Tiger returns!

The fears of the PGA have been swayed. Tiger Woods has announced a return to golf competition at the Masters at Augusta this year. With the return of the king, golf will retain all the gains he has created for them.

Ok, more seriously, Woods being back in golf does mean a return of television ratings and thus more money for the PGA and all the players. That's just a fact. The biggest fear the PGA had was the retirement of Woods or an extended leave. That now being releieved, well the gravy is back.

Woods stated so far

"The Masters is where I won my first major and I view this tournament with great respect. After a long and necessary time away from the game, I feel like I'm ready to start my season at Augusta.

The major championships have always been a special focus in my career and, as a professional, I think Augusta is where I need to be, even though it's been a while since I last played."

So Woods is going to go for another jacket. And if he gets it, he can shut up the guaranteed comments from commentators about how it all has affected his game, ect.

But you have to imagine that the time off, the problems with his family, the media attention (negative that is), all of it has to have some effect on him. He may play golf at the peak of mortal ability, but he isn't superhuman.

So how might Tiger Woods do at the Masters? He could miss the cut completely. Which would drive a huge number of tabloid specualtions about the state of his marriage and his sponsorship deals. He could come in the middle of the pack. Which would result in much of the same, with more focus on his sponsors and a bit of sympathy from some sportswriters. Or Tiger could rally hard, maybe even lead all the way, and win again.

That would be spectacular. Ratings for golf would skyrocket again. Sponsors would flock back to Woods. The top pros would be intimidated like never before, worse than when Tiger first showed up and beat them all almost without trying.

What are the odds of that happening? Who knows. When Tiger Woods wants to win, he does and by as much as he wants. So the question is does Tiger really want to play now, or does he just want to keep up appearances?

All answers will come on April 8th.

Tiger Woods speaks

Well that was about as long as I expected it to be. 15 minutes and it's over.

So we now know that Tiger is a Buddhist (if not a flawed one), that he has been in sex rehab and is going back tomorrow. We know he is not taking performance enhancing drugs (that's baseball's claim to fame). And we know that things are still rocky with his wife (no surprise there).

Nice to know, but who cares? Honestly, the world didn't know that before November - or even half an hour ago - and it didn't matter then. It doesn't matter now. The big question was will Tiger come back to golf any time soon. And the answer was a big fat maybe.

My guess is that Woods will be in at least 1 or 2 of the last events this year. Too much more and some fans will take his apology (which was very well written, and pretty obvious that he did not write it himself) as just a PR move - which it was at least in part. But if he does not go back this year the PGA (and all of it's players) loses huge money. As do the advertisers that know he is the greatest golfer of this generation, and still has decades of playing in front of him.

The one thing I didn't know and I do care about is his kids and the media, or more accurately the paparazzi. They should be off-limits. Not just for Tiger Woods, but for every entertainer, celebrity, any and everyone. Adults make choices and must deal with the consequences of their actions, their kids don't.

Will Tiger Woods be lauded as much as he was in the past? Kobe Bryant is. Former President Clinton is. Roughly half the A-list of Hollywood going back 4 decades or more have been. So why not Woods too?

Hopefully this will be the end of this. It won't be fully, but I can dream. Because until I know Woods personally, I just want to watch him play golf. The rest of his life is private, and it should be.

Tiger comes to cable television show

Never let it be said that a television network lets a good scandal go without profiting from it. Spike TV sure hasn't.

Spike TV is the network created to cater to men, often at the lowest denominator. While there have been efforts like the short lived Blade series, predominantly the fare is mostly old action films, and stupid shows featuring large-breasted women in tight clothes. Obviously the target market for Spike requires little more.

But there is nothing better than mixing a scandal, a world famous athlete, and women with large-breasts in tight clothes. Thus the inspiration for Back Nine came to be.

Back Nine is a show based on a former pro-golfer trying to make a comeback. The problem is he is a drunk (or as the channel descibes, hard-drinker). Plus he has the special joy of his caddy - named oddly enough Tiger - who is a sex crazed sex-addict.

How interesting. Almost sounds familiar yes? Golf fans might think this is a mix of the old John Daly and current Tiger Woods. But that would be a leap. Wouldn't it? To give Spike some credit, the show was being discussed long before the November crash that brought Tiger into the current noteriety.

John Schneider will be playing the lead of this role, with Miguel Nunez in negotiations for the more-than likely popular role of Tiger. Let's see if this winds up to be more than a timely one-trick pony.

Tiger Woods countdown

With less than 24 hours to go there is no end to the speculation about what will happen with Tiger Woods and his press announcement. If it can be called that.

Tiger will be in a room seperate of reporters, with close associates, spouting whatever he chooses to say. He will not be asked questions by reporters, directly or via any other means. There is no clear forewarning of what will or will not be covered in the announcement.

Still there is no end of rumours about all of this. Honestly I have a simple opinion about it all. Tiger Woods should shut up.

Tabloids are loving Woods right now. Given he has provided lots of sales to the tabloids as numerous women fill their pages with allegation after allegation. Whether they are true, in part or whole, doesn't matter. At this point it is clear that the man was going after certain records held by Dr. J and a few other eqiually famous athletes.

But everything was quieting down. The flood of allegations was old news. And Woods had already admitted his dalliances, plus allegedly took steps to correct his behaviour. There really wasn't anything to grab the headlines again. Likely he could have gone back to the PGA and after 1 or 2 short press conferences stating this was all in his past, moved on.

Instead the sorid side of Woods will again be the big topic of sports. Drowning out the Winter Olympics, which really isn't hard to do. But it will make any near term return to golf all that much more of a circus, because tomorrow's spectacle will only ingnite the fuel for more.

At this point, Tiger Woods is known to be a great athlete and an adulterer. These are facts that will never go away. They are also facts that are common among sports athletes, especially with the top of the various sports. Right or wrong, this is a given and only the fact that Woods kept his actions quiet for so long made it that much more of a crash that the world has to watch.

If Woods said nothing publicly, and just went back to playing golf he would be no worse off than he was 4 days ago. Now, he potentially could lose tens of thousands perhaps millions of fans by giving too much or too little information (likely both will occur). It's a situation he cannot win, and he shouldn't try.

I don't care about the private life of any entertainer. If it does not affect me or the general public it should stay private. Enterytainers are people, flawed as much as anyone else, and deserve the privacy anyof us whould want to have. But when the doors are opened even a little into that privacy then you cannot prevent the flood that will follow.

So Tiger Woods should shut up. We didn't know or care about his private life before, and I really don't want to know now. Too bad in less than 24 hours that won't be an option anymore.

The PGA without Tiger Woods - does it matter?

And so it begins. Now that Tiger Woods has decided to step away from golf while he and his wife resolve the now public issues, advertisers and golfers are running from him. The greatest golfer, arguably ever, is quickly learning who his friends are.

I won't speak about what Tiger did or his wife's reaction. That is a private matter for them both. But I will comment on the reaction this is having. And like dominoes the effect is just triggering more and more reactions.

Gillette is now the first of the major advertisers to step away from Woods. While not quite running, they are going to quickly minimize the ads that feature Tiger. Gillette claims this is their attempt to help Woods minimize his public presence. Which oddly enough sounds more like they are trying to not piss of women that might buy their product because they somehow link it to Woods actions.

So far Nike has remained the most dedicated to Tiger of all the advertisers. Which makes sense as Tiger has done everything they could have hoped for with their golf equipment line. With Woods out of competition, it's hard to know exactly what will happen to future ads in 2010. Still I think there will be something that features Woods and Nike. And I commend that in at least the fact that they acknowledge what was done for them. Plus I hate rats fleeing a sinking ship, before it starts to sink.

In the world of golf there are mixed comments. There are those that wish the Woods family encouragement in their efforts to resolve this issue. There are those that have shared their feelings about similar troubles, like John Daly. These are respectful comments that I think make sense, though the best are those that refuse to speak about a private matter.

Then there are golfers like Colin Montgomerie. His comments that focus on his ability to win now just annoy me.

"I feel that it gives us more opportunity of winning these big events now."

It rings petty, considering that it is an admission that were the best golfer in the world around, he and others like him, could never have a chance. Montgomerie is just not that good.

I can't wait to see how Montgomerie feels when he sees what winning without the presence of Woods means. Inevitably the prize purses in the PGA are going to drop without Woods. The viewership of televised events, and likely the number of events covered, will drop. A Lot. Because no one really cares if Colin Montgomerie wins, but everyone cares if Tiger plays.

The big question to the PGA and professional golf, even advertisers, has to be what will happen if Tiger comes back? What happens if Tiger doesn't come back, or he is incapable of the dominance he has had in the sport? What happens to all the charities and organizations that Woods created and sponsors? Perhaps John Daly summed it up well

" They always say there is no one bigger in golf than the game itself. But Tiger is."

