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It’s safe to say there were plenty of folks glued to the television set during Tiger Woods’ press conference at 10 a.m. Friday.
The funny thing is, almost everyone knew what Woods was going to say. Yet, they wanted to hear it anyway.
Woods is that big.
But, after three months of being on the wrong end of idol gossip, sexual innuendoes and late night talk show jokes, a contrite Woods thought he needed to make a statement about his infidelity.
Why it took three months, only Woods and his family know. But there he was, reading a prepared statement, and trying to sound as sincere as possible.
Was he sincere? Did he win any brownie points with Elin? Did he make men and women feel differently about his alleged affairs?
Sit back and listen.
“My gut instinct is that yes, he was sincere,’’ said 49-year-old Sally Hodges, who is a pre-school teacher and housewife in The Woodlands.
“But, like his wife (Elin) said, his actions are going to speak louder than his words. I thought that was the most important thing he said.’’
Hodges said she used to be a big Payne Stewart fan until he died in a plane crash a decade ago.
“I am not one to sit and watch a whole golf tournament,’’ admitted Hodges. “But I did watch a little bit of golf before Tiger came on the scene. It was always fun to see what Payne Stewart was wearing.
“Then, I think the media made Tiger even more exciting,’’ she added. “He is a handsome guy with a great smile. The media made him out as this great wholesome kid and great wholesome man. He had the wife and family. He was going right along the lines all women love. Then, all of this happened.’’
Christina Deisler, who is an administrative assistant and mother, didn’t think Woods was very sincere with his apology.
“It was very robotic,’’ Deisler said of Woods’ apology. “He was reading a script. It wasn’t very sincere. It wasn’t an apology from his heart.’’
Deisler, who also lives in The Woodlands, was touched by Woods’ hug with his mother, Kultida, after the press conference.
“That was nice,’’ she said, “but where was his wife? Are they getting back together? I feel for her mostly.
“I was a big follower of Tiger’s,’’ Deisler added. “I have always admired him. He really brought the sport of golf more into life. Now, I don’t know.’’
Mike Ray, who is the executive director of the Southern Texas PGA, said he misses not seeing Tiger on the golf course.
“As a golf fan, you miss not having the best player in the world,’’ said Ray. “Tournament golf has a little hollow ring when you know the best player is not there or won’t be there.’’
But Ray said he is not one to sit and judge Woods’ off-the-course antics.
“I really think what happened or didn’t happen is between he and his wife,’’ he said. “That is not my business and not my concern.
“But, whether he wants it or not, anyone held in that high esteem has more responsibility than the rest of us,’’ he added. “He is going to be looked at with more scrutiny.’’
Ray said he still believes Woods is an amazing person.
“When he was 20-years-old, he was given $80 million (in endorsements),’’ he said. “If I would have been given that money, I would have been totally worthless. He never appeared that way.
“I can’t imagine the temptations put in front of him,’’ he added. “I can see how someone like that might feel pretty bullet proof.’’
Ray thinks Woods will come back “bigger than ever.”
“He has got the potential to come back even better, and I believe he will,’’ he added. “His best quality is he is so mentally strong and tough. He can always rise above the challenge.
“I want to paint a Norman Rockwell ending,’’ he concluded. “I want he and his wife to live a long and happy life together and have a bunch of grandkids. But even if that is not the case, he will overcome this and come back and play as good as ever. He will conduct himself in a way to win back the support of the fans.’’
Sarah Hassell, who is the membership director at Walden on Lake Conroe, said the pro shop was filled with golfers watching the press conference on Friday.
“You could hardly find a place to stand,’’ Hassell said. “Everybody was taking it in. And everybody has their own feelings one way or the other.
“Tiger is an icon and a role model,’’ she added. “But, as a wife and a future mother of kids, it is hard to see something like that.
“He is human. He is going to make mistakes,’’ she added. “But it was a little bit shameful. I wish it were different.’’
Hassell said it “took a lot” for Woods to apologize on national television.
“It is not my place to judge his sincerity,’’ she said, “but I am sure it was probably required as part of his rehab. I just don’t know how you can judge a person’s sincerity.’’
River Ridge golf professional Jim Apple said the game of golf is suffering without Woods.
“This (his absence) has had a significant impact (on the sport),’’ Apple said. “And it comes at a very bad time (with the economic recession).
“From a local perspective, I don’t think it has had that much of an impact (on people coming out to play),’’ he added. “It is more on the (PGA) Tour. It is more on television. It is more on the hype for tournaments and majors. It is a big letdown (without Tiger).’’
Apple said he doesn’t know when Tiger will make it back on the course.
“I expect him back,’’ he said, “but he has to settle his personal issues before he can consider that.
“If he were a single man, this kind of stuff would have tarnished him,’’ added Apple. “But not to this point.’’
Ryan Brandt, who is one of the assistant pros at Wildcat Golf Club, said this will become a non-issue when Woods makes it back on the golf course.
“Obviously, his absence has affected the ratings and all (right now),’’ Brandt said. “But once he gets back on the course, all will be forgotten. Once he gets out there, people will forget.’’
Brandt believes Woods did the right thing by reading a prepared apology.
“I think it was sincere,’’ he said. “He had plenty of time to think about it. He knows what he did was wrong.
