Jim Brown Thinks Tiger Woods Is Too 'Politically Correct'

When Kelly Tilghman said that the only way for other golfers to beat Tiger Woods is to "lynch him in a back alley," it was at first not a story at all, and then it became a story about the way we judge members of the media who make offensive comments -- or approve offensive images.

But now the story is starting to turn in another direction. It's becoming a story about Woods, and his nature as a man who rarely takes stands on controversial issues. To the extent that Woods has spoken about the issue at all, it's been to say that he wasn't offended by Tilghman's comments and thinks it's a non-story.

But some people think that just shows that Woods doesn't have the guts to risk the hundreds of millions of dollars he makes in commercial endorsements by getting in the middle of a controversial issue. And one of those people is one of the greatest -- and most outspoken -- athletes in American history.

Jim Brown, widely regarded as the greatest player in NFL history, gave an interview to ESPN First Take today on which he said of Woods, "He waited until it was politically correct to come out and he should have come out right away."

Brown said of Tilghman, "When you say the word 'lynch' you should have to pay the price," and he suggested that Woods hasn't lived up to his responsibility as a famous person to stand up for social issues.

Is Brown right? I don't know. I respect Brown both for his greatness on the field and for his determination to make a difference off the field. But if Woods wasn't offended by Tilghman's comments, isn't he entitled to say so? Sorry, No Photos

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 104)

1-25-2008 @ 10:43AM

Robert said...

Jim Brown's statements have some validity. Tiger Woods has not addressed negative comments in the past. As a human being, in my opinion, he should at least address those comments and hold those individuals accountable.

1-24-2008 @ 12:50PM

JFCJR said...

JB must have been hit in the head too many times playing football. Since when is it up to JB to decide who should and should not take on social issues in today's world. Tiger Woods is a golfer.......not a social activist. I do not think for one minute that he is worried about money. He has more dough than he will be ever be able to spend. I admire Tiger for supporting his friend Kelly instead of starting up another racial controversy. People like JB live for that stuff. Besides, since when do blacks have a corner on the market when it comes to "lynching"? People of all colors have been lynched since the beginning of time. Sure, Kelly should not have said it and she apologized. Dana Jacobson's Jesus remark was also wrong but she apologized. I am a very strong devout Christian and I am fine with Dana's apology and Kelly's apology. Both statements were made in the context of joking and laughter and they mean't no harm. JB and a lot of people need to lighten up and quit trying to turn everything into a racial war........

1-24-2008 @ 12:52PM

tom stovall III said...

as great as jim brown was, he still has a chip on his shoulder when it comes to social issues.

1-24-2008 @ 12:54PM

Say what! said...

For God's sake -- get over it. Continuing to use racially exploitive issues beased on Brown's own anger 40+ years ago is not good for anyone.

It strikes me that Woods is trying to put it behind everyone and defuse the unfortunate reference and situation.

Could it be that Brown's just angry that he wasn't able to cash in on the endorsement $$ when he was a younger athlete? Could it be because he's always been an angry black man who always looks at whitey as the enemy?

Let's move on ...

1-24-2008 @ 12:55PM

john said...

Wow...I was going to comment on this, but read JFCJR'S.....You hit it right on the nose man....Good post. Eveyone in the USA knew what Kelly meant..It could've been a young Garcia or Mickelson..or whoever, but it wasn't racially targeted....this is getting so stupid...The Jacobson thing was 10 times worse...let it go!!

1-24-2008 @ 3:27PM

Dave said...

I am not easily offened. Both were cases of people saying stupid and insensitive things. I have no problem with their employers disciplining them. The fact that Tiger was getting ripped for not defending his friend enough and from folks like Jim Brown, probably means he handled it about right! Also, the gal from ESPN wasn't struck by a bolt of lightning, so just maybe Jesus considers it a non-issue! Let's move on...

1-24-2008 @ 2:33PM

Scott M said...

