Steve Williams - thoughts?

**Mennon** · August 28, 2006

The guy has to be a hard-ass to keep control of the madness that surrounds Tiger, and he can obviously pick a club. But it's bugging me how he's taking the tournament bib off on the 18th hole every time Tiger wins. He did it today when Tiger wasn't even in the clear lead, and he had to put it back on for the playoff. Why is he doing this? Can someone help me understand?
I don't like it for a couple of reasons.
1- Looking back, how are we meant to know which tournament in which year we are looking at. Tiger wears the same bloody outfit every final round, and if we can't see Steve's bib, who's to say when the photo or clip was taken.
2- Someone new to golf might think that Steve is another player, and think, wow, that guys always playing with Tiger when he wins. And why is he so happy for Tiger if he just got his ass kicked by him?
Keep the bib on. You're a caddie. If it was you hitting the ball, you wouldn't make a cent in this game.

**Madriver** · August 28, 2006

if a caddie removes his bib on the 18th hole (that 99% of us wouldn't have noticed if the TV crew didn't point it out) and it bugs you that much then you really need to get a life.
No one who has watched golf in the last three years is going to mistake Steve Williams for anyone other than Tigers Caddie....

**SuaSponteMn** · August 28, 2006

Point 1 and 2 literally make no sense at all, I mean seriously, are these two nonsensical arguements your major gripes about him taking the bib off? First point, most photo or video clips are identified in either print or video formats by the publisher or director respectively; they will tell you where the photo is from. Second, anyone who thinks Tiger's caddy just decided to take his bib off on the 18th hole and become part of the action should go back to watching wrestling.

My opinion is that it's arrogant on his part and an attempt at either motivating Tiger or demoralizing his opponent. Either way, IMO caddies should not have that sort of impact on the outcome of a shot or a tournament. I think if the action he takes is noticeable enough to be commented on by the on air announcers, it's a little too much.

But I'm pretty sure he's not being mistaken for a player

**Madriver** · August 28, 2006

caddie bibs are ghey anyway....caddies should wear Masters type jump suits.....

**SuaSponteMn** · August 28, 2006

caddie bibs are ghey anyway....caddies should wear Masters type jump suits.....

I'll take it one step further and say the sally's should all aquire stand bags and carry their own damn clubs

***iacas*** · August 28, 2006

The guy has to be a hard-ass to keep control of the madness that surrounds Tiger, and he can obviously pick a club. But it's bugging me how he's taking the tournament bib off on the 18th hole every time Tiger wins. He did it today when Tiger wasn't even in the clear lead, and he had to put it back on for the playoff. Why is he doing this? Can someone help me understand?

Tiger had a putt to win, and because when Tiger wins the first thing he does (after a fist pump or something) is to hug Stevie, and because Stevie has sponsors of his own (Valvoline, etc.), and because caddy bibs are tacky, Stevie takes it off to prepare for the eventual photo ops, etc.

That's all speculation on my part, but it is what seems most logical to me. Were I Stevie, that's what I'd be thinking, anyway.

1- Looking back, how are we meant to know which tournament in which year we are looking at. Tiger wears the same bloody outfit every final round, and if we can't see Steve's bib, who's to say when the photo or clip was taken.

Seriously? "Not knowing what tournament or year" a photo comes from is your concern? In most cases, the article with the picture would tell you (or it's unimportant) or, if it's your own picture, you'd have labelled it already. Or the date would tell you.

2- Someone new to golf might think that Steve is another player, and think, wow, that guys always playing with Tiger when he wins. And why is he so happy for Tiger if he just got his ass kicked by him?

I don't think that's likely to happen. They never see the guy swinging the club, and he rarely appears in the actual photos. It's usually the aforementioned fist-pump or the "hold the trophy and smile" shot that makes the news.

Keep the bib on. You're a caddie. If it was you hitting the ball, you wouldn't make a cent in this game.

This just seems like some weird hate session on Stevie. The guy has his flaws, but taking off his caddy bib?

**Thrash13** · August 28, 2006

I could get all bent out of shape on this one and say how cocky and arrogant it looked for Stevie to take the bib off early. Seriously though, who cares? He is just a caddie. Him taking the bib off had no bearing on anything related to Tiger Woods making or missing the putt.

I do have to say I don't agree one bit with what you posted Erik. I don't remember Stevie taking the bib off early in Tiger's other 40+ wins with him on the bag. It was probably a little over-confidence, but like I mentioned above, who cares...

