Rocco: "You gotta look at what the ball is doing. It's simple. If it's going crooked, there's a problem."
He said Woods’ problems are 100 percent physical, and that his sole problem is the swing.
“He owns the mental side of it,” Mediate said. “But on the physical side, here’s what I would say. You can mentally think certain things in golf, but if you physically can’t do it … if the club is in the wrong place, the ball won’t go where you’re looking.”
You can read the entire transcript here. Here's was Rocco's response to a question about his recent criticism of Tiger's swing:
So my point is I've always been a fan. I'm always going to be a fan. You know, things I said a month or so ago, that was how I feel. I mean if he's mad or he's angry, I don't really care. I mean if it does anything -- because you gotta look at what the ball is doing. It's simple. If it's going crooked, there's a problem. A lot.
We all hit them crooked. Believe me. But hopefully he figures it out because we need him, period. We've got to have him where he was before. As a TOUR we do.
Q. You just answered one of my questions. You haven't spoken to Tiger --
ROCCO MEDIATE: Not a word.
Q. -- in the last few weeks?
ROCCO MEDIATE: Not at all. I didn't expect to either.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at 09:53 PM
Reader Comments (40)
But Mediate and I disagree one one thing: Woody's problems only BEGIN with his swing. This is a god that was exposed to be nothing more than a mortal made of clay, not just another fallible human being like the rest of us, but a superior athlete who utilized his lofty skills and intimidating manner to instill fear in his opponents. But all that was left behind in the slow trickle of a fire hydrant. Tiger Woods simply revealed himself not to be merely another flawed human, but as a man who never knew just how far he could plummet. As he continues to free fall toward the depths of mediocrity, the aura has evaporated and today.... right now... Eldrick is yet one more golfer trying to find his game... while picking up the jagged pieces of his life. You're Tiger: surrounded by paid syncophants and hangers-on, seeing your kids once a week and wondering if you should call up that blond (NEVER a woman of color, mind you) you saw at Perkins Diner the other day. You're rich, you're alone, you're at the bottom.
You sow what you reap. The ball never lies.
- ticket sales 500% of last year
- corporate sales 145% of last year
- media credential requests 300% of last year
Word is that Rocco was over at The Institute today, as was Tiger.
That said, I would like it if he could contend (not necessarily dominate) on the Tour. It added to the drama of the Masters this year that Woods made an abbreviated run on the outgoing 9 Sunday. And as entertaining as it was the Tour Championship would have been even more intriguing had Phil been closer to the leaders Sunday.
Woods' current dilemma is probably both physical and mental (Don't they go hand in hand?). If the determination to return to top form is there and if he can overcome any physical limitations, he can compete on the Tour again. But it will take time.
(quote attributed to Ben Crane: "I'm slow. I know I'm slow. I'm working on it. But it's going to take time.")
I like Rocco, he speaks from the heart, but Tiger's problems are mental and he seems to be trying to fix them by working on his swing.
BTW, I am in the "He still passes Jack" camp, so I think he will will overcome his problems, doubtful it happens this week.
What do you care what the color of Tiger's wife, dates, hook-ups or whatever are? I think that your color of why you hate Tiger so much is showing through.
It was his achilles that was stricken
Go comfort Amanda Knox. You surely have more insight into her plight than you do "Woody's" or "Woodhead", a man you so easily judge, criticize and dismiss.
I don't see any racial angle and even if I sniffed it, I would never make such an accusation. I just think that it is unfortunate that you (and many others) feel as if you have the psychological wherewithal to basically diagnose Tiger's "affliction". It's also unfortunate that you (and many others) seem to take pleasure in his pain. The term is Schadenfreude. Tiger has made plenty of mistakes. He's a bit of a pig with women and he's arrogant and he isn't the warmest and fuzziest guy in the media tent, but he is right up there with the greatest men who have ever played the game and he is a bigger man than you with the way he has tried to come back from his physical injury and his public shaming. Just remember: you don't become a big man by trying to make somebody else feel small.
Now, in one's personal life, schadenfruede is probably not that healthy. But in sports (and politics), it is one of the big attractions.
Why don't you log on to a baseball blog and lambast Red Sox fans for hoping that the Yankees get there asses kicked by the Tigers and then who will feel the elation of shadenfreude when Jeter strikes out at the last at bat to lose the series?
Everyone keep in mind what ggg said: "The negative emotion of hatred consumes the hater -- not the person hated -- and the hater is the one who accrues the negative karma. The positive emotion is love in spite of the person's actions."
also, bs, don't you feel just a little uncomfortable calling out a guy for not "dating within his own race?"
What is your problem? Do you hate sports? Golf is a sport right? Have you ever visited another sports blog? Does it upset you that most of the postings there are negative? Do you waste your time there lecturing people on your karma expertise? Or just on this blog?
You sound like a preacher.
Gimme a break.
-LK
For those of you who are not from So Cal, let me clue you in. TW grew up a black guy in the very racist (at the time) Orange County.
You see, the white folk in LA ran away from the spread of the black folk by settling in OC in the late 60s early 70s. The city of Irvine was not even established until 1971. It was called white flight.
Trust me, these were some of my neighbors from the westside and the valley who feared the "niggers" from compton would take over all of LA and who voted Tom Bradley down on his first run for mayor in 1969.
These were the people who TW lived with. They didn't see the subtle mixture of white, black, asian, native american...they saw TW as an "n word".
