Larry Gude
Strung Out
Two weekends ago at the PGA, Tiger Woods finished his fourth and final round at -2 and...went home Sunday night. Eventual winner Phil Mikelson and about 16 other players were not done and had their rounds stopped due to weather. They had to come back Monday and finish anywhere from 1-4 holes. Tiger didn't leave Sunday until play was stopped for the night.
When Tiger left, Phil was at -4, a guy was at -3, a couple other guys were at -2 and another guy was at -1. Among those 'other' guys were Davis Love, Steve Elkington and Retief Goosen, past major championship winners, not some young guys with no experience in this kind of pressure.
Tigers reasoning was simple; there were two par 5's left for all these guys and there was no way that at least one of them wouldn't finish at -3 or better. Well, as it turned out, Tiger was right. Phil won it at -4, 2 shots better than Tiger and two other guys finished at -3.
So, Tiger finished in a tie for 4th and his analysis that his peers would be up to the challenge was correct.
Dan Patrick says Tiger was wrong to leave the course because they all COULD have fallen to -2 and then Tiger, home in Florida, could obviously not get back in time for the play off that would have started some 30 minutes after the last group finished in New Jersey.
Patricks take is that Tiger put himself in the position of rooting against himself; hoping someone would be better than -2 so he wouldn't look stupid for leaving.
Now, apparently Tiger isn't to happy about this and many fans, me included, have NO problem with what Tiger did.
So, Dan is in face saving mode going on about how some guys are 'untouchable' IE you have to watch what you, the sportswriter, say about them or they'll never give you another interview but, at the same time, the star needs the writers just like the writers need the stars.
Dan used the example of Sports Illustrated. Back in the day when Jordan had quit basketball to try a lifelong dream, baseball, after awhile, when Jordan struggled, SI did a cover story that he should quit baseball because he wasn't very good at it. Apparently, in retribution, Jordan does not talk to SI anymore.
Now say what you will about Jordan and baseball but the fact was he was playing for a minor league team where he was good enough to belong. That included riding the bus and all that goes with being a minor leaguer.
I have no problem stating that for sure plenty of stars are *******s to the media and maybe Jordan and Tiger are, at least sometimes.
The thing is, to me, when you say something stupid and wrong about one of them don't go into Johnny Cochran mode and make up some case to cover the fact that you, the reporter, got it wrong.
If Tiger had stayed overnight then some writer would put down that Tiger hoped to intimidate Phil and all the rest into choking, just by being there and that gosh, isn't Tiger arrogant to think he could intimidate that many guys? Isn't it terrible that Tiger thinks so little of his fellow stars? What does that say about the game? Sportsmanship? Blah, blah, blah.
Tiger Woods stock and trade is the majors and nobody tries harder or cares more about them. The guy did honor to himself through his effort, he did right by his sport for the same reasons and he did right by any measure of sportsmanship by stating emphatically, 'a few of my peers have me beat this week' by leaving, not as some cry baby or spoil sport, but as a guy who accepted defeat graciously and thus honored and respected his peers and his sport and the fans.
That's not enough for Dan Patrick. He wanted to slam Tiger and then cry ' untouchable super star' syndrome when he gets called for it.
He has no case. Tiger was not the defending champ and thus had no duties whatsoever in terms of handing over the trophy or anything.
Had his opponents choked it would have been on such a titanic scale that Tigers absense would be the least of the story, even if he was still there. Had he hung around and they not choked, well, as I said, he'd have been painted as arrogant and condescending to his peers and sport.
Bottom line; Tiger made the right call, was proven right by not just a little bit, but by a lot and Patrick owes an apology.
And one more thing; Tiger Woods and MJ never, EVER needed some sports writer. Sports writers might be there to bring us people and stories that might help this or that game here and there but the games and the players are ALWAYS what draw us.
Dan Patrick didn't bring huge purses to the PGA; Tiger Woods did. Dan Patrick didn't bring us to the TV to see a man fly, Michael Jordan did.