Somehow I think it's going to be quite a while before we see ads like the following again:





And it will be a long time before we see this in golf videos



Sadly I think we have all witnessed the end of the Tiger Woods era. No matter when he comes back, I think his spirit has been broken. He will still win, and he will break records. But the greatest moments of his career will likely be behind him. In a way it's just a shame to know we will never see what he could have been. And we will never see his kind of ability again in our lifetime, of that I am sure.

Tiger Woods parody on Saturday Night Live - good or bad?

Like the Saturday Night Live of old, the buzz for Monday will likely be the parody on Tiger Woods. There is controversy in this one, not only for what was done but also because of the celebrity guest - which was Rihanna.

In case you missed it, here is the skit in question



Now just looking at that, I think it was damn funny. It would have been funny if the guest on SNL was anyone. It's funny even though it's about "domestic abuse" as some like to call it.

But I think the controversy is overblown here. This is not making light of domestic abuse. The incident this is based on is not domestic abuse. Let's keep this focused on what it is. This is about a fight between a husband and wife - solely because the husband was caught cheating.

Couples of every description have fights from time to time (non-physical). More than a few members of any couple tend to cheat. These are facts as old as the world. And it is a fact that when the secret comes out, the other member of the couple is going to be pissed. That's not abuse, it's a natural reaction to the situation.

Rihanna was involved in domestic abuse. Chris Brown beat the hell out of her. There is no justification for this and it had no cause other than his own misguided and commoditized sense of what is a Black man. I stand by the thoughts I had on that and wrote about.

Now the SNL skit is what comedy is about. It takes a subject that is normally taboo and speaks about it in a broad sense. It twists the pathos and makes us smile where we might cringe. It's no different than the jokes about 9/11, or war, or anything else you can imagine.

The way Tiger has handled this private matter was bad from the start. SNL picked up on that and ran with it. And they did so in a tasteful manner in my opinion. But in a world of PC insanity, doing anything that any liberal might object to is tantamount to committing a crime. Which is a shame.

I think that if this skit were insensitive to Rihanna, she wouldn't have done the show. Or she would have said something about it. But neither is the case. As they shouldn't be.

But having seen the skit, what do you think? Is this just taking an unfortunate situation and making fun of it's comedic pearls or is it a slap in the face of a serious issue that remains largely unspoken?

Tiger Woods in car accident

It's always a shame to hear of anyone you know of in a car accident. When you hear about a celebrity or entertainer getting seriously injured it feels as if it were a family member, as so many of us follow the careers and news of these people as much as some members of our direct families.

I hope that Tiger Woods will be ok. So far reports are that he is in serious condition. The exact nature of his injuries and the extent of them are unrevealed at this point.

Early details are that he was pulling out of his driveway when he hit a fire hydrant and a tree. It sounds like there is more to this than just that for the degree of injury he is reported to be in. There was no alcohol involved in the injury as reported by authorities.

I hope that the Woods family and friends are alright. I know how it can be to have a family member in the hospital after an accident. It's not a feeling I would wish upon an enemy.

So far there is no indication what impact thesse injuries may have on the arguably greatest golfer ever. There is no doubt that many fear this could affect his career detrimentally. Which would be a shame as he still has decades left in his career, and I have no doubt that he can break ever record he has yet to achieve.

But if the choice were to have a Tiger Woods that could no longer play golf, or a Tiger that was a lesser golfer than he is, as opposed to no tiger Woods at all I would take either of the first 2 options.

Tiger Woods beat by a kid

So let's say that you are at the opening of the first Tiger Woods designed golf course in the U.S. Let's say that to officially open the course, Tiger hits a drive from the first tee. Then he hits another since the first went to the trees. Now Tiger turns to you and says "you want to give it a try?"

What do you do?

Well if you are over the age of 12, you stand there dumbfounded with a mixture of feelings both wanting to give it a shot and completely filled with fear as everyone in watching. Plus there is the psychological factor that if the best golfer in the world couldn't hit it straight on this course, how could you?

Again I say over the age of 12. Because Mark Benevento decided to take on the challenge from Woods. And take it on he did indeed...



Yes there is nothing like outdriving the best golfer in the world, especially when there are witnesses.

And you have to give it to Tiger Woods. While his shots were hardly the best he has ever hit, he complimented Benevento and pumped the kid up. Many a celebrity would react differently if they were shown up at their day job, but Woods showed a respect that sadly is uncommon today.

Who knows, Tiger might have just inspired his future competition.

Tiger Woods big record

In interesting news, Tiger Woods has done it again. In an example of what education, planning, and the avoidance of drugs can do Tiger has achieved a milestone that no other athlete has ever done. He's earned $1,000,000,000.

Yes, he has reached a mark that was long thought impossible to reach. And he did it without going to jail, shooting anyone, or getting high. He doesn't use steroids, he has a college education, he has a career beyond playing golf (remember that he designs golf courses and has a company for just that), he's married and has kids by the woman he married. The way the major media emphasizes the negatives of athletes (especially those of color) you would thing this combination of things could not exist.

The fact is that real wealth has been attained by Tiger Woods because he is smart. He has avoided the pitfalls that seemingly no professional in the NFL, MLB, or NBA can avoid. He is the best at what he does, and is not out to prove that he is gangsta or ghettofabulous. It's a message that I enjoy speaking about.

But he may not be alone in this landmark achievement for long. Michael Jordan is right on the heels of Woods. Which I also find great.

Jordan stopped playing in the NBA quite some time ago. He too is educated, unwilling to kneel to pressure to live or look ghettofabulous. He is the living image of a successful post-professional sports business success. And in relatively little time he too will be worth $1 billion.

When I think about it, I have to wonder. Why is it that the 2 most successful athletes ever, who happen to also be Black and well educated, are not emulated more? Why are there so few younger players that follow in their footsteps?

Of course there are plenty of kids in all colors that want to have the fame of a Woods or Jordan. There is no end of people that want their money. And there are extremely few who have their abilities to play sports.

But that's not what has made them great. Both men are hard-working, dedicated, intelligent professionals. They study their business moves as much as their sporting competitions. They plan and sow their actions, with purpose. It's something that an uneducated person cannot just stumble upon.

You would think that the media, especially Black media, would focus on that message. That the true key to success lies more in the mind than in the muscles. That this would be the goals we would want of all our children and those that choose to be athletes. Yet it doesn't happen.

I will bet that this is the only post or article that will mention the achievement of Tiger (and soon Jordan as well) in connection to his mind and education - not just his muscle skill and advertising friendly looks. And if I am right, the shame is not on Woods, or Jordan, but the media. Because the real message, the real achievement, the real greatness is the thing they aren't discussing.

Tiger Woods: more than just a winning golfer

I was thinking about Tiger Woods win Sunday at the Bridgestone Open. It’s not the fact that he now has 70 career wins and 14 majors that impressed me. It isn’t the fact that he has been rated the number 1 player in the world longer and more consistently than any golfer ever before. It has nothing to do with the fact that he is the best paid player in the world. He is humble.

More than any other athlete I can recall since Michael Jordan and Muhammad Ali, Tiger Woods is a pinnicale of respect. When talking about his win on Sunday he stated

“I think I hit a good shot that put a little heat him [at the 16th hole]. But also, I think the worst he would have made would have been bogey."

He didn’t need to say anything about Padraig Harrington. He could have boasted about his record of 14 wins every time he leads a tournament after 54 holes. He could have even insulted Harrington about the triple boogey he shot once the stopwatch came out. But he didn’t.

Not that this is a new thing. Back when he first became a pro and won the Masters, Fuzzy Zoeller made the infamous comment

“That little boy [Tiger Woods] is driving it well and he's putting well. He's doing everything it takes to win. So you know what you guys do when he gets back in here? You pat him on the back and say, 'Congratulations' and 'Enjoy it' and tell him not to serve fried chicken next year. Got it?", and walking away, he returned to add the infamous postscript: "or collard greens, or what every the hell they serve.”

Woods was diplomatic in his response. Which I could have never done.

When the controversy over lynching Woods was started by Kelly Tilghman

“Which brings me to the comments against Tiger Woods. As some are aware during the recent Mercedes-Benz Championship tournament Kelly Tilghman, an announcer for the Golf Channel, suggested that Tiger Woods be lynched. The conversation surrounding that comment was in terms of what could be done by up-coming players to take on Tiger. One announcer suggested they gang up on Tiger, to which Ms. Tilghman stated

“Lynch him in a back alley”

“

Woods again took the high road. Again I could not in the same situation. Nor can I recall another athlete in most any sport that has done so in equally infuriating circumstances in the past 2 decades.

It is this that separates Tiger Woods from other athletes. This is what drives fans to his competitions and cheer him to victory. This is what is missing in most every other major sport in America (at least).

