LOMBARDI'S WAY: Time for Woods to walk the walk

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Lombardi's Way - LOMBARDI'S WAY: Time for Woods to walk the walk

Posted On: 2/21/10

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Tony Lombardi

LOMBARDI'S WAY: Time for Woods to walk the walk

I’m not sure what some people expected from Tiger Woods yesterday during his public apology (video here). I’ve heard analysts break down all of his words and his body language. Some believe he was sincere; some think the speech was too scripted and not from the heart.

Yada, yada, yada…

He can’t change the past, he can only affect the future and hopefully in a better way for his wife, his family, friends, colleagues on tour, fans and business partners.

For now, all we have are those words to decode and body language to review and rewind like an ipod stuck on replay.

What a waste of time!

I don’t really care what Tiger said. I don’t really care about his teary eyes. I don’t really care if he read most of the speech.

Tiger pointed out that even his wife Elin will not accept words as an apology.

His behavior over time will become his apology to her.

His behavior will determine his sincerity and decode his body language.

And that’s what I care about!

Hopefully that’s what the Ravens’ new wide receiver Donte Stallworth cares about too.

You know athletes in general have an extreme sense of entitlement – not all of them but many do and the majority of the upper echelon athletes clearly do. In some ways they can’t help it because in this day and age when athletes are recruited at grade school levels, they are constantly coddled and catered to. It becomes a way of life for many of them.

Yesterday Woods admitted that he is one such athlete.

“I convinced myself that normal rules don’t apply [to me].

“I felt I was entitled.”

The first part of correcting a problem is admitting the problem exists. Woods is on his way.

If you take his words at face value his achievements thus far on the golf course and in the business community aren’t important, at least for now.

“It’s not what you achieve in life that matters but what you overcome.”

Unfortunately for Woods the challenges ahead aren’t slippery greens or thick first cuts just inches from the fairway. Those challenges he can tackle in the NOW. His challenges ahead will take time and he needs to understand that there’s a difference between letting things happen and making things happen.

Hopefully he’ll manage the difference.

And hopefully the apologies will come in the form his wife prefers.