TCH Blog Articles

December 7th, 2009

Right to Privacy?

As seen on every news channel recently, the question continues to be asked "Does Tiger deserve to handle this situation privately?" My initial answer is absolutely. If anyone else was in the same situation they would be able to handle it behind closed doors without anyone knowing about the situation. Such is not the case for someone like Tiger Woods, but should it be?

I don't think it should. For a person like Tiger Woods, who earns upwards of 100 million dollars a year comes enormous expectations. Expectations from the companies who pay him these sums of money. These companies aren't just paying him to play golf. They are paying him to represent their company 24/7. There are no breaks when you earn these huge endorsement deals. But more importantly expectations from kids who look up to Tiger Woods. Tiger has always done incredible work for kids throughout the country and by no means do I not think he will continue to do so. But he needs to step up right now. He can use this situation to teach kids a valuable lesson, which is how you handle adversity.

He was told most likely by his PR team to hide for a few days and hope that everything will blow over. Well that didn't work out and now he has backpedaled into a mediocre apology.

He needs to show his face and handle the situation head on. I don't like it when people put out well written press releases or interviews where they read a statement written by someone else. Get on a camera and tell everyone that you screwed up and how you will fix it. Everyone screws up. Although we tend to think your perfect on the golf course at times...we now know that you are not perfect off the course. But that's ok...just don't try to pass the blame off on the media or the situation your in. Blame yourself and we will accept your apology.

Look at the steroid situation in baseball. Andy Pettitte came out and admitted he uses steroids and now he is a hero again in New York after bringing back another title. Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens have too much pride to admit any wrong doing and the public has vilified them. As much as athletes like to rip the media and the public for false perceptions...it are these perceptions that are what make them the millions of dollars. Nike doesn't pay Tiger Woods hundreds of millions of dollars for how he acts behind closed doors (none of us know who this person is...at least we didn't until a few days ago). Nike pays him because of the perception the public has of him. If its a good perception...which it always has been of Tiger Woods, then he stands to make a lot of money as he has. Be a man and take the situation head on by yourself, without the help of the "Tiger Team," and everyone will appreciate the fact that yes you are human like the rest of us.

Perception is reality