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.