Jim Szoke's Sports Blog

Drama Kings

 
Welcome back Brett Favre...I mean we'll miss you Brett Favre...or whatever.  I can see why Favre picked  
Brad Childress and the Minnesota Vikings as the only team he wanted to play for.  There is not another coach in the NFL that would let a player run his team for him like Favre is doing to the Vikings.  Childress shuttles back and forth from Minneapolis to Hattiesburg hoping his star quarterback will speak to him and to see if he needs a ride to the airport.  As great of a player as Favre has been, the head coach needs to have command of the ship.  Afterall, 52 other players need to know who to look to as their leader.

But there are the rest of the Minnesota Vikings busting through another training camp, while their star player is in Mississippi playing catch with high school kids.  If the injured ankle is in fact the holdup for Favre, would it not make sense that his treatment would be with the NFL doctors instead of bouncing around a prep field?  Favre is a three-time MVP and played unbelievably well for Minnesota last year, coming within overtime of beating the Saints and going to the Super Bowl.  But just as he did to the Packers and Jets, it seems like the name Favre should go on the front instead of the back of his jersey because that seems to be the only team he really plays for. 

Of course the poster child for "me-first" is LeBron James.  Like Favre, he has managed to tarnish what should have been a spotless sports/celebrity/superhero image by bungling his handling of his departure from his hometown.  I am not going to debate that he chose to leave the Cavaliers for another team.  As a free agent, he earned the right to pick his place of employment and is entitled to having his own reasons for making that choice. 

The disconnect is that he played Cleveland and gave them false hope that he was strongly considering staying with the franchise.  This handcuffed them from taking a different path in free agency or reshaping their roster in general as he did not announce his "decision" until most of the top available player had already chosen their new teams.  Brutally dumping the team and fans on national television was perhaps one of the most cold-hearted moments in American sports history.  Simply being up front with his intentions would have greatly eased his exit from Northeast Ohio.  And his open letter this week in an Akron newspaper was lame, as it came just two days after another former teammate Zydrunas Ilgauskas had done the same thing in a Cleveland paper.  Hire a new PR agent.

OK, one more....Alex Rodriguez the youngest player to reach 600 career home runs.  Only the seventh player in the history of the game to reach that number.  He has an excellent chance of surpassing Barry Bonds as the all-time home run king.  And that's the catch.  A tainted man chasing a tainted record as both players are part of the infamous steroids era.  You can argue that Bonds took more PEDs than A-Rod, or that Rodriguez is more likable, but the truth is that it is a sham. 

A-Rod's 600th homer barely made news because we all know that it stinks.  Like the others mentioned in this blog, Rodriguez is pure talent and would have had a Hall of Fame career whether aided by drugs or not.  Instead he lied about his drug use, blamed his cousin, only used it on Tuesdays after night games, whatever.  The biggest stars in our biggest sports are also some of the biggest disappointments we have when it comes to character.  

Class Acts, 100 Times Over

In the past few weeks, a pair of legendary sporting figures passed away at the age of 99.  They would have turned 100 within a week of each other this fall.  John Wooden was born October 14, 1910 in Hall, Indiana.  Bob Sheppard was born October 20, 1910 in Queens, New York City. 

 John Wooden grew up in small town, rural Indiana and would go on to play college ball at Purdue and then some pro basketball.  He wrote in one of his biographies "They Call Me Coach" that $1,800 was considered to be a great salary in the day and was devastated when shortly after he got married in 1932 the savings and loan went under, and with it the $900 that he and his bride Nellie had saved.

John took a job as basketball coach (and coach of every other sport) at Dayton High School in Kentucky, and then South Bend Central High School in Indiana.  He would have been content to have been a school admnistrator for the rest of his life.  However, upon returning from the Navy he was upset that several colleagues were not given their jobs back upon returning from active duty.  He left for his first college coaching job at Indiana State in 1946, and then it was off to UCLA in 1948.

Wooden would go on to become the greatest coach in college basketball history, winning 10 national championships, including a record 88-game winning streak at one stretch.  But what really is the story of John Wooden is his character. 

He read his Bible daily and kept a small cross in his right pocket that he would squeeze whenever he felt that he was becoming upset, to remind him to calm down and keep perspective.  His legacy, among other things, is the Pyramid of Success which he composed with building blocks that included words like friendship, loyalty, and cooperation.  He always taught teamwork over individual accomplishment, never raised his voice in anger, and was eternally faithful to Nellie even after she passed away 25 years ago.

