Masters (Fan) Favorite

[MUBurrow]

So ESPN's active poll when I posted this was who would you most like to see win the Masters:
 Lefty
 Fred Couples
 Tiger
 Tom Watson

Naturally I click Tom Watson and send it in.  Every state in America and 56% of all participants in the poll voted for Tiger.  Really people?  I guess I don't have any objective criticism for a poll on who people would like to see win a tournament, but it was really disheartening to me that so many people would root for Tiger given a) recent events and b) that it would be Tiger's 15th major and counting.  It would be that much more fulfilling to see Tiger win this years Masters than Tom freakin' Watson?!  The whole thing just really bummed me out.

[muarmy81]

I'm so sick of Tiger.  He's a douche and every where you look the coverage is centered around him...you'd almost forget there were 80 other golfers in the tourney.  I mean ESPN had hole by hole coverage of tigers round on the bottom line.  Gimme a break.

[madtownwarrior]

I actually would like to see Tiger win it despite all the drama...

[Brewtown Andy]

You forget that Tiger winning the Masters in his first tournament back will effectively wipe out any discussion of the last 4 months.

Also, he's the greatest golfer of our generation, and another major win is another step towards shattering Nicklaus' record, which people want to see, regardless of anything else.

[4everwarriors]

Noone really gives a rat's ass about Tiger's Bootyism. Just good conversation when it's a slow news day.
Anyway, all will be forgotten when when the next catastrophy hits like ZFB in bed with Oprah.

[MU B2002]

if couples cant win(which i am afraid his back is going to take him out) i want to see Tiger win.  I too am sick of the media coverage, but a masters win for tiger would once again show he is far and away the most dominant golfer of our generation.  How many other golfers could take 5 months off from competitive golf and not miss a beat.

Yes, i understand tiger's infidelity is against my own values, but I for one do not feel like I have any right to information on his (or any other athlete's) personal life.

Oh, and not to mention my buddy gave me 10:1 in early march when I said I would take the Tiger and he could have the field. 

[tower912]

I have never been a fan of Tiger's.    Same reason I was never a fan of Jordan's or the Yankees.   Arrogance.   I even root against Tiger in the Ryder and President's cup and cannot even begin to describe how ecstatic I was to see the American's beat the Euro's without Tiger at Valhalla.   Freddie and Tom simply aren't going to happen, though Thursday was awesome.    So, I guess, go Lefty!!!!!!

[tower912]

Way to go, Phil.   And congratulations on that new white hat you got from Tiger.   You won with class.    And everybody but one player was gracious.   One player, however, was a whiny little beach who only cared about himself and after his perfunctory remarks early in the week acknowledging his reception, reverted to his selfish, narcissistic, arrogant, d-bag self.     The game is bigger than he is.   Hopefully, ESPN and the Golf Channel figure this out, soon. 

[Hards Alumni]

Way to go, Phil.   And congratulations on that new white hat you got from Tiger.   You won with class.    And everybody but one player was gracious.   One player, however, was a whiny little beach who only cared about himself and after his perfunctory remarks early in the week acknowledging his reception, reverted to his selfish, narcissistic, arrogant, d-bag self.     The game is bigger than he is.   Hopefully, ESPN and the Golf Channel figure this out, soon. 

Actually, Tiger carries the sport.  He is bigger than the game.

[DJO's Pump Fake]

Actually, Tiger carries the sport.  He is bigger than the game.

It's true.  Just about every golfer interviewed this week said they were happy Tiger was back because of what he does for golf.

I cheered him before and I will cheer him now, He is probably going to go down as the greatest golfer of all time and I want to say I got to watch him in his prime.

[🏀]

Way to go, Phil.   And congratulations on that new white hat you got from Tiger.   You won with class.    And everybody but one player was gracious.   One player, however, was a whiny little beach who only cared about himself and after his perfunctory remarks early in the week acknowledging his reception, reverted to his selfish, narcissistic, arrogant, d-bag self.     The game is bigger than he is.   Hopefully, ESPN and the Golf Channel figure this out, soon. 

Tiger is way bigger than the game.

[cheebs09]

It's true.  Just about every golfer interviewed this week said they were happy Tiger was back because of what he does for golf.

I cheered him before and I will cheer him now, He is probably going to go down as the greatest golfer of all time and I want to say I got to watch him in his prime.

I agree with this totally. I've always been a big Tiger fan and want to watch him break the records. It was a terrible thing that he did, but I'm appreciating what he does on the golf course. My justification is that if I stopped cheering for Tiger for cheating on his wife, there aren't too many people in pro sports I'm going to be able to cheer for, we just don't hear about it as much.

[WellsstreetWanderer]

You can't knock the way Phil played this weekend. That was some Epic golf. Pressure putts on 17 & 18.

Glad to see him win his 3rd green jacket.

[ATWizJr]

I agree with this totally. I've always been a big Tiger fan and want to watch him break the records. It was a terrible thing that he did, but I'm appreciating what he does on the golf course. My justification is that if I stopped cheering for Tiger for cheating on his wife, there aren't too many people in pro sports I'm going to be able to cheer for, we just don't hear about it as much.

