Friday, February 19, 2010

Plushenko Against Lysacek, Against ... Tiger?

If anyone watched the men’s Olympic figure skating last night, you would have seen the American figure skater Evan Lysacek complete an almost perfect routine, to win the Gold Medal. Russia's Evgeni Plushenko's performance was almost as good – but not quite. The two skaters are almost identical in their level of skill, but in the end Lysacek outscored Plushenko outscored by 1.31 points, 257.67 to 256.36. These are the dramatic moments that make the Olympics worth watching. One never knows what the dramatic story is going to be, and here it is. You just can’t get better performances, or more drama than that. And what was the headline newstory on CNN this morning?

“Stage Set for Tiger’s Apology. Can Tiger Woods Make a Comeback?”

Oh, puleeze...! Tiger Woods has decided to hold a press conference tomorrow. Let me get this straight – he’s a sportsman, and he is holding a press conference during a major sporting event where the eyes of the world are on the young athletes of the world. Can you say selfish? To quote Sports Illustrated columnist Selena Roberts:

"He wants to explain himself by holding a press conference tomorrow with selected reporters who will be asked to sit there in silence. No questions, please. The control freak in Tiger wants to tell the world he is a crummy guy on his terms, with his spin, uninterrupted. The serial cad in Tiger will likely feel the need to express contrition for being human, of course, even if most humans are equipped with restraint buttons. The Olympic athletes deserve a break, particularly those from the U.S. The Americans have earned their enthusiasm, and all the coverage and headlines that go with it. Now Tiger wants to eclipse their sunshine by crashing their bash with his own pity party."

My opinion of Tiger Woods is diminishing daily. Just go away, Tiger. I don't want to hear your lame excuses apologies for cheating on your wife. Just go away.

31 comments:

Brenda's Arizona said...

My sentiment exactly. I love your 'puleeze'. Even our local newscasters/radio casts are all headlining the Tiger story. Maybe it is over by now? PULEEZE!

When the local news got to 'real sports, they reminded us that in 4 years, Winter Olympics will be held in Russia - as if 'payback' is in the book.

Alissa Grosso said...

A press conference where no one can ask any questions? What's the point? If that's how he's going to be he should just write a letter, or better yet, not say anything. Personally, I don't really want to know about Tiger Woods's personal life.

Jo said...

Brenda, I just want Tiger to go away. I don't think he will ever be redeemed. He may golf again, but I really don't care. Puleeze...! *heh* And yes, I think in four years the Russians will have their skating revenge. :-)

Alissa, well, maybe if the press can't ask any questions, Tiger will just go away. One can only hope!

The Bug said...

I'm tired of Tiger-mania too. I've noticed a lack of Olympic coverage in general in my Yahoo sports headlines - here are the headlines on my Yahoo page right now:

• Anthony has 40 as Nuggets end Cavs' 13-game streak (AP) - 6 hours ago
AP - LeBron James made history.
• Woods heading back to therapy after speech (AP) - 47 minutes agoAP - Tiger Woods will return to therapy after he ends a three-month silence and speaks about his infidelity and his future.
• Top seeds, defending champion lose in Match Play (AP) - 15 hours agoAP - The remaining top four seeds went down, and so did the defending champion.
• McGrady trade the big deal on deadline day (AP)

Basketball, golf, golf, & basketball. RealLy? Nothing happening in Vancouver lately? Sheesh!

Land of shimp said...

It's kind of clear that Tiger Woods has manifold issues, glitches and problems, but frankly, I don't give a darn. That's not an excuse for his grotesque behavior, and he can't ever explain it away.

By the way, the golf press has decided to boycott the event as it is not an actual press conference in which they'd be allowed to function as journalists on any level. Tiger passed down the royal decree and demanded a captive audience (that he wasn't even going to be facing) and that audience said, "You don't own us, you creep."

It was high time someone did that, and part of Tiger's manifold issues have to do with the fact that he believes he lives by a different set of rules. That arrogance is coming back to bite him in the butt.

As for the unmitigated gall of a spoiled, overly-rich, golfer with an entitlement problem that extends to almost every walk of life, trying to take attention away from the Olympic athletes who have shown a lifetime's worth of dedication?

Tiger Woods makes himself look worse, and worse, and still worse yet. It's almost a miracle because how much father can the guy fall, by his own hand?

He makes those Olympians look even better by contrast. He needs to accept that he's actually screwed up beyond the point of reparation, and clearly, that hasn't sunk in yet. Maybe it will begin to, because the very press core that jumped to his every whim, just told him to go, get soaked.

