Tiger Woods car/life crash

yeah, see Blass, Wholers and Ankiel above. Also Sax and Knoblauch's demises were attributable to their inability to throw the ball from second to first.

lol

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Blass#Steve_Blass_Disease

this seems to happen a lot to closers (except Mo, for whatever reason, God I hate him)

Dale Murphy. Steve Blass. Steve Sax. Mark Wohlers. Chuck Knoblach.Rick Ankiel (in pitcher incarnation).

The operative words, though, were "near Tiger's level"--the only one of those guys where the description fits somewhat would be Murphy, and even that's a stretch. (Ditto Ortiz--and with him, PEDs again enter the picture.) There are probably countless numbers of lower-level players who lose it overnight.)

Name another guy in any sport, except for maybe Michael Jordan or Roger Federer or Babe Ruth, who were near Tiger's level. There are others, but your setting the bar kind of high there.

And guys in golf hit rough patches. Nicklaus went 11 years between Masters at one point. Woods had one off year. Let's not write obituaries yet.

Favre 2009/Favre 2010?

Hall of Fame level, then, which Murphy and Ortiz fall short of.

As I was arguing above, I'm on the fence with Tiger--even more so after yesterday.

Favre 2009/Favre 2010?

― frogbs, Monday, April 11, 2011 10:41 AM (2 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

But he sucked from '07 - '09, then got rejuvenated in Minny. Plus he's nowhere near on Tiger's level.

I'm not a football fan, but from what I know of Favre, that's an acceptable parallel for me in terms of level.

But in terms of falling apart overnight, wouldn't any drastic changes with him simply be explained by age? A 40-year-old football player is much more past his expiry date than a 35-year-old golfer.

xp I dunno, like you said it's hard to really pick anyone in any sport who dominated like Tiger, maybe Federer, maybe Pedro, I don't know. But Favre's 07 was actually really good (would have been a serious MVP candidate if not for Tom Brady), and his 08 season was great until the injury. He also could have won the MVP in 09. He definitely had it until just recently.

Favre was terrible with the Jets in '08. I was at the last game against the Dolphins and he was booed out of the place.

The first 11 games he was playing well, and led them to an 8-3 record which was significant because they really did not have a whole lot of talent. For the last 5 games I thought it was revealed that he tore a rotator cuff or something and really should not have been playing, singlehandedly dogging the Jets season (even the one game they did win was only due to a monumental coaching blunder). I guess ultimately his Jets stint will be remembered for that, but when he was healthy he played at a pretty high level.

From what I could tell Tiger's short game was really bad, which seems to be a focus problem, but otherwise he looked awesome. When he was dominating though he wouldn't miss half as many putts and obviously it all added up in the end.

But the short game tells me everything (rightly or wrongly) about a golfer's frame of mind, a focus problem sounds lot more manageable and it isn't. And in the majors I've seen from Woods its been one terrible round, a couple of indifferent ones and then about a rounds worth of brilliant passages. He is incapable of that brand of ultra boring consistency that made such a dominant figure (of course its only a boring outcome but he is often electrifying).

So Mcilory did look like he could become the main obstacle to Woods getting over the 18 major line - you could see him establishing something that had a substance for a little while. And then we found out how it really was. The short game told. Felt awful for him, he's got his own line to cross now.

you didnt watch a lot of golf if you're characterizing the last 15 years of tigers career as "ultra-boring consistency"

He's saying the outcome was boring, not the play.

mcilroy's short game was not a problem - he didn't three-putt until like the 65th hole

tiger historically has had an incredible short game - aside from a couple of tough misses i wouldn't put the blame on this "loss" on his short game - he played well! he was keeping the ball in the fairway, was generally sticking it with his irons, he made some putts, he missed some putts - if he plays at anywhere near this level with any kind of consistency for the next 7 years or so passing jack will be easy as cake.

"that brand" would seem to imply that he was talking about tiger's style, but either way, rong xp

i hope this creep never wins another major

"if he plays at anywhere near this level with any kind of consistency for the next 7 years or so passing jack will be easy as cake."

I don't see it. I don't see this Tiger winning 5 majors playing this way (not accounting for age, etc.)

"this way"?? he shot 67 on sunday and came in 4th!

He shot a 74 on Saturday and came in 4th!

Winning FIVE majors in seven years is hard. You actually have to be A LOT better than everyone else to do it. I don't think he's at that level anymore and I'm dubious that he's going to get back there.

