The Insincere Tiger

And if all of that is true, then we can treat the past as an aberration, give him a second chance, and focus on the future.

It’s a win-win for everyone. Tiger can restore his image (thus retaining his stratospheric endorsement income), and we can all go on rooting for the greatest golfer ever.

And according SportsNation, a polling service run by ESPN.com, he pretty much pulled it off. Immediately following his statement they posted a question asking whether or not he was sincere, and 65% of the 135K+ respondents felt he was. What a relief. In spite of everything, he still has nearly two-thirds of his previous fan base intact. Bring on the sponsors!

As remarkable as those numbers are (more on that in a bit), I think the focus of the discussion is completely misplaced. I don’t care if his apology is sincere; I want to know if his marriage is sincere. To me, that question trumps everything else in this pathetic melodrama. If he’s serious about making amends with Elin, and she’s serious about forgiving him, then I’m satisfied. He can make whatever public statement he wants because his actions will speak louder than any of his words.

Unfortunately, I’m hard pressed to see how that’s possible. Back in early December, shortly after his exploits became public, several news sources reported that Tiger increased his prenuptial agreement from $20 million to $80 million, provided Elin agreed to stay married for at least seven years (the original agreement was for 10 years). And she got a guaranteed $5 million just for not walking out immediately. Of course, she was also required to be a 'dutiful wife' (i.e., attend all of Tiger’s public functions, and probably some private ones, too, wink wink), and she was forbidden from ever telling her side of the story.

So in order to save his marriage, and perhaps more importantly, to keep Elin quiet, Tiger had to cough up $80 million. Even for him, that’s a lot of money. Setting aside the profound irony of the situation - that now Tiger has to pay through the nose for sex even when he’s at home - it just doesn’t strike me as the actions of a struggling couple trying to revive their once healthy marriage.

On the contrary, it seems like a cold-blooded, financially motivated transaction between two people with very different agendas. If Elin walks, she takes Tiger’s kids and destroys what’s left of his reputation, as well as his viability as a pitchman. If she stays, she gets a huge payout and the world gives Tiger a second chance.

Which brings me back to the SportsNation poll. I have to say I find the results a little surprising. Why do so few people share my skepticism? How come two-thirds of his fans believe he was sincere - whatever that means? If it weren’t for the prenup, does anyone really think that Elin would take him back? Isn’t marriage above all else based on trust? And is there any reason in the world to think he’s trustworthy? Perhaps more importantly, is there any rational reason Elin should feel compelled to give him another chance?

Infidelity is always serious business in a marriage, but Tiger’s transgressions were beyond the pale. It wasn’t simply an affair or two; it was a way of life. He had a nationwide network of women he could call anytime he was horny, and by all accounts he was horny a lot. Sure, it’s every guy’s dream, but it’s not what a married man is supposed to be doing.

As far as I’m concerned, the best thing Tiger could have done on Friday was stand up and announce he’s divorcing Elin. He should have fallen on his sword and admitted she deserves better. He also should have apologized to her and to his fans for getting married when he clearly wasn’t emotionally ready for that kind of commitment. (As an aside, it’s hard to imagine he’s also a father of two small children - his own father, Earl, must be turning in his grave, watching this unfold). He would have needed sex therapy, as he appears to have a bona fide addiction, but post-treatment he could have forged a new identity as sport’s biggest playboy.

Given everything I know about Tiger and Elin, that seems like the only sincere thing he could possibly have said.