Media commentators render quick verdicts on Tiger Woods' apology

Reaction to Tiger Woods’ nearly 15-minute apology for cheating on his wife came fast and furious Friday morning. After what ABC anchor George Stephanopoulos called “one of the most remarkable public apologies ever by a public figure,” PR experts and golf veterans offered conflicting takes on whether Woods did enough to repair the damage to his once-unimpeachable image.

“This was a public relations disaster,” media crisis expert Rick Cerrone said on CNN, noting that the golfer’s simmering anger at the media was all-too apparent. “This will be shown in colleges in future of how not to conduct a press conference.”

“He did exactly what he was supposed to do,” marketing expert Peter Shankman told Fox News anchor Jamie Colby. “It was scripted perfectly. He shut it down. He will disappear for a couple of months. He’ll go back to a game. Life will go on. The advertisers will be happy.”

“I think he was sincere,” NBC Sports interviewer Jimmy Roberts told Matt Lauer, who anchored the network’s coverage from Vancouver, Canada. “I do think there are questions that people still have.”

“Tiger's apology included some of the worst acting since Ishtar,” MSNBC host Joe Scarborough tweeted.

But CBS sports analyst David Feherty said that in the 13 years he had covered Woods, he had never seen him so vulnerable as he appeared Friday. “This is a private citizen. He’s not a John Edwards. He didn’t have to do this.”

Some questioned the amount of attention put on the golfer’s statement, which aired live on all the broadcast networks and an array of cable channels. Mark Knoller, White House correspondent for CBS News, tweeted: “Cant believe the major networks are providing live coverage of Tiger Woods' statement.”

It is rare for the broadcast networks to break into regularly scheduled programming with special news reports, an occasion largely reserved for major disasters or big speeches by the president, such as the State of the Union. “I like @chucktodd's idea that there should be a rebuttal to Tiger's statement,” ABC Senior White House Correspondent Jake Tapper tweeted. “Ladies? ;)”

-- Matea Gold

Comments

[Natalie Burrows]

Tiger Woods did it exactly right, despite doing everything wrong before this. I spent 40 years in the public relations business and rarely agree with how episodes like this are handled. This time I do. Knowing that his was serious neurotic and sick behavior, his apology could not have come earlier. Maybe he will mend his marriage or not, he did the right thing. This kind of mental illness of major sports, entertainment and political figures needs more serious reportage. I was disappointed only that the friend who helped his assignations was present.

[Laura]

Yes, people are always REALLY sorry once they've been caught. Poor vulnerable Tiger.

[Julie Senter]

I haven't read whether the last 1/3 shot from Tiger's back/side was intentional or a camera malfunction. I think it was the latter since it appeared everything about the speech was carefully scripted, including the camera stare-downs for emphasis. It appeared he was asking for forgiveness with his back turned to the public. I'm sure his handlers are fuming.

[Lyman Ward]

I matters little of the content of the 'conference', this is another arrogant attempt of Woods to control the media and never answer questions. There should have been a boycott of the 'conference' by the press.

[Mr. Sensitive]

Clinton apologist George Stephanopoulos wouldn't recognize sincerity if it walked up and bit him in the .......

We'll find out later if he is remorseful.

[Californian]

Woods became animated twice. First was when talking about his foundation and the work it does. Second was in defense of his wife and children's privacy. I found that to be quite sincere. This is a complex human being whose childhood was was taken from him, who is still learning to be an adult. I think we should support a man, a husband, a father, on his journey. The excessive criticism should end.

[Lou Bricano]

To all those who keep plaintively insisting that Eldrick's infidelity is none of the public's business: the very fact he held this news conference is the proof that you are wrong, and morons as well.

[Brian]

I wonder how much his dad dying played into this, didn't his spiral out of control start shortly after his dad died? Not that that's an excuse. He'll be back, America is a forgiving country and we can all move on with our lives.

[Gerd Rein]

Tiger, why don`t you stop all this bullshit and get a divorce. You have had your dumb swedish blond and two children and with all your money she will not be able to keep them away from you. As I noticed none of your 19 or more disgressions were blond, why? After the divorce you can "date" as many women you want.
Now if I had to appologise to my wife, which I had to do more than once, I did not read it from prepared statements but had to live with what came out of my mouth.

[kevin davis]

As I read this I wonder who is more concerned about the Wood's affairs, Tiger or the press? To all reporters, including the LA Times, CNN, MSNBC, etc., he didn't have to do this. He did not commit any crimes against the state. He wasn't doing PED's. He can still beat you any day of the week on the golf course(and 99% of all other pro golfers out there). So, You got your pound of flesh(his female entourage got a bit more in hush money thanks to lawyers), so let him get on with his life. Seriously, how many of you guys out there have had affairs on the side yet have not been outed, yet(same goes for the gals as well)? Get over it. I'd rather see him play golf anyway. If Tiger is smart, he will cut his wife a check and get on with his life. From everything that I have heard, she was in it for the money as well, anyway. Let Tiger play golf. That is what he was built for. Period. Let the man play golf. Think about it.