Today there are several great athletes. Some are intelligent, some are talented, many are wealthy. Few though have even a touch of the international appeal of Woods. None have his grace under fire and public humility.

When was the last time you heard a baseball, or basketball, or hockey player stand up and defend the ability of their competition. I mean sincerely doing so? You never hear it in boxing, or the MMA, nor dare I say wrestling.

Tiger Woods is the greatest golfer in my lifetime, and in my opinion ever. That’s just the raw talent and dedication he maintains. But it is his humility and thoughtfulness (that I sometimes disagree with) that really impresses me.

He isn’t about ‘bling’ or other ghettofabulous insanity that the media proclaims to be the only definition of Black in America. He is educated. He is a phenomenal businessman. He is a good father. He does make great effort to donate time, money, and his fame to help children. He is a role model.

As much as everyone will laud his many sporting accomplishments, I think that is the real impact and importance of Tiger Woods. I just wish that the major news media might highlight that from time to time as well as his winning streak.

The Forbes Top 20 Richest African Americans List: Reflecting on the list

$8,255,000,000. That’s a huge number. It’s a sum of money that normally only gets mentioned in relation to the actions of the Government, or the largest of corporation. But that also happens to be the total of the net worth of the "http://www.forbes.com/2009/05/06/richest-black-americans-busienss-billionaires-richest-black-americans.html" target="_blank">Top 20 richest African Americans as stated by Forbes.

There is no question that everyone on this list is impressive. There is no question that each person on this list created the wealth they have today (which is reduced just like the wealth of every American these days). They are all examples to follow.

But I was looking through the list, and a few things came to my mind. Observations that probably few notice.

The youngest person on the list is 30, the oldest 79

65% of all the people on the list attained the bulk of their wealth via entertainment

Every person on this list attended, if not graduated, from college (I may be wrong about Jay-Z and Don King)

Only 1 person on the list ran a Fortune 500 company

Only 2 were involved in investments as the means of their wealth

Only 3 are women

6 attained the bulk of their wealth directly from sports

I take several things from this list. Some good some bad.

It’s wonderful to know that Oprah is still a multi-billionaire and tops the list. I am also glad to see that women have done well, having struggled as much as any man on this list. And I note that all the women achieved their success without the aid of sports.

The entire list includes some of the very best in the world at what they do, or have done. That includes: Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Bill Cosby PhD, Berry Gordy Jr, and you might even include Jay-Z.

Several people on the list are visibly and actively giving back to the community. I say visibly because everyone on the list has made considerable and frequent donations to multiple charities and causes. But some are very outspoken. That includes: Oprah Winfrey, Bill Cosby PhD, Magic Johnson, Janice Bryant Howroyd, Alphonse Fletcher Jr.

The thing that annoys me though is that there are so few that have had major success in business, or non-entertainment fields. Worse yet, the general public would be hard pressed to recognize the non-entertainers names. They are: Sheila Johnson, Quintin Primo III, Janice Bryant Howroyd, Herman J. Russell, Ulysses Bridgeman Jr., Tracy Maitland, Alphonse Fletcher Jr., and Kenneth I. Chestnut.

The implication is that African Americans main avenue to success is limited to entertainment. That in some way other ventures are unworthy of attempts to grow. That the focus of the youth needs to be isolated to entertainment alone.

This is reinforced with the media. The media lavishes over singers, rappers, actors/actresses, and athletes. The media pushes images of these entertainers almost exclusively, with shows on television and cable just because of their fame (ie. Snoop Dogg, 50 cent, Flava Flav, Russell Simmons, Xzibit, and several others have shows – not one non-entertainer of color has a show of any type, ever).

In fact, while everyone on this list has at least gone to college, the media and the entertainment industries highlight the lack of education among those with fame. Rappers are constantly identified for their lack of education, and criminal behavior. The media never discusses the educational background of professional athletes, or most any successful person of color. I mean can you name what degree, in what field of learning and from what college, Tiger Woods has? How about Bill Cosby? Oprah? Quentin Primo?

My point is that there is too much focus on the narrow field of entertainment. Like it’s a golden path. Everyone in lower income areas thinks it’s their ticket out. Whether it’s basketball, or football, or rapping, or whatever. But the fact that an intelligent mind is the only true ticket to lasting success should be the focus.

Jay-Z would just be another guy that made records, if he were not intelligent enough to see and groom other business ventures. Michael Jordan would just be another record holder if he were not able to have created business deals that continue to reap more money than he ever made as a player. Magic Johnson grew his wealth and helped communities across the nation because of his mind, not his records or lifestyle.

I can go on and on. But the fact is that success is more than just playing with a ball, or keeping a beat. It’s more than clothes or street credit. It’s not drugs, or criminal status, or bling. In fact, the people on this list are all almost exact opposites of what is shown off as success for people of color by the media. And that includes Jay-Z.

Success and wealth in America can be attained by anyone. This list proves that in droves. If there is anything to be taken from this list, it’s the fact that anyone can join them as well. It just takes an education, thought, and determined work.

Who will win the Masters in 2009 - the odds

With the Masters just a day away, I am sure that every golfer is out trying to figure out who is going to win. There are pools in offices and golf clubhouses across the nation, and millions will pass hands in a few short days. So I thought I might help by showing some of the odds that are out there right now.

Tiger Woods is of course a favorite. With his recent win he is now at 11-5. And I think this is the ultimate winner by 3 strokes or more.

Relatively close behind Tiger are Phil Mickelson and Jeff Ogilvy at 8-1. Not bad choices either, though I think far from such sure bets. Padraig Harrington is the next up at 15-1.

Then we get a random anybody from the field at 20-1, a bet that I would always take, just in case. The numbers get worse as we look at the rest of the challengers.

Paul Casey 25-1
Sergio Garcia 25-1
Retif Goosen 25-1
Rory McIlroy 25-1
Nick Watney 25-1
Ernie Els 30-1
Jim Furyk 30-1
Anthony Kim 30-1
Zach Johnson 35-1

What about a few other big names? Way back in the bleachers:

Lee Westwood 50-1
Vijay Singh 60-1
K J Choi 80-1
Greg Norman 80-1
Rocco Mediate 100-1
Chad Campbell 125-1

For my money I think the smart bets are Woods, Garcia, and the field. But who do you think will win?

Tiger Woods at the Masters 2009

I was just browsing around the internet, thinking about the win of Tiger Woods recently and how that will affect the upcoming Masters. I recalled a television commercial that I think nailed it on the head.



But I decided to see if there was anything that better encapsulates the feeling. And I found this gem that I missed completely before. I love it.



It may be a year old but it had me laughing out loud. And it still captures the mood going into the Masters this year I think.

Pick one: Tiger Woods or the State of Mississippi

Let’s say that you have the chance to play a round of golf with Tiger Woods. Jubilation is the foremost thing that one might expect you to feel. I can think of few who would turn down such an offer. But what if there was a conflict in your schedule?

What in the world might cause you to cancel a round of golf with the arguably greatest golfer ever? Well if you were Peyton Manning, and the scheduling conflict was with the State of Mississippi honoring your entire family with an official Manning Day, you can imagine the problem. Which would you choose?

I have to say that Manning took the option that I would have. He went to play with Tiger Woods, Mississippi be damned.

Yep. While his brother Eli Manning of the New York Giants and dad, former New Orleans Saint, Archie Manning were signing autographs for the entire Mississippi State Legislature Peyton was busy watching birdies.

“I got a text message this morning that said, ‘(Woods) just birdied the first hole,"' [Archie] Manning told senators. "About 15 minutes later I got another one that said, ‘He just birdied the second hole.' I texted back that he was just lucky.”

Now to give Peyton his due, it is reported that he is no slouch when it comes to golf. With a handicap of just over 3, he is more than capable of beating the average duffer any day. I’m sure that on most any course he can hold a respectable score against many of the professional golfers in the world. But he was playing Woods.

There is no official news of what the score ended up being out in Florida where Manning and Woods were playing. Then again, considering the text messages, does anyone doubt that it was a crushing defeat for Manning?

Still I have to wonder how the rest of Mississippi took the news. Brushing off a huge honor from an entire State had to have lost him a fan or two. Even considering that playing Woods is an honor of its own, at least for golfers.

Of course there were no reports on where Cooper Manning was at the time either. Maybe he was caddy for his little brother?

Tiger Woods is back; just not at Accenture Match Play

Tiger Woods is back on the PGA Tour. There is almost nothing that can be said about his return that the following commercial by Nike does not capture.



Yes the party is over. Or is it?

Watching Tiger play in the Accenture Match Play Championship today, versus Clark tells me that the laser beam is off center.

Tiger Woods is just not as sharp as we all expect him to be. Now this is match play, so it’s not like a regular competition. And Tiger can easily be far better on different courses. But I watched him through the 11th hole. And the best he did was end up even.

