A Tale of Two Sinners

For over a month now there has bee a frenzy of activity in all the news media regarding the Transgressions of Tiger. By far the most frequent search on Google has been “Tiger’s transgressions.” There have been cartoons, doctored pictures, malicious stories, and countless jokes circulated about Tiger Woods’ dalliances and peccadilloes. Dozens of women have come forward to allege that Tiger slept with them.

I have been as guilty as the next person of spreading the rumors, and forwarding the trash on Tiger. So, this column is not written to chastise you, but rather to chastise all of us. The publicity and the public scolding of Tiger Woods have gone on long enough. In my opinion, we have torn down an acknowledged sports idol over an indiscretion that has nothing whatsoever to do with his talent for the game of golf.

Shame on us, America!!! Shame on us, World!!!

When I set out to write this column, I was looking for something or someone with whom to compare Tiger Woods. I thought of Pete Rose, because he is also a sports legend who was stripped of his laurels and deserted by his sponsors.

But Rose’s sin was gambling. He wasn’t accused of cheating on his wife and family. He apparently did have an addiction to gambling, similar to what is now being described as Tiger’s addiction to sex.

No, Rose comes close, but not close enough. Besides, Rose’s story is a parallel to Tiger’s. Both have been summarily drummed out of the corps, so to speak.

I wanted to find a comparison that is the opposite of Tiger’s to show how two-faced we are. I think I found the perfect persona in another prominent figure who was recently accused of the exact same transgressions as was Tiger Woods, but who came away from it with his dignity, his honor, and his legacy.

I refer, of course, to President Bill Clinton.

No one can deny that both Woods and Clinton were accused of the same adulterous behavior. Both cheated on their wives and family. Both initially denied the charges, but were forced to recant when overwhelming evidence was brought to public attention.

The difference is that the results were completely different for these two men. Where Tiger is losing sponsors, along with millions of dollars in income, and losing even his reputation—I don’t know how the extracurricular sex affected his golf stroke, but that is yet another joke that circulates—President Clinton was defended by millions of fans and the news media, too.

Clinton was not only guilty of the original sin, but also lied under oath in court. Yet, his crime was excused and forgiven by his adoring fans. The Congress even ruled in his favor when articles of impeachment were filed against him. The catch phrase, if you’ll recall, was “It’s only sex.” Oh yes, Clinton rephrased it to be “It wasn’t sex.”

Why is Tiger Woods being hounded and harassed by everyone to a point where he might have to quit the game of golf due to all the negative publicity his addiction has generated? Why have most of his sponsors deserted him in his obvious time of need?

We gave President Clinton a clean bill of health and didn’t strip him of his office. His sin and the aftermath even catapulted his wife into the Senate and now into Obama’s Cabinet as Secretary of State.

Though is isn’t fully relevant, there are many who for years have tried to get Pete Rose reinstated so that he can take his rightful place in the Baseball Hall Of Fame.

Where is the outrage for Woods?

Even O. J. Simpson, of whom there is no doubt anymore that he was guilty of the murders, is still in the Football Hall of Fame. Of course, he’s also finally in prison, though it is for a different and lesser offense.

Where is the outrage for Woods?

Where is the justice for Tiger Woods?

Let’s make it another of our New Year’s Resolutions that we will quit spreading all of the titillating rumors and gossip about Tiger and let him resolve his private and personal problems without further trashing of the man.