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Is Tiger hostile to the media or vice versa?


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http://72strokes.com/2011/05/is-tiger-hostile-to-the-media-or-vice-versa/

 

Is Tiger hostile to the media or vice versa?

 

by Derek on May 24, 2011

 

tiger-woods-twitter-1-million-dollars.png

 

You may have heard that Tiger held a press conference today for his upcoming AT&T National golf tournament. It was Tiger's first appearance since his WD from the Players Championship after 9 holes and naturally, people were interested to hear if he was planning on playing at Congressional next month (shocker alert: He is).

 

However the press conference took an interesting turn before it even started when Tiger posted the tweet above to his Twitter account. And then right before the start of the press conference, Tiger posted this:

 

Tiger-Woods-best-friends.png

 

Honestly, I thought it was pretty funny. It seems like the kind of thing that you'd joke about posting with your buddies if you were in Tiger's position. Yes, it put the reporters in a bind, but everybody knew the questions about this leg were going to be asked, and of course reporters didn't disappoint. Tiger later tweeted that he would be making the $1m donation anyways, which he was no doubt planning to do all along.

 

It probably wasn't the most well thought out Twitter post (not that Twitter has a reputation otherwise), but to hear some in the media talk about it, you'd think he just killed a kitten and blamed it on the Dalai Lama.

 

Some reporters complains that Tiger doesn't give straightforward answers, he's too private, he doesn't like them etc. Let's not pretend it's all roses coming from the media either. Here are a few quotes from Geoff Shackelford's write up of the incident:

 

It really is remarkable that at this point they call a press conference after everything that happened–namely the lies–and hope to get nothing but fawning softballs.

 

They should be grateful anyone shows to hear a former world No. 1 plug a tournament he may or may not finish.

 

And one more attempt at humor that speaks volumes about Tiger really needing professional help to work out his anger toward the media.

And Shackelford rants about Tiger's hostility towards the media? That's a two way street buddy.

 

Honestly, I used to be a big Tiger fan. I'm not anymore, so don't make me out to be some kind of Tiger apologist. It's just that I don't get where this anger towards Tiger comes from.

 

I can understand it from fans who feel betrayed by his actions. But I don't understand it coming from some in the media, who in theory are supposed to be unbiased. Tiger doesn't owe the media anything, so I don't understand why people get so upset that he knows how to play the interview game just as well as any politician.

 

At the end of the day, it's a job – it's not personal.

Derek

 

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I think it's a vicious cycle... celebrities are harassed by the media and once you become irritated you turn hostile... which in turn makes them harass you more and want to dig every little secret you got... and on and on and on...

 

But I don't think it's just Tiger, it happens to athletes/celebrities after a scandal

 

I've never liked the media anyways... always had the feeling they make money out of people's grieving and pain... let it be scandals, disasters, etc...

 

I want to see Tiger back in action and win a few big ones to shut them haters up!

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Writing about how hostile Tiger is to the media is all about extending a story that's really no longer there. I really want to see him back in dominant form, but I can't see it happening with his current coach. I say go the Bubba route and go solo for a while. Or if sleeping with porn stars helps his game, go for it.

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I may come at this in a different way - not necessarily better or worse - but just different. I've never been a tiger fan, i dont believe that is any secret, but i have respected what he has accomplished and since he's been the best player of my generation, he is the benchmark for all others to compare themselves to.

 

i hate talking in generalities, but this is going to be one of those commentaries. tiger owes nothing to anyone. especially in the media. (he owes what he owes to his family and friends fine but this is not about them).

 

the media's job IMO is and always has been to report what is in front of them for the fan. they are merely a conduit for the information. just the facts ma'am as it were. far too often the media turns reporting into commentary or opinion. at that point, those people who do such, can no longer continue to or go back to reporting anymore as they have shown their commentary and opinion on the fact. your on one side or the other and you cant go back - again my opinion.

 

going back to tiger owes nothing to anyone - well its true. he is a independent contractor who fills out a 1099 like everyone else. if he chooses to donate a $1M or a $1B, lets just say thank you, acknowledge the gesture - or not - and move on - its none of our business and its good tax law business for him to donate earnings instead of being taxed on it.

 

this is similar to the baseball players (roger clemens was notorious for this when with the red sox) that would never allow media to follow them to the childrens hospitals before games because they wanted this to remain private.

 

in a world with tweets and fbook posts - the media's role of reporting is becoming a diminished one and the writing is on the wall (posts haha). no longer do we need a superstar like Ali to have a Cosell as a conduit to ABC sports and then to the people. thats 3 degrees of separation? now we have direct access to our heros and superstars. 1 degree.

