Tiger Woods' Newest Sponsor

As Tiger Woods stood before the national media, poised to leave his bleeding, sorrow-filled heart on the podium, we watched and waited to see what the formerly immortal golfer would actually say. His, words, in retrospect, fell from his lips heavy with regret, and his tone seemed thickly marinated in personal anger, upset with himself for his erroneously lustful escapades that left his wife and two young children in their violent wake. As a result, we learned nothing more than we already knew and expected; in fact, the entire incident, punctuated by his leaving the room to return to rehab with no date for his eagerly anticipated return to the links, achieved one primary goal, one that, in all likelihood, reflects the public relations savvy of his media team: the majority of the nation will soon forget his sins and begin accepting this reformed man.

Hence, Tiger's newest and most polished sponsor came to the surface: the American public.

No, this sponsor will not plaster him on the side of sport drink bottles, yet as of yesterday, neither will Gatorade. It will not lavish him with free clothing, fancy rides, and any other extravagance a creative marketer could fabricate to tie down the best golfer on the planet. Instead, this group will slowly but surely embrace him, his intentionally flawed and eternally compromised ethic foundation being bandaged by the masses who know nothing else than to love him.

Tiger knows this, and I suspect his "team" does also. True, he currently is trying to regain his family, and his desires, in all probability, exist on a legitimate level, with his frustration and personal distain real. But, without taking into account how his personal life will end up, we all realize that somehow, someway, Tiger will walk a plethora of 18^th fairways motivated by a crowd of adoring fans, wooed by his magical iron play and GPS-like putting. Sure in the back of his mind he will understand the truth of his actions, and he will forever rest in the same bed each night as his own demons; however, his security blanket, the one that he can wrap himself in each Thursday through Sunday, will cover his past and conceal his digressions, for the public can crucify you in the moment, yet sacrifice nearly everything to save you only a short time later.

Looking at human nature, especially that of the sports fan, makes drawing such a conclusion simple. People, as a whole, love to see the underdog, the failure, the sinner, rise from the ashes phoenix-like and rewrite an uncertain future with eloquent words of self-discovery and triumph. While fans will scream judgmentally in the moments following an egregious error and seemingly unforgivable mistake, they wait patiently for that same hollow man who formerly lived as the object of their scorn to regain his direction and re-enter their lives, giving them the Sunday afternoon joy for which they all wish. And Tiger knows this.

You see, his golf career can go on hold indefinitely; in actuality, the longer he stays dormant and secret, the better his return party will be. Time gives people a chance to forget and assume forgiveness without really ever having to have considered it. The buffer period nestled between the sin and the comeback gives life a chance to intercede and massage people's previous outrage, turning it into a sense of sorrow rather than anger. Tiger needs plenty of press detailing his stints in rehab and endless photos of his tearful eyes, both of which the media will gladly provide. Hence, the end result becomes a rejuvenated man who the public has lost touch with and will want back.

Some folks loved seeing Tiger's swift fall from grace, as his persona set forth an image of invincibility and perfection. Like the kid in math class who aced every test and final misnumbered on one and got a "C", Tiger now feels the quiet laughter and mocking fist pumps of those whose jealousy and envy could not wait for him to trip. Some of these people may end up as the steadfast haters who give him no slack upon his return. They will stage small protests outside his home or at the gates of his first tournament, and they will rail on television about the disgrace it is for him to stroll back into the public eye virtually unscathed. However, they will live in the miniscule minority, for far too many others find his sins relatable and refreshing. Essentially, Tiger's only way to get more future power has occurred: he became like the rest of humanity, no longer untouchable or athletically divine, and instead shrouded in embarrassing troubles and cloaked indulgence.

Inside each human's proverbial closet hides a darker side that protects the inappropriate side of life, the side that never gets revealed at a cocktail party, a family barbeque, or even during an intimate conversation between old friends. In general, people cover what can damage them, and they live life knowing what is unseen, nervous all the while that it may slip out and ruin the façade they have constructed. Therefore, they directly assimilate with a public figure who has fumbled morally, as this person now gives the normal person a way to feel justified and, for the moment, emotionally intact. The adulterers who reside each day with the person who trusts them wholly, the corrupt financiers who gamble people's retirements, the closet alcoholics who drink away a family's savings...these are the people who will become Tiger's newest sponsor, his legion of adoring fans who empathize with his struggle because they too button up their sin each morning.

Now this is not to claim that all people have indescribable indecencies, but it taps into the heart of why we as a public yearn for the recovery story and not the constantly successful man. Morality and commitment have become ideals that rescue people rather than guide them, and most people have taken on believing the all-too-recognizable cliché of "it is better to ask for forgiveness than permission". Submitting to temptation has grown too regular, and the value of a man's word, a professional's oath, or a couple's vows has grown into celebrated lip service.

So, when Tiger once again climbs onto the first tee box at a major championship, he may hear a few jeers, but his welcoming will have a strange sense of normalcy. After a few holes, several remarkable shots from the thick Bermuda grass, and holing one out from the angled face of a steep bunker, the roar of affection will return, driven by our incessant need to see the sinner rectified.

Tiger will take his time because he can, because he knows his greatest sponsor will never leave him.