Retief Goosen: "Tiger Was Faking"

[droogy33]

Have you folks seen this? Big controversy will ensue, and The Goose will lose respect.

BBC SPORT | Golf | European stars back injured Woods

[stlcard_25]

I saw that on Sportscenter earlier. Totally bogus and although Retief tried to play it off as a lighthearted comment later on, I don't think many in the media will buy it. Too bad, because The Goose has always come off as a likeable and well-spoken guy.

[TTUfirebird2008]

Goose just lost all respect from me. I'll never root for him again. Convenient though for me since he hasn't given his fans much to root for anyway in a long time.

He could definitely learn a lesson in class from fellow South Africans Gary Player, Ernie Els, and Trevor Immelman. This kind of comment fits more in the style of Sabbatini.

[essurfer]

Ooops..bet he wishes he had that comment back

[mr3856a]

Originally Posted by droogy33

Have you folks seen this? Big controversy will ensue, and The Goose will lose respect.

BBC SPORT | Golf | European stars back injured Woods

There were some similar, though not quite as pointed comments around here.

I can't believe in today's media world a guy like Retief would be stupid enough to say something like that.

[droogy33]

Originally Posted by essurfer

Ooops..bet he wishes he had that comment back.

It is very clear what Retief needs to do, and he should do it ASAP, for his own good.

Retief should come out in a very public forum (like ESPN's Hot Seat, for example) and issue a most sincere apology, while asking Tiger, directly, for forgiveness.

Reading or hearing a fan say that Tiger was faking is one thing. But for a TOUR player, and fellow competitor, to come out and say such a thing is just so disgraceful. It is a bad mark for the great game of golf.

[straightshooter]

Originally Posted by mr3856a

There were some similar, though not quite as pointed comments around here.

I can't believe in today's media world a guy like Retief would be stupid enough to say something like that.

I am sure he wasn't the only one to think it.

But he sure was the only one dumb enough to say it.

Some other pro-golfers (Appleby among them) made some dumb jokes about Tiger's knee also.

That's what you get when every question and every answer in the press-room involves Tiger. It automatically means that every dumb thing said is about Tiger!

[PA PLAYA]

Guys, I think that since the golf world in general will cease to exist as we have come to know it, there's really no point in bringing down someone else in the process.

Retief held the same opinion that I had initially. After Friday's round, I changed my opinion of the matter. I could sense that it wasn't just merely theatrics. I could tell that he was making some pretty nasty swings, obviously not all rust-related. Saturday was all I needed to see to realize that he was definitely in some significant pain.

I'm not going to apologize for Retief, but I will say that what he said really doesn't matter, anymore than what I said. I was wrong, I admitted it. I'm sure that if he was interviewed today, after hearing the news, he would no doubt have similar sentiments.

Part of the problem, as I see it, is that Woods' professional life is becoming just as guarded as his personal life. Even the so-called experts in golf didn't know the specifics about the stress fracture prior to the knee injury. So obviously, when Woods finally disclosed that he would be prepared to play, everyone took him at his word.

I'm sure that Goosen feels bad for Tiger. Let's stop making him out to be the antichrist.

[CristieKerr]

He may be the only one saying it, but he ain't the only one thinking it.

[Diane]

Originally Posted by PA PLAYA

I will say that what he said really doesn't matter, anymore than what I said.

Yes, it does matter what he says. We live in a world of 24/7 news, YouTube and cell phone cameras. Anyone in the public eye needs to take a 10 second delay before they speak.

[Diane]

Originally Posted by CristieKerr

He may be the only one saying it, but he ain't the only one thinking it.

Sour grapes. Is it too difficult for these guys to admit that Tiger can beat them injured.

[mr3856a]

Originally Posted by straightshooter

I am sure he wasn't the only one to think it.

But he sure was the only one dumb enough to say it.

Some other pro-golfers (Appleby among them) made some dumb jokes about Tiger's knee also.

I understand what you're saying, but Appleby was clearly joking, and I don't think Retief was.

[CristieKerr]

Originally Posted by Diane

Sour grapes. Is it too difficult for these guys to admit that Tiger can beat them injured.

I highly doubt that. There are many a Tour player who knows and admits he can beat them on his "mediocre," heck even worst, days. Up to the release that he is shutting it down for the year to undergo surgery I bet there were a lot of guys thinking it, and it had nothing to do with sour grapes. I thought it a lot actually. I mean really, he said he was fine, he took extra time to recover, and it wasn't always "hurting" (in terms of seeing his expressions). I'm surprised anyone actually said it, especially Retief, but he was certainly not the last professional who had that thought; nor fan, nor announcer. Everyone else in the golf world just kept their mouths shut because they knew better. This release makes it different, the stress fracture is what gets me. The ACL has been bad and he's been good and not in pain (visibly), so it isn't a stretch to think that he was embellishing. Why would he? I don't know. A stretch to connect those dots? Far from it.

