If you don't have anything nice to say...

[scotee]

[size="3"]Tiger is who he is and I don’t expect or even want him to turn into Brandt Snedeker or Steve Stricker. The fire in the belly, the focused competitive drive, even the occasional F- bombs don’t bother me but I would think that someone as intelligent as Tiger could do himself a real service by showing a lot more class in these situations.[/size]

[size="3"] [/size]

[size="3"]When he was younger I remember that he was in the habit of saying “no problem” when the interviewer would thank him for his time. Then I would see Arnold Palmer give an interview and always be the one to thank the interviewer. I chalked it up to Tiger’s immaturity and lack of experience but Tiger is now a grown man and has had more than enough practice to develop the skill to give an interview that makes him look good and in turn makes the guy with the microphone look better as well.[/size]

[Blaiser]

[quote name='C. Spackler' timestamp='1302925871' post='3158447']
Some of you people are utterly insane....Tiger Woods has been like this his entire career and all of the sudden he "neds to change" or "he owes the game of golf." Tiger owes, you, me or the game of golf NOTHING, let alone some hack of a course interviewer. Brandel Chamblee is a nobody that needs to do all he can to drum up any interest what so ever in his pathetic attempt to prtend he knows what he's talking about. Guys a clown and always has been. Have a nice night!
[/quote]

Athletes do owe the fans. The fans pay their salary. So for that the athlete owes them a performance. I guess an athlete doesn't actually owe an interview, thats not priced on the ticket stub. But then again, you don't actually owe your waiter/waitress a tip either and think of how rude it is to stiff your waiter.

[mjtoal]

Tiger is, and has always been, a complete churl when it comes to media. He could easily do better, but his arrogance and narcissism makes him think he is better than everyone else and he oozes contempt and disrespect. Tiger seems unable to understand, despite all that has happened in the past year or so, that he shouldn't bite the hand that feeds him. So far, most of the people are still on his side, but another 6 months of his BS and no wins, and that might change.

Those who will bring up the hater charge, I don't hate him. I don't like him much, but that might change if he showed a scrap of genuine humility and started to play without his usual histrionics when he hits a bad shot. He used to have a reputation for having the strongest mind in the game. That may have been true once, but it ain't now. Every time he throws a club or an F-word, that is disproven more and more.

[78blades]

Blaiser

If I don't get at least decent service from my waiter/waitress they don't get a tip; so yes I'd stiff them if I didn't think the service was at least decent.

I have to go with what Charles Barkely said years ago, "I'm a professional athlete, not a roll model". Also, all the professional golfers are basically private contractors, so IMO they don't owe anything to the fans. As for the rest of the professional athletes I don't think they owe the fans anything either. Fans may pay their salaries, but no one is making the fans shell out the money; they are doing that willingly. However it is never a bad idea to be approchable and polite. In my mind, just cuz someone is high profile doesn't mean they are a roll model.

I read an article a couple of months ago and the author was talking about how worship has gone from the church to the sports arenas. I thought he had a very good point.

[swbyps]

Can someone who has issue with the way he answered the questions please tell me what that issue is? What is the issue with this specific interview that he had with Bill Macatee..not how he did interviews sometime in the past? Are people thinking the answers were too short? Was his tone rude? Did he give a smart a** response?

[Hawkeye77]

I can only address my issue. Until he mentioned being hungry, the first seemingly genuine response, the rest was curt and, although Macatee asked the same question twice, Tiger wasn't particularly helpful. Was it horribly rude? No. Could he someday (when?) demonstrate a little more savvy when it comes to dealing with people? Yes.

Jack never was all that comfortable with interviews, either, and he could be quick to correct a question or be direct with an answer, but he learned how to deal with people and worked at it. Tiger really shows no signs of growth in that department, and he is the one who said things would change.

Every time he talks to media it is an opportunity not a burden.

[M3only]

Here's the interview:
[color="#333333"]BM. Tiger, 67 today. You said earlier in the week you just wanted to get to the second nine on Sunday to give yourself a chance. Do you feel like you played well enough today to win?

