Realizations

On The Prowl

I would rather watch paint dry. I would rather sit in the dentist chair while being tortured with that horrifying drill. I would rather watch a Laguna Beach marathon on mute while the Dave Matthews Band song “Crash” played on repeat. I’m talking of course about watching the PGA Tour without Tiger Woods.

Did the PGA Tour play the second half of the 2008 season? My last memory of last season is Tiger defeating Rocco Mediate on the 91st hole of the US Open to capture his 14th major title. I figured the Tour just packed it in for the summer. No need to play the British Open or the PGA Championship. I hear a rumor that they might have even played the Ryder Cup, but I have been unable to verify that.

Last week it was announced that Tiger Woods is going to make his return to the PGA Tour this week at the Accenture Match Play Championship. Something makes me think that Phil Mickelson, while sitting at home and drinking his Yoohoo, decided to pick up the phone and show his deep concern for Tiger’s well-being while giving him his unsolicited opinion that he should continue his rehab and not come back so soon. Sponsors everywhere are breathing a big sigh of relief as they no longer have to rely on Ratief Goosen to sell tickets.

No other player has ever meant more to their sport than what Tiger Woods means to golf. The Buick Invitational, one of Tiger’s major sponsors, had a 60% decrease in ratings this past year as compared to the year before when Tiger was healthy… he is golf’s version of a stimulus plan.

Over the years we have been force fed the names of players who would step up and challenge Tiger. Be Larry Bird to his Magic Johnson. David Duval, Vijay Singh, Sergio Garcia, Ernie Els, Phil Mickelson. All really good players, but none have come close. Now, with the new season getting underway and Woods having to comeback from injury for the first time in his career, there are whispers that it will not be the same old story. Once again, we are being bombarded with names of the new up and coming stars who are going to de-thrown Woods and make the sport more than a one man show. Anthony Kim, Boo Weekly, Hunter Mahan and many more are going to be the next (and first) to give Woods some serious competition.

I give the sport of golf some credit for wanting to create the notion that they have great competition. Yes, it’s true that in a given tournament, Woods can be beaten. But the fact remains that no one is going out play him for an entire season. Today’s technology has allowed for rising superstar golfers to become more fundamentally sound, have perfect swing technique, putt with precision and be stronger than ever. But, what technology cannot do for these players is compete with Woods where it matters the most, between the ears. His mental focus is unprecedented. He wants the pressure, he thrives on it and in a game where you have no one to rely on but yourself, that means everything.

We as sports fans try to pretend that we like parity, we like competition and we don’t want to see dynasties. We are fooling ourselves. I for one want to see greatness. We are witnessing history with Tiger Woods. He can arguably (that’s the beauty of it) play golf better than anyone else can do anything. So, this spring while the majority of the sporting world is gearing up for another long…. long…. loooooong baseball season, I will be tuned in to Augusta National at the Masters and every other tournament in which Woods signs up to play, because I want to witness history. Besides, it’s much more exciting than watching day/night doubleheaders in the National League… or watching paint dry.