Tiger ... this is just sick

[John]

I want to see Tiger win every time out for the same reason I want to see Federer win every match, because they are the best of their generation and on the cusp of being the best ever in their respective sports. I like seeing them pushed, and I like seeing them rise to the occasion over and over again.

I can understand why people get tired of seeing the same person win over and over again, but if that person is doing things we've never seen before then I don't mind at all.

 

[alleyallen]

I want to see Tiger win every time out for the same reason I want to see Federer win every match, because they are the best of their generation and on the cusp of being the best ever in their respective sports. I like seeing them pushed, and I like seeing them rise to the occasion over and over again.

I can understand why people get tired of seeing the same person win over and over again, but if that person is doing things we've never seen before then I don't mind at all.

Agreed 100 percent, here John. Also, it's exciting to be a witness to history. Imagine how you might have felt watching Babe Ruth during his heydey.

 

[Rockbottom]

Tim Rosaforte said it best, for me, on Golf Central last night ... Watching Tiger right now is like watching Michelangelo paint. Woods is a once-in-a-lifetime deal, whether it be in sports or anything. My wife, who shares only a passing amusement toward my golf obsession, said "holy ****, that was a GREAT shot!" I fell out of my chair laughing when he chipped in at 16 at Augusta (Lundquist's call is STILL superb ...), because I understood just how ridiculously special that moment was.

Is rooting for Tiger like rooting for the Sun to rise in the East every morning? Maybe. Does he kill it just a hair for me by showing NOTHING about himself post-round (damn, Charlie Pierce, for such a great story)? Yeah. But it is still amazing and must-see TV for me every time he is embarrassing the rest of whatever field he is up against.

rb

 

[Birdscribe]

Saw the putt live yesterday and watched it about 10 times today when I was at Beef O'Brady's for the Joe B. (Hall) and Denny (Crum) radio show. I still can't fathom how he missed from six feet out, yet sank a 24-foot putt.

It's called "golf." Things like that come with the territory.

Two weeks ago, I had a front-row seat for the Bernhard Langer-Jay Haas seven-hole playoff at the Toshiba Classic. The golf these guys turned in that day was superb; on the last hole of regulation, Langer chunks a chip, then sinks the 12-foot birdie putt to force the playoff.

On the fifth playoff hole, Langer drains a 28-foot birdie putt and Haas sinks a 12 footer right on top of him. On the next hole, Langer gets up-and-down for the second time in 40 minutes from the short side of a greenside bunker on a wicked par 3.

One hole later (the fourth time both of these guys played 18 in the last 90 minutes), Haas almost holes out a chip for eagle -- the ball hit the pin -- then misses the 3-foot birdie putt to give Langer the tournament.

That's golf, KYSportsWriter.

That said, what you're seeing here with Tiger is something special, to say the least. His caddie, Steve Williams, said it the best yesterday.

"In 2000-01, Tiger was putting unbelievably," Williams said. "His putting was amazing. He didn't hit the ball anywhere near like he hits it now, didn't have anywhere near the array of shots and anywhere near the course management and course control. I don't even compare the two, to be honest with you."

Works for me.

 

[Chef]

I am a perennial proponent of the underdog. My favorite teams really are whomever is playing Duke, or the Yankees, or whatever other team is currently on top. Except when it comes to Tiger. I love watching him win. When he's up by three strokes, I want him to be up by eight. When he's tied on the 18th green, I'm pulling for him to make that birdie putt.

Right now, because Tiger has no real rival, his losses are curiousities rather than meaningful events. If Bryant had somehow beaten him yesterday, it wouldn't have meant that Tiger isn't the world's #1 player, or that Bryant is emerging as a great player, or that Tiger is beginning to slip. It would just have meant that one random guy lucked into a one-stroke win over Tiger on this particular week. So, instead, I cheer for the meaningful event -- for a fifth consecutive win that keeps the "Perfect Season" dream alive, for an incredible 18th green memory that I'll look back upon fondly as another example of what it was like to watch the greatest golfer ever at the height of his ability.

Well said.

 

[Jones]

Tiger Woods is that rare, once-in-a-generation talent who can ruin my day just by appearing on my TV set.

 

[Chef]

Tiger Woods is that rare, once-in-a-generation talent who can ruin my day just by appearing on my TV set.

Kiljoy.

 

[doubledown68]

Still Tiger's best shot.

I love this clip for so many reasons, the least of which is the degree of difficulty and the moment that he pulled it off.

A buddy in Atlanta snared some practice roun badges that year, so I spent the first part of the week traipsing around there in a trance.

That Sunday, as luck would have it, another buddy was starting a job in the ATL area. So we sat around BS-ing and watching golf. When that happened, we were eating in the kitchen, about 7 of us crowded around three ends of the table to watch the tournament.

I mumble something about how its going in as the ball goes down the hill... ball stops, we're all standing... ball drops, we all yell. Scared the poor dog half to death. First time I've ever yelled like that at a golf telecast.

 

[Barsuk]

Maybe I'm the only one watching (on the Golf Channel), but El Tigre made a little charge and has the lead in the clubhouse. His streak likely will end, though, because Ogilvy is two shots up on him with three to play.

Oh, and LOL!

 

[Rockbottom]

I was watching, too. That fat approach on 18 did El Tigre in. Ogilvy was ripe for a chokejob, but felt almost no pressure from ETW or the rest of the field.

rb

 

[hondo]

I am a perennial proponent of the underdog. My favorite teams really are whomever is playing Duke, or the Yankees, or whatever other team is currently on top. Except when it comes to Tiger. I love watching him win. When he's up by three strokes, I want him to be up by eight. When he's tied on the 18th green, I'm pulling for him to make that birdie putt.

Right now, because Tiger has no real rival, his losses are curiousities rather than meaningful events. If Bryant had somehow beaten him yesterday, it wouldn't have meant that Tiger isn't the world's #1 player, or that Bryant is emerging as a great player, or that Tiger is beginning to slip. It would just have meant that one random guy lucked into a one-stroke win over Tiger on this particular week. So, instead, I cheer for the meaningful event -- for a fifth consecutive win that keeps the "Perfect Season" dream alive, for an incredible 18th green memory that I'll look back upon fondly as another example of what it was like to watch the greatest golfer ever at the height of his ability.

Well said.

And when Jack got beat in the Masters by Gay Brewer one year, he was still Jack. That's the nature of golf. It's a different animal than other sports. To win the Super Bowl, you only have to have go something like 10-6, then go on a three or four game run. To win a golf tournament, you have to beat anywhere from 95 guys (typical Masters field size) to 156 (U.S. Open field). That's hard to do, even if you are Tiger Woods.

 

[PeteyPirate]

Has the game passed Tiger by? Perhaps that's a different thread.

http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/news/story?id=3309127