 
Bob Sheppard also served in the Navy in World War II.  He was a fine athlete at St. John's University, earning seven varsity letters in basketball and football.  A longtime speech teacher at St. John's, he would become the public address announcer for the games there.

Sheppard added the New York Giants football team to his duties, and in 1951 the New York Yankees.  While he worked both teams' games for over 50 years, it is his touch as stadium announcer for the Yankees that he is most remembered for.  His style never wavered from the days of Joe DiMaggio to Derek Jeter.  A dignified cadence of simplicity and class, even visiting players got chills to hear their name announced at Yankee Stadium by Bob Sheppard.  Jeter continues to use a recorded version as his announcement when he comes to bat. 

It was All-Star Reggie Jackson that dubbed him "The Voice of God."  And Sheppard the speech teacher helped Jackson write his Hall of Fame speech. Sheppard told Jackson that he needed to cut his 40-minute acceptance speech down.  Sheppard taught priests how to give sermons and told them that seven minutes was long enough for a Sunday morning sermon, although he said they didn't take his advice on length.  He liked to say the best known speech in American history is the Gettysburg Address, which is about four minutes long. 

His wife Mary was at his side when he passed away last weekend at home in Long Island.  Like John Wooden, the legacy is more about how he conducted himself, versus what he accomplished. 

Following the past few weeks of the arrogance of LeBron James, Dan Gilbert, Jesse Jackson, etc, it's reassuring to know that these two great men made an impression that lasts with us beyond their days on Earth.

  
 

American Pie

Landon Donovan's dramatic goal in the 91st minute of the US win over Algeria was the kind of "moment" that soccer needed to make an impact with the non-soccer crowd.  When I say non-soccer crowd, I mean me.  My daughter played five years of youth soccer, and I think the only encouragement I could shout out from the sidelines were helpful instructional tips like "Run!" and "Kick It!"  In hind sight, she probably was aware of those components of the game without me yelling it.  But in my defense, I did not yell them as loudly as many of the other parents.  They are the annoying ones. You probably know some of them.

So, it was with this background in the sport of soccer that I for the first time in life visited a sports bar this week to meet some friends for the sole purpose of watching a soccer match.  I knew to call it a match, and not a game.  And to say nil, instead of zero.  And I refrained from yelling things like "run" and "kick" since I presumed more knowledgable soccer heads were around me.  I don't know if it was the intensity of the game, or the morning start time, but the 15 or so people at the sports bar were so quietly focused on the screens in the first half that I felt like I was talking too loudly when I ordered my Diet Coke.

I guess I was expecting hooligans or at least people wrapped in the American flag.  But of course as the game wore on, the crowd numbers picked up, as did the volume especially on the near-miss goals and the bogus offsides call that disallowed an American goal later in the first half.  That turned out to be the best thing that could happen though, thanks to the late goal in stoppage time.  That payoff in what had been an otherwise frustrating match to advance the US to the round of 16 sent the place into eruption, as it did at venues around the country.

It's not as big as the "Miracle on Ice" of the 1980 US Olympic hockey team.  However, 30 years later sports once again delivered a much needed boost of American pride at a time when the country is feeling down.  In 1980, the hostage situation had lingered so much longer than anybody first imagined, somewhat like the gulf oil gusher has today.  The economy had bottomed out then, and here we are again three decades later.

Whether or not soccer takes over a bigger part of American's sports interests remains to be seen.  Beating Ghana next can only help, but does not stir the soul like say beating Brazil or Argentina would.  Alas, the mere fact that there is a major sport in the world where we have trouble with countries the size of Algeria and Ghana still bothers me, but I don't want to ruin the moment.  Instead America, let's enjoy the ride for however long it lasts.  And as I always like to say, "Kick it!"

Panthers History Lesson for Summer School

Anybody who has followed the Panthers in their 15-year history knows this...the franchise traditionally disappoints when there are great expectations.  The Panthers followed their amazing second season trip to the the NFC title game by rewarding Coach Dom Capers with a 10-year contract.  They then proceeded to go (7-9) and (4-12) to end the Dom Capers era eight years prematurely.

