No.4 - Tiger Woods always exceeds expectations
Every time the odds seem stacked against Tiger Woods, he pulls through. We just shake our heads that he’s done it again. We expect him to win a tournament by five strokes; he wins it by 15. We expect him to birdie an easy hole; he eagles it. In the 2008 U.S. Open, with knee surgery just around the corner, we didn’t expect him to endure four rounds and a playoff round to win -- but he did. At the 2006 British Open, just his third tournament after the death of his father Earl, Woods shot -18 to win when we may have thought the emotions would have gotten the better of him.
No.3 - Tiger Woods has mental toughness
Woods’ father, Earl, once said his son will be the toughest golfer to play against because no one will be able to beat him mentally. In the sport that’s perhaps the most mentally demanding, no one is better. Remember Woods battling through knee and leg pain to beat Rocco Mediate in extra holes during the 2008 U.S. Open? He could have withdrawn, but instead grimaced his way to his 14th Major victory. Back in 2003, Woods was so sick during the fourth round of the Bay Hill Invitational that he threw up several times during his play -- and still won the tournament by 11 strokes.
No.2 - Tiger Woods isn't flashy
In an era when many young athletes use hefty signing bonuses for rims, grills and diamonds, it’s refreshing to see someone who doesn’t flaunt his wealth. Tiger Woods is the richest pro athlete in the world today (late in 2009 he became sport's first billion-dollar man), but you’d never know it. Sure, we hear stories about his 155-foot yacht (aptly named Privacy) and his $65 million spot in the Hamptons, but we don’t hear about these from him. We appreciate that the man who could buy just about anything he’d like doesn’t rub our noses in his riches.
No.1 - Tiger Woods always comes up big
As men, we all fantasize about delivering big on the biggest stages -- in the boardroom, on the sports field and in the bedroom. Now that we know Tiger comes up big on at least two of those stages, it's even more impressive that on the golf course, he never seems to get beaten when it matters most. Sure, he has his share of defeats, but on Sunday, when he’s clad in red and chasing down an opponent, you know that opponent’s finished. Likewise, when Woods is leading the pack, no one’s going to catch him. Sports history is full of choke artists; Woods will never be a part of that group.
No.1 - Tiger Woods always comes up big
As men, we all fantasize about delivering big on the biggest stages -- in the boardroom, on the sports field and in the bedroom. Now that we know Tiger comes up big on at least two of those stages, it's even more impressive that on the golf course, he never seems to get beaten when it matters most. Sure, he has his share of defeats, but on Sunday, when he’s clad in red and chasing down an opponent, you know that opponent’s finished. Likewise, when Woods is leading the pack, no one’s going to catch him. Sports history is full of choke artists; Woods will never be a part of that group.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Top 10: Reasons To Love Tiger Woods
No.9 - Tiger Woods is a hard worker
For all his talent, Tiger Woods’ work ethic is unsurpassed. The stories of his obsessive attention to detail and practice schedule are legendary. When we see Woods make a key shot on hole 18 on a Sunday, he’s already practiced that shot and visualized it more times than we’d like to think about. Woods is so private about his life that it’s tough to gauge just how much time he spends on the practice tees, but it’s believed to be thousands of shots a day -- especially during his formative years. Woods says his work ethic came about because he was always the youngest golfer at junior amateur events, and had to work harder than his opponents.
No.8 - Tiger Woods is in amazing shape
In most professional sports, having top-notch conditioning is a must. In golf, that’s not always the case. Player conditioning has improved in recent years, but every so often a player with a John Daly-like physique will succeed, making Tiger Woods’ desire to have a ripped body even more impressive. He could probably still win with a beer gut, but Woods is so dedicated to being the best ever that he’s in the best shape of anyone out there. Tons of pro golfers try to mask bellies and man boobs with baggy clothing. However, Woods’ Nike attire is tight enough to accentuate his pipes and pecks, but loose enough to avoid the all-spandex look.
No.7 - Tiger Woods is generous
When he’s not perfecting his craft or, um, sleeping around, Tiger Woods is a philanthropist, giving back to people throughout the United States. His foundation, which he and his late father launched more than a decade ago, is aimed at improving the lives of children in need. Development programs, grants, scholarships, and more have helped more than 10 million youth so far. The Tiger Woods Learning Center in Anaheim offers courses on everything from math to golf to help students decide what to do with their lives.
No.6 - Tiger Woods is the best in his field
Whether you’re into cooking, architecture or golf, there’s something to be said about being the absolute best in your field. Woods hasn’t broken all of Jack Nicklaus’ records just yet, but once all the hype over his extramarital affairs and divorce dies down and he gets his head back in the game, there’s little doubt he will. From the time he first started to swing a golf club, Woods has obliterated records at every level and won virtually everything he’s competed in. He will go down as the greatest golfer of all time, and probably the 21st century’s most famous athlete.
