What He Should Have Said

I know what you want from me today. You want me to break down and cry. You want me to offer a string of apologies and mea culpas. At the end of the day, I think most of you want the old status quo back. Deep down, you really want to root for me again. You want Tiger Woods to re-emerge from this bigger and better than ever, the larger than life hero and role model that you have come to know and love.

Well, let me tell you this. You will not be getting what you want today. But hopefully, you will get what you need.

I am not here to apologize. You do not need an apology. I have already taken steps to apologize to those that actually need one. But I do think you need an explanation. You need to know how somebody who seemingly had so much came to be so ungrateful for his gifts and his blessings, and you need to know how someone so revered by others came to behave so contemptibly.

After weeks of soul-searching, I think I have come to a conclusion. Somewhere along the line, my life became a lie. My existence became inauthentic. My name and my face have been used to sell video games, and that is not a bad metaphor for how I viewed this world. Everything became a game to me. Just as in a video game where the reset button can be pushed at any time, I felt that none of my actions would result in lasting consequences. I became convinced of my own greatness, my own legend. I bought into my own mythology.

The events of the past few months have taught me that I am not some kind of Nietzschean superman. Though I will forever regret that I have hurt those closest to me, I will be forever glad that I have learned these lessons. From this day forward, I intend to apply what I have learned. From this day forward, I want my existence to be authentic. You might ask, "What does that mean?"

That means is that as of today, February 19, 2010, Tiger Woods is no more. From this day forward, I wish to be known by my birth name, Eldrick Woods. I also want you to know that never again will I appear in an advertisement, and my name and likeness will never again be used to sell a product. Though I wish nothing but the best for friends I have made through the years, I will no longer be "hanging out" with anyone the media would consider a celebrity. And no longer will I be wearing red shirts on Sundays. I will now be wearing white. These are just some of the changes that I intend to pursue, all in the name of repudiating this "Tiger" persona that grew out of control, and now needs to be put down. Let me assure you that this is not to say that I intend to be any less competitive on the golf course. Indeed, I believe that my rejection of these extraneous factors, and my subsequent ability to embrace what really matters in life, will enable me to be more committed to the sport that I love.

I know that the statements that I have made here today will be analyzed, dissected, evaluated, interpreted, and scrutinized by the 24-hour news cycle. I know that some commentators will question the authenticity of my quest for authenticity. I know that some people will mock my commitment; I know that some people will say that I am taking all of this too far. But I know that many of you will see both the truth and the necessity in what I say. Thank you for listening, and I'll see you on the course this summer.