Will The Real Tiger Woods Please Stand Up

The path to recovery for Tiger Woods presents new obstacles almost daily. Just this morning a story was published that Woods is linked to a doctor who has allegedly supplied athletes with performance enhancing drugs that are illegal in the U.S. One of his many mistresses also came forward with an allegation that she was having sex with Woods in his Florida home the night Woods' father was dying in a nearby hospice. I also saw video clips of a very recent interview in which Woods said that his family was his top priority and the best thing that ever happened to him. Regardless of what is true and what is empty allegation some interesting questions have been raised.
Foremost among them is whether or not Woods is accountable to anyone for the activities of his personal life. I think we can all agree that he certainly is accountable to his immediate family. Woods and his apologists argue it should go no further. But what about the corporations who pay Woods big money to be a spokesman? Surely the image and bottom line of his business partners is put at risk by Woods' personal conduct. Corporations like Accenture have used Woods' persona to exemplify integrity and trustworthyness. That is a tough sell these days considering what we have learned about Woods.
And what about Woods' millions of fans? Woods has repeatedly said this is a private matter and everyone should mind their own business. He subscribes to the theory that who he sleeps with is his own business, and frankly I agree . But Woods can't expect us not to react once the story has been broken, can he? He is the most famous sports icon in the world and of course people will pay attention. He is partly to blame for portraying an image publicly that he couldn't live up to. I think that is the energy that really drives this controversy, that he is not who we thought he was. It is not Woods lifestyle that was his undoing, but that he was never forthright about who he really was. Let me explain what I mean. Former N.F.L. quarterback Joe Namath was one of the most popular athletes of his time. "Broadway Joe" was a loved sports figure who had an image as a single guy who liked to go out and meet the ladies, a playboy of sorts. It was not a news item for him to be seen out on the town with different ladies from time to time. That was just Joe being Joe. His lifestyle never hurt him as an athlete or endorser because it was true and genuine. Namath never reached Woods level of endorsement partly because endorsement deals weren't as lucrative in his day, and because he was never as good at his game as Woods is at his. But Namath was very popular in his day and fans loved him for what he was, a happy go lucky ladies man. My point here is that athletes don't need to be choir boys or dedicated family men to gain popularity , aquire a fan base, or land endorsement deals. I'm here to suggest that it isn't Woods' behavior that has continued to fuel this story, but that for so long he hid from everyone the true nature of his character. Woods may have been better off selling himself as the young, wealthy, world traveling bachelor rather than the integrous family man. If he had the long list of girlfriends would have been a non story.

A good definition of a persons character is how they behave when they think no one can see them. If fans are disappointed to learn of Woods double life than they have a right to be in my book. Professional golfer Jesper Parnevik, who originally introduced Elin Nordegren to Woods, summed up his disappointment by saying he thought Woods" was a better guy than what he was." I am not going to stand in judgement of his lifestyle , after all let he who is without sin cast the first stone. It is not up to me to judge how good a person Woods is. But I do think it's fair to say he is a vastly DIFFERENT person than many of us thought he was. After all these years it turns out that we hardly knew him. Correct me if I'm wrong.