Tiger Woods injured again

[throatybeard]

You mean like MJ's decision to take a season away from basketball to play "baseball" - while gambling rumors ran rampant?

Well, I agree in principle, but even though the guy is an unrepentant, nasty Duke-hater (see 2008 ESPN documentary) for whom I've lost respect, I'm willing to cut him some slack, given that his old man was murdered that year at about 55 years old. A freak-out after that is justifiable.

[jay]

Point taken.

But note that I did reference "Who's Now," which was seven summers ago.

The 30 for 30 series doesn't float your boat? Outside the Lines? Kenny Mayne? Most of the good stuff about ESPN isn't new, but that doesn't diminish the fact that it's still around. I'm not of the opinion that ESPN has changed all that much in the context of the overall media landscape. As a network, it has adapted as the media has adapted and changed. Things are just more amplified these days.

There's still a lot to love about ESPN. As with all things in life, you take the good and filter out the bad.

[greybeard]

This just in from SF, a back is a meaningless nothing without a person attached, and legs on a person are the things through which force is imparted from and to the rest of us. That's it from SF; oh, the left leg, it is Tiger's dominant leg. That's what did him in.

[greybeard]

I understand that in golf, as in many other sports, starting position for an athlete includes bending one's torso forward from the hips. How many people do you think have a clue where theirs are. Go around and ask 10 of your friends. See if they're right. It should be a real hoot. Don't mention it.

[greybeard]

These posts from SF. A back is a meaningless nothing without a whole person. Tiger was not whole. The legs part force down to the ground and ack up through the body. A leg like Tiger's left changes vector of forces going up. Nature knows of no other possibility. Change the vector, undue strain on portion of spine. Swing of force and frequency of ztigers', especially when radically change swing plane and timing, injured back almost certainty. This is my not so humble opinion, partying with my friends in SF.

[greybeard]

Oh, they call it Biomechanics. You could look it up.

[mr. synellinden]

And Tiger shows up to Valhalla and is planning to play a practice round. In fact, just watched him hit his first tee shot - he's playing with Stricker and one other - couldn't tell, and seems to be walking fine.

[BD80]

And Tiger shows up to Valhalla and is planning to play a practice round. In fact, just watched him hit his first tee shot - he's playing with Stricker and one other - couldn't tell, and seems to be walking fine.

Are you saying he wasn't all that "injured" 3 days ago?

[mr. synellinden]

Are you saying he wasn't all that "injured" 3 days ago?

I'm not, but others are saying it. I did read from Bob Harig that Tiger said this back injury was unrelated to his surgery.

If that's really true, I could see him being in a debilitated condition on Sunday and recovering enough to play three days later. I've had painful back issues flare up and be relatively fine a few days later.

Going back to what others have said in this thread, the question is whether his new swing (to protect the leg) put too much strain on the back and he is likely to have chronic back issues. Sir Nick thinks it does. It would be consistent with his pattern of shooting great early rounds, getting into contention and then fading badly on the weekend - which has happened several times in the last few years, especially in majors.

[CDu]

I suspect it won't be too long until you are as tired of Rory and the spotlight on him as you are about that other guy, who used to be good a long, LONG time ago.

To be fair, it hasn't been all that long since Woods was good. Heck, he was #1 in the world just last year with 5 wins and 10 top-10 finishes in 19 events.

Historically great, on the other hand? That has truly been a long time (about 5 years, to be exact).

[BD80]

The prick is almost making me feel sorry for him. Now 7 over, likely leaving early again (missing cut), missing gimmee putts, thrashing about the course like - well -me. Poor bastard.

[YmoBeThere]

To be fair, it hasn't been all that long since Woods was good. Heck, he was #1 in the world just last year with 5 wins and 10 top-10 finishes in 19 events.

Historically great, on the other hand? That has truly been a long time (about 5 years, to be exact).

He will go down in history as "what might have been"?

[BD80]

I hope Tiger withdraws his name from consideration as a Captain's pick for the Ryder Cup. If he says he's healthy and anxious to play, how do you leave him off?

Wouldn't want to see him hacking around the last day the way he did today.

[mr. synellinden]

I hope Tiger withdraws his name from consideration as a Captain's pick for the Ryder Cup. If he says he's healthy and anxious to play, how do you leave him off?

Wouldn't want to see him hacking around the last day the way he did today.

There is no way Watson would pick him unless he enters and wins the Wyndham next week and gets into the playoffs AND plays very well in the playoffs. I actually think the best thing for him would be to shut it down until next January and get healthy - including mentally. Some of his issues recently have been physical for sure, but his swing is so inconsistent - and he reportedly swings much better on the range - that I would say 80% of the problem is mental - trusting the swing, being more confident on the greens, getting back the old Tiger swagger (I hate to say eye of the Tiger). If he doesn't get that right, he won't contend in majors again even if he is healthy. I think all of these mental issues go back to even before the Incident. I actually think the loss to Y.E. Yang was a harbinger of a declining mental state/confidence, particularly in putting.

Don't get me wrong - the talent is still there - he couldn't have risen to #1 and won 5 times last year without it. But I just don't see the same mental fortitude and confidence that he had 7 or 8 years ago, especially on the greens. Many great players have lost their touch on the greens later in their careers. Tom Watson is a good example. I've seen him miss so many putts - especially in majors - that he never would have missed in his dominant years.

