Having just watched the Tiger Woods press conference on CNN, I wanted to briefly close the loop on this sad topic, and continuing PR disaster for the golf great. The biggest question today’s event raises for me, from a PR standpoint, is why did it take this long? All of this could have been said within days and no longer than a week from when the news broke in November. It was scripted and felt more like a box he simply needed to check off as part of his therapy. At times it lacked any sincerity at all.
While he made statements about being sorry and being accountable for cheating on his wife and putting his family in harm’s way, he also went on to take shots at the media for stalking his wife, his children and his mother. In these statements, he sounded angry. He sounded arrogant. It all could have been dramatically different if he didn’t go radio silent when the news broke over Thanksgiving weekend. As I’ve said before, if you own your story and commit to telling it — regardless of what the story is — than the media will not be as motivated to hunt, stalk and fish for the sordid details. If you go into hiding, as Tiger did, then guess what? The media — because you are the greatest golfer in the world, for god’s sake — will go around to whomever is connected to you. There should be no surprise, or even anger, from Tiger Woods over this. Yes, he has some serious trouble in his personal life, but the lines get blurred when you mess up as he did, and then continue to comport yourself in the manner he did. We can debate for days about whether he deserves privacy during such a heated and emotional time. But this is Tiger Woods we’re talking about — so the point that he gravely misses here is, you have to answer to so many different people other than your family. There are those in your profession. Your sponsors. Your Foundation. The public at large who has supported you throughout your career. Your staff, your peers, your friends, and so on. The best way to confront all these different groups, as well as be accountable for your actions, is through the media. Love them or hate them, they are your gateway to Peace or Hell.
Sadly, Tiger took this moment in time, today, to break his silence and pick a fight. Having the media on your side, Tiger, is a crucial component to helping you rebuild your life. They are your window to the world, and vice-versa. Respect that, or you will continue to the lose the media game.
What do you think — did Tiger do anything to start repairing his image today, or more damage?
