Elin Nordegren Wants Half of Tiger's Fortune?

OK, I said in a previous article I wrote on Tiger Woods, that it would be my last. Technically, it was. It's just that I can't seem to avoid the latest headlines from the story that never ends. (Sing it, Shari, sing it)

Just in case you've missed it, the latest question to get bandied about in the Tiger Woods saga is whether his wife, Elin Nordegren, should they divorce, has the right to half of Tiger's fortune.

I'm not sure what psychological issue I have that compels the hair to stand up on the back of my neck every time I read an article that raises these types of questions.

But, the notion that the only thing Elin Nordegren did was marry Tiger Woods and therefore deserves nothing in terms of marital assets, just chaps my hide every single time it is suggested. I actually read a comment on a blog somewhere recently that stated, "She married him and had a couple of kids - so what". Wowza.

To be fair (as much as I am able when my knickers are twisted into such a wad) this question comes up often when we are entertaining ourselves with the latest, messy, celebrity divorce with large sums of money at stake. It wasn't very long ago that people questioned whether the long-suffering Robyn Gibson deserved half of Mel's billion dollar empire when it was revealed she had filed for divorce.

I mean, what, she only stuck with the philandering alcoholic with an eye for young girls for close to 30 years, giving birth to his - count them - 7 children, and stayed home to care for them while he basked in the glory of his "Sexiest Man Alive" titles and a few Academy Awards here and there. But, who's keeping score, right?

Now, look, I like Mel Gibson, quite a bit, actually. Mel is a regular guy who eschews Hollywood's elite power structure and refuses to bow down to their politically correct BS. He tells them regularly where they can stick it when it comes to making movies because he's got enough money to bank roll his own projects without having to lick their boots to do it. For that alone, I love the guy.

But, as a woman who has foregone a lucrative career to stay home, raise children and give up some of the best years of my life to wipe snotty noses, change diapers, get puked on, pooped on, peed on and subjected to mind-numbing chatter from the mouth of garrulous toddlers for days and days on end, only to have it suggested that my sacrifice is meaningless and worthless - well, it just torks the hell out of me in the worst way.

Granted, I fully understand that what is his is his and what is hers is hers, prior to the marital union. But, in Mel's case, that would have been nothing. Reports were during the Gibson marital melt-down that it was Robyn who worked and financially supported Mel while he got his acting career off the ground.

Add to that, 28 plus years of marriage, quietly tolerating public drunkenness, arrests, infidelity, 7 pregnancies, 7 labor and deliveries and 7 children to raise, essentially by herself, then, as far as I'm concerned, she deserved every stinkin' penny she got. Anyway. We were talking about Elin Nordegren, weren't we?

OK, so, I fully understand that Tiger Woods earned substantial sums of money long before his marriage to Elin Nordegren. So, that is his to keep, I agree. But, if the stories circulating about their courtship are true, then there was no gold-digging pursuit of a famous, wealthy athlete (as has been suggested more than once) at least, not on Elin's part, anyway. That's because, it was Tiger who was smitten with and pursued Elin and it was Elin who refused his advances because of her suspicions about his motives. (I bet she's wishing she had listened to her intuition now, huh?)

Not wanting to be nothing more than a trophy wife or worse yet, another notch on Tiger's belt, Elin demanded assurances that Tiger was ready to give up his bachelor ways and settle down with her to raise a family. Tiger gave those assurances, apparently, and Elin believed him - to the tune of a $1,500,000 dollar wedding in the Caribbean. And now, well, we all know the rest of the story now, don't we?

But, back to the original question - what, if anything, does Elin Nordegren deserve if she and Tiger Woods divorce?

It seems to me that every time these types of discussions are raised there is one underlying issue that is rarely acknowledged. That is, a woman's contribution to a marriage. Unless it is financial, it is not valued or respected. Because, after all, giving up your own ambitions to support your husband, give birth to children and mold and shape a human life is something that any old, anybody can do, right?

( The total dismantling of the family unit and subsequent implosion of our civilized society by way of pugnacious, rebellious, drug addicted, entitled, violence prone teens-gone-totally-wild, notwithstanding, of course.)

But, hitting a little white ball with a very expensive piece of twisted metal a few hundred yards into a tiny hole? Well, now, that's impressive!

If I sound a tad bit bitter, it's because I am. You know, there is a reason husbands and oftentimes, many mothers as well, can't get out the front door fast enough to go to work. That's because, having worked both outside and inside the home myself, I can tell you most assuredly, working outside the home is easier, more interesting, less demanding, less exhausting, more glamorous and certainly more appreciated by society at large.

But, I guess it's like everything else that is quietly constant in our life and forms the very foundation of our existence. It's taken completely for granted until it's not there or something unexpectedly goes horribly wrong. Who among us is genuinely impressed with the ability to thread a needle until a massive brain hemorrhage renders you completely blind and paralyzed on an entire side of your body?

And who really cares if Lil' Johnny makes it to school on time, takes the trash out, tucks his shirt in and can recite the Pledge of Allegiance? No one, usually, until Lil' Johnny (or Eric & Dylan) pulls out an arsenal of weapons from a black trench coat and takes out a few of his classmates because he feels marginalized, misunderstood and devalued.

So, I don't know, you tell me. What about Elin Nordegren? Is she just some blonde babe who happened to be in the right place at the right time? Is she really some empty-headed, gold-digging, trophy wife who has done nothing but "marry Tiger Woods and have a couple of kids - so what?" And if that is the case, then what is her contribution to the marriage worth? One million? Two? Maybe three? How about the children? Surely they would be worth at least a couple of million each, right?

Truthfully, I don't really care one way or the other how much Elin Nordegren gets. I just think we've got our priorities all wrong. I happen to think that a promise made ought to be a promise kept. I also happen to think that without a mother's love, dedication and sacrifice that even Tiger Wood's wouldn't be where he is today. And that's just talking about the pregnancy.

Somebody has to be willing to stand in the background for there to be a foreground. Somebody has to be willing to be second for there to be a first. And somebody has to be willing to delay their own self-gratification when the life and well-being of another absolutely depends on it.

Clearly, Tiger knows nothing about delayed gratification and other such valueless nonsense. It also appears he knows nothing about keeping his promises either. But, hey, he can hit a little white ball as far as the eye can see. So what do I know, anyway?

Sources:
Now.com: Robyn Gibson Files for Divorce
Waleg.com: Who is Elin Nordegren?
NBCsports.com: Tiger Woods Marries Elin Nordegren in Barbados