Hi David. Well done on the interview. I agree with all of your points except maybe the last, and I understand that the reasons for my hesitancy could be the fact that interracial relationships aren't such a big deal in Australia.

David – I read your “four ways” and certainly find them to be plausible. In fact, each has a lot of explanation power on its own. This whole story is still early in some ways too. Do you think that Tiger can regroup, and perhaps apologize to the public for his misdeeds, and then rebuild his career with a different image? People seem to be willing to “forgive and forget” if there is genuine humility expressed. His new image could involve advocacy work and support for others perhaps? After all, he is the world’s best golfer, and being best at something is always valued.
Thanks.

Well I have little faith that he'll be able to make a comeback. I think sadly the fact that this was an interracial couple and that he (the black part of it) so betrayed his wife (the white part) mat put him out of reach of public redemption. I believe it is a complicating factor. We hold a special place of scorn in america for black guys who damage white women and it's even more pronounced when society has granted him permission to be with the woman, made an exception, called you out as different and exceptional and so rare. Then to do that "black thang" anyway? I'm not sure tiger can recover.

Tiger's problem is that he sold out on his blackness. He came up with that absolutely stupid ethnic name, and behaved so arrogantly about it. Now, he's finding out just how Black he truly is.

I'm with Maddie P. In America, a White Woman can kill and eat her children, and a huge number of people would find an excuse for her. But there is no forgiving the man in a betrayal.

Some are even feeling sorry for that pathetic string of skanky women who had no trouble helping a man to betray his wife and to ruin life for his children, not to mention possibly exposing her to HIV and God knows what.

If he had acknowledged his Blackness, he could have manned up and not run off to hide like a spoiled punk. I fear for his mental soundness, because his actions are not the actions of a stable man.

@MaddieP: And what "balck thang" is it exactly that you mean? Is this not more of a behavioral "thang". Not that I condone or condemn either party (clears throat and wonders why nobody is asking any of these women why they thought it was "okay" to be with a married man) I think the problem ultimately is that marriage in many ways, is counter-intuitive to the human race because it demands that people subscribe to a behavior pattern that unfortunately, is not as hard wired into the human race as relgion or culture demand it to be when it comes to sexuality.

That is cool. Glad you posted this.

Wow. These comments are shocking. Really shocking.

Why is his racial make up even an issue? He's a very rich, very high profile, very successful 32 year old guy, oh yeah, and by anyone's standards, he's fit and very handsome too. That's a combination sure to attract every filly around with a bee in her bonnet. It's too bad and maybe he wasn't really the marrying kind, at least not for a few more years or decades... he might have benefitted from a few lessons from the likes of George Clooney or Warren Beatty.

This quote by zumalicious repelled me:

"He came up with that absolutely stupid ethnic name, and behaved so arrogantly about it. Now, he's finding out just how Black he truly is."

WTF! He's been called Tiger since he was "in short pants, he did not name himself Tiger. And what is acknowledging his "blackness" supposed to mean? This is about a guy and his big ass libido and maybe some screwed up mental shit going on in his head. Why does his blackness or his wife's whiteness have anything to do with the issue?

I've read that Tiger was well-known as 'active' before he got married, and that golf has lots of groupies (who knew), and actually a lot of his after-marriage carrying on wasn't all that discreet. So the whole thing that was always there suddenly exploded. What changed? From what's out there, it seems like stories in the Inquirer upset his wife, and she in turn upset him ... causing that silly accident that got it into the news. Like a balloon and one prick (so to speak) and the whole thing went whistling out of control...

Ablonde, I think Zuma meant how Tiger refers to himself as a "cablinasian', which I believe is a mix of caucasian, black and asian. Or something.

I'm more concerned with maddie's comment about how Tiger did the "black thang". I'm not quite sure what that means. Infidelity? No racial group has a monopoly on that.

Again, maybe the focus on race is an American thing I'm not getting.

I've read that Tiger was well-known as 'active' before he got married, and that golf has lots of groupies (who knew), and actually a lot of his after-marriage carrying on wasn't all that discreet. So the whole thing that was always there suddenly exploded. What changed? From what's out there, it seems like stories in the Inquirer upset his wife, and she in turn upset him ... causing that silly accident that got it into the news. Like a balloon and one prick (so to speak) and the whole thing went whistling out of control...

Now for you David (sorry),

Did Tiger really put himself on a pedestal? I never heard him say he was mr. perfect family guy. Before he married he was never a guy who got himself photographed at high profile clubs with lots of babes and that sort of thing.

I just don't see Tiger as having marketed and extolled himself as some sort of paragon of virtue. A paragon of athletic excellence and determination? Absolutely! But I never heard or read anything where Tiger put himself on a moral pedestal or portrayed himself as a morality role model to anyone. He never portrayed himself as a big time "family man" either. A few photos of his wife and baby caught here and there, but if someone says Tiger Woods my initial reply is golf, golf, golf. Not wife, not kids, not family guy. Golf, nike, golf.

The race thing? Sorry, I think Tiger decided he liked vanilla more than chocolate and then got in a rut and stopped experimenting with the other flavors.

I also think it is unfair to bring up the old lynching/white woman/black man thing here, I just don't think it applies. It's important to know that his wife is Swedish, and Scandinavians have a very different attitude about race. In fact, being "different" in Scandinavia may well work to your advantage as a man.

Ablonde - ah, but we're not talking about (or in) Sweden, but in race-haunted USA.

Yes Myriad, I know we're not in Sweden but I just don't think people would be any less up in arms if he'd been boinking a plethora of women who were black and asian and whatever other race. I don't think the media coverage is greater and more sensationalist because he's "black." It's because he's flippin famous, over the top famous. His notoriety is the prejudice.

I'm guessing the black community has been pissed off at him for a long time because Tiger was never interested in labeling himself as the black/african american anything, and that, coupled with his preference for white chicks (at least from what we've seen) pissed them off. I get that and it's understandable. Can you imagine if Barack Obama had made campaign speeches minimizing or denying his heritage? Obama needed votes to win his tournament, Tiger could swing the club and put the ball in the hole himself.

amazing stuff. a nation of groupies slavering over the latest scandal in the check-out counter 'women's mag.'

do try to think of some more important matter than this. world peace has not been achieved, america is playing its usual active role in making sure it isn't, there's aids, malaria, and global warming...

This was a great piece David. For the most part, I agree with your perspective.

1. Tiger is a hypocrite because he cheated on his wife. I do not think he’s more or less of a hypocrite than anyone who breaks their marriage vows. Then again, bedding 16 women is straying pretty far afield.

2. Success breeds confidence. Repeated success sometimes breeds arrogance. Just as the petty thief often graduates to grand larceny, Tiger became enamored with his ability to satisfy his carnal desires and maintain his Q score. At some point, he seemingly dismissed the notion that his behavior would ever become public.

3. Tiger’s arrogance blinded him to the reality that he was setting himself up for an eventual downfall.

4. Race is the elephant standing in the middle of the room. For some, this issue is color neutral, but for many Tiger’s interracial marriage and the women he chose as sexual partners are significant factors which ratchet up the shock value in this twist tale of an untamed Tiger.