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Elin Nordegren, the estranged wife of golfing star Tiger Woods, has decided to speak out about her ordeal. In an interview with People magazine, Nordegren describes her life as "hell," after she found out about her husband's numerous affairs. The scandal shocked the nation, leading to months of speculation about the nature of their relationship.
Nordegren didn't divulge the details of her divorce settlement, but there are reports that she received more than $100 million after the split. She also says that she had no idea Tiger was having so many affairs with various women during the five years they were married.
Nordegren denies attacking Woods with a golf club on the night of his car crash. She is sticking to the story that she was using the golf club to get him out of the car, in spite of the fact that there appears to be substantial evidence to the contrary. For example, some have wondered how a tiny woman would bash out the back windshield of a truck when the man she is trying to pull out of the vehicle is in the front seat. Also, the fact that Tiger and his wife evaded local police interviews, with Tiger refusing to show his face for several weeks, adds further fuel to the fire of speculation.
My study of the experience of black athletes in America makes it impossible for me to not draw parallels to the O.J. Simpson incident 14 years ago. Like Simpson, Tiger was once the golden boy of corporate America. He could do no wrong and had the good, honest, trustworthy image that is incredibly rare among black male athletes. After the incident, Woods has come to be defined as an unethical demon and bad human being who deserves whatever he gets. Welcome to the club, Tiger. You are now considered to be one of the angry and undisciplined black male athletes of America. That's what happens when you are accused of hurting a pure, sweet, innocent damsel in distress.
Nordegren, like the late Nicole Brown Simpson, is America's blond-haired angel. No one wonders if she might have attacked Tiger with that golf club, but to me, that would make her a domestic abuser. While we might laugh about the possibility that she could have been trying to seriously hurt her husband, there is almost nothing she could have done that would justify Tiger chasing her in to the front yard with a golf club. If the incident had been reported the other way around, the focus would not be on Nordegren's cheating but Tiger's violence.
Another interesting aspect of Nordegren's "Tour of Innocence" is that we are somehow convinced that she deserves $100 million because she was hurt in a relationship. Sure, all's fair in love and divorce, but many of us would be more than happy to get nine figures of compensation every time we are disappointed by someone we love. Don't get me wrong, Nordegren's experience was certainly tragic, but she gets to walk away with $100 million for her emotional distress, and all of that money was earned by someone else. I know a lot of people who'd love to deal with a bad husband for a $100 million.
At the end of the day, this is just another broken relationship. It's not some kind of riveting dramatic tale that makes Elin Nordegren a hero for abused women everywhere. This situation has caused us to trade one facade for another: First, we spend 13 years believing that Tiger Woods was far more pristine and perfect than he truly was. Now, we're starting to believe that the former nanny who spent five years in Tiger's bed was completely innocent in the breakdown of her marriage, deserves $100 million for her heartache and also had no idea that her husband had a propensity for sexual deviance. Perhaps it's time we let go of all the illusions.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce's commentary delivered to your e-mail, please click here. 
Comments: (29)
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By: EB on 8/25/2010 4:49PM
Elin got what she wanted---the money. In addition, she is not the first and will not be the last spouse cheated on.
I also wonder whether she ever had a little fling on the side and just never got caught.
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By: Angela Harvey on 8/25/2010 6:20PM
I once again disagree with pretty much everything Dr. Watkins says about relationships. This wasn't a high school break-up. This is the disillusion of a marriage. If a non-working spouse, male or female, has no claim to money "earned by someone else" then why are they sacrificing career and future to be in the partnership? As far as the golf club is concerned, are you REALLY trying to make light of domestic violence issues by comparing a one-time, vigorously provoked, emotional reaction to chronic abuse? Poorly done. Articles like this are a big part of why the gulf between men and women remains so broad.
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By: rob on 12/27/2010 12:44AM
you disagree with the article because unlike yourself dr watkins is not picking a side, he is simply stating what he knows and his unbiased opinion, very well done by him i might add. you are obviously taking the side of elin woods. dr watkins does not make light of the golf club incident at all, however he does make a great point as to the attention being soley on tiger and his affairs and nohing on his wife breaking the car windows. it doesnt take a genius to know that tiger was hit by his wife. the 911 call explains that well enough. if you would take a step back and not think like a pissed off woman, you would see clearly what dr watkins is saying. great article.
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By: Maxine on 8/26/2010 12:17AM
It's non of our business away. Everyone made money the wife in the divorce/the media/the mag.and the Whores he was with. So let it go.
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By: Debra on 8/25/2010 9:18PM
She married him for his pocket contents. White women do not love. They are taught at a young age that laying on your back pays more than an education. The female in their life teach them to lay on your back and do whatever else it takes to get the Dumb Black Athelete's(DBA)to marry you, spit out a couple of babies, take everything and leave.
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By: AreUsure on 8/25/2010 10:44PM
Hey, you are correct and history proves this point. Unfortunetly, Blackmen have not caught on yet..shame..it allows your partner to do whatever, in a relationship as long as you are still "Mrs", you win. Have some babies an add wealth to the pot. If you look into her past history, I bet you will find a lot of skeletons in her closet. A "Top Model" to a "Nanny".. give me a break. She had a plan it worked. Lets follow her actions and see exactly how this plays out....
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By: Pamela on 8/25/2010 11:13PM
The comments on here by the bigots are hillarious. Face it - many of your men would rather be with a white girl - we thoroughly enjoy the looks we get from them, and we enjoy even MORE the looks we get from you immediately thereafter. Sorry girls... we have something called class as well as the soft, flowing hair you all pay hundreds a month for (in vain, of course).
What's sad is your cash is spent on your "hair" and acrylic nails while your welfare checks are spent on processed food for your 6+ kids.
As for the lack of education and popping out babies...I feel fairly certain the US Census Bureau would disagree.
*FAIL*
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By: R on 8/28/2010 10:36PM
Pamela,
You may wish to gain a clear understanding of the use of the word bigot and speaking truth. It is clear from your statement that you are aware of the incapacity to give real love. Your focus was more on fulfilling ego than giving or receiving love. Perhaps money spent of hair is the equivalent to what is spent in tanning booths, botox, and the like; however, this has nothing to do with the direct sitaution spoken about with Tiger and Elin. Like you people are invited to express their opinions whether they are sensible or lacking. Even Sarah Palin has been given a platform demonstrating that even fools are listened to by others even for entertainment purposes- the differences lie in the fact that who tends to follow are the like minded individuals.
It seems that today, if you have noticed, there has been a blending of races. White men are now coming into the open with fulfilling their desires of being with women of color, any color as long as there is some- and other ethnicities have been so brainwashed that only the strong-minded will find true love by knowing how to love themselves.
Let's stop bashing the stupidity of men, the lack of self-esteem and cattiness in women and just be..Peace.
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By: ohplease on 8/26/2010 3:23AM
Debra -
She married him for his pocket contents? He was the one who asked her to marry him, idiot! And White women lay on their whats? When you come back to the library to get on the internet, go to Google and look up the illegitimacy rate among black women. Almost 70%. They're laying on their butts while the White women are working. And like it's known by everyone that the saddest day in the ghetto is Father's Day and you know the reason why, right? How many childruns do you have and by how many different "thugs?" Enlighten us!
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