Boycotting the madness
posted by LW, Monday, April 05, 2010
I don't know where I'll be today at 1:30, or 2, or whenever Tiger Woods takes the podium at Augusta National for his ballyhooed press conference.
Woods' first three media appearances to respond to his escapades have been tightly-controlled affairs that didn't allow the masses to ask questions (with the exception of six-minute segments with a dude from ESPN and a chick from the Golf Channel).
So today is the first opportunity for the masses -- barring inquiring tabloid minds who weren't granted access to the toonamint -- to ask their questions.
I'm all for freedom of the press and full disclosure and scrutiny and all that. It's a large part of what I do, and it might even be in my blood.
But I can't muster much motivation to eagerly tune in and watch Tiger squirm and repeatedly say "no comment" in the face of even more questions about his one-man escort service.
Back in February, when Tiger came clean to the world and admitted to his frailties and failings, I said it was good enough for me. Reasonable people could argue, and certainly did on that day, as to just how sincere and genuine Woods was during that "press conference."
Maybe the cynics are correct and I got duped with millions of other people. Or maybe not.
Either way, I pretty much closed the book on the guy's private life that day and started looking forward to the day his scoring on the golf courses was the big story, not his scoring in hotel rooms.
Some questions need to be asked and answered today. What is Woods' relationship with the Canadian physician who's under federal investigation for allegedly distributing performance-enhancing drugs? How nervous is he going to be stepping to the first tee Thursday? What is the state of his golf game? What does he think of fellow golfers, most notably Ernie Els, taking shots at him?
I'm interested to get his answers on this stuff. But this is not the stuff that will dominate today's press conference.
I don't know what I'll be doing when this thing starts. But I know I'll have better things to do than watch it.
Jeff Schultz of the AJC says Woods still has some stuff to answer for, but nothing about sex.
Schultz also went to Hooters thinking Woods might show there. No luck.
This guy says enough is enough: Let Tiger play.
Breaking news! Woods has a goatee and was wearing wrap-around shades yesterday!
Augusta Chronicle columnist Scott Michaux was there to monitor Woods' every move yesterday when Woods played a practice round.
Tiger Woods arrived at Augusta National Golf Club's new practice tee at 1:39 p.m. Sunday. He offered a quick quip to a couple of veteran writers. He shook hands and spoke briefly with Paul Casey and his caddie, Christian Donald.
Then Woods stepped to a vacant spot on the range and simply stood there. A couple of minutes passed and it seemed like nobody knew quite what to do.
Woods -- wearing sunglasses, as was caddie Steve Williams, as if to remain incognito -- appeared unsure of himself. So did his peers. Who should make the first move? He was -- as Stewart Cink described him a few weeks ago -- the giant elephant in the room.
Eventually Woods warmed up with a few practice shots. He hugged Jim Furyk on the range-side putting green. Then he made his way toward the course -- where no cameras are allowed Sunday, as the course is still a private club open only to the membership and guests.
Serendipity struck shortly after 2 p.m. While Woods was practicing some putts waiting for the first tee to clear, his oldest PGA Tour mentor made the turn to the 10th tee. Woods stepped over the ropes and greeted Mark O'Meara with a prolonged bear hug.
Looks like Clemson turned around yesterday's game after an in-game fireside chat from Jack Leggett.
"There wasn't too much PG to it," said Leggett of his fourth-inning lecture. "It's one of those things where we had to try get their attention a little bit, try to get ourselves back on track."
So Boston College essentially fires Al Skinner, who did a more-than-credible job on Chestnut Hill. Now they're interviewing some dude named Bill Coen.
Doesn't sound like the splash they were looking for.
Coen is an interesting candidate because he has some similarities to Skinner. His teams at Northeastern played a similar slow-paced style to the one Skinner employed at BC. While affable, Coen is soft-spoken and may not be the “rah-rah” type of coach DeFilippo covets.
Coaches from Georgia and Ohio State recently visited Virginia Tech, and Hokies beat writer Norm Wood has the details.
Richt said he talked with Beamer mostly about how Tech utilizes its time in preseason practices, and especially how much time is allotted to special teams meetings and concentration on special teams in practices. Georgia could use quite a bit of help with its special teams coverage. Though Georgia blocked five kicks last season, it was also 82nd in the nation in punt return yardage defense (giving up 10.52 yards per return) and 117th in kick return yardage defense (surrendering 25.7 yards per return and a touchdown).
“We were just trying to get a gauge and a taste for how they work those kinds of things,” said Richt, whose strength and conditioning staff includes associate head strength and conditioning coach Keith Gray, a former Tech linebacker from 1991-94. “We wanted to see it done another way.”
In Tallahassee, Greg Reid is establishing himself as quite the playmaker.
Bart Wright was at Clemson's Saturday scrimmage and was impressed with the defense.
Travis Sawchik was also there and was not impressed with the offense.
Caulton Tudor has a piece on the balance of power shifting again in the Duke-UNC rivalry.
If the presence of Duke back in college basketball's elite class nauseates you, better get some medicine ready for the next few years.
And if the Blue Devils win tonight, I vow to turn off my television before being subjected to Brian Zoubek cutting down a net.
LW
Click here for the "Eye On The Tigers" blog archive.
Link to this entry - Discuss this entry - Return to Blog Home
I don't know where I'll be today at 1:30, or 2, or whenever Tiger Woods takes the podium at Augusta National for his ballyhooed press conference.
