SI Article on Tiger Woods

[turtleback]

21 minutes ago, tdiii said:

Not a big fan of racism, nor a big fan of accusations of racism.  Personally, I love Tiger, like Arnie, and despise Watson.  I think there are reasons besides racism for one person to like or dislike some over others.

First of all, I did not say that racism was at the heart of @Pendragon's criticism.  But it is indisputable to anyone who was around at the time that the initial animus so many felt for Tiger was racially motivated.  Unless you were around at the time on the message boards, rec.sports.golf and the Golf Channel, in the 1996-2002 or so period you would not believe the amount of racial animus expressed towards him.

And of course there are other reasons than racism to dislike someone.  But once that one takes hold in a person I do not think it ever really goes away.  Those guys who hated Tiger because of his race back then still do, they are just smart enough to find other grounds to blame their dislike on - and Tiger cooperated by giving them other grounds.  And again I am not saying that is the case with @Pendragon.  

It is just curious that three guys do the same things, and 2 are give a pass because they are "good guys" and the other is execrated.  I am sure there is a reason for that.  

22 minutes ago, tdiii said:

No, I don't think he should necessarily have to give reasons.  I like strawberry ice cream better than pistachio ice cream.  I can't explain why.  There are people who rub me the wrong way and people who don't.  Throwing the race card in the mix here was Cochrane-ist and unfair. 

But if someone says they do not like XYZ flavor because it has nuts in it but then turns around and scarfs down a big bowl of a different flavor that has nuts in it, one looks askance at their stated reasons. The reason is revealed as a pretext, and leaves plenty of room for justifiable speculation about what the real reason is, and why the pretext?

[tdiii]

I don't know the reasons for this guy's animus toward Tiger any more than any of you do.  I can imagine that he's bought into Arnie's public image.  I actually can't really imagine any reason to like Watson , but that's just me.  I've loved Tiger since the day he came on tour, but I can see reasons beyond race for disliking him.  Without some better evidence than what you've got, it is not fair to cast another as a racist. 

[colin007]

17 minutes ago, tdiii said:

I don't know the reasons for this guy's animus toward Tiger any more than any of you do.  I can imagine that he's bought into Arnie's public image.  I actually can't really imagine any reason to like Watson , but that's just me.  I've loved Tiger since the day he came on tour, but I can see reasons beyond race for disliking him.  Without some better evidence than what you've got, it is not fair to cast another as a racist. 

no, thats not what were saying.  he doesnt have to like tiger.  were saying dont call other guys "good guys" when they did the same things that tiger did.

[iacas]

51 minutes ago, tdiii said:

No, I don't think he should necessarily have to give reasons.  I like strawberry ice cream better than pistachio ice cream.  I can't explain why.  There are people who rub me the wrong way and people who don't.  Throwing the race card in the mix here was Cochrane-ist and unfair. 

It's not.

Player A cheats on his wife.

Player B cheats on his wife.

Player C cheats on his wife.

One of them is black/asian/whatever and the other two are white "good guys."

Until there's another valid reason given…

31 minutes ago, turtleback said:

But if someone says they do not like XYZ flavor because it has nuts in it but then turns around and scarfs down a big bowl of a different flavor that has nuts in it, one looks askance at their stated reasons. The reason is revealed as a pretext, and leaves plenty of room for justifiable speculation about what the real reason is, and why the pretext?

There you go.

18 minutes ago, tdiii said:

I actually can't really imagine any reason to like Watson , but that's just me.

For the same things Tiger did. For breaking up two marriages, infidelity, drinking if you care about that… Arnie too. All while publicly cultivating the image of being so dedicated to Winnie.

[tdiii]

31 minutes ago, iacas said:

For the same things Tiger did. For breaking up two marriages, infidelity, drinking if you care about that… Arnie too. All while publicly cultivating the image of being so dedicated to Winnie.

Umm.  You must have misread me.  I said I can't imagine any reason to like (not dislike) Watson.  My personal reason is that he's a prickly, cranky jerk.   

[iacas]

4 minutes ago, tdiii said:

Umm.  You must have misread me.  I said I can't imagine any reason to like (not dislike) Watson.  My personal reason is that he's a prickly, cranky jerk.   

Yep, okay. I read it as dislike. Duh me.

[iacas]

On April 3, 2016 at 3:37 PM, Pendragon said:

But you're dodging (or missing) the point. If Tiger is the great father and family man that many claim...and he's unable to play or practice...why isn't he spending a good part of the day with his kids? That's why I find so mind-boggling his acknowledgement that he was "killing much of the day playing video games". If you want to keep making excuses for him, knock yourself out, but TW is making himself look bad by his own comments.

Did you read the rest of the SI article, btw?

Quote

TIGER IS NOT totally alone, kept company by memories of the life he once knew and those moments when he is happiest: the time he spends with his daughter, Sam, 8, and his son, Charlie, 7. The best of Earl lives in the actions of his son; in fatherhood, Tiger has equaled and even surpassed his own dad. He is utterly devoted to his children. Every single person interviewed for this story says so. Sam and Charlie never met their grandfather and they don't remember Tiger as a dominant golfer, but they will grow up knowing that their father cares more about them than anything he does on the course.

Red emphasis added.

---

Oh, and I still haven't finished myself, but I just got to that part, and it was appropriate, so…

[Rainmaker]

It might not be so much race as just the fact that Arnie and Watson were infinitely more personable than Tiger.  Arnie, of course . .but Tom comes across as a pretty nice guy if you're not paying close attention.  Tiger was always elusive and guarded.  So, when things went bad for Tiger - you just didn't feel bad for him.  Ironically, he is probably presents a more accurate public image than the others - it's like we hate that he won't pretend to be nice for us, lol.  

I'm all about the golf so I love Tiger and definitely want to see him win again.  It's not looking entirely hopeful - but he's still Tiger . .so you never know.  If anybody was going to come out and win a bunch of majors in his 40's . .it would be Tiger.   

[boogielicious]

5 hours ago, Rainmaker said:

It might not be so much race as just the fact that Arnie and Watson were infinitely more personable than Tiger.  Arnie, of course . .but Tom comes across as a pretty nice guy if you're not paying close attention.  Tiger was always elusive and guarded.  So, when things went bad for Tiger - you just didn't feel bad for him.  Ironically, he is probably presents a more accurate public image than the others - it's like we hate that he won't pretend to be nice for us, lol.  

I'm all about the golf so I love Tiger and definitely want to see him win again.  It's not looking entirely hopeful - but he's still Tiger . .so you never know.  If anybody was going to come out and win a bunch of majors in his 40's . .it would be Tiger.   

Good points.