JT the Brick

My philosophy is simple when it comes to covering the personal lives of professional athletes: If it’s just a rumor or accusation with no facts behind it, I don't talk about it on the air or write about it in this column.

I don't write a gossip column and would never start a rumor that I couldn't back up with facts. But I don’t know where to draw the line with the Tiger Woods story from Thanksgiving weekend.

Woods dominated the sports headlines due to his car accident outside his home in Windermere, Fla. There were no witnesses other than Woods and his wife Elin — a neighbor who called 911 came outside after the accident —and there is a good chance both parties will keep quiet in the hopes that this incident eventually goes away.

But Woods is too important and powerful a person to get a free pass when so many other high-profile celebrities have had their lives dissected.

Tiger released a statement on his Web site Sunday stating his wife acted “courageously” and was the first person to “help” him. The National Enquirer recently ran pictures of a woman by the name of Rachel Uchitel, reporting that she has had an affair with Woods. Despite the publication's reputation, I have seen it get it right hundreds of times when breaking news about the indiscretions of public figures. Uchitel is now being represented by famed attorney Gloria Allred.

Woods will be in my neighborhood this week hosting the Chevron World Challenge at the Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, Calif. I plan on being there Thursday. I’m a fan of Tiger and I feel lucky that I’m living during his time as he could be the greatest athlete to ever live.

Every person I've talked to over the past few days is fascinated by this story. Everyone had an opinion of Tiger as a parent and husband before this accident, and many have changed their opinions of him as they wait for more details to be revealed. It is sad that as a society we have come to a point where we delve into the personal lives of athletes when it’s clearly none of our business. However, Woods also must face the fact that millions of people buy the products that he endorses in part because of his reputation as a role model.

What matters most is that Woods survived the car accident. If he had been seriously injured or killed, the sports world would have been rocked. Woods will someday be considered a more successful and recognized athlete than Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan or Pele.

If he continues to dominate his sport and earn billions of dollars in endorsements, he will remain more famous than most world leaders, rock stars and movie legends. Hopefully this accident was a wake-up call for Woods and his wife, and they work through this unfortunate chapter of their life.

I’m fascinated on where this story is headed after Woods decided not to speak to the Florida Highway Patrol, and used his Web site to make his only statement to the world. I can promise you that this story will not go away unless he addresses his fan base with more details and gives them an honest answer as to what happened in the early morning hours of Nov. 27.

Tiger and his public relations team decided not to go on the offensive and grab control of this story, and that will only feed into the hunger of the tabloid media. Celebrity gossip Web sites — along with countless sports and entertainment blogs — will continue to wonder about the status of his marriage. There are millions of sports fans who actually care about the decisions that an athlete makes inside and outside of his marriage. A professional athlete’s personal behavior has a significant effect on how companies decide who to align themselves with and how much money they will pay them to endorse their products.

If Elin was upset and believed that Woods was cheating on her, she probably learned of this information through the tabloid media, who will continue to chase this story. Even if the reports are false, Woods has to prove to his fans, sponsors and peers that his personal life is in order so that he can continue to carry his aura of invincibility. This is why he wins on the tour and in the board room.

He built his iconic reputation as a tireless worker who would do anything to win. He is known for making great decisions while under enormous pressure, but now he is in uncharted territory. I have never met a sober person who has lost control of his vehicle coming out of his own driveway in the middle of the night.

This story will not fade like his competition usually does on the golf course. Tiger is known for closing out his opponents Sunday, and now we are waiting for him to do the same on this story. This is a serious story and Woods, his family and his business partners need to be the same page as he gets ready for the 2010 PGA Tour. Otherwise, this unfortunate occurrence has the potential to drastically change his future.

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