[Diane]

Originally Posted by CristieKerr

I highly doubt that. There are many a Tour player who knows and admits he can beat them on his "mediocre," heck even worst, days. Up to the release that he is shutting it down for the year to undergo surgery I bet there were a lot of guys thinking it, and it had nothing to do with sour grapes. I thought it a lot actually. I mean really, he said he was fine, he took extra time to recover, and it wasn't always "hurting" (in terms of seeing his expressions). I'm surprised anyone actually said it, especially Retief, but he was certainly not the last professional who had that thought; nor fan, nor announcer. Everyone else in the golf world just kept their mouths shut because they knew better. This release makes it different, the stress fracture is what gets me. The ACL has been bad and he's been good and not in pain (visibly), so it isn't a stretch to think that he was embellishing. Why would he? I don't know. A stretch to connect those dots? Far from it.

I admit up front I don't follow the tour or Tiger the same way you guys do, but what possible reason could he have for faking or embellishing. I can't see what he would gain and that doesn't strike me as Tiger's style. It never occured to me even for a second that he could have been faking it.

[DonnaKay]

Exactly, Diane......that's been my thought all along. What benefit to him by faking pain? He already had a built-in excuse had he not played well since every pundit in the world was talking about how "difficult" it was to come back after the layoff of 8 weeks to play in a major. Not that Tiger ever makes either excuses or explanations.....but all the talking heads would do it regardless.

And I agree with him keeping the details private until after the event. Everyone always complains about the "Tiger all the time" coverage. Just imagine how overblown that coverage would have been had the network already known the extent of the injury. Instead of the "upclose" views we had of his leg during replays, we'd have been innudated by knee doctors, physical therapists, comparisons to other's injuries, etc.

It's bad enough after the fact but it would have really overshadowed the event itself had they known earlier!

[Ty_Webb]

Originally Posted by DonnaKay

It's bad enough after the fact but it would have really overshadowed the event itself had they known earlier!

Which is exactly what Tiger said about why he didn't talk about it beforehand.

[CristieKerr]

Originally Posted by Diane

I admit up front I don't follow the tour or Tiger the same way you guys do, but what possible reason could he have for faking or embellishing. I can't see what he would gain and that doesn't strike me as Tiger's style. It never occured to me even for a second that he could have been faking it.

And it occurred to many others that it did. As easy as it was for you or others to never have it cross their mind, it was hard for the opposite side to not let it cross their minds. Like I said, I don't know why he would, but it more than crossed my mind and Mrs. Kerr's mind who had no prompting. She asked me why he was wincing in pain and I replied with the knee surgery. Her mom went through that and didn't have any pain, so she immediately thought he was embellishing when she found out it was eight-ten weeks ago.

You can't control how the mind works and I'm sure there were a few Tour players who thought the same. I know there were individuals who weren't happy Rocco wore red on Monday because that's Tiger's deal. Some things just spring to your mind, and thinking that Tiger was embellishing after he said he was good to go, took a lot of time away, and really blew it off as anything but serious since it happened isn't a stretch. Why would he? Like I said, who knows. Was it a stretch to connect those dots? No way.

[CristieKerr]

Originally Posted by DonnaKay

Exactly, Diane......that's been my thought all along. What benefit to him by faking pain? He already had a built-in excuse had he not played well since every pundit in the world was talking about how "difficult" it was to come back after the layoff of 8 weeks to play in a major.

If he is still in visible incredible pain, that excuse becomes a whole lot better. Again, I'm not suggesting he needed an excuse nor do I have a clue why he would, but to get to that idea of embellishment isn't off the wall.

[PA PLAYA]

Originally Posted by CristieKerr

And it occurred to many others that it did. As easy as it was for you or others to never have it cross their mind, it was hard for the opposite side to not let it cross their minds. Like I said, I don't know why he would, but it more than crossed my mind and Mrs. Kerr's mind who had no prompting. She asked me why he was wincing in pain and I replied with the knee surgery. Her mom went through that and didn't have any pain, so she immediately thought he was embellishing when she found out it was eight-ten weeks ago.

You can't control how the mind works and I'm sure there were a few Tour players who thought the same. I know there were individuals who weren't happy Rocco wore red on Monday because that's Tiger's deal. Some things just spring to your mind, and thinking that Tiger was embellishing after he said he was good to go, took a lot of time away, and really blew it off as anything but serious since it happened isn't a stretch. Why would he? Like I said, who knows. Was it a stretch to connect those dots? No way.

You might as well stop trying to explain yourself. The only reparations you'll make here are sending some flowers and a get-well card to Tiger.

[TTUfirebird2008]

Originally Posted by PA PLAYA

I'm sure that Goosen feels bad for Tiger. Let's stop making him out to be the antichrist.

No, that label is reserved for Sergio Garcia and Vijay Singh.

[Diane]

Originally Posted by CristieKerr

I know there were individuals who weren't happy Rocco wore red on Monday because that's Tiger's deal.

I am not the Tiger fan some people are, but I thought Tiger was a class act with the clothes. When he saw Rocco - he took his own vest off. I also thought Tiger wore red on Sundays so how would Rocco know that he would wear it again on Monday. Either that or Rocco didn't have any other clean clothes.