Tiger's apology met with respect, sarcasm in media

The New York Times television columnist called Woods's first public remarks since revelations of his extramarital dalliances emerged a "remarkable two-fer: an open, vulnerable confession by a notoriously disciplined and self-contained professional athlete, and a highly expert and disciplined performance by a young golfer with little experience in show business or politics."

Woods, a golfer with 14 majors to his name and a fortune built on endorsements, may have delivered an "apology ... out of sync with his button-down public demeanor, but it was very much in line with his sportsmanship.

"And that�s something that no athlete -- or politician -- can match," the article read.

In contrast, The Washington Post noted that Woods, known for his control, was highly rehearsed, giving his presentation to a crowd of handpicked friends and taking no questions.

"He tried very hard to sound humbled. He didn't pull it off," wrote Post contributor John Feinstein.

"The one surprise in the entire 14-minute monologue came at the end when Woods said he does not know when he will play golf again and implied that he was still a long way from returning," read the article, noting that many observers thought the world number one would be back in April for the Masters.

The Los Angeles Times, not too convinced by Tiger's apology, drew a parallel with embattled carmaker Toyota.

"The golfer and the carmaker are both beneficiaries of the way popular culture seems to be blending two powerful social forces -- the culture of celebrity and brand loyalty -- into a single new commercial imperative," wrote columnist Tim Rutten.

But "who cares what Tiger Woods did in bed or with whom? Isn't that an issue for him and his wife to sort out? Why not either watch the guy play golf or forget him?

"There's the rub, and his dilemma: Neither the PGA nor his sponsors can afford to let you forget Tiger Woods the brand any more than Akio Toyoda can afford to let you forget the Prius," the column read.

Across the pond, the London Times wrote that "what the speech lacked, in any tangible sense, was authenticity.

"If Woods hoped his performance would engineer redemption in the eyes of the world and, more importantly, the corporations that he yearns to win back, he surely failed," the Times added.

The Guardian had a sarcastic take noting that "a light-hearted person talks sitting down.

"As soon as Woods started talking (standing), though, he looked like an Internet video of a kidnapped person who's about to be executed by terrorists," the paper said. "Haunted, beseeching, desperate yet impersonal -- all he needed was some armed men standing behind him in balaclavas."

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