When Annie Liebovitz took the “raw, never-before-seen photos” of Woods back in January 2006, Woods had just come off a 2005 season that included wins at the Masters and then at the U.S. Open — the 10th major win of his career. That season he topped the money list for the sixth time in his career and was ranked No. 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings.
Moreover, these achievements came on the heels of knee surgery and a massive retooling of his swing. Photos of Woods at this stage of his career, looking unlike any other golfer on the links, should have been newsworthy in their own right. But obviously, they weren’t. It took a massive scandal for Liebovitz to be able to dust them off and get them in print.
What a wild ride this guy has been on. I have no sympathy for him but do find some empathy for his position. He wanted to play with the Big Boys with all the benefits and little thought about not being above being caught. When the tiger comes out in each of us, we all get caught eventually, it is just that most of us don't have the resources to cover it up so thoroughly. Funny that eventually, we all wind up on the same playing field.
When I saw that Annie Liebovitz had taken this picture in 2006, it set me back. Then, I got it. This is not the Tiger we thought we knew but really was one of many Tigers. How fast his Tigers fell and his life is now in complete turmoil.
Whether he and his wife reconcile or not, he will have to come to terms with all his Tigers. The good and the bad. We are a black and white people, not because of color but because we are a people who knows what to do and don't. From weight to drugs or lying, we are all the same. We are shadow and light, we are wrong and we are right. Being a good person(or a great golfer) one day doesn't make up for being a cheat or liar, the next day.
None of us is perfect. We all hurt those around us. There are tigers in each of us.
There but for the grace of God, go I....and someday, it may be your tiger's turn...
