Tiger Woods is popping again. He’s winning matches. Nike is back on the Jimmy. He’s escaped the depths of hell, but some haters want to knock his hustle, instead of patting him on the back.
Nike’s latest online ad showing an image of Tiger Woods behind the quote, “Winning takes care of everything,” is supposedly rubbing some people the wrong way. The ad, posted on Facebook and Twitter, hints to the fact that the golfer recovered from career mishaps to regain his world No. 1 ranking on Monday, which he lost in October 2010.
Apparently, some people aren’t feeling the ad because of Woods’ panty-raiding past.
Tiger paid his dues to the golf world. His ex-wife came off like a bandit in the divorce settlement and he was embarrassed, criticized and ridiculed by so-called friends, media and moralists looking for a high profile vic to get paid off.
They had him buried like a sucker.
Now that he has his swagger back, eventually, he’ll have the world back, too.
Nike never cut him. They sort of put him on the back burner in great anticipation, of this re-birthed opportunity to get the money machine churning again. People need to let it rock.
Tiger’s not the first disgraced star to make a comeback. Robert Downey Jr. makes a living off them. Redemption stories are supposed to be praised in the USA.
Why are people still hating on Tiger?
When Tiger encountered his troubles in ’09, at times he was attacked extra maliciously. Many people felt it was because of the same things that made him an iconic, polarizing figure – his race.
The vicious media and public backlash against Tiger’s romp with a list of strippers and trailer park cuties, didn’t sit well with many brothers. It almost seemed personal. The media portrayed Tiger’s many jump–offs as helpless victims caught up in some modern-day Jack The Ripper’s devious plot to steal virginities. His fall from grace was historic and swift.
His golf buddies and caddy turned on him quicker than Jackie Robinson ran first to third.
It wasn’t like he killed somebody. He was a man who didn’t have his manhood in check. Hardly a Martian on the planet of “dumb things men do.”
His golf game suffered because his life was in shambles, his family left him and he was exposed – no longer the poster child for perfect living.
Once he accepted that, however, his play improved. After winning his first PGA Tour in 30 months last March, the progression was obvious. Then, he hit another lick at Torrey Pines in January.
Tiger wasn’t fully back, but the wins were important steps in his journey towards self- realization. Golf and his mental fortitude have always been two vessels functioning as one dominant organ. Tiger had to get them back in sync. Progress was evident, but we still saw the conflict, erratic nature and indecisiveness in his game.
Then, he fell in love with Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn and everything seemed to work itself out. The hood and outspoken critics of his racial preferences were in unison, like, “Oh hell no, Tiger. Not again.”
What do they know? His recent win at Bay Hill has regained him the No. 1 world's ranking, a spot he hasn’t sniffed in 29 months. He’s not just back, he's rising like a Phoenix. Having worked through that moment of truth and faced his demons, Tiger will only get stronger. He might even be better than ever.
So save your breath about the commercial. Tiger and his new piece don’t give a damn, and if the ferocity of his recent fist pumps is any indication – he’s here to stay, chumps.
