Kaymer: Woods deserves more respect

[Eagle_Hunter]

The reason everyone pro-Tiger is trying to give him credit is because everyone neg-Tiger (lol) is trying to take it away like he doesn't deserve anything and that he hasn't had an impact. Which in my opinion is naive since it is quite evident that he has done great things for the sport. Just like others have said, he is a newer Arnold/Nicklaus and there will be more like him. Hopefully.

I am strictly arguing that Tiger has had a great impact on golf for this newer generation just like Nicklaus had on his generation. So why does he not deserve the same respect? No one would dare say Arnold or Nicklaus doesn't deserve the respect.

You would think anyone that loves golf would be able to notice this. You don't have to like him as a person to see this and that's my argument.

As I have said before, I'm not a fan of his temper tantrums and find them very childish but that has nothing to do with the positive impact he has had on golf.

I'll let everyone else get their opinions in now.

** Great Thread **

This is all I have been trying to say!

[Chambokl]

Here are the headline on the different sports site I visit everyday...

ESPN: Tiger 1 shot back at.....
Sports Illustrated: Tiger trail by 1 at Dubai
CBS: Woods one shot back in Dubai (and a link to the leaderboard)

It must be only in the US...

TSN: Woods one shot of leader McIllroy....
RDS: Woods implique dans une chaude lutte

And I could go on.... isn't there a PGA tournament this week-end... Why are those link there why wouldn't the put that Michelson is ... because Tiger attracts traffic on the site and that attracts $$$...

[Chambokl]

Very few were still segregated in 1996. That change was pre-Tiger. Augusta National had it's first black member in 1991.

Why is it people seem so anxious to credit Tiger with everything good in golf?

BTW, just as a point of interest, Tiger is only 1/4 African American.
His father Earl was 1/2 African American, 1/4 Chinese and 1/4 Native American. His mother Kultida is 1/2 Thai, 1/4 Chinese and 1/4 Dutch. That makes Tiger Woods 1/4 African American, 1/4 Thai, 1/4 Chinese, 1/8 Native American and 1/8 Dutch. Although simply Tiger describes himself as Cablinasian.

1 was TOO many... and by the way the Tiger era started in '94-95... and when he made the cut at the Master in '95 it was big news...

[mpare]

Now you've done it! The transformation of the NBA from fringe to premiere sport was not effected by Michael Jordan. He was the beneficiary of a radical change in viewership and interest that had already been authored by Magic and Bird. Their rivalry single-handedly moved basketball into the limelight. Jordan no doubt continued that development, but it was already well under way thanks to these two stars.

... In Basketball, the NBA was a fringe sport, Russel, Wilt, The Doc, etc... but when Jordan came in the league the TV rating went through the roof, basketball became the IN sport...

...

[BC MIST]

It is all about distance... and when you get older you realize that if you want to score you better start to think out there.

Remember the commercial: Chicks dig home run...

I am old, don't hit it far, do want to score better and when I break par, it's because I've hit fairways and greens, and made more than an average share of putts. Name someone who wins on Tour but who does not putt well. The marketers and media have brainwashed you and many others into thinking that distance is of paramount importance, but the reality is that those who win putt well, losers don't.

BTW: I agree that chicks dig home run hitters and long drivers. Ironically, they all have the same name - Bimbo.

[mpare]

Thanks for making me smile, Lyle.

[btasse]

I am old, don't hit it far, do want to score better and when I break par, it's because I've hit fairways and greens, and made more than an average share of putts. Name someone who wins on Tour but who does not putt well. The marketers and media have brainwashed you and many others into thinking that distance is of paramount importance, but the reality is that those who win putt well, losers don't.

BTW: I agree that chicks dig home run hitters and long drivers. Ironically, they all have the same name - Bimbo.

Thinking the same...

[Sakuraba]

Now you've done it! The transformation of the NBA from fringe to premiere sport was not effected by Michael Jordan. He was the beneficiary of a radical change in viewership and interest that had already been authored by Magic and Bird. Their rivalry single-handedly moved basketball into the limelight. Jordan no doubt continued that development, but it was already well under way thanks to these two stars.

Thats correct Mike. Has anyone else watched that hbo documentary "Magic vs Bird"? Awesome. & I was an abolute Jordan nut. completely off topic, sorry, I don't want to get drawn in to the tiger debate.

