Tiger, Tiger, Tiger: It's Jan Brady all over again - Marsha, Marsha, Marsha

By: Elisa Gaudet

Yes he is getting all the attention for all the wrong reasons. We would much prefer to hear about his winnings and superior skills on the golf course than his late night liaisons. It continues to dominate the pages of most papers and, for 11 days straight, Woods has been on the cover of the New York Post and Daily News.

The irony is just when you think it is over the next day there is more bizarre news. Like a Chia Pet of publicity, it just keeps growing, or the energizer bunny that just keeps going and going. People are getting tired of seeing it, hearing about it and yet they are still selling out the papers that carry the story and have noticed an actual spike in sales.

It's almost like staring at an accident on the side of the road you don't want to see, but out of the corner of your eye you can't help but peek. Tiger's scandal is becoming more like a Britney Spears train wreck that we keep watching. It is a very, very unfortunate situation for his family and fans. His wife and children are the ones that must be suffering the most and it is a sad time in golf.

Why the obsession with the Tiger Woods saga? Here might be some reasons:

Fallen Hero - We love our sports heroes and want them to excel in every aspect of their lives. While perhaps it is not correct to put them on a pedestal this is exactly what happens. They are held to a higher standard and when they fall it is a longer drop.

Golf has been scandal-free* - The game of golf has always been known for its clean-cut image. It is a relatively low-key, play-by-the-rules sport that has been scandal-free (*with the exception of John Daly). Tiger's dilemma came out of left field for the sport, sports writers and the golf-viewing public. Where is "Joe the Golfer" (brother of Joe the Plumber) when you need him to comment.

R E S P E C T - Aretha Franklin says it best. People want to listen to a winner and someone they can respect. Finding that combination of "a winner you can respect" is becoming harder every day. Perhaps it's the inflated salaries, the lack of education or that athletes are constantly surrounded by yes men. For many people Tiger seemed to embody that image and it definitely contributed to his allure and popularity.

People don't like Cheaters - They feel deceived. Don't cheat: Rule No. 1 of any sport or board game for that matter. You heard it growing up form your mom, coach, teacher and on the playground: "Nobody likes a cheater."

Sex Sells - Unfortunately, there's an insatiable appetite for sex scandals and it sells papers, draws ratings and makes people talk.

Unfortunately we are not in a time where we can be like the three monkeys that Speak no Evil, Hear no Evil or See no Evil.

Elisa Gaudet brings a wealth of entertainment and golf experience to Cybergolf. Elisa has spent the past several years in the golf industry in the U.S., Latin America and Spain. She worked for the PGA Tour and the Tour de las Americas before founding Executive Golf International, a golf marketing company that works with clients to develop strategies using golf as the medium. Often referred to as the Maria Bartiromo (a business analyst for CNBC) of golf, Elisa says: "Golf, as a marketing tool, has been around for years. It's amazing how many new ways companies can align their brand with the golf market to reach their target audience. Our goal is to create alliances and establish cross-border relations." Elisa also worked in the entertainment industry for over 10 years, including five in Los Angeles as a model and actress. She can be seen at many celebrity golf events and often gets the inside scoop from PGA Tour players. For more information about Elisa, visit her websites at www.onthelip.com or Executive Golf International www.execgolfintl.com.

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