Tiger Woods was the center of scrutiny today as US Magazine released a voicemail from Jaimee Grubbs, a cocktail waitress and reality television "star" who claimed that she had a 31-month affair with the golfer.
In a shocking development, Tiger essentially admitted to SOME things -- without directly mentioning any particular item and/or transgression -- in a statement on his Web site this morning (the full text of which is after the jump). It should be noted that Tiger's statement is not directly an admission but an apology, as well as a somewhat emotional plea for privacy.
Sadly, he will probably not be granted that wish (yes, I realize my own hypocrisy here) because of the role that tabloid media plays in our society today but as the saying goes, it takes a big man to admit a mistake.
More coverage: Grubbs' Alleged Voicemail From Tiger | Ravenous Media Storm Engulfs Tiger, Us | Tiger Talk of Tournament | Full Tiger Coverage
I have let my family down and I regret those transgressions with all of my heart. I have not been true to my values and the behavior my family deserves. I am not without faults and I am far short of perfect. I am dealing with my behavior and personal failings behind closed doors with my family. Those feelings should be shared by us alone.
Although I am a well-known person and have made my career as a professional athlete, I have been dismayed to realize the full extent of what tabloid scrutiny really means. For the last week, my family and I have been hounded to expose intimate details of our personal lives. The stories in particular that physical violence played any role in the car accident were utterly false and malicious. Elin has always done more to support our family and shown more grace than anyone could possibly expect.
But no matter how intense curiosity about public figures can be, there is an important and deep principle at stake which is the right to some simple, human measure of privacy. I realize there are some who don't share my view on that. But for me, the virtue of privacy is one that must be protected in matters that are intimate and within one's own family. Personal sins should not require press releases and problems within a family shouldn't have to mean public confessions.
Whatever regrets I have about letting my family down have been shared with and felt by us alone. I have given this a lot of reflection and thought and I believe that there is a point at which I must stick to that principle even though it's difficult.
I will strive to be a better person and the husband and father that my family deserves. For all of those who have supported me over the years, I offer my profound apology.
Comments (Page 1 of 6)
Hey Tiger nobody's perfect... now you have something else to work on beside your golf game. You always talk about wanting to catch Jack maybe you sould use him for a roll model off the course as well.
We know nothing of how Jack lived his life. There was no TMZ,Radaroline, or Perez Hilton. Also the other woman knew her place and kept her mouth shut.
MM didn't blab about Pres. Kennedy.
YEP YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD...........THERE IS ONLY ONE "JACK" NEVER WILL BE ANOTHER SO WHEN THEY ALL SAID TIGER WOULD BE THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME ..........THEY FAILED TO CONSIDER WHAT COMES ALONG WITH MEGA-CELEBRITY AS JACK EXPERIENCED WITHOUT CHEATING ON HIS WIFE AND KIDS - BECAUSE THATS WHAT YOU DO WHEN YOU CHEAT...YOU ARE CHEATING ON YOUR KIDS TOO ...SO IF HE LOVED HIS KIDS AS MUCH AS THOSE PHOTO OPS AT THE END OF WINS DEPICT HE WOULD HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT THEM BEFORE HE GOT INVOLVED WITH THESE CHEAP SLUTS....ANOTHER THING HE ENVIED ABOUT PHIL WHEN PHIL IS SURROUNDED BY AMY AND THE KIDS AFTER HIS WINS...ONLY PHIL IS A MAN AND A REAL PERSON ......AS WAS/IS JACK....IT TAKES A MAN TO RESIST TEMPTATION AND MAYBE HE IS NOT THIS STEEL TRAP DISCIPLINED MACHINE HE TOUTS HIMSELF TO BE.........I AM SO DISAPOINTED IN HIM !!!!
No kidding. Your talent is unquestionable. However, when you consider that the world was laid at your feet the day you turned pro ... you've never once understood what it meant to take a risk, as you never had a price to pay.
That's different now. Bottomline, you need to lose every endorsement period !! You can and should everything you can to earn them back, along with the trust of your fans ..... and oh yeah, your wife and family !!! Wonder if Jack will take your call ......
Tiger is one heck of a dedicated and gifted athlete. he has done much for the sport, people, and, importantly, kids, all around the world. That being said, there is a lot of responsibility that goes with that billion dollars that he has been awarded for his talent. It appears, in his personal life, he has fallen short of those expectations. He needs to kick himself in the ass, in an old, Special Forces way, pick up from there, and never look back. Let us all hope he has the discipline to do that, that we, who support him, may never have to look back....
