Kick 'em When He's Down: The Coward's Credo

Tom Watson is a funny man in an unintentional sort of way.

Take that back, people like him are pathetic. With a few well-chosen words this week, the former golfing great, if he ever really was that good, decided to attack Tiger Woods' character and professionalism.

Not that he's alone. Plenty of PGA-playing yellow bellies have stepped forward to insult, criticize, and demean Woods since his well-publicized car crash and womanizing revelations. In other words, they waited until he was down before kicking him.

Personally, I believe, most of these self-righteous could care less about Tiger's infidelities. Rather, they see it as a chance to take their allotment of pot shots at a man who for more than a decade has whipped them on courses throughout the world, and, in the process, has elevated interest in golf to levels that it never even approached prior to his arrival.

Yet, despite all that Woods has brought to the game, there's always seems to have been a dislike for Tiger among the golfing establishment.

Why?

First of all, he doesn't look like the rest of them. Face it, a child of an African-American man and an Asian woman isn't a common site on country club courses. Second, Tiger's just that much better than the rest.

Also, Tiger brought something to the course that you're not supposed to: passion.

Yes, he cusses, he throws his clubs in frustration, he'll grit his teeth in anger, and he'll let loose a shout of enjoyment when he's pulled off a winning putt. My gosh, he's a human being and he's not afraid to show it.

Watson's latest jibe at Tiger, specifically about Tiger's emotional displays, is laughable at best. Where was all this criticism when Tiger was winning and bringing in huge ratings and bucketloads of moolah to the tour? It didn't exist. Rather, Watson and those like him kept their lips closed and rode the PGA's golden goose for all he was worth.

Only now that the goose has been plucked, so to speak, and his shine tarnished are they willing to pontificate about his failings, as if they're all perfect and their you know what doesn't stink. Come to think of it, as someone who's covered golf at various levels, I can tell you many of them do think the latter.

Granted, Tiger is no innocent victim. However, he doesn't owe me, you, or any members of the public an apology. The only real victims here are his wife, Elin, and their children.

Currently, from what I understand, she's thinking about dropping the divorce proceedings and wants to make her marriage work. Good luck with that. If she can put what he did to her in the past, the woman is a better person than most of us. Should she change her mind and decide to take Tiger to the proverbial cleaners, then more power to her. As the real victim in this case she's entitled to that.

As for Watson and rest, they would be well advised to take the advice of the only perfect person ever to walk this Earth before they decide to cast any more stones.

Then again, there's someone they don't like who's down, so why not kick him. That's what cowards do.