by King Robert of Shankalot
Jack Nicklaus said something a few weeks ago that I've been saying in my column for years - "when will someone step up and put Tiger Woods under some pressure?"
Or words to that effect. I wish I could remember betterm but Alzheimer's is a hell...or is it Mad Cow? I can never remember.
The fact of the matter is that since day one, the players of the US PGA Tour have almost handed Woods every tournament on a silver platter.
I am NOT denying Woods is great because he is. That is undeniable.
What I AM saying is that when some big name gets paired with Woods on Sunday with the tournament on the line, they soil themselves repeatedly.
Rocco Mediate didn't do that. He stood eye to eye with Tiger and refused to blink. He took it to Tiger all damn day and wouldn't let up. It wasn't until they played the 18th - which was a "Hole built for Tiger" and the 7th hole (yet another hole built for Tiger) that he was able to put Rocco away.
Tiger had to earn that win.
When Woods plays in Europe, the players respect him but walk off the course with unsoiled undergarments. They're not afraid of him and they're not gonna let him win without a fight.
Need proof? Look at Tiger's Ryder Cup record...
Rocco showed the rest of the US Tour prima-donna's how it's supposed to be done.
Rocco...you're a champ regardless of what the trophy says.

by Rod Jackson
Quit crying for Rocco. He's a great guy and everyone knows it but without Tiger in the sport your drama level and fan support drops about 50%. They have to bow to the ratings king because he is the anvil of the tour. Rocco gushed about Tiger in every interview, he obviously gets it and you should too. The guy is doing amazing things on the course and we won't see it again in our lifetime.
Rod

by John
Most sports broadcasting is "Star" coverage, pitting the team's star player against the other team's star player, except when the coach is the star, as in the case of Duke basketball, for example.
In this US Open, the coverage was set up to pit Tiger Woods against Phil Mickelson. When the "dream match" did not materialize, the script became Tiger's heroic struggle against himself. (It's tough to have an epic struggle against someone as "everyman" as Rocco Mediate.)
We are a "star" seeking people. We get the script that keeps us glued to the TV i.e., an "American Idol" mentality.

by Bruce Johnson
I am replying about the media coverage and the all Tiger talk the whole way through...
Tiger makes $115 million a year... they said that 50 times also... But how much of that comes from playing golf? Maybe 5-10 million?
The rest is sponsorship money, tv commercials, etc. And the media is plainly aware of who spends the most money on ads during the events that Tiger plays in.
It is not so much that everyone loves Tiger and wants to hear the media gab all day long... but rather that Rocco won't make Nike enough money to talk about him.
If your salary was based on how much you eat at McDonalds instead of the work you actually do in the office, or whereever... you would make it a point to eat at McDonalds (wear and use Nike equipment and clothes) and talk about the product to everone you know... (Tiger).
It is the best advertising anyone could ever buy. We all want to be Tiger becasue of his ability on the golf course... but what do we do when we want to be like someone...? We try to role play... act like him, dress like him, use the same tools, etc.
How many times as a kid did you play cowboys and indians with a replica 9mm Baretta instead of a 6-shooter?
Let's face it... the golf media sells products to us without even having us know we are being sold on them.
What kind of consumer would I be if I was in the market for a driver, and go to my pro and ask only to demo one club? And if I am 'smart' I would probably at lest demo one of the new Nike- square head- sasquatch drivers to see how it feels... right?
If I can hit the ball just as straight with that as a calloway or ping... then my ego says ' buy the sasquatch '... right? it is cool to use what Tiger uses...
Then again... we peons will never have the same actual club style as Tiger... we would never be able to hit the same club as he uses... It might look the same... but consumer versus Pro equipment is never even close to the same animal.
Branding.... money.... politics... The media had almost nothing to do with announcing a game of golf. They just sell the story so that we buy products for the most part. What a gig.

by Kev Here
Tiger spikes the ratings needle, it's not opinion it's fact. The TV producers demand the "It's all about Tiger" line of commentary because that is what the "fringe", "casual observer" type of people want to see and hear. These idiots don't know or care who Rocco Mediate is? As an avid golf and sports fan I get angry at being force fed the load of crap that comes with "entertaining" the fools that every one of the networks scrambles to passify. If you can't be entertained by the good, even coverage of a sporting event, simply tune back to one of 100 "reality TV" shows? That's what most of these "fringe" idiots watch 90% of the time anyway.

by probits139
C'mon. Ken Venturi's victory while collapsing of heat exhaustion during the then-36-hole final at Congressional in 1964 beats it.

by Ivory Rubin
Probits 139, I am a huge Tiger Wood's fan. And I believe this 2008 U.S. Open was the absolute greatest I've ever seen, wire to wire. But, you're absolutely right...Ken Venturi's victory while fighting a near losing battle with heat exhaustion, during a 36 hole final is by far and away the most heroic performance of any golfer in history. Therefore, the greatest U.S. Open!!!!!!! Thanks for reminding us.

by patrick carroll
I would like to have a skin for every time johnny miller said...."hugh Roger"

by JSmith
Articles like this are an exercise in the negative, a futile effort to inject minuses in a story that featured all pluses. Of course the stories / stats featured Tiger and his 64 Tour wins, ( 13 Majors )it was like when Muhammed ALi fought Chuck Wepner, Did we really want parallel focus on Chuckie baby, NO !! .. Rocco got his 15 minutes, he was interviewed as much, or more than Tiger, he got his due. Honestly, isn't he just this years Woody Austin , the prior years Steve Stricker ?, The only true constant on the PGA Tour is one Eldrick " Tiger " Woods. People do love the underdog , but clamor for the ultimate winner. Ruth , Jordan, Ali, & Woods , their popularity does not stem from an " every man " personna.. They're Legends and ultimately we want Heroes. Marvel Comics has made millions off our hero worship, Superman, Batman, Spiderman (and now Tigerman)

by Doug
I am glad to see that some golf writers are willing to look past the hoopla that is Tiger and comment on the fact that to some of us this year's Open will be remembered for Rocco. He may not have the trophy but he won over a lot of fans.