TW: Well, we'll see. Right now I'm one back, and we'll see what Adam (Scott) does.

BM. As you sit here now, do you feel like you're back in the thick of things, in the fight, the way you played today, especially in the opening nine, going out in 31?

TW: Yeah, I'm one back. We'll see what happens.

BM. Are you going to go in to get something to eat, go to the range? What's your plan?

TW: I'm going to go eat. I'm starving.



WOW......CAN YOU BELIEVE HE SAID THOSE THINGS?!?!? Chamblee, Feinstein, and the rest of the "clan" need to let it go. For some reason, they want Tiger to start every interview by apologizing to America for his personal indiscretions. What happened in his past is between himself and his ex-wife. Period. Is anyone else tired of this "holier than thou" attitude commentators have now towards Tiger (to include many in the golfwrx community who constantly harp on the guy)? If I was a betting man, I'd put money on these idiots having similar skeletons in their closets.

[/color]

[Hawkeye77]

Totally agree, reading it, it's fine, but for me, watching it, especially in contrast to Ogilvy, for example, left a lot to be desired. I actually felt Macatee was nervous to ask Tiger anything.

I'm not calling for his head, just think he's missing some opportunities.

This has nothing to do with his personal life, so no need to bring up his or slander anyone else's.

[avrag]

[quote name='swbyps' timestamp='1302957694' post='3158892']
Can someone who has issue with the way he answered the questions please tell me what that issue is? What is the issue with this specific interview that he had with Bill Macatee..not how he did interviews sometime in the past? Are people thinking the answers were too short? Was his tone rude? Did he give a smart a** response?
[/quote]

He answered the questions in exactly the same way my adolescent son does when his mother or I ask him about what is going on in school or when we ask him to please take out the garbage. There is an unspoken "up your's" with every syllable. If you don't sense that, hear it or see it in his facial expression, fine. There are people who do.

[pjccjp]

Tiger is no different interpersonally than Hogan was most of the time. Only difference is in this day and age there are 100 mics and cameras observing it.

[Hawkeye77]

And let's face it, kids watching are exited to hear anything from Tiger, give them something, it's really the only time they hear him that's not on what few ads he has running.

[bigred90gt]

[quote name='swbyps' timestamp='1302927708' post='3158510']
[url="http://24wired.tv/5152/tiger-woods-%E2%80%9Ci%E2%80%99m-going-to-eat%E2%80%9D-interview-with-cbs%E2%80%99-bill-macatee/"]Tiger and Bill Macatee[/url]

As much as I have tried, I do not see what was so wrong with the way Tiger answered the questions. I have tried to look at it objectively since I admittedly am a Tiger fan, but Im sorry I just dont see it. First, Macatee asks him if he feels he played well enough to win. Tiger says we will see Im one back and we will see what Adam does. There is nothing wrong with that answer or how he gave it. Then Macatee asks Tiger if he feels hes back in the thick of things in the fight with the way he played on the front nine. This is basically a rephrase of the first question. Tiger understands that and again answers by saying hes one back. I would agree that maybe he could have gave a little more with the second answer. Ok..but is it possible in his mind the thought he just answered that question and didnt understand why it was being asked again? Sure its possible, but no one wants to consider that. The final question Macatee asks Tiger what hes going to do now. Tiger says hes going to eat because hes starving. Seriously, I dont normally say things like this but I believe this is an instance of people taking any minor thing with Tiger and turning it into an issue. There was absolutely nothing in this interview to warrant the criticism that Tiger is getting over this...nothing.
[/quote]I have to agree. I read the article and some comments where people think he was being rude, but I just dont see it. To those of you who think he was being rude, or did something wrong, can you please explain how you come to either conclusion?

