First there was the colossal media blitz before he’d even won a single professional event.
Then an even more colossal media blitz (several degrees beyond overkill, as I remember it) after he got a few wins under his belt.
Then a bunch of dumb commercials.
Then the obligatory highfalutin booshwah about how his success was going to inspire black athletes all across the country to take up this sport. (One of Esquire’s Reasons to Kill Yourself: “The idea that Tiger Woods’ success in an insanely expensive sport requiring miles of immaculately manicured lawns is actually going to influence urban black kids living ten to a room.”)
Then the maddening insistence on mentioning him in every other breath even when someone else won the damn tournament.
Then the ludicrous BS by a bunch of total nimrods about how his not winning the first few tournaments he entered was indicative of a “slump”. This despite the fact that not only didn’t he miss a single cut, he was near the top every time (at least two second-place finishes that I remember). Think John Daly would call that a slump?
Then some smug retorts at the total nimrods by another bunch of total nimrods after the long national nightmare (source: ESPN Magazine) had finally ended.
And most recently, more virulent debate than I thought anyone had the capability of giving a damn about on whether Woods’ winning of the Masters “really completes the Grand Slam”.
Sheesh, did Andre Agassi ever have to put up with this garbage? Look, Tiger Woods is a phenomenal athlete and a legend in the making, like Muhammed Ali, Hank Aaron, Wilt Chamberlain, Wayne Gretzky, or for that matter Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, were. Back then, what was considered the proper thing to do was watch and be awed. Now a young megastar blows down all the doors, and all we can do is overanalyze and argue and pointificate every aspect of it to death.
Why not just enjoy watching the man in action? Why not let him answer the questions about his true meaning? What’s the point in arguing endlessly about piddling little subjects like whether he “really” has a Grand Slam and just contemplate the enormity of his winning four Majors in a row? There will be time to look over his career once it’s over. For now, why not just enjoy the ride.
