It's Too Bad; This Could've Been The Year

[bogeyhitter25]

I was just thinking this last night. If Tiger didn't make the wrong mistakes, I think this year could've been the year where Tiger wins the Grand Slam.

He's due at Augusta, and he's been knocking on the door.

We all remember what he did in 2000 at Pebble Beach.

And both times the Open has been at St. Andrews when he was a professional he won. (once by 5; once by 8)

And we all know that if he wins 3 straight majors, he's going to win the PGA.

It just sucks that he's an idiot.

[Bo the Golfer]

I still think Tiger can have a great year golfing. Banging skanks doestn't hurt your swing as far as I know. I also don't think I know that if he won 3 straight majors that he would win the PGA but it would be fun to watch him try. Nobody knows what he will end up doing this year so the doom and gloom seems a bit premature.

[MSDOGS1976]

I still think Tiger can have a great year golfing. Banging skanks doestn't hurt your swing as far as I know. I also don't think I know that if he won 3 straight majors that he would win the PGA but it would be fun to watch him try. Nobody knows what he will end up doing this year so the doom and gloom seems a bit premature.

If he does have a good year, it may go down as one of his greatest accomplishments. Because with everything hanging over his head, he will have to be one tough focused dude to block everything out. I'm not a Tiger fan, but I wouldn't put it past him in being able to accomplish a lot on the golf course this year. Assuming he plays.

[Shindig]

And we all know that if he wins 3 straight majors, he's going to win the PGA.

He was on such a winning streak coming into the 2001 U.S. Open, and not only didn't in that, but didn't win the following two majors either.

[iacas]

Because with everything hanging over his head, he will have to be one tough focused dude to block everything out.

That's the thing - we don't know what may or may not hang over his head. He might, as some said, feel a sense of relief, and a burden lifted. Who knows? We don't even know what will happen with his wife and kids, the rest of his sponsors, his schedule.

"We'll see." We'll have to discuss this again in October when we have the year to look back on.

[misty_mountainhop]

Could've won the Slam? So could many others given a fair wind. I know it's a technical detail but for me, he already did it when he won all four in a row. No-one else has come close. It's splitting hairs to say it wasn't a Slam...and I'm not really TW's #1 fan.

[MrKadash]

I was just thinking this last night. If Tiger didn't make the wrong mistakes, I think this year could've been the year where Tiger wins the Grand Slam.

He still can win the grand slam.

Could've won the Slam? So could many others given a fair wind. I know it's a technical detail but for me, he already did it when he won all four in a row. No-one else has come close. It's splitting hairs to say it wasn't a Slam...and I'm not really TW's #1 fan.

Bobby Jones won 'his' slam (or what was considered the slam back in his day), and Hogan won three (debatable whether he would have won the PGA if he had played). I would call those close. But the modern slam -- no one has come close.

[The Road Dog]

Hmmm, If we agree that a lot may be taken off his plate, Wife & kids and a host of sponsors, then what has he got left?
GOLF and his focus on that would be interesting to watch.

[Big_M]

He's due at Augusta, and he's been knocking on the door.

yeah, but I think this year the Master's is Phil's... just speculation of course.

We all remember what he did in 2000 at Pebble Beach.

it was indeed impressive, but he has lapped the field at Augusta before... it doesn't mean he will always win there.

And both times the Open has been at St. Andrews when he was a professional he won. (once by 5; once by 8)

true... St. Andrews is Tiger's course... no question

And we all know that if he wins 3 straight majors, he's going to win the PGA.

maybe... maybe not

It just sucks that he's an idiot.

but he was, and who knows what effect it will have on this season... could be none, could be good, could be bad... we'll never know for sure since it is impossible to predict whether he WOULD have HAD a good, bad, or mediocre year.

I personally hope Tiger still is a factor this year, but as always I hope Phil wins a few majors and/or takes Tiger down in a few tournaments.

Could've won the Slam? So could many others given a fair wind. I know it's a technical detail but for me, he already did it when he won all four in a row. No-one else has come close. It's splitting hairs to say it wasn't a Slam...and I'm not really TW's #1 fan.

I agree... I am not a Tiger Fanboy (impressed by his game... yes... root for him, usually not) and I consider him having won the slam.

[Shorty]

But the modern slam -- no one has come close.

I would think that holding all four trophies at once would be slightly better than "close". Why don't you rate that achievement?

[ThomasG]

It could still happen. We don't know when hes coming back yet.

[MrKadash]

I would think that holding all four trophies at once would be slightly better than "close". Why don't you rate that achievement?

Of course Tiger's achievement is considered close. I guess I rate Tiger separate from everyone else.

[jamo]

It might actually be easier for him to focus on golf. It sucks for him but he has not wife, no kids, and no other women to keep away from him family.

[Acropo]

It's splitting hairs to say it wasn't a Slam...and I'm not really TW's #1 fan.

If a football team won all its matches in the last quarter of season 1 and all its matches in the first 3/4 of season two, would that give it the Superbowl?

It might not even qualify them for the playoffs. That's why it's a Tiger Slam, not a Grand Slam. Very impressive but not quite the whole thing.

[Shorty]

If a football team won all its matches in the last quarter of season 1 and all its matches in the first 3/4 of season two, would that give it the Superbowl?

Eh????????? Your analogy is ridiculous.

He won all four majors in a row. He was the champion in each of the four events at the same time. We are not talking about a couple of tournaments at the end of one year and another couple at the beginning of the next. We understand that the Grand Slam means all four in one calendar year, but come on......... And to say that the "Tiger Slam" is "very impressive but not quite the whole thing" is like saying that Nicklaus' achievements were very impressive and that he was a very good player.

[iammpspeer]

We are not talking about a couple of tournaments at the end of one year and another couple at the beginning of the next.

Bascially, we are. He one three in one calendar year and one in another I thought the analogy was fine for the most part.

[verse214]

Bascially, we are. He one three in one calendar year and one in another I thought the analogy was fine for the most part.

It's actually a horrible analogy.

In the NFL a team can totally change year to year - your opponents will be different, coaches, etc.; in Golf the best aren't competing for tour cards every year: your opponents and competitors/favorites in majors are pretty similar in consecutive seasons... The superbowl is held between two teams in an entire league that have to go through playoffs to get there; pretty much ALL of the best of the best play in the majors for golf. The closest analogy would be the tennis grand slam, winning 3 in one year and 1 in the next, however I would still say that the Tiger Slam in Golf is closer to the true grand slam than it would be if it were in tennis. Plus, if you're undefeated in the regular season in the NFL you DON'T win the superbowl. Horrible analogy.

[iammpspeer]

It's actually a horrible analogy.

I agree with everything you said after the horrible analogy part. But I wasn't thinking of it verbatim as the op said it. I was thinking about the original analogy more like:

If the Tennessee Titains lost their first 5 games of the 2010 regular season, but won their last 12 games of the 2010 regular season. Then if they won their first 5 games on the 2011 regular season you could NOT call them undefeated (ignoring the playoffs/superbowl) in the regular season. It is irrelevant if an NFL team can get better/worse in two consecutive seasons, it's not important to the original comparison, the same would be the same if I said "Yea, but in tennis they use raquets" therefore the analogy sucks because it is not exactly the same as golf. That being said, the Tennis analogy is not a very good one either, it IS the exact same situation as the PGA which does not make any further argument/visualiation as to whether it is a grand slam or not, therefore "Horrible analogy."