Woods' first three media appearances to respond to his escapades have been tightly-controlled affairs that didn't allow the masses to ask questions (with the exception of six-minute segments with a dude from ESPN and a chick from the Golf Channel).
So today is the first opportunity for the masses -- barring inquiring tabloid minds who weren't granted access to the toonamint -- to ask their questions.
I'm all for freedom of the press and full disclosure and scrutiny and all that. It's a large part of what I do, and it might even be in my blood.
But I can't muster much motivation to eagerly tune in and watch Tiger squirm and repeatedly say "no comment" in the face of even more questions about his one-man escort service.
Back in February, when Tiger came clean to the world and admitted to his frailties and failings, I said it was good enough for me. Reasonable people could argue, and certainly did on that day, as to just how sincere and genuine Woods was during that "press conference."
Maybe the cynics are correct and I got duped with millions of other people. Or maybe not.
Either way, I pretty much closed the book on the guy's private life that day and started looking forward to the day his scoring on the golf courses was the big story, not his scoring in hotel rooms.
Some questions need to be asked and answered today. What is Woods' relationship with the Canadian physician who's under federal investigation for allegedly distributing performance-enhancing drugs? How nervous is he going to be stepping to the first tee Thursday? What is the state of his golf game? What does he think of fellow golfers, most notably Ernie Els, taking shots at him?
I'm interested to get his answers on this stuff. But this is not the stuff that will dominate today's press conference.
I don't know what I'll be doing when this thing starts. But I know I'll have better things to do than watch it.
Jeff Schultz of the AJC says Woods still has some stuff to answer for, but nothing about sex.
Schultz also went to Hooters thinking Woods might show there. No luck.
This guy says enough is enough: Let Tiger play.
Breaking news! Woods has a goatee and was wearing wrap-around shades yesterday!
Augusta Chronicle columnist Scott Michaux was there to monitor Woods' every move yesterday when Woods played a practice round.
Tiger Woods arrived at Augusta National Golf Club's new practice tee at 1:39 p.m. Sunday. He offered a quick quip to a couple of veteran writers. He shook hands and spoke briefly with Paul Casey and his caddie, Christian Donald.
Then Woods stepped to a vacant spot on the range and simply stood there. A couple of minutes passed and it seemed like nobody knew quite what to do.
Woods -- wearing sunglasses, as was caddie Steve Williams, as if to remain incognito -- appeared unsure of himself. So did his peers. Who should make the first move? He was -- as Stewart Cink described him a few weeks ago -- the giant elephant in the room.
Eventually Woods warmed up with a few practice shots. He hugged Jim Furyk on the range-side putting green. Then he made his way toward the course -- where no cameras are allowed Sunday, as the course is still a private club open only to the membership and guests.
Serendipity struck shortly after 2 p.m. While Woods was practicing some putts waiting for the first tee to clear, his oldest PGA Tour mentor made the turn to the 10th tee. Woods stepped over the ropes and greeted Mark O'Meara with a prolonged bear hug.
Looks like Clemson turned around yesterday's game after an in-game fireside chat from Jack Leggett.
"There wasn't too much PG to it," said Leggett of his fourth-inning lecture. "It's one of those things where we had to try get their attention a little bit, try to get ourselves back on track."
So Boston College essentially fires Al Skinner, who did a more-than-credible job on Chestnut Hill. Now they're interviewing some dude named Bill Coen.
Doesn't sound like the splash they were looking for.
Coen is an interesting candidate because he has some similarities to Skinner. His teams at Northeastern played a similar slow-paced style to the one Skinner employed at BC. While affable, Coen is soft-spoken and may not be the “rah-rah” type of coach DeFilippo covets.
Coaches from Georgia and Ohio State recently visited Virginia Tech, and Hokies beat writer Norm Wood has the details.
Richt said he talked with Beamer mostly about how Tech utilizes its time in preseason practices, and especially how much time is allotted to special teams meetings and concentration on special teams in practices. Georgia could use quite a bit of help with its special teams coverage. Though Georgia blocked five kicks last season, it was also 82nd in the nation in punt return yardage defense (giving up 10.52 yards per return) and 117th in kick return yardage defense (surrendering 25.7 yards per return and a touchdown).
“We were just trying to get a gauge and a taste for how they work those kinds of things,” said Richt, whose strength and conditioning staff includes associate head strength and conditioning coach Keith Gray, a former Tech linebacker from 1991-94. “We wanted to see it done another way.”
In Tallahassee, Greg Reid is establishing himself as quite the playmaker.
Bart Wright was at Clemson's Saturday scrimmage and was impressed with the defense.
Travis Sawchik was also there and was not impressed with the offense.
Caulton Tudor has a piece on the balance of power shifting again in the Duke-UNC rivalry.
If the presence of Duke back in college basketball's elite class nauseates you, better get some medicine ready for the next few years.
And if the Blue Devils win tonight, I vow to turn off my television before being subjected to Brian Zoubek cutting down a net.
LW
Click here for the "Eye On The Tigers" blog archive.
Link to this entry - Discuss this entry - Return to Blog Home
Donnie Patterson. Donnie Patterson is the founder of Patterson Tax Service, located in Easley, S.C. He has been active in tax preparation since 1970, and offers a full range of tax and bookkeeping services.
Larry Williams. Larry has covered the daily beat at Clemson since 2004. Williams, who worked for the Charleston Post & Courier from 2004-08, joined Tigerillustrated.com in November of 2008. He may be reached by email at ldubya08(at)gmail.com. Replace (at) with @.