Capers was replaced by two-time Super Bowl winning head coach George Seifert, who provided diminishing returns for three seasons including a parting gift of (1-15) in 2001.  Under John Fox, the winningest coach in franchise history, Carolina has continued the tradition of never having back-to-back winning seasons.  They followed their only Super Bowl appearance by going (7-9) in 2004.  After reaching the NFC title game in 2005, they went (8-8) and missed the playoffs in 2006.  2008's playoff season was followed by last year's (8-8).

So the streak is guaranteed to continue this season since they are coming off a non-winning season.  However those predicting a doomsday season may be in for a surprise.  Just as the franchise has a history of disappointing under high expectations, John Fox's teams also usually play their best football when little is expected of them.  Look no further than the end of last year when they rattled off impressive victories over the Vikings, Giants and Saints to get to .500.  Even in their Super Bowl season, the Panthers were heavy underdogs to beat the Cowboys, Rams and Eagles in the playoffs.

 

Players respond to Fox, so when the chips are down (or the first three strings of quarterbacks or running backs), Carolina usually plays their best football.  He's won road games with a 43-year old QB named Vinnie, and gotten a string of 100-yard rushing games from the likes of Nick Goings. With less to work with, his teams overachieve.  And coaching with one year left on his contract, watch for this year's bunch to rally around their head coach with a maximum effort.

Much has been made of the purging of veterans like Julius Peppers, Chris Harris, Damione Lewis, Na'il Diggs, Brad Hoover, Muhsin Muhammad and Jake Delhomme.  But Peppers was ridiculously expensive, and the rest have their best football well behind them, not in front of them.  Meanwhile, what the Panthers do have returning is a solid offensive line, a pair of 1,100 yard rushers, Steve Smith, John Beason, Thomas Davis and more.

While they may not have a sure-fire front-line starting quarterback, they might just as well have three.  And the only way to find out is to give that opportunity to Matt Moore, Jimmy Clausen and Hunter Cantwell.  Rookies Brandon LaFell and Armanti Edwards could add some punch to the passing game.  Defensive Coordinator Ron Meeks had the defense humming in the second half of the season, and hopefully will pick up where they left off.  And instead of trying to "win" the off-season by stock-piling expensive free agents, they have plugged holes to improve their special teams which can often be the difference.  It will be an interesting year for several reasons, but most of all, don't be surprised if the product on the field isn't better than the predictions going in. 

  

Charlotte Sports Bloom in April

There's a little something for everybody locally in the second half of April.  The sports calendar includes the Bobcats first-ever NBA playoff series, the Panthers in the NFL Draft, and the PGA Tour's annual stop at Quail Hollow.

The Bobcats are the 7th seed in the Eastern Conference, and will match-up with 2nd seed Orlando.  The Magic reached the NBA Finals last season before losing to the Lakers, and will definitely be thinking more about LA and Cleveland, than Charlotte.  Unlike the NCAA Tournament with it's single elimination, the best-of-seven playoffs tend to weed out major upsets.  The most notable exception was the 1994 Denver Nuggets as an 8-seed upsetting the Western Conference top-seed Seattle Sonics.  But that was back when the first round was best-of-five and probably part of why the first round was extended to it's current format.  Denver lost to Utah in seven games in the second round.

Orlando will be a load with Dwight Howard in the middle.  Gerald Wallace will probably have a harder time coming up with his usual rebounding totals and Stephen Jackson will have more trouble as the Magic have a number of tall swing players that extend the floor.  Playoff intensity is also another matter with each possession contested unlike the 82-game regular season.  Kudos to Coach Larry Brown for assembling a gritty team to his liking.  The Bobcats showed in the regular season that they could knock off the league's top teams, so it could be an interesting first playoff series for the team.

The NFL Draft will be a marathon as the league has decided to make it less about picking players and more about television.  Big surprise I know, but by dragging the event over three days it will be for the only the hardiest of football fans to endure it.  It must have been thought out by the same people who believe that expanding the regular season to 18 games is a good idea too.  Why not expand the NCAA basketball tournament to 96 teams while you'e at it, oh never mind.

The Panthers of course do not have a first round pick, and appear unlikely to do something as dramatic as trade up based on a quiet free agency period.  They are in need of wide receiver help, and could use some fortifying at most defensive positions after releasing a number of veterans.  It would not be a surprise if they grab a quarterback on day-2 of the draft, although practice squad player Hunter Cantwell seems to have potential and a year in their system.  Florida QB Tim Tebow won't get past the first round after working hard to improve his footwork and delivery.

