Tiger Woods Issues Apology Without Actually Saying What He Did

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Taking a page from the New York Yankees Steroid Book, Tigers Woods released the below statement about his extra-marital affairs without saying he actually did it:

I have let my family down and I regret those transgressions with all of my heart. I have not been true to my values and the behavior my family deserves. I am not without faults and I am far short of perfect. I am dealing with my behavior and personal failings behind closed doors with my family. Those feelings should be shared by us alone.

Although I am a well-known person and have made my career as a professional athlete, I have been dismayed to realize the full extent of what tabloid scrutiny really means. For the last week, my family and I have been hounded to expose intimate details of our personal lives. The stories in particular that physical violence played any role in the car accident were utterly false and malicious. Elin has always done more to support our family and shown more grace than anyone could possibly expect.

But no matter how intense curiosity about public figures can be, there is an important and deep principle at stake which is the right to some simple, human measure of privacy. I realize there are some who don’t share my view on that. But for me, the virtue of privacy is one that must be protected in matters that are intimate and within one’s own family. Personal sins should not require press releases and problems within a family shouldn’t have to mean public confessions.

Whatever regrets I have about letting my family down have been shared with and felt by us alone. I have given this a lot of reflection and thought and I believe that there is a point at which I must stick to that principle even though it’s difficult.

I will strive to be a better person and the husband and father that my family deserves. For all of those who have supported me over the years, I offer my profound apology.

This could be very damaging to Tiger. First off, he was regarded as one of the few “pure” athletes in sports. He’s the good guy that can do no wrong. Secondly, he’s the face of one of the most popular sports in the country. People who don’t watch golf tend to watch the tournyments where he’s in contention. Finally, he stands to lose a majority of his income if sponsors/endorsors decide not to be associated with him.

The question is now where does he go from here? If he can work things out with his wife, it’ll go a long way in the eyes of the public. He can spin it to show that he’s human and makes mistakes; it’ll also show that he’s still a family man and that will sit well with the average person. Look at how quickly Kobe Bryant’s alledged infidelity/rape went away? Another thing he has to do is play in a few more tournyments. If he can get the focus back on his game and off of his family, it’ll make the public forget.

The worst thing that could happen would be an ugly divorce. While gossip fans of TMZ would be enthralled, the common Tiger fan would probably start to route against him, just for the fact that his personal life has tarnished his image.