Tiger Woods: A lesson for men in 2010

Jan 01, 2010

WHEN Tiger Woods’ sleazy secret first hit the papers, all the other adulterous golfing champions looked on and shook their heads in disdain. “Amateur!” they said, scornful of the fact that he, unlike them, had been caught.

By Ernest Bazanye

WHEN Tiger Woods’ sleazy secret first hit the papers, all the other adulterous golfing champions looked on and shook their heads in disdain. “Amateur!” they said, scornful of the fact that he, unlike them, had been caught.

Then the numbers began to pile up and by the time the 11th strumpet had crawled out of the caverns, they were reminded that this was Tiger Woods they were dealing with and were in awe again at the fact that he always scored higher.

After all the puns and the jokes about him teeing off the wrong course, putting on the wrong green and being a Cheetah not a Tiger, we should finish laughing, catch our breaths, and sit down in front of the TV and watch some golf.

But instead of just laughing, we are firing him from jobs, too. The companies that hired him to endorse their products on advertising campaigns have began to sack Tiger.

Now, we do not condone cheating, but I am not going to sit here and judge Tiger.
I am going to judge everyone else. I mean I know he was slamdunking on the wrong court (I do not know that many golf metaphors so I might have to draw puns from other sports) does a person deserve to be fired for the sins they commit off duty?

I spoke to a number of gentlemen about this, and they seemed to agree that no, a person does not.

Norman was firm in his belief that the company has its own business and you have yours. “Why should I be chucked from my job? My adultery problems should be an issue between me and my wife or family. My employer should never be involved,” he thundered.

Exactly. Head of nail hit squarely. If you sleep around, should this cost you your job as an accountant, or a doctor, or a concert promoter or a pig herder or a pope?

Okay. “If he was the Pope, then maybe it is justified,” Ken told me. But he elaborated that that may be the only case where it is justified. Firing people for adultery? “Think about how many people, including big shots, would be jobless if that were the case.”

As for me, I am faithful to my wife. Probably because I cannot cheat on a woman who does not even exist yet, but I have heard that adultery is quite popular among married people in this land. “All men are cheats, period. In fact, even women. I mean who else do the men be with?” Raymond assures me.
And surely, this rampant extra-marital golfing cannot be cause for your employer to call you in for a word.

Malcolm said, “If my boss fired me because I (strong word for slept with) 12 chicks in a space of five years, I would sue the (strong word for genitals) off him! No one should be fired for being a slut, unless of course, if he was a boss and slutting on his subordinates! Like you Ernest…”

I do not know what he is talking about when he says “like me”.

I do not play golf at work. But you see the point. If your adultery has nothing to do with your job you should not be fired for it. Though Johnny reminds me that Tiger Woods was not fired from writing articles.

“On the other side, I think he should be fired. I mean, he got these endorsements as an exemplary person. But now he is proved to be otherwise.”
First, let us haha these companies: they decide to sack Tiger because they do not want an adulterer endorsing their product, but do they ask how many adulterers use their product, how many adulterers make their product or how many other adulterers they have endorsing their product who just have not been caught yet?

There is just so much hypocrisy and stupidity involved in this whole business— starting with the idea that if you are an airbrushed sports achiever with an unblemished personnel file next to your logo, gullible people will assume that your product is worth buying. If that is the case and you want to continue ripping off simpletons, then remove the adulterer and place some other false image of human perfection next to your logo, instead.

But I will let Malcolm take us home:
“Now the TV guys are supposed to be negotiating for the PGA rights for next year, and talk is, if Tiger is not back, they are going to offer less money, cause the ratings will be low, so they need Tiger!”

There lies our lesson—if your job is to be an angel, you should be fired for being devilish to your wife. If your job is to make money for your employer then it does not matter who you sleep with.

Is Tiger’s quitting justifiable?

John Nagenda, presidential advisor on Media
I think it is his decision. Personally, I would urge him to come back sooner than later because it becomes more difficult to return smoothly later. I understand there are many people attacking him, as though he is the first to do it. Should infidelity be reason for anyone to quit their career? In that case most people would not have their jobs.

Mike Mukula, former health minister

I believe he made the best decision. In life, family is more important than anything else and one must guard it jealously. His decision to quit golf for the time being shows he respects his wife and family. Tiger has set an example to all men. By making a mistake, he was able to go back and rebuild his marriage. He will be back to rebuild his career. There is no one who does not make mistakes.

Erias Lukwago, MP, Kampala Central

Saying he is quitting golf in the meantime, to me, is a joke. If it is true he is bowing out then he is unserious. Infidelity is not a justifiable reason to quit one’s career because it has no connection to one’s job. He disappointed his wife. He let her down and obviously broke her heart but there are other ways of saying sorry. It is my prayer that he changes his mind.

Francis Babu, former minister

I think he made a good decision. Family is more important than anything else. I wish him the best of luck. If one’s career is the cause of tensions in marriage, then I believe it is honorable to quit. There are temptations and everyone is tempted. To err is too human and it is honorable if one recognises they have made a mistake and goes back to correct it. That is commendable and I salute Tiger for it.

Interviews by Rehema Aanyu


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