I'd probably take mine off too if Tiger had a putt to win it on the 72nd hole.

**cmarkmyers** · August 28, 2006

Gotta agree that the 2 points listed were pretty meaningless. However it was a bit arrogant. But when you do everything you can to help your guy - including showing extremem confidence or psyching out his opponents - I can understand it. And as much as I love Tiger and Steve it was a bit low.

As bad as it was, nothing is worse than calling something you like, "ghey". Grow up.

***iacas*** · August 28, 2006

I do have to say I don't agree one bit with what you posted Erik. I don't remember Stevie taking the bib off early in Tiger's other 40+ wins with him on the bag. It was probably a little over-confidence, but like I mentioned above, who cares...

I know he has before. I also know he hasn't before, too. Maybe he forgets to be arrogant sometimes.

Besides, 40+? Even you know Tiger's now past 50 (to 52).

I'd probably take mine off too if Tiger had a putt to win it on the 72nd hole.

At least he's not insisting he not wear one at all on the grounds that "everyone knows who my player is".

**Madriver** · August 28, 2006

As bad as it was, nothing is worse than calling something you like, "ghey". Grow up.

you're right...a topic as serious as this I should be serious also.....

love J. Timberlake

**cdriver** · August 28, 2006

I imagine those bibs are 1) hot, 2) wet, 3) uncomfortable... I would take mine off as soon as I could after a round. I can't imagine it is arrogance on anyone's part as much as it is a matter of comfort.

**NCGolfer** · August 28, 2006

I know he has before. I also know he hasn't before, too. Maybe he forgets to be arrogant sometimes.

I will say that it's the first time I've seen him take it off when Tiger had a longer putt to win. I guess he knew something we didn't.

**jamesduncan** · August 28, 2006

I imagine those bibs are 1) hot, 2) wet, 3) uncomfortable... I would take mine off as soon as I could after a round. I can't imagine it is arrogance on anyone's part as much as it is a matter of comfort.

i would too..after the round the round is over.

i can see the point of the thread (even tho the reasons listed sorta dont hold up) a player and a caddie are basically a team and a caddy does in someways reflect the way in which a team is thinking. after all, if steve asks another player's caddy what they hit, tiger receives the penalty (add any other rule infraction here). i sorta thought it was lame actually..maybe its happened before but this is the first i noticed. as far as steve having sponsors, as lame as a caddy bib is, wearing it is part of working in the tournament (and showing the tournaments sponsors logo) and technically, steves job isnt over until tiger hands in his signed card. so its sorta lame for steve to try and get some "air time" for valvoline if that was indeed the idea.

**Madriver** · August 28, 2006

COMICAL...issues over wether a players caddie takes of his bib on the 18th green. Only in golf can you have a controversy over such a trivial non-issue. Thanks CBS for pointing out something that effects NOTHING. If any player is intimidated by Steve Williams taking of his bib before he putts...please....leave the tour now...we have enough lilly wristed players out there already. Grow some balls and beat Tiger straight out. We need more Lee Trevinos, Johhny Millers, Tom Watsons types and less interest in who offends whom.

**SubPar** · August 28, 2006

He is throwing off the shackles of slavery and stepping into the spotlight a free man. The bib is symbolic of oppression by "the man". By tossing it off he is crying out "I am not an animal, I'm a man!"

Steve is a great athlete and something of a star himself, in the sense that "those who stand aside with the flag also serve". He probably feels he is part of a superstar winning team and it has to be frustrating to be that close to divinity and not be divine yourself.

When he starts mouth kissing Elin after a win, I'll start to worry about it... but not much.

**muskegman** · August 28, 2006

He is throwing off the shackles of slavery and stepping into the spotlight a free man. The bib is symbolic of oppression by "the man". By tossing it off he is crying out "I am not an animal, I'm a man!"

That was funny.

Chambo · August 28, 2006

It all comes down to one reason...he is sponsored by Valvoline and when he gets to teh 18th, the cameras are always on him and tiger. WHen Tiger makes that winning putt the first thing you see it Tiger and Williams. He has been quoted on Australian radio down here and that was his answer.

**J.P.** · August 28, 2006

If I remember correctly, I think they had just been drenched in a sudden rainstorm. Perhaps the bib was getting rather uncomfortable/heavy. Could not wait to get it off . . .

Steve also knows Tiger well enough to know Cink had more chances to win than Tiger usually gives opponents in the first 3 playoff holes, and that Tiger was not going to let it go past the fourth. Confidence Steve has in Tiger developed by 10 years of proving it.

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