Remember the first Tiger Woods commercial Nike ever did? The refrain by various kids everywhere was “I am Tiger Woods…” Don’t expect to see that one back anytime soon.
But rest assured, there’ll still be plenty of Tiger nevertheless. In fact, it’s all Tiger, all the time. More outlets than you can shake a golf club at breathlessly staked out watching for Elin’s next move. At last check, the word combo of “Tiger Woods + Sex” on Google News turned up 6,885 “News” Articles.
8…9…10…ad infinitem. Pornstars…Cougars…Playboys…
Mercifully, at some point – not just for Tiger and his family – but for all of us (myself included) addicted to the latest shocking detail, we will eventually wean off the endless revelations of debauchery and disgrace. Then, perhaps in the aftermath of another tattered celebrity’s catastrophic fall from grace, while we move onto the next open target, a deeper question should be asked.
Who’s going to help pick Tiger up?
Not as a golfer – anyone who’s watched the man play can probably assume that he’ll at some point be back on the fairways of Augusta or St. Andrews kicking all the white boys’ asses. No –Tiger can and has always taken care of that all by himself. What I want to know is who’s going to help pick up Tiger the man.
Not the agents, publicists, managers, lawyers and so-called friends who clearly have been complicit in this mythic, Icarus-like collapse. That entourage of enablers has got to go just as fast and indiscriminately as all the various ladies cashing in on their 15 minutes. By many estimates, in just over a decade since turning pro, Tiger has earned close to a billion dollars in endorsements. Trust me, there are many people drawing commissions on that heap of cash, not to mention the countless more making hundreds of millions – if not more – off of Tiger and the virtual industry he’s fortified around his game. It would appear that none of these bloodsuckers bothered to contemplate that their gravy train may be headed for deep trouble. By all accounts, there is no denying that while this may be one of the greatest athletes we’ve ever seen, Tiger Woods has some dark emotional, psychological, and/or spiritual dilemmas that he needs help in solving. The behavior described in the press has been chronic, wrapped crudely around some of what most of us – and presumably Tiger himself – regard as some of life’s most iconic and poignant moments including his marriage, the birth of his children, and the death of his father. The fact that Tiger was entangled in such illicit behavior side by side with these events suggests something far more than indulgent and decadent, but rather destructive and depressing. Didn’t anyone close to him care enough to do something? To help the man? Apparently not.
To that extent, it’s safe to assume that none of those inner circle fools should be counted on in the resurrection. No doubt they will try – nothing pays better than a rise to fame…other than a storied comeback.
It’s also probably too much to expect Tiger’s wife – a seeming victim in all of this – to play much of a healing role with her husband considering the recovery she most likely will have to go through. One thing I know I don’t know is how to help anyone else’s marriage when I often can’t make sense of my own. Good luck with your own journey Mrs. Woods – may you too find friends you can count on.
That leaves us – the public, the consumers, the fans. Oh yes, we too have been complicit in this mess. Don’t get me wrong – Tiger’s to blame here. He cashed those checks from the endorsers and willingly played along with the image and brand they built around him – clearly one that was very distant from the real man underneath. But when there is this much carnage, there’s generally a lot of blame to go around.
We bought the products, believed the hype, consumed the myth and lore. Most people who helped “build the Tiger brand,” have never swung a golf club nor even watched a golf tournament. So what – we (enough of us, anyway) still played the game, worshipped at the altar of celebrity and went along with the lore. In other words, Tiger may have cashes those checks, but we wrote them. We helped finance the pedestal, place the icon atop it, and then shook our head and surveyed the devastation when it fell over and broke apart. Next victim please.
Someone asked me yesterday what my father – Deepak Chopra – would say or do about all this Tiger Woods madness. So I called him up and asked him. “I’d say, worry about yourself before you worry too much about Tiger. Repair yourself and you repair the world and everyone else in it.”
New Age aphorisms or real wisdom? Hey – maybe both!
We are all flawed. It’s part of what defines us as a species. Some of us are only as flawed as the opportunities we are handed in which to screw-up. As for me, in Tiger Woods I see every mistake I may or may not have made in my life, every temptation taken or spurned pumped on steroids, laid beneath the glare of the spotlight for the world to stare and snicker at it. Is it fair? Maybe. Live (well) by the sword, die (brutally) by the sword, I suppose.
