I don’t have trouble calling Tiger a sports legend. Yes, this win cements it. I don’t have problems with calling him one of — if not THE — best golfers ever. But let’s reserve “hero” for the people who really earned it.

As for him not doing anything with his celebrity to “do good’. I guess that little thing called the Tiger Woods Foundation which funds communities and organizations that nurture family values and encourage adult involvement in children’s lives. In additio, the foundation’s clinics give thousands of young people golf lessons and also draw attention and support to the organizations that allow inner-city children access to golf. Ya know I’m not even saying that people have to kiss the guy’s ass. Like any athlete, he’s going to have adoring fans and those who just don’t think he’s all that or wished he wouldn’t throw his clubs or curse or some other reason. But please..before talking out of the side of your mouth that the guy doesn’t do anything “good” with his celebrity…at least check your facts first.

What coverage does a professional basketball player, hockey player or football player receive when they return two months after being scoped? Usually pretty minor and routine stuff, No?

Let’s at least agree that they aren’t treated as if they’re walking on water like the media did with Tiger this past week.

So, yes, prior to today’s news about the ACL, all the previous media coverage was hype with a capital H.

http://www.golf.com/golf/tours_news/article/0,28136,1815681,00.html

Yeah, the media really overhyped that angle of the story.

From everything we heard on Sunday and Monday all he had to do was take an over-the-counter pain killer to make it comfortable for him to play. This wasn’t Willis Reed hobbling onto the court for game 7 against the Lakers in the 1970 finals. Nor was it Kirk Gibson’s world series pinch hit home run when he could barely jog around the bases.

Golf is a “skill competition” – not an athletic event. The proof of that is that a 45 year old man can come within one stroke of winning one of golf’s biggest championships. It is impossible in a true athletic event or sport for a 45 year old to compete evenly with a great athlete in his or her 20s or 30s. So the injury comeback hype in this case is just that – Hype.

What “heroic” thing has Tiger ever done other than sink impossible putts? I don’t seem to recall him taking any stand on important issues or using his immense celebrity to do good. This is not to single him out since a lot of athletes are simply interested in performing and making as much $ as they can, but this hardly makes him heroic or worthy of our worship. I’ll take a Joey Cheek (http://teamdarfur.org/) any day of the week.

Ben Hogan won the 1950 U.S. Open at Merion less a year removed from nearly dying in an [url=http://www.usga.org/news/images/news/hogan.jpg]automobile accident[/url]. After barely making it around the course (and before painkillers), he needed a par on the 72nd hole to make it into the playoff. Back then, they played 36 holes on the final day of regulation. [url=http://www.monroegallery.com/showcase/images/life_BenHogan.jpg]He hit an iconic 1-iron on the green[/url] and two-putted to secure his spot. He then won the 18-hole playoff the next day against two competitors, including a former U.S. Open champion.

This doesn’t away from what Tiger did–to me, this was his most memorable professional victory to date, after the 1997 Masters and 2000 U.S. Open. But let’s not get carried away here.