Tiger news confrence 11ET friday

[sillywilly]

why would be announce during another tourney? the organizers can't be happy about this. it will take away from their tourney

[nokids]

I was really hoping that when Tiger returned it would herald a "new" Tiger era. I have always thought of him as an incredible golfer (obviously) but long before this scandal broke I have found it hard to warm to him as a personality.
Like I said I really hoped that after all this we might see a new Tiger, somewhat more open, giving of himself, less stagemanaged, more warm, more humble, dare I say, more human.
I hope this might still happpen but this first appearance is disappointing for me. An ultra-stagemanaged, one camera only, no questions allowed "statement". Worst yet, it is timed, with maximum petulance and spoiled bratness, right in the middle of Accenture's big golf week...no coincidence surely. Whatever he has to say (and I mean whatever) could surely have waited till Monday.

i dont think we'll see the warm fuzzy side of tiger woods. the guy is guarded and has walls built around him (for good reason). 3jack found an article on tiger's upbringing that was interesting. he was protected as a child, and he continues to be protective. he might come off to the rest of us like he's some kind of arrogant jerk, but why do we care if he's nice or not?

i want tiger to come back to golf so i can continue to cheer against him. YE YANG in your face tiger!

[John]

He's coming back and winning the grand slam this year! Who gives a about pr perspectives??? I just want to see him golfing and dominating the sport again. The tiger haters on this board will see so much Tiger they will puke and I for one cannot wait.

[GarthM]

why would be announce during another tourney? the organizers can't be happy about this. it will take away from their tourney

DUH!!! Who's the main sponsor this week?? Accenture...one of the first to drop Tiger. Don't think for a second that this is at all by chance happening on Friday. Too bad for Mayakoba in Mexico, but I guess that's what they call collateral damage....

[leftylucas]

I think this tourney is very low on the PGA totem pole. Tiger's agenda is his, he will not waiver from what he wants to do. If he claims he is still with his wife I will have to think that it is all for show, even an idiot would not stand by that kind of slap in the face. He will do his apologies as every addict has to do because like it or not that is what he is going to say, whether it is true or not is another thing. That will endear him to the golfing public, he will hear it all from the sidelines, Steve will scoul like never before but in 6 months Tiger will be less of a spectacle and especially if he answers all those who come after him with a couple of majors. He is protected and will always be doing things his way so I will not be surprised at anything that comes out.

[BC MIST]

DUH!!! Who's the main sponsor this week?? Accenture...one of the first to drop Tiger. Don't think for a second that this is at all by chance happening on Friday.

Accenture dumped him, as should his wife, for good reasons. If Tiger was sincerely contrite, he would NOT have the press conference on Friday at the same time the match play is occurring. By trying to detract from the tournament, he is not seeking redemption, but revenge. He still does not get it. He's a phony who will be looked at very differently by the majority of golf fans, but I doubt that he genuinely cares.

[Kilroy]

By trying to detract from the tournament, he is not seeking redemption, but revenge. He still does not get it.

Agreed.

[Grabster]

Tiger's agent has said "It has to be Friday. There is a reason".
I assume besides saying he is sorry, he will have to actually have a reason for the Friday press conference.

Is Friday the deadline for the Phoenix tournament next week?
Is it a deadline for something else?

[leafseh]

Accenture dumped him, as should his wife, for good reasons. If Tiger was sincerely contrite, he would NOT have the press conference on Friday at the same time the match play is occurring. By trying to detract from the tournament, he is not seeking redemption, but revenge. He still does not get it. He's a phony who will be looked at very differently by the majority of golf fans, but I doubt that he genuinely cares.

If you were Tiger, would you care what Ottawa Golf Forum members thought of you?

[Slicer&Dicer]

The only reason it has to be Friday is to stick it to Accenture. I don't think he normally plays the Phoenix anyways.

How can anyone believe anything this guy says anymore. During the interview in Austraila, he looked the interviewer right in the eyes and agreed that family is the Number 1, above golf and all else, so I guess that speaks for itself.

I just hope that before, during and after the TW show, that Accenture runs as many ads as possible to take advantage of the amount of viewers at that time.

[3Jack]

Tiger's agent has said "It has to be Friday. There is a reason".
I assume besides saying he is sorry, he will have to actually have a reason for the Friday press conference.