This is not the Tiger that the rest of the field fears. This is not the Tiger that the fans expect. There is just no other way of stating the facts.

There were just too many shots that were not close enough, or putts that were dropping. Any other golfer in the world would be pleased, and fans would accept the results. But we are talking about the Great One. A golfer that can easily break every record, even at a severely reduced attempt to do so.

Tiger Woods has another 20 or 30 years of golf before him. So I do not doubt that he will achieve new records for other golfers to strive for. Nor do I doubt that he can win virtually at will. The only question at this point is does he want it as much as he did 5 years ago?

There is nothing wrong with having family as the first priority. And I believe that Tiger has enough endorsements and ability to take care of his family for life. In fact I think his business acumen has ensured their comfortable living standard for decades to come. But watching him today was like watching a man in quicksand.

Now it’s a given that he has not been in competition for a year. Add to that the stress of a new child. Plus there is no way I would ever match up to Tiger on his worst day with the benefit of my handicap and a great caddy. So my criticism is separate of my ability. Given.

Still I’m waiting for Tiger to turn on the fire. It seems that the WCG Accenture Match Play Championship will not be it. But once he turns it on, well the commercial says it all. Yet I can’t describe my displeasure at Woods losing on Thursday.

It’s like a vortex, like the bear market, like the prospects of the stimulus plan working. We all want it to succeed, but we know it just isn’t happening. But unlike the rest of the economy, or the pipe dreams of Democrats, I believe Woods will pull through. And so do you.

The ratings for Woods first match back are up 50% from a year ago. That’s good news for the PGA, the players and fans. Imagine once Tiger gets back into the swing of things.

Well enough rambling. Tiger Woods is back. The trophies are waiting. And I wouldn’t bet against him even with Vegas odds.

The supreme sweep – LPGA, PGA, and the Seniors all lead by Woods

Great news in the world of golf today. Tiger Woods is once again a proud daddy.

This fantastic news of the birth of a healthy son, Charlie Axel, is sure to make fans very pleased. And for those hoping to create a legacy or have their child attain the heights of being called the world’s greatest, the chances just got slimmer.

With a daughter and now a son, the Woods family might just be poised to do something no other lineage in golf has ever done. Have 3 members of the family become ranked professionals all at the same time. The bonus of this is of course the fact that Tiger’s daughter, Sam Alexis, could run the LPGA much the same as her father took over the PGA.

Now I will admit this is mostly my wish rather than any shred of fact, at this point. But still it would be something. If the Woods children were to follow in their dad’s footsteps, learning all the tricks and techniques he knows, with all the privileges that his fame and fortune can bestow upon them – just imagine.

You can be assured that if the kids even tried they would never fear monetary support as every company associated with golf would drool over the chance to have their name associated with a trio of Tigers.

Of course it is just as likely that the children of the arguably greatest golfer in the world, and perhaps the sport, might venture into another sport or none at all rather than be in the shadow of their dad. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. I hope that they become successful and happy (not in that order) no matter what they do.

But as a fan, I can dream. I imagine that Tiger himself might occasionally harbor such fancies from time to time.

Whether or not Tiger plays at the Masters this year, or at all this year depends on the new baby Woods has said. And that is understandable. Family always takes precedence.

But I will just let the moment linger a bit longer until he does return. At the young age of 33, the potential of Tiger playing golf well into his 60’s means that there is time. Especially if word ever leaks out that the kids have gotten a Christmas gift of golf clubs. Just remember that you heard the idea here first.

Tiger Woods, Golf, and Black History Month

As we enter the first Black History Month in which we will not only be celebrating the past acheivements of great men and women, but the until recently undreamed of African American Presidency, I decided to look at what else might we celebrate.

That took me to looking, eventually, at Tiger Woods. Being the best in the world, in a sport where Blacks (of any nationality) are as close to virtually non-existent as possible, is always noteworthy. But then I noticed an article that made me think deeper.

John Paul Newport was speaking about Tiger Woods at one of the inauguration parties for President Obama. He speculated on the thought that Obama might one day try for a political office. Which indeed would be interesting. And then I read this quote further on in the article

“If you turn on the golf tournament Sunday and Tiger Woods isn't playing, what do you see? About 140 white guys competing and no blacks," said Eddie Payton, the golf coach at historically black Jackson State in Mississippi (and the brother of the late football great Walter Payton). "What kind of message does that send to kids? That they should watch basketball instead, even though they aren't going to grow up to be 6-foot-10? If we don't get some black players on Tour soon, we're going to lose a generation of potential African-American golfers."

Being a golfer, though a 100 a round player so I’m not bragging, I am used to being one of a handful – if not the only – Black golfer on any particular course. That is usually true even on most courses in major cities. So, like watching television, I hadn’t notice that I was brainwashed into accepting the lack of diversity.

Yet that is a horrible thing. Golf is a great sport. It’s relaxing, intense, challenging, and fun. It’s something that even the less physically fit can play. And those on the course are in almost every case, polite friendly and respectful.

It is a game that anyone can learn, even in the city. In the Bronx, a few miles from where I grew up is a 100 year old 9-hole course that is almost always filled by anything but golfers of color. And the same can be said of the over half a dozen courses in New York City, in my experience.

At a time when our nation has broken through a massive hurdle, when we are openly and finally discussing race relations without breaking into fights, we still are surrounded by obstacles that are firmly in place.

And this makes me wonder about my thoughts on the Obama effect. Perhaps I was too short sighted when I discussed that. Perhaps the Obama effect is not limited to just television. Because in the PGA there is only 1 African American golfer, and almost a mere handful of American golfers of color. The LPGA is even more staggered in the diversity it presents.

But why? Money is of course one reason. And not a small one. Yet the same can be said of those athletes that seek to become baseball, basketball, football or any other sports’ major leaguer. The honest answer is that African Americans are discouraged from the game, and institutional backing ignores them.

The discouragement comes as much from African Americans as any other group. The game is seen as being only-White. To play is a stigma akin to abandoning your race. And that is just a stupid thought. Yet every Sunday that very though is reinforced.

The money though is another matter. I won’t say that colleges, golf clubs, or other institutions purposefully avoid African Americans – I don’t know that to be true. But I can say that from what I know they all do actively pursue White golfers at young ages.

Now I am not saying that any African America should be allowed to play in the PGA or LPGA just because of the color of their skin. I hate and would fight against such an idea. But I am saying that the opportunity to compete should be more available.

Given the chance, players will find their own way to the pros. But the chance has to be there. And in golf it is not.

Every African American is not Tiger Woods or Barack Obama. Nor should we be held to a standard of being equal to them or nothing at all. Yet that does not mean we cannot be involved. That does not mean we shouldn’t be encouraged to try.

If this Black History Month says anything this year, I hope that it says to everyone, of every color and creed and ethnicity, that you should try something different. That you can succeed in things that few are doing today. That if you look up, don’t just reach for the clouds because you think you can only get the sky. Reach for the stars because if you work for it, you can reach them too.

The best, most popular, and different posts of 2008 on Black Entertainment USA

For my last post of 2008 I wanted to look back and see what were some of the most popular posts I had written, and what I consider some of favorites. I know I am highly critical of things that displease me, so I thought I'd turn that same critical eye towards myself for a change.

I must say that in looking over the hundreds of posts I wrote on Black Entertainment USA alone this year, some just don't belong here. Some of the comments are far more political than anything else. And I can't use the excuse I have no where else to have said these things - I do own a political blog as well.

And I admit to having a few posts where I was just far too tired. I should have gone to sleep. Or taken that vacation all my friends have heard me speak about over the last 15 years (I've had 2 vacations in my life, none exceeding a week or involving travel). But instead I must apologize because they were really sub-par, even for a bad day.

Still overall I will say that roughly 80% or more of my posts were relevant and interesting. Many are topical and focused on the events of the day. Looking back some are not as important as I first thought they were, and others far more than I would give credit. And several posts were popular that I would not have expected to be.

Some of the top Black Entertainment USA posts of 2008, as viewed and/or commented by you my readers were:

So there is a Black guy in an elevator...
Audi television commercial says we are all not the same
OJ Simpson convicted - kangaroo court closed
OJ Simpson trial - injustice unreported
The new 90210 - is it cancelled yet?
NASCAR, Mauricia Grant, and my opinion
Is Robert Downey Jr funny as an African American?
Duane ‘Dog’ Chapman to return to cable television
VH1’s Top 100 of rap music celebrates the positives of the genre

It's an interesting group of posts indeed. And I think that I got it right in those posts. Not that everyone agreed with my view, just that they felt something after reading it. And that ultimately is one of my goals.

