Why Tiger Woods Owes More Than a Statement

The Tiger Woods statement to the media scheduled for tomorrow has quickly become this week’s polarizing issue in the sports world.

At odds, in simplest terms, are those who believe Tiger Woods owes the public more than an apology contained in a public statement and those who believe he does not.

The latter camp generally seems comfortable with the notion that because his indiscretions involved his personal life his only obligation is to his family. In the broadest sense, I somewhat agree—if he were just a regular individual in society.

We all know that Tiger Woods is not that. He is, and has been for many years, the No. 1 golfer in the world and one of the most globally recognizable athletes. That is the reason I would advise him to make his first public appearance in a far less controlled setting and allow questions to be asked.

Like many athletes and celebrities, Tiger Woods is surrounded by sycophants whose livelihood depends on being part of “Team Tiger.” This is hardly an arrangement that invites objective thinking. What he and others need most is a “conscience coach.”

Tiger Woods has already harmed his image and reputation by the choices he has made. He harmed it further by disappearing from public view and not facing the media sooner. To truly turn the corner he needs to rip the band-aid off, so to speak, and give the media the chance to ask him questions.

Is there danger in this approach? Will the media be thirsty for lurid details about which Tiger will not, and should not, speak? Absolutely. But that’s why you practice and prepare for such a press conference. Any disciplined athlete who can be coached on the field of play also has the focus and work ethic to be coached for these situations. It is the same coaching that would be required for an in-depth sit-down TV interview if that were the route he chose, but each would be more authentic than simply reading a statement.

Allowing questions to be asked does not obligate Tiger Woods to answer every one in the way the media would like. What it does is show that he is no longer hiding. To truly emerge from the shame and doubts he has brought upon himself Woods must show humility and remorse. It’s very difficult to do that when reading a prepared statement, even if the statement includes words to that effect. Taking questions and being patient with each is the way he begins to show there is meaning behind his words.

Is Woods required to do this? No. But unlike many athletes Woods has mostly been given a free pass from the media for his behavior on the course and his robotic personality off of it. Tomorrow’s tightly-controlled arrangement perpetuates the same elitist attitude that makes Woods appear only willing to go through the most minimal exercise to announce his return to golf and offer only the briefest of apologies to those he has disappointed, as if just checking things off a list.

But Tiger Woods owes more than that. The amends he needed to make with his family are most important, and he has had plenty of time to do that. Now it is time to apologize to the fans he has let down and the sponsors whose trust he has betrayed. Each has been a partner in making Tiger Woods the richest and most famous athlete in the world—a mantle he gladly accepted along with the money that accompanied it.

His popularity has been based not only on his on-course dominance but also on the assumption that he lived as virtuous and principled a life as his image promised. To separate those and say his off-course life was not a factor in his popularity is preposterous.

There are strategic communicators and publicists who would disagree and adopt a “circle the wagons” approach. At times this is necessary. But to do so in this case only enables the same behavior that led to his current troubles, and suggests that somehow the real problem is the media and the public.

The media and the public didn’t make Tiger Woods live the lifestyle he lived. They just want to see him show humility and say he is sorry that he failed to uphold the image he portrayed. The danger that accompanies tomorrow’s hit-and-run approach is that it will satisfy only a few, and will invite a greater cloud of scrutiny and distraction to hover over him for much longer than it would otherwise.

--Paul Kirk/ProLink Sports
www.prolinksports.net
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