Tiger leaving the Tour

If this isn't his plan, or the plan of his handlers, he's a moron -- wait, he already is. But I mean in terms of his professional career as a moron.

1. Lay low for 6-8 weeks.
2. Have a sit-down in late January/early Feb with 60 Minutes/ESPN/Oprah/Whoever
3. Play a tune-up tourney, duck questions "I'm here to play golf and continue my career/I explained everything during my sit-down, so now you POS reporter sit-down and shut up."
4. Be in the mix at The Masters
5. Chill after that
6. Play a prep for the U.S. Open
7. Win at Pebble Beach
8. Do another sit-down for TV
9. Chill after that
10. Chill some more
11. Win the British Open
12. Repeat and rinse again.

 

Winning, even for Woods, ain't so easy as that. He went oh-fer at the majors in 2008, with somewhat less mental pressure then there will be in 2009.
I honestly believe he might skip Augusta. If you've never been, it's not just a tournament, it's like an annual golf family reunion. It's social for all the famous/important people in the sport. There obviously aren't too many people on earth Woods gives a shit about. But some of them would be his companions in the Champions Locker Room.

 

Unfortunately for Zach Johnson, the national media only cares what white guys from Iowa do once every four years.

 

Could you make a case for those people offering him some kind of refuge in there were he to show up?

 

Like I said earlier.... he has to prove this is no Urban Meyer Spikes job

 

Great point. It's not like the everyone in the locker room is going to suddenly get quiet and turn their backs on Tiger when he walks through the door. They won't give him the silent treatment.

 

Some will. They all know that what was good for Tiger was good for the sport. Likewise, what's bad for Tiger is...
It's not they'll freeze him out. But it'll be different. He won't exactly be their peer anymore.

 

John Daly would welcome him.

 

Slight change of direction: While remote-twitching through the cable universe, they had a Tiger segment on Olbermann's show, hosted by the insufferable Lawrence O'Donnell, and the talking head was introduced as Sports Editor of "The Nation."
What?!? Has the Nation ever RUN a sport story? Anybody ever see this guy at a game? Or was it some intern the Nation sent over as a gag? Guy wasn't an idiot or anything, standard vanilla commentary, but I'm sure the Nation doesn't really have a sports editor.

 

I think Tiger is doing this to step away from things... Yeah I know he and the family has been out of the public eye, but I think this is a calculated move to set the Paparazzi onto the next scandal. Supposedly, the are going to Sweden. He can lay low and begin rebuilding his image.
I think he is waaaaay too selfish to change his stripes. I also think he will be back in time for the Masters tune up round.

And I still say he wins two of the four majors next season... easily.

 

That guy, can't recall his name, is on Outside the Lines quite often.

 

Wonder what Steve Williams will do in the meantime.
Not too many professions where you can make a million bucks for toting a bag and being an asshole -- not necessarily in that order.