While basking for the past month in comparatively balmy Amelia Island (50 degrees) just south of the Georgia border, we found ourselves in close proximity to two major sports stories unfolding in the Jacksonville area.
The first happening took place at the TPC Sawgrass Club in Ponte Vedra Beach where Tiger Woods, the sports world’s first billionaire, was staging his act of contrition for having extra-marital affairs with more mistresses than he can count on his fingers and toes.
First of all, let us be clear that no self-respecting sports reporter should have elected to be part of this staged event in which no media questions were permitted. In fact, a vast majority of golf writers voted to boycott the affair that attracted an audience of family, friends, financial advisors and golf cronies. Oh yes, his betrayed wife, Elin Nordegren, was conspicuous by her absence.
There were some humorous sidebars to Tiger’s tearful plea for forgiveness that was carried live by every major network. It was reported that Las Vegas betting parlors had posted the following wagers: 8-1 that he would announce his divorce, 12-1 that his wife was again pregnant, and 100-1 that he would retire from the world of golf.
There were a few journalists outside the room that awarded Woods a gold medal for his performance. David Hiltbrand, the Philadelphia Inquirer’s TV critic, wrote Tiger “did it with powerful displays of emotion and a convincing air of sincerity.’
To our skeptical eyes, the schmaltzy event was as rigged as Sarah Palin preaching the gospel to her “Tea Party’ stooges. Woods stressed his charity program for kids and warned the media and paparazzi to leave his wife and kids alone.
Tiger would have been far better served if he had waited to hear the mea culpa by Akio Toyoda, the embattled president of Toyota who volunteered to come to Washington and answer the intense questioning of the House’s Oversight Committee
.Speaking in both English and Japanese with the aid of an interpreter, repeatedly expressed deep remorse for deaths and injuries that resulted from malfunctioning Toyota cars. He voluntarily admitted that “our company’s priorities became confused in a quest for growth at the expense of safety concerns, adding that “when the cars are damaged, it is as though I am as well.’’
A day later, talking to loyal Toyota dealers in America, he broke into tears for the harm he had done to the company founded by his grandfather.. It came across as genuinely sincere.
On the other hand, if Woods looked truly repentant in saying he would return to his rehab site to squelch his thirst for sexual misadventures, it apparently wasn’t being bought by a number of his major sponsors. Gatorade, a subsidiary of Pepsi, that had sought separation from Tiger before his infidelities became public knowledge, officially said last week that they would no longer produce the specialized “Tiger Focus’’ drink.
Earlier, AT&T and Accenture, a computer service company that endorsed Woods’ Match-Play Tournament, cut their corporate ties with the golfing icon. Gillette is reportedly taking a “wait-and-see’’ look. Only Nike, which has been his prime supporter, claims it will stand behind him despite his decision to sit out this year’s three major golf tournaments.
Because professional golf is staged in a cathedral-like setting unlike any other sport, it’s highly doubtful that spectators would be allowed to carry critical signs or shout obscenities while Woods prepared for a shot. But it was amusing to listen to the threats of Tiger’s long-time caddie, Steve Williams, who vowed that he would not tolerate any heckling of his boss
. Speaking from Australia where he was vacationing, Williams said, ‘There are always going to be people who will knock you….Being the No. 1 player in the world and being as successful as Tiger, there have been people who have knocked him anyway. I am sure there might be a few more. It comes with the territory.’’
But would Williams actually charge into the gallery and punch someone he felt was insulting his meal ticket? Sounds crazy, but who knows?
The second major event unfolding down the road directly affects Jacksonville and the future of the hometown Jaguars, who are being vigorously courted by Los Angeles. Team owner Wayne Weaver has vowed that the Jags would never move as long as he was running the show, but there are numerous “ifs and buts’’ surrounding this commitment.
For clarity and analysis we turned to Vito Stellino, a longtime friend and former Baltimore Sun cohort who covered the Ravens before moving south to Jacksonville to become the Times Union’s main pro football columnist.
As Stellino informed us, the Jags had to blackout all but one of 10 games on TV this past season for failing to sell a required 51,000 seats at Municipal Stadium. Weaver blamed the falling attendance on the sagging national economy, an explanation readily supported by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell early last month while holding a press conference in Fort Lauderdale.
Weaver has spearheaded a ticket drive in conjunction with a civic group named “Touchdown Jacksonville’’ to woo back the fans, but Stellino remains dubious about their chances for success.
“The Jaguars have never lived up to expectations under Jack Del Rio. In seven years, they’ve made the playoffs only once. They were much more successful in their early years when Tom Coughlin was here. Actually, they were the most successful expansion team ever. In their first six years, they made the playoffs four times and twice played for the AFC title.. Yes, they still have some talented players, but, in the end, they always find ways to disappoint everyone.’
But Stellino quickly adds that he believes the Jags will stay put for at least another year even though well-healed developer Majestic Realty Co. plans to build a 75,000-seat stadium for an estimated $800 million free of taxpayer expense in California’s bankrupt economy. First they would require a firm commitment from either the Jags or the Buffalo Bills to relocate. They would have to find a temporary home in Los Angeles until the new park is completed in 2013.
“I can’t see any team moving because of the threatened lockout next season,’’ he said. “The two sides (the owners and the NFL Players Association} are meeting, but I can’t see the players giving up the 60 per cent of revenue they’ve already obtained in bargaining.’’
Without opening their financial records, the owners want the players to take an 18 per cent cut heading into an uncapped season. Goodell noted that while revenues grew to $3.6 billion since the last bargaining agreement in 2006, the players have received $2.6 billion. According to Goodell’s bookkeeping, this resulted in a $200 million loss for management.
But union boss DeMaurice Smith isn’t buying it. With a current March 5 deadline looming for an agreement, Smith believes a lockout is inevitable. As he said recently, “”On a scale of 1 to 10, I’d say it’s a 14.’’
Perhaps a bigger question is what will Vito do without a football team to dissect. He became a self-admitted NFL partisan while covering the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Super Bowl dynasty in the Seventies under their beloved owner Dan Rooney, the son of team founder Art Rooney
. But he is no ‘homer.’ Jaguars’ Coach Jack Del Rio has pointedly said that if the team leaves Jacksonville, Vito will be responsible for being too critical..
During his tenure at the Sun, he covered only football and The Preakness, when almost the entire sports staff was assigned to the Triple Crown race. He will admit with a loud laugh that he spent the long hours leading up to the race digesting football clips.
“Guess I’ll just have to work on my tennis game until they work something out,’’ he said. But when autumn comes around, you know he’ll feel as frustrated as Charley Brown trying to kick a ball controlled by Lucy van Pelt.
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