But I looked over the entire year and I saw a couple of other posts that I thought were very important, and/or meant something to me directly. Not all of them were relevant, given, but they said something important. And I want to present them again. Again you may not agree with my view, but I hope my top 10 will motivate some reaction. [Oh since 3 of my top 10 are in the above list that you my readers have found of interest, I will substitute 3 others]

NJ considers apology for slavery (part 1, 2, 3, 4)
Tiger Woods comment impacts Dr. Martin Luther King birthday (part 1, 2)
President Bush and Darfur now - not the movie
R Kelly - next stop Neverland Ranch
Janet Jackson: Intelligence, success, and fame are not enough
Black Americans - commodity, criminals, or something much more
Do you know enough about the 2008 Presidential election?
1st Annual Memorial Pig Roast for Madden A. Cordero - please read and donate if you can
50 cent sells a new opiate to the masses
Movie Review Iron Man

I also found the time to champion a couple of other causes that aren't the most popular or widely held:
Boycott 33 variations - Hanoi Jane Fonda
Levi's 501 jeans - promoting HIV and AIDS?

Found a video on Youtube I really liked - Try This with an Xbox360 or PS3 - and one I though was an abysmal joke - Snoop Dogg in Country Music: a bad experiment

And I achieved a great step forward for my company as well:
M V Consulting, Inc and TV One Announce Collaboration - Press Release
Introducing the first 2009 model Ashley

And of course I found the time to pick a fight:
Viacom (and maybe Jon Stewart) doesn't like Black Entertainment USA. Maybe.

So I wasn't just speaking about entertainment this year. But considering all the things that were going on, all the changes, and the things I felt mattered, I think I covered a lot of what you wanted to read about.

In 2009 I will try to stay on point a bit more. But as always I will share with you my thoughts and views about the important topics affecting all our lives as well as our entertainment. And I always look forward to your comments [yes even the dissenting views that are thought out beyond just cursing me out] about what I present.

2008 has been a tough year, no matter what country race or whatever you may be. 2009 will be different, and I hope that all of my readers, and those that will become my readers, their families and friends will share in a prosperous and peaceful year.

Tiger Woods and GM, Citigroup and the Mets

Today all eyes are pointing towards Citigroup and what they have been doing, or failing to do. Thousands have lost their jobs, tens of billions of dollars are being poured into the company. And unlike AIG, Citigroup is not sending their employees to luxury spas for a breather. Nor are they giving up on celebrity endorsements like GM with Tiger Woods. No, they are putting their name on the Mets baseball stadium for $400 million of your tax dollars.

Wow.

I mean what else can be said here. Citigroup is going forward with putting their name on a stadium (a policy I dislike in all stadiums) with your money as 401k’s and taxes are used to fund it. No wonder they ran through the intial $25 billion the Government gave them. And Congress is asking AIG and the auto industry for reforms and guarantees. For over a year now, no one thought this expenditure was worth noting? Hey Barney Frank, you didn’t get a memo on this – Mr. Head of the Banking Committee.

I mean GM has bailed out of their deal with Tiger Woods. They bought themselves out of their deal a year early. I’m sure it cost them more than a bit to do so, but at least they did something to save a few bucks. And I’m sure Tiger was more than happy to let them do it.

Tiger Woods is too big a brand to be tied to the failure of the auto industry. The last thing he needs is the media tying him to a huge payout funded by an auto bailout. That would be bad for his image, bad for PGA golf, and America. Nobody wins in that scenario. And I doubt he is hurting for the money.

Of course GM is losing the worst. Tiger looks like a hero for saving the company money. He can easily say that he does not want to be paid at the price of workers jobs, or taxpayer debt increases. And that would be true. But GM looks like an idiot for not moving forward sooner. And losing Tiger, the Super Bowl ads, and who knows what other advertising means fewer cars sold.

But at least this looks a little bit better for them after their luxury corporate jet trip to ask Congress for billions of dollars.

Citigroup on the other hand could care less. At least that’s what it looks like. They are spending more useless money than Tiger’s endorsement (the full 5 year deal), buying a new corporate jet, all the Super Bowl ads, and the AIG spa trips put together and multiplied by 10. At the very least will shareholders get a discount to go to Mets’ games in 2009. Even 1 game in the baseball season? I doubt it.

The big question is will this reflect badly on the Mets. They are getting paid a stupid amount of money, as is New York City, to have the field given this dumb name. There are thousands of employees of Citigroup that work in the corporate headquarters in NYC. How will they feel watching the Mets play, knowing that the field’s name cost them their job. Or anyone who invested in Citigroup. They might have lost the ability to go to games, or even to live in their home, because of the stock devaluation due to the mismanagement and they have to watch this team play in a place that sucked their money away.

Mets fans always have had it rough, being in the same city as the Yankees. But this is a new thing that really doesn’t have anything to do with baseball, yet it may well have a massive impact on the game.

And if you are wondering why Citigroup didn’t do something back in January (at the latest) when they knew things were getting bad? Its because they were sure of one thing. They are too big to fail. They can waste money like a drunk pissing on the side of a building. It is wrong, but they don’t care. And the Government knows it.

But let me ask you which you think is worse. Is it worse to lose Tiger Woods’ endorsement, and ads during the Super Bowl and ask for money, or to spend money on the name of a baseball field and demand the public pay for it? Then let me know why you think Congress (especially Chris Dodd and Barney Frank) seems to think GM is the bigger bad guy.

Yes you could beat Michael Jordan

I am sure that it won't take long for this interesting item to circle the net, if it has not already. But i just lucked upon it and you need to see it.

Michael Jordan, in his post-Wizard's days had a basketball camp. And those that went to it got the rare pleasure of playing against the super athlete. Of course mere mortals would lose against him, just as beating Tiger Woods on his home course would be unthinkable.

But the laws of averages says that even the most improbably outcome can happen at least once. And as it happened a CEO named John Rogers Jr. was able to beat Jordan. Not only did this happen in front of witnesses, but there was video of it too.

Add to that the fact that Damon Wayans was in attendance. So the camp-goers got the rare treat of watching Wayans let loose his stand-up wit on Jordan as well. My only question is why did it take this long for the video to come out. You know that no one believed Rogers back home.

Going to Michael Jordan's basketball camp - a lot of money
Playing Michael Jordan and not being NBA quality - almost unreachable

Beating Michael Jordan, in front of witnesses while being video taped, and having Damon Wayans take your back - truely priceless



So where is Tiger at? I feel lucky.

Tiger Woods - Caddy extrodinaire

There are many things that golfers wish for. A longer drive, a better short game, the ability to 2-putt the green, or to simply miss the tree or water hazard on their favorite course. But if you were to ask the average golfer what might be on the top of their wish list you can count on 2 or 3 things.

• To play a round of golf with Tiger Woods
  
• To get advice from Tiger Woods or any of the top golfers in the PGA
  
• To be a caddy or walking the golf course along with any of the world’s best players
  

Of course I think that all the above would be great things to have happen. And all of the above are beyond the ability of the average golfer. Normally.

But thanks to Tee Off With Tiger – a competition sponsored by Buick – one average golfer was able to live out one of these dreams, in a manner. John Abel was the lucky man, and what he got was a round of golf. With Tiger Woods being his caddy.

Can you imagine that?

I seriously can’t imagine how any regular duffer could play with Tiger calling the shots. Abel states that he got a lot of huge advice from Tiger. From shots to putting on greens that Tiger admits are about 3 feet slower than what the pro’s play on. Greens I might add that were indecipherable to us regular folks.



I tell you that this was something I am envious of. If I had the money I would donate $100,000 to charity just to be able to play with Tiger. I can’t imagine what sum of money it might take to get him to caddy for me. I’d donate $10,000 just to carry his clubs and watch as he played a golf course. That alone would be huge in learning to play better, I’m sure of it.

I imagine that there are lots of photos that Abel has with Tiger, and they will never be on eBay. Talk about prized possessions.

But as I end this envy post (yes I envy that opportunity) I want to touch on something else that John Abel mentioned about the time with Tiger. Unlike many celebrities these days that are full of ego and conceit, Tiger it seems is a “fantastic guy”.

It’s often hard to get a feel of the real person separate of the celebrity or athlete. Too often they turn out to be a certain orifice as opposed to anything resembling pleasant. Yet Abel conveys the image that out of competition, among average people like you and me, Tiger Woods is not only human but someone you would want to have a beer with. The more I hear about celebrities and entertainers, their drug problems, divorces, cheating, and violations of law, the more I appreciate just hearing that some are better than that. And yes, the fact that this is an African American man that is not into drugs, misogyny, and all that the “ghettofabulous” lifestyle promotes like crack really makes it all like manna from above.

But like all the duffers I play with, and I imagine across the world, I still have my wish list. Who knows, maybe one day it will come true. It did for John Abel so you never know.

Celebrity donations - some numbers and organizations you may not know

Recently I had the opportunity to share my thoughts about how Reuters deliberately diminished the generosity of Oprah Winfrey, and the lack of major media attention to the kind and helpful donation of Tyler Perry. That got me wondering, who is giving back to the public and not getting any attention – or worse being diminished – for it.

