There’s still a lot of buzz over Tiger Woods’ car accident, particularly concerning the fact that he has yet to speak with police. Tiger canceled three separate interviews with state police, probably at the advice of the high profile criminal defense attorney he’s hired. On one hand Tiger was in a minor car accident which may or may not have involved a domestic incident. He didn’t hurt anyone except himself, his car, a tree and a fire hydrant. On the other hand Tiger was possibly driving under the influence of prescription drugs and may have been involved in a fight with his wife over his alleged infidelity.
Tiger is the most accomplished and popular golfer in the world and is among the most beloved sports stars. Before this incident he had a pristine reputation with a propensity to curse and fart being his worst character traits. He has tens of millions of dollars in endorsements at stake, and apart from a kind of vague statement he issued he hasn’t said anything, not even to police.
Tiger has backed out of a tournament he was scheduled to host this week, The Chevron World Challenge in California, citing injuries from his car crash. It’s likely that he just wants to avoid scrutiny over his car accident for as long as possible. This was his last scheduled tournament for the year, so he’ll probably be laying low and buying his possibly abusive wife some really expensive presents.
Several of Tiger’s corporate sponsors have voiced their support for him at this difficult time in the media. Both Nike and Gatorade issued positive statements on his behalf, although other sponsors like AT&T, Tag Heuer and American Express have yet to comment.
There’s more news about what a famewh*re Tiger’s alleged mistress is. We’ve already heard that 34 year-old Rachel Uchitel is also rumored to have hooked up with married actor David Boreanaz. Uchitel denies a relationship with Tiger and has retained fellow fame-seeking attorney Gloria Allred. The National Enquirer stands by their story that Tiger was cheating with her since this summer, as told by her friends.
The NY Daily News has more on Uchitel and in today’s installment they dig into her past as a promoter for various nightclubs. It was her job to attract celebrities to the clubs and she did it well, but she wasn’t an ideal employee. She’s described as a “drama queen” and a “firestarter” who regularly fought with her employers. She was once sued for ditching an employer to go work for the competition.
Uchitel sure knows how to meet celebrities. The Daily News reports that she went out with Will.i.am, and Radar has photos of her in a bikini on St. Barths with Ryan Seacrest. In one photo it even looks like Seacrest is checking her out. You know those pictures were staged.
As for Tiger’s accident he has ten days to meet with the state police or he’ll be fined a whole $200. He’s sure to lose tens of millions in endorsements if he doesn’t handle this right, though. As it is, the longer he stays quiet and refuses to speak with police the more the rumors intensify. If he doesn’t emerge for a couple of months many people will assume the whispers were true. He may as well admit that he’s human and made a mistake and the press will move on. Many PR people are issuing him unsolicited advice to come clean about his affair and subsequent accident. It will only be more painful for him if he tries to wait it out.
Tiger Woods is shown on 5/16/09 at his “Tiger Jams” benefit concert in Las Vegas. Credit: Judy Eddy/WENN.com
Who is his fan base? Golf fans, I’m guessing, are perhaps 80% male and 80% over 35. Many of these men (and probably some of the ladies too) have had extramarital flirtations of their own.
I would also guess that golf fans are largely straight-arrow types who respect the police and try to follow the law (although I’m sure there are a few white-collar criminals mixed in there too.)
My take is at this point it’s worse for Tiger to be seen evading the police than it is to confess to cheating on his wife, or even to having a prescription drug problem.
He didn’t kill anybody; he didn’t run a Ponzi scheme. His ‘crimes’ are pretty forgiveable.
HEY NOW! I am the only Firestarter around here!
Now I am pissed that that sleazy bitch has been given my name! Rachel not only steals men, she steals names too! STEALER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@ CandyKay … But still scummy as hell. Cheaters are pretty low on my scale of decency.
ha, @ firestarter.
Surely he’s had enough time to get his story straight or at least perfect a wonky version and talk to police. Until he does the speculation will continue and intensify in it’s annoyingness. All he needed to say was yeah, they had a fight, he decided to leave, he crashed the car. The subject of the fight is between husband and wife. End of story.
damn, have we learned nothing from the movie “unfaithful”… how many lives have been ruined because someone couldn’t keep it in the pants? jeez, this shit is getting serious lol…
What’s unpleasant, at least for me (and I only mean in terms of the gossip and dodging the police), is he does a lot of work for kids’ programs through his Target foundation.
I hope they don’t suffer because he couldn’t keep it in his pants.
You’d have thought he was some bumpkin the way he handled this. He’s got to have a room full of people smart in handling public relations, I don’t know how they let that stupid, stupid statement go out. He’s also pretty dumb not to have talked to police – dumb that he kept rescheduling it. It definitely makes it look like he’s hiding something, which is stupid. He’s also surely got a team of lawyers who can advise him what and what not to say.
This situation gets weirder and weirder.
Firestarter, you are surely the original. That tramp doesn’t deserve the name.
