Affairs are “Par for the Course.”
Tiger Woods’ car accident may have been the result of a domestic dispute regarding infidelity.

December 3, 2009

Mike Giangreco-  He’s a living legend, and is on pace to become the greatest golfer the world has ever seen.  But Tiger Woods may have made a mistake that will have a lasting effect on his illustrious career, and more importantly, his reputation.

The 14-time Major Champion was fined $164 by the Florida Highway Patrol Tuesday following a car accident last Friday morning.
Few details are emerging from this bizarre incident, and rumors surrounding Tiger’s personal life are swirling worse than the winds at the British Open.

At 2:25 AM on Friday, November 27th (the day after Thanksgiving), Woods crashed his Cadillac Escalade into a fire hydrant and a neighbor’s tree outside his Orlando-Florida mansion (Caddies rarely let him down). The neighbor called 9-1-1 and his wife Elin used a golf club to break the car window in order to save Woods who was not seriously injured according to reports.

At the moment, Woods has offered no insight on the reasons for the crash and wants to “Keep it private,”  however, he did announce he will not attend his charity golf tournament which begins Wednesday.
Reports from TMZ to the National Enquirer, are saying Woods had an affair with a woman named Rachel Uchitel. While Uchitel admitted to meeting Woods, she firmly denied the two had sex.

Uchitel’s denial was followed up with an announcement from a Las Vegas cocktail waitress named Jamie Grubbs who claims to have had an affair with the golfer and told US Weekly she has over 300 personal text messages from Woods.

Woods, his wife and lawyer will keep the situation under wraps as much as they can, but Tiger’s hand could be forced to dispel negative press and make a statement sooner than he would like.

Former White House communications director under George W. Bush, Kevin Sullivan, says Woods needs to be in damage control mode, not hiding from authorities or the press.
“Tell it first, tell it yourself and tell it all,” Sullivan said on his blog via www.kevinsullivancommunications.com. “That is the tried and true formula for handling a messy public relations crisis in the smoothest possible way. I want to believe Woods that all those salacious rumors are false. I certainly don’t blame him for wanting to keep private whatever happened that night between him and his wife, Elin. But it’s unrealistic. The state police want answers about the incident. The media won’t let it go.”

For right now, we won’t hear a clear admission that he cheated or whom he cheated with, but a handful of waitresses, bartenders, and strippers will likely come out of the woodwork claiming to have seen Tiger’s driver.

One thing’s for sure; when something seems suspicious, it usually is.
The rumors are hard to believe because of Woods’ squeaky-clean image.  He’s done everything right in his career and became not only the poster-boy for the game of golf, but has been put on a pedestal as an American icon and a symbol of the American dream.

Woods has issued brief statements but one may shed more light than others:

“I’m human and I’m not perfect.”

The words simple, but they almost imply guilt that reaches beyond a simple fender-bender.

In a way, it echoes the apology of former New York Yankee Jason Giambi in 2005 when Giambi vaguely said: "I feel I let down the fans. I feel I let down the media. I feel I let down the Yankees."
Giambi would apologize two years later, specifically stating he in fact used steroids but he struck out at the plate when a simple PR move could have saved faced for the slugger.

If it turns out Woods was indeed unfaithful, the news would turn the golf and sports worlds upside down.

The reason we would be shocked, is because Woods has always been so wholesome.  No one would ever expect it.  Too often, the public holds star athletes and celebrities to high moral standards, yet they rarely meet them.

So why would the best professional golfer in the world, who seems to be happily married with a beautiful wife and two children decide to stray?

There are a number of theories why men cheat.  Here are just a few:

1.      Because it’s different: this may be the most common reason men cheat.  A man can be madly in love with his significant other, but for some men, monogamy becomes monotony and they need a change.

*Women wonder why men cheat with other women who are sub-par to them (golf pun intended) and the simple reason is because that person offered something “different,” whether it was for a year or one night.

2.      Blame it on biology: Research shows man is programmed to “spread his seed” in order to survive.  It’s animalistic, and man has the will to make choices, but hormones can play a big role. In over 55 cultures worldwide it has been shown that more than half of us (men and women alike) have cheated at some time in their marriage.

3.      There’s something missing: The relationship may not be exciting enough for him.  There’s a lack of sex.  The novelty of what attracted him to the relationship has worn off.

4.      Physical Changes: Many men are shallow.  If there has been a noticeable change from how you used to look or what he likes, he may be looking elsewhere.

5.      Emotional Disconnection: Think it’s all physical?  Think again.  Ninety-two percent of men said it wasn't primarily about the sex. Infidelity expert Gary Neuman says the majority of men he surveyed in a 2008 study said it was an emotional disconnection, specifically a sense of feeling underappreciated. A lack of thoughtful gestures. Men are very emotional beings. They just don't look like that. Or they don't seem like that. Or they don't tell you that."

6.      Our Culture has accepted it: Divorce isn’t taken as seriously as it once was and that has led to a lack of commitment.  The current divorce rate in American is 52%.  Couples are also moving in together more than ever, and experts say that can be a cause for cheating and divorce.

 A recent study on cohabitation concluded that after five to seven years, only 21 percent of unmarried couples were still living together. — The Boston Herald

55 percent of cohabitating couples get married within five years of moving in together. Forty percent of couples who live together break up within that same time period. — Annual Review of Sociology

7.      The consequences aren’t severe: Celebrities have set a precedent by making public infidelity alright.  Kobe Bryant bought an expensive apology with a giant diamond and all was forgiven.

8.      Sexual Addiction: Other partners can fulfill an addiction or even fantasy which some men crave.

9.      Opportunistic relations:  There is a thrill involved when a man strays and knows he is getting away with infidelity.

10.      Fulfils competitive nature: Successful men are more often than not have “Type-A” personalities and that may be the biggest reason why athletes are found to be cheaters.  They are so successful at just about everything they do that they are unsatisfied with being involved with just one person.

These potential reasons for why men cheat are all tied to one thing, the human condition.  Athletes and celebrities have exceptional talents, but that doesn’t mean they are flawless
Tiger Woods is the most low-key athlete our generation has seen, but with the TMZ’s, I-Phones with cameras, Twitter and other technology, celebrities’ lives are under constant surveillance.

Athletes, actors, and politicians are constantly surrounded by temptation, and when these powerful men experience a moment of weakness, it’s a recipe for an affair.

Alex Rodriguez and Michael Jordan may go down in history as the greatest to ever play their respective sports, but infidelity has tarnished their once pure images.

Tiger Woods will likely eclipse Jack Nicklaus in the record books, but will a scandal eclipse his career?

Star athletes seem to be untouchable as they practice their craft.  It’s when they’re away from it when they’re most vulnerable.

*It should be noted that both men and women are guilty of cheating.  According to infidelityfacts.com, 57% of men have cheated in a relationship, while 54% of women have admitted to being unfaithful.