I tried to avoid this whole Tiger Woods situation I really did. I just didn’t care because he wasn’t the first athlete to cheat on his wife, and he won’t be the last. I’ve read two separate books that both say that athletes cheats on their wives. Jose Canseco’s Juiced and Andy Roddick beat me with a Frying Pan (yes, that’s the actual title).

But when I heard of Gloria Allred’s demand for a personal apology to her Client, Porn Star Joslyn James aka Veronica Siwik-Daniels (I can refer to her this way because Allred did, as oppose to calling her a politically correct term Adult Film Star), it was time to go into full meltdown mode. Please don’t try to stop me, it will do you no good.

Attorney Gloria Allred jumped on Tiger right after his media conference was finished. She said that his words today were a staged PR stunt and disgrace. Funny, it sounded like her presser right after was staged. Or was that just me who thought that? I want to know when she planned on making the statement on behalf of her client. The second Woods announced his plans? Everyone feels entitled to everything and when they don’t get something, they throw a fit.

Allred then stated that Woods led James to believe that she was the only woman for him, and conveniently mumbled the words, other than his wife. OK, Timeout!

If I hear anyone already has a partner, I steer clear of the situation, because I know this is going to end badly. This did, and all the parties involved had it blow up in their face. Serves them right. If Ms James believed that she was the only mistress, then I have some beach front property to sell her in upstate New York. She might be a gull-calf (if you don’t get that reference, watch both Wayne’s World)

When a man cheats (and no I don’t know from experience, I’m restating what I’ve read in different books about athletes, like Juiced.) he typically does it with more than one partner. James’ naïveté hurt her feelings, not Woods.

She then wants to know why Woods didn’t acknowledge their relationship with and apology. There is a reason. It would’ve taken him eight years to apologize to everyone. Everyone would be coming out wanting an apology.

Do I get one? Tiger is one of my favourite athletes, he wronged me, or so I’m made to believe, I should get one right? These ladies knew what they were getting into. I think if you turned on a TV you knew Woods was married and had kids. Every network ran with the story the second it broke.

Then Allred said Woods needs to come out from behind his handlers and carefully crafted statements and make amends to her client. Sorry? I couldn’t hear your point underneath that carefully crafted statement you and your client read from.

Pot have you met Kettle?

Of all the asinine points, this one takes the cake (pardon the cliché, but I have carefully craft this next line). This is eerily similar to when Sarah Palin ripped Obama for reading off prompter, then proceeded to take her’s hand held.

Tiger waited a little long in my opinion to come out and say something. He said he is sorry to every, say for the women who willingly entered into a relationship with him, regardless of the strings. You play with fire, you’re going to get burned (Oh! Another cliché, sorry but once again, I have to carefully craft.)

Woods apologized to the ones who deserved it, his family. That’s all he needed to do.

For those of you who want to hear the entire statement: Here’s the link

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/02/gloria-allred-attacks-tiger-woods.html

It was quite funny listening to the sports shows today, hell, it was funny listening to all the radio shows today, sports or otherwise. All the talking heads had an opinion, most when stripped down, where saying the same thing: Shame on Tiger for being egotistical, for being the Tiger Machine, for not respecting the game, for taking the story away from the game, a tournament under his old sponsor’s name. Yes he didn’t break the law, but he has handled it poorly. Does that seem about right?

What’s astonishing to me is the coverage this prepared read statement is getting the day before it happens. During tonight’s Canada vs. Switzerland hockey game, CTV was promoing it’s live coverage of this staged, 1 camera, pre-selected media, 1 way, no question conference. It was a full sale press. The local radio stations are coaxing listeners to tune in, in case they get the rights to cover the read statement.

Now, I like watching the train wreck as much as the other guy. So don’t get me wrong. This however reeks. The guy’s a great golfer. He may be a total schmuck, but he is a great golfer. His machine is trying to control the story, and the saps are allowing them too. By blasting the fact that the Tiger press conference will be carried on their network they are feeding the beast. I am very far from perfect, but I can tell you I won’t be tuning in. I’m the idiot who works from home on NHL trade deadline day. I’m the guy who watches the NFL/NBA draft without really knowing the kids being drafted because I like the excitement. This Tiger Woods thing????? Nope. I am not going to watch. I’ll read about it. I’m sure it won’t be avoidable on twitter, the net, radio and tv.

Are we going to be surprised by anything he is going to say??? Should anyone be surprised that he is going to be coming back to play golf? Come on, we aren’t that stupid. We all know what he is going to say. We don’t need to stop our world to watch the machine at work.

TSM

@yyzsportsmedia

Here’s your bikini of the day from bikinibeat.org:

On Fan 590 Tonight

4:10 Kevin Martin, Curler

4:25 Rod Black, TSN

5:25 Nick Kypreos, Sportsnet

5:42 Bob Elliott, Toronto Sun

6:06 Spud Webb, in studio

6:30 Michael Downey, CEO of Tennis Canada in studio

6:45 Mark Fainaru Wada, ESPN

On 640 with Brady and Watters thanks to Mike S.:

- Pat O’Brien on the Tiger Woods story

- Brian Duff of NHL Network

- Jonas Sigel from Montreal

- Hockey insider Ray Ferraro at 6:10

- Jean Perron

Stay at home Berger has a post about the “Burke” story of the week.