I'm not a fan of Tiger as a person (I dont know him as a person, so I'm indifferent, not a fan and not a hater), but I am a fan of his golf game, when his game is on. I dont get wrapped up in a particular player, brand, or anything else, I just love to watch good golf. It doesnt matter to me who is playing the good golf, I want to watch it. When Tiger's game is on, there are few people on this planet who play that level of good golf, and it is exciting to watch, but that does not make me a "fan of Tiger", more a fan of Tiger's game. All that to say that I AM looking at this interview objectively, since I dont have a dog in this fight, and I saw nothing wrong with the answers given. He was asked basically the same question twice, and gave basically the same answer twice. He was then asked about his immediate plans while the remainder of the tourney unfolded, and he smiled and answered. Where, exactly, is the problem?

[tElihu]

[i]hypocrite (HIP - o - krit): [/i]

[i] Sticking a microphone in the face of an athlete fresh out of the heat of the battle in order to get the most candid and revealing interview, and then complaining that the guy (who just failed on the field of battle) was not pleasant or revealing enough.[/i]

Tiger will never get a Miss Congeniality award. And he's not the most eloquent speaker either. And he's certainly not the most gracious loser. But I for one would rather see a guy whose p*ssed-off be real in front of the camera than 125 carbon copies of Phil Mickelson (and I love watching and listening to Phil Mickelson). Tiger is who he is and a lot of people don't like him because of that, and that's fine. But to complain that he should be something or someone different in front of the camera is disingenuous. Ben Hogan was the same way, he just didn't have 500 amateur bloggers preaching every day about how he should act.

I'm glad we have guys like Tiger, Rory Sabattini, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter who aren't afraid to speak their mind or say how they really feel. They are all a much more interesting interview than the bland, uber-polite, boiler-plate "I gave it 100%, just didn't make enough putts, Bill.." types. I like listening to Ben Crenshaw be interviewed, but if all 125 golfers on tour were exactly like him, I'd puke.

Ironic, but this comment about Brandel Chamblee tells me more about Brandel Chamblee than the rest of the article does about Tiger:

[color="#333333"][b][i]Yet, I wanted more, I wanted Tiger to say, "Well Bill, it felt good to be in the hunt late on Sunday in a major and I hope Brandel is choking on his analysis of my swing. I hope he knows by now that my 'faux' finish is real and it works."[/i][/b][/color]

[boxerjoe2011]

14 Major titles and he is still a loser

[Hawkeye77]

Silly comment. And comparisons to Hogan aren't relevant. Tiger is simply not willing to work on a few simple skills appropriate for the era in which he is playing golf and marketing himself.

A simple and obvious fact.

[nochct1]

So can someone actually point out what was wrong with his interview? He just blew a few opportunities, then gets asked the same question twice. Put yourself in his spot...you get asked a question and answer it, then you get asked basically the exact same question again. Perhaps he really didn't know what to say?

[tigers9iron]

Rex Hoggard basically put brandall and all the other lil whining, kiss ups in their place. his view below

Some colleagues have taken umbrage with [url="http://www.thegolfchannel.com/redirect.aspx?link=Player&url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.thegolfchannel.com%2fplayers%2fTiger-Woods%2f"]Tiger Woods[/url]’ post-round interview with Bill Macatee on Sunday at the Masters. Here is the interview in its curt entirety:BM. Tiger, 67 today. You said earlier in the week you just wanted to get to the second nine on Sunday to give yourself a chance. Do you feel like you played well enough today to win?

TW: Well, we'll see. Right now I'm one back, and we'll see what Adam (Scott) does.

BM. As you sit here now, do you feel like you're back in the thick of things, in the fight, the way you played today, especially in the opening nine, going out in 31?

TW: Yeah, I'm one back. We'll see what happens.

BM. Are you going to go in to get something to eat, go to the range? What's your plan?

TW: I'm going to go eat. I'm starving.

Warm and fuzzy it is not, but neither is the exchange a reason to demand another public apology. Woods has never been a good interview, particularly after an 18-putt back nine just cost him green jacket No. 5. To expect more is our problem, not his.

[Hawkeye77]

Strange how you can explain repeatedly a minor issue with Tiger's interview and people too lazy to read keep asking for an explanation.
Just the sheer verbosity of the Tiger defenders says it all.
He has room for improvement, it's not the end of the world.