Yeah I think he can definitely win majors playing the way he did if things align well for him but I really doubt he's going to win 5 of them. Would be a great story and it would be nice to see him redeemed in the eyes of the public. Obviously I'm not supporting what he did, but he didn't break the law, the word "rape" wasn't involved, and his dong isn't all over the internet, and it's tough to really feel too bad for Elin considering she got nearly a billion dollar settlement. I mean people were "okay" with Kobe after he started winning again, why not Tiger?

p.s. before people jump on me I realize this culture is kind of stupid when it comes to "forgiving" athletes but this is pretty much how the media works

I mean people were "okay" with Kobe after he started winning again, why not Tiger?

did anyone really "love" kobe?

Yeah nobody loved Kobe before and nobody loves him now and only Lakers fans root for the Lakers.

People do!! I meet a lot of oddball fans who don't live in LA, who have never lived in LA, who are huge fans of Kobe for whatever reason, and obviously those who do live in LA love the guy, I mean for all his faults he's such a talent and works harder than pretty much everyone else in the league...it doesn't seem like he thinks about anything else other than basketball, which you gotta respect

Wait do you mean "love" like think he's an amazing talent or "love" like I want to own his jersey and buy his album or whatever?

"it doesn't seem like he thinks about anything else other than basketball, which you gotta respect"

Pretty sure he thinks about rape sometimes. Maybe not any more though.

Wait do you mean "love" like think he's an amazing talent or "love" like I want to own his jersey and buy his album or whatever?

― Fig On A Plate Cart (Alex in SF), Monday, April 11, 2011 5:44 PM (2 minutes ago)

ha i definitely know some kobe stans, it's kinda sad

and it's tough to really feel too bad for Elin considering she got nearly a billion dollar settlement.

i suspect she would still prefer that she hadn't been humiliated by her husband raw dogging sluts around the world while she stayed at home taking care of the kids

What Tiger did in his personal life is of no concern to me whatsoever.

I like watching the guy play, golf is much more entertaining when he's in contention.

the public eventually forgives & forgets infidelity (this extends far past sports as well) as long as you play the game "the right way"

no one likes kobe outside of l.a. other than a few people, though obv bron is the most disliked player in the game these days. gotta figure the nba is ecstatic over the emergence of derrick rose b/c they could use an across-the-board likable and charismatic superstar on one of the big teams.

and as long as you butter up the press

rofl @ the idea of derrick rose as charismatic -- he has about as much personality as the statute they'll eventually erect for him outside of the united center

roehtlisberger is about a year or two away from his full fledged redemption tour

tiger is basically a-rod for all of his awkward self-awareness and lack of enjoyment he gets out of the game when he's playing (in recent years at least)

the public eventually forgives & forgets infidelity (this extends far past sports as well) as long as you play the game "the right way"

― J0rdan S., Monday, April 11, 2011 5:51 PM (44 seconds ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

There's nothing for me to forgive. Not to sound heartless, but i dont want to butt into Tiger Woods' private life, just like I dont want him butting into mine. I think if you were to investigate every athlete's private life you'd be disappointed. All they are is entertainment to me, not any kind of role model.

he may boring enough that they'll erect a statute but i think his game and court presence is exciting and his personality (what little there may be of it!) comes off as likable enough. i mean michael jordan was a cement block too but i think in the end he realized how best to use his personality in conjunction w/his highlight reels.

magill i wasn't addressing you when i said "the public"

you of all ppl

"ha i definitely know some kobe stans, it's kinda sad"

I'm sure there are a lot more Tiger stans though, I don't think it's a measure of forgiveness. Just some people are kinda weird.

"his personality (what little there may be of it!) comes off as likable enough."

His interviews are really stilted and weird.

magill i wasn't addressing you when i said "the public"

― J0rdan S., Monday, April 11, 2011 5:57 PM (50 seconds ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink
you of all ppl

― J0rdan S., Monday, April 11, 2011 5:58 PM (19 seconds ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

Yeah, i know.

If I can be completely inconsistent for a moment, I have to say I fucking hate Kobe Bryant.

kobe is a great villain & i resent the way his sins as a basketball player have been washed away by the media, but the guy's a straight assassin & for that i love him

also it was thrilling to have him on 'our' side for team USA

kobe is fun, def an amazing supervillain and just a heartless bastard in all likelihood, i'm sure he's murdered many people IRL as well as on the court but all of that makes him pretty awesome. i hate him but enjoy him.