The High Court

Deep Thinkers Only...

The Will of Champions

I love Tiger for the same reason I love MJ…….

By Darth Reagan

 

I’m an avid golf fan, as well as, an absolute weekend warrior. As the weekend approaches I automatically start thinking of the first tee and the fun of our friendly(sometimes not too friendly) Nassau with my buddies. Every Saturday I play in a four ball match with the same crew and I’m usually partnered with my great friend of over 20 years. We hit some good shots and some awful shots but at the end of the day as we approach #18 it all boils down to one thing: We want to win so bad its insane! I believe that’s the same reason so many people loved Jordan and now love Tiger. They want to win more than everybody else. Period.

 

There is no question in my mind that Tiger is the most dominant golfer in the sport and by far the most talented, regardless of what the World Rankings tell us. He hits shots others simply can’t or they refuse to try under tournament conditions. Tiger tries shots in Majors that other pros wouldn’t even try on the range and he sticks them. Tiger’s Top 10 shots, as ranked by The Golf Channel, are mostly executed during Majors; not the Sony Open. Much like Michael Jordan in his day he grabs the audience with his incredible shot making ability. Jordan was famous for his high flying dunks and his gliding fade-aways. He used to shoot 50% from the field while taking the 20 toughest shots on the court every night. Simply put, both Tiger and Jordan made shots others can’t and it is incredibly entertaining. But that’s still not why I love them….   

 

Tiger has it all when he walks onto the course. He has the Tiger Woods’ Collection clothing that fits perfectly. His physique is similar to an NFL defensive back and his swing is more athletic than any other pro’s. Tiger eats up the camera with his overall persona. Jordan was the same way, in fact, he is the athlete most responsible for the incredible endorsement deals we see today. Jordan would walk onto the court with his baggy shorts, lean build and the wagging tongue and people would pay any price to see it. In fact, people would pay to see it every night in every NBA city for nearly 15 years. Both Tiger and Jordan have the look and the talent to go with it! But that’s not why I love them…….

 

Tiger has made more clutch putts and executed more late round heroics than any other golfer of our time. Who can forget his putt to force a playoff in the 2000 PGA Championship at Valhalla? It was a 10 ft. slider with the entire world watching…Book it! Oh, let’s not forget his chip in at #16 during this year’s Masters. It was so amazingly clutch that I thought Jim Nantz might actually raise his voice past a whisper when it fell into the hole. The list goes on and on and on! Jordan was no slouch either when it came to clutch shots. How about his shot over Craig Ehlo with no time on the clock during the Eastern Semifinals Game 7? Nobody makes that shot except Jordan; nobody! The last shot he took as a Bull iced their 6th NBA Championship with 5 seconds left in the game. Book it! They are both the ultimate clutch performers but that’s still not why I love them……

 

I love Tiger and Jordan for the same reason. They want to win more than anybody else and they enjoy beating people. What is more pure in sports than the art of winning? That’s the goal isn’t it? For Tiger and Jordan it’s the only goal. When Tiger broke onto the scene most tour pros weren’t very receptive to his style. They felt he was too flashy and flamboyant on the course. They felt he was too arrogant in thinking he could win on tour. Then he won the second tournament he played in while unveiling his now patented fist pump. The comments following that win still weren’t flattering. In fact, I remember many saying, “He won but he shouldn’t take it for granted because its hard to win multiple times on this Tour”…..Tiger fist pumped his way to a win at the Masters that same year while setting the tournament scoring record. He changed the sport of golf that day. Now players have made adjustments to try to compete with Tiger. It’s been a healthy development for the PGA Tour. More players are working on their physical fitness, trying to tighten up their swings and some are even seeking sports psychologists for improvement. The gap has narrowed in many ways but there is one area they will never close the gap…….The will to win.

 

Tiger just finished 2nd in the U.S. Open and he putted like a hack all week. However, as he came down the stretch you could see it in his eyes and his emotions that he still felt he would win. He wanted it. Tiger didn’t get his 3rd Open Title on Sunday but I can promise you he will bounce back with full force. Many people used to think that the worst time to run up against Jordan was when he was hot. Actually, the worst time to face Jordan was following a loss because he wasn’t going to let you beat him again…..Sound familiar?

 

The British Open is next for Tiger; I’d go ahead and book it!  

You could say these guys know a thing or two about collecting hardware.  And despite a rough week on the greens at Pinehurst No. 2, Darth Reagan says you can expect Tiger to add to his trophy case at St. Andrews next month.  (espn.com)