A19: Tiger's agents at IMG have to consider all the angles to maximize his value...bet they are bummed out though -- Tiger has been a total gold mine for IMG as they take a % of all that he makes off his long term deals...Tiger's value is dropping and one wonders how they will handle all these new revelations...fyi...
Tiger Woods scandal: Damage control needs tune-up
examiner.com
December 4 -- Who’s running the show over at Tiger Woods Central?
Tiger Woods may be holed up in his Isleworth mansion, but photos show his Chevron World Challenge proceeds without him
After years of keeping the lid on Woods’ many indiscretions and creating and fortifying a squeaky clean image for the world’s best golfer, Tiger’s reps at International Management Group (IMG) have lost any semblance of control over the Tiger Woods “brand.”
First, Woods said nothing about the National Enquirer allegations of an affair, which made sense at the time since most observers seemed content to let that whiff of stink go away.
Then came the car accident and reports of Woods’ wife, Elin Nordegren, smashing his car with a golf club. What followed quickly were allegations of infidelity from almost every woman on the planet, complete with stonewalled cops, 911 calls, voicemail tapes, and even IMG was not up to the image-burnishing task
Tiger posted an initial, terse statement on his Web site saying he was not perfect and asking that he be allowed to keep “this” a private matter. Did Woods’ team really believe that would stop the bleeding? By that time, even the IMG pros must have had an inkling that simply ignoring the bad press about their formerly untouchable icon just wasn’t gonna work.
Tiger comments on current events. What followed were more allegations from alleged mistresses, and more obfuscation from Woods, whose online mea culpa for undefined “transgressions” came out under the comical headline, “Tiger comments on current events.”
Really? Say, Tiger, what do you think about the troop buildup in Afghanistan? Not those current events, apparently.
No payoff. Now, it appears that Woods’ handlers somehow convinced Rachel Uchitel, who has denied a tryst with Woods, from apparently telling all. And, according to TMZ, they did so without paying her off.
Should it turn out that Woods or anyone involved with him strong-armed Uchitel in any way -- and if they did, you can bet TMZ, the Woodward and Bernstein of seamy sexcapade tabloidism, will dig it up -- the Tiger Woods’ "brand" would take an even bigger hit than it already has. But how much deeper can Woods fall into the cesspool that is now his image?
Just don't do it. If he’s guilty of nothing else, Tiger Woods is culpable of unbelievably bad taste in his extracurricular activities and extreme arrogance that he would never get caught -- an attitude no doubt bolstered by the folks he employs to protect him, and the fact that this seems to be the M.O. of rich, powerful men (see Clinton, Bill; Jordan, Michael; Bryant, Kobe, et al).
As for his “People,” as Esquire Magazine termed Woods' team, they have done their client no favors in proving to be out of touch with the way the tabloid media work in today’s 24x7, Twittered world.
Woods might consider taking a mulligan on the suits he employs to represent and advise him. Woods put himself in the hazard but his people keep giving him the wrong clubs to get out.
Indeed, Woods would be far better served to take the advice of Jesper Parnevik, the Swedish golfer who's kicking himself for introducing Woods to his wife. "When you are the guy he is - the world's best athlete - you should think more before you do stuff," Parnevik counseled, "...and maybe not 'Just do it,' like Nike says.
The tawdry tales of Tiger Woods’ trysts seem to involve just about everyone. Read about what the New England Patriots star QB has to say about it here:
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