Is Friday the deadline for the Phoenix tournament next week?
Is it a deadline for something else?

This is exactly what I thought, because Friday is always the commit day for the following week's tournament.

That Phoenix crowd is nuts though, so I can't imagine that to be his first tournament back. Would be wild though.

[larry]

Glad to see he's as arrogant as ever. Still believes the world revolves around him. The whole point of this farce is to take a shot at Accenture. I hope prospective sponsors take note of this and think long and hard about throwing money at this guy. If the media had any brain, they would boycott the "event" and send him a strong message. Things have changed and the media will not kiss his a** anymore. Unfortunately, the media will stoop as low as necessary to get a story.

[leftylucas]

The addiction be it real, imagined or simply perceived will provide Tiger with the basis for the public's forgiveness which his image seems to need the most. The public, espescially the US public seems to eat it up when a high profile athlete admits wrongdoing, and then asks for forgiveness. Just look at how Roger CLemens is being percieved vs Andy Petitte, same situation, different outcomes. What do we do though if he really had an addiction? Are we all such experts that we still dismiss it as a cop out? His sincerity will go a long way to showing us if indeed this has changed him. I for one am skeptical but I really should give him the benefit of the doubt with addiction in my immediate family.

[3Jack]

Glad to see he's as arrogant as ever. Still believes the world revolves around him. The whole point of this farce is to take a shot at Accenture. I hope prospective sponsors take note of this and think long and hard about throwing money at this guy. If the media had any brain, they would boycott the "event" and send him a strong message. Things have changed and the media will not kiss his a** anymore. Unfortunately, the media will stoop as low as necessary to get a story.

I don't know what this means.

As was their right, Accenture was very quick to drop Tiger as soon as it was no longer beneficial to their business to have him as a spokesman, but they were quite happy to make dough off of his image when everything was rosy.

Accenture showed no loyalty, and nor should Tiger. Business is business.

[Shivas Irons]

If you were Tiger, would you care what Ottawa Golf Forum members thought of you?

Actually Tiger should care about what OG forum members think of him, but probably doesn't.

[goochy]

Accenture showed no loyalty, and nor should Tiger. Business is business.

Hi 3Jack

I have to disagree with you a little here...Accenture stopped giving Tiger their money because they believed him to be no longer beneficial to their image. I am sure it was a cold detactched calculated business decision.

Tiger timing his appearance during their tournament I am sure is pure spite and revenge...a personal petulant decision, not a business one. Even if it is an tournament entry deadline it could still wait till Monday to announce it.

As to other post in the thread regarding his image, I am really not a "Tiger Hater" but neither am I a "Tiger worshipper". I think he is great golfer, very possibly the best ever, but I just find it very hard to like the persona he portrays and I feel no connection to him, no common thread.

Of course he dosen't have to be a certain way to please me or anyone else, but neither did/does any of the players I do enjoy to watch AND respect and feel connected to. When Mickelson hits a woman in the crowd with an errant tee shot the other week, he makes a point to chat to her, give her a glove and just generally show some humanity. Woods throws he club into the crowd in Australia and walks away.

I respect his golf...I would love to respect HIM. I thought after all this he might have changed a little...I still hope he may have but this first "statement appearance" doesnt make me feel optimistic that I will ever feel any warmth towards him.

[3Jack]

Hi 3Jack

I have to disagree with you a little here...Accenture stopped giving Tiger their money because they believed him to be no longer beneficial to their image. I am sure it was a cold detactched calculated business decision.

Tiger timing his appearance during their tournament I am sure is pure spite and revenge...a personal petulant decision, not a business one. Even if it is an tournament entry deadline it could still wait till Monday to announce it.

As to his image, I am really not a "Tiger Hater" but neither am I a "Tiger worshipper". I think he is great golfer, very possibly the best ever, but I just find it very hard to like the persona he portrays and I feel no connection to him, no common thread.

Of course he dosen't have to be a certain way to please me or anyone else, but neither did/does any of the players I do enjoy to watch AND respect and feel connected to. When Mickelson hits a woman in the crowd with an errant tee shot the other week, he makes a point to chat to her, give her a glove and just generally show some humanity. Woods throws he club into the crowd in Australia and walks away.