  Totally agree.  I'm cheering for Tiger the golfer, not Tiger the father, husband or son. And that's where it ends for me.

[Hards Alumni]

  Totally agree.  I'm cheering for Tiger the golfer, not Tiger the father, husband or son. And that's where it ends for me.

I'm glad that I am not the only person who watches sports this way.

[reinko]

You can't knock the way Phil played this weekend. That was some Epic golf. Pressure putts on 17 & 18.

Glad to see him win his 3rd green jacket.

+1

As for Tigger's effect on the game, his fellow players love him because he has put so kwan in their pockets.  In 1997 TW took home $486 large for his win at Augusta, 9 years later?  Phil took in $1.3.  All thanks to TW.

[tower912]

Tiger has driven the game financially over the last 14 years, no doubt about it.    All professional golfers owe him for their increased income and opportunities.    He truly is a transcendent talent and does some of the most amazing things I have ever seen.   He is a selfish, petulant d-bag as a golfer, too, though.    I will start rooting for him when his on-course behavior and treatment of the fans and media starts conforming to the examples set by Palmer, Nicklaus, Player, Watson, Snead, Jones, etc.   If he never played another competitive round, there would still be professional and recreational golf.   There aren't more people playing golf in America today than there were when he turned pro.   The only thing he has increased is money for the pros.   

[MerrittsMustache]

I have never been a fan of Tiger's.    Same reason I was never a fan of Jordan's or the Yankees.   Arrogance.   I even root against Tiger in the Ryder and President's cup and cannot even begin to describe how ecstatic I was to see the American's beat the Euro's without Tiger at Valhalla.   Freddie and Tom simply aren't going to happen, though Thursday was awesome.    So, I guess, go Lefty!!!!!!

If you're not a fan of arrogance, Phil probably shouldn't be the guy you root for.

[flash]

Tiger Woods is my favorite golfer with out question.  He made a golf fan out of me.  If he wasn't playing in a tournament I would not watch it.  I hope he wins every tournament he plays.  His recent sex scandal will not affect my opinion of Tiger, I will still root for him, and still only watch tournaments in which he is playing. 

[tower912]

If you're not a fan of arrogance, Phil probably shouldn't be the guy you root for.

I have read stuff about Phil, too.   I know some of his fellow competitors don't like him.   But he takes time for the fans, gives poly-syllabic interviews with the media and comes across as something other than a robot.   IMO, Tiger is on the same level as Barry Bonds, Michael Jordan et al.    Admire their abilities in their chosen profession.   Can never root for them. 

[Brewtown Andy]

I agree with this totally. I've always been a big Tiger fan and want to watch him break the records. It was a terrible thing that he did, but I'm appreciating what he does on the golf course. My justification is that if I stopped cheering for Tiger for cheating on his wife, there aren't too many people in pro sports I'm going to be able to cheer for, we just don't hear about it as much.

I don't know if I've said it here before, but when I saw the Enquirer headline "TIGER CHEATING SCANDAL" I said "oh no!" and then I got closer to the magazine rack and I saw the smaller text "CAUGHT WITH ANOTHER WOMAN" and I said "but he's not cheating at golf?  Ok then."

[damuts222]

 Tiger is right in what he said in his interview after his final round Sunday, about how his emotions are being blown up into this bigger story, when he always chastizes himself on the course. The interviewer was pushing to get answers about his emotions on the course as if to get a one-liner from Tiger.

 There was a story on the front page of Yahoo about "Tiger can't control his emotions on course." Is that something new, he has always been that way people are just reaching to make the headlines with this stuff.

 I also do not watch tournaments when Tiger is not in it. If they got Gus Johnson to do the PGA Tour then maybe I would watch more.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Why would anybody root for Tiger? Not only is he a completely immature baby, it turns out he's a jerk to boot. He is the last person I'd root for. I was rooting, in order for:

Westwood
Couples
Mickelson
Choi

Compare the remarks Westwood made after the tournament to those of Tiger Woods. How can you root for a jerk like that. A 10 year old boy has more sense than Tiger Woods. Swearing on national television cannot be dismissed as competitive spirit. Besides, anybody who refers to themselves in the third person "Oh Tiger Woods, you suck!" is a homo.

Although I will say that PuertoRicanNightmare is an absolute stud.

[MUBurrow]

Totally agree.  I'm cheering for Tiger the golfer, not Tiger the father, husband or son. And that's where it ends for me.

I suppose good for you guys then, this is just impossible for me to do.  When I cheer for someone, I have to cheer for them as a person that plays sports, not an athlete who also is a person (poorly worded, I know).  Thats why some underdogs are so much lovable than others, and why some villains are so much more hatable than others.  Besides, if i just cheered for Tiger the golfer, I don't think I'd have much fun.  Cheering for the best guy solely because he's already the best on the course? Snoozefest. 

[mu-rara]

I was cheering for Freddie because he's an old guy like me (50), but all in all, The Lefty story is very compelling...kind of the anti-Tiger.