In the weeks leading up to this year's Master's Tournament, there was no getting away from it. On-line, talking TV heads, newspapers, EVERYBODY was talking about Tiger Woods. Could he be -- sound the trumpets -- OMG -- BACK?
You know, the golf god he once was to those that adopted him as their hero of heroes, sometimes known as suckers?
It would appear not. After the first round of the Masters, see dear Eldrick seven shots behind the leader. That's a bunch for 18 holes of golf. Yet with a couple late birdies, Tiger said he was right back in the tourney. Right, and his groupies flogged themselves with ecstasy.
After round two, see Eldrick a whopping fifteen shots behind. Strangely enough, he barely, BARELY made the cut. This was because one small herd of players had separated itself from a much larger herd of those floundering on the very difficult Augusta National course. Typically, only those within 10 shots of the lead after two rounds of play make the cut.
Yet his unwavering, if hopelessly naive faithful, think he has a shot of actually winning. These people are delusional. Their hopes were no doubt buoyed by his showings in a couple other recent tournaments where he finished in a respectable position. No wins, mind you, but in the Top Ten. It should be noted that many of the world's top ranked players didn't bother to show up to play in these lesser tournaments.
No, he will not win this year's Masters.
No, he will not win another major this year or any other year in the future.
Forget that -- ain't gonna happen. These days he's lucky to make a cut when the big boys show up.
And they are many. Depending on whose ratings one wants to believe, Eldrick Tont Woods isn't generally regarded as among the top 100 players in the world anymore. The constant attention and hype given to such an also-ran is baffling indeed. What is the MATTER with these people? They can wish and root all they want, but NO, Tiger is never going to be #1 in the world again either.
Forget that too. That's like thinking aging Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers might win another Triple Crown in the Major Leagues. Or Brett Favre will come out of retirement -- again -- and lead a team to a Super Bowl victory.
Did I mention forget that, ain't gonna happen?
One should remember that even during Woods' decade of dominance, now well over a decade past, he came along at the right time -- for himself.
Gone or hopelessly past their primes was the "old guard", consisting of names like Nicklaus, Palmer, Player, Trevino, Watson, Kite, Floyd, and a few others.
But it was before the emergence of current stars, consisting of names like Johnson, Stenson, Bubba Watson, Fowler, Day, Spieth, Rahm, Rose, Thomas, and many others.
It seems like new golf studs are popping up from all over the world every day, and it's likely to continue.
Put them all together on the same course for the same tournament, and Tiger (and his fans) is way over his head thinking he can possibly prevail after 72 holes of golf. That ain't gonna happen again either.
So let the suckers continue to worship him, and the media try to resurrect another "hero" of their making. They can delude themselves into believing whatever they want, but it isn't going to work.
Eldrick Tont Woods is past his prime, WAY past his prime. And all the other young guns on tour these days may give him homage for PR reasons, but they know he poses little, if any threat. Not over the course of an entire tournament. Let him have his throngs of lemming followers, the TV folks cover his every move - while missing so much other action around the course - and the post match interviews, evidently mandated from the media powers that be.
Tiger this, Tiger that. Tiger everywhere. It's going to be about Tiger. At least for now.
But he's done. Stick a fork in him. He had his great decade of golf, perhaps the best ever, but that's far in the rear view mirror.
And I, for one, have become thoroughly sick and tired of being bombarded with Tiger mania. By devoting so much attention to Eldrick, those that should know better are missing out on the true golf stories of the day.
Again, if he isn't even ranked in the top 100 in the world, where is the sense and/or logic in paying so much attention to him, while it detracts from others far more deserving?
And that's not even to mention his less than admirable qualities involving Tiger as a person over the years. In these times of political correctness and women's rights, how does it come to be a serial wife-cheater has been exalted to the heavens? It makes no sense whatsoever.
So yes, like every other year, yours truly will be tuned into the Masters as well.
But my fondest wish is that someday soon, this guy will just go away. Better yet, the media and lemmings will come to their senses and realize they've long been worshiping a false god.
Could it be that because Eldrick is a half-black man playing in predominantly a white man's sport is why so many cheer for him? Perhaps.
But I don't care about that. Win something, anything, which he hasn't done in several years, or shut up. Tiger is like Danica Patrick in that regard of late. All kinds of press coverage making them into heroes, but can't seem to win anything.
At least Danica finally, mercifully, retired. Or couldn't find anybody else to keep building her $400,000 race cars to keep wrecking.
I eagerly await the day when Eldrick finally bows out as well.
Enough is enough of this guy, and lately it's been WAY too much.
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