Tiger can't stand out of Woods for anything
By Mike Freeman | CBSSports.com National Columnist Follow MikeBarack Obama is such an inspiring figure, he has managed to make even Tiger Woods get up off his ass and take a public stand on something.
Well, almost.
Well, not really. I wish.
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| Barack Obama brings Tiger Woods out of the political closet a little. (Getty Images) |
On anything.
I have a dream: That one day Woods will care about something other than making money.
Woods is usually so relentlessly apolitical and position-phobic, he borders on cowardly. Taking stands jeopardizes commercial dollars, Q-ratings and selling cars. Being meek jeopardizes nothing.
Before Obama was elected, Woods was Woods. He refused to say if he was supporting Obama or John McCain. He stayed on the sidelines, and on message, as he always does.
Other athletes were taking positions and talking politics. Woods said little. He spoke more about his creaky knee than one of the most electric and engrossing presidential races in history. Many athletes, because they're not automatons, had plenty to say.
"I don't care who you are, with this election, how can you not pay attention to what's going on?" Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Vonnie Holliday told the Miami Herald before the race's conclusion. "It's historic. As a kid you're told you can do anything, just put your mind to it, and for a long time, for women, for blacks, that wasn't necessarily the case. Now, Hillary made that dream a reality. When my daughter says, 'I want to be president,' it's like, 'Yeah, you have a shot.'"
"I try to have a broad perspective, and I care about the direction of this country," kicker Jay Feely said before the election. "I don't love any of the candidates, but I'm a conservative thinker and lean in that direction. I read both of Barack Obama's books and have a lot of respect for his life story, his hope, his optimism, but I just disagree with his policy. I think McCain is an American hero and a guy who can reach across party lines."
There were numerous other athletes from both sides of fence commenting on the election.
How could you not?
When Woods was asked to take part in Sunday's president-elect ceremonies, joining other celebrities like Bono, Sheryl Crow, Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Wonder, he shocked many by accepting, and I thought there was hope for him yet.
"I am honored that I was invited to this historic event," Woods said.
But Woods couldn't help but still be Woods.
His words of support for the military were fine -- I'm ex-Army and appreciate that -- but he still said little of substance.
I'd have more respect for Woods if he stuck to his noncommittal persona and turned down the offer. It's true. I would.
Woods' meek appearance had the smell of bandwagon jumping. Too late, Tiger. Some of us know what you're doing, which is being overtly opportunistic.
Woods saw which way the wind was blowing and decided to jump on the Cablanasian train.
My guess is that the people who invited Woods had no idea how little he publicly cared about Obama's candidacy, or how little he publicly cares about anything.
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| The Prince: Being an athlete or an entertainer does not give one the right to force their political or, for that matter, religious views. My views are not going to change based on what Tiger Woods, or anyone else, thinks. It is refreshing to have an athlete, especially such an outstanding one, know what his role in society is. People need to stop expecting him to be something he isn't. |
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| Mike Freeman: I'm not asking Woods to force his views on anyone. I'm asking him to just have some. Woods has lived up to his potential as a fabulous athlete but he could do so much more. He has the intelligence, charisma and power to literally change the country. He instead has decide his main mission is to make money. That's fine. But what's wrong with doing both? |
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In this matter and this matter only Woods is not so different from uber-opportunist Don King, the boxing promoting clown who has been parading around in recent days waving American flags and proclaiming his love for Obama. King is a staunch Republican who backed McCain.
Many of us haven't forgotten where you've stood on Obama all this time, Mr. King.
And I don't mean Martin Luther.
I understand why Woods takes few firm positions. Having a stance is risky. It takes stones. It causes people to get angry. When you take some out of their comfort zone, it frightens them, and they react unkindly, even violently. If you want to see the reaction to what it's like to take a position, look at the message board below this story.
See what I mean.
So I understand. It's just that Woods takes his fear of commitment to an entirely higher orbit. He makes Michael Jordan look like Gandhi.
When Oprah Winfrey backed Obama over Hillary Clinton extremely early on in the primary race, she caught massive hell from women supporters, who believed she had betrayed her gender.
Not too confuse what Winfrey did with the courage of, say, successfully landing a plane on an icy river, but it still took guts to do what she did.
Woods has guts on the course. Off of it ...
Not so much.
Welcome to the Obama presidency, Tiger. Better late than never.
I guess.