I respect his golf...I would love to respect HIM. I thought after all this he might have changed a little...I still hope he may have but this first "statement appearance" doesnt make me feel optimistic that I will ever feel any warmth towards him.

All fair points.

As for Tiger's behavior in Australia versus Mickelson's kind treatment of a woman hit by his ball, I saw the same kindness from Tiger in 2007 at the President's Cup in Montreal under similar circumstances.

Mickelson has his own detractors (FIGJAM nation), and there have been many rumors about Phil that have circled for years. Touch wood that these rumors are just that - rumors and no more.

What I find funny about those who are now critical of the timing of Tiger's first public words, Tiger would be roasted if he were to call the meeting for a PGA Tour off day... (ie, Monday through Wednesday during a typical week). Had he done that, he'd be ripped for wanting the entire golf world spotlight to himself. Bottom line is there is no winning, he'll get ripped either way.

We should all just wait to see what he says, and how contrite or arrogant he comes across.

[leafseh]

Actually Tiger should care about what OG forum members think of him, but probably doesn't.

Why should he? He's not a pop star trying to sell albums to adoring fans.... he's out there to do one thing, and one thing only... win.

The money, the sponsorships, the fame (or the shame for that matter), all come second to him. He loves golf, and he loves to win.

He won't lose any sleep over the # of fans I'm sure he'll lose after this ordeal... but you can bet your ass he loses sleep over missed putts to win a major.

[3Jack]

From Golfweek...

In a brief telephone conversation Wednesday, Steinberg emphatically told me there was no intention to interfere with Accenture’s spotlight. He said he called one of the company’s executives “to give a heads up” and made sure the Woods’ statement would come “well outside the tournament’s TV window.” He added that “Accenture couldn’t have been more supportive.”

“It’s always good to get your information right before commenting,” Steinberg said of the criticism from Els and others. “It’s strictly a timing issue. There is a very good reason (to do it Friday) . . . and not do it next week.”

The agent would not say what the compelling reason is, why the statement couldn’t wait, but I got the sense we’ll know Friday.

In the same article Els really lays in to Tiger for the timing. Hmm. Seems Els has forgotten why Accenture is in to golf and why he's playing for so much dough in the first place.

Here's the entire article...

http://www.golfweek.com/news/2010/fe...s-annoucement/

It will be interesting to hear if there is a real reason why this had to occur on Friday...

[Shivas Irons]

Why should he? He's not a pop star trying to sell albums

He may not be a pop star, but he's still a corporate shill. He should care what people think about him, without fans there are no sponsors.

Arnold Palmer gets it, Phil Mickelson gets it, Tiger doesn't.

[3Jack]

He may not be a pop star, but he's still a corporate shill. He should care what people think about him, without fans there are no sponsors.

Arnold Palmer gets it, Phil Mickelson gets it, Tiger doesn't.

Apparently Arnold will be amongst the friends at the event tomorrow. Arnold was fortunate to have played in the era in which he did, when the media cared not for what went on outside the ropes.

[leafseh]

He may not be a pop star, but HE WAS a corporate shill. He should care what people think about him, without fans there are no sponsors.

Arnold Palmer gets it, Phil Mickelson gets it, Tiger doesn't.

fixed...

[jonf]

arguably, Tiger is actually increasing coverage of the Accenture matchplay by making his announcement when he is. At the moment, nobody in the world is paying any attention to golf. With the Tiger announcement, many more will. So you could easily look at his choice of timing as a favour to Accenture - a sort of apology in itself.

[Shivas Irons]

Did anyone see the press conference ?

[3Jack]

Did anyone see the press conference ?

It's tomorrow.

[Strangebrew]

arguably, Tiger is actually increasing coverage of the Accenture matchplay by making his announcement when he is. At the moment, nobody in the world is paying any attention to golf. With the Tiger announcement, many more will. So you could easily look at his choice of timing as a favour to Accenture - a sort of apology in itself.

Completely agree.

[spackler]

Sounds like Accenture at least had a heads up, and they are doing the statement at 11am EST, several hours before the scheduled tee off for the day's matches in Arizona. I'll refrain from making any judgement prior to hearing him speak, and even then I only really care to hear whether he's playing or not, and what his schedule will look like.