But this time, I promise to be a part not just of the rise to fame, but also the comeback. Because maybe it’s not really about Tiger, maybe it’s about me. Maybe I am Tiger Woods after all.
Gotham,
Thank you for posting such a poignant message. This is not the message Nike intended for Tiger to send with their motto: "Just do it". There are many things to learn about ourselves and humanity as a whole regarding these circumstances.
My question is this: WHEN will we learn the lesson? The lesson is much greater than the drama played out on tv. In fact, I am surprised and sickened by how the media keeps feeding additional 'news' (aka: hype) on this subject so much that I change the station when it pops up. I don't want to hear about further issues of this 'scandal'. I hope to see Tiger succeed by bouncing back like a Tigger.
Tiger Woods is a human being and to be human is to err.
Tiger seems like just another guy who let his desires run wild. The only problem with this is that he is married with young children. If this is what he wants to do , he should feel free to do it, just not while he's married.
Anybody can make a mistake–we are all human.Especially with wealth, power and fame; people get the sense there are different rules for themselves. I have a lot easier time understanding Tiger Woods–or a guy who gets entangled in alcohol or drug abuse–than I do Michael Vick. It's one thing to give in to the temptations that plague us all–but to torture and kill dogs, one of the noblest animals on the face of this earth (or any animal)is far more reprehensible. Such behavior reveals a far greater sickness. A void where the heart should be.
Great Post!! and brings to mind a commentary from the Bhagavad Gita by Yogananda on the soul qualities that lead to complete liberation. This aligns beautifully with what most everyone on this post is in agreement with, and with the advice Deepak gave to his son….
Absence of fault finding (apaishunam)-hastens one's spiritual evolution by freeing the mind from concentration on the weaknesses of others to focus wholly on the full time job of bettering oneself. A person who, like a detective, is busy observing the short comings of others gets a false conviction of superiority–either that he himself is free from those blemishes or is otherwise qualified to appraise others. A critical person rarely perfects his own life.
He further states that nobody trust those who spread evil instead of good. The gossips, the busybodies, the detectors of others frailties . God gives all men the chance to correct themselves in the privacy of their soul.
In Truth-beyond all the illusions of good and so called evil, Tiger Woods and all who are involved are forever beheld as God's perfect ideas—-And everyday we can begin a new script for our lives, and paint our world with the beauty of knowing who we really are in God's infinite Goodness—
Much love to All,
Gyanama
I agree wholeheartedly with Deepok Chpora's response. As Gotham states…aren't we each Tiger Woods after all? I wish the masses would evolve to where it would be more about finding ourselves in each other rather than picking each other apart. Our world has come to what feels like a feeding frenzy…be it in the media or in our own backyards I wish that each and every one of us would focus on finding ourselves in each other. Stop the madness. Find a healthier focus. Send thoughts of love and healing to all involved in this situation surrounding Tiger Woods, his wife, and his children. Do not judge him. Treat him as you would want to be treated yourself if you found yourself in the same situation. Stop the jokes, the critiquing, the judgment.. Just stop that. Do or say nothing. Find something more constructive and loving to do/say instead. Our whole world, all of humanity would benefit so much if we as human beings could take it upon ourselves change this pattern.
Respectfully submitted.
Gyanama. That fills my heart, and brings tears to my eyes. Thank you. xo
Thank you too…..OM….
Great article Gotham.
Jason Whitlock has an article on MSN that elaborates further the culture of being a celebrity and its shadow side. Jason also gives his view on the racial aspect mentioned in the media drama and I'm glad you didn't mention it. I wonder if the last line of the article will come true for Tiger, "if you drop a ball from 15 feet, it will bounce back to 12 feet".
As for me, I felt betrayed and wrote Tiger a letter I never sent. The letter was for me to get clear on why I felt betrayed by someone I didn't know personally. Short version: I said I'm an avid golfer and have been a fan of his since the beginning. Like so many, I would go to some of the tournaments he played and watch him almost religiously on TV. My 4 (boy) and 5 (girl) year old children yell out his name when they see his photo on TV or on the cover of my Golf Digest. I didn't realize until everything surfaced, that I had made him a role model for my children from my attachment to his image. Finally, I said I'm sorry you let yourself, your family and fans down, but I'm also sorry for putting you on a pedestal from afar and not knowing you personally. Honesty is intrinsic to the game of golf and I assumed Tiger had that kind of moral character.