Well my first stop was at The Giving Back Fund. I looked at the donations made by celebrities for 2006 and 2007 (the last full years of donations reported). In addition I wanted to see how many African American celebrities and entertainers were on the list, as I feel they are the least reported or acknowledged of all high-profile donors.

For the prior 2 years Oprah Winfrey set the bar high. She donated the single most of all celebrities each year, and combined. Her donations totaled $118 million. That 66% of the total of the top 12 White celebrities combined.

The total donations made the top 16 celebrities and entertainers combines to $316.5 million dollars. That’s a huge amount of money. This money went to help prevent and cure HIV/AIDS, provide scholarships, cancer research, Katrina relief, hospitals, day cares, organizations that help various groups and nations in Africa, and more.

Another interesting thing of note is that the top 4 Black celebrities and entertainers’ donations are equal to 77% of the top White celebrity and entertainer donations.

I mention that last part because one of the points of notables making these donations is not only what they can do but also the attention they can being to an issue, and the fans they can inspire to do the same. The more that is mentioned about these donations, the more these issues get attention over Miley Cyrus career decisions or the outing of Clay Aiken – which really don’t matter.

In addition I feel it’s important that African American celebrities and entertainers are symbols of success and inspirational in the Black community. They have broken the stereotypes, and excelled in an industry that affords them few opportunities. And when they do something as important and beneficial as the donations I’m mentioning, they often are either ignored (like Tyler Perry and Don Cheadle), or are diminished (like Oprah) by the major media.

Out of all the donations made in 2006 and 2007, only 9 made donations each year (for a total of $183.6 million) out of over 48 from both years. Those consistent and vital personalities are listed below.

• Oprah Winfrey - $118 million, Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy,
  Oprah's Angel Network
  
• Barbara Streisand – $22 million, Barbra Streisand Foundation
  
• Tiger Woods – $10.8 million, Tiger Woods Learning Center, Earl D.
  Woods Sr. Scholarship Fund
  
• Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt - $10.8 million, School and Community Center in
  Swakopmund in Namibia, Daniel Pearl Foundation, Namibian hospitals, Doctors without Borders, The Jolie-Pitt Foundation
  
• Rosie O’Donnell – $9.2 million, Katrina Relief, day care centers, Habitat for Humanity, Broadway Kids Initiative
  
• Lance Armstrong - $5.5 million, Lance Armstrong Foundation
  
• Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson - $3 million, University of Miami
  
• Andre Agassi - $2.3 million, Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation
  
• Denzel Washington - $2 million, Save Africa's Children, Wiley College
  

I hope you take a moment to look into the causes that they each have made donations to and if you agree make a donation yourself.

Padraig Harrington sets records at PGA Championship

So what happens when the best golfer in the world isn’t playing in the majors? When that golfer is Tiger Woods the rest of the player get a second wind and amazing things happen. That may be the only answer as to why Padraig Harrington not only won the British Open, but now has also won the PGA Championship.

This is a huge accomplishment of Harrington as this makes him only the 4th player to accomplish a win at both majors in the same year. Of course Tiger Woods has done it twice. Still it’s a record that is impressive for any golfer. Add to that the fact that he is the first European player to win the PGA Championship in 78 years and the first to win back to back majors and it just makes the win that much sweeter.

But I wonder would this have happened if Tiger was around? Probably not.

That is not to say that Harrington is anything less than a great golfer. That’s obvious by his win. But when Tiger is on the course you have to notice how every player is completely different. They play with more pressure and virtually always fold when it comes to Sunday.

Given the pace of wins that Tiger has made in the past, and the sudden rush to victory for Padraig Harrington, the big question is what happens when the best player in the world gets healthy and pissed off that his thunder is being taken by someone else?

I’m looking forward to the next Masters. A showdown between these 2 men. A real challenge of wills and the imposing presence of Tiger. If Harrington can keep his composure, and fend off the rest of the world’s golfers as he has, that’s the Sunday we will see. And that will be a match for the record books I bet.

Tiger Woods: knee beats season

The announcement has been made – Tiger Woods will be out for the rest of the golf season. The PGA and multiple events are popping pills, knocking back drinks, and calling shrinks as I write.


After the amazing rally and win at the U.S. Open against Rocco Mediate, in sudden death on Monday, concerns over Tiger’s knee were rampant. And with good reason. The man was feeling pain at virtually every drive. In my opinion the only reason there was a playoff and a close event at the US Open was because of the recovering knee. A healthy Tiger Woods beats everyone when he wants to, by as much as he would like.

How big is this loss?

“The Tiger Effect has been with us so long now that it takes jolting events like Monday's U.S. Open playoff victory and Woods' relapsing knee to remind everyone of all the numerical impacts the man has. Besides booming TV numbers for NBC and ESPN, Woods also drove record-setting hits all over the Internet.”

Tiger Woods is perhaps the most capable athlete in the world at helping to move the U.S. economy. From ticket sales at events he appears at (influencing additionally airline tickets, hotels, restaurants, and various knick-knacks and impulse purchases at the events), advertising prices for coverage of golfing events on television and the internet, to sales of anything related to golf (clubs, clothing, golf balls, ect.) Tiger has an impact that does not have a real comparison.

And I have to wonder what happens if Tiger gets beat.

I don’t mean by another player. As uncommon as that may be, statistically it has to happen occasionally, we have seen it. I mean by his knee or any other potential injury while he is still young and early in his career. While I would hope this would never happen, injuries may be the only real opponent that Tiger has to face. And it’s the only opponent that realistically can prevent him from breaking every record the game has in place.

That would seriously hurt golf worldwide. Prize money at every event has increased since the first pro win by Tiger. Without his presence, other players might run higher in world ratings, but likely will make less money as interest wanes. Sales can decrease as the dream of competing with or playing with the living legend becomes fixed as just dreams. While perhaps a generation of kids will likely still stay involved with golf, the potential reach to new generations might end.

And millions lose a role model of poise under pressure, education, success, self-discipline, and moderation. Think about it, Tiger is the single most successful athlete in the world. No one makes his kind of money and has so little negative press. He is a good family man, without drug addictions or alcohol abuse, without scandals for fighting or paternity lawsuits. Hell, even the opponents he plays are grateful for the chance to compete with him – except for Fuzzy Zoeller – noting that he is the best around. Name another athlete, celebrity, or entertainer you hear competitors say that about.

So I’m not surprised that media sellers and the PGA are fearful. I can see how economists will have to make a (minor) adjustment to economic projections. And I can see that a whole sports industry is nervous about their futures.

Tiger is out for another season, and I hope it means he will be back healthy soon after. Because a world without Tiger Woods in the headlines detracts from everyone’s life in more ways than most ever imagine.

Tiger Wood and the U.S. Open: Rocco Mediate tried

Tiger Woods is in the lead to win the U.S. Open, again. I know you are shocked.

I was at a pool tournament Saturday and they had the Open on the T.V. Everyone asked from time to time where Tiger was. The answer varied a bit, basically he’s in the top 5, and every response would be ‘ok, he’ll win tomorrow’. Such are the expectations facing what I consider the greatest golfer in the world, perhaps ever.

Now how many of the people at the tournament realized that Tiger had recently had knee surgery? Some, though not most. Yet I think that would not change a single opinion.

‘When the man wants to win, everyone else is playing for second,’ as I recall one of the top players once stated (I think it was Ernie Els).

Right now, Tiger is winning by 3. Rocco Mediate, who is a very good player (his 157th in the world ranking aside or included), and I’m sure he will finish as close as possible. But his day was yesterday. He had his chance, he had the lead alone. Then Tiger rallied.

As I recall there has only been 1 player that has beaten Tiger Woods in a playoff match. He’s played quite a few, 14 in all, and they have almost always been for the same reason. Tiger rallied to tie. Once he rallies, everyone else (virtually) folds under the pressure he brings to bear.

Rocco had a great chance. Tiger is not fully healed, and spent the Open without taking the lead. Rocco was playing one of the best games of his career. But with Tiger around, that’s just not enough.

The thing I always find fascinating, and encouraging, is when everyone loses to Tiger. Other than Fuzzy Zoeller they don’t get upset. And it’s not because he has brought more money and excitement into the PGA, and golf in general. It’s because they are playing their A-games against someone who can bring out another level they have never seen. They are part of a living history in action.

The final match of the U.S. Open is not over yet. Tiger could fold to his injuries. Rocco could come up with a level of play he has never done before. But if I were in Vegas I wouldn’t bet against Woods. They couldn’t lay odds that are worth throwing my money away.

R Kelly trial to start, or will it?

