That's not golf he was playing

Whoever thought that Tiger Woods, who seems so focused and serious on the golf course, would be such a party animal? Frankly, I was a little slow catching onto this story. I first heard that Tiger was injured in a wreck when I was watching football on TV. I was concerned about the seriousness of his injuries. When, a few hours later, the reports said he was treated and released, I figured, that was the end of that.

Little did I know.

I haven't read the tabloids' and tabloid TV's accounts of what "really happened," but it seems apparent to everyone I hear talking about it that Tiger must have been engaged in some non-golfing activities with women not his wife. I had also miss-heard the initial reports of when the accident took place. It was 2 in the morning, not 2 p.m.

Tiger is not talking, except to issue statements regretting his "transgressions," but his alleged paramours don't mind talking — or bragging.

It seems regrettable that someone with such a squeaky-clean image would become tabloid fodder and not be able to deny it. This is John Edwards all over again, except Edwards always seemed just a little bit of a cad; not Tiger. He married a beautiful Swedish model and had family portraits taken with the new baby. What more could American Express, Buick, Nike and all the other outfitters eager for his endorsement ask for?

I have no idea what went on between Tiger and Elin early in the morning at their multi-million-dollar gated-community mansion, and I figure it's none of my business. But it is a shame that one of the few truly admirable, incredibly accomplished and respected athletes of modern times should be revealed as so much less than he had seemed.