Read about TW being tied to a tree with that word pinned on him literally.
So what does that do to a man?
There is a strong reason he goes after the white girl. Its because of his insecurity (does anyone really think he works his chest and arms to be a better golfer? - chile please!!) and the deep seated issues caused by the neighbors calling the cops on the black kid hitting balls at the Navy course after hours. Better call the cops whenever there is suspicious activity after dusk by a black kid in a lily white neighborhood, he maybe a blood or crip for god sakes. (Tiger was in fact arrested or had the cops called numerous times when growing up in Cypress). And besides, what black kid plays golf and not basketball?
Oh and his intimacy problem with the press is reflected in his intimacy problem with these women. they are all "skanky" or slutty, trailer trash etc., no real candidates for an emotional relationship, just like his stand offish attitude with the press.
TW was stunted, much like Michael Jackson, by an overbearing father who sacrificed his son's childhood for fame and fortune.
And who's to argue with the success? Isn't it the American dream?. Lloyd Blankfein's dad is never in the news for raising a selfish, greedy ash-hole, but until the recent scandals, isn't his self made dream of being a billionaire every parent's dream for their kids?
TW's terrific pain and obvious sublimation of this pain into success and sex addiction due to the unrelenting racism hie encountered is impossible for the typical middle aged white guy from the Midwest or south who reads geoffs blog to relate to.
Yeah, yeah, please spare me your "but I have a friend whose black" or "big deal, deal with it" attitude.
Everyone is different and responds differently. TW is no Jackie Robinson another So Cal athlete from Pasadena who died at 53 (horrendously young) from having to internalize the effects of the tremendous racism that came from fans and even his own teammates.
Look, I realize you guys have about as much chance of understanding TW as I do in understanding how a thinking man can be a Republican.
Nice .. some of what you're talking about could explain TWs (former?) association with Barkley and Jordan. Maybe powerful figureheads for Eldrick?
Thanks for the write-up anyhow.
-LK
Personally, I don't know what to think of his "mental side." Maybe the sex-addiction therapy sessions worked like, uh, a charm.
But all of the orthopedists and rheumatologists I have talked to all say that what Tiger has, in terms of injury and post-op issues is very bad indeed. Joint replacement-type things. Which might make the "mental side" merely an academic question.
you seem to indicate that you have some sort of inside knowledge of how growing up black in orange county shapes a man's taste in women. where does your inside information come from? are you such a man? do you "go after the white girl" as some sort of response to your misunderstood past?
....hell, I may do the same just to erase your nonsense from my register!
LMAO
Tony is a doozy...feel bad for his better half.
Yeah, his mother is Thai, but as charles Barkley so eloquently put it after reading some of Tiger's hate mail from redneck racists and Tigers complaint that he is half Thai said:
"A half Thai golfer doesn't get racist hate mail. A nigger does."
As for his teacher that denied the story, is this the same teacher who hired Gloria Allred to publicly make the announcement?
Why indeed it was. No credibility issues with Alred huh boys? Why she has a sterling reputation and would never do something in the public square that isn't dignified or professional.
As for del the funk, go f yourself ahole as I know your ilk only too well. A subtle racist to be sure who hates Obama, thinks affirmative action was a waste and agrees with the tea party. Be honest Del, am I too far off the mark? We can go back and read some of your comments on this blog in the past.
As for Ky, I am surprised by your remark that because TW was a celebrity he wouldn't get picked on? You usually post insightful comments but Ky come on, get your head out of you a$$ on this one.
I grew up with kid celebrities (actors) in my grade school and they got picked on unmercifully...and they were WHITE and on prime time TV....anyone remember courtship of eddies father? Family affair? Nanny and the Professor?
Hey buffoons (and that means you Del) look at the U.S.census figures in 1970, there was less than 1% african americans in OC. Get the picture Del you unctuous twit?
I don;t need to justify my opinion to a bunch of fat rednecks aholes who have about as much understanding of the incredible racism in OC at the time, but who can spout off as if they do.
Hey Del the tool, ever have a cross burned on your lawn pal? Oh sorry, you were the one lighting it.
I am sure you are all fine gentleman and we just disagree.
Again, sorry for all the venom.
Good story but the lady says it never happened. She didn't hire Allred, but allowed her to represent her (a mistake, I think, given that awful woman's history). But the school teacher wanted no money. She just wanted an apology because, as she said, she as a teacher would never let that happen to a boy in her class, no matter his color.
Your earlier post has some insightful observations. I think TW did internalize much of the racism he encountered and maybe that's why he has an inherent distrust of pretty much everyone. And maybe that's why none of the skanks were marriage material and why, in the end, he couldn't let his wife "inside".
Going really off topic, I'm no Republican but I used to think Affirmative Action was BS - one of Lyndon Johnson's many, many mistakes - but now I've come to see a growing and educated black middle class came from the fact that a generation of blacks got good jobs and became invested in society. So maybe it wasn't such a bad thing. I would caution you, however, about seeing racism as the genesis of all that's wrong.
In case you hadn't noticed, I'm almost always in Tiger's corner. I would never consider defending his off course behaviour or the way he treated his wife, that would be impossible and inappropriate....but in his efforts to come back and regain his on course form, and break Jack's records, I am 110% behind him.
How does that dovetail with your redneck cross burning assertions?