Coming off his emotional win at the Masters, Phil Mickelson will be headed to Charlotte for the Quail Hollow Championship although the official announcement won't come until the usual last minute.  Despite saying he will take some time off, Tiger Woods is more likely than not to play here.  He likes the course, is a former winner of the event, and it's a big money event to fill the gap between now and The Players Championship, Memorial and US Open.  His game is not going to get any sharper by hitting range balls at Isleworth.  Forget everything but the golf, his returning with a total of (-11) and finishing fourth at the Masters was amazing considering how many extra strokes he dropped on Saturday and Sunday.  When he is honed in, he will be back to great...whether you like it or not.

One Year At A Time

Football teams adhere to the cliche of one game at a time.  For the Panthers, it looks like one year at a time.  The Panthers have gone on a youth movement with a head coach venturing into the final year of his contract...two diverse situations.  An organization known for it's loyalty has gone the other direction by cutting ties with the likes of Julius Peppers, Jake Delhomme, Brad Hoover, Damione Lewis and Na'il Diggs to name a few.  Nobody is arguing that some of the moves were not due, but it is a dramatic change in the Fox/Hurney regime.  Because of a possible lockout in 2011, many of the personnel decisions are being driven above their heads by those writing the checks, and are not merely roster improvements.

NFL owners are trying to show the NFLPA, the players association, that they are struggling financially.  Last year, many teams including the Panthers cut back on their office staffs as Carolina eliminated something close to twenty positions.  Now, we are seeing it on the field as many teams are releasing veteran players in favor of younger, cheaper ones to gear up for what should be a stubborn labor negotiation.

Yes, Julius Peppers cashed in with a $91 million dollar deal but the Chicago Bears can also reportedly terminate that deal after one season and walk away.  The looming possibility of revenue coming to a screeching halt in 2011 has most NFL owners saving their money for an impending rainy day.  

The salary cap has been a good thing for the NFL, but perhaps it's time to blow that system up.  While a cap creates financial parity, many of the same teams (Detroit, Cleveland, Oakland, Buffalo, etc) have not been competitive on the field.  Not every team spends wisely, and examples like free-spending Daniel Snyder in Washington are proof that it takes more than money to win in the NFL. 

2010 feels like a darkening of the NFL skies prior to what could be a major storm in 2011.  Stock up on your canned foods, board up those windows and prepare the sand bags.  A work stoppage warning is showing up in red on Doplar football radar.  If it hits as expected, the NFL could be cleaning up for years to come.

Please Pass the Pepper

 

Panthers five-time All-Pro Julius Peppers and his agent have both complained recently that their phone is not ringing from the Panthers to talk about his future.  Anybody know why?...any one...any one...Bueller...Bueller...Dom Capers....

That's right, as the former Panthers head coach can tell you, signing a defensive lineman to make him the league's highest paid player with a long-term contract is a career-limiting move.  When the Panthers signed former Redskins star Sean Gilbert to that kind of deal it handicapped the franchise for years, not to mention the lost draft picks.  Even to do the one-year franchise tag again on Peppers would be a terrible financial move as no defensive player is worth over $21-million. 

Peppers has been excellent with the exception of 2007 when he dropped to 2.5 sacks.  He has put up 81 sacks in eight seasons, and likely has several great seasons remaining, but the Panthers would be better served addressing their offensive passing game with the money his contract would free up.

The Panthers have some pass-rushing talent already at the position with Charles Johnson, Tyler Brayton and Everette Brown.  It also happens to be a strong class for free agent defensive ends with Tennessee's Kyle Vanden Bosch and Green Bay's Aaron Kampman (coming off knee surgery) among the options. 

Now, cue the Olympic theme music...

 
Is it just me, or did the Winter Olympics just kind of show up on the doorstep at the last minute?  Sure there was an occassional mention of needing some more snow in Vancouver, or Lindsey Vonn's sore leg.  But especially for it being on our side of the planet, it seems to not be as big of a deal as though the games are not what they used to be.  NBC knows going in they will not make their rights money back through advertising, which is not surprising in this economy considering Pepsi didn't even buy an ad for the Super Bowl.  Even so, when else can you get emotionally involved in the sport of curling just to see how the Americans fare?