All better. Sports writers tend to have this frustrated jock thing to strong some times. And I wanted to say:
PATOOEY.
When Tiger left, Phil was at -4, a guy was at -3, a couple other guys were at -2 and another guy was at -1. Among those 'other' guys were Davis Love, Steve Elkington and Retief Goosen, past major championship winners, not some young guys with no experience in this kind of pressure.
Tigers reasoning was simple; there were two par 5's left for all these guys and there was no way that at least one of them wouldn't finish at -3 or better. Well, as it turned out, Tiger was right. Phil won it at -4, 2 shots better than Tiger and two other guys finished at -3.
So, Tiger finished in a tie for 4th and his analysis that his peers would be up to the challenge was correct.
Dan Patrick says Tiger was wrong to leave the course because they all COULD have fallen to -2 and then Tiger, home in Florida, could obviously not get back in time for the play off that would have started some 30 minutes after the last group finished in New Jersey.
Patricks take is that Tiger put himself in the position of rooting against himself; hoping someone would be better than -2 so he wouldn't look stupid for leaving.
Now, apparently Tiger isn't to happy about this and many fans, me included, have NO problem with what Tiger did.
So, Dan is in face saving mode going on about how some guys are 'untouchable' IE you have to watch what you, the sportswriter, say about them or they'll never give you another interview but, at the same time, the star needs the writers just like the writers need the stars.
Dan used the example of Sports Illustrated. Back in the day when Jordan had quit basketball to try a lifelong dream, baseball, after awhile, when Jordan struggled, SI did a cover story that he should quit baseball because he wasn't very good at it. Apparently, in retribution, Jordan does not talk to SI anymore.
Now say what you will about Jordan and baseball but the fact was he was playing for a minor league team where he was good enough to belong. That included riding the bus and all that goes with being a minor leaguer.
I have no problem stating that for sure plenty of stars are *******s to the media and maybe Jordan and Tiger are, at least sometimes.
The thing is, to me, when you say something stupid and wrong about one of them don't go into Johnny Cochran mode and make up some case to cover the fact that you, the reporter, got it wrong.
If Tiger had stayed overnight then some writer would put down that Tiger hoped to intimidate Phil and all the rest into choking, just by being there and that gosh, isn't Tiger arrogant to think he could intimidate that many guys? Isn't it terrible that Tiger thinks so little of his fellow stars? What does that say about the game? Sportsmanship? Blah, blah, blah.
Tiger Woods stock and trade is the majors and nobody tries harder or cares more about them. The guy did honor to himself through his effort, he did right by his sport for the same reasons and he did right by any measure of sportsmanship by stating emphatically, 'a few of my peers have me beat this week' by leaving, not as some cry baby or spoil sport, but as a guy who accepted defeat graciously and thus honored and respected his peers and his sport and the fans.
That's not enough for Dan Patrick. He wanted to slam Tiger and then cry ' untouchable super star' syndrome when he gets called for it.
He has no case. Tiger was not the defending champ and thus had no duties whatsoever in terms of handing over the trophy or anything.
Had his opponents choked it would have been on such a titanic scale that Tigers absense would be the least of the story, even if he was still there. Had he hung around and they not choked, well, as I said, he'd have been painted as arrogant and condescending to his peers and sport.
Bottom line; Tiger made the right call, was proven right by not just a little bit, but by a lot and Patrick owes an apology.
And one more thing; Tiger Woods and MJ never, EVER needed some sports writer. Sports writers might be there to bring us people and stories that might help this or that game here and there but the games and the players are ALWAYS what draw us.
Dan Patrick didn't bring huge purses to the PGA; Tiger Woods did. Dan Patrick didn't bring us to the TV to see a man fly, Michael Jordan did.
All better. Sports writers tend to have this frustrated jock thing to strong some times. And I wanted to say:
PATOOEY.
