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

[ART]

I find it very sad that this country (people and media) is so blind to the bigger problems we face, and are so obsessed with these celebrities that we have to stop regular programming and have a live coverage of a circus put on by a lier, cheater, spoiled, and arrogant person apologizing to his wife and a few fans! Who cares?! According to the media during the last few days; "The "world" is waiting and watching." What and whose WORLD are you guys talking about?! Most people in the world don't even give a hoot about Tiger and his problems. Even most of us in this country couldn't care less! Specially not now during these tough economic times, when people are unemployed and losing their homes. Instead let's analyze Joe Stack's manifesto so we don't have more tragedies like that.

[Mark]

Staged, scripted, coached, cajoled, rehearsed and robotic.

[Tom]

You Media Morons don't know when to stop.
This man has been humiliated 100 times over, yes he made a mistake, several of them. He already apologized.
This is a personal problem and he doesn't have to answer to you and anyone. It's a personal prolem.

Now can we move on with real news

[Lisa Wolfenden]

I think Woods said all that was needed. As he stated, details of where, when and with whom are between him and his wife. This has all turned a bit voyeuristic, don't you think.
The only thing I take issue with is the suggestion that Ishtar was a bad film. It was a classic, which went way over the heads of the critics that panned it.

[Jerry Malone]

I'm sure his dad is so proud.. NOT!

[PAAP]

His speech certainly gives us the understanding that he certainly is one of many with an "Incomplete Conscience", where the rules apply to him, only when he sees fit for them to do so.....
Don't think for a moment, that he's the only one out there!! He's just more readily available to the "Public Eye" than most. I have done many, many years of research on how mostly men, but there are women as well, who come from a "dysfunctional family" where mostly the father is domineering/strict, or has a self-abusive persona, i.e. alcohol, drug addiction, etc. and then the child goes into their own world for protection, mirroring some who are sexually abused.
Tiger's father was certainly "living vicariously" through his son's accomplishment's, which left Tiger unknowingly missing out on his formative years. while growing up in this society.
His father has passed, but we have to understand that Tiger did not develop this behavior on his very own!! His father undoubtedly had a heavy hand in molding his son to what he is today, there should be no doubt in anyone's mind!
God Bless Tiger and his family, while he tries to recover from his formative years of psychological abuse & neglect.

[BaDaBing]

Hmmm...I just think about all the great achievers in the arts, sciences, and in sports who've had interesting and arresting private lives. It's too bad that this guy can't keep playing golf without all this bogus guilt and posturing. His wife, the precious, innocent one, is a co-conspirator in this relationship and should be undertaking a little therapy herself. Honestly, I don't think Tiger Woods has a clue what's going on...

[BaDaBing]

HONESTLY, I DON'T THINK TIGER WOODS HAS A CLUE WHAT'S GOING ON...HIS WIFE, THE MOTHER THERESA IN THIS PUBLIC FARCE, IS A CO-CONSPIRATOR IN THE PSYCHO-SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP THAT MARRIAGE IS AND SHOULD BE UNDERTAKING A LITTLE THERAPY HERSELF...