Virtual Tiger ducks real reporters
Just as he revolutionized the game of golf 15 years ago, Tiger Woods now is focusing his considerable talents on changing the concept of the sports interview. He has his reasons. In order for him to make everyone think he’s still the greatest golfer in the world when he hasn’t won a major in four years, he has to leave the real world behind and go virtual.
For the second time in little more than a month, Tiger has chosen to do what no other golfer dare try: avoid an official pretournament PGA Tour news conference in favor of his own virtual chat. Tiger and his handlers think that ducking the actual questions of real journalists to embrace the kind and caring thoughts and inquiries from a group of handpicked fans on the Internet is the way to go, and who can blame them?
As Tiger’s problems on and off the course have mounted, his performances in news conferences occasionally have degenerated into bizarre fits of pique and anger, leaving Team Tiger searching for another venue for him to reach his fan base, one that his people can control completely.
Enter the Internet, specifically Twitter, Facebook and Google+ chats. Tiger emerges from these short, 15- to 30-minute exercises unscathed and happy, with more time to devote to his golf game, which clearly needs his attention. Fans and observers have to feel better seeing a kinder and gentler Tiger even as they learn very little of substance, but that’s always been the case when Tiger opens his mouth, be it in a room full of reporters or in front of a webcam.
Tiger’s first Internet clambake came in late April before the Wells Fargo Championship. If this were to become a regular thing so Tiger can focus more on his game, what happened next was not a good omen: He missed the cut. The April webcast also was the subject of much derision. A common theme was that it looked like a “hostage video”; all that was missing from the shot was Tiger holding a newspaper showing that day’s date.
Tiger looked much less hostage-y and much more virtually happy in this week’s Google+ “Tiger’s Hangout” as he headed into the upcoming Memorial Tournament. The questions and comments that greeted him sounded as if they came from another era, from a time when he won at will, say, circa 2009, pre-fire-hydrant run-in. Tiger was once again the master of the universe sitting on a red couch with a 2012 U.S. Open sign over his shoulder.
If you had been locked in a closet the past four years, then saw the reverence the questioners showed him, and his delighted and confident responses back to them, you would have thought he had won three or four majors since the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, rather than none. Now there’s a concept: virtual majors. Let’s compare and contrast this joyful Tiger with the curt, impolite Tiger who couldn’t handle one simple line of questioning at a Feb. 29 news conference at the Honda Classic. Golfweek’s Alex Miceli was wondering how serious Tiger was about becoming a Navy SEAL, a topic that appears in ex-coach Hank Haney’s controversial book, which Tiger had said he would not discuss.
“I’m sorry,” Miceli said, “the book thing is out there and . . . in regards to being a Navy SEAL . . . was that something you were considering?”
“I’ve already talked about everything in the book,” Tiger replied.
“Then I must have missed you answering that question,” Miceli said.
“Well, I’ve already commented on the book. Is that in the book? Is it in the book?”
Miceli tried once more: “That’s a fair question, right, you guys are suggesting that there’s something wrong with the excerpts in the book. I’m just trying to find out if that’s true or not.”
Tiger was done: “I don’t know. Have a good day.”
When a 36-year-old man who makes millions off consumers acts like that in public, his handlers know they have to get him as far away from journalists as possible, and fast. It wasn’t as if Miceli was asking Tiger about, say, happy marriages. He was asking about the Navy SEALs, for goodness’ sake, a subject that could bring nothing but glory and honor to Tiger were he to maturely address it.
There is a lesson here for all future guests in Tiger’s virtual world. Stick to golf, always. And keep it light.