[throatybeard]

The prick is almost making me feel sorry for him. Now 7 over, likely leaving early again (missing cut), missing gimmee putts, thrashing about the course like - well -me. Poor bastard.

Those two descriptors are really far too nice to do him justice.

I think this week has brought to light a fundamental struggle for me. I used to think that there was nothing better in the world than a golf course kicking Eldrick's butt and him missing the cut. But I think nowadays, I'd rather see him make the cut by a stroke or two and then spend another two days flailing around the course that's kicking his butt.

And this time, it was a soft, moist golf course that kicked his butt. Here is an incomplete list of people who are almost certainly closer to death than to birth, who tied or outscored him, and who still didn't make the cut:

Pádraig Harrington (43) +2
Tom Watson (64) +3
UNC Love III (50) +3
Darren Clarke (46) +6

Tom Watson kicked your butt, weeks shy of drawing social security. Lefty is 44 and three strokes (-6) behind a guy who is playing a lot like 2000-01 Eldrick.

OTOH, when he doesn't make the cut, then we don't have to hear about him on Saturday and Sunday, deo volente. In fact, if there is a God and if Tom Watson has any discretion, we won't have to hear about him at all until 2015.

[greybeard]

Eldrick "Tiger" Woods to me stood taller in the field this tournament than any other player. What went into creating Tiger, beyond an enormous gift and a brilliance and creativity around the sciences and art and psychology of bringing the game itself to its knees, we all have our guesses, good or bad, both, as with all of us, there he stood tall.

Tiger Woods declared before day 1 what he was after and he set out to take it. He lifted a sport as no one else has, not even MJ, and it made him a giant. He has to know that he is a giant no more, that Tiger left long ago. But, he said he was going for it, that that was what matters to him, and he showed up this week. He showed up this week without a chance in hell, but he showed up to win. He showed up to win, with all the ugliest he could muster he pushed forward. We have seen him do this before, that walk down Torrey, and we applauded. He knew that this would not be Torrey Pines, but he got where he is, took this game where it was it seems just a few moments ago, because from a place of integrity he was willing to put it all on the line with the intention that that would be enough. People can now throw stones at Eldrick, but neither he nor Tiger mind it one bit. All that they pray for is that no one cry for them. Sometimes giving people what they want is tough.

[oldnavy]

I think that one thing gets consistently overlooked by the analyst when talking about Tiger's potential to win another major and that is the level of talent he is playing against. The gap between Tiger and the field has been closed.

Remember, Tiger not only has to play better golf, he has to play better golf than the others in the field.

"If" he fixes his swing, and gets healthy, he still has to be better than Rory, Bubba, Serge, Jordan Speith, etc, etc, etc....

Like the commercial says, "these guys are good"... Tiger in his prime, sure, you'd be silly not to bet on him. Tiger at 38+ with multiple health issues... eh, not so much.

[greybeard]

I think that one thing gets consistently overlooked by the analyst when talking about Tiger's potential to win another major and that is the level of talent he is playing against. The gap between Tiger and the field has been closed.

Remember, Tiger not only has to play better golf, he has to play better golf than the others in the field.

"If" he fixes his swing, and gets healthy, he still has to be better than Rory, Bubba, Serge, Jordan Speith, etc, etc, etc....

Like the commercial says, "these guys are good"... Tiger in his prime, sure, you'd be silly not to bet on him. Tiger at 38+ with multiple health issues... eh, not so much.

Great piece, and no arguing with it.

But, we both would love to see it, even though I would hate to at the same time. Those long, long irons out of the stuff that Jason Day hit a wedge out of, and the shows on the greens that followed, let the youngsters stand up to that. How do they say it, without the physical devastation, we'd love to see it, because he might not have been what he once was but every once in a while he might have been as good as he ever was. As good as Rory et al are, and I agree they are all that, let's not forget what this guy could bring. Tom Watson at what, 55, brought these youngsters and that fabled course over the pond to its knees but for a long bounce on an amazingly well struck, what was it, 200 yard 9 iron on the last hole that by the Gods themselves had it one. It was only the devil that took it from him. I hate that he played so injured at Torrey, when it was already over for him, and then brought more down on himself for years, but the steel that brought him out this weekend, well, I've said it already.

In the end, oldnavy, you nailed it. Your perspective brings this thing back to reality, which for me is always a bummer.

[BD80]

Tiger not letting Tommy off the hook

http://www.cbssports.com/golf/eye-on...you-to-pick-me

Maybe this should be in a Ryder Cup thread, but

With Tiger's injuries and poor play - he should have exited gracefully. Today Watson admitted that Tiger wants to be on the team.

[77devil]

Tiger not letting Tommy off the hook

http://www.cbssports.com/golf/eye-on...you-to-pick-me

Maybe this should be in a Ryder Cup thread, but

With Tiger's injuries and poor play - he should have exited gracefully. Today Watson admitted that Tiger wants to be on the team.

At 13-17-3, Tiger's Ryder Cup record is mediocre to begin with and this year he's injured. He was 0-3-1 last time. There is nothing about Tiger's game this year to suggest he would be anything but a loser. Hopefully Tom Watson makes the right decision to leave Tiger off the team. The U.S team doesn't need the drama.