[kevin davis]

Lou, regarding your comments that he has to be a public figure. 1. he is a private contractor on the golf course. No contract that he has to speak to anyone. 2. the press and "moron"s, (like you?), helped to make him what he is. The moment he starts winning again, and he will, you will go back to following his galllery. Lou, Tiger didn'have to do it but he did. You had your pound of flesh now go back to the putt-putt course. You need the practice. Think about it.

[sAnTiAgO]

you know no one is perfect, i know i'm not. but for Tiger, i don't feel pity for him. dude's arrogant just the way he carried himself. for him to be out clubbing screwing around not with just one woman, but with several. you know my mother always said, "don't ever spit up in the air cuz it might come back down on your face". dude gets what he deserves "the dog house". he's lost his family, a beautiful wife and kids. what a dummy. for those who are out there in his defense saying "what is it of our business". hey he's the one coming out talking to the public. if it's none of our business, why come out. why even care what we think. pay back is bxxxh ;)

[James in SB]

I'm continuously amazed by the vindictiveness of some who comment on forums about Woods. Yeah, his behavior was bad. What business is it of yours or mine? He's a flawed human being with dark sides to his character. Does that surprise you? Do you really think someone who demonstrates his level of competitiveness and control doesn't have a dark side? Welcome to humanity. He ain't the first, you know. I wonder how many of those who are harshest in their criticism are Christians who read the book about that cool bearded guy who hung out with the prostitutes and the dregs of society and said all those inspiring things like "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone?" What about "There but for the grace of god go I?" People think they know something about Woods. They think they'd handle everything perfectly in his place. They think he's scum. He's just a man, dealing with failure. To Laura, yeah, he DID look vulnerable. But "poor" is your word, and your judgmental tone serves only to reveal your discomfort with and fear of your own vulnerability. For you, there is and can be no forgiveness. You're about punishment and judgment, and I'm not sure the world needs more of that.

[Chicolini]

Someone should tell George Stephanopoulos to make his way to the ABC video vault and look at JFK's national address where he takes full responsibility for the Bay of Pigs fiasco.

That, was a remarkable public apology. Taking the first step toward endorsement redemption is not.

[Doug in Toronto]

I think the 70-day delay between the original episode and this event was spent teaching Woods how to look 'sincere'. It was obivously scripted and stage-managed to look more like an infomercial shoot than a credible public statement.

[Xian]

Whatever... hope he plays golf again soon.

If it wasn't for the constant 24-hour, talking-head, media/celebrity-whore fest on cable and TV, and if not for the Internet's ready-made system of moralistic judgments by folks that probably have bigger skeletons in their closet (if not whole frickin' graveyards of "indiscretions"), I doubt this would have been a news-worthy series of events. But, as we live in a day and age when privacy is a rather quaint, old-fashioned notion, and when we hold A-type sports figures, politicians, musicians and actors to such a high standard (based on an ever-shifting set of selective ethics), I guess we'll be in for more of this crap in the future. It's our national parlor game and pasttime now. Build 'em up, then knock 'em down... what fun!

[Fran]

How did that song go? Let me entertain you; let me make you smile (or cry or throw rocks). He did. Time to leave him to heaven. Next!

[Lorraine Gordon]

I was irritated that regular programming was being replaced with this public statement, and I was prepared to scoff and deride Woods. However, even though he read from a prepared statement, by the end of his speech I was convinced of his sincerity. The very fact that he has been a therapy inpatient all this time demonstrates his willingness to change.

[esb]

LIAR, LIAR, LIAR.

[tillzen]

The electronic media has become so disposable that being right about anything pales in comparison to being immediately snarky or hot. Because sports commentators know little outside of their expertise they are ill prepared for a story outside of their purvey.
With the Tiger mea culpa many are falling all over themselves to judge him sincere. The rest are finding his statement disingenuous and contrived. The problem is that these sports dudes have zero ability to tell us why in a broader world-view sense.
To us the educated and the worldly we immediately found a group apology to a parent and those close to Tiger the height of creepy insensitivity. I know that the dividing line between public and private behavior has blurred but this was disturbing at best.
By including Tiger's belief that he had been wronged too any therapist would agree that he still has a long way to go. One can assume that he also blames the women he had stashed around the nation. He could have chosen to apologize to the many others he had wronged "by my manipulative and insensitive actions".
This would have done 2 things. It would have killed the next month of face time for the mistresses, and told all women that he is beginning to get it; that people are not objects to be collected and bought off.
Perhaps his therapists will force Tiger to live in the real world where all the good deeds in the world can not explain away usury be it committed in fancy hotel, a Motel 6 or the Oval Office.