What Tiger Woods Could Learn From A-Rod and Kobe

By Tracey Harrington McCoy Posted Dec 3rd 2009 12:00PM

Be honest. When you first heard that Tiger Woods might be cheating on his wife, you hoped it wasn't true. Not Tiger Woods! Not the clean-cut golfer who single-handedly made golf fun to watch. Not the guy whose relationship with his parents was touching. Not everyone's favorite classy athlete ...

For some reason, the public tends to hold athletes, particularly good ones, up to incredibly high standards. If you can drive a golf ball the farthest, hit a baseball the longest, or shoot a basketball with precision, then you have a different code of conduct than the rest of us.

The recent revelations about Tiger Woods and his alleged affair(s) reminds us that even athletes mess up and make mistakes. But what the public will truly remember is how the sports figure picks up the pieces and deals with the situation. Let's take a look back at other famous athletes and their mishaps, and see if we can gather some hints to what's next in the Woods saga.

Alex Rodriguez
Alex Rodriguez is a baseball titan. His New York Yankee 10-year, $275 million-dollar contract was groundbreaking and he was unquestionably regarded as one of the best players of all time (not unlike Woods and golf.) But, in 2004, scandalous rumors started popping up about the married third baseman engaging in some improper behavior. Alleged trysts over the years include a romp with a Boston hairdresser, a 2007 rendezvous with a Toronto-based stripper, and regular liaisons with call girls (and their madame). He even had a rumored fling with Madonna.

To no one's real surprise, his wife filed for divorce in 2007, citing "extra marital affairs and other marital misconduct" as a main reason for separation. After more than a year of going back and forth, they settled in 2008.

What can Tiger take away from this example? He can probably relax, knowing that even if his wife Elin takes (half) his money and runs, he could still be a revered public figure in years to come. Rodriguez's reputation hasn't really experienced any long-term damage. Thanks to his performance on the field, he's a beloved NYC ballplayer and has been dating actress Kate Hudson for months (thanks Kate!). He even admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs earlier year and people STILL love him.

Kobe Bryant
Basketball prodigy Kobe Bryant shocked the world when, in 2003, he was accused of sexual assault. While he vehemently denied those claims, Bryant did admit to an affair with his accuser, a Colorado hotel employee. The image of Bryant crying as he admitted his mistake while his wife sat next to him with a murderous-yet-appeased look on her face will forever be imprinted in the public's collective memory.

After the admission of his affair, Bryant experienced a fair amount of backlash. Some of his endorsements, including McDonalds and Nutella, dropped him. And while Nike didn't drop him, they stopped using his image in any capacity during that time. Even his Lakers jersey saw a drop in sales.

But through all this, his wife stayed with him. And in a few years time, his image started to improve. He signed contracts with Coca-Cola and Guitar Hero. Nike started including him in their advertisements again. And in 2009, he tied with Michael Jordan for No. 2 spot on Forbes' list of the World's Highest Paid Athletes (Tiger took the No. 1 spot).

When people hear the name Kobe Bryant, some still pause and remember the allegations that once were, but many conjure up the baby-faced stellar basketball player who changed the game.

Tiger Woods

Watch the Girls on Pop discuss the Tiger Woods scandal!

In just a few years, maybe even months, Tiger's transgressions could be forgotten as he collects another jacket at the Masters or pumps his fist at the PGA tournament. Elin might even be cheering from the sidelines.

The fact is, no one quite knows how this story will play out. With more and more women claiming to have had relationships with Tiger, this story doesn't seem close to wrapping up. But as he starts to figure out his future, it might behoove him to look back at some other sports greats

Tiger could emerge from this media hurricane totally unscathed, just a small hiccup for one of the world's richest men. Or he might lose his endorsements, and maybe even his wife. But as far as damage control goes, his first step of acknowledging wrongdoing and pleading for privacy, is a good one. He's long been known for fiercely guarding his privacy-and if he continues to do that now, it might prove to help him in the future.

The Women in the Tiger Woods Scandal

Tags: A-Rod, alex rodriguez, AlexRodriguez, kobe bryant, kobe-byrant, KobeBryant, KobeByant, tiger woods, tiger-woods, TigerWoods

Comments

(29)

Thursday 03 December

By John

Vote down Vote up Report this

I would be more than happy to service his wife while he is out cheating !