Great move by NASCAR to tweek the rules to allow drivers to well, uh drive aggessively again.  It was nearly turning into golf for the lack of excitement...there is a report from TMZ.com that Tiger Woods will make his return in his backyard.  A private event held within the gates of Isleworth in Orlando in what is called the Tavistock Cup is not open to the public, yet televised by the Golf Channel.   The event in late March would seem to make an ideal time to limit his exposure to the public while tuning up for The Masters. With Florida real estate foreclosures through the roof, might be time to move into the neighborhood to take in the event as a resident.

Quarterback Club

There is an axiom that the NFL is, and will continue to be, a quarterback league.  While that sounds basic and trite, it is also nearly entirely true if the goal is to win a championship.  Look no further than  the Super Bowl match-up of Indianapolis versus New Orleans.  Nobody would analyze those two teams and say they got there primarily with defense and a running game.  While they are good enough in those categories, they are much more about the abilities of quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Drew Brees.

The Colts trailed the run-and-defend New York Jets (17-6) late in the first half of the AFC Championship game.  But Manning led the Colts on a touchdown drive to make it a four-point game at halftime, and then Indianapolis went on to own the second half with Manning finishing with 377 yards passing and three touchdowns. That capability to put together a quick-strike drive is a game-changer, and ultimately proved more important than being able to pound the ball and run down the clock ala the Jets.

Drew Brees was held to under 200 yards passing in the NFC title game, but it was still his clutch passing that led to the Saints eventually beating Minnesota in overtime.  Also, for all of the throwing he does, Brees is deadly accurate and capable of throwing for 400 yards without an interception on any Sunday.  The Vikings got as far as they did this year with many great components such as Adrian Petersen and a stifling defense. But it was the addition of Brett Favre that was the final piece of the puzzle that put them into championship contention.

Ben Roethlisberger and Kurt Warner led their teams to last year's Super Bowl.  Tom Brady won three Super Bowl MVP trophies in three victories.  It's the most important position to get right, even more so than head coach.  Bill Cowher left Pittsburgh, but Mike Tomlin won a Super Bowl because Roethlisberger remained.  Tony Dungy retires in Indianapolis, but Jim Caldwell doesn't miss a beat because Peyton Manning is still running the show.

It brings us to the Panthers, who have the rare combination of two running backs that rushed for well over 1,000 yards.  The defense became one of the league's best down the stretch run, especially in forcing turnovers.  However, what they must figure out is the quarterback position. 

The current regime has drafted just two quarterbacks in eight years, 5th rounder Randy Fasani and 4th rounder Stefan Lefors. Matt Moore was an undrafted player who was released by Dallas after his rookie training camp.  He is the best of what the Panthers have and might even be good enough to round them into playoff contention.  The gamble is can Moore lead them to a championship?  The quarterback position is the difference between good and great for an NFL franchise, but the great ones don't come around very often. 

John, Jake & Julius

Can't decide if that title "John, Jake & Julius" sounds like a law firm or the old Three Amigos movie cast.   Regardless, they represent three of the biggest off-season decisions that face the Carolina Panthers.  The first one, head coach John Fox will greatly impact the next two, Jake Delhomme and Julius Peppers.

A lukewarm rumor out of Cleveland has John Fox interested in the Browns coaching job if it becomes vacant.  As of this writing, Eric Mangini is still coach in Cleveland, but that could change at any moment. The connection is that new Browns president Mike Holmgren shares the same agent as Fox.  What they don't share is a past working relationship, or similar offensive football philosophies.  Anything can happen, but from the surface this does not look like the kind of job that would lure Fox from the Carolinas.  He has his coaching staff and his type of players here, while Holmgren is clearly running the show top to bottom in Cleveland. 

What I see as more likely is John Fox taking the $6 million on the table for this season and coaching the final year of his contract.  His gamble would be that the team will pick up in 2010 the way they closed out this season.  Despite finishing with 11 players on injured reserve, they blew out the Vikings, Giants and Saints.  It's a Carolina team with the NFL's top rushing attack and one of the league's top defenses down the stretch run.  If the team succeeds, Fox becomes a highly sought free agent coach who could return here or pick from some other possibilities.  The New York Giants would love to have back their former defensive coordinator as head coach if Tom Coughlin's team falters again next season.