The whole incident has made me aware of my unfounded attachments to the most visible in our society. I'm a big fan of your father and he is an amazing person from afar, but I have no idea who he is without knowing him personally. And even then he will only be what he reveals to me. It is like your father says, "everyone possess all of the universe in them -the good, the bad, the ugly and the beautiful and it's our level of consciousness that we choose which parts we want to identify with and nurture". So I guess there is some Tiger in all of us.
If there is any good that can come from all this, it would be for me to thank Tiger for giving me the opportunity to do away with illusions and fix myself.
Resume:
No individual has the right to judge another; it's hypocrite. We all should look first for our own shortcomings. Being famous doesn't make the inner needs of an individual different than of common people. Why should they be punished by the media? On soullevel we all are equal and pure. With compassion we can help and heal our fellow men, the world, but most important our self!
With unconditional love to everybody
Journalists, reporters and the media sometimes pushes the boudaries too far with their frenzies, not remaining objective and driving people crazy. We had a great learning process and seemingly forgotten how tragedic Lady Diane lost her life many years ago.
As they say at Landmark Education, 'From Breakdowns come the opportunities for Breakthroughs.
It would seem that like so many before him Tiger Woods is one of those high profile personalities who are a perfect metaphor for what is in all of us. The potential for greatness and the potential to play with the darker side of life. We either all do it, think about doing it or have the potential to do it. The two sides of all of us that exist together. They are both to be accepted and embraced or they will drive us crazy. So this doesn't mean we need to act on those impulses. Tiger has. That is his Karma. Ours is the reaction we have. Its all driven by fear. The fear that we may slip like that ourselves drives the tendency to make Tiger massively wrong as it then makes us feel a little better about our own grubby thoughts. All we are doing is having our own inner conflicts play out on a public stage and taking the opportunity to speak out and say the things we think we 'should' say.
Tiger is human like the rest of us. He will get over it and I am sure will have people queuing up to help him just as much as he has people queuing up to knock him down. The dust will settle on this and Tiger will have a breakthrough about himself and his life and I am sure we all wish him well with that… and at the risk of sounding cynical, unlike the rest of us, at least he will get a book out of it.
Dear Gotham:
What a beautiful contrast your post on Tiger's recent fall from grace is from everything else I've read or heard about these events. You haven't minimized the pain his choices have brought to others and to his family and yet you have expressed concern for a man who is obviously troubled and less than whole. I wish the media and its consumers shared in your honesty and compassion. With humility, you have helped us to candidly reflect on ourselves and called us to embrace a better, healthier perspective, toward others and toward ourselves.
Love, Greg
Gotham,
eloquent and insightful piece. all i can think is: no one ever does anything wrong, given their world-view. who am i, for one, to choose if mine is 'right' over another's.
while, to be human may or may not be to err; to overcome is certainly olympian.
Great comment.
Regardless of his fame or his transgressions he has a right to a personal life that is just that, personal. I am ashamed of the media attention that has been given, and is surely going to continue to be given, to something that sadly has become a common problem these days.
Clearly Tiger has made a mess of things but the media, in my opinion, is ruining his life and his reputation not to mention any chance of a reconciliation with his wife.
He owes us nothing people. If anything we owe him and by buying into this shameful and vicious media assault we will all surely bear as much of the responsibility for his downfall as he.
This is to prove Tiger is like any other person and no one will be or can be superheros. This is a warning to other sportsman or artist who feel they are the kings.
http://www.healthtips9.blogspot.com
Hi Gotham,
No one deserves the pedestal Tiger has been put on, no matter what the talent, it is simply a symptom of our perverse value system, especially when it come to sports.
So, Tiger, has a wandering organ, a curious organ, a not easily satisfied organ, in fact, a very common problem for many of the male gender. It is just that Tiger has unfortuanately painted an "above board" image of himself and sold it for billions, with the help of many close associates, still, in not so much a unique situation.
I think it is time for "famous folks" to face the "camera," look them straight in the eye, admit to your failure, your falls, tell them in very clear language that a "six year old" could easily comprehend that yes, I will tell you this and no I will not tell you that, and then just stand there and look at them until they are uncomfortable with the yes and no answer.
