Tiger Woods apologized today.
“I was unfaithful. I had affairs. I cheated. What I did was not acceptable,” Woods told the country this morning during a nationally broadcast appearance.
He went out of his way to defend his estranged wife, Elin Nordgren.
Woods never used the word sex, but clearly that’s why this was such a big deal.
Not since President Bill Clinton talked about Monica Lewinski has there been so much attention paid this kind of scandal.
Reactions to Wood’s 13 ½ minute statement were varied. You can weigh in by posting your own comments or voting in our Post Poll.
Here’s a sample of some reactions, collected from The Associated Press and various news organizations:
In Sweden, Elin’s father, Thomas Nordegren, said he saw Woods’ confession. “I watched it but I have nothing to say right now,” Nordegren told The Associated Press.
Fom the Olympics, American Alpine skier Julia Mancuso posted on Twitter: “do we think this is coming from the heart or the paper! come on Tiger! give us some reality here.”
ABC’s George Stephanopoulos called the speech “one of the most remarkable public apologies ever by a public figure.”
“What I saw was arrogance … it was basically an infomercial,” said Rick Cerrone, former New York Yankees public relations director on CNN.
CBS’ David Feherty, who has covered Woods on the PGA Tour, said: “I have never seen him appear so vulnerable. … I was very impressed with what he said. The vast number of people just want their Tiger Woods back.”
Denver Post television critic Joanne Ostrow was critical of Woods: “No questions asked. All according to the script,” she wrote today. “The world’s most famous golfer attempted to shift into forward momentum, to ‘start living a life of integrity.’ The last person on the planet to lecture us on “character and decency” did so in a carefully managed media moment. Good for the golf writers who boycotted the photo op, refusing to be used as props in the spectacle.”
Patrick Saunders: 303-954-1720 or psaunders@denverpost.com
