Posted on 12/11/2009 7:27:23 AM PST by OldDeckHand
Greg Norman, a former world No. 1 who has felt both the embrace of adulation and the cold slap of criticism from the golfing public, weighed in on the Tiger Woods affair on Thursday.
Speaking to the Golf Channel at the Shark Shootout in Naples, Fla., he says Woods is a public figure who was hoisted into an exalted position by millions of fans, and as such, must thus endure the scrutiny when things go sideways.
“I hope Tiger sorts these issues out,” Norman told the network Thursday. “Things like that should stay behind closed doors, but then again we are public figures. There are times when people feel like they can reach through the TV screen and say `I own you, I know you because I buy a product you represent.’ That’s a part of it. You have to accept that responsibility.”
On his website, Woods lashed out at those who have probed and devoured every nugget of fact, and probably a few morsels of fiction, relating to his predicament.
Norman was grilled, although not nearly to this extent, when he dumped his wife of 26 years for tennis great Chris Evert, paying more than $100 million to his ex. Now he and Evert are on the rocks. Norman hasn’t said much about the Evert split, but says he understand why the questions were posed.
In the age of modern media, no golfer has felt the double-edged sword of celebrity more than Norman. It's interesting that he understands the voyeuristic nature of the media-player relationship and how symbiotic it is. Norman grasps that bad news often comes with the good.
(Excerpt) Read more at cbssports.com ...
but the faded toward the end..
I must have slept thru the news that Greg Norman married Chris Evert....never heard that before.
Wasn’t Norman hanging out with Billy Jeff Clinton years ago. Weren’t there women involved?
That was actually very funny.
True story.
Yep, and it's already over. They're separated.
Norman and his first wife were best friends with Everett and her husband. Make of that whatever you like.
Yes and Clinton busted up his knee
A foursome?
Wasn’t Norman hanging out with Billy Jeff Clinton years ago. Weren’t there women involved?
...Clinton broke/hurt his ankle leaving Norman’s Jupiter home. Both parties say no booze, and Norman’s wife was there, so no Monica, or Mondale, or whoever.
I'm not sure about the women, but there was definitely booze involved. They were partying at Norman's home and Saturday Night Bill was so liquored-up that he fell down and tore the ligaments in his knee. The SS had to wait until he dried out to take him to the hospital, or that's the story I heard from some people who lived in the neighborhood.
After Tiger the biggest loser in all this will be the PGA. Rumors now are that Tiger might take a hiatus from golf to save his marriage. All the beer-bellied white business guy golf fans who would have forgiven Tiger will now despise him if he gives up the game.
Yup. I think Norman was pretty balanced and if anything was a bit easy on Tiger. Nicklaus is being a sellout and is starting the rehab tour already.
I love how Tiger is “lashing out” at people on his web site. Sense of entitlement, he did nothing wrong, etc etc.
If this were Phil Mickelson it would be over. He would never play professionally again. Tiger is getting the Obama, Rangel, Franklin Raines, OJ treatment. Double standard.
John Rocker mentioned third world NY and was called a racist and was eventually driven out of baseball. Michael Vick tourtured and killed dogs, goes to jail and all is forgiven.
Right or wrong the PGA tour has always been billed as being more conservative. A lot of guys on tour are married with families and are very religious. I remember seeing something in Sports Illustrated about 70%+ of the tour players being Republican or supporting George Bush. I can't imagine Tiger will get a great reception when/if he comes back.
At least Norman had the decency or whatever to divorce his wife first...
Yeah and Norman who originally criticized Clinton became a fan
and lots of cold hard cash
My HH has been a Nike-free zone for several years.
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