 

And this is now the state we are in. the media sensing there is no role as reporter anymore takes on the role as opinion-ator and provides his or her take of the players, their actions and their morals.

 

I for one dislike this shift as I dont need someone on TV to tell me that tiger is an unethical sob who cheated on his wife. i can find the information myself, and piece my own puzzles together thank you very much, as can all of you now - based on how strong your Google is tongue.gif.

 

To sit there and be fed stories and commentary like sheep for or against a personality means nothing to me. probably why i dont have cable/satellite and watch most golf on mute.

 

actions speak louder than words, and i dont need someone elses words to form my opinion. i'll just look at their actions and their demeanor and judge their character according to MY observations.

 

well thats my cheap $0.02 worth - se la vi biggrin.gifbiggrin.gif

 

:cobra-small: Staffer 

:Arccos: Staffer 

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this is why I could never be a celebrity... I'd just speak my mind freely and be considered a jerk.

 

who cares how you feel about Tiger, just report the news.

 

the media thinks of itself/themselves as being so empowered and owed something.

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this is why I could never be a celebrity... I'd just speak my mind freely and be considered a jerk.

 

who cares how you feel about Tiger, just report the news.

 

the media thinks of itself/themselves as being so empowered and owed something.

 

+1 agreed

 

:cobra-small: Staffer 

:Arccos: Staffer 

www.MANAVIANGolf.com

 

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I think this all boils down to a fundamental shift in the way the media relates to Tiger Woods. Before his marriage and his game went belly up, my belief is that the golf media was every bit as intimidated by Tiger as they would have us believe his PGA Tour opponents were. As a group they were more or less content to lob softball questions at him, and graciously accept whatever unnecessarily evasive non-answer he happened to throw back. At least he was talking to them. Nobody complained, after all, it was just Tiger being Tiger and that was part of the mystique.

 

In 2011 the shine has clearly rubbed off Tiger. We've got other PGA players openly discussing Tiger's swing changes, and the media persistently questioning him on things like coaching changes, and of course, the knee.

 

Despite his own promises of what amounts to a new and improved Tiger I think he's still the same evasive guy he's ever been. Yeah, he's had a couple of very minor spurts of fan friendliness, but as those incidents become fewer and far between, I'm left with one conclusion; Tiger Woods is still the same insufferable douche he's always been. I had hoped that with everything that happened last year he'd emerge a happier, relaxed, and more genuine person. I had hoped he'd find his inner peace. Instead, he strikes me, for all of his wealth, athletic gifts, and accomplishments, as a miserable, unhappy person - and that comes through in almost every interview and media session he's a part of. Only in those briefest of moments where he talks about his kids does he seem even remotely genuine and happy.

 

There have been plenty of times when "the media" has crossed the line (just about anytime Jim Gray opens his mouth for example), but asking legitimate questions (even repetitive ones), about the swing changes, the state of his game, and the knee injury are well within the boundaries of what the guys who cover the tour day in and day out should be asking. Perhaps asking which over the hill and busted porn star, or wal-mart cashier, or motel 6 chambermaid he's going to hook up with this weekend would be out of line, but simply expecting a professional to sound professional when giving a response to a legitimate question shouldn't be asking too much.

 

Tiger hasn't change a bit. I do think the media has, however. They're not afraid to ask Tiger real questions, and they're no longer willing to simply nod in worship when he gives the typical Tiger answer. Are they more hostile? I don't believe so, but I do think Tiger may be hostile about the media new-found unwillingness to accept his Tiger being Tiger act.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I doubt Tiger ever intended to be hostile to media.

 

I do believe he finds media intrusive and would prefer they stay on the subject rather than take every opportunity to pry into subjects not on the table. Endless numbers of celebrities, even those who owe their celebrity status to reporters, have found them in excess. The more famous is Lady Di who died while trying to run from paparazzi. Seve, when asked how he could do a four putt in a tourney replied flippantly, " I miss, I miss, I miss, I make the putt ".

 

The simple fact of the matter is, it's media that need Tiger stories because Tiger stories sell copy. It does not matter if Tiger is winning or losing today as long as the public wants to know what Tiger is doing, and media can sell those stories to the public. In the search for stories, media becomes intrusive and Tiger resisted that early in his career and has been resisting that since.

 

When Tiger stories no longer sell copy, Tiger will regain some of his privacy.

 

 

Shambles

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Well said golf spy T ,he is a douche.When he is interviewed I turn the channel.Couldnt care less what he has to say.

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