[mpare]

I watched it twice. Excellent documentary.

Thats correct Mike. Has anyone else watched that hbo documentary "Magic vs Bird"? Awesome. & I was an abolute Jordan nut. completely off topic, sorry, I don't want to get drawn in to the tiger debate.

[Colby]

John Daly was doing this long before Tiger came on the scene when Daly won the PGA in 1991 and the Open in 1995 ...

We can discuss this all day and we will still be at the same place but it is still interesting. Technology made a big difference in golf. But before Tiger the way to play was to hit down the middle and make a nice approach and hopefully make the putt for birdie. When Tiger came in it was rip at the ball and see how far it goes... in the rough no big deal I am so close it is just a little wedge...

It made the game a lot more fun for the majority. Sorry for the purist but distance is where it is... all fun. Home run in baseball and long drive in golf... It is all about distance... and when you get older you realize that if you want to score you better start to think out there.

Remember the commercial: Chicks dig home run...

[Kilroy]

By the time they started lengthening PGA Tour courses a LOT of guys were hitting 300 yard drives. They don't build tee decks for one player. "Tiger Proofing" sounded cooler than "ProV1 & coefficient of restitution proofing" so that's what they called it.

[Colby]

I don't think anyone is trying to take away anything that Tiger has contributed to golf, the question may be what has he contributed?

1. He has great skill at the sport and has inspired a lot of people to play (which is exactly what Jack and Arnie did in their time)
2. He has brought about the increase in payouts at pro tournaments (good for himself and other pros) Tiger's first year as a money leader was 1997 where he won 2M in 4 victories ($500,000 average). 5 years later his 6 victories netted him almost 7M and in 2007, his 7 victories netted him over 10M (1.4M average).
3. The media has dubbed the lengthing of courses "Tiger Proofing" which is really inaccurate as Tiger has never been #1 in driving and first had an average driving distance of over 300 yards in 2004. John Daley on the other hand held the #1 position for driving distance for 91,92,93,95,96,97,98,99,2000,2001 and 2002 and was the first to have an average over 300 in 1997 (302 yards), followed by 99, 2000, 2001 and 2002. In 2003 Daly was second to Hank Kuehne who had 321 yards average to Daly's 314 average. That was the first year that another pro besides Daly broke the 300 yard average mark. Others to do it that year were Phil Mickelson, Darren Clarke, Ernie Els, Vijay Singh, Sergio Garcia, Mike Heinen and Brenden Pappas. Somehow I think that the sudden surge in driving was more due to changes in technology than golfer skill, however that is my own opinion based on researched facts like this. The fact that the media dubbed it "Tiger Proofing" in my opinion is simply jumping on the Tiger bandwagon.
4. It forced other Tour players to get in better shape as that was felt to be one of Tiger's advantages
5. A number of long-time Tour events are no longer played due to lack of sponsors able or willing to supply the large purses required for an event. The Canadian Open was almost one of these once Bell walkd away. See http://golf.about.com/b/2008/06/09/p...tt-classic.htm for one of these. A lot of these events were ones that Tiger did not play in. A quote from this article - http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-tours...#ixzz1DqxwcSeQ
   
   
   The PGA Tour lost three tournaments this year when sponsors either withdrew or did not renew - Buick's two events and the U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee. The FBR Open in Phoenix is looking for a new sponsor after the 2010 tournament.
   

In my eyes, there's been good and bad things in golf due to Tiger.

The reason everyone pro-Tiger is trying to give him credit is because everyone neg-Tiger (lol) is trying to take it away like he doesn't deserve anything and that he hasn't had an impact. Which in my opinion is naive since it is quite evident that he has done great things for the sport. Just like others have said, he is a newer Arnold/Nicklaus and there will be more like him. Hopefully.

I am strictly arguing that Tiger has had a great impact on golf for this newer generation just like Nicklaus had on his generation. So why does he not deserve the same respect? No one would dare say Arnold or Nicklaus doesn't deserve the respect.

You would think anyone that loves golf would be able to notice this. You don't have to like him as a person to see this and that's my argument.

As I have said before, I'm not a fan of his temper tantrums and find them very childish but that has nothing to do with the positive impact he has had on golf.

I'll let everyone else get their opinions in now.

** Great Thread **