Tiger can play golf, good for him. Otherwise, why discuss him ? He's just a bland nobody off the golf course.

1-24-2008 @ 2:39PM

David Day said...

A couple of guys here have gotten it right. Give it a rest, man. JB, you need to get over your anger and realize not everyone white is a RACIST, just like everyone black is not a RACIST. Not to long ago we were still lynching people as horse thieves. In Wyoming, I do believe they lynched people on the death penalty, until a few years ago. It was a innocent mistake as Tiger said and truthfully I would trust Tiger before JB.

1-24-2008 @ 2:44PM

nickstoli said...

I respect Brown for the way he treats women. He puts them in their place.

Holla.

1-24-2008 @ 2:45PM

rein soobik said...

Brown is a racist wife beater and needs to go away.

Fred said...

Drop it, it's done. Kuddos for Tiger for handleing it like a classy guy that his is.

1-24-2008 @ 2:46PM

james emert said...

Tiger is much more a man than jim brown will ever be. Kelly's comments in no way was racially targeted. People like Brown is what continues to stir the racial hatred in this country. Tiger is someone with such world notoriety that he can champion positive racial causes just by doing what he does and not negative ones that come from african americans like brown.

1-24-2008 @ 2:47PM

Trixie said...

Jim Brown is just perpetuating a story that should have been over and done with 2 weeks ago. Here we go again. This is helping to keep JB in the public eye a few more minutes. When will it end?

1-24-2008 @ 2:58PM

rjol said...

As a member of the human race, Woods has the right to determine if he wants to make a statement on any given subject. You people who like to pounce on any statement made by someone in the limelight make me want to puke!!!!

1-24-2008 @ 2:57PM

augies132 said...

Jim Brown should stick to beating up women and making bad movies

1-24-2008 @ 3:02PM

Adam said...

Whos Jim Brown? I bet he s racist himself, hating white people, too...he s no different from Kelly Tigerbabe...

1-24-2008 @ 3:08PM

LENNY said...

tiger handled the controversy head on,defused it and went forward.the commentator applogized.when are we going to stop listening to the sharptons,jacksons and now jim brown who's background after football is not worth discussing.who just want to fan the flames of hatred.imagine if we resolved these situations in an appropiate way like tiger did,than those certain characters might have to get a real job.

1-24-2008 @ 3:10PM

GRIM said...

The problem here is JB is taking the term 'lynch' out of context. 40 years ago, when you said lynch, it meant to hang someone. Today, it means to beat somebody up.

1-24-2008 @ 3:11PM

RdsknCritic said...

Jim Brown needs to just shut up. Just because he has this organization called "AMER-I-CAN" [which was founded in 1988, 22 years after retiring from the NFL (1966)] that supposedly helps gang bangers turn their lives around doesn't make him an authority on social issues. It wasn't until after Jim Brown's NFL and Hollywood careers were over that he decided to become this social figure. And his social figure status still didn't come to fruition until after his frequent brushes with women and the law. So Jim Brown as well as everyone else should allow people to grown into whatever they chose to become. That is the beauty of our country. Jim Brown would serve many people better by just shutting the hell up. But if he chooses to speak out and enjoy the taste of shoe leather by putting his foot in his mouth on a consistent basis, then once again, that is the beauty of our country. We all have the right to sound, look, feel, act and be stupid. Jesse Jackson can use the word "hymietown" when referring to New York City "Jews", but I didn't hear Black folks raging about that. With regards to Jim Brown being regarded as the greatest NFL player ever; if the defensive players of today tackled the same as the defensive players of Jim Brown's era, Jim Brown would be an afterthought because the running backs of today would be running rampant.

1-24-2008 @ 3:14PM

Itza Minkman said...

Jim Brown defends his race -- and that is fine. However, who is he to tell others what to think, how to react and when? Don't we all have the freedom to make those choices as we see fit? FYI, Jimbo: Tiger also chooses NOT to beat his wife.