No.5 - Tiger Woods has flaws
We love our heroes when they are imperfect -- think of the flaws of Batman and Spider-Man, and late last year, the world found out just how imperfect Tiger was. Even before that, though, every so often Woods would reveal that he's just like us on the golf course. When he makes a bad shot, he swears and throws his clubs. These times are few and far between, but on the rare occasion that Woods makes a blunder, he drops a bit of the “Robo-Tiger” exterior and shows that, just like us, he has flaws.
For all his talent, Tiger Woods’ work ethic is unsurpassed. The stories of his obsessive attention to detail and practice schedule are legendary. When we see Woods make a key shot on hole 18 on a Sunday, he’s already practiced that shot and visualized it more times than we’d like to think about. Woods is so private about his life that it’s tough to gauge just how much time he spends on the practice tees, but it’s believed to be thousands of shots a day -- especially during his formative years. Woods says his work ethic came about because he was always the youngest golfer at junior amateur events, and had to work harder than his opponents.
No.8 - Tiger Woods is in amazing shape
In most professional sports, having top-notch conditioning is a must. In golf, that’s not always the case. Player conditioning has improved in recent years, but every so often a player with a John Daly-like physique will succeed, making Tiger Woods’ desire to have a ripped body even more impressive. He could probably still win with a beer gut, but Woods is so dedicated to being the best ever that he’s in the best shape of anyone out there. Tons of pro golfers try to mask bellies and man boobs with baggy clothing. However, Woods’ Nike attire is tight enough to accentuate his pipes and pecks, but loose enough to avoid the all-spandex look.
No.7 - Tiger Woods is generous
When he’s not perfecting his craft or, um, sleeping around, Tiger Woods is a philanthropist, giving back to people throughout the United States. His foundation, which he and his late father launched more than a decade ago, is aimed at improving the lives of children in need. Development programs, grants, scholarships, and more have helped more than 10 million youth so far. The Tiger Woods Learning Center in Anaheim offers courses on everything from math to golf to help students decide what to do with their lives.
No.6 - Tiger Woods is the best in his field
Whether you’re into cooking, architecture or golf, there’s something to be said about being the absolute best in your field. Woods hasn’t broken all of Jack Nicklaus’ records just yet, but once all the hype over his extramarital affairs and divorce dies down and he gets his head back in the game, there’s little doubt he will. From the time he first started to swing a golf club, Woods has obliterated records at every level and won virtually everything he’s competed in. He will go down as the greatest golfer of all time, and probably the 21st century’s most famous athlete.
No.5 - Tiger Woods has flaws
We love our heroes when they are imperfect -- think of the flaws of Batman and Spider-Man, and late last year, the world found out just how imperfect Tiger was. Even before that, though, every so often Woods would reveal that he's just like us on the golf course. When he makes a bad shot, he swears and throws his clubs. These times are few and far between, but on the rare occasion that Woods makes a blunder, he drops a bit of the “Robo-Tiger” exterior and shows that, just like us, he has flaws.
Since Tiger Woods broke onto the professional golf scene in 1996, he’s gained millions of fans for his impressive plays. At the same time, however, he’s also picked up a great deal of detractors along the way. Why? Well, up until the news of his widespread extramarital activities broke, it was hard to say. Sure, any married man cheating on his wife deserves our criticism, but there’s still little doubt that Woods will retire as the best golfer to ever play the game. Dislike what he's done off the course as much as you like, but if you're a fan of golf, or even just a fan of sport in general, there are still plenty of reasons to love Tiger Woods. Here are 10 of those reasons, while Dave Golokhov’s piece will examine the flip side: Top 10: Reasons To Hate Tiger Woods.
So, even if you're on that flip side (and we're guessing a lot of ladies might be), it's time to check out the top 10 reasons to love Tiger Woods (come on, you know you want to).
No.10 - Tiger Woods has natural talent
There’s no question that Tiger Woods was born with a knack for playing golf. It’s his natural talent, and it’s enjoyable to watch someone who’s naturally good at what he does. Woods is said to have started copying his father’s golf swing at just 6 months of age, and by 2 he appeared on The Mike Douglas Show to show off his swing. At 3 he shot a 48 over nine holes at a course in California; and by 5 Woods was featured in Golf Digest. Though Woods’ work ethic is a big factor in getting him where he is today, in the early years his natural talent helped elevate him to success and fame.
So, even if you're on that flip side (and we're guessing a lot of ladies might be), it's time to check out the top 10 reasons to love Tiger Woods (come on, you know you want to).
No.10 - Tiger Woods has natural talent
There’s no question that Tiger Woods was born with a knack for playing golf. It’s his natural talent, and it’s enjoyable to watch someone who’s naturally good at what he does. Woods is said to have started copying his father’s golf swing at just 6 months of age, and by 2 he appeared on The Mike Douglas Show to show off his swing. At 3 he shot a 48 over nine holes at a course in California; and by 5 Woods was featured in Golf Digest. Though Woods’ work ethic is a big factor in getting him where he is today, in the early years his natural talent helped elevate him to success and fame.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)