Yep, Same Guy

Every now and then, somebody uncovers a sports truth so powerful and obvious, you say to yourself: "DUH! Why didn't I think of that!?"

Bob Smiley writes a piece on ESPN.com as a special contributor, which nails the Tiger Woods/Anthony Weiner nerd-gone-off-the-rails comparison right down to the "blue curtains of shame."

Rather than letting the world see and embrace the real Eldrick "Tiger" Woods -- the wide-eyed, well-mannered kid with terrible vision and a childhood stutter -- Woods looked to the clichéd high school memories of what made someone cool and became just that. He learned how to melt reporters with his glare. He hired a caddie to act as his de facto goon. He worked out until he was built like a defensive end. And in doing so, he put his sinewy golf body at risk while alienating a contingent of fans that loved his golf but hated him. 

At times, this whole Tiger saga has felt like a bad John Hughes film. A nerd wakes up to find out he rules the school, only to collapse under the weight of his own popularity. Yet that's the heart of the issue. As someone who has written about Tiger extensively and watched him for hours on end, I don't think Tiger's destructive behavior is a result of narcissism as much as he's been undone by the unfulfilled fantasies of his 15-year-old self.

Do yourself a favor, and read the whole thing. It's short and to the point, but certainly provocative reading. Left unsaid in the narrative, is how much did the sudden brush with other athletic "cool guys" like Michael Jordan, shape the off-the-course decisions Tiger began to make once his fame, majors, and pile of riches skyrocketed?

My guess: alot.