from Amazon
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
The Greatest Blogger of our time?
It’s either D.K. Wilson, or Joe Posnanski. Joe does a deconstruction of the most phony athlete of our time, Tiger Woods (don’t worry ARod… you are close), gives him a personality, and hits a HR. But, as one of the commenters says:
I am amazed by Tiger’s accomplishments as anyone, and these tournaments are more fun to watch when he is in the mix. But I can’t stand this “mysticism” that surrounds him, this “innate ability to win” that people attribute to him. There is something of a self-fulfilling prophecy here, or a selective memory, or whatever the Psychology 101 term is that fits. Tiger has won more than anyone. But for every shot that “I knew he would make” that goes in, there are 10 that “I knew he would make” and didn’t go in. We don’t remember those. Tiger was great all week, especially considering the knee surgery. But he also sent drives into the rough and misplayed approach shots in absolutely crucial moments. He gave up a three-stroke lead with eight holes to play against a decidedly inferior player. Where was the “magic,” the “otherworldiness” then?
When it comes to stories about Tiger Woods, I treat it like a Law & Order episode: there’s a basis in fact to make a great story. But, it’s only a story.
***
Joe recounted a Don Rickles story that I love:
I know a story that might explain the comedian Don Rickles too. When he was just starting out, he was at a club with a date, and Frank Sinatra walked in. Rickles had a passing relationship with Sinatra at that point, and his date wanted desperately to be introduced. Rickles walked over and said, “Frank, please, I’m with this woman, she wants to meet you, it would make me look like such a big shot, please come over to the table.” Frank agreed, and after a while he did walk over and said, “Don, how are you?” To which Rickles shouted, “Frank not now! Can’t you see I’m with somebody?”
Which reminds me of a Don Rickles line, that he used on a Bob Newhart roast, upon learning that Newhart had a college degree in accounting. Flabbergasted, Rickles turns to his fellow comedian, and says: “You mean you don’t have to be doing this stuff?!?”
Tiger Woods is to golf as MJ was to basketball.
I don’t get the Tiger bashing. He’s passionate about golf and has honed his skill to become the best in the world. Not surprisingly he tends to be better than others in situations fans arbitrarily label “clutch”. Shouldn’t that be admired?
Make fun of the fans blurring the context not Tiger.