It would be wild if he chooses to come back at TPC Scottsdale, that would be throwing himself open to the public for sure, and he wouldn't have to go on Oprah!

From Jason Sobel on espn.com

MARANA, Ariz. -- One day after the timing of Tiger Woods' Friday morning statement was referred to as "selfish" by fellow pro Ernie Els -- prompting speculation that it was a vindictive move against a former sponsor -- an Accenture spokesperson refuted that notion.

"We got a call from Tiger's agent [Mark Steinberg] prior to the announcement yesterday, so we had a heads up that they were going to make the announcement and they told us they were timing it for Friday -- for whatever reason, it was important to go out this week," Fred Hawrysh, director of corporate communications for Accenture, said. "But they were timing it at 11 a.m. ET and we don't tee off here until noon local time. They told us they deliberately timed this so it would not overlap with anything that was happening here.

"That story will happen, it will get covered and then we'll move on to the Match Play, but they deliberately tried not to overlap with what we are doing."

After a six-year sponsorship contract with Woods, Accenture became the first company to cut ties with the pitchman in December. Even so, Hawrysh maintained that it may actually be beneficial to have Woods release his statement this week.

"I don't think he's taking away from the tournament; I honestly don't feel that," he said. "We've had great coverage overnight of the first day of it and somehow those two news events seem to be able to coexist and I think that's going to be able to continue to happen.

"If anything, it's going to pique people's interest in golf again. It gets people focused on golf and this is our golf weekend, so there really could be a silver lining in all of this."

No player was more critical of Woods' timing than Ernie Els, who told Golfweek magazine, "It's selfish. You can write that. I feel sorry for the sponsor. Mondays are a good day to make statements, not Friday. This takes a lot away from the golf tournament."

All of which still begs the question: Why choose this week to speak publicly?

Woods' agent, Mark Steinberg, said the appearance during the tournament was "a matter of timing." Asked if it could have waited until Monday, he said, "No. & There is a very good reason [to do it Friday] ... and not do it next week."

Those comments led to speculation that Woods would return to next week's Waste Management Phoenix Open, a tournament at which he hasn't competed since 2001. All players must enter a tournament field by Friday, 5 p.m. ET prior to that event.

"We have not heard anything from Tiger's camp or the tour," tournament chairman David Rauch told ESPN.com. "Even if he was going to announce that he was coming here, he wouldn't tell us in advance. ... I'll be watching the press conference -- let's put it that way. I don't anticipate that we would know before the words came out of his mouth on national television."

That doesn't mean tournament officials aren't bracing themselves for such a scenario.

"I think it's possible," Rauch said. "It's certainly something we're looking at."

Rauch maintained the security is "essentially in place," but admitted the tournament would "literally have to build another media center" to house the expected attendance should Woods play the event.

[goochy]

In light of that I ammend my opinion of his timing of his statement...guess I was wrong. I will wait to hear what he has to say and I will wait in hope.

As an aside I do genuinely believe that he should care what fans think as without the fans he has none of the fame and wealth he enjoys. He doesn't have to care about them but he should

[Sakuraba]

Perhaps Waste Management is his new sponsor, and he's going to announce that he's playing their tournament at TPC Scottsdale!

I can imagine some pretty funny commercials with Tiger backing one of their garbage trucks into a fire hydrant!

[Shushu]

"He's coming back and winning the grand slam this year! Who gives a about pr perspectives??? I just want to see him golfing and dominating the sport again. The tiger haters on this board will see so much Tiger they will puke and I for one cannot wait."

WOW...I doubt he's picked up a club, except maybe the one his wife may or may not have hit him with, since thanksgiving, and you think he's still better then everyone else? I think he's going to retire and try to work things out with his wife. She has told him he has to quit golf to stay with her. And he should. If he's the family man he says he is he will do anything to get her to stay. "If" he comes back I believe he will be struggling to make the cut for a while. His focus is going to be disrupted for a while from the heckling, and he's going to be rusty. No doubt the tour wants him back cause he is dominant, and even people that hate him tune in to see it. I agree with Tom Watson though....he has to be a waaaaayyyyy different person (no swearing, or slamming his clubs into everything he can see) I personally don't miss him at all and if you look deep into yourselves you'll probably realize that you really don't care either.