Putting it On the Table

I do think Tiger deserves credit for actually saying what he did wrong, and for using direct language rather than coy euphemisms and allusions. I think as apologies go, this one was pretty good — especially considering that Tiger is intensely private and kind of a snobby robot. So he’s not going to openly weep (the sniffle right at the end of the speech is actually making me kind of nuts). Was it kind of tacky to talk to his sponsers? Sure. But he defended his wife, owned up to his actions, and for 13 minutes did a major mea cupla.

The real question, I think, is how far do apologies go? Can a sincere, long apology get us over the reality of his initial transgressions? Or, like Ellin apparently said, will we have to judge Tiger by his actions. If so (and I think that’s the case) at what point does the forgiveness start? And do we, as individual golf fans or gossip fans or television watching Americans, have the time and energy to issue our forgiveness? Or are some people just going to write him off because he squandered our good will in the first place?