Chris Harris

I can't agree more...
His private life became main stream media
yak
Are we just a nation wide peep show ?

I don't think it's about what he OWES anyone, but more just what he wanted to do for himself (and his family). Think about what everyone would have thought if he just came back to the Masters this year without this State of the Tiger Nation address. The demand would have been through the roof for some sort of explanation. Elminate, for a second, the media element of the world and just look at Tiger Woods on paper: He is the number 1 golfer in the world and after a seemingly innocuous car wreck, he took a break from the game. Even without all the press uncovering his adultery, he would have made some sort of statement surrounding the accident and why he took his hiatus. However, the fact remains that the media uncovered the truth behind the surrounding elements of his ordeal. So in his statement, which would have come regardless of his adultery, addressed the media findings, not so much as an apology that he owed the world, but as a more lengthy explanation/confession about his break from golf.

I think it was also important for him to try and keep the press away from his kids. Though his future as a husband is unclear, he remains a father and as such, is trying to be a watchful protector of his children.

And Yes, we are a voyeuristic nation. That largely contributed to his fall from grace, however it also made him the gozillionaire he is.

That said, he will be back on top. As we've seen, America loves a comeback. Take A-Rod and his post-steroid admission. He came back to almost single-handedly win the Yankees their 27th title. Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, on the other hand, have vanished into the oblivion of litigation, fighting a losing battle with the media. The overwhelming lesson seems to be that you can do almost anything short of being convicted of murder and, if you say you're sorry, people will start to forgive you.

That's all I have to say about that

It comes down to this one basic truth: We hold others to higher standards than we hold ourselves. When it comes to our athletes, whom we already raise our children to idolize, we like them like we like our Barbie Dolls--physically sculpted, bionically skillful, and wondrously asexual. We project our views of our own ideal selves onto our athletes, and when they turn out to be just as humanly flawed as we, the disappointment is tenfold.

He didn't/doesn't OWE anyone an apology other that his wife & family. That being said, if he expects to be venerated, idolizied and paid fortunes of money then, yes, he should be held to a higher standard, because even though his only talent might be a superior skill in golf or whatever sport, our society turns that into a role model which by definition encompasses a a life style.

Agreed with basically what everyone is saying, this is no one's business but his, his family, and the women he had affairs with. I've never really had any interest in stories like this; its his life, and his choices, doesn't have any effect on me, just don't understand the infatuation with another persons life.

Even though he did apologize he only mentioned sorry 3 times which in a 13 minute statement isn't an apology in my book. He admitted his faults plenty more times than he said sorry. We as adults know that he owes his wife the biggest apology. The sorry's were for the kids who look up to him. His sign-off line "I still need you guys to believe in me" was for them. He understand his role model position. It starts with the kids :-)

thank you for saying what nobody else is willing to say. Tiger Woods personal life is a private matter and nobodies else. But to be honest it was entertaining.

So true Chris-while Tiger's actions were unquestionably deplorable, apologies need only be extended to his wife and family. Additionally, when his children are old enough to understand the gravity of the situation, Papa Woods will have to sit down and beg forgiveness for the shame he has brought to the family name.
What I find more interesting however, is on a more global level, the way that the news media has done a 180 since the days of yore. Read up on the bio's of some of the great athletes of yesteryear (Babe Ruth, Muhammad Ali, Mickey Mantle etc. the list goes on and on) and one will notice that upon further reflection, these legends were anything but the pristine, mythical creatures we think they were. Journalists at the time were often very aware of these greats legendary extra-marital carousing, and turned a blind eye to the proceedings. The public never knew, often until years later, thereby enhancing their cleancut images. Nowadays, the TMZ's and Deadspin's of the world will risk life and limb to find the faintest suggestion of an athlete's misconduct.