[SafariThomas]

Paraphrase Hogan,“ I hope one day that a deaf mute wins the U.S. Open, so you guys will have to figure things out on your own.”.......nuff said

[tElihu]

[quote name='HAWKEYE77' timestamp='1302969126' post='3159323']
Silly comment. And comparisons to Hogan aren't relevant. Tiger is simply not willing to work on a few simple skills appropriate for the era in which he is playing golf and marketing himself.

A simple and obvious fact.
[/quote]

And Tiger has absolutely no obligation to work on these few and simple skills that someone else deems appropriate. Moreover, his sponsors and endorsers are still quite willing to pay him and fans are quite willing to watch him in spite of his lack of these skills.

Two more simple and obvious facts. (Hopefully that wasn't too verbose.)

[DRETOT]

[quote name='boxerjoe2011' timestamp='1302968673' post='3159300']
14 Major titles and he is still a loser
[/quote]

Seriously? Are you kidding me? What an asinine thing to say.

[Hawkeye77]

[quote name='tElihu' timestamp='1302974973' post='3159549']
[quote name='HAWKEYE77' timestamp='1302969126' post='3159323']
Silly comment. And comparisons to Hogan aren't relevant. Tiger is simply not willing to work on a few simple skills appropriate for the era in which he is playing golf and marketing himself.

A simple and obvious fact.
[/quote]

And Tiger has absolutely no obligation to work on these few and simple skills that someone else deems appropriate. Moreover, his sponsors and endorsers are still quite willing to pay him and fans are quite willing to watch him in spite of his lack of these skills.

Two more simple and obvious facts. (Hopefully t mosthat wasn't too verbose.)
[/quote]

You may have noticed most of his sponsors dropped him, and others have not been lining up to endorse him. A little more Arnie and a little less petulant behavior goes a long way.

He has an obligation and responsibility to the GAME to lighten up a little and learn more effective ways of communication. He doesn't have to listen when Palmer, Watson and even Nicklaus weigh in or learn from their careers, but he should.

[M3only]

[quote name='HAWKEYE77' timestamp='1302964718' post='3159131']
Totally agree, reading it, it's fine, but for me, watching it, especially in contrast to Ogilvy, for example, left a lot to be desired. I actually felt Macatee was nervous to ask Tiger anything.

I'm not calling for his head, just think he's missing some opportunities.

This has nothing to do with his personal life, so no need to bring up his or slander anyone else's.
[/quote]

I'll respectfully disagree with the last statement. All these guys had been incredibly cautious when it came to critiquing Tiger prior to his shenanigan's last year. Why, because he didn't give them anything to complain about. He played golf and he won tournaments.
He kept is life quiet, his answers short, and his friends close. I would too if I was in his position. He wouldn't interview with certain individuals (Feinstein) and that pissed them off, but they still didn't say anything in case things changed.

Fast forward a year and a half later, Chamblee and crew are like wolves stalking wounded prey. Tiger's personal exploits showed the world a chink in his armor and since then, these guys can't get enough of bringing him down (no matter what he does). Your honestly telling me that Chamblee would have written this article two years ago. I highly doubt it.

[Random Hack]

I saw the interview; although he did nothing too rude, the interview was awkward to watch and it was clear that he didn't want to do it - is that right? I don't know - frankly, I don't feel like a professional golfer "owes" me anything other than playing good golf, but I realize that there are others who expect golfers to set a good example for their children to follow (debatable whether that's right or not, but not for this thread).

Frankly, it really does seem like much ado about nothing, to me - to those comparing it to Ogilvy, he'd just shot a 31 on the back nine, so was probably a little happier than Tiger who had shot 36 and cost himself a shot at another green jacket.

Yes, Tiger could've handled the interview better, but it's really nothing to get too worked up about unless you spend the majority of your day looking for anything you can find to criticize Tiger on one level or another - people like Brandel get paid to do that, I wonder what justification most of the haters on this site have.

[Hawkeye77]

M3, I was referring to the hyperbole about all the so called skeletons in the closets of the commentators, not really part of the argument.

No question everything he does gets looked at more critically. It may be over the top now at times, but you could also argue he got a pass on some things in the past.