“5 years and counting. What might that refer to? Could it be the Iraq war? It could also be the amount of time since R Kelly was supposed to go to trial for the alleged rape of a minor…”

“Will R Kelly finally go to court and stand trial for his actions – and will the family of the girl that was raped still be working for him?”

I made those comments back in September 2007. Now in May 2008 with 2 days to go before the start of the trial, another delay looms, and the media still isn’t paying attention. I cannot describe how angy this makes me. A rumored and widely acknowledged pedophile is running around free and evading the law and the news media can’t be bothered.

The media makes me sick in cases like this. Wesley Snipes is an entertainer, and Black, so no time was wasted in painting him as a felony criminal – even after he was found innocent of all but the least significant charges. OJ Simpson can’t walk across the street without a news crew documenting it (as they virtually have for over a decade) – and he was found innocent. Rev. Wright had 35 years of religious service and work for the equality and imporvement of quality of life wiped out by five 10 second polispeak soundbites – and he wasn’t running for an elected position.

But when it comes to real crimes the major news media has it’s head stuck up it’s collective a**. The Jena 6 case was ignored for months. The Megan Williams case was granted all of 30 seconds and will never be uttered again. Sean Bell was discussed form the cops perspective, without ever mentioning the conflicts in their stories, and pushed to a corner as quickly as possible. Now the actions of 15 cops in Philadelphia is set to be accepted as merely a slight over reaction among a small group of officers – completely obfuscating the connection to and growing trend of excessive police brutality to people of color nearly exclusively.

And we can add R Kelly, a pedophile whos targets are near-pubescent girls. The daughters, neices, and sisters in the Black community that are supposed to be protected by the law and the community. Yet the news media can’t be bothered to know anything about this case, because Britney Spears cut her hair, Amy Winehouse is a crackhead that got arrested again, and Paris Hilton is a spoiled rich brat who was arrested for violating the law and is placed into entertainment events because she has too much money to offend.

Of course how can we blame the major news media. African Americans regularly support this vile and disgusting man every time he has a concert or makes a record. Grown women still swoon to his words and gyrations on music videos, actively ignoring the fact that were they standing in front of him naked he would prefer a clothed 13 year old next to them. What makes him any less dispicable than the Mormons in Texas?

And not a single complaint has come from the major news media about the judge’s running of the case.

“Vincent M. Gaughan, a Cook County circuit court judge… essential goal, according to one of his orders: "To preserve the dignity of the court and the integrity of the proceedings." That's an especially powerful, ironic argument, given widespread concern that Kelly is receiving preferential treatment because of his celebrity status.”

The media has been consistent in complaining that Black entertainers get treated preferentially by the legal system. They point to OJ, Wesley Snipes (who was sentanced beyond any parity according to all experts in such matters), and numerous rappers like Snoop Dogg. Yet they can’t seem to be able to see R Kelly or the fact they are giving him a pass that is underserved or justified. And many African Americans laud this as a positive.

Of course R Kelly hasn’t been taking this vacation from the law lightly. He’s used the time to lay low, keeping out of the direct spotlight – letting potential jurors only know about his records and not his deeds. He’s employed the father of his victim, paying cash to keep his a** out of jail and possibly buying testimonies in the process (isn’t that called inciting perjury – and a crime in itself?).

I once quoted

“As Huey states in one episode, [I paraphrase]
“America has done a multitude of injustice to Blacks, but that does not mean everything is an injustice, or that this makes every African American a hero.”

The fact that R Kelly can sing a song, is Black, and entertainer and has some money does not make him a hero. The fact that video tape proves he is a pedophile does make him a criminal and in need of imprisonment in my view. And the news media ignoring this case makes the injustice to African Americans no less palpable than when the media ignored Jena, Megan Williams, Sean Bell, or ignored the innocence of Wesley Snipes.

The major news media has a position and it seems to be clear. It could be said as:

• If a Black is popular and well off – find something to take them down. Crush their lives if possible. (Stories on Michael Jordan gambling on golf games, stories claiming Tiger Woods' wife was in a porno, searching for infidelities in Bill Cosby’s life or others, and so on).
  
  
• If they are guilty, or even suspected of a crime against a White, convict them at every turn (Wesley Snipes, OJ Simpson, and on).
  
  
• If they are committing, or suspected of, a crime against themselves or African Americans. Spin it as positive as possible. Publicize it as often as possible. And if it has no positive edge, ignore it. (R Kelly, Snoop Dogg and more)
  
  
• If they are the victim of a crime – only if commited by a White – ignore it. If it can’t be ignored then blame the African American and support the White (Duke rape case, Megan Williams) but never allow guilt to be a fact.
  
  
• And for any other case not covered, just look for the most negative portrayal of any person of color as possible, or avoid the issue. (How many Amber Alerts have you seen on the news for Black children? How about in the past year?)
  

So I have to wonder if R Kelly will ever get into a courtroom. Or if the media will cover it if he does. Or is the victim in the case (who is now 23 and thus won’t look as obviously a victim as she would have 5+ years ago) going to have her short past used as a weapon against her.

What would you bet?

Golfweek sought attention on Tiger Woods lynching - 1.19.2008.1

Tiger Woods. It is a name that when uttered brings up images and thoughts of success, achievement, dedication, fame, recognition, respect and wealth. To some. For a few the only image is that of a Black man in a White sport. Like Fuzzy Zoeller who’s only comment about the success of Tiger winning his first green jacket (an honor few professional golfers ever get – and Tiger now has several) was a stereotyped reference to fried chicken. Or Kelly Tilghman who envisioned Tiger Woods hanging from a tree.

Before I go further I want to take a moment to reflect on something. In 2007 there were several events that stood out. A few were highly covered by the major news media; others were followed and discussed in blogs like this one. Those events included Don Imus verbally attacking the Black members of the Rutgers Women’s Basketball team without provocation, Duane ‘Dog’ Chapman hurling the N-word as he rebuked his son for the interracial relationship he was in, the kidnapping torture and sexual abuse of Megan Williams in West Virginia, the reports of roughly 50 nooses throughout the nation, and the Jena 6.

Let’s focus on the Jena 6 and the nooses. It was a noose that caused the inflammation of that event. In fact it caused multiple events, all racially based, across the country. The sight of a noose from a tree, implying the potential lynching of African Americans, evoked violence and highlighted the imbalances that exist in the application of the law in America.

All of these things are facts.

Given these facts, it should be obvious to most that a noose is little different than the swastika or the confederate flag to most African Americans. They are all symbols of hate and violence unleashed for the pleasure of people too absorbed with the skin tone of those around them. These small minds needed big symbols to evoke the fear they felt and they made them huge.

How powerful are these connotations? Considering that the conservative counts of African Americans that were lynched numbers at least 3500 over 93 years (which ends in 1958). That after 7 years of debate and stalling, lynching became illegal in the United States in 1922. That given those numbers and the recent timeline, most African Americans need only look back 2 generations to find members of their family that were affected directly by either lynching or the Jim Crow laws and prejudice that fueled it. That’s 2 generations, even if you are just 20 now.

So yes nooses are not jokes or objects of laughter any more than say Nagasaki, or a concentration camp, or the Japanese internment is. It is a visceral reminder of violence against Blacks merely because we exist. And there is no equivalent that I am aware of that White Americans have ever known.

Perhaps it’s the fact that there is no equivalent that makes it so easy for some White Americans to minimize the impact of a noose, or to call for lynching a person. Perhaps the fact that far fewer White Americans can point to any time in America and their family trees when they were considered, by law, property or less than human or deserving of death because they exist. IF a nuclear bomb had destroyed Kansas City, I’m sure they would understand as I do. IF from say now until 2254 every White American was hit with a whip, 5 times every day for a half-hour each time, I guarantee they would understand.

But the fact is most don’t understand and never will. And that is why Tiger Woods is involved in a news story that deals with golf in the most meaningless way. That is the reason that Ms. Tilghman said the remarks she made (which I discussed previously – Tiger Woods comment impacts Dr. Martin Luther King birthday), why she only received a 2 week suspension, and Golfweek thought a noose on the cover of their magazine was appropriate.

Because if anyone stopped to think about it, or the events that filled the hours between intense discussion about Sanjiah still being on American Idol, how Anna Nicole Smith died and why (it was a drug overdose and she was an addict – seemed simple to me), and Ellen DeGeneres crying on television about breaking a contract and losing a puppy she had no right to give away, then you might have noticed that the prominent display of a noose pisses off most African Americans.

Obviously the editor at Golfweek missed all the abovementioned events, though I would bet that they know about American Idol. I would have thought the comments by the Golf Channel and the reaction of most (not Tiger Woods sadly – he missed a huge opportunity to make a valid and needed point) Blacks would have been a clue. Obviously they took that, and the entire Jena 6 situation among others, as the elephant in the room.

