Wash Post/Feinstein: A conversation between Arnold Palmer and Tiger Woods

[Captain Hilts]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/04/AR2009120402868.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

...

"I can't be a normal 21-year-old," he said. "I have to sign autographs all the time, talk to the media after I play, do photo shoots for my sponsors. It just never ends."

Palmer, as he had done in the past with other players who had made similar complaints (notably, two-time U.S. Open champion Curtis Strange), looked Woods in the eye and said: "You're right, Tiger, you aren't a normal 21-year-old. Normal 21-year-olds don't have $50 million in the bank. If you want to be normal, give the money back."

Woods is no longer worth $50 million. He has made close to $1 billion not just because of his extraordinary talent but also because he has marketed himself as the guy everyone would like their son to grow up to be like. He's the nice kid next door who made it big. Every product he pitches is top of the line. Michael Jordan -- Woods's role model in many ways -- once did a commercial that urged people to "Be like Mike." The Woods version was an ad in which children around the world looked into a camera and said, "I am Tiger Woods."

...

[SpiralHawk]

1. I am Spartacus

O, what the Hell, I guess I'm Tiger Woods, too.

But mostly I am regular old SpiralHawk. Deal with it.

[Captain Hilts]

2. "Deal with it." Actually, folks would have to care about you first.

People DO look up to athletes. Beats me why. But Woods is more than a golfer to a lot of people, and he's not only not discouraged this impression, he's deliberately profited from it.