I'm no hater, just want to see him become a better public person, as he said he would, that's a lot easier to do than changing a golf swing.

[Hawkeye77]

If part of your image is selling a video game to kids and, more importantly, in your name sponsoring foundations that do good work for kids in golf and educationally, you have an undeniable responsibility to conduct yourself in a certain way and darned well better be mature enough to realize it. It's always relevant. Again, hope he gets it someday, because if he had gotten in the first place, he could have eclipsed Palmer in the way the game and history would regard him at a young age. Now, we wait to see what he chooses for his legacy.

[Random Hack]

[quote name='HAWKEYE77' timestamp='1302978175' post='3159667']
If part of your image is selling a video game to kids and, more importantly, in your name sponsoring foundations that do good work for kids in golf and educationally, you have an undeniable responsibility to conduct yourself in a certain way and darned well better be mature enough to realize it. It's always relevant. Again, hope he gets it someday, because if he had gotten in the first place, he could have eclipsed Palmer in the way the game and history would regard him at a young age. Now, we wait to see what he chooses for his legacy.
[/quote]

Tiger's game sold (and still sells) because he's regarded by many as the best golfer of all time (it's really hard to not have him at least #2), not because he had a Trevino-esque personality before the iron to the head incident in 2009.

Frankly, I'd rather him have a charity that gives away millions of dollars to children that impacts their lives in a meaningful way than to be ultra-courteous to on-course reporters, but I guess reasonable people can agree to disagree about that point.

Putting myself in Tiger's shoes (an exercise in futility, but I'll try), I'd try to not leave my legacy up to people's opinions and just have the pure numbers be so overwhelming as to leave no question that I was the best golfer of all time - that's what he wants (IMO), not to be regarded as the most friendly golfer of all time.

I've never played golf at that high of a level, but I would wonder if those two goals aren't mutually exclusive (see Nicklaus, Hogan, etc. - while never bashed as much as Tiger, they were at golf tournaments to win them, not to entertain sports reporters).

[Hawkeye77]

My comments apply far more generally than to entertaining sports reporters, so let's not reduce then to that.

Nicklaus learned to understand his obligations and has written about them. From dealing with the press, fans, personal life, even quitting smoking on the course, he got it.

Hey, plenty of golfers have issues, but if you are selling an image, which includes cashing in on the perception of you as child philanthropist, better comprehend the implications.

[Random Hack]

[quote name='HAWKEYE77' timestamp='1302979780' post='3159722']
My comments apply far more generally than to entertaining sports reporters, so let's not reduce then to that.

Nicklaus learned to understand his obligations and has written about them. From dealing with the press, fans, personal life, even quitting smoking on the course, he got it.

Hey, plenty of golfers have issues, but if you are selling an image, which includes cashing in on the perception of you as child philanthropist, better comprehend the implications.
[/quote]

I didn't mean to minimize your comments, and apologies if it came across that way.

That being said, there is still a debate as to whether or not professional athletes have obligations, and nowhere (to borrow someone else's analogy) it is demonstrated better than Barkley's "I am not a role model" commercial.

Again, I'm not sure of what implications having a children's charity would mean to Tiger other than the need to raise money to help needy children - it is you, and I, and others who impose our beliefs about what his obligations should be that are saying these thngs.

We seem to be at a bit of an impasse, so we can just agree to disagree about what a professional athlete "owes" to the public and his fans.

BTW, I enjoy discussing things with you because you're clearly not a fan of Tigers but you can engage in rational debate.

[Playaway]

[quote name='tbowles411' timestamp='1302908753' post='3157589']
No, he couldn't have declined because then people would have had that to complain about. He's damned if he does, and damned if he doesn't.
[/quote]


He's not "damned" at all if he just gives a civilized interview. You know, sort of like all the other players.

Who is Tiger mad at? He always seems so mad and unhappy. Even when he wins he does not seem to be happy, course that is a moot point for now. Would he be happier if he was driving a beer truck in Madison, WI instead of playing a game for a living? For a Stanford guy, he sure ain't the sharpest groove on the clubface.