By quantumdriven

Me too!

By Lori

You and a million other men

By jc

Why? the only service I want to offer her is a trip to the dentist to fix her buck teeth and get a tan!

By smileyhappyinsane

jc,Lets have a look see at you.

By al483

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Im actually enjoying Tigers little mishap. Couldnt happen to a nicer guy. Anyone out there go to PGA tournaments? Who is the least fan friendly pro out there. Who wont sign autographs for kids even during a practice round? Thats Tiger Woods. He maybe the best golfer in the world but for a pro to walk by kids in wheel chairs during a practice round when they are waving programs at him makes me ill. Now he wants privacy.... Hit him again Elin. Someone needs to change him..........

By common sense

Favorite classy athlete? The guy who has every reporter in fear of him? Ask Tiger the wrong question and he glares at you then never talks to you again. You want an autograph? No way...the guy isnt classy.Hes arrogant. He's still arrogant but now his spotless reputation and precious image (phoney as it was) is in the toilet. Tsk Tsk

By sam

I actually find him interesting now!

By Mike

Tiger's main problem is that there's more than one "other woman" involved. If I were Tiger, I wouldn't give any interviews. Just a statement saying what a terrible mistake he made, how sorry he is and leave it at that. I'd then take a year off, get out of the limelight, get the family thing taken care of, if he so choses, and start from scratch only when things have died way down. Time will heal all wounds. Take Kobe for example. Who in hell even remembers his problems? He could also say, "screw it" and just "take his ball and go home." Go off and enjoy his money and life without having to put up with all the BS. he certainly doesn't seem the type that can tolerate any crap when trying to play the game. Take your time Tiger, don't embarrass yourself any further and don't give anyone any "bullets" to use against you.

By marva

Tiger should have remembered what happen to top sportsmen like himself. While he was having the affairs he should remembered A-Rod and Kobe.
Didn't those scandals taught him anything.. A person cannot live to experience everything in life..so such person must learn from other people experience.

By Morgan

Expecting "athletes, particularly good ones" to live up to their marriage vows and be faithful is not expecting them to live up to "a different code of conduct than the rest of us". Married people are NOT supposed to have sexual relations with anyone other than their spouse. I am very disappointed in Tiger Woods.

By Laurie singer

Selfish! Even this acticle is selfish! Who cares what happens to Tiger! Elin doesn't want money she wants a good husband and father for their kids! Those kids are the losers. This will get thrown in their face eventually and the father they respected will be longer. There are so many lonely older men in nursing homes and such that die alone and they all have the same regrets, they weren't the father or husband that they should have been and there grown children and ex spouses want nothing to do with them. Think about those who love you because one day you may really need that love.

By jeff

Has Barack Obama called Tiger yet to thank him for diverting public attention away from his failing presidency? When will the media rump swabs divulge all the marital infidelity of Barack Obama??

By connie

LETS LEAVE THIS MAN ALONE, THERE IS MORE TO THE STORY THEN HIM MISHAP. IT TAKES TWO SO JUST MAYBE THERE WAS A REASON HE WAS NOT HAPPY. HE IS A HUMAN EVERYBODY ACTS LIKE THESE HUMANS ARE PERFECT. DI HE EVERY EXPRESSED HE WAS PERFECT. AND LETS DO NOT FOR GET HIS WIFE IS NOT PERFECT EITHER.

Connie what r u saying?

That's not surprising every black man that is married to a white woman looks unhappy, Tiger is not the only one, these guys should call them what they are 'trophy wives' that's all they are. Dumb, stupid white blondes.

By pinata

a non-education black man who is cheating???what else is new ...

By qqqqqqqman

Yeah, as if white Harvard/Yale political grads don't cheat. Get a clue.

By Becky

These dumb-ass men never learn. Are they stupid or what?????

Thursday 03 December
By Becky
These dumb-ass men never learn. Are they stupid or what?????

Hey Becky:
Same thing I am wondering. Do they think they are the average men.

Page 1 of 2