{"id":5748,"date":"2009-04-16T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2009-04-16T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thesandtrap.com\/?p=5748"},"modified":"2009-04-16T07:59:12","modified_gmt":"2009-04-16T11:59:12","slug":"an_open_letter_to_all_anti-tigerites_part_two","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesandtrap.com\/b\/thrash_talk\/an_open_letter_to_all_anti-tigerites_part_two","title":{"rendered":"An Open Letter To All Anti-Tigerites, Part Two"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"ThrashI strongly considered responding to some of the more interesting comments affixed to part one<\/a>, but I’ll remain the catalyst for mudslinging and not a participant in the action which I provoke (which usually seems to be calling me and\/or my writing “pointless” or “stupid”).<\/p>\n

It’s nice both to hear words of encouragement and dodge the tomatoes which are being hurled my way. Keep it up. Before I get to the other major points, I’d like to say that one of the main reasons for all the specific “anti-Tiger” complaints is the man’s sheer overexposure, and indeed many of his flaws (foul language, relative scarcity, photographer abuse) stem, I think, for his overexposed status. That is, he’s asked to don a persona, which is mostly his creation, but which is, to some extent, a washed out facade, all the time.<\/p>\n

True, there are great rewards in being “Tiger Woods,” but the man also exists within very apparent boundaries, which seem to be ever encroaching, thus his inherently defensive posture. This isn’t so much of a justification for behavior, but rather an attempt to identify root causes, for what it’s worth.<\/p>\n

Anyway, on with the rest of the letter.
\n
\nThe Malleable and Ever Improvable Self<\/strong>
\nOne of the more impressive things about Tiger is that he never stops trying to improve. From Woods himself: “This is something I’ve said and will continue to say. I’m going to try to get better” (Tiger Virtues Tresniowski). It may be a perversion of Buddhist thought to say the following (indeed, perhaps the statement would be more in line with a Hindu view of the self) but self mastery, self improvement, and self control are all focal points of a Buddhist lifestyle as active processes in and of themselves, not simply as philosophical or religious inclinations.<\/p>\n

Woods may not be perceived as the most congenial or approachable of PGA standouts, but it is surely something he works on, and works diligently at, within obvious limits. I don’t think his on course “antics” should be indicative of anything other than the tremendous passion which he has for the game and his competitive fire, which is, arguably stronger than any other professional athletes. I ask, rhetorically, how would you fare in managing such a drive? Most of us have a hard enough time laying off the Junior Bacon Cheeseburgers…<\/p>\n

Only a fool would say that there are no limits to human potential. It is equally foolish, however, to settle for markedly less than one’s best and lack the basic confidence to achieve (personally defined\/understood) greatness. Tiger is ever concerned with improving his swing, but it should also be remembered that he’s also trying to be a better father, a better son, run a better foundation, sculpt a better body, be more compassionate, etc. Given this, Tiger represents the desire for self improvement, as well as the systematic approach to that goal, better than any other golfer, and, really, better than any other high profile athlete (or celebrity of any sort?).<\/p>\n

The Essential Corporate Athlete<\/strong>
\n“Corporate Athlete” is at once a vague and self-evident term. In simplest language, the difference between an “ordinary” athlete, who may or may not be sponsored, and the aforementioned “corporate” athlete is the magnitude of the investment which the corporate entity has made in the individual and the level of involvement, usually with respect to endorsements and advertising, that athlete has with the corporation in question. All this by way of saying that although he had predecessors (most notably Michael Jordan) Tiger is the most successful corporate athlete, in terms of contractual dollars, and the most visible, in terms of global recognition of his face\/ status, etc.<\/p>\n

The $40 million initial contract with Nike is common knowledge, or at least common lore, and since that point in 1996, Woods has does nothing but improve his stock, mostly with inspiring play and a controlled (if sometimes distant) presence. He is both a prize to be won by companies at large, hence the recent bidding war for his bag sponsorship, and the role model for any athlete seeking to market him or herself.<\/p>\n

Further, if there isn’t a lesson for the average individual in Tiger’s relentless pursuit of self improvement, there is certainly one here, given the profoundly cliché “competitive job market” of today. You need to look at yourself as a product, considering the desires of your target market and working to broaden your appeal in order to be legitimately successful. Call it selling out, if you must, from your lofty perch… I’ll call you from my retirement home in 40 years, tell you how the weather is.<\/p>\n

East Meets West<\/strong>
\nRead the article in Golf Digest this month about Kultida Woods and never mind the sappy\/atrocious ending.<\/p>\n

If I were conducting a class in stereotypes, or Social Studies, or whatever, I would draw a dividing line on the board (I suppose I might be doing this all in PowerPoint or something, today… does anyone miss chalkboards? Can’t very well laugh when Mrs. Grumpybosom turns around and has chalk all over her backside when there’s no chalk…) and label one side “East,” the other, “West.”<\/p>\n

After all the negative connotations were expunged, I think the class would come up with a few constructive items. I’m sure you can engage in this exciting project on your own time, I won’t waste it (more than I have already) by creating a list of paired opposites. The thrust of what I am saying here is both general and specific. In general, Tiger was raised in a unique and privileged environment, having a father who embodied one of the high points of Western culture, namely the military mind, and a mother from Thailand, who passed on a Buddhist world view, tinged, of course, with Taoist and Confucian elements.<\/p>\n

A specific example of the value of such an upbringing is the fact that while Tiger “never gives up” or “is never satisfied” (Western) he is always accepting and at peace with the present (Eastern). There are, as I’m sure you’re aware, a variety of other such examples, but that’s another article (which will never be written, as I believe The Sand Trap<\/em> faithful would hunt me down should I spend any more time glorifying Woods).<\/p>\n

Fin.<\/strong>
\nI’ll stop now, although, as I’ve mentioned, there’s more in me. If there’s a groundswell of support for the idea, I’ll publish something a little more serious in the coming weeks, tentatively titled “Tiger Woods: An American Dreamer.” Otherwise, I’ll “get a diary” and steer my ship into calmer waters. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I am sure the golfing world has been waiting with bated breath for the second half of my letter. 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