Land of shimp said...

By the way, I just read the synopsis of his statement. Guess what? He's "deeply sorry". Oh.shut.UP, Tiger.

He just keeps creating things for which to be sorry.

Rebecca Nelson said...

GO AWAY Mr. T is RIGHT! I've never ever seen anyone squander their blessings more than Tiger Woods. I'd love to bottle up his talent and give it to someone who deserves it.

I loved watching America take the Gold again last night! Proud to live in the USA!

Love to you~Rebecca

Burcu said...

Have you ever come across with the group on facebook named: 'I had an affair with Tiger Woods'. And the number of the members is just 49,827 :)
I am just wondering is there anyone else who didn't have an affair with him?

DUTA said...

judging by the name, Evan Lysacek is also of east-european origin, so the golden medal stays in the family after all.

SparkleFarkel said...

I just watched Tiger Woods center staging it on TV. Granted, his twelve-step program insists he's got to out-loud his apologies, but while he's apologizing for his indiscretions and self-imposed entitlement, I don’t think Bill W., or Dr. Drew, or whoever is in charge of his “treatment” plan, would encourage the use of universal (to include all planets in our solar system and beyond) air time to do so, especially, like you said, “holding a press conference during a major sporting event where the eyes of the world are on the young athletes of the world.” That’s just self-entitlement in action AGAIN. Man, I feel for his wife. Thank God, she wasn’t placed in the front row.

And another thing, while we’re at it: Rehab. Rehab. Rehab. That word makes me tired. It seems to be the only answer to EVERYTHING, these days. The guy had it all and let his penis rule his world, for crying out loud. A welding kit for pants zippers seems would have made for an easier, less expensive "Rx" choice.

As for last night’s figure skating outcome: I was quite disappointed. I was rooting for Evgeni Plushenko. For a looksee at my “ranty”, insert http://sparkle-soup.blogspot.com/2010/02/frosting-on-wrong-cake.html to link to ”Frosting the Wrong Cake”. (<-- I can't seem to enable a direct "click" link.) I hope I don’t sound too Tiger Woodsy when I say, I’m sorry. I may have been a smitch harsh with the rant-speak!

Jo said...

Bug, that's insane...! Well, at least they're not writing about the horrible, ghastly, warm (!!!) weather here. *heh* We have magnolias, Japanese plum, cherry trees and roses blooming. Egads!

Alane, the golf press boycotted it? Yay! I think he lives in another stratosphere now, and doesn't realize that he is not even relevant anymore. Rather, he is the butt of late-night talk show jokes. He once started as a young athlete, just like these young athletes at the Olympics, and I cannot believe the arrogance of him holding a press conference during their "day in the sun".

Rebecca, "I'd love to bottle up his talent and give it to someone who deserves it." Yes! And, yes, the American athletes are doing a fabulous job. (The Canadians aren't too shabby either. *heh*)

Burcu, that's a hoot...! Well, I didn't have an affair with him, and I don't think you did, so those are two less numbers. *heh*

Duta, well, almost everyone in America and Canada too is from "somewhere else". The Australian gold-medalist was from Canada, believe it or not. :-

Sparkle, I KNOW...! Whatever happened to personal responsibility??? People can do almost anything nowadays, and there is a rehab for it. Tiger got caught with his pants down -- literally -- and now he's pretending his an addict? Puhleeze!!! He's a cad and a creep, and he had such a lovely, sweet wife. What was he thinking??? And, it was a close competition, but the American fellow was just a teeny tiny bit better at the final outcome.

Cedar said...

Like Tiger said...he decided the rules did not apply to him...even when it comes to respecing others in sports...to Tiger there are no others in sports...he's a putz.

Katy said...

I LOVE figure skating and thought last night was awesome for Adam, I remember seeing him for the first time years ago when he was skating in the shadow of Timothy Gabel. He has come so far since then! Jonny Weir (my favorite) also did really well last night.

I'm just glad Alexander didn't win because while he's jumps are great I don't think he has ever really gotten the idea of skating as an art as well as a sport.

I love the quote from Adam, "Its not a jumping competition. Its about a 4 min and 20 second program."

Katy said...

Okay, I'm a dork, I don't know why I called Evan - Adam. Its Friday OK!

Russell said...

Tiger has been fun to watch on the golf course. He is a great golfer.