“I’ve wondered – since the outset – why Brendan’s personal affairs are business. He is a law-abiding citizen, and should therefore have the same right as any of us to determine, without apology or defense, his druthers toward religion, political following and sexual orientation. Given the stigma that continues to surround homosexuality in our increasingly permissive society, it would have been entirely reasonable for Brendan to maintain his private posture.”

I “bolded” the first part simply, because I am not entirely sure what SAH Berger means. My guess is that he is wondering why Burke Jr.’s personal life is public. The answer to that question is in all the interviews that both Burke and his son have given since the story broke. Brendan chose to go public with story for very personal reasons. That’s his choice and he has let it be known his reasons since he talked to ESPN first.

Why it is such a big story is very easy to ascertain too, his Dad is Brian Burke, the GM of the Maple Leafs, he is one of the bigger names in management in hockey and is in the biggest market in the sport. It’s quite stunning that SAH even goes there…

“Now, I’m certain both he and Brendan would like to shelve the subject and return to the privacy of their family lives. We should grant them that respect.”

Is he kidding?

Shelve the subject? You mean like Tiger Woods would like to shelve his little car accident? Hey, I am going to go out on a limb here but I am sure that Brian told his son that once Brendan goes public he will never be able to “shelve it”. Not only that, but given the profession of Brian, his wife and Brendan you can bet that they threw the term “private lives” out the window a long time ago. I also am quite sure that they fully expect to be asked about this issue for a long long time.

As for respecting that wish, I don’t think anyone will be offside for asking about it either. Brendan has chosen his path and that didn’t include privacy. He had that before and actively chose to “come out”. Don’t get me wrong, Brendan deserves to have his life and be afforded the same privacy that we all do. But once you make yourself a very public figure that comes with a cost.

For SAH to think otherwise is off base.

TSM

@yyzsportsmedia

Here are the lineups for the shows at noon:

On Hockey Central At Noon:

1205 kypreos
1210 mcsorley
1225 cory clouston

110 Ron Wilson

College of Sports Media Game of the Night:

Round one of the TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta kicks off today. Traditionally this tournament was played in November and it marked the end of the PGA season. The winner would also receive a three year PGA Tour exemption. In 2007 the Fed Ex Cup was introduced and the TOUR Championship was moved to the end of September. Winning the tournament doesn’t gaurantee winning the $10 million Fed Ex purse. The golfer with the most points gets the dough. The first year of the Fed Ex Cup, Tiger Woods won the tournament and the 10 mil. The following year Camilo Villegas won the Championship and Vijay Singh won the Cup. This season Woods leads the race with 2500 points, but Steve Stricker is only 250 behind. Jim Furyk is third in the standings with 2000. Eldrick comes into this one with the most confidence, as if he needs it. He won the last tournament, the BMW Championship, with a final score of 19 under par, eight strokes ahead of second place Furyk.

Here are the lineups for the shows at noon:

On Baseball Show:

WILNER

BRIAN BUTTERFIELD
JOE SHEEHAN

On Leafs Lunch:

Brady Hosting

College of Sports Media Game of the Night:

Tiger Woods shot a bogey-free 67 in the opening round of the PGA Championship at Hazeltine to lead the tournament by one stroke over last year’s winner Padraig Harrington. In fact the last time Woods broke 70 in the first round of a major was the 2007 British Open. He was near perfect on the day hitting 12 of 14 fairways and 15 of 18 greens in regulation. For anyone wondering when Tiger has the lead in a major going into the second round he’s won four out of six times. Harrington who was paired with Woods and 2002 champion Rich Beem kept base with the leader and even edged him in average driving distance 316 to 315. These two are very familiar with each other. They played together in the final group of last weekend’s WGC-Firestone, which Tiger eventually won. Two other Tour veterans are not far behind the lead as well. Vijay Singh and David Toms trail the leader by two strokes at three under par. Phil Mickelson on the other hand struggled throughout the day and finished with a two over 74. He’ll have to pull it together if he wants to make the cut. Today is cut down day and we’ll have to see if Woods can remain on top of the leader board.

For all you CFL fans, Friday Night Football goes tonight at the Rogers Centre as the 2-4 BC Lions are in town to battle the 2-4 Toronto Argonauts. It’s pretty safe to say that both teams have been disappointed with their seasons thus far. Cody Pickett gets his first start under centre for the Boatmen.

Watch for yourself as perhaps Tiger Woods let’s one fly at the buick open. Wow- wonder if golf ticket sales will be harder to get from now on?

Here are the lineups for the shows at noon:

On Baseball Show:
Alex Seixeiro Hosts

PAUL WHITE OF USA TODAY AT 1240

On Leafs Lunch:
Greg Brady hosting
1240 -Tom Kostopoulos

College of Sports Media Game of the Night:
Wow it’s like a giant black hole landed in the middle of everything sports and sucked all the games out of today. Coming off of yesterday’s All Star game, MLB doesn’t resume play until tomorrow. The same can be said about the CFL. Although it’s pretty funny that a Winnipeg scout was escorted out of Ivor Wynn during a Ti-Cats practise. That may actually be a sign of the appocalypse – I’m going to have to look it up. The PGA is in countdown mode to the opening round of the Open Chmpionship at Turnberry. For all of us on this side of the pond, tee offs start around at 1:30 am. Not surprinsingly, Vegas has Tiger Woods as the huge favourite to win at two-to-one odds.

Perhaps the real game of the day today is yours. Whether it’s a crucial softball game or a ‘friendly’ match play with a pal have some fun and enjoy your game of the day.