"...we consider Golfweek's imagery of a swinging noose on its cover to be outrageous and irresponsible. It smacks of tabloid journalism. It was a naked attempt to inflame and keep alive an incident..." - PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem

There is no justification for the noose on the cover. It was a blatant attempt to profit off of a serious and offensive event. It seems apparent that they must have felt that since golf in America is so predominantly White their actions would slip through the cracks and the major news media would ignore it. Mostly they are correct, but not enough thankfully.

Let me say this clearly, I hope many in the major news media hear this and remember it. A noose is required for lynching. Neither is a positive nor funny (as many in Americas past felt they were). Both evoke memories of a time in America when we were not the land of the free, not for all not for a long time. Both evoke thoughts of words whose only use is the degradation and minimalization of an entire race of people for no reason other than their genetic birthright. The use of either of these things is no more worthy of profiteering than using videotape of 9/11 to promote political gain or an air ionizer.

There is a manner and way of using both the term lynching and a noose such that a positive is reached. That would be education and sensitivity on what those things mean and what they involved. That would help fill in some of the missing parts in American history, where African Americans are concerned.

But that would involve an understanding that I mentioned previously is missing, and that Golfweek seems far too obtuse to understand.

Tiger Woods comment impacts Dr. Martin Luther King birthday Part 2 - 1.16.2008.2

Concluded from Tiger Woods comment impacts Dr. Martin Luther King birthday

What a lynching is pertains more to the social and mental status it has in America than anything else. The Tuskeegee Institute records of lynchings between the years 1880 and 1951 show 3437 African-American victims, that is what is recorded. The worst recorded lynching was The Colfax Massacre where 280 African Americans in Colfax, Louisiana in 1873 were killed. Lynchings were glorified in film in the movie The Birth of a Nation.

By the way, it was illegal to commit a lynching since 1922 (after 7 years of trying to pass Congress), a mere 85 years ago. There are people in this nation that committed, watched, and taught their children the sick value of a lynching alive today. This is by no means an act of the past. And while the Tuskeegee Institute may have stopped recording events, accussations of lynchings have occurred as recently as 10 years ago if my memory is correct.

This is what Ms. Tilghman was talking about. This is what she passingly decreed on Tiger Woods.

Now imagine this. If a Black announcer on a national cable channel was discussing the potential for Senator Hillary Clinton to be elected. If one of the commentators mentioned that perhaps the only way to stop the woman was to haul her off the stage, and that Black man said ‘Rape her in the back room’ what would have happened?

Everything would have stopped on a dime, and that announcer/commentator removed from the program and fired. That is the least of the outrage that would happen. But to call for the vicious murder of Tiger Woods is a nothing.

What does that say about the state of America. What does that mean on Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday and the 22nd anniversary of the holiday?

The mere fact that such a word and context could pop into her head without though shows exactly how far America has really gone. And that’s not nearly as far as we all would like to imagine.

Dr. Martin Luther King once spoke of a Dream, and as the arguably greatest golfer in the world can now attest to there is still a long way before the dream is a reality. As the recent racial attacks on Senator Obama proves, there is still a fear and refusal of some to have

“…recognized the right of the negro to govern white men…” – part of a quote by Sen. Benjamin Tillman of South Carolina in 1900.

We may have a holiday, that some get to enjoy, but I’d rather have the dream and a golf game without a call for lynching.


**I want to thank DeWayne Wickham for his comments in USAToday.com that allowed me to get the quote and link for the full speech of Senator “Pitchfork Ben” Tillman. The full speech can be found here.**

Tiger Woods comment impacts Dr. Martin Luther King birthday - 1.16.2008.1

With all the news on politics of late, little has been mentioned today about Dr. Martin Luther King. Equally little has been mentioned about events that slap the face of what Dr. Martin Luther King stood for, strived to do, and the day is meant to commemorate. Some of those events include the actions against Wesley Snipes (as I have been able to discern), the inference to the death of Tiger Woods, and the attacks on Senator Barack Obama.

I’ve already discussed Mr. Snipes, and to a degree Senator Obama. So I will start with DR. Martin Luther King. Since the death of Dr. King 2 days before I was born, there have been calls for a way to commemorate his life and life goal of racial equality in America. In 1986, after years of fights against the idea Dr. King became the first and only African American to have a federal holiday. Of course unlike most Federal holidays, virtually everyone has to work on this day, and it replaced an already existing holiday in 27 states (which helped get the day passed into law). Sadly more people enjoy a day off on Columbus Day than this one.

For those that are not old enough to realize it, one of the major reasons that there is a holiday today is because for over a decade the day before Election Day was a day that a majority of African Americans would take off. Kids did not go to school, nothing was bought in stores (big ticket items), adults were always sick. It was a social outcry that is unmatched today. And even with that statement, it took 18 years for many states to finally accept the day, though many ignored the holiday completely. All this in just my lifetime to date.

My point is that such willful ignorance of racial imbalance, and disrespect of an honorable and courageous man does not go away in a handful of years. It has gotten better, but to believe it is gone is ignorant and foolish in my opinion.

Which brings me to the comments against Tiger Woods. As some are aware during the recent Mercedes-Benz Championship tournament Kelly Tilghman, an announcer for the Golf Channel, suggested that Tiger Woods be lynched. The conversation surrounding that comment was in terms of what could be done by up-coming players to take on Tiger. One announcer suggested they gang up on Tiger, to which Ms. Tilghman stated

“Lynch him in a back alley”

Not knock him out. Not tie him down. She stated calmly, kill him in a brutal and public manner because he is Black (no matter how Tiger describes his racial history) on national cable programming. No matter how it may be excused, or what she wanted to convey, that is what she said.

The definition of lynching is –

“Any act of violence inflicted by the assemblage of two or more persons, without color or authority of law, for the premeditated purpose and with the premeditated intent of committing an act of violence upon the person of another which results in the death of the person.”

Concluded in part 2...

Proper fitness improves golf swing and handicap

For a lot of men, fitness is summed up in their preparation for and actual golf game. There is good reason for it too. Creating and maintaining proper fitness can give you less tension, hit drives farther, greater flexibility, weight loss, more energy and fewer injuries. I’m sure that every man can enjoy these types of benefits, no matter what their handicap.

The fact that spring is approaching means that the duffers out there are starting to think about getting out on the course away from work and family for a few hours in sunshine and warmth. If walking manicured fairways, with a few friends for a couple of hours isn’t relaxing to you I can’t imagine what you do for work. So for most of us we start to consider getting ready.

There are probably as many different golf videos, online sites, golf books and so on available on how to get in shape as there are diets for women. A casual Google search turns up hundreds. But the fact is that a bit of work will definitely help improve your score.

Why is fitness so big a deal?

Of the things that make up a golf swing there are several components intrinsic and consistent to every golfer. More important than golf equipment, choice of golf ball, and as important as golf instruction lessons are (in my opinion) strength, range of motion, and technique. All three are required to strike a consistent, solid shot.

First off if the body is weak and inflexible you will not be able to achieve optimal swing mechanics. Such things as a full shoulder turn, with minimal hip rotation are critical to get that Daly/Happy Gilmore drive that we all want so badly. No piece of golf equipment will make up for a weak golf swing, and shoulders that don’t turn.

Dropping a few pounds makes walking those 7,000 some odd yards (real golfers walk the course) far more easy. The best golf ball on the market won’t roll that far. In addition it adds to the energy you have for the back nine that most average, and overweight, golfers tend to have their blow-up holes on.

The golf swing itself is affected by how fit you are. The lower back usually takes the brunt of the stress and strain of a swing. Then hips, knees, shoulders and even wrists. The better off you are the better your swing and obviously the results of that swing.

So what should you do?

Well that depends on you. Going to the gym is never a bad thought. Talking to your doctor to determine what might be specifically good for you to do, or not do, isn’t a bad place to go either.

Shedding a couple (roughly 10) pounds if you are overweight can be a huge help. Stretching so that you can touch your toes is a great idea for flexibility. Bend over, keeping your knees straight, touch your toes, hold for 15 seconds. Do not bounce or have a slight bend in the knees. It’s also a great goal for those with more than a few vanity pounds to achieve.

Working your grip, which you can do indoors on those days the snow won’t stop falling, is definitely a benefit to your game.

Getting your stamina up will not only improve your ability to go thru 18 holes, but could improve your night-life as well.

Will working on all these things turn you into Sergio Garcia, Tiger Woods or even Kirk Triplett? Nope. Not by themselves.

But being just a bit more fit than the average guy in your foursome could mean dropping a few strokes, winning more rounds, and even a few dollars from your skins game (if you indulge in that). The bragging rights for all of that are immeasurable when it comes to the 19th hole. Especially if you are buying the drinks from winning the skins.

So as the days get longer, the sun shines brighter and warmer, and your desire to get out of the house and on the green increases, consider and work on getting a bit more fit. Your handicap counts on it.