| Unlike many other sports superstars Tiger | | | | People forget that Woods is only part |
| Woods has never been a man to surround | | | | African-American and that while he is fully |
| himself in controversy. He's not out late | | | | famous he has never been an outspoken |
| with the paparazzi following him. He's not | | | | individual on any kind of issues other than |
| shedding tears on national television over | | | | those that directly affect his swing. They |
| other players. He is not giving his opinions | | | | forget that just because he's a superstar, he |
| on Tom Cruise or Britney Spears to tabloids | | | | never signed up to be anyone's political |
| and he is certainly not giving opinions on | | | | mouthpiece. He has and always will be a |
| race relations in professional golf or | | | | classy gentleman who tends to let the media |
| otherwise. | | | | crash and burn in their own controversies. |
| | | | |
| Woods has never been especially vocal about | | | | In this instance Woods handled the situation |
| his opinions on anything other than the game | | | | both professionally and with poise. It's a |
| of golf. In fact, while he is on the brink of | | | | no-brainer that what Kelly Tilghman said was |
| making history at the Buick Invitational, | | | | deplorable or that the cover of Golfweek was |
| Woods remains an enigma to many that regard | | | | distasteful. Anyone can see that. There was |
| him as a cultural icon who could make a | | | | no need to be melodramatic about it because |
| bigger impact on social issues. | | | | in the end, it all worked itself out, minus |
| | | | any protests, boycotts or visits from the |
| In the past few weeks Woods has been | | | | Reverend Al Sharpton. Woods handled the |
| subjected to close scrutiny by both the media | | | | incident like a man, albeit a quiet one. |
| and by other celebs in light of some | | | | Above all he handled it with class. |
| culturally insensitive "lynch" remarks made | | | | |
| by Golf Channel anchor Kelly Tilghman and | | | | Woods knows all too well that incidents of a |
| also by the recent controversial "noose" | | | | racial nature only derive their power from |
| cover of Golfweek magazine. | | | | fear, ignorance and undying media attention. |
| | | | Woods doesn't have to speak out against the |
| Woods seemed virtually unshaken by either | | | | absurdity of the media using words like |
| incident and called the Tilghman remark a | | | | "lynch" or putting nooses on the covers of |
| "non-issue." Much to the dismay of those | | | | glossy magazines - they are absurd enough on |
| waiting for a racial powder keg to explode | | | | their own. |
| Woods remained calm, composed and cool | | | | |
| throughout both ordeals, pausing only to | | | | Woods is like any other sports superstar who |
| reflect publicly when prodded repeatedly | | | | is paid massive sums of money from sponsors |
| through media pressure and outspoken sports | | | | to uphold a certain image. People in that |
| commentators across the country. | | | | world generally do not support social issues. |
| | | | Were Woods not African-American would there |
| Jim Brown, former professional | | | | be such pressure to make a stand? Certainly |
| African-American football star, stated that | | | | Jack Nicklaus was never asked to speak out |
| he thinks Woods should stand up for not only | | | | against racial injustices in the golf world, |
| himself but for Black athletes in general but | | | | so why Tiger? |
| Woods isn't budging. He accepted an apology | | | | |
| from Tilghman and said that the two are old | | | | Woods is no stranger to influence or power, |
| friends and that he knows she did not mean | | | | especially in the universe of professional |
| anything harmful in her remarks. | | | | golf. Certainly, had he pressed the issue, |
| | | | Kelly Tilghman would be fired. Regardless of |
| Many like Brown have suggested that Woods | | | | what people outside the world of golf think |
| could have done more to be socially | | | | of him he is as socially responsible as he |
| responsible. Woods is fully aware of those | | | | needs to be. He has often referred to his |
| that would have him be a champion of racial | | | | foundation and work with children as being |
| injustices. He has stated before that he will | | | | very socially responsible and important to |
| not go down that road and feels the so-called | | | | him. The Tiger Woods Learning Center in |
| controversy regarding his stance on racial | | | | Anaheim has reached a little over 16,000 kids |
| issues in modern golf is media-driven. | | | | in just two years and to Tiger, that's what |
| | | | matters most. |