far as I’m concerned.  We still don’t know when he’s actually going to come back to the game.  But I’ll guarantee you this.  He will get heckled, many times over and it’s going to be very interesting to see if he ever returns to being the type of golfer he was before his house of cards began to collapse.