ROFL @ Firestarter! (And she’s just a cheap imitation!)
I think Tiger’s right in telling the cops to buzz off. They’ve already conceded that alcohol and drugs are not factors so how is the accident any of their business? (No seriously, I want to know)
OH yeah, CB: “He may as well admit that he’s human and made a mistake and the press will move on.” Are you referring to the affair or the accident? Because he already admitted to the accident, and if he admits to the affair the press will NOT just “move on.” You know better than this.
I don’t know about ‘Unfaithful’ fizXgirl, I’ve never seen it, but ‘Fatal Attraction’ damn near made me go foetal.
Every time I see a photo of him he looks more like Jon Gosselin.
He needs to own up to his mistake and try to make amends. If he’s still dodging it it’s because he’s still hoping he’ll get away with it and be able to continue his skeezy lifestyle.
@ FeeBee: Couldn’t agree more.
niamh is right, the accident is not the cop’s business, but Tiger has a major PR problem on his hands at the moment. That’s his main problem right now. Aside from the possibly abusive wife, of course…
See, the thing is, Tiger has no reason to speak to the cops. it was a ONE CAR ACCIDENT. He doesn’t have to speak to the cops because he didn’t cause any damage to anyone other than himself and his own property. It’s called knowing your fifth amendment rights and exercising them.
Jesus. Doesn’t anyone read the Constitution anymore? You know, that piece of paper in the Smithsonian that Homer Simpson accidentally got chocolate on?
If his wife beat up his face then there should be an investigation. And I’m going to guess that’s what has happened and why he is holed up in his house. The last thing he wants I’m sure is for someone to get a snapshot of his busted up face to be plastered all over the intertubes.
He’s probably been grounded and is doing time “thinking about what he’s done” on the Naughty Chair.
Boy’s got some big work ahead of him. I don’t think he’s going to be able to giggle his way out of this fluff!
Does anybody know if they’re both in the home together or if she’s split and taken the kids?
I think the investigation is probably to figure out whether his wife was “abusing” him… *eyeroll*… quite frankly, I think it is more a matter of morbid curiosity, combined with the desire to see people fall from grace…
Did she bash out a couple of his teeth? Is that why he’s cancelling all his public appearances?
Just wonderin’
The higher they fly, the harder they fall.
I know he is probably appalled at the amount of controversy he’s courted, but comeuppance is a bitch, isn’t it, Tiger?
I agree that it is not our business whether he had affair(s) or not, it is between he and his wife. It’s too late for any sort of prosecution for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol because no physical evidence was collected at time of driving (unless the hospital drew blood, which the police can obtain by warrant).
The possible assault is the business of police, but very hard to go forward with without the evidence of the victim. Without physical evidence, again, it would be impossible. So, is he waiting till he heals so he can shield his wife from prosecution? It would not be first time, and definitely not the last, I am not speaking to this matter alone.
It will blow over, marriages heal, people grow up-especially when slammed so hard in a way that hurts.
I wish them luck, for the sake of the children.
I do respect greatness, and he is great. Now if only he can behave!
Oh for chrissakes, he’s not “sure to lose millions” in endorsements. He may be an ass, but the fact remains that he’s still a very bankable name, and I seriously doubt this scandal is big enough to bring him down. But I suppose we’ll see …
If she put her hands on him, then she should be charged with something. It sends a bad message that a woman can be abusive and get away with it because of something she didn’t like.
And that brings me to Tiger and my whole point of abuse no matter who it is… If you always treat people with respect, then you may not have these issues. I’ve said this before… Some people are not wrapped too tight and don’t have mature coping mechanisms. You take a serious gamble when you treat people wrong. Especially when you don’t know how they will react.
He’s wrong if he cheated. Elin is just crazy. But I knew he’d cover for her because he was the one to do wrong from the jump.
I still want Tiger’s PR team though. My first start of business would be to sue Rachel for tryin to steal Firestarter’s name.
I’m to the point that I don’t care if celebs and politicians are caught cheating or not because it’s not illegal to cheat on one’s spouse. Skeezy, hurtful, and if you’re Christian it’s a sin. But other than being morally wrong, it’s no one’s business but those directly involved. Yes, it shows a propensity to lie, which isn’t good, and for certain professions, to know that could be important, but still, it’s a relationship thing.
Now, Tiger possibly being under the influence of painkillers, aka DUI, and driving without shoes – both of which break the law where he lives – I care about.
My guess is that we won’t see a picture of him until the scratches on his face heal. He probably cancelled his appearance at the tournament because everyone would see that they were fingernail scratches, instead of cuts from glass. As for the PD trying to get Tiger’s medical records about the scratches, I think that’s wrong unless they’re truly going to prosecute his wife for abuse.
Driving without shoes is *illegal* – really?? Is it the same in other US states?
If that shoe thing is for real I guess they’d have to take the Flintstones off tv.
Bad message to the kids ;o)