Today's media is simply "sick," there is no other way to describe it. They cannot get enough and unfortunately there are plenty of people willing to be "exploited" for money and "face time fame."
I am so happy that Tiger is not the "superman" of reason and control that was painted by himself and his image makers. He's but a human,a "male" human no less with the "typical" male organ difficulties……hey it's nothing that bad. He has not murdered anyone.
The real fall has to do with his family, they get the details to deal with, they are the ones who matter.
Tiger, come out, wherever you are, and face these "sicko's" down, Be patient with these media folks, they don't know any better, they think all the world hungers for the " latest tidbit," while it is really not the case, we are dying for someone or two to stand their ground on what is public and what is private…
It is not, at all, a pleasant experience to watch this sort of media torture on anyone. It is simply a very sick experience that has become the "norm" in today's media exploitation.
Forget about all the other blather and opinions. Deepak said it right: "Worry about yourself before you worry too much about Tiger. Repair yourself and you repair the world and everyone else in it.
Regarding the wandering "male organ"–women are not immune to wandering. It cuts both ways.
First you cash in on a mans skills then you cash in on his weaknesses and vulnerabilities. If you cant cash in on him well then lets just forget about him. May be Tiger Wood took nike too much in his heart and he 'Just did it' but at the end you need a scape goat. Why not get hold of Nike… ahh you need smaller man than that ! So here we have Tiger Woods scandal.. lets not worry about climate change…
Imagine someone like Tiger Woods in a state of lack. He's got everything that he needs yet he is found searching outside of himself for that need he feels in the deepest parts of his soul. He's not alone….as the world turns…It is YOU that you are looking for!!! Have Mercy!!! I am sending thoughts of love hope and help and strength to this family. Gos still heals familys~Joanna
I reckon it's his inner urge for Shakti doing its thing – perhaps a rather distored reflection of it – after all, it' s a universal communion and union we are all seeking .. how people love to judge – better to try to see the ' divine ' event within the distorted version of it .
Dear Gotham,
You've said it all."We are all flawed" no meter celeb or not. After all, being a
celebrity doesn't give us(not celebs)the right to sneak into their lives so we
can became aware that they are simple human beings just as we are.
But,are we simple human beings? Aren't we just showing our weaknesses
and cruelty trough the weakness of those who are in front of the public eyes?
How can it all makes us happy for God's sake?!How many celebs have been
destroyed by now and who gives us the right to do so?! When are we going to
learn to respect their professional acts without interfering their private lives?!
I have only one thing to say to the media: Leave Tiger alone and leave people
enjoy his sports carrier, not his private life!
Much Love & Support Tiger. We love you just the way you are!
birthday present for Tiger
http://www.levity.com/alchemy/rscroll.html
Of them drawe out a tincture
And make of them a marriage pure
Between the husband and the wife
Espowsed with the water of life…..
23 January 1974 – 10 February 1975: Wood Tiger
Motto of this sign is " I WIN "
..hmm !!
Chinese Zodiac
When our true nature is suppressed, we All are Tiger Woods.
Andre Agassi comes to mind. Image is everything??? I highly disagree.
Let the healing begin….
I was thinking about time and space: We will be killed by a clock, not by a rock. The saints knew the day when they will die. Jesus said people can not add one day to theirs lives.
My question: Who setup the clock for our life?
The best way to get a post read is to mention a celebrity in the title. Tiger Woods, Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Simpson, Michael Jackson–I used to meditate, sit with my teachers, and read as many ancient texts as possible; no more. World class athletes and singers–yeah, that's where I want to get my philosopy of life. They're not only enlightened, they sure are good-looking!
Dr. Chopra's words are the most sane to emerge from all media coverage on this topic.
What a wonderful and compassionate post.
I have only one thing to say to the media: Leave Tiger alone and leave people enjoy his sports carrier, not his private life! Much Love &Designer Handbags Support Tiger. We love you just the way you are!
What youre saying is completely true. I know that everybody must say the same thing,
but I just think that you put it in a way that everyone can understand. I also love the
images you put in here. They fit so well with what youre trying to say. Im sure youll
reach so many people with what youve got to say.bar stools|recliner sofa
|waiting chairs
Any member of your group can post to your trip blog. This is a great way to share information
with your team and your supporters.recliner| leather sofa
|sectional sofa |