It is amazing he can be so incredibily disciplined with respect to his sport but have absolutely no discipline in his personal life.

That is quite a dichotomy. But for me it does not matter as I watch very little golf and I have no interest in Tiger's personal life.

It's all very sad, though, isn't it? You made a great point about his timing -- I never thought about that.

PinkPanthress said...

Honestly, in my opinion, Johnny Weir(d) should have been on rank 1, his performance looked more 'heartfelt'.

But Tiger Woods? -That man is so lame. I really dislike him after what he's done to his wife! :/

DJan said...

I myself am much more likely than any of your commenters to give Tiger the benefit of the doubt. Yes, he's wrong on so many levels, but I do believe that old saw about "absolute power corrupts absolutely." He had fawning celebrities all around him, he thought he was invincible, and I have learned over the years than many men are ruled (or can be pulled around) by their "third leg."

Kathryn said...

Hi Jo,
The first thing I thought of, when I heard that Tiger Woody (not a typo) was holding a press "conference", was, "What? In the middle of the Olympics?"
Badly done Tiger.
...and it wasn't much of a conference, was it?
Argh.

Laurie said...

I suppose he is involved in a 12-step program that calls for him to do that, and he is a "public figure"...but ugh...just ugh... Tiger, dude...go get your life straight and spare us the details.

Jo said...

Ris, I agree. He is a putz. And he's not a sportsman, OR a gentleman...!

Katy, *heh* - Evan / Adam - close enough. I thought he (Evan) did a fabulous job. I thought the Russian fellow was just a wee bit too arrogant. But they are both amazing!

Russell, yes, that's the thing that got me. Here an American fellow won a gold medal in figure skating, and Tiger Woods and his indescretions knocked him off the map. I found that incredibly thoughtless, and just spoke to his true character -- or lack thereof.

Pink Panthress, yes, Johnny Weir is amazing too. The whole thing was incredible, and their moment of glory was stolen from them by Tiger Woods. Argh.

Djan, but his timing was awful. He is so self-absorbed, it didn't occur to him that he was eclipsing other young athletes. It's too bad.

Kathryn, I totally agree...! Badly done, Tiger...!

Laurie, I guess he thinks the whole world revolves around him and his indiscretions, and his 12-step program. He could have wait a few more days. Argh!

heartinsanfrancisco said...

I wondered about Tiger's timing, too, and concluded that he chose to make his utterly anticlimactic (so to speak) statement at exactly the time he thought the world's attention would be elsewhere, on the Olympics.

I feel bad for his wife, but for him, nothing but ennui and disgust.

LDUTheCoach said...

I found one of the best guide to gold out there... in depth daily reports (published two days in advance) on who will contend for gold...!!!

check it out @ http://www.lionsdenu.com/category/sports/thecoachs-vancouver-2010-olympic-guide-to-canadian-gold/

Carol E. said...

Totally agree.

Jo said...

Susan, LOL. And yes, I feel disgust for him. What a dweeb...! His name will forever be synonymous with philandering, not golf.

LDU, thank you! I'm going to check that out!

Carol, oh, yes, *sigh* What a jerk he is. His poor little wife.

Jennifer D said...

I am so tired of hearing about Tiger! I really don't care if he cheated on his wife and I don't need an apology. I did watch Men's skating and I was amazed at the performances I saw. Lysacek made me so proud. I would much rather see his routine over and over, than see Tiger's face one more time.

Jo said...

Jennifer, wasn't the men's skating wonderful? Shame on Tiger for knocking it off the map!

Paula Slade said...

I totally agree with you Jo! I wonder where he got hi PR advice!!

HAPPY IN NEVADA said...

I was so glad Evan Lysacek won the gold because he's much more graceful; artistic, and fluid as a skater.

As for Tiger, I haven't followed one darned thing about this guy - not evn when he was being a good boy, and was playing golf.

My son was so much a fan of Tiger's, so I saw him play (live) in Palm Desert, and the way he carried himself; his 'arrogance' that just reeked from his mannerisms, I wrote him off years ago.

Why his 'affairs' should interest anyone but his wife, is beyond me.

Mia said...

Tigers are solitary creatures and get some whenever they can.

kenju said...

I do so agree!

I thought Evan was much classier than Evgeni the next day, when he was interviewed about the remarks the Russian made after he got Silver instead of Gold. Evan and Evgeni may be neck and neck when it comes to requirements, but Evan beat him fair and square in the grace and elegance category!

lovelyprism said...

Amen sista!