Tiger Wins Tour Championship: An Amazing Sports Story
By Ken Reed
I’ve never been a Tiger Woods fan. I’m more of a Phil Mickelson guy.
Mickelson is one of the most fan-friendly athletes in recent times and seems to be a class act and great family man. Tiger has been none of those things. In fact, for a good portion of his life he’s been a jerk and treated people poorly, including family members and friends.
For most of Tiger’s career, while I’ve enjoyed watching his amazing skill on a golf course, I’ve rooted against him.
That is until this past year. I’ve rooted for him to become relevant again because sports in general, and golf in particular, is better when he’s a factor. His comeback from multiple back surgeries, knee surgeries, a host of public personal problems and old age (for a golfer) to win the PGA Tour Championship is simply an all-time great sports story; one of great perseverance and overcoming the odds.
Undoubtedly, Woods is one of the most charismatic athletes in history. But a year ago, from a golfing perspective, he was given up for dead. However, in 2018, he comes from out of nowhere to almost win a couple majors, and then finishes the year with his stunning Tour Championship victory (while also falling but a stroke short of winning the FedEx Cup). His round this past Sunday was sports theater at its finest.
I recently finished the biography “Tiger Woods” by Jeff Benedict and Armen Keteyian. It’s a good read, in the mold of “Open,” Andre Agassi’s compelling autobiography. After reading the book, it’s clear that Woods’ unconventional upbringing helped make him both a golfing robot par excellence and seriously flawed human being.
All indications are that Tiger has worked hard the last couple years to become not only a great golfer again but a better person as well. While I suspect the game of life will remain a bigger challenge for Tiger Woods than the game of golf, here’s hoping his character and personal life has improved right along with his golf game.
— Ken Reed, Sports Policy Director, League of Fans
Sports Forum Podcast
Episode #22 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: Rethinking Sports Fandom with Author Craig Calcaterra – We discuss Calcaterra’s new book “Rethinking Fandom: How to Beat the Sports-Industrial Complex at Its Own Game” and explore new ways to be a fan in the year 2022.
Listen on Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Anchor and others.
Follow on Facebook: @SportsForumPodcast
More Episodes on Apple Podcasts; Spotify; Google Podcasts; PocketCasts; & Anchor
Episode #21 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: Chatting About a Broken Game With Baseball Writer Pedro Moura – Moura is a national baseball writer for Fox Sports. We discuss how and why the game of baseball is broken, what factors caused it, and offer a few thoughts on how to “fix” a great game.
Episode #20 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: Coaching Youth and High School Sports Based On What’s Best for the Athlete’s Holistic Development – We chat with long-time youth, high school and college basketball coach Jim Huber.
Episode #19 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: Capturing the Spirit of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League with Anika Orrock – We discuss the hoops AAGPFL women had to jump through to play the game they loved as well as the long-term impact and legacy they have in advancing sports opportunities for girls and women.
Episode #18 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: Talking about the 50th Anniversary of Title IX and the Lia Thomas Controversy with Nancy Hogshead-Makar – Hogshead-Makar is a triple gold medalist in swimming, a civil rights attorney and CEO of Champion Women.
Episode #17 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: Talking Sports With Legendary New York Times Sports Columnist Robert Lipsyte – We chat about Lipsyte’s amazing career and some of the athletes he covered.
Media
"How We Can Save Sports" author Ken Reed appears on Fox & Friends to explain how there's "too much adult in youth sports."
Ken Reed appears on Mornings with Gail from KFKA Radio in Colorado to discuss bad parenting in youth athletics.
“Should College Athletes Be Paid?” Ken Reed on The Morning Show from Wisconsin Public Radio
Ken Reed appears on KGNU Community Radio in Colorado (at 02:30) to discuss equality in sports and Title IX.
Ken Reed appears on the Ralph Nader Radio Hour (at 38:35) to discuss his book The Sports Reformers: Working to Make the World of Sports a Better Place, and to talk about some current sports issues.
- League of Fans Sports Policy Director Ken Reed quoted in Washington Post column titled "What happened to P.E.? It’s losing ground in our push for academic improvement," by Jay Mathews
League of Fans is a sports reform project founded by Ralph Nader to fight for the higher principles of justice, fair play, equal opportunity and civil rights in sports; and to encourage safety and civic responsibility in sports industry and culture.
Sports & Torts – Ken Reed, Sports Policy Director, League of Fans – at the American Museum of Tort Law
Books