The missing ingredient for most of the past season was of course the passing game.  Matt Moore may not be the complete answer, but it's a heck of a start and provides hope for the future.  Moore surprised me with his poise and arm strength.  From the way the principles are talking, expect Jake Delhomme to be retained as a highly paid back-up.  Rookie Hunter Cantwell spent much of this season on the practice squad but provides the biggest body and strongest arm on the team, which may be intriguing.  The question about Cantwell would be is he the next Ben Roethlisberger or the next Chris Weinke?

The receiving group needs another legitimate threat.  ESPN's Mel Kiper Junior told me that it is not a good college draft year for that position.  Of course, the Panthers don't have a first round pick anyways so they may have to fill that number-2 receiver position with an existing NFL player.  The way they run the ball, blocking is a key element for their receivers, which both Steve Smith and Muhsin Muhammad excel at as part of their roles.  So, whomever they add would also need to be of that ilk and that's a tough combination to readily find.  Dwayne Jarrett had a nice closing game with five receptions, but consistency has not been his strength.

Finally, there is the $20 million dollar question of Julius Peppers.  Now a five-time All-Pro, he did his job well this season and adapted readily to the Ron Meeks defensive philosophy.  If Fox comes back on a one-year deal, it would not surprise me that Peppers does the same.  But that franchise tag would be $20 million and that's a load for anybody even if there is no salary cap.  Peppers keeps himself in tremendous shape, so there's no reason to believe that he would not continue to dominate for multiple years to come if they could some how reach agreement on an extended contract.   

It shapes up as an intriguing off-season for a Panthers team that does not appear to be far away from rejoining the elite.  However, it will be impacted by how the team handles their biggest issues.  And as they say in the movies...No, we will not die like dogs! We will fight like lions! Because we are...The Three Amigos! 

Tiggers Bounce

Just like Tigger, Tiger Woods will also bounce.  It will take a while and he will be forever viewed differently, but he will bounce back.  If you need proof, just take a look at Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Michael Vick, Mark McGwire, Alex Rodriguez, and Michael Phelps to name a few.  They are just some who provide recent living proof that adultery, cheating, drug abuse or killing dogs can all be overcome in the world of sports as long as you are still a viable, competitive, sponsorable commodity.  And based on that, nobody is better positioned to make a sports marketing comeback than Tiger Woods, who dominates his sport.

First Tiger will have to ride out the on-slaught.  The tally is currently at seven and counting on the number of alleged mistresses ranging from a British TV presenter to the waitress who served coffee and hotcakes to Tiger and Elin at their neighborhood Perkins Restaurant in Orlando.  Once the final count is in, it's going to a take a really big apology.  Oprah probably has the lead on that the television rights to that.  Here's guessing he will go for the medical explanation of "sex addiction" of some sort that will require counseling and therapy.  In fact, Dr. Drew has already been way ahead of the curve with a television show devoted to the topic and his counseling.

 
Now, in no way am I making light of those medical experts who help their patients, or those patients who actually need medical attention to correct behavior problems of this sort.  It's just become a popular trend among celebrity/sports figure types (most recently ESPN's Steve Phillips) to use the medical angle as a way to deflect personal blame for their own "trangressions."  Mrs. Phillips by the way had no sympathy and moved on after Steve Phillips' most recent escapade, some 11 years after a similar encounter when he was running the New York Mets.

Can Tiger buy his way out of his problems?  Sadly, to a large degree yes.  A billion dollars can make a lot of mistresses go mute and perhaps keep Mrs. Woods around long enough to collect a bigger payout.  But in the end, what kind of marriage would that be inside the Florida mansion that his golf career built?  Elin reportedly immediately had a seven-figure sum transferred into her personal account from Tiger and I'm sure their lawyers will be busy for a while sifting through a rewritten pre-nup to settle on terms of her seemingly eventual departure.

Tiger will bounce back. He will do his media sorry circuit, then cut off the conversation forever on the topic. He will win golf tournaments, probably enough majors to surpass Jack Nicklaus.  He will endorse products, we will buy some of those.  He will make another billion dollars in time and perhaps buy a new mansion since the current one holds some bad memories.  The only thing he will lose at is marriage, and we will see if Elin is that forgiving.  But if Tiger is on the prowl as much as it appears, the bachelor life would seem to be a better fit for him anyways.