I knew it was going to happen. As I explained to Don Lemon last night on CNN (the clip is below if you'd like to see it), there is a strong risk of Tiger Woods becoming "OJ Simpsonized" by his recent scandal. He started off as Barack Obama, and with one exposure after another, he slides down the slope and ends up in no man's land.
Well, Glenn Beck fulfilled that prophecy on his show by comparing Tiger Woods to O.J. Simpson.
This scandal may get worse for Tiger before it gets better. I spoke with Rev. Al Sharpton this afternoon, a man whom I consider to be incredibly savvy when it comes to politics (notice that he was one of the few black public figures not to lose his power during the rise of Barack Obama). Rev. Sharpton made a very good point that Tiger Woods doesn't have a base of support, which is also going to hurt him during his media onslaught. When Sharpton and others spoke up in support of Woods after a golf announcer made a joke about "lynching him in a back alley," Tiger promptly waved off his supporters by acting as if they were in the wrong. As a result, no one is standing up for him now.
Tiger never asked for us to racialize him as a human being. He has been consistent in his disposition, and I don't expect him to suddenly run to black America to save him from this situation. That is part of what makes me respect Tiger, even though I am not in alignment with his politics. What is also true is that Tiger doesn't deserve to have his entire legacy tarnished over the mistakes he has made in his personal life. He is still the greatest golfer in the history of the world, a man who single-handedly dominated a sport that others swore could not be dominated. He carries the PGA on his back, and with that sort of domination comes a long list of enemies. As they say in China, "The fattest pig always gets slaughtered," and right now, Tiger Woods is a walking pork chop.
The biggest mistake that Team Tiger is making right now is taking the year off. I presume that this was Tiger's idea, because it is incredibly illogical. The last thing that Tiger should be doing is sitting on the sidelines and letting the world judge him by his marital infidelity. He needs to be on the golf course, sinking putts and winning majors. That is what will make the world forget about the past and make his sponsors start coming back. But then again, I am sure that right now, Tiger's life is more complicated than any of us can imagine. That is the part of me that prays for him.
It will be interesting to see how Tiger evolves during this struggle. Even O.J. Simpson had Johnnie Cochran. Tiger doesn't seem to have anyone. The CNN conversation I had with Don Lemon is below if you'd like to take a look. This is far from over.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition. To have Dr. Boyce's commentary delivered to your e-mail, please click here.
Comments: (63)
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By: bob on 12/14/2009 8:11PM
why doesnt anybody take this ignoramus boyce to task. He blames white people for thinking badly on black people who act immorally? AS if black people dont think the same way? Boyce wants tiggers wife to arrested on assault charges because she is white? Boyce is offended because tigger isnt married to a black women? Boyce looks a bit yellow to me, what does that mean? No where in the world would Boyce be able to spew his racist rants but in the usa where most people are afraid to confront him. Tigger is wrong, Vick was wrong, OJ was wrong, everybody he represents are wrong, Boyce is wrong. The only place where Boyce would be right is in his own mind or in the jungle.
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By: linlinda08 on 12/15/2009 10:00AM
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By: Sandy on 12/15/2009 10:43AM
I guess you're taking him to task, since you follow him around on the blogs like his little b*tch.
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By: Big Al on 12/15/2009 11:43AM
You sir are an idiot and a racist one at that. Real cute jungle reference. It is people like you (a-historical morons who only know what Glenn or Rush tells them) that make having a conversation on race or anything else so difficult in Amerika. You have no sense of reality you sit in front of FAUX drooling while they shape your reality. You gotta be Sarah supporter.
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By: uyrtiall on 12/15/2009 12:05PM
Why are you hear commenting on his website fool? You are a stone cold crackhead!! Why dont we black folks take white folks to task about their transgressions,not only against blacks (slavery, murder, civil rights etc), but against the muslims, Indians and everyone else their greedy nasty, dirty, barbaric A$$es have terrorized? You need to shut the He** up you and Glenn Beck's Skin-Head, KKK lovin A$$ and stay off of Boyce page just like we stay off of Glenn Beck, (The antichrist) website!!
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By: kelli b on 12/15/2009 4:10PM
They might be wrong but first of all what tiger did is him and his families problem to deal with not for the world to judge.He who is with out sin cast he first stone. White america has a short memory you guys act like we dont have the right to stick by are black brother and sisters through their rough patches in life well thats just to bad it was a time in american history not long ago when we were killed for our thoughts and we were treated like animals because white america saw us as a threat,we dont have to be scared to express ourselves anymore just because it makes white people uncomfortable get over it we had to. And as far as vick is concerned get over it he made dogs fight he was punished well how would you feel if we killed every white person who has harmed a black or beat a black person in american history you wouldnt like it because im sure your grand dad would be one of the first to get their ass kicked.Get over it like you tel us.
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By: Jacie on 12/15/2009 4:56PM
Bob, it sounds to me like you have a problem. He has an opinion just like you. Glenn Beck has issues just like anybody else and he cheated on his 1st wife, used cocaine and dranked like a fish. So who can he talk about? Didn't his mama kill herself?
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By: 2peace on 12/14/2009 10:12PM
I ALMOST fell for the bait on this one.
I've been hearing black folks predict that white folks were gonna turn on Tiger and make him the 21st century OJ Simpson. "Fooey!", I said, but after reading this headline, I digressed a little. I actually started to get upset that Beck had to go there.
But, then (whew!) I snapped out of it.
I remembered that Glenn Beck and others like him make it their goal EVERYDAY to get me and the rest of America riled up over stuff that, at the end of the day, doesn't really matter. That they manipulate the news so that it will fit their opinion in a way that makes them look like they're smarter than the rest of us.
Which we know is not true.
Tiger's problem is Tiger's problem, not mine. Has no effect on the state of my blackness whatsoever.
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By: dvs90s on 12/22/2009 3:15PM
Real Talk! but I knew that they would turn on Tiger and what did his dumb A$$ do? he turned his back on the only community that would of supported him, he denied his black part by claiming to be a "Caublasian" and now where can he turn? but I bet blacks will do like we always do when our stars diss us and claim not to be "black" we forgive them only after they see whites dont love them as much as they thought. I say forget Tiger... LET HIM FIND THE CAUBLASIAN COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT HIM WHEN ALL HIS ENDORSEMENTS LEAVE AND HIS WIFE TAKES HIM FOR MOST OF HIS MONEY AND THEY FIND OUT HE'S BEEN USING DRUGS AND TAKE HIS TITLES. Sammy Solsa will be next!
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