ÿþ<html> <head> <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1"> <title>OnlineColumnist®.com: Putin Punishes Georgia</title> <meta name="generator" content="Adobe GoLive 4"> <style type="text/css"> .style3 { height: 68px; } .MsoNormal {} h1 {margin-bottom:.0001pt; page-break-after:avoid; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; font-weight:normal; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; } .style4 { font-size: large; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial; } .style5 { font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold; } </style> </head> <body bgcolor="white" vlink="black"> <center> &nbsp;<table cool width="624" height="2719" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" gridx="16" showgridx gridy="16" showgridy> <tr height="79"> <td width="133" height="118" rowspan="2" valign="top" align="left" xpos="0"> <a href="aboutdiscobolos.html"><img height="110" width="62" src="images/discobolos.logo.transp.gif" border="0"></a></td> <td width="7" height="118" rowspan="2"></td> <td width="482" height="79" colspan="2" valign="top" align="left" xpos="140"><img height="75" width="450" src="images/banner.GIF"></td> <td width="1" height="118" rowspan="2"></td> <td width="1" height="79"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="79"></td> </tr> <tr height="39"> <td width="182" height="39"></td> <td width="300" height="39" valign="top" align="left" xpos="322"><a href="aboutdiscobolos.html"><img height="14" width="267" src="images/divisionofNEW.GIF" border="0"></a></td> <td width="1" height="39"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="39"></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="624" colspan="6" valign="top" align="left" xpos="0" class="style3"> <table border="0" width="100%" bgcolor="black" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td> <table border="0" width="100%" bgcolor="#99ffcc" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4"> <tr> <td align="center"> <div align="left"> <a href="index.html"><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><strong> HOME</strong></font></a><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><strong> &#8226; <a href="articlesindex.html">ARTICLES</a> &#8226; <a href="books.html">BOOKS</a> &#8226; <a href="teflon.html"> THE </a><a href="teflon.html">TEFLON</a><a href="teflon.html"> REPORT</a> &#8226; <a href="mailto:letters@onlinecolumnist.com"> REACTIONS</a> &#8226; <a href="aboutdiscobolos.html">ABOUT DISCOBOLOS</a></strong></font></div> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> <tr height="2"> <td width="133" height="2">&nbsp;</td> <td width="489" height="2576" colspan="3" rowspan="2" align="left" xpos="133" content valign="top" csheight="2573"> <p class="style4">Tiger&#39;s Wrecking Ball</p> <p><b><font face="Arial,Geneva,Helvetica">by John M. Curtis</font></b><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><a href="books.html"><br> </a></b></font><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b> (310) 204-8700</b></font></p> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><i>Copyright Dec. 12, 2009<br>All Rights Reserved. </i></font>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </p> <bAbout the Author</u> <p class="MsoNormal"> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span class="style5">C</span><b>a</b>lling it quits for the time being from professional golf, the world s No. 1 golfer, Tiger Woods, announced Dec. 11 he would take an indefinite hiatus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Since his Nov. 27 early morning car accident, the world collapsed for the 33-year-old golf sensation, after the National Enquirer published his alleged affair with New York party-girl Rachel Uchitel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> After much soul-searching, I have decided to take an indefinite leave of absence from professional golf.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>I need to focus my attention on being a better husband, father and person, admitting in recent days to unspecified  transgressions involving serial adultery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>With at least 13 women alleging affairs, Tiger s billion-dollar sports marketing empire crumbled, with corporate sponsors bailing out from a public relations nightmare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Rumors swirled about Tiger s wife, Elin Nordegren, forcing him into early retirement. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Woods continued his mea culpa on his Web site, expressing regrets over disappointing his fans, sponsors and family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> I am deeply aware of the disappointment and hurt that my infidelity has caused to so many people, most of all my wife and children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>I want to say again to everyone that I am profoundly sorry and that I ask for forgiveness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>It may not be possible to repair the damage I ve done, but I want to do my best to try, said Woods on his Web site, answering no direct questions from the press.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Wood s decision to respond on his terms from his Web site has exacerbated his so-called  transgressions, now admitting to infidelity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Asking for forgiveness without making himself more available to the media rings hollow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Saying he s  sorry doesn t address the key unanswered question:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Why would the world s top golfer lead a dual life and risk wrecking his career?</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Excusing Tiger s behavior comes not from apologies no matter how sincere but from a recognition of what he s done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>After carefully manicuring his image and reputation since turning pro in 1996, Tiger epitomized a gentleman, the exact image sought by his corporate sponsors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Wholesomeness and integrity sell a wide range of products.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Tiger s corporate sponsors were not horrified by his sexual proclivities but by the duplicity that left them scrambling to explain the huge discrepancy between his carefully burnished image and private life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>During his career, Tiger has demanded privacy from the media, shielding himself from an intrusive press seeking personal details about his life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Tiger says his personal life is off limits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Yet Tiger shielded his private life for the purpose of accepting multimillion-dollar corporate sponsorships and endorsement deals.