Hey Tiger,
Your right, your only human. I'm praying for you and your family and that your wife doesn't let this little homewrecking skank, ruin or break up your family. Do all that you can to make things right and stay away from cocktail waitresses. Obviously this woman has NO MORALS what so ever to be messing with a married man and you should not have been doing that, but it does take two,,if she had any respect for herself, she would have said no..TIGER WOODS or not..best of luck..tell your wife to hand in there and not to give up..lots of love..Rose.
Are you kidding me??!!!
Dear Tiger I wish You all the best, nobody is perfect. You have learned a hard lesson, that You will have live with. I do NOT believe that You set out to cause this situation for Your family and Yourself. Time is a healer and love is always stronger. You will be healed. In GOD we trust. I am not American but would like to think that You Tiger will regain your place in Your country as a true American that has fallen and who will rise up again HEALED.
Did Tiger think he could lie forever and make fools of the public? Nike still supports the liar so email Nike with something similar.
Mark Parker, you must be proud to have immediately jumped to Tiger's support before the facts were out and before Tiger finally decided to tell part of the truth about his infidelity. Maybe that is the type of low life degenerate that you choose to endorse your products. As for me, I will never buy another Nike product. I will also appeal to our school system to make sure they never buy another Nike product. You let your greed cloud your judgment and your morality if you ever had any morals. Tiger made Nike look like a perverted deviant who has sold their soles using an immoral lying destroyer of family values. It is a joke that you Mr Parker, consider yourself an ethical businessman while you undermine the morals of this country.
I also plan to use our church and school group to petition the State to stop buying any Nike products. I will join my friends to initiate a national boycott of all Nike products. The Internet is a powerful tool and in the past the majority was considered to be “Silent” but no longer. We will use the Internet to denounce Nike's immorality and your efforts to undermine family values. You made your bed with Tiger – now sleep with him as it seems so many have.
How bitter are you, Holy Roller. Casting judgement and wishing ill upon another due to past transgressions is NOT what the Bible instructs you to spend your time doing. Forgiveness is actually the number one underlying principal of the entire book.
Nike is laughing at your email.
The world is laughing at you.
You're an obvious fraud. Tiger Woods isn't the first athlete sponsored by Nike to cheat on his wife. So why did you wait until now to rally your troops for a boycott? If he's the reason you buy Nikes, then you are truly sad.
Truth is, most of us don't care what goes on in the bedrooms of consenting adults. It sucks to be his wife or daughter right now, but I am neither. I'm just a sports fan entertained by the talents of athletes for the brief periods they participate in their respective sports. That's it. Stop putting celebrities on pedestals. They are not gods.
lets see and you must be perfect right, guess you have never done anything wrong
AMEN TO THAT! They all think that an apology can make the pain go away just like that. What's wrong with people nowdays. No morales, no values, no cares about the people they hurt.
Geez dude, take a chill pill. You are WAAAAAY over the top. And a pretty insignificant in the big scheme of things.
Let me speak for Tiger...BRING IT!!!!
You'll be flicked away like the nasty little trouble maker you are. Get over yourself!! Who the heck died and made you judge and jury?
Tiger is handling this with as much grace as humanly possible. "Let ye who is without sin cast the first stone." Take that to your church you nasty little hypocrite!!
hey hollyroller,you should be petitioning against NIKE not because of Tiger Woods but because of their far eastern Labour policies.
Wow Matt. So you're planning to use "your church group" as a means of beating up on someone?!!!? Have you ever heard the phrases "let he who has not sinned cast the first stone" or "judge not, lest ye be judged" ?
Don't use religion as a threat! That is NOT what God wants.
who the hell made you god god forgives all some christian you are. those comments alone show you do not live by the word you judgemental ass
dude seriously you are crazy and you need to take a chill pill. So tiger did something he shouldn't have done, so what!? It doesn't mean that you need force your entire state to stop buying nike products. Nike has nothing to do with Tiger's personal life. Yes nike supports tiger but that is for other reasons such as the fact that tiger is a professional golfer and nike sponsors him.
Gee Matt....did anyone tell you that being so pious can get you in trouble yourself one day?? You sound pretty young and full of yourself so allow me to let you in on something about life and people and imperfection. We are ALL part of it...you included. The man made a mistake....he is dealing with that in his manner. Good "Christians" DO NOT throw stones!!! Yes....I am a Christian and my heart goes out to Tiger and his family. Too bad no one elses dirty laundry needs to be aired in the public or I think we would have many, many more understanding souls!
Do you work for Titliest? Or maybe Callaway? Either way, you need to be medicated.