The year of 2008 was big for the stars and bars. Eli Manning became the first mouth-breathing quarterback to win a Super Bowl. We elected Barry O based on not only merit but also his impeccable jump shot. Michael Phelps made us believe that in order to break Olympic records, you must eat a Subway sandwich every day. A lot of great events happened in 2008, but unfortunately over time, change occurs. If you were to tell me that eight years later I would still be waiting for my growth spurt and Tiger Woods would still be in pursuit of his 15th Major win, I would tell you that you’re crazy. But here we are now, the year 2016, I’m a not so staggering 5’9” and Tiger Woods is still chasing No. 15. The year of 2008, to some just another year, but to Tiger and I, it was the good ol’ days.
Growing up there was only one golfer I cared about and his name was Eldrick “Tiger” Woods. He was my Michael Jordan but better. Yes, better than Jordan. Let me know when MJ gets nicknamed after a jungle cat and then we can talk.
For over a decade I watched Tiger not only be the most dominant golfer in the world, but the most dominant athlete in the world. He made shots that left people speechless. What Tiger did with golf was something that no one had ever done; he made it enjoyable to watch. With his miraculous shots and perfectly executed fist pumps, Tiger Woods took the game of golf and made it his.
He was what I strived to be as an athlete and competitor. I didn’t look at his gambling problems or his refusal to be committed to his wife; I looked at his work ethic and commitment to excellence when it came to the sport he loved. That’s what was so gratifying to watch, his drive to be great and the hard work he showed when the cameras weren’t on him.
I’m not one to get sentimental about athletes because I know that when someone great leaves the game, another person is there ready to take the reigns. In basketball, did people talk about Jordan being missed years after his retirement? No, because Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan and Lebron James were there to take over. In hockey, did people dwell on Gretzky leaving? No, because Sydney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin came along, and not many Americans care about hockey, but that’s beside the point. What I am getting at is that we will never see someone have an effect on golf in a way that Tiger Woods did and that makes me sad. Yes, sad. Coming from the guy who will play a round, shoot a 94, and call it a productive day. Now you might ask, what about Speith and McIlroy? Yes, those two guys are amazing young talents who already have an impressive resume, but am I going to wake up at 6 a.m. to watch them tee off in England? No shot. That is the difference between them and everyone else in golf and Tiger. Watching Tiger was a show. He was electric and made golf exciting. Didn’t matter when or where he was playing, I was watching. Not only do I remember Tiger’s chip shot on 16 during the 2005 Masters, but I also remember exactly where I was; at the Marriott Hotel in Honolulu, Hawaii with my family, what a treat.
Since then, there have been many storyline moments in golf. Bubba Watson’s 2012 Masters shot from behind the trees that helped him win the green jacket and Dustin Johnson’s three putt choke on 18 at the 2015 U.S. Open are a couple that come to mind. But even though those two events were both less than five years ago, I vaguely remember them let alone know where I was when it happened.
Tiger had the “it” factor that kept us interested for such a long time. The shots, the fist pumps, the red polo on Sundays, everything he did, we loved and couldn’t wait to see more of it. And that’s what makes this all sad because even though Tiger is still on the tour, it’s not the same Tiger we once knew. There are very few athletes that will make me feel this way and Tiger is one of them. Thanks for the years of great shots and even better celebrations, I’m going to miss them.