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Announcing an  indefinite leave from professional golf, Tiger hinted it s to heal his family and save his marriage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Speculation about his wife Elin giving Tiger an ultimatum of  either golf or me, doesn t add up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>If she s worried about his continued infidelity, she could travel with him to tour events.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Whether it s impractical or not, Elin could keep a closer eye on the33-year-old billionaire winner of 14 grand slam golf championships.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>  After much soul searching, I have decided to take and indefinite break from professional golf.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>I need to focus on being a better husband, father and person, said Wood s Web site, putting the media and his sponsors on notice that he s going incognito.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>When Tiger rehabbed from knee surgery in 2008, the PGA and TV and cable networks lost millions in ad revenue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Announcing an unknown hiatus shifts the burden back onto the media.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Bailing out the tour accomplishes two things for Tiger:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>(a) it pressures the media to back off the current feeding frenzy and (b) it pressures corporate sponsors to tell the media to back off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Without Tiger in the golf scene, untold numbers of businesses including the media stand to lose millions in ad revenue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> Tightly controlled media organizations depend heavily on Nielsen Ratings and ad revenue from Tiger s popularity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> Tiger s leave of absence hopes to stop a media freight train, consuming the airwaves with salacious stories about his indiscretions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Backing off the tour helps Tiger regain control of the press, currently busy wrecking his image and reputation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Tiger knows that expected revenue losses to the PGA tour and media organizations could force the press to back down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Tiger hopes that after a brief time away, his sponsors and the media beg him to come back.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Tiger s sexual proclivities hit his career and family with a wrecking ball, upending a meticulously crafted image and reputation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>While it s easy to excuse his behavior as  boys-being-boys, a closer look mirrors the kind of recklessness seen in addictive behavior, where otherwise intelligent individuals show abysmal judgment and make poor choices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> Given the extent of Tiger s self-inflicted wounds, there s no explanation for his recklessness other than an untreated addictive problem that wreaks havoc on otherwise successful people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> Tiger s neither the first nor the last celebrity or politician to sabotage his career.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Moving on requires him to acknowledge his problem and get the necessary treatment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Hiding from the media and taking an  indefinite hiatus fuels more speculation, harms his career and corporate sponsors, hurts professional golf and does nothing to save his marriage.</p> <h1> About the Author </h1> <p class="MsoNormal"> <b>John M. Curtis</b> writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>He s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author <i>of <a href="books.html">Dodging The Bullet</a></i> and <i><a href="books.html">Operation Charisma</a></i>.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> &nbsp;</p> </td> <td width="1" height="2576" rowspan="2"></td> <td width="1" height="2"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="2"></td> </tr> <tr height="2574"> <td width="133" height="2574" valign="top" align="left" xpos="0"><img height="172" width="111" src="images/johninframe3.jpg"></td> <td width="1" height="2574"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="2574"></td> </tr> <tr height="1" cntrlrow> <td width="133" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="133" height="1"></td> <td width="7" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="7" height="1"></td> <td width="182" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="182" height="1"></td> <td width="300" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="300" height="1"></td> <td width="1" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="1"></td> <td width="1" height="1"></td> </tr> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="2" width="597"> <tr> <td><font size="1" face="Arial,Geneva,Helvetica"> <hr noshade size="1"> </font><a href="index.html"><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><strong> Home</strong></font></a><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><strong> || <a href="articlesindex.html">Articles</a> || <a href="books.html">Books</a> || <a href="teflon.html">The Teflon Report</a> || <a href="mailto:letters@onlinecolumnist.com"> Reactions</a> || <a href="aboutdiscobolos.html">About Discobolos</a></strong></font> <div align="left"> <p><font size="1" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">This site designed, developed and hosted by the experts at</font><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"> <a href="http://www.cmeonline.net" target="_blank"><img height="30" width="138" src="images/cmelogoANIM.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"></a></font></p> </div> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">©1999-2005 <a href="aboutdiscobolos.html"> Discobolos Consulting Services, Inc.</a><br> (310) 204-8300<br> All Rights Reserved. </font></td> </tr> </table> </center> </body> </html>