“But I think he has a chance to be greater than he was,’’ added Brandt. “He will be better and people will still look up to him.’’
The funny thing is, almost everyone knew what Woods was going to say. Yet, they wanted to hear it anyway.
Woods is that big.
But, after three months of being on the wrong end of idol gossip, sexual innuendoes and late night talk show jokes, a contrite Woods thought he needed to make a statement about his infidelity.
Why it took three months, only Woods and his family know. But there he was, reading a prepared statement, and trying to sound as sincere as possible.
Was he sincere? Did he win any brownie points with Elin? Did he make men and women feel differently about his alleged affairs?
Sit back and listen.
“My gut instinct is that yes, he was sincere,’’ said 49-year-old Sally Hodges, who is a pre-school teacher and housewife in The Woodlands.
“But, like his wife (Elin) said, his actions are going to speak louder than his words. I thought that was the most important thing he said.’’
Hodges said she used to be a big Payne Stewart fan until he died in a plane crash a decade ago.
“I am not one to sit and watch a whole golf tournament,’’ admitted Hodges. “But I did watch a little bit of golf before Tiger came on the scene. It was always fun to see what Payne Stewart was wearing.
“Then, I think the media made Tiger even more exciting,’’ she added. “He is a handsome guy with a great smile. The media made him out as this great wholesome kid and great wholesome man. He had the wife and family. He was going right along the lines all women love. Then, all of this happened.’’
Christina Deisler, who is an administrative assistant and mother, didn’t think Woods was very sincere with his apology.
“It was very robotic,’’ Deisler said of Woods’ apology. “He was reading a script. It wasn’t very sincere. It wasn’t an apology from his heart.’’
Deisler, who also lives in The Woodlands, was touched by Woods’ hug with his mother, Kultida, after the press conference.
“That was nice,’’ she said, “but where was his wife? Are they getting back together? I feel for her mostly.
“I was a big follower of Tiger’s,’’ Deisler added. “I have always admired him. He really brought the sport of golf more into life. Now, I don’t know.’’
Mike Ray, who is the executive director of the Southern Texas PGA, said he misses not seeing Tiger on the golf course.
“As a golf fan, you miss not having the best player in the world,’’ said Ray. “Tournament golf has a little hollow ring when you know the best player is not there or won’t be there.’’
But Ray said he is not one to sit and judge Woods’ off-the-course antics.
“I really think what happened or didn’t happen is between he and his wife,’’ he said. “That is not my business and not my concern.
“But, whether he wants it or not, anyone held in that high esteem has more responsibility than the rest of us,’’ he added. “He is going to be looked at with more scrutiny.’’
Ray said he still believes Woods is an amazing person.
“When he was 20-years-old, he was given $80 million (in endorsements),’’ he said. “If I would have been given that money, I would have been totally worthless. He never appeared that way.
“I can’t imagine the temptations put in front of him,’’ he added. “I can see how someone like that might feel pretty bullet proof.’’
Ray thinks Woods will come back “bigger than ever.”
“He has got the potential to come back even better, and I believe he will,’’ he added. “His best quality is he is so mentally strong and tough. He can always rise above the challenge.
“I want to paint a Norman Rockwell ending,’’ he concluded. “I want he and his wife to live a long and happy life together and have a bunch of grandkids. But even if that is not the case, he will overcome this and come back and play as good as ever. He will conduct himself in a way to win back the support of the fans.’’
Sarah Hassell, who is the membership director at Walden on Lake Conroe, said the pro shop was filled with golfers watching the press conference on Friday.
“You could hardly find a place to stand,’’ Hassell said. “Everybody was taking it in. And everybody has their own feelings one way or the other.
“Tiger is an icon and a role model,’’ she added. “But, as a wife and a future mother of kids, it is hard to see something like that.
“He is human. He is going to make mistakes,’’ she added. “But it was a little bit shameful. I wish it were different.’’
Hassell said it “took a lot” for Woods to apologize on national television.
“It is not my place to judge his sincerity,’’ she said, “but I am sure it was probably required as part of his rehab. I just don’t know how you can judge a person’s sincerity.’’
River Ridge golf professional Jim Apple said the game of golf is suffering without Woods.
“This (his absence) has had a significant impact (on the sport),’’ Apple said. “And it comes at a very bad time (with the economic recession).
“From a local perspective, I don’t think it has had that much of an impact (on people coming out to play),’’ he added. “It is more on the (PGA) Tour. It is more on television. It is more on the hype for tournaments and majors. It is a big letdown (without Tiger).’’
Apple said he doesn’t know when Tiger will make it back on the course.
“I expect him back,’’ he said, “but he has to settle his personal issues before he can consider that.
“If he were a single man, this kind of stuff would have tarnished him,’’ added Apple. “But not to this point.’’
Ryan Brandt, who is one of the assistant pros at Wildcat Golf Club, said this will become a non-issue when Woods makes it back on the golf course.
“Obviously, his absence has affected the ratings and all (right now),’’ Brandt said. “But once he gets back on the course, all will be forgotten. Once he gets out there, people will forget.’’
Brandt believes Woods did the right thing by reading a prepared apology.
“I think it was sincere,’’ he said. “He had plenty of time to think about it. He knows what he did was wrong.
“But I think he has a chance to be greater than he was,’’ added Brandt. “He will be better and people will still look up to him.’’
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