Is Golf The New Bad Boy Sport?

Remember when bad-boy behavior was unacceptable in golf and high moral standards separated golf from the rest of the sports world? Throwing a golf club, obscene language or spitting into the cup (Sergio) just wasn't tolerated.

Support for Tiger Woods seems to be back on the "Pro" side now that he has a few golf tournament wins under his belt but does "Winning (Really) Take Care of Everything"? Does Nike hope that revealing a bit of "naughty" along with his wins in their marketing strategy will get Woods' problems out into the open and actually expel them from his life?

By now you've seen Tiger Woods sassing it up with Rory McIlory, rumbling with Arnold Palmer and you've most likely read about the new found happiness shared with Lindsey Vonn but is the new Tiger Woods image brand-build working...are you liking Tiger Woods again?

In the case of Tiger Woods, and with other athletes who have suffered problematic situations (think Kobe Bryant), advertisers take a few steps back, wait for a rebound, an apology to fans perhaps and watch for the sports celebrity's new lease on life...and all is forgiven in the advertising and branding space.

In a recent TMZ.com poll, almost 75,000 fans were asked if "Winning Cures All" and fifty-five percent said "YES!"

Lewis Blackwell "begs to differ", stating that "winning is never enough" and "it needs to be dirtied up a bit."

"You have to win brilliantly, or win dirty, or win tragically, win sexily," claims Blackwell, "or lose with style and a sob story. For heaven's sake, don't win normally and expect acclaim."


Fans now adore Woods cheering him on three-deep at golf events, a new lease on life is on the horizon, the great Arnold Palmer is sharing laughs and co-starring with TW in videos and Jack Nicklaus is defending Tiger's Masters decision and opening up once again about Woods ...not like before, when Tiger was, well...toxic,

"I've said it, and I continue to say it, that I still expect him to break my record." said Jack Nicklaus recently. "I think he's just too talented, too driven, and too focused on that."

Tiger Woods and Arnold Palmer share a laugh

Tiger Woods is just now beginning to rebuild his commercial life but does winning really cure all?


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photo credit: thesun.uk, TMZ.com

Should the public send a "just stop it" message to Nike?

Nike is swooshingly gaining a notorious reputation for standing by celebrity athletes who womanize; Ben Roethlisberger and Tiger Woods, to name a few.

Should the public continue to buy goods from Nike or send a message loud and clear forcing the sports retailer to become more family-friendly?

Tiger Woods has finally come clean, probably because of the buzzing in his ears from sponsors that doing so limits the damages he incurs over time. He still needs to break Jack Nicklaus' records, right?

No one has to like Ben Roethlisberger off the field except for, maybe, Missy Peregrym and accused still means innocent until proven guilty. But, with Andrea McNulty also claiming sexual misconduct, Nike should consider putting the brakes on before being forced to do so.

Nike does have its limits; cruelty to animals, for example. Michael Vicks was quickly dropped from the Nike roster after pleading guilty to running a dog-fighting ring punishable by prison time.

Could this mean that Nike considers infractions to women a more palatable offense than to dogs? Nah, couldn't be. Most likely it just the fact that Nike backs off when an athlete is found guilty without first admitting blame.

Nike's product is still moving off the shelves so perhaps "creepy cred" as Timothy Egan puts it is good for business. And, as Hollie Shaw mentioned, "Love it or Hate it, Nike's ad got noticed."

Bottom line comes from "data from U.S.based market research firm TNS suggesting that while the athlete (Tiger Woods in this case) may have hurt his personal reputation in the scandal, that harm did not extend to the brands he endorses."

With reasoning being that any press is good press, who will Nike sign on next?

Nike begs Michelle Wie, Just Do It...PLEASE! Also, golf tips for body rotation and wrist hinge

Click here to listen.


Although Nike is still standing behind Michelle Wie even after her horrendous showing at the Samsung World Championships, her agent, Greg Nared, apparently has parted company with both Wie and the William Morris Agency.

It is understood that an agent who quits is quite common, but, in my opinion, Nared should be given a raise for hanging around Camp Wie for as long as he did (one year, so far her worst!). He consulted with Wie on the sixteenth hole of the Ginn Tribute where Wie was dangerously close to an all-time high score of 88 and I'm sure he was also mulling about his decision as Wie showed a thirty-six stroke difference between her score and winner Lorena Ochoa's final tally. The William Morris Agency, unfortunately, cannot shake Wie from its roster as the parental units would only sign with the agency if the contract was not based upon Wie's performance.

At least Michelle Wie was proud of herself "for not giving up this whole week". I wonder if Nared feels the same way.

Carolyn Bivens' optimistic belief in Wie makes me feel that she should manage a career which is currently winless in forty-one pro women's events. "It was unrealistic to expect any player, at any age, to enter the LPGA and dominate right away," the LPGA Commissioner stated. "… It's way too early to give up on her, and it's way to early to know what kind of career she will have."


Besides our Michelle Wie summation, Golf for Beginners also offers up some easy golf tips on the pivot and the wrist hinge, two essential parts of your golf swing.


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