There’s a fine line between disappointment & indebtedness…
I think America needs a reality check!! For some reason, we (the consumer public) have developed an aire of entitlement into the personal lives of those we admire. We believe whole-heartedly that if we exchange cash-for-goods in support of a product (or brand), that our purchase reserves us the collective right to be critical of those things unrelated to the business transaction. It is a bit arrogant, and we’re all guilty of the indulgence. But there comes a point where we must take a step back and evaluate…. Today’s Saturday, so why not now.
Tiger Woods is an American Icon…. in the game of golf. We didn’t fall in love with Tiger because he’s wholesome; 99.9% of us have never shared a private moment with him and thus are disconnected from his personal life. We don’t admire Tiger because he goes to church every Sunday, because he wakes up in the middle of the night and changes the baby’s diaper, because he never goes to nightclubs, served in the US military, or refrains from sipping alcohol… because he helps old ladies cross the street, always wears his seatbelt, or has never smoked a cigarette. We don’t know if any of these things are true, and quite frankly before 2-weeks ago, we didn’t care!! We like Tiger because he competes on the golf course, wins majors, wears red on Sundays, and collects trophies.
So, why do people feel that Tiger owes the them an “Oprah interview” explaining his ‘personal’ transgressions? It’s because they refuse to separate Tiger Woods from ‘Eldrick Woods,’ the athlete who wins tournaments from the man who is now fighting not-to-lose his marriage. Golf is only a portion of who he is; and for his success on the course we cheer, support, and purchase EVERYTHING he endorses. But, because we own a set of Nike golf clubs, a Gillette razor, and occasionally drink Gatorade does not entitle us POV access into his personal life.
Fact is, HE’S JUST AN ATHLETE! We’ve had President(s), Governors, Senators, Judges, Mayors, & Pastors who have lied, cheated, and ‘embezzled’ the public trust… figures who have had affairs in the sanctity of the office of the Executive branch of government, traveled first-class to South America to be with mistress on state tax money, or were caught spending budget cash on Call-Girls in New York State, embezzled state funds to finance romantic getaways, were video taped buying narcotics from undercover authorities… just to name a few.
Reality Check people: Tiger just plays golf!! Not to diminish what he’s achieved (let’s face it, he’s perhaps the world’s most recognizable athlete), but we have to put into perspective the level at which we should be glorifying his celebrity, and learn to separate consumer interest from humanity… He’s an ordinary guy with extraordinary athletic ability; who owes his wife, his kids, and his mother a few months of serious counceling, and some private time to amend his personal priorities……. Tiger doesn’t owe us anything.
Because the reality is the next time we see him on a Sunday afternoon, dressed in red, lifting a trophy or putting on a green jacket, we will completely forget about what we thought he owed us………….. just